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SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 10/31/18 1112788 Ducks' sixth straight loss, 3-2 to Flyers, is extra hard to 1112824 Trip opener against Canucks gives Hawks chance to fix swallow what went wrong last season 1112789 Ducks give up a late tiebreaking to Flyers as losing 1112825 Plethora of penalties may cost Blackhawks' Marcus streak reaches 6 games Kruger even more ice time 1112790 Carlyle: Ducks are ‘too cute,’ must get ‘dirtier’ 1112826 joins NBC Sports Chicago's Blackhawks 1112791 Ducks Film Room: How Brandon Montour’s pregame and postgame shows background gives him an edge in hockey 1112827 Blackhawks weekly wrap-up: thrills, Alex DeBrincat scraps and Scott Foster returns 1112828 Blackhawks' Corey Crawford: It's time to leave concussion 1112792 Coyotes blast Senators, secure best October talk in the past record since 2013 1112829 NHL no longer pretending sports betting is bad 1112793 Arizona Coyotes' high-powered kill has been key 1112830 Power play will decide Blackhawks playoff fate to their defensive prowess 1112831 Blackhawks agree to terms with free agent forward 1112794 Arizona Coyotes look to extend win streak against Ottawa Brandon Hagel Senators 1112832 NBC Sports Chicago adds three-time 1112795 Coyotes’ good approach and good fortune yield winning champion Patrick Sharp as Blackhawks analyst streak 1112833 Henri Jokiharju is everything the Blackhawks had hoped 1112796 Suddenly scoring: Coyotes getting production all over their he'd be lineup 1112834 ‘I’m going to make it:’ Preternaturally confident Henri Jokiharju always knew he’d be in the NHL 1112797 Bruins place defenseman Charlie McAvoy on injured Colorado Avalanche reserve 1112835 Avalanche right winger Mikko Rantanen, the NHL’s 1112798 Brad Marchand helps Bruins get past Hurricanes leading scorer, is a Nordic gentleman 1112799 Torey Krug to make his debut for Bruins tonight 1112836 Black masks and white pucks: An inside look at the 1112800 Torey Krug expected back tonight as Bruins face colorful world of the Avalanche’s goaltending dynamic Hurricanes 1112837 Avalanche make roster changes with injuries mounting 1112801 Bruins notebook: Torey Krug’s return a power move for defense 1112802 Bruins top line shines again, rallies past Hurricanes 1112838 Red Wings 5, Blue Jackets 3 | 3-0 deficit in first period too 1112803 Danton Heinen bumps up to Bruins' second line much to overcome 1112804 Bruins pregame notes: Hurricanes view B's as huge test 1112839 Blue Jackets notebook | Korpisalo's third straight starts 1112805 Pastrnak off to fastest start to a Bruins season in 26 years ends quickly 1112806 Brad Marchand shoots his way to Bruins win 1112840 Columbus Blue Jackets: Joonas Korpisalo to get third 1112807 Charlie McAvoy (upper body) placed on IR in what straight start as Sergei Bobrovsky sits appears to be a setback 1112841 Blue Jackets | Oliver Bjorkstrand responds to coach's 1112808 Bruins going with Halak again is a sign of the times challenge 1112809 Dave Goucher, the man who coined ‘Get the duck boats 1112842 G11: Blue Jackets’ rally can’t erase awful start vs. Red ready,’ floored his phrase still lives on Wings 1112810 Alex Cora an inspiration to his brethren in the Boston coaching fraternity 1112811 Where do these Red Sox rank among the Boston 1112843 Devin Shore sparks Stars to first road win of the season championship teams this century? with three-point night 1112844 Why it's fitting that Stars' Jason Spezza reached the 1,000-game milestone in Montreal 1112812 Travis Yost's Sabre Metrics: How Jack Eichel is helping 1112845 Forward Alexander Radulov returns to Stars' lineup linemates get better shots against Montreal 1112813 Call it Rasmus Squared on Sabres' defense tonight 1112846 Shore, Bishop spark Stars past Canadiens in Dallas’ first 1112814 The Wraparound: Flames 2, Sabres 1 (OT) road victory of season 1112815 Sabres Notebook: A Buffalo- game is a Carolina 1112847 Stars 20/20: Devin Shore and Ben Bishop shine as Stars reunion pick up first road win of the season 1112816 Five Things to Know as Sabres try to quell Flames 1112848 Czech beer, kolaches, and hockey: watching a Stars road 1112817 Stimson: Why certain NHL teams tend to draft overage game with Martin Hanzal prospects more than others 1112818 Cash-strapped , on brink of biggest loss, manage to stay afloat — for now 1112819 Cool heads prevail as Flames complete comeback over Sabres 1112820 Plenty of blame to go around as Hurricanes lose in Darling’s debut 1112821 Marchand, Bruins hand Canes 3-2 loss 1112822 How close are the Canes and Sebastian Aho to a new contract agreement? 1112823 None of the numbers do elite NHL defenseman Jaccob Slavin justice, and he couldn’t care less 1112849 Why Detroit Red Wings' Dylan Larkin is such a 'special 1112883 Devin Shore has three-point night as Stars down player' Canadiens 4-1 1112850 Detroit Red Wings will need 1-2 forwards after injury to 1112884 In the Habs' Room: 'Our power play wasn't working,' Thomas Vanek Gallagher says 1112851 Early start leads Detroit Red Wings to second win in a row 1112885 About last night ... Dallas rides Bishop to 4-1 win 1112852 How Detroit Red Wings' Martin Frk is trying to resuscitate 1112886 Canadiens can't overcome poor play on special teams in his career loss to Stars 1112853 Game thread: Detroit Red Wings defeat Columbus Blue 1112887 Stu Cowan: Max Domi is enjoying the spotlight with Jackets, 5-3 Canadiens 1112854 Late Bertuzzi goal sees Red Wings win after 3-0 lead 1112888 Liveblog: Dallas beats Canadiens 4-1 evaporates 1112889 Canadiens Game Day: 'Talk to Bergy,' Radulov says after 1112855 Red Wings players: Game becoming more refined, less of Stars win 4-1 a grind 1112890 Canadiens’ special teams weren’t so special against the 1112856 Red Wings falter in third but bounce back to beat Blue Stars Jackets 1112857 Arrival of Filip Hronek, others, give Griffins hope defensively 1112891 Tuesday's recap: Predators 4, Golden Knights 1 1112858 How the Red Wings ground down a period to seal a win, 1112892 Predators' top line top of the line, but rest of forwards and what can be learned from it lacking in production 1112893 Samuels-Thomas: Why the Predators are poised to have Oilers more than just regular-season success 1112859 notes: Jesse Puljujarvi sits for fourth- 1112894 Filip Forsberg, and Viktor Arvidsson are consecutive game carrying the Predators’ offense. Where’s everybody else 1112860 Edmonton Oilers forward Kyle Brodziak a fan of Minnesota 1112861 Oilers outshot Wild but couldn’t get the win on home ice 1112862 Wild beats the Oilers on their powerplay 1112895 Devils blown out by Lightning in playoff rematch | Rapid 1112863 Edmonton Oilers winger Zack Kassian putting out fires reaction after rumours surface 1112896 New Jersey Devils vs. : LIVE score 1112864 Edmonton Oilers Game Day: vs updates and chat (10/30/18) 1112865 Edmonton Oilers lay a whipping on Murderers’ Row 1112897 What do the Devils have to prove against Lightning, other 1112866 How optimistic should Oilers fans be over the team’s top NHL teams? promising start? 1112898 WATCH: Devils' Jesper Bratt skates in drills 1112867 The market for Zack Kassian 1112899 Why Devils goalie is OK with being eased back into lineup 1112900 Devils rocked by Lightning in ugly loss to start road trip 1112868 From Florida to Finland: Behind the scenes of a really long 1112901 Mindset, forecheck and Brayden Point: 3 takeaways from road trip for the Panthers NJ Devils loss to Lightning 1112902 NJ Devils looking to prove they belong against teams such Kings as Lightning 1112869 Don't hold your breath waiting for Jonathan Quick's return 1112903 How they line up: Marcus Johansson back for NJ Devils to Kings against Lightning 1112870 Kings’ Nate Thompson says synagogue massacre ‘hit 1112904 NJ sports betting: Devils have Prudential Center deals home’ with Caesars, William Hill 1112871 Nate Thompson sends faith, love and prayers to Tree of 1112905 Devils jump out to early lead, but Lightning storms back in Life synagogue in wake of shooting 8-3 rout 1112872 OCTOBER 30: PRACTICE FOCUS, QUICK “PROBABLY 1112906 Devils, 76ers owner going all in on sports betting MORE THAN DAY-TO-DAY”, VILARDI’S PROGRESS 1112907 Devils destroyed as Kinkaid pulled for returning Schneider 1112873 TUESDAY 10/30 – PRACTICE LINES, PAIRINGS 1112908 Devils ownership goes all-in on sports betting 1112909 ‘They are a driving engine for our team’: Where the Devils’ Minnesota Wild top line fits among the NHL’s elite 1112874 Wild's power play starting to click after perfect showing in win over Oilers 1112875 Wild-Edmonton game recap 1112910 Islanders join Penguins in ceremony to honor victims of 1112876 Granlund scores late to lift Wild over Oilers 4-3 Synagogue shootings in 1112877 Mikael Granlund's third-period goal lifts Wild past Oilers 1112911 Jordan Eberle’s two goals lead Islanders past Penguins 1112878 Wild's Mikael Granlund extends point streak to 9 games 1112912 Josh Ho-Sang: New Islanders regime burying me, even in vs. Oilers minors 1112879 Wild focusing on a strong start in second half of back- 1112913 Islanders, Penguins honor and mourn victims of shooting to-back vs. Oilers at synagogue 1112880 Mikael Granlund’s lethal snipe lifts Wild to comeback win 1112914 Islanders dominate Penguins and sweep up three-game over Oilers road trip 1112881 Wild quell ‘glass half empty’ feeling with three power-play goals 1112882 Russo: Wild’s power play is suddenly overflowing after win in Edmonton 1112915 Rangers beat Sharks in shootout after allowing tying goal 1112952 Takeaways: don’t blame the Sharks’ loss on Thornton’s with less than two seconds remaining in regulation return 1112916 Rangers answer David Quinn’s challenge for one game at 1112953 Rangers spoil Joe Thornton’s return to Sharks lineup least 1112954 Joe Thornton set to rejoin Sharks lineup Tuesday 1112917 Pavel Buchnevich is still not getting the Rangers’ message 1112955 Sharks activate Thornton from IR 1112918 Rangers squander lead in last seconds, but Kevin 1112956 Sharks vs. Rangers watch guide: Projected lines and Shattenkirk gets the win in shootout defensive pairs 1112919 Rangers scratch Pavel Buchnevich vs. Sharks, his second 1112957 Joe Thornton will return to Sharks' lineup vs. Rangers benching this season after knee injury 1112920 How David Quinn’s philosophy (and assistants) are 1112958 Getting a lead has been routine for the Sharks, but shaping this Rangers team so far keeping it has been an issue Ottawa Senators St Louis Blues 1112921 Senators top up refinancing with new $30M credit facility 1112959 Injured Allen back on the ice with Blues, but his return is 1112922 Short night for Mike Condon, long night for Senators unclear against Coyotes 1112960 Gordo: Blues' strength up front is forcing tough decisions 1112923 ‘A good hard hockey hit’: Suspension confuses Senators’ 1112961 Barbashev raises his profile on the Blues with one fight Mark Borowiecki 1112962 Allen back on ice, but no word yet on status for Blues' 1112924 Mark Borowiecki had better watch himself game on Thursday Tampa Bay Lightning 1112925 Flyers beat Anaheim Ducks behind Nolan Patrick’s clutch 1112963 Brayden Point has career night with impact on both ends goal 1112964 How the Lightning beat the Devils 8-3 1112926 For Flyers’ Nic Aube-Kubel, reaching the NHL a ‘dream 1112965 Now cancer-free, life is returning to normal for former come true’ Lightning player Brian Boyle 1112927 ‘Perfect time’ for Flyers to be on the road 1112966 Lightning pre-game: What to know about the New Jersey 1112928 NBC Sports Philly adds a new face to its Flyers coverage Devils 1112929 New Flyers Tyrell Goulbourne, Nic Aube-Kubel trying to provide much-needed spark 1112930 Flyers at Ducks: Live stream, storylines, game time and 1112967 Trouble awaits if the Leafs' lines can’t dig deep in more Matthews’s absence 1112931 Why we should have seen Flyers' slow start coming 1112968 Marner’s Leaf price tag on the rise with spotlight to himself 1112932 Flyers 5 takeaways: Anaheim a much-needed 1112969 Breaking out of the trap harder for Leafs without Matthews slumpbuster 1112970 Ron Hainsey's long and winding road to 1,000 NHL games 1112933 Flyers don’t mind NHL’s sports betting partnership with 1112971 Burke proud of Leafs that remain from his tenure as GM one possible exception 1112972 TRAIKOS: What if had been a Toronto Maple 1112934 Flyers at Ducks: Game 12 preview Leaf? 1112973 Mirtle: What does Auston Matthews’ latest injury mean for the future – personally and for the Leafs? 1112935 Often a villain in the eyes of Penguins fans, coach Barry 1112975 Book excerpt: Johnny Bower and Terry Sawchuk enter Trotz vouches for city's character Leafs lore as the tandem that led Toronto to its last Stanl 1112936 Penguins' 4-game streak ends with loss to opportunistic Islanders 1112937 Officers injured in Squirrel Hill shooting drop puck before 1112995 Patrick Johnston: Canucks’ penalty kill will miss Brandon Penguins game Sutter 1112938 Beating Penguins in playoffs lifted heavy burden for coach 1112996 Ben Kuzma: Canucks’ Horvat must shoulder bigger Barry Trotz defensive load after Sutter injury 1112939 Return to Pittsburgh stirs up memories for former 1112997 With Sutter injured, Canucks recall Archibald and Gaunce Penguins winger Tom Kuhnhackl 1112998 Canucks’ goalie situation is pretty thin at the moment, 1112940 Kris Letang sidelined as Penguins take on Islanders which means Jacob Markstrom will be very busy 1112941 Penguins to wear jersey patches to honor Squirrel Hill 1112999 Surprised by his demotion, Sam Gagner is resolved to shooting victims prove the Canucks wrong — and his friends right 1112942 How 's attention to detail turned his 1113000 Pettersson’s rise, the gamer update and what you need to backhand into a force know about Troy Stecher 1112943 With Kris Letang out, young Juuso Riikola steps into his role 1112944 Execution, not effort, lacks for Penguins in emotional loss 1112976 Golden Knights allow 4 unanswered goals, fall to Nashville to Islanders 1112977 Golden Knights’ Cody Eakin brushes off hard hit to face 1112945 Penguins offer touching tribute to synagogue shooting Predators victims before Tuesday’s game 1112978 GAME DAY: Golden Knights open 2-game road trip in 1112946 Remember when Tom Kuhnhackl hit the post? Barry Trotz Nashville does. 1112979 Caesars signs promotional betting partnership with NBA, 1112947 Kris Letang misses Tuesday’s game with lower-body injury NHL teams 1112948 20 Penguins Thoughts: Jim Rutherford, Mike Sullivan and 1112980 Marchessault upbeat despite Golden Knights' loss at a Boston bond Nashville 1112949 How did the Penguins a patch to honor Pittsburgh’s 1112981 Golden Knights Prez Is a Hit with the Ladies When He shooting victims in less than 48 hours? Breaks Out the VGK Gear 1112950 Discussion – Islanders at Penguins 1112951 Why certain NHL teams tend to draft overage prospects more than others 1112982 Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik misses practice with ‘lower-body’ injury 1112983 Penguins wear 'Stronger Than Hate' patches after Pittsburgh synagogue shooting 1112984 Dmitrij Jaskin is starting to show promise, but Todd Reirden knows ‘there’s still more there’ 1112985 After more bad luck, Travis Boyd is finally nearing a return to the lineup 1112986 Even after 13 years with the Caps, Blaine Forsythe is as effective as ever Websites 1113001 The Athletic / Players without a visor already the ‘Old Dinosaurs’ in the NHL 1113002 The Athletic / Power-play units are evolving for the better but there’s still room for improvement 1113003 The Athletic / An NHL rite of passage: The team Halloween party 1113004 The Athletic / After 17 teams and 11 leagues (and counting), Jeremy Morin is still chasing his NHL dream 1113005 .ca / Oilers' strong outing sullied by poor special teams performance - Sportsnet.ca 1113006 Sportsnet.ca / One-and-done chances sink Canadiens in loss to Stars - Sportsnet.ca 1113007 Sportsnet.ca / Canucks' Del Zotto getting chance to lead as team works through injuries - Sportsnet.ca 1113008 Sportsnet.ca / Oilers' hot streak gives Todd McLellan new type of problem - Sportsnet.ca 1113009 Sportsnet.ca / Granlund scores winner as Wild rally to beat Oilers - Sportsnet.ca 1113011 Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs' Andreas Johnsson must prove worth with Matthews hurt - Sportsnet.ca 1113012 Sportsnet.ca / Canadiens' Phillip Danault thriving as shutdown centre - Sportsnet.ca 1113013 Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs' first look without Auston Matthews not very pretty - Sportsnet.ca Jets 1112987 What, Hellebuyck worry? 1112988 Scheifele playing at elite level, creating most of his own chances 1112989 Laine looks forward to lining up with Lowry, Tanev 1112990 Copp works out at centre on fourth line with Roslovic, Lemieux 1112991 Hellebuyck’s confidence doesn’t waver; Familiar refrain for Jets goalie despite slow start 1112992 JETS SNAPSHOTS: Who’s the daddy?…Laine knows what he wants to improve on…Trading places…Perreault recalls Liig 1112993 Panthers coach Boughner enjoyed playing for Maurice with Hurricanes 1112994 Q&A: Paul Maurice on his love of reading and what his players read when they’re not playing Fortnite SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1112788 Anaheim Ducks

Ducks' sixth straight loss, 3-2 to Flyers, is extra hard to swallow

By MIKE COPPINGER

OCT 30, 2018 | 11:20 PM

All Andrew Cogliano could do was shake his head in dismay.

The Ducks have lost six consecutive games and this one is going to be particularly hard to swallow.

They finally found the equalizer with 2 minutes 12 seconds remaining after Pontus Aberg redirected Cam Fowler’s man-advantage wrist . The deadlock didn’t last long.

The Philadelphia Flyers responded 21 seconds later to regain the lead for good in a 3-2 victory Tuesday in front of 16,450 at Honda Center.

As the crowd headed for the exits at the final horn, it let out a chorus of boos. It’s not just the faithful in the stands who are growing increasingly frustrated with the product on the ice.

“It’s unacceptable and the guys who were on the ice are at fault for that,” Cogliano said. “Five-game losing streak and to give up a goal like that, it’s just a joke.”

A blown assignment led to the deciding goal. The Ducks double-teamed the point and left Nolan Patrick alone in front of backup goalie . The No. 2 overall pick in last year’s draft was ready and waiting in the high slot when Oskar Lindblom fed him the puck for the game winner to end the Flyers’ skid at three games.

The Ducks again were forced to chase the game. Top-line center Sean Couturier opened the scoring with a power-play deflection only 3:07 into the first period.

Aberg tied it 1:45 into the second period with a wrist shot from just above the right faceoff dot, and his play is one of the lone positive developments for the Ducks.

He was picked up off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers two days before the season began, and now that he is receiving regular ice time, he has been a difference maker.

Aberg’s second consecutive multigoal game is the first for a Ducks player since Daniel Winnik accomplished the feat Jan. 21, 2013.

The Ducks need more than a step in the right direction as the season begins to slip away from them. They need victories, pronto.

Ivan Provorov’s tip-in goal 8:57 into the second period ensured the Ducks would play catch-up during the final period, a familiar spot.

“It’s brutal. That’s as high and as low as you get in a matter of 15 seconds,” said Ryan Getzlaf, who called the team’s play embarrassing in a road loss to the Dallas Stars last week.

“Pucks aren’t bouncing the way we want them to all the time. That’s what happens when you play through these spells.”

Coach Randy Carlyle no doubt hopes that it’s just that, a bad spell. The Ducks endured two four-game losing streaks last season, one that culminated with a playoff berth.

They never lost so much as five consecutive games during that campaign, and now find themselves on a six-game skid. Something has to give if the Ducks are going to turn this ship around.

“It’s very disheartening,” Carlyle said. “You can’t put an emphasis on how much [a last-minute goal defeat] hurts your group. … In our minds, we self-destructed. We’ve been in a pretty low period in our life.”

The Ducks’ forward group remains banged up, with several key players out of the lineup, but the back end was healthy through 12 games. That good fortune ended Tuesday as Josh Manson sat out the game because of an upper-body injury.

LA Times: LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112789 Anaheim Ducks Cogliano, Kesler, Larsson, Brian Gibbons and Hampus Lindholm were on the ice when Patrick scored the tiebreaking goal.

“We had double coverage on the point,” Carlyle said of the defensive Ducks give up a late tiebreaking goal to Flyers as losing streak reaches 6 breakdown that led to the goal. “The puck went back down behind the net games and they made a to the front and it was right on the tape for Patrick. He threw it far side and it went past our .”

By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | [email protected] | Orange County Register

PUBLISHED: October 30, 2018 at 10:02 pm | UPDATED: October 30, Orange County Register: LOADED: 10.31.2018 2018 at 11:11 PM

ANAHEIM — Andrew Cogliano looked disheartened after the Ducks found a way to lose their sixth consecutive game, a head-scratching 3-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night at Honda Center. Ryan Getzlaf seemed angry and defiant. Pontus Aberg appeared numb.

The Ducks were only moments away from securing another point in the standings after Aberg’s power-play goal pulled them into a 2-2 tie with 2:12 remaining. They weren’t at their best or their healthiest, but they skated purposefully and it looked like they might be rewarded for their resolve.

Then they fell apart at the moment of truth, giving up what proved to be the winning goal only 21 seconds after Aberg tied it with his second of the game and his fourth in two contests. They left the Flyers’ Nolan Patrick alone in front to swat home the tiebreaking score with 1:51 remaining.

Worst of all for the Ducks, no one covered the front of the net, leaving Patrick unmarked.

“You can feel sorry for yourself all you want, but I think at the end of the day you’ve just got to get it done in that situation,” Cogliano said. “It’s just unacceptable at that time to give up a goal. It’s one thing if it’s a point shot or something, but it’s incredible how we could give up a goal.

“I was out there, so I’m not pointing blame at anybody else. You get discouraged, but there’s no time for that really in this league. You have to find a way. No one cares how you’re losing games or what the story is. You just have to find a way in these moments.”

Getzlaf, the Ducks’ captain since 2010-11, has been through rough patches before and he didn’t seem as wounded as Cogliano at game’s end. Getzlaf was a rookie with the Ducks when they tied the franchise record with an eight-game losing streak in November 2005.

“I’m going to show up to work tomorrow,” he said. “That’s what we’ve got to do. That what anyone has to do when times get tough. You can’t point fingers. You can’t go astray. You’ve got to show up to work. The more we work in practice … the better the result will be on the ice.”

Aberg gave the Ducks a chance, rallying them from deficits of 1-0 and 2- 1, with his third and fourth goals in two games. He also scored twice in helping the Ducks force the San Jose Sharks to Sunday before suffering a 4-3 defeat. He was in no mood to celebrate individual success.

“I’m not really thinking about it,” he said. “I’m just trying to stay positive.”

It seemed to be a chore after the injury-depleted Ducks let one get away.

The Ducks summoned rookie Marcus Pettersson from the San Diego Gulls of the AHL to replace veteran Josh Manson (upper body) in the lineup. Coach Randy Carlyle also played Jacob Larsson and Andy Welinski, giving him three rookies in his six-man defense corps against the Flyers.

What’s more, Carlyle decided it was time to give goaltender John Gibson a rest after he faced 40 shots or more in three of his past four starts, including 49 during the Ducks’ OT loss to the Sharks on Sunday. Ryan Miller started in place of Gibson and made 33 saves.

The list of the injured included Max Comtois (lower body), Patrick Eaves (shoulder), Ondrej Kase (concussion), Nick Ritchie (upper body) and Carter Rowney (upper body). Eaves skated with the Ducks the past few days, but his return to the lineup remains uncertain.

Ryan Kesler didn’t practice with his teammates Monday and didn’t join them for their morning skate Tuesday, but he was in the lineup to face the Flyers. Kesler (hip) hasn’t missed a game since making his delayed season debut Oct. 10 against the Arizona Coyotes. 1112790 Anaheim Ducks As ever, starting well and scoring first were priorities. The Ducks were 4- 2-1 when scoring first and 1-3-1 when the opposition scored first.

“It’s always nice to be able to start well and get your offense going,” Carlyle: Ducks are ‘too cute,’ must get ‘dirtier’ Carlyle said. “Goal-scoring is something we all like to do. We’d much rather score a goal than do anything else. That’s a feel-good story for your group. We want to start on a positive note, be aggressive and skate. By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | [email protected] | Orange County Register “We’re a skating hockey club and some of the games we haven’t skated.” PUBLISHED: October 30, 2018 at 2:32 pm | UPDATED: October 30, 2018 at 2:32 PM

Orange County Register: LOADED: 10.31.2018

ANAHEIM — Randy Carlyle got to the point quickly and left little doubt about how the Ducks must play if they are to remain competitive. Or more to the point, how they can become more competitive since they went into Tuesday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers with a five- game losing streak.

For starters, Carlyle said, they’re going to have to learn to win one-goal games.

For another thing, the cute plays with the puck aren’t going to cut it anymore.

For one more, they must do more damage from point-blank range.

Lastly, they must play together, skating in unison, rather than as separate parts.

The good Ducks were on display during the second half of their overtime loss Sunday to the San Jose Sharks, as Carlyle viewed it. They played with more aggression and a greater sense of urgency, which helped them erase a 3-1 deficit and force the game to overtime before losing 4- 3.

The bad Ducks, in Carlyle’s estimation, were responsible for a two-goal deficit and roughly 30 minutes of lackluster play to start the game. Their passes didn’t connect, they failed to generate a sustained attack and couldn’t keep the Sharks from firing shot after shot at goalie John Gibson.

When the Ducks have been strong defensively, they’ve been productive offensively.

Bad defense has led to poor offense.

“We have to develop an understanding here, in order for us to have success, we’re going to have to win games by one goal, and keep the opposition on the outside and not allow the opposition that second and third opportunity,” Carlyle said. “We’ve been far too loose in some situations.

“The encouraging part of the other night, for the last half of the game, we were basically chance for chance with San Jose. The problem was the first 30 minutes of the game. We needed to be better. Hopefully, that’s something we’re going to build on. That’s what we’re going to be looking for.”

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Offensively, the Ducks must shed their recent method of operation.

“We seem to be that too cute hockey club,” Carlyle said. “We have to decide we’re going to put pucks and bodies to the net. If you’ve watched the way the goals are scored in the league now, it’s more of the second opportunities or from the critical areas, more of the tap-ins from the crease.

“So that’s what we have to do, get dirtier, get into those dirty areas with more aggression. I think it’s five guys in unison. When it’s your turn (as the first player down the ice in an odd-man rush), you’ve got drive the middle lane and you’ve got to get in there.

“It’s the same thing on the forecheck. You can’t always expect the same guy to lead the forecheck. It’s a five-man unit out there and we have to make sure we understand our positioning and be aggressive with it. We can’t sit back.”

The Ducks had outscored their opponents 9-8 despite being outshot 157- 87 in the first periods of their first 12 games before Tuesday’s contest. Overall, they were outscored 33-29 and outshot 469-294 before facing the Flyers at Honda Center. 1112791 Anaheim Ducks Montour’s next season turned out to be historic. He would become the first player to hit the NHL precursor trifecta. He played for Waterloo, registering 21 points in 17 games. He skated with UMass, compiling 20 Ducks Film Room: How Brandon Montour’s lacrosse background gives points in 21 games. He then went to the , him an edge in hockey notching 10 points in just 14 games for Norfolk.

It became clear Montour could play at any level and excel way above expectations, a point he made with his first full season in professional By Jordan Samuels-Thomas hockey with the San Diego Gulls of the AHL in 2015-16. There, Montour teamed with another top prospect in defenseman Shea Theodore. Oct 30, 2018 “Theo definitely played a big role in my development. We experienced a

lot together,” Montour said. “We’d talk about everything from call-ups to Even though Brandon Montour registered 67 points in just 49 games for game experiences. Sometimes he’d see me turn the puck over on a play the Caledonia Corvairs of the Greater Junior Hockey League, he that the coach would think was risky and he’d always be right there when didn’t exactly fiddle with his phone awaiting a call from an NHL team I got back to the bench to encourage me and let me know he saw the during the 2013 draft. Instead, he turned his focus to lacrosse. same thing I did.”

After all, only two teams expressed interest at the time in the 19-year-old I played against Montour and Theodore almost 15 times when I skated defenseman: the Waterloo Blackhawks of the USHL and UMass, a for the , including preseason, regular season and playoff middle-of-the-pack college hockey program that competed in Hockey games. Montour and Theodore are both highly-skilled offensive East with more storied programs in Boston University and Boston defenseman and when they shared the ice their hockey IQ always College. seemed to feed off each other. I skated on the penalty kill and would get that uneasy feeling whenever Montour and Theodore jumped over the Montour didn’t know where hockey, or for that matter lacrosse would boards on the power play. They could control the puck and send lethal wind up taking him. What he did know was that he loved to compete in shots toward the goal seemingly at will. both and that he eventually would have to choose between the two. But it would be his talent that ultimately would make the decision for him, or Theodore and I had our fair share of battles in what felt like a constant rather who noticed his talent first. game of cat-and-mouse. I turned out to be the cat, always chasing Theodore, unfortunately. But the lasting impression on special teams with “The first time I saw Brandon play I was actually there to watch another those two literally came from a Montour blast. That lasting impression is player who I had gotten a tip on,” said Waterloo Blackhawks associate in the form of a now-healed fractured right anklebone. At the time I had to head coach Shane Fukushima. “(In Brandon) I saw a defensemen who drag myself to the bench because his shot shredded my plastic shot was all over the place. A rover. Unbelievable skater. I had never seen a blocker leaving my right leg about as strong as an undercooked piece of player play like he did. His center got kicked out of a draw, so he waved spaghetti. That was a bad day for me. his winger off and took the draw himself, only to win the draw to himself and score. I had never seen a defenseman take a faceoff.” Yet in the often strange, ironic world of pro hockey, I would call Theodore and Montour teammates within a few months as I joined the Gulls in San Fukushima knew few if any USHL teams had Montour on their radars, so Diego. It’s always interesting to see how young prospects remain friendly he waited until the 18th round of the USHL draft to make the pick. with each other even though they are competing for the same spot in the NHL. Theodore and Montour were beyond this; they were tight and could “I knew he had he potential to be the best player coming in that year, but communicate almost by telepathy, it seemed. They practiced together on I also knew I could take him that late because nobody knew who he the ice after other players had skated off to the locker room. They would was,” said Fukushima. feed each other one-timers and practice strong-side seam catch-and- Both Montour and Fukushima laughed when recalling the first time they shoots. They seemed sincere in their desire to help each other get better. chatted on the phone. Montour’s fortitude stood out. He tallied 57 points in 68 games during his Montour: Hello? first full professional season, which earned him first-team, All-Rookie honors in the AHL. But he didn’t skate in the NHL. Theodore did, as Fukushima: Yes … Brandon, this is Shane Fukushima from the Waterloo Anaheim called him up a bunch of times that season. Montour remained Blackhawks. We just drafted you and I want you to come play for us next undeterred. He headed into the next season with great drive and ferocity, season. compiling 32 points in just 36 games during the first half of the regular season. He scored 13 goals in that span, one more than he tallied in a Montour: I already have a team … we played you like five times this year. full AHL season a year before. (he thought Fukushima’s Waterloo reference meant the neighboring town Montour’s hot start that season was finally enough for Anaheim to give in Waterloo, Ontario) him the opportunity to play in the NHL where he has now solidified his Fukushima: Waterloo, Iowa … place as a top-four defenseman.

Montour: OK? Montour’s skating is one of the first elements of his game that people notice. He skates hard and he skates a lot. Few players have the ability Fukushima: USHL. We drafted you. I want you to come out to our open to be the first player in on the forecheck, the first back on defense and camp in Chicago the skater who leads the rush back into the offensive zone. He can do With that clarification in mind, Montour agreed. He would go to Chicago this. and learn more about the organization before heading to Waterloo where Montour’s playing style influences are not so much generated from a he would spend the next year. particular player he’s studied in the NHL, although he notes Kris Letang A barely-noticed draft pick Montour would quickly become more widely as a player he’s learned a few things from. Instead, Montour credits known, admired and sought for his skills. He totaled 62 points in 60 lacrosse for his aggressive style of play. games in Waterloo, earning Defensemen of the Year and Player of the “I always played attack or midfield so I was always running around trying Year honors and becoming the first USHL rookie to do so. to score.” Montour said. “My conditioning on the lacrosse field is probably Still, Montour wanted to play lacrosse. Shortly after the USHL season what translated on the ice the most. That’s what allows me to continue ended, he returned home to play for the Six Nations Arrows lacrosse skating the way I do and play aggressive.” team. His team would go on to win the national championship in Canada. Montour’s conditioning is evident whenever he hits the ice. He rarely He would end his Lacrosse career then and on top. adopts the profile of a fatigued player, bent over at the waist, gliding Soon after, the Anaheim Ducks selected Montour with the 55th overall toward the bench even though he has been skating at full pick in the 2014 NHL draft. A remarkable feat given that the now 20-year- throughout a shift. That fitness level includes the unseen part of the old had been passed over in two NHL drafts prior and skated in relative game, the game of the mind. He doesn’t make bad decisions that lead to obscurity less than a year earlier. turnovers, which, in turn, leads to goals against. The well-conditioned Montour has finished every professional season with a plus/minus rating offensive situations and possesses the talent to produce somewhere in of even or plus. the 45-50 point range from the blueline.

Another attribute Montour connects to his lacrosse days is his nature to Anaheim knows what it has in Montour and believes he’s an important prowl. piece for its future moving forward. When the expansion draft took place in the summer of 2017 the organization doubled down on Montour by “When I’m on the ice, offensively, I’m always looking to create an choosing to trade Theodore to Vegas. opportunity for me or a teammate,” he said. “I played mostly attack in lacrosse so that mindset always carried over to the ice.” The Ducks have been reeling the last couple of weeks with Montour experiencing his fair share of up-and-down moments as well. Their Montour’s offensive prowess is what makes him special and a must-have recent offensive power outage could serve as an opportunity for Montour type of player in today’s NHL. I’ve seen him score from everywhere on to make his mark in being part of the solution in Anaheim. the ice, ranging from a slapshot taken from the neutral zone to burying rebounds in front of the net. He is that rare defenseman who creates Someone needs to take his game to another level in Anaheim and why breakaways out of seemingly harmless plays by opposing forwards. not Montour? He’s been a proven impact player at every level. The NHL should be no different. The lacrosse piece becomes evident even more so when you watch him play in the offensive zone. It is much more than ankle-breaking blasts. He combines power with finesse and agility to turn, find an open spot and shoot. And that can be from anywhere. The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018

Literally, anywhere …

It really doesn’t matter where.

Offense has never been a question-mark for Montour who ranked 57th in Corey Pronman’s Top 100 NHL players under 25. His play on defense, however, has been called into question since he turned pro. When I watch Montour play I don’t see a player who hurts his team defensively or a player who struggles to handle the bigger players in the league. I detect a player who quickly learns from mistakes and makes immediate adjustments.

Like most NHL players, Montour has been the best, or one of the best, players at every level he’s played so it’s no surprise that he plays with such confidence and the aggression that stems from that. He has the skating ability and skill set to make up for most mistakes he makes as a result of being over-aggressive. However, at this level Montour has learned that his aggression can cost both him and his team.

“My mindset had always been to join the rush no matter what in any circumstance,” he said. “I’ve learned to be smarter picking and choosing my spots.”

Like his offensive style, Montour plays defense a little differently than others. The best example of that is revealed in the offensive zone. Montour isn’t bolted to the blueline. He is active, constantly seeking soft spots along the wall, at the tops of the circles, and in the slot. For Montour, his best defense is offense.

Because of his aggressive offensive mindset, Montour often finds himself in an aggressive defensive position, creating a tight gap between him and his defensive assignment. Montour skates forward more than any defensemen I’ve seen play this level. This helps him in these tight gap situations.

The term “gap” refers to a defenseman’s proximity to an opposing player, usually a forward. If a defenseman plays with a loose gap, he allows the opposing player to attack him with time, space, and speed, the elements that form disaster for the defense and nightmares for the goalie.

If a defenseman plays with a tight gap, he eliminates the time and space of the attacking player, forcing the attacking player to make a quick decision. That leads to turnovers created by the defenseman, dumped pucks by the attacking player, and an all around less dangerous situations than if the player had time and space. The downside to a tight gap occurs when a defender takes a poor angle or the forward makes a great play to dangle around that defender while maintaining control of the puck. That takes the defender out of the play completely and can lead to a high percentage odd-man rush.

You see a lot of the elite defenders in the league play with the type of confidence necessary to play with an extremely tight gap. I’m not saying Montour is an elite defender. But his skating gives him the confidence to play the way he does. Even in situations when Montour finds himself with a poor angle on the attacking player or is a step behind when play transitions, his skating will make up for it more often than not.

The 2017-18 season marked Montour’s first full year in the NHL, and he didn’t disappoint with 32 points in 80 games. That amounts to a strong campaign, especially when you take into account the offensive depth of Anaheim’s D-core that relies on Cam Fowler as its primary offensive defenseman option and Hampus Lindholm as its second. If Montour played for any of other NHL franchises he would be used in more 1112792 Arizona Coyotes After being shut out in three of their first four games, the Coyotes have now scored 27 goals in their past six games, the first time the team has done so since the 2006-07 season.

Coyotes blast Ottawa Senators, secure best October record since 2013 “Wherever we were (early on) I didn’t feel panic in the guys,” Tocchet said of the team’s start. “The thing we hung our hat on was that we weren’t allowing much, our goaltending was playing good and our Richard Morin, Arizona Republic (defense) has been playing good; we just weren’t scoring.

Published 9:58 p.m. MT Oct. 30, 2018 | Updated 10:59 p.m. MT Oct. 30, “The guys were sticking with it and practicing like the goals would come. 2018 You have to have that mentality in this league. We’ve got good mojo right now and we don’t want to wreck it.”

The Coyotes have two games remaining on their current homestand, Not many of the current Coyotes have been with the team long enough to beginning with a Friday tilt against the Carolina Hurricanes to be followed appreciate the significance of a winning record in October. by a Tuesday matchup with the Philadelphia Flyers. With a 5-1 win over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday at Gila River Arena, When play wrapped up Tuesday, the Coyotes were tied for fifth place in the Coyotes secured their fifth win in their past six contests, their fourth the Pacific Division and just three points out of first place. They held the straight overall and their best October record in five years. best goal differential (plus-10) in the division, a mark that also ranked as The Coyotes (6-5-0) haven’t been over .500 at the end of October since third-best in the Western Conference and fifth-best in the NHL. the 2013-14 season when the team was 9-3-2 after 14 games. This The Coyotes have put themselves in position to be relevant more than a year’s team played only 11 games in October but still managed to win month into the season, which in itself is a significant step forward for this more than they lost in the opening month. organization. Still, the captain warned of the team being too At face value, it might not seem like a monumental accomplishment. But overconfident with their strong start. for a Coyotes franchise with a recent trend of rough starts, a positive “I mean, we’re playing good and building on our game and that’s what we October could go a long way toward the potential of a successful 2018- have to keep doing,” Ekman-Larsson said. “It’s important that we don’t sit 19 season. back and feel too good about ourselves.” For Coyotes captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who is the only Coyotes Richard Morin covers the Coyotes and Diamondbacks for azcentral player who has been at the NHL level with the organization for more than sports. He can be reached at [email protected] and by phone three seasons, the solid start to the current campaign is of great at 480-316-2493. Follow him on Twitter @ramorin_azc. significance. Den’s digest “It wouldn't be fun to be out of the playoffs like we were last year in October,” Ekman-Larsson said. “It means a lot for us to have a good start The score: Coyotes 5, Senators 1. and feel like we have a chance to beat every team in the thing. We did it against Tampa, we did it again tonight. The streak: W4.

“It means a lot for us to just have a good feeling in the room. Hopefully The record: 6-5-0, T-5th in Pacific. we can build off of that and keep winning.” The 82-game pace: 44-37-0, 88 points.

On Tuesday, it was more offensive firepower that propelled the Coyotes The player: Alex Galchenyuk. to a third win on their current five-game homestand. The Coyotes have now scored 20 goals over their current four-game win streak. The moment: Derek Stepan’s goal at 15:30 of the first period.

Alex Galchenyuk got the Coyotes on the board with his first goal of the The number: 6 — The number of short-handed goals the Coyotes have season and his first in Arizona. He out-raced a Senators defender for a scored through just 11 games this season. loose puck in front of the net and angled a shot past Ottawa goaltender Mike Condon for the game’s first score at 4:09 of the first period. The quote: “When we’re sticking with our game plan and everybody is dialed in, we’re a really good team. Everybody was sacrificing their body A little more than two minutes later, Michael Grabner found best friend and blocking the shots, taking away the rebounds. As a goalie, it’s a Brad Richardson for a one-timer that gave the Coyotes a two-goal lead in dream to play behind that team.” — Coyotes goaltender Antti Raanta. the early going. View from the press box: This could easily have been a trap game for the Toward the end of the opening period, the Coyotes’ conference-best Coyotes after handing a lopsided 7-1 defeat to the high-powered Tampa penalty kill was thrust into work. As one of the short-handed units skated Bay Lightning on Saturday. Instead, the Coyotes came out with another to the bench for a change, Derek Stepan flipped a harmless puck down fast start and were just as effective against a Senators team not the ice, but Condon couldn’t close his legs and the Coyotes found expected to do much of anything this season. themselves with a 3-0 lead after one period of play.

It counted as the team’s sixth short-handed goal this season, bringing their goal differential on the penalty kill to an astounding plus-3 on the Arizona Republic LOADED: 10.31.2018 season. It also removed Condon from the game, as Senators No. 1 goaltender Craig Anderson took over for the remainder of the contest.

The Senators looked as if they made it a two-goal game when Senators defenseman Chris Tierney tipped a puck past Antti Raanta, but the goal was waved off on the ice. When the officials went to replay, it was determined to be a good goal. However, Coyotes head coach Rick Tocchet challenged for goaltender interference, and the call was reversed again.

The Senators later scored by way of a tip from Senators forward Alex Formenton, but Richard Panik scored 22 seconds later to restore the Coyotes’ three-goal lead after two periods.

Ekman-Larsson added his first goal of the season, and first as an NHL captain, with a power-play tally at 10:25 of the third period. With Ekman- Larsson the latest Coyotes player to find the back of the net, six of the team’s last 12 goals have been scored by a player scoring their first of the season, a testament to the Coyotes’ balanced offensive attack. 1112793 Arizona Coyotes For relatively inexperienced NHL players, defensive responsibility and consistency is often the last notch on the belt. The learning curve between the Coyotes’ coaching staff and their younger players was Arizona Coyotes' high-powered penalty kill has been key to their evident in the team’s rough start to the 2017-18 season. defensive prowess But the Coyotes were able to turn it around after February and played respectable hockey down the stretch, thanks to sturdy defense. This October, the Coyotes were out to prove that their play late last season Richard Morin, Arizona Republic was more than a mirage. So far, it seems like it was indeed more.

Published 2:55 p.m. MT Oct. 30, 2018 | Updated 4:10 p.m. MT Oct. 30, Although 10 games is still a relatively small sample size, the Coyotes’ 2018 defensive numbers are encouraging if Arizona expects to be competitive down the stretch this year.

And for someone like Grabner, who hadn’t scored in a Coyotes uniform It’s getting to the point where the Coyotes are probably excited when one until his two short-handed goals Saturday, the penalty kill has been a of their players heads to the penalty box. source of pride. When the Coyotes have been short-handed this season, they’ve been “I think the last couple games we’ve been winning so it doesn’t really dominant. And not just in preventing power-play goals; they’ve been weigh on your mind as much when you’re winning games,” Grabner said. dominant in scoring goals against other teams’ man-advantage units. “You start contributing to the game, like, on the penalty kill and stuff. It Through 10 games this season, the Coyotes’ penalty kill has been the gets more frustrating when you start losing and have chances you’re not most effective in the Western Conference with an 89.3 percent success putting in, so I just try to stay relaxed. rate and has five short-handed goals — an NHL-best. They trail only the “Obviously we’ve bee winning the last couple games so it felt good to Tampa Bay Lightning (95.1 percent) for the NHL’s top P.K. crew. finally get one in (on Saturday).” But the real importance of the Coyotes’ penalty kill does not come at face value. When you consider how stingy Arizona’s 5-on-5 defense has been, that the Coyotes have been so effective when short-handed goes a Arizona Republic LOADED: 10.31.2018 long way in shutting down opposing offenses.

But what has been the main difference from this year’s successful penalty kill and last year’s unit that had a few good stretches?

That answer starts and ends with Michael Grabner. Billed as a short- handed specialist while with the New York Islanders, New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils, Grabner has already been a shot in the arm for the Coyotes’ penalty-kill unit.

Grabner’s visible chemistry with Brad Richardson has been on display during even strength but more so on the Coyotes’ first penalty-kill unit. Both Grabner and Richardson have two short-handed goals this season. Lawson Crouse has the other.

“(Richardson) and (Grabner) have led the charge,” head coach Rick Tocchet said regarding the success of the penalty kill. “Everybody’s done that, (Lawson Crouse), when (Josh Archibald) is in there, (Derek Stepan) … The (defense) is back there, you know I could name every guy — (Niklas Hjalmarsson, Kevin Connauton and Jason Demers) — I have to name all those guys and obviously (Oliver Ekman-Larsson).

“We’re number two right now and we’re taking pride in it, which is nice. There’s a long way to go but I like the way we’re doing it. Another plus is the , who have been big. They’re probably our best P.K. guys.”

Compare that with just three short-handed goals allowed, and the Coyotes have an astounding plus-2 goal differential on the penalty kill. That’s an impossibly high rate and one that likely won’t last the whole season, but it’s a testament to the unit’s excellent performance in the first 10 games of the season.

The Lightning are next in short-handed goal differential with an even rating (two goals for, two goals against). The worst in that department is the Philadelphia Flyers, who are minus-13 on the penalty kill through 11 games.

But the Coyotes’ defense goes far beyond defending against another team’s power plays. The Coyotes have been one of the league’s best in suppressing shots in all phases of the game. Among teams that have played at least 10 games, the Coyotes rank third in the NHL with just 28.2 shots allowed per game.

And despite their .500 winning percentage, the Coyotes have actually performed proficiently in controlling play in each of their games this season. Even in their losses, the Coyotes have limited enough chances to stay in the game. They haven’t been blown out or even been decidedly outplayed once this season.

The Coyotes are built around their defense and it has shown this October. It was a grueling task for Tocchet and assistant coach and defensive specialist Scott Allen to implement the team’s defense-first system last season. 1112794 Arizona Coyotes

Arizona Coyotes look to extend win streak against Ottawa Senators

Richard Morin, Arizona Republic

Published 11:33 a.m. MT Oct. 30, 2018 | Updated 12:40 p.m. MT Oct. 30, 2018

The Arizona Coyotes (5-5-0) look to win their fifth game in their last six contests and their fourth in a row when they take on the Ottawa Senators (4-4-2) on Tuesday at Gila River Arena.

Coyotes forward Dylan Strome is expected to draw back into the Coyotes' lineup on Tuesday after serving as a healthy scratch on Saturday. It is not clear who will be the extra forward.

Starting goaltender Antti Raanta is expected to be between the pipes opposite Senators netminder Mike Condon.

Senators forward Mark Borowiecki was handed a three-game suspension ahead of Tuesday's game stemming from a hit he delivered in a game against the Vegas Golden Knights over the weekend.

The Coyotes could secure their best October record in 5 years with a win on Tuesday. They have not been over .500 more than 10 games into a season since March 2013.

Tuesday’s game

Senators at Coyotes

When: 7 p.m.

Where: Gila River Arena.

TV/Radio: FSAZ/KMVP-FM (98.7).

Outlook: The Arizona Coyotes (5-5-0) continue their five-game homestand with a tilt against the Ottawa Senators (4-4-2) on Tuesday in Glendale. … The Senators are wrapping up a three-game road trip in which they’ve already lost to the Colorado Avalanche and the Vegas Golden Knights by scores of 6-3 and 4-3, respectively; they are 1-2-1 on the road this season. … The Senators have lost three straight overall after starting the season 4-2-1. … This is the second of two meetings between the teams this season with the Coyotes scheduled to travel to Ottawa on Jan. 22; the Coyotes were 2-0-0 against the Senators last season. … The Senators are led in scoring by defenseman Thomas Chabot (three goals, 10 assists) as well as forwards Matt Duchene (four goals, seven assists) and Chris Tierney (two goals, eight assists). … Ottawa is led in goal by starter Craig Anderson, who has compiled a 4-3- 0 record to go along with a 3.54 goals allowed average this season.

Arizona Republic LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112795 Arizona Coyotes • The Coyotes have outscored opponents 16-3 on this homestand, which as two games remaining.

• They have not scored fewer than three goals in a game since the first Coyotes’ good approach and good fortune yield winning streak contest on their recent road trip, a game at Minnesota on Oct. 16, six games ago.

BY MATT LAYMAN • On defense, the Coyotes had allowed the fewest goals per game (2.00) in the NHL entering their game Tuesday. OCTOBER 30, 2018 AT 10:54 PM “I think the biggest thing is we’ve got some guys that have loosened the grips of their sticks a little bit and making some more plays and getting some more clean looks,” Derek Stepan said. GLENDALE, Ariz. — After getting shut out three times in their first four games, the Coyotes have won four in a row as of Tuesday. “We’ve got a good mojo going,” Tocchet said. “We don’t want to wreck it right now.” In the sample size of just a few games to start the season, it didn’t seem to panic Coyotes head coach Rick Tocchet that they weren’t scoring. “We’ve got to chill out here,” he said, later adding, “You’re getting chances and shots, but a guy hits a [goalie] in the logo. Some guys, Arizona Sports LOADED: 10.31.2018 you’ve got to pick the corner.” Arizona was outshooting teams each night, but not getting goals.

That problem of getting all the chances with no results seems to have changed.

“We’re going to the net,” Tocchet said Tuesday, explaining that his team has improved at getting bodies to the goaltender. “Plus, the shots, we’re getting some guys — they’re good shots. They’re good shots, they weren’t going in early but they’re picking corners, they’re working on their shots in practice, and I’m a rep guy. Work on your shot in practice, it usually helps in the game.”

With better approach has seemed to come better fortune.

In Arizona’s latest homestand, little-to-nothing has gone wrong. The Coyotes beat Vancouver 4-1 with two shorthanded goals. They beat the then-league-leading Tampa Bay Lightning 7-1, again with two shorthanded goals.

And on Tuesday, the Coyotes beat the Senators 5-1, scoring three goals in the first period with one of those coming from the neutral zone to prompt a goaltender change for Ottawa (and that goal was shorthanded).

Ottawa goalie Mike Condon was pulled for Craig Anderson in that first period after Alex Galchenyuk (his first with Arizona), Brad Richardson and Stepan all scored. Richard Panik scored in the second period — his second goal in as many games — answering back just 22 seconds after the Senators got on the board. Panik’s goal made it 4-1. Oliver Ekman- Larsson tacked on a fifth goal in the third period, and Antti Raanta finished with 25 saves.

“Goaltending been great, penalty kill has been awesome, defense playing great giving us a chance to win,” Galchenyuk said. “And it’s in our hands to go out there and provide offense and keep creating and we’ve been doing that. A lot of lines are contributing and we’re winning as a team.”

The results recently have favored Arizona, but so too have its circumstances. Vancouver visited with injuries to young stars Brock Boeser and Elias Pettersson. Tampa Bay was without Norris Trophy winner Victor Hedman and forward Ondrej Palat. Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk is still recovering from injury. And all three of those teams started their backup goaltenders in their visits to the Valley.

This is not to say that the Coyotes are winning on luck. But for every moment of bad fortune the Coyotes had in their first handful of games — when they were getting chances but no puck luck — they’ve gotten back something good lately.

“I didn’t feel a panic in the guys,” Tocchet said. “The one thing we’re hanging our hat on is we weren’t giving the teams much, and the goalies were playing great for us. I thought the D’s been playing good. We just weren’t scoring. Guys just sticking with it, practicing hard, the goals will come.”

The numbers tell an encouraging story for Arizona:

• With Stepan’s shorthanded goal from center ice on Tuesday, the Coyotes have scored six shorthanded goals in 2018-19, which leads the NHL. Last year, they had just two, which was the fewest in the league.

• Arizona has scored 27 goals in its last six games after scoring just three goals in its first five games. 1112796 Arizona Coyotes “This team definitely had a lot of heat on it the first four games, not scoring, but there’s a lot of great guys in here that, even when I was injured, they kept it positive,” said Galchenyuk, who missed the first Suddenly scoring: Coyotes getting production all over their lineup seven games but has a goal and four points in four games. “We knew once it started going in that it would be a fun game to play and that’s what’s been happening.”

By Craig Morgan

Oct 30, 2018 The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018

When asked if the Coyotes’ goal-scoring binge was making the scoreless captain feel like the last guy standing in a game of musical chairs, he shrugged.

“I don’t really care about goals,” he deadpanned. “I would have been more concerned if I didn’t get the chances and didn’t get the looks.”

It was hard to buy that answer from a defenseman who has topped 20 goals twice in his career, so we pressed Ekman-Larsson by informing him that there were only six Coyotes left without a goal. Two of them aren’t in the lineup regularly and four are defensemen.

“Yeah, OK, even if you don’t think about scoring it’s going to get in your head if you don’t,” he said, laughing. “It’s nice to get the monkey off your back.”

Ekman-Larsson joined the growing offensive parade in a 5-1 rout of the Ottawa Senators at Gila River Arena on Tuesday, scoring a power-play goal at 10:25 of the third period with Derek Stepan providing what should be described more as a wall than a screen in front of goalie Craig Anderson. With the goal, Ekman-Larsson became the sixth Coyote to score his first goal of the season in the past two games, joining Alex Galchenyuk, Jordan Oesterle, Stepan, Michael Grabner and Richard Panik.

That statistic is indicative of what is happening up and down the Arizona lineup over the past six games. A team that was shut out in three of its first four games and had no 5-on-5 goals through its first five has scored 27 goals in its past six (4.5 per game), five of them wins.

“It’s almost like every line, somebody scored or did something well for us,” coach Rick Tocchet said after his team’s fourth straight win. “We’re spreading the wealth and they’re going in for us.”

Remarkably, the Coyotes have done it without sacrificing any of their season-long defensive prowess. The Coyotes lead the league with a stingy 1.91 goals allowed per game and have allowed more than two goals in just three of their 11 games.

“When we’re sticking with our game plan and everybody’s dialed in we’re a really good team,” said goalie Antti Raanta, who raised his save percentage to .926 while dropping his goals against average to 1.99. “When everybody’s sacrificing their bodies and blocking the shots and taking away the rebounds, as a goalie, it’s a dream to play behind that team.”

Tocchet admitted concern that his team might suffer a letdown after a 7-1 win over Stanley Cup contender Tampa Bay on Saturday, but those concerns were quickly dispelled in a three-goal first period, the Coyotes’ second straight.

“I felt Oliver and (Niklas Hjalmarsson) and some of the older guys, they were kind of grumpy today, in a good way,” Tocchet said. “You could tell that they wanted to make sure the young guys knew that this was a serious game. I thought their leadership was big for us.”

Ottawa goalie Mike Condon helped matters by misplaying a puck on Brad Richardson’s goal that made it 2-0. Condon made the night’s bloopers reel and ended his own night when he allowed Stepan to score on a bouncing dump-in from the Coyotes blue line for the Coyotes’ sixth shorthanded goal of the season and a 3-0 lead.

Since shaving his beard, Stepan has two goals and six points in six games.

“I’ve got family pictures tomorrow,” he said, rubbing his new growth. “I’ve got to get it sharp.”

The Coyotes can afford to laugh now. After a shaky start raised fears of another lost October, the team has climbed within three points of the division lead in what looks like a wide-open Pacific. 1112797 Boston Bruins

Bruins place defenseman Charlie McAvoy on injured reserve

By Kevin Paul Dupont

Globe Staff

RALEIGH, N.C. — A Bruins spokesperson confirmed Tuesday, prior to the club taking the ice for the day-of-game skate, that defenseman Charlie McAvoy has been placed on injured reserve, retroactive to his being injured Oct. 18 in Edmonton. McAvoy will be able to come off injured reserve immediately, upon receiving medical clearance.

McAvoy returned to Boston after the Edmonton game to undergo testing, according to coach Bruce Cassidy. The club since then has said little, other than to disclose that he has an upper-body injury.

Upon exiting the lineup after seven games, McAvoy led the club’s defensemen in scoring (1-5—6) and he still holds that status nearly two weeks later. Matt Grzelcyk, who has seen ample power-play duty in the absence of both McAvoy and Torey Krug, began the week second with a line of 0-5—5.

Krug, sidelined by an ankle injury since late in the preseason, likely will make his debut here Tuesday night when the Bruins face the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. Grzelcyk, believed to be dealing with a minor injury, could be on the sidelines. If both Grzelcyk and Krug are unable to go, rookie Jeremy Lauzon would be back in the lineup after his short visit back to AHL Providence Sunday.

McAvoy, 20, collected 32 points in the 2017-18 season and missed 19 games because of health reasons, including a procedure to correct an irregular heartbeat and a knee injury. The former Boston University standout, selected No. 14 in the 2016 draft, is on track to become a restricted free agent July 1.

Boston Globe LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112798 Boston Bruins shooting mentality. Two goals in whatever it was — 11 or 12 games — that’s not really acceptable. Gotta be better.”

The two sides divvied up four power-play goals over the first 40 minutes, Brad Marchand helps Bruins get past Hurricanes with the Bruins battling back from deficits of 1-0 an 2-1 to pull even into the second period.

By Kevin Paul Dupont The ’Canes pushed to their first lead at 17:54 of the first on a mob scene at the Boston net, Micheal Ferland tapping a loose puck by Halak after Globe Staff Sebastian Aho tagged the goalie with a sharp wrister from the left .

Finally, with 12:22 gone, David Pastrnak drilled in the first of the tying goals, connecting with a bad-angle snap shot from the left after Torey RALEIGH, N.C. — Brad Marchand, struggling to put the puck in the net Krug set him up with a short pass from the left wing circle. Krug had his throughout October, finished off the month with a devilish display of first primary assist of the season, playing his first game after being tenacity and touch here Tuesday night, rushing two-thirds the length of sidelined a month with an ankle injury. the ice to fire home the game-winner in the Bruins’ 3-2 win over the Hurricanes at PNC Arena. The ’Canes moved back ahead, 2-1, when ex-Bruin Dougie Hamilton ripped home a one-timer with only 1:27 left in the second. Jordan Staal The goal, his second of the night, was a made-for-highlight-reel flourish set it up, with a rare clean swipe from Bergeron on the draw to Halak’s that had Marchand fending off a backchecking Justin Williams for the left. It was only the second goal this season for Hamilton, who was better portion off all three zones. For a finishing touch, he wrapped traded here from the Flames in June. around the net and finished off with a gimme at the right post. With only 18 seconds left in the period, Marchand connected with a 20- As for an admiring coach, Bruce Cassidy, he felt it was as much a foot wrister from the left side, set up with a long-bomb pass by Berergon. teaching tool as it was a Top 10 video clip. He hopes some of his other The goal came only seconds after Bergeron and Pastrnak hustled back forwards, still in need of picking up their compete level, found the rush to deny Foegele on a breakaway attempt down the middle. Bergeron, no both motivational and instructive. doubt peeved over losing the draw to Staal on the previous goal, fired “You have to win battles on the walls,” said Cassidy, noting how long through the neutral zone to send Marchand charging down the left Marchand triggered his rush, after a feed from Patrice Bergeron (three side. assists). “And chip pucks to space and win the races. He’s good at that.

And some of our guys were behind, early on, just not willing to compete on a puck, win it on a wall, move it to space and use their legs. And we Boston Globe LOADED: 10.31.2018 have some young players who can do that . . . so that’s disappointing to me.”

The goal, only Marchand’s fourth this season, helped the Bruins close out the month with respectable 7-3-2 record, all the more impressive considering that they opened the season with a 7-0 pasting at the hands of the Capitals. They have since played at a .727 clip, outscoring the opposition, 37-22.

The win here also had Jaroslav Halak at his best, turning back 42 shots, including three shorthanded chances by the ’Canes, who easily could have blown the game wide open early in the second when the Bruins were napping their way through a power-play chance. In a span of 25 seconds, Halak turned back Jordan Martinook on a 2-on-1 and then Warren Foegele on straight-down-Broadway breakaway attempt.

The two saves by Halak kept the Hurricanes’ lead at 1-0, allowing the Bruins to regroup in the second once Cassidy finally shook up his lines.

“I knew coming into the game that these guys shoot a lot,” said Halak, who is now 4-0-2 as ’s co-tender. “They average something like 41 shots a game. It gets a goalie into the game when they shoot early, and I’m just glad we were able to come [up] with a victory tonight.”

Cassidy, quicker to change things up after seeing his squad struggle Saturday in a 3-0 loss to Montreal, in the middle period moved second- year wingers Anders Bjork and Jake DeBrusk to the end of the bench. He also flipped top right winger David Pastrnak over to David Krejci’s line, moving ex-’Canes winger Joakim Nordstrom to the right side with Bergeron and Marchand.

Cassidy is not impatient, but he also won’t let dead wood become petrified. DeBrusk finished the night with 13:11 in ice time, Bjork with 8:12 and Ryan Donato with 12:09, only 6:36 of which was at even strength. Clearly, the coach wants more out of all of them.

“Hopefully they learned a lesson from [Marchand] tonight,” said Cassidy. “Trust me, that’s an area of the game . . . we’re young, we’re going to have young legs and you’re going to have play a certain way against good hockey clubs — and Carolina is a good team and they press up on you.”

Marchand, now with a 4-11—15, hasn’t been pleased with his game, particularly with his lack of success at putting pucks in the net. He finished with 34 goals in 68 games last season, and until here he was on pace for about 15.

“Nice to get a couple tonight, but it all starts with big plays from other guys,’ said Marchand, later adding, “I think I just have a little more of a 1112799 Boston Bruins The Bruins also added Vaakanainen to the injured reserve list. Vaakanainen, only recently recalled from Providence, was concussed Oct. 24 in Ottawa when he was slammed in the head by Senators Torey Krug to make his debut for Bruins tonight defenseman Mark Borowiecki during a scramble in front of the Ottawa net.

Vaakanainen was placed immediately in concussion protocol and has not By Kevin Paul Dupont rejoined the club for workouts.

Globe Staff It is believed McAvoy is recovering from a concussion, or symptoms common to a concussion, and his return date remains unknown.

“He could probably come back as soon as he’s ready,” said Cassidy, RALEIGH, N.C. — Nearly six months later, and two ankle injuries behind noting that being placed on IR has no significant bearing on his ability to him, Torey Krug returned to the Bruins blue line Tuesday night against rejoin the team. “ for him is: When is he going to be healthy? the Hurricanes. His No. 1 role: manning the point on first power-play unit. When is he going to be back skating? When is he going to be back “That’s his until somebody takes it away from him,” said coach Bruce practicing? I don’t have a good answer for that right now. I hope it is later Cassidy, who used Matt Grzelcyk as his No 1 point man while Krug this week, but I’d only be speculating.” recovered. “Gryz was fine there, but Torey’s a little more dimensional . . . Cassidy was uncertain whether McAvoy skated on his own, as hoped, that’s Torey’s job and I assume it will be for a while” Tuesday in Boston. Krug exited the lineup in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Before exiting the lineup after seven games, McAvoy led the club’s against Tampa in May, falling awkwardly feet-first into the corner boards, defensemen in scoring (1-5—6) and he still holds that status some two leading to ankle surgery. He then suffered a second ankle injury in weeks later. Grzelcyk, who has seen ample power-play duty in the September in what turned out to be his first and last preseason absence of both Krug and McAvoy, began the week second in back-line performance. scoring with a line of 0-5—5. Krug’s return here, with Grzelcyk now out with an undisclosed injury, McAvoy, 20, collected 32 points in his 2017-18 season and missed 19 came in the Bruins’ 12th game of the season, with the six-man D unit games due to health reasons, including a procedure to correct an without Charlie McAvoy, Kevan Miller, Urho Vaakanainen and Grzelcyk. irregular heart beat and a knee injury. The former BU standout, selected Krug skated with John Moore on his right, while the No. 3 pairing was No. 14 in the 2016 draft, is on track to become an unrestricted free agent AHL callup Jeremy Lauzon and journeyman Steve Kampfer. on July 1. Krug finished with a healthy 18:13 in ice time, a third of which (6:12) he Cassidy’s line changes had Joakim Nordstrom playing on a number of spent on the power play. He also got on the scoresheet, setting up a lines, including at right wing with Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron. David Pastrnak one-timer that pulled the Bruins into a 1-1 tie. “Our Swiss Army knife, even though he’s Swedish,” Cassidy said. “I was taking short shifts out there, so I was kinda giving Zee a couple of Nordstrom logged a beefy 23 shifts for 14:04 in ice time. He also won five extra minutes,” said Krug, referring to Zdeno Chara. “And Johnny [Moore] of his six faceoffs, on the rare night that Bergeron finished under water did a great job covering up when I did make mistakes — it was fun to be (12 for 30, 40 percent) . . . Justin Williams and ex-UNH Wildcat Trevor back in the lineup.” Van Riemsdyk each landed six shots on Jaroslav Halak . . . Pastrnak led all shooters in attempts (15) and shots landed (nine) . . . Marchand Krug said he felt better here than he did going into the preseason match landed five of his eight shot attempts . . . Former Bruin Dougie Hamilton in which he was injured. Recent practices had him jostling and battling for fired 10 times, landed half of them and picked up his second goal of the pucks, the kind of grind he didn’t have a chance to face in training camp. season.

“From a comfort standpoint, making plays and skill-wise, I feel better,” he It was Boston’s first look at prized Hurricanes rookie Andrei Svechnikov, said before the Bruins defeated Hurricanes, 3-2, Tuesday night. “The the Russian right winger chosen second overall in the June draft. The skating is going to be the last thing that comes, and I’ll continue to work speedster scored 72 points in 44 games with OHL Barrie last season, on that. But, yeah, the feeling before that first preseason game . . . now, following a full season at USHL Muskegon. He entered the night with a there’s no room for mistakes, we’re fighting for points every single night, modest 2-2—4 line, one of only a half-dozen ’18 draft picks to play in the and there’s more on the line.” NHL this season. He had two shots on net in a quiet 13:00 of ice time.

Nonetheless, Krug felt it was the right decision to play in the preseason It also was the first time the Bruins saw their former first-rounder, game. defenseman Dougie Hamilton, sporting the Tropical Depression logo. Hamilton, whom the Bruins dealt to Calgary in June 2015, when he was “I was wanting to play and wanting to get my groove back,” he said. no longer interested in playing in Boston, came here in a June swap for “That’s part of it. I have said all along, throughout this whole process, that Noah Hanifin and Elias Lindholm. He had a goal, his second of the there is nothing that compares with playing.” season, Tuesday night. The ’Canes also acquired defenseman Adam Krug has been the club’s top-scoring defenseman the past three Fox, now a junior at Harvard, and Micheal Ferland, who ranks as the seasons, succeeding Chara as the No. 1 shooter on the man-advantage. team’s No. 3 scorer (6-4—10). Krug led the Bruins’ back liners last season in points (59) and shots on Tom Dundon, a Texas-based millionaire who grew up in New York, net (197). In his absence this season, the nine other blue liners fired 85 became the Hurricanes majority owner (61 percent) in January for a sum shots in their combined 66 games and put up 20 points. A half-dozen of of $420 million. those points were scored by McAvoy, who exited the lineup nearly two weeks ago. His quote the day he took over: “I value winning more than money, but that doesn’t mean I want to burn it.” The lack of skill on the Boston blue line was underscored on Saturday when the Canadiens came to the Garden and pinned a 3-0 loss on the The ’Canes have the smallest cap number ($63.2 million) in the Original Bruins. The Habs’ fast, efficient forecheck made it difficult for the Boston 31. As of Tuesday morning, they stood T13 in the league’s overall defensemen to grab hold of pucks and make smart, effective passes that standings with 13 points. help generate offense from the back half of the ice. Krug is their No. 1 puck mover, returning in a time of need.

“Carolina does a lot of the same,” said Cassidy, noting how the ’Canes Boston Globe LOADED: 10.31.2018 can press the puck like the Canadiens. “They’ll be on you. So to get some easy breakouts, some easy transition plays . . . the forwards will be thankful for that.”

The Bruins won’t say what ails McAvoy, but they did confirm the ex- Terrier has been placed on injured reserve, backdated to Oct. 18 in Edmonton, which remains his most recent game. 1112800 Boston Bruins percent) and penalty kill (67.6 percent) . . . Carolina leads the league with 41.5 shots on goal per game . . . Aho’s 12 assists are third in the league.

Torey Krug expected back tonight as Bruins face Hurricanes Boston Globe LOADED: 10.31.2018

By Kevin Paul Dupont

Globe Staff

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Bruins (6-3-2) close out their October schedule here Tuesday night against a plucky Hurricanes team (6-4-1) that has been winning back local hockey fans with their made-for-meme postgame celebrations that have the players sprinting from center ice and crashing into the end boards.

Back home in MDC rinks, we call that a runaway Zamboni, but . . .

A few things to look for in the Bruins’ 13th game of 2018-19:

■ Torey Krug is expected to make his season debut on the Boston back line. The club’s top-scoring defenseman the past three seasons, Krug injured an ankle in his lone preseason game and has spent the last month resting and reconditioning. They need his pop, particularly as the on the power play, which has been hindered all the more of late with the added absence of Charlie McAvoy.

■ This will be Boston’s first look at prized Carolina rookie Andre Svechnikov, the Russian right winger chosen second overall in this past June’s draft. The speedster scored 72 points in 44 games with OHL Barrie last season, following a full season at USHL Muskegon. He’ll enter the night with a modest 2-2—4 line, one of only six 2018 draft picks to play in the NHL this season.

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■ It also will be the first time the Bruins see their former first-rounder, defenseman Dougie Hamilton, sporting the Tropical Depression logo. Hamilton, whom the Bruins dealt to Calgary in June 2015, when he was no longer interested in playing in Boston, came here in a June swap for Noah Hanifin and Elias Lindholm. The Hurricanes also acquired defenseman Adam Fox, now a junior at Harvard, and Micheal Ferland, who ranks as their No. 3 scorer (6-4—10).

■ Jaroslav Halak, who pinned a 3-0 shutout on the Flyers last Thursday at the Garden, will be back in the cage for the Bruins. Halak is 3-0-2 through six appearances (including his opening-night relief stint), with a 1.43 GAA and .945 save percentage.

■ The Bruins scored only three goals in their two games at home last week, in part because of the mounting losses on the blue line (Krug, McAvoy, Urho Vaakanainen, Kevan Miller). The Bruins struggled at times to move the puck efficiently and smoothly out of their end and up the ice. Forwards do most of the scoring on every team, but successful teams depend on a flow-through, back-to-front effort.

■ Tom Dundon, a Texas-based businessman who grew up in New York, became the Hurricanes’ majority owner (61 percent) in January for a sum of $420 million. His quote the day he took over: “I value winning more than money, but that doesn’t mean I want to burn it.” The Hurricanes have the smallest cap number ($63.2 million) in the Original 31. As of Tuesday morning, they stood tied for 13th in the overall standings with 13 points.

Hurricanes at a glance

■ When, where: Tuesday, 7 p.m., at PNC Arena, Raleigh, N.C.

■ TV, radio: NESN, WBZ-FM (98.5).

■ Goals: Micheal Ferland 6, Sebastian Aho 4, Jordan Staal 4.

■ Assists: Aho 12, Teuvo Teravainen 8, Justin Williams 7.

■ Goaltending: Scott Darling (0-0-0, 0.00 GAA), Petr Mrazek (3-3-1, 2.58 GAA).

■ Head to head: This is the first of three meetings. The Bruins went 1-0-2 vs. Carolina last season.

■ Miscellany: Darling is expected to make his season debut after beginning the season on injured reserve with a lower body injury . . . The Hurricanes are second to last in the NHL on both the power play (10.5 1112801 Boston Bruins

Bruins notebook: Torey Krug’s return a power move for defense

Marisa Ingemi

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

RALEIGH, N.C. -- When the blue line has been a game of musical chairs, any familiar face returning is refreshing.

Getting Torey Krug, the captain of the power play and a puck-moving leader, back in the lineup is especially relieving for a banged-up Bruins squad.

“To get some easy neutral zone plays, the forwards will be thankful for that,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said before last night's 3-2 win against the Hurricanes. “It will benefit us. (Matt Grzelcyk), who’s out now with injury, he gave us some of that. So you lose one and gain another.”

The defense corps has rotated through its entire depth chart, even reaching down to Providence for Jeremy Lauzon, who was recalled again for last night’s game after being sent back down during the weekend.

Charlie McAvoy was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Oct. 18 while Kevan Miller will remain out another two weeks and Urho Vaakanainen has yet to skate after suffering a concussion a week ago.

Although Grzelcyk’s injury (lower body) leaves the Bruins still with just six healthy defenders, one of them being Krug gives them a boost.

“He does more on the offensive side of the puck,” Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo said. “But he gets back and does a lot on defense. He makes great plays and works really well with that group.”

The lack of puck-moving on zone exits from the defensive group was highlighted in last Saturday’s loss to the Canadiens, when the Bruins struggled to get the puck to open ice and to their offensive blue line.

That’s an element where Krug, who had an assist last night, offers a quick solution.

“It was a problem that night against Montreal,” Cassidy said. “Carolina is a bigger group than in the past, but they’re also on you.”

Krug was paired with John Moore, a matchup that had no experience skating together during the preseason. Essentially he was slotted into Grzelcyk’s spot, with the top pairing of Carlo and Zdeno Chara staying the same.

“He’s a great skater and gets up and down the ice,” Krug said of Moore. “He moves up and down the ice, moves the puck pretty well.”

Krug said he felt better heading into last night’ game than he did before suffering his ankle injury in the preseason.

“The skating is probably going to be the last thing that comes,” he said. “I’ll continue to work on that. I feel like before the preseason game, now there’s no room for mistakes.”

Cassidy said the hope is for McAvoy to start skating at the end of the week.

“He can come back as soon as he’s ready,” Cassidy said. “The timeline for him is when he’s going to be healthy and back skating. I hope it’s later this week.” ...

Colby Cave was recalled Monday from Providence because of “bangs and bruises” in the forward corps, but he wasn’t in the lineup last night.

David Backes skated for the first time before practice Monday, but did not make the trip to Carolina and his timeline still is uncertain.

Boston Herald LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112802 Boston Bruins their best players, was a good response from Saturday’s home loss to Montreal.

With lines shuffled throughout the night, they’re hoping to up their Bruins top line shines again, rallies past Hurricanes compete level from here.

“It was more about the other guys in the lineup, it wasn’t Bergy, Marchy, Marisa Ingemi or Pasta,” Cassidy said. “They bring it every night. They might have an off night, but it was more about the other guys. ... Bring it down to nine Wednesday, October 31, 2018 forwards, let them watch a little and get them excited to play again. I don’t know if it worked or not … It’s a good learning curve for them.”

RALEIGH, N.C. -- On a night when almost every part of the Bruins lineup was shuffled, one pairing stayed the same: Brad Marchand and Patrice Boston Herald LOADED: 10.31.2018 Bergeron on the top line.

Their production proved why.

Marchand scored twice -- including the game-winner in the third -- as the Bruins came from behind to top the Hurricanes, 3-2, last night.

Bergeron assisted on both of his tallies and had three helpers overall, including one on the heels of a tremendous defensive play on the other end of the ice that shifted momentum in the Bruins’ favor.

“We talked about doing the right things, and I think a few times we weren’t taking care of the puck and they came right back at us,” Bergeron said. “In the third, that’s how we wanted to play against a team like them. It’s about the little details and little plays.”

On the other end of the rink. Jaroslav Halak weathered the storm with 42 saves against the most aggressive shooting team in the league.

“Early on we haven’t been good in front of him,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “We generally have been. He’s been good for us. No complaints there, he’s been a real rock for us there and I’m glad we were able to come through for him.”

The struggling Hurricanes power play struck eight seconds into a Jeremy Lauzon tripping call. Carolina leading scorer Michael Ferland tapped a loose puck past Halak with 2:06 left in the first frame off a feed from Sebastian Aho, who has totaled points in each of the first 12 games.

It was the sixth time this season the Bruins allowed the first tally.

With just over 10 minutes left in the second, the Bruins looked to have caught a break when David Pastrnak’s pass hit off an official and then a Hurricanes defender before going in the net, but it was waved off.

Pastrnak slammed a shot past Scott Darling from no angle on the goal line for his 11th goal of the year on the Bruins’ third power play to knot it at 1 with 7:38 left in the second.

The goal came moments after Pastrnak played a shift on David Krejci’s line, which rotated through Jake DeBrusk and Joakim Nordstrom as well.

Former Bruins defenseman Dougie Hamilton put the Hurricanes ahead 2- 1 with 1:27 left in the second on a blast from on top of the slot, but the Bruins weren’t done yet, either.

Bergeron backchecked the puck away from Warren Foegele on a breakaway while the Hurricanes were shorthanded. He spun the puck down ice to Marchand, who took the feed and sniped it from the left circle to tie it at 2 with 18 seconds left in the middle frame. It was Marchand’s first goal since Oct. 17.

The Hurricanes, who lead the NHL in shots by nearly 40, shot a season- high 24 times in the second frame, forcing Halak to make 23 saves.

Marchand took another Bergeron pass with 14:37 left in the third period and deked Darling on the right side of the net. He wrapped all the way around to find an open cage and give the Bruins their first lead of the game, 3-2.

“It starts with Bergy on the wall winning the battle,” Marchand said. “I knew I had a forward behind me and figured if I could get by him that I had a good opportunity. He was all over me so I didn’t get a shot off. It happened the way it happened.”

Halak withstood another flurry and the Bruins held on.

“I knew coming into the game that these guys shoot a lot,” Halak said. “They shoot 41 times per game or maybe more.”

The Bruins will head to Nashville on Saturday looking to keep momentum. One way or another last night’s effort, especially late from 1112803 Boston Bruins

Danton Heinen bumps up to Bruins' second line

Marisa Ingemi

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

RALEIGH, N.C. — The second line had begun to click, it seemed, for one game.

In the Bruins’ win last Thursday against Philadelphia, the second line contributed on all three goals. It was the first game the top line didn’t score, leaving the group centered by David Krejci in the spotlight.

Two nights later against Montreal, nothing was working for any of the forwards.

The second line, which also includes Jake DeBrusk, is trying not to view it as a setback.

“It’s huge to bounce back after being shut out,” Danton Heinen said before last night’s 3-2 win against the Hurricanes, in which he took two shots but did not have a point in 17:09 of ice time. “We had a few looks, but I think the more chances we create, they’ll start going in. It’s big for sure to respond.”

After being scratched in back-to-back games against Detroit and at Calgary, Heinen returned in Edmonton and has three assists in the five games since. However, in nine games overall this season he has yet to find the net.

Heinen has skated on the third and fourth at times while the Bruins have shuffled their lineup, but he’s been securely with the second unit for a few games in a row, which has helped him try to find a groove.

“I think the last couple games I’ve been a little more comfortable,” he said. “I think we’ve created a few chances. We’d like to produce more and find the back of the net, but feeling better.”

Against the Canadiens — a 3-0 loss last Saturday in which everyone struggled to an extent -- the second line was taken out early and forced to the outside of the circles, and never recovered.

In some ways, it was a learning experience for Heinen and the line about getting the puck back to the middle of the ice.

“I felt like they swarmed us in their own end,” he said. “They tried to get on you quick and not have control of the puck. They put on pressure right away, and we talked about that.”

With a couple of speedy teams like the Habs and Hurricanes back-to- back, the Bruins skaters are tested. There was plenty of talk after the Montreal game about the Canadiens beating the Bruins to pucks, but the top forwards have the ability to match those type of clubs.

“We have to skate too, we’re a good skating team,” Heinen said. “We have to play at that pace.”

With 47 points a season ago, Heinen had high expectations heading into this season. He had a strong start to training camp before petering off, as many of the young forwards did.

They Bruins have been waiting for him to rebound and, despite the poor showing against the Habs from everyone involved, there’s hope Heinen may have turned a corner skating with Krejci and DeBrusk.

The stability of knowing where he’s going to be slotted into the lineup eases the anxiety for Heinen, but he still recognizes he has a long way to go. As a top-six forward on a team not afraid to mix up its lineup, putting the puck in the net is a must.

“Now I’m trying to create chemistry, but I don’t want to get complacent,” he said. “I have to produce.”

Boston Herald LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112804 Boston Bruins

Boston Herald LOADED: 10.31.2018

Bruins pregame notes: Hurricanes view B's as huge test

Marisa Ingemi

Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Rod Brind’Amour can have a unique appreciation of Patrice Bergeron that exceeds that of an opposing coach.

The first year bench-boss of the Hurricanes won the Selke Trophy for top defensive forward in the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons, an honor Bergeron has earned four times himself.

“I appreciate his whole game,” he said. “He defends by playing offense. People think it’s because he’s in the right places, he works so hard to get the puck. The Selke award has morphed into, to me, the best player in the league, because you can do it all.”

Bergeron’s line, winged by Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak, has been one of the best in the NHL this season. They were shut out in back- to-back games for the first time this year in the previous two contests.

Even with the Bruins offense sputtering following the loss to Montreal, the Hurricanes have a lot of respect for how dangerous it is.

“It’s one of the best lines in the league,” said Hurricanes center Jordan Staal. “It’s always a good challenge. Every night there’s a lot of good players in the league. They’re a good team in general, it will be a challenge.”

The praise doesn’t matter much for an offense that, while shut out only twice this season, has had spurts where it hasn’t done much.

The top line dominance -- or, lack of production through the rest of the lineup -- has been well-documented, but they don’t feel an extra sense of pressure to produce.

Overall, the offense needs to click to win games, and that’s an adjustment needed from the Montreal loss.

“We all need to be better and step up from that,” said Bergeron. “Go out the next game and do that…. We did too much at the perimeter last game and didn’t generate anything because we didn’t get to the net or the dirty areas.”

Carolina is off to one of the best starts in the NHL, taking the league by storm with an astounding 41-plus shots per game, even with a shooting percentage of just 7.2.

It’s still a strong opening for a franchise that’s historically struggled out of the gate, and while the Bruins have had their bumps along the way, they’re viewed as a benchmark.

“Everyone talks about them, and rightfully so, as one of the best teams in the league,” said Brind’Amour. “Look at their lineup. We have to be ready. This is one of those where you can’t give a team like this an inch.”

Charlie McAvoy was placed on injured reserve retroactive to October 18. Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said the hope is for him to start skating at the end of the week.

Colby Cave was recalled from Providence on Monday due to “bangs and bruises” in the forwards corps, but there will be no lineup change.

Matt Grzelcyk is out with a lower-body injury, and Jeremy Lauzon was recalled. Lauzon played the past two games, but had been sent down in anticipation of Torey Krug’s return.

On an 11-game point streak, Sebastian Aho leads the Hurricanes with 16 points. Micheal Ferland has six goals to head the scoring.

With an average age of 26.3 years, the Hurricanes are the third youngest team in the NHL.

Their 18 even strength goals against are the second fewest in the league. They’ve scored four power play goals out of 38 attempts for a 10.53 percentage, the 30th ranked man-up unit in the league. Their penalty kill of 67.57 is also second to last.

Carolina has allowed a league-low 23.9 shots per game. 1112805 Boston Bruins

Pastrnak off to fastest start to a Bruins season in 26 years

By NBC Sports Boston Staff

October 30, 2018 11:38 PM

For David Pastrnak, it must have felt like forever. The Bruins winger had languished through a season-high two-game drought without a goal. Two whole games!

But when the 22-year-old finally lit the lamp Tuesday night in Raleigh, he didn't just tie Chicago's Patrick Kane for the league lead in goals, he also authored the hottest start of a season for a Bruin in over a quarter- century.

Pastrnak now has 11 goals in Boston's first 12 games of the season, making him the first Bruin to do that since Dmitry Kvartalnov way back in 1992.

He'll look to continue his red-hot start to the season Saturday night when the Bruins travel to Nashville to face the Predators.

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Brad Marchand shoots his way to Bruins win

By Joe Haggerty

October 30, 2018 10:33 PM

Talking points from the Bruins' 3-2 win over the Hurricanes. . .

Highlights from the B's win over the Hurricanes

GOLD STAR: Brad Marchand had been off to a slow start scoring goals, and he hadn’t been shooting as many pucks as he had in the past. That finally changed in the final 40 minutes as Marchand scored two of Boston’s three goals including a nifty wraparound score for the game- winner where he basically willed himself to the net. Marchand finished with the two goals and a plus-1 rating in 20:27 of ice time along with eight shot attempts, one blocked shot, one hit and one takeaway, and was pretty much unstoppable over the final two periods. It’s an important development for Marchand, who had just two goals in the first 11 games and matched that output in one single night in Carolina. The Bruins have to hope he’s going to start scoring in bunches.

BLACK EYE: Jake DeBrusk, Anders Bjork and Ryan Donato all went a little short on their overall shifts and ice time during the game, and after it was over Bruce Cassidy said several players were benched due to lackluster play in the first and parts of the second. Eventually DeBrusk came back and played well skating with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, and David Pastrnak ended up with David Krejci and Danton Heinen on the second line. So with the Bruins still looking for a consistent third line, that beat will go on for the Black and Gold for at least another few games while the Bruins coaching staff looks for ways to pull it out of them. It seems clear that Cassidy is getting a little frustrated at this point, and needs to see better consistency from his young wingers.

TURNING POINT: The turning point for the Bruins was actually getting the screws put to them on what they thought was a goal in the second period. David Pastrnak pressured a puck in the Carolina zone and ended up flipping a puck off referee Francois St. Laurent that then bounced off Hurricanes forward Lucas Wallmark and ended up in the back of the net. By the letter of the law it might have been ruled a goal, but St. Laurent inexplicably blew his whistle after the puck hit him, and the play was considered dead at that point. So the potential Pastrnak goal was waved off, but that seemed to energize a Bruins team that went on to score their first goal on a power play shortly after that. The B’s scored two goals in the second period and then off they went.

HONORABLE MENTION: Jaroslav Halak could easily be completely undefeated this season, and he once again was outstanding on Tuesday night with a season-high 42 saves against a Carolina team that was funneling pucks toward him. Halak was at his best early in the game when the Bruins were trailing and stood in there allowing the Bruins to come back a couple of different times until they really got their bearings. In all Halak is 4-0-2 with a sub 2.00 goals against average and a save percentage hovering around .950, and he’s been consistently excellent every time he’s played. For that reason and many more, Halak should be the guy playing Saturday against the Predators and he should keep on playing moving forward until he cools off a little bit. It may be time for Tuukka Rask to sit and watch for a little while.

BY THE NUMBERS: 7-3-2 – the Bruins record after the first 12 games of the season, which is good enough for second in the Atlantic Division and has the B’s in a pretty good situation headed into an important month of November.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “Those two are our leaders offensively and defensively and they play in every situation. We rely on them every night, but we just want to get to a point where we’re not relying on them every night. We need our followers to follow. That’s what I kind of got irked about late in the first and in the middle of the second is that we didn’t have enough good followers. They need to pick up the pace.” –Bruce Cassidy, to NESN talking about Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand along with some other forwards, like Jake DeBrusk and Anders Bjork, that ended up getting benched for a bit in the middle of the game.

1112807 Boston Bruins

Charlie McAvoy (upper body) placed on IR in what appears to be a setback

By Joe Haggerty

October 30, 2018 4:41 PM

While it looks like a return is imminent for David Backes from his upper body injury, the forecast is a little murkier for second-year D-man Charlie McAvoy after he was placed on injured reserve by the Bruins on Tuesday. Both Backes and McAvoy are suspected to be recovering from concussions. It's unclear exactly when the D-man suffered his injury, but both players went out of the lineup after the Bruins' Oct. 18 loss to the Edmonton Oilers.

Both players skated in the morning prior to team practice last Saturday ahead of Boston’s loss to the Montreal Canadiens, but only Backes practiced with the team on Monday morning even though he's still out for tonight’s road tilt vs. the Carolina Hurricanes. Bruce Cassidy wouldn’t, or couldn’t, say on Monday whether it was a day off or a setback for McAvoy following his return to the ice, and the player himself had said last weekend that he thought he’d “turned the corner” from his injury.

Cassidy didn’t have many answers when asked about it by reporters in Carolina on Tuesday as well.

"When is he going to be healthy? When is he going to be back skating? When is he going to be back practicing?” said Cassidy. “I don't have a good answer for that right now."

Clearly the McAvoy move to IR, retroactive to Oct. 18, gives the Bruins roster flexibility with the D-man currently on the shelf, and he’s already missed the minimum three games played or one week that’s required for any stay on the IR. The move is more than simply about roster flexibility given that McAvoy isn’t skating, however, and given that the Bruins don’t seem to have a good handle on when he’s going to be able to return.

It sure sounds like McAvoy had a setback in his recovery from the upper body injury, which many suspect dates all the way back to a hard hit the young defenseman received from Milan Lucic in Boston’s home win over the Oilers on Oct. 11.

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Bruins going with Halak again is a sign of the times

By Joe Haggerty

October 30, 2018 11:57 AM

It was somewhat telling that Jaroslav Halak will start over Tuukka Rask Tuesday night in Carolina against the Hurricanes. It’s even more revealing that Bruce Cassidy wouldn’t name a starting goaltender for Saturday night in Nashville. Perhaps it’s just that the weekend Predators game is so far away that Cassidy just doesn’t see any upside to locking in his starter, but more likely it’s that Halak might get his number called again if he plays well against the Hurricanes.

Another Halak outing in Nashville would make him the starter in five of the past seven games, and it’s easy to see why with a 3-0-2 record, a 1.43 goals-against average and a .945 save percentage thus far this season.

On the other end of the spectrum is Rask, who once again had his moments of struggle in Saturday’s shutout loss to the Montreal Canadiens. He was flat outplayed by Carey Price between the pipes and even his coach labeled the first goal he allowed as “soft.”

“You can’t chase the game all the time. It’s okay to be down one but you get down two and it gives the other team a lot of juice,” said Cassidy. “It was a soft goal, as a team and the goaltender has to be able to get out of the first period without being too far behind.”

The long-distance short-side score for Brendan Gallagher is exactly the kind of crushing goal that Rask gives up when he’s not going well, and it was compounded by Rask taking a slashing penalty later in the game when he was having issues moving the puck to his D-men.

“I think today my puck play was horse [bleep] to begin with…bad choices. I don’t know if it was a penalty or not. I didn’t feel like I really did anything there. It was a penalty he came at me hard and I tried to shake him off there, I didn’t see any openings so I just laid in the corner because I didn’t want to let him get the empty-netter,” said Rask. “Then there’s a penalty, so tough play. I didn’t intentionally try to whack him, you’re just trying to extend the time for you to get back in the net. I should make a better play with the puck, like I said I was horse [bleep] today.”

It’s clear that the frustration level with Rask among the coaching staff is rising even as Halak’s save percentage is doing the very same thing.

“Move the puck. I mean they’re moving up ice. You have to pass it by you, and again that’s where it’s a little bit frustrating today as [assistants] Jay [Pandolfo] and Kevin [Dean] put a lot of time into the pre-scout,” said Cassidy. “I thought there were some things we were stubborn on. Montreal’s playing a little differently this year in certain areas that we didn’t try to get away from. We talk about that in our power play meetings; the first pass has to beat the first guy. I think it’s as simple as that: you have to move it around.”

Halak starting again on Tuesday against the Hurricanes is another piece of hockey simplicity. If he plays well again then it’s going to be extremely difficult for the Bruins to not keep calling his number until this impressive early season run starts to fade. Rask quite simply is going to have to work his way out of the funk that he’s currently in and earn back the playing time that Halak has been seizing from him since the very first game of the season.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112809 Boston Bruins “Every time I go down Boylston Street I’m transported back to that day and that scene,” he said. “I’ll never forget it and it’s one of those things that stay with you the rest of your life.”

Dave Goucher, the man who coined ‘Get the duck boats ready,’ floored his phrase still lives on The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018

By Joe McDonald

Oct 30, 2018

Dave Goucher vividly remembers sitting in downtown Vancouver the morning of June 15, 2011. He was near the Olympic Cauldron, sipping on a coffee when he began to receive text messages from friends.

They were all wishing the then-radio voice of the Boston Bruins good luck in that night’s broadcast, because the team was one win away from its first Stanley Cup championship in 39 years.

There was no morning skate that day and Goucher, now the television play-by-play announcer for the Vegas Golden Knights, did not want to stay in the hotel. So he had decided to walk to the park when the messages began to really pour in.

It was at that point he figured he should give a little bit of thought to what he might say if the Bruins won Game 7. Little did he know he would coin a phrase that would be co-opted time and again every time a Boston team would go on to win another championship.

“I kept envisioning what that scene would be if they won,” Goucher said. “Then, the parade would be a few days later, rolling through the streets like we’ve seen (so many times) in the last 17 years. It’s mind-boggling. I just kept picturing what that scene would be like with a million people in the streets, going down Boylston Street. How crazy a scene it would be is what I had in my mind.”

So here’s what he came up with for a final product after the Bruins hoisted the Stanley Cup with a 4-0 victory over the Canucks:

“Get the duck boats ready. After 39 long years, the Cup is back home. The Bruins are 2011 Stanley Cup champions.”

Listen to Goucher’s call:

There have been four more Boston titles in the seven-plus years since Goucher first uttered those words. They’ve been used liberally on those occasions, including this week when the Red Sox won the World Series.

“Get the duck boats ready!”

Fans scream it. Fans tweet about it. Fans plaster it all over Facebook.

The duck boats are indeed ready. They will roll again down Boylston Street on Wednesday morning to celebrate the Red Sox’ title.

“I’m blown away by it,” Goucher said. “I never thought that something I spent five minutes thinking about the morning of Game 7 against the Canucks, that people would remember it like they have. I never gave that any thought.”

Goucher said the path to finding those words was relatively easy.

“This was my thought process: If the Bruins win tonight they’ll finally have a chance to have their own celebration and their own duck boat parade. That was literally as deep as my thinking went on it,” Goucher said.

With more than two experience calling games, Goucher said he’s not a fan of those broadcasters who make extravagant plans for championship calls.

“It’s obvious when they script it out word for word ‘This. Is. Exactly. What. I’m. Going. To. Say’ when the team wins,” he said. “‘Get the duck boats ready’ was pretty much off the cuff because I just thought about it that morning.

“Here it is seven years later, and a few more parades later and they’ll still getting the duck boats ready. It never gets old. Those parades never get old back home.”

The only time Goucher, a Rhode Island native and Boston University alum, has been on a duck boat was during the Bruins’ Stanley Cup parade. 1112810 Boston Bruins “Yeah, I could see it,” Cassidy said. “He understands all parts of the game very well. You’ve got to love the game, so that brings in [Brad Marchand], but I don’t know if Marchy has the discipline to not enjoy life Alex Cora an inspiration to his brethren in the Boston coaching fraternity so much.

“David Backes has a good understanding of the game and he likes to think the game. He’s a guy that could transition into coaching or By Joe McDonald management.”

Oct 30, 2018 Players also have a solid sense of which of their teammates could make the transition to the coaching ranks. Many of their choices were

consistent with Cassidy’s. Alex Cora guided the Red Sox to the 2018 World Series championship in “Backes would be mine,” said Bruins forward Sean Kuraly. “He pieces his first year as a manager. The former utility infielder has been a student the game together. As far as a team, he’s good at putting together a plan of the game for nearly his entire life. When he wasn’t playing, he would for five guys. He’s smart how he sees the game. His career has been stand near the bench coach or manager in the dugout and learn how to based on using his teammates to help get the job done. Someone like manage a game. that can communicate well with others.” A natural born leader, it was evident that one day Cora would become a Kuraly fits the profile of the type of player that can have success as a successful coach and manager. coach. He’s best in a bottom-six role as a grinder and agitator and can Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy, a former first-round selection (No. 18th specialize on the penalty kill if needed. However, he has no plans on overall) in the 1983 NHL Draft, had his once-promising career stifled by coaching. injuries and only played a total of 36 games during six seasons with the “I don’t know if I would want to,” he said. “It’s hard. You have to be the Chicago Blackhawks. He knew he wanted to stay in the game, so he bad guy sometimes, too, and I don’t know if I would want to do that. started to think like a coach. There’s always a time when you think, ‘Really? You’re yelling at me for It led to a brief coaching stint with the Washington Capitals (2002-04), this?’ It would be hard.” then through the American Hockey League before he landed back in the Krug’s choice was simple. NHL as an assistant with the Bruins before taking over the head job with 27 games remaining in the 2016-17 season. The Bruins have enjoyed “Selfishly, me,” he said with a . “I’d give myself the nod. Coaching’s success under Cassidy and the coach hopes to one day add his name to a grind. Those guys put in a lot of hours, watch a lot of hockey, but it’s an already impressive fraternity of championship-winning definitely something I’ve thought of. It depends on how long I play and coaches/managers in Boston how I’m feeling afterwards.”

Still, the thought of winning a title in this city during his first season as Krug is a student of the game and he’s insightful when he discusses it. At coach, as Cora did with his Red Sox, would’ve been mind-blowing for some point during his career, he will wear a letter on his sweater full-time Cassidy. as either an alternate captain or captain. He has all the qualities of the type of player that could succeed as a coach, but he’s not necessarily “Here in Boston? It would’ve been heaven,” he said. “I would’ve been thinking about coaching at the NHL level. able to walk away and go live on a nice, sandy beach.” “In college, you’re shaping kids’ life, which is pretty cool. You get to teach Of course, he wouldn’t really walk away after winning a championship; he them a lot of cool things along the way, but it’s definitely something I’ve loves his job and the game too much. But, the idea of winning a title in thought of,” he said. Boston is something Cassidy thinks about often. Players that can make that transition have an eye not only for the game, “I know it sounds cliché, but it would be a dream come true,” he said. “I’m but also for those critical moments when a decision can create a turning sure it is for Alex, so good for him.” point, or momentum swings in that team’s favor. Communication is a It’s well documented across the professional sports landscape that major factor. The best coaches are firm but genuinely respect their average players often make for the best coaches. It’s also true on the flip players, make each one of them feel important and believe in them in side: true superstars often underwhelm as coaches because the game different ways. came so easy for them that it becomes a challenge to translate that to “You’ve got to have the desire, too,” Krug said. younger players. Alex Cora always had the desire and now he’s the manager of the World “If you’re not a stud, you have to be a student of the game and you have Series champion Red Sox. It’ll be interesting to see which former player to be prepared,” Cassidy said. “The manager (or coach) has to be able to is next. trust you that you’re on top of things and you’ve got the information right. That just bleeds into coaching, eventually, because you become detailed oriented and you’re able to understand a lot of facets of the game. That’s why there are a lot of different guys, not in the star category, that have The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 success [as coaches].”

The recent history of coaches behind the Bruins’ bench serves as a perfect example of this trend. Prior to Cassidy, Claude Julien guided the Bruins to a Stanley Cup championship in 2011, but as virtually a career minor leaguer, he finished with only 14 games played in the NHL.

Dave Lewis preceded Julien as Bruins coach and suffered through a difficult 2006-07 season in Boston. Lewis played over 1,000 games in the NHL but was not a very good head coach. Prior to Lewis, former player Mike Sullivan had success as a coach with the Bruins and eventually won two Stanley Cups with the Penguins. Sullivan played 11 years in the NHL, but cracked the 20-point barrier just once.

There are a few players on the current Bruins roster that could likely have success as a coach if they decided on that career path once their playing days are over. When asked, Cassidy quickly thought Patrice Bergeron, even though he’s a superstar, could be a successful coach one day.

“It can be stressful,” Cassidy said. “I love it, but it’s not for everybody. [Bergeron] would be one that comes to mind, for sure.

Torey Krug? 1112811 Boston Bruins Thomson belted his three-run “Shot Heard Round the World” off Ralph Branca at the Polo Grounds on Oct. 3, 1951.)

4. The 2014 Patriots. It’s not quite up there with, “Do yo believe in Where do these Red Sox rank among the Boston championship teams miracles?” but Al Michaels’ call in the last seconds of XLIX — this century? “The pass is intercepted at the goal line by Malcolm Butler!” — will always be sweet play-by-play music to Boston sports fans. The Pats were all but certain to go down to defeat against the Seattle Seahawks, By Steve Buckley with quarterback Russell Wilson needing only to hand off to wrecking- crew running back Marshawn Lynch for a one-yard, game-clinching Oct 30, 2018 touchdown run; instead, Wilson attempted a pass to Ricardo Lockette. Enter Butler, an undrafted, unknown rookie who sniffed out the play and snuffed out the Seahawks. You could wallpaper your den with hard-copy Another trophy is about to be placed atop the Boston sports mantel. And editions of all the newspapers that went with “The Butler Did It” you know what that means: It’s time to reshuffle the deck (including headlines. David Price’s hard-earned trump card) and take a stab at ranking the combined 11 league championships won by the Patriots, Red Sox, 5. The 2013 Red Sox. It was just five days after the Boston Marathon Celtics and Bruins over the past 16 years. bombings. One terrorist was dead; the other — cold, dirty, cowering — had been dragged out of hiding and was now behind bars. That’s when Where does the Red Sox’ 2018 World Series waltz past the not-ready- David Ortiz from the Dominican Republic became Dave from Southie, for-primetime Los Angeles Dodgers rank in Boston sports history? Is it leaning into a microphone during a pregame ceremony at bigger, better, more bad-ass, than what the 2007 Red Sox and speaking these words: “This is our fucking city. And nobody’s gonna accomplished? And when one takes the other teams into account, how dictate our freedom.” The rallying cry galvanized the city and guided the do the 2018 Red Sox compare with, say, the 2010-2011 Bruins? The Red Sox through the season. Their roster having been overhauled by 2004 Patriots? The 2007-08 Celtics? Or was that the 2009-2010 Celtics? GM Ben Cherington, and with first-year manager John Farrell on the top No, that’s the one where Kendrick Perkins got hurt and the C’s lost Game step, the ‘13 Red Sox took out the Cardinals in a six-game World Series 7, right? for the franchise’s third championship in 10 seasons.

So much winning! 6. The 2010-11 Bruins. Just as the Red Sox had had it up to here with the snarky remarks about “1918,” anyone who played for Boston’s This is why everyone hates Boston. franchise had to be tired of hearing about the — Anyway, let’s get to work. What follows is one observer’s rankings of wait for it, wait for it — Big, Bad Bruins. The 2010-11 Bruins ended all Boston’s 21st century championship teams. But first, some points of that, as a new generation of skaters roared through the Stanley Cup order: 1) these are for fun and amusement only, and 2) it’d be foolish to tournament, including a grueling seven-game series against the base the rankings on statistics alone, since all the analytics in all the Vancouver Canucks in the Cup final. Goaltender Tim Thomas, a world can’t make the case that the 2018 Red Sox are “better” than the journeyman in the early days of his career, delivered a - 2003 Patriots. like postseason for the ages, making saves that still seem impossible. (Yes, we’re thinking here about Thomas’ stick save against the Tampa The only fair methodology is based on some simple questions: Fifty Bay Lightning’s Steve Downie in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference years from now, which teams will still be generating buzz? Which teams finals.) will still be inspiring aging fans to endlessly yap to the grandkids about exactly where they were when this or that championship game was 7. The 2007-08 Celtics. The first sign that something magical was going played? to happen was when Boston native Donnie Wahlberg went live on ESPN and said that something magical was going to happen. And magic did And, kinda sadly, which championship teams might disappear into the happen; though the Celtics didn’t get the lottery pick they had hoped for ever-thickening fog of history? leading up to the draft, it didn’t stop president of operations Danny Ainge from doing some Red Auerbach-type deal-making to To repeat: This is why everyone hates Boston. acquire Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. He joined them with veteran Paul The great, big, fat envelopes, please: Pierce to form a new Big Three, and the following June the Celtics wiped up the Garden floor with the Los Angeles Lakers to win their first 1. The 2004 Red Sox. It’s a no-brainer to begin with a team whose championship since the Bird-McHale-Parish crew in ‘86. players referred to themselves as The Idiots. The Sox’ four-game World Series sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals gave Boston its first baseball 8. The 2018 Red Sox. Sucks, doesn’t it? Yes, this is absolutely the championship in 86 years, which meant that, as catcher Jason Varitek greatest Red Sox team in history. Yes, they rolled the Yankees in the put it, “We’ll never have to hear ‘1918’ again.” And who’ll ever forget the Division Series. Yes, they dethroned the defending World Series history-making comeback against the New York Yankees in the ALCS? champion Houston Astros in the ALCS. Yes, they exposed the Dodgers After rallying from a 3-0 series deficit to shock the Bombers, the World in the World Series. Yes, Alex Cora emerged as one of the game’s next Series turned out to be a rubber stamp for the Red Sox. great managers. Yes, J.D. Martinez brought a big bat and big leadership skills. Yes, Mookie Betts should be MVP. And you bet: David Price won 2. The 2001 Patriots. It’s hard to believe there was a time when the three postseason games, including the World Series clincher, which Patriots were not the most hated team since Darth Vader and his means he now gets to hold all the cards. But remember: This is a “Most stormtroopers, but it’s true: The ‘01 Pats were apple-cheeked, exciting, Memorable” exercise, and we must not be governed by recency bias. and, in the weeks and months following the 9-11 terrorist strikes, easy to Nobody is questioning the greatness of Alex’s Army, but on the embrace. (“We’re all patriots,” Pats owner famously said.) Memorable Scale can these guys top the seven teams listed above? This was the season became a household name. It was the season the Pats knocked off the Oakland Raiders in the controversial 9. The 2004 Patriots. Their 24-21 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Tuck Rule Game at soon-to-be-demolished Foxboro . And, yes, Super Bowl XXXIX in Jacksonville was their third championship in four it was the season ’s last-second against the St. years and fueled the debate that the Pats were a “dynasty.” And with Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI earned the Pats their first coach and quarterback Tom Brady still on the job as we championship. approach the halfway point of the 2018 season, the dynasty talk remains a relevant discussion. 3. The 2016 Patriots. (Or, as they will forever be known, the 28-3 Patriots.) The greatest comeback in Super Bowl history led to the first 10. The 2003 Patriots. What these guys bring to the table is proof that overtime game in Super Bowl history, which ended with James White’s what happened in 2001 (See No. 2 on our list) was not a fluke. The 2002 two-yard run to lift the Pats to a 34-28 victory over the Falcons in Patriots didn’t even qualify for the playoffs, which means it was entirely Super Bowl LI. But the “34-28” will be less remembered, if it’s appropriate to dismiss the ‘01 bunch as one-hit wonders. But then came remembered at all, than the 28-3 — as in the deficit from which the Pats a 32-29 victory over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII; while rebounded. “28-3” takes its place as the most memorable game-still-in- the dynasty talk was a year away (See No. 9), the Pats had announced progress score in sports history. (Runner up: New York Giants play by to the world they planned on being around for a while. play man Russ Hodges saying, “Brooklyn leads it 4-2,” just before Bobby 11. The 2007 Red Sox. There is no shame being last on this list. The ‘07 Sox did, after all, win the freakin’ World Series. Dustin Pedroia was Rookie of the Year. Josh Beckett had a Cy Young-caliber season. Curt Schilling won one last World Series start. Mike Lowell, reluctantly obtained from the Florida Marlins in the Beckett deal, was World Series MVP. And, yes, they rallied from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Cleveland Indians in the ALCS. Lordy, was this ever a fine ball club. Alas, the Pats were en route to a 16-0 regular season at the time, and by the next spring the Celtics were pantsing the Lakers in the NBA Finals. The ‘07 Red Sox are the middle child of Boston’s championship teams . . . and, because of that, another reason why everyone hates Boston.

The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112812 Buffalo Sabres type of stuff that consistently produces dangerous scoring opportunities and, correspondingly, goals.

The other three centers have a much more difficult time getting in-tight Travis Yost's Sabre Metrics: How Jack Eichel is helping linemates get shots from wingers. Whether it’s Sobotka, Mittelstadt or Larsson, the better shots average shot from a winger is at least 30 feet out, and 75 percent of shots can be as far out as 40 feet. That’ll explain quite a bit about why Buffalo struggles to get goals further down the lineup. By Travis Yost But it is true that Eichel has one luxury in that he generally gets to play Published Tue, Oct 30, 2018 with Buffalo’s best wingers. There is a talent in being able to distribute the puck to these shooters, but there is also a talent in a winger being

able to create the time, space, and angle necessary to get shots off. Travis Yost has been involved in the world of hockey analytics for a Skinner and company can do a lot better there than anyone else. decade and is currently part of TSN's Hockey Analytics team. Prior to The good news is there’s evidence Eichel still has an impact. For joining TSN, Travis was a contributor at the Ottawa Citizen, the Sporting example, Skinner’s average shot distance increases by about five feet News and NHL Numbers, and has been a consultant for an NHL when away from Eichel. Pominville’s increases by nearly 10 feet. And franchise. He will be contributing breakdowns on the Sabres for The Reinhart’s by 12 feet. Buffalo News this season. Follow Travis on Twitter: @travisyost. At any rate, two stories here – the beauty that is Eichel the playmaker, A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the relatively punchless Sabres and the unfortunate reality that the Sabres are still missing a couple of attack, and how Buffalo wasn’t getting very much away from their top pieces further down the lineup. The former is the reason they’re line. competitive this year; the latter, what will end up being their undoing. Fourteen days and a handful of games hasn’t changed all that much.

Buffalo is 24th in the league in rate scoring across all situations (averaging 2.7 goals per 60 minutes). The number isn’t much better at 5- Buffalo News LOADED: 10.31.2018 on-5, where the Sabres rank 23rd (averaging 2.0 goals per 60 minutes). They have been able to pick up some key early schedule points on the back of their top line and goaltending, but the offense still leaves you wanting more.

I have spent the last couple of weeks watching the Sabres offense at 5- on-5, where they have already played 500-plus minutes of hockey. Watching the games, it’s obvious there is a considerable talent dropoff when the top unit comes off the ice – the team struggles to get through the neutral zone with relatively high frequency, and to the extent that they do gain the offensive third, the attack generally comes from the perimeter.

The addition of Jeff Skinner was big for a variety of reasons, but most obviously was the fact that it gave them another credible scoring weapon at the top of their lineup. I argued that Skinner would undoubtedly benefit from playing with a center the caliber of Jack Eichel, too – Eichel already has a history of boosting teammate shooting percentages, and the skill sets of the two complement each other well.

If you have watched the top line play, you know that there’s an awful lot of dangerous shot generation going on. Eichel and Skinner have made plenty of magic already this season, but they also have helped bring along teammates in the process. (Jason Pominville is one notable example – coach has recently shuffled him to the top of the lineup and he’s already picked up three goals and three assists in short order.)

The other lines are, well, a work in progress. Just look at how substantial offensive productivity goes south when the top line is shelved:

Every NHL team should see a dropoff in performance when their best forwards are on the bench. But this is a considerable deviation. And you certainly feel the difference when the other units are out there.

In the modern NHL, centers carry a ton of responsibility. One of those responsibilities is to consistently find linemates in dangerous scoring areas on the ice, and being able to find them with regularity. Eichel’s famous for his knack at doing that, but the rest of the Sabres centermen leave a bit to be desired.

You see this borne out in the play-by-play data. If you look at winger shot selection for every Sabres skater, you see that there is a notable difference when that skater is playing with Eichel. As he moves around the lineup, his shots get pushed farther out – along the boards, closer to the blue line, and the like.

Buffalo has played around a bit with the center position in their bottom six, but for the most part, it’s fair to call Eichel, Vladimir Sobotka, Casey Mittelstadt, and Johan Larsson centermen. Look at the average shot distances of their wingers season-to-date:

Eichel’s linemates are consistently shooting from in tight – the average winger taking his shot from about 24 feet from the net. Also notice that the quartiles are really condensed, which means about 75 percent of Buffalo shots from Eichel’s wingers come from 30 feet or less. That’s the 1112813 Buffalo Sabres

Call it Rasmus Squared on Sabres' defense tonight

By Mike Harrington

Published Tue, Oct 30, 2018 | Updated Tue, Oct 30, 2018

One of the many ways Rasmus Dahlin is showing he's not your normal 18-year-old in the NHL is his ability to play with multiple defense partners.

By the looks of Tuesday's morning skate, Dahlin is going to get partner No. 3 of the season tonight when the Sabres play the Calgary Flames in KeyBank Center.

With Jake McCabe nursing an upper-body injury, Dahlin skated with Rasmus Ristolainen and appears to be betting his first chance on Buffalo's top pair. He had spent previous games with either McCabe or Casey Nelson.

"It's going to be fun," Dahlin said. "I played with him a little bit (Saturday in Columbus) and now it's a full game. He's easy to play with. All the guys on the team have been.

"He's very skilled and good in the 'D' zone so it's going to be great. He's a two-way D. He's strong in the D zone and he's dangerous in the O zone."

Coach Phil Housley said McCabe remains a game-time decision also Nathan Beaulieu was excited in talking to reporters for the first time in five games. And even Housley acknowledged what he's trying to accomplish with the Dahlin move.

"We're looking to get him with more of a veteran presence first of all," Housley said. "... He's very versatile. He's been playing with a lot of different partners and we've been working with him a lot about his communication with his partner. It just shows he can make adjustments in mid-stream."

Through 11 games, Dahlin has a goal, three assists and a minus-1 rating -- but is carrying an impressive 58.3 percent Corsi rating.

"I've learned a lot playing with different guys," Dahlin said. "It's been going great. Every 'D' I play with has been easy to play with. It's going very well."

Buffalo News LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112814 Buffalo Sabres

The Wraparound: Flames 2, Sabres 1 (OT)

By Mike Harrington

Published Tue, Oct 30, 2018 | Updated Wed, Oct 31, 2018

Johnny Gaudreau's goal with 2:20 left in overtime gave the Calgary Flames a 2-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres Tuesday night in KeyBank Center.

The Sabres (6-4-2) lost in OT for the second straight game as Gaudreau potted a Mark Giordano pass on a 2-on-1 with Jack Eichel the only man back. This one was a heartbreaker as Calgary tied the game with 55.9 seconds left in the third period on Matthew Tkachuk's deflection of an Elias Lindholm shot.

It was the Flames' 36th shot on goal of the night and ruined Carter Hutton's bid for his first shutout with the Sabres. Tkachuk took a tripping penalty at the regulation buzzer that put the Sabres on the power play to start overtime but Buffalo failed to score.

The Sabres are on a five-game point streak at 3-0-2 for the first time since going 7-0-2 from March 10-27, 2012.

Breakthrough: Calgary controlled much of the first period but the Sabres scored first as Eichel whizzed a wrist shot from his off wing just under the crossbar to give Buffalo the lead at 16:30. It was Eichel's fourth of the season and snapped his goal drought at eight games, which equaled his career-long.

Spirit of 500: Jason Pominville assisted on the Eichel goal, his 500th point with the Sabres and making him the 10th player to reach that milestone. It gave him a five-game point streak for the first time since February, 2017 with Minnesota.

Big break: Hutton made a spectacular save with his paddle off Elias Lindholm just 44 seconds into the second period and the Sabres were fortunate that the whistle blew while the puck was still loose because Hutton never covered it and it slid into the net. The play was reviewed at the NHL situation room in Toronto and the whistle ruled the day.

Another new partner: With Jake McCabe out (upper body), the Sabres restructured their defense to put No. 1 overall pick Rasmus Dahlin on the top pair with Rasmus Ristolainen.

"He's easy to play with. All the guys on the team have been," Dahlin said after the morning skate. "He's very skilled and good in the 'D' zone so it's going to be great. He's a two-way D. He's strong in the D zone and he's dangerous in the O zone."

"We're looking to get him with more of a veteran presence first of all," said coach Phil Housley. "... He's very versatile. He's been playing with a lot of different partners and we've been working with him a lot about his communication with his partner. It just shows he can make adjustments in mid-stream."

Counting the House: The Sabres announced 15,196 tickets were sold for the game, the lowest count this season and likely the smallest total in many years. Many fans may have been curing their Monday night hangover from the Bills game or staying home to watch UB's nationally televised game against Miami of Ohio.

Up Next: The Sabres' next two games will be a home-and-home against Ottawa. Pominville will play No. 1,000 Thursday night in Canadian Tire Centre, the building where he scored his iconic 2006 playoff overtime goal that sent the Sabres to the Eastern Conference final. The teams then meet here Saturday afternoon at 2.

Buffalo News LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112815 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres Notebook: A Buffalo-Calgary game is a Carolina reunion

By Mike Harrington

Published Tue, Oct 30, 2018 | Updated Tue, Oct 30, 2018

It was a Carolina Hurricanes reunion Tuesday night in KeyBank Center.

The Canes retooled their team with a pair of major moves over the summer and those players went head to head when the Sabres met the Calgary Flames.

In fact, Buffalo's Jeff Skinner and Calgary's Elias Lindholm entered the game leading their respective teams in goals after the summer deals out of Carolina. Lindholm and defenseman Noah Hanifin came to Calgary as part of a five-player deal that saw blueliner Dougie Hamiton sent to the Canes.

Skinner said he was looking forward to meeting Hanifin, who was Carolina's No. 1 pick and the fifth player taken overall in 2015. Hanifin, from Boston College, was taken three spots after close friend Jack Eichel.

"I don't really have that many moves for him to remember," Skinner joked. "He's a good defenseman, plays physical and is obviously someone you're going to be aware of as a guy who will jump into the rush."

Skinner said it was impressive to watch the development of Hanifin the last three years and said it was like what the Sabres are seeing now in Rasmus Dahlin.

"They're different players and it's tough to compare but these young 'D' men that come into the league now, these guys are impressive," Skinner said. "They play big minutes. They play a skill game and make plays. They're only going to get better and that's the exciting part."

Lindholm scored the game-winning goal for Calgary in Monday's 3-1 victory in Toronto. He entered the game with eight goals and was the first Flame with eight in the first 12 games since Jarome Iginla and Daymond Langkow each did it in 2007.

Buffalo defenseman Jake McCabe missed his first game of the season with an upper-body injury suffered Saturday in Columbus and Nathan Beaulieu returned to the lineup in his place, taking the ice for the first time in five games.

The Sabres' healthy scratches were Evan Rodrigues and Remi Elie. Rodrigues, who missed Saturday's game to return home for the birth of his son, stayed out of the lineup so the Sabres could get another look at Tage Thompson, who got his first Buffalo point with an assist on the opening goal Saturday.

The Sabres faced their fourth straight backup goaltender as Calgary's David Rittich got the call in the wake of starter Mike Smith getting the win Monday.

The Sabres were 2-0-1 in the first three games against the backups: Ryan Miller (Anaheim), Antti Niemi (Montreal) and Joonas Korpisalo (Columbus). Korpisalo and Rittich both had better numbers than their team's starter.

Calgary hit town needing to find a cartographer to put together a better schedule for its upcoming seasons.

The Flames played road games Oct. 21 and 23 in New York and Montreal and then returned home to suffer a 9-1 blitzing at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday, the worst loss in their history. They lost at home in overtime Saturday to Washington and headed right back East.

The back and forth continued: Monday in Toronto, Tuesday in Buffalo and home again to meet Colorado on Thursday and Chicago on Saturday.

Buffalo News LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112816 Buffalo Sabres

Five Things to Know as Sabres try to quell Flames

By Mike Harrington

Published Tue, Oct 30, 2018 | Updated Tue, Oct 30, 2018

The Sabres have already clinched their best October since 2011 and they close the month tonight with a visit from the Calgary Flames to KeyBank Center. The vitals are standard: Faceoff shortly after 7, with the game on MSG and WGR Radio 550.

A win tonight gives the Sabres (6-4-1) their best October since they went 8-2-1 in 2009, en route to a Northeast Division championship.

Here are Five (More) Things to Know about tonight's game:

1. No #OneBuffalo issues on offense: The Bills continue to find scoring almost impossible, but that's not an issue with Terry Pegula's other team. The Sabres have scored at least four goals for four straight games (collecting 17 in them). If they hit 4+ tonight, it would be their first five- game run since Feb. 20-March 2, 2007. Jeff Skinner is leading the way with nine points in the last four games (5-4-9). All six of his goals have been at even-strength, leaving him tied for sixth in the NHL in 5-on-5 scoring.

2. Also hot for Sabres: Jack Eichel has 11 points in his last 10 games (3- 8) and seven assists in his last eight, even though he's tied his career high with eight straight games without a goal. ... Kyle Okposo is on his first three-game goal streak since January, 2014 and is trying for his first four-gamer since March, 2012. ... Jason Pominville is on a four-game point streak (4-4-8) and playing career game No. 999 tonight.

3. In the lineup: Carter Hutton starts in goal for Buffalo while the scratches will be Evan Rodrigues and Remi Elie (healthy) and Jake McCabe (day to day/upper body).

Coach Phil Housley said McCabe will be a game-time decision but Rasmus Dahlin said he's looking forward to playing with Rasmus Ristolainen and Nathan Beaulieu is excited about getting back into the lineup. Those signs point to McCabe being out.

4. Backup brigade: For the fourth straight game, the Sabres are going to see a backup goalie as the Flames are expected to start David Rittich tonight. He's 2-1, 2.37/.933 in five games and has better numbers than starter Mike Smith (4-4-1, 3.55/.878), who stopped 24 of 25 shots in Monday's 3-1 win in Toronto.

The Sabres are 2-0-1 against the backups and the list reads like this: Ryan Miller (Anaheim), Antti Niemi (Montreal) and Joonas Korpisalo (Columbus). Korpisalo and Rittich both have better numbers than their starter.

5. Reunion night: The Carolina Hurricanes did some housecleaning over the summer and it will result in a reunion on the ice tonight with a Calgary team that's 6-5-1 and coming off a solid effort in Toronto. Skinner was sent to Buffalo while center Elias Lindholm and defenseman Noah Hanifin, a close friend of Eichel's, were sent to Calgary in a five-player deal that notably brought blueliner Dougie Hamilton back to the Canes. Lindholm leads the team with eight goals and is the first Calgary player with eight in the first 12 games since Jarome Iginla and Daymond Langkow each did it in 2007.

Hanifin, meanwhile, is averaging more than 20 minutes on defense.

"I don't really have that many moves for him to remember," Skinner joked today. "He's a good defenseman, plays physical and is obviously someone you're going to be aware of as a guy who will jump into the rush. For our end, we have to be aware of him."

Buffalo News LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112817 Buffalo Sabres the Sabres improve. So far? In Botterill’s 2017 draft, the Sabres took overagers Jacob Bryson & Linus Weissbach in the sixth and seventh rounds, but none in 2018.

Stimson: Why certain NHL teams tend to draft overage prospects more Draft analysis is always difficult because of the limited data available in than others developmental leagues. Similarly, forecasting draft success by games played isn’t what we’re after; at the end of the day, we want to refine our abilities to project not only players that make it to the NHL, but contribute. By Ryan Stimson There may indeed be some value to drafting overage prospects, but their success in terms of production likely matters on the core already Oct 30, 2018 assembled on the join that selects them. You don’t find your key pieces in this area of the draft, but you can find complementary pieces.

Analytics is all about finding market inefficiencies. Whether that’s through Going forward, it will be interesting to note the Sabres approach to player evaluation, navigating the salary cap, game strategy, or through drafting overagers based on where they are slotted to pick in each round. scouting and drafting, there’s value to be found everywhere. While there A brief look at their selections during this time period shows the Sabres has been an ample amount written on player valuation at the NHL level, more than likely to take a defenseman over a forward as an overager. prospect analysis is more difficult due to a lack of data. In the public Perhaps anecdotal, but interesting. As the team continues to improve, an sphere, some good work, as always, is being done at Canucks Army by overager could prove to be a more “ready-made” prospect that can easily Jeremy Davis and others, but there’s not a whole lot else. Any edge that slot into the lineup. If the team is building around Jack Eichel and can be gained in the area of drafting is something we should investigate. Rasmus Dahlin – the pieces teams usually have a harder time finding – Botterill might be inclined to roll the dice on draft day. Enter Namita Nandakumar, quantitative analyst for the Philadelphia Eagles. Prior to joining the Eagles, Namita wrote extensively on her research into prospect development curves and assorted draft strategies. The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 On October 20th, I got a chance to see her latest research at the Carnegie Mellon Sports Analytics Conference in Pittsburgh, PA. For a full summary of the talks and speakers, the conference page is here.

Nandakumar’s talk was “Evaluating Overage NHL Prospects & The Teams that Draft Them”and her slides are here.

To begin, what is an overage NHL prospect? First-time draft eligible players for the summer entry draft have to be 18 years of age on September 15th of the previous year. Overage prospects are those that are not drafted in their first draft year and are often 19 or 20 years of age when drafted.

Nandakumar looked at teams that drafted during the 2014 – 2017 seasons and found that the Pittsburgh Penguins have been drafting overage players far more often than one would expect.

Based on Nandakumar’s research, the Sabres placed in the top ten during the period of time she studied. As the Sabres selected no overagers in 2018, they would drop to selecting them about 20 percent of the time. Why would the Penguins select them so often?

A combination of factors is the reason. Teams that are contending to win championships will typically trade away higher round picks to acquire assets to win now rather than later. When teams like the Penguins eventually do draft, they are often towards the end of each round. Nandakumar uncovered a relationship between draft pick number and a team’s propensity to select an overage prospect, as those prospects are more “developmental ready” with higher floors, but lower ceilings.

Nandakumar built a project model that factors in a team’s draft picks and selection number in each other and arrived at the number of overage prospects a team would be expected to select. Pittsburgh used 43 percent of their picks in this four-year sample on overagers – the most noteworthy being Dominik Simon in the fifth round in 2015 – when Nandakumar’s model would have expected them to do so on only 26 percent of their picks. Pittsburgh exceeded the expected rate in 94 percent of her draft simulations.

In the above slide from her talk, you can clearly see the relationship between pick number and the chance you’ll select an overager. But does this offer value? Is Pittsburgh doing something a bit smarter than the rest of the field? Simply put, is drafting overage prospects a market inefficiency? Yes and no.

Nandakumar then built a model using age, position, pick number, draft round, height, weight, and nationality for players selected in the 2005 – 2011 drafts. She looked at predicting total games played and point shares per game based on the seven seasons following a player’s selection. She found that overage prospects tend to offer more guarantee of making it to the NHL in terms of games played, but it isn’t clear if they offer more or less value than 18-year olds in terms of their output, even after controlling for where they are drafted (mostly later rounds).

The Sabres jump up a bit here. Since Jason Botterill came from the Penguins organization, it’s fair to ask if this is a trend that will continue as 1112818 Calgary Flames “I think if we’re in the same economic situation next year, it’s very, very tough — it’s dire,” said Andrew.

“We have looked at (selling the team) and I think people want it for Cash-strapped Calgary Canucks, on brink of biggest loss, manage to nothing right now. I feel I’ve got a responsibility to the community and to stay afloat — for now the future players that if someone is interested in the club, they have to carry the club through this year . . . and then I think, to be honest, we need $100,000 to $125,000 in the bank at the end of the year. Zach Laing “I’m not going to just change the faces of the board and have someone Updated: October 30, 2018 come and say ‘we’ll try and look after your deficit,’ that doesn’t work.”

The Junior Hockey League office declined to comment.

The Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Calgary Canucks have operated rather smoothly for the past four decades, after members of the local hockey community formed the organization in 1971. Calgary Herald: LOADED: 10.31.2018

Competing in one of the best Junior A leagues in the country, those decades of hockey that have produced nine championship teams nearly came crashing down after a tumultuous start to the season.

Spending the better part of the current season on the road, team president Bill Andrew said the team was forced to hold an emergency meeting and fundraiser to keep the team afloat.

“We went to the alumni, I talked to the board, the volunteers and, most importantly, the parents, and I said ‘we need some bridge financing . . . in the short term so we can get through this year,’ and try to rethink the model of how we fundraise given the environment,” said Andrew, noting the team operates with a budget of up to $450,000, while other teams spend as much as $1 million.

“That’s solved. Through the generosity of the parents’ group and others, we raised about $100,000 in a few days. It was a tough way to do it. Part of me regrets doing it that way, but we basically had no choice.”

While the team started the season with a surplus of funds, it quickly ran through them after expensive road trips, a lack of sponsorships and a reshuffling of casino programs left them high and dry.

“We have depended in past years on sponsorship, on the ability to use the provincial program of community casinos and other fundraising sources to help us out on the revenue side,” he said.

“The response we are getting is that ‘times are tight, we’re very careful with where we are aiming our sponsorships,’ and so you get a group that may have had sports a little lower on their list and now it’s off the board. I look at other not-for-profits, and they’re having a tough time, too. The major sponsors are just not there anymore.”

Canmore Eagles’ D Jesse Sheen battles for position in front of the net during the second period of an AJHL game against the Calgary Canucks on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2016, at the Max Bell Centre in Calgary, Alta. (Zach Laing/Postmedia Network) (Zach Laing/Postmedia Network)

Sitting near the bottom of the 16-team league in the standings and in attendance numbers, the Canucks have struggled.

Andrew said the team, which rents ice at the Max Bell Centre, averages attendance in the low hundreds while the league average is around 500 to 600. In contrast, some teams fill their arenas with a thousand fans.

Attendance is a big source of revenue, but the Canucks face heavy hockey competition in Calgary.

Not only are there professional hockey teams in the Calgary Flames and Calgary Inferno to compete with, but the Canucks also go up against two university hockey teams, high-level triple-A hockey teams and another Junior A team, the Calgary Mustangs. “We’ve got a lot of competition for the entertainment dollar in Calgary,” Andrew said.

“I think the question has always been for 10 or more years, why can’t you average more (attendance)?” said Andrew.

“It hasn’t been for a lack of effort. It has been historically a tough sell.”

The , another Alberta team that has faced financial turmoil in the past, nearly didn’t make it through the 2016-17 season due to financial struggles. A 15-part ownership group, made up largely of Grizzly alumnus, crowdfunded $500,000 of private capital to purchase the team, effectively saving the franchise.

Calling the situation dire, Andrew said another rough start next season could mean bad news, and didn’t rule out looking at selling the team, which is operated by a board of volunteers. 1112819 Calgary Flames Their fifth man advantage was, by far, their most dangerous one after a Zach Bogosian charging penalty on Dillon Dube, retribution for an earlier run at 2018 first overall pick Rasmus Dahlin.

Cool heads prevail as Flames complete comeback over Sabres Monahan had the best chance of the night on their fifth man advantage but was denied by Hutton in the slot.

Kristen Anderson, Postmedia Hutton made 36 stops on the Flames, including a slick paddle save on Elias Lindholm early in the second period. Rittich stopped 28-of-29 attempts for his third win of the year.

The camera panned to Johnny Gaudreau behind the net early in the “I really liked our game tonight,” Giordano said. “We obviously stuck with second period, visibly upset at the referees decision to blow the whistle a it. We were down by one pretty much the whole game and didn’t take any little too prematurely. unnecessary risks to give them a second one.

A few seconds later, when the National Hockey League officials reviewed “There were a lot of moments in the game where we just stuck with it.” the play and waved off what would have been a game-tying goal, the camera again panned to the frustrated Calgary Flames winger on the Eichel’s goal was an example of that as the Sabres captain scored with bench. 4:30 left in the opening frame.

But instead of letting the botched call distract him and the rest of the Mark Jankowski accidentally flipped the puck off James Neal in the team — which was the second referee gaffe in two nights as they faced neutral zone, leading to a turnover directly to the Sabres top line. Jason an early whistle during Monday’s 3-1 win over the Maple Leafs that could Pominville sent a patient pass over to Eichel who went top shelf over have led to a two-on-0 scoring chance — they continued to work towards Rittich’s shoulder. a 2-1 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres. The first half of the period, the Flames didn’t look as sharp as they had “Frustration builds in your game sometimes,” Gaudreau said. “Especially 24 hours earlier. Within the first five minutes, they went off-side four after the disallowed goal, it was tough to see that one taken away. But it times. takes a full 60 minutes to win and found a way to tie it up in the 59th “We had some adversity in the second period but we moved on and I minute. didn’t think we gave up as much as the game went on,” said head coach “You have to stick with it at times.” Bill Peters. “I thought we turned it over and didn’t manage the puck early in the game. We flat-out turned the puck over and it makes you look bad. With 55.3 seconds left in the third period, Matthew Tkachuk stuck with it Once we cleaned that part of the game up, it was good. and tipped Elias Lindholm’s blast from the left face-off circle and it sailed over Sabres netminder Carter Hutton’s left shoulder to tie the game. “I liked the composure on the bench.”

They stuck with it for the first two minutes of overtime when Tkachuk was There was a moment on the eve of this past summer’s National Hockey in the penalty box for tripping. League draft when even Bill Peters wasn’t certain that he would have a piece like Elias Lindholm to work with this season. Back-up netminder David Rittich stuck with it as the Flames faced a tough four-on-three situation in the extra frame. In retrospect, of course, the newly hired Calgary Flames head coach liked the deal that saw the 23-year-old right wing/centre follow him to the Giordano stuck with it, battling Rasmus Ristolainen to successfully free city along with Noah Hanifin while Dougie Hamilton, Micheal Ferland and the puck in the defensive zone. Sean Monahan stuck with it and was able prospect Adam Fox were sent the other way. to spot Gaudreau sneaking through the neutral zone, sending him a pass. And the fact that Lindholm is producing at an impressive clip — a team- leading eight goals and five assists heading into Tuesday’s clash at Then, with the game on Gaudreau’s stick — again — he slowed down KeyBank Center — somewhat solidifies general manager Brad the play to let Giordano and Monahan catch up before a two-on-one with Treliving’s decision early on this 2018-19 campaign. the Flames’ captain eventually led to Gaudreau’s game-winner. But Peters wasn’t sure it was always going to be in place. “We had like a three-on-two coming towards us. Especially me being on defence, you don’t want that too much,” Gaudreau said with a chuckle. “I went to bed the night before the trade and there was a different team “He did a great job of breaking that play up. Monny came back and found involved so I thought we were making a trade elsewhere,” he said. a way get the guys up the ice and Gio just slid it right back to me for a “When that trade came down, if I was a betting man, I would have lost a tap-in. lot of money. Maybe they made the best trade they could and trade they felt would benefit us the most.” “It was a nice play.” Tough to argue the benefit of Lindholm’s skills, especially on the Flames’ Everyone “stuck with it” on this night. top line of Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan. His third-period strike gave the Flames a two-goal lead in Monday’s eventual 3-1 win over the “To be honest, I was just trying to take away the drop pass and not giving Maple Leafs. It also made him the first Flame to score eight goals that one-timer from (Jack) Eichel,” said Giordano with a chuckle, referring through the first 13 games in a season since Jarome Iginla and Daymond to the Sabres star who had the home team’s only goal until that point. Langkow in 2007-08. “We know what kind of shot he has. It was a bit of a scramble. Monny did a good job to get that up to Johnny. That’s all I had left in the tank was He is currently halfway to his goal total from last year — 16 — while he’s that one length. well on pace to surpass his best statistical season which came in 2016- 17 when he scored 11 goals and 34 assists in 72 regular season games. “It worked out well.” Lindholm’s early season production doesn’t surprise Peters. It was the second straight night that the Flames (7-5-1) were rewarded for 60 minute efforts. “He’s played the same way,” he said. “He’s one of those players that generates quality chances all the time. Right now, they’re going in for They picked up four points and two back-to-back victories which saw him. Right now, he’s playing on a real good line with a good play-making botched referee calls, late goals, timely goals, and special teams winger and a centre in Johnny and Monny. adversity. And after last Thursday’s 9-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on home ice, they’re now 2-0-1. “That’s the thing with Johnny — he makes a lot of plays. He buys guys time and Lindy’s done a good job of getting to the right spot at the right Calgary’s powerplay still needs work, going 0-for-five and hardly looking time.” dangerous apart from a few chances from their first unit. Far too many casual breakouts. Too many icings. Not enough shots and certainly not James Neal, an off-season acquisition that was brought to the Flames to enough dangerous chances. And, the biggie, no goals. add some offensive firepower, has been relatively silent through the first 13 games of the season. With two goals and one assist, the 31-year-old’s production has been underwhelming. That being said, in Monday’s 3-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, Neal had five shots on net and, actually, 15 shots in the last four games. (He also had the lone goal in Calgary’s 9-1 thrashing by the Pittsburgh Penguins).

So, the chances are coming. Peters said it’s just a matter of time before he gets going.

“I think he’s digging in,” he said. “He’s working harder. He’s skating and he’s around it more. When you get those chances, they’re going to start to go in and you have to continue to generate quality chances . . . it’s coming.”

The Flames started Rittich on Tuesday considering he had a 2.37 goals against average and .933 save percentage heading into the second half of a back-to-back.

He didn’t disappoint with a 28-save performance for his third win of the season (3-1-0).

“Back-ups are a bit of a tough job at times,” Peters said. “They get some tough assignments. Ritter’s been real good and our team game has gotten better in front of him, so our goaltending has looked better.”

Rittich had a funny line (in wonderfully broken english) about choosing not to early celebrate Gaudreau’s overtime winner like he did in Calgary’s 3-2 overtime win at Colorado.

That game, he’d thrown his hands up as soon as Gaudreau crossed the blueline. Not this time, however.

“I saw Gio there (with the puck) so I’m not sure if I can (celebrate),” Rittich said with a chuckle.

Tuesday was Calgary’s first back-to-back scenario of the 2018-19 season. Flames were 6-5-0-1 last year in the second game of back-to- backs . . . D Dalton Prout, D Michael Stone and RW Austin Czarnik were Calgary’s scratches . . . G Mike Smith was impressed with the back pressure by Calgary’s forwards against the Maple Leafs on Monday. “If the forwards come back like they did (Monday) against a really skilled team that likes to go East-West a lot over the blueline, our ‘D’ can stand up and squash a lot of that,” he said. “I thought, off the rush, we didn’t allow them to feel good, to feel comfortable. That’s a big part of their game. That’s a credit to our guys. It’s buying in. It’s hard work to play like that but when you do it, you get rewarded for it. And it feels good. So, it’s a good sign.”

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 10.31.2018

1112820 Carolina Hurricanes It’s not too soon to say the joy and optimism of the Hurricanes’ start has faded. There was enough bad Tuesday to overwhelm the good.

Plenty of blame to go around as Hurricanes lose in Darling’s debut News Observer LOADED: 10.31.2018

BY LUKE DECOCK [email protected] October 30, 2018 10:43 PM

RALEIGH Scott Darling wasn’t the reason the Carolina Hurricanes lost, even if he admitted he’d like the first goal back and maybe could have done more to stop the second. From where he was last year, that’s progress. There was a lot to like in the goalie’s injury-delayed debut and just as much that was concerning. Still, Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the Boston Bruins can be a building block for Darling, if not for the team, which has seen a promising start to the season descend into frustration and mediocrity with losses in five of its past seven games. Suffice to say, a healthy amount was riding on Darling’s performance tonight: Not merely his first foray into the Hurricanes’ goaltending fray, but against one of the best teams in the NHL with the Hurricanes desperate to bounce back from a disheartening 2-1 home loss to the New York Islanders on Sunday. This loss was no less deflating, with the Hurricanes leading 2-1 late in the second period before a bad change on the penalty kill allowed Patrice Bergeron to fire a pass the length of the rink to Brad Marchand on the left wing, who beat Darling to the far side from some distance – a snipe, to be sure, but also the kind of save that can change a game if your goalie can make it. That was the turning point; Marchand shook off Justin Williams down the left wing and beat Darling with a wraparound for the game-winner in a third period the Bruins dominated. Twelve games into the season, having fallen to the middle of the pack, the Hurricanes suddenly have a laundry list of issues. The Williams- Jordan Staal-Warren Foegele line hasn’t scored in seven games and Williams in particular struggled in these past two losses. Andrei Svechnikov is lost on one of two fourth lines and didn’t even get a shot at moving up with the Hurricanes chasing an equalizer on a night his first- period play should have earned him that opportunity. And the other fourth line, of Nicolas Roy, Brock McGinn and Valentin Zykov, is at risk of appendicitis it’s so ineffectual. Sebastian Aho extended his season-opening point streak to 12 games, breaking Ron Francis’ franchise record and tying Wayne Gretzky and Ken Linesman for the NHL record for an assist streak to start the season, but he slumped in his locker afterward, his shin pads still on, disconsolate. Amid all that, the brutal first goal Darling allowed – David Pastrnak’s shot from the goal line to Darling’s right was totally mishandled by Darling – barely registers, especially since Darling was solid to that point, diving across the crease to his left to deny Jake DeBrusk in his best save of several in the first half of the game. “I felt great,” Darling said. “I would like a second chance at that first goal.” It has taken four weeks to get a chance to see what Darling can actually do after a summer spent losing weight and gaining confidence, since as Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour pointed out in training camp, the fact that Darling has attained the conditioning level of a professional athlete “doesn’t mean he can stop the puck.” Brind’Amour wasn’t being sarcastic; until tonight, no one really knew whether what Darlling did in the gym (and the weight room, and the yoga studio) would translate on the ice. A promising preseason was derailed by a hamstring injury in his final appearance, which postponed things until now and allowed Petr Mrazek to stake his claim to the net in Darling’s absence. Mrazek still has the upper hand after Tuesday, although both will likely play in the back-to- back that takes the Hurricanes to Arizona on Friday and Vegas on Saturday to begin a four-game trip out west. The Hurricanes need more from Darling, but he may yet be able to deliver. It’s far too soon to say. There was enough good Tuesday to overlook the bad. 1112821 Carolina Hurricanes Aho had the primary assist on Ferland’s goal. The Finnish center has points in all 12 games, breaking Ron Francis franchise record set in October 1984, and he passed Eric Staal for the franchise record for Marchand, Bruins hand Canes 3-2 loss assists in consecutive games. Aho also tied an NHL record -- jointly held by Wayne Gretzky of Edmonton (1982-82) and Ken Linseman of Boston (1985-86) -- with at BY CHIP ALEXANDER least one assist in each of the first 12 games of a season. [email protected] “We’ve got to stay positive,” Brind’Amour said. “I’m happy with our compete, happy with a lot of things. But at the end of the day we’re here October 30, 2018 09:46 PM to win hockey games and we’ve got to find a way to get over that hump. “Even looking back in years past we sat back in that coaches’ office a lot and we’d be saying ‘How did we lose that game?’ That’s kind of what’s RALEIGH happening here lately, so we’ve got to nip that in the bud right now and Rod Brind’Amour’s first year as the Carolina Hurricanes head coach just figure ways to win.” began with a fast, exciting start, with a 4-0-1 record after five games.

Everyone, it seemed, was touting the Canes’ youth and speed and News Observer LOADED: 10.31.2018 energy and the way they were having so much fun. But the last seven games have shown evidence of the Canes’ past creeping into the present, and a 3-2 loss Tuesday to the Boston Bruins at PNC Arena added to that. The Canes had some good moments -- Micheal Ferland and Dougie Hamilton scoring on power plays, and Sebastian Aho picking up another assist to set franchise records. Goalie Scott Darling, in his first start of the season, looked sharp at times in finishing with 28 saves. But the Canes could not prevent their fifth loss -- all in regulation -- in the past seven games. Again, a mental error, a breakdown here and there, proved costly. Again, a backup goalie stymied and beat them, this time Jaroslav Halak. Bruins forward Brad Marchand did what Marchand often does, tormenting the other team. He scored twice, the first on a power play in the final seconds of the second period and his second goal, the game- winner, on a third-period wraparound that Brind’Amour called a “world- class play.” David Pastrnak also scored on the power play for the Bruins for his 11th goal of the season, getting a sharp-angle shot through Darling for a 1-1 tie. Add in 42 saves by Halak, 4-0-2 this season, and it was a pretty nice victory for the Bruins (7-3-2). And another tough loss for the Canes, who Brind’Amour believes are better than the 6-5-1 record they put up in October. Marchand’s first goal came the Canes made one error on a Bruins power play and then compounded it with another. The Canes’ Warren Foegele made a good play on a penalty kill and carried the puck down ice, but Boston center Patrice Bergeron swiped it from the rookie forward and hit an unchecked Marchand at the Carolina blue line as the Canes tried to make a change. “We made a bad decision and took a breath,” Brind’Amour said. Marchand ripped a shot to Darling’s far side for a 2-2 tie and the Canes also were called for having too many men on the ice during the change. “Give Bergeron a lot of credit,” Brind’Amour said. “He saved a goal and then zipped it up and they get a goal. We’ve got to learn you can’t take a breath on the ice. And that’s what happened and to me that’s what cost us the game.” The Bruins didn’t score on a power play that stretched into the third but Marchand’s goal at 5:23 of period was the winner. The Canes finished the game with 34 even-strength shots but couldn’t finish, a problem that hindered them last season. They had 24 shots in all in the second period, the most in a period this season. “We threw the kitchen sink at them,” Darling said. But Halak denied Foegele on a second-period shorthanded breakaway and made other timely stops. “We’re shooting a lot,” Hamilton said. “Maybe we have to make an extra pass or something to beat these goalies.” Brind’Amour said Darling “held us in there” with some good saves of his own. After losing 25 pounds in the offseason, Darling returned for training camp slimmer and with a more confident demeanor, only to suffer a hamstring injury in the final preseason game. “I felt good,” Darling said. “I’ve been skating for weeks and it’s not like I missed half the year or anything. In my career I’m used to now playing for weeks at a time, so it was all good.” 1112822 Carolina Hurricanes Center Jordan Staal ($6 million) and defenseman Dougie Hamilton ($5.75 million) have the Canes’ two highest cap hits. Aho figures to be the highest-paid Hurricane when the deal is done. How close are the Canes and Sebastian Aho to a new contract Aho was drafted in the second round by Carolina in 2015, 35th overall, agreement? and is in the final year of his entry-level contract. He has a $925,000 cap hit, with a potential $850,000 in bonus money this season. BY CHIP ALEXANDER Aho had slow goal-scoring starts his first two NHL seasons but not this one. Used at center by Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour, Aho has four [email protected] goals and 12 assists in the Canes’ 6-4-1 start. October 30, 2018 10:10 AM “I wasn’t too sure,” Brind’Amour said Monday of his initial reluctance to have Aho center a line. “But good players find a way to contribute on the score sheet. He’s obviously done that.” RALEIGH Pretty good negotiating leverage, too. As Sebastian Aho continues an impressive start to the Carolina Aho ranks among the NHL points leaders and has tied Ron Francis’ Hurricanes season, tying a franchise record with points in each of the first franchise record with his 11-game point streak to start the season. 11 games, the question becomes more pressing: According to the NHL, only three players have had at least one assist in the first 11 games: Wayne Gretzky (1982-83, Edmonton Oilers), Ken When will Aho sign a new contract and what will the terms be for the 21- Linseman (1985-86, Boston Bruins) and now Aho. Gretzky and Linseman year-old forward from Finland. had 12-game streaks. “I don’t think about it,” Aho said in an interview Monday. “The good thing Aho also tied former Canes captain Eric Staal for the longest overall is the hockey season is so busy, there’s not much time to think about assists streak in franchise history. things, anyway. I think I’ve done a pretty good job not thinking about it and I’ll try to keep it the same way.” “It’s a compliment but not something I think about too much because I want to score more and help our team win more games,” Aho said. That’s Gerry Johannson’s job. Johannson is Aho’s agent and president and CEO of The Sports Corporation in Edmonton, Alberta, a firm that also represents such players as goalies Braden Holtby of the Caps and Carey Price of Montreal and center Ryan Getzlaf of Anaheim. News Observer LOADED: 10.31.2018 Canes owner Tom Dundon has said he’d like Aho signed to a long-term contract and Aho said the same Monday. “Yeah, for sure, definitely,” Aho said. “I like it here. I love living here.” Johannson and Don Waddell, the Canes’ president and general manager, have been negotiating a new deal and Waddell said Monday he believed it will be completed before the end of the season. “We’ve had lots of discussions and everything has been positive,” Waddell said. “We both have the same goal, and that is we want to sign him to a long-term deal and he wants to be here long term. That’s always the starting point, which is always good.” And salary terms? Waddell did not reveal financial figures but said the two sides are not far apart. “The amount of money we’re talking, there’s not a crazy difference,” Waddell said. In salary negotiations Waddell said there are 20 good player comparables in the NHL to use as parameters. Waddell said the Canes consider three as “outliers” in terms of high-end salary while Aho and Johannson, who could not be reached Monday, have three outliers on the low end. “So you try to find a middle ground,” Waddell said. Buffalo center Jack Eichel, 22, has signed an eight-year contact with the Sabres that has a $10 million salary-cap hit per season. In his first three NHL seasons, Eichel has scored 24, 24 and 25 goals and had 56, 57 and 64 points. Aho had 24 goals and 49 points in 2016-17, his rookie year, and then 29 goals and 65 points last season. Like Eichel, he’s being promoted as the future face of the franchise. While Waddell did not name any players, the understanding is the Canes are not offering Aho an Eichel-like contract. Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour discusses a struggling power play, sending center Martin Necas and defenseman Haydn Fleury to Charlotte and the possible return of goalie Scott Darling at Raleigh Center Ice on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018. Salaries vary for top-line NHL forwards. Evgeny Kuznetsov of the Washington Capitals, who has a Stanley Cup ring, has a $7.8 million cap hit. Calgary’s Johnny Gaudreau has a $6.75 million cap hit and David Pastrnak, 22, whose Boston Bruins face the Canes on Tuesday, makes $6.67 million a year. Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon has a seven-year contract with a $6.3 million cap hit and Winnpeg’s Mark Scheifele an eight-year contract at $6.125 million, according to CapFriendly.com. which tracks NHL salaries. 1112823 Carolina Hurricanes “It stands for ‘All Glory To God,'” he elaborated on the tweet pinned to his Twitter page. “Win? Lose? Play well? Play bad? I still give all my glory to God. To play AGTG hockey is to play with confidence, a confidence None of the numbers do elite NHL defenseman Jaccob Slavin justice, that can’t be broken because I know my identity is not found in my and he couldn’t care less performance on the ice. My identity is found in who God thinks I am. My worth is not defined by what anyone thinks of me. I’m not defined by the game of hockey. This life is not about me or my success, it’s all about God and bringing glory to His name.” By Sara Civian Though his worth isn’t defined by his reputation, those who’ve passed Oct 30, 2018 through his career at every level can’t help but gush. “You never had to tell the guy something twice,” Enga said. “Never. In every way, he’s just tremendous.” Colorado College assistant coach R.J. Enga settled into his office chair, ready to take on everything a typical Tuesday afternoon in the life If you tried to pinpoint everything Slavin the hockey player does right, demands. you’d be sitting here all day. On and off the ice, he carries himself with all the broad-shouldered confidence you’d expect of a 6-foot-3, 205-pound For a popular guy at the helm of a team forcing itself back into relevancy, man. But he plays the game with a conviction and calmness that clearly that means phone calls. Entirely too many phone calls. comes from something greater than his size. One of those calls, outgoing and headed 1,671 miles east, just wouldn’t It’s perhaps most on display through his knack for pacing games, go through. He tried it on his office landline four times before he walked routinely giving the high-effort, high-risk Hurricanes little moments of Zen. out of the building, turned a corner and attempted a Hail Mary from his personal cell. “The abilities I have in this game aren’t from myself,” he said. “They’re from the Lord. I am just trying to use them to the best of my ability, so “Hello? Is this a prank?,” he asked when he finally got through. that I can spread the gospel. My wife and I try to be really active with it Uhhh…no? because God’s given us a platform.” “I thought maybe the boys were pranking me,” he explained to the He’s firm and proud when he talks about his faith, he’s just a bit taken confused stranger on the other line. “But I wanted to make sure, if there’s aback that it came up in a hockey locker room of all places. a story about Jaccob, that we could talk.” In MLB, home runs are followed up with nods to the man upstairs. As busy as the sacred month of October is in the hockey world — as In the NFL, a Super Bowl-bound player will typically acknowledge a busy as everyone, everywhere seems to be at all times these days — higher power in the “We’re going to Disneyland” speech. Enga lit up when he realized someone was really calling to talk about his former standout defenseman. NBA superstar Steph Curry immediately thanked God after leading the Warriors to their fourth consecutive NBA Finals appearance last season. “Did you see that play last night?” NHL traditions revolve around the team. Maybe the goal-scorer will get “He can shoot it, he can move it, whatever you need him to do” Enga creative with a solo bow-and-arrow or Evgeny Kuznetsov-style bird started, “He’s mobile, he’s a big guy, he’s poised but he works so hard. celebration, but it always ends in teammate hugs and goalie head pats. He’s really good at reacquiring pucks — a play like that is a great example of what you end up getting with him. It’s just that next level.” “I would say out of the four major sports, NHL is definitely the least faith- oriented league,” Slavin said. “I don’t think there’s a lot of Christian Before Enga, who coached Slavin in junior with the USHL’s Chicago believers in the league. I’m just trying to make God’s name known. It’s Steel and reunited at Colorado College, could even catch his breath, a tough — it has its challenges.” text popped up from a more word-economic scout with a similar sentiment. Among active NHL players, 43.8 percent are Canadian; the rest of the league is split almost evenly between Americans and Europeans. Even “There’s just no one better,” it read. “Look who left, and he stayed.” among religious Canadians like Adam McQuaid, open faith is much less The thing about Jaccob Slavin is a message like that could mean a few ingrained in their culture than in the U.S., and that culture inevitably different things to a few different people. permeates the NHL. The Slavins and McQuaids must navigate the challenges of playing in the least faith-oriented league. Was it about how he really starting turning heads his second full season playing for the USHL’s Chicago Steel with 5-28—33 in 62 GP? He was For some, that means a quick trip to church after a Sunday morning fielding a few different recruitment offers, but he stuck with the hometown skate on the road. For others, it’s a “Hey, you too?” upon noticing a tiny team that got to him first. Sure, Colorado College was going through a cross in someone else’s stall. For all, what used to be hush-hush is brutal stretch and was about to join the newest, toughest college hockey slowly growing into a small-but-proud community that Slavin has had a conference. But the Tigers believed in him before the others started hand in cultivating. paying attention, so he stayed for two seasons. “There are a couple (believers) on the team here, and a couple Or was it about the summer of 2017, when the then-23-year-old signed a throughout the league that I’ve connected with,” Slavin said. “Next seven-year extension with the Carolina Hurricanes, the team that drafted summer we’re actually having a getaway weekend called The Gathering him 120th overall in 2012? The Canes had certainly seen better days, in for Christian couples throughout the league to get to know everybody the midst of their league-longest playoff drought. Still, they were the first else and start to build that community. That’s the first time the NHL is NHL team to put their faith in Slavin. He returned the favor. According to going to have that — I know the NFL has had that, I know the MLB has a source, he had so much faith that when he signed the cost-effective had that, so now to have it for the NHL is going to be awesome.” $5.3 million AAV, he urged the Hurricanes to leave some for the rest of Until then and beyond, Slavin has relied on family to keep the faith. the team. The Slavin kids had just crossed a steppingstone essential to the “He’s always been very loyal,” younger brother Josiah offered. “It doesn’t millennial childhood experience. They’d just watched Mighty Ducks for matter the situation. He’ll be loyal.” the first time. The concept of loyalty has become something of a hot-button issue in the The eldest, Justin, had dabbled in roller hockey, but that was it. Huddled realm of professional sports. The NHL, traditionally a team-first league, around their hometown Colorado TV, they decided they were all going to has started to shift in favor of its players. Research on the lifelong play. ramifications of CTE, the looming possibility of another lockout, social media and more have created a climate closer to the superstar-laden Just like that, Justin, Jordan, Jaccob, Josiah and Jeremiah became a NFL and NBA. Take Drew Doughty’s self-negotiated contract and William hockey family. But as their biblical names suggest, they’d always been a Nylander’s contract stalemate for fascinating example. You can’t blame family of faith first. That didn’t come from a Disney movie about a lawyer them for getting what’s theirs. with a DUI, and though their faith would be tested, nothing could take it away. Slavin’s situation-transcendent loyalty just runs deeper than any which way the league is trending because it’s not about the league. It’s not “Our parents grew us up in the faith,” Slavin said. “Born and raised. even about himself, his career or the teams he’s stuck with as a That’s the most important thing to me, on and off the ice.” byproduct of this loyalty. Don’t let this emphasis on what’s most important to the Slavins take away from how hard they’ve worked at their legit hockey careers. Jordan, 26, had four successful seasons as a defensewoman at the storied University of North Dakota. Josiah, 19, is a Colorado College commit, currently captaining the USHL’s Lincoln Stars. Jeremiah, 14, is following in the footsteps of Jaccob and Josiah, playing bantam with the Colorado Thunderbirds. “Our faith is kind of what drives us in the hockey world,” Josiah said. “We do everything we do to glorify God. That’s our main motivation.” They were all competitive growing up, but Jaccob became a real role model for Josiah when he chose to stay close to home for college. Not only was Slavin thrust onto a mediocre Colorado College team, but it was the inaugural season of a conference that would become an absolute force — the NCHC. The level of competition was too much and the Tigers went 7-24-6 in 2013-14. But in 32 games, Slavin went 5-20— 25. That’s especially impressive for a defenseman whose moments of Zen never make it onto a scoresheet. “He’s such a consummate worker on his craft,” Enga said. “He seems to always want to have perfection. He was a sponge when we watched video, always able to translate it to the game very easily. Very driven, that’s how I’d describe Jaccob. He ran the power play here and he was top notch.” The step-up-exactly-where-he-needs-to, perfection seeker of a defenseman has somehow seamlessly transitioned that skillset in an NHL top four role. He’s registered four assists through 11 games this season, but those who’ve watched him know his true value. Are you kidding with this one? Do you know how hard that is to do against anyone at all…no less Evgeni Malkin, known sniper? Slavin’s most valuable asset is up for debate, but his rare eye for the game akin to a quarterback’s might be it. In situations other in-zone defensemen would just clear it and call it a day, he’ll either clear it and actually connect for a pass, or “run it in” himself. “It’s really hard to put into numbers,” Rod Brind’Amour said. “He’s an elite defenseman in this league, for sure. I think that goes without saying. The value (he adds) to our group — I don’t know that any kind of numbers do it justice. Jaccob logs a lot of minutes against the best players.” That’s the thing — he’s making these unheard of plays look easy on a first pairing, against the NHL’s best. “He’s just really steady,” Enga described his demeanor on and off the ice. “You just kinda know what you’re gonna get from him.” So even if Slavin is criminally underrated, rest assured he doesn’t care. He doesn’t even care about his reputation among his closest friends. He’ll just keep seeking perfection, and he’ll keep providing all the steadiness a heart attack-inducing team doesn’t even know it needs. He’ll do it all with something much more important in mind.

The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112824 Chicago Blackhawks

Trip opener against Canucks gives Hawks chance to fix what went wrong last season

Jimmy Greenfield

The Canucks were not a good hockey team last year. Except when they played the Blackhawks. Actually, the Hawks weren’t a good hockey team last year either, so it was a case of one bad team beating up on another. No matter how you look at it, the Canucks defeated the Hawks in all three of their 2017-18 meetings and led entering the third period in each of them. The first was a 5-2 loss Dec. 28 in Vancouver, five days after what would turn out to be Corey Crawford's final game of the season. Whether or not the game was a turning point, it was the beginning of the end for the Hawks. “We didn’t play well against them,” coach Joel Quenneville recalled. “They played well against us. It was a good test for us to find out how we would respond without Crow in the lineup and we proved over the course of the season that we didn’t do a good job of it.” The Hawks return to Vancouver on Wednesday night to start a three- game swing through western Canada and try to continue their strong start to the season. The Canucks are off to an even more surprising start with a 7-6 record that’s good enough to have them tied for first place with the Sharks in the Pacific Division. The Canucks haven’t made the playoffs since 2015 and last won a playoff series in 2011, the same year they reached the Stanley Cup final, which they lost in seven games to the Bruins. With Hawks nemeses Daniel and Henrik Sedin retiring after last season, it appeared a rebuilding season was on the horizon, and it still might be one. But rookie forward Elias Pettersson, the fifth overall pick in the 2017 NHL draft, has Canucks fans excited again. Pettersson has seven goals in his first seven NHL games — he also missed six games in October because of a concussion — and has the attention of Patrick Kane, who leads the NHL with 11 goals. “I was watching them a little bit last night,” Kane said. “They play pretty hard. They have some young guys who really are producing. Pettersson is really taking the league by storm." After playing the Canucks, the Hawks have a rematch the following night with the Oilers and finish up on Saturday night against the Flames. The Hawks are 3-1-1 in their first five road games. They should have their legs back after looking a bit worn down Sunday night in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Oilers, the Hawks’ seventh game in 11 days. “We’re playing three teams that are all in the mix, all are improved,” Quenneville said. “They’re all younger and they all have some speed in the lineup and everybody’s playing for the same two points. So let’s play the right way. “When you play seven in 11 (days), you might lose some of the focus going into games. Let’s make sure we’re going to start the right way, with a real purpose.”

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112825 Chicago Blackhawks

Plethora of penalties may cost Blackhawks' Marcus Kruger even more ice time

Jimmy Greenfield

Even when explaining Marcus Kruger’s possible benching, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville couldn’t help but say nice things about him. Kruger is a Quenneville favorite but has been the Hawks’ most penalized player this season at 14 minutes. The 28-year-old Swede was skating outside the top four lines during practice Tuesday, an indication he will be a healthy scratch Wednesday night in Vancouver. “It seems like there are a lot of tripping plays,” Quenneville said. “I like the relentlessness of trying to pursue pucks and come up with loose pucks — it’s what we’re all about — but just finding a way where we’re not taking a penalty.” Kruger has two goals, which is tied for fourth on the team with four other players, and is a relentless penalty killer who isn’t easily replaced. “He does give us some five-on-five play that’s been good this year,” Quenneville said. “But we need him killing penalties and we need him on the ice.” An NHL-mandated reduction in the size of goalies’ chest protectors had some complaining about receiving too many bruises this season. But deputy commissioner Bill Daly told ESPN changes are not coming. “I like not to overreact to things,” Daly said. “I don’t think that some of the concerns we’re hearing about currently are really reflective of a large majority of goaltenders.” Hawks backup goalie Cam Ward switched brands during training camp to find a chest protector he was more comfortable with, but he doesn’t think the league needs to go back on the new rule. “I can’t speak on behalf of all the goaltenders, but personally I feel it’s OK,” Ward said. The Hawks lead the NHL with 16 first-period goals, but their six second- period goals are tied with the Coyotes for last. ... The Hawks signed forward Brandon Hagel, 20, to a three-year entry-level contract. Hagel, a sixth-round pick by the Sabres in 2016, has 28 points (12 goals, 16 assists) in 15 games for Red Deer of the .

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112826 Chicago Blackhawks

Patrick Sharp joins NBC Sports Chicago's Blackhawks pregame and postgame shows

Phil Rosenthal

Former Blackhawks winger Patrick Sharp has joined NBC Sports Chicago as a pregame and postgame hockey analyst, the channel announced Tuesday. Sharp, who retired as a player in April, is scheduled to make his first appearance in his new role Thursday. “Patrick will go down as one of the most charismatic and impactful players in Chicago Blackhawks history and we couldn’t be more pleased he will be lending his insightful analysis,” Kevin Cross, the channel’s vice president of content, said in the announcement. NBCSCH also intends to use Sharp on some of its other programs, while NBC Sports Network has him lined up for studio analysis on its national “NHL Live” studio program. “I am excited to join the NBC Sports Chicago team,” Sharp said. “After a long career on the ice, it will be fun and challenging to be a part of the game from a new perspective.” A veteran of the Blackhawks’ 2010, ’13 and ’15 Stanley Cup title teams and most valuable player of the 2011 NHL All-Star Game, Sharp’s first Hawks pregame show is set to precede Thursday’s game with the Oilers. Before that, however, he and host Pat Boyle are scheduled to conduct a live video chat on the channel’s Facebook page at 3:15 p.m. The audience is invited to submit questions.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112827 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks weekly wrap-up: Patrick Kane thrills, Alex DeBrincat scraps and Scott Foster returns

Jimmy Greenfield

It was a busy and fruitful week for the Blackhawks as they finished a difficult stretch of six games in nine days by picking up five of a possible eight points. Weekly record: 2-1-1 Overall record: 6-3-3, tied for 3rd in Central Division Playoffs? Yes, they currently hold the first wild-card spot. Blackhawks goal of the week: Patrick Kane vs. Ducks Kane scored the goal, but it was Erik Gustafsson’s perfect slap pass to set up the game-winner against the Ducks that made this the Hawks’ top goal of of the week. Honorable mention: vs. Rangers Strong contender to beat out Kane’s goal, especially on the strength of another great assist. Watch how Duncan Keith spots Toews with a misdirection pass that confounds the Rangers and results in their defenders colliding. The collision clears a path to the goal for the captain to score his sixth of the season, breaking his six-game goalless streak. Blackhawks save of the week: Scott Foster vs. Blackhawks He’s baaaaaaack! Well, not really. Foster, a 36-year-old accountant, rose to fame last season when he got into an actual game while serving as an emergency backup. He stopped all seven shots he faced in relief of Collin Delia, helping the Hawks to a 6-2 victory against the Jets on March 29. The Oak Park resident was invited by the Hawks to occasionally pitch in during morning skates to ensure they have at least a pair of goalies on hand. After going scoreless in his first five games and then being a healthy scratch, Ejdsell scored three goals in three games for Rockford this week. Overall, he has three goals and two assists in eight games for the IceHogs. Cat scratch fever Alex DeBrincat did the almost unthinkable and went after the Ducks’ 6- foot-3 Josh Manson last week. They were separated before any real punches could be thrown but not before the sight of the 5--7 DeBrincat made everyone’s night.

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Blackhawks' Corey Crawford: It's time to leave concussion talk in the past

BySteve Greenberg @SLGreenberg

The last time the Blackhawks traveled to Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary, in order, was late last December. Christmas had just passed, the team’s previous game coming two nights before the holiday in New Jersey. “Last December in New Jersey.” Surely, most Hawks fans know what those words represent by now. That Dec. 23 game against the Devils would be Corey Crawford’s last in goal for nearly 10 months, a concussion and its unrelenting aftereffects driving him from the ice for far longer than anyone would’ve predicted. The Hawks are off to Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary again, starting with the game Wednesday against the Canucks, and the symbolism of the moment — Crawford is finally back, and playing well — could not be more apparent. Unless you’re Crawford, that is, in which case you simply roll your eyes and ask, essentially: So what? “Is there a point?” he said after practice Tuesday at MB Ice Arena. “It’s done. It’s over. It’s almost a year ago. It’s way, way past now, and I don’t really care, to be honest.” So there you have it: Crawford is done with the whole concussion topic. Five games into his comeback, he’s more than ready to leave that particular darkness in the rearview mirror forever. “Yeah, we’re over that,” he said. “Let’s move on.” Let’s do that . . . after one more look back at last season. The Hawks were 17-12-5 when Crawford left the ice after the first period that night in New Jersey. They lost that game and were hammered 5-2 in the next one in Vancouver, and it was only a matter of time before they were under .500 en route to a last-place finish. The Canucks weren’t the only opponent that beat up on the Hawks, but they swept the three-game season series by a combined score of 14-6. “We didn’t play well against them; they played well against us,” coach Joel Quenneville said. That first matchup in was the beginning of a stretch for the Hawks that could’ve gone any which way. No one knew for sure what would happen. “It was a good test for us to find out how we’d respond with Crow out of the lineup,” Quenneville said. “And I think we proved over the course of the season that we didn’t do a good job of it.” Have we mentioned that the Hawks were 0-3 against the Flames, too, last season? They’re also coming off a loss in overtime to the Oilers on Sunday at the United Center. It’s much too dramatic to say this road trip is about exacting revenge, but it could be looked at as something of a measuring stick. And the best thing about that is Crawford gets to be a part of it. After giving up a lone goal in three consecutive outings, Crawford surrendered six in St. Louis his last time out. That pumped up his goals-against average to 2.44, but who’s counting? He’s done with concussion talk. Stats talk can take a hike, too. “Is that really the whole point of playing the game? You know what I mean?” he said. “We’re trying to win hockey games. For us — for me — all that matters is winning the Cup.” NOTES: Penalties have been a problem for Marcus Kruger, who has 14 minutes’ worth already, leading coach Joel Quenneville to consider scratching him from the Vancouver game. Kruger didn’t skate with any of the top four lines during practice Tuesday. † The Hawks agreed to terms with 20-year-old forward Brandon Hagel on a three-year entry-level contract. Hagel will continue to play for the of the Western Hockey League.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112829 Chicago Blackhawks As the NHL stated in its release, "MGM Resorts will receive access to previously unseen enhanced NHL proprietary game data that will be generated by the league's state-of-the-art tracking systems currently NHL no longer pretending sports betting is bad under development. "Access to this data will allow MGM Resorts to provide its customers with specialized NHL game insights, as well as unlocking new and innovative Barry Rozner interactive fan engagement and betting opportunities for its U.S. customers wherever legally available." Updated 10/30/2018 7:21 PM The NHL partnered with DraftKings in 2014, and that is gambling any way you slice it, so all the talk of being a little bit pregnant has long been absurd. With apologies to the old yarn, and regardless of who might have said it first -- Winston Churchill often gets the credit -- with Gary Bettman it is Hockey needs gambling much more than gambling needs hockey. The almost always a matter of haggling about the price. NHL might be finally admitting that. Witness the most recent NHL announcement Monday with the screaming And now it's just haggling about the price. headline of the news release: "National Hockey League Announces Landmark Sports Betting Partnership with MGM Resorts." Hold on. Sports betting partnership? Daily Herald Times LOADED: 10.31.2018 This from the NHL commissioner who for decades said that gambling would be the death of sports and, specifically, professional hockey. The NHL was a plaintiff, along with the NCAA and all the major sports, in a long court battle with New Jersey, which was fighting to legalize sports betting. In a 2012 deposition, Bettman said, "We're concerned how gambling and betting affects the NHL game and changes the perception of and challenges the integrity of the NHL game." Integrity of the game. Nonsense, of course. The best way to ensure integrity in wagering is to have regulators above board monitoring the action, and nobody does that better than Vegas. When something is askew, it's the legal books who see it first. Said Bettman just two years ago, "I do believe that there is a negative element or atmosphere from any betting." But having lost the New Jersey case and with sports gambling alive in so many states, and with many more coming online in the next year, now the NHL and all the sports want a piece of the action. Each of the leagues has been trying to negotiate "integrity fees" with states that adopt sports betting, which is just another way of saying they want a cut of the proceeds after doing everything they could to prevent it from happening. New Jersey legislators called it "extortion" and essentially laughed at the leagues trying to grab money from them. To Bettman's credit, the MGM deal is a wise marketing partnership which adds revenue to the league, and passing on it would have been foolish. Not long ago, the NBA made basically the same deal with MGM good for about $25 million, though Adam Silver long ago realized what the NFL has always known but has refused to acknowledge, that betting on NFL games is the reason such a terrible product continues to get ratings. Bettman seems to have forgotten all of the awful things he thought about gambling, saying Monday, "The new sports betting landscape presents a unique opportunity for fan engagement utilizing technology and data that are exclusive to our league. "As a leading global gaming operator and entertainment company, MGM Resorts is the perfect partner for us to begin our transformative entry into this space. "Fan engagement, technological advancement and innovation are paramount to our progressive approach and will be at the forefront of everything we do." So now it's a progressive approach. Well, that all sounds pretty promising and quite the turn of events and opinions from the NHL boss. It's also worth remembering that Bettman was -- quite wisely -- first to allow his league a franchise in Las Vegas, and it just happens to be a model franchise with a spectacular fan experience. The Raiders are on their way, and it's only a matter of time before all four leagues have teams in Sin City. It's still rather entertaining to see Bettman flip on the gambling issue when such a small percentage of sports betting involves hockey, and it can only help grow his sport if more patrons were interested in the puck line. 1112830 Chicago Blackhawks

Power play will decide Blackhawks playoff fate

By Pat Boyle October 30, 2018 11:00 PM

Watch the Capitals, Leafs or Jets power play and it’s puck poetry as the disc moves quickly around the umbrella and players connect with one- timers that find the back of the net on a regular basis. Then you watch the Blackhawks power play and not only does it rarely generate a quality chance, many times the opposition gets a shot on goal, or at the very least momentum swings in their favor. The Blackhawks are currently ranked 30th in the NHL on the power play and have converted on only five of 41 opportunities. A look at the current standings and the top four teams in the East (Toronto, Tampa Bay, Boston, Pittsburgh) all have power plays that rank in the top 10. The final four teams in last season's all had power plays that ranked in the top 11 (Tampa was third, Winnipeg fifth, Washington seventh and Vegas was 11th). Having a potent power play in this current NHL seems to play a bigger role in a team's success than ever before. It’s actually incredible the Blackhawks are 6-3-3 without getting much help from the man advantage. How can a team be among the league leaders in even strength goals, but take a player away from the opposition and somehow it gets more difficult to score? While the Blackhawks have been looking for answers to this problem, we have spent countless podcasts debating the issue with Adam Burish, Jamal Mayers and Steve Konroyd. The guys have suggested: loading up on one unit, shoot first mentality, try a different entry, more net front presence. I could keep going, but you get the idea. The Blackhawks were back to work on Tuesday spending extra time on the man advantage. Don Granato was working with the first unit which consisted of Patrick Kane, Nick Schmaltz, Artem Anisimov, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook. had the second unit: Jonathan Toews, Brandon Saad, Alex DeBrincat, Luke Johnson and Erik Gustafsson. Joel Quenneville discussed the power play struggles. “I would say we're not starting off with the puck enough either off the faceoff or we're not getting early entries that are having some success so it's a little disrupted right off the bat,” he said. Patrick Kane says puck retrieval on the man advantage could improve. "I think we could do a better job of recovering those pucks off the shot and then maybe plays will open up for us after that," Kane said. “I think the biggest thing for us, even if we're not scoring, let's try to get some momentum off it. Let's try to get some shots, try to recover some pucks, have some zone time. ... The more emotion we have, the more we're playing loose and free, I think the better off it'll be.”

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Blackhawks agree to terms with free agent forward Brandon Hagel

By Charlie Roumeliotis October 30, 2018 3:00 PM

The Blackhawks added to their pipeline on Tuesday by announcing the signing of 20-year-old forward Brandon Hagel to a three-year, entry-level deal worth $925,000 annually that runs through the 2020-21 season. Hagel is a 6-foot-1, 173-pound winger who ranks third in the Western Hockey League with 12 goals and 28 points through 15 games with the Red Deer Rebels, where he will continue playing this season. He's known for being a tireless worker and aggressive forechecker. "Super competitive," one scout said. Hagel is a former 2016 sixth-round pick (No. 159 overall) by the Buffalo Sabres, who relinquished his signing rights on June 1 after failing to come to an agreement. His best season came in 2016-17, when he set WHL career highs with 31 goals and 71 points. He was named the Canadian Hockey League's Player of the Week from March 13-19 that year, the same season Alex DeBrincat was named Player of the Year. Hagel has 205 points (74 goals, 131 assists) in 208 career regular- season games, and 24 points (13 goals, 11 assists) in 29 postseason contests.

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NBC Sports Chicago adds three-time Stanley Cup champion Patrick Sharp as Blackhawks analyst

By Charlie Roumeliotis October 30, 2018 1:30 PM

NBC Sports Chicago is adding another Stanley Cup champion to their Blackhawks television coverage. And it’s a fan-favorite. Patrick Sharp will join the Adam Burish, Jamal Mayers and Steve Konroyd as Pregame and Postgame analysts, along with host Pat Boyle. Sharp spent 11 of his 15 NHL seasons with the Blackhawks, where he served as the alternate captain and helped bring three Stanley Cups to Chicago in 2010, 2013 and 2015. His 249 goals with the team ranks 12th in franchise history. Sharp compiled 532 points (249 goals, 283 assist) in 749 career regular- season games with the Blackhawks, and 80 points (42 goals, 38 assists) in 117 postseason contests. The former four-time 30-goal scorer served as a guest analyst for NBC Sports during the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs, which gave fans a glimpse of the insightful analysis he can provide going forward. You can catch Blackhawks Pregame and Postgame Live before and after all 82 games this season on NBC Sports Chicago and also via live stream on the MyTeams app.

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Henri Jokiharju is everything the Blackhawks had hoped he'd be

By Charlie Roumeliotis October 30, 2018 9:25 AM

The Blackhawks were hoping Henri Jokiharju would make the team out of training camp. He did. Then they hoped he could solidify a spot as a Top 4 defenseman. He did. The ultimate hope was that he would become a perfect complement for Duncan Keith on the top pairing. And he’s done just that, which is saying a lot because often times last season the two-time Norris Trophy winner would find himself caught out of position covering ground for his partner. “He allows me to play my game,” Keith said. “With him, for 19 years old, he’s pretty poised, great skater, he’s good with the puck, makes smart plays, good defensively. He’s ahead of his age, that’s for sure. Defense isn’t an easy position to break into, and he’s doing it like a veteran. It’s impressive. I enjoy playing with him. He’s a really good player.” There have been times where Jokiharju has looked like a rookie, which hasn't been a lot. But that’s to be expected as he gets used to the grind of an 82-game season, mentally and physically. “A little ups and downs,” Jokiharju told NBC Sports Chicago when asked to assess his season so far. “Obviously just trying to feel as confident as I could. There are some days where you're a little bit more tired, back-to- back games, have to find some energy in those games. But I think it's gone pretty well so just gotta keep going." Through 12 games this season he has seven points (all assists); five of them came in the first three games, so he's been limited to two assists over the past nine games. Yet, he leads all Blackhawks defensemen in even-strength ice time and coach Joel Quenneville hasn't been afraid to put him in any situation, including the penalty kill. "He's been good," Quenneville said. "For a young kid, there's a lot to learn and absorb. The game is different than you're accustomed to, guys are bigger, stronger, smarter and I think he came in and had an excellent start. If you look at his last two games, he's played fine, getting back on track. He does a lot in the games as far as how he defends and I think that he handles the puck well and can only get better off of these levels." Jokiharju is learning on the fly while drawing all the tough assignments, too. On Sunday against the Edmonton Oilers, nobody on the Blackhawks logged more ice time against Connor McDavid at 5-on-5 than Jokiharju, who was out there for 13:22 of McDavid's 18:25 minutes, according to naturalstattrick.com. All the 2017 first-round pick did was limit the two- time Art Ross Trophy winner's line to only nine shot attempts for while generating 20 against his. That's a testament to his confidence, and not getting caught up in the moment playing against some of the best hockey players in the world. "I think all around, the players are so good," Jokiharju said. "They can hit you, everyone's got a great stick, they're really fast, stuff like that. But if you play against a superstar player, you have to treat them as just a player in the NHL. Obviously you see highlights of those players, but you can't respect those guys too much. You just want to play hard against them." Despite making it look so easy early on, Jokiharju knows there's still a lot to learn. He wants to get stronger while also getting faster to keep up with the different types of players in the NHL. And once he does get fully settled in, Chicago will really get a chance to see what kind of player he can become in the NHL. "I think after Christmas I'll feel a little bit more comfortable," Jokiharju said. "It's always hard when you step into a new league, it doesn't matter where. Obviously the NHL is the biggest step in my life."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112834 Chicago Blackhawks But the reality is Jokiharju has done as much to help Keith as Keith has done to help Jokiharju. Keith is coming off perhaps the worst season of his career, and there were times last season when he looked like he had ‘I’m going to make it:’ Preternaturally confident Henri Jokiharju always permanently lost a step, when it appeared he was finally sliding into the knew he’d be in the NHL twilight of his remarkable career. But about 15 percent of the way through the 2018-19 season, Keith looks like Keith again. His possession numbers are way up (from 51.88 to 55.86). He’s jumping in the offensive attack more, freed from worry about what his partner might be doing. Mark Lazerus He’s aggressively killing plays in the neutral zone again. Oct 30, 2018 “He allows me to play my game,” Keith said. “For 19 years old, he’s pretty poised. He’s a great skater, he’s good with the puck, makes smart

plays, good defensively. He’s ahead of his age, that’s for sure. Defense Henri Jokiharju was 5 years old the first time he told his dad that he was isn’t an easy position to break into, and he’s doing it like a veteran. So it’s going to make the NHL. He had just finished his first year of organized impressive.” hockey, and he already was absolutely convinced he was destined for After shuffling through several partners last season — Connor Murphy, greatness. Cody Franson, Jordan Oesterle, Jan Rutta, Brent Seabrook — Keith now Not much had changed more than a decade later, when Jokiharju left can look to his right and know there’s a real chance he can play with home at age 16 to play in the Western Hockey League, telling his dad Jokiharju for years to come, the way he did with Seabrook and he’d be fine all alone on a new continent, and that he’d be in the NHL Hjalmarsson in their primes. It’s a big factor in his resurgence. soon enough. And sure enough, when Juha Jokiharju dropped off his son “I was actually thinking about that before (Sunday’s) game, thinking how at the airport in Helsinki this past summer ahead of Blackhawks training I’ve bounced around with a few different partners,” Keith said. “It’s a good camp, Henri had a simple message: “I’m going to make it.” feeling, for sure, to know that he’s as young as he is and as good as he So for Dad, the first word that comes to mind is “confident.” is. It definitely bodes well for the team and myself as a partner with him. We’re going to keep trying to get better one game at a time. I know that “He’s always been like that, he’s always been dreaming of the NHL,” said we can.” Juha, a successful pro hockey player himself. “Of course, lots of kids are dreaming about the NHL and not so many make it. Well, he made it. For Keith has an edge to him, and his dry wit and deadpan can be as him, it’s always been a big goal, and he’s been working hard to achieve unsettling and intimidating as his lengthy résumé to a young kid. that goal. He’s always had quite good self-confidence. It helps him a lot. Jokiharju, naturally, felt otherwise. When he makes a mistake, he’s not thinking about it too much. After the game, even if he’s having a bad game, he closes the case pretty soon “No, right away when we met up and were paired up, I felt very and moves on.” comfortable with him,” Jokiharju said. “Right away.” There haven’t been many mistakes, or many bad games, for the For the veteran, the first word that comes to mind is “confident.” Blackhawks’ 19-year-old Finnish wunderkind. Twelve games into his first NHL season, he’s already established himself as a top-pairing Wait, no. Cam Ward would like to amend that one. defenseman, the partner Duncan Keith has been waiting for since Niklas Hjalmarsson was shipped to the desert. He’s playing more than 21 “A better word to use is, he’s got swag,” the Blackhawks goaltender minutes per night and leads the Blackhawks in even-strength ice time per clarified. “He has that swaggy confidence about him. You saw it game, averaging 19 minutes, 30 seconds. He has the highest Corsi immediately, right from the start of camp. In a good, humble way, I think. percentage among Blackhawks defensemen at 55.86 percent, trailing It’s not being cocky, it’s just being confident in his abilities. He feels he’s only forward Alex DeBrincat. He has seven assists, tied with Patrick in the right place, that this is where he should be.” Kane and Keith for the team lead. He’s even already got general Ward has seen plenty of kids come and go, jittery rookies who freak out manager openly wondering if prized prospect Adam the moment the puck touches their stick, treating it like a hand grenade Boqvist — initially expected to be two or three years away from the NHL with a pulled pin. Get it away from me. But in his 14-year career, he — can crack the lineup next fall. hasn’t seen many kids like Jokiharju. Sunday against the Edmonton Oilers, Jokiharju played a whopping 13:22 “The game is so hard that you need to play with confidence,” Ward said. of 5-on-5 time against the best player in the world, Connor McDavid. The “But it’s his poise that really stands out. He’s not afraid to hold on to the Hawks out-attempted the Oilers 20-9 and out-chanced the Oilers 13-4 in puck and make plays. Typically, with younger kids, they tend to panic a those 13 minutes. little sooner and just want to get the puck off their sticks. But Henri’s not And the craziest thing? Jokiharju doesn’t seem to think any of this is a big afraid to hold on to it an extra second to make a play. He thinks the game deal. It’s exactly what he expected to do back in September, back in real well, and obviously, he has a lot of talent. He knows it, too.” Portland, back in Finland as a 5-year-old. Jokiharju isn’t quite a unicorn these days — it’s becoming more and more “I feel normal, I feel comfortable,” he said with a shrug. “I feel like I’m common for teenagers to step right into the NHL and become impact getting more comfortable game after game, and I’m working hard on a players. DeBrincat did it just last year. Top picks such as Connor daily basis to get better and better.” McDavid and Auston Matthews are now expected to be great right away. His teammates are impressed. His coach is beyond pleased. His But to older guys like Ward, it’s still a little mind-boggling to see. opponents are frustrated. “At 19, I was plugging away in Red Deer (of the WHL),” Ward said. “But His dad isn’t the least bit surprised. Henri always has been in control. the game has changed. It’s a young man’s game right now. I think someone said 30 is the new 40 in the NHL. We’re getting outnumbered It was Henri’s decision to move up to Tappara’s 20-and-under team upon now with the young kids coming into the league and making such an moving from Jokerit to Tampere at age 16 (“I was the fifth to know,” Juha impact.” said with a chuckle.) It was Henri’s call to head 5,000 miles from home to play for Portland of the Western Hockey League. It was always Henri For the fellow rookie, the first word that comes to mind is “confident.” taking charge of his own career. Now, it’s worth pointing out that what Dominik Kahun is doing this season “Henri has always been pretty clear on what he wants,” Juha said. is remarkable in its own right. Not only has Kahun made the seemingly “Outside of hockey, and in hockey, too. In his own mind, he says, ‘This is impossible jump from the German pro league directly to the NHL, but he the way I want to do things.’ Of course, we as parents, there’s a certain has entrenched himself on the Blackhawks’ top line alongside DeBrincat age you have to tell him that this is the way it goes. But he’s been making and Jonathan Toews. He’s an astounding success story all his own. his own decisions. I haven’t been pushing him in any direction. I was like, He’s also 23. ‘It’s up to you, son.’ He’s always had a pretty clear picture about the future.” “It’s so impressive what (Jokiharju) is doing,” Kahun said. “He’s still a teenager and he seems so confident for his age. It seems like he’s For the partner, the first word that comes to mind is “confident.” played in the league for longer than he actually has. It’s pretty unreal.” A big reason Joel Quenneville paired Jokiharju with Keith was to give the All around the Blackhawks dressing room, the sentiment is the same. kid a steadying hand, a Hall-of-Fame veteran to lean on. The idea was Erik Gustafsson is all of 26, with two half-seasons in the NHL under his that Keith could cover for Jokiharju, mentor Jokiharju, and give him the belt. And Jokiharju makes him feel like an old man. confidence he needed to get by as a teenager in the NHL. “It’s that confidence he has,” Gustafsson said. “It’s like Boqvist, too. They’re coming up and they’re like, ‘Hey, here I am. Play me.’ I wouldn’t have had that confidence he has right now at 19.” Even Quenneville, who’s famously difficult to impress, seems to have ultimate trust in Jokiharju already. Pairing him with Keith, playing him 20- plus minutes a night, giving him a look on the power play, using him in overtime — Quenneville’s clearly already made up his mind that Jokiharju is the No. 2 defenseman he’s been desperately searching for. Two years ago, Quenneville was effusive in his praise of a 20-year-old Gustav Forsling, who cracked the lineup a year or two earlier than expected. But neither his words nor his usage matched what’s going on with Jokiharju so far. Among the adjectives Quenneville has used so far this season to describe Jokiharju are “tremendous,” “excellent,” “special,” and, yes, “confident.” In short, Quenneville’s in love. “He’s out there against top guys, has a tremendous gap, has quickness, he recovers well, he’s going to get better with his stick, makes a lot of direct plays,” Quenneville said. “He’ll get better in that area, recognizing options offensively. But he’s getting exposed to that type of assignment at this stage of his career, you could (call it) flattering or what, but he’s handled it extremely well. “Playing big minutes early — you don’t mind it, though, when you’ve got a young guy that’s excited about it. I think he’s only going to get better.” For Jokiharju himself, the first word that comes to mind is, well, “normal.” All of it seems routine to him somehow. Playing in the NHL. Playing 21 minutes a night. Playing with Keith. Playing against McDavid. Absorbing hits from grown men. Traveling in first class. Checking out Chicago steakhouses on his own dime. Having his own apartment in Chicago at 19 (most young players in his situation stay in a team hotel for a couple of months until they can prove they won’t be yo-yo-ing back to the AHL or juniors; the Blackhawks gave Jokiharju their blessing to move out very early). “Chicago feels like home already,” he said. All of that said, Jokiharju knows he’s not a finished product yet. The mental grind of the NHL has taken its toll already, and he seeks comfort in a movie or a game of Fortnite and some Finnish-language trash talk with his buddies back home on those precious few off days. He’s learning quickly that, while he was talented enough to coast through a game every now and then in the WHL, he can’t do that in the NHL, no matter how his mind or body are feeling on a given night. He’s still on the ice for too many high-danger scoring chances against (it’s the lone blemish in his otherwise sparkling analytics), and he still wants to have a better gap, a better shot, a better sense of when to really attack. But at this stage of his career, these are minor quibbles. He has the trust of his coach, the trust of his partner, the trust of his goaltenders, the trust of his teammates. He’s a bona fide NHL player, and a very good one at that. At 19. “It’s going pretty good,” Jokiharju shrugged. “I mean, I guess.” The ho-hum in his voice said it all — no cockiness, just pure confidence. After all, this is where Jokiharju always wanted to be. And where he always expected to be.

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Avalanche right winger Mikko Rantanen, the NHL’s leading scorer, is a Nordic gentleman

By MIKE CHAMBERS | [email protected] | The Denver Post October 30, 2018 at 7:11 PM

Hockey players often judge themselves by their team-first attitude before all else, and Avs’ captain Gabe Landeskog, a left wing, says his affable Finnish linemate Mikko Rantanen excels in part because of that approach. “He’s an easy guy to be around,” Landeskog said. “He treats everybody well. He’s a good teammate. He knows how to have fun here at the rink, and make it fun for everyone else. And he also knows how to work.” Rantanen feels the same about Landeskog, and suggested that that’s just normal behavior for the Nordic neighbors. “I don’t know any grumpy Finns or Swedes,” Rantanen said. Rantanen is a humble and unassuming burgeoning star who became the league’s leading scorer before his 21st birthday. He celebrated his 22nd birthday Monday — the day he was named the NHL’s third star of week after producing seven points (three goals) in four games last week. Rantanen’s 21 points and 16 assists has him tied with Joe Sakic for the most by an Avalanche player in October; Sakic, now the Avs’ general manager, did it in 1996. “I have to be happy with how the team is playing and how our line is able to help the team win,” said Rantanen, the right winger on the Nathan MacKinnon-centered line — a k a The MGM Line — which has Landeskog at left wing. “It’s still early; we have to prove we can do it every night and be consistent.” The MGM Line has accounted for 24 of Colorado’s 41 goals, tied for second-most in the 31-team league entering Tuesday’s action. MacKinnon has nine goals and is tied for second in NHL scoring with 18 points. Landeskog is tied for second in the league with 10 goals and his sixth in scoring with 16 points. “I knew I could play in the NHL but I never thought I would be playing on a line like this,” Rantanen said. “I can’t deny, it’s been a lot of fun.” Rantanen finished last season, his second full year in the NHL, with 84 points, tied with John Taveres for 16th in the league. “You start getting in that 80-point-plus range and it puts you among the elite in the league, in my opinion,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said of the 6- foot-4, 215-pound Rantanen. “And then you look at the start he has this year and some of the things that stand out with his sturdiness on pucks and the way he’s using his size and strength. I think he’s just figuring out how he can be more productive and more dangerous by using his size because he’s a big strong guy.” Footnotes. Jost and Compher both have concussion-like symptoms and began Tuesday’s practice in red non-contact jerseys. Jost finished practice and is expected to travel Wednesday when Colorado departs for Calgary to begin a two-game, western Canadian road trip. But Compher did not complete practice and won’t travel. “He didn’t have such a great day so he won’t be an option for us on the road,” Bednar said of Compher. Forward Sven Andrighetto (lower-body) also won’t travel and is considered “week-to-week,” Bednar said. … Semyon Varlamov is expected to start in goal Thursday at Calgary and Philipp Grubauer will likely start Friday at Vancouver.

Denver Post: LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112836 Colorado Avalanche This is the backstory of how Parkkila and his newfound methods made their way to Denver. Bednar said the Avalanche were in the market for a full-time goaltending coach a few years ago and they continued to hear Black masks and white pucks: An inside look at the colorful world of the good things about Parkkila from different people. Avalanche’s goaltending dynamic Parkkila was about as accomplished as a goaltending coach could be By Ryan S. Clark 2h ago without previously plying his trade in the NHL. His 12-year career led to him having coaching stints in Austria, Canada, Finland and Russia.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. — The man who rarely speaks has managed to get everyone talking. His first three years were spent in his native Finland coaching a U-20 team before moving onto the Western Hockey League in the 2007-08 Earlier this month, there was a mystery about what exactly Semyon campaign, before returning to Europe later that season. He was tabbed Varlamov was wearing underneath his helmet. Was it a mask? Goggles? as the goaltending coach for in the Russian Super One person actually asked aloud if he was blindfolded. Turns out the League, which became the KHL the following year. Avalanche goaltender was wearing a black mask designed to block his peripheral vision, which forces him to move his head and body to follow what’s going on around him. Lokomotiv had a young, hot-shot goaltender that season who was a first- “It’s hard and it’s not fun because you can’t really see the puck,” round draft pick that guided the club to the league finals. Varlamov said. “Not just the puck but the players around you. When you The goalie was a 19-year-old Varlamov. have to make the save, you always have to turn your head because you don’t your see your and blocker and basically those glasses are for “We worked only for five months in Russia but when he came in, he backtracking. You’re learning how to track the puck all the time.” completely changed my game,” Varlamov said. “He helped me a lot because at that time, I was kinda struggling. That was a long time ago. On Tuesday Philipp Grubauer and Varlamov — sans vision-hindering Then he came in last year. I mean, Jussi’s the same. He’s a very eyewear — opened practice with another challenge. The Avalanche’s professional, very prepared goalie coach. Goalies are ready for his goaltending tandem was tasked with stopping white pucks coming at practices because they always know what he’s doing. them from a variety of angles and rates of speed while being obstructed by five-foot tall screening devices. Grubauer used these tools and more when he was with the Capitals. “He’s got a plan for us. Every practice, every game. So he’s like a There’s something to be said about trying to stop pucks that are the teacher and that’s how a goalie coach should be. He should teach you same color as the ice. some new things and help you to always improve your game.” “I really like that because it makes you work harder and concentrate Ryan S. Clark harder to stop the puck,” Grubauer said. “A black puck on a white surface, it’s pretty easy. Once it turns white on white, it’s a little bit ✔ different. Going into practice after the white pucks is pretty good. You’re @ryan_s_clark pretty warm.” Might be a first but Semyon Varlamov is wearing shades under his mask Focusing on the Avalanche’s obstacle course might make it easy to at practice. (h/t @FelixAlbl for his viewfinder) #Avs overlook Jussi Parkkila, the architect responsible for introducing these methods while also doing so much more. Parkkila, who is in his second season as Colorado’s goaltending coach, 6:11 PM - Oct 25, 2018 possesses one of the more reserved personalities of any coach or player on the roster. Known for his faux hawk hairstyle, the 41-year-old Finn 19 spends most of the time making observations when everyone’s around. See Ryan S. Clark's other Tweets But when it’s just Parkkila along with Grubauer and Varlamov, that’s when the discussions begin about what each goalie can do to get better. Twitter Ads info and privacy “You look at the purpose behind the gadget that we bring in. What is it Bednar said the Avalanche had a number of strong candidates, including and how does it help?” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. “You put a people who had previously coached in the NHL. bunch of different ideas out there and you try them and if the goalies like Several items made Parkkila “the right fit” for the Avalanche, Bednar them and Jussi likes them and they feel like they work, then we’ll said. The third-year coach listed off attributes such as Parkkila’s continue to use them. If not, we’ll push them aside and move on. There’s personality, his approach to coaching and his background within the some experimenting going on there and to this point, I think the goalies successful Finnish goaltending model as to why they wanted him. are hoping to try and get better. It also helped that Parkkila’s relationship with Varlamov also included the time they spent working together in the offseason. “Players are always looking to try to get better and goalies are no different in that regard.” Choosing to hire Parkkila resulted in him becoming the first European goaltending coach to work in the NHL without having previously played in Ryan S. Clark the league. He also became the Avalanche’s first full-time goaltending coach. ✔ “He’s been great to have on staff. He’s a real smart guy, hard-working @ryan_s_clark guy,” Bednar said. “He’s got a great rapport with the goalies we’ve had here the last couple years.” In today’s episode of “How do we make life hard for Philipp Gruabuer and Semyon Varlamov” is trying to stop white pucks while having Bednar said he likes having an open stream of communication with his obstruction dummies in their way. #Avs #GoAvsGo assistants. That means he and Parkkila will go over a strategy for the goaltenders, charting out who will receive starts over the next week to 10 days. 4:47 PM - Oct 30, 2018 From there, Bednar will receive input from the rest of his staff and they’ll create a plan that best suits the team. 116 “Once that’s established, we start talking about the plan for the backup, 32 people are talking about this for the starter,” Bednar said. “How much ice he needs and make sure we Twitter Ads info and privacy secure all that. I like to know what he wants to do with those guys and how many shooters he needs because that involves other coaches and everything and I kinda let him do his own thing. I want to know the thought process behind it. He’s a great coach, an experienced coach and with his expertise I let him do his own thing and trust that he’s going to do the right things for our goaltenders.” Parkkila came into a situation that was in need of change. The Avalanche finished with the fewest wins and lowest points in the salary cap era during the 2016-17 season. They allowed a league-high 3.37 goals per game and were also last with a .894 save percentage. His first season saw immediate results with the Avalanche going from 30th to 15th by allowing 2.88 goals per game. They also were seventh in save percentage at a .914 clip. Perhaps what made those figures even more impressive was Varlamov was in and out of the lineup with injuries while then-backup Jonathan Bernier unexpectedly carried the load at various portions of the year. The Avs made it to the playoffs but were forced to scramble with injuries depleting their options in net. This past summer, however, served as a prelude to how important goaltending would become for the Avalanche. General manager Joe Sakic traded for Grubauer and signed him to a three-year deal. Meanwhile, Varlamov is in the last year of his contract. Sakic signed Pavel Francouz, a member of the Czech Republic Olympic team, to a one-year deal. The 28-year-old is currently with the Eagles in the AHL and has cemented himself as the team’s No. 1 goaltender. Colorado also used draft picks to select Finnish goaltender Justus Annunen and Russian netminder Shamil Smakov to give the organization four goalie prospects younger than 21 to fix what has become a long- standing issue with developing in-house options.

Bednar and the Avalanche have rocketed off to a 7-3-2 start and entered Tuesday night tied atop the Central Division and Western Conference standings with the Predators with 16 points. Receiving consistent goaltending is one of the reasons why the Avs are in such a favorable spot to start the season.

Colorado entered Tuesday leading the league with a .934 save percentage and allowing an average of 2.17 goals. That was second in the NHL behind Boston at 2.0 goals.

Varlamov is 4-2-2 with a 1.62 goals-against average and a .950 save percentage. Among goalies with at least six games entering Tuesday, he was first in the NHL in save percentage and second in GAA. Grubauer is 3-1 with a 2.76 GAA and a .916 save percentage.

“Our history is not as long as the history he has with Varly but he’s an unbelievable guy,” Grubauer said of Parkkila. “He’s really quiet like you said but once he sees something, he lets you know. So far, the adjustments he’s made in my game have really helped me out a lot and we continue to work on stuff.” Grubauer said he texted and later spoke with Parkkila during the summer but didn’t get a chance to really work together until training camp started. The 26-year-old German expressed areas where he wanted to get better and Parkkila spoke about what he wanted to see from Grubauer as well. The biggest surprise Grubauer has experienced when it comes to Parkkila would be the drills. He said it’s not just about how to play one shot or going through certain drill with one shot, it’s the repetition of four or five attempts that force whoever is in net to adapt to a game-like situation in the middle of practice. “He’s here daily. If we go out there for a practice, you don’t see yourself in practice. You don’t see the bad habits that creep into your game,” Grubauer said. “He’s there to make sure that’s not happening. You’re always fresh and always ready to go. I feel like if you don’t have a goalie coach who’s there full-time, I think it’s a different story and you don’t have the opportunity after games to go over that and look at things. … I think that’s a big plus. “You can work on stuff every day and you can talk to him every day. You have the chance to prepare for every game.”

The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112837 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche make roster changes with injuries mounting

AJ Haefele

The Colorado Avalanche returned to the ice on Tuesday following what appeared to be a pretty fun Halloween party on Sunday night. The off days after their loss to the Minnesota Wild allowed them to get a little rest, which was important for one Avalanche player in particular. Tyson Jost returned to the ice today after missing Saturday night’s game against the Minnesota Wild and skated in a non-contact jersey. His day was good enough that according to head coach Jared Bednar, he should be a full participant for practice tomorrow and is expected to be available on the two-game road trip this weekend. Jost’s apparently imminent return to the lineup was the highlight of the good news today as the rest of the rundown was not nearly as positive. J.T. Compher, who has been sidelined with a concussion for the last seven games, skated before the session but had what Bednar called a “bad day” and left the ice before the full session was completed. While there remains no timeline for a Compher return, Sven Andrighetto’s name was added to the list of the wounded when Bednar announced he got hurt with a lower-body injury in their loss against the Wild and he will be week-to-week. As a result of the injury issues, the Avalanche called up forwards Sheldon Dries and A.J. Greer from the Colorado Eagles. Dries has already appeared in four games for the Avalanche, recording no points but registering four penalty minutes. In his five AHL games, Dries has scored two points (1g, 1a). Greer has yet to appear in a game for the Avalanche this season but in eight contests with the Eagles, he’s recorded eight points (2g, 6a). Greer has previously played in 22 NHL games, scoring just four assists. For the guys actually on the ice, the majority of the work was spent working on the team’s lackluster power play. There were some unit changes as Matt Calvert took Andrighetto’s place on the top power-play unit and Vladislav Kamenev set up shop along the half wall on PP2. We’ve seen Kamenev in that role before and he spent his post-practice time working on shooting pucks from that location. The switch to Calvert is an interesting change but one that most likely is temporary with Jost expected to return to the lineup. While there was some speculation Patrik Nemeth was injured and that’s why he did not play against Minnesota over the weekend, Nemeth was a full participant in practice and no mention of any injury came about today. The Avs were uncharacteristically sluggish throughout practice today as Bednar had to frequently stop play and tell the guys to pick up the pace. Captain Gabriel Landeskog also got on a few of the players today for a more lackadaisical approach than they were looking for.

BSN DENVER LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112838 Columbus Blue Jackets

Red Wings 5, Blue Jackets 3 | 3-0 deficit in first period too much to overcome

By Brian Hedger The Columbus Dispatch @BrianHedger Posted Oct 30, 2018 at 10:14 PM Updated Oct 30, 2018 at 11:29 PM

John Tortorella’s news conference lasted a little more than the amount of time the Blue Jackets played good hockey in the first period of another perplexing loss Tuesday night at . It lasted just shy of a minute, in other words, which in itself sums up the start the home team had on the eve of Halloween — a nightmarish beginning that bled into the rest of the game and culminated with Tyler Bertuzzi’s late game-winning goal to lift the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-3 victory. “You’ll have to ask them,” Tortorella said when asked — on the final question of his meeting with reporters — whether the Jackets took the Red Wings (3-7-2) too lightly. “You’ll have to ask them, the players.” Judging by their fevered comeback in the third period, when the Blue Jackets (6-5-0) ripped off three straight goals in the first 11:21 to tie it 3- 3, there’s a good chance the answer is yes, even if they couldn’t sense it before the game. They allowed three goals in the first period, couldn’t get on the board in the second, tied it up in the third and then got nothing for it — heading into a three-game trip to that starts Thursday in San Jose. “I know coming into this game, right before the game started, we said not to take this team lightly,” said right wing Josh Anderson, who scored the first goal for Columbus 2:48 into the third. “Every team in this league is a good hockey team, and we’ve got to be ready to play. That’s our job.” They weren’t prepared to get that job done on time, though, and paid the price — suffering another frustrating loss at home exactly one week after falling 4-1 to the Arizona Coyotes. Opposing teams have now scored the first goal in seven of the Jackets’ first 11 games, and in six of the past seven. The Jackets are 3-4-0 in those games, but it keeps happening. “Obviously, if we would’ve known we would’ve done something about it,” said forward Markus Hannikainen, who set up Anderson’s goal and another by Markus Nutivaara. “If we would find a reason, obviously we’d do something about it, but we’ve got to find a way.” Unlike the game against Arizona, the Jackets nearly found an escape hatch. It just closed on them before they could get out, with Bertuzzi’s goal slamming it shut and Dylan Larkin’s second goal of the game — scored into an empty net — turning the lock. “It just comes with our starts,” Anderson said. “Some games we haven’t started that well, but I think when we do come out, the first guy over the boards has to set the pace for the game — bump guys around a little bit and start from there. Maybe we’ll get the first one.” Maybe they won’t get their starting goaltender pulled, either, the way Joonas Korpisalo left the game with 6:27 left in the first. Tagged with three goals on seven shots, in his third straight start, Korpisalo had little chance to stop a couple of Detroit’s early goals. He gave way to Sergei Bobrovsky, who allowed only the goal to Bertuzzi on the 24 shots he faced. That, as it turned out, was just another consolation on a disappointing night.

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112839 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets notebook | Korpisalo's third straight starts ends quickly

By Brian Hedger The Columbus Dispatch @BrianHedger Posted Oct 30, 2018 at 9:27 PM Updated Oct 30, 2018 at 9:27 PM

The last time Joonas Korpisalo started more than two NHL games in a row, back in 2016, he was a rookie goaltender pressed into starting for the Blue Jackets because of injuries. That changed Tuesday night at Nationwide Arena, when Korpisalo started over Sergei Bobrovsky for the third straight game — and got his second start this season against the Detroit Red Wings. “I watch his game very closely, because I have Bob,” Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said Tuesday at the Jackets’ optional morning skate. “I know Bob hasn’t played in a bit here and Bob’s a two-time ( winner) and all the things that come with him, so I watch Korpi’s play very closely, as far as where he is. He has let in four goals in a number of these games, but he has made some phenomenal saves at key times in games. He has grown as a goaltender.” The Red Wings gave Korpisalo some growing pains, though. They scored three goals on their first seven shots to drive him from the net with 6:27 left in the first period, replaced by Bobrovsky. The bright side is that Bobrovsky, who hasn’t looked in peak form since the start of training camp, seemed more like himself finishing the game. It been a tough start for him, with a 2-4-0 record, 3.87 goals-against average and .872 save percentage. Korpisalo’s numbers (3.46, .897) weren’t much better, other than a 4-0-0 record before facing Detroit, but he had made some terrific saves at critical moments in wins the previous two games against St. Louis and Buffalo. “He deserves to play right now,” Tortorella said of Korpisalo. “It has been a little bit of a slow start for Bob, and I think Korpi has found a way to kick, spit, punch, do whatever he can, in letting in four goals, to find a way to make huge saves at key times. So, that’s why he plays.” Korpisalo, who made multiple trips to Cleveland to stay sharp last season, is just happy to earn more playing time. “It feels nice,” he said. “It’s been a while since I’ve played this many games in a row. I’ve got to make the most out of it and help the team to win.” The Blue Jackets held an optional morning skate Tuesday, with all players required to be at Nationwide Arena for morning meetings, but Tortorella said that won’t be a common occurrence. “This is gonna change as we start playing (more) games,” he said. “I like to err on the other side. I think we’re here too much when the season really gets cranked up, but as of late we haven’t been. It’s just been so spread out.” One-timers Artemi Panarin’s 15 points on five goals and 10 assists tied Rick Nash for the most points in franchise history through the first 10 games of a season. Panarin needed one point to become the only Blue Jackets player to ever tally more than 15 points in the first 11 games of a season. ... Tortorella didn’t make any lineup changes, keeping defenseman Scott Harrington and forward Markus Hannikainen active over left wing Sonny Milano and defensemen Dean Kukan and Adam Clendening.

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112840 Columbus Blue Jackets

Columbus Blue Jackets: Joonas Korpisalo to get third straight start as Sergei Bobrovsky sits

By Brian Hedger The Columbus Dispatch @BrianHedger Posted Oct 30, 2018 at 3:49 PM Updated Oct 30, 2018 at 4:59 PM

Joonas Korpisalo hasn’t started more than two NHL games in a row since 2015-16, when he was a rookie pressed into duty for the Blue Jackets because of injuries. That will change Tuesday night at Nationwide Arena when Korpisalo will make his third straight start over Sergei Bobrovsky in his second start against the Detroit Red Wings this season. This time, injuries aren’t the reason. He’s just the hotter Columbus goalie. “I watch his game very closely, because I have Bob,” coach John Tortorella said Tuesday, after announcing Korpisalo as his starter. “I know Bob hasn’t played in a bit here and Bob’s a two-time Vezina (winner) and all the things that come with him, so I watch Korpi’s play very closely, as far as where he is. He’s let in four goals in a number of these games but he’s made some phenomenal saves at key times in games. He has grown as a goaltender.” Korpisalo, 24, has allowed four goals in each of his past three starts. He’s 4-0-0, but has pedestrian secondary numbers, including a 3.46 goals-against average and .897 save percentage. Korpisalo, though, has also faced an average of 38.7 shots per game in his past three outings and made some jaw-dropping key saves. One was a dazzling glove save against star defenseman Alex Pietrangelo in the Jackets’ 7-4 victory Thursday in St. Louis. Korpisalo doubled down two days later – stopping star center Jack Eichel twice in the third period of a 5-4 overtime win against Buffalo on Saturday, after the Sabres had tied the score 4-4 with two quick goals. “He deserves to play right now,” Tortorella said. “It’s been a little bit of a slow start for Bob and I think Korpi has found a way to kick, spit, punch, do whatever he can, in letting in four goals (a game), to find a way to make huge saves at key times. So, that’s why he plays.” Korpisalo is trying to stay relaxed about it, while also trying to capitalize on a chance to prove he can be more than Bobrovsky’s backup. “It feels nice,” he said, after the Blue Jackets’ optional morning skate Tuesday. “It’s been a while since I’ve played this many games in a row. I’ve got to make the most out of it and help the team to win.” Korpisalo hasn’t been asked to do that much since his rookie season, when he started 26 of the 38 consecutive games Bobrovsky missed with a groin injury. Korpisalo went 14-8-4 with a 2.63 GAA and .918 save percentage in that stretch and started an NHL career-high 13 straight games between Jan. 21, 2016 and Feb. 22, 2016. “You get (into) the flow, and when you don’t play as much you just kind of go out there and lose it for every game, because you’re waiting two weeks or so (to play),” Korpisalo said. “It’s nice to go out there and play night after night.” The Red Wings will start Jimmy Howard in net, which will be a rematch of the season-opener Oct. 4 in Detroit. The Blue Jackets won that one 3-2 in overtime on a goal by Artemi Panarin, who has three game-winning goals among the five he’s scored. Panarin has 15 points, which tied with Rick Nash for most points in Blue Jackets history after the first 10 games of a season. This is also the first trip back to Columbus since last season for Detroit forward Thomas Vanek, who helped the Blue Jackets qualify for the playoffs last season as a trade-deadline acquisition. The Red Wings are likely to play 11 forwards and seven defenseman because of undisclosed injuries to forwards Frans Nielsen (out) and Andreas Athanasiou (doubtful).

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112841 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets | Oliver Bjorkstrand responds to coach's challenge

By Adam Jardy The Columbus Dispatch @AdamJardy Posted Oct 30, 2018 at 6:41 AM Updated Oct 30, 2018 at 6:41 AM

The Blue Jackets were trailing St. Louis 2-0 during the first period of Thursday night’s game, and Oliver Bjorkstrand was on the verge of playing himself out of the lineup. Coming off a team-wide disappointing performance against Arizona, the Jackets were already trailing when Bjorkstrand failed to clear the puck from their defensive zone. It started a sequence that led to the second Blues goal in what had the early indications of a blowout loss for the Jackets. At the intermission at the Enterprise Center, coach John Tortorella made it clear to the 23-year-old right winger that he’d better shape up in multiple areas or he’d find himself no longer playing. Since then, it has mostly been mission accomplished for Bjorkstrand. The Jackets rebounded to win the game, then withstood Buffalo’s rally to win in overtime on Saturday and take a two-game winning streak into a game Tuesday night against Detroit. Against the Red Wings, Bjorkstrand will remain with linemates Alexander Wennberg and Anthony Duclair, with an eye on showing the scoring form he demonstrated at every level leading into his NHL career. “I think Oliver has really stepped up his intensity in his game after the first period in St. Louis, because he was on his way out of the lineup,” Tortorella said Monday. “Just a little bit lackadaisical in a lot of parts of his game. We brought it to his attention.” Bjorkstrand said the message was delivered in a straightforward manner. “I’ve just got to be better,” he said. “That means playing harder, winning battles and getting pucks on net.” Ten games into the season, Bjorkstrand has one goal and two assists. Last season, he played in 82 games for the Jackets and scored 11 goals. The belief is that he’s capable of doing more, and Tortorella said it starts with his work away from the puck and the energy that goes into battles away from the puck. Bjorkstrand said he’s working on that. “I think I know how to do it; I’ve just got to do it,” he said. “Sometimes that’s the hard part. I feel like I did it the last two games since they got after me a little bit. I’ve got to do that at a consistent level.” Along the way, he has impressed his teammates with his ability to bounce back from a bruising hit. He took his fair share against the Blues, leading burly Jackets right winger Josh Anderson to credit the 6-foot, 177-pound Bjorkstrand for his toughness. That’s one area that Bjorkstrand said he embraces, even if he’s more likely to be receiving than delivering a punishing blow. Tortorella said Bjorkstrand has recently raised his intensity in battles away from the puck. On Monday, he sported a few red scrapes on his nose that came against the Sabres. “I feel like being engaged in those situations gets you more involved in a game, and it’s good for you to give you a little extra push,” Bjorkstrand said. “I’ve always liked that part of hockey. Sometimes I drift away from it, and that’s when I play maybe not my best hockey. That’s important for my game.”

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112842 Columbus Blue Jackets Question: You made a push in the second and third, but did you get what you deserved after the first period tonight?

Tortorella: Yes. G11: Blue Jackets’ rally can’t erase awful start vs. Red Wings Q: Any way to put your finger on what’s happenin…

T: No. By Aaron Portzline Q: g … at the starts? Oct 30, 2018 T: No.

Q: The effort of the Sedlak line to get you back into it, the grinding that COLUMBUS, Ohio — Markus Hannikainen had his best night as a Blue they did, did that kind of set the tone for what happened in the third, Jacket, both on and off the ice. First, he had two primary assists — especially Hannikainen? behind-the-back beauties, one over each shoulder — to help spark a Jackets three-goal rally. T: Hanni played good. He sparked us. But, while other players were searching for words and ways to Q: You pulled Korpi in the first period. Is that a Korpi pull or a team pull? equivocate, Hannikainen cut right to the chase to describe the Blue Jackets’ woeful start in a 5-3 loss to the woeful Red Wings. T: That’s a team. The first period, Hannikainen said, was “an abomination.” Q: It feels like you’re at a point of frustration with this group. Do you see these coming … Remember how miffed Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella was after the Blue Jackets nearly gagged away Saturday’s 5-4 overtime win over T: No. Buffalo? Q: … these collapses by them? Yeah, the first period Tuesday was worse. T: No. The Red Wings chased starting goaltender Joonas Korpisalo at 13:33 of Q: Did you take Detroit lightly tonight? the first period and led 3-0 after the first 20 minutes, but it could have been 5-0 or even 6-0. T: You’ll have to ask them. You’ll have to ask them, the players. “We didn’t show up to play in the first there, and it cost us,” Blue Jackets • Hannikainen has had one previous two-point night in his 50-game NHL defenseman Seth Jones said. “That second and third period, the energy career: Nov. 4, 2017, at Tampa Bay, when he had 1-1-2. This was his was there and you see what kind of hockey game it was. It was first two-assist night. He wasn’t overly impressed with his performance, competitive. We were making things happen. We were making plays. though. “That’s what I can do,” he said. “It doesn’t go according to plan all the time. Sometimes we have a great • It was a peculiar night for the Blue Jackets goaltenders. Joonas 60 minutes. Sometimes we have bad seconds or bad thirds. Tonight we Korpisalo made his third consecutive start, gave up three goals in 13:33 just had a bad first and that’s on us.” and yet remained 4-0 on the season. Yes, Bobrovsky was in the game when the Blue Jackets rallied to tie it, and he’s the goalie who coughed It must be noted that the Red Wings (2-7-2) came into the game with the up the lead, so the loss is his. He’s 2-5-0 on the season. worst record in the NHL, and the Blue Jackets let them come into the building and establish the pace. • It was news that Korpisalo made his third consecutive start. He hadn’t done that in either of the previous seasons as Bobrovsky stayed mostly Tuesday nights at Nationwide have turned into a black hole. healthy, missing a game here or there with an occasional illness. The last “That was unacceptable the way we came into the game,” Hannikainen time Korpisalo made more than two consecutive starts was in 2015-16, said. “The way we played the first 20 minutes was unacceptable. If you when Bobrovsky was out long term with groin injuries. In fact, since give a three-goal lead … we played well in the second and third, but Bobrovsky joined the Blue Jackets to start the 2012-13 season, he hasn’t that’s too late.” gone three consecutive games without starting unless an injury factored into the decision. The Blue Jackets spent the second period leveling the ice against upstart Detroit. By the third period, they were ready to rumble, and Hannikainen • Here’s another wild one: Bobrovsky hasn’t come on in relief since — wait, Hannikainen? — helped spark the offense. March 7, 2015, when former Jackets goaltender Curtis McElhinney was pulled from a start versus the Avalanche. “It is a little bit strange,” The 25-year-old Finn was skating hard through the left circle with a Red Bobrovsky said. “But then after the first period, I felt pretty good in the Wings defender on his right. Hannikainen spun to his left — away from second and third. Pretty good.” the net — and fired a backhand pass across the slot to Anderson, who whiffed and then scored to make it 3-1 at 2:48 of the third. • Korpisalo finished with four saves on seven shots. Bobrovsky stopped 23 of 24. Seven minutes later, Hannikainen was low in the right circle, again with a Red Wings player positioned between him and goaltender Jimmy • Asked Bobrovsky some tough questions based upon reports from Howard. When he spotted defenseman Markus Nutivaara advancing Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Had he provided the Blue Jackets with a through the left circle, Hannikainen spun and fired a backhand pass list of teams to which he’d approve a trade? Is it uncomfortable for him around his right shoulder. not playing as much as he’s used to playing? Would he welcome a trade? On all counts, Bobrovsky politely declined to answer. Then he Nutivaara scored to make it 3-2 at 9:59. said: “It is what it is. I just believe that I’m one of the best goalies in the league and I just work. It’s a long season. I just prepare myself every day The Blue Jackets pulled to 3-3 just 1:22 later when Pierre-Luc Dubois to come here and play hard. We’ll see what’s going to happen.” skated the length of the ice and beat Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard to the near post. • The Blue Jackets have now given up as many goals as they’ve scored on their power play at home. That’s right. After an 0-for-5 tonight, the Ultimately, however, the Blue Jackets got what they deserved. Detroit’s Jackets are 1-for-26 (3.8 percent) on the power play in Nationwide Tyler Bertuzzi scored on Bobrovsky with 3:24 to play, giving the Red Arena. Dylan Larkin’s first period shorthanded goal made it 2-0 and was Wings a 4-3 lead. the first shorty allowed by the Blue Jackets this season. 1:1 is not the An empty-netter sealed it. right ratio here. A week after losing to eternally rebuilding Arizona at home, the Blue • Larkin outskated Jones for a puck and raced down the ice for a Jackets turned in another stinker against one of the thinnest rosters in breakaway. Jones sensed that Larkin had the inside edge on him, so he the NHL. They spoke all morning about not looking past their opponents, dived forward to try to poke the puck down the ice to Korpisalo. Maybe but it seems they were empty words. Larkin got a part of his stick — Jones could only say “maybe” — but it was an impressive play. Here’s Jones: “I tried to dive and poke it back to As you might expect, Tortorella was brief — 57 seconds — with his Korpi. Maybe (he lifted my stick) a little bit. I was trying to make a read postgame comments. there. I had a feeling he was going to get the front shoulder on me. It didn’t work out. Maybe I do it a little different next time.” Here’s the “full” transcript: The Athletic’s hockey data dynamo Alison Lukan provided these insights into the Blue Jackets loss: • It was a slow start, indeed, for the Blue Jackets tonight. They had less than half of all shot attempts in five-on-five play through the first two periods, just 45.71 percent in the first and 48.57 percent in the second. Scoring chances were no stronger with just 40 percent and 42.11 percent earned by Columbus in the first two frames, respectively. While the team woke up in the third, driving to 65.65 percent of all shots and 87.5 percent of all scoring chances, it wasn’t enough to recover. When it all averaged out, the Jackets ended at just above 50 percent in both measures on the game as whole. Too little, too late. • Tortorella said postgame the team got what they deserved. He’s not wrong. Based on the way Columbus played tonight, they were right about at expectations. Their three goals is right about even with the expected goal total of 3.21 from Corsica.hockey. • Most of the lines and pairings lost their battles to Detroit tonight. The exceptions came in the three strongest players in driving offense: Ryan Murray, Markus Nutivaara and Markus Hannikainen. The three owned the top three spots in shot plus-minus and scoring chance plus-minus relative to their teammates. The leaders in each measure were Nutivaara (plus-21 shot differential) and Murray (plus-16 scoring chance differential).

The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112843 Dallas Stars Valeri Nichushkin - Justin Dowling - Gemel Smith "We weren't very good in the first," Montgomery said. "Montreal was all over us. Just to try and shake things up. Was hoping that the big three Devin Shore sparks Stars to first road win of the season with three-point coming together would light us and unite us, but Shore ignited us. night Obviously, Ben Bishop was the best player in the game." Lost challenge: Montgomery challenged Brendan Gallagher's third-period Matthew DeFranks goal for goaltender interference after Gallagher bumped into Bishop as he tried to make a save. Officials ruled and replays confirmed that Stars Contact Matthew DeFranks on Twitter: @MDeFranks defenseman John Klingberg pushed Gallagher into Bishop. "I was just going to make the save and he fell on top of me," Bishop said. "I guess they said that our guy pushed him on there. It's unfortunate MONTREAL, Quebec -- Quietly, Devin Shore is one of the most flexible because it would have been an easy save, but it's just the way it is." players on the Stars roster. He can play on the power play. He can kill penalties. Need to fill a hole on a scoring line? He's an option. Need to fill It was the first failed challenge of Montgomery's NHL coaching career. a hole on a shutdown line? He's again an option. "We thought that there was enough contact that we felt he initiated the During the Stars' 4-1 win over Montreal on Tuesday night, Shore broke contact, Klingberg really didn't touch him," Montgomery said. "They felt through for his first goal since opening night and added two assists. He otherwise, and you could see it going either way." registered a point at each strength (though his even-strength assist came immediately after a Montreal penalty ended). The three points were a career-high. Dallas Morning News LOADED: 10.31.2018 "We needed a game like that from somebody and I thought he really stepped up," Stars forward Jason Spezza said. "He's a big part of our team and made some heads up plays." Shore led a 2-on-1 in the second period while on the power play, feeding Esa Lindell for his first goal of the season. The goal came on the same power play in which Ben Bishop stopped Arturri Lehkonen on a penalty shot, shifting momentum to the Dallas bench. Shore picked up his second assist when he set up Miro Heiskanen for a quick, beautiful shot that beat Carey Price over his shoulder. It was Shore's second multi-point night of the season. He capped his night by roofing a shorthanded backhand over Price after Radek Faksa worked to assist Shore in the slot. The shorthanded goal was Shore's second career one. "Very versatile forward," Stars coach Jim Montgomery said. "Very intelligent and a great teammate. He can play on the first line through the fourth line, and doesn't change his attitude, which is why he's a good pro." Road win No. 1: The victory was the Stars' first win on the road this season after they lost their first three away games to Ottawa, New Jersey and Detroit. And it came in front of 20,506 people and one of the best atmospheres in the NHL. "To win in this building should give us a lot of confidence that we can win anywhere," Spezza said. "You hear the crowd there, they get rocking and then momentum takes over. We did a good job of stopping it. Bish had to make the big saves in the first, but once he did that, he settled the game down." Montreal fans booed Alexander Radulov every time he touched the puck. Radulov was a Canadien immediately prior to joining the Stars. He scored an empty-net goal to seal the game. The fans also booed and then hauntingly chanted goalie Ben Bishop's name after he argued for a goaltender interference call and drew a tripping penalty on Max Domi in the third period. "It seems to always happen when I come here," Bishop said. "They get all over me if something happens. I didn't get to play here last year because I was hurt, so it's been a couple years. It was nice to have them chanting my name. That means I'm doing right." Mixing it up: Montgomery changed all four of his lines after a lackluster first period in which the Stars managed just three shots on goal and attempted only six. The Stars began the game with these lines: Justin Dowling - Tyler Seguin - Alexander Radulov Jamie Benn - Jason Spezza - Mattias Janmark Valeri Nichushkin - Radek Faksa - Gemel Smith Devin Shore - Jason Dickinson - Blake Comeau The Stars ended the game with these lines: Jamie Benn - Tyler Seguin - Alexander Radulov Mattias Janmark - Jason Spezza - Devin Shore Jason Dickinson - Radek Faksa - Blake Comeau 1112844 Dallas Stars “It’s a great honor,” Spezza said. “It’s something I’m proud of. It’s a lot of hard work to get to a thousand games, so I’m proud of it, probably more than most milestones. Usually, you brush them off. But the games played Why it's fitting that Stars' Jason Spezza reached the 1,000-game means that you’ve committed yourself for a long time, so it’s something milestone in Montreal I’m proud of.” Spezza recalled his first NHL game on Oct. 24, 2002 in Boston. It was when the Bruins retired John Bucyk's number, so a nervous Spezza sat Matthew DeFranks in the dressing room for an extra 25 minutes after warmup. His parents were there that night, and they were the only family in attendance on Contact Matthew DeFranks on Twitter: @MDeFranks Tuesday night in Montreal. They took the train from Toronto to Montreal and will return and meet Jason there with the Stars visiting the Maple Leafs on Thursday night. MONTREAL -- At 7:39 p.m. on Tuesday night, in the shadows of the The Spezzas will have dinner at Jason's grandparents house on banners -- 15 retired numbers and 23 Stanley Cup championships -- Wednesday, and the Stars will celebrate Spezza's accomplishment Nov. draped from the Bell Centre's ceiling, Jason Spezza entered his name 10 when they play Nashville at the American Airlines Center. into hockey history. They’ll do so with the memory of a victory in mind. By taking the opening draw in the Stars' badly needed 4-1 over the Canadiens, Spezza played his 1,000th career game and did so in a city “You try to stay in the moment of the season,” Spezza said. “It’s a great brimming with hockey tradition and against the most decorated franchise accomplishment. I’m really proud of it. It’s definitely forced me to look in the sport. For the Toronto-born, one-time Senators captain and self- back maybe more than normal in a season, but you also have to stay proclaimed hockey traditionalist, hitting the milestone in Montreal was focused on the present and what’s ahead.” special for Spezza. Lineup changes: Radulov returned to the lineup after he missed the And his teammates made sure the memory of his 1,000th game would be previous four games with a lower-body injury. Radulov had not played an enjoyable one. since Oct. 16 in New Jersey. Devin Shore had a goal and two assists. Esa Lindell and Miro Heiskanen Montgomery began the game by splitting up Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin scored goals in the second period, erasing a lackluster first period in and Radulov to jump-start their offense. Radulov started with Seguin and which Dallas managed just three shots on goal and boosting the Stars to Justin Dowling, while Benn was with Spezza and Mattias Janmark. their first road victory. Montgomery reunited the trio during the second period. Ben Bishop was strong in net, including a key first-period stop of Arturri Lehkonen's penalty shot, and received help from three posts. Forwards are healthy scratches: Forwards Brett Ritchie and Tyler Pitlick were healthy scratches for the Stars. It was the first time either of them The Canadiens recognized Spezza and his parents -- "My dad looks has been a healthy scratch this season, although Ritchie missed younger than I do," he joked postgame --during a timeout in the first Sunday's loss in Detroit due to a minor upper-body injury. period on the video board. He received a rousing ovation. Ritchie and Pitlick have combined for one goal and two assists. "Definitely unexpected," Spezza said. "It's nice to get respect from a hockey community like this that follows the game and knows the game so “There was a lot of guys that could have come out,” Montgomery said. well. Definitely was a touching moment for me." “The status quo just isn’t good enough for us right now. We decided with him, but if we don’t become better with a consistent effort, there’ll be Shore was standing next to Spezza during that moment: “It’s pretty other people to follow.” special. He was a guy I looked up to growing up, a guy considered a good friend now and he’s earned everything he’s got. He’s a huge part of Carrick misses game with foot injury: Defenseman Connor Carrick our team now, 1,000 games later, he’s still one of our best players missed Tuesday night’s game with a foot injury after blocking a shot without question. Just really happy for him. It’s cool to be a part of.” Sunday in Detroit. Carrick briefly left Sunday’s game in the first period but finished the game before missing Monday’s practice in Montreal. In the two days that the Stars were in Montreal, Spezza repeatedly talked about how it was his favorite road rink to play in. As a Senator, he was a rival of the Canadiens, and has scored more goals (32) and racked up more points (69) against Montreal than against any other team. Dallas Morning News LOADED: 10.31.2018 "To be in Montreal, to be honest, is cool for me," Spezza said. "I love the building here. I love the city, the buzz of hockey and how much people here respect the game. It's always been a place I've loved to come and play. It's a difficult building to play in, but it's fun. It's a challenge as a hockey player." Spezza became the 326th player in league history to play 1,000 games, but he wasn't the only Stars persona with added emotion on Tuesday night. Coach Jim Montgomery was coaching in his hometown for the first time as an NHL coach. Montgomery went to dinner with his family on Monday night, and a television special on him aired during both intermissions on Canadian network RDS. Montgomery got to brush off his French- speaking abilities to field questions from local reporters. Forward Alexander Radulov played for the first time in two weeks, and returned to his former home arena in Montreal. After morning skate, television cameras waited about 20 minutes to shoot footage of him walking to the team bus. Canadiens fans booed him incessantly every time he touched the puck. Radulov sealed the game with an empty-net goal with 2:37 remaining. And, of course, Stars captain Jamie Benn was playing his brother and former Stars defenseman Jordie. Jamie was called for tripping Jordie in the third period. The Stars entered Tuesday needing a win more than they were focused on Spezza’s milestone. But the number allowed Spezza time to reflect on his career a little -- from the No. 2 pick in 2001 to a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2007 to international success and his current renaissance this season. 1112845 Dallas Stars

Forward Alexander Radulov returns to Stars' lineup against Montreal

Matthew DeFranks

MONTREAL, Quebec -- Alexander Radulov is back. The Stars forward missed the previous four games with a lower-body injury but will make his return Tuesday against the Canadiens. Radulov has not played since Oct. 16 in New Jersey, and former linemates Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin did not score a goal without him in the lineup. Montgomery said Radulov brings "emotion, skill, passion, a lot things any team needs." On Tuesday night in Montreal, Stars coach Jim Montgomery said he would separate Benn and Seguin to try to jump-start their offense. Radulov will rejoin Seguin, with Justin Dowling on the other wing. Benn will play with center Jason Spezza and winger Mattias Janmark. "Hopefully, you have two good lines tonight going offensively," Montgomery said. As the Stars forward lines have been juggled -- especially on the top line -- Dowling has stayed. Blake Comeau, Roope Hintz and Tyler Pitlick all received one-game cameos on the top line next to Seguin. But Dowling will play his third straight game on the top line Tuesday night. "He makes plays," Montgomery said. "He makes plays. He puts pucks to people that have time and space to make another play." Ritchie and Pitlick scratched: Forwards Brett Ritchie and Tyler Pitlick were healthy scratches for the Stars. It was the first time either of them has been a healthy scratch this season, although Ritchie missed Sunday's loss in Detroit due to a minor upper-body injury. Ritchie and Pitlick have combined for one goal and two assists. With Radulov back and Pitlick out, the Stars power play will resemble the unit that began the season by going 6 for 11. "There was a lot of guys that could have come out," Montgomery said. "The status quo just isn't good enough for us right now. We decided with him, but if we don't become better with a consistent effort, there'll be other people to follow." -- Defenseman Connor Carrick will miss Tuesday night's game with a foot injury after blocking a shot Sunday in Detroit. Carrick briefly left Sunday's game in the first period but finished the game before missing Monday's practice in Montreal. "There's nothing structurally wrong, but it's just swelling," Montgomery said. "He can't put a skate on right now. A couple days, I'm sure he'll be fine."

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112846 Dallas Stars

Shore, Bishop spark Stars past Canadiens in Dallas’ first road victory of season

Staff Report The Associated Press October 30, 2018 09:58 PM

MONTREAL Devin Shore had a goal and two assists, Ben Bishop stopped 34 shots and the Dallas Stars beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 on Tuesday night. Esa Lindell and Miro Heiskanen also scored, and Alexander Radulov added an empty-netter for Dallas, which won on the road for the first time this season. This was the second stop on the Stars’ six-game road trip. Brendan Gallagher scored for the Canadiens, and Carey Price stopped 18 shots. With the Stars leading 2-1 in the third, Shore added a short-handed goal at 9:27 – Dallas’ first short-handed score of the season. A bad giveaway by Montreal’s Artturi Lehkonen behind his own goal gave the puck right to Shore, who chipped a backhander past Price. The 24-year-old Shore had five points in 10 games this season before Tuesday. Bishop improved to 12-4-3 against the Canadiens, though he had help from his posts in the first period. Mike Reilly fired a slap shot off the iron just two minutes into the game, fooling even the goal-light operator, before Karl Alzner hit the post later in the period. In the second, Lehkonen was awarded a penalty shot after John Klingberg slashed him on a breakaway. Lehkonen tried going five-hole but Bishop made the easy save. Lindell made Montreal pay for its missed opportunities when he scored on Dallas’ fourth shot of the game at 1:49 of the second. With Phillip Danault in the box for slashing, Shore faked a shot then fed Lindell on an odd-man rush to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. The Canadiens got caught on a line change and Dallas took advantage at 7:24 of the second. Heiskanen, the third overall draft pick in 2017, found himself unmarked near the blue line before beating Price. Gallagher scored his team-leading seventh three minutes into the third. Bishop stopped Tomas Tatar’s initial shot from the point but Gallagher was on the doorstep to knock in the rebound. Dallas coach Jim Montgomery challenged the goal for goaltender interference, but the referees determined Klingberg had knocked Gallagher into Bishop. Jason Spezza played in his 1,000th career NHL game. … Radulov, who played with the Canadiens two seasons ago, was back in the Stars lineup after missing four games with an undisclosed injury. He scored an empty-net goal with 2:37 left in the game.

Star-Telegram LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112847 Dallas Stars Bishop also had a monstrous, athletic save with four minutes to go in four-on-four action when the Stars were clinging to a 3-1 lead.

9. About that challenge: I thought it was a great move by Monty. It was a Stars 20/20: Devin Shore and Ben Bishop shine as Stars pick up first close enough call to where it might get overturned, but even when it road win of the season didn’t, the review took so long that it stunted momentum and quieted the fans a little bit after the Stars lead was cut in half. All it cost the Stars was a timeout. By Saad Yousuf 10. This was the fourth time the Benn brothers went head-to-head. Oct 30, 2018 During the previous three meeting between Jamie and Jordie, the home team won. Jamie and the Stars bucked that trend, making it the first time the road brother emerged victorious. The Dallas Stars got their first road win of the season by beating the There was also a moment in the third period when the Stars had a 5-on-3 Montreal Canadiens 4-1 in the second game of a season-long six-game power play and Jamie got called for tripping Jordie. This was how Jamie road trip. felt about it: 1. Not only did the Stars pick up their first road win of the season, but it 11. The legend of Miro Heiskanen continued to grow today as the 19- was also the first road win this fall between the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas year-old scored his second career NHL goal. It came off a beautiful feed Mavericks and the Stars. The three teams were 0-11 on the road coming from Shore but the shot was equally as impressive. Spezza was mic’d up into tonight. in the game and when he saw the puck find the net, he turned to his teammates and said, “What a shot! Yes, kid! Atta boy, Miro!” 2. The game was much closer than the final score may indicate and could have gone the other way had a sequence at the start of the second 12. If Bishop wasn’t the player of the game, then Devin Shore deserves period gone differently. The Stars were on the power play and 30 the trophy. The 24-year-old he had his best game of the season. Shore seconds into it, Arturri Lehkonen got a penalty shot at the expense of assisted on the first two goals to Lindell and Heiskanen and almost got a John Klingberg but Ben Bishop was able to stop it. Montreal had an 11-2 third assist when he set up Faksa. However, Faksa gained control and shots advantage at that point as well. passed the puck back to Shore, who just scored a shorthanded goal himself. Just over a minute later, the Stars capitalized on the man advantage and Devin Shore found Esa Lindell to give the Stars a 1-0 lead. It was Shore’s first career three-point game. 3. Alexander Radulov made his return to the lineup after missing the last 13. The Stars’ lineup started as follows: four games with a lower-body injury. When asked before the game what he adds to the lineup, head coach Jim Montgomery responded, Jamie Benn – Jason Spezza – Mattias Janmark “Emotion, skill, and passion.” While his skill showed some rust at times, it was still pretty good — but the emotion and passion that he injected the Justin Dowling – Tyler Seguin – Alexander Radulov team with by his mere presence were obvious. Val Nichushkin – Radek Faksa – Gemel Smith 4. While the Stars were thrilled to welcome Radulov back, the same can’t Devin Shore – Jason Dickinson – Blake Comeau be said about fans in Montreal, who still seem to have some hard feelings for the forward leaving following the 2016-17 season. He was Marc Methot – Miro Heiskanen booed pretty much every time he touched the puck and the boos turned into cheers a couple of times when he controlled the puck and had it Esa Lindell – John Klingberg stolen from him or if he ended up flat on the ice. Julius Honka – Roman Polak Radulov was called for offensive zone interference in the first half of the 14. It was the first time this season that Montgomery split up Benn and first period but as soon as he returned, he set up Radek Faksa for a Seguin but that arrangement didn’t last long. The original first line of potential goal that Faksa couldn’t handle. Radulov got the last laugh Benn, Seguin and Radulov started the second period for the Stars and when he scored on an empty net late in the third period to provide the got some quality time together. dagger. It was his first career goal against the Canadiens. 15. On the injury front, Connor Carrick hurt his foot last game in Detroit. 5. The first period seemed like an extension of the Stars’ road woes, but He returned to that game and finished it but did not play against Ben Bishop provided an exception. He had 10 saves to keep the Habs off Montreal. the scoreboard and allow the Stars offense, which only got off three shots in the opening period and was barely a threat, to find its groove. “There’s nothing structurally wrong but it’s just swelling and he can’t put his skate on right now,” Montgomery said. “A couple of days, I’m sure 6. Jason Spezza played in his 1,000th NHL game, becoming the 326th he’ll be fine.” player in NHL history to hit the milestone. Montreal fans gave him a classy ovation at the start to acknowledge the feat. Stephen Johns remains out, as does Martin Hanzal. “Classy move by intelligent hockey fans,” Montgomery said. “Habs fans Speaking of Hanzal, he’s the subject of arguably the best hockey story are great and it was nice of them to recognize a person and a gentleman you will read in this young NHL season, courtesy of Sean Shapiro. He of the game in Jason Spezza.” watched the loss to the Red Wings with Hanzal and got Hanzal’s thoughts on a variety of things. Sean Shapiro wrote about Spezza hitting quadruple digits earlier this week. Here’s an excerpt: 16. Jim Montgomery’s mother, Dorothy, watched her son coach the Dallas Stars in person for the second time. Dorothy lives in Montreal and “It’s quite an accomplishment,” Stars captain Jamie Benn said. “Anytime said the family has been Canadiens fans all their lives, but she was any player reaches 1,000 games you’ve got to think back to all the work rooting against them on Tuesday and it worked out in her favor. they put into getting there. Sacrifices made, not only him but his family. It’s a special moment for him when you can reach 1000 games played.” 17. Early in the season, the Stars’ best players carried the load while depth scoring was a question mark. The last three games the Stars have 7. Stars teammates celebrated Spezza the night before the game with a played, Shore, Gemel Smith and Jason Dickinson have been the best team dinner and cake. Both of his parents also made the trip to Montreal offensive players and a number of Stars have gotten their first goal of the to catch the action in person. season in the books. “It’s just phenomenal,” Rino Spezza, Jason’s dad, said. “When you start On the flip side, for the first time in the Benn-Seguin era, neither of them your career, you don’t even dream of something like this happening so has scored a goal in seven consecutive games. Radulov’s return to the we’re really excited for him. He’s really worked hard for it his whole top line should help amend that very soon. career and his mom and I are just so proud of him.” 18. It was a scoring buffet for the Stars, with no two goals scored 8. You have a couple of options in naming the player of the game, but it’s similarly. The first score by Lindell came with the Stars on the power hard not to give that honor to Bishop. In his first road win since February play, the second by Heiskanen was 5-on-5 (though to be fair, it came 8th, he made a big save on the penalty shot early, stopped 34 of 35 mere seconds after the Stars’ second power play expired), the third goal shots and really, the one that got past him was a bit of a fluky goal that scored by Shore was shorthanded and the final goal by Radulov was an Montgomery challenged but couldn’t get overturned. empty-netter. 19. After just getting one power play against Detroit on Sunday, the Stars had a season-high six power-play opportunities against the Habs. They scored on the first one via Lindell, and Heiskanen scored just as the second power play expired. They also had a 5-on-3 opportunity late in the game. On the flip side, the Stars were once again fantastic playing shorthanded. Montreal had four power-play opportunities and the Stars successfully killed each penalty and even scored once shorthanded thanks to Shore. That’s now 18 straight penalty kills for the Stars 20. Here is how the Stars did when it came to Montgomery’s process. Win 56 percent of faceoffs: Passed, they won 56.5% of faceoffs. Zero undisciplined penalties: Failed. Three or fewer odd-man rushes: Passed. Win net-front battle: Passed Win special teams: Passed. Scored one of six power play opportunities while shutting out Montreal on all four power plays

The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112848 Dallas Stars would be nice to be able to answer that question without having to tell you what others said.”

This is an injury that very well could have ended Hanzal’s career. For Czech beer, kolaches, and hockey: watching a Stars road game with much of last season, he was dealing with consistent pain that started Martin Hanzal ramping up around Christmas. In a game in Anaheim on Feb. 21 he took seven shifts, had to leave the game and was done for the season. By Sean Shapiro “During the game I started feeling some extra pain and my leg kind of gave up and shut down, I couldn’t feel my leg anymore,” Hanzal said. “I Oct 29, 2018 just couldn’t skate anymore. That was the turning point. I was like, O.K., I can’t play on one leg. I knew right away and it was middle of the game and I said, ‘I can’t take it anymore.'” DALLAS — “Should I take off my shoes?” As he prepared for surgery, Hanzal thought about whether this injury could end his career. Henrik Zetterberg’s career ended after last season It’s the first thing that comes to mind after ringing the doorbell at the because of a similar issue. Hanzal asked the doctors multiple times how Hanzal residence. I notice a pair of shoes by the front door, and through this would impact his long-term health, and whether a hit or fall would a glass door I can see two other pairs in the foyer. easily set him back. As Martin Hanzal opens the door, he says hello and answers my first “They said once it’s healed I’ll be in good shape,” Hanzal said. question. “Zetterberg’s career is over, but I’m fighting to keep mine alive right now.” “Go ahead and take ’em off,” Hanzal said. “It’s the European thing to do. I Hanzal just started feeling more comfortable about three weeks ago. He guess that’s why we do it.” feels looser. He’s comfortable taking shots, working faceoffs in a Shoes checked at the door, we head to the Hanzals’ living room, which controlled situation. connects to an open-concept kitchen. There’s a big sliding-glass door “We’ll see when I start hitting and getting cross checks in front of the net,” that overlooks a backyard with a pool and a concrete play area, featuring Hanzal said. “That’s what kind of scares me right now. I haven’t played a a pair of hockey nets and a basketball hoop. game in seven months. The contact in the faceoffs and the front of the Hanzal wants a bigger backyard for his kids. Back in the Czech Republic net, that’s unexpected, right? So that’s why right now I wouldn’t feel his yard is big enough to house a tennis court and a big barbecue area comfortable playing games, because it would probably still hurt. But they while leaving ample room for the kids to run. But finding a home with that are saying it should be ok now. It’s fused and should be solid as a rock.” type of backyard space in this area, University Park, where most of the Hanzal will skate with Stars Player Coordinator Stan Tugolukov while the Stars players with families live, is nearly impossible. team is out of town. Sunday was supposed to be a day away from On the television across from sliding door, Stars play-by-play announcer Tugolukov, but their sons play for the same team and on Sunday Josh Bogorad and color analyst Darryl Reaugh are leading into the game morning Hanzal’s 7-year-old son, also named Martin, had a game in against the Detroit Red Wings. It’s a mid-afternoon game and the Stars Euless. are kicking off a six-game road trip that will take them to six cities over 11 “Every day I see Stan,” Hanzal said. “Even on days when I don’t want to days. see him, I see him.” Hanzal has been left behind and is watching this trip from the couch in Watching his son play on Sunday was one of the few benefits of not his living room. traveling with the team at this point. Hanzal sits in the corner of the “Anything to drink? Beer?” Hanzal asks from the kitchen as the game is stands when the younger Martin plays and tries his best to avoid any about to start. crowds with his 6-foot-6, 230-pound frame — not because he’s an NHL player, but because it’s how he can best remind himself that his son is Sure. only seven, and for him, hockey is all about having fun. Hanzal passes me a Pilsner Urquell. It’s a Czech beer that was first Our conversation turns to a tough subject: Hanzal’s propensity to injury. brewed in 1842 and is considered the world’s first blonde or pale lager. He blames the physical nature of his style of play, saying it’s both a Hanzal claims it’s better than anything he’s found in the , blessing and a curse. His work in front of the net, in both ends, as a and luckily they sell it at the Whole Foods around the corner. defensive-minded center is both the reason his body has broken down and the reason he continues to collect an NHL paycheck. Beers opened and game underway, we settle in to watch the game in an all-too-familiar place for Hanzal. “I was always a really offensive player, like a playmaker,” Hanzal said. “Even when I went to Red Deer one year in the WHL, I was a really “It’s frustrating. It’s happened a lot in my career, I’ve been hurt a lot,” offensive player. I wasn’t the defensive forward that I am now. Even my Hanzal says as Jason Dickinson takes the opening faceoff against Luke first year in Phoenix I was playing offensively. At the end of my first or Glendening. “When you’re home sitting and watching the game it’s tough. second year, they said, ‘Ok, he’s a big guy, he can play tough. That’s It’s probably the toughest and hardest part. You can’t help your kind of put him a third-line, second-line role, play him against the other teammates and you are just watching.” team’s top players.’ That’s when it all turned.” Back in March, Hanzal had the third back surgery of his career. He calls You can thank or blame the Great One. Seriously, Wayne Gretzky was this the toughest injury of his career. He has needed quite a bit of time to the coach in Phoenix when Hanzal was re-cast into the role he’s played recover; his first two surgeries were discectomy — the removal of an for more than a decade. abnormal disc material — and Hanzal felt good after two months. “He was good, but we didn’t use as much video as we use now,” Hanzal This surgery was a spinal fusion, essentially merging two vertebrae said. “Sometimes we didn’t have a video at all before the game. It was together, and seven months have passed since Hanzal played a game. just a couple-minute talk and then, ‘Let’s go!'” He’s been skating and progressing, but that seven-month timespan is a daunting figure, and he’s still at least a month away from being able to I’m guessing Gretzky didn’t use much video as a player either. play again. “Yeah, he knew everything on the ice when he played,” Hanzal said. “He This road trip is particularly frustrating for Hanzal. He’s going to be alone didn’t need video.” at the practice facility skating each day, working out by himself, and on game days, watching the team on television. He’s part of the team, but After spending a decade in Arizona the Hanzal family feels at home in he’s on his own island. Dallas. The weather is slightly different, but Hanzal sees similarities in the market and heard great things about the city before signing as a free He watches games closely. He listens in on video meetings, doing his agent in 2017. best to understand and figure out Jim Montgomery’s system as a spectator. But Hanzal still has no idea how his new coach is on the “I reached out to Ales Hemsky,” Hanzal said. “I asked him how it was bench or how he acts during an intermission. here, and he couldn’t say one bad thing about Dallas. He was really happy when he played here. Then I reached out to Radek Dvorak “The guys say he’s great during a game. They say he corrects mistakes because we are from the same hometown and he said it’s awesome. as they happen, he doesn’t wait or make you wonder what you did When I had to make a choice it was pretty simple, it was set for Dallas.” wrong. And he does it for everybody. No matter what level of player, he just wants guys to be better,” Hanzal said. “And I believe them. But it Hanzal is part of a small Czech contingent in Dallas with Radek Faksa The younger Martin and his three-year-old sister Natalie are among the and Roman Polak. On the TV, we see Faksa win a faceoff clean, and main reasons their father is continuing to battle back, attempting to Hanzal starts to discuss the younger Czech center. resurrect his NHL career. “We are very similar players, the way he works hard. On the penalty kill, “That’s awesome; I love that the older one now actually understands he’s very responsible. You can put him there two minutes before the when he goes to the game,” Hanzal said. “The other day he asked me game for the faceoffs. Every penalty kill against every top line and he how come I’m not playing? ‘I’m hurt, I’ve got to get better and get back in won’t disappoint you,” Hanzal said. “That’s very much my eight, nine shape so I can be with the team.’ He says, ‘Well, when is that going to years in the NHL I played this role. So I know there is a lot of pressure on be?'” you, because every game he played against the top players and it’s hard. Sometimes people don’t see it. They look at the points, goals, and “Hopefully, soon,” Hanzal says. But that isn’t going to stop his son from plus/minus. but they don’t see the dirty work he is doing.” asking every time there is a Stars game without a Hanzal in the lineup. “That’s awesome,” Hanzal said. “What I had was the same as Radek. “I want to prove I can come back and be strong again and play in this And I don’t want to say it, but we were underrated. But I always fly under league so my kids can watch it and remember it,” Hanzal said. “That’s the radar. I never had 60, 70, 80 points, I only had one 20-goal season. I one of the things that has been pushing me ahead.” see the same thing for him.” Hanzal didn’t grow up in a hockey household back in the Czech The market probably doesn’t help either. Playing in Dallas or Arizona Republic. If anything, it was a table tennis house — his mother played won’t get a player the same attention he’d receive as a shutdown forward the sport professionally for a short time. in a Canadian market or the Northeastern United States. “My dad never played hockey, his dad never played,” Hanzal said. “But “Exactly. If you don’t understand hockey and just follow the points and he put me and my brother in hockey and soccer. It’s interesting because the wins. And if you say this guy has only 10 points like Esa (Lindell),” my dad never played, they didn’t have the money back then. It was too Hanzal says while motioning toward the TV. “But if you understand expensive. I’m thankful (he) gave me that chance.” hockey and you know what he does on the penalty kill and every shift. He Hockey became Hanzal’s passion as a child. He collected cards from plays physical and he’s so valuable for your team.” players in the Czech league and traded them with his brother. He wanted “He’s hard to play against,” Hanzal says about Lindell. “In practice, I to see himself on a trading card someday. His only exposure to the NHL remember last year, you couldn’t beat him one-on-one pretty much. He’s as a child was through a VHS tape about someone that would become right on you. He’s strong, that’s a player you need. You just don’t need his future NHL coach. six (Erik) Karlsson’s on your team. You need an Esa or a Marc (Methot).” “We didn’t have much money so we had one tape, I think it was called, We’re interrupted as the Red Wings appear to take a 1-0 lead on a goal ‘The Great One: Gretzky,'” Hanzal said. “I was watching it every week. It by Anthony Mantha. In real time it looks like the Red Wings forward was the only thing I saw from the NHL. We didn’t have cable or anything. kicked the puck to his stick. When the overhead replay shows the goal, I think the first time I watched an NHL game was when I was 14 or 15.” it’s clear the puck never touched his stick and went straight from the foot The second period begins. Our discussion turns to the 1998 Nagano into the net. Olympics, where the Czech Republic won the gold medal in the first “It’s a quick review, so it should be good,” Hanzal says as the referee is Olympics that NHL players participated in. about to reveal he is indeed correct that it was a kick. “I think for such a small country, like Czech Republic, it won’t ever In watching the replay we start to discuss Miro Heiskanen’s play on the happen again,” Hanzal said. “If the NHL players go back, we won’t have disallowed goal. Yes, the puck went into the net, but Heiskanen lifted a chance anymore. I’m not saying that to be negative, but that was Mantha’s stick at the right moment and stopped the Red Wings forward unique and I know that.” from getting a stick on the play. Dominik Hasek was also unique. “Great play by him to just block the stick,” Hanzal said. “I think he’s going “That helped,” Hanzal says with a laugh. “I remember in Nagano he was to be an unbelievable player. Even now he’s one of the best players. He standing on his head every game.” kind of reminds me of (Niklas) Lidstrom. Because he skates well, he’s got great vision. Smart player that supports the offense. I think he’s going to Dallas forces a turnover and Smith has a scoring chance. I ask Hanzal be like Lidstrom. what he thinks of the system the Stars are trying to play under Montgomery. Hanzal is equally impressed with Heiskanen as a human being. European teenagers in their first season in North America are supposed “It’s good, I think it’s really offensive, but at the same time like when I to go through growing pains. It’s supposed to happen to everyone, but it look at the Toronto, they are just ‘go, go, go.’ So much skill on their team typically manifests in a junior league, like Hanzal played in during the that they can score five, six goals every game and allow three or four,” 2005-06 season. Hanzal said. “In our way, I see we want to play offensively and aggressively style. But at the same time, we still want to be really hard to “I remember my first month I was just crying,” said Hanzal, who appeared play against. Or at least we are trying to be the way that we are hard to in the USHL as an Omaha Lancer. “I didn’t understand anybody, right. So play against.” it’s tough. First time without your parents. I think every hockey player has to get through this. First month is always the toughest part. After that you Hanzal starts to make observations about the game in front of us. How start to understand a little bit, about the culture, the food.” the Stars are supposed to put pressure on the puck carrier right away, how much higher the forwards are in the zone and pressuring point men, We start to discuss Hanzal’s friendship with Polak. Hanzal is halfway and how on the penalty kill, the top forward has more free rein to through a story about them playing together on the Czech under-17 pressure the puck. national team when Gemel Smith screams across the television and gives the Stars a 1-0 lead. “He doesn’t want to be just passive, like skate back and wait for them to come at us,” Hanzal said. “Be one step ahead. He wants us to kill their “Ooh, nice goal,” Hanzal said. “Hopefully it wasn’t offside. Did the other offense before they get to the blue line or red line, that’s how I see it. guy lift his leg?” Every team has their breakouts, right? And if you can take away and They show the review on the TV. disrupt those lanes earlier, it makes things harder for them.” “That should be OK,” Hanzal said. “That’s a goal, that’s good. Good for Hanzal is in his element when talking about the penalty kill. He’s also in Smitty.” his element when discussing faceoffs. The big center won 55.1 percent of his faceoffs last season when healthy and has won 52.1 percent in his As the first period comes to an end, our talk turns to fatherhood. This a career. fresh subject in my mind, as while I’m watching hockey on this Sunday afternoon with Hanzal, my wife is back home watching our nearly-four- There is an offensive zone draw in left faceoff circle as Hanzal starts to month-old daughter. explain his approach. I ask when an appropriate time would be to teach my daughter, “First of all we always have some kind of set play,” Hanzal said. “Then Evangeline, to skate. the first thing, I look who I play against. See if I play against left-handed or right-handed, you have to adjust that. And understand how you played “I think my son, he was two-and-half,” Hanzal said. “It was probably a and how you want to win. Then you look at if you’re playing in the D-zone little bit too early. But he was watching the games and he was watching faceoff or offensive zone faceoff. Obviously, in the D-zone, you’re going me skate, and he loved it. So we put him on the ice and he loves it.” there to make sure win it or tie it up so it’s a tie, so your defenseman can pick it up. In the D-zone you play it more not to lose so they can’t get a Hanzal was trying to get Crosby’s autograph the first time, he was turned one-timer right away.” down since he had gotten the Pittsburgh center with a high stick during the game. “So there is more pressure on you when you take the defensive zone faceoff or really on the power play in the offensive zone, you have to win “I had to wait a long time to get it then, we only play Pittsburgh twice a it so they don’t get the puck and kill 30 seconds right away,” Hanzal year,” Hanzal said. “The next time he signed it before the game, that added. morning, and said, ‘Don’t get me in the face with the stick this time.'” We start getting deeper into the weeds when it comes to faceoffs and Hanzal also brings out his collection of his cards. Hanzal owns every Hanzal’s approach. He watches video on each center before each game NHL trading card he’s even been featured on and also has cards dating and points out a couple tendencies of Detroit players on the television. back to his time in the Czech league, with the lone exception being his For example, Hanzal is left-handed and prefers facing centers who are time in the WHL with Red Deer, which he’s still looking for. righties. “I find them on eBay,” Hanzal said. “I really like these one that are When we talk about faceoffs and players taking them on their strong numbered or limited, like this one. Some of these cards with the jersey side, Hanzal explains why that approach is beneficial. It has everything to pieces attached, they go for like $400.” do with the linesman, who is positioned on the side closest to the boards when dropping the puck. That’s right. The person outbidding you for a Martin Hanzal card on eBay is likely Martin Hanzal. “It’s huge actually, most of the centerman are stronger on their backhand,” Hanzal said. “And if the ref is standing on your left side (for a Our attention returns to the game as the third period begins with the lefty), then he’s not in your way. So you can use your feet and trying to teams tied at one. use your power and strength against the other guy’s stick.” “Ok, let’s go,” Hanzal says as the puck drops. “It’s gonna be a tight one.” Hanzal motions to the TV. I bite into the second kolache. “When the regular fan is watching this and they hear (the broadcaster) There is less conversation during the third period. Hanzal has dialed into say he’s taking the faceoff on his strong side, they have no idea,” Hanzal the game more, but starts offering the occasional comment about certain said. “And sometimes the weak side can be an advantage. Let’s say I’m players, starting with Ben Bishop. playing against a right-handed center on my weak side (the right side), the ref is in his way, too. So it’s not as hard to play against a right-handed “He’s been real good, we need to talk more in the defensive zone, at center in that case. But if I’m lefty vs. lefty on my weak side, that’s always least we really needed to last year,” Hanzal said. “He’s doing it more and the toughest spot.” makes up for that sometimes. We have to help him more.” Montgomery has made faceoffs part of his process, a checklist he wants Dickinson wins a defensive battle and carries the puck out of the zone. the Stars to complete every game. Each game Montgomery wants the Hanzal motions toward the TV. Stars to win 56 percent of the draws, and Hanzal pointed out how deep the Stars are when it comes to faceoffs. “Monty trusts him more now,” Hanzal said. “And he wants to show him, like ‘I trust you, now show me what you got and just play as good as you “I think it’s designed in the lineup that we always have two guys that can can.’ And I think now (Dickinson) has the confidence to know how to play win (faceoffs) on the ice,” Hanzal said while watching a defensive draw to earn his spot. He’s playing really well right now.” on the TV. “Like you can see here where Smitty took the faceoff. He didn’t lose it clean. He lost it, but he lost it in a way and tied it up so that Blake Comeau gets the next compliment. we could get out of the zone. That’s huge.” “I really like him, he works hard and you can play him anywhere,” Hanzal I mention how Montgomery doesn’t use traditional faceoff stats, instead said. “He’s tough to play against. Look, he can really make a difference in looking at how the play develops five seconds after the draw. this type of situation.” “I like that, that’s smart,” Hanzal said. “On this play, the guys up top The broadcast mentions that this is Jason Spezza’s 999th career game probably put it for Detroit. But we actually ended up in a better spot and and he’ll hit 1,000 next game. that’s a win in my mind.” “That’s really hard to do, 1,000 games,” Hanzal said. “It’s even more Learning to cheat is also an art in the faceoff circle. Getting an extra jump impressive when you think about how it’s become harder and harder to or advantage to bend the rules separates a good faceoff specialist from a do it. Guys can really play in the league at 18 right now, so guys are great one according to Hanzal. getting pushed out sooner and sooner.” “And I think that’s why they keep changing the rules,” Hanzal said. “Now Detroit’s second goal, which takes a weird bounce off the boards and they are really strict about the feet on the lines. I think it’s good, but it’s leads to a near empty-net goal leads a conversation about where the an advantage for the other guy. Like here, Radek has to put his stick Zamboni door should be placed on a rink. If it’s immediately behind the down first and the other guy can try to cheat and come down quicker. He net it’s not in a position to create a weird bounce that leads to Tyler almost forces the referee to drop the puck and he’s already in the motion Bertuzzi’s goal. and has a head start.” “If that decides the hockey game, that’s stupid,” Hanzal said. “If you find the little extra inch or timing, that helps,” Hanzal said. “The The conversation switches back to family, as a friend who also attended other thing I like to point out, the top guys like (Sidney) Crosby and the Czechoslovakian celebration comes into the house to grab an apple (Evgeni) Malkin, I think they get away with the cheating too. The refs, I and then quickly retreats to the backyard. feel like they can give them a little extra.” Martin and Lenka met when they were 17 in the Czech Republic. She During our faceoff discussion, the rest of the Hanzal family has returned was a cheerleader for another team and met Martin at a game. They’ve home from a local celebration for the 100th anniversary of been together ever since. In the early part of Hanzal’s career, Lenka Czechoslovakia’s independence. The former nation peacefully split into would split time between the Czech Republic and Arizona as she finished the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993 but both sides came together up law school back home. to celebrate a century of independence on Sunday. Once Lenka finished school she moved to Arizona full-time and the two Hanzal steps away from the game for a minute to help carry a dollhouse started a family. At home they speak Czech, while the kids speak English outside for Natalie, while his wife Lenka offers me a Kolache that she at school. Hanzal thinks it’s a good mix, as their children get to see purchased at the celebration. multiple cultures. I accept and Lenka passes me a plate with three kolaches. The “It’s awesome for kids, because they are so smart when they are young, professional athlete in the room declines; he’s trying to stay in shape and they can pick up two languages so fast,” Hanzal said. is not going to eat a kolache and drink a beer on the same day. The Red Wings have since scored to make it 3-1 and we start discussing Hanzal is an avid jersey collector and during the second intermission, he another player missing from the lineup — Alexander Radulov, who shows me his collection, which features close to 40 signed authentic missed his fourth straight game on Sunday with a lower-body injury. jerseys. In most cases, Hanzal tries to buy the real thing directly from the other team’s equipment manager and then gets it signed. When that “When the game starts and he’s just a different person, just focused approach fails, he goes to eBay. solely — every shift he does everything 100 percent,” Hanzal said. “He’s fun to watch. Even in the press box, he’s laughing and excited when we Typically it’s a pretty clean exchange. However, there are times asking score. It’s fun to watch him watch a game.” another player for an autograph doesn’t work so well after a game. When I mention Radulov’s love of the backhand shot. “I think he’s got one of the best backhands in the league,” Hanzal said. “Like his passes. I was skating with him the other day and he was cross- passing from one end of the ice to the other zone on the backhand. Right on my stick. It was unreal.” “I think Jamie and Tyler are missing him right now,” Hanzal said. “That line with him is the best in the league. It’s very good without him, but with him, it’s better than any other line in my view.” The Stars end up cutting the deficit to 3-2 with 37 seconds remaining after a goal by Faksa after pulling Ben Bishop for an extra attacker, but they can’t complete the comeback. The Red Wings score into the empty net. These are the moments that hurt most for Hanzal; the tough losses in which he feels like he could have done something to help the team. After returning my kolache plate to the kitchen and retrieving my shoes, I head out. Hanzal asks when I’m flying out for the Stars’ current road trip, and I let him know I’ll catch the final three games, starting with the game in Washington against the Capitals. “Wish I could be there,” Hanzal said. And then he closed the door.

The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112849 Detroit Red Wings “He’s a great guy to me,” Rasmussen said. “He’s always supporting me, giving me a pat on the back. When he gets to the rink and when he gets on the ice, it’s definitely just another level I haven’t really seen before in Why Detroit Red Wings' Dylan Larkin is such a 'special player' anyone. He’s a big role model to me.

“He’s definitely a student of the game. He’s always watching hockey and always talking about it. At the rink I watch him and he puts his head down Helene St. James Detroit Free Press Published 11:39 p.m. ET Oct. 30, and he works hard. He’s our best player for a reason.”

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 10.31.2018 COLUMBUS, Ohio — Veterans rave about his performances. Rookies appreciate his support.

As the Detroit Red Wings try to distance themselves from a dreary start to their season, Dylan Larkin is leading the way. He has been instrumental in a budding winning streak, pumping five points into the last two games.

“He’s been tremendous for us this year,” Jimmy Howard said. “He’s one of our best players night in and night out. He’s been flying, creating a lot of havoc in the offensive zone and been really responsible in the defensive zone. He’s made so many great strides.

“We all knew how special a player he was when he was coming in.”

Larkin’s character was part of why the Wings drafted him at 15th overall in 2014. Now in his fourth NHL season, Larkin is captaining the Wings with an ‘A’ on his sweater: he has a team-high six goals and 12 points in 12 games, while averaging 20:45 minutes per game. Larkin is doing what Henrik Zetterberg used to do: shine at both ends of the ice.

Zetterberg’s retirement before the start of this season left Larkin with a challenge.

“You realize the situation of losing our best player and for me, I had a lot of time to personally think about how that affects me and how it affects our team,” Larkin said; “You just have to step up. I’m playing simple and I’m loving hockey and I’m having fun and love who I’m playing with.”

Larkin’s offensive output comes even as he’s matched against opposing top lines. That’s something coach Jeff Blashill does because it plays to Larkin’s competitiveness.

“I’ve done it at different times throughout his career here, I’ve done it in the World Championships, and he’s played excellent in those situation,” Blashill said. “He really rises to the occasion and he takes it personally and he wants to win the match.

“There’s no way he wants to be a part of where our record is at and he wants to do everything possible to change that. His maturation has been real good over the last number of years. He’s a real good leader.”

More: Detroit Red Wings' Anthony Mantha needs to be better. But can he be?

Larkin relishes big matchups because it affords an opportunity to stand out as an elite two-way center.

“It’s a tough task but I do think there is an opportunity there to capitalize on offense,” Larkin said. “These top lines, they don’t want to play defense, they want an easy night and they want how we were feeling in the first with pucks bouncing and you’re flying on rushes. If you play below the puck and you’re above people, like Blash says all the time, and maybe it’s been four years where he’s been beating it on me and I’m just realizing it now — it's the right way. And these players don’t want to play like that, so there is opportunity there playing against these guys where you are going to be in the offensive zone and playing with the puck a lot.”

Larkin scored shorthanded and added an empty net goal in Tuesday’s 5- 3 victory over the Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. He played almost half of the third period — he came into it having played 13:33 and exited the game with a team-high 23:04.

“You’re into the game by that time,” Larkin said. “You just suck it up. You’re tired but you can’t let your brain start to go when your legs are tired. You have to prepare your body well — you play big minutes, you understand how to be a pro, how to do everything away from the rink properly.”

Larkin learned that from sitting next to Zetterberg in the locker room and living with Luke Glendening. Now Larkin is guiding rookie Michael Rasmussen, who lives with him. 1112850 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings will need 1-2 forwards after injury to Thomas Vanek

Helene St. James, Oct. 30, 2018

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Detroit Red Wings will be calling up one forward, if not two.

Thomas Vanek has been lost to a lower body injury for at least two-to- three weeks, coach Jeff Blashill said after Tuesday’s 5-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. Vanek appeared to hurt a knee after being hit in the first period. Vanek set up a goal Tuesday for his fourth point in his last five games.

Christoffer Ehn is a likely candidate to be called up, as he played nine games before being assigned to Grand Rapids Oct. 24.

Whether a second forward will be needed depends on Andreas Athanasiou. He missed Tuesday’s game because of an undisclosed injury, but could be available Thursday.

Frans Nielsen is also out with an undisclosed injury.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112851 Detroit Red Wings

Early start leads Detroit Red Wings to second win in a row

Helene St. James Oct. 30, 2018

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The young core came up scoring, carrying the Detroit Red Wings to a budding winning streak.

The Wings scored three early goals Tuesday at Nationwide Arena but the Columbus Blue Jackets answered with three of their own in the third period. Tyler Bertuzzi backhanded a pass into the Columbus net off a setup from Dennis Cholowski to score the winning goal of an eventual 5- 3 final.

It's the first time this season the Wings have won two straight games.

Box score: Red Wings 5, Blue Jackets 4

Three other key blocks in the rebuilding process — Michael Rasmussen, Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha — provided a 3-0 lead after 14 minutes. Larkin assisted on Mantha’s goal and scored an empty net goal in the third period, giving Larkin his fourth multi-point game this season.

Jimmy Howard came up big as the Blue Jackets surged into the second period, especially as the Wings got into a bit of penalty trouble. Howard didn’t let up a goal until 2:48 of the third period when Josh Anderson snuck in behind Detroit’s defense. Markus Nutivaara got Columbus within a goal midway through the period, and 1:21 later, Pierre-Luc Dubois flipped the puck into the near corner behind Howard for a tie game.

Rasmussen nets no. 1

It was a big game for rookie Rasmussen. First, it was his 10th, which triggers his NHL entry-level contract and it will make him eligible for unrestricted free agency a year earlier. Secondly, he scored his first goal, just 66 seconds into the game. Thomas Vanek had the puck behind Columbus’ net and sent a sweet little pass toward the slot, where Rasmussen tapped it in to give the Wings a 1-0 lead. Rasmussen has had several good scoring chances only to come up short (he did put the puck in the net in Florida but officials ruled Justin Abdelkader had interfered with the goalie) and should give him a nice shot of confidence.

Wings keep building

The Wings came into the game feeling better about themselves after the way they played Sunday, when they kept attacking after building a lead against Dallas. They followed up with a good first period in Columbus. They went on a penalty kill at 7:52 when Abdelkader was called for slashing. The Wings don’t lack for aggressiveness on the PK, and this one saw Larkin take advantage of Seth Jones falling to speed in and slip a backhand on Joonas Korpisalo.

Next it was Mantha’s turn — at 13:33 he fed off a stretch pass from Larkin and made it 3-0, prompting the Blue Jackets to put Sergei Bobrovsky in net. It was a good sign from Mantha, who opted to shoot rather than pass — something the Wings have been emphasizing he do.

Oct 30, 2018; Columbus, OH, USA; Detroit Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard (35) makes a save against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the second period at Nationwide Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018. Russell LaBounty, USA TODAY Sport

Wings bench very short

The Wings already were without forwards Frans Nielsen and Andreas Athanasiou, both of whom have undisclosed injuries. That prompted a lineup of 11 forwards and seven defensemen — but it became 10 forwards during the first period. Vanek left with what was announced as a lower body injury after a hit. There was no immediate further update on his status. Vanek has four points his last five games.

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How Detroit Red Wings' Martin Frk is trying to resuscitate his career

Helene St. James, Oct. 30, 2018

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Martin Frk is trying to reboot his status with the Detroit Red Wings.

He has been a spare part during October, and it’s taken a toll on his confidence. He was slotted to play in Tuesday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, but that was because both Frans Nielsen and Andreas Athanasiou were injured. Frk had only played twice through the first 11 games.

“It’s hard,” he said after the morning skate at Nationwide Arena. “I’m thinking too much. It’s a spot you don’t want to be in. I’m just trying to work hard in practice, off ice. That’s all I can really do. I just have to stay with it and hopefully I can do better every game. But it’s hard right now for me, I feel it, I know it. Pretty much everyone knows it here.”

Frk, 25, has been in the Wings’ system on and briefly off since they drafted him at 49th overall in 2012. He started strong last season — three goals in his first four games, eight through December. But as the goals dried up, Frk was passed on the depth chart by Tyler Bertuzzi. The Wings re-invested in Frk over the summer with a one-year, $1.05 million contract because he’s potentially a 10-12 goal scorer, but an injury during camp cost him crucial audition minutes during the preseason, and he was passed on the depth chart by Michael Rasmussen.

That’s made for a tough opening month for Frk.

“He has to outplay guys that are ahead of him, number one,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “When he plays in games, he has to outplay those guys and show that him being in the lineup helps us win more than somebody else in the lineup. It’s not always easy to do when you’re in a position like his — when you get in sporadically and when you do get in you don’t play tons — it’s not easy. But the NHL is not easy.

“So when he goes in, he has to play great hockey. What’s great hockey for him? Being real good on the forecheck, skating real hard on the track, because I think his work ethic can separate him. Being strong on the wall in his own end. Use his best asset, which is his shot. Does that mean he has to score? No, that’s a lot to put on a guy to say every time you go in, you have to score. But I’d like to see him hit the net and be a threat there, for sure.”

Frk was a threat on the power play last season, scoring five goals among nine points. He and fellow right-handed shooter Mike Green clicked at times, with Green timing passes to Frk in the left circle.

“I think Frky does a good job of shooting the puck from that spot,” Green said. “For me it’s just a matter of putting it in a good spot for him to one- time it.”

Even if the puck doesn’t go into the net, Frk’s shot has the ability, if accurate, to create chaos because “he is one of the rare shots in the league that it’s hard for the goalie to just swallow up and control the rebound,” Blashill said.

Frk is known for how hard he can shoot the puck, but he’s made adjustments to try to improve accuracy.

“I don’t shoot as hard any more,” he said. “I try to just let the stick do the work, because when I try to go hard, it always go up, so when I take a little bit off of it, the power, it usually goes right on the target. That’s the thing I’m trying to focus on. I just try to go low, like mid-body, for the goalies. That’s what I’m trying to do the most right now.”

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Game thread: Detroit Red Wings defeat Columbus Blue Jackets, 5-3

Helene St. James, Oct. 30, 2018

Detroit Red Wings (2-7-2, 6 points) at Columbus Blue Jackets (6-4-0, 12 points)

When: 7 p.m. tonight.

Where: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio.

TV: Detroit-Plus.

Radio: 97.1 FM (Red Wings radio affiliates).

• Box score

Game notes

Booster shot: The Wings “feel good” Dylan Larkin said, because they’re playing better. They just scored four goals in regulation for the first time this season. Can they build this confidence into a victory? They lost to Columbus in the season opener, but they are a healthier team on the back end this time.

Sizing up the opponent: The Blue Jackets have one of the better offenses in the NHL, with a 3.60 goals-per-game average that thanks fifth. However, they give up even more goals, with a 3.80 per-game average. They’re not very good on special teams - 15.4 percent on power plays (comparatively, the Wings are at 22.9 percent) and 72.7 percent on the penalty kill (the Wings are at 80 percent). Sergei Bobrovsky has struggled to the tune of a .872 save percentage and 3.87 goals-against average. Cam Atkinson leads the team with six goals and Artemi Panarin with 10 assists and 15 points.

Winged wheel WATCH: Frans Nielsen (undisclosed) injury is out. Michael Rasmussen is going to play some shifts at center after mostly playing wing through his first nine games. The Wings might opt to go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen, Jeff Blashill said Monday.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112854 Detroit Red Wings depending on Athanasiou’s availability for Thursday’s game against New Jersey.

Rasmussen’s first goal began the Wings’ explosion and got a growing Late Bertuzzi goal sees Red Wings win after 3-0 lead evaporates monkey off Rasmussen’s back.

“I was a little snake-bitten,” Rasmussen said. “I’ve had quite a bit of Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News chances, and just to get that one, get the win, it feels better when we get the win. The guys have been supporting me real well and it’s great to get it.”

Jeff Blashill on the Red Wings' losing, regaining third period lead The Living with Larkin has given Rasmussen a clear idea of how to go about Detroit News life as a young player in the NHL.

Columbus, Ohio — It could have been real bad, the way the third period “He’s a great guy, always supporting me,” Rasmussen said. “Definitely was trending and the way the Red Wings were letting Columbus back in when he gets to the rink and gets on the ice, it’s definitely another level, the game. and it’s something I haven’t seen before in anyone.

The problem of the Wings’ unraveling has happened more than once this “He definitely drove the bus tonight, but he’s like that every night.” young season. The Red Wings’ coaching staff also got nicked Tuesday. But give the Wings credit Tuesday, after seeing Columbus rally, the Wings reset themselves and pulled out an impressive 5-3 victory. Assistant coach Pat Ferschweiler suffered a cut lip and broke a bone in his face when hit by a puck. Tyler Bertuzzi scored his fifth goal at 16 minutes, 36 seconds to break a 3-3 tie — after Columbus had rallied for three third-period goals — and “He’ll be OK,” Blashill said. “It (the puck) was coming in hot.” stem a Wings' third-period collapse while ending a seven-game losing Detroit News LOADED: 10.31.2018 streak to the Blue Jackets dating to Dec. 9, 2016.

“Last year that would probably have killed us, giving up three there,” said goaltender Jimmy Howard, who made 34 saves. “Tonight, the guys battled and created havoc in front of Bob (Columbus goalie Sergei Bobrovsky) and Bert had a great goal.”

Dennis Cholowski made the play, skating in from the point to behind the net before finding Bertuzzi in front.

“Excellent play by Cholo,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “As he was walking down, I was saying to myself ‘make a play kid,’ and players make plays at big moments and he’s a guy who is in because he can make plays.”

Dylan Larkin scored into an empty net with 42.7 seconds left, his second goal of the game (3 points total), to make it 5-3.

The Wings (3-7-2, 8 points) have talked about not getting rattled and coming back from adversity — and they did in this game.

“After they scored, we answered and played good hockey,” said Blashill, who called a timeout to settle down his team after the third Jackets goal. “That’s a real important thing. You’re going to have stuff like that happen to you and we answered well.

“I didn’t have to say much. I just said at the end of the day it’s 3-3 and we have eight minutes to play, so let’s go play and win the hockey game. We weren’t down, it wasn’t anything, it’s 3-3 and let’s go win the hockey game, let’s find a way.”

The Jackets' surge was a complete change from most of the evening, as the Wings were the more energetic, better team.

The Wings scored three goals in a 12:27-span during the first period, chasing Jackets goalie Joonas Korpisalo.

Michael Rasmussen (power play) scored his first NHL goal at 1:06, followed by Larkin scoring shorthanded at 9:30. Anthony Mantha capped the explosion, converting a 2-on-1 rush with Larkin at 13:33.

Larkin played a team-high 23:04, was a plus-1 to go with the three points, had a team-high seven shots, had three takeaways, and was 56 percent in the faceoff circle.

In short, it was arguably one of his best games a pro.

“Maybe, I guess,” Larkin said. “I was getting some puck luck in the first and pucks were bouncing and we had some 2-on-1’s. It was an open game, back and forth, and we traded chances.”

The Wings were without forwards Frans Nielsen and Andreas Athanasiou, both out with injuries, and losing the third member of that line, Thomas Vanek, with a lower body injury.

Vanek set up Rasmussen on the power-play goal but only played four shifts for 1:20 before exiting the game.

Blashill said Vanek could be out two to three weeks with a lower body injury. The Wings will recall one or two forwards from Grand Rapids, 1112855 Detroit Red Wings “The advantage if we go 11 and seven is you can put forwards on that (fourth line), they can give you a different look and you have a chance to give some ice time to different guys.

Red Wings players: Game becoming more refined, less of a grind “If I play (Witkowski), I’d like to play him on the back end not the front. He’s been practicing a lot on defense and he had a good game on defense (Oct. 18 against Tampa).” Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News Ice chips

Defenseman Danny DeKeyser (hand) continues to skate daily but Columbus, Ohio — The NHL has changed, and Columbus coach John remains day-to-day from returning to the lineup. Counting Tuesday, Tortorella noted last week the league has become a "hugfest," without DeKeyser has missed seven consecutive games. the aggression that teams and rival players used to have for each other. When DeKeyser does return, potentially later this week, it's likely For the better, or not? That’s a person’s opinion, giving the more defenseman Joe Hicketts gets sent down Grand Rapids. emphasis on skating and playmaking, and less on fighting and hitting. ... Former Wings goalie and broadcaster Manny Legace is goaltending But it has changed. And for a player like Luke Witkowski, whose career coach with the Blue Jackets. has mainly revolved around his willingness to protect teammates with his physical style, it can be a struggle. Detroit News LOADED: 10.31.2018

“That helped me get into the NHL,” Witkowski said. “A lot of guys’ careers were hinged on that. I know that fans like that aspect of the game, some fans anyway. It’ll definitely change the game.

“It’s a different type of energy when that’s (fighting) still in the game. Everybody knows that.”

A player who isn't a high-end skater, and depends on and energy, has a more difficult road now to the NHL.

"For sure it's kind of turning into soccer a little bit, it's definitely getting softer," Witkowski said. "You can't be in the league and not be able to play hockey anymore. It's way too fast. They want a faster game, want more goals, and who knows what else?"

Many veteran players feel there is less physicality than there used to be.

“You’re not seeing as much of the physical play, it’s way more skilled, it’s faster,” forward Justin Abdelkader said. “You’re seeing kids 18-, 19-, 20- years old come into the league and just fly. Before, years back, those guys, the big defensemen could kind of clutch and grab and hold them.”

A veteran like Mike Green has seen the transition during the last decade.

But Green feels there's still room to play a hard-edged game, while keeping the speed and skills highlighted today.

“The game has evolved and changed since I started, it’s funny that he (Tortorella) said that,” Green said. “It’s just the way it is. It’s just a different agme. Not to say better or worse.

“Just different. The game is meant to be played hard, whether you’re in someone’s face or not. That hasn’t changed. The intensity is still there and the speed. You can still play a gritty game.”

As is the case in the NBA, many of today’s players have moved up through the same ranks, either in juniors, college or minor leagues. They even train together in the summer and have the same agents.

But that doesn’t necesssarily mean competition is muted.

“Their first year in the league, I remember (Columbus defenseman Zach) Werenski, hit Larks (Dylan Larkin) at the blue line, stepped up and hit Larks pretty good,” Abdelkader said. “I knew they were friends. But when you’re out there (on the ice), you’re battling for opposing teams and that stuff can happen.

“It’s good to see, too. There’s always going to be friendships. But between the whistles, guys play hard.”

Different look

With forwards Frans Nielsen and Andreas Athanasiou out with injuries, coach Jeff Blashill was likely to go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen in his lineup against Columbus.

Witkowski was expected to play on defense, while Martin Frk returned to the lineup as one of the forwards.

Blashill doesn’t necessarily mind going with 11 forwards, as much.

“On the road, it’s a little bit easier because it doesn’t disrupt the flow as much becaue you don’t have the opportunity to match (players on the ice) as hard as you do at home,” Blashill said. “I like it a little better on the road than I do at home. 1112856 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings falter in third but bounce back to beat Blue Jackets

By The Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Tyler Bertuzzi scored the go-ahead goal late in the third period and Jimmy Howard had 34 saves as the Detroit Red Wings beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-3 on Tuesday night.

Bertuzzi poked in a rebound off Sergei Bobrovsky's stick with 3:24 left in the game after the Blue Jackets had scored three goals in the period to tie the score. Dylan Larkin got an empty-net goal -- his second tally of the night -- with 43 seconds left to cap the scoring and give Detroit its second straight win after losing nine of first 11.

Nineteen-year-old Michael Rasmussen got his first NHL goal and Anthony Mantha also scored for the Red Wings, who snapped the Blue Jackets' two-game winning streak.

Columbus goalie Joonas Korpisalo, who made his third straight start, had a horrific 131/2 minutes, giving up three goals on Detroit's first seven shots. He was replaced after the third goal by Bobrovsky, who settled things down but gave up the game-winner. Bobrovsky finished with 23 saves.

Josh Anderson, Markus Nutivaara and Pierre-Luc Dubois scored for the Blue Jackets.

The Red Wings took full advantage of an early power play. Rasmussen scored 1:06 into the game when he beat Korpisalo from the slot, with former Blue Jacket Thomas Vanek getting the assist on a smooth pass out from behind the goal line.

Detroit's second goal came on a breakdown of the Blue Jackets' special teams. With Columbus on a power play, the puck got loose into the Red Wings' zone, and Larkin carried it past a sprawling Seth Jones and got the short-handed goal between Korpisalo's pads.

Mantha made it 3-0 on a 2-on-1 rush to chase Korpisalo.

After a scoreless second period, the Blue Jackets took over.

Anderson got his sixth goal of the year early in third when he whiffed on a first try but a got a second chance to beat Howard from the doorstep.

Nutivaara got his first goal of the year, and Dubois tied the game just over a minute later when he found a sliver between the post and Howard's stick side.

NOTES: Detroit F Andreas Athanasiou and F Frans Nielsen did not play because of undisclosed injuries suffered in the win over the Dallas Stars on Sunday. ... Vanek returned to Columbus for the first time since signing a free-agent contract on July 1. He had 15 points in 19 games for the Blue Jackets last season. Vanek got his 400th NHL assist on Rasmussen's goal. ... Columbus has given up the first goal in six of the last seven games. ... Detroit won for the first time in the last eight games against Columbus going back to Dec. 6, 2016.

UP NEXT

Detroit: Hosts New Jersey on Thursday.

Columbus: Begins a three-game West Coast swing against San Jose on Thursday.

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Arrival of Filip Hronek, others, give Griffins hope defensively

By Peter J. Wallner

GRAND RAPIDS - Another week with a more experienced defensive corps may provide the Grand Rapids Griffins with much-needed relief from a difficult start to the season.

The arrival last week of Filip Hronek, who followed Libor Sulak from the Detroit Red Wings, plus the return of veteran Brian Lashoff from an offseason injury offer more of what they expected to look like defensively.

The results didn't show Friday as the Griffins lost at Belleville, 5-3, but the rematch was a 3-1 win. It was the first time in eight games they held a team under three goals.

"It's a work in progress; it's always a work in progress down here," said coach Ben Simon. "But just the confidence those guys bring with their game. That projects and has kind of a domino effect to the other guys in the room."

The Griffins, at 3-5-0-0, have a busy weekend ahead with home games Friday (vs. Iowa) and Saturday (vs. Milwaukee) and an away game Sunday (at Cleveland).

Besides the absence of Lashoff, the Griffins struggled because the Red Wings struggled with their own problems due to injuries. That gave Hronek and Sulak extended looks in the NHL, but it didn't help the Griffins, who were left inexperienced.

The result was a 1-4 start with 23 goals allowed. Overall, the Griffins are 23rd in the league with 3.75 goals allowed a game.

Having Hronek back should help. The second-year prospect, who had 11 goals and 39 points with the Griffins last year, showed promise early with the Red Wings. But when Mike Green was set to return, he was sent back after sitting out three consecutive games.

He had one goal and two assists along with a team-leading 18 penalty minutes in six games.

In Grand Rapids, Hronek has proven offensive skills, a penchant for aggressive play defensively and confidence from playing in Detroit.

"Watching from the press box can be beneficial, but he has to come down and play," Simon said. "It's not good for him to sit out for weeks at a time, and I think he has a level of comfort and confidence that he can pass on to the others."

Hronek agreed.

"Yeah, I need to play more than sit in the press box," he said.

"I come with confidence from Detroit because I tasted the NHL there a little bit," he added. "Then I came here and played a lot the first two games here and so that's good."

The Griffins have Hronek on the penalty kill, an area Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill wanted for him. He's needed, too, with the PK at just 76 percent (22nd in the league).

"I want to work on everything but, yeah, that's what they told me in a meeting and so that's what I'm trying to work on, " Hronek said.

Plus, there's Sulak, who played six games with the Red Wings (zero points, minus-four) and has pro experience with Finland, and Lashoff, who is in his ninth season with the Griffins.

"The fact that they've done it before helps not only defensively but offensively, too," Simon said.

A statistical oddity is the Griffins, despite the high goals-against average, have allowed the third fewest shots (25.6 a game), suggesting they're yielding quality over quantity.

"Hey, we give up good shots!" Simon said, turning more serious: "The chances we have given up, yeah, the numbers are kind of skewed because ... you look at the quality of shots is quite significant. So, we're looking at that and dealing with that." 1112858 Detroit Red Wings Let’s take what eventually turned into the Jonathan Ericsson goal. Larkin dumped the puck deep from the neutral zone, and Thomas Vanek negated an icing by getting a good jump on it. Then, when he was How the Red Wings ground down a period to seal a win, and what can pressured near the corner, the veteran lofted the puck up for Larkin to be learned from it win a battle behind the net. It definitely helped that the player in question was Larkin, who used his body to box out Miro Heiskanen, but soon a simple dump had turned into a full offensive zone set-up.

By Max Bultman Oct 30, 2018 Larkin was on the puck, Mantha was supporting, and just when the cycle started to take shape along the left boards, Larkin got the puck to the

point for a shot on goal. Normally, Ericsson is not the defender you’d With a 2-7-2 record, the bar for the best hockey the Red Wings have draw that play up for, but a great net-crash by Mantha turned into a played this season has not been terribly high. There have been strong double screen on Ben Bishop, and the puck found the back of the net. sequences (like two rapid power-play goals in Florida) and even strong All of the sudden, it was a two-goal lead — Detroit’s first of the season. periods (such as Detroit’s first against Winnipeg), but when the record is what it is, it’s hard to get too superlative. BIG E!  #LGRW PIC.TWITTER.COM/BP7HLIWELG

It was noteworthy, then, when Jeff Blashill entered his news conference — DETROIT RED WINGS (@DETROITREDWINGS) OCTOBER 28, following Sunday’s 4-2 win over Dallas and offered this bit of praise: 2018

“Once we got the lead, I thought we were excellent in the third period,” he With half the period gone, the minutes started melting off the clock. said. “We played with confidence. I thought we ground them, we spent Dallas had energy, but Detroit wouldn’t let the Stars get set for prolonged tons of time in their end. … I thought overall, once we got the lead, I periods. Heiskanen got a left-circle look off a drop pass, but it was thought we played with confidence and poise, and for a team that hasn’t contested by Bertuzzi and Bernier handled it easily enough. When Jason won nearly enough, I think that’s a great sign.” Dickinson tried to feed the slot with under nine minutes to play, Michael Rasmussen and Jacob de la Rose broke it up, which soon turned into That’s interesting for a couple reasons. First, Detroit hasn’t played with almost 40 seconds of puck battles along the wall before Dallas ended up the lead very often this season. The Red Wings had led in only four clearing it on accident. games entering Sunday, and their only win had gone to overtime. Second, the confidence and methodical game Blashill talked about is the In a vacuum, this is almost groan-inducing at even strength. But from opposite of what has been emerging as a narrative of this Red Wings Detroit’s perspective, this was a solid 7 percent of the remaining time in team — that their mistakes and losses were at risk of spiraling, either by the game. That time just completely evaporated with the teams fighting way of sagging play and lack of confidence, or via a tendency to try to do along the boards. too much. It doesn’t seem like much, but when the clock is on your side, that really It makes the period a worthwhile case study in what went well, and how does make a difference. much of it is repeatable. The next five minutes were basically a blur. Detroit got good pressure on One of the funny things about that, though, is that so many of these plays its forecheck and set up a couple more chances, but mostly the teams weren’t the kind of highlights you can easily clip for video dissection. went back and forth — neither generating many truly dangerous Instead, the period was about little plays that are easy to glaze over while chances. Larkin would later praise the team for staying structured, along watching. with its discipline, confidence and some key saves by Bernier.

When I asked Dylan Larkin Monday why Sunday’s third-period effort had Regardless, by the time Ericsson dumped one deep with 2:30 to play, been successful, he was quick to point toward the start of it. In the there hadn’t been a whistle since 8:56 remained. That was when Detroit second period, he reasoned, they had a good start with a goal by posted maybe its most impressive shift of the period. Anthony Mantha, but then they eased up. So let’s pick up right after Tyler Bertuzzi’s goal, which came about five minutes into the period. Down by two, this was about the point when Dallas wanted to pull its goalie. But the Stars couldn’t get it out of their own end. Gustav Nyqust OK BERT! #LGRW PIC.TWITTER.COM/JSVDHMWNDD had great pursuit behind the net, eventually causing a turnover, and Larkin and Mantha ended up joining him down there for support. Off of — DETROIT RED WINGS (@DETROITREDWINGS) OCTOBER 28, this, Larkin actually created a big opportunity for Green, who had snuck 2018 down into the slot for a shot, but the key point was that Dallas spent The next couple minutes after the goal were pretty back-and-forth, with another huge minute just trying to get out of its zone. the important moments being two Dallas chances that didn’t go for goals. “I just thought we played real efficient, smart, puck possession — in the When the Stars did get sustained zone time, they generated a rebound sense of grinding in their end — hockey, with the lead,” Blashill said try from the low slot that was very nearly a goal. Jonathan Bernier slid his Monday. “That’s how you win. That’s how you salt games away. The right pad over to stop it, but if you give up too many looks like that, you’re clock just keeps ticking and they don’t get any scoring chances, they going to get burned. That is what the Red Wings needed to guard don’t build any momentum. You’d love to do that and score another goal, against. which I thought we had some chances to do, but I thought it was the type Jamie Benn also very nearly knotted the game soon after, but his shot of winning hockey that it takes.” went off the post and out of play. It’s possible a poke from Frans Nielsen Finally, after Ben Bishop had gone to the bench and the Red Wings had disrupted him just enough to alter his shot, but whenever a puck gets iced the puck toward the Stars’ empty net, there was another whistle. All iron, you have to count your blessings. Count those as warning shots that time had ticked off, with most of the play in Detroit’s favor. It got late from the Stars. They were ready to answer. fast. On the whole, though, those plays were the exception to the rule for this At that point it was clamp-down time — and, in this case, the point at period. The Red Wings did well to snuff out any kind of Dallas which some doubt got reintroduced. The only way the Red Wings were momentum, jumping on loose pucks deep and not wasting time getting able to clear their zone was an icing, which set up another D-zone faceoff out of their own end. And after a couple minutes, they really started to and, eventually, a goal by Radek Faksa. grab the momentum. So when Larkin iced the puck trying to shoot at an empty net off the Not only did they shut down almost every Stars possession quickly ensuing draw, the panic receptors must have started to wake up. Another (including a nice read and poke by Luke Glendening on a would-be drop D-zone faceoff loomed. pass), they also executed the “get pucks deep” ideal perfectly. Plenty of times, the dump and chase style can feel miserable to watch. When Instead, Larkin beat Jason Spezza on the draw, and just when it looked things aren’t going right, or players aren’t winning races, it can seem like like Trevor Daley had iced it once more, Justin Abdelkader got to the handing away possessions in the neutral zone or around the blueline. puck to negate the whistle. He stuffed it in the net, and that was the game. Not beautiful stuff, but effective. But when it’s done well, it can be really effective. The more pressing question, though, is what the Red Wings can take from all that going forward. And it’s a layered answer.

The easy part is that they’ve now done what they’re supposed to do and gotten rewarded with a win. That’s an underrated psychological boost. Especially when Larkin talks about the team’s structure playing a role, this could be the kind of result that reinforces a commitment to those systems.

Especially something like the Ericsson goal — Vanek getting to the puck in that situation was realistically the expectation, but once he got there, his play to buy time for Larkin worked perfectly. Mantha did well away from the puck, too, setting up to support Larkin and then getting to the net for a screen when the pass went high instead.

Some of this could also be about Dallas — after the game, Bishop told reporters he felt the Stars had played down to Detroit’s level. Perhaps a stronger team (or one that’s more geared up) has a counter to all this.

The most interesting question, though, is about repeatability. The Red Wings, who have seldom led games this year, need to be able to close out leads when they have them. This was a good start in that sense. Their buy-in and effort levels will be totally within their control every night, and now they’ve seen the dirty way work.

It’s also interesting to wonder how much application this could have toward tie games if the Red Wings could play this way more consistently, since they’ll usually be the less-talented team on the ice. If they can eat up clock playing grind-y hockey when it’s tied, they shorten the game and effectively decrease the time for superior talent to win out. The Red Wings could also theoretically have the forwards to help execute that, since the bottom of their lineup is largely composed of defensive specialists.

The problems, of course, will still come when they trail — and as has already become clear, that’s probably going to be often. When opposing teams are winning and content to muck it up and kill time battling on the boards, that’s when Detroit needs more prolonged possessions, or a superstar to break games open. Right now, it doesn’t have the latter, and it hasn’t had the former consistently enough. Even this kind of success was a relatively new development.

Sunday was never fully going to answer that question, though. Instead, all it does is give Detroit something to build on.

And for one night, that was enough.

The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112859 Edmonton Oilers “I had symptoms right after that game against Boston, and then a few days later, I had nothing,” Benning said. “I think it was originally from that first hit when I hit Backes. He’s a big body.”

Edmonton Oilers notes: Jesse Puljujarvi sits for fourth-consecutive game Big minutes

It is not easy riding shotgun with Wild star Ryan Suter, who Derek Van Diest logs among the most minutes of any player in the NHL.

Yet Matt Dumba is doing more than just holding his own, playing on the top pairing with Suter and logging nearly as much ice time. With the Edmonton Oilers on a roll, forward Jesse Puljujarvi was back in the press box Tuesday with the Minnesota Wild in town. Heading into the game Tuesday, Dumba was second to Suter in ice time for the Wild, logging 24:16 per game. Puljujarvi, 20, has been a healthy scratch for the past four games and questions continue to arise whether the talented winger would be better “It’s awesome. It helps with the flow of the game so much,” Dumba said. served developing in the American Hockey League? “From a player’s standpoint, everyone wants to be out there and wants the puck. I’m getting more and more used to it. I think last year was my Now in his third season, Puljujarvi is still struggling to find a regular place first big step towards that and now it’s even more regular thing. I’m happy in the Oilers lineup. for that opportunity, but I know I can’t take it for granted either.”

“I’m always worried about a player’s confidence and it doesn’t just have Dumba, 24, is in his fifth full season with the Wild after being selected to be a young player, it could be Kyle Brodziak who sits out Game 2 of a seventh overall by the club in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. He has not season after joining a new team as well,” said Oilers head coach Todd changed his style of play in an effort to conserve energy with the heavier McLellan. “You’re always concerned about confidence and how that workload. affects players, but I look at Jesse’s situation, and I’ve addressed him directly the past few days and I’m addressing Jesse again (Tuesday). “Honestly, I don’t find it to be an issue,” Dumba said “I work hard to be in this kind of shape and it’s not a problem for me. Ryan is awesome, and “He hasn’t played a game in five days, he missed three games in four he makes it look really simple and I’ve learned a lot from him. It’s good. nights and he won’t play (Tuesday) which isn’t ideal, but we have to look We have something good cooking here.” at the group and the whole package, the total package and look at what’s going on right now. We also have to look at individuals and there has to Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 10.31.2018 be a balance.”

Selected fourth in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, the Oilers felt fortunate when the Columbus Blue Jackets and their Finnish general manager, Jarmo Kekalainen, passed on the highly-touted Finnish prospect.

Yet Puljujarvi is proving to be a bit of an enigma for the Oilers, who see the star potential in the six-foot-four, 201-pound winger, but are having trouble harnessing it. Puljujarvi has a goal in seven games for the Oilers this season, who went into their game against the Wild on a three-game win streak.

“Players need to play,” McLellan said. “Right now, we’re sitting here with a 19 year old who has sat out two games (Evan Bouchard) and is going to sit his third, but nobody is questioning me about him. He can go back to junior but nobody is questioning me on that.

“What ends up happening is you’re trying to make the best decision for the group. While you’re doing that you also want to develop players and the NHL is a tough place to develop players, and we have a number of young players on our team right now. On some nights all of them are playing well and other nights some aren’t. We have to consider the entire group as a whole.”

Benning feeling like old self

The return of defenceman Matt Benning from concussions symptoms has bought the Oilers some time with Bouchard, who has two games left before the first year of his entry-level contract kicks in.

Benning returned to the lineup Saturday against the Nashville Predators after missing the previous three games. It didn’t appear to take him long to get back up to game speed in the 5-3 win.

“It’s not that you lose it, I was only gone for a week. It’s just that physical contact, especially if it’s something with your head, you can be tentative to go in and engage,” Benning said. “My mindset going in was that I felt fine, it was just going in and battle hard and defend well.”

Benning sustained his head injury in the Oilers home opener on Oct. 18 against the Boston Bruins. He left the game in the first period after playing just under two and-a-half minutes.

“I don’t know exactly which play gave me the symptoms,” Benning said. “But it was when I hit (David) Backes and then I turned and (Chris) Wagner hit me and then (Brandon) Carlo crosschecked me, so it could have been any of those.”

It was a tough shift for Benning, who was back in the lineup against the Wild on Tuesday. 1112860 Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton Oilers forward Kyle Brodziak a fan of Minnesota

Derek Van Diest

Kyle Brodziak has the utmost respect for the Minnesota Wild.

The St. Paul, Alta., native had six productive years playing with the St. Paul, Minnesota-based Wild, before moving on to the St. Louis Blues and then returning to the Edmonton Oilers this season.

“My wife and I enjoyed every minute we were there,” Brodziak said prior to facing the Wild on Tuesday. “It was a great organization to play for, a great city to live in, good people to work with every day. It was a lot of fun.”

Brodziak, 34, was traded to Minnesota in 2009 after his first stint with the Oilers. He went on to develop into a versatile forward, scoring a career- high 22 goals and 44 points in 2011-2012.

“It was different every year in Minnesota,” Brodziak said. “There were some years I was on the fourth line and some years I was on the third line. It was different all the time. The role changed a little bit, but that’s part of the game.”

The Oilers signed Brodziak as a free agent this off-season looking to add veteran leadership, penalty-killing skills and face-off ability from the six- foot-two, 205-pound centre.

Brodziak is starting to find his way with the Oilers, playing his best game with linemates Jujhar Khaira and Zack Kassian in a 2-1 overtime win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday.

“I felt the last couple of games we’re starting to get a little better and better and a little more consistent,” he said. “I thought last game was probably our best overall game. I thought the Nashville game we started to do some things that we felt good about. We know that we’re capable of and it carried over into the Chicago game and we want to continue that trend right now.”

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112861 Edmonton Oilers Certainly, the Oilers have Washington and Tampa Bay on the next road trip but now but heading into those kind of tests the Oilers are back to being expected to be able to compete.

Oilers outshot Wild but couldn’t get the win on home ice Edmonton went into Tuesday evening sitting 13th in the 31-team overall standings and had games in hand over 12 of those teams. But the thing about games in hand is you still have to win them. Terry Jones How will they handle it?

They didn’t handle it particularly well Sunday in Chicago but Cam Talbot As soon as the storyline changed, so, it seemed, did the Edmonton got them to overtime with a great game in goal and Leon Draisaitl and Oilers. Connor McDavid did what they do in three-on-three overtime hockey and they stole a win. With back-to-back wins in Nashville and Chicago on the weekend, the Oilers returned with a 6-3-1 record, one win away from the 7-3-1 record Tuesday night they were from time to time wonderful and woeful. they had two years ago in their 103-point season, the total opposite of Edmonton dominated serious stretches of play and had glorious scoring the 3-7-1 start to last year’s most disappointing year in Oilers history. chances. McDavid scored another one of those highlight goals to put into his career video vault and Draisaitl and Alex Chiasson scored as well. Gone were the voices of doom forecasting a 12th year in the last 13 of But the Oilers couldn’t seem to stand their own success and kept letting the Oilers missing the playoffs. Removed from the odds-on favourite the Wild back into the game. It was 3-3 after two. status on the betting line to be the first NHL coach fired was Todd McLellan. And the Oilers came unravelled in the third and gave the first game they were actually expected to win at home away. Suddenly, as they went on the ice for the final game of October, they were back to dealing with expectations like they were as they entered the Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 10.31.2018 season. Maybe not Stanley Cup final type great expectations. But expectation of the variety they were totally unable to deal with last year.

Eleven games into the season, the Oilers skated on to the ice as favourites to win at home.

It wasn’t like a 31st place team had come calling. Minnesota was a 100- point playoff team like all the others the Oilers had lined up on their suicide schedule to start the season.

The Wild had won five of their previous six games coming in. The 6-3-2 Wild came into the game with one more point in the standings than the 6- 3-1 Oilers.

But the visitor from the State of Hockey had only one win on the road to show for their season so far and were coming off a 5-2 loss the night before in Vancouver.

And it was the oldest team in the NHL versus the youngest team in the league.

Suddenly the challenge changed for the Oilers. Their run of Murderers Row facing six consecutive 100-point teams from last year including Presidents Trophy winners and Stanley Cup champions had achieved their return to form of the team that had produced a run to Game 7 of the Pacific Division final the year before. Just like that.

Suddenly the noose had been removed from a lot of necks and the fear of failing like they did last year had evaporated. Maybe that combination had driven them.

But the Oilers last night at home looked nothing like the team that had outplayed Nashville in their own building.

They outshot the Wild 37-28 but fell 4-3.

Maybe it was a one-off. Maybe it was one of those ‘First Game Back From A Road Trip” specials. Although, somehow that seemed out of place with a little two-gamer in the central time zone after 20,029 kilometres of flying to start the season.

And after surviving the obstacle course that had been set up for them, as long as they can deal with the return of expectations, as the calendar shifts to November, there’s an opportunity for this hockey team to have some fun.

Indeed, after Monday’s game only five of the Oilers 13 games in November are against teams at that moment positioned in the playoffs.

On the other hand, the Oilers have Washington and Tampa Bay on the next road trip but now heading into those kind of tests the Oilers are back to being expected to be able to compete.

Predictably McLellan was sounding the warning siren before they climbed on their plane back to Edmonton Sunday evening.

“We’ll now hear from all the writers and the media how we got through this killer stretch of games but in my opinion the next 10 is just as tough. Every night in this league teams show up and play. So our task is as tough as it has been in the past.” 1112862 Edmonton Oilers Lots of stitches on faces on the seats at at Rogers Place but those were make-believe. Defenceman Adam Larsson had 22 real ones holding his lip together after taking that puck in the face in Nashville. He wanted to Wild beats the Oilers on their powerplay get rid of his full shield because it’s hard to breathe but doctors didn’t want his stitches ripping open so he was playing under glass for a third straight game.

Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal Blowing an opportunity

Oilers had a 5-on-3 powerplay for 25 seconds, up 2-1 early in the second, but Draisaitl lost the draw to Mikko Koivu (the Oilers lost 13 of 19 On Halloween Hockey night at Rogers Place, the Edmonton Oilers sent face-offs in the middle frame) in the Wild end and they lost the chance to all the ghosts and goblins in the Rogers Place seats into the cold night set up, also losing a chance to blow the game open. Caggiula drew a with dark thoughts after their frightening October ended with a not-so- high-stick to Jordin Greenway and Dumba broke Kailer Yamamoto’s stick pretty 4-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild. on a slash. In the third, Caggiula took over for Yamamoto, who didn’t The Oilers had won three straight but their penalty-killing was awful as create much on the McDavid top line. the Wild scored on all three of their chances by Zach Parise, Eric Staal “Connor’s line moved the puck around but there wasn’t always somebody and Mikael Granlund. Granlund got the winner on Cam Talbot with a in front. I thought Drake might go and do some of that,” said coach Todd ripper past Talbot with six minutes left and Drake Caggiula in the box for McLellan. “But we can talk about flipping lines, it came down to interference. powerplays and penalty-killing.” The Oilers finished a scary first month 6-4-1 but they blew three one-goal This ’n that: The 50-50 pot was $210,358, a carry-over from the last leads because they couldn’t kill a penalty. When they had their chances, home game against Washington last week … Funny game — there were they came up dry, going 0-for-5, including a two-man advantage in the 51 shots for the two teams in a wide-open first 40 and only two shots in second. the first 10 minutes of the third … Through the first 40 minutes, the Oilers “Easiest answer I can think of for why we lost tonight,” said Oiler coach were clearly better even-strength with a 26-15 shot advantage but it was Todd McLellan. 3-3 after two periods because they gave up goals on the first two Minny powerplays … Oilers only had 86 first-period shots in their first 10 games, Connor McDavid scored an all-around goal around one of the NHL’s best but 22 in the first 20 against Stalock. Only three forwards — Zack defenders Ryan Suter and Leon Draisaitl scored and set up Alex Kassian, Kyle Brodziak and Jujhar Khaira — didn’t get a shot … The Chiasson, but Alex Stalock was very good in the first 40, facing 32 shots coaches were scattering in the first period when a hard clear by a Wild D- and only giving up three. man ripped into the Wild bench. No harm for the foul shot … Ex-Oiler winger Matt Hendricks is on the shelf back in Minnesota with a bum knee Matt Dumba fell to block Milan Lucic’s open look with 15 seconds left as … Devan Dubnyk has a 9-2 record and 1.34 goal average against his old the Wild beat the Oilers after losing 5-2 in Vancouver. club but he played in Vancouver Monday so they went with the caddy Fast early, fast late Stalock …

McDavid blew around one of the game’s top 20 D-men Suter after Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 10.31.2018 playing a shift of 1:19 in the second period. Yeah, that’s right, a 79- second shift with 50 stretching it, proving, of course, that nobody can keep up to McDavid when he comes onto the ice or when he’s ready to come off.

The Wild had penned the Oilers in their end for long stretches but Kris Russell sent a clever clear off the glass and it dropped right at McDavid’s feet. Suter got caught in no-man’s land and McDavid’s shot went off the iron and behind Stalock. “Hey, he’s one in a gazillion years with that speed,” said a visiting pro scout.

“Good job by Rusty (Russell) to punt it out because we were in our end for a while. He’s (Suter) a good defenceman but he got caught flat-footed and that’s hard,” said McDavid.

Thanks for open net

Some apples are routine stuff but Ryan Nugent-Hopkins dove to corral a bouncing puck after a room-service rebound by Stalock off a hard slapper from Oscar Klefbom and Draisaitl had a welcome mat open net for his first-period opening goal. What was interesting was they had Draisaitl up with RNH and McDavid after the power play ended and connected seven seconds later.

“Really good effort by Nuge to jump in there and whip it over to me,” said Draisaitl.

Shooting lights out

Chiasson has four goals on six shots this season, likely not sustainable, but enjoy it while you can. All four of his snipes have come here too, the latest a textbook Ryan Smyth-type tip of Matt Benning’s textbook hard, slow slapper — not dusting it off, just unload the shot. Good play all the way around but Eric Staal got his 399th career goal on a similar deflection to tie it at 3-3.

“Their forwards collapse (around the net) so the coach before the game said us D man should get off the wall (for a shot). But if Chaser isn’t there and doesn’t tip it well, it doesn’t go in,” said Benning.

“Really strong guy, uses his body well. He has a really short stick but his body position is really good,” said Benning.

Goulish stuff 1112863 Edmonton Oilers That’s my job to get up and running the way I can and if I can do that, there will be no problems and I can help this team win games.”

It can be difficult for players to focus on hockey with rumours swirling Edmonton Oilers winger Zack Kassian putting out fires after trade regarding their future, and it often comes with the territory playing in a rumours surface Canadian-hockey market. For Kassian, though, it was important to set the record straight with his teammates when Sportnet’s Elliotte Friedman broke the news on an intermission segment Saturday. Derek Van Diest “It’s never fun when something pops up like that unexpectedly,” Kassian said. “For me, I don’t really care what other people think. I care what my teammates think and I talked to every single one right away as soon as it Edmonton Oilers winger Zack Kassian was forced to put out the fire happened. They know where I sit, I respect them, they respect me. I started by his agent Rick Curran this past weekend. don’t want to be any distraction here, we’re a good team, we’re playing News broke Saturday, Curran had been given permission from Oilers well and I want to contribute the best way I can.” general manager Peter Chiarelli to explore trade options if his client Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 10.31.2018 wasn’t happy in Edmonton.

Kassian said the directive never came from him.

“I didn’t go in and ask for a trade by any means,” Kassian said Tuesday morning, prior to the Oilers hosting the Minnesota Wild. “I definitely don’t need a fresh start, I like it in Edmonton, things are going well for me and my family. But at the end of the day, your agent has a job to do. If you get healthy scratched he’s going to make a phone call to the GM and see what’s going on.

“They both acknowledged I’ve been off to a slow start and there has been indirect conversation that other teams might be interested and he was granted permission to talk to them.”

Kassian had been a healthy scratch in 4-1 win against the Washington Capitals on Thursday, but returned to the lineup this weekend and scored his first goal of the year in a 2-1 victory, on the road, against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday.

Kassian, 27, has one goal in seven games this season, having been scratched for two games earlier this year. He is in the second of a three- year contract, which pays him $1.95-million annually.

“The first thing I did as soon as the rumour came out was address all the guys in this room,” Kassian said. “That’s all I truly care about. Hopefully, it just goes to rest now. There are trades in hockey, that’s the way I goes, but right now I’m an Edmonton Oiler.

“I love my teammates, love it here in Edmonton, we have a tight-knit group, but obviously, it’s a hockey decision and it’s upper management and it’s out of my control (if traded). At the end of day, I come in here work hard every day and try to give the best I can.”

Kassian was acquired by Edmonton from the Montreal Canadiens in 2015, and became an effective power forward for the club. He excelled during the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs and rewarded with a three-year contract extension.

Kassian, however, along with the rest of the Oilers, struggled last season and got off to a slow start this year.

“Zack has sat out two or three of the first 10 games, that gives you a indication of what we thought his play was like,” Oilers head coach Todd McLellan said. “In turn, he has responded and played well on the weekend. I thought he went into Nashville and was effective.”

Kassian never approached the coaching staff regarding a possible trade. Unfortunately, he was caught in the quagmire of Curran wanting to get word out his client could be available on the trade market.

“Nobody is happy when they’re not in the lineup, it doesn’t matter if you’re Evan Bouchard at 19 or Chris Chelios at almost 50 when he was in Detroit,” McLellan said. “That’s the spectrum that I’ve seen. You’re happy when players are upset. Request for a trade? I’m not aware of that. I don’t know where those rumours come from. I imagine when a veteran player sits out that many games there is swirl of it. I’m not aware of it.”

For his part, Kassian acknowledges competition for playing time is important for successful teams and individual players. And it is up to him to keep his place in the lineup on a game-to-game basis.

“We need that, good teams have that,” he said. “It’s one of those things where you have to bring it every night and if you’re not helping the team, you’re going to get healthy scratched. That’s the way the business is. Obviously, when you’re an older guy, you understand the business. 1112864 Edmonton Oilers Sick Bay

Oilers: Ty Rattie (upper-body muscle pull)

Edmonton Oilers Game Day: vs Minnesota Wild Wild: Matt Hendricks (knee)

Game Day Lines

Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal Oilers (projected)

Forwards

Rogers Place, 7 p.m. TV: Sportsnet Oilers, Radio: 630 CHED Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Connor McDavid Kailer Yamamoto

Five Keys to Game Tobias Rieder Leon Draisaitl Alex Chiasson

1. More of Talbot Milan Lucic Ryan Strome Drake Caggiula

Cam Talbot has only given up two goals in his last 62 shots against Jujhar Khaira Kyle Brodziak Zack Kassian. Washington and Chicago. Throw out the six the Penguins got on him and his goal average would be where he wants it to be, in the .920 range. Got Defence the Oilers to OT in Chicago with some stellar, cool work in the third Oscar Klefbom Adam Larsson period. Seemed to have Brandon Saad’s number all night long — he’s not the only NHL goalie who can say that — and his tricky stop late on Darnell Nurse Kris Russell Patrick Kane showed how dialled in he was. Jason Garrison Matt Benning 2. Get it to OT, please Goal OK, maybe the Oilers would rather have a guaranteed two points in the Mikko Koskinen first 60 minutes, but they are 3-1 in the extra five with wins of Winnipeg, Boston and Chicago and Connor McDavid (12) and Leon Draisaitl (11) Cam Talbot have the most combined points in OT since 2016-2017. It may be sacrilegious, but McDavid and Draisaitl on a 2-on-1 are almost as Wild (projected) automatic as Wayne Gretzky and Jari Kurri in the glory days. You’re Forwards writing down the time of the goal in your notebook when they get to the hash-marks. Jason Zucker Eric Staal Nino Niederreiter

3. Hello to an old friend Zach Parise Mikko Koivu Mikael Granlund

No guarantee the former Oilers goalie Devan Dubnyk will get the start Jordin Greenway Charlie Coyle Matt Read against his old club because it’s a Vancouver-Edmonton back-to-back, but he’s been sensational for the Wild with a 1.96 average and .945 save Marcus Foligno Eric Fehr Joel Eriksson-Ek percentage in his eight starts. He’s stopped 273 of 289 shots, and he’s Defence the reason they got points in a stumbling early first two weeks. Since he’s been in Minnesota he’s 140-71-22, and he’s 209-153-46 overall with a Ryan Suter Matt Dumba career .917 save percentage. Interestingly, the guy Oilers got for him in that trade, Matt Hendricks, is on the Wild now. Jonas Brodin Jared Spurgeon

4. About that challenge Nick Seeler Greg Pateryn

Ever since Leon Draisaitl was matched against Evgeni Malkin in the Goal Pittsburgh game last week, he’s looked like the old Leon. Skating, Devan Dubnyk creating, lugging the puck, holding onto the puck, a perfect complement to McDavid in the No. 2 centre hole. Draisaitl, who turned 23 this past Alex Stalock Saturday, has five points (four goals) in those four games and he’s plus four after a series of – games in the first two weeks. It looks like he’s Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 10.31.2018 found a nice wing man in countryman Tobias Rieder, too. Very nice fit.

5. Strome Redux

Until the Oilers third-line centre gets a point we’ll keep throwing out his name as a pre-game key. We’re 10 games in now and Ryan Strome doesn’t have a goal or an assist but he’s working his tail off. What he needs is more shots. Just 13 in the 10 games. Milan Lucic and Drake Caggiula are contributing on the scoresheet but Strome in his 14 and a half minutes needs to jump on board with other bottom six guys to help out McDavid, Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

Big Match-up

Oscar Klefbom vs Ryan Suter

Almost identical ice-times and in the top five in the league. Klefbom is No. 2 to defenceman Drew Doughty at 26.01 a game and the Wild’s Suter, who has always been a workhorse, is at 25:51. Both guys play the power play and on the PK, along with regular first- pairing shifts — Klefbom with Adam Larsson and Suter with Matt Dumba. Suter is coming off broken right ankle last April and Klefbom a sore shoulder which he played with all of last year before off-season surgery. Both guys are strong skaters and don’t seem to get fatigued.

Special teams

Oilers: PP- 9-36 , 25 per cent, 11th. PK-8-33 75.8 per cent, 20th

Wild: PP 4-31 12.9 per cent, 27th. PK 6-44 86.4 per cent 6th. 1112865 Edmonton Oilers have fought back. And we definitely didn’t have this tough of a start two years ago, battling through and beating some of the best teams in the league.

Edmonton Oilers lay a whipping on Murderers’ Row “It shows how bad we really do want it. We want to show that we are better than what we were last year.”

Robert Tychkowski That shouldn’t be hard. In fact, might have already done it. But McLellan says this is not the time to take a deep breath and pat themselves on the back for a job well done.

Sure enough, that which has not killed the Edmonton Oilers has made With 72 games left, this thing can still go either way. them stronger. “We’ll now hear from the media about how we got through this killer They have completed the 10 games everyone winced at when the stretch of games,” said McLellan. “But in my opinion the next 10 is just as schedule came out and no, the Oilers have not broken their own record tough. There aren’t any easy games. for shortest time it takes to blow a season. “Yes, there are teams that have a reputation they can hang their hat on, After an 0-2 start that had everyone fearing the worst, they’ve went 6-1-1, but every night teams show up and play so our task remains just as hard taking points off the 2018 Western Conference finalists, 2018 President’s as it was in the past.” Trophy winner, 2018 Stanley Cup champion and 2017 Stanley Cup champion in the process. They also beat the Boston Bruins and Chicago Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 10.31.2018 Blackhawks (combined record 12-6-4) just for good measure.

They didn’t just survive Murderer’s Row, they whipped its backside.

“We have a confident group,” said winger Drake Caggiula, who scored twice in Edmonton’s 5-3 win over Nashville last Saturday. “As the season has gone on you can see we’ve gotten better and better against some pretty tough teams.”

They do seem to be picking up steam after starting the season in the NHL’s witness protection program (two games in the first 12 days of October). They looked pretty mediocre in being outscored 8-3 against New Jersey and Boston, but they settled down nicely, regained some composure and look like they can be competitive with anyone.

“We didn’t play well in Sweden and that rattles confidence and brings backs ghosts from the past,” said head coach Todd McLellan. “Everybody gets nervous. What we had to do was work through it and stick with and we’re at a point right now where guys are believing in themselves.

“They know they can kill penalties, they know they can score on the power play … as you start to win you believe in it even more. It’s a powerful thing.”

It started with McDavid’s one-man show to get them steadied, then the much-maligned defence answered its critics, then some secondary scoring chipped in, then Leon Draisaitl joined the fight and now they have some real momentum. And now they’re all feeding off this things as it rolls along.

“That’s what you want to do, you want to build on each and every game,” said McDavid, adding they couldn’t get comfortable with all the down time around the European trip.

“We had one game in the first 10 days of the season, then we play one and have another three days off. We couldn’t really get into a rhythm. Now we’re playing back-to-back or every other day and we’re getting into a routine. Hockey players are creatures of habit and when you get into one and can feel good, good things happen.”

In sweeping their two-game road trip through Nashville and Chicago, the Oilers showed signs of the resilience that earned them 103 points two years ago. When Nashville cut the lead to 2-1 late in the second period and the building was in full roar, McDavid shut them up seven seconds later.

When Nashville cut it to 4-3 with four minutes to go, Edmonton settled down and closed the deal.

In Chicago, they took a tight-checking 1-1 game through the final 40 minutes of regulation, securing their point before McDavid and Draisaitl secured them the win.

“The way that we’ve been playing, we’re tenacious, we’re not giving upon anything,” said Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. “We’re fighting back in games when we get down or it looks like they’re taking some momentum. It’s looking good right now.”

So does it feel like two years ago?

“I’m not going to say it’s going to be the same outcome, but the feeling is very similar,” he said. “Maybe even a little better because of the way we 1112866 Edmonton Oilers likely than not that there’s talent there, but it’s also more likely that we’re seeing a performance closer to their peak, than their average level of ability.

How optimistic should Oilers fans be over the team’s promising start? That isn’t necessarily true of the Oilers. They had 103 points two seasons ago, and while a 107-point campaign would be a little surprising, it wouldn’t be a massive shock. Even Dom Luszczyszyn, whose model By Jonathan Willis Oct 30, 2018 estimated Edmonton as an 86-point true talent team, gave them a six percent chance of topping 100 points before the year started because

there’s a lot of inherent unpredictability in an NHL season. If Every year, about 10 games into the season, the same kinds of Luszczyszyn’s true talent number is conservative, naturally the odds of conversations happen around the NHL: the debate over how meaningful topping the 100-point mark increase. early results are. The simple math of 70-odd remaining games is a good Nor can we totally rule out the idea that Edmonton is the next Ottawa or argument to downplay them, but any longtime fan of the sport has Vancouver, a team that started well but will drop off as the year goes on. witnessed teams dig holes or build foundations, that ended up having Last year’s results alone make that plausible, and a pessimist digging lasting repercussions. into the underlying numbers this season could find reasons for In 2017-18 the discussion in Edmonton focused on the Oilers’ 3-6-1 skepticism, from Connor McDavid’s ice time to the Oilers’ power-play record, and whether it was more or less reflective of the team’s true shooting percentage. talent compared to their previous success just one year prior. This There is no certainty, merely probability, and every time the Oilers win a season, the situation is exactly reversed: the Oilers are 6-3-1, and the game the odds improve. argument against rainbows and unicorns is the muck that hasn’t totally been washed away from 2017-18. Before the season started, based on digging into the numbers from the last couple of seasons, I had my personal over/under on Edmonton set at How much emphasis should be placed on the Oilers’ 6-3-1 record 90 points. Even if the Oilers were to play at a 90-point pace the rest of through 10 games? the way, on banked points alone I’d now have to push the over/under to There are two separate elements to consider. The first is the effect of 92. Add in what their performance implies about their true talent level banking those points. The second, and by far the most important, is what over the first 10 games and realistically I’m already up to 95 points as a that 10-game record tells us about the team’s likely performance over its projection. final 72 contests. Luszczyszyn’s more conservative model has undergone a similar shift, Banking the points matters, but barring a freakish run, it’s hard to build up though because it began at a lower starting point it’s somewhat more enough of a slush fund through 10 games that it will really make a bearish, having moved from an 86-point projection to a 92-point difference over an 82-game season. A team aiming for 95 points and the projection for Edmonton, along with a 53 percent chance of making the playoff bubble needs 11.6 for every 10 games it plays, so the Oilers’ 13 playoffs. points through the opening 10 don’t buy them even one extra loss over Those numbers are open to debate and individual readers might run the next 72. higher or lower. A lot, undoubtedly, won’t frame the conversation so The 2017-18 team started 3-6-1 and went 33-34-5 the rest of the way, for explicitly on the numbers. But there should be wide agreement that the a total of 78 points. If we substitute this season’s start for last season’s, Oilers’ record so far is quite good, and that their odds of putting together the Oilers would have finished with 84 points, which is still well short of a successful season are better today than they were on October 5. the playoffs. The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 No surprises there, though the math gets more and more favourable to a team with points in the bank as the year wears on. But this early in the season, the forecast of what a good record represents is more important than the point total.

Over the past five seasons, 48 teams have started the year by putting up between 12 and 14 points in their first 10 games, and that’s our sample group for this year’s Oilers. It’s enough of dataset that we see some radical variations at the extreme ends: just from last year we see the President’s Trophy-winning Predators and the 30th-ranked Senators performed in this range over their opening 10 contests. The difference was that Nashville had 105 points over its next 72 games, while Ottawa had just 53.

The Nashville experience is more common than that of Ottawa:

If we pick a top-eight finish and playoff participation as the line between success and failure, we see more teams that qualified for the postseason than those that did not. Of the 48 teams that started the season with a comparable record to this year’s Oilers, thirty-three (69 percent) made the playoffs. That’s a step up, in just 10 games, from the 53 percent chance (8 of 15) of making the playoffs that every Western team starts the season with.

Mostly that’s because teams that start well tend to finish well, too.

Thirteen points in 10 games equates to 107 points when prorated over an entire season. When we look at the broad sample, we find that the prorated pace overstates quality. Our 48 teams on average slowed to a 96-point pace over their final 72 games, and thanks to their banked points finished just above that number, with 97 points as the average outcome.

This is the same general pattern we see at the individual level in hockey all the time. A rookie scores on 25 percent of his first 100 career shots but when we dig into their history, we find that their shooting percentage tends to regress closer to the league average over time. It’s the same for the goalie with a .945 save percentage over 20 games or the overage European who scores 10 points in his first six NHL contests. It’s more 1112867 Edmonton Oilers Drake Caggiula—Mark Letestu—Kassian:

69 minutes, 50.0 Corsi for, 0-5 goals for

The market for Zack Kassian Jujhar Khaira—Mark Letestu—Kassian:

66 minutes, 51.2 Corsi for, 4-4 goals for

By Allan Mitchell Oct 30, 2018 Kassian’s possession numbers were better but the goal differential suffered. That’s a larger question (defence, goaltending) and one where luck might have to be considered (Kassian’s year-over-year PDO went Zack Kassian and Edmonton Oilers fans have experienced an unusual from 101 in 2016-17 to 98 in 2017-18). I think he played with strictly relationship over the last five years. Universally loathed for two years fourth-line players in his downbeat campaign and that dictated much of after altering Sam Gagner’s grill, he turned it all around with a powerful success or failure for the line. Here are the Puck IQ numbers for bottom- redemption story that played out in the months after he was acquired six forwards 2017-18: from the Montreal Canadiens just after Christmas in 2015. In the 2017-18 season, Kassian played far less against elites (and Kassian’s highest point as an Edmonton Oilers’ player came in the 2017 received far less help in terms of skill) and his possession number was Stanley Cup playoffs, when he scored a shorthanded (winning) goal about the same year over year. A slight surprise: His goal share in these against the San Jose Sharks. He parlayed his playoff performance (three minutes remained greater than 50 percent. The conclusion I draw is this: goals in two series) into a handsome three-year contract paying him Kassian’s increased on-ice offence in 2016-17 came as a result of $1.95 million per season. Just over one year into the deal, Kassian has playing higher in the lineup more often and any looks he received the been given permission to seek his own trade. following season were not successful and abandoned early.

Kassian arrived at free agency in the summer of 2017 with the strongest It’s probable that the 2015-16 and 2017-18 numbers reflect actual ability resume possible. As has been the case during much of Peter Chiarelli’s and likely future usage—in Edmonton or with another NHL team. time in Edmonton, the player received an ample contract. The Penalty killing perception, based on fan reaction to Kassian since the 2017 playoffs, is that the player got the contract and regressed as soon as it kicked in. The Oilers sometimes do things other organizations either rejected or flushed early. Kassian as a penalty-killing option appears to be one of The numbers match the eye, Kassian played 36 games with Edmonton them. According to Natural Stat Trick, Kassian spent less than two total (the numbers reflected here) in 2015-16 and set the bar on expectations. NHL minutes on the penalty kill before arriving in Edmonton. Since he In the following season, Edmonton’s playoff campaign, Kassian’s math became an Oilers player, Kassian has played around 210 minutes on the spiked across the board (save time on ice). In 2017-18, Kassian fell off penalty kill. offensively, improved slightly in possession and his line bled goals compared to the previous campaign. That doesn’t mean he’s been successful at it, only that Edmonton used him as one of the forwards in its PK rotation. I like to use shots-against 2016-17 per 60 on the penalty kill as the main metric, as goals against for such a One of the things I wanted to look at with Kassian is 5-on-5 usage by small sample can be misleading. For the two complete seasons of year. Edmonton’s management and coaching group have been moving Kassian’s Oilers career, here are the shot totals and NHL rank among players in and out in search of something that can work among the forwards who were penalty killing for 80 or more minutes. bottom two lines and Kassian’s 2016-17 season was a successful one. Kassian 2016-17: 87 minutes, 57.83 shots-against per 60 (ranked No. Who did he play with that season? All numbers via Corsica.Hockey: 110 among 142 forwards)

Benoit Pouliot—David Desharnais—Kassian: Kassian 2017-18: 109 minutes, 49.56 shots-against per 60 (ranked No. 131 minutes, 45.0 Corsi for, 6-4 goals for 23 among 151 forwards)

Matt Hendricks—Mark Letestu—Kassian: In both seasons, his main partner was Mark Letestu. In those 196 minutes over two seasons, Kassian went 3-26 in goal differential. 131 minutes, 46.8 Corsi for, 5-3 goals for Kassian’s goals-against per 60 by season: 6.88 in 2017-18 (No. 77 among 142 forwards), 8.81 in 2017-18 (No. 118 among 151 forwards). Benoit Pouliot—Ryan Nugent-Hopkins—Kassian: Based on these numbers, and this is true often when looking at such a 107 minutes, 51.0 Corsi for, 4-2 goals for small sample size per year, we can confirm McLellan values him as one of his regular rotation penalty killers, but the numbers send a mixed These are the three lines that involved Kassian in 2016-17 that spent message in terms of the player value on the penalty kill. over 100 minutes as a unit. The quality of players is higher than one associated with a fourth-line winger and that tells us coach Todd Kassian’s value McLellan was finding ways to use Kassian in different spots in the lineup. Kassian is a good skater and an absolute load on the forecheck. He It also shows us Kassian was productive in those roles. takes too many penalties and isn’t going to score enough to warrant Puck IQ “bins” all forwards on each team based on three levels of minutes with skill, but has scored seven goals in the last two seasons competition: Elites, mid-level and the period of a game when coaches put while posting 24 and 19 points. out their fourth lines (usually against each other). The key measure is He has value to NHL general managers, but the contract ($1.95 million Dangerous Fenwick, a weighted shot metric that takes into account the over this and next season) is going to temper the level of interest. His distance and type of unblocked shots at the net and applies the replacement is likely to cost most of $1 million, so trading Kassian while probability of that type of shot becoming a goal (based on five years of retaining money isn’t a productive idea. NHL shot/goal data). It’s similar to “Expected Goals.” If he does get traded by Edmonton, expect a small return (mid-to-late Here are the Oilers forwards from 2016-17 who played 30 per cent or draft pick) and the possibility of some retention. The more likely (and less of their total time against elites (and the Dangerous Fenwick results): productive) result has Kassian and the Oilers finding a way to make it This dovetails with the Corsica information. Kassian played 30 per cent of work, with the trade talk fading into the distance. his time against elites, and his possession number flagged while his line The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 scored more than expected while he was on the ice.

2017-18

Here are the 2017-18 Corsica.Hockey numbers, describing a very different season based on usage:

Iiro Pakarinen—Mark Letestu—Kassian:

74 minutes, 50.4 Corsi for, 1-1 goals for 1112868 Florida Panthers one will notice I have worn the suit before” — probably wasn’t going to cut it.

“I was joking with the coaches that we packed stupid for this trip,” From Florida to Finland: Behind the scenes of a really long road trip for Boughner said with a laugh. “We’re not even to Finland yet, and I’m the Panthers already running out of everything. I didn’t bring the right stuff.

“As far as the hockey stuff goes, there’s a lot of planning that goes into a By George Richards Oct 30, 2018 trip like this. There are a lot of requirements on the guys, we have coaching commitments through the NHL to talk and do some clinics. We really are treating this like a business trip, not a tour of Helsinki. This whole trip is about logistics and making sure you pack everything right.” NEWARK, N.J. — In the hours before the Florida Panthers took on the New Jersey Devils, equipment managers were busy. But they weren’t Most packed things they could use in New York and in Finland. A coat sharpening skates or cutting down sticks. worn around Manhattan could play the same role in Helsinki.

It was odd enough to prepare for a game that early in the day — the Television analyst Randy Moller knew he didn’t pack enough even before game at Prudential Center was set for a noon start — but the Panthers he left. It was on purpose. He was sending stuff out to get cleaned as the were also getting ready for a long postgame flight. trip wore on.

Not back to Fort Lauderdale or another NHL locale, but across the Moller wasn’t alone. Atlantic Ocean to Helsinki, Finland. Burr made sure there was dry cleaning available everywhere the team After months of preparation, the Panthers’ equipment staff, headed by goes on this trip. Teddy Richards, was in the final stretch. “It’s expensive as hell,” Moller said, “but I’m not taking five or six suits Dozens of black duffel bags filled with new sweat suits and other NHL- and 10 dress shirts with me. We know the weather in Finland is going to issued swag were awaiting the playing members of Florida’s 56-person be cool and wet, so I brought my Vancouver stuff with me. I have a traveling party and, well, they weren’t going to hand themselves out. raincoat, hiking boots, some scarves, some toques. I’m good.”

“Those bags were our biggest dilemma — in what to put in those bags Assistant equipment manager Brian Godin loads up gear at Prudential and how to make sure everyone got the right one,” Richards said. Center just before the team’s flight to Finland. (George Richards / The Athletic) The Panthers had business to attend to, but they also had Finland on their minds as they play a pair of games against the at Aside from clothing, players were told that if they needed a brand-name Hartwall Arena in Helsinki on Thursday and Friday afternoon. food item, they had better bring it along. A number of players packed extra snacks not knowing whether what they liked to munch on would be “I think the guys are excited about this,” general manager available in Finland. said. Strength coach Tommy Powers made sure all the stuff he needed would Panthers equipment manager Teddy Richards, left, speaks with assistant be there, including plenty of those protein shakes players slug down Dakota King at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on Oct. 27. (George following games and workouts. Richards / The Athletic) Powers, now in his fifth season with the Panthers, was one of many The Panthers, Tallon wryly noted, are not unaccustomed to lengthy road Florida staffers who worked closely with the NHL to make sure the things trips. “It seems like we’re always on two-week trips,” he said. “We better his players are used to are available to them in Europe. be used to them.” For example, there is a gym with the equipment Powers requested Because of the team’s geography, when the Panthers go on the road, waiting for them in Finland. they usually go for a while. But this trip, without a doubt, is a bit different. Powers did pack some rollers, bands and balls for soft-tissue work. He On Monday, Oct. 22, the Panthers came to their training facility in Coral also crammed boxes of protein bars and powders into a travel trunk. Springs for a standard practice with their bags packed. The NHL shipped a pallet of Gatorade powder and dispensers to Newark When they left Fort Lauderdale, bound for New York, they knew they for the Panthers to bring with them to provide liquid refreshment for both wouldn’t be back until Nov. 3. teams and the referees. The team camped out at a posh hotel in New York’s Battery Park “We want them using the same things they’re used to, want to make this neighborhood for the week with games upcoming against the Rangers, as close to home as we can,” Powers said. “We usually bring stuff with Islanders and Devils. us on the road, just not this much. We would never bring an extra trunk. Then, following a 3-2 loss to New Jersey, the team boarded buses for an We want to make sure we have everything we need.” hourlong ride back through New York to John F. Kennedy International A pallet of Gatorade awaits the Panthers charter bound for Finland. Airport. (George Richards / The Athletic) A few hours after leaving Newark, all of the extra equipment Richards Packing it all up and his crew (which includes Brian Godin and Dakota King) packed up was loaded into the belly of a large Finnair jet. Richards, the Panthers’ equipment manager since 2016, prepared for outdoor games while with the Penguins, but this is his first overseas trip. “This is the longest road trip I have been on so far,” team-services manager and travel coordinator Stiles Burr said. On a normal NHL road trip, if something is left behind — Richards says he once forgot to pack game socks “and I have never forgotten anything “I’m excited for this challenge and am glad it’s coming in my third year. I again, knock on wood” — it usually can be sent via FedEx or quickly think it would have overwhelmed me in my first year. We’re just trying to retrieved by another staff member flying it to the team. Or, depending on make it as normal as possible. We’re going to get there, we’re going to the item, borrowed from the home team. practice and then play some games.” If Richards and his crew need something critical in Finland, they may be Immediately after losing to the Devils in Newark on Saturday, the team out of luck. had to pack up for a long flight from JFK to Helsinki, Finland. (Noah K. Murray / USA Today) So Richards started a checklist of what was coming with them from South Florida — in May. What to bring? “We travel with a lot of stuff as it is,” Richards said. “So we have to make Coach Bob Boughner concedes that he didn’t bring enough stuff. sure we bring everything we need but not overdo it. It still has to fit on the By the end of Friday’s afternoon practice in Jersey, he said packing three plane.” suits with six shirts and six ties — “With the different combinations, no Richards and his team brought three sets of game sweaters, a full array everything we need to do. They gave me a pretty good overview of all the of practice gear as well as broadcasting equipment and equipment for things we have to deal with.” the medical staff. Don’t forget luggage. Burr says his most stressful days on a road trip are always the ones that Two trucks — instead of the usual one — left the arena with them for the involve travel. airport. Once a team arrives and settles in, his job is putting out the random fires “This is going to be a mad dash,” he said. that pop up from time to time.

Florida wore its white road jerseys for the three-game set in New York On this trip, the NHL has set up most of the day-to-day activities. So with but will wear new home and road sweaters in Finland. Those jerseys, the team now in Helsinki, Burr just has to worry about getting his team with the “NHL Global Series” patch replacing the Panthers’ 25th- home. anniversary logo, will be sold following the games. Although the team flew to New York from Fort Lauderdale, they will be The Panthers and Winnipeg Jets will wear special commemorative flying back from Finland into Miami. The team plans to land there and patches on their road and home sweaters in Helsinki later this week. board buses, which will take all the personnel the 45 minutes north back (George Richards / The Athletic) to their cars in Broward County.

Making sure the most important equipment was packed away following The Panthers are scheduled to land in Miami on Saturday evening, Nov. the loss in New Jersey became Richards’ No. 1 task. 3. Then after a day of rest, they are expected to be back on South Florida ice for practice Monday morning. Their first home game since Oct. 20 will If a pair of skates was left in Newark, for instance, “those are be on Nov. 8, when Edmonton visits Sunrise. irreplaceable. A player is not going to play. Sidney Crosby is not going to play if he doesn’t have his skates. No player would.” “I think everything is going to work out just fine,” Burr said. “Once we get there and everyone is in their room, it’s just a normal road trip. We are The equipment staffers were able to get some rest on the flight knowing used to those.” they had a big task in front of them when they landed. The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 Since everything was packed away immediately following the game in New Jersey, it went onto the plane dirty, sweaty and wet. Sitting in a cargo hold for eight hours was only going to make matters worse.

When the Panthers stepped onto the ice Sunday in Helsinki, conditions — at least when it came to their gear — were not optimal.

“The gear is going to be soaking wet,” Richards said before the flight. “The challenge is we have two hours once we land in trying to unpack and dry everything out the best we can. We have a priority list: goalie pads and skates. The guys are going to have to go out there … it is what it is.”

Putting it all together

Burr, the team’s travel guy, took a deep breath Sunday morning and could finally relax.

With the Panthers on the ice in Helsinki for a quick practice not long after landing, the heavy lifting for this trip was done.

Since the team travels to New York all the time, that part of the trip had been easy.

But the Panthers have not been to Helsinki since 2009 and, aside from the team’s broadcasters, no current team member was part of that group.

That Finland trip — Florida played two games against Chicago to open the season — predates even Tallon, who was hired to replace then-GM in 2010.

So, Burr coordinated much of the travel with the league. Instead of using the team’s usual charter service, the Panthers flew on a Finnish airplane leased by the NHL.

When it was announced at the All-Star Game that Florida would play Winnipeg in Helsinki, Burr and the league started their planning.

Making sure everything goes smoothly is Burr’s main concern and ultimate responsibility. But he also makes sure the basics aren’t overlooked.

Stiles Burr, the Panthers’ team services manager, watches assistant equipment manager Dakota King distribute travel bags before the team faced the Devils on Oct. 27. (George Richards / The Athletic)

Not only did he buy 50 European power adapters from Amazon to make sure everyone in the traveling party could plug in their electronic equipment, but he did a passport check before everyone loaded up for Prudential Center on Saturday morning.

Food, the Panthers hope, isn’t going to be much different. Burr sent the league the team’s preferred menus, and the NHL found places that could fill their orders. The players should get their routine pregame meal — pasta, chicken, salmon and rice — in Finland just as they would in Philly.

“The league set up the buses in Finland and found us the hotel, so that was nice not having to manage all of that,” Burr said. “The NHL has been great about letting me know what was going on with the schedule and 1112869 Los Angeles Kings

Don't hold your breath waiting for Jonathan Quick's return to Kings

By CURTIS ZUPKE

Don't hold your breath waiting for Jonathan Quick's return to Kings

File it under statistics that would be unheard of in past seasons.

The Kings have yet to win a game with Jonathan Quick in goal this season. Maybe the only bigger concern is getting him back in net to correct that stat.

Quick did not practice Tuesday because of a lower-body injury, and coach John Stevens didn’t sound like his No. 1 goalie would be available soon.

“I’d say he’s probably more than day to day,” Stevens said. “I wouldn’t consider it extremely long term, like in the past. But … he’s going to be a little more than day to day.”

Quick reported the injury late in practice Saturday, a development that surprised coaches. It is believed to be different from the lower-body injury that kept him out for five games at the beginning of the season.

Because of Quick’s history, namely major groin injuries in 2013 and 2016, it’s fair to wonder about his ability to play 60-plus games this season.

“I’m not sure there’s anything in particular you can point to in this situation,” Stevens said. “I think he’s done a good job of really staying on top of everything, his preventive maintenance, his day-to-day routine.”

Stevens has said his defense has not played well in front of Quick, whose struggles mirror the team’s 2-7-1 start before a 4-3 win Sunday against the New York Rangers with Jack Campbell in goal. Quick took losses against the New York Islanders, Buffalo Sabres and Dallas Stars in his three-game return from his initial injury. He is 0-3-1, and his .845 save percentage is far below his .916 career average.

DUCKS

What we learned in NHL last week: The league is betting on the future of gambling to increase revenue

OCT 29, 2018 | 4:20 PM

Campbell’s seven starts already are a career high, and he’s mostly held the fort despite a few hiccups. He’s twice allowed goals to bank in off him from behind the net, against the Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs. But he finished solid against the Rangers for his first win since he shut out the Montreal Canadiens on Oct.11.

“We needed the win,” Campbell said. “It wasn’t my best. But that’s what the team is for.”

He’ll get the net again, with Peter Budaj as backup, barring a change in Quick’s status. The situation resulted in the Ontario Reign signing Evan Buitenhuis to a professional tryout contract to back up Cal Petersen.

Vilardi not rushing

Gabriel Vilardi practiced again and remains in a red, no-contact jersey as he manages a chronic back injury. His ability to string together two practices with the team is progress in itself given his history of setbacks. Vilardi said taking contact is “probably the next step” but “I’m not rushing anything.”

Vilardi, the Kings’ top draft pick last year, missed training camp and has not played since the end of last season, for his junior team. He is an injured non-roster player.

“It’s definitely been tough,” he said.

LA Times: LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112870 Los Angeles Kings “I think he’s done a good job of really staying on top of everything – preventative maintenance, his daily routines,” Stevens said. “Those things happen sometimes, you deal with them.

Kings’ Nate Thompson says synagogue massacre ‘hit home’ “But, obviously, you’d like to have him healthy and in the net.”

This and that

By ROBERT MORALES The Flyers took a record of 4-7-0 (8 points) into their game Tuesday at Anaheim. Philadelphia was being led by forward Jakub Voracek’s 12 points (3 goals, 9 assists). … Defenseman Drew Doughty (1 goal, 7 EL SEGUNDO — Kings forward Nate Thompson was finished practicing assists) and forward Ilya Kovalchuk (3 goals, 5 assists) lead the Kings Tuesday. He sat at his locker, taking off his skates. A nice, engaging sort, with eight points apiece. Thompson seemed a bit down. Orange County Register: LOADED: 10.31.2018 That’s understandable.

Over the summer, Thompson converted to Judaism ahead of marrying his wife Sydney, who is Jewish. He was among many horrified when, this past Saturday, a gunman opened fire at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, killing 11 people and injuring six.

According to a story in the Washington Post, it was deadliest attack on Jews ever in this country.

Thompson was obviously in a sad state of mind as he tried to explain his thoughts on the massacre.

“Yeah, I mean, it’s awful, terrible, tragic news. You use all the adjectives for it,” he said. “It’s sickening that someone out there that evil that would do such a thing. I think it does really hit home when you’re part of the Jewish community because there’s not a lot of us.

“And then you think of last time this thing ever really happened, you think back to the Nazi days and Holocaust and stuff like that.”

Thompson, who is from Anchorage, Alaska, put out a call for unity.

“I think as a country as a whole and everything, all we can do is stand together and really know that no matter what worship it is – if it’s your Catholic church, a synagogue, whatever it may be – those are places of worship for people and safe havens,” said Thompson, who was raised Christian.

Thompson intimated that some measures must be taken, where some kind of security – even if it’s discreet, the way of an air marshal – is installed.

“I really don’t know what to say,” Thompson said. “It’s just one of those things that is extremely tragic.”

What’s up with Quick?

First-string goalie Jonathan Quick played the first game of the season, then went on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. He missed five games. He played three of the next four games after returning, then again came up lame following practice Saturday. Again, with a lower- body injury.

This time he did not get put on IR – not yet, anyway – but he did not play in Sunday’s 4-3 victory over the New York Rangers. At the time, he was listed as day-to-day.

Quick did not practice Tuesday, and coach John Stevens has altered that assessment.

“I’d say he’s probably more than day-to-day,” said Stevens, who nevertheless doesn’t believe Quick will be out long term.

Still, it must be worrisome to see this happen twice so early in the season. Stevens wore that concern on his face.

“Well, I mean, he’s an important guy on your team and you want him healthy,” said Stevens, whose team hosts Philadelphia at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at . “I think he’s been one guy that’s been able to carry a heavy workload. We’ve had several of those guys – Kopi (Anze Kopitar), Brownie (Dustin Brown) in the past; Drew (Doughty).

“But he’s your starting goalie, he’s a big part of your team. You want him in the net.”

Injuries happen, Stevens said. He also said after Sunday’s game he was a bit surprised about this latest episode because Quick looked “terrific” in practice Saturday.

Furthermore, Stevens said Quick takes care of his business. 1112871 Los Angeles Kings Thompson had said one of the reasons he converted to Judaism was because he wanted to raise his children Jewish with his wife Sydney, who is also Jewish. In that regard, the specter of anti-Semitism can be Nate Thompson sends faith, love and prayers to Tree of Life synagogue frightening. The ADL reported in its annual audit that anti-Semitic in wake of shooting incidents in the U.S. rose 57 percent from 2016 to 2017. From 2015 until now, they have gone up from 941 to 1,986.

“I think every parent now, that’s the first thing everyone thinks of is when By Josh Cooper Oct 30, 2018 you’re sending your kids to school, or you’re sending these kids to church, synagogue whatever it may be, you want them to be safe,”

Thompson said. “And I think that’s the first thing that goes through every EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Kings forward Nate Thompson said his “heart parents’ mind and our generation is you want to look at the next dropped” when he first heard the news of last weekend’s mass shooting generation and hopefully they’re not having to go through stuff like this at Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. and see things like this day in and day out. I think it’s something now maybe we have to look into as a country and how we move forward.” Thompson finished converting to Judaism last summer in advance of his wedding and tried to figure out how something so terrible could happen in Added Thompson: “(My wife and I) just kind of watched and took it all in a peaceful place of worship. and just couldn’t believe something like that happened and someone would do something like that at this stage of where we’re at in our era. I Currently a reported 11 people have died and the Anti Defamation think we’re well beyond the World War I and World War II days.” League has said the attack was believed to be the deadliest on the Jewish community in United States history. Robert Bowers, the assailant Thompson said he and Sydney had talked about ways to support Tree of who was charged with 29 criminal counts, allegedly made anti-Semitic Life, but he realized the most important thing he could currently do was to statements during the shooting, according to reports. continue to go to synagogue. For him and his family, it still is and will always be a safe space. “I mean I’ve been to synagogue numerous times now and I think I just kind of thought about the situation of being in there and something like “We want to go to temple and I think that’s the best way to do it is to do that happening,” Thompson said after the Kings’ practice at Toyota that and really reach out that way,” he said. “I think any person you’d ask Sports Center on Tuesday. “It doesn’t matter what religion. You go to would say the same thing. You feel safe and you feel comfortable. Those church. You go to synagogue. You go wherever. That’s your safe place are the places you go in and it’s your private time of having faith and where you’re supposed to go and worship and you never think anything getting in touch. like that would happen. “You would never fathom something like that happening while you were “I don’t know. … It’s a hard topic to touch because you don’t really know in a place like that.” what to say because it’s just … all your thoughts and prayers just go out The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 to the people that are affected, people that lost their lives. The people injured. I don’t even really want to talk about the guy who did it because that’s what he wants, you know? I don’t even think he deserves to be talked about. I think it’s all about the people that are affected and the loss of lives and how we stand together and how to go forward from here.”

Thompson said, since last summer when he posted on social media about his decision to convert, he has not been on the receiving end of anti-Semitism, but he noted that part of the conversion process involved discussing hateful behavior towards Jews.

“Those were questions that I was asked going through,” Thompson said. “It was, ‘How do you respond to people seeing different or having a different opinion on how you converted or why you wanted to be Jewish?’ It’s just so sad that someone would take it this far and it’s sick. It’s evil.

“Unfortunately, there are evil people in the world, but I do believe there are more good people than bad and I think in times like this, as hard as it is for people to keep their faith and people want to find answers, they want answers, they want to know why, but I think this is a time right now where you gotta have faith and you have to stand together and move forward from here and know that those are still safe places to go.”

Rabbi Steven Reuben, who guided Thompson through the conversion process, had previously noted that Thompson could be “somebody representing Judaism in a world (in hockey) where there are not a lot of Jews.”

Thompson, who is from Anchorage, Alaska, understood that being Jewish and a pro hockey player meant people within the sport could look to him in both good times and bad in regards to issues involving Judaism. But he believed an anti-hate message should be ingrained in society, no matter your religion.

“I think maybe because I’m Jewish now I can be a voice, but I really think in this situation, in any shooting, I think any person can be a voice,” Thompson said. “It definitely affects the Jewish community obviously because it happened in a synagogue and Jewish people were killed and that was the primary purpose, but I don’t think it matters what religion it is or what kind of shooting wherever it happens. These are evil people no matter what.

“I think it’s just one of those things where you have to, like I said … it sounds cliché but you have to stand together and you have to … everyone has to keep believing and have faith and know that there is more good in our country than that.” 1112872 Los Angeles Kings “I think his pace is fine, I think his play with the puck has been fine, I think he needs to continue to improve without the puck. I think the biggest challenge for a defenseman at this level is the speed of the game, which OCTOBER 30: PRACTICE FOCUS, QUICK “PROBABLY MORE THAN I think he’s fine with, but the biggest challenge for a young defenseman DAY-TO-DAY”, VILARDI’S PROGRESS in the National Hockey League is ‘five feet’ can hurt you here. You give up five feet in the American Hockey League, you might not get hurt by it, you give up five feet here to really good players and they can make you pay, and I think he’s starting to feel that and see that. How smart the ZACH DOOLEY OCTOBER 30, 2018 players are, how quick things happen, how much five feet makes a difference, but until you’ve seen it, you don’t understand it and now he’s seen it. He’s a really good student of the game and he’s a really good kid INJURIESPRACTICE NOTESPRACTICE QUOTES that’s coachable and I think that he’ll continue to improve quickly with some direction.” The Kings are in the midst of a stretch of consecutive practice days, following yesterday’s day off, without a game on the horizon until – Lastly, attending today’s practice were two reporters from Anze Thursday. With the exception of the days off leading into Opening Night, Kopitar’s native country, Slovenia. Pretty cool! this three-day stretch of no games marks the first set of three non-game days so far this season, and the only time the team will have three days LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 10.31.2018 off in a row until mid-December.

When asked what the focus was with the back-to-back practice days, Kings Head Coach John Stevens gave a very detailed response –

“We just want to build off of the Rangers game. I thought we did some really good things in terms of both sides of the puck. I thought our ability to move pucks with speed was really good, I thought we were able to get some pressure in the offensive, where we got the forecheck was effective, I thought we did a much better job of getting to the net in that game, I think that’s been a real part of our game that’s been absent. We want to be able to execute with the puck, I think if you can manage the puck you can spend time in the other zone and we hadn’t been able to do that. Last game, our ability to get to the blue paint was as good as it’s been and we want to continue to move pucks with speed. It’s just a good opportunity, quite honestly, to review all parts of our game, you don’t often get times like this, and try and build off of the positive things we did last game. You win a hockey game, guys feel better about themselves, so we’re really trying to review all parts of our game. We met with the D as a group today, we met with the lines individually and we’ll do a team review tomorrow and really try and get our pace up tomorrow. Our big focus as a team is our transition and that’s both ways – transition from offense to defense and transition from defense to offense and make it more instinctive.”

Couple Of Notes –

– Jonathan Quick was not on the ice today (as expected). Quick was previously listed as day-to-day via hockey operations.

In his post-practice media scrum, Stevens described Quick as “probably more than day-to-day” while also noting that he did not consider his starting netminder’s injury to be extremely long-term either.

Stevens on Quick’s importance to his hockey team

Well, he’s an important guy on our team, you want him healthy and in the net. He’s been one guy that’s been able to carry a heavy workload. We’ve had several of those guys – Kopi, Brownie, Drew – but he’s your starting goalie, he’s a big part of your team and you want him in net. Injuries do happen and not sure there’s anything in particular you can point to in this situation. I think he’s done a good job of really staying on top of everything, his preventative maintenance, his daily routines, so these things happen sometimes and you have to deal with them. But obviously, you’d like to have him healthy and in the net.

– Gabe Vilardi was on the ice in a non-contact red jersey and took part in many of the drills, subbing in on different lines at times. Vilardi also skated with the Kings at their last team practice on Saturday so that marks two straight for the 2016 first-round draft pick.

Vilardi described his road back as a “process” that he’s just sticking to at the moment while also noting the need to keep an “open mindset” while he’s essentially on one schedule, while the rest of the Kings group is on their own.

“For me it’s a day-by-day thing,” Vilardi said when asked what his next step could be. “It’s probably more of a question for the trainers, they let me know what’s going on and I go from there.

– Stevens was also asked about defenseman Sean Walker during media availability. He noted that the first thing that is a big adjustment for a young defenseman is usually the speed of the game, which he felt Walker has not had a problem adapting to. Here’s his full quote on how Walker has fared through three games with the big club – 1112873 Los Angeles Kings

TUESDAY 10/30 – PRACTICE LINES, PAIRINGS

ZACH DOOLEYOCTOBER 30, 2018

PRACTICE NOTES

With Jon day-to-day with an upper-body injury (dental work) I’m at today’s practice for the Kings. Team is on the ice for a 10 AM skate at Toyota Sports Center.

Gray: Iafallo-Kopitar-Brown

Blue: Pearson-Carter-Toffoli

White: Kovalchuk-Kempe-Lewis

Yellow: Clifford-Thompson-Wagner

Defensive pairs were Forbort-Doughty, Muzzin-Martinez, Phaneuf- Walker, Fantenberg-LaDue with Jack Campbell and Peter Budaj in net.

Notes –

– Gabe Vilardi is on the ice in a non-contact red jersey for his second practice with the Kings.

– Jonathan Quick is not on the ice. As previously noted, he is listed as day-to-day via hockey operations.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112874 Minnesota Wild

Wild's power play starting to click after perfect showing in win over Oilers

By Sarah McLellan OCTOBER 31, 2018

EDMONTON, Alberta — The power play started to show signs of a resurgence last Saturday, just after the Wild nixed the all-lefty unit. Right shot Charlie Coyle subbed in for winger Nino Niederreiter and when the change opened up a new look, center Eric Staal found himself in the slot – where he scored, snapping a 0-for-14 funk for the unit. Ever since then, the Wild has stuck with this tweak and by Tuesday, it ignited a 4-3 come-from-behind win over the Oilers at Rogers Place. “It just felt better for our setup,” Staal said. “I'm not [Alex] Ovechkin. I'm not [Patrick] Laine. To be able to be on that side on the outside one- timer, it's a tough play. I think I'm better suited as a guy around the puck. I like to be around it. I like to have the touches. “Obviously, rebounds and tips is a little bit more of my game – not that I can't do it. I just think the way that we're set up I'm better suited there.” Not only did Staal score again from that spot Tuesday, deflecting a Ryan Suter shot in from the slot late in the second period, but he also fed the puck to winger Mikael Granlund before reporting back to the middle and acting as net-front pressure while Granlund wired a shot in from the right side – the decisive goal late in the third. It was well-timed improvement from the power play, as it went a perfect 3-for-3 after blowing most of its looks Monday (1-for-5) in a 5-2 loss to the Canucks. Staal acknowledged the unit is still a work in progress, as players are still getting comfortable with each other and the overall scheme. But a performance like this could be just the spark the group needed – validation that it’s heading in the right direction. “We just need to keep going, keep shooting and keep getting those chances,” Granlund said. This was the Wild’s sixth win when falling behind first, a resiliency that disappeared Monday but resurfaced in time to bank the team’s second road victory of the season. “You don't want to give up the lead or give up the first goal,” Staal said. “It happens. You've just got to keep playing. The good thing is that we believe in each other, we believe that we can continue to come back and play. Tonight was about gutting it out. It felt like we deserved to win tonight.” Winger Nino Niederreiter was one of the reasons why; although he still has yet to score this season, he tallied a pair of assists and was on the ice in the waning seconds – preserving the lead by tying up the puck along the boards. Coach Bruce Boudreau called it Niederreiter’s best game. “I was really happy,” Boudreau said. “I was hoping he would score an empty-netter, but he gets two assists. The other things will come because he works hard.” The Wild may have looked like longshots to snag two points Tuesday, what with the Oilers in a groove having won their previous three games. They were also rested, while the Wild was finishing off a back-to-back. But the second half of these tough tests seem to suit the team; it’s now 3- 0 in those situations. “I guess we’re in great shape, or we know we’re in great shape – I don’t know,” said goalie Alex Stalock, who made 34 saves against the Oilers. “But to come back like that on the road against a pretty fast team that’s speedy, that says a lot about this group.” Star Tribune LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112875 Minnesota Wild

Wild-Edmonton game recap

OCTOBER 30, 2018

GAME RECAP STAR TRIBUNE’S THREE STARS 1. Mikael Granlund, Wild: The red-hot winger scored the game-winning goal amid a two-point effort. 2. Eric Staal, Wild: The veteran center tallied a goal and two assists. 3. Leon Draisaitl, Oilers: The pivot also chipped in a goal and an assist. BY THE NUMBERS 3 Power-play goals for the Wild in three chances. 34 Saves for Wild goalie Alex Stalock. 399 Career goals for Staal. Star Tribune LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112876 Minnesota Wild

Granlund scores late to lift Wild over Oilers 4-3

Associated Press OCTOBER 31, 2018

EDMONTON, Alberta — As they embark on their longest road trip ever, the Minnesota Wild managed to bounce back from a loss in Vancouver despite playing for the second night in a row. Mikael Granlund scored with 5:48 left, Eric Staal had a goal and two assists, and the Wild beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 on Tuesday night. Granlund sneaked a power-play goal past netminder Cam Talbot for his sixth of the season. The game had been tied at 3 since Staal scored on a power play late in the second period. Granlund has a point in nine straight games. "It feels like pucks are going in," he said. "There are a lot of things that I think I can do better, but pucks are finding their way in and I'll take it." Zach Parise and Jared Spurgeon also scored for the Wild (7-3-2), who have won six of seven. "We have good players and we have a good team," Staal said. "We feel like we can come back any time and if we stay with our game and our structure, we have the talent to be able to cash in on opportunities. You don't want to give up the first goal, but it happens and you just have to keep playing." Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid and Alex Chiasson scored for the Oilers (6-4-1), who ended a three-game winning streak. The Oilers started the scoring eight minutes into the opening period just after a power play expired when Ryan Nugent-Hopkins dove to poke the puck to Draisaitl, who sent his seventh goal into an empty net before goalie Alex Stalock could get across. Minnesota tied it with six minutes left in the first with a power-play goal. Parise pounced on a rebound and slipped it past Talbot. Edmonton outshot the Wild 22-14 in the first period. The Oilers went up 2-1 four minutes into the second when McDavid turned on the jets to get past a pair of defenders and beat Stalock up high for his ninth. Minnesota tied it back up 12 minutes into the second when Spurgeon was left alone in front. Edmonton surged back ahead less than a minute later, however, as Chiasson tipped in Matt Benning's point shot. The Wild pulled even again with 1:40 left in the second with Staal tipping a shot in on the power play. "We were the better team, five-on-five, but special teams cost us," McDavid said. "Our power play didn't do anything (0 for 5) and they went three-for-three on their power play. That's not good." NOTES: With seven consecutive road games, the Wild are on their longest trip in franchise history. ... It was the first of three meetings between the two teams this season. ... The Wild currently have the oldest team in the NHL with an average age of 28.9. The Oilers are currently the youngest, with an average age of 25.5. UP NEXT Wild: Play at St. Louis on Saturday. Oilers: Host Chicago on Thursday. Star Tribune LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112877 Minnesota Wild Star Tribune LOADED: 10.31.2018

Mikael Granlund's third-period goal lifts Wild past Oilers Goal, assist extend winger's point streak as team shows resiliency.

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune OCTOBER 31, 2018 edmonton, Alberta – The personnel was the same, and the strategy was like the one deployed in the past. But what did change was the execution. After the power play fizzled when the Wild needed it most Monday in a letdown to the Canucks, the unit not only helped the team keep pace in a scoring slugfest with the Oilers, but ultimately led to a hard-fought 4-3 victory Tuesday in front of 18,347 at Rogers Place for just the Wild’s second road victory of the season. “The guys on the power play are out there to make plays and be a difference,” center Eric Staal said. “Tonight we were.” The Wild capitalized on all three of its power-play chances, with the final tally from winger Mikael Granlund at 14 minutes, 12 seconds of the third period, giving the team a lead it wouldn’t relinquish. The Wild’s Jordan Greenway fought for control of the puck with Canucks center Tim Schaller Monday night in Vancouver. Granlund unloaded a blistering shot from the right side for his sixth goal and 12th point during a nine-game point streak. “There was a lot of room just to walk in,” he said. “I saw a hole there and just tried to go for it. Luckily it went in.” Although this effort was far from the 5-2 dud in Vancouver the night before, which halted the team’s five-game winning streak, it looked like this one could follow a similar script after the Wild tripped into an early hole and got into penalty trouble. Shortly after an Oilers power play expired, center Leon Draisaitl opened the scoring 8:11 into the first period when he slung a loose puck near the back post by Wild backup Alex Stalock — the ninth time in the past 10 games in which the Wild yielded the first goal. The Wild was able to erase that deficit later in the frame with its first power-play tally when Zach Parise buried a puck that hit him as a screen at 14:08. Edmonton reinstated its lead on an impressive sequence from captain Connor McDavid early in the second. McDavid flew by defenseman Ryan Suter, cut to the middle and roofed a puck over Stalock at 4:10. “There’s not many players in this league with that speed,” said Stalock, who had 34 stops. “He knows how to use it.” This was the juncture of the game where the Canucks started to pull away from the Wild, tacking on another goal amid a 1-for-5 showing for the power play. But the Wild didn’t shrink under the pressure this time. Instead, it rallied. “We feel like we can come back any time,” Staal said. Defenseman Jared Spurgeon knotted the score at 2, pinching deep into the Oilers’ zone to wire a puck by Talbot. Only 53 seconds later, Edmonton responded when winger Alex Chiasson deflected in a point shot by defenseman Matt Benning. But again, the Wild persevered and the power play was responsible. Staal redirected a Ryan Suter point shot for his 399th career goal at 18:20. “We are still getting comfortable with our setup and our guys and how we move,” Staal said. “I thought we did a little bit of a better job of shooting pucks and had a little bit more of an attack mentality toward the net.” And when the Wild earned one more look with the man advantage, Granlund broke the 3-3 tie. “He is our catalyst,” coach Bruce Boudreau said of Granlund. “It’s why he plays the most, and he’s usually our leading scorer. When you need something done, he’s the guy you want to have the puck.” 1112878 Minnesota Wild The Wild’s Eric Fehr chased Adam Larsson of the Oilers during the first period Tuesday night in Edmonton. The Wild again gave up the first goal, but tied the score 3-3 at press time. Wild's Mikael Granlund extends point streak to 9 games vs. Oilers Although the power play did chip in a goal against the Canucks, the unit still struggled to deliver — blanking on four other tries, including 3 minutes, 20 seconds of a double-minor. By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune OCTOBER 31, 2018 Ten shots on goal during the man advantage was a positive sign, but Boudreau is focused on results, not progress. EDMONTON, ALBERTA – One streak expired Monday for the Wild, as “You can look at it two ways,” he said. “The [glass] half-full way is that the team fell to the Canucks after stringing together five consecutive we’ve had good looks, good chances, especially when we have a double wins, but another managed to persevere. minor when we’re tied at that point. As long as you keep getting chances, they say that’s what you want to do. Or you can look at the other way Winger Mikael Granlund tallied an assist in the 5-2 setback, the eighth with the glass half-empty and say, ‘We gotta find a way to score, and straight game he’s managed at least a point — a productive start to the we’ve got to make the power play a weapon and not just something that season that’s highlighted how integral he’s been to the Wild’s offense. goes out there.’ On Tuesday night, he extended that streak to nine games, sniping the “I’m probably not as positive on the outlook. It’s glass half-empty for me. game-winning goal in the third period over the shoulder of Edmonton We gotta get it done no matter what.” Oilers keeper Cam Talbot in the team’s 4-3 victory. Star Tribune LOADED: 10.31.2018 “He’s skating, and he’s handling the puck,” coach Bruce Boudreau said before Tuesday night’s game against the Oilers. “When Granny’s handling the puck and he’s skating, he’s a very dynamic player. When he gets in trouble, it’s like a lot of our players — they make plays standing still. This is such a good, skating league now [that] you can’t make plays standing still.” Granlund set up defenseman Ryan Suter’s power-play tally in the second period, his 10th point of this run — which tied for the second-longest active streak in the NHL. His contributions have been evenly split, with five goals and five assists in that span. Granlund’s five goals through 11 games were the most on the Wild. Since he’s the playmaker on the first power-play unit and a top-six fixture, it makes sense that he’s involved in the scoring regularly — either as the architect or the finisher. But it’s not just his speed that’s been fueling the offense Granlund has sparked; vision and work ethic have also been key in his eyes. “It feels like the game slows down when you really start feeling better,” Granlund said. “It’s just hard work and finding those spots.” Memorable Monday Scoring his first career regular-season goal wasn’t the only evidence Monday that rookie Jordan Greenway returned to the Wild lineup after a two-game detour to the minors with improved confidence. He also put a season-high three shots on net. “It was definitely a focus of mine coming into the game,” Greenway said. “I really wanted to get pucks to the net, go to the net just like I did last couple days ago now [with Iowa in the American Hockey League]. Worked out for me. It’s been working out, so I’m going to keep doing it.” What was also an encouraging sign for the 6-6, 227-pound forward is where he capitalized — burying a loose puck just outside the top of the crease. “Being a bigger body, it’s a little easier for me to get there, to the dirty areas,” Greenway explained. “That’s pretty much my spot, where I’m going to earn the money, and so that’s what I’m going to keep doing.” After Greenway scored, defenseman Jared Spurgeon scooped up the puck for Greenway to keep. “I’ll probably put it in a frame,” he said. Tardy for puck drop The loss to the Canucks was the eighth time over the previous nine games that the Wild was tagged for the first goal, and the team is brainstorming for solutions to these early deficits. “I just keep talking about it and if they’re doing something and they find they’re not getting ready to do something different — whatever that something is right now,” Boudreau said. “I told them if it’s something that I’m saying at this point that’s not getting through or we’re not doing a good enough job in the morning skates, let us know because you gotta start work on time.” Power outage JASON FRANSON • CANADIAN PRESS VIA AP 1112879 Minnesota Wild

Wild focusing on a strong start in second half of back-to-back vs. Oilers

By Sarah McLellan OCTOBER 30, 2018

EDMONTON, Alberta - The Wild will roll out a different lineup Tuesday against the Oilers at Rogers Place than the one that started this stretch of seven straight road games with a letdown Monday in Vancouver, but the objective for the group is the same: be ready right from the drop of the puck. “Another topic today in meetings is starting on time,” backup Alex Stalock said. “We’ve tried different things. As a group, we’re 10 games in. It’s still early, but we gotta figure it out for sure and try something else tonight and try to get going right off the bat and take it to them the first period.” A slow start contributed to the 5-2 loss to the Canucks, as the Wild seemed to be continually chasing the play – even after it tied the score at 1. And with phenom Connor McDavid on the ice, playing catch-up against him and the rest of the Oilers isn’t a strategy for success. “We’ll put our best foot forward, and we know how good he is and how fast he is,” coach Bruce Boudreau said. “Hopefully we can contain him. I don’t think anyone’s ever going to stop him completely.” Aside from Stalock taking over the crease from Devan Dubnyk, the Wild will also sub winger J.T. Brown in for winger Matt Read. “Are we going to wait until the middle of the second period to start playing or are we going to start from the beginning of the game?” #mnwild pic.twitter.com/YYAdsjlRnj — Sarah McLellan (@sarah__mclellan) October 30, 2018 Perhaps those changes give the Wild enough of a fresh look to have energy to not only be engaged in the first period but also have the speed to keep up with the Oilers. “We know they’ll be ready to play,” Boudreau said. “The question is are we going to wait until the middle of the second period to start playing or are we going to start from the beginning of the game.” Projected lineup: Jason Zucker-Eric Staal-Nino Niederreiter Zach Parise-Mikko Koivu-Mikael Granlund Jordan Greenway-Charlie Coyle-Joel Eriksson Ek Marcus Foligno-Eric Fehr-J.T. Brown Ryan Suter- Matt Dumba Jonas Brodin-Jared Spurgeon Nick Seeler-Greg Pateryn Alex Stalock Key numbers: 20: Penalty kills for the Wild in its last 22 shorthanded situations. 1-3: The Wild’s record on the road. 2-0: How the Wild has fared in the second half of a back-to-back. 4: Points in three games against the Wild last season for McDavid. 2: Wins for Edmonton in 2017-18 in three games vs. the Wild. About the Oilers: Edmonton is one of the hottest teams in the NHL right now, as it’s won three in a row and has collected at least a point in four straight. McDavid has been the catalyst, landing on the scoresheet in all but one of the Oilers’ games so far. His 17 points rank fifth in the NHL. McDavid is the first Oiler since Mark Messier in 1989-90 to tally 17 or more points in the team’s first 10 games. Goalie Cam Talbot has had a save percentage better than .925 in four of his last five starts. Star Tribune LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112880 Minnesota Wild “He’s been going good here for the last while,” Staal said. “He’s real comfortable with the puck. He’s a playmaker. He’s fun to play with. The last (nine) games now he’s been the Granny that we saw for the most Mikael Granlund’s lethal snipe lifts Wild to comeback win over Oilers part all of last season. We didn’t have the mojo the first couple of games of the season, but he found it and he’s holding onto it. It’s been really nice. He’s a huge part of our team, especially offensively. Hopefully he keeps going.” By DANE MIZUTANI Pioneer Press LOADED: 10.31.2018

EDMONTON, Alberta — Wild coach Bruce Boudreau has used the word “catalyst” time and time again to describe dynamic winger Mikael Granlund. For good reason. It doesn’t matter if he’s setting up his teammates or finding the back of the net on his own. Simply put, good things happen when Granlund has the puck on his stick. “If we were in another city, whether it be a Canadian city or a high-profile city, everyone would know how good this guy is,” Boudreau said. “He is our catalyst. It’s why he plays the most, and he’s usually our leading scorer. When we need something done, he’s the guy we want to have the puck.” That proved to be the case in the final minutes of Tuesday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers. After the Wild had erased a one-goal deficit on three occasions, Granlund found the puck on his stick with less than six minutes to play. He surveyed the ice for a few seconds, took a few strides toward the net and ripped a wrist shot past Oilers goaltender Cam Talbot to lift the Wild to a 4-3 win. “I don’t know what happened,” Granlund said. “I saw a hole there and just tried to go for it. Luckily it went in.” His teammates were awestruck, though they’ve come to expect those things from the guy they affectionately call “Granny.” “You saw his goal,” backup goaltender Alex Stalock said. “Not enough room for a puck there, and he put it there. He’s our catalyst offensively. He creates plays, scores big goals for us, runs the power play, and he’s out there on the penalty kill sometimes, too. He’s a guy we look for in this group, so for him to score the game-winner tonight was huge.” Granlund is riding a nine-game point streak and has been a big reason why the Wild have won six of their past seven games. His game-winner helped complete a comeback, which was necessary after the Wild started slowly, surrendering the first goal yet again, as they have done 9 times in the past 10 games. Still, the Wild battled back thanks in large part to their success on the power play. A few hours after Boudreau preached the importance of a successful power play, his team went out and scored three man- advantage goals, including the game-winner from Granlund. Zach Parise, Jared Spurgeon and Eric Staal netted the other goals, while Stalock finished with 33 saves. After Oilers center Leon Draisaitl scored early in the first period, Parise cashed in on the power play late in the frame to tie the game. That marked the third straight game the Wild have scored on the power play, as they try to work their way back to relevance in that category. It turns out the scoring was just getting started, as both team potted a pair of goals during a frenetic second period. It started with a ridiculous goal from Oilers superstar Connor McDavid, who accepted a pass at the blue line, danced around Ryan Suter like he was standing still, and finished with a snipe. “The people of Edmonton are really lucky for the next 15, 20 years,” Boudreau said regarding McDavid. “That guys scares the crap out of me every time he steps on the ice. He’s one heck of a hockey player.” Although it looked like the Oilers might take control after that, especially considering the Wild continued their parade to the penalty box, the penalty kill held strong, and Spurgeon eventually tied the score with a shot from the slot. Oilers winger Alex Chiasson helped his team regain less than 60 seconds later before Staal tied the game with a redirection on the power play. It looked like the Wild might be content to play for overtime at that point and return to the Twin Cities with at least one point in tow. That is until “Granny” found the puck on his stick late game, changing the narrative with a lethal snipe to give his team a lead it wouldn’t relinquish. 1112881 Minnesota Wild “He’s been as solid as we’ve had back there for the last six or seven games,” Boudreau said earlier this week. “He’s been hitting guys. We have had some really big hits in the last few games, so we would Wild quell ‘glass half empty’ feeling with three power-play goals certainly like him to continue that.” Perhaps most importantly, Dumba has taken on a leadership role, too. By DANE MIZUTANI “It was time for him to not just be part of the pack but part of the leadership group,” Boudreau said. “He’s been a lot more serious, and he hasn’t had the ups and downs that we’ve seen in the past with him, so that’s great.” EDMONTON, Alberta — Let’s just say Wild coach Bruce Boudreau doesn’t have the best poker face. Pioneer Press LOADED: 10.31.2018 Whether it’s his face turning beet red during a game, or him scoffing at a question in a press conference, simply put, if something is bothering the coach, it’s not hard to tell. As of late, the thing that seems to be bothering him the most is his team’s putrid power play, which ranked No. 26 in the NHL entering Tuesday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers. It had been converting at a mere 14 percent rate this season entering the matchup, and while a five-game winning streak covered up the fact that the team was 1 for 15 with a man advantage in that span, Monday’s 5-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks brought some of those issues to the forefront. Heck, the game itself served as a microcosm for the season, as the Wild went 1 for 5 on the power play yet couldn’t capitalize when it mattered most. With the score tied 1-1 in the second period, Canucks winger Markus Granlund took a double minor, putting the Wild in position to take over the game. Instead, they failed to score, and veteran center Eric Staal took a penalty of his own to negate the final 40 seconds of the man advantage. “We had lots of shots and good movement,” defenseman Matt Dumba said after the game. “We just didn’t have the bounces tonight. That’s tough.” Truthfully, that’s the message the Wild have been preaching for most of the season, leaning on the fact that if they continue to get Grade A looks, eventually they’re going to go in. “You can look at it two ways,” Boudreau said. “There’s the glass half full way in that we’ve had good looks and good chances (and) as long as we keep getting chances, they say that’s what we want to do. Or we could look at it the other way with the glass half empty and say, ‘We have to find a way to score.’ We want to make the power play a weapon and not just something we put out there.” How was Boudreau feeling before Monday’s game? “I’m probably not as positive on the outlook,” Boudreau said. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that it’s the glass half empty for me. We have to get it done no matter what. I don’t care if it’s a goal like Eric Staal’s (from Saturday’s game) where it flubs off a guy and goes in the net. We have to find a way to get a goal when we need it on the power play. It usually makes or breaks a season.” Naturally, the Wild went out and responded with three power-play goals in Tuesday’s 4-3 win over the Oilers. Asked about that “glass half empty” feeling afterward, Boudreau joked that his glass is now full. “I can’t have another drink,” Boudreau said with a smile. “It was really good tonight. It’s starting to come along, so that’s a really positive sign.” GRANLUND STREAKING Since not scoring in the opening week of the season, dynamic winger Mikael Granlund has caught fire. He has a point in eight consecutive games entering Tuesday’s game and has been the catalyst for the Wild at every turn. That isn’t surprising considering Granlund led the team with 69 points two seasons ago and was second with 67 points last season. “He’s skating and handling the puck,” Boudreau said. “When he’s skating and handling the puck, he’s a very dynamic player. When he gets in trouble is when he tries to make plays standing still. This is such a good skating league that guys can’t make plays standing still.” DUMBA STEPPING UP As far as taking the next step goes, Dumba has been near the top of that list this season. He is playing in most situations and thriving as a member of the top pairing. 1112882 Minnesota Wild “There’s not enough room for a puck there and he (still) put it there,” befuddled Wild goalie Alex Stalock said.

Naturally, Granlund, who extended his point streak to nine games on Russo: Wild’s power play is suddenly overflowing after win in Edmonton Staal’s goal, was modest about the whole thing. “I don’t know what happened, but there was a lot of room just to walk in,” By Michael Russo Granlund said. “I saw a hole there and just tried to go for it. Luckily it went in.”

There’s no doubt the Wild have made tweaks since the Staal winning EDMONTON — The man they call “Gabby” unleashed a pretty comical goal against Colorado that Boudreau referred to Tuesday morning. soliloquy on the Wild’s stinky power play Tuesday morning. The all-lefty power play is no more and right-shot Charlie Coyle has Stemming from a loss in Vancouver the night before in which the Wild landed on the unit with Staal, Jason Zucker, Granlund and Ryan Suter. power play couldn’t convert when the team needed it most, coach Bruce But the biggest tweak is Staal no longer sits in the right circle waiting for Boudreau said you could look at the Wild’s power play two ways: The one-timers. “glass half-full” way, in that the Wild often generate good looks and chances, so the goals should come in buckets at some point; or the Zucker has moved to that spot and Staal is now between the circles “glass half-empty” way in that, “We have to find a way to score, and that waiting for Granlund passes or Suter wristers to redirect. That’s how we better make the power play a weapon and not just something we put Staal tied Tuesday’s score at 3-3 with 1:40 left in the second period. out there.” Giles Ferrell Boudreau insinuated that some in the locker room were under the “glass @gilesferrell half-full” opinion. Eric Staal redirects this Ryan Suter shot to knot the score for Minnesota. “I’m probably not as positive on the outlook,” Boudreau said. “I guess #mnwild what I’m trying to say is that it’s the ‘glass half-empty’ for me. We have to get it done no matter what. I don’t care if it’s a goal like Eric Staal’s where 10:45 PM - Oct 30, 2018 it flubs off a Colorado guy and goes in the net (like Saturday night). Whatever happens we have to find a way to get a goal when we need it 25 on the power play. It usually makes or breaks a season.” See Giles Ferrell's other Tweets Fast forward to Tuesday night, and let’s just say Boudreau’s tune Twitter Ads info and privacy changed quite drastically after watching the Wild go 3-for-3 with the man advantage to beat lightning-fast Connor McDavid and the Edmonton “I’m not (Alex) Ovechkin. I’m not (Patrik) Laine,” Staal said. “To be able to Oilers, 4-3, at Rogers Place. be on that side on the outside one-timer, it’s a tough play. I think I’m better suited as a guy around the puck. I like to be around it. I like to have Is Boudreau’s power-play glass half-full or -empty now? the touches. Obviously rebounds and tips is a little bit more of my game. “Full. I can’t have another drink,” Boudreau deadpanned after the Wild Not that I can’t do it. I just think the way that we’re set up I’m better suited rallied from three one-goal deficits to take the regulation win thanks to there. We kind of made that switch on our own a little bit the last couple Mikael Granlund’s late third-period power-play dagger. “It was really good of games and talked to (assistant coach) Dean (Evason) about it and he tonight, and it started to — I think that’s five goals in the last three liked it and we went that way and it’s getting better as we go.” games. It’s starting to come along, so that’s a really positive sign.” Boudreau said the original suggestion was made by Granlund, but during What does 3-for-3 do to the complexion of one’s power play? the second intermission Saturday, Boudreau and Evason decided it was time for a change because of the “non-success.” In one night, the Wild power play ranking climbed from 25th in the NHL at a 13.9 percent success rate to 16th in the NHL at 20.5 percent. Against the Oilers, Boudreau scrambled his lines a bit by skating Staal with rookie Jordan Greenway, who was playing his fifth game in six Oh, and your Minnesota Wild suddenly boast the league’s fifth-best road nights in four cities, and Coyle. Joel Eriksson Ek centered Zucker and power play at 29.4 percent. Nino Niederreiter, who had two assists for his first multi-point game of the season and drew the penalty that led to Granlund’s winner. “Obviously huge,” said Staal, who scored his 399th career goal and was one of the three power-play goal scorers along with Zach Parise and “I was really happy,” Boudreau said of Niederreiter, who hasn’t scored a Granlund. “The guys on the power play are out there to make plays and goal since March 24 (25 straight games, including the playoffs). “I was be a difference and tonight we were. That’s a good thing. We are still hoping he would score an empty-netter but he gets two assists. The getting comfortable with our setup and our guys and how we move. I other things will come because he works hard.” thought we did a little bit of a better job of shooting pucks and had a little bit more of an attack mentality toward the net.” There’s no doubt the Wild showed sloppiness at times, especially when it came to taking care of the puck and executing passes. Granlund, for a change, especially had that attack mentality. Suter and Matt Dumba struggled for a second straight night (Dumba was The team’s best playmaker and offensive catalyst is coming off minus-6 in the two games), although Dumba preserved the win in consecutive 20-goal seasons and leads the Wild this season with six, but regulation by blocking Milan Lucic’s stab at a gaping net with nine he has got a lethal shot and the Wild so, so, so … so wish he’d utilize it seconds left in the third. more. At 5-on-5, Mikko Koivu and Granlund also had a long night flubbing Granlund can score from the craziest angles and also often pucks and not playing quick hockey. A bad offensive-zone shift led to demonstrates dead-point accuracy. He did just that late in the third when McDavid being shot out of a cannon, turning Suter inside out like a he snapped a 3-3 tie by walking deep into the right faceoff circle, picking pretzel and scoring a magnificent goal to beat Stalock. the tightest of spots over Cam Talbot’s left shoulder and sniping it right there with 5 minutes, 48 seconds left. NHL GIFs NHL GIFs ✔

✔ @NHLGIFs

@NHLGIFs .@cmcdavid97 continues to be unbelievable. 

That shot is  10:16 PM - Oct 30, 2018

11:29 PM - Oct 30, 2018 1,209 524 304 people are talking about this 107 people are talking about this Twitter Ads info and privacy Twitter Ads info and privacy Unbelievably, that was the end of a 1:19 shift for the superstar captain. “The people of Edmonton are really lucky for the next 15, 20 years,” “I don’t know if we didn’t take it seriously enough or it was the first game Boudreau said. “Man, that guy scares the crap out of you every time he of the road trip or whatever. They were determined tonight … so it was a steps on the ice. So he’s one heck of a hockey player.” good effort.” But the Wild gutted this thing out. The Wild flew back to St. Paul after the game, where they’ll spend the next few days before resuming their seven-game road swing in St. Louis They gave up 22 first-period shots, although the 5-on-5 scoring chances on Saturday night. were charted by naturalstattrick.com as 15-12 in favor of the Oilers in the first. The Wild would only give up 15 shots the rest of the game, including “It was a gutty win. We stuck with it,” Staal said. “It wasn’t an easy night, five in the third period despite being the team that played the night before but it was a night we deserved to win the game.” and going up against a fresh, rested, red-hot team. The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 The Wild improved to 3-0 in the second night of back-to-backs this season. They’ve rallied to win each of those games and improved to a league-best 6-2-1 when the opponent scores first. “Pretty amazing. I guess we’re in great shape,” Stalock said after his 34- save evening. Earlier in the day, Boudreau questioned whether his stubbornly slow- starting team was “going to wait until the middle of the second period to start playing.” During a team meeting, Boudreau challenged his team “to start work on time.” He told them, “If they’re doing something and they find they’re not getting ready, then do something different, whatever that something is right now. And I told them, if it’s something that I’m saying that’s not getting through, or we’re not doing a good enough job in the morning at morning skates, let us know.” The Wild actually started Tuesday’s game well but wound up on their heels because of a pair of Greg Pateryn penalties. But the Wild’s fifth- ranked penalty kill, one that has been tested over and over again because the Wild have been shorthanded a league-high 53 times, went 5-for-5. Still, Leon Draisaitl scored just after one power play expired, but Parise answered with his fourth goal after a nice Eriksson Ek forecheck freed a puck. NHL Daily 365 @NHLDaily365 ZACH PARISE KNOTS IT UP AT 1 FOR MINNESOTA!#MNWild 10:02 PM - Oct 30, 2018 39 See NHL Daily 365's other Tweets Twitter Ads info and privacy “They were pretty passive, I think, (on the penalty kill), so it just felt like compared to the last couple teams we played, it felt like we had a little more time to set it up and settle down bobbled pucks,” Parise said. “They backed off a little bit and more so stayed tight to the front of the net.” Still, McDavid would score the highlight-reel goal for a 2-1 lead, but defenseman Jared Spurgeon, the Edmonton native, tied the score at 2-2 with his fifth career goal against the Oilers and second in Edmonton. Minnesota Wild

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@mnwild

Niederreiter ➡️ Staal ➡️ Spurgeon ➡️ 

10:56 PM - Oct 30, 2018 73 See Minnesota Wild's other Tweets Twitter Ads info and privacy Alex Chiasson scored less than a minute later after a bad Dumba turnover, but Eriksson Ek drew a penalty and Staal converted. “I thought especially in the third period we did a lot of willing and sacrificed and Alex was really good at handling the puck when they were getting it deep,” Boudreau said. “He helped us an awful lot. It was a gutsy win, I thought. I think it was the response we were looking for from everybody. I thought (Monday) was a game that we could have won and we didn’t. 1112883 Montreal Canadiens

Devin Shore has three-point night as Stars down Canadiens 4-1

KELSEY PATTERSON

Devin Shore scored and added two assists as the Dallas Stars defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 on Tuesday for their first road victory of the season. Esa Lindell, Miro Heiskanen and Alexander Radulov, with the empty netter, scored for the Stars (6-5-0) in the second match of their six-game road trip. Ben Bishop made 34 saves. Jason Spezza played in his 1,000th career NHL game. Brendan Gallagher scored for the Canadiens (6-3-2) while Carey Price stopped 18-of-21 shots in defeat. With the Stars leading 2-1 in the third, Shore put the game to bed with a short-handed goal at 9:27 – Dallas’ first short-handed marker of the season. A bad giveaway by Montreal’s Artturi Lehkonen behind his own goal gave the puck right to Shore, who chipped a backhander top corner past Price. The 24-year-old Shore had five points in 10 games this season before adding three points on Tuesday. Bishop improved to 12-4-3 all-time against the Canadiens though he had help from his posts in the first period. Mike Reilly fired a slap shot off the iron just two minutes into the game, fooling even the goal-light operator, before Karl Alzner hit the post later in the period. In the second, Lehkonen was awarded a penalty shot after John Klingberg slashed him on a breakaway. Lehkonen tried going five-hole but Bishop made the easy save. Globe And Mail LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112884 Montreal Canadiens

In the Habs' Room: 'Our power play wasn't working,' Gallagher says Canadiens' sparkplug forward scored his team's only goal in a 4-1 loss to Dallas, but bemoans Montreal's lack of success on special teams.

PAT HICKEY, MONTREAL GAZETTE

The Canadiens’ special teams have to be a lot better. That was the message to take away from the Canadiens’ 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars Tuesday night. The Canadiens had four power plays and managed only one shot on goal. And the Stars opened a 3-1 lead in the third period when Devin Shore scored a short-handed goal. “We knew they had a good power play, but the disappointing part is that our power play wasn’t working,” said Brendan Gallagher, who scored the lone Montreal goal. “When you’re minus-one, you don’t give yourself a chance. We were down 2-1, we get a power play and we’re thinking of tying the game and we end up giving up a goal. We can’t let that happen.” Gallagher provided the blueprint for beating Dallas goaltender Ben Bishop with his goal. He went hard to the net and chipped the puck over Bishop after the goaltender stopped a shot from Tomas Tatar. “That’s how you have to score (on Bishop),” Gallagher said. “He’s a big goalie and you have to make it tough on those big guys. You have to get traffic in front, that’s the only way to beat guys like him. He made some saves, but we didn’t make it tough on him.” Gallagher had to wait out a video review after Dallas coach Jim Montgomery challenged the goal for goaltender interference, There was contact from Gallagher, but the video review showed he had been pushed into Bishop. “There’s always a little bit of doubt, you never really know,” Gallagher said. “But I will say (the officials) have been consistent this season. We haven’t had every call go our way, but you can compare that goal with the one that went against us in Buffalo. That’s all the players want is consistency.” Bishop made 34 saves as he improved his record against the Canadiens to 12-4-3. “Obviously, it’s fun playing against this team,” Bishop said. “I enjoy the challenge of playing against Carey (Price), who’s obviously one of the best in the world. I didn’t play against the Canadiens last year so it’s been a few years. I like coming into this building. The fans get on me, but they’re very knowledgeable and I see that as recognition that I’m playing well.” “I thought the effort was there, but did we play well enough, that’s another thing,” said coach Claude Julien. “I think the guys were trying. Some nights, things go better than others, but especially in the second period, we lacked cohesion between the (defencemen) and the forwards and we weren’t generating any offence. We took two penalties where the puck ended up in the net and we had to battle from behind.” Joel Armia had more than 18 minutes of ice time and produced five shots on goal and five hits, but Julien said Armia and Artturi Lehkonen have to start finding the back of the net. Max Domi’s six-game point streak came to an end and Julien said the line of Domi, Jonathan Drouin and Lehkonen “didn’t have it tonight.” Forward Nikita Scherbak, who has yet to play this season, was sent to the Laval Rocket for conditioning purposes, which means he won’t have to be exposed to waivers. There could be a player coming the other way because the Canadiens lost Paul Byron to a lower-body injury in the second period and Montreal is down to 12 forwards. That means Andrew Shaw is probably back in for Thursday’s game against Washington. Julien said it wouldn’t be fair to throw Scherbak into the fire because he hasn’t played. He said he hoped that Scherbak would return as a better player. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112885 Montreal Canadiens

About last night ... Dallas rides Bishop to 4-1 win

MIKE BOONE

If the Canadiens find themselves in the Stanley Cup final, let’s hope they’re not facing Ben Bishop. Let’s return to reality: In a game between two teams unlikely to be playing in late May, the Dallas goaltender kept his team in the game through a first-period bombardment at the Bell Centre. Bishop made 10 saves, while his teammates managed a grand total of two shots on Carey Price. Then the game changed. Bishop stopped Artturi Lehkonen’s penalty shot early in the second period. And the Canadiens would have been better off if the foul on Lehkonen had resulted in a Dallas penalty, because Esa Lindell opened the scoring on the power play that continued. Brendan Gallagher’s third-period goal – ruled good after a lengthy video review – made it a game for a little while. But Bishop was unbeatable on every other shot. And there were a lot of them. The Canadiens had 16 SoG in the third period, but Bishop was a wall. Which we could have anticipated. Tuesday night’s win raised the goaltender’s record against the Canadiens to 12-4-3. Heading into the game, Bishop had a 1.77 GAA and .933 save percentage against the Canadiens. The Dallas goaltender got some breaks. The Canadiens clanged the iron a few times … as did Dallas. But the home team was generally inept on their four futile power plays. “The power play wasn’t good enough,” Gallagher said, in a segment telecast on L’Antichambre. “It starts there. We have to take charge of that. “We just didn’t do a good enough job of making it hard on Bishop.” Gallagher waxed a bit philosophical while putting the loss in context. “You’re going to deal with little bits of adversity throughout the year. You can’t let yourself get frustrated. You waste way too much emotion and way too much thought on stuff that’s out of your control.” Gallagher said the Canadiens had to do “a better job of keeping our cool, for sure.” He was alluding to a third period during which the Canadiens, despite a 16-6 shot advantage, surrendered three goals … capped by Alexander Radulov’s empty-netter. “Even though it was 4-1, it wasn’t a bad game for us,” Claude Julien said. “There were things we could have done better. Our defenders gave up too much space in the neutral zone, which let them pick up speed, especially in the second period. “But the effort was there,” the coach added. “Unfortunately, the result wasn’t.” It doesn’t get easier. Next up in the homestand: Washington on Thursday, Tampa bay on Saturday. • Comment on the Liveblog from Philip Leefe: Good start but our $10.5 million dollar goalie is outplayed once again by the guy in the other crease. Every mistake went in the net while Bishop covered up all of Dallas’s mistakes. • Julien did not offer an update on paul Byron, who left the game in the second period. • Nikita Scherbak has been assigned to Laval “for conditioning purposes.” Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112886 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens can't overcome poor play on special teams in loss to Stars Montreal allows one power-play goal and one short-handed goal, while mustering only one shot during its four chances with the man advantage.

PAT HICKEY, MONTREAL GAZETTE

The Canadiens’ special teams made the difference Tuesday night and not in a good way. The Dallas Stars scored a power-play goal and a short-handed goal en route to a 4-1 win over the Canadiens at the Bell Centre. The Canadiens attempted a comeback in the third period when Brendan Gallagher cut the Dallas lead to 2-1 with his seventh goal of the season at the 2:58 mark. Gallagher left a drop pass for Tomas Tatar and then made a beeline to the net. Ben Bishop stopped Tatar’s shot, but Gallagher chipped the puck over the goaltender. Dallas coach Jim Montgomery challenged the goal, claiming there was goaltender interference, but the video review showed Gallagher was pushed into the goalie. Montreal had a chance to tie the game later in the period when they went on a power play, but Devin Shore restored the Stars’ two-goal lead when he completed a three-point night with a short-handed goal at 9:27. Overall, Montreal went 0-for-4 on the power play with only one shot on goal. The penalty kill proved to be the Canadiens’ undoing in the second period after they held the upper hand throughout an uptempo first. Montreal used its speed and strong forecheck to outshoot Dallas 10-2. While the Canadiens failed to score, they came close as Mike Reilly and Karl Alzner hit posts. A strange sequence of events led to the first goal. After being outshot in the first period, Dallas went on the power play 10 seconds into the second period. Montreal used a strong forecheck to turn the puck over in the neutral zone and Artturi Lehkonen had a breakaway. He was hooked by Alex Radulov, which would have had the teams playing 4-on-4. But Montreal got what turned out to be a bad break when Lehkonen was awarded a penalty shot. When Ben Bishop made the save on Lehkonen, the Stars still had the man advantage and Price was facing an odd-man situation when defenceman Esa Lindell scored on a feed from Shore. The second Dallas goal was not technically a power-play goal, but it came 10 seconds after Nicolas Deslauriers finished serving a minor for hooking and Montreal was getting organized when defenceman Miro Heiskanen scored at 7:24. Former Canadien Radulov scored the last Dallas goal into an empty net. Forward Paul Byron left the game in the second period with a lower-body injury. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112887 Montreal Canadiens Domi is also having fun getting to know the city of Montreal better. “It’s interesting,” the 23-year-old said. “Any time you get to live somewhere new, everything’s cool. The landscapes, driving through Old Stu Cowan: Max Domi is enjoying the spotlight with Canadiens Montreal, it’s got that mini-Europe feel. Downtown is cool, the Bell Centre "Some guys they don’t like that (attention), but for me it’s good and I’m is awesome and the facilities here in Brossard are incredible, too. So it’s really enjoying it," surging Habs centre says. been awesome and I can’t say enough about how everyone has treated me since I got here and I’m really happy to be here. It’s been fun and I’m just getting started, so hopefully we can keep it going.” STU COWAN, MONTREAL GAZETTE Domi has also quickly become a very recognizable face to fans on the streets of Montreal.

“I don’t mind it,” he said about the attention. “It’s part of the job, right? So I remember being at a golf tournament years ago and sitting at the same I enjoy it.” dinner table as former Canadiens captain Yvan Cournoyer. Yvan Cournoyer will smile if he reads that quote. During the meal, Cournoyer was interrupted several times by fans asking for an autograph. He politely signed them before returning to his meal Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.31.2018 and I wondered how many times in his life Cournoyer had experienced that situation and I asked if he ever got bothered by it. The Hall of Famer responded it would bother him when people no longer wanted his autograph. Playing in Montreal’s hockey fishbowl can be difficult — especially when the team is losing — but it can also be very rewarding to players who thrive in the spotlight and there’s a long list of Canadiens who have, including Cournoyer with his 10 Stanley Cups. But in recent years, more players have wilted under the Montreal spotlight than thrived in it, which is part of the reason why the Canadiens haven’t won a Stanley Cup since 1993. It’s still very early this season, but Max Domi is quickly showing he enjoys the Montreal spotlight and he has thrived in it, posting team- leading 5-6-11 totals in 10 games heading into Tuesday night’s matchup with the Dallas Stars at the Bell Centre. Domi basically grew up in the spotlight as the son of a former NHLer. He was born in Winnipeg on March 2, 1995, when his father, Tie, was playing for the Jets. A month later, Tie was traded to the Maple Leafs and Domi grew up watching his father play 11 seasons in the bright Toronto spotlight. “I think I’ve had that (spotlight) my whole life,” Domi said after Tuesday’s morning skate in Brossard. “Just seeing how (my father) handled himself.” As the son of a Maple Leaf, Domi was in the spotlight when he played minor hockey for the Don Mills Flyers in the Greater Toronto Hockey League and again in junior, when he played in front of home crowds averaging around 9,000 during four seasons with the ’s London Knights. When the 2015 World Junior Hockey Championship was held in the bright spotlight of Montreal and Toronto, Domi was named the tournament’s top forward after scoring a goal and adding two assists in Team Canada’s 5-4 win over Russia in the gold- medal game at the Air Canada Centre. Then Domi went to play in that hockey hotbed of Arizona. His rookie season in 2015-16 with the Coyotes went very well, when he posted 18- 34-52 totals, but in the next two seasons Domi scored 18 goals combined, leading to his trade to the Canadiens in exchange for Alex Galchenyuk. Did playing in a non-hockey market in front of small crowds take a toll on Domi — the kid who grew up in the spotlight? “No,” Domi said. “I think any time you play in an NHL game it’s a huge honour to be in this league and you’re excited to play every single game. So I wouldn’t say that had much to do with it.” He then added: “Playing in a market like this, where around the clock you’re thinking about that next game … not to say you weren’t doing that in Arizona, but it’s just that here it’s magnified by a lot and it’s a good thing. Some guys they don’t like that, but for me it’s good and I’m really enjoying it.” When asked if he felt he had something to prove coming to Montreal, Domi said: “No, not at all. I think we all as NHL players have something to prove every single night. But I wouldn’t look at it that way as something to prove at all. Obviously, last year in Phoenix we didn’t make the playoffs and so we all had a bit of a sour taste in our mouth. I went through some ups and downs, but you focus on working hard in the summer and usually you get rewarded. “These guys have all welcomed me with open arms and I’m thankful for the group we have here,” he added. “Obviously, a great veteran leadership group combined with a nice young core and it’s awesome. It’s fun to be a part of.” 1112888 Montreal Canadiens

Liveblog: Dallas beats Canadiens 4-1

MIKE BOONE

Alexander Radulov’s empty-netter capped a weird one at the Bell Centre. Brendan Gallagher’s early-third-period goal made it interesting … for a while. But Devin Shore’s shorthanded goal made it 3-1 and sealed the deal. Artturi Lehkonen’s shorthanded penalty shot was stopped by Ben Bishop seconds into the second period. Then Esa Lindell scored on the Dallas power play. It was the Stars’ third shot of the game. And six minutes later, a Miro Heiskanen rocket beat Carey Price to give the visitors a 2-0 lead … on eight shots on goal. Shots were 35-22 for the team that lost. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112889 Montreal Canadiens the game away from the fans in the process. Don’t be surprised if there’s another lockout in 2020.

As Bergevin once said himself: “If you want loyalty, buy a dog.” Canadiens Game Day: 'Talk to Bergy,' Radulov says after Stars win 4-1 Wheels fall off for Habs after fast start Former Canadien pots empty-net goal after fans boo him almost every time he touched the puck at Bell Centre. The Canadiens got off to a fast start against the Stars, outshooting them 10-2 in the first period.

Then while the Canadiens’ were short-handed, Artturi Lehkonen was STU COWAN, MONTREAL GAZETTE awarded a penalty shot only 48 seconds into the second period. He was stopped trying to shoot for the five-hole against Stars goalie Ben Bishop and then the wheels fell off for the Canadiens. Canadiens Game Day is a new feature this season in which we will follow the Habs during every home game from the morning skate in Brossard The Stars’ Esa Lindell scored a power-play goal at 1:49 of the second through the post-game interviews at the Bell Centre, updating throughout period when the shots were 12-4 for the Canadiens and then Miro the day with all the news, quotes, notes and opinion you’re looking for: Heiskanen made it 2-0 at the 7:24 mark and the Stars never looked back. Former Canadien Alexander Radulov didn’t want to talk to the media who Brendan Gallagher made things interesting when he scored his team- showed up at the Bell Centre for the Dallas Stars’ morning skate on leading seventh goal of the season for the Canadiens at 2:58 of the third Tuesday, walking past them and simply saying: “No.” period, banging in a rebound from the top of the crease — where else? The Stars called for a goalie-interference video review, but the goal He still didn’t want to talk to the Montreal media after the Stars’ 4-1 win counted because Gallagher had been pushed into Bishop by over the Canadiens Tuesday night in which he scored the final goal into defenceman John Klinberg. an empty net. The Stars’ Devin Shore delivered the knockout blow with a short-handed A Stars media-relations person said Radulov was unavailable because goal at 9:27 of the third period after Lehkonen was stripped of the puck in he was undergoing post-game treatment. When J.F. Chaumont of the front of his own net. Radulov put the finishing touch on the Stars’ victory Journal de Montréal spotted Radulov in the treatment room beside the when he scored into an empty net at 17:23. Stars locker room he asked the Russian if he could come out to talk. Canadiens goalie Carey Price, coming off a 3-0 shutout win Saturday “Talk to Bergy,” Radulov told Chaumont. night in Boston, allowed three goals on the 21 shots he faced as the Canadiens outshot the Stars 35-22. After posting 18-36-54 totals in 76 games with the Canadiens during the 2016-17 season, Radulov left for Dallas after Canadiens GM Marc The Canadiens saw their record fall to 6-3-2. Bergevin made final “first-come, first-served” contract offers to Radulov and Andrei Markov and then lost both of them as free agents. Radulov “It wasn’t the greatest game,” Julien said. “I’m not going to stand here signed a five-year contract worth $31.25 million with an annual salary- and say our effort wasn’t good. There was a good effort. Now, did we cap hit of $6.25 million with the Stars, while Markov went back home to play well enough? That’s another thing. I don’t think we played well Russia to play for Kazan Ak-Bars, where he won the KHL’s . enough, but I can’t complain about the effort. I think the guys were trying. Some nights things go a lot better than others. I felt especially in the Last season with the Stars, Radulov posted 27-45-72 totals while playing second period we lacked cohesion (with) too many of the Ds and in all 82 games. This season, the 32-year-old has 5-6-11 totals in seven forwards and we weren’t generating as much.” games. Radulov returned to the Stars lineup Tuesday night after missing the previous four games with a lower-body injury. He logged 21:04 of ice The Stars improved their record to 6-5-0 with their first road win of the time against the Canadiens, with two shots, two hits, a plus-1 and the season. empty-net goal. “A tough game,” Spezza said. “We know how well they’ve been playing “He’s obviously a big part of our team,” the Stars’ Jason Spezza said and I thought they outplayed us in the first and Bish stood tall and gave after the game about Radulov. “He’s an emotional guy, he’s a physical us a chance. Then I thought we did a really good job in the second of player. He protects pucks well. He’s a big part of our team, so it was nice really taking over the game by cycling and playing a hard, heavy game to get him back. I think the more and more he plays he’ll get back up to and did a lot of good things.” speed. But just to have him there emotionally it was important for us.” Lehkonen gets a shorthanded penalty shot, but is denied by Ben Bishop. After the game, Canadiens coach Claude Julien said his team wasn’t pic.twitter.com/6P9fHQAvCW— Scott Matla (@scottmatla) October 31, focused on Radulov. 2018 “Our game plan wasn’t to shut down Radulov,” Julien said. “Our game Byron suffers lower-body injury plan was to more or less shut down their best players and it’s more than The Canadiens didn’t make any lineup changes against the Stars, Radulov. I think when you look at guys like (Jamie) Benn and guys like meaning forwards Andrew Shaw and Nikita Scherbak were healthy (Tyler) Seguin it was important for us to shut them down. But their power scratches again and defenceman Noah Juulsen sat out with a minor play is what hurt us the most, I think, tonight.” upper-body injury. Officially, the Stars were 1-for-6 on the power play, but one of their goals The Canadiens’ Paul Byron suffered a lower-body injury during the came only seconds after a power play had finished. The Canadiens went second period and did not return to the game. 0-for-4 on the power play. “No idea on Paulie,” Julien said after the game when asked if he had an The Canadiens continued to struggle in the faceoff circle, winning only 44 update on Byron’s injury. per cent of the draws. Buckets @tseguinofficial pic.twitter.com/THYGF2YeWw— Dallas Stars Alexander Radulov returns to the lineup (and to Montreal) tonight. (@DallasStars) October 30, 2018 #GoStars pic.twitter.com/Wto9ZMal6j— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) October 30, 2018 Scherbak sent to Laval Rocket Bell Centre fans boo Radulov After the game, the Canadiens announced that Scherbak, who has been a healthy scratch for all 11 games this season, was being sent to the Canadiens fans loved Radulov when he was in Montreal, but they booed AHL’s Laval Rocket for conditioning purposes. Scherbak was the him almost every time he touched the puck Tuesday night. Canadiens’ first-round pick (26th overall) at the 2014 NHL Draft. There are some fans who believe Radulov was greedy to leave Montreal “Scherbak needs to go and play,” Julien said. “He hasn’t played in over a — calling him “Greedulov” — after Bergevin took a chance on the month. I’m not sure it’s fair to throw him in the lineup here, where he Russian, signing him to join the Canadiens as a free agent after he had hasn’t played in a while. I think a good conditioning stint and make sure spent four seasons with CSKA Moscow in the KHL. that when he comes back he’s got some games under his belt. So that Personally, I have no problem with Radulov or any other NHL player was the intention behind it and I think it’s important for him to find his trying to get as much money as they can from whatever team wants to game and for us to have a better player when we need him.” pay them since their careers are short. And when it comes to greed, NHL Domi’s streak comes to an end owners are more guilty of that since they lock out the players every chance they can to get what they want in collective bargaining — taking The Canadiens’ Max Domi saw his six-game point streak — during which he posted 5-3-8 totals — come to an end against the Stars, finishing the game minus-2 with two shots on goal while winning only 5 of 14 faceoffs of ice time against the Stars and was even in plus/minus. For the season, (36 per cent). Domi’s linemates, Jonathan Drouin and Lehkonen, were Ouellet has 0-3-3 totals and is minus-2 while averaging 16:39 of ice time. also pointless. “I’m really happy for sure,” Ouellet said about his performance after “I think that Domi’s line with Dru and Lehky tonight they didn’t have it as Tuesday’s morning skate. “I always believed I could do it … it was just a much as they’ve had it lately,” Julien said. “Those things happen. So I’m matter of actually getting the opportunity and taking it. I prepared well, I not going to stand here and dwell on one game. Let’s see what we can had a good camp, personally. I think the most fun right now is the way do and bounce back for the next one.” the team’s going.” Fourth line needs to chip in Most nights this season you probably haven’t noticed Ouellet on the ice, which is a good thing for a No. 5 or No. 6 defenceman. The Canadiens’ new, fast-paced style is a lot easier to play when Julien can roll four lines — especially over the course of the long, 82-game “As a D, I think it is a good thing if you don’t get noticed,” Ouellet said. schedule. “Especially the type of game I play … I try to be solid defensively and if you don’t see me it’s because I haven’t made any mistakes.” The fourth line against the Stars had Matthew Peca at centre between Nicolas Deslauriers and Charles Hudon. The line was pointless with #Habs Andrew Shaw and Nikita Scherbak, who will be healthy scratches Hudon logging 11:56 of ice time, Peca 11:37 and Deslauriers 10:33. tonight against @DallasStars, pick up pucks after doing extra work at end of morning skate in Brossard #HabsIO pic.twitter.com/X9tcEv5xd7— Stu After Tuesday’s morning skate, Julien was asked how much ice time he’d Cowan (@StuCowan1) October 30, 2018 like to see his fourth line get each game. Stars rebound nicely “I wouldn’t want you guys to dissect that system and ice time and that,” the coach said. “I think at the end of the day, what I would tell you is that The Stars rebounded nicely against the Canadiens from a 4-2 loss to the in order for us to get the maximum out of our lineup we do need our Red Wings Sunday in Detroit. It was only the second win of the season fourth line. Do we need them for 18 minutes? No, not really. But we need for the Red Wings (2-7-2), who have the worst record in the NHL. them to bring us some good presence where it’s going to give us the energy, it’s going to bring something — whether it’s the forecheck “I think it’s a team that’s coming off a tough loss,” Julien said about the creates offensive chances, whether it’s being on the ice at times when I Stars after Tuesday’s morning skate. “I think they’ll bounce back a little really need them against top lines and being able to give us those kind of bit like we were Saturday (in a 3-0 win over the Boston Bruins) after shifts. But I think we need them for sure. losing to Buffalo. They lost to Detroit. I’m sure that one stung and they’re going to want to bounce back. We should and we’ll probably see their “As far as time is concerned, I think a lot of it depends on the game,” best tonight.” Julien added. “There’s no doubt we need four lines, not just in the system. In today’s game, you look at most teams and I don’t think we’re The Canadiens did — especially in the last two periods. much different than anybody else as far as the amount of ice time, but I Click on this link to watch full video of #Habs GM Marc Bergevin's news think every team knows nowadays with the schedule and the way the conference Monday in Brossard #HabsIO: https://t.co/KfqmGV5Y6C game is played — the pace of the game has picked up in the last few pic.twitter.com/OodiyF6OpC— Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) October 30, years — you have to be able to rely on your fourth line.” 2018 Last season, Julien struggled to find an identity on his fourth line. This Habs honour Stars’ Spezza season, the coach says the fourth line will have two identities. The Stars’ Spezza played in his 1,000th career NHL regular-season “I think some of it depends on who we’re playing,” Julien said. “We’ve game Tuesday night and the Canadiens congratulated him on the giant been able to try and use those two identities, whether it’s been a little bit screen at the Bell Centre during a TV timeout in the first period. more grit or whether it’s been giving us a little bit more balance on the attack — and I think a lot of it depends who’s on the other side. What The Montreal fans gave Spezza a nice ovation. kind of team you’re playing and how they play and we’ve been able to kind of adjust accordingly.” “That was really nice,” said Spezza, who was pointless in 18:44 of ice time while winning 13 of 17 faceoffs (76 per cent) against the Canadiens. There will be a lot of NHL scouts in Bell Centre press box for tonight’s “Definitely unexpected. It’s nice to get respect from a hockey community game between #Habs and ⁦@DallasStars⁩ #HabsIO like this that follows the game and knows the game so well. So it pic.twitter.com/rxDpXvgGOC— Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) October 30, definitely was a touching moment for me.” 2018 Spezza’s parents were in attendance and they were also shown on the Armia on the power play big screen. Joel Armia continues to have a spot on the Canadiens’ second power- “My dad looks younger than I do,” Spezza said with a smile. “It’s great to play unit even though he has never scored a power-play goal and has be so close to home. Montreal’s such a great city, so for them it’s easy to only six power-play assists in 191 career NHL games. come down from Toronto. It definitely makes it even more special.” Armia has 2-2-4 totals in 11 games this season. The 35-year-old Spezza was selected by the Ottawa Senators with the No. 2 overall pick at the 2001 NHL Draft after the took “There’s a lot of guys that are good right now that aren’t really scoring,” Ilya Kovalchuk with the No. 1 pick. Julien said. “Lehkonen’s another one of them (with only one goal this season). They’re playing good hockey. We’re going to need them to Spezza has 326 goals and 570 assists for 896 career points in his 1,000 score. It’s going to come. I really feel that those guys will eventually find games. the back of the net.” Spezza gets a round of applause from the crowd at Bell Centre.  Click on this link to watch one of the drills #Habs assistant coaches Kirk pic.twitter.com/a1P01NlPWH— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) October 31, Muller and Dominique Ducharme put healthy scratches Andrew Shaw 2018 and Nikita Scherbak through after Tuesday's morning skate in Brossard #HabsIO: https://t.co/u52WMGcemi pic.twitter.com/OWEjdvSrPm— Stu Canadiens trivia Cowan (@StuCowan1) October 30, 2018 What link does Stars coach Jim Montgomery have with the Canadiens? Ouellet a pleasant surprise Montgomery was the player the Canadiens received from the St. Louis One of the pleasant surprises for the Canadiens early this season has Blues on Aug. 19, 1994 when they traded captain Guy Carbonneau. been the play of defenceman Xavier Ouellet. Montgomery, a Montreal native, would only play five games with the Canadiens. Carbonneau spent one season with the Blues before getting The Canadiens signed Ouellet as a free agent on July 1 after Detroit traded to Dallas, where he spent five seasons with the Stars and won the bought out the final season of his two-year, US$2.5-million contract in Stanley Cup in 1999. June after he posted 0-7-7 totals and a minus-3 in 45 games with the Red Wings, unable to crack the roster on a regular basis. He signed a Before joining the Stars this season, Montgomery spent five seasons as one-year, two-way deal with the Canadiens that pays him US$700,000 in head coach at the University of Denver. the NHL and $275,000 in the AHL. What’s next? Ouellet earned a spot among the Canadiens’ top six defencemen during training camp and has yet to miss a game this season. He logged 18:49 The Canadiens will practise at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday in Brossard and will be back in action Thursday night when the Washington Capitals visit the Bell Centre (7:30 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio). The Tampa Bay Lightning will be at the Bell Centre on Saturday (7 p.m., SN360, CITY, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio). Next week, the Canadiens will visit the New York Islanders on Monday (7 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio) and the New York Rangers on Tuesday (7 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio) before returning home to play the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night at the Bell Centre (7:30 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio) and the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday (7 p.m., SN, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio). Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112890 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens’ special teams weren’t so special against the Stars

By Marc Dumont

The Canadiens got off to a great start against the Dallas Stars. They controlled the play during the first 20 minutes by clogging the neutral zone and applying a lot of pressure on the forecheck. That led to a 22-6 shot attempt advantage in the first period and a heat map that looked like this: But their failure to capitalize on their early dominance led to a momentum shift to the Stars’ side in the second period, culminating with a 4-1 loss. Standout – Brendan Gallagher The lone Canadiens goal was the perfect Gallagher goal. It was ugly. It was chaotic. It looked like a Jackson Pollock painting came to life and put on a pair of skates. It was Brendan Gallagher at his best, making life hell on opposing defencemen and goaltenders alike. Not to mention, he started the play by supporting his defenders, stealing the puck and skating it up the ice. Standout – Fourth line For the first time in a long time, the fourth line actually held their own when it came to controlling the play. They outshot and outchanced their opponents, spending much more time than usual in the offensive zone. They even had a few high-danger scoring chances, courtesy of Charles Hudon. But regardless of how many chances they contribute – and let’s be honest, the bar is set rather low for the fourth line – there’s absolutely no margin for error when it comes to their play. A lazy penalty, like the one Nicolas Deslauriers took, can quickly negate any positive contribution. Especially if it leads to a goal against, as it did in this case. Momentum killer If you were watching the game on TV, you probably heard the analysts blame Joel Armia for the giveaway that caused the first Stars goal, but he wasn’t the only player who made an error on the play. Out of all the offenders, he was probably the least at fault. He started by stripping the puck in the neutral zone, following it up with a quick, if not somewhat soft, pass to Paul Byron. Byron overskates the pass and the Stars quickly shift into attack mode. Xavier Ouellet is way too aggressive at the blueline, giving Devin Shore a lane in the offensive zone. Karl Alzner is in a great position to nullify the odd-man rush. He’s blocking the passing lane with his stick, which is exactly what goaltenders want from their defencemen on a 2-on-1. As long as he keeps his stick in the passing lane, he’ll increase the level of difficulty of the initial pass and the pass reception. But Alzner decides to keep waving his stick around as if he’s trying to cool down a bowl of soup, and the result is an easy goal for Esa Lindell. As goals against go, this one was a team effort. Final Word Though the Canadiens only officially allowed one power play goal, they conceded a goal shortly after Deslauriers left the penalty box. That, combined with the Canadiens’ inefficiency on their own power plays, was all it took to tip the scales in favour of the Stars. The Canadiens played quite well at even strength, as evidenced by their 50 shots toward the Stars net, but Ben Bishop was having one of those nights where it would have taken something special to beat him. That’s where the importance of a strong power play strategy factors in. When a team can’t score despite playing well, you need special teams to pick up the slack. Both units failed to do so on Tuesday night against the Stars, and ultimately cost the Canadiens an opportunity to take over second place in the Eastern Conference standings. The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112891 Nashville Predators

Tuesday's recap: Predators 4, Golden Knights 1

Paul Skrbina, Oct. 30, 2018

Ryan Hartman's 57 seconds of fame was more than enough for the Predators on Tuesday during a 4-1 victory against the Golden Knights. Hartman twice converted Kevin Fiala passes into Predators goals in less than a minute during the second period at , his first multi-goal game in a Nashville uniform and first since March 21, 2017. Hartman's first goal, a top-shelf job on Vegas goalie Malcom Subban, was followed by a flurry of fist pumps. Calle Jarnkrok made it 3-1 at 6:37 of the third. Viktor Arvidsson's eighth goal of the season didn't go into the net. But the Predators forward was awarded the score anyway when he took a penalty while attempting a shot after Subban had been removed late in the third. Goalie Juuse Saros started his fifth straight game for the Predators. General manager told 102.5-FM on Tuesday that Pekka Rinne could be activated from injured reserve soon and "hopefully" be back for Thursday's game at Tampa. Rinne has been out since Oct. 20 with an undisclosed injury. Bignumber: 4. Saves by Vegas goalie Malcom Subban against his brother, Predators defenseman P.K. Subban. Quotable: "I had dinner with him last night, and my mom and my girlfriend (Lindsey Vonn). It was a good night. Today, I’ll get ready." — P.K. Subban on his younger brother, Malcolm Subban. Trending: The Predators (9-3) have responded with a victory after each of their losses this season. Next: At Lightning, 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Amalie Arena. TV/radio: Fox Sports /102.5-FM. Tennessean LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112892 Nashville Predators

Predators' top line top of the line, but rest of forwards lacking in production

Paul Skrbina, Nashville Tennessean Published 7:30 a.m. CT Oct. 30, 2018

A defender clinging to him, Filip Forsberg peppered the puck off his stick while skating toward goalie Pekka Rinne during Predators practice Monday at Bridgestone Arena. It came to rest in Rinne's glove, having never touched the ice — or the back of the net, surprisingly — during the sequence. Though it didn't go in this time, Forsberg has made the puck his personal puppet this season, his latest trick his sixth career hat trick on Saturday. Going into Tuesday's game against Vegas, he had 10 goals in 11 games, the most by a Predator to start a season. In the process, Forsberg broke the franchise record of eight in October, which he set last year. He had 15 scoring chances during Saturday's 5-3 loss against the Oilers, the most in the league in one game since the beginning of the 2015-16 season. The Predators' top line of Forsberg (10 goals, 4 assists), Ryan Johansen (2 goals, 11 assists) and Viktor Arvidsson (7 goals, 4 assists) accounted for 19 goals and 19 assists through 11 games. "You can’t really expect numbers. You can't just go by the numbers," said Forsberg, who deflected most credit to Johansen and Arvidsson. "The league is too good to expect that. ... I want to be on the scoresheet. I got a few goals the other night but it didn’t end up in a win." The second, third and fourth lines, as far as offensive production goes, not so much. The rest of the team's forwards had combined for 11 goals and 18 assists going into Tuesday. Those numbers are something coach Peter Laviolette can't help but go by, at least partially. "Those ... are real numbers, and it’s not good," Laviolette said. "We’re looking for some support underneath that top line, making sure we’re attacking the game offensively. Sometimes you have to see things going on offensively, even if it's not going in the net." The bottom line is, Laviolette would like to see more scoring chances beyond those created by the top line. The Predators might very well need them this week, which began with Tuesday's game against the Knights and continued Thursday against the Lightning and Saturday against the Bruins. "We have Tampa Bay coming up from the east, probably should circle that one," Laviolette said. "We just played Winnipeg and Minnesota; we probably should have circled those. New Jersey was a top team in the East last year. I’m glad we circled that one. "Tell me one where I don’t have to circle it and I'm going to sleep in." As for Forsberg, Johansen and Arvidsson, they'd like to continue to keep other teams up at night. "We try to do a little bit of everything," Forsberg said. "(Johansen) is pass-first; 'Arvy' is shoot-first and I try to do a little bit of both. That works really good for everybody." The Predators just need everybody else to step up. Tennessean LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112893 Nashville Predators possession of the puck, this aggressive style puts them in good position to pursue the puck carrier.

Another bonus of this style of play is that once they gain possession, it’s Samuels-Thomas: Why the Predators are poised to have more than just very difficult for opponents to sort out their defensive responsibilities. regular-season success Much of this is due to Nashville’s D-core that arguably boasts the best top-four defensive group in the league. Together P.K Subban, Roman Josi, Mattias Ekholm and Ryan Ellis have powered one of the leagues By Jordan Samuels-Thomas Oct 30, 2018 highest scoring bluelines the last couple of years. When Nashville has possession in the O-zone, it doesn’t take long for their blueliners to start lurking around the net or find a soft spot between the dots, looking for a scoring chance. Once again, this is only possible with a forward group Ten games into the NHL season it appears that the Nashville Predators that buys into the style that Laviolette wants to play. have picked up right where they left off last season. The 2017-18 Presidents’ Trophy winners again find themselves near the top of the The Predators don’t give up much of anything in their defensive zone. If NHL standings and one of the early Stanley Cup favorites. you have the luxury of a DVR, press pause when Nashville’s opponent has the puck at or below the dots in Nashville’s defensive zone. You will Now in his fifth season behind the Predators bench, head coach Peter see just how defensively-sound this team is. Laviolette has made headlines with his comical post-game interviews that have his team feeling pretty loose off the ice while they continue to take Here you see another example of Nashville’s cohesive five-man unit care of business on the ice. The Predators appear to be in midseason taking away their opponent’s options. It should look like the “five” on a form, playing a fast and intense style of hockey. die. Coach’s commonly refer to the structure illustrated above as “five-on- a-die.” Is this Predators team for real and primed for a Cup run? They have proven they have the type of team that can sustain success throughout This is the Predators most conservative part of their five-on-five game. the regular season, but more importantly, they are starting to show signs Once it’s clear their opponent’s have possession, the Predators are that they’ve grown and are poised to take the franchise to new heights. content sitting back in this compact formation. They’re fine with teams Here’s a look at what I’ve noticed so far this season and why Nashville holding on to the puck from the perimeter because they have players fans should continue believing this team can achieve something special. who are willing to block shots and two goalies who they trust to stop shots from this distance. The 30.5 shots a game the Predators currently Organizational depth allow ranks 13th in the league. Most of those shots are not high quality. Organizational depth has already been tested during the early stages of However, if the puck is bobbled or an opponent’s back is turned, the season. Juuse Saros has filled in admirably for the injured Pekka Nashville returns to its aggressive nature. Once puck possession has Rinne. been regained, the Preds will even have their winger fly the zone, looking Rocco Grimaldi has shown what an important depth signing he could turn for a quick stretch pass. Once the puck is pushed back in the offensive out to be when he was called up last week and was inserted in the lineup zone Nashville’s relentless pursuit ensues. They run a torpedo style in favor of Frederick Gaudreau. The 5-foot-8 forward had a strong forecheck that leaves little breathing room for their opponent. Even when performance playing top-six minutes against New Jersey and Edmonton. it appears the forecheck has been solved, the forwards do a great job in backtracking, putting the puck carrier under duress. Also consider the suspension of Austin Watson. The bottom-six forward will provide added size and, more importantly, provide a steady hand on Special teams will get better the teams struggling PK unit. His return should be welcomed in Nashville A big reason for the Predators success is more than just sustainable has especially when games start being played a bit tighter and more physical much to do with the teams ability to win despite their special teams being as the season progresses. non-existent. They’re currently hanging out near the bottom of the Five-man unit rankings with Calgary, Philadelphia, Ottawa, Washington and Florida in the penalty kill category. The Predators are the only team in this group Nashville’s early success is more than just a hot start. The current roster that would qualify for the postseason if the season ended today. Their closely resembles last year’s team, so in a lot of ways, their fast start penalty kill ranks 23rd, sputtering at 75 percent. Carolina and Columbus can’t be too much of surprise. They’ve been dominant on most nights are the only other teams currently in a playoff spot that own worse and when they haven’t brought their best game (like last Thursday in numbers. New Jersey) they’ve been able to stick to their concepts and grind their way to victory. I’ve noted numerous times that an aggressive approach to their game has been what makes this team tick. As hard as they work to close space For a team that currently ranks sixth in goals scored, it’s encouraging to 5v5, they find themselves giving their opposition too much space with the see that their strong defensive play sets them up offensively. The man advantage. Power play units consist mostly of a team’s most highly Predators always look like they’re operating as a cohesive five-man unit skilled players. The last thing you want to do is give those type of players in all three zones. This cohesion starts with an apparent trust shared time and space but that’s exactly what Nashville has been doing. I between Nashville forwards and defensemen. Without that trust, their believe being less passive will solve a lot of Nashville’s PK woes. aggressive, smothering style of play wouldn’t be as effective as it’s proven to be. For as bad as their penalty kill has been, their power play has been even worse. A unit that’s been on a life support, they’ve converted on just 14.6 Now it’s important to point out that aggression shouldn’t be confused with percent of their chances and have just recently moved out of the bottom being risky or dangerous. Rather, it should be associated with their five in this category. I’ve seen improvement on their power play as commitment to take away time and space from their opponent. You hear recently as their game in New Jersey. They did a better job in puck the phrase “time and space” thrown around a lot in hockey, especially in retrieval and attempting more shots on goal. The area where they can analysis involving top teams. That responsibility is a shared one and is a improve the most is in their zone entries. They struggle to enter the O- concept the Predators have really bought into. zone cleanly, and once they’re in the zone, they struggle handling pressure from their opponents. Expect to see continued improvement When Nashville is clicking on all cylinders it’s hard to decide if it’s their from support players to make zone entries easier on the puck carriers. defensemen or forwards who deserve the bulk of the credit. One would not have the same success without the other and you can see their Both special team numbers should go up as they continue to get more cohesive dynamic at work all over the ice. In the O-zone, Nashville’s repetitions. They’ve played similar in almost every facet of their game if defensemen are highly adept when it comes to pinching down on you compare this year to last year. Special teams shouldn’t be much opposing wingers along the halfwall. They are very aggressive in this different but early on they’ve struggled to catch up to last season’s pace. aspect of the game and it isn’t too uncommon to see a Nashville D-man A solid season for special teams should see the PP and PK percentage pinch well below the hashmarks in order to keep an offensive play alive. add up to 100 or more when combined. Last years PP finished 12th at 21 percent and their PK was even stronger ranking sixth, preventing a goal The Predators defenders can play that way because they trust that their against 81.9 percent of the time. forwards will be in the right position to support them by filling into their vacated spot near the blueline. This leaves the forward in a safe What makes this Nashville team different? defensive posture in case the puck does get past pinching D-men. Nashville’s forwards have shown a commitment to doing that early on in Why should fans believe this season’s Predators have a better chance at the season. This means that even when the Preds don’t have the puck winning the Cup than seasons prior? Early season success does not on their stick, they remain dangerous offensively. They cause a lot of equal a successful season, especially for an organization that generally turnovers 200 feet away from their own goal, often hemming in their does enough to reach the playoffs. They’ve appeared in the postseason opponents with long stretches of possession. Even when they don’t have the last four years, highlighted by a trip to the Stanley Cup final in 2017. The difference this season is their top players have taken their games to another level. Amazingly, Nashville won the Presidents’ Trophy last season without having a single player in the top-50 in scoring. Filip Forsberg was their leading scorer, tallying 64-points, which was good enough for 54th in the league. So far this season’s been different. Forsberg, Viktor Arvidsson and Ryan Johansen all currently sit in the top-40 in scoring. And for those who might want to chalk their hot start up to luck, take refuge in the fact that their inefficient power play and it’s eventual improvement should contribute to these players maintaining their current level of production. Forsberg continues to prove he’s the team’s top offensive weapon while continuing to be an annoyance to his opponents. He’s played detailed on both ends of the ice and appears to have taken his defensive game to another level. He currently leads Nashville in plus/minus. Arvidsson’s seven goals put him well on track to crack the 30-goal mark again. He’s scored 60 goals in the last two seasons and seems to have found even more confidence in his shot. His 25 percent shooting percentage is tied for the highest mark on the team and has taken 12 fewer shots than Forsberg. He’s been both selective and accurate. Johansen’s 11 assists has him trending favorably toward his career-high 71-point campaign of 2014-15. With Joe Thornton nearing retirement, the Sedin’s departure, and Ryan Getzlaf constantly battling injuries, Johansen has the opportunity to carry the torch as the best play maker in the Western Conference … not named Connor McDavid. Their continued production, combined with their aforementioned offensive prowess from their blueline should make Nashville even more dangerous than the season prior. That extra-added boost of offense might be enough to tip the scales in Nashville’s favor come playoff time. But until then, Nashville has to continue playing their brand of hockey. Treating the regular season success not as a prize but as preparation for the true task at hand: Taking this mid-western franchise from being an annual fun story with cool playoff performances to giving the city of Nashville something to really party about. The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112894 Nashville Predators The Predators’ second line, which has been a bit unlucky, will eventually find a rhythm. A major concern, though, is the third line, which has struggled on both ends of the ice. Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen and Viktor Arvidsson are carrying the A statistical argument can be made that Nick Bonino is the Predators’ Predators’ offense. Where’s everybody else? worst-performing forward, at least when judged against his perceived importance to the team. Jarnkrok and Hartman haven’t fared much better (keeping in mind the line’s heavy usage in the defensive zone). It’s not a By Adam Vingan Oct 30, 2018 perfect solution, but swapping Colton Sissons for Bonino might help somewhat.

Things could be worse. The Predators’ offense is one-dimensional, but To the surprise of no one, the Predators’ top line is doing big things. it’s been enough so far. Even so, more is needed. Filip Forsberg, who recorded his sixth career hat trick Saturday, reached “I’ve had some conversations with different people just to try and look to 10 goals faster than any player in team history (and his 15 scoring really put the throttle down offensively to make things happen,” Laviolette chances that day were apparently the most by an NHL player since the said. “We’re looking for some support underneath that top line.” start of the 2015-16 season). Ryan Johansen has six primary assists at even strength and nine overall, placing him among the league leaders in The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 those categories. Viktor Arvidsson continues to generate chances at a high rate. Together, they’re practically unstoppable. So, where’s everybody else? “There’s definitely got to be more,” Predators coach Peter Laviolette said after the team’s loss to the Edmonton Oilers over the weekend. “Right now, the good majority of the 5-on-5 chances are coming from the Johansen line, so there’s definitely a call in to produce more from other sources. “The attempts are low, and the zone time has got to be more substantial. It seems like it’s quick. It’s one-and-done, so we’ve got to find a way to keep it in the zone, generate the looks, generate attempts at the net, quality chances at the net and scoring. The one line is producing quite a bit. We’ve got to get the other lines to pick it up as well.” PRODUCTION BY PREDATORS’ MOST COMMON LINE COMBINATIONS AT 5-ON-5 (VIA CORSICA/NATURAL STAT TRICK) LINE GOAL DIFFERENTIAL (GF-GA) GF%/EXPECTED GF% SCORING CHANCE/HIGH-DANGER ATTEMPT DIFFERENTIAL ON-ICE SH% CF/60 Forsberg-Johansen-Arvidsson 11-6 64.71/60.87 70- 52/35-18 14.86 69.47 Fiala-Turris-Smith 1-4 20/53.87 45-34/18-13 2.63 52.87 Jarnkrok-Bonino-Hartman 3-1 75/37.86 21-26/9-13 9.68 43.08 Rinaldo-Sissons-Salomaki 1-1 50/66.55 16-8/8-4 6.67 47.28 Outside of Forsberg, Johansen and Arvidsson, these are the Predators forwards who have scored a 5-on-5 goal this season: Craig Smith (3), Ryan Hartman, Calle Jarnkrok and Zac Rinaldo. Not exactly a murderers’ row of offensive talent. Two names are noticeably absent: Kyle Turris and Kevin Fiala, who typically comprise two-thirds of the Predators’ second line. Fiala, as the numbers bear out, is doing everything but scoring. He’s driving play, but has nothing to show for it. His 22 scoring chances are the third-most among NHL players without a 5-on-5 goal (Zach Hyman and Justin Williams). “He comes out of the corner (Saturday), he makes a heck of a move, he finds time and space in Zone 1 and then he puts it off the crossbar,” Laviolette said. “He is a guy who is finding the areas and maybe a little bit snakebitten with what’s going on out there. I feel like if Kevin continues to push the game with speed and pace and continues to hunt for it, he’ll find it at the end of the day because he’s that type of a player.” Turris, on the other hand, hasn’t done much, even with the built-in advantage of being one of the league’s most sheltered skaters. Across several individual categories, Turris is the least productive member of the Predators’ top six. “My line has just been inconsistent,” Turris said. “Couple games here and there where we’re buzzing offensively and creating quality opportunities, and then we have games here and there where we just don’t seem like we’re on the same page and we’re out of sync. Just trying to find that togetherness again. … (Fiala’s) been skating real well, getting opportunities. (Smith) has been getting opportunities. We just haven’t been lucky to bury them. You get enough opportunities, eventually they’re going to go in.” 1112895 New Jersey Devils

Devils blown out by Lightning in playoff rematch | Rapid reaction

By Chris Ryan

TAMPA, Fla. -- The game was billed as a 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs rematch. The result looked nothing like it. The Tampa Bay Lightning scored eight of the game's final nine goals, rolling past the Devils in an 8-3 victory on Tuesday at Amalie Arena. A game that somehow started with the Devils leading 2-0 on goals by Miles Wood and Travis Zajac in the opening 5:04 morphed into the team's worst loss of the young season, where the Lightning outplayed the Devils (5-3-1) in every aspect. Keith Kinkaid allowed seven goals on 38 shots before being pulled in the third period, giving way to Cory Schneider for his first game action since undergoing hip surgery in May. Schneider allowed a goal on the first shot he saw, where Ryan McDonagh popped in a rebound off a missed shot that hit the boards, but he stopped the final five shots he faced. Why Schneider is OK being eased in Scoring plays The Devils couldn't have scripted the opening five minutes any better, with Zajac and Wood scoring first for a 2-0 lead. Wood scored 61 seconds into play when he redirected a Sami Vatanen pass from in front of the crease, sliding his first goal of the season under Lightning goal Andrei Vasilevskiy. A battle by Wood in the neutral zone then led to a fortuitous bounce and a Zajac breakaway, where he slid a backhander five hole to beat Vasilevskiy at 5:04. Things tilted in the Lightning's favor after that, with two goals before the intermission to tie the game at 2-2, followed by three straight goals to open the second. Lightning defenseman Braydon Coburn provided both goals to close the first period. A shot from the left point deflected off Devils defenseman Andy Greene and into net at 7:30 to make it 2-1, and he buried a shot from the slot on a rush at 13:30 to tie it. Brayden Point then put the Lightning up, 3-2, 31 seconds into the second period when he jammed in a rebound at the left post. Following a Blake Coleman double minor for high sticking, Nikita Kucherov connected on a one-timer with six seconds left on the first penalty, giving the Lightning a 4-2 lead and ensuring the power play continued for another two minutes. A Zajac slashing penalty gave the Lightning a 5-on-3, and Steven Stamkos scored on a one-timer from the point on the two-man advantage at 8:08. Kyle Palmieri pulled the Devils within 5-3 with his ninth goal of the season at 16:47 of the second period, but the Lightning pushed the lead back to three when Tyler Johnson chipped in a loose puck at 3:40 of the third period. Another Kucherov goal at 5:02 of the third period chased Kinkaid from the game, allowing Schneider to make his season debut in relief before McDonagh capped off the Lightning scoring. Devils' Jesper Bratt skates in drills Next up The Devils will continue their seven-game road trip with their second game at the Detroit Red Wings at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. They get a brief stop at home prior to a Saturday game against the New York Islanders in Brooklyn, but they will travel again next week for games against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets. Star Ledger LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112896 New Jersey Devils

New Jersey Devils vs. Tampa Bay Lightning: LIVE score updates and chat (10/30/18)

By Chris Ryan

TAMPA, Fla. -- Taylor Hall, Marcus Johansson, Nico Hischier, Ben Lovejoy and the New Jersey Devils will begin a season-long seven game road trip when they visit Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov and the Tampa Bay Lightning at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday at Amalie Arena. Johansson will return to the lineup after missing Saturday's 3-2 win over the Florida Panthers due to illness. Lovejoy is back after missing the team's last three games with a lower body injury. Devils' lines vs. Bolts Join NJ.com's live chat in the comment section, and follow along with live updates in the box below. Here is everything you need to know about the home game: What: New Jersey Devils (5-2-1) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (7-2-1) When: 7:30 p.m. EST, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018 Where: Amalie Arena, Tampa, Florida TV: MSG+ Live stream: MSG Go Devils' Jesper Bratt skates in drills More to know: The Devils will be playing in a rematch of last season's first-round matchup in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Lightning beat the Devils in five games before coming within one game of reaching the Cup Final. Coach has seen his team play only eight games, so he said it's too early to gauge exactly where the Devils stack up compared to last season's group, but with the high number of returning players, he is certain the team understands its identity. "We haven't played 10 games yet, but when you look at the game when we're going to have success, we have a clear identity," Hynes said. "What's helped us over the course of time here, we've gotten more and more players that can play the way we want to play. We feel like we have strong competitors and skill guys. To be a playoff team that can win in the playoffs, and to build the team that we want and the identity we want, you have to have guys that can play with speed and pace, guys that can compete, and we also need skill. We feel like the closer we can get to that as a complete group, the better team we're going to be. Star Ledger LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112897 New Jersey Devils

What do the Devils have to prove against Lightning, other top NHL teams?

By Chris Ryan

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Devils don't need a reminder about the capabilities of the Tampa Bay Lightning. The two teams collided in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season, where the top-seeded Lightning handled the Devils in five games of the first round in the Eastern Conference. The Lightning are again one of the favorites to win the East, and the Devils will have a chance to show how they stack up in another meeting at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday at Amalie Arena. Forward Taylor Hall pointed to teams such as Tampa, the Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals as big measuring sticks, since those team have made habits of consistently contending in the playoffs. "Those are teams moving forward that we have to show well against," Hall said. "We have to show ourselves that we're in their category, we're in their tier, and as the year goes on, it's going to get harder and harder, and the games get faster and faster. But playing against those teams and making it hard against them when you go against their top lines and top players is really huge for us going forward, and just showing ourselves we can play well against those teams." Devils' lines vs. Lightning Three 2017-18 regular-season meetings with the Lightning did allow the Devils to show they could keep up, since New Jersey won all three. But while there may be some lingering feeling from a physical playoff series, both teams have turned a page on a new season. "Any time you wind up playing a team in the playoffs, they're an Eastern Conference team that we see a few times a year, and they're a team we're going to be competing against to be able to get one of those top eight spots," Devils coach John Hynes said. "Any time you go through a series with a team, most of the time if becomes a little bit of a rivalry." Through 10 games, the Lightning are in the middle of the pack in terms of scoring, ranking 13th in the NHL at 3.2 goals per game. Devils' Jesper Bratt skates in drills Again, from their past experience, the Devils know a deep Lightning team is capable of much more than that. "You're seeing more and more of that, almost against every team now. Most teams are going to have four lines that can play and score and play up and down the lineup," defenseman Andy Greene said. "You just have to make sure you're on your game. You're focused, you're ready, you're making good puck decisions. "They're going to get chances. They're very offensive and a very high- skilled team. They work extremely hard, and it's just trying to keep them off the power play and make them play in the d-zone. That's the best way to keep an offensive team quiet." Star Ledger LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112898 New Jersey Devils

WATCH: Devils' Jesper Bratt skates in drills

By Chris Ryan

TAMPA, Fla. -- Devils forward Jesper Bratt joined about half of his teammates on the ice for an optional morning skate at Amalie Arena prior to Tuesday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Bratt won't play, but his participation was another small step in his recovery from a broken jaw suffered on Oct. 4 in Sweden. While he's still not cleared for full contact, Bratt did some drills and other work while wearing a full face cage on his helmet. Devils' lines vs. Lightning Bratt is traveling with the Devils on their current trip through Tampa and Detroit to help him get back into a normal hockey routine with his return nearing. Devils coach John Hynes said Bratt is in a two-week window where his season debut could fall, and the team wants him to hit the ice running. "He's coming along really well. We've pushed him really hard in his skating sessions," Hynes said. "We've done a combination of hard skating an conditioning. We've done double sessions working out off the ice. We've done skill sessions with him. It's just a situation where he can't be on the ice with a lot of different guys. There's absolutely no setbacks. It's just the timeframe making sure he's healed before he gets into contact situations. It will be good for him to get on the road with the team. It's time for him to be in regular meetings and get back in tune mentally before he comes back." Star Ledger LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112899 New Jersey Devils

Why Devils goalie Cory Schneider is OK with being eased back into lineup

By Chris Ryan

Since the start of the 2014-15 season, Cory Schneider has been the Devils' unquestioned starting goalie, getting the majority of the work when healthy. That might change -- at least for now -- in 2018-19. After being activated from the injured list on Monday, Schneider will dress in an NHL game for the first time since undergoing offseason hip surgery when the Devils visit the Tampa Bay Lightning at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday at Amalie Arena in Tampa. Schneider won't start, with Keith Kinkaid getting his ninth straight game in net to open the season instead. Schneider understands if Kinkaid still gets the majority of the work upon his return. "Absolutely. Keith's played great, and that's something they'll decide and let us know," Schneider said. "Hopefully again I can come in and play well and earn the right to play more and we can have two reliable options in net. We have 15 games (in November), and December's pretty busy, so it only gets harder from here on out." Observations from Panthers win Schneider did take a backseat to Kinkaid in March and April of 2017-18, when Kinkaid played his way into the net for the playoff stretch run. Schneider did jump back in to start three playoff games before the Devils were eliminated. Devils coach John Hynes did not pick a firm date for Schneider to make his season debut, but he said it will come at some point on the team's upcoming seven-game road trip. Following Tuesday's game in Tampa, the Devils visit the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday, the New York Islanders on Saturday, followed by a back-to-back against the Pittsburgh Penguins and Ottawa Senators next Monday and Tuesday. Logic says Schneider will get at least one of those games. The veteran played three AHL conditioning games last week to tune up for his NHL return after missing the entire preseason. Schneider practiced with the Devils since the start of training camp, but those game situations were the first time he really dialed up his workload. "Nothing's ever really going to replicate an NHL hockey game, but I think that's as close as you can get, especially this time of year," Schneider said. "So there were some games where I had a good amount of action, get a good sweat in and work the legs and almost shock the system a little bit. Felt like I got hit by a truck after that first game just because I hadn't done it in so long." Why Devils need secondary scoring to emerge Playing in games also allowed Schneider to test his hip in ways that weren't always possible in practice. Reacting to unexpected plays and making some awkward saves gave him some final assurance about the health of his surgically-repaired hip. "There were a couple breakaways, a couple in tight plays where I was just shooting the leg our or reacting or tips or things like that," Schneider said. "I thought the hip responded well. It probably won't be 100 percent for a while, but it's about as close as it can get and feels good in game action. "You might catch a little stiffness here and there, but that's all it is. I have no worries or fear about doing something I shouldn't do." Star Ledger LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112900 New Jersey Devils Miles Wood made it 1-0 just 61 seconds into the game when he redirected Zajac’s shot past Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy (27 saves). Devils rocked by Lightning in ugly loss to start road trip Zajac made it 2-0 when he went five-hole on a breakaway at 5:04 and for a brief moment, it looked as though the Devils would rewrite the script against the team that eliminated them unceremoniously in Game 5 of the Abbey Mastracco, Oct. 31, 2018 first round of the postseason. But the lead was quickly erased as Coburn scored his less than two minutes later at the 7:30 mark. TAMPA, Fla. - The Devils came into Tampa Bay hoping to exorcise their playoff demons and rewrite the narrative against a team that "When we were going north we were making them turn and getting them overpowered them in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. But they failed to easily contained in the corners and whatnot," Greene said. "And then I flip the script and the Lightning proved to be much the same team they don’t know what happened there, it just changed a little bit and we were in the spring: An overpowering offensive team who can roll four weren’t doing the same things that made us successful there for a little lines and step on the throats of their opponents. bit." A loss of control would be an understatement. It was an ugly 8-3 Notes thumping by the Lightning on Tuesday night at Amalie Arena, a disastrous start to a seven-game road trip. Defenseman Ben Lovejoy was activated off injured reserve prior to the game and replaced Eric Gryba, who was optioned to Binghamton of the “In general, we just weren’t good enough to win the game,” coach John American Hockey League. … The Devils scratched Egor Yakovlev, Joey Hynes said. “There’s really not much more to say about it. They were Anderson and Eddie Lack, who is in Binghamton on a conditioning loan. better in basically every facet of the game and we’ve got to learn some lessons from it, address some things tomorrow and be ready to go Bergen Record LOADED: 10.31.2018 against Detroit.” Kyle Palmieri gave the Devils their only chance to reclaim some momentum when he banked a shot off a defender for a power play goal with 3:13 left in the second period. But an embarrassing three-goal third ensued and the Devils seemingly lost themselves. Keith Kinkaid was pulled after allowing a career-worst seven goals and Cory Schneider immediately gave one up. Kinkaid made 31 saves and faced 38 shots. Schneider, playing in his first game of the season, stopped five of six shots faced. The line that gave the Devils fits during the postseason of Brayden Point, Yanni Gourde and Tyler Johnson combined for 10 points. "They’re a very good line. They’re fast, they’re right on you, they forecheck pretty well and it’s just a pretty good line," Nico Hischier said. "We got bad bounces but credit to them, they really played good. There are little details we have to do better." The Devils tilted the ice early going up 2-0 in just over the first five minutes of play. But it tilted right back in favor of the home team later in the period with Braydon Coburn scoring twice. The two teams ended up knotted at 2-2 after the first 20 minutes. Once it was tilted, it didn’t tilt back. The Lightning scored five straight goals before New Jersey answered just one and then they went on to score three more. A bad power play did the Devils no favors in the final minutes of the first period. A bouncing puck got behind Kinkaid and Point jammed the rebound in off the post 31 seconds into the second period. The wheels came off around the time Blake Coleman’s stick clipped Ryan McDonagh, at the 4:39 mark of the second. McDonagh’s blood resulted in a double-minor for Coleman, one of the Devils’ best penalty killers. Right after Kinkaid made a highlight-reel stop on a sharp-angle shot from Nikita Kucherov, the forward got the puck back on his stick and capitalized, putting Tampa Bay up 4-2. With Coleman still in the box, Zajac was whistled for a slash, giving one of the top power play teams in the league a two-man advantage. Steven Stamkos scored his 350th goal at 8:08, making it 5-2. More: Mindset, forecheck and Brayden Point: 3 takeaways from NJ Devils loss to Lightning "After those power play goals we slipped away," Hischier said. "We stopped the forecheck, we stopped hitting them." Palmieri’s power play goal made it 5-3. "Whenever you give up goals to a really good team in this league like that it’s how do you respond? How do you flip the ice?" captain Andy Greene said. "They’re going to have chances, but it’s how do we stop it and go back the other way?" They never did figure that out. Lightning quick New Jersey Devils center Travis Zajac (19) shoots and scores a goal on Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) during the first period at Amalie Arena. 1112901 New Jersey Devils

Mindset, forecheck and Brayden Point: 3 takeaways from NJ Devils loss to Lightning

Abbey Mastracco, NHL writer Published 12:06 a.m. ET Oct. 31, 2018

TAMPA, Fla. – It had to happen eventually. It’s nearly impossible for a team to go through an entire 82-game hockey season and not suffer a blowout loss or two. For the Devils, it happened against a team that blew them out during the playoffs, the Tampa Bay Lightning. They were routed 8-3 on Tuesday night at Amalie Arena which was not the start to the seven-game road trip they had hoped for. Oct 30, 2018; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point (21) skates with the puck by the boards as New Jersey Devils right wing Kyle Palmieri (21) defends during the first period at Amalie Arena. Keith Kinkaid allowed more goals than he ever had previously in his career (seven). While coach John Hynes said he still needed to unpack the loss and go over some video before taking away any major lessons, a few things stood out right away. Here are three of them. Where it changed The game got out of hand after Tampa Bay converted on a power play and a 5-on-3 in the second period to build a 5-2 lead. Captain Andy Greene said that was where they stopped doing the things that made them successful in the opening minutes. Nico Hischier said that was the point where Devils stopped playing their own game. They weren’t forechecking or hitting but they were letting Tampa Bay do those things and more. “We weren’t ready to play after that, it kind of slipped away,” Hischier said. “It’s all in up in the head. It’s a mindset. It can’t happen. Especially against that team. It can’t happen, they make you pay. We have to find a way to get back to our game real quick.” They never did get back to their game, which proved problematic. Max effort needed To be able to match a deep team like the Lightning the effort and intensity level has to be higher than the level of their opponents. When they lost their game, the effort was lost too. “We’re not a team that can play at 90 percent or 80 percent. We have to be at our best to beat those teams,” Hischier said. “They’re a playoff team, they’re a really good team. So everybody in this room knows his role and has to play that way and we didn’t do that tonight.” This has long been a mantra for this Devils squad. This is a team that needs to out-work the competition on a nightly basis in order to be successful and they pride themselves in being able to do so. They’re determined to prove that on Thursday night in Detroit. Point produces points Tampa Bay’s second line is the stuff hockey nightmares are made of. Brayden Point, Yanni Gourde and Tyler Johnson tortured the Devils in the postseason and they did the same thing on Tuesday night. Lightning coach Jon Cooper wanted them up against the New Jersey first line of Taylor Hall, Hischier and Kyle Palmieri, saying it would be a good test to face the reigning MVP. They passed with flying colors: Point had a goal and five assists, Gourde tallied three assists and Tyler Johnson had a goal and assist. “They cycle well, they get to the net, they’re good on the forecheck. They’re good with their sticks and they create havoc,” Greene said. “When you’re out against them we’ve got to make sure we’re taking care of the puck and not giving up those easy chances.” The good news is the Devils only have to face them two more times this season. The bad news? They still have to face that line two more times this season. Bergen Record LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112902 New Jersey Devils Binghamton of the American Hockey League. Steven Santini (broken jaw) and Drew Stafford (upper-body) stayed back in New Jersey.

Bergen Record LOADED: 10.31.2018 NJ Devils looking to prove they belong against teams such as Lightning

Abbey Mastracco, Oct. 30, 2018

TAMPA — The last time the Devils were in Tampa, the weather was about the same and the teams were about the same, but the circumstances were far different. The Devils were the underdogs trying to take down a Stanley Cup favorite as the top team in the Eastern Conference. It was their first playoff appearance in five years and it ended after just five games, with the Devils going home empty-handed as the Lightning moved on to the next round. Fast forward to now, with the Devils returning to South Florida to face the Lightning on Tuesday night at Amalie Arena. It’s tough to quantify just how much has changed other than the fact that a new season has started. Both teams returned nearly identical rosters and the records are similar as well (Tampa Bay entered Tuesday’s game 7-2-1, while New Jersey was 5-2-1). But there’s a lingering feeling of disappointment in the visitor’s locker room. Taylor Hall remembers exactly how it felt the last time he was sitting in that room, and it’s a feeling that still isn’t sitting right with him six months later. “For me, there are some bittersweet memories,” Hall said Tuesday. “It was my first playoff experience, but also the defeats we had and the fact we weren’t able to win a game here leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. Happy to be back, and always a fun building to play in. Always a hard team to play against.” And Tampa Bay is still an exceptionally talented, skilled and deep team. The Lightning still roll four lines, they have high-end defensemen and one of the best goaltenders in the league in Andrei Vasilevskiy. They’re converting on 26.3 percent of power play chances, and while the Devils are the fifth-best penalty killing team in the league they know from the playoffs what happens when you give the Lighting a chance with the man-advantage. Even without Victor Hedman and Ondrej Palat, the power play is still a force to be reckoned with. “They’re going to get chances,” Devils captain Andy Greene said. “They’re very offensive, they’re a highly-skilled team and they work extremely hard. It’s trying to keep them off the power play and make them play in the D-zone. That’s the best way you keep an offensive team quiet.” That was the same game plan the Devils had during the postseason but they ended up playing most of the series in their own zone. They know they need to out-work the competition. “We have a firm identity,” coach John Hynes said. “We’re going to have success with a clear identity. What’s helped us over time is that we’ve gotten more and more players that play the way we want to play. We feel like we have strong competitors and skill guys and we don’t have soft skill. Maybe the Devils don’t need to be a completely different team this season; maybe they just need to play like themselves. “A team like Tampa, a team like Boston, Pittsburgh, Washington, the teams that are at the top of the league, conference finals, those types of teams — those are teams moving forward that we have to show well against,” Hall said. “We have to show ourselves that we’re in their category, we’re in their tier, and as the year goes on, it’s going to get harder and harder, and the games get faster and faster, but playing against those teams and making it hard against them when you go against their top lines and top players is really huge for us going forward, and just showing ourselves we can play well against those teams.” Trainer’s room Jesper Bratt (broken jaw) practiced with the Devils for the first time since he was injured in Sweden during Tuesday’s optional morning skate but is still not cleared for contact. Keith Kinkaid got the start in net for the Devils with Cory Schneider (hip surgery rehab) backing him up for the first time this season. Defenseman Ben Lovejoy (lower-body) was activated from injured reserve and took the place of Eric Gryba, who was optioned to 1112903 New Jersey Devils Injured: Victor Hedman (lower-body), Ondrej Palat (lower-body) Bergen Record LOADED: 10.31.2018 How they line up: Marcus Johansson back for NJ Devils against Lightning

Abbey Mastracco,Oct. 30, 2018

TAMPA -- Good morning from sunny South Florida. The Devils are back here for the first time since the Tampa Bay Lightning eliminated them in five games of the Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round in April. There’s little bad blood between the two Eastern Conference opponents right now but once the puck drops and Amalie Arena gets charged up you never know what might transpire. Good news for the Devils: Marcus Johansson draws back into the lineup after sitting out Saturday against the Florida Panthers will an undisclosed illness. Rookie Joey Anderson comes out. Johansson’s addition should be a boost to the Devils’ second power play unit. Andy Greene talks about how the Devils have grown since they last faces the Lightning in the postseason. Abbey Mastracco, Staff Writer, @AbbeyMastracco Bad news for the Lightning: Defenseman Victor Hedman is out for at least two games with an upper-body injury. While the Devils are getting back a key power play player, the Lightning is losing one of theirs. Ondrej Palat, who had four points against the Devils in the postseason, is also out. However, Tampa Bay remains on of the deepest teams in the league with multiple weapons on all four lines to contend with. It was an optional morning skate for New Jersey but quite a few players hit the ice, including Jesper Bratt, who skated with the team for the first time since breaking his jaw in Sweden three weeks ago. Bratt is not yet cleared for contact but coach John Hynes wanted him on this trip so he can be in regular meetings and practices with the team as he nears a return. Here are the projected lineups for the Devils and Lightning for Tuesday’s game at Amalie Arena. Devils Taylor Hall - Nico Hischier - Kyle Palmieri Marcus Johansson - Pavel Zacha - Jean-Sebastien Dea Miles Wood - Travis Zajac - Blake Coleman Brian Boyle - Kevin Rooney - Stefan Noesen Mirco Mueller - Sami Vatenen Andy Greene - Damon Severson Will Butcher - Eric Gryba Keith Kinkaid Cory Schneider Scratched: Egor Yakovlev, Joey Anderson, Eddie Lack Injured: Ben Lovejoy (lower-body), Jesper Bratt (broken jaw), Drew Stafford (upper-body), Steven Santini (broken jaw) Lightning J.T. Miller - Steven Stamkos - Nikita Kucherov Yanni Gourde - Brayden Point - Tyler Johnson Alex Killorn - Mathieu Joseph - Anthony Cirelli Adam Erne - Cedric Paquette - Ryan Callahan Ryan McDonagh - Anton Stralman Braydon Coburn - Mikhail Sergachev Slater Koekkoek - Dan Girardi Andrei Vasilevskiy Louis Domingue Scratched: Danick Martel, Cameron Gaunce 1112904 New Jersey Devils

NJ sports betting: Devils have Prudential Center deals with Caesars, William Hill

North Jersey Record Published 8:29 a.m. ET Oct. 30, 2018

The New Jersey Devils now have two sports betting sponsorships. Caesars Entertainment became the second gambling outfit, along with William Hill, to sponsor the franchise, according to a tweet by ESPN sports business reporter Darren Rovell. Rovell reports there will be dedicated space inside Prudential Center to promote app downloads and sports betting. The news comes five days after it was announced that the William Hill Sports Lounge will be located in the arena's main concourse. According to a Forbes.com report, the lounge will not be a sports book, but will feature a full-service bar, multiple TVs and an area for fans to bet on sports through a mobile app. Bergen Record LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112905 New Jersey Devils

Devils jump out to early lead, but Lightning storms back in 8-3 rout

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

TAMPA — Brayden Point and the Tampa Bay Lightning had a big-time response after a lopsided loss at Arizona over the weekend. Point notched a career-high five points with a goal and four assists, defenseman Braydon Coburn scored twice, and the Lightning rallied from an early two-goal deficit to beat the Devils, 8-3, on Tuesday night. "We controlled the majority of the play," Lightning star Steven Stamkos said. Point has seven goals and seven assists in 11 games this season. Lightning defenseman Braydon Coburn celebrates after his goal in rout of Devils Tuesday night in Tampa. "He's a real tenacious player," Devils coach John Hynes said. "He's extremely competitive. He's a high-skilled player that plays the game the right way all the time. He's a difficult player to play against." Stamkos got his 350th career goal and added two assists for Tampa Bay, which was coming off a 3-1-1 trip that included a 7-1 loss in Arizona on Saturday. "It's always nice when you get an accomplishment like that," Stamkos said. Nikita Kucherov notched two goals and an assist, and Tyler Johnson and Ryan McDonagh had the other Lightning goals. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 27 saves. Kucherov left with 6 minutes left in the second after taking a shot near the inside of his left knee but returned early in the third. Miles Wood, Travis Zajac and Kyle Palmieri scored for the Devils, who started a seven-game trip. Keith Kinkaid stopped 31 of 38 shots before being replaced five minutes into the third by Cory Schneider, who allowed a goal on six shots in his first game after offseason hip surgery. "In general, we weren't good enough to be able to win the game," Hynes said. "They were better, basically, in every facet of the game. We've got to learn lessons from it and address some things. We've got some things to talk about tomorrow." Point scored 31 seconds into the second as Tampa Bay went up 3-2. Kucherov and Stamkos added power-play goals later in the period that made it 5-2. After Wood and Zajac scored in the opening 5:04, Coburn tied it at 2 with first-period goals at 7:30 and 13:30. "The game just slipped away," Devils center Nico Hischier said. "We didn't play our game. We stopped forechecking, we stopped hitting them." Coburn stopped a 38-game goal drought and has 46 goals in 861 NHL games. He scored just once in three of the previous four regular seasons. It was his second career multi-goal game, with the other coming on Oct. 31, 2009, while with Philadelphia. "Every nine years," Coburn said with a smile. "It was real nice to be able to chip in offensively." New York Daily News LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112906 New Jersey Devils

Devils, 76ers owner going all in on sports betting

ASSOCIATED PRESS |OCT 30, 2018 | 12:05 PM

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — The company that owns the NHL's New Jersey Devils, the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers and a major New Jersey sports arena is going all in on promoting sports betting. Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment on Tuesday announced its second deal in five days to open a lounge at Newark's Prudential Center to promote sports betting to customers with gambling accounts on their mobile phones. This time it's a deal with Caesars Entertainment for a 5,000-square-foot restaurant and bar on the main concourse. It follows last week's deal opening of a sports lounge with bookmaker William Hill. Neither facility can accept cash bets, something reserved for Atlantic City casinos and New Jersey racetracks. But they may prove an effective way to promote and cash in on mobile sports betting, where most of the industry's growth is. "With a partnership that synergistically bookends the state of New Jersey, Caesars Entertainment can connect with engaged sports and live event fans to promote its new sports book and mobile sports betting app throughout the Garden State," said Adam Davis, an official with Harris Blitzer. A sportsbook-style lounge will open in the Prudential Center. Caesars owns three Atlantic City casinos — Harrah's, Caesars and Bally's — and operates in-person sports books at Harrah's and Bally's. The Prudential deal is a way to attract sports betting business from fans attending hockey games or concerts at the area in northern New Jersey not far from New York City, provided they do it on their mobile phones. The arena is home to the Devils. That is the fastest-growing segment of New Jersey's rapidly growing sports betting market. In September, $105 million of the nearly $184 million worth of sports bets placed in New Jersey were done online or via cell phone. Sports betting is off to a fast start in New Jersey, with over $336 million in bets placed here since it began in mid-June. New Jersey won a U.S. Supreme Court case in May clearing the way for all 50 states to offer sports betting if they so choose. In addition to exposure on Prudential Center's 80 digital boards and 4,800-square-foot outdoor LED board, Caesars' branding will appear on club level tickets, premium wristbands, concourse pillars, signs and wait staff attire and more. Caesars will also have a presence at 76ers games through advertising placements. Sports betting is not yet legal in Pennsylvania, and gamblers must be physically present in New Jersey to place sports bets. New York Daily News LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112907 New Jersey Devils

Devils destroyed as Kinkaid pulled for returning Schneider

By Associated Press October 30, 2018 | 11:03pm | Updated

TAMPA, Fla. — Brayden Point had a career-high five points with a goal and four assists, defenseman Braydon Coburn scored twice, and the Lightning rallied from an early two-goal deficit to beat the Devils 8-3 on Tuesday night. Steven Stamkos got his 350th career goal and added two assists for Tampa Bay, which was coming off a 3-1-1 trip. Nikita Kucherov had two goals and an assist, and Tyler Johnson and Ryan McDonagh had the other Lightning goals. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 27 saves. Point has seven goals and seven assists in 11 games this season. “He’s a real tenacious player,” Devils coach John Hynes said. “He’s extremely competitive. He’s a high-skilled player that plays the game the right way all the time. He’s a difficult player to play against.” The Lightning celebrate behind Keith Kinkaid after one of their eight goals. Kucherov left with 6 minutes left in the second after taking a shot near the inside of his left knee but returned early in the third. Miles Wood, Travis Zajac and Kyle Palmieri scored for the Devils, who started a seven-game trip. Keith Kinkaid stopped 31 of 38 shots before being replaced five minutes into the third by Cory Schneider, who allowed a goal on six shots in his first game after offseason hip surgery. “In general, we weren’t good enough to be able to win the game,” Hynes said. “They were better, basically, in every facet of the game. We’ve got to learn lessons from it and address some things. We’ve got some things to talk about tomorrow.” Point scored his seventh goal 31 seconds into the second as Tampa Bay went up 3-2. Kucherov and Stamkos added power-play goals later in the period that made it 5-2. After Wood and Zajac scored in the opening 5:04, Coburn tied it at 2 with first-period goals at 7:30 and 13:30. Coburn stopped a 38-game goal drought and has 46 goals in 861 NHL games. He scored just once in three of the previous four regular seasons. It was his second career multi-goal game, with the other coming on Oct. 31, 2009, while with Philadelphia. Tampa Bay’s penalty kill had not allowed a goal in 24 chances at home before Palmieri got his ninth goal, which cut the deficit to 5-3 on the Devils’ second power play late in the second. Taylor Hall assisted and extended his point streak to eight games (10 assists, 12 points). Johnson, Kucherov and McDonagh all scored in the third. New York Post LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112908 New Jersey Devils

Devils ownership goes all-in on sports betting

By Associated Press October 30, 2018 | 6:36PM

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — The company that owns the NHL’s New Jersey Devils, the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and a major New Jersey sports arena is going all-in on promoting sports betting. Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment on Tuesday announced its second deal in five days to open a lounge at Newark’s Prudential Center to promote sports betting to customers with gambling accounts on their mobile phones. This time it’s a deal with Caesars Entertainment for a 5,000-square-foot restaurant and bar on the main concourse. It follows last week’s deal opening of a sports lounge with bookmaker William Hill. Neither facility can accept cash bets, something reserved for Atlantic City casinos and New Jersey racetracks. But they may prove an effective way to promote and cash in on mobile sports betting, where most of the industry’s growth is. “With a partnership that synergistically bookends the state of New Jersey, Caesars Entertainment can connect with engaged sports and live event fans to promote its new sports book and mobile sports betting app throughout the Garden State,” said Adam Davis, an official with Harris Blitzer. Caesars owns three Atlantic City casinos — Harrah’s, Caesars and Bally’s — and operates in-person sports books at Harrah’s and Bally’s. The Prudential deal is a way to attract sports betting business from fans attending hockey games or concerts at the area in northern New Jersey not far from New York City, provided they do it on their mobile phones. The arena is home to the Devils. That is the fastest-growing segment of New Jersey’s rapidly growing sports betting market. In September, $105 million of the nearly $184 million worth of sports bets placed in New Jersey were done online or via cell phone. Sports betting is off to a fast start in New Jersey, with over $336 million in bets placed here since it began in mid-June. New Jersey won a U.S. Supreme Court case in May clearing the way for all 50 states to offer sports betting if they so choose. In addition to exposure on Prudential Center’s 80 digital boards and 4,800-square-foot outdoor LED board, Caesars’ branding will appear on club level tickets, premium wristbands, concourse pillars, signs and wait staff attire and more. Caesars will also have a presence at 76ers games through advertising placements. Sports betting is not yet legal in Pennsylvania, and gamblers must be physically present in New Jersey to place sports bets. New York Post LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112909 New Jersey Devils factoring in all of their power-play success. Not every top line sticks together on the power play, even as more and more teams use four forwards. ‘They are a driving engine for our team’: Where the Devils’ top line fits Below are the 10 best lines, with the top three and bottom three in each among the NHL’s elite category color-coded. All of this data comes from NHL.com. *ES = even strength By Corey Masisak Oct 30, 2018 Any discussion of the top lines right now is going to start with Boston and Colorado, and include some of these other nine listed above. But someone’s also likely to say: “Connor McDavid and two random guys is When the Devils broke the roster into groups at the start of training camp, one of the best lines in the league?” And that someone would be correct. Kyle Palmieri wasn’t even on the same team as Taylor Hall and Nico Ditto for Sidney Crosby. And then what to do with Philadelphia and Hischier, let alone the same line. Washington, which each have two strong duos but haven’t yet settled on a third guy? Palmieri, who finished last season as the right wing on one of the best lines in the NHL during the second half of the season, spent the first These four are going to crash the party later, but it’s hard to include them several days of camp lining up next to Marcus Johansson and Pavel when ranking based on points and percentage of goals. Zacha. At the time, the logic was sound — the Devils needed more from the rest of the lineup after being too dependent on Hall’s line last season. Also not included are any teams’ “second” lines. A line with Evgeni Let Palmieri and a healthy Johansson try to drive the second line’s Malkin and Phil Kessel is absolutely one of the best in the league. Same success, while also giving the team’s other young lottery pick center goes for John Tavares and Mitch Marner. But most second lines are (Zacha) two quality linemates for offensive support. benefitting from opposing coaches matching their best against the top line. Here are three of the best second lines: Coach John Hynes knew Hall, Hischier and Palmieri could be dynamic together, so the plan was to use training camp to try other combinations. Account for all production and the Devils have one of the top three or four About halfway through camp, Hynes put them back together for a game lines in the league. Limit it to even strength and it looks more like a top- against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden, and they combined for 10 or top-12 group. Nashville’s top line was underrated in the past but seven points. Their ability to take over games was too tantalizing for shouldn’t be. Carolina has entered the fray with a new-look top line that is Hynes not to stick with them. rolling. Those Vegas and San Jose top lines look a little out of place here, but they won’t shortly. “Those guys have played really well together,” Hynes said. “They are a driving engine for our team. You could see the chemistry (against the It can’t be just about points and percentage of goals, so let’s dig a little Rangers). Sometimes the lines click, and it was something that clicked deeper. right away in camp so we decided to stick with it. … Hopefully that *TOI = time on ice; CF% = Corsi for percentage (shot attempts); SCF% = continues for a long time here.” scoring chances for percentage; HDCF% = high-danger chances for The Devils are off to a 5-2-1 start despite no contributions from Jesper percentage; GF% = goals for percentage; OISH% = on-ice shooting Bratt, who was tabbed to start on a second line with Johansson and percentage; OISV% = on-ice save percentage Zacha but sustained a broken jaw the day before the season, or from This is a lot of information to unpack. The data is from Natural Stat Trick. goaltender Cory Schneider, who had offseason hip surgery. The formula for success has looked strikingly similar to how the Devils held onto the New Jersey’s trio falls in the middle of this pack when it comes to shot last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference last year with a furious stretch attempts, ranks fourth in scoring chances and tops in high-danger run — great specials teams, rock solid goaltending from Keith Kinkaid chances. The line represents Hynes’ brand of hockey well. As individual and consistent greatness from Hall, Hischier and Palmieri. players, they are third (Hischier), fifth (Hall) and 15th (Palmieri) in HDCF% in the NHL among forwards with at least 50 minutes of even- All three are now off to the best starts of their careers. Palmieri has eight strength ice time (Jean-Seabastien Dea, Miles Wood and Brian Boyle are goals and 13 points; Hischier, in his second season after the Devils in the top 20, as well). selected him No. 1 in the 2017 NHL Draft, has three goals and eight points; and Hall has two goals and 11 points. That’s slightly better than While the percentage of goals scored looks great, the corresponding his stat line through eight games last season — one goal, nine points — shooting and save percentage numbers on the right are high. The league which ended with him claiming the Hart Trophy as league MVP. average is around 8 percent for on-ice shooting percentage, but it is higher for top lines because they are populated with players who possess Their ability to create several great offensive chances per game is critical above-average shooting talent. Still, the percentage for the Devils’ top for a Devils club that’s still looking for consistent contributions from the line will likely dip from 13.46 percent. other forwards on the roster. On top of that offensive production from Palmieri-Hischier-Hall, it’s also their ability to avoid dangerous chances at There is more certainty that the Devils’ save percentage will regress. It’s the other end of the ice that helps bolster their case as one of the elite possible that Kinkaid continues to play as well as he has, and Cory forward lines in the NHL. Schneider looks like the goalie from before his injury issues the past two seasons, but even if those guys did end up in the .920-.925 range for the “It’s speed and skill,” Devils forward Travis Zajac said. “They play with a season, it would be hard for them to stop 96 percent of the shots when lot of pace. They’ll hold onto the puck and find open guys. They rarely the top line is on the ice for 82 games. throw it away or make a bad play. They just control the puck throughout the ice. They get teams on their heels and then when they start going So, what about everyone else? While that Colorado top line is scorching around in the offensive zone, you can see how hard they are to defend.” hot (and outplayed New Jersey’s in their head-to-head meeting two weeks ago), some of those underlying numbers suggest they will take a Where should they rank? It’s early in the season, of course, but let’s dig slight step back as the season progresses. That said, center Nathan into the numbers and see. MacKinnon is starting to elbow his way into the same stratosphere as The analysis here focuses on a group of 14 lines, selected based on a McDavid and Crosby, in the sense that he can make low-profile combination of production and reputation. A few top lines did not make linemates better. And, in his case, those linemates aren’t just any two the cut because they have not spent enough time together this season, guys, particularly Mikko Ratanen. either due to injuries or the coach tinkering with the lineup. Boston’s top line shows well here, and could be even more dominant if Among the lines that aren’t represented, Tampa Bay (J.T. Miller-Steven the goaltenders step up moving forward. The trios from Nashville and Stamkos-Nikita Kucherov) and Dallas (Jamie Benn-Tyler Seguin- Carolina look like they have some staying power, and the ones from Alexander Radulov) are obvious ones that could join this discussion later Columbus, Vegas and San Jose look better here than when you measure in the season. Buffalo has seen promising results from a Jeff Skinner- based on raw production (though the Sharks have to figure out where Jack Eichel-Jason Pominville line, but it’s only been a few games. And if Joe Thornton fits best as he returns from injury Tuesday night). Toronto’s Elias Pettersson continues to play like the rookie-year version of Evgeni lines will be out of whack with Auston Matthews sidelined for at least a Malkin, Vancouver’s top line could even wedge its way into the month with a shoulder injury and could change further if William Nylander conversation. One team that should be represented here, though the signs a new contract. The production from Calgary’s top line is full of numbers just don’t justify it (yet), is the Winnipeg Jets with their depth of extremes — and exposes some of the issues it needs to address. talent at the forward position. It makes some sense that Washington and Philadelphia haven’t settled Let’s start with the simple numbers. Hall, Hischier and Palmieri have on a third wheel yet, given what’s happened when their top duos are on combined for 32 points in eight games. That alone makes them one of the ice. For the Capitals, Tom Wilson will probably slide back into that the top-producing trios in the sport (on a per-game basis), but that’s also role when he returns. The Flyers have split the time between Jakub Voracek and Travis Konecny. They’ve had better production with Konecny this year despite the success Voracek’s line had last year. If we include games since the start of last season, the Devils’ top trio is tops in the NHL in on-ice goals per 60 minutes among lines that have played at least 300 minutes together. Here’s that list, with the data courtesy of Corsica.hockey. Using just the games from this season and lines that have at least 75 minutes together, the Devils’ trio is fifth in goals per 60 minutes. Nashville’s and Toronto’s top lines are ahead of them, plus the second lines from Pittsburgh and San Jose. Given the combination of production and underlying numbers, it’s tough to pick against Boston’s top line right now. The top trios in Colorado and Nashville are right there, as well. Do New Jersey’s headliners deserve to be in that group and make it a top four? Maybe a top six with McDavid’s and Crosby’s lines also joining the fray? Maybe the next tier, along with the top lines from Carolina and Columbus? It’s early in this season with plenty of time for Hynes to decide he needs Palmieri to help spark the second line. But as long as they stay together, Hall, Hischier and Palmieri are building a resume as one of the elite lines in the NHL. “Those other two guys on my line are pretty world-class players,” Palmieri said. “I think they could some of those mannequins in the hallway look pretty good. I think we’re working well together and creating chances for each other. A lot of them aren’t the prettiest goals, but I think that shows we are able to do it in different ways and go to the areas that goals are scored in the NHL now.” The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112910 New York Islanders Martin finished a one-timer from Casey Cizikas, and Eberle scored the next two for a 5-2 lead.

New York Daily News LOADED: 10.31.2018 Islanders join Penguins in ceremony to honor victims of Synagogue shootings in Pittsburgh

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PITTSBURGH — The Penguins held a ceremony Tuesday to honor the victims of Saturday's synagogue shooting in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Squirrel Hill. The team held an 11-second moment of silence prior to a game against the Islanders in memory of the 11 lives lost in the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue. Penguins players wore a special “Stronger than Hate” patch, which incorporated the team logo and Star of David, and the Islanders wore a similar decal on their helmets. “We wanted to go out there and play for them,” said Sidney Crosby. “You try to recognize that and play as hard as you can to show your appreciation. Words are one thing, but you try to go out there and follow it up the same.” Pittsburgh Police Officer Mike Smidga, Pittsburgh Police Chief Scott Schubert and Officer Anthony Burke take part in a ceremonial puck drop with Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) and Islanders left wing Anders Lee (27) on Tuesday. Pittsburgh Police Officer Mike Smidga, Pittsburgh Police Chief Scott Schubert and Officer Anthony Burke take part in a ceremonial puck drop with Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) and Islanders left wing Anders Lee (27) on Tuesday. A black and white silhouette of the city with the words “Stronger than Hate” flashed on the scoreboard during the pregame ceremony, while a video tribute played prior to faceoff. A ceremonial puck drop featured Pittsburgh police Chief Scott Schubert along with Anthony Burke and Mike Smigda, officers wounded in the attack. “I watched the news like everybody else, and it was absolutely cowardly what happened with the whole tragedy,” said Isles coach Barry Trotz. “But sometimes sports teams can help a city rally.” The Penguins' jerseys were signed and will be auctioned in an effort to raise money and support victims and families of the shooting. The team also held a blood drive and donated to the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and a fund established by the City of Pittsburgh Department of Safety to benefit police officers wounded in the attack. In the game, Jordan Eberle scored twice in the second period to help the Islanders pull away from the Penguins for a 6-3 victory. The Penguins held a ceremony before the game to honor the victims of Saturday's synagogue shooting in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Squirrel Hill. It included an 11-second moment of silence in memory of the 11 people slain. Eberle scored his second and third goals for the Islanders, who swept a three-game road trip. Brock Nelson scored his sixth of the season and fifth goal in five games, while Tom Kuhnhackl, who won two Stanley Cups in Pittsburgh, scored his first as an Islander. Andrew Ladd and Matt Martin also scored for New York, which has won four of six after starting the season 2-3. The Islanders are playing eight of their first 11 games on the road for the first time in team history. Robin Lehner stopped 23 of 25 shots, but he left the game after the second period. Thomas Greiss stopped 12 shots. No reason was immediately given for the change. Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Dominik Simon scored for Pittsburgh, which ended its four-game winning streak. The Penguins outscored the opposition 23-6 during a perfect four-game Canadian road trip. Crosby has six goals and nine points in his last four games after going his first six games without a goal. Malkin has an eight-game point streak. Matt Murray stopped 5 of 9 shots before he was pulled following Eberle's power-play goal. Casey DeSmith made 14 saves in relief. Ladd and Nelson staked the Islanders to an early lead in the first, but Simon and Crosby responded to tie it. The Islanders broke it open with three second-period goals in a span of 4:17. 1112911 New York Islanders

Jordan Eberle’s two goals lead Islanders past Penguins

By Associated Press October 30, 2018

PITTSBURGH — Jordan Eberle scored twice in the second period to help the Islanders pull away from the Penguins for a 6-3 victory Tuesday night. The Penguins held a ceremony before the game to honor the victims of Saturday’s synagogue shooting in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Squirrel Hill. It included an 11-second moment of silence in memory of the 11 people slain. “I watched the news like everybody else, and it was absolutely cowardly what happened with the whole tragedy,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. “But sometimes sports teams can help a city rally, and full marks to the Penguins because they came out hard. We got some great goaltending in the first period and that was the reason why we won the game.” Eberle scored his second and third goals for the Islanders, who swept a three-game road trip. Brock Nelson scored his sixth of the season and fifth goal in five games, while Tom Kuhnhackl, who won two Stanley Cups in Pittsburgh, scored his first as an Islander. Andrew Ladd and Matt Martin also scored for New York, which has won four of six after starting the season 2-3. Lehner stopped 23 of 25 shots, but he left the game after the second period after suffering what Trotz described as a strain. Thomas Greiss stopped 12 shots for the Islanders, who are playing eight of their first 11 games on the road for the first time in team history. Thomas Greiss, who replaced Robin Lehner for the third period, celebrates with teammates after the Islanders' win. “They’re becoming road warriors,” Trotz said. “We looked at the schedule to start the season and thought it could be a tough start, but the guys bought in, they’ve been battling and I think being on the road, especially with new personnel, has probably been a blessing in disguise.” Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Dominik Simon scored for Pittsburgh, which ended its four-game winning streak. The Penguins outscored the opposition 23-6 during a perfect four-game Canadian road trip. “We wanted to go out there and play for them,” said Crosby, who scored late in the period. “You try to recognize that and play as hard as you can to show your appreciation. Words are one thing, but you try to go out there and follow it up the same.” Crosby has six goals and nine points in his last four games after going his first six games without a goal. Malkin has an eight-game point streak. Matt Murray stopped 5 of 9 shots before he was pulled following Eberle’s power-play goal. Casey DeSmith made 14 saves in relief. Ladd and Nelson staked the Islanders to an early lead in the first, but Simon and Crosby responded to tie it. The Islanders broke it open with three second-period goals in a span of 4:17. Martin finished a one-timer from Casey Cizikas, and Eberle scored the next two for a 5-2 lead. Penguins players wore a special “Stronger than Hate” patch, which incorporated the team logo and the Star of David, and the Islanders wore a similar decal on their helmets. A black and white silhouette of the city with the words “Stronger than Hate” flashed on the scoreboard during the pregame ceremony, while a video tribute played prior to faceoff. A ceremonial puck drop featured Pittsburgh police Chief Scott Schubert along with Anthony Burke and Mike Smigda, officers wounded in the attack. The Penguins held a blood drive Monday, and the team also donated to the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh in addition to a fund established by the City of Pittsburgh Department of Safety to benefit police officers wounded in the attack. New York Post LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112912 New York Islanders

Josh Ho-Sang: New Islanders regime burying me, even in minors

By Brett Cyrgalis October 30, 2018 | 10:15am

There is only one reason Josh Ho-Sang wouldn’t use the word “unfair” in describing his current plight as a minor-league player in the Islanders system. “There’s no such thing as fair,” Ho-Sang told The Post over the weekend when his AHL Sound Tigers visited Hartford to play the Wolf pack. “It doesn’t exist, as much as we like it to.” Here is what Ho-Sang will say about Islanders training camp in September, the first one run by team president Lou Lamoriello and coach Barry Trotz, which ended with the offensively dynamic winger getting sent to AHL Bridgeport after what he felt wasn’t much of a look during preseason. “I felt like they had their minds made up on what was going to happen and what the team was going to look like,” Ho-Sang said. “It’s OK. They had the whole summer to plan that. I don’t know if you watched any of the games, but I didn’t play a lot. It’s OK. It is what it is.” Ho-Sang went on a lengthy explanation about how he respects Lamoriello and thinks he’s “a great man,” adding: “Lou has his morals, and you don’t have to agree with them, but those aren’t going to change.” Yet he also felt something similar was happening to him under coach Brent Thompson in Bridgeport, where he isn’t on the first power-play unit and doesn’t feel like he is getting ample playing time. “They tell me they want me to be a top-six forward up there, but I’m not a top-six forward down here, so it’s confusing,” he said. “Sometimes, it’s like you’re sprinting with a rubber band on. You constantly have tension. You run until you’re exhausted and then the band is going to pull you back. If I was going to say anything, it would be just watch. I’m just pointing it out.” Josh Ho-Sang The AHL doesn’t publish ice time, but it did seem as if Ho-Sang was getting ample opportunity — at least on Saturday night. His team was trailing for most of the game, which is probably why he was on the ice so much. And there were flashes when he was mesmerizing while rushing the puck up the ice, making a power-play zone-entry seem like a piece of cake with a little head fake. But his play away from the puck is obviously lacking. Through nine games, he still doesn’t have a goal, and his four assists go along with an unsightly minus-8 rating. “Big upside,” Thompson said. “Obviously you see his skill set. He has to learn when is the right time to use that and when is the right time to make the simple play and be a little predictable for his teammate. “But if you were to project him to the NHL, listen, he’s a top-six guy, maybe a top-nine guy, especially if he cleans up his play away from the puck. When he has the puck, we want him to score, we want him to create, we want him to use his speed. That’s something that we encourage. It’s just that there are sometimes that time and situation dictates [otherwise], and it’s him learning when that is.” As much as his skill separates him, Ho-Sang remains an utterly unique character in the context of hockey. The Islanders drafted him in the first round (No. 28 overall) in 2014, and he infamously overslept the first day of his first training camp, with then-general manager Garth Snow making him run the stairs at the Coliseum before sending him back to his junior team. It’s not lost on anyone that he looks and acts different, too. Ho-Sang’s heritage is a mix of Jamaican, Chinese, Jewish, Chilean, Russian and Swedish. On Saturday night, he showed up to the rink in a impeccably tailored suit with a pink pocket square folded like a flower. Somebody told him he had to go change to get ready, and he answered, “Not really,” instead playing soccer in the hallway with his suit on. The Islanders are a team that could use some more offensively creative players, but Trotz is still trying to get them on solid ground after a 5-4-1 start that continues with Tuesday night’s game in Pittsburgh. At this point, where Ho-Sang fits into the future is anyone’s guess. “I just do what they tell me,” he said. “My phone is always on.” New York Post LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112913 New York Islanders

Islanders, Penguins honor and mourn victims of shooting at synagogue

By Andrew Gross

PITTSBURGH — Athletes aren’t first-responders to tragedy. But sports can help a city start to heal. So, the Penguins and the visiting Islanders tried to do their part on Tuesday night at PPG Paints Arena, three days after a horrific attack at the nearby Tree of Life Synagogue left 11 dead and four police officers among the wounded. A touching ceremony to honor and mourn the victims and an 11-second moment of silence — one second for each person shot and killed — preceded the opening faceoff with the victims’ names on the scoreboard. At the end, a simple spoken word. “Shalom.” Peace. The Penguins accepted donations to benefit the victims and their families and a blood drive was held outside the arena. The Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation donated $25,000 to the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and $25,000 to benefit the four injured police officers. The Penguins also wore commemorative shoulder patches featuring the words, “Stronger than hate,” and, by cleverly adding a triangle, featured the team’s logo over a Star of David. The game-worn uniforms will also be auctioned off to benefit the victims’ families. The Islanders wore a “Stronger than hate” sticker on their helmets with their logo over a Star of David. “It was a devastating day for the city of Pittsburgh and the people affected and their families,” Penguins left wing Carl Hagelin said. “Tonight is a way for us to play for them.” The pregame ceremony featured a three-minute video highlighting the prideful residents of Pittsburgh that drew loud applause. So did three Jewish Federation members, who wore Penguins’ jerseys while standing next to anthem singer Jeff Jimerson, whose voice was equaled by the crowd. Finally, two first-responders, one with his right arm in a sling, dropped ceremonial first pucks between Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and Islanders counterpart Anders Lee. “It was pretty emotional,” Lee said. “These guys put their lives on the line and they put themselves in the line of danger to protect other people. It was an honor for me to be able to meet them and shake their hand and share that moment with them.” The Islanders have two defenseman who have been through similar tragedies. Luca Sbisa played for the Vegas Golden Knights last season and that expansion team held its first-ever home game shortly after a gunman killed 58 and wounded more than 700 at an outdoor music festival. Johnny Boychuk played for the Bruins when they hosted a game two days after the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013. “From bad stuff comes good,” Boychuk said. “It’s depressing that it happens but people band together and become stronger.” Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112914 New York Islanders

Islanders dominate Penguins and sweep up three-game road trip

By Andrew Gross

PITTSBURGH — Tom Kuhnhackl laughed at the notion he would receive a tribute video from his former team. Then he shrugged off a pregame question asking what it would be like to score a goal against the Penguins. Both happened. “Scoring and winning, that’s just the cherry on top of the cake,” Kuhnhackl said after the Islanders’ emotional 6-3 win at a somber PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday night. Kuhnhackl, a fourth-liner playing with Cal Clutterbuck injured, scored a third-period goal to stem the Penguins’ momentum as the Islanders (6-4- 1) swept a three-game road trip against foes and ended a stretch of eight of their first 11 on the road. “People talk about we’re a young team and we lost JT [John Tavares],” said right wing Jordan Eberle, who scored two of the Islanders’ three second-period goals as they took a 5-2 lead, snapping the Penguins' four-game winning streak. “We have a lot of guys who know how to win. We’re just trying to keep playing the same way.” The game was preceded by a ceremony mourning the loss of 11 lives at a mass shooting at the nearby Tree of Life Synagogue on Saturday. The Islanders play 8 of 13 at home in November, starting with the Penguins (6-2-2) on Thursday night at Barclays Center. Neither starting goalie finished the game. The Penguins’ Matt Murray was pulled after allowing four goals on nine shots in 31:56 and Robin Lehner exited with a strain after making 23 saves in two periods. Kuhnhackl, who won two Stanley Cups in three seasons with the Penguins before signing a one-year, $700,000 deal with the Islanders, was honored for his time in Pittsburgh with a video tribute during a stoppage at 6:18 of the second period concluding with “Thank You Tom Kuhnhackl.” He collected a rebound off the left post and banked a shot past Casey DeSmith (14 saves) at 9:44 of the third period for his first point in four games as an Islander to make it 6-3. “I have a lot of great memories here,” Kuhnhackl said. “I didn’t have that many highlights that they could’ve put on that video.” Matt Martin gave the Islanders a 3-2 lead at 9:32 of the second period and Eberle chased Murray with a power-play goal at 11:56. Eberle then made it 5-2 at 13:49 of the second period on a goal that withstood an offside challenge by the Penguins to give the Islanders five goals on 10 shots. The Islanders surrendered a two-goal lead in the first period, which coach Barry Trotz called the team’s worst of the season. Notes & quotes: Right wing Josh Bailey extended his point streak to six games with an assist . . . Thomas Greiss made 12 saves in relief of Lehner . . . Clutterbuck (upper body) missed his second straight game. Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112915 New York Rangers

Rangers beat Sharks in shootout after allowing tying goal with less than two seconds remaining in regulation

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS |OCT 31, 2018 | 1:25 AM

Kevin Shattenkirk scored the lone goal in the shootout and Henrik Lundqvist made 31 saves to help the New York Rangers complete a season sweep of the San Jose Sharks with a 4-3 victory on Tuesday night. Chris Kreider scored two goals in the third period and Mats Zuccarello also scored for the Rangers, who followed up a 3-2 overtime win at home against the Sharks earlier this month with another victory. New York has just two wins in its other 10 games. Tomas Hertl scored the tying goal with 1.3 seconds left in regulation to give San Jose a point. Brent Burns and Timo Meier each scored for the Sharks to extend their points streaks to a career-high nine games. The Sharks also got a boost with the return of Joe Thornton to the lineup. Thornton had missed nine games with an infection in his surgically repaired right knee. The 39-year-old Thornton had played only two games since injuring his knee Jan. 23. Martin Jones made 34 saves for San Jose, but couldn't stop Shattenkirk in the third round of the shootout. Kevin Shattenkirk and Chris Kreider celebrate during Rangers' victory Tuesday night. Lundqvist stopped Hertl, Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski in the shootout after robbing Burns with his glove in the final second of overtime. Kreider twice gave the Rangers the lead in the third only to have the Sharks tie it, with the last coming when Hertl got a pass in front of the net with the clock running down and beat Lundqvist to send the game into overtime. Kreider had given New York a 3-2 lead earlier in the period after a defensive breakdown by San Jose. Zuccarello was left alone in front after an offensive zone draw and took a pass from Mika Zibanejad before feeding Kreider at the side of the net to give New York the lead. Kreider scored on a one-timer early in the period only to have Meier answer with a shot into the top corner on a two-on-one. The Sharks struck first when Burns beat Lundqvist with a big shot from the point less than four minutes into the game, becoming the first Sharks defenseman to record points in nine straight games. But the Rangers took over from there, outshooting San Jose 17-6 in the opening period and getting the equalizer when Zuccarello beat Jones from the top circle less than a minute after Burns' goal. The Sharks, who outshoot opponents by more than nine shots per game, controlled the pace of play for most of the second period but neither team managed to score. The most dramatic moment came when Lundqvist was knocked into by teammate Cody McLeod. Lundqvist was shaken up and had to be attended to by the trainer but remained in the game. New York Daily News LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112916 New York Rangers “I didn’t pick that up until the last second,” the goaltender said. “I don’t know if I would have made it through the night if they scored with a second to go in overtime, as well.” Rangers answer David Quinn’s challenge for one game at least New York Post LOADED: 10.31.2018

By Larry Brooks October 31, 2018

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The ongoing challenge presented by this different kind of New York Rangers season was never more severe than it was here on Tuesday after Tomas Hertl scored at 19:58 of the third period to send what appeared to be a Blueshirt victory into overtime. “It’s a test, this road trip in which we’re playing good teams has been a test, but we have to continue to stay positive and learn from the good and the bad,” Henrik Lundqvist said after Kevin Shattenkirk scored the lone goal of the shootout in the bottom of the third for a 4-3 victory over the Sharks. “Emotionally it was a challenge, too, after what we went through in LA [on Sunday]. “Overall, I’m really happy with the way we responded. We played a really good game against a really good team.” Before the match, David Quinn had noted the team “had taken a step back” recently. The battle-level had dropped in defeats in Chicago and LA that kicked off this trip that ends Thursday in Anaheim. The Rangers were becoming an easy opponent against which to play. Losses are one thing. They happen. Lack of acceptable effort is another. It is unacceptable under any circumstance. “I thought we did so much well in this game, there is no reason we can’t do it consistently,” said Chris Kreider, who scored twice in the third period to give his team leads of 2-1 and 3-2. “After the last couple of games it would have been easy to hang our heads, which I think we did the last couple of years, but we made adjustments, got coached up and were ready. Henrik Lundqvist makes a save on Logan Couture. “There’s good stuff in this room.” The Blueshirts, who would have slipped into 31st-overall with a defeat, recorded their first victory on the road after five defeats (0-4-1) and their second in the last six games (2-3-1) overall. The game in which Lundqvist sparkled throughout broke a four-game losing streak for the netminder, as well. “It’s a challenge mentally not winning,” said the King, who faced 34 shots. “But you have to be realistic, too. But we should feel good and get a good read from playing this strong game.” Structure, for a large part, returned. For the first time in a long time, the Rangers controlled play below the hash marks and even the goal line off a strong forecheck. “The way we played all night, I thought we deserved this outcome,” said Shattenkirk, now two-for-two with two decisive goals in the shootout after having also gotten the winner at the Garden against Colorado on Oct. 16. “Giving up that goal at the end was tough, but I think we did a good job sticking with it. We did that all night.” Quinn, who scratched Pavel Buchnevich for the second time in seven games, again presented remade lines. A moment of truth is probably nearing for Filip Chytil (and general manager Jeff Gorton), with No. 72 nailed to the bench following his second shift of the third period that ended with 14:05 to go. Chytil played a season-low 8:53 centering fourth- line wingers Cody McLeod and Vinni Lettieri. Upon returning home, management will have to decide whether this is the best place for the 19- year-old Chytil to develop. But that is for a later time. This is about the club’s — and Lundqvist’s — resilience after Hertl’s whippet from about 10 feet extended the match after Neal Pionk had been double-teamed off the puck behind the net in an extra-attacker situation. “When the puck drops in overtime, you have to tell yourself to regroup,” said Lundqvist, who jammed his left shoulder when McLeod fell back onto him during a scramble with 4:52 remaining in the second period. “You can’t be upset. You can’t.” Each team had a power play in OT. The Rangers, who failed on consecutive power plays in the first period after Mats Zuccarello’s goal negated an early Brent Burns goal, did not come too close. The Sharks, however, did. Indeed, they came mighty close when Burns sent a sizzler to the net, only to be denied by Lundqvist’s snapping glove with 0.5 seconds remaining. 1112917 New York Rangers period of Thursday’s game in Chicago. … Alex Georgiev is penciled in for Thursday’s start in Anaheim.

New York Post LOADED: 10.31.2018 Pavel Buchnevich is still not getting the Rangers’ message

By Larry Brooks October 30, 2018

SAN JOSE — , the Rangers coach who ostensibly did not appreciate young players, made Pavel Buchnevich a healthy scratch once last season. David Quinn, the coach hired to develop young players, has scratched Buchnevich twice in the first 12 games of the season. Perhaps the issue is not the guy behind the bench but rather the one on the ice. “We’ve set the bar high for him, as he should for himself,” Quinn said before the Rangers’ 4-3 shootout victory over the Sharks. “He’s a really talented player, but there have been some inconsistencies in his game, and he’s just got to play better.” When the coach says, “play better,” that is shorthand for, “play harder.” Buchnevich was uninvolved through a series of shifts while turning away from at least a couple of checks through the first two periods of Sunday’s game in Los Angeles. That got him benched for all but four shifts and 2:31 in the third period of the 4-3 defeat. And that is what put him in street clothes for the second time in seven games, the first scratch coming in the season’s sixth game, Oct. 16 against Colorado. Apparently the lesson Quinn sought to impart two weeks ago did not quite take hold with the 23-year-old, third-year pro, who has three goals and two assists but hasn’t been especially visible in the dirty areas of the ice. “I thought it did, but sometimes you don’t learn something quickly,” said the coach, who dressed a fourth line that featured Filip Chytil skating between Cody McLeod and Vinni Lettieri. “It can take time for guys to change. “Change isn’t easy for anybody no matter how old you are, and we’re asking him to do things that he’s going to have to do to be a productive player in this league. Nobody has lost faith in him. He’s going to be a really good player, but sometimes it’s a process and it takes a little time.” Buchnevich scored his last goal in Chicago on Thursday by banging in a sharp-angle rebound. But the scoring opportunities have been rather limited for the winger, who like just about everybody has bounced from line to line. Indeed, No. 89 has played with six different combinations since spending the opening two games as the right wing on the top line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. Buchnevich had little to say after finishing his morning skate routine with assistant coach Greg Brown long after the 20 dressing for the match had come off the ice. The winger, who acknowledged that he was of course disappointed, said he was about to meet with Quinn. Chances are excellent that Buchnevich, who in a couple of offseason interviews pointed a finger at Vigneault for his 2017-18 issues, would be told (and perhaps in more stark terms now that this is the second time around) the same things reporters were told by Quinn in the a.m. “At the end of the day, it’s about effort and doing the things that are required to have success at this level or at any level of hockey,” the coach said. “It’s a contact sport. You’ve got to take a hit to make a play, you’ve got to get in the way. “Being physical means something different for every player, depending on your size. I’m not asking guys to run around and kill people, but you’ve got to take ice away from people, you’ve got to get in people’s way and you’ve got to make life harder for the other team.” Buchnevich has hardly been the only culprit through a slide in which the Rangers have won one of their last five (1-3-1) and have looked bad doing so. The Blueshirts have been making life harder for themselves, and increasingly so over the last week. “The structure hasn’t been as good recently,” Quinn said. “I think we’ve taken a step back.” So it has been for the team, and so it has been for Buchnevich, for whom the Rangers are waiting to take meaningful steps forward. Adam McQuaid did not take part in the morning skate and missed his second straight with a lower body injury he sustained during the first 1112918 New York Rangers

Rangers squander lead in last seconds, but Kevin Shattenkirk gets the win in shootout

By Colin Stephenson

SAN JOSE, Calif. — David Quinn spent most of his pregame media briefing Tuesday discussing why he’d decided to scratch forward Pavel Buchnevich, and talking about how the team as a whole just hadn’t been playing well of late. “We’ve got to find our way to get back to the things we were doing earlier in the year,’’ the first-year Rangers coach said as his team readied to face the San Jose Sharks. “You want the game to end and you think, ‘Well, we gave ourselves a chance to win.’ And when you’re not winning, your confidence can suffer. And I think that maybe has been the case a little bit, but — too bad. You’ve got to find a way to get it done.’’ Well, in the third game of their four-game trip to Chicago and California, Quinn got the jacked-up effort he was looking for, and two third-period goals by Chris Kreider and some remarkable goaltending by Henrik Lundqvist gave the Rangers a chance to win. In the end, it was Kevin Shattenkirk playing the shootout hero for the second time this season, beating Martin Jones on the final shot of the tiebreaker to give the Rangers a 4-3 shootout win. The victory was the first on the trip, and the first on the road this season for the Rangers, who improved to 4-7-1 on the season. They finish the trip Thursday in Anaheim against the Ducks. Kreider’s two third-period goals had sandwiched one by Timo Meier and had the Rangers looking to win in regulation time, but Tomas Hertl scored in the last second of regulation to tie the game, 3-3, and both teams had power plays in the five-minute, sudden-death overtime. Lundqvist made 31 saves in the game and three more in the shootout. "It was a pretty intense game," Lundqvist said. "Emotionally, it was a challenge, too, I think. After what happened in L.A. [a last-minute, 4-3 loss to the Kings], to go through what we went through today —– I couldn’t believe it when they tied the game … I’m just happy with the way we responded. We got the win. We played a really good game — against a good team. The only thing that bothers me is the way they tied the game [in the last second]. It was a shock." Quinn said: "It really would have been a sin [to lose]. We did a lot of good things, played hard … We’ve got to learn to close games out; we’ve got to understand situational hockey. But to come in here and get two points against a really good hockey team, I think, says an awful lot about our guys. The last three games, we think we’ve struggled a little bit — haven’t been playing the way we think we’re capable of. I thought we got back to things we were doing earlier in the year, and turned it up a notch." With the Sharks beginning a four-game homestand after playing eight of their first 11 on the road, and with Joe Thornton returning to the Sharks lineup after missing nine games following knee surgery, San Jose took an early lead when Brent Burns fired a slap shot from the right point that went through the two-man screen of Filip Chytil and Neal Pionk and past Lundqvist to open the scoring at 3:22. But the Rangers got that one back just 59 seconds later, when Mats Zuccarello fired a knuckleball from the upper right wing circle that somehow got past San Jose goalie Martin Jones. The Sharks began to find their legs and generate more shots at the Rangers’ net and get more traffic in front of Lundqvist, who had to make several quick-reaction saves on deflected shots in the second period. Lundqvist also suffered a scare late in the period, when he was bumped by his own teammate, Cody McLeod, who had fallen to the ice and was sliding backward on his knees. McLeod hit Lundqvist in the mask, twisting the goalie’s neck backward. Lundqvist stayed down on his knees for a few moments and was tended to by trainer Jim Ramsay, who massaged the back of his left shoulder during the ensuing television timeout. Lundqvist stayed in the game, however, and made several more saves before the period ended. Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112919 New York Rangers

Rangers scratch Pavel Buchnevich vs. Sharks, his second benching this season

By Colin Stephenson

SAN JOSE, Calif.— David Quinn seems to be at his wit’s end with forward Pavel Buchnevich. The Rangers’ first-year coach made it clear Tuesday he isn’t getting what he wants from the 23-year-old Buchnevich and scratched him from Tuesday night’s lineup against the Sharks, the third game of a four-game road trip. It was the second time in 12 games this season that Quinn has scratched Buchnevich, a talented, third-year player who was in and out of former coach Alain Vigneault’s doghouse all last season. “He’s got to play better,’’ Quinn said of Buchnevich after the Rangers’ morning skate. “He’s a really talented player. He’s got some inconsistencies in his game, and, you know, we’ve got the bar high for him — as he should for himself. And he’s just got to play better.’’ Buchnevich, who had a strong preseason, started the regular season as the right wing on the No. 1 line with center Mika Zibanejad and left wing Chris Kreider. But despite scoring two goals in the first three games, he has bounced around the lineup, dropping from the first line to the second, third and fourth — and even playing his first-ever games at left wing. Eventually, Quinn left him out of the lineup in the sixth game of the season against the Colorado Avalanche Oct. 16. He put him back in the next night in Washington, but Buchnevich continued to underwhelm. The Russian did score the Rangers’ only goal in the 4-1 loss to the Blackhawks in Chicago Thursday in the first game of the road trip. And he had an assist in the next game, Sunday’s 4-3 loss to the Kings But that wasn’t enough for Quinn. “Obviously, you always like when a guy scores, but there’s got to be consistency,’’ Quinn said. Buchnevich seemed disappointed and didn’t have much to say when he was approached after the skate. Asked if he understood what Quinn wanted from him, he said he had a meeting with the coach scheduled for later. Asked what more he can do, he said, “I don’t know. Just work hard.’’ Apparently, he hasn’t worked hard enough to this point — in Quinn’s mind, at least. “At the end of the day, it’s about effort and doing the things that are required to have success at this level — or any level — in hockey,’’ he said. “This is a contact sport. You’ve got to take a hit to make a play; you’ve got to get in the way, and being physical means something different for every player, depending on your size. I’m not asking guys to run around and kill people, but, you know, you’ve got to take ice away from people; you’ve got to get in people’s way if there’s a size disadvantage. And you’ve got to make life hard for the other team.’’ Quinn then tried to make it clear that he isn’t giving up on the 6-3, 196- pound Buchnevich, a third-round pick in 2013 who scored 14 goals and had 43 points in 74 games last season (he has three goals and five points in 10 games this season). “We’re asking him to do things that he’s going to have to do to be a productive player in this league,’’ the coach said. “And nobody’s lost faith in him; I think he’s going to be a really good player. But sometimes it’s a process, and it takes a little time.’’ Notes & quotes: Henrik Lundqvist was to start in goal, and Quinn said the plan is for backup Alexandar Georgiev to start the final game of the trip, Thursday in Anaheim against the Ducks… D Adam McQuaid (lower body injury) missed his second straight game, meaning Tony DeAngelo got to play in his second consecutive game after sitting out six in a row… Vinni Lettieri took Buchnevich’s spot in the lineup. Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112920 New York Rangers “We became great friends. He’s been the director of player development in Colorado the last five years and we would talk regularly. We share a lot of the same beliefs about hockey and how it should be played.” How David Quinn’s philosophy (and assistants) are shaping this Rangers Brown and Quinn go back even farther, decades in this case, to the team so far heated crosstown college rivalry we’ve seen with various Rangers players, current and past. By Rick Carpiniello Oct 30, 2018 “Greg Brown I’ve known for 30 years,” Quinn said. “We were teammates on the World Junior team together and even though I was at B.U. and he was at B.C. our friendship withstood that.” David Quinn is often quick to note “this is a results driven business” or He laughed, then added, “In all of our conversations the last 30 years, some such variation of that thought. we’re on the same page. So there’s a lot of trust, a lot of continuity. I think there’s going to be a lot of fun with these guys on our staff.” But while the results, the bottom-line W-L-OT (3-7-1) for Quinn’s Rangers, surely could be better, the difference between these Rangers Brown and Ruff work with the defensemen, though Brown spends the and those of the immediate past is quite stark. first two periods with Allaire as the eye in the sky, focusing on what the other team is doing, or trying to do, before heading to the bench for third Practices are brisk, maybe a tad longer, and miles more competitive and periods. at a higher tempo. Quinn’s barking on the ice is loud and firm and if there is any misunderstanding, the follow-up from the rookie head coach is Oliver, like Arniel before him, works with the forwards. Oliver and Brown even louder and more firm. run the power play, which was on fire during the preseason and has heated up lately. Ruff runs the penalty kill, which went from the bottom of He isn’t barking to be a tough guy or a dictator, though. He’s barking the NHL to the top-third under Ruff in his first year on Vigneault’s staff because a month or two isn’t long enough to implement a new system last season. and a new mindset. He’s barking because he wants his new team to play a new way, to be in combat for pucks, for position on the ice, for Quinn explained the second-intermission switch of Brown from the press protection of its own net, hence the designed tight-quarters battles of one box level to the bench as follows. vs. one, or two vs. two. Quinn believes in throwing a puck into a corner and seeing who comes out with it. “Well, we’ve got Ben Allaire on top, so we’ve got a lot of insight there. And I just like Brownie on the bench. Brownie’s got a good eye for the Accountability is as high as it’s been in, well, who knows how long. I game and he gives us a little bit different perspective. And by that point I mean, John Tortorella barked, too, but his veterans got long, long think you’ve got a good enough (idea of the opponent’s strategies). leashes. Alain Vigneault’s leash only applied to younger players. “He can still watch what’s going on through the course of the game – With Quinn, even his favorites – Kevin Shattenkirk and Kevin Hayes for we’ve got him paying attention to what the other team’s doing and he can example – have been shown the pine, as have Neal Pionk, Adam get a good feel from it. But I just like having him on the bench. The guys McQuaid, Vlad Namestnikov, Ryan Spooner and youngsters Pavel like his insight. And I just like having him on the bench.” Buchnevich, Vinni Lettieri and Tony DeAngelo. It is across the board, which is the best kind – the only kind – of real accountability. Arniel and Williams were terrific people, respected and liked by their players and others around the organization. So too was Vigneault, for the Quinn’s not alone in this process. He is surrounded by a partially new most part, though it appeared some players started tuning out his voice. staff, one that mirrors his ideals and is also about teaching and That happens with coaches. They have shelf lives. developing. Vigneault, though, became distant. He leaned on his team’s leadership It is one that is designed to aid a rookie NHL head coach on a team that group to handle issues, and perhaps those issues that developed needed is young and will likely get younger later this season and the ones after a stronger response. Quinn and his new staff appear, at least to date, to that. be more hands-on. They do a ton of on-ice, one-on-one teaching, including pats on backs, and even light conversation. That may not be a “Things are going to go poorly,” Quinn said. “When things go poorly you lot different. We’ll see if the new staff is more effective along those lines. can’t be like, ‘Ah, this doesn’t work.’ You’ve got to be patient. You’ve got to work through some highs and lows. You just have to. You’ve got to But Quinn has not named a captain to replace Ryan McDonagh, who stay even-keeled in those moments.” was sent to Tampa Bay in the deadline blockbuster late last season. It ought to be noted that Vigneault didn’t immediately replace captain Ryan Gone are Vigneault’s associate head coach Scott Arniel and assistant Callahan, who was also traded to Tampa Bay in 2014, going to the Darryl Williams, replaced by two of sheriff Quinn’s familiar deputies, Greg Stanley Cup Final with nobody wearing the “C.” Brown and David Oliver. Held over are, of course, goalie whisperer Benoit Allaire, video coach Jerry Dineen (he of the Dineen family of Quinn’s leadership group goes beyond the five players who wear the hockey) and Lindy Ruff. alternate captain’s “A” – Marc Staal, Mats Zuccarello, Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad and Jesper Fast – extending to Shattenkirk, Hayes, and Well, Ruff wasn’t held over as much as he was retained until Quinn made others. the call this summer. Quinn understands whose team it is, even if he often kids that he stays “It’s funny,” Quinn said. “When I took the job, Lindy had been retained away from Henrik Lundqvist because, as the old NHL coaching joke and I was excited to talk to Lindy. I’d never met Lindy, but he checked goes, nobody knows what to say to a goalie. every box that a first-time coach in the National Hockey League would need. So they leave the coaching of Lundqvist and backup Alexandar Georgiev to Allaire, whose rep as a technical guru and goalie psychologist is “After 45 minutes, I knew this was a guy I wanted to work with, and he unmatched. was going to be invaluable to me. We’ve only known each other for (a few) months … The guys really like and respect him and I think he’s However, Quinn does indeed talk to Lundqvist regularly, leaning on his going to be very valuable.” status as the team leader and one of the Rangers’ all-time greats. Lundqvist is used by Quinn as an asset for more than stopping pucks Ruff, the longtime NHL head coach with Buffalo and Dallas, is a former and, they hope, stealing wins. Rangers player who then followed Roger Neilson from New York to Florida to begin his coaching career. In baseball parlance, he’s a bench “He’s been so supportive,” Quinn said. “Not only has he played great, but coach. He’s Don Zimmer to Joe Torre, a wealth of experience for a coach he’s been everything you can ask for from your best player. Coachable, who knows how to coach, but might not be as familiar as he could be fully onboard. He gives me pretty good insight on what’s going on with doing so in the best league on the planet. the team. Obviously I give him some distance because he gets very intense, especially on game days. Like Ruff, Oliver played briefly for the Rangers, but unlike Ruff, Quinn and Oliver go back years. “At the end of the day we’re certainly seeing things the same way and he’s encouraged by a lot of things we’ve done, but certainly discouraged “David Oliver, I worked with in Lake Erie (Colorado’s minor-league by our record. There’s a fine line at this level and we certainly understand affiliate in Cleveland where Quinn was the head coach),” Quinn said. “He what we need to do to get over the hump and have some success for the was the assistant coach and the general manager. I had never met him fruits of our labor, but I don’t just talk to him. Obviously, anyone who’s before I got the job. been around as long as he has, and had the success he has, and the respect he carries in the locker room … I just think it’s nothing forced. It’s a pretty easy, free-flowing conversation.” There seems to be a lot of that going around with these new Rangers. The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112921 Ottawa Senators

Senators top up refinancing with new $30M credit facility

Vito Pilieci

The Ottawa Senators Hockey Club said it has secured a $30 million short-term credit line with BMO Bank of Montreal’s corporate finance division. The hockey club said the five-year loan will be used to give the team access to short-term credit as well as allowing the team to buy U.S. dollars when exchange rates are more attractive. American currency is typically used by a hockey franchise to pay its players. “We’re delighted with this deal,” said Eugene Melnyk, owner and governor of the Senators in an email statement. “Attracting an organization as reputable as the BMO Bank of Montreal is a strong signal to our community and our partners that we are on solid footing and are building in Ottawa for the long haul.” The new loan completes a refinancing initiative that the Senators began in June 2018 when the club announced a $135-million, six-year term series of loans with a syndicate of American and Canadian financial institutions. Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112922 Ottawa Senators Only 2:24 later, Condon failed to handle the rebound of a long shot by Nick Cousins, keeping the puck in play, and a quick pass set up Brad Richardson for a goal that made it 2-0. Short night for Mike Condon, long night for Senators against Coyotes After getting their first shot on goal midway through the first period, the Senators found their legs, leading to a power play. But then came the Stepan flip shot from a different time zone. Ken Warren For the record, the three goals came on 11 shots.

In came Anderson for the final 44:30. GLENDALE, Ariz. — Sorry for the Halloween-themed report from the desert, but this was pretty much the ugliest, scariest possible result for “It was a weird one,” said Boucher. “There was a lot of stuff that I hadn’t the Ottawa Senators. seen before. But it was one of those days where nothing was working. We had trouble making a pass. It was just one of those days. A stinker In a game full of goofiness and sloppiness, back-up goaltender Mike from the beginning to the end for different reasons.” Condon’s first appearance in three weeks lasted less than 16 minutes as the Senators lost 5-1 to the Arizona Coyotes. As awful as the Senators were, the Coyotes continue to open some eyes around the NHL. Condon, who had little support from the team in front of him, was chased from the game after allowing Derek Stepan to score from Arizona’s blue- After beginning the season by scoring only four goals in their first five line with a simple flip of the puck down the ice during a Senators power games, they entered Tuesday’s game having won three in a row and four play. of the previous five. They’ve also become an offensive powerhouse. After embarrassing the Tampa Bay Lightning 7-1 on Saturday, they had 22 The puck was on its way wide of the net when it somehow banked off the goals in the five games leading up to Tuesday’s meeting with the inside of Condon’s right leg and into the net, giving the Coyotes a 3-0 Senators. lead. Game. Set. Match. OPENING FOR WOLANIN: With Mark Borowiecki suspended and with “I had to do something,” said Senators coach Guy Boucher of taking Ben Harpur in Ottawa, recovering from a back injury, Senators coach Condon out of the game. “He’s a hard-working guy. He’s a good person. Guy Boucher stuck with his preferred alignment of seven defencemen It’s tough for a coach to pull a goalie out. The team needed it. We and 11 forwards, so Christian Wolanin made his NHL season debut needed something.” against the Coyotes. Boucher said the Senators got what they deserved early on. “I didn’t really know what to expect coming into the road trip with injuries and I was kind of like an extra body and that’s what I had assumed,” said “We got out-competed in the first period,” he said. “That doesn’t usually Wolanin, who had been recalled from Belleville of the American Hockey happen. That’s the one thing we’ve had from the beginning. Our compete League last week. level wasn’t there at all in the first period and after that, it was an uphill battle.” Wolanin, who played 10 NHL games last season, was caught off-guard when he assigned to Belleville during training camp. There was some fight left in the Senators, with Alex Formenton scoring his first National Hockey League goal — officially awarded after Coyotes “Originally, when I first got sent down, I took it pretty hard and I wasn’t head coach Rick Tocchet was unsuccessful in his second goaltending- happy and I was disappointed in myself and the situation. But, the more interference challenge of the period — to narrow the Coyotes lead to 3-1 time I spent down there, the more I realized it might be good for me. in the second period. (Belleville coach) Troy Mann has been unbelievable down there with my development and I’m an even better player than when I got sent down. When the goal was officially credited to Formenton, he was sitting on the I’m confident in myself. I think I can play at this level.” bench. Wolanin saw spot duty against the Coyotes, playing 6:54 in the first two “It was kind of a weird play,” he said. “I was tied up with their periods. He was on the ice for Richardson’s goal. defenceman, so I didn’t really know if (the puck) hit off my stick or his stick. It was a nice shot by (Chris Wideman) just getting it to the front of HOMECOMING FOR BOEDKER: Returning to Gila River Arena, where the net and I’m lucky it bounced in.” he played home games for eight years, Senators winger Mikkel Boedker spent a good part of Tuesday morning shaking hands with old friends. “I Only 22 seconds later, though, Richard Panik restored the hosts’ three- just kind of grew into a man here, I guess,” said Boedker, who was goal margin after a miscommunication between the Senators’ Mark drafted eighth overall by the Coyotes in 2008. “I met a lot of great people Stone and Thomas Chabot. Coyotes captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson here. It still feels somewhat like home, so it’s pretty special.” Boedker scored on a third period power play to cap the scoring. says wearing shorts in and out of the arena every day was one of the major differences from most NHL stops. So, too, were the limited amount Add it all up and it was an ugly end to a forgettable road trip. of microphones from media outlets. “From a media standpoint, it’s a little The Senators, scheduled to fly home early Wednesday, went 0-for-3 out more quiet, but I really enjoyed my time here and I have nothing but good west, including a 6-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Friday and a 4-3 things to say about the place.” overtime setback against the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday. IN PRAISE OF SPEZZA: Former Senators captain Jason Spezza played Their only point came in the overtime defeat to Vegas, when No. 1 his 1,000th NHL game for the Dallas Stars during their 4-1 victory over goaltender Craig Anderson stopped 49 shots. the Montreal Canadiens Tuesday. “He’ll always be in the pictures when I look back at my first game, my first point, and everything,” said Stone, Therein lies the major problem. Anderson, who had started the previous who assisted on a Spezza goal in his NHL debut against the New York seven games, needed a break from the nightly barrage that comes from Rangers during the 2012 playoffs. “I liked playing with him. I liked being playing behind an inexperienced defence group. around him. Just with the way he genuinely enjoyed being at the rink and the passion that he played with. People don’t really understand how It won’t get any easier. The Senators now face three games in four days, much he enjoyed playing hockey and still enjoys playing hockey.” beginning with a home-and-home series against the Buffalo Sabres starting Thursday at Canadian Tire Centre. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 10.31.2018 The 37-year-old Anderson can’t play them all. After allowing five goals on 29 shots in a 6-3 loss to Boston on Oct. 8, Condon had waited and waited for his next chance, while also dealing with a nagging injury. Now what? His night started badly and got worse. He didn’t get much help from teammates, either. At the 4:09 mark, Alex Galchenyuk scored his first goal for the Coyotes after stripping Stone of the puck outside the crease and tucking it past Condon. 1112923 Ottawa Senators

‘A good hard hockey hit’: Suspension confuses Senators’ Mark Borowiecki

Ken Warren

GLENDALE, Arizona — Even after receiving a three-game suspension for his open-ice hit on Cody Eakin of the Vegas Golden Knights, Mark Borowiecki’s view hasn’t changed. “In my honest opinion, I thought the hit in Vegas was a good hard hockey hit and a good hard hockey play,” Borowiecki said following the Ottawa Senators’ morning skate Tuesday. Borowiecki, who had just rejoined the lineup after serving a one-game suspension for elbowing the Boston Bruins’ Urho Vaakanaienen in another contest on Oct. 23, says he understands and appreciates the process that led to the latest suspension. He says he would never want to have such a job because, ultimately, one side or the other will be disappointed with the outcome. Borowiecki had a phone hearing with George Parros of the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety on Monday. It had been a broken play, of sorts. Borowiecki left his position near the blue line, hoping to receive a pass from teammate Colin White. Eakin intercepted White’s pass, but his head was down as Borowiecki made contact. Eakin immediately fell to the ice. He was taken to the dressing room and didn’t return to the game. The Golden Knights’ Jon Merrill then dropped his gloves to fight Borowiecki. “I will say the same thing I said to George on that call,” Borowiecki said. “My initial, gut reaction after that play, was that we were going on a two- minute power play. I thought (the Golden Knights) were getting two minutes for instigating (a fight). There was no call in real time by the referees.” As he has played the hit over and over again in his mind, Borowiecki isn’t sure what he could have done differently. Part of his argument to Parros was that all parties involved — including Vegas coach — said there was no indication that Borowiecki had targeted Eakin’s head. “That’s kind of the confusing part of it sometimes. But, if you’re going to play on that line, you’re going to cross it sometimes and the consequences are what they are.” If Eakin hadn’t been bent over and looking downward as he stickhandled the puck, the Senators suggest, there would have been no head contact. “I want to preface this by saying I am by no means putting the onus on Cody Eakin at all,” Borowiecki said. “He is not to fault for this, but our argument for this is, if his head was up, where would the principal point of impact be. I think it’s left (pectoral muscle).” Ultimately, though, Borowiecki says he must respect the decision. As he looks back at what led to last week’s suspension, he acknowledged he could have dealt with that circumstance differently. “The one against Boston was not intentional, but I need to make a better decision there,” he said. “I take a lot of pride in throwing a lot of body checks and the majority of them are pretty clean. I’m going to try and get back on track, but by no means am I going to change my game or the way that I play. I’m not out there looking to target guys or hurt guys. I’m just playing the game hard and sometimes you cross that line.” Ottawa Sun LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112924 Ottawa Senators Until these two incidents, Borowiecki had only been suspended once: two games in December 2016 for a hit from behind on Tyler Toffoli of the Los Angeles Kings. Mark Borowiecki had better watch himself If there’s a next time for Borowiecki with Parros, expect even harsher treatment. Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals is appealing a 20- game suspension for an incident in the pre-season, and he is also a Bruce Garrioch repeat offender. O’Neill wonders if players will start to back off on the physical element of the game if hits like the one Borowiecki made on Eakin draw a Mark Borowiecki is on the National Hockey League’s radar screen. suspension. The Ottawa Senators’ alternate captain will have to tread carefully when “How is (Borowiecki) supposed to play? He’s only effective if he’s he returns from the three-game suspension he received from George aggressive, hitting people and a pain in the ass out there. What’s he Parros of the league’s department of player safety on Monday for his going to do? Start playing a skill game? He doesn’t have that skill set,” illegal check on Cody Eakins of the Vegas Golden Knights one night O’Neill said. earlier. Borowiecki’s best bet is to find the right balance. As the Senators wrapped up their road trip Tuesday against Arizona, Borowiecki started serving his second suspension in less than a week. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 10.31.2018 He also missed Friday’s game in Denver for elbowing Urho Vaakanainen of the Boston Bruins last Tuesday. While there has been no shortage of opinion in the hockey world that Borowiecki was just making the right play when he delivered a hit on Eakin in the Senators’ 4-3 overtime loss to the Knights on Sunday, such plays are immediately reviewed and Borowiecki wasn’t in a position of strength. Given his brief, but recent history with the department of player safety, it was going to be difficult for him to escape without a suspension and that’s why he won’t be eligible until the Senators face the Tampa Bay Lightning at home on Sunday. “I thought (Borowiecki) came up a little bit and I thought it was avoidable,” Dave Poulin, a former NHL player and Toronto Maple Leafs assistant general manager who is now a TSN analyst, said Tuesday. “It was an unorthodox hit for me because it was avoidable. “He’s not going to get the benefit of the doubt, he’s just not.” Borowiecki deserved the suspension he received for his the elbow on Vaakanainen, but this incident with Eakin has been argued fiercely by both sides. Many believe Borowiecki isn’t doing his job if he doesn’t finish his check on Eakin. Jeff O’Neill, a former Carolina Hurricanes and Maple Leafs forward, was surprised Borowiecki even got a penalty. “I guess I’m not the guy to ask on these,” said O’Neill, an analyst on TSN radio and television in Toronto. “I look at it and (Eakin) has his head down and, of course, there’s going to be contact there. The head goes flailing because he’s looking down. “That’s unavoidable. But I guess I haven’t done my homework on this because, when I talk to guys like Bob (McKenzie) and (Poulin) on the panel, they’re like, ‘Oh no, you’ve got to take a different line there.’ That wasn’t an option when I played, but I think, if I did now, I’d just say, ‘I’m not hitting him because what’s the sense?’ I don’t have enough time to make that decision. “You don’t have time to process it, ‘Oh, I’ve got to take a different line?’ No, it’s your job to eliminate the guy with the puck and not to figure out a line to get there.” That’s the issue Borowiecki is facing. Playing the game is about making split-second decisions and, if there’s a goal or scoring chance because Borowiecki gives the opponent a free pass, then he’s not doing his job. It’s a slippery slope because nobody wants anybody to get hurt, either. If Borowiecki doesn’t play physically, he’s not going to be in the league for long. He isn’t being paid for his offensive skills, he’s on the roster because he’s tough to play against and makes opponents pay a price if they want to go to the dirty areas. “I love the way he plays, but he has to err on the side of caution,” Poulin said. “He just has to. I think he can make that adjustment. The majority of hits he makes are fine. “But it’s up to him to eliminate that one (he got suspended for). Players have to make adjustments and he has to make that adjustment.” Poulin is right. Borowiecki will have to adapt because he now has a reputation and repeat-offender status, which only comes into play when Parros is determining the length of a suspension. 1112925 Philadelphia Flyers It was Couturier who got the Flyers off on the right skate, deflecting Giroux's pass through his legs and past Miller with 16:53 left in the first, putting the visitors ahead, 1-0, and giving them just their second power- Flyers beat Anaheim Ducks behind Nolan Patrick’s clutch goal play goal in the last eight games. "We want to get back to playing the right way and getting some good habits back on our team," Couturier said after scoring his fourth goal of by Sam Carchidi the season. "It was a good start." During their early power plays Tuesday, the Flyers flip-flopped players on their first and second units. Patrick and Konecny went to the top unit, and ANAHEIM, Calif. — On Halloween Eve, with the "Monster Mash" blaring Wayne Simmonds and Jake Voracek dropped to the second unit. The from the loudspeakers during pregame festivities and many fans at the Flyers went back to their usual units late in the game. Honda Center wearing costumes, the Flyers came disguised as the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Flyers had lost four of their previous five games, and they were coming off Saturday's 6-1 home loss to the Islanders. In other words, for one night at least, they resembled a quality hockey team. "It's a perfect time for us to be on the road," center Jori Lehtera said. "I don't know why, but it feels like we play a more simple game on the road They scored the first goal for just the second time in 12 games Tuesday, than at home." tallied their second power-play goal in their last 21 chances, and showed more physicality than usual. It didn't hurt that the Flyers faced an Anaheim team that was missing eight injured regulars and used three rookie defensemen who had played Oh, and their defense and goaltending rebounded from one of their most in a combined 46 NHL games in their careers. dreadful performances of the young season. "We feel we can build off this and keep going here," Giroux said after his It all produced a much-needed 3-2 win over injury-ravaged Anaheim. The team's first regulation win over the Ducks since 2008.. Flyers snapped their three-game losing streak and extended the Ducks' losing skid to six straight. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 10.31.2018 Nolan Patrick scored with 1 minute, 51 seconds left to snap a 2-2 tie. The second-year center scored 21 seconds after Cam Fowler's power-play goal tied the score at 2-2. Oskar Lindblom, from behind the net, found a streaking Patrick in the slot and he gave the Flyers the lead for good. Patrick didn't feel he drilled the shot, but he got enough of it to get it past Ryan Miller, Anaheim's back up goalie. "One of the worst shots I've taken," Patrick said. "I'm not going to lie to you guys and say I was aiming there." Lindblom said Miller was "waiting for a high shot" and was fooled by Patrick's low drive. "It can't get any better." With 3:33 left in regulation, Jordan Weal's tripping penalty gave the Ducks a golden chance to tie the game — and they didn't waste it. But the Flyers, who outshot the Ducks by a 36-25 margin and outhit them, 25-17, survived because of Patrick's heroics. "We played a perfect road game," said defenseman Ivan Provorov, who had a goal and five blocked shots, including one that probably saved a goal. The Flyers spent most of the first period in the Ducks' end and left the ice with a 1-0 lead, thanks to Sean Couturier's power-play goal. It marked only the third time in 12 games they took a lead into the second period. Early in the first, Scott Laughton nearly made it 2-0, but Miller denied him on a shorthanded breakaway. Just 1:59 into the second period, after Couturier nearly scored his second goal of the night, the Ducks sped down ice and Pontus Aberg beat Brian Elliott (23 saves) from the right circle, firing a shot over his shoulder to knot the score at 1-1. But the Flyers answered a little over seven minutes later, taking a 2-1 lead when Giroux's wrist shot deflected off Provorov and past Miller as Travis Konecny distracted the 38-year-old goaltender. For Provorov it was his first goal of the season; he shared the NHL lead for defensemen with 17 goals a year ago. Anaheim, which had points in its previous 15 games (12-0-3) against the Flyers, controlled the early part of the second period. But the Flyers regrouped nicely and had a 17-9 shots advantage in the stanza. "I thought it was two of our best periods of the year, honestly," said Patrick, who had an assist, scored the game-winning goal, and won 11 of 17 faceoffs (65 percent). "Being on the road gives us a chance to re-set and get better as a team." Before the game, many Flyers echoed that sentiment, saying that playing on the road would help them get back on track. They started a four-game trip Tuesday that will also have stops in Los Angeles, San Jose, and Arizona. "Because of the way things are going, it's probably good to get away," Couturier said. "There's no distractions. Just focus on our game and start the trip the right way. Getting off to a good start is important." 1112926 Philadelphia Flyers

For Flyers’ Nic Aube-Kubel, reaching the NHL a ‘dream come true’ by Sam Carchidi

ANAHEIM, Calif. — For right winger Nic Aube-Kubel, the anticipation of making his NHL debut Tuesday night in Anaheim had him looking at the ceiling earlier in the week. "I've been hardly sleeping the last two days," he said Tuesday after the morning skate. Aube-Kubel played just nine shifts totaling 5 minutes and 44 seconds in Tuesday's 3-2 win over the Ducks. He contributed four of the Flyers' 25 hits and had one shot on goal. "He did a good job. He did exactly what we wanted him to," coach Dave Hakstol said. "He played straight-line, he won battles. I thought he won the majority of his battles along the wall and took care of pucks and didn't try to make plays that weren't there, so it was a positive night for him." Veteran center Jori Lehtera had some advice for Aube-Kubel before the game: Keep it simple and be yourself. "I played with him in exhibitions and in training camp, so I kind of know what kind of player he is," Lehtera said before he centered Aube-Kubel and left winger Scott Laughton in the game. "I think he's going to bring a lot of energy. I remember my first game. I was full of energy, so I think he's going to make it easier for me and Laughts. He's a fast skater and he's really strong. I think he'll mix in well on our line." Aube-Kubel, 22, promoted from the AHL's Phantoms earlier in the week, said playing in some preseason games had eased his nerves, but not his excitement. "I've been dreaming of this since I'm little," he said. "It's a dream come true." His father and uncle traveled from Alberta to be at the game, and he had two friends travel from Quebec to watch his debut. Aube-Kubel (second round) was the third player from the 2014 draft in Philadelphia to play for the Flyers, joining Travis Sanheim (first round) and Oskar Lindblom (fifth). Betting matters The NHL on Monday announced a partnership with MGM Resorts, with commissioner Gary Bettman saying the new sports betting landscape presented a "unique opportunity" for fan engagement that uses technology and data that are exclusive to the league. Some of that technology includes the velocity of players' shots and other measures that can help bettors. Radko Gudas, the Flyers' player representative, said "some guys are going to be against it, some guys are going to be for it. But it's a good thing." Gudas said having more statistical information available and legalized betting might make hockey more popular to fans. "Hockey is one sport that is not real high in the U.S.' top rankings, so maybe it can help grow the sport," he said. Breakaways Christian Folin had seven blocked shots in Tuesday's win…..Andrew MacDonald and Tyrell Goulbourne were healthy scratches. … Gudas leads the Flyers with a plus-4 rating. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112927 Philadelphia Flyers

‘Perfect time’ for Flyers to be on the road by Sam Carchidi

ANAHEIM, Calif. – The Flyers, losers of three straight, believe playing on the road will help them get back on track. They start a four-game trip Tuesday in Anaheim, followed by stops in Los Angeles, San Jose, and Arizona. "Because of the way things are going, it's probably a good time to get away," center Sean Couturier said after Tuesday's morning skate at the Honda Center. "There are no distractions. Just focus on our game and start the trip the right way. Getting off to a good start is important." The Flyers have lost four of their last five, and they are coming off Saturday's 6-1 home loss to the Islanders. Jori Lehtera, who will center Scott Laughton and Nic Aube-Kubel (who is making his NHL debut), said "it's a perfect time for us to go on the road. I don't know why, but it feels like we play a more simple game on the road than at home." Brian Elliott will face Anaheim backup goalie Ryan Miller, who has a 2.17 GAA and .938 save percentage in three appearances. Elliott has a 3.39 GAA and .886 save percentage in eight games. Miller "has been one of the best in the league for a long time," Couturier said. "He's playing less now, but he's still a good goalie. Well, have to challenge him and bring more pucks to him, bring more traffic to him." In 35 career games against the Flyers, Miller is 16-14-3 with a 2.86 GAA and .907 save percentage. Breakaways Tyrell Goulbourne and Andrew MacDonald will be healthy scratches…..Former Flyer Luke Schenn, who is minus-5 in seven games, could be in the Ducks' lineup…..Aube-Kubel (second round) will be the third player from the 2014 draft in Philadelphia to play for the Flyers, joining Travis Sanheim (first round) and Oskar Lindblom (fifth round). Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112928 Philadelphia Flyers

NBC Sports Philly adds a new face to its Flyers coverage by Rob Tornoe,

Colby Cohen, a Villanova native and Radnor High School grad who made it to the NHL with the Colorado Avalanche and Boston Bruins, has been hired by NBC Sports Philadelphia as a Flyers analyst. It's only a part-time gig for Cohen, who said he's slated to make about 15 appearances on upcoming editions of Flyers Pre- and Post-Game Live. He's scheduled to appear on NBC Sports Philadelphia's Flyers coverage Tuesday night alongside host Amy Fadool Kane and former Flyers defenseman Chris Therien, who was moved from game broadcasts into the studio earlier this month. "I think they're testing a lot of new things out across the network, trying to mix things up," Cohen said. "Of course, I'm hoping to grow the role over time, like anyone would." In addition to his new role on NBC Sports Philadelphia, Cohen will call several games this season for NBC Sports Radio and Westwood One, including the the stadium series match-up between the Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins at Lincoln Financial Field in February and the first two rounds of the NHL playoffs. He is also slated to call five college hockey games with John Buccigross this season on ESPN. Though Cohen grew up on the Main Line and graduated from Radnor High School, he's more well known in Boston than in Philadelphia due to the three years he spent on Boston University's blue line. Cohen scored the game-winning goal in overtime that secured the Terriers' national championship in 2009. Cohen said becoming a broadcaster was just a happy accident. After getting injured following his short stint with the Bruins, Cohen did some work with NESN as a college hockey analyst. Since hanging up his skates for good in 2015, Cohen has landed a solid slate of games — including the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang for NBC Radio. "Last year I called about 35 games," Cohen said. "I'm looking forward to doing some studio work this year. I like mixing it up." As for the Flyers, who find themselves near the bottom of the Metropolitan Division to begin the season, Cohen thinks the slow start is less about bad defensive play and more about the team playing carelessly with the puck. "I see a lot of turnovers happening around both blue lines … Usually those are the types of turnovers that really cost you in hockey," Cohen said. "I think it's sloppiness with the puck and careless plays across the board, not just the defense." Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112929 Philadelphia Flyers

New Flyers Tyrell Goulbourne, Nic Aube-Kubel trying to provide much- needed spark by Sam Carchidi

ANAHEIM, Calif. – More than anything, the struggling Flyers need their leaders – Claude Giroux, Jake Voracek, Sean Couturier, Wayne Simmonds, Ivan Provorov, and Shayne Gostisbehere – to snap out of slumps. And it wouldn't hurt if the team's two newest members, wingers Nic Aube-Kubel and Tyrell Goulbourne, added some life to a confidence- shaken lineup. The rookies were promoted from the AHL's Phantoms and practiced with their new team Monday at the Honda Center, where the Flyers will face Anaheim on Tuesday. "I know they need that spark," Aube-Kubel said after Monday's practice. "They called up two very good guys for that." Aube-Kubel is expected to be in the lineup Tuesday, and there's also a chance Goulbourne plays. Coach Dave Hakstol would not reveal his lineup Monday. But he knows his 4-7 team, which has gotten off to slow starts in most of its games, needs a jump-start. "That spark can come from anywhere," Hakstol said. "It could one of those two guys that provides that spark. I know they'll be excited. They'll bring some fresh energy and that'll be a positive for us." The feisty Goulbourne provided energy in his first NHL shift last season, checking a player off the puck and it led to a Scott Laughton goal against St. Louis, igniting a 6-3 Flyers win. "I know I'm not coming up here to play on the power play," Goulbourne cracked after Monday's high-intensity practice. "I've had the same role my whole life and it's something I've worked at and take pride in. It's no different whether I'm in the AHL or up here. I'm going to play my game and bring what I bring." With the Phantoms this season, Goulbourne, 24, had a goal and two assists over seven games. "This is probably the best I've felt in a few years," he said. "I feel great. I'm very confident in my game right now." Aube-Kubel, 22, said he was told he would be in Tuesday's lineup. Goulbourne said he was not told whether he would play. Aube-Kubel excited about making his NHL debut: https://t.co/4ySg3qUzP0 — Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) October 30, 2018 Whenever he does get into the lineup – whether it's Tuesday or perhaps Thursday in Los Angeles – Goulbourne said he intends to play like he did in his NHL debut last January against the Blues. "I think that's the reason I'm here, because of the way I play," he said. "I'm not up here for any other reason than to provide energy and to be responsible in my D zone." Bringing that energy on a daily basis is his goal. "That's one of the struggles I've had in the past – show up for one game and the next game I'd be a little bit more quieter," he admitted. "That's something I've worked on over the past year and a half, two years and I've been more consistent." As an aside, the Flyers (4-7) are one of three NHL teams that have not been in a fight this season. That could change when Goulbourne gets into the lineup because he has been known to drop the gloves in the past. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112930 Philadelphia Flyers Scott Laughton-Jori Lehtera-Nicolas Aube-Kubel Defensemen Flyers at Ducks: Live stream, storylines, game time and more Ivan Provorov-Robert Hagg Shayne Gostisbehere-Christian Folin By Jordan Hall October 30, 2018 3:10 PM Travis Sanheim-Radko Gudas Goalies Wanna get away? Brian Elliott Dave Hakstol's group probably did — and needed to — after losing, 6-1, Michal Neuvirth to the Islanders last Saturday at the Wells Fargo Center, a third straight defeat that left the team befuddled. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.31.2018 The Flyers (4-7-0) now open a key four-game road trip early in the season when they play the Ducks (5-5-2) Tuesday night. Let's look at the essentials: • When: 10 p.m. ET with Flyers Pregame Live at 9:30 p.m. • Where: Honda Center • Broadcast: NBC Sports Philadelphia • Live stream: NBCSportsPhiladelphia.com and the NBC Sports MyTeams app • The Flyers are trying anything at this point. When the power play is 1 for its last 20, changes are needed in hopes of a spark. The personnel will switch as Nolan Patrick and Travis Konecny are expected to join the first unit in place of Wayne Simmonds and Jakub Voracek, who will slide down to the second group. Patrick and Konecny certainly have the ability to kick-start the Flyers. The 20-year-old Patrick is so smart and skilled with his hands around the goal crease that it wasn't a surprise to see him thrive in Simmonds' net- front role down the stretch of last season. Remember this?

That pass tho  Voracek puts the Flyers up 1-0 after an incredible pass from Nolan Patrick. pic.twitter.com/oCkeO6Inq1 — NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) March 9, 2018 He scored three power-play goals during Simmonds' seven-game absence and led the Flyers with five markers on the man advantage over their final 23 contests. Last season, the Flyers also saw the benefit of giving Konecny a promotion. From Dec. 28 to April 3, a 43-game stretch in which he played on the first line alongside Claude Giroux and Sean Couturier, the 21- year-old Konecny put up 20 goals, 37 points and a plus-18 rating as the Flyers went 24-13-6. Let's see what the kids can do because the Flyers need more out of both. • A few aspects hard to fathom: Couturier, the Flyers' first-line center, is without an assist through 11 games, while Ivan Provorov is a minus-8 and without a goal. Nobody foresaw those two playing at this level to start the season. And you can't blame that on coaching. • The Ducks may be having it just as bad as the Flyers right now. They've lost five straight games and seven of their last nine after starting the season 3-0-0. Anaheim is 28th in the NHL with 2.42 goals per game, while the Flyers have allowed a league-high 46. Which one will give Tuesday night? • Before last season's win in Anaheim, the Flyers hadn't beaten the Ducks on the road since Dec. 2, 2011. • Brian Elliott is 2-8-3 with a 3.31 goals-against average and .878 save percentage in 14 career games against the Ducks. Projected lineup Forwards Claude Giroux-Sean Couturier-Travis Konecny Oskar Lindblom-Nolan Patrick-Jakub Voracek Dale Weise-Jordan Weal-Wayne Simmonds 1112931 Philadelphia Flyers

Why we should have seen Flyers' slow start coming

By John Boruk October 30, 2018

ANAHEIM, Calif. — While the Flyers continue to identify the problems that have led to another bad start, there’s also reason to believe the end is nowhere in sight. History under Dave Hakstol suggests a turnaround won’t take place until after Thanksgiving. Take a close inspection of Hakstol’s first three seasons as head coach and it appears as if he’s working from the same template. A pattern that shows this team is not only plagued by slow starts to games but also an equally frustrating slow start to each season. In 2017-18, the Flyers stood at 8-11-7 and last place in the Metropolitan Division on Dec. 2. In 2016-17, the Flyers dropped to 9-10-3 and in seventh place in the division on Nov. 25. In 2015-16, the Flyers started with a 7-10-5 mark and last place in the Metro on Nov. 25. “Each team is really different. I think you’d be mistaken to compare,” Hakstol said. “You can compare the records, but each team is very different. This team is very different than the team we had last year. We haven’t scored the first goal in a hockey game and that’s something we should be taking personally as we get this deep into the season. There are some things we’re addressing and have addressed.” Regardless of how similar or contrasting each team is from one season to the next, those records through the first two months of the season should point to a much broader concern. One that should have been addressed during the summer. “Expectation,” Jakub Voracek said. “And rightfully so, everyone’s expecting us to be a great team, which we are obviously capable of doing. We were doing that from December on, so maybe overthinking things? Right now, I think the problem is that we’re trying to do someone else’s job. You just have to do your own job. “It’s hard to come up with something and say this is the problem, let’s fix it and we’re going to be good. It doesn’t work like that. Sometimes you play a good game and you find a way to lose it because you’re not used to winning those games.” Voracek also agrees that what the Flyers are experiencing right now is perhaps worse than last season’s 10-game winless stretch when the team was at the very least playing competitive games. Six of those losses were one-goal games and five came after regulation. In the Flyers' seven losses this season, six have been by three goals or more. “Yes, 100 percent, those games were one-sided games,” Voracek said. “Last three games if we’re talking about the three-game losing streak, we didn’t have any business to win any of those games. We’ve got to make sure we grind out some points.” Through 11 games, there hasn’t been one facet to this team Hakstol hasn’t reshuffled in an effort to generate better results. He’s rearranged his defensive pairings and his forward lines, and on Monday, the Flyers' coach went as far as to replace Voracek and Wayne Simmonds on the top power-play unit with Travis Konecny and Nolan Patrick (see story). “Two years ago I was taken off for a little bit,” Voracek said. “Yeah, I was a little bit [surprised]. But right now, nothing’s going right. It cannot hurt. We have a lot of experienced guys. We shouldn’t be in this situation, but we are now.” And a familiar situation the Flyers shouldn’t be surprised with either. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112932 Philadelphia Flyers “It’s part of the game. You’ve got to know how to respond and stay positive,” Patrick said. “I think Oskar made an unreal play there and (Jake Voracek) keeping it at the blue line, he got it down low and found Flyers 5 takeaways: Anaheim a much-needed slumpbuster him.” Provorov looks like Provorov again Dave Isaac, Oct. 31, 2018 One of the biggest disappointments in the first few weeks of the season had been Ivan Provorov looking nothing like himself. Both the coach and general manager admitted he was making several uncharacteristic poor plays with the puck. At times, his reads were off also. ANAHEIM, Calif. — Claude Giroux walked out of the Flyers’ locker room carrying his equipment bag and something else he hasn’t had in a while: Provorov claimed he wasn’t hurt, definitely not still dealing with the Grade a smile. 3 AC separation he suffered in his left shoulder in Game 6 of the Flyers’ playoff series last year. He still looked hesitant for the first time in his “Forgot what that felt like,” he quipped as he passed reporters. career. He had taken some steps toward looking like himself in recent games. Tuesday’s was the biggest step of the season and not just His Flyers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 3-2 win over the because he finally got his first goal. Anaheim Ducks that checked so many boxes the Flyers had empty recently. G with the shot, Provorov with the deflection  Score first: check. pic.twitter.com/EFreqbaxnO Pound the opposition with chances at the net: check — NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) October 31, 2018 Face some adversity: check. After the Flyers took the lead on his tally the Ducks found a seam in the Flyers’ defense and Pontus Aberg got the puck and shot the gap but For only the second time all season, the Flyers scored the game’s first Provorov backchecked hard and got to Aberg’s stick before he could goal. Sean Couturier snapped a 1-for-20 streak on the power play with a shoot, sending the puck out of play. tip-in for his fourth of the season. It helped the Flyers play from a position of strength rather than scrape and claw to get back in the game. “All I know is that he had one blocked shot — it was basically a breakaway and he came out of nowhere, a little snake tongue and got it The Flyers never trailed in the game. Even though it was always a one- for me,” Elliott said. “That’s a big break for me. He’s been consistently goal game, the Flyers were in the driver’s seat. Pontus Aberg scored his getting better and better, for sure.” second goal of the night to tie the game with 1:15 left in regulation and Nolan Patrick scored the game-winner 21 seconds later. “I think it was just another game for me,” Provorov added. “I’ve felt great since preseason just playing my game. Today I got a goal, but it’s not “It’s in those times where you gotta be prepared defensively,” Couturier changing my goal. If I do get points and some games I don’t, it doesn’t said. “You don’t want to give up that little chance that costs you and mean I’m playing worse than the other games.” yeah, we played a good game. We controlled the puck a lot and created a lot of chances, but I thought we did a good job defensively, coming While the player didn’t want to admit it, everyone else saw it. back in the slot there and not giving up second chances. Moose (Brian “Provy was good tonight,” coach Dave Hakstol said. “Provy draws a lot of Elliott) made the saves we needed.” attention. Sometimes when things don’t go well for our team he draws Here are four more takeaways from Tuesday night’s game… the negative attention, but you’ve got to remember he’s playing against the other team’s best player every night. Hey, that’s his job and he loves Taking advantage of a weak team that challenge. Tonight he was good. He was on top of everything and he was very sharp.” For as desperate as the Flyers were — losers of three straight entering the game — the Ducks had lost five in a row and were hemorrhaging Finding a pulse and an edge shot attempts in their own end. John Gibson had been under assault all season and they went to Miller Tuesday night and gave up the same Not only did the Flyers score the game’s first goal, they had some chances. The Ducks lead the league by allowing an average of 38.8 attitude before they did. General manager Ron Hextall recalled Nicolas- shots per game. Aube-Kubel and Tyrell Goulbourne from the minors for that reason and while the latter didn’t play, the Flyers found an edge before the former Entrance to the prime scoring areas was there for the Flyers and they even stepped on the ice. took it. Couturier’s goal was a tip in front and so was Travis Konecny’s, after he got a stick on Claude Giroux’s shot that went off Ivan Provorov’s The team said they didn’t think there was one play or one player who right foot. would provide the spark and it looked like it was there early on. “They kind of play a man-on-man system in the D-zone,” Patrick said. “I thought we came prepared,” Couturier said. “We were ready to go “With our speed we tried to do a lot of scissor plays and hold on to pucks battle. We came out strong, shot a lot of pucks on net, created some and use our speed and strength to our advantage. I thought we did a chances and we (stuck) up for each other too.” good job at it.” Konecny was mixing it up with the much bigger and much taller Ryan Making the assault on Ryan Miller’s net stand out even more, the Flyers Getzlaf. Wayne Simmonds dug for a puck under Ryan Miller’s glove had one of their best defensive games on the other end of the ice. before he heard a whistle and wrestled with Joseph Blandisi once the Ducks took offense. The Flyers similarly protected Brian Elliott in the first “They had a lot of puck possession coming through the slot area, but we when Blandisi tried the same. That simply hadn’t been part of their game were filling lanes and taking away shots and forcing them to look for in the last two weeks. other plays,” Elliott said. “I thought that effort was really good and when they did take the shot, there was a lot of good sticks, good blocked shots Courier-Post LOADED: 10.31.2018 out there for us.” 21 seconds Jordan Weal took another costly penalty Tuesday. The Flyers’ second-to- league-worst penalty kill was forced onto the ice in the game’s waning minutes and Aberg tipped a Cam Fowler shot behind Elliott. Next shift, the Flyers answered. They were in the driver’s seat all night and a play like that would have been enough to rattle them in the first 11 games of the season. Tuesday night they responded nearly immediately. Oskar Lindblom fed a wide-open Patrick for the game-winning goal as he was all alone in the slot. Even if he felt a little lucky to score it. “Did you see the shot? That’s one of the worst shots I’ve ever taken,” Patrick said. “I’m not gonna lie to you guys and say I was aiming there.” Still, the response was one the Flyers desperately needed. 1112933 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers don’t mind NHL’s sports betting partnership with one possible exception

Dave Isaac, Oct. 30, 2018

ANAHEIM, Calif. — For the last several seasons, the Flyers have used a company called Catapult that uses positional tracking devices on the players during practice. The NHL doesn’t allow it in games and many other teams also use the technology in practice to track things like acceleration and energy levels. Starting next year, the league hopes to use tracking technology in games too and share the data with MGM Resorts and other betting agencies for use in prop bets. “We're in the process of working with some technology companies to invent technology that doesn't currently exist, because it's more complicated to do this than in any of the other sports for a whole host of reasons which relate to the attributes of our games, the physical contact, the sticks, the speed and everything else,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters back in December at the Board of Governors meetings. “But we're committed to doing it and we're investing a fair amount of money to do it.” It will also, potentially, make them a lot of money. The NHL announced the multi-year partnership with MGM Resorts Monday in New York on the heels of the Supreme Court decision that legalized sports gambling back in May. “The new sports betting landscape presents a unique opportunity for fan engagement utilizing technology and data that are exclusive to our league,” Bettman told reporters Monday in New York. “Fan engagement, technological advancement and innovation are paramount to our progressive approach and will be at the forefront of everything we do.” That information is also expected to be used in broadcasts to show the velocity of shots or speed of players skating. So far, the Flyers have no issue with that. “Some guys are gonna be against it. Some guys are gonna be for it. But it’s for a good thing,” said Radko Gudas, the Flyers’ players association representative. “It’s not always the fastest guy that’s the best guy. Timing is everything in this game. Some guys are slower than the other ones but they’re in the right spot at the right moments.” “As long as you keep the players out of it (in terms of betting themselves),” Wayne Simmonds added, “I don’t think there is any effect.” Gudas said the tune of the players’ association is that they’re all for making more money and while Bettman said the NHL isn’t getting a cut of the bets themselves, they are splitting revenue from the marketing partnerships with the NHLPA. So far, still good. “I’m the wrong guy to ask,” Jake Voracek said. “I’m going out there trying to play my best. If I have something on my back or not or if somebody uses the information so they can make a bet, I don’t give a (crap). That’s the way I look at it.” What happens when it does affect the players? If data that is meant to be used for betting is also used as an evaluation tool, that changes the players’ tunes. What happens if that data then becomes available for use in contract negotiations? “That’s a great question,” Voracek said. “I don’t think it should be used in contracts, but obviously they will use it. They want to get you as cheap as you can, but if you play good, you get a good contract.” No formal agreement exists, but according to a league source the data likely won’t be permitted for use in contract negotiations or salary arbitration. “I think that’s a joke to be quite honest,” Simmonds said. “I really don’t think you could use that. You’d have to pass that by the PA to be quite honest. I don’t know if guys would go for that.” Courier-Post LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112934 Philadelphia Flyers 47-Hampus Lindholm & 26-Brandon Montour 4-Cam Fowler & 42-Josh Manson Flyers at Ducks: Game 12 preview 51-Jacob Larsson & 73-Andy Welinski Goalie Dave Isaac, NHL writer Published 7:00 a.m. ET Oct. 30, 2018 30-Ryan Miller (36-John Gibson) The Flyers won their last visit to Anaheim last October, a 3-2 win in Injuries/suspensions overtime. RW Corey Perry – knee surgery, out 5 months Tonight: Flyers at Anaheim Ducks RW Patrick Eaves – shoulder injuryout indefinitely Site: Honda Center / Anaheim, Calif. D Korbinian Holzer – concussion, out indefinitely Time: 10 p.m. RW Carter Rowney – upper-body injury, day-to-day TV/Radio: NBCSN/97.5 FM LW Max Comtois – lower-body injury, day-to-day Records: Flyers 4-7-0 | Ducks 5-5-2 LW Nick Ritchie – upper-body, day-to-day Last game: Flyers 6-1 loss to NYI on Sat. | Ducks 4-3 loss to SJS on Sat. Courier-Post LOADED: 10.31.2018 Bovada odds: Flyers +1.5 | O/U 6.0 A 1-for-20 power play skid amid a three-game losing streak has brought some change to the Flyers. Their lines were jumbled, again, Monday in practice and so were the special teams units. In the latest desperate attempt to find a jump start for a floundering team, the Flyers took Wayne Simmonds and Jake Voracek off the top unit and replaced them with Nolan Patrick and Travis Konecny. It’s a longshot as the Flyers continue to make changes to lines and pairs without much of an opportunity to stick. “We looked at two different units today that are new setups,” coach Dave Hakstol said. “We’re going through a stretch here where we haven’t had the results and just a way to A. look at two new units that have some different looks and are fresh for our players also that aren’t prescouted as much as our top unit is and has been over the past few years. It’s a way to hopefully open up a little bit of new space and new opportunities.” FLYERS PROJECTED LINEUP Forwards 28-Claude Giroux, 14-Sean Couturier, 11-Travis Konecny 23-Oskar Lindblom, 19-Nolan Patrick, 93-Jake Voracek 22-Dale Weise, 40-Jordan Weal, 17-Wayne Simmonds 21-Scott Laughton, 15-Jori Lehterä, 62-Nicolas Aube-Kubel Defense 9-Ivan Provorov & 8-Robert Hägg 53-Shayne Gostisbehere & 26-Christian Folin 6-Travis Sanheim & 3-Radko Gudas Goalie 37-Brian Elliott (30-Michal Neuvirth) Injuries/suspensions LW James van Riemsdyk – right knee injury, out 3-4 weeks F Corban Knight – right hand injury, injured reserve LW Michael Raffl – left ankle injury, out 4-6 weeks D Samuel Morin – surgery to repair ACL, injured reserve F Pascal Laberge – hip surgery, season opening injured reserve DUCKS PROJECTED LINEUP Forwards 14-Adam Henrique, 15-Ryan Getzlaf, 67-Rickard Rakell 7-Andrew Cogliano, 17-Ryan Kesler, 64-Kiefer Sherwood 20-Pontus Aberg, 34-Sam Steel, 33-Jakob Silfverberg 39-Joseph Blandisi, 48-Isac Lundestrom, 23-Brian Gibbons Defense 1112935 Pittsburgh Penguins

Often a villain in the eyes of Penguins fans, coach Barry Trotz vouches for city's character

Jonathan Bombulie

New York Islanders coach Barry Trotz has been a villain at times in the city of Pittsburgh. When he was with the Washington Capitals, he sometimes rankled Penguins fans with his defenses of illegal playoff hits delivered by Matt Niskanen on Sidney Crosby in 2017 and Tom Wilson on Zach Aston- Reese last season. On Tuesday night, in the wake of real-life tragedy, Trotz put aside the animus that can arise from the comparatively meaningless bitterness of a hockey rivalry and played a completely different role. He was an admirer of the city, speaking passionately about its ability to recover from last Saturday’s shooting in Squirrel Hill. “This city is strong,” Trotz said. “It’s a gorgeous city. The people are great. I know the healing process will start here. It will start. They’ll rally around their sports teams and the community. My best wishes and my sympathy go out to all the families of the tragedy. Just a cowardly act.” Tribune Review LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112936 Pittsburgh Penguins Tribune Review LOADED: 10.31.2018

Penguins' 4-game streak ends with loss to opportunistic Islanders

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018, 9:54 p.m.

When coach Barry Trotz was with the Washington Capitals last season, he flew in the face of modern hockey philosophy by focusing on quality of shots rather than quantity. It paid off in a Stanley Cup championship. On Tuesday night, Trotz’s new team took the concept to a ridiculous extreme. It was just as effective. The New York Islanders took 10 shots on goal in the first 34 minutes at PPG Paints Arena. Five of them went in, dooming the Penguins to a 6-3 loss that snapped a four-game winning streak. Jordan Eberle scored twice for the Islanders. Matt Martin had a goal and an assist. Matt Murray was pulled after making five saves on nine shots. “I think we had some good looks. I thought we had some good puck luck as well,” Trotz said. “We’ll take it.” The Penguins welcomed two of the police officers injured in Saturday’s shooting in Squirrel Hill, Anthony Burke and Mike Smidga, to the ice for a pregame ceremony. Captain Sidney Crosby expressed regret the team wasn’t able to dedicate a victory to the city in its first home game since the shooting. “We wanted to find a way to get a win for a lot of reasons,” Crosby said. “Unfortunately, it didn’t happen.” Coach Mike Sullivan, however, thought his team used the emotions of the night to fuel a strong first period. The Penguins built a 26-13 advantage in shot attempts and 15-6 edge in shots on goal. It did them no good on the scoreboard against the opportunistic Islanders. They fell behind 2-0 and were chasing a comeback much of the night. “I know it was emotional for our guys,” Sullivan said. “I think they wanted to inspire our city. I felt like their energy was there. I thought we played really hard. We didn’t always play smart.” According to naturalstattrick.com, the Penguins held a 42-18 advantage in scoring chances in the game. Many of the Islanders’ chances were extremely high quality, though. A few examples: • The Islanders caught the Penguins in a line change on their first goal. Andrew Ladd was left wide open to take a cross-ice pass from Valtteri Filppula and score. • On the Islanders’ second goal, Josh Bailey won a puck battle with Riley Sheahan behind the net and centered to an open Brock Nelson for a shot. • On the Islanders’ third goal, center Derek Grant tipped a long Nick Leddy bank pass at the red line, but the puck hopped up on the glass and ricocheted off a divider to allow Casey Cizikas to set up Matt Martin for an open shot. “We didn’t give up a whole lot, but what we did give up, it went in,” defenseman Jamie Oleksiak said. The Penguins staged a couple of rallies. Dominik Simon banked in a shot off a defenseman’s skate, and Crosby scored his sixth goal in four games to make it 2-2 late in the first. Evgeni Malkin scored early in the third to record his 10th point in his last five games and pull the Penguins within 5-3. But by the time former Penguins winger Tom Kuhnhackl banked in a shot with about 10 minutes to play, any Penguins comeback hopes were dashed. “I think we got a little bit frustrated tonight,” center Matt Cullen said. “When that happened, we loosened up and tried to make a great play on every play, as opposed to defend when it’s in our end and then play offense when we have the opportunity. I think we got a little impatient.” 1112937 Pittsburgh Penguins

Officers injured in Squirrel Hill shooting drop puck before Penguins game

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018

Two of the Pittsburgh police officers injured in Saturday’s shooting in Squirrel Hill dropped the first puck before the Pittsburgh Penguins took on the New York Islanders on Tuesday night at PPG Paints Arena. Injured officers Anthony Burke and Mike Smidga were joined by Pittsburgh police Chief Scott Schubert at center ice for the ceremonial faceoff between captains Sidney Crosby of the Penguins and Anders Lee of the Islanders. The Penguins also held an 11-second moment of silence to honor the 11 people killed in the attack. Three members of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh — Sue Berman Kress, Bob Silverman and Josh Sayles — were on the ice pregame. The Penguins wore “stronger than hate” patches on their jerseys for the game, which was their first home game since the shooting. The jerseys will be autographed and auctioned off to benefit victims and families affected by the shooting. The online auction will take place at treeoflife.givesmart.com. Tribune Review LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112938 Pittsburgh Penguins

Beating Penguins in playoffs lifted heavy burden for coach Barry Trotz

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018, 1:24 p.m.

Barry Trotz arrived at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday a changed man. Weeks after winning the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals last season, Trotz exercised his free-agent rights when his contract expired and joined the New York Islanders in June. That’s probably the biggest change. But he’s also a coach from whom a suffocating burden has been lifted. The frustration of multiple crushing playoff losses, especially the ones at the hands of the rival Pittsburgh Penguins, disappeared when the Capitals finally won the Cup. “There’s real pressure,” Trotz said. “In Washington, there’s real pressure in that building. It’s hard to understand it until you really live it. Everybody always talks about it. Even media, you guys don’t even feel it. It’s a real thing there and we broke through it. That says a lot about the group there last year that had to endure all the pain to have some of that glory that was well worth the investment over the years.” Here’s a look at some other topics Trotz touched on after morning skate. — On finally getting past the Penguins hurdle in last years’ playoffs: “When you play them 100 times like we did, you finally figure it out. The odds were going in our favor. Between me and you, every time we played, we learned something new. In this game, you continue to learn. You’ve got to have your best players be the best. You’ve got to have the detail. You’ve got to have the commitment. You’ve got to have all the things that we’re trying to implement with this group.” — On his relationship with Penguins coach Mike Sullivan: “I think we have a good respect for each other. The rivalry is you want your team to beat the other team. There’s no ill will or anything like that. He’s a fantastic coach. He’s won a couple of rings with this group and they play hard every night.” — On his newfound appreciation for the Penguins repeating as Stanley Cup champions in 2017: “When they went back to back, how much you have to invest and how deep you go into it and how late you play into the year, and then you’ve got another season of celebration for a little bit, it is hard to get re- engaged. I understand that now more than ever, obviously. I give them a lot of credit. To do back to back in this day and age is pretty remarkable. That’s obviously a pretty remarkable group over there.” — On when he knew the Capitals were headed for something special last season: “I think my coaching staff thought I was a little bit crazy. We scored that overtime goal in Columbus in Game 3 and I said, ‘We’re going to win the Cup this year.’ And we did. I’m not Nostradamus or anything, but you have a feeling.” Tribune Review LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112939 Pittsburgh Penguins

Return to Pittsburgh stirs up memories for former Penguins winger Tom Kuhnhackl

TRIBUNE-REVIEW | Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018, 1:09 p.m.

It was Tom Kuhnhackl’s last official act in a Pittsburgh Penguins jersey. Overtime. Game 6 of a second-round playoff series against the Washington Capitals last season. Penguins facing elimination. Kuhnhackl fires off a shot from the right faceoff circle. It beats goalie Braden Holtby, but clangs harmlessly off the far-side post. Moments later, Evgeny Kuznetsov nets the game winner. The Penguins are headed home and the Capitals are on their way to immortality. About six weeks later, coach Barry Trotz left the Capitals and joined the New York Islanders. A few days after that, the Islanders signed Kuhnhackl to a one-year deal. Now, as if Kuhnhackl needed a reminder of the greatest what-could- have-been moment of his career – he doesn’t – he gets one every time he looks behind his new team’s bench. “We have that conversation, I think, every week,” Kuhnhackl said Tuesday as he prepared to face his former team for the first time at PPG Paints Arena. “I’m sure he’s going to continue talking about it for the rest of the season.” Trotz doesn’t mention the post just to needle Kuhnhackl. It’s something that sticks with him because he realizes it was a pivotal moment in his team’s title run. “Every coach that I’ve coached with in World Cups and international play and talking and trying to pick their brains, they all tell me the story about, ‘We should have lost in that first round and they hit a post and we come back and score. Changed everything.’ That’s how close it is. You’ve just got to get into the dance.” Regular reminders of his near miss aside, Kuhnhackl is settling into his new home with the Islanders. He’s playing a similar role to the one he filled with the Penguins, skating on the fourth line, killing penalties, blocking shots. He’s fighting for a jersey when the team is fully healthy, having dressed for three of the team’s first 10 games. He said he has no regrets about how the offseason went. When the Penguins declined to give him a qualifying offer and the automatic raise that came with it in June, he became an unrestricted free agent July 1. He had talks with the Penguins about staying, but ultimately decided to strike out on his own. “We had a lot of talks with a couple of different teams,” Kuhnhackl said. “It was a great time here in Pittsburgh. There were memories made that I’ll never forget, but I felt like it was time for a little bit of a change where I might get an opportunity. I’ve got to take advantage of it. You’ve got to work for yourself. You’ve got to work for every opportunity you get.” That doesn’t mean returning to Pittsburgh this week didn’t stir some emotions, of course. He had dinner with good friend Bryan Rust on Monday night and caught up with several former teammates during morning skate Tuesday. “I’ve made so many good memories with this team, this organization,” Kuhnhackl said. “This club gave me an opportunity to play in the National Hockey League, which I’m really thankful for.” He was also faced with a dilemma that would come to a head just before the 7 p.m. puck drop. When he was with the Penguins, Kuhnhackl often lip synched the team’s starting lineup along with public address announcer Ryan Mill. Once cameras caught him doing it, it went viral. On Tuesday, Kuhnhackl had to decide whether it would be too weird to lip synch the opponent’s lineup. “I gotta do it,” he said with a grin. “I’ve done it for so long, I sort of feel like I gotta do it.” Tribune Review LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112940 Pittsburgh Penguins

Kris Letang sidelined as Penguins take on Islanders

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018, 11:42 a.m.

Defenseman Kris Letang missed Tuesday night’s game against the New York Islanders on Tuesday night with a lower-body injury. Letang apparently suffered the injury on a knee-on-knee hit during Saturday night’s game at Vancouver. He left Monday’s practice early and did not participate in morning skate Tuesday. To start the game, Juuso Riikola took his place on the team’s top defense pair with Brian Dumoulin. Letang is off to a strong start to the season, recording four goals, 11 points and a plus-8 rating in nine games. Coming off major neck surgery in April of 2017, Letang missed only three games last season. “Tanger, he’s an elite player,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “He plays so many different roles back there for us and helps us in so many ways. We never look for any one guy to replace Tanger if he’s not in our lineup. Usually it’s by committee.” The most high-profile spot that needs to be filled in Letang’s absence is on the team’s top power-play unit. With Justin Schultz out until February with a broken ankle, players such as Riikola, Jack Johnson and Olli Maatta can find themselves in that unfamiliar role. Johnson said a point man’s role on a unit with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel and Patric Hornqvist is simple: Get the forwards the puck. “Part of what makes them good is they improv a lot and they improv off each other,” Johnson said. “That’s why it’s hard to stop them. It’s not like you can Watch video on them and say, ‘This is what they’re going to do.’ When you’re out there with those guys, you’ve got to read and react quite a bit, which is a good thing.” Center Derick Brassard, meanwhile, missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury. Tribune Review LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112941 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins to wear jersey patches to honor Squirrel Hill shooting victims

Jonathan Bombulie

The Pittsburgh Penguins will wear “stronger than hate” patches on their jerseys when they play host to the New York Islanders on Tuesday night at PPG Paints Arena. It is the team’s first home game since Saturday’s shooting in Squirrel Hill. “I can’t imagine what people are going through right now. It’s definitely not easy,” defenseman Olli Maatta said. “I’ve been here, this is the sixth year now, and nothing like this ever happened. I’ve really enjoyed my time in Pittsburgh. This city is awesome. A lot of good people here.” After the game, players will autograph their jerseys and they will be auctioned off to benefit victims and families affected by the shooting. The online auction will take place at treeoflife.givesmart.com. The team will also be accepting donations from fans at all three arena entrances before the game. Tribune Review LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112942 Pittsburgh Penguins

How Sidney Crosby's attention to detail turned his backhand into a force

TIM BENZ | Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018, 6:12 a.m.

Sidney Crosby did this in Calgary during the Penguins 9-1 romp over the Flames. Crosby with a ridiculous backhand goal. pic.twitter.com/NuhexEZp6P — nhlpens (@nhlpens) October 26, 2018 It was a reminder of how uniquely gifted Crosby is on his backhand. Some — like his coach Mike Sullivan — say he is the best in the game with the puck on the backhand. That's not only referring to shooting on the backhand but controlling the puck and stickhandling. We've all heard one of the big reasons why the Penguins captain is so good in that area of his game. Crosby's famously straight blade gives him a lot of control when he has to use his backhand. He also tapes as much of his blade as he can, whereas other players don't. Many of Crosby's peers try to gain a better feel of the transfer of the puck to the toe of the stick. I hosted Mark Madden's show on 105.9 the X on Friday. Crosby's friend and former teammate Colby Armstrong was a guest . He recalled some tremendous stories about watching Crosby's insane level of detail when it came to choosing his sticks, fixing his blades, and executing his tape job. Crosby's high school teammate Jack Johnson talked about how Crosby, unlike most kids, would blow off hammering slap shots and ripping wristers on the tennis courts after practice. Instead, he developed his backhand skills. And Crosby talked to me at great length about why the backhand is such an integral part of his portfolio, how the science he puts into his equipment helps, and his preferences versus others in the game now and historically. It's real hockey minutia. It's total "Sidney Crosby: A Beautiful Mind" kind of stuff. But I found the conversations very interesting and revealing. We started with blade curves and somehow wound up discussing grades of Kevlar pre- and post-9/11. So, I put all these conversations into one podcast. Take a listen to how Crosby turned his backhand into the force it is today and how his maniacal precision with his equipment helps. Get the story from his own mouth, his coach, and some of his fellow players that know him best. LISTEN: Sidney Crosby's backhand turned into a force. If you want a little historical context, here is an old story from the seismic moment when Crosby made the move from a two-piece stick to a one- piece back in 2009. Tribune Review LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112943 Pittsburgh Penguins see if Letang suits up. If he misses a second straight game with that injury, Riikola could be asked to fill his big skates again.

Post Gazette LOADED: 10.31.2018 With Kris Letang out, young Juuso Riikola steps into his role

Matt Vensel Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Seven weeks ago, when the Penguins were on the verge of opening training camp, Juuso Riikola was largely a man of mystery. Not much was known about the 24-year-old Finn around these parts, other than general manager Jim Rutherford and his staff was high enough on him to bring him overseas with a one-year deal. Riikola showed off his slick skating during that camp and his booming shot during the preseason. He impressed Mike Sullivan’s coaching staff quickly enough to nudge Olli Maatta, his countryman and one of the team’s longest-tenured players, briefly to the bench. Then, after Riikola was the odd man out the last two games so Chad Ruhwedel could knock off some rust, he was back in the lineup for Tuesday’s 6-3 loss to the New York Islanders. And, with Kris Letang out with a lower-body injury, it was Riikola who was tasked with manning the point on the NHL’s most stacked power play. “He’s a young guy and that’s a tall order we gave him,” Sullivan said. That Sullivan trusted Riikola to divvy the puck up among some of the league’s biggest personalities says as much about Riikola’s rapid adjustment to the NHL as it does about how hard the Penguins have been bitten by the injury bug at one key spot in the early going. Letang banged knees with Canucks center Tim Schaller during the first period of Saturday’s 5-0 victory in Vancouver. He headed into the locker room for several minutes before returning to finish the game. Schaller was not penalized on the play. Letang attempted to practice at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex on Monday morning but did not remain on the ice for long. He did not participate in Tuesday’s morning skate or later during pregame warm- ups. Sullivan said after the game that he’s still day to day. The Penguins, who already lost Justin Schultz until at least February due to a fractured ankle, are suddenly without the point men from their first and second power-play units. Instead of going with Maatta or veteran newcomer Jack Johnson, Sullivan turned to Riikola. “We think Juuso has the ability to play up there,” Sullivan explained. “He’s done a pretty good job throughout his short stay here. Since he’s been here, he’s been very good on the power plays. We thought based on the circumstances, he was the best guy at this particular time to plug into that spot. I thought he did a pretty good job.” The Penguins did not score on their three power plays Tuesday but produced several scoring chances, including a few high-danger ones, on the man advantage. They ran a lot of their power play through either Sidney Crosby or Phil Kessel on the walls. At times when the puck came to Riikola, he looked a little tentative. “That’s not an easy position to play, especially as a young player,” Sullivan said. “We would have liked to see him shoot the puck a little bit more. We think that’s one of his strengths. And when we establish that shot from the top, I think a lot of other things open up.” Even though he deferred to Crosby, Kessel and Evgeni Malkin, Riikola simply being out there says volumes about his perceived potential. Riikola, who skated with Brian Dumoulin at even strength, played 18:12 in his return to the lineup as Sullivan spread out the workload fairly evenly in Letang's absence. Maatta led all Penguins defensemen with a time on ice of 21:29. Jamie Oleksiak played the least among the six at 16:59. “I thought for the most part they did a pretty good job,” Sullivan said. Sure, there were a few bad breakdowns and a couple of bad bounces. And Sullivan sent a message to his team midway through the second period when he yanked goalie Matt Murray for Casey DeSmith. “I don’t fault Matt for the goals,” Sullivan said of Murray, who was beaten for four goals on just nine Islanders shots. “They were such high-quality chances. They were very, very difficult saves.” No, it was just “one of those nights,” Sullivan acknowledged. The Penguins practice Wednesday at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex before traveling Brooklyn for a rematch with the Isles on Thursday. We’ll 1112944 Pittsburgh Penguins The Penguins had chances galore, but other parts of their game lacked. A few of the goals the Penguins allowed came off slow or poorly executed line changes. On the Islanders’ first goal, the Penguins failed to Execution, not effort, lacks for Penguins in emotional loss to Islanders pick up the late man, Andrew Ladd, who had a terrific look. Brock Nelson was left all alone in front on the Islanders’ second tally. Jason Mackey: The Penguins didn’t allow these things to happen because they were tired from a 12-day road trip. To a man, they said their energy level was fine, and their coach agreed. It was the execution that lacked. There’s a difference between working hard and working smart, and the “The energy was there,” Sullivan said. “I thought we played really hard. Penguins learned that lesson the hard way Tuesday during a 6-3 loss to We didn’t always play smart.” the New York Islanders at PPG Paints Arena. Despite the loss, the Penguins did get a strong game from the Simon- Starting with an emotional and impeccably done pregame ceremony, the Crosby-Jake Guentzel line, which enjoyed more than a dozen five-on-five Penguins so badly wanted to win this one for Pittsburgh, for their fans, scoring chances and only allowed two. but the hockey part just didn’t seem to cooperate. Jamie Oleksiak also stretched his career-long point streak to four games Instead, it turned out to be one of those nights. The Islanders were with his assist on Crosby’s first-period goal, while Juuso Riikola was incredibly opportunistic — at one point they had five goals on 10 shots — plenty fine filling in for Letang — although he will need a little more work and afterward the Penguins felt like they learned a lesson in patience. on the power play. “We made some mistakes that were really big ones, ones that ended up Around the boards as scoring chances for them,” Sidney Crosby said. “When you’re going offensively, you just have to be a little bit more patient and don’t force it, The Penguins lost for the first time in their past seven games (5-1-1) trust that you’ll get the goals. against the Islanders at PPG Paints Arena. … Malkin’s goal stretched his point streak to eight games. He has five goals and 16 points during that “We probably opened it up a little bit in the second and paid for it.” run. … The Penguins lost for just the sixth time in regulation when Crosby and Malkin both score; they’re 79-6-2 when that happens. Added Matt Cullen, “We got a little impatient. That’s natural. As we grow here as a team, that’s something we need to get better at.” Post Gazette LOADED: 10.31.2018 The second period, as Crosby mentioned, was when the Islanders (6-4- 1) turned a 2-2 tie into a 5-2 rout on a goal by Matt Martin and two from Jordan Eberle. They were strange ones, too. On the Martin tally, the puck caught the stanchion, and it forced Olli Maatta to overreact. On Eberle’s first goal, a power-play tally, the Penguins (6-2-2) allowed him to freely curl out from the corner. On the second, a collision with Carl Hagelin left Eberle with a bunch of open ice. Too much, as it turned out. “I don’t think we gave them a lot of opportunities, but the few they had went in the net,” Jack Johnson said. “There’s a lesson to be learned from that.” As a result, the Penguins saw their four-game winning streak end in a game that, most nights, they win — at home, within the Metropolitan Division, against the Islanders, a team the Penguins had been 7-2-1 in their previous 10 against. Tuesday was also odd in the sense that all four goalies played. The Islanders lost Robin Lehner to an injury after two periods, and coach Mike Sullivan swapped Matt Murray for Casey DeSmith after 31:56, looking for a spark. Sullivan never got it. Evgeni Malkin brought the Penguins back to within two at 5-3 with his backhand goal at 1:23 of the third, but then former Penguin Tom Kuhnhackl answered with a bad-angle shot that snuck past DeSmith at 9:44. “Sometimes you make the change, it’s not so much about the goalie as it is about the rest of the group,” Sullivan said. “We just thought it was the right thing to do at that particular time. I don’t fault Matt for the goals. I think they were such high-quality chances, they were very, very difficult saves.” The Penguins came into this one having scored 23 goals in four wins on their most recent road trip. After Saturday’s mass shooting at Tree of Life synagogue in Squirrel Hill, they had “Stronger Than Hate” patches sewn on their sweaters and proudly wanted to do something good for their adoptive city. Sullivan and his players have openly talked about the tragedy — how can you avoid it? — since it happened, and that occurred again before they took the ice. The Penguins came out of the gates flying, too, accounting for 67 percent of the shot attempts (all situations) through the first 20 minutes. Overall, the Penguins had 62.5 percent of the five-on-five attempts and 29 of the 42 (69.1 percent) scoring chances. Not bad for a team that was playing without its No. 1 defenseman in Kris Letang, who’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Facing a 2-0 deficit, Dominik Simon clanked a puck off Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock’s skate in the first, and Crosby continued his recent scoring binge with a sizzling shot from the left circle a couple minutes later. It was the sixth goal for Crosby in the past four games. 1112945 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins offer touching tribute to synagogue shooting victims before Tuesday’s game

Jason Mackey Pittsburgh Post-Gazette [email protected]

Officer Anthony Burke in the green shirt and Officer Mike Smidga in the blue shirt take part in the ceremonial puck drop prior to the Penguins vs Islanders Tuesday Oct. 30, 2018 at PPG Paints Arena. #PittsburghSynagogueShooting With emotions raw and funerals underway for victims of the Tree of Life mass shooting, the Penguins hit a home run — and probably produced some tears — with a touching tribute before their game Tuesday against the New York Islanders. In addition to a well-crafted video that highlighted the “Stronger Than Hate” mantra the team and city has adopted, those gathered at PPG Paints Arena observed 11 seconds of silence for the 11 victims of the Squirrel Hill shooting. We stand together.#StrongerThanHate pic.twitter.com/EU6G2iotIZ — Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 30, 2018 Standing with Jeff Jimerson for the national anthem were three members of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh: Sue Berman Kress, Bob Silverman and Josh Sayles. Next came a ceremonial puck drop featuring Pittsburgh police chief Scott Schubert, public safety director Wendell Hissrich and two first responders, officers Anthony Burke and Mike Smidga. The Penguins have been tremendously active in supporting victims and their families. 11 seconds of silence for 11 lives lost. ⁰Joyce Fienberg Richard Gottfried Rose Mallinger Jerry Rabinowitz Cecil Rosenthal David Rosenthal Bernice Simon Sylvan Simon Daniel Stein Melvin Wax Irving Younger pic.twitter.com/H3BkI9CvBC — Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 30, 2018 They had a blood drive Monday that bubbled over with willing participants, so many that they had to schedule follow-up appoints. The Penguins collected money at all three gates and the Penguins Foundation donated $50,000 — $25,000 to the Jewish Federation and another $25,000 to a fund established by the City of Pittsburgh Department of Safety to benefit officers wounded during the attack. Players wore “Stronger Than Hate” patches on their sweaters, which will be auctioned after the game, and the team donated its share of the 50/50 Raffle. Post Gazette LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112946 Pittsburgh Penguins Trotz held court with reporters Tuesday for nearly nine minutes and offered plenty of excellent material.

One of the things Trotz touched on was the Capitals finally breaking Remember when Tom Kuhnhackl hit the post? Barry Trotz does. through and beating the Penguins. “When you play them 100 times like we did, you finally figure it out,” Trotz Jason Mackey Pittsburgh Post-Gazette [email protected] said. “The odds were going in our favor.” Given the one-sided playoff history between the teams — excluding last year, of course — Trotz admitted that playing the Penguins in the So much for Tom Kuhnhackl trying to forget hitting the post in Game 6 of playoffs absolutely felt different. the Eastern Conference semifinals this past spring, a heartbreaking moment that led to the Capitals’ series — and Stanley Cup — win. And it’s something that’s tough to articulate. You just had to feel it. Turns out Kuhnhackl’s coach with the Islanders, none other than former “The history between Washington and Pittsburgh, it’s well-documented,” Washington bench boss Barry Trotz, has reminded the former Penguins Trotz said. “There’s real pressure. For Washington, there’s real pressure winger of the near-miss. in that building. It’s hard to understand it until you live it. Even media, you don’t feel it. It’s a real thing there. Only, oh, about a dozen or so times. “We broke through it. It says a lot about the group last year that had to “I think we have that conversation every week,” Kuhnhackl said Tuesday endure all the pain. To have some of that glory was well-worth the morning from the visitors’ dressing room at PPG Paints Arena. “I’m sure investment over the years. Once you go through it, I think it becomes he’s going to continue talking about it for the rest of the season.” easier. It’s hard, but I think it becomes easier because you understand what that’s like.” Kuhnhackl returned to the site of that shot for the first time as a visiting player Tuesday, and he admitted that, yeah, it’s definitely weird. Post Gazette LOADED: 10.31.2018 It’s also a game Kuhnhackl said he’s been looking forward to. A tradition started when he played for the Penguins of Kuhnhackl lip- syncing the team’s starting lineup. Even though he’s now on the other side, Kuhnhackl said he expects that tradition to continue — with the Penguins’ players, no less. “I don’t know, you have to see,” Kuhnhackl said before changing his mind. “Ah, I gotta do it. I’ve done it for so long. I feel like I have to do it.” Because he won a Cup here, Kuhnhackl will receive a tribute video at the first TV timeout. He said he’s excited to see how it looks, and he knows the whole evening will be a little extra special. “Obviously I’m looking forward to that first TV break,” Kuhnhackl said. “It’s going to be emotional.” Things have improved for Kuhnhackl lately after a slow start with his new team. He played in only two of the Islanders’ first nine games but saw 11:30 Sunday in a 2-1 win at Carolina, contributing three hits and two blocked shots. Expect Kuhnhackl to begin Tuesday’s game on the fourth line with Matt Martin and Casey Cizikas, two players with whom Kuhnhackl fits and, conceivably, an effective group. “My role’s not going to change that much,” Kuhnhackl said. “I’m a guy who’s reliable defensively, who’s a penalty killer, who’s going to block shots and who’s competing night in and night out. Hopefully I can continue doing that. Maybe I can find that offensive touch a little bit.” That’s part of why Kuhnhackl decided to leave after winning a pair of Stanley Cups in Pittsburgh. He turned down a two-year offer from the Penguins because he thought he had more to give, that he wasn’t just a fourth-line grinder. “We had a lot of talks with a couple different teams,” Kuhnhackl said. “It was a great time here in Pittsburgh. Memories were made that I’ll never forget. I felt like it was time for a little bit of a change, where I might get an opportunity. I have to take advantage of it.” Kuhnhackl has, by all accounts, done that so far with the Islanders. Trotz, in complimenting the Penguins’ winning culture, said Kuhnhackl has been “a pro’s pro,” has “a great attitude” and has been someone the rest of the team has rallied around because of his postseason experience. “He comes to the rink to get better every day,” Trotz said. “High commitment. High detail. You see the intangibles, which he brings to an organization. He’s done all that for us.” The one thing Kuhnhackl didn’t do, of course, was beat Capitals goalie Braden Holtby and score, a goal that would’ve forced a dreaded (for Washington) Game 7. No wonder Trotz keeps reminding Kuhnhackl of that moment. “I said, ‘You were that close.’ ” Trotz said. “But you can talk to every coach who has won a Cup. There’s that moment where, if that goes in, one team may be going home. You get that save, you get that post, you go back the other way and score.” It’s about time 1112947 Pittsburgh Penguins It sure looked like it, and Sullivan seemed to notice, giving Sprong a few shifts with Sidney Crosby. Sprong received another with Evgeni Malkin when Grant went for an early change, which resulted in a terrific chance Kris Letang misses Tuesday’s game with lower-body injury for Sprong and, later, a Malkin goal. “Last game, our line and really all four lines created a lot of offense,” Sprong said. “We produced a lot of shots. It was nice to get those looks. I Jason Mackey Pittsburgh Post-Gazette [email protected] think if I keep doing that, they’re going to go in.” Nobody would complain about that, but Sprong certainly does face a tough challenge bringing that sort of effort — and getting those same Kris Letang sat out Tuesday’s game against the New York Islanders results — night in and night out. because of a lower-body injury he picked up Saturday in Vancouver. Sullivan said that’s the toughest thing for young players to learn, and it’s Derick Brassard also missed with a lower-body injury he suffered last what the Penguins want to see from Sprong. Thursday in Calgary, the second consecutive game he’s been unavailable for. “In a lot of instances, that separates NHL players from others,” Sprong said. “I think that’s always one of the big challenges for every young Neither player participated in an optional skate Tuesday at PPG Paints player who’s trying to establish himself in the league.” Arena, and Letang left Monday’s practice at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex about 10 minutes early. Post Gazette LOADED: 10.31.2018 When Letang exited the ice, Juuso Riikola assumed Letang’s spot next to Brian Dumoulin and with the No. 1 power play. Riikola began Tuesday’s game partnered with Dumoulin, and the Penguins were taking a by-committee approach in replacing their top defenseman. “Tanger is an elite player,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “He plays so many different roles for us back there and helps us in so many ways. We never look for any one guy to replace Tanger if he’s not in our lineup. Usually, it’s by committee.” Letang has been the arguably the Penguins’ best player thus far, compiling four goals and 11 points in nine games while playing at a level few NHL defensemen can match. But Saturday in Vancouver, Letang absorbed a knee-on-knee hit from Canucks forward Tim Schaller, his left knee taking the brunt of the impact. Letang showed no obvious limitations before exiting practice. Brassard has not skated since getting hurt at the end of a 9-1 win at Calgary last Thursday. Without him, Derek Grant continued to center a line with Bryan Rust and Daniel Sprong against the Islanders. Go to section Honoring victims Penguins players will wear “Stronger Than Hate” patches for Tuesday’s game, part of the organization’s ongoing effort to support victims and families of the Tree of Life mass shooting Saturday. In addition, players will sign jerseys after the game, and they’ll be available for auction at treeoflife.givesmart.com. “It was a devastating day for the City of Pittsburgh, for the people affected and their families,” Carl Hagelin said. “I think [Tuesday] is a way for us to play for them. We always play for our fans and the city, but it’ll be a little extra tonight. You’re definitely going to feel it out there.” — Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 30, 2018 All proceeds from the jersey auction and other fundraising efforts — including Tuesday’s 50/50 Raffle — will benefit the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and a fund established by the City of Pittsburgh Department of Safety to benefit officers wounding during the attack. Previously, the Penguins announced plans for a collection of monetary donations at all gates Tuesday and online at the aforementioned web address. The Penguins Foundation is donating $50,000 to the Jewish Federation and the officers’ fund, and the Penguins said 254 donors participated in Monday’s blood drive. Sprong looking to build Being a healthy scratch last Thursday in Calgary led to Sprong’s best game of the season by far, as he recorded six shots on goal and played a season-high 11:46 in a 5-0 win at Vancouver two nights later. The performance occurred for a couple reasons. For one, Sprong got plenty of offensive opportunities, which didn’t happen in previous games. Secondarily, he admitted he was motivated by not playing and spending the night taking notes in the press box. “Getting scratched is motivation,” Sprong said. “I thought I bounced back pretty well.” 1112948 Pittsburgh Penguins Rutherford has long professed — jokingly, although I’m not sure he’d say no if the opportunity arose — that the only way he’d leave the Penguins would be if the Red Sox offered him their GM job. 20 Penguins Thoughts: Jim Rutherford, Mike Sullivan and a Boston 5. I found this funny, too: Apparently it took about a year for Rutherford baseball bond and Sullivan to really start talking Red Sox a lot around the rink. Terrific line from Rutherford explaining why, too: “When Sully was hired, 13-17 minutes there were much bigger concerns around here than baseball.” Fair point, although it wasn’t my favorite line of the story. That involved those dinner reservations Sullivan had to make. Last Friday in Vancouver, with his players enjoying a day off in one of North America’s most beautiful cities, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan I pointed out to Rutherford that it’s probably much earlier than they received an assignment from his boss. But Jim Rutherford wasn’t worried usually eat since the game started a little after 5 p.m. in Vancouver. about line combinations, Daniel Sprong’s ice time or switching goalies. “Ahh,” Rutherford said, “we’ll get the early bird special.” No, Rutherford wanted Sullivan to find a bar or restaurant where the two Go to section of them and a handful of others could see Game 3 of the World Series, a place with good food but also solid viewing options to watch their beloved 6. The subject of how the Penguins got right came up a few times during Boston Red Sox play the Los Angeles Dodgers. my chat with Rutherford. “I told him to set something up,” Rutherford recalled a few hours before Much was made of the team’s trip to Banff, Alberta and rightfully so. the first pitch of a 7-hour, 20-minute marathon that turned out to be the Amazing place, and obviously it helped them get things pointed in the longest postseason game in major league history. “And make it early. right direction. The game starts early out here.” “Our leaders brought everyone together a few times during the trip,” Chasing championships is hardly new to Rutherford and Sullivan’s work Rutherford said. “You can really sense that the team is more comfortable life. Together, they’ve helped the Penguins hoist the Stanley Cup in two and more of a closer-knit group.” of the past three seasons. I asked Rutherford what he meant by “brought everyone together.” Away from the rink, they’re also very good friends and diehard Boston Red Sox fans. This most recent road trip — a four-city, 12-day jaunt “I don’t know for a fact that every player was there,” he said, “but I through Canada — provided a fun and unique experience: the two of believe there were at least three large team dinners over the course of them trying like hell to watch every possible minute of playoff baseball. the last week.” “We got to see a couple of the games,” Sullivan said. “It’s fun. He’s 7. Naturally, because it’s hockey, I got absolutely nowhere trying to find obviously a big baseball fan and a Red Sox fan in particular. Myself, I’ve out details about these three large team dinners. been a diehard Red Sox fan my whole life. We share that common Several of the players I talked to went on and on about Banff and how passion. We love baseball. We have a lot of fun with it. When they’re in the point of the trip was to hang out together, and the Penguins certainly the playoffs, it’s a huge thrill for both of us.” did that. 2. There’s a really cool mutual respect and admiration between It’s beautiful, they said. Rutherford and Sullivan, and part of that, I truly believe, stems from cheering for the same baseball team. Dominik Simon said they ate “some steak and some seafood,” which … doesn’t exactly narrow it down. Basically nobody was letting anything out They’re also just genuinely good people. of the room. I don’t know how many stories I’ve heard about Rutherford, Sullivan and “There are so many good restaurants nowadays, Olli Maatta said. “I can’t others going out to eat on the road. It’s constant. But the eating and really pick one thing.” baseball watching has been especially fun. Maatta did say Vancouver had terrific sushi, but I’m not sure he’s “Our coaching staff and Jim, we go to dinner on the road almost every breaking any news there. night,” Sullivan said. “It’s a great opportunity for us to build our own relationships. Sometimes to be able to build it around something other 8. Simon did say that a few players along with members of the team’s than hockey is fun. training staff went mountain climbing in Banff. “This last trip in particular, it was fun trying to find restaurants that had I offered that I thought Patric Hornqvist would be a likely participant, but good TVs … where we could get an environment where the food was Simon would neither confirm nor deny. good but we also could watch the game.” “I don’t know, man,” he said, laughing. 3. The seating arrangements for these dinners can be a little funky. There was apparently a rookie party in Toronto — even though Juuso Apparently for Game 2 in Calgary, Rutherford and Sullivan snatched the Riikola is technically their only rookie. The veterans are considering only two seats with a decent view of the game. Simon, Daniel Sprong and Casey DeSmith part of that group this season. “We were the priority,” Sullivan joked. “We got the best vantage point.” “I guess because it’s the first time I started the season up here,” Simon said. “Sully and I had to make sure we got the seats facing the TV,” Rutherford said. “Everybody had to scramble after that.” 9. Rutherford said it was the Penguins’ leaders spearheading the dinners. Jake Guentzel said it was “the older guys” who did it. Same As fun as it obviously was being a Red Sox fan in the postseason, deal. Rutherford said it was never the primary point of conversation. But it also sounds like it was a team-wide decision to stick together That’s still hockey. instead of breaking off into two or three groups. “We’re always consumed by that,” Rutherford said. “Everybody is “It was more spontaneous,” Simon said. “It’s a great group of guys here, interested in watching the game, but at the same time, as the game’s so it’s not a problem for us to be together and everyone have dinner.” going on, we’re always talking about something related to our team.” 10. Moving on … I thought Chad Ruhwedel was really good Thursday in 4. Did you know that Sullivan played baseball at Boston University? I Calgary and Saturday in Vancouver. No surprise, he’ll play a third didn’t. Knew he played in high school but not college. He was a consecutive game Tuesday against the Islanders. shortstop. It can’t be easy to sit for a couple weeks yet somehow keep up to speed. “I played one year just because I wanted to,” Sullivan said. “I love Ruhwedel is able to do that really, really well. Better than anyone I’ve baseball. I always have. I played it all my life growing up as a kid. I love seen, honestly. watching it.” “You take pride in being ready to play,” Ruhwedel said. “It’s more of a And not just the Red Sox, either. sense of urgency. You have to know when your time is called to “I’m a big Red Sox fan, but I’m a Pirates fan now, too,” Sullivan said. “I perform.” love going to Pirates games and watching them play. It’s a great sport.” 11. Ruhwedel’s game isn’t flashy. He played 44 games last season and “I definitely think more teams do it,” Maatta said. “You don’t have a play, produced five points, but he hardly ever embarrasses himself. you don’t want to make a high-risk play, you’d rather try to get it out and play behind their players.” There’s just the right amount of speed, physicality and awareness that, well, he’s not Kris Letang. The neat thing about the Penguins is that, when they do use it, it’s almost like a set play, something done to intentionally spring Carl Hagelin or Since 2016-17, Ruhwedel has played 80 of 173 regular-season games, Bryan Rust. Keep an eye out for it Tuesday. an abnormally high number for a seventh defenseman. 17. Rutherford said something about Sprong when we talked last week “He’s been our seventh defenseman but has played a lot of hockey for us that struck me … but I didn’t really have a place to put it. and a lot of important hockey for us,” Sullivan said. “He’s done a terrific job playing that role. “The line that he was used on, up until last game, it’s not conducive to what he does best,” Rutherford said, “and that’s score.” “I think he knows what his role is. I think he embraces that role, which is important. And it’s an important role for us. For all those reasons, he’s I believe the line Rutherford was talking about involved Sprong with Matt been able to fit into this group extremely well.” Cullen and Riley Sheahan, and I don’t disagree with him. Hard to imagine playing with Rust and Derek Grant is much better. 12. I think Ruhwedel’s presence has also helped Jack Johnson, who has been on the left side of that pairing and has looked very comfortable. I don’t think Rutherford is growing tired with Sprong’s usage the way he did a couple years ago, but he keeps dropping subtle hints that he’d like If that’s how the defense pairs solidify without Justin Schultz, it certainly to see Sprong in the top-nine. could be a lot worse. 18. Wanted to spend the rest of this space talking about why I’ve been “He’s an easy guy to play with,” Johnson said of Ruhwedel. “He skates MIA since Oct. 17. so well. He handles the puck well. He’s strong. … I know it’s not easy to sit out and jump into a game. He’s handled it as well as anyone.” Many of you know this, but that morning, at 9:17, my wife Abby gave birth to our second son, Teddy, who entered this world weighing 6 pounds and 13. Expect Simon to play with Sidney Crosby and Guentzel against the 1 ounce: Islanders, provided Derick Brassard doesn’t magically get healthy between now and Tuesday night. Added a key member to the team this morning, Theodore (Teddy) Isaac, weighing 6.1 pounds and measuring 18 inches. @AnthroAbbyRN It can be a terrific line if Simon, who has points in three straight, plays the was a champ, as always. Older brother Rider is psyched. Mom and baby way he did Saturday in Vancouver. are doing great! pic.twitter.com/68iRwKeb08 I asked Sullivan what he likes about that line, and Sullivan pointed out — Jason Mackey (@JMackeyPG) October 17, 2018 their instincts, ability to play down low and in traffic and also to play a give-and-go game — traits that fit Crosby. It was a relief for myriad reasons. “We like the potential of that line and the offense that line can create for For one, Abby had been having contractions for the better part of two us,” Sullivan said. weeks — and no, not Braxton Hicks contractions. Real ones. 14. The key is Simon. We had been to the hospital twice, thinking Teddy was coming, only to be sent home. The contractions never ceased. It feels like until he finally figures it out — he’s definitely shown flashes — he’s going to be in a weird spot on this team. He’s neither a fourth-liner 19. My wife is awesome. She’s beautiful, funny and my favorite person nor a shoe-in for the top-six, at least not yet. on this planet. In a business where the divorce rate can be crazy high, I know I’m lucky. If Simon does find a little consistency to his game, I think he can absolutely provide a Guentzel-like threat on the right side of Crosby. She’s also tough as hell. All women are for enduring childbirth, a truly magical experience but a painful one, too. “You have to think defense first,” Simon said, “then when it comes to offense, there’s a lot of potential to create offense with these two guys. I’m sure sometime soon I’ll whine about being sick, having a late flight or Definitely trying to be strong on the puck. being on short sleep or something like that. I hope she either laughs at me, chucks the remote at my head or both. “I think the more you play with Sid, the more you learn. It makes you a better player.” 20. I also wanted to say thanks to the Post-Gazette and my beat partner, Matt Vensel. So the Penguins hope, anyway. It obviously wasn’t our first choice to have a baby in the middle of hockey 15. It’s probably not detectable to the average fan, but assistant coach season — yes, you do (try to) plan stuff like this on the media side as Sergei Gonchar has been spending a little more time away from the team well — but my boss, Tyler Batiste, has been beyond understanding and of late, visiting his family in Dallas. supportive through all of it. Everyone at the paper, really. Rutherford acknowledged Gonchar hasn’t been around as much; Poor Matt, who has two little ones of his own, found out that morning he however, the GM said it’s not a shift into a part-time role or anything like would have to leave for Toronto in a few hours for a three-day trip, on top that. The Penguins still consider Gonchar full-time. of the Western Canada swing. “I don’t know exactly how to describe it,” Rutherford said. “He’s working We’re lucky to do what we do, but sometimes life does get in the way. I’m all the time, whether he’s on the bench or whether he’s at practice or incredibly grateful for the support, but I’m also really looking forward to whether he’s in another city. I certainly wouldn’t want to say it’s part-time. getting back into the swing of things. Maybe you don’t see him quite as much. He’s still working on a full-time basis.” Post Gazette LOADED: 10.31.2018 16. Have you noticed more teams around the NHL are using aerial flips to exit their zone? Looks like Larry Murphy made a comeback or something. Rutherford agreed that he’s seen teams using high flips more frequently but said the Penguins — while incorporating some of it — don’t want to venture too far that way. “It started a year or two ago,” Rutherford said. “You maybe see it a little bit more. It’s a speed game. Get it out. Take the safe way of getting it out. Flip it over everybody. Hope for the good bounce. “We use it periodically but not a lot. Our breakouts and our guys move the puck up the ice pretty good.” I asked Maatta about the increased usage of high flips, and he agreed. 1112949 Pittsburgh Penguins potentially dress against the Islanders, even though Heinze was not sure if, say, defenseman Kris Letang might miss the game because of an injury. Had Heinze known Letang’s status, he could have saved the Pro How did the Penguins create a patch to honor Pittsburgh’s shooting Knitwear staffers some trouble. Letang, Crosby and winger Jake victims in less than 48 hours? Guentzel are three Penguins whose jerseys require custom alterations. In addition to numbering and lettering the jerseys, Pro Knitwear staffers also must accommodate all special requests that players have passed along to Heinze. If Letang might play against the Islanders, a jersey had By Rob Rossi Oct 30, 2018 to be ready for him. And as of Monday, Letang remained a “game-time decision,” which for an NHL player can mean activity ranging from having

surgery to remove a limb or feeling well enough to swim the Ohio River. It’s different here than in most American cities. In Pittsburgh, the real (Letang did not play Tuesday night, but his limbs remained attached.) world usually functions as a distraction from what is going on with the Normally, the Penguins will switch out their home and road uniform sets sports teams. But that script has flipped here for the past few days. twice during a regular season and at the beginning of the Stanley Cup People aren’t agitated by a former Pirates player earning World Series playoffs. For special occasions such as Tuesday night, but also an MVP for the Red Sox. We aren’t excited by a Ravens Week for the outdoor game or the Cup Final, another new set is used. On each of Steelers that could determine supremacy in the AFC North. As for the these occasions, Pro Knitwear is called into action. The cost for the Penguins being blown out at home — who cares? Right now, none of this Penguins to switch out one set of uniforms is “thousands of dollars,” sports stuff really matters. We’ve just begun burying 11 people who were Young said, though he would not divulge the fee for this rush-order, murdered inside a synagogue. which necessitated overtime work for the Pro Knitwear crew. A few hours after those shootings Saturday, Pittsburghers could at least As the new jerseys were being tended to at the Pro Knitwear offices turn to the teams for comfort. That very afternoon, Pitt and Duke traded Monday morning, Penguins officials sought quick approval of a patch touchdowns at Heinz Field, where the Steelers showed up (along with a design. The NHL had to approve that a patch could be worn and then darkened weekend’s first sunlight) the next day. In between, the sign off on the design. Commissioner Gary Bettman gave Penguins CEO Penguins wrapped a four-game trek through Canada with a convincing David Morehouse the go-ahead for a patch, and also recommended that win at Vancouver. Yet, even before he scored twice against the Canucks, Morehouse seek approval from a rabbi at the Tree of Life Congregation Sidney Crosby had already delivered for his adopted hockey hometown. synagogue in Squirrel Hill, the site of the shootings. Time was a factor. When addressing the tragedy before that game at Vancouver, Crosby Pro Knitwear needed the authorized design to complete the order for said, “We’ll stick together.” And in the days since Saturday, the people of Tuesday. Also, by Monday afternoon, most members of the Jewish Pittsburgh have proven the Penguins captain really does “know community would be assisting victims’ families on funerals that would Pittsburgh.” begin Tuesday. When they’re the right ones, even only a few words can do a lot of good. The Penguins considered four variations of the patch, seeking counsel As an organization, the Penguins have done a lot of good in the from local Jewish leaders to guard against any unintended mistakes. In aftermath of the synagogue shootings. On Sunday, their charitable the wake of the synagogue shootings, several logos began appearing on foundation split $50,000 between the Jewish Federation of Greater social media sites. Most featured the Star of David in yellow against a Pittsburgh and a fund for the city’s Public Safety department. On black backdrop — a sensible design choice for logo creators. Pittsburgh’s Monday, they opened PPG Paints Arena for citizens to donate blood, and colors are black and gold. But the gold is really yellow, and that was a the response was such that people had to be turned away. “The people problem. in power in this organization are always on top of it,” goalie Matt Murray During World War II, minorities being discriminated against were required said. “Anything we can do to help right now, we’re all for it.” by the Nazis to wear identifying symbols on the front of their shirts. For Before the puck dropped between the Penguins and Islanders on Jews, that symbol was a yellow Star of David that contained the word Tuesday night, there was a moment of silence that lasted 11 seconds “JUDE.” (one for each victim) and a ceremonial faceoff that featured two “People usually want to go with a yellow star because the colors are Pittsburgh police Officers — Anthony Burke and Mike Smidga — injured black and gold,” said Adam Hertzman, a spokesperson for the Jewish during the synagogue shootings along with Chief Scott Schubert holding Federation of Greater Pittsburgh. “If you’re going to use the Star of a black-and-white American flag that featured one solid blue stripe. David, we ask you to try making it black — or blue, for Israel.” It was a moment for forever in Pittsburgh, even in a building that has The skating penguin emblem features a gold (yellow) triangle. The played host to two of the past three Stanley Cup Finals. patch’s background would be black so as to blend in with the fabric on After retrieving the ceremonial puck, Crosby shook hands with the injured the Penguins’ home jersey. On the patch, the Penguins opted for a white police officers and said, simply, “thanks.” Atop the right shoulder of his Star of David that contained their emblem. Heinze was instructed to black jersey was a patch that featured the skating penguin emblem set inform Pro Knitwear the patch could not be stitched onto the home within the Star of David and the words “Stronger Than Hate.” Only 45 of jersey’s front right chest — the spot reserved for previous patches, these patches exist: 25 for the jerseys, which will be auctioned off to including for the Penguins’ recent 50th anniversary season and the 2016 benefit the victims and families, and another 20 for apparel worn by club and 2017 Cup Final series. personnel during the game against the Islanders. “We’re doing this to honor people that died and our community,” Heinze Equipment manager Dana Heinze first learned of plans for a patch said. “The last thing you want to do is get an important detail wrong.” aboard the Penguins’ return flight to Pittsburgh on Sunday. Though, By 11 a.m. Monday, Pro Knitwear received the approved patch logo from “plans” is a stretch. On the plane, Heinze read an email in which the Penguins. From that point, Young said staffers spent the rest of that management requested a patch be created for a one-time-only afternoon and into that evening readying the 25 jerseys. Included in that appearance on the jerseys. Heinze’s first call upon the plane touching process was sewing, cutting — creating, basically — each of the 45 down was to his contacts at Pro Knitwear, an athletic apparel company commemorative patches. “We’ve done quick turnarounds before for the located in the city’s Brookline neighborhood. John Young had been Penguins,” said Young. “This was more of a challenge for Dana because expecting Heinze’s call. the team was on the road for 11 days. He basically landed on Sunday “Knowing how much the people with the Penguins care about Pittsburgh, night and began working on this. I mean, he had those jerseys to us I expected they would want something for the jerseys,” said Young, one while people were arriving to work (Monday). That helped.” of around 30 employees with Pro Knitwear. “Even on Saturday afternoon, Young delivered the finished jerseys to Heinze at 11:31 a.m. Tuesday. I thought they would ask us for something.” Penguins players took to the ice at PPG Paints Arena for warmups at Pro Knitwear opened in 1953, and it has often helped stitch Pittsburgh’s 6:30 p.m. They donned jerseys they will never again wear, jerseys in teams into the city’s fabric — and not just figuratively. The company is which they were drubbed on home ice (the Penguins lost, 6-3), jerseys contracted to work on uniforms for the Penguins, Steelers and Pitt that will ultimately serve a far greater good than outfitting a hockey club football. Heinze moved the Penguins’ business to Pro Knitwear a fear for a game in October. years after taking helm of the club’s equipment department 13 years ago. “It’s a nice gesture,” said Crosby of the patches. “Everybody is trying to “I had been using a company in Boston, but I wanted something local,” do our part to help. We can’t make up for what’s happened here, but we Heinze said. “It helped knowing these guys were trusted by the other can try to help. We have to try helping.” teams.” A patch is no Band-Aid, not when 11 people who were killed inside their Around 8 a.m. Monday, Heinze delivered 25 blank Penguins home place of worship are only beginning to be buried. But when it’s the right jerseys to Pro Knitwear. There was one for every player who could one, even only a small gesture can do a lot of good. The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112950 Pittsburgh Penguins second and third period, we started creating some chemistry, and we had a good rest of the game.”

The Penguins began to put the game out of reach on Saturday thanks to Discussion – Islanders at Penguins their third goal which was scored by Evgeni Malkin thanks to an assist by Sprong. If not for a strong save by Canucks goaltender Jacob Markstrom, Sprong might have had the goal instead. By Seth Rorabaugh Oct 30, 2018 “(Grant) changed and (Malkin) hopped on and created a good shift there,” Sprong said. “It’s nice to produce on the offensive side, especially when you have a good shift like that. (Malkin) made a good pass. I think I A preview of the Islanders. score that most of the time in the slot there. But (Jacob Markstrom) made a good save. I just tried to get it back to (Malkin). (Rust) did a really good When and where: 7 p.m., EST, Consol Energy Center PPG Paints Arena. job in front and (Malkin) did a good job finding a spot back door.” TV: ATT Sportsnet. The strong outing by Sprong was preceded by a healthy scratch during Record: 5-4-1, 11 points. The Islanders are in sixth place in the Patrick Thursday’s 9-1 rout of the Flames as well as a little bit of guidance by Neapolitan Ice Cream Metropolitan Division. Mike Sullivan as well as Jim Rutherford. Leading Scorer: Left winger Anders Lee, 11 points (4 goals, 7 assists). “(Sullivan) and I had a talk,” said Sprong, who declined to describe the specifics of their dialogue. “I bounced back in the right direction and had Last Game: 2-1 road win against the Hurricanes, Sunday. Lee had a goal a good game. Hopefully, that’s a step moving forward and learning from it and an assist. and keep playing my game.” Last Game against the Penguins: 4-1 home win, March 20. Center In Calgary, Sprong watched the game with Rutherford and even had Mathew Barzal had a goal and an assist for the Islanders. something of a homework assignment. The last time the Penguins played the Islanders, this happened: “I had to write some notes,” he said. “That helped me a lot in the Vancouver game. It showed with the seven shots. The scratch was Probable goaltenders: Matt Murray (4-1-0, 3.37 GAA, .910 SV%, 1 SO) motivation. I thought I bounced back pretty good. But we got the win, for the Penguins. Robin Lehner (3-2-1, 2.39 GAA, .929 SV%, 1 SO) for that’s the most important part.” the Islanders. If Sprong can carry that momentum to tonight’s game (and beyond), that Injuries: For the Penguins, defenseman Kris Letang (undisclosed) is a remains to be seen. He’s had strong games before in his career and has game-time decision. Center Derick Brassard (undisclosed) is out. rarely followed up those performances with notable outings. Defenseman Justin Schultz (left leg) is on injured reserve. For the Islanders, right winger Cal Clutterbuck (undisclosed) is out. “One of the biggest challenges for a young player to establish themselves in the league is just consistency of play,” Sullivan said. “The Potential lines and defensive pairings: The Penguins had an optional schedule is demanding. The parity in the league is better than its ever morning skate. Their lines and pairings during Monday’s practice were: been. Every game is tough. So it’s going to challenge each and every The Islanders’ lines and pairings at today’s morning skate were: one of our players to bring the necessary level of effort and commitment and determination and focus to be at your best each and every night. It’s Pregame notes: bringing that level of consistency night in and night out in a lot of instances that separates NHL players from others. That’s always one of • The Penguins will not stage a Halloween celebration as previously the big challenges for every young player that trying to establish planned and will instead accept collections to benefit the victims of themselves in the league.” Saturday’s mass shooting in Squirrel Hill. They will also wear patches in recognition of the victims. Those jerseys will be auctioned for charity: • Even with a hearty of endorsement from Sullivan, Jack Johnson is still getting acclimated with the team nearly a month into the season. He Hatred and discrimination have no place in Pittsburgh or anywhere else. provided an example of areas of the team he’s still working on. The Pittsburgh Penguins will wear #StrongerThanHate patches on their “We were in Edmonton, we had a faceoff play designed,” Johnson said. “I jerseys for tonight’s game. asked Sid, ‘What are we doing?’ And he told me the name of the faceoff More information: https://t.co/HnZsm60Xt5 play, and I had no idea what the faceoff play was. I had never heard it before. Luckily, we didn’t win the draw because I would have no idea Help any way you can: https://t.co/43KzCgQxIA what we were doing. I got back to the bench, and I asked him what the pic.twitter.com/TBEjycx7yq play was. Little things like that, I’m starting to get more and more comfortable.” — Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 30, 2018 The last time Barry Trotz and Tom Kuhnhackl were in PPG Paints Arena PENGUINS SHOULDER PATCH together, Kuhnhackl nearly won Game 6 of a second-round series between the Penguins and Trotz’s Capitals. In overtime, Kuhnhackl STRONGER THAN HATE PIC.TWITTER.COM/AFMK87JBUR clanked a wrister off the post: — DANA HEINZE (@REALDANAHEINZE) OCTOBER 30, 2018 TOM KUHNHACKL OFF THE POST PIC.TWITTER.COM/HTF9TLE1RN • Letang was pulled midway through yesterday’s practice for precautionary reasons due to an undisclosed ailment. He did not — IAN OLAND (@IANOLAND) MAY 8, 2018 participate in today’s optional morning skate and has been labeled as a “We have that conversation (about that shot) I think every week,” game-time decision. Kunhackl said of Trotz. “I’m sure he’s going to continue to talk about it -Daniel Sprong is coming off what was arguably one of the best games of the rest of the season.” his young career Saturday in Vancouver. During the Penguins’ 5-0 road The Capitals won the game and ended the Penguins’ season as well as win, Sprong had an assist as well as a career-best seven shots during a Kuhnhackl’s tenure with the team which selected him in the fourth round season-best 18:46 of ice time on 18 shifts. of the 2010 draft. Initially, a restricted free agent, Kuhnhackl and the “I was getting good opportunities and got to use my shot, Sprong said. Penguins could not agree on a new contract so the team opted to allow “It’s nice to get shots in games. I think before that, I only had three and him to depart as an unrestricted free agent. He signed a one-year deal wasn’t really getting my looks It’s nice. It’s motivation. It’s a positive step. with the Islanders worth $700,000. I had a couple real good looks. (Dominik Simon) just missed me on the “We had a lot of talks with a couple different teams,” Kuhnhackl said. “It one which would have been a tap-in. If I keep playing like that, get my was a great time here in Pittsburgh. There were memories made that I’ll shots, they’re going to go in.” never forget but I felt like it was time for a little bit of a change where I might get an opportunity. I’ve got to take advantage of it. You’ve got to For Sprong, who played primarily with Bryan Rust and Derek Grant in work for yourself.” Vancouver, he’s focused more on quality than quantity of shots. “I want to get quality looks,” he said. “Sometimes, you just have to get Kuhnhackl hasn’t gotten much work as of yet with his new team having them on net to see if you can create something. But I think of the seven only played in three games with no points. Rarely an offensive dynamo shots I took last game, most of them were high quality or dangerous with the Penguins, Kuhnhackl realizes he needs to continue to contribute chances which lead to other chances. With (Rust) and (Grant), in that on the defensive side of the game. “My role is not going to change that much,” he said. “I’m a guy who is reliable defensively, who is a penalty killer, who is going to block shots, who is going to compete night in and night out. Hopefully, I can continue doing that, and maybe I can find that offensive touch a little bit.” Trotz, who left the Capitals to become the Islanders coach this past offseason, gave an endorsement of Kuhnachkl’s presence on the Islanders’ roster. “You talk about a pro’s pro, a great attitude,” Trotz said. “He comes to the rink to get better every day. High commitment, high detail. You see the intangibles which he brings to an organization, and he’s done all of that for us.” Kuhnhackl is the only player with two Stanley Cup rings on the Islanders’ payroll. “It’s important to have that,” Trotz said. “Part of winning, when you don’t have anybody surrounding you who has won, it’s hard to explain to the next guy. When you’ve won, players see what it takes. We’ve added some guys. All the guys that we’ve added have pretty good pedigree. Maybe they’re not the highest end players, but they’re high character guys, Tommy being one of them who has won and he knows. You see it in their game. Those guys know how to win. They find a way to win. We try to add as many of those guys as we can.” • Trotz had a fun quip when asked how the Capitals were finally able to beat the Penguins in the playoffs. “When you play them 100 times like we did, you finally figure it out.” • The referees are Jake Brenk and Brad Watson. The linesmen are Mark Shewchyk and Bryan Pancich. The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112951 Pittsburgh Penguins played isn’t what we’re after; at the end of the day, we want to refine our abilities to project not only players that make it to the NHL, but contribute. There may indeed be some value to drafting overage prospects, but their Why certain NHL teams tend to draft overage prospects more than success in terms of production likely matters on the core already others assembled on the join that selects them. You don’t find your key pieces in this area of the draft, but you can find complementary pieces.

Going forward, it will be interesting to note the Sabres approach to By Ryan Stimson Oct 30, 2018 drafting overagers based on where they are slotted to pick in each round. A brief look at their selections during this time period shows the Sabres more than likely to take a defenseman over a forward as an overager. Perhaps anecdotal, but interesting. As the team continues to improve, an Analytics is all about finding market inefficiencies. Whether that’s through overager could prove to be a more “ready-made” prospect that can easily player evaluation, navigating the salary cap, game strategy, or through slot into the lineup. If the team is building around Jack Eichel and scouting and drafting, there’s value to be found everywhere. While there Rasmus Dahlin – the pieces teams usually have a harder time finding – has been an ample amount written on player valuation at the NHL level, Botterill might be inclined to roll the dice on draft day. prospect analysis is more difficult due to a lack of data. In the public sphere, some good work, as always, is being done at Canucks Army by The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 Jeremy Davis and others, but there’s not a whole lot else. Any edge that can be gained in the area of drafting is something we should investigate. Enter Namita Nandakumar, quantitative analyst for the Philadelphia Eagles. Prior to joining the Eagles, Namita wrote extensively on her research into prospect development curves and assorted draft strategies. On October 20th, I got a chance to see her latest research at the Carnegie Mellon Sports Analytics Conference in Pittsburgh, PA. For a full summary of the talks and speakers, the conference page is here. Nandakumar’s talk was “Evaluating Overage NHL Prospects & The Teams that Draft Them”and her slides are here. To begin, what is an overage NHL prospect? First-time draft eligible players for the summer entry draft have to be 18 years of age on September 15th of the previous year. Overage prospects are those that are not drafted in their first draft year and are often 19 or 20 years of age when drafted. Nandakumar looked at teams that drafted during the 2014 – 2017 seasons and found that the Pittsburgh Penguins have been drafting overage players far more often than one would expect. Based on Nandakumar’s research, the Sabres placed in the top ten during the period of time she studied. As the Sabres selected no overagers in 2018, they would drop to selecting them about 20 percent of the time. Why would the Penguins select them so often? A combination of factors is the reason. Teams that are contending to win championships will typically trade away higher round picks to acquire assets to win now rather than later. When teams like the Penguins eventually do draft, they are often towards the end of each round. Nandakumar uncovered a relationship between draft pick number and a team’s propensity to select an overage prospect, as those prospects are more “developmental ready” with higher floors, but lower ceilings. Nandakumar built a project model that factors in a team’s draft picks and selection number in each other and arrived at the number of overage prospects a team would be expected to select. Pittsburgh used 43 percent of their picks in this four-year sample on overagers – the most noteworthy being Dominik Simon in the fifth round in 2015 – when Nandakumar’s model would have expected them to do so on only 26 percent of their picks. Pittsburgh exceeded the expected rate in 94 percent of her draft simulations. In the above slide from her talk, you can clearly see the relationship between pick number and the chance you’ll select an overager. But does this offer value? Is Pittsburgh doing something a bit smarter than the rest of the field? Simply put, is drafting overage prospects a market inefficiency? Yes and no. Nandakumar then built a model using age, position, pick number, draft round, height, weight, and nationality for players selected in the 2005 – 2011 drafts. She looked at predicting total games played and point shares per game based on the seven seasons following a player’s selection. She found that overage prospects tend to offer more guarantee of making it to the NHL in terms of games played, but it isn’t clear if they offer more or less value than 18-year olds in terms of their output, even after controlling for where they are drafted (mostly later rounds). The Sabres jump up a bit here. Since Jason Botterill came from the Penguins organization, it’s fair to ask if this is a trend that will continue as the Sabres improve. So far? In Botterill’s 2017 draft, the Sabres took overagers Jacob Bryson & Linus Weissbach in the sixth and seventh rounds, but none in 2018. Takeaways Draft analysis is always difficult because of the limited data available in developmental leagues. Similarly, forecasting draft success by games 1112952 San Jose Sharks There’s a difference between an excuse and an explanation. The truth of the matter is that the Sharks opened the season with a rigorous-travel schedule, flying to the East Coast and back twice. When they returned to Takeaways: don’t blame the Sharks’ loss on Thornton’s return the West Coast in the wee hours of Saturday morning, it wasn’t even the end of their road trip. On Sunday, they wrapped up the three-game roadie in Anaheim and then returned home for a Tuesday date with the Rangers. By PAUL GACKLE Historically, the Sharks have struggled in their first game home from long trips when they only receive one day of rest in between games. Everyone is feeling jet-lagged, even the writers. SAN JOSE — Ambivalent is the best word to describe the sentiment in the Sharks locker room regarding Tuesday’s shootout loss to the New “Maybe the travel caught up with us,” Pavelski said. “First game home, it York Rangers. is what it is. The stats show certain things, but when we come to the rink we expect to be sharp. On one hand, the Sharks (6-3-3) found a way to extend their point streak to six games on a night where they clearly lacked their best stuff. Tomas “It was obvious a lot of guys didn’t have good legs tonight.” Hertl, who put together a monstrous effort, scored a tying goal with less than two seconds remaining in regulation. Timo Meier extended his point 3. Meier keeps going. streak to nine games, scoring his team-leading ninth goal, and Brent Burns kept his nine-game scoring streak going, as well, recording his fifth One guy who did have his legs was Meier (Hertl did, as well). multi-point game of the season with a goal and an assist. The power forward tied the game in the second by firing a perfect shot But at the end of the day, the Sharks missed a golden opportunity to earn into the upper shelf on a two-on-one and he earned an assist on Hertl’s a win against a squad that entered the game tied for the fewest points in tying goal at the end of regulation. the NHL. 9:38PM #TimoTime pic.twitter.com/zHNYaBJ2Io “You’re disappointed you didn’t get two (points),” head coach Pete — San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) October 31, 2018 DeBoer said. “When I wake up tomorrow, I’ll look around the league and there’s a lot of good teams that get beat in these situations and get In his nine-game point streak, Meier has scored eight goals and collected nothing. We’re finding a way.” 12 points. Here’s what we learned in the Sharks 4-3 shootout loss to the Rangers at San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 10.31.2018 SAP Center: 1. Don’t blame the loss on Joe Thornton’s return. As the Sharks compiled a 5-2-2 record in Thornton’s absence, the whispers could be heard: are the Sharks a better team without No. 19? The Sharks reached the second round of the playoffs last year without Thornton and they entered Tuesday’s game ranked second in shots per game (37.7), third in shot differential (plus-176) and third in Corsi rating (58.56 percent) playing nine of 11 games without him. The team has clearly forged an identity sans Thornton, stirring questions of whether it can reintegrate a 39-year-old coming off a knee infection without disrupting the train’s momentum. Tuesday’s performance will certainly provide fodder to those who are concerned about Thornton’s return. His reinsertion into the lineup required DeBoer to rejigger his lines at a time when the Sharks were rolling four solid units. He broke up the formidable trio of Tomas Hertl, Logan Couture and Timo Meier while splitting up Joe Pavelski and Evander Kane. By the second period, he threw his lineup back into the blender, skating Marcus Sorensen with Thornton and Pavelski, throwing Joonas Donskoi in with Couture and Meier while sliding Hertl down to third line center. “Just looking to get things going,” DeBoer said. “We didn’t have great energy tonight, so you’re trying to spark it anyway you can.” It gave the Sharks a jolt as they outshot the Rangers 28-20 over the last two periods and overtime and tied the game twice in the third. But in the end, it was a pair of defensive breakdowns in the third, not lack of offense from the forward lines, that cost the Sharks a point. Thornton, meanwhile, played a role in a pair of scoring chances, but he struggled to leave his stamp on the game in 14:19 of ice time. DeBoer kept him off the ice for the last 45 seconds of regulation and overtime. He declined to be interviewed after the game. “First game back,” DeBoer said. “Got his legs going in a tough situation.” It’s what everyone should have expected from a guy who’s only played three NHL games in nine months after undergoing major surgeries on both knees in a span of a year-and-a-half. Last year, Thornton’s career appeared to be in jeopardy as he struggled through the first seven weeks of the schedule. He finished the season with 26 points in 28 games. Only time will tell whether this is the beginning of the end or the start of a remarkable comeback. It’s fair to be skeptical about Thornton’s ability to mount another comeback. It’s also too early to write him off. 2. An alternative explanation for the Sharks lethargic start. The two most common words in an NHL room after a loss: no excuse. 1112953 San Jose Sharks

Rangers spoil Joe Thornton’s return to Sharks lineup

By PAUL GACKLE

SAN JOSE — Joe Thornton rejoined the lineup, but the Sharks failed to earn a win in his return to action. Kevin Shattenkirk clinched a 4-3 win for the New York Rangers in a shootout at SAP Center Tuesday. Tomas Hertl tied the game with less than two seconds remaining in regulation, allowing the Sharks to extend their point streak to six games. Kreider put the Rangers ahead 2-1 at 1:13 of the third, blasting a one timer past Martin Jones from the right circle. Later in the period, with the scored tied, Kreider knocked a bouncing puck past an outstretched Jones after Erik Karlsson failed to break up a pass from Mats Zuccarello. Timo Meier tied the game 2-2 at 8:14 of the third, blasting the puck into the upper shelf on a two-on-one rush with Melker Karlsson. Meier’s team- leading ninth goal extended his point streak to eight games. Brent Burns picked up the assist, his second point of the game. Burns opened the scoring at 3:22 of the first, slapping in a 60-foot shot from above the right circle. The goal, Burns’ third, extended his point streak to nine games. Marcus Sorensen and Melker Karlsson earned assists on the play. The Rangers answered just 59 seconds later. Zuccarello tied the game by beating goalie Martin Jones with a 33-foot shot above his glove. The Rangers dominated the rest of the period. They outshot the Sharks 17-6 in the frame, recording nine of the period’s last 10 shots. Thornton skated for 14:19 in his first game since Oct. 5, playing a role in a pair of scoring chances as the Rangers kept him off the scoresheet. He caught the webbing of Henrik Lundqvist’s glove with a 33-foot wrist shot in the opening frame. In the second, he almost scored off a one timer on the power play. Brady Skjei blocked Thornton’s shot in front of the crease and the puck nearly trickled in after hopped past Lundqvist. The game was Thornton’s 1,496th NHL contest, putting him in 20th place on the league’s all-time games played list. Thornton’s longtime linemate, Joe Pavelski, also reached a milestone, suiting up for his 900th career game. In doing so, Pavelski became just the second player selected in the third round or later in the 2003 NHL Draft to play 900 games, joining Lee Stempniak. San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112954 San Jose Sharks — As Thornton returns to the lineup, his longtime linemate, Pavelski, will be hitting another remarkable milestone.

Just two weeks after Pavelski become the fifth player in league history Joe Thornton set to rejoin Sharks lineup Tuesday drafted later than pick No. 200 to accumulate 700-career points, the Sharks captain will be suiting up for his 900th NHL game. In doing so, he’ll become just the second player from the 2003 NHL Draft selected in By PAUL GACKLE the third round or later to play in 900 games, joining Lee Stempniak. The 205th pick in the 2003 draft took a challenging road to reach game No. 900. SAN JOSE — Guess who’s back, back again? “Looking back on it, I did,” Pavelski said. “I was in the USHL and No, it isn’t Eminem. The Detroit native isn’t scheduled to play any shows Waterloo, and I had a scholarship going to the University of Wisconsin, at SAP Center in the near future. Instead, Sharks fans will get to watch spent a couple years there and turned pro. Every time I hit that new level another creative force at the Tank Tuesday night, someone more dear to I was right where I wanted to be. I didn’t see it as any hurdles being their hearts: Joe Thornton. skipped over. After missing nine games with an infection in his right knee, Thornton will “It was just something I loved to do and love to work at. I was able to suit up for his first game since Oct. 5 Tuesday when the Sharks (6-3-2) keep going. I’d like to think it was the scouts who made the mistake, I square off against the New York Rangers (3-7-1). guess.” “I’m still going to be on some antibiotics, but it looks like (the infection) is Pavelski still appreciates the career he’s managed to carve out for on its way out,” Thornton said after the Sharks morning practice himself, especially when he hits a bump in the road. All he needs to do is Tuesday. look around at what he’s earned to fight through the adversity in front of him. The veteran forward cleared a hurdle in his recovery Sunday when doctors removed a PICC (peripherally inserted central catheter) line that “You just look and have an appreciation for what the NHL is, what your was feeding him antibiotics. Though he’s still taking antibiotics, head teammates are to you. Being on a team, being able to travel, just coach Pete DeBoer said his blood work indicates that the infection has experiencing so many awesome building and exciting moments,” cleared. Pavelski said. “At the end of the day, it’s about the competition, your teammates. That’s what I appreciate the most.” “If he’s on antibiotics, he’s just finishing the cycle,” the Sharks coach said. “He’s healthy.” DeBoer said that every hockey player who’s ever been overlooked as too small or too slow should look to the example that Pavelski has set. Thornton said that doctors cleared him to play Tuesday morning. “What makes him a great captain and a great leader is the road he “They were going back and forth, if I can play, if I can’t,” he said. traveled,” the Sharks coach said. “He wasn’t handed anything. He had to “Yesterday, they just decided to take the (PICC line) out, so it was a good work for everything. He had to pay attention to the details of the game in day.” order to be effective at every level. The infection was the latest setback for the 39-year-old veteran, who’s “The journey really created the person and the captain that we have been battling health issues over the course of the last 18 months. After here.” tearing the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee on April 2, 2017, Thornton suffered an identical injury in his right San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 10.31.2018 knee on Jan. 23, sidelining him for the last 35 games in the 2017-18 season. But Thornton skated on the first day of training camp in September and played in the Sharks first two games before an infection led to swelling in his right knee. Though he’s been sidelined for more than three weeks, Thornton has been practicing with the Sharks since thy returned to San Jose from a five game road trip on Oct. 16. He even traveled with the team on its three game trip through Nashville, North Carolina and Southern California last week, so he isn’t expecting to be limited Tuesday night. “I feel great,” Thornton said. “I’ve been watching a lot of hockey lately, so to play is going to be fun. “I’ll probably be a little bit tired the first game, but I’ll be fine.” Joe Thornton prepares to rejoin #SJSharks lineup for tonight’s game against NYR pic.twitter.com/DJxIHea1gq — Paul Gackle (@GackleReport) October 30, 2018 Thornton’s return is forcing the Sharks to rejigger their lineup at a time when the team is riding a five game point streak, producing the NHL’s second-highest shot volume per game (37.7) and ranking third in shot differential (176). Regardless, going back to the white board to reintegrate Thornton into the lineup is a challenge that DeBoer is welcoming. At practice Tuesday morning, DeBoer skated Thornton alongside Timo Meier and Joe Pavelski. Kevin Labanc took Meier’s spot on Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl’s line and the Sharks reunited the third line combination of Evander Kane, Antti Suomela and Joonas Donskoi. Marcus Sorensen, Barclay Goodrow and Melker Karlsson skated on the fourth line. “Trying to put Jumbo back in the lineup is a great problem to have,” DeBoer said. “I’ll never complain about that.” Thornton is looking forward to skating with Meier, who’s emerging as a top power forward in his third NHL season. Meier is riding an eight-game point and he’s leading the team in goals (8) after scoring the overtime winner in Anaheim Sunday. “He just finds his way in front of the net. He’s so big and strong in there. Guys underestimate his strength,” Thornton said. “He’s been a big bull.” 1112955 San Jose Sharks

Sharks activate Thornton from IR

Chronicle staff Updated 1:31 pm PDT, Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Joe Thornton has played in only two games so far this season for the Sharks. Joe Thornton, who has been sidelined for nearly a month, was activated from the injured reserve list by the Sharks on Tuesday. Thornton was put on IR on Oct. 7 after he experienced swelling in his surgically repaired right knee. The 39-year-old center is coming off a second straight year of undergoing reconstructive knee surgery. He played the first two games for the Sharks and had one assist before being sidelined. Dylan Gambrell, who was promoted from the minors to fill Thornton’s spot, was returned to the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda to make room for Thornton. The Sharks (6-3-2) play the first of four consecutive home games Tuesday night against the Rangers (3-7-1). San Francisco Chronicle LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112956 San Jose Sharks

Sharks vs. Rangers watch guide: Projected lines and defensive pairs

By Chelena Goldman October 30, 2018 1:28 PM

After spending the bulk of October on the road, the Sharks are preparing for a four-game homestand that kicks off Tuesday evening as they host the New York Rangers. Team Teal is coming off a nail-biter in Anaheim, eventually defeating the Ducks 4-3 in overtime. Timo Meier scored two goals in that game, extending his goal streak to four games. He's scored eight goals so far this season. During Tuesday’s morning skate, Meier was bumped up to the first line with Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton. Thornton will make his return to the ice after being sidelined almost a month. New York comes into SAP Center with a 0-4-1 road record, including a rough 4-3 loss to the LA Kings on Sunday. They’ve gone 1-3-1 in their last five and have the same record when the other team scores first – something San Jose likes to do early and often. Sharks projected lines and pairs Timo Meier -- Joe Thornton -- Joe Pavelski Tomas Hertl -- Logan Couture -- Kevin Labanc Evander Kane -- Antti Suomela -- Joonas Donskoi Marcus Sorensen -- Barclay Goodrow -- Melker Karlsson Marc-Edouard Vlasic -- Justin Braun Joakim Ryan -- Brent Burns Brenden Dillon -- Erik Karlsoon Martin Jones -- projected starter Aaron Dell Rangers projected lines and pairs Vladislav Namestnikov -- Mika Zibanejad -- Mats Zuccarello Chris Kreider -- Kevin Hayes -- Ryan Spooner Jimmy Vesey -- Brett Howden -- Jesper Fast Cody McLeod -- Filip Chytil -- Vinni Lettieri Brady Skjei -- Anthony DeAngelo Brendan Smith -- Kevin Shattenkirk Marc Staal -- Neal Pionk Henrik Lundqvist -- projected starter Alexandar Georgeiv Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112957 San Jose Sharks

Joe Thornton will return to Sharks' lineup vs. Rangers after knee injury

By Chelena Goldman October 30, 2018

SAN JOSE -- After a long wait -- 24 days to be exact -- Sharks fans will see Joe Thornton take the ice for a game. No. 19 left the Sharks one game into their early season five-game road trip after experiencing swelling and an infection in his surgically repaired knee. He told the media at Tuesday’s morning skate he received the good news he could return in that night's game against the New York Rangers. “I’m still going to be on some antibiotics,” Thornton said. “But it looks like (the infection is) on its way out.” Joe Thornton is making his return to #SJSharks lineup tonight. Also (gradually) returning: the beard. pic.twitter.com/PYfx5nOtrs — San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) October 30, 2018 Thornton had to have a PICC line inserted in the injured knee to help get rid of the infection. He told the media Tuesday the PICC line had just been taken out Monday. The 39-year-old forward registered one assist in two games on the season before being sidelined. To make room on the roster for Thornton, the Sharks reassigned Dylan Gambrell to their AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112958 San Jose Sharks Less than two minutes after Timo Meier’s wrist shot beat Henrik Lundqvist on a 2-on-1 rush, the Sharks had a faceoff in their defensive zone. They won the draw, but somehow left Mats Zuccarello all alone in Getting a lead has been routine for the Sharks, but keeping it has been front of the net. He took a pass from Mika Zibanejad and immediately an issue funneled it to Chris Kreider, who beat Martin Jones midway through the third to give the Rangers a 3-2 lead.

Kane was on the ice for the goal, and was drifting away from Zuccarello By Kevin Kurz when the dangerous Rangers forward took the feed from Zibanejad, while Erik Karlsson got turned around several times on the play.

“We won a draw, and we lost some battles,” Kane said. “We broke down Getting a lead hasn’t been a problem for the Sharks this season. In 12 in coverage in front of our own net.” games, they’ve scored the first goal an impressive 10 times. DeBoer said: “Just faceoff assignment, missed communication. We won Keeping leads at different times throughout games, though, is becoming the draw. Their guy ended up beating us to the puck, and we ended up a problem. with two guys trapped. Just poor execution off a won draw.” On Tuesday at SAP Center in a game in which Joe Thornton made his Also of concern in Jones’ continued penchant for allowing one bad goal return to the lineup after a nine-game absence, the Sharks again jumped per night. This time, it was Zuccarello’s shot from the top of the circle just out in front of their opponent. Brent Burns hammered home a slap shot 59 seconds after Burns’ goal in the first period that should have been from the point just 3:22 into the first period against the Rangers, stopped. extending his personal point streak to a career-high nine games. The goalie confirmed that the puck was on its end when Zuccarello But the lead didn’t last. The Sharks were lethargic for much of the period whacked it, “so it was a little weird. … It’s a little tougher (to pick up),” and long stretches after that. The Rangers tied it before the first period Jones said. was over and took two separate leads themselves in the third period, and although the Sharks managed to force overtime on a goal by Tomas Hertl — who was probably the Sharks’ best player on the night — Hertl with just 1.3 seconds left on the clock, New York secured the extra managed to force overtime with a turnaround wrist shot just before the point after the game progressed to a shootout. horn. That score allowed the Sharks to increase their point streak to six games (4-0-2) on a night where they clearly were not at their best. In five of the Sharks’ six losses this season they’ve had a lead at some point, including their previous meeting with the rebuilding Rangers at “Sometimes you come out, you feel great. Sometimes you can’t put a Madison Square Garden on Oct. 11, when a 2-1 lead entering the third finger on why you don’t feel good,” Pavelski said. “Maybe the travel period evaporated into a 3-2 overtime loss. They’ve also surrendered caught up with us a little bit. First game home, it is what it is. … But, leads in games to the Ducks and Kings, allowing their division rivals to when we come to the rink, we expect to be sharp and find a way. It was grab a point in the standings before the Sharks won in overtime. obvious a lot of guys didn’t have good legs tonight.” Speaking after the morning skate on Tuesday, Joe Pavelski said: “You Thornton finished with one shot on goal, and was 2 for 5 in the faceoff want to score first every night, and you understand if you score first, circle in 14 minutes and 19 seconds of ice time. He declined postgame there’s nothing guaranteed. You give up a lead, you want to go out the media availability. next night and score first again. When you score first and get those leads, it’s going to happen where you maybe cough something up. The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 “Each night is a little different story. I’m not worried about the leads we’ve coughed up. We’ve found ways to win some of those games. We’ve come back at times. It’s a long season, there’s a lot of good players out there and good teams, and you’ve just got to stay on your toes.” Rather than staying on their toes against the Rangers, though, the Sharks were on their heels far too often after Burns’ early marker, including giving up a season-high 17 shots on goal in the opening frame. Losers of four of their last five, a New York club that virtually no one expects to make the playoffs came into the Shark Tank and spoiled the opener of a four-game homestand, sweeping the two-game season series. The Sharks were playing their first game since a three-game road trip that oddly went from Nashville to Carolina to Anaheim, concluding with the Ducks on Sunday at Honda Center. Teams often talk about how difficult it is to play that first game back after a long trip, and considering the Sharks’ peripatetic schedule so far, fatigue may have played a role. “Tonight was one of those tough games, you’re coming off the road, it’s a little bit of a trap game,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “We knew that coming in. The first period we were on our heels. I thought as the game went on, we got going a little bit. I don’t think there’s any doubt they were the more desperate team tonight.” So if they knew how tough it might be going in, should a handful of Sharks players been at the Drake concert at Oakland’s Oracle Arena on Monday, a 45-minute drive from San Jose? While it’s unclear how many players attended the show, Hertl, Evander Kane and Aaron Dell all posted stories to their respective Instagram accounts showing that they were in attendance. DeBoer replied brusquely at a question in regards to whether he was concerned about what was likely a late Monday night for some. “We have as professional a group as I’ve ever coached,” he said. “I don’t know what you’re implying. I think what they do on their nights off is none of my business, and it sure as hell isn’t any of your business.” Pavelski said: “Throughout the year there are going to be guys that are going to go to different shows or events. It’s not the first time someone’s been to a concert. I don’t know what you are implying there. It wasn’t a big number by any means. Heard it was a great show.” The biggest error against the Rangers wasn’t due to being tired, though. It was a mistake of the mental variety. 1112959 St Louis Blues

Injured Allen back on the ice with Blues, but his return is unclear

By Tom Timmermann St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Jake Allen didn’t skate with his teammates on Tuesday, but he did skate on his own prior to the team’s optional practice at the IceZone in Hazelwood, leaving open the chance the injured goalie will play on Thursday against Las Vegas at Enterprise Center. Coach Mike Yeo wouldn’t say he was optimistic about Allen playing, but he did label it “a good day.” “He was on the ice, so he felt pretty good,” Yeo said. “It was a good step anyway, so he was feeling better today and we’ll see how he feels tomorrow.” Allen got banged up on Saturday when teammate Zach Sanford collided with him in a play in front of the net. Allen left the game midway through the second period and didn’t return. The Blues have called up Ville Husso from San Antonio of the AHL as a precaution. The Blues will hold their most physical practice of the week on Wednesday, and if Allen can’t go there, it seems likely that Chad Johnson or Husso will make the start on Thursday. CHANGES MADE The Blues made the last of the moves needed to ready their roster for Thursday and make room for the return of their string of injured players returning to health. After sending Jordan Kyrou down to San Antonio on Monday, the Blues put defenseman Jakub Jerabek on waivers on Tuesday. The team already had one open spot on the roster, so with those three spaces, they have room for the players coming back from injuries. The Blues acquired Jerabek in a trade with Edmonton right before the start of the season for a conditional sixth-round pick – the condition that would make it a fifth-round pick, that Jerabek appear in 50 games with the Blues, seems pretty unlikely to be met now – and he appeared in one game, sitting as a healthy scratch in the other seven. Removing him from the roster opens a spot for Carl Gunnarsson, and Kyrou being sent down created the spot needed for Robby Fabbri or Nikita Soshnikov. All three of those players could be in the lineup on Thursday. As for Kyrou, he’ll get more ice time in San Antonio than he could have gotten in St. Louis, which is likely to aid his development. “He feels like it’s a demotion and that’s understandable but there are a lot of positives for him,” Yeo said. “Coming into our camp, making our team out of training camp when he wasn’t expected to, that was a win for him. The way he’s performed and played, that was a win for him. The confidence he’s gained in us as a coaching staff, that’s a win for him. We’ve got a healthy group right now, it’s tough, we’ve got to make some decisions, and he finds himself going down but he’s got to go down with a healthy attitude and in my eyes he’s much further along than I expected him to be at this point in his career and just real excited about what he’s going to do for us in the future. We don’t know when that is. Just make sure you’re ready, make sure you take advantage of your time down there, go down, dominate, get lots of ice time and get lots of confidence.” NOTES After missing one day with a sore neck, Alexander Steen was back on the ice. … Steen’s next point will give him 460 with the Blues, tying him with David Backes for sixth on the team’s all-time points list. … Team MVP? The Blues were undefeated (1-0) in games with Jerabek in the lineup. ... With the moves of Kyrou and Sammy Blais to San Antonio, the team has moved Tanner Kaspick and Austin Poganski to Tulsa of the ECHL. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112960 St Louis Blues But Yeo has gravitated toward the more traditional configuration (two scoring lines, a match-up line and an energy line) to blend in more checking while giving his top nine forwards more to do. Gordo: Blues' strength up front is forcing tough decisions Barbashev added the agitation element to his skill set while playing with more consistent urgency. His progress was underscored Saturday night when he finished his check on Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook Jeff Gordon on his final shift, then answered Seabrook’s challenge to fight. Sundqvist has won Yeo’s confidence as a sturdy checking center who helps the team hold leads. Soshnikov is a classic fourth-liner, a quick Back in June, the Blues looked forward to prospects Robert Thomas and little agitator who is borderline berserk on the forecheck. Jordan Kyrou jump-starting their lagging attack this season. The Blues, one of the league’s bigger disappointments at 3-4-3, could Both youngsters had exciting 2017-18 junior campaigns in the Ontario use that element to complement their large collection of playmakers and Hockey League, earning high praise from independent personnel scorers. evaluators. Both forwards were expected to bring badly needed speed, skill and energy to this team. How will this all fit together? The five remaining games in this crucial seven-game homestand offer Yeo an opportunity to figure it out. This is It didn’t turn out that way. While the Blues are more explosive this season the challenge he must meet to prove he is the right man to move the — averaging 3.6 goals per game, up from an average of 3.02 last season team forward. — Thomas and Kyrou have had little impact. Like Yeo said, it’s a nice problem to have — nicer than having to rush The two rookies have combined for no goals and two assists in 15 games prospects into the fray or deploy placeholder forwards because there is of limited duty. Both fell into peripheral roles not because they flopped, nobody better to play. but because the Blues have assembled uncommon firepower up front. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 10.31.2018 You have to go back to the 1980-81 Blues, featuring 10 forwards who scored 45 or more points, to find something comparable here. Such proven offensive depth is rare in the NHL these days, thanks to expansion and the salary cap system. First the Blues added veteran forwards David Perron, Tyler Bozak, Patrick Maroon and Ryan O’Reilly via free agency and one big summer trade. Then Zach Sanford worked his way back from a severe shoulder injury to produce at a level (six points in five games!) that predecessor Tage Thompson could only dream about. Ivan Barbashev and Oskar Sundqvist also elevated their play this fall to earn long fourth-line looks. Now scoring-line forward Robby Fabbri and grinder Nikita Soshnikov are back from injured reserve this week to add even more talent to mix. So coach Mike Yeo has to sort the pile. He feels good about his top three lines, but he is trying to figure out the fourth group — which could feature forwards capable of playing much bigger roles. “We’ve had some tough decisions,” Yeo acknowledged Tuesday after his team’s optional skate. “I’ve been really happy with (Barbashev) all year. He’s found himself a role here in the penalty kill. (Sundqvist) had a real strong training camp. He’s looked good in the couple games he’s been in. He’s a real strong penalty killer for us as well. Both those guys have identities as players. “Robbie Thomas’ last game for me was the best game that he’s played this year. He looked a lot more confident. He seemed to be in a better place when he’s on the ice. “Then you look at the performance of the guys in the top three lines. It’s tough right now. Good problems to have, obviously. But I think internal competition for our group, as long it’s focused in the right direction, can been good.” That competition forced Kyrou down to the American Hockey League, where he will assume a primary offensive role for San Antonio playing with fellow prospects Sammy Blais and Klim Kostin. Kyrou moved ahead of his schedule by earning an NHL job in training camp, but sticking to a part-time role at this level would stifle his development. He needs to play big minutes to meet his full potential, which is up there with emerging NHL stars Clayton Keller (Coyotes), Brock Boeser (Canucks) and Alex DeBrincat (Blackhawks). He must gain the confidence that can only come from shooting lots of pucks and scoring lots of goals. The same goes for Thomas, a potential No. 2 center for many years to come. His current situation is trickier, since he is still junior-eligible and therefore unable to play in the AHL until his OHL team is done playing this season. Thomas could return to the Hamilton Bulldogs and play for Team Canada in the World Junior Championships. That would make more sense for him at this early point of his career than moving in and out of the lineup as a No. 4 center in the NHL. Yes, the Blues could assemble four viable offensive lines by keeping Kyrou and Thomas in the lineup and plugging in the talented Fabbri. That would be loads of fun, rolling skill and more skill onto the ice shift after shift after shift. 1112961 St Louis Blues But whether he finds himself in the lineup, we view him as more than a fourth-line player down the road. … At certain points, opportunities will open up for some of these guys and you definitely want to make sure Barbashev raises his profile on the Blues with one fight you’re taking advantage of every opportunity to make sure your confidence is high, to make sure we’re seeing the right thing from you that when that opportunity comes around, you take advantage of it.” By Tom Timmermann St. Louis Post-Dispatch And even if fights like Saturday’s are on their way out in the NHL, they still serve some purposes. In Barbashev’s case, it’s a message to his teammates of what he can do — he got plenty of high fives afterward — and maybe more important, a message to himself. Ivan Barbashev is young enough and new enough, both in the world of hockey and the world at large, that he can run through the number of “If I have to, I’ll do it,” he said. “If somebody’s going to get hit or hockey fights he’s been in without too much thought, though maybe a something, I’m going to step up because now I know that I can.” lack of detail. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 10.31.2018 “The last one I think was in the American League two years ago,” he said. “That was my first professional fight. Before that, I think I fought three times in (juniors). That’s it pretty much.” So we’re not talking major levels of recidivism here. Barbashev’s most recent fight is fresh in everyone’s mind. With less than two minutes to go against the Blackhawks on Saturday, Barbashev threw the gloves down against Brent Seabrook, who has a long history of being disliked by Blues fans. Barbashev landed a few good punches, helped along by the linesmen, who quickly grabbed Seabrook but didn’t grab Barbashev quite so quickly, giving him a chance for a free punch or two. “I just saw he was coming at me and I just kind of lost my mind out there,” Barbashev said. The numbers would say that it was out of character for Barbashev. The game Saturday was his 93rd in the NHL, and coming into the game, Barbashev had six total penalty minutes. He almost doubled them in one game. “I can’t say that I (knew he had that in him),” coach Mike Yeo said, “but certainly things like that don’t hurt the rivalry.” Nor does it hurt Barbashev, who was coming into a significant season in his career. He had a good season when he got a taste of the big time as a rookie in 2016-17 as a second-half call=up who sometimes found himself centering the team’s top line. His second season didn’t play out as well — call it Dmitrij Jaskin Syndrome — and he split the season between St. Louis and the minors. This season wasn’t exactly make or break, but, well, the Jaskin Syndrome didn’t have a happy ending and Barbashev himself could do the math: With a bunch of new forwards coming in and a bunch of young forwards coming up, spots were limited. Barbashev has, for now at least, claimed his spot, settling in on the fourth line, where in the early going he took on a veteran presence, even if at 22 he’s not much older than the team’s kids. (Until Robby Fabbri is officially re-activated, only Robert Thomas is younger among forwards at the moment.) More significant, he’s settled into a role as a penalty killer. Among forwards, only Alexander Steen, Ryan O’Reilly and Tyler Bozak, all experienced veterans, are averaging more time on the PK than Barbashev is. It’s paid off in two ways: Barbashev is doing it well and Yeo feels that the more physical Barbashev plays, the better he is. “I feel like (his play has) been more consistent,” Yeo said. “I always felt when he was playing his best hockey, he was playing physical, he was finishing checks, he was competitive in his battles and when that starts to slip, I find his game starts to slip. But what I would say is that he’s doing that more consistently now. I think he’s got a better picture of what his best game looks like and a better picture of how to get to it.” “I would say like my last couple games was not the best,” Barbashev said, “but I thought the game against Chicago was pretty good. I played physical and with that situation at the end, it’s probably just going to help me. I feel more confident out there.” Thomas said he’s benefited from having Barbashev around. “I think for me, defensively he’s been really good in that he keeps it really simple so you know exactly what he’s doing,” Thomas said. Yeo said the Blues still look at Barbashev, who will turn 23 in six weeks, as more than a fourth-line player though, with the current set of forwards, it’s going to be tough for him to be anything else in the short term. In fact, with the current bunch of forwards, it may soon be hard for him to get on the ice very often. His ability to kill penalties — coupled with some offensive potential, even if he has just one goal and two assists so far in very limited minutes — has kept him in the lineup, but those minutes are likely to be spread around starting soon. “Right now he’s found himself a role,” Yeo said. “There’s a competition, so we don’t know how our fourth line is going to shake out come Thursday. We’ve got to make those decisions in the next couple days. 1112962 St Louis Blues THOMAS: I'm sure he's a bit rusty after missing all that time and coming back from hip surgery. And the Blues are hoping that's the case. But we all know Father Time is undefeated. Allen back on ice, but no word yet on status for Blues' game on Thursday PLAYING SCARED? QUESTION: I played organized for 45 years as a goalie, By Tom Timmermann St. Louis Post-Dispatch albeit not in the professional ranks. When I saw Jake Allen bolt out of the net and "speed" skate off the ice after the game-winning goal was scored against the Blues, I can tell you he was ticked off, and should have been. Then he practically calls out his team for saying they played "scared" in There was no formal update on the status of injured Blues goalie Jake the third period. You just don't do that. This is not a harmonious locker Allen on Tuesday, though coach Mike Yeo said Allen skated on his own room and Armstrong had better fix it pretty quick. prior to the team's optional practice, which he termed "a good day." THOMAS: I've found Allen to be very honest. And when he was talking "It was a good step anyway so he was feeling better today and we'll see about the team being scared to play in the third period, I think he was how he feels tomorrow," Yeo said. including himself. The Blues had Chad Johnson and Ville Husso on the ice for their optional WHERE'S THE STAR POWER? practice on Tuesday, and Wednesday's session, which Yeo said will be a high-energy, full-contact session will be the telling one on whether or not QUESTION: I’m extremely disappointed in Tarasenko. He’s just turning Allen can play on Thursday. He left the Blues' game on Saturday after into "another guy." He has zero goals in his last 6 games and his play being run into by Blues forward Zach Sanford. Presumably, if Allen has been sporadic at best. Do you think he did not come into camp in practices on Wednesday, he can play on Thursday. If not, then most shape or is his shoulder is still an issue? likely Johnson will go. THOMAS: I think Tarasenko has been engaged this year. To me it looks Also back on the ice on Tuesday was forward Alexander Steen, who like he's working the corners, more consistently hustling on defense. missed Monday's session with a sore neck. And continuing to work their Prior to the Winnipeg game he had assists in four consecutive games. So way back into shape were defenseman Carl Gunnarsson and forwards he has been contributing. But at the end of the day, he's paid to score Robby Fabbri and Nikita Soshnikov, all of who are on track to make their goals. You know it. I know it. He knows it, as evidenced by this start-of- season debuts on Thursday. All three spent the weekend in San Antonio camp story. getting into game shape on rehab assignments in San Antonio. But I've mentioned this before, I don't know if it was here or on the Net To clear spaces on the roster, the Blues put defenseman Jakub Jerabek Front Presence podcast, I don't see quite the zip on his wrist shot so far on waivers on Tuesday. The Blues acquired Jerabek in a trade with this year. And I may be wrong on this. As for his shoulder, it hasn't kept Edmonton right before the start of the season and he played 7:52 in one him from practicing or playing this year. But I did noticed it was wrapped game, against Calgary, on Oct. 11 and has been a healthy scratch since. after one of the games in Canada. Jerabek being put on waivers, and Jordan Kyrou being sent out on HAS PIETRANGELO PEAKED? Monday, make the Blues' roster ready for the returning players. The Blues have 12 healthy forwards, and Fabbri and Soshnikov will give them QUESTION: Ever since his call-up, I think most Blues fans have been 14. The Blues have six healthy defensemen and Gunnarsson will give expecting Alex Pietrangelo to eventually take that next step from being a them seven. They have three goalies at the moment, but if Allen can't good defenseman to a Norris Trophy-caliber one. But after a few play, Husso would presumably be considered an emergency callup and seasons of coming close, Pietrangelo seems to be settling into a being the roster would be OK at 23. good, but not great, player. Do you think Pietrangelo has reached his ceiling as to the type of player he can become? Net Front Presence -- Blues hope to build upon the Blackhawks blowout THOMAS: I can't tell you for sure if Pietrangelo has reached his ceiling. The Blues then wouldn't face any roster decisions until Robert Bortuzzo But he did make the all-star game last season. And were it not for that is ready to come off injured reserve and return to action, which could be puck off the foot in Detroit (yeah, same game Schwartz got hurt) I think next week. he would've made a legitimate run at the Norris. While I agree he hasn't been on his game (although better lately), I'm not ready to make any It's all become a matter of numbers, which is what Yeo said was the sweeping judgments on the guy after 8 games. Also, childbirth can have issue with Kyrou. They liked what they saw; there's just no place to play an effect on adults, and Petro's wife gave birth to triplets during the him. offseason. He's got a lot on his plate. "He feels like it's a demotion and that's understandable but there are a lot TIME FOR A ROSTER SHUFFLE? of positives for him," Yeo said. "Coming into our camp, making our team out of training camp when he wasn't expected to, that was a win for him. QUESTION: Would you agree that if the Blues play "Jekyll & Hyde" The way he's performed and played, that was a win for him. The hockey over the seven-game home stand, it would be time for some confidence he's gained in us as a coaching staff, that's a win for him. roster changes? The Cardinals waited too long to right their ship. I hope We've got a healthy group right now, it's tough, we've got to make some the Blues are more proactive. decisions, and he finds himself going down but he's got to go down with a healthy attitude and in my eyes he's much further along than I expected THOMAS: There will be some roster changes before the homestand is him to be at this point in his career and just real excited about his completed. Fabbri and Soshnikov are in San Antonio for conditioning potential, what he's going to do for us in the future, and we don't know assignments. Gunnarsson was headed there after today's practice at the when what is, just make sure you're ready, make sure you take Mills. If all goes well, they will all be eligible to return to the lineup Nov. 1 advantage of your time down there, go down, dominate, get lots of ice against Vegas. Also Sundqvist has been cleared (both concussion and time and get lots of confidence." shoulder) and is eligible to play tomorrow night against Columbus. And as you may have read or heard, Sammy Blais was demoted yesterday to Quick Hits: Jim Thomas on the Blues San Antonio. BREAKING DOWN BOUWMEESTER TOO EARLY TO PANIC? QUESTION: It's quite puzzling JayBo got the playing time he did in the QUESTION: In your mind, how late is to late to save a season? Sure, third when Petro and Dunn were playig so well together. There is no we've had a couple of wins, but the trust in management will continue to logical explanation for it, unless you have one. be a problem. THOMAS: Wow. What a surprise. A Bouwmeester question. (I kid.) THOMAS: I'm not sure. The Central's so tough. And you know the old Yeah, that was puzzling. Dunn and Schmaltz didn't play a ton down the hockey adage: you can't play your way into the playoffs by (U.S.) stretch. (Keeping in mind that the Blues were on the penalty kill for 2 of Thanksgiving, but you can play yourself out of it by then. After winning the final 6:10, and Dunn doesn't play PK.) Also Edmundson took a puck only 2 of their first 8 games, the Blues need to win more than 2 of the 7 off the foot and maybe missed a shift or two. But your overall point is well games on this homestand. taken. It looks like Yeo was trusting Bouwmeester more down the stretch in Winnipeg than Dunn or Schmaltz. CAN YEO'S STYLE STILL WORK? QUESTION: Is Bouwmeester still hurt or did the league get too fast for QUESTION: The Blues seem like a team that can't make up their minds. him to keep up? Their acquisitions don't seem to fit the coaching style that Yeo employs. The game has moved to one of speed, skill, and passing, yet the Blues are still trying to employ the same boring style Yeo had in Minnesota: dump, chase, hit, try to clog the front of the net and look for garbage THOMAS: Well, Blais was leading the team in hits through eight games rebounds. When are we going to get a GM and coach that bring us into (26), and he got sent down. In theory, I agree that another player or two the 20th century and move to that exciting speed style? like that would be beneficial, but in today's game, you've gotta be able to have some offensive skill to go with it. Soshnikov does bring energy and THOMAS: Interesting comments because players such as Perron, skating ability. He can be a pest. But he must stay healthy. Injury O'Reilly, Bozak and Maroon aren't regarded as fast skaters. Yet the problems plagued him in Toronto and so far have continued to be an Blues seem to be going to more mobile defensemen — Dunn, Schmaltz issue here as well. (even Jerabek is regarded as a good puck mover). Kyrou and Thomas are good skaters. I think Blues management/coaching staff want to get TIME TO LET BOUWMEESTER GO? quicker, but they also were influenced by what Washington and Vegas did in the playoffs. Neither was what you'd call a quick-skating team, but QUESTION: Do you think if Gunnarson was ready to go, that the Blues Vegas had four-line depth and Washington was physical. would consider cutting Bouwmeester loose? If he's healthy (as he says), how can we expect his play to improve? He's not going to suddenly get THIRD-PERIOD TROUBLES faster. QUESTION: The Blues' third-period woes aren't new. They've had the THOMAS: The Blues'/Yeo's theory on Bouwmeester getting better is that same issue the past couple of seasons. Is it lack of killer instinct, after missing all that time last year, he might be a little rusty at first. We'll conditioning or mental breakdowns? see. Gunnarsson is 31 and played in 63 games last year. Bouwmeester is 35 and played in only 35 games last year. I don't think the lack of THOMAS: For the most part, it wasn't an issue last season. Last season, speed is what's necessarily hampering him. At least it's not at the top of they were 32-1-2 when leading after two periods. This year they already the list. To me, he has been making some strange decisions on have lost twice (in eight games) when leading after two. positioning near the net, letting guys get behind him, pinching in at times QUESTION: Is it safe to say that maybe the Blues need to look into a when he shouldn't, etc. better strength and conditioning coach? Not only do the players look QUESTION: Bouwmeester has no trade value, but would someone take exhausted by the 3rd period, but our smaller players seem to get him for free? If he were picked up on waivers, would that free up his cap manhandled with ease. space? If so, that's got to be tempting for the Blues. On the other hand, THOMAS: Given the team's third period play so far this season, I think all how much damage do you do that relationship if he doesn't get claimed areas should be examined. To me the team looked tired in the third and you have to bring him back up? period in Winnipeg — players and Yeo said no. But it was the third game THOMAS: If he's picked up on waivers, the team that claims of a six-day trip. Bouwmeester inherits his contract — and at $5.4 million this year, there's CONTROLLING THE CREASE probably no one that does. If he clears waivers, Bouwmeester's contract is still the responsibility of the Blues. I can't say if the Blues' thought QUESTION: Knowing rebounds are shaped by a number of different process has gone that far. factors, only some of which are in the goaltender’s direct control and only a few more that he can account and adjust for, why does Jake Allen HEADING FOR A FIRE SALE? seem so clueless when he blocks a shot and where the puck is going to QUESTION: If the Blues fall flat this season, will they have a fire sale and end up. Not once or twice a game, but often. Are there any plans to work look to the future? with him on that? THOMAS: I don't know about a fire sale, but Armstrong isn't one to sit THOMAS: I'm sure he's working on it. And I do agree that sometimes he still. And if that's the case, there would probably be a new head coach. could do a better job of controlling rebounds. IS MAROON MAKING THE GRADE? IS SCHMALTZ'S STAR RISING? QUESTION: Everybody is talking about Tarasenko only scoring 2 goals, QUESTION: I thought Jordan Schmaltz looked poised and confident but are overlooking slow starts from Schwartz (2 pts., no goals, minus-2) playing along side Parayko. Do you think he might just be a late and Pat Maroon (no goals, minus-5). Schwartz shows flashes but doesn't bloomer? seem like the same dominant player he was last year. Maroon looks THOMAS: Schmaltz just turned 25 (on Oct. 8), so I don't think I'd call him limited, a good power play guy but slow. a late bloomer. Although that is kind of the age where you start changing ANSWER: I think Maroon has been pretty effective. He has five assists, from "prospect" to "suspect" if you're not progressing in your career. I has done some valuable dirty work digging out pucks from behind the net thought Schmaltz looked more settled when he returned to the Blues' and along the boards, and brings a much-needed physical element. I roster (from the AHL) the second time last season (before his upper-body believe Schwartz will get going, remember he missed two of the eight injury). And I think he looks more confident this time around. I'm not games with that foot off the puck, and maybe he's still feeling the effects saying he's a future superstar or anything, but I think he has another level of that. But your overall point is valid: There are other established players to his game in terms of puck-moving and a little offense if he gets even still looking for goals (including Pietrangelo) besides Tarasenko. more settled in. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 10.31.2018 LACK OF FLASH IN OVERTIME QUESTION: I like the 3-on-3 format for the 5-minute overtime. But it is unfortunate the Blues' players aren't up to the skill level of a lot of teams in the league. Jake Allen did not have a chance on the last two OT goals scored on him. Very pretty plays that I do not believe our guys are capable of. I know it is only 3 OT games, but there are probably only a few teams with a weaker lineup to put on the ice. It will have to be addressed next off season. THOMAS: Yeah, it kind of looks that way doesn't it. But that really wasn't the case last year, when the Blues were 8-6 in OT and 3-0 in shootouts. And I think we'd all agree they have more offensive talent this year. I think Kyrou and Thomas have the ability to be effective 3-on-3 players in the future. Obviously, though, the more open space there is on the ice — as is the case in 3-on-3 — the more skill, creativity and skating ability play a role. So I think you make a fair point. And even as good as the Blues looked skating and moving the puck early in Winnipeg, I'm still not sure that they have enough team speed. MORE PUNCH NEEDED? QUESTION: Do the Blues need add a physical guy to the forward lines? A few more hits, a bit more tone-setting — not really fights, but just some energy to maybe get the momentum to turn? Or is all of that just old-time hockey? Maybe Soshnikov flanking Thomas and Barbeshev could bring some energy while keeping the skill high. Blais was one of the few guys who actually occasionally ran into someone, he was almost Jaskin like except for the defense. 1112963 Tampa Bay Lightning

Brayden Point has career night with impact on both ends

By Diana Nearhos Published: October 30, 2018

TAMPA—Brayden Point could have donned a King Midas costume for Halloween. Everything the Lightning center touched turned to gold. Point has been off to a good start on the season overall, and it only got hotter with a career-high five points Tuesday night. "I don't think I did anything spectacular," Point said after the 8-3 win over New Jersey. "It was just one of those nights that everything you touch ends up in the back of the net." Point's five points were only part of his impact. The line of Gourde, Point and Tyler Johnson were matched up with New Jersey's vaunted line of Taylor Hall (the defending Hart winner), Nico Hischier and Kyle Palmieri. The line's only goal came on the power play and had a little help, bouncing off Ryan McDonagh. "The Point line, they were on tonight," coach Jon Cooper said. "It's a big assignment, they had to go against those guys and the MVP of the league. Every team you play has some big dynamic line, you have to shut them down to give yourself a chance to win. That line did that tonight." Perhaps Halls' best chance of the night came in the first period, an opportunity for a two-goal lead in the first couple of minutes. A Lightning turnover turned into a foot race to Andrei Vasilevskiy between Point and Hall. Point positioned himself to force Hall to veer off and Hall couldn't get the shot off. "Pointer has played numerous games where he didn't have a point and he was outstanding," Cooper said. "He may have been shutting down the other team or what have you. You feel good for guys when they have a special night like he did tonight for the nights that he didn't have those and the points didn't add up. When you consistently play as hard as he does, eventually things like this are going to happen." Point's only goal of the five points was the game-winner 31 seconds into the second period and demonstrated Point's situational awareness. Yanni Gourde took a shot that rebounded off Devils goalie Keith Kinkaid. Point positioned himself inside the defenseman and took a whack at it but didn't have the right angle and the puck squirted outside the post. Point kicked it up to himself, then tapped the goal into the net. At face value, it's a player jabbing at a rebound until it goes in, but he battled for the positioning and then played the angles to his advantage. "We were skating that shift for sure," Point said. "We were getting on top of them, creating turnovers and having the mentality of getting pucks on net." That first shift of the period set the tone going forward as the Lightning started pouring on goals. It needed those goals after a relative drought by Tampa Bay's terms. Not only did Arizona beat the Lightning 7-1 on Saturday, but they played a close, defensive 1-0 game against Colorado a few days before that. The Lightning got its offensive groove back and then made it look easy on Tuesday. It was an unlikely candidate that got in started: stay-at-home defenseman Braydon Coburn. He had two goals in the first period, his first multi-goal game since Oct. 31, 2009, the first assisted, of course, by Point. "Pointer just controls the game with his speed," Coburn said. "He is all over the ice. He's got the puck. He supports the puck. He is on top of guys. He is so tight defensively and I think it frustrates offensive guys. When he gets the puck, he's gone. He takes advantage offensively. He uses his speed to create space and chances for himself and his teammates." Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112964 Tampa Bay Lightning McDonagh set him up with a no-look pass. The goal came during a double minor called on Blake Coleman for high sticking.

86 always bringing the heat. ��#NJDvsTBL | #GoBolts How the Lightning beat the Devils 8-3 pic.twitter.com/tRVrU1wUwo — tampa BOO lightning �� (@TBLightning) October 31, 2018 By Nick Kelly Published: October 30, 2018 Tampa Bay 5, New Jersey 2: Steven Stamkos scored his second goal of the season with a rocket from beyond the circle during another Lightning power play. This goal came immediately after Stamkos hit the pipe from TAMPA – With defenseman Victor Hedman out of the lineup, it hurts the the same spot. Lightning offense almost as much as it hurts the defense. In case you forgot, @RealStamkos91 has a laser of a shot. Hedman finished with 63 points last season en route to winning the pic.twitter.com/UylSaqxdMb Norris Trophy. So with Hedman out of the lineup once again Tuesday, the Lightning needed another defenseman to step up. — NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) October 31, 2018 Enter Braydon Coburn. Tampa Bay 5, New Jersey 3: The Devils also converted on their power- play opportunity late in the second period. Kyle Palmieri got credit for the He scored two first period goals, his first multi-goal game since 2009. goal, but the puck went into the Lightning's net as Palmieri put the puck off Ryan McDonagh's stick. "For us as a group, we kind of had to re-group and think about what we wanted to accomplish out there," Coburn said. "Heddy brings so many Third period: different things to the table. Nobody is going to replace him. For us, playing our own game and working together as good partner duos is Well, Nikita Kucherov is OK. what we tried to accomplish together, we work for each other, and I Kucherov not only returned in the third period after heading to the locker thought we did that." room, but he also scored. His two goals in the first period marks the first time he has accomplished Here's a recap of the third-period goals: that feat since Oct. 31, 2009. Tampa Bay 6, New Jersey 3: Tyler Johnson tapped the puck in after "Almost ten years ago," Coburn said. "It was real nice to chip in corralling it to score with about 16 minutes left in the third. Brayden Point offensively." put the puck on net to give Johnson a chance to score. Here's a recap of the first-period goals: Johnny on the backhand!#NJDvsTBL | #GoBolts • New Jersey 1, Tampa Bay 0: It didn't take long for the Devils to take a pic.twitter.com/yxno6xg7bp lead. Sixty-one seconds to be exact. Mike Woods scored as he re- — tampa BOO lightning �� (@TBLightning) October 31, 2018 directed a puck in front of the net. Defenseman Sami Vatanen put the puck on net, setting up Wood's finish. Tampa Bay 7, New Jersey 3: J.T. Miller fed the puck across the slot to Kucherov who buried it. Cory Schneider replaced Keith Kinkaid in the • New Jersey 2, Tampa Bay 0: A neutral zone turnover led to the second New Jersey net after this goal. goal. Center Travis Zajac scored five-hole after he raced down the ice, giving him a 1-0 chance against Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. Tampa Bay 8, New Jersey 3: Ryan McDonagh scored his first goal of the season as he snuck the puck just inside the left pipe with 14:09 left in the • New Jersey 2, Tampa Bay 1: Defenseman Braydon Coburn scored his third period. Point and Gourde received credit for the assists. first goal of the season with 12:30 left in the first period after he fired the puck from near the blue line. It looked as if it deflected off a New Jersey The @TBLightning just make it look too easy. defenseman. Brayden Point picked up the assist. pic.twitter.com/n1h1GekJxS Braydon from Brayden.#NJDvsTBL | #GoBolts — NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) October 31, 2018 pic.twitter.com/vUiT6eCOZE Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 10.31.2018 — tampa BOO lightning �� (@TBLightning) October 31, 2018 • New Jersey 2, Tampa Bay 2: Coburn rifled another powerful shot, this time from the top of the slot. Cedric Paquette fed him the puck. All Coby, all the time. ��#NJDvsTBL | #GoBolts pic.twitter.com/ykEYLNMLYC

— tampa BOO lightning �� (@TBLightning) October 31, 2018 Second period: In the second period, the Lightning continued right where Coburn left off in the first. Tampa Bay scored three goals, the first of which came almost right away. Although the period was overall a successful one for the Lightning, it did not leave unscathed. Nikita Kucherov left the ice with a lower-body injury late in the period. After skating off under his own power, Kucherov remained on the bench for about two minutes. Then, he went to the locker room for the rest of the period with the training staff. Before he left, he did score a goal. Here's a recap of the second-period goals. • Tampa Bay 3, New Jersey 2: Brayden Point scored his seventh goal of the season 31 seconds into the period. Yanni Gourde took the first shot, Point attempted a shot off the rebound, kicked the puck to himself then tapped it in. Tyler Johnson also added an assist.

Right on Point. ��#NJDvsTBL | #GoBolts pic.twitter.com/tftLCdECvJ — tampa BOO lightning �� (@TBLightning) October 31, 2018 • Tampa Bay 4, New Jersey 2: Nikita Kucherov rifled the puck from the left circle to score his fourth goal of the season. Defenseman Ryan 1112965 Tampa Bay Lightning

Now cancer-free, life is returning to normal for former Lightning player Brian Boyle

By Diana Nearhos

Life has slowed down a little bit for New Jersey F Brian Boyle, and that's a good thing. He is now cancer-free, and off days are off days again, not a day to drive up to Boston for treatment and to meet with doctors. It was a crazy year for the former Lightning player. He was diagnosed with leukemia before the start to last season, his first with New Jersey, and then told his now-3-year-old son, Declan, might have cancer. A week ago, Boyle shared that he is in remission. Declan's jaw, which turned out not to be cancer, is also now under control, and he is doing better. "It's a lot more normal than it was a season ago," Boyle said before Tuesday's game against the Lightning. "Day-to-day, it's been nice to hang out at home, spend some time the four of us at home on off days, not worry and have that stress." Lightning coach Jon Cooper joked they can hit Boyle a little bit harder now that he's in remission. Boyle is already thinking about how he can give back. He and his wife, Lauren, have thought about starting about a foundation or something else to be able to share some of the support that helped him through the year. Seeing children in the hospital dealing with cancer hit them hard, and they want to help where they can. "It's OK to grieve a little bit," Boyle said he'd say to someone else diagnosed. "It certainly brings your mortality to the forefront of your thoughts, and how much longer are you going to live? It's certainly not a club anyone wants to be a part of, but unfortunately, there's too many of us in it." His return to Tampa for last year's All-Star Game sticks out amidst support throughout the league last season. Boyle calls the three-plus seasons with the Lightning special and reiterated that leaving was difficult. "I was pretty overwhelmed by the response that I got," he said. "I'll never forget that. I'm so appreciative for the fans here." Injury updates Neither wing Ondrej Palat nor defenseman Victor Hedman will play in Tuesday's game. Thursday might not be any different. Lightning coach Jon Cooper said before the game against the Devils that Palat will continue to be game-to-game after injuring himself while blocking a shot against Vegas. Hedman, however, will not play Thursday. Cooper added that it is "very doubtful" Hedman plays this weekend in Canada, either. Losing a Norris Trophy winner never helps a defense. But Cooper expects Hedman's absence to affect more than the defense. "We have got to find a way to keep up our offense without Victor," Cooper said. "It was really good to see our PK continued. We've got to work some things into our power play without him. There are a lot of different facets of the game that he contributes to." NHL partners with MGM The NHL announced a multi-year partnership with MGM Resorts International in relation to sports betting this week. "The new sports betting landscape presents a unique opportunity for fan engagement utilizing technology and data that are exclusive to our league," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. "As a leading global gaming operator and entertainment company, MGM Resorts is the perfect partner for us to begin our transformative entry into this space." MGM Resorts will have the opportunity to market its products and services through the NHL's media platforms. It will also use official NHL branding and receive access to unseen enhanced NHL proprietary game data that will be generated by the NHL's tracking systems, which are under development. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112966 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning pre-game: What to know about the New Jersey Devils

By Nick Kelly Published: October 30, 2018

TAMPA — After a five-game road trip, the Lightning returns to Amalie Arena on Tuesday to face the New Jersey Devils. Here's what you need to know about the Devils ahead of the game: Record: 5-2-1 • They don't score many goals, but they don't give up many goals either. New Jersey has given up 20 goals this season, the lowest of any NHL team. The Devils have scored only 28 goals, however, which ranks 25th in the league. • New Jersey's special teams are pretty special. Its penalty kill ranks fifth in the league while the Devil power play ranks 10th. Still not as good as the Lightning's first overall ranking in killing penalties and No. 8 power play. • The Devils played well against the Lightning last regular season. New Jersey finished the regular season 3-0-0 against the Lightning, but Tampa Bay won when it mattered most, the first round of the playoffs. In those regular season matchups, Nico Hischier led the Devils with four points while Taylor Hall led the team with three assists. • Goaltender Keith Kinkaid comes into the game tied for the NHL lead in shutouts with two. His five wins are also tied for second most in the NHL. • Taylor Hall, the NHL's MVP last season, has scored only two goals thus far this season. He has registered nine assists, though. He scored 39 goals and added 54 assists last season. • Four New Jersey players remain on IR heading into Tuesday's game. Jesper Bratt (fractured jaw), Ben Lovejoy (lower-body), Steven Santini (broken jaw) and Drew Stafford (upper-body) have all missed games. What Lightning coach Jon Cooper said after the morning skate: • On Taylor Hall: "Any time, I think he's going to get going here. I think he's only got two goals, but he's got some points and is reigning MVP. Enough said with him. The kid is just coming into his own. Definitely a focal point for us tonight." • On Kinkaid: "Kinkaid is playing really, really well for them. • On the overall team: "It looks like they have a little chip on their shoulder. They want to get back to the playoffs. We are the ones who knocked them out, so we have to be ready." Cooper also provided an update on Lightning forward Ondrej Palat, who missed the Arizona game after injuring himself while blocking a shot against Vegas. "There aren't setbacks or anything," Cooper said. "He is out again tonight. After that, we will just take it game by game." Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112967 Toronto Maple Leafs “We want to start playing better at home,” Hyman said. “It’s important to do that. We’ve got to be better at home.”

Globe And Mail LOADED: 10.31.2018 Trouble awaits if the Leafs' lines can’t dig deep in Matthews’s absence

DAVID SHOALTS

There are some who argue that life is still not bad for the Toronto Maple Leafs despite their mounting setbacks. Just ask Nazem Kadri. “No, no. We’re more than fine. Just a few bad periods,” he said on Monday night after the Leafs’ latest embarrassment at home, a 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames. Well, let’s check some of the stats. Before Tuesday’s games, the Leafs had an 8-4 record and 16 points, the best in the NHL’s Eastern Conference and tied with the Nashville Predators and Colorado Avalanche for the best in the league. They scored 42 goals, also best in the NHL before Tuesday’s games. So maybe, despite the loss of Auston Matthews for at least a month to a shoulder injury and a dismal 3-4 record at home, Kadri is right. And maybe Matthews’s second serious shoulder injury in nine months, this time to his right one, is not a sign that chronic shoulder problems will derail his rise to become one of the best two or three forwards in hockey. Then again, just maybe Kadri and several other Leafs had better pick up their game or trouble lies ahead. There is a lot of blame to go around for the loss to the Flames, who are not exactly the 1977 Montreal Canadiens. There is also a lot of work to do to prepare the Leafs for a tough section of their schedule. After a day off on Wednesday, they’re playing the Dallas Stars at home and have games against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vegas Golden Knights, New Jersey Devils and Boston Bruins in the next 11 days. The only Maple Leaf to escape blame for Monday’s loss is goaltender Frederik Andersen. In the first game since the Leafs lost Matthews in last Saturday’s win over the Winnipeg Jets, he was at the top of his form. Andersen allowed only two goals to the Flames (the third was an empty- netter) and can now say he has shaken the October woes that dogged him since he joined the Leafs two years ago. There was little offence from the bottom six forwards the other night and the defence continually turned the puck over because the Flames had no opposition to their forechecking. The biggest problem, however, was the players who were supposed to give the Leafs the depth they needed to withstand the Matthews injury did not do their jobs. Neither of the Leafs’ top-two lines, with Kadri and John Tavares at centre, respectively, came close to filling the gap against the Flames. Kadri may have sloughed it off (“We didn’t deserve to win that game, but just call that a wash, move on and worry about the next one”). Tavares, though, is well aware he and linemates Kasperi Kapanen and Zach Hyman have to improve. Leafs head coach Mike Babcock gave both Kadri and Tavares the most minutes they have played all season (21 minutes 14 seconds and 21:26, respectively) to make up for Matthews’s absence. And even though Kadri scored for the third game in a row, neither line was much of a scoring threat. STORY CONTINUES BELOW “We’re learning some good lessons now with how much better we’ve got to be consistently night to night and how well teams are ready to play us,” Tavares said. “They’re coming in trying to do the same things we’re trying to do and get the results that they need. We know we can be a lot better, starting with myself.” Kadri and linemates Patrick Marleau and Mitch Marner drew the most difficult matchup in facing Flames centre Sean Monahan and wingers Johnny Gaudreau and Elias Lindholm. But they did not put up much of a fight at either end of the ice in five-on-five, as Monahan and Lindholm both scored to give the Flames all the cushion they needed. In the meantime, while the Leafs managed a sort-of-respectable 25 shots, 15 of them were in the first 54 minutes of the game. The last 10 came in a too-late comeback following Kadri’s power-play goal. The funny thing is, the Leafs have frustrated better teams than the Flames this season. They just haven’t been able to do it at home. Babcock has said he thinks the Leafs try to get too fancy at home, a common failing among NHL teams. The players aren’t sure why they are a perfect 5-0 on the road and a mediocre 3-4 at home. 1112968 Toronto Maple Leafs that an eight-year deal worth an annual average of around $9 million U.S. might have done it. As it is, Marner’s agent, Darren Ferris, said last month that he wasn’t interested in negotiating once the season began. Marner’s Leaf price tag on the rise with spotlight to himself And as for taking a hometown discount, Ferris told TSN radio a while back: “Mitch did that on his first contract, even against my wishes.”

Ferris was referring to Marner forgoing the so-called B-schedule bonuses By DAVE FESCHUK on his entry-level contract, bonuses Matthews was given despite then- GM Lou Lamoriello’s no-bonus rhetoric.

In any case, Marner is going to be expensive. Look at the company he’s The question that occurs to you, when you rewatch the latest in the line keeping. Marner, who’s just 21, has 146 points through his first 171 NHL of Mitch Marner’s brilliant setups, is where did he see the opportunity? games. Tavares, at the same juncture of his career, had 12 fewer points, Jack Eichel had 10 fewer points, Jonathan Toews four fewer. Patrick You’ll remember the scene. The Maple Leafs were on the power play late Kane, through 171 games, put up four more points than Marner. But in Monday’s 3-1 loss to the Flames. Marner was standing on the left wing Kane, at that juncture, had played 300 more minutes — the equivalent of below the faceoff dot when Morgan Rielly, rushing in from the right point, about 17 more games at 17 minutes a night. None of those players hit him with a sharp pass. And, seen in the moment, the odds of Marner currently earns a cap hit less than $10 million U.S. making a successful connection from there seemed slim. Flames goaltender Mike Smith had slid across to challenge a potential shot. And Marner, thanks to relatively meagre ice time, can’t be judged fairly Travis Hamonic, the Calgary Flames defenceman on the scene, seemed by simple point totals. Measure him with a more advanced stat — points well positioned to take away a pass. Yet Marner, taking Rielly’s great per 60 minutes since 2007, courtesy of Corsica Hockey — and he jumps feed and releasing another in a nanosecond, somehow found a way to up a level. This is a list populated by the game’s very elite. Sidney thread the puck through Hamonic’s legs. Crosby leads it. Malkin is second. McDavid is third, Matthews fourth. And Marner ranks 10th, not far behind the likes of Alex Ovechkin, Nikita Watch as Mitch Marner passes through the legs of Patrick Marleau to Kucherov, Kane and Steven Stamkos. find Nazem Kadri who scores to get the Toronto Maple Leafs on the board late in the third period against the Calgary Flames. In other words, on almost any other team, with almost any other set of teammates, he’s a no-question No. 1 guy. And with this opportunity When it zipped through a net-front Patrick Marleau’s legs, too, even Jim staring him in the face, with Matthews hurt and Nylander unsigned, who’d Hughson, the excellent Sportsnet play-by-play voice, didn’t recognize bet against him finishing No. 1 on Toronto’s scoring chart for a second what Marner was up to. straight year? Ferris has said he won’t negotiate in-season. Dubas ought “One pass too many,” was Hughson’s in-the-moment call of Marner’s to test that premise. Long underestimated, one gets the feeling Marner is decision. of no mind to be underpaid. And the price doesn’t appear to be going down. It was only after Marner’s intended target Nazem Kadri easily lifted the puck into a gaping net that Hughson adjusted on the fly. Toronto Star LOADED: 10.31.2018 One pass too many … “… but they get the goal,” Hughson said. That bang-bang play, in a lot of ways, neatly encapsulated Marner’s short career as a Maple Leaf. Like the player who authored it, it amounted to a little bit of genius, wholly underestimated until the result spoke for itself. So it was fitting that on Monday, after the Maple Leafs announced that Auston Matthews will be out at least a month with another shoulder injury, Marner quietly pulled even with Matthews for the team lead in points with 16. So far the leading storylines of this Maple Leafs season have revolved John Tavares’s arrival and a scoring binge from Matthews that elevated him, in some eyes, into the best-player-in-the-game conversation. When those two centremen haven’t been the primary focus of coverage, William Nylander’s ongoing contract squabble has prevailed. The point is, if you didn’t follow this team closely you’d probably never know it was Marner who led the Maple Leafs in scoring last year in both the regular season and the playoffs. But maybe that’s about to change. Long overshadowed by Matthews and often erroneously co-billed with Nylander, Marner looks poised to make the coming month his moment. For the time being, after all, he’s the only one of Toronto’s big three young guns actually available to rack up numbers. And so far his numbers are awfully impressive. Mitch Marner’s skill and creativity were on full display in the third period against the Flames on Monday night. Marner has 16 points in 12 games, a 109-point pace in an 82-game season. To put that in context, in the previous 10 seasons the list of players who’ve had 109-point campaigns in their third NHL season goes one deep, according to HockeyReference.com: Evgeni Malkin. The list of third-year players who’ve reached even 100 points since 2008-09 isn’t much longer. Connor McDavid did it. Ditto Nick Backstrom. That’s it. And as much as it would be easy to dismiss Marner’s early pace as a puck-luck-driven anomaly — he managed just 69 points last season — there’s reason to believe it’s not. A season ago Marner didn’t get the benefit of a decent set of linemates and half-decent playing time until late January. But in the 36 games after Babcock elevated Marner into a top- six role — well, it was electric. Marner scored at a 92-point pace. He reeled off nine points in seven post-season games. And then he arrived in camp, stronger and noticeably more muscled having spent a summer working on his body and his shot, and was reduced to a relative footnote compared to Matthews and Tavares and Nylander and even newly inserted GM Kyle Dubas. Speaking of the GM, it’s difficult to fathom why Dubas didn’t sign Marner to a contract extension before this season. The summertime buzz was 1112969 Toronto Maple Leafs

Breaking out of the trap harder for Leafs without Matthews

By MARK ZWOLINSKI

Call it the neutral-zone trap, clogging, blanketing or checking. It’s the Leafs’ biggest concern at the moment. And if they don’t get the message — that they need to work harder in their own zone and beat that neutral-zone approach by opposing teams — then it will only complicate the loss of Auston Matthews. Toronto lost its first game without Matthews (shoulder injury) on Monday night against the Calgary Flames, but it was the third setback against a team whose game plan was to clog up the middle and pressure the Leafs into turnovers. When that happens, Toronto gives up too many shots, too many high- quality scoring chances, and forces goalie Frederik Andersen into an almost impossible task of winning the game by himself. The solutions? Enhanced leadership and minutes from John Tavares and Nazem Kadri. Fewer turnovers by the defence. And overall, a challenge to work harder on game details, especially slow starts, and what has so far been a drop-off in intensity on home ice compared to the road, where the Leafs are a perfect 5-0-0. Monday saw the Leafs commit a season-high 26 giveaways. Sixteen of those came from defencemen. Part of the problem appears to be not enough communication about incoming checkers; as a result, the breakout is taking a shade too long to develop, which leads to giveaways and opposition transition. In short, the defence has to move the puck better and more quickly. Another detail is poor starts against teams which are pesky in the neutral zone. Calgary outshot Toronto 15-4 in the first period Monday, and kept the Leafs off the scoresheet. In seven home games this season, Toronto has managed a league-low three goals in the first period. “Their gaps were great — right on top of our guys coming through the neutral zone — just seemed like a pain in the (behind) every time,” Kadri said, referring to the Flames, who sent two forecheckers in to pressure the Leafs in their own zone, allowing the Calgary defence to move up into the neutral zone to force turnovers. “They made it tough on us and certainly congested the neutral-zone area. That was the difference.” The Leafs believe they can manage that kind of pressure, and they’ve done it against other teams this season. The final detail will come down to doing it consistently. And that comes down to working harder to get the puck moving a step ahead of the checking. As Leafs coach Mike Babcock warned, “the game is frustrating when the other team works harder than you do.” And then there’s Mitch Marner and how best to use him — especially in Matthews’ absence. Monday night, Babcock adjusted his lines, reuniting Marner with Kadri and Patrick Marleau. That was an explosive combination last spring, which saw Kadri’s points take off and Marner finish with a 90-plus points pace over the final 37 games of the season. Toronto Star LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112970 Toronto Maple Leafs in CBA talks, he garnered the attention of Jim Rutherford, then general manager in Carolina.

Rutherford was immediately impressed by Hainsey. “I liked the way he Ron Hainsey's long and winding road to 1,000 NHL games handled himself in those meetings,” said Rutherford. “I didn’t know him really well. I always liked the way he played. There Steve Simmons was a lot to like,” he said. The year after the partial season was lost to lockout, Rutherford signed Hainsey as a free agent. Signed him on the day training camp began. In Ron Hainsey’s first season in Toronto, Jim Rutherford, who had him in Carolina and Pittsburgh, asked Lou Lamoriello how the defenceman was “He was mobile, he was smart, he was what we needed in Carolina,” doing as a Maple Leaf. Rutherford said. “He’s a pretty cool customer,” Lamoriello told his fellow general manager. Rutherford left Carolina for Pittsburgh before Hainsey did. And on Feb. “If he was walking through Manhattan and the buildings started tumbling 23, 2017, Rutherford acquired Hainsey from the Hurricanes in a deal for behind him, he’d just keep on walking the same way. He wouldn’t pay Danny Kristo and a second-round draft pick. attention to what was happening behind him. He’d just stay calm.” It was the kind of trade deadline arrangement that most didn’t much pay Rutherford laughed as he told the story, trying to explain Hainsey, the attention to. It wasn’t flashy, but then Hainsey has never been that. But person, and Hainsey, the hockey player, one game shy of the remarkable Rutherford knew exactly what he was getting. milestone of 1,000 National Hockey League games. “A guy who could play in our lineup, wherever we needed him to play,” he “I’ve had some players over the years who are low maintenance,” the said. “A smart guy. And like I said, a guy we wouldn’t have to worry about Pittsburgh general manager said. “Ron’s not low maintenance. He’s no fitting in.” maintenance.” Hainsey had never played a single Stanley Cup playoff game in Hainsey gets a little embarrassed talking about himself, hearing about Montreal, Columbus, Atlanta, Winnipeg or Carolina. He was wrong place, himself, talking about anything at times. wrong time for so much of his career. Then he found himself on Pittsburgh and the contending Penguins were hurting on defence with “I’ve never been one to sit around and count games,” the 37-year-old Kris Letang, Trevor Daley and Olli Maatta all injured. defenceman said. “It’s hard to put it into perspective for me. I’ve never been like that. I’m a big sports fan, but I can’t tell you how many games “It was so much fun,” said Hainsey, who went to Penguins as one of six LeBron James has played or Derek Jeter played. It’s just not something defencemen and wound up playing first pair in the playoffs with Brian I’d know. Dumoulin. “The whole thing happened so fast. I don’t remember much of the Nashville (Final) series, to be totally honest. It all went by so fast. You “But if you think about it, and consider how it started, I wasn’t thinking were just there and you played. So much of it is a blur. You’re in it every about how many games I would play or how long I would play. I was just day and it’s all consuming. It’s all about winning. And you don’t have time trying to find a way to play in the league.” to think about anything.” It wasn’t the perfect start of a career, although being drafted in the first “In one of those games,” said Hitchcock, “Hainsey blocked seven shots. I round by the legendary Montreal Canadiens in 2000 was a nice way to remember thinking to myself ‘That’s a lot of blocked shots. The guy does begin. It just didn’t last as nice very long. Hainsey played a season in what he has to do on the ice. He understands.’ It’s why he’s playing his Quebec City of the American Hockey League, parts of four more in 1,000th game.” Hamilton before Bob Gainey put him on waivers in November of 2005. And what a run it has been to this point, from a Stanley Cup in Pittsburgh “I remember ordering a pizza and a beer in Quebec,” Hainsey said. “I to first pairing opposite Morgan Rielly with the Leafs. He may not be didn’t realize there wasn’t any English spoken there. I knew I had my everyone’s first choice as a partner for Rielly, but Mike Babcock doesn’t work cut out for me when I answered the door and six pizzas showed up care much about what you or I think and as of Wednesday, Hainsey led and a case of beer.” the Leafs in plus-minus at plus-8, and had scored two even strength goals — that’s more than forwards Zach Hyman, Patrick Marleau, Rookie mistakes, on the ice and off. Connor Brown, Andreas Johnsson, Par Lindholm, Josh Leivo and Freddie Gauthier have managed this season. “I played for Claude Julien in Hamilton. He didn’t like my game at all,” Hainsey said. “Then he got hired in Montreal. I kinda knew that was it for “And he doesn’t get rattled about anything,” said Rutherford. “He plays me with the Canadiens.” within himself. He plays within the game. We loved him (in Pittsburgh) for that. I suspect the Leafs coaches love him in Toronto the same way.” He went to Columbus on waivers and had to learn a new language: Hitchcock. As in Ken Hitchcock. To start in Montreal and possibly end in Toronto, is an iconic beginning and an iconic ending with all kinds of twists and turns in between. “He was a very frustrated offensive defenceman when he got to Hainsey has played for a who’s who of coaches — Mike Babcock and Columbus, he was mentally all over the map,” said the legendary Mike Sullivan and Hitchcock and Julien and Gerard Gallant and Craig Hitchcock. “He was an offensive player in college. He had limited Ramsay, almost his own personal Hall of Fame of coaches. success with Montreal. After five-six games playing for me, we had a meeting. I told him ‘If you want to play in the NHL for a long time, your “Lucky,” said Hainsey, hoping for a low-key night on Thursday. “I’ve been value system has to change. If you can’t commit to being harder to play pretty lucky. I’m not big on milestones. I’m not big on celebrations. It’s against, nobody is going to trust you. just who I am.” “He was mad about it, but he listened. And he worked at it. And he Quiet. Effective. Dependable. Smart. Out of the spotlight. reinvented himself. He had to. He had no role (in Montreal). And we worked hard together to make him into something. I knew he was this “He’s had a great career,” said Doug MacLean, who was general solid person. I knew he was this salt-of-the-earth guy. But to watch him manager in Columbus when he claimed Hainsey on waivers from build himself into something, I was very proud of that.” Montreal. “A lot of us are pretty proud of him.” He wasn’t so proud when Hainsey left Columbus in 2008 to sign as a free RON HAINSEY TIMELINE agent with the Atlanta Thrashers. 2000 – Drafted 13th overall by the Montreal Canadiens “I’ve got to be honest, that hurt,” said Hitchcock. “But I understood, it’s business. Ever since then, every time we’ve played against each other, 2005 – Played his last of 244 games in the American Hockey League we make sure to make eye contact. He winks at me or I wink at him.” 2005 – Waived by Montreal and claimed by Columbus Blue Jackets on “I owe a lot to Ken Hitchcock,” said Hainsey. “He made me a better November 29 player. If you can earn his trust, you earn something special in the game. 2008 – Signed as free agent with Atlanta Thrashers If you can play defence for Ken Hitchcock that means something around the NHL.” 2011 – Thrashers move to Winnipeg Hainsey went from Columbus to Atlanta, from Atlanta to Winnipeg when 2012 – Signed as free agent with Carolina Hurricanes the Jets came back to life in 2011. It wasn’t his favourite team or favourite place. In 2013, while working with the NHL Players’ Association 2017 – Traded to Pittsburgh Penguins for Danny Kristo and second round draft pick 2017 – Wins Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh 2017 – Signs two-year contract as free agent with Toronto Maple Leafs 2018 – Plays his 1,000th NHL game RON HAINSEY’S COACHING TREE Mike Babcock Mike Sullivan Bill Peters Kirk Muller Claude Noel John Anderson Craig Ramsay Ken Hitchcock Gerard Gallant Claude Julien Toronto Sun LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112971 Toronto Maple Leafs Held to one assist in seven games, Andreas Johnsson has been a ghost at times and he doesn’t have to be told that few thought he would have a disappointing start after he starred for the Toronto Marlies in their Calder Burke proud of Leafs that remain from his tenure as GM Cup run last spring, garnering the MVP award in the American Hockey League playoffs.

“I wanted it to be good right away, but the NHL is the best league in the Terry Koshan world and it’s hard,” Johnsson said. “I feel sometimes I have been playing good, but the consistency has not been what I want it to be.

“It’s hockey and sometimes it goes your way and sometimes it doesn’t. When Nazem Kadri and Morgan Rielly hit National Hockey League The only thing I can do is to keep working hard and eventually the puck is milestones on Monday night, Brian Burke couldn’t help but feel some going to come with me.” satisfaction. Johnsson’s presence around the net for the Marlies last spring, his ability The 63-year-old Burke, now an analyst with Sportsnet, has been to fly up and down the ice, was eye-opening. adamant that his days running an NHL club are over, reiterating during an interview that he is done with commuting and wants to be close to his With the Leafs, he has six shots on goal. That can’t continue. two daughters in Toronto. LOOSE LEAFS Left for Burke to ponder is what remains with the Maple Leafs from his time as general manager of the club, a tenure that started in November Kadri kept saying during his goal-less string of nine games to start the 2008 and ended in January 2013. season that he was confident the puck was going to start dropping for him. Kadri was right, as he has scored in three consecutive games since. The Leafs didn’t earn a playoff berth under Burke’s watch, but several When the Leafs play host to the Dallas Stars on Thursday, Kadri will players — Kadri and Rielly especially — who became part of the attempt to score in four games in a row for the second time in his NHL organization when Burke was the GM are making a significant impact. career. Kadri did it in February/March 2013 … The month of October was the best of the three that goaltender Frederik Andersen has played in a Burke made sure to congratulate Kadri on his 500th NHL game, the Leafs uniform, as he had a 6-4-0 record with a .919 save percentage and same night Rielly hit 400. a 2.53 goals-against average. Two years ago, coming off an upper-body injury, Andersen was 2-2-3 with a .876 save percentage and a 3.67 “I’m proud of him,” Burke said of Kadri, who was chosen seventh overall goals-against average; last year, he was 6-5-0, .896 and 3.46. As for the in 2009 and is the longest-serving current Leaf. month of November? The Dane has been great, winning 17 of his 24 “He was a star in junior and and he had to work his way up the depth decisions the past two seasons and averaging a save percentage better chart and become a proficient defensive player. He always had the sand than .930 in each. element, but he moved his way up and now he has had back-to-back 30- Toronto Sun LOADED: 10.31.2018 goal seasons. He has turned himself into a complete hockey player. “Some guys have a hard time going from being a star to being a checker. He never let that get him down, he never complained, never said ‘I have to play with better players.’ He has been a professional.” Burke has maintained that the Leafs had Rielly ranked No. 1 in 2012 and is positive that had Rielly been healthy in his draft year, the defenceman would have been off the board by the time the Leafs picked at No. 5. Of the players chosen that year, only forward Alex Galchenyuk of the Arizona Coyotes has played in more NHL games than Rielly. “I watched every shift he played,” Burke said of Rielly’s shortened 2011- 12 season. “I had our video guy cut it, I watched it all twice. We were lucky to get him. “He had that (maturity) in junior. He has had leadership skills right from the start.” The list of players who became part of the Leafs organization under Burke includes defenceman Jake Gardiner (acquired from Anaheim in February 2011), winger Josh Leivo and goalie Garret Sparks (drafted 86th and 190th in 2011, respectively), and winger Connor Brown (drafted 156th in 2012). “Your job is to leave building blocks even if you don’t have success,” Burke said. “I am proud of the guys we left here. They are all contributing.” RIELLY REMEMBERS Rielly has been a model of health, playing in all but 22 games in his first five NHL seasons. Yet Rielly can sympathize with the plight of Auston Matthews, who has started another long stretch of recovering from an injury, this time his left shoulder. Rielly played in just 18 games in the 2011-12 regular season with Moose Jaw of the Western Hockey League as he suffered a knee injury in November 2011, and can recall the loneliness as his Warriors teammates went about their game-to-game business. “It’s brutal,” Rielly said. “It’s tough mentally. You work hard every day when you go to the rink to get better physically and road trips can be tough when the guys are not around. “But Auston is a mature young man. He has had to handle this before and he has handled it well. We don’t expect anything different this time around.” WHERE’S JOHNNY? 1112972 Toronto Maple Leafs These guys are so big and so strong now, and with the speed of the game, it’s scary. And the injuries the guys are going through now.

“That wasn’t a vicious hit in my mind. He just caught him the wrong way TRAIKOS: What if Bobby Orr had been a Toronto Maple Leaf? or whatever. You’re cutting to the front of the net. If that’s the play that’s there, you do it. You hate to see that, but what do you do?” Michael Traikos If you want the game to be safer – and slower – then put the red line back

“Now, you’ve got to make plays, now you’ve got to make passes, now TORONTO – There is a photo in Bobby Orr’s new book, Bobby: My Story you’ve got to stick handle,” Orr said of not allowing two-line passes. “I in Pictures, that brings a smile to the author’s face and could cause a fan don’t think we’re ever going to see it, but one thing they could do to slow of the Toronto Maple Leafs to imagine what could have been. things down is put the centre line back in. The game is dangerous. These guys are too big and too strong. On some nights, they’re reckless. You’ve In it, a teenaged Orr has joined the rush and is skating to the left of the got to pay attention. A guy could just stand there and you run into him opponent’s net in a game at the old Maple Leaf Gardens. He is wearing and it’s going to hurt you. It’s not like they’re vicious hits. the No. 2 – not his familiar No. 4. But the oddest thing about the photo is not his number, but rather his jersey. “That’s the thing that scares me: the injuries. I mean, we’ve got to have some borders. These guys are too fast, they’re too big and they’re too It’s blue and white, with a logo of a leaf on the front. strong.” “That was the only time that I wore a Maple Leafs sweater,” Orr said Erik Karlsson and Brent Burns are today’s version of Orr – with more while sitting in a hotel room in downtown Toronto. “But it was a Toronto facial hair, of course Marlies sweater. Being from Parry Sound, we had ever Saturday night with Foster Hewitt. My father and my “There’s two guys out in California – Karlsson and Burns – who play a lot grandfather were Leafs fans. Every one in Parry Sound were Leafs fans. like I played,” Orr said of the San Jose Sharks defencemen, who have combined for 18 points in 11 games this season. “They’re offensive “I was a big Leafs fan too.” minded. Burns is a a real nice kid. You might not know it by looking at him. But they let them go- I was fortunate, they let me go too. That was The photo is from a 1965 exhibition game against the Russians. Orr, who the play I played, that was the way I was most effective. I don’t think I was playing for the at the time, but was one of 11 would have enjoyed playing any other way. In the end, that’s what forced players recruited to play for the Marlies to make it competitive. me out. I couldn’t do what I once did. I just couldn’t play like that.” “Look at the line-up,” Orr said of a roster that included Serge Savard, Toronto Sun LOADED: 10.31.2018 Jean Pronovost, Derek Sanderson and Don Marcotte. “We were all kids and that was the national team. It was a great game. I think we lost 2-1 or 3-1.” It would be the closest that Orr, who spent 10 of his 12 seasons with the Boston Bruins, would come to playing for the Leafs. “The Leafs said I was too young, too small,” he said. “A couple of teams thought that, so I became a Bruin.” Does Orr ever think about how his career might have turned out had the Leafs signed him to a contract? Not really, he said. But he does have an appreciation for John Tavares’ decision to sign with his hometown team as a free agent this past summer. Given the choice, who knows, Orr might have done the same thing. “I didn’t have Leafs sheets, but I was a Leafs fan. I’ll give you that,” said Orr. “This is (Tavares’) hometown. He grew up a Leafs fan and he looked at the team too. The team’s not bad. They’re going in the right direction. I think if you have the opportunity and they want you, with free agency it can be done. But back then, there was no way. “I was a Bruin from 14 until they traded me. But once I went to Boston, I was happy as a clam.” In a one-on-one interview with Postmedia News, Orr spoke about the state of the game, why Sidney Crosby has the edge over Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews, and who plays like him the most these days: When it comes to naming the best player, Sidney Crosby is still the best player – but Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews are not too far behind “Who do you want: McDavid or Auston or Sid?” said Orr, who’s agency represents McDavid. “I mean, that’s a tough one. But they’re all great players. Sid has won. He competes. My god, he gets the tar beat out of him and he competes. Auston and Connor have come along. They’re the up and comers. They’re going to be two stars in our game for a long, long time. “McDavid is real special now. He’s going to be unbelievable. But Sid’s not bad. Whenever you win the Olympics and the world championship and the Stanley Cup, that’s pretty good. McDavid’s going to win. He will win. They’re coming on. He’s a special player. My god, the things he does with speed is really incredible.” The number of injuries that Auston Matthews has endured is a bit troubling “I watched the hit the other night and it didn’t (look dirty),” Orr said of the bodycheck that Winnipeg’s Jacob Trouba delivered on Matthews, which resulted in a shoulder injury. “I just wonder sometimes about the training. 1112973 Toronto Maple Leafs time around, it appears he’ll miss somewhere between 13 and 19 games, given the “four week minimum” timeframe released by the team.

Toronto’s offensive depth will definitely be tested now that the third and Mirtle: What does Auston Matthews’ latest injury mean for the future – fourth lines are centred by Par Lindholm and Frederik Gauthier, who personally and for the Leafs? have combined for one goal and two assists so far this season. (The Leafs’ depth wingers haven’t exactly been lighting it up either…)

By James Mirtle Oct 30, 2018 There may be, however, a few silver linings to Matthews’ absence that could help them down the line.

1. It may help the salary-cap situation Auston Matthews was in the underground portion of Scotiabank Arena, standing between the two dressing rooms and chatting with Calgary Contrary to popular belief, NHL teams don’t really get cap relief when Flames’ Noah Hanifin and Matthew Tkachuk. With round black glasses players are injured. Salaries continue to count against the cap, as do and a sharp green suit, Matthews looked just like any other NHL player those of players recalled from the AHL to fill in. meeting up with former junior teammates after a game. Teams can exceed the cap by using long-term injured reserve, but that Most notably, he didn’t have a sling on his injured left arm, which rested isn’t something that will be necessary given the Leafs have one of the comfortably on a ledge. lowest payrolls in the league this season.

The Maple Leafs announced on Monday morning their young star would Matthews’ base salary is minimal anyway, given the entry-level maximum miss a minimum of four weeks with a shoulder injury, but the exact is only $925,000. nature of the issue — and treatment plan — weren’t disclosed. Medical Where his injuries may help the cap situation is with performance professionals accustomed to dealing with hockey injuries, however, are bonuses. Matthews has $2-million a season in bonuses tied to finishing fairly confident saying that how he was hit, how he reacted and the in the top 10 in major statistical categories or winning NHL awards, expected timeframe away is consistent with a first or second degree something that will be very difficult given how much time he’s expected to sprain of the AC (acromioclavicular) joint in the shoulder. miss. (That was what happened last season when he ran into injuries as And that is very good news, as far as the prognosis. well.)

“Most of the time when they’re talking about a separated shoulder, Part of the reason the Leafs are so far under the cap this season is they they’re talking about the AC joint,” said Dr. Ron Noy, a highly regarded have a lot of bonuses their young players could potentially hit. Between orthopedic surgeon based out of Manhattan who has treated many NHL Matthews, Mitch Marner, Lindholm and Igor Ozhiganov, they add up to players with shoulder injuries over the years. “It’s a grade one or two $5.4-million. Teams can exceed the cap with those bonuses, but then sprain for the most part in professional athletes. You’re just waiting for that money counts against the following year’s cap — and Toronto will be the inflammation to come down, and it should be fine.” much tighter next season than this one.

Most importantly, the injury is not the type that’s considered to typically If Matthews can’t reach the majority of his bonuses, it becomes much be chronic or recurring. It also shouldn’t cause Matthews to lose any less likely that the Leafs will have a carry-over overage in 2019-20. It strength or ability in his dominant hand and arm — as a left shot — could also mean Toronto has extra breathing room to spend on additions beyond the short recovery period. at the trade deadline.

The fact Matthews has had shoulder injuries twice in back-to-back There’s also the question over how this all could affect Matthews’ second seasons is likely more an unfortunate circumstance than anything to contract. Without the ability to win a major award — and the Rocket worry about long term. Richard, Art Ross and/or possibly even the Hart were on the table this season — his camp could have a harder time successfully arguing for “This is purely a traumatic (impact) thing,” Dr. Noy said. “It’s common in Connor McDavid money on a long-term deal. hockey. It’s not something that anybody else wouldn’t have gotten an injury on with the exact same mechanism. I don’t think it’s of any concern I don’t think a minor injury like this one dramatically affects a franchise- about his future, like he’s going to be an injury problem (consistently) at defining contract negotiation, but Matthews could have made a strong all. case for even more money had he been able to play all 82 games.

“I’d be more concerned if his shoulder dislocated. As a 21-year-old, if you 2. It could affect the William Nylander negotiations — positively dislocate your shoulder, and you have a labral tear, then more than likely, I’m not saying that either side is going to break down and capitulate here. he would have needed his labrum fixed (surgically to prevent it from We’ve seen this stalemate carry on long enough that that feels unlikely. becoming a chronic issue) … But this isn’t a genetic thing. It didn’t look like that kind of injury. He just looks like he’s in some pain.” But there is more impetus for both sides to budge here.

What’s interesting is Leafs coach Mike Babcock has pointed out twice For Nylander, there’s a window here where he can come back and play now that Matthews specifically put in some time in the summer to build big minutes, help his team and skate at centre for the next month or so. If up his shoulder strength. It’s clearly an area that’s been identified for him he ultimately ends up on a bridge deal — something I still consider a to work on — and an outside trainer explained to me that that’s not likely compromise solution — that could be an important showcase of his uncommon in the NHL, as many players have “uppercross syndrome” value apart from his obvious chemistry with Matthews. due to the fact they’re leaning over their stick and skating so much. For the Leafs, I mean — they want to win the Atlantic Division. After But, given he is only 21 years old, the fact there could be minor strength Monday’s loss, they sit third, behind Tampa Bay (currently on a 123-point imbalances in Matthews’ body is not a huge concern. And not a sign of pace) and Montreal (on a 115-point pace and looking like the surprise problems to come. team of the year). Boston, meanwhile, is right on Toronto’s ass, with a 104-point pace compared to 109. So stand down Toronto. Crack a beer and relax. Nothing to worry about. The Leafs showed they can win a lot of games without Matthews a year Except, you know, the games over the next 4-6 weeks as that shoulder ago, going 11-7-2 in the 20 he missed. But, critically, they had Nylander heals. available to play centre for those games. (And Tyler Bozak.) The Leafs lost Game 1 without Matthews, and it was pretty clear he could Missing two of their most dynamic offensive players, even with John have made a difference. The power play was out of sorts, and the Tavares on board, is likely going to make for a hard go here. If it’s at all offence was rather anemic at even strength in a 3-1 loss. But one game possible, now would be a good time for both sides — Nylander and the is one game. And an adjustment period — with new lines and PP units — Leafs — to meet somewhere in the middle. is understandable. And put the impasse on hold for two, three or four years. In all, Matthews missed 20 games last season with three separate injuries, one of which was a minor separation of his right shoulder, 3. It should give depth players more opportunity suffered at the end of February. That one kept him out 10 games. This No one needed a chance to get in the lineup and play with better players more than Andreas Johnsson, whose season-long funk has meant he has sat as a healthy scratch five times and had less than 10 minutes ice time in every game he’s dressed.

Monday wasn’t much better. With the Leafs playing from behind, Babcock gave Johnsson a piddly 7 minutes, 20 seconds of playing time, last on the team.

At least, however, Johnsson is likely to remain in the lineup. And, perhaps, get a chance with either Tavares or Nazem Kadri, as Babcock shuffles up his lines.

Long term, the Leafs are going to need three scoring lines. This stretch — whether it’s 13 games or closer 20 — should give more of Toronto’s depth options a bigger shot at making an impact.

If they can find ways to win without Matthews (and Nylander), the Leafs could be set up well for a strong final four months of the season.

The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112974 Toronto Maple Leafs has been productive for as long as he has is because he works hard every day and he’s a good teammate and he tries to make a difference

on the team. In talks with him, he’s trying to put the team first right now. Surprised by his demotion, Sam Gagner is resolved to prove the But he’s too good a player to be in the AHL long term,” Jackson told The Canucks wrong — and his friends right Athletic.

“But he’s not right now so he has to realize that if he doesn’t play well in the AHL, there are lots of people vying for jobs. Lots of guys get down By Scott Wheeler Oct 30, 2018 and pout and think they didn’t deserve it but I didn’t get any of that sense from Sam. He didn’t expect to be there and he doesn’t expect to stay but

he knows for that to be true that he has to play well and show Vancouver The only other time Sam Gagner had played in the AHL since the day he or one of the other 30 teams that he can bring value to them.” was drafted sixth overall in the 2007 NHL draft, it was not strictly because Jackson and Gagner see Toronto as his best landing spot because of its of his play. proximity to scouts for each of those 30 other teams. Once upon a time, While with the Flyers during the 2015-2016 season, he was sent to the Jackson was the Marlies’ general manager and governor. That familiarity for nine games as a way to get games in; his with the organization, and its management, from Kyle Dubas to Laurence playing time in Philadelphia had been sporadic to that point after dealing Gilman, helps. with a concussion and he was recalled soon after to close out the “They’ve done a very good job in Toronto with their player development season. over the last few years and they’ve got a very good coaching staff. So Outside of that short AHL stay and a 20-points-in-21-games stint with when that opportunity came, it worked out. I spoke with Jim Benning and Austrian club Klagenfurt AC during the league-imposed lockout during it worked out and I credit Jim for seeing the benefit in it for everybody. It’s the 2012-2013 season, every second of Gagner’s 12-year career has a good thing for them too in my opinion.” been spent in the NHL. He made the Oilers in his first training camp, Gagner, handicapped in part by the two years remaining on a contract posted 49 points as a rookie, and never looked back. with the Canucks that pays him $3.15-million per year, has played in So it came as a surprise to Gagner and those who know him in the each of the Marlies’ nine games this season, awaiting that next chance. hockey world when he was sent to the Toronto Marlies at the start of this And he has, to no one’s surprise, excelled in his role. His eight points in season by way of his Vancouver Canucks. Gagner’s 31 points in 74 nine games rank second on the Marlies. His 31 shots on goal rank first. games last season made him the Canucks’ sixth-highest scorer. With the since-retired Daniel and Henrik Sedin no longer around, only Brock Players like Calle Rosen, the Marlies’ best defenceman for the better part Boeser, Bo Horvat and Alex Edler stood ahead of him on the current of the last year, have pointed to Gagner’s unique skill set as game- roster. The year before, he posted 50 points in 81 games (good for fifth changing at the AHL level. “He brings a lot,” Rosen stressed. on the Columbus Blue Jackets), which is what earned him a three-year deal in Vancouver. Others, like veteran linemate Chris Mueller, see the impact Gagner has had as a playmaker on fellow linemate Carl Grundstrom (who has eight “He’s NHL talent, there’s no question about that. I think what got him points in seven games). back to the NHL with us just playing games and minutes – and that was the biggest thing. It’s not like he had to come down here and have an “It’s not hard to incorporate a player like him. I mean, his resume speaks attitude adjustment or need to work on his game,” Phantoms head coach for itself and then he gets down here and all he wants to do is work hard Scott Gordon said on a recent phone call. and get better. And it’s pretty fun when you play with a guy with that kind of talent, that kind of offensive ability. He’s a great guy to be around, a “He just needed to play games. And then he found a good spot for guy I look up to even though I’m older than him,” Mueller said. himself in Columbus and they used him on the power play and he played a certain role. I don’t know how it played out for him in Vancouver but “His career, any of us wish we would have had.” he’s certainly a guy I’m sure that if a team is looking for somebody to add In more ways than one, Mueller and Gagner share a lot in common. skill and someone on the power play, that there will be a lot of people They’re the veterans who chose Toronto as a destination despite who will have some interest in him just because he has that capability. knowing they weren’t in the NHL club’s plans. Players that have that experience, they can certainly fill a role pretty quickly.” Gagner decided to ask to join the Marlies instead of the Utica Comets for a few reasons. The first is that he’s from the area and it allows him the Among those most surprised by Gagner’s demotion: Childhood friend chance to play closer to home while he awaits his next opportunity in the John Tavares. This summer, when Gagner was the best man in Tavares’ NHL. The second is the value the Marlies’ program provides AHL players wedding, the pair also trained together — like they always do — for vis-a-vis other teams in the league. exciting seasons ahead in Vancouver and Toronto. When Gagner settled on a move to Toronto, rather than heading to the Canucks’ affiliate in “The way they treat all of us, the way they treat the older guys and our Utica, N.Y., Tavares was among the first of his old teammates to reach families, it’s second-to-none. I mean, it’s as close to the NHL as you’re out and offer him a place to stay. going to get with the resources they give us,” Mueller said. “When you’re close to home, you’re close to your family, it’s pretty special. I know he’s “We’re still extremely close. Our families spend time together. I’ve got to thankful and happy to be here, he’s working, and we’re just looking know his two young boys and his wife really well. I was definitely really, forward to having him more.” really surprised, especially after the commitment Vancouver made to him last summer and the way he was feeling coming into this summer,” From the beginning, the entire process has been a whirlwind for Gagner. Tavares said. When he joined the Marlies, he played three games in four days without having a full practice with the team — a few days before that he was in “He has always had a great attitude, a great work ethic, and he is not a limbo and not skating in Vancouver. guy to take anything for granted. We push each other. I know it hasn’t been easy on him. But he has really taken it in stride and he looks at this “It’s a lot of travel and a lot of different things going on. But that’s just part adversity as a challenge for himself and find a way to grow his game and of the business. Just playing games helps things settle. I was happy to obviously work his way back to the league. There’s no question he has just come here and play right away and just focus on hockey. There’s the skill set, the work ethic and the right attitude, so I expect him to be been some good and some bad,” Gagner said earlier in the season. back in the league soon.” “The Marlies are absolutely first class. The way they treat the guys and Interest hasn’t yet materialized, though. the resources we have it’s pretty incredible for an AHL team.”

That’s not for a lack of support. Gagner is surrounded by his father Dave, Support from around the hockey world has also propelled him through a mega-agent in the hockey world, the Bobby Orr Group and its lead, Jeff the lows to stay positive. Jackson. They credit him for the way he has handled what was, in the moment, a true shock to all involved. “There’s a lot of guys around the league, friends of mine, who have reached out. It’s always nice to have that support and it gives you the “I think he has been a real pro about it. It’s not easy after playing that long in the league. One of the reasons that he has stayed in the NHL and confidence that players around the league feel you can play at that level and it gives you a little jolt,” Gagner said.

There are familiar faces around the Marlies organization, too. He knows Rich Clune. He trains with centre Josh Jooris in the summer. He skates with skating consultant Barb Underhill.

Gagner’s upfront about how surprised he was by Vancouver’s choice. He felt he played well in camp and that his 11 years in the league spoke for themselves.

But he’s using that as motivation to get back to where he feels he belongs. The NHL hasn’t seen the last of Sam Gagner.

“I know I have a lot of game left and there’s a chance for me to now go out and prove it and that’s the only way I can handle it. I’m not sure if I’m in their plans. For me, either way I have to prove myself and prove that I can be an NHL player. I just have to go out there and play how I know I can. If I do that I know I can help this team play and be a good part of things here and see where it takes me,” Gagner said.

The Marlies are open about how thrilled they are by the addition. Head coach Sheldon Keefe inserted Gagner immediately onto the team’s first line.

“We have some experience dealing with players in his situation, granted this one is a little different given that he’s on assignment here from Vancouver versus Toronto, but in terms of being an established NHLer having to come down, we have quite a bit of experience dealing with that over the three years I’ve been here. I do believe it does take some time but all indications are he’s coming in with a good frame of mind. We prioritize all of our young players to give them opportunities but we’ve got a green light to utilize him how we see fit,” Keefe said.

When the opportunity to acquire him on loan presented itself, Laurence Gilman didn’t think twice, either.

He knew Sam from his days working with Dave in Vancouver, (Dave Gagner worked as the Canucks’ director of player personnel while Gilman served as their assistant GM in the late 2000s).

Gilman also pushed for an agreement with the Canucks that if they do recall Gagner, that any subsequent AHL demotions throughout this season would always be to the Marlies and not the Comets.

“I can’t speak for the decision that the Vancouver Canucks made but from our perspective it was a no-brainer. Really, when you have a player that has his calibre of productivity, I know what kind of a tremendous human being he is. He can play as a No. 1 centre or a No. 1 distributor here and really, bringing a player in of this calibre is really an extension of our player development program. He’s there to make the young forwards on our team, whether that’s Jeremy Bracco or Adam Brooks, better, whether that’s making them better by distributing the puck to them in places where they can put it into the net or watching him go about plying his trade day-after-day as a highly skilled professional,” Gilman said.

Gagner was impressed by how well-versed the Marlies staff were on his game.

In their first conversation, Keefe told Gagner they were going to play him in the wing at even strength and the slot on the power play (a role he played so effectively in Columbus but never got the chance to play in Vancouver).

“It’s nice to be able to be here and be close to my family and friends. But the main thing is it’s a good situation to play hockey here and the coaching staff has been great,” Gagner said.

“I mean, they won the last year. It’s obviously not the circumstances you want but to get a chance to come here and just play, I’m excited about it. I think it’s an opportunity for me to prove that I can play at a high level and get some swagger in my game.”

The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112975 Toronto Maple Leafs “I think deep down that everybody in that Maple Leafs dressing room knew we were part of something special,” Johnny recalled decades later.

“And we were enjoying a ride together that most of us would never take Book excerpt: Johnny Bower and Terry Sawchuk enter Leafs lore as the again as teammates.” tandem that led Toronto to its last Stanley Cup The Leafs looked like an easy match for the first-place Chicago Black Hawks, who finished first overall in the regular season with 94 points — 19 more than the Leafs. Toronto entered the playoffs looking tragically By Dan Robson Oct 30, 2018 similar to the team that had been swept a season earlier by Montreal. After the pathetic 10-game spiral that winter, every team in the league

knew how beatable the geriatric Leafs were. Even Johnny and the Leafs In his remarkable life, Johnny Bower left an indelible mark on hockey knew they were the underdogs. They were broken and tired. They were fans, both for what he accomplished on the ice and the person he was off almost done. The Leafs lacked youth, speed and healthy bodies. But of it. He became a hockey legend by helping the Toronto Maple Leafs they had experience. And they had desperation. This was their final shot win four Stanley Cups through the 1960s, including the team’s unlikely together. And there was no way in hell they were going to quit now. championship in 1967 — its last for more than half-a century. This If they were going to make any sort of run, it would depend on Johnny — abridged excerpt from Bower: A Legendary Life follows the story of one of the best playoff performers in the league. But once again, an Johnny and his counterpart, Terry Sawchuk — two aged and near- injury almost kept him out. broken goalies — as the tandem led Toronto to the end of an era. Wearing a brown goalie mask for protection, Johnny shuffled between his Johnny slumped down on the bench in the Leafs locker room, dripping posts in practice at the Peterborough Memorial Arena, squaring up for with sweat. He took an exhausted sip from a soft drink as his teammates shot after shot, before the Leafs’ first match against the Black Hawks. “I filed into the room, tapping his pads in congratulations as they passed only hope that nobody gets hurt,” Imlach said before starting the first drill him. Steam rose from his soaked gear and his scarred, weathered face. of the scrimmage-free practice. With about 12 minutes remaining, Pete Johnny had just held the Black Hawks to a 2–2 tie in front of nearly Stemkowski fired a hard shot at Johnny. He lifted his little finger off the 20,000 wild fans in the smoke-filled Chicago Stadium. The madhouse paddle of his stick as he stretched to make a blocker save. The impact had gasped when Johnny made a remarkable save on . The slammed the finger back against the wooden shaft. Johnny felt a familiar effort was all the more impressive because it was his first game in net sharp pain. He flipped off his mask and skated out of the net, holding his after missing a month with muscle spasms in his lower back. right hand. “Oh, my God!” he shouted. Blood dripped down the same Johnny unstrapped his goal pads and stripped down to his drenched small finger and knuckle he’d broken at the start of the season. “Damn, undergarments. Then he absentmindedly reached back in his stall for a damn, damn!” he said as trainer Bobby Haggert led him to the dressing plastic case and popped it open. It was empty. His teeth were missing. room. “Damn, damn, damn!” Was it another prank? Johnny looked around for a moment, confused, The broken digit put Johnny on the sidelines through the first four games before locating his dentures in the last place he’d left them — his mouth. of the series against Chicago, so Sawchuk was in goal as the Leafs split Usually, Johnny popped his teeth out before going on the ice. It was two apiece with the Black Hawks. Imlach decided to put Johnny back against club rules to play with plates. For starters, if a puck hit a player in between the pipes for Game 5, but he looked unsettled as the first period the mouth, he could choke on a broken piece (which, technically, could ended with the teams tied at two. The Leafs caught their breath, sitting happen with real teeth too). The team also refused to cover a new set if around with untied skates, with cold damp towels draped over their they were broken during a game. Johnny figured he’d forgotten to take heads. Some sucked on orange slices to regain some energy. them out. “I guess I was a bit excited before the game,” he told Louis Cauz, a young sportswriter with The Globe and Mail, as he got up and “You look a little shaky,” Imlach asked Johnny, chomping his gum headed to the showers. nervously. “Are you?”

Johnny had recently turned 42, but after yet another show of his Johnny hadn’t felt right since the puck dropped. goalmouth heroics, Cauz noted, he looked at least a decade older. He had been sidelined with a dislocated finger and a groin pull during the “I’m a little shook,” he admitted. team’s exhibition games, after trying to hide the injuries in training camp Imlach thought for a moment. because he was worried about competition for his job. That was followed early in the season by back troubles. But Johnny insisted he wasn’t “You want me to make a change?” he asked. breaking down. It was entirely up to Johnny. The Leafs’ starting position through the “I’ll just keep playing as long as my reflexes are good,” Johnny said. “The playoffs was his to take. But Johnny knew he wasn’t playing as well as doctor recently told me I have the body of a 25-year-old man. I feel great, he could. The game was too important for a show of individual pride. so what are you going to do?” “Well,” Johnny said, “there’s a lot at stake.” Coach backed him up. Sawchuk started the second period. Early on, Bobby Hull took a slap “As far as I’m concerned, Bower can play in the NHL forever,” he shot that clipped him on the left shoulder. It was already blue from claimed. several bruises earned in practice. Sawchuk went down hard. The Leafs players circled anxiously as Haggert rushed across the ice to tend to the There was a sense of something ending in the Leafs locker room that fallen goalie. Pierre Pilote, the Black Hawks’ captain, passed by with a spring, a collective acknowledgement among the players that it was the quick taunt. “How do you feel, Terry?” he said. “You should have let it go. last act of something special. They were a close team, in a way that is It might have been a goal.” hard to comprehend by the standards of modern hockey. Sure, there were many bickering battles of big and eccentric personalities, but that Haggert asked Sawchuk if he thought he could continue. was part of their charm. Eleven players on the roster had been brought up through the Leafs’ development system, having played junior hockey “I stopped the shot, didn’t I?” Sawchuk replied as he slowly got to his feet with either the or St. Mike’s. Each of them had only and picked up his gloves. ever played pro hockey for the Leafs. George Armstrong and Tim Horton The Leafs goalie stopped several more too. He kicked out 36 more shots had been Leafs regulars for 15 years. Allan Stanley had been Horton’s — including several booming slap shots — offering one of the best defence partner for nearly a decade. performances of the season, as the Leafs won 4–2. Johnny watched Four of the players had played together on the Red Wings’ 1955 from the sidelines as his counterpart, Ukey, played the hero. Sawchuk championship team and had been with Toronto for at least two seasons: held off the Black Hawks again in Game 6 as the Leafs completed the Terry Sawchuk, Red Kelly, Marcel Pronovost and Larry Hillman. Eddie upset and earned a spot in the Stanley Cup final. Their hated rival, the Shack had been with the Leafs for six years, even though he hadn’t Montreal Canadiens, were already waiting for them. Once again, the come up through the Leafs’ system. Everything they were was about to Leafs went into the series as the underdog. The Habs were viewed as break apart with the upcoming expansion of the NHL. The 1967 playoffs the superior team, even though Montreal and Toronto both posted 32 would be their stand. wins during the regular season. Their roster boasted veteran stars like Jean Beliveau and Henri Richard — along with future stars like 23-year- old Yvan Cournoyer and 21-year-old rookie in goal. Montreal had won the Cup in ’65 and ’66, and with Chicago out they When he woke up the next morning, the Toronto Star’s front-page looked likely to match the Leafs’ streak of the early ’60s by winning their headline confirmed reality: “Bower is the world’s best,” it read, quoting an third championship in a row. Montreal had been undefeated through the excited proclamation from Imlach. final 11 games of the regular season and then beat the Rangers in four straight games to reach the Stanley Cup final. As Johnny took shots in the pregame warm-up before Game 4, he reached to make a routine save and felt a bad strain in his left leg. It was The Canadiens crushed Toronto 6–2 in the opening game at the Forum. bad enough that he couldn’t hold his crouch. When the Leafs returned to Sawchuk was pulled after the second period. Johnny seemed to have his the ice for the opening faceoff, Sawchuk was unexpectedly in net. The old form back as he finished off the third. In practice the next day, he last-minute switch appeared to throw the entire team off — especially continued to work himself back into game shape. A Globe and Mail Sawchuk, who was mediocre as Toronto lost 6–2 in front of the columnist observed that Johnny made every save in practice “as though disappointed home crowd. The Leafs dressing room was sullen after the it was the last period and the score was tied, in the last game for the game. King Clancy tried to lighten the mood. championship of the universe.” “What is this? You’d think it was a wake! It’s not the end of the world for Imlach went with his intergalactic hero in Game 2. Johnny always played God’s sake,” Clancy told the press. “We just didn’t play good. And you well at the Forum and he continued the tradition, blanking the Habs on reporters should like that. It’s a short story.” every opportunity. He carried a shutout into the third. Less than a minute in he dove for a loose puck and took a whack in the face from John Johnny had left the Gardens before the game ended, avoiding prying Ferguson’s stick. Blood poured from Johnny’s nose. He tried to dab out questions from the press. He had an ice pack affixed to his left thigh. the bleeding with his glove. Haggert came running across the ice to tend He’d allowed just two goals on 93 shots in the previous seven periods. to him. He hoped his pulled muscle might heal in time for him to get another chance in goal, but it seemed unlikely. “You want to come to the bench?” he asked. “If Johnny Bower returns in this series, the Toronto club’s staff of But once again, a Leafs goalie was having none of Haggert’s efforts to physicians will be a sure-pop cinch to win the 1967 Nobel Prize for take him out. medicine,” wrote The Globe and Mail’s Jim Coleman. “Observing Bower’s limp, I can tell you what would happen to him if he was a horse on a well- “I’m hot!” Johnny said. “Just leave me alone. Don’t bother me!” supervised track. The track vet would issue orders to have Bower He stayed hot right to the end, stopping 31 shots to complete the shutout humanely destroyed.” in a 3–0 victory — while enduring another tap to the head from Ferguson Johnny didn’t travel with the team as the series headed to Montreal tied late in the game. Afterwards, Johnny sat in the Leafs dressing room next at two. Instead he stayed behind in Toronto, trying to rehabilitate his leg. to Sawchuk, pulling off his pads. There was a noticeable gash across the Al Smith was on the bench for the Leafs while they played Game 5. bridge of his nose. Reporters inquired about the injury. Johnny watched on television as Sawchuk returned to form, beating the “Nothing serious,” Johnny said. “It’s like Punch Imlach says, a hurting Habs 4–1 at the Forum. nose doesn’t hurt anybody. Right, Terry?” He missed another practice the day before Game 6, and it looked as “Not unless you get knocked out,” Sawchuk said with a smile. though the Leafs’ physicians would miss out on that Nobel Prize. But Imlach wasn’t about to put his wounded goalie down. With a chance to Later, Johnny said he’d finally agree to wear a mask during games in the win the Stanley Cup at Maple Leaf Gardens, Imlach told Johnny he was upcoming season, something he’d managed to avoid through 22 years of dressing for the game regardless of his injury. Imlach was loyal to the pro hockey. Curved sticks were making the shots too unpredictable, he players who had gotten the Leafs this far. There was no way in his mind said. He probably should have put a rush on that decision. With his nose that Johnny wasn’t going to be part of it. But he knew he’d be useless if still swollen two days later during a Leafs practice in Toronto, Frank something happened to Sawchuk, so Smith was on hand, waiting in the Mahovlich fired a puck off Johnny’s chin — opening yet another gaping locker room in case of an emergency. If Johnny had to go in, he was to cut. Johnny, once again, took a trip to the hospital to get stitched up. drop down on the first play and say he was injured, so Smith could enter the game. But Johnny’s battered face didn’t bother him as he took to the ice for Game 3 back in Toronto. In fact, the scarred goalie put on one of the best Heavy rain pounded the streets of Toronto on a warm afternoon on May performances ever witnessed at Maple Leaf Gardens. Game 3 was a 2, 1967. By evening the glare of street lamps danced in the puddles on netminding battle between the 42-year-old veteran and Rogie Vachon, Carlton Street. People moved quickly along, shuffling and hurried. They who was half Johnny’s age. They exchanged one unbelievable stop after paid a face value of $7.00, $6.00, $4.50 or $2.50 for seats. Some another, as both teams pressed for the winner in the tied third period. standing-room spots were available high in the stands for $1.50. Dave Keon hit the post with one second to go, nearly winning it for Toronto. Bobby Haggert had to strap Johnny’s pads on for him before the game because he couldn’t reach over to pull the straps himself. All three In the first overtime period, Cournoyer cut in with open ice behind Larry goalies were on the ice for the Leafs’ warm-up. As planned, Johnny Hillman — and Johnny dove out with a daring all-or-nothing poke check watched from the bench as the game started. His old friend Gump to knock the puck off his stick. He knew that if he missed, Cournoyer Worsley was in goal for Montreal, having replaced Vachon for the third would go right by him and have an open net for the game-winner. He period of Game 5. Worsley had spent most of the season injured and would have looked reckless and foolish. Instead, he kept the game alive. hadn’t started a game in nearly two months. The fans in Maple Leaf Gardens breathlessly watched as both teams had chance after chance through the extra time. Johnny made 20 saves in Once again, Johnny’s counterpart was masterful in the Leafs goal. While overtime before finally scored for Toronto halfway through Bower had been the hero of Games 2 and 3, Sawchuk was everything in the second overtime period just before midnight. It was an enormous Game 6. Several times, he made two, sometimes three saves in a row as goal, giving the exhausted Leafs a 3–2 victory to lead the series by a the Canadiens desperately tried to bring the series back to Montreal for game. Vachon stopped 51 in the loss. Johnny played the hero, turning Game 7. Dick Duff, who had scored the winner for the Leafs in 1962 but aside an incredible 60 for the Leafs. was now playing for the Canadiens, managed to get one by Sawchuk. But it was all the Habs could find. Toronto led 2–1 in the final minute of In the locker room afterwards, Johnny dressed quickly. He collected John the game. Imlach put out a line of old, battered veterans to hold off Jr., who was sitting in his stall, and hurried out the door without speaking Montreal’s final push as they lined up for a faceoff beside Sawchuk. to the press so he could be home and in bed by 1 a.m. Imlach had Horton, 37, took his defensive position while his partner, Allan Stanley, already declared him the starter for Game 4, and Johnny was focused on 41, was in the circle against Jean Beliveau — in line with Imlach’s doing whatever he could to keep his hot streak going. But Johnny custom of having defencemen take faceoffs in their zone. Stanley couldn’t get to sleep when he climbed into bed. He tried to read for a crashed into Beliveau off the draw, and Red Kelly, 39, swept in to pick up while, but he couldn’t get the game out of his mind. He played it over and the loose puck. Kelly passed the puck ahead to Bob Pulford, a sprightly over — obsessing over the small mistakes he’d made and what he 31. Pulford took two strides and flipped a backhand pass across the ice needed to do to fix them. He didn’t doze off until after 3:30 a.m. When he to 37-year-old Armstrong. The Leafs captain — the 15-year team veteran finally fell asleep, he had a nightmare about Henri Richard scoring on him — carried the puck over centre ice, as the Canadiens’ Ralph Backstrom and that the Canadiens had actually won the game. backpedalled, and flipped the puck into the empty Montreal net. When the final horn sounded and the cheers and debris rained down from the vaulted heights of the Gardens, Johnny was the first off the bench. He skated into Sawchuk with an enormous hug. Uke had made 40 saves to win Game 6, but both goalies would enter Leafs lore as the tandem that led Toronto to its last Stanley Cup. Even the Canadiens admitted they were undone by the Leafs’ unbeatable goaltending.

Champagne filled the air as the Leafs entered the locker room, spraying and cheering and dancing. Team executives, reporters, friends and family filed in behind them. Conn Smythe met Imlach in the middle of the room, near a large bucket filled with beer. Each man held a glass of champagne in his left hand. They clasped their right hands and clinked their glasses.

“I told you you’d be a great coach if you’d go with young guys,” Smythe said.

“The Old Fellows Athletic Club played pretty good though, wouldn’t you say?” Imlach replied with a smile.

Johnny grabbed two bottles of champagne. He wanted to bring them home to celebrate with wife Nancy, so they could open them the next time the Leafs won the Stanley Cup. He hid the bottles behind his wooden stall. He and Sawchuk sat there, side by side. Both of their bodies were marked with fresh dark bruises, their faces lined with old scars and recent wounds. They each took deep, slow drags from their cigarettes. And the last Stanley Cup celebration in Toronto — for more than half a century, at least — danced on around them.

The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112976 Vegas Golden Knights LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 10.31.2018 Golden Knights allow 4 unanswered goals, fall to Nashville

By David Schoen / Las Vegas Review-Journal

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nearly everything about Tuesday’s game felt big, from the national TV audience to the Halloween costumes throughout Bridgestone Arena to the rally towels implanted with an LED light. There was even a spoof of the Golden Knights’ pregame show, complete with a sword and stone, that added to the atmosphere. The Knights embraced the moment in the first period but couldn’t sustain their effort and suffered a 4-1 loss to Nashville in front of an announced crowd of 17,367. “For me, we played the perfect road period against a real good team in the first,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “And then after that, we made some real bad mistakes and it cost us goals every time.” Ryan Hartman scored two goals 57 seconds apart in the second period, and Juuse Saros finished with 23 saves for the Central Division-leading Predators. Reilly Smith had a power-play goal in the first period for the Knights, who bottled up Nashville with a tenacious forecheck and never let the Predators break out of their zone cleanly. But the Knights were limited to 11 shots on goal in the final two periods after recording 13 in the opening 20 minutes. “We made a couple mistakes maybe over-forechecking and not covering for each other as well as we should, and they did a good job capitalizing on odd-man rushes,” Smith said. “I think it was a game tailored to them where they just threw a lot of pucks to the neutral zone and waited for bounces. They were able to capitalize on them.” Knights goaltender Malcolm Subban, who beat Nashville in a shootout here on Dec. 8, earned the start and finished with 25 saves. He didn’t get much help in the final two periods, however, as the Knights allowed multiple odd-man rushes. “Coach said it best. It looked like an East-West all-star hockey game out there at one point with all the 2-on-1s back and forth,” forward Alex Tuch said. “In the end, we probably had less than they did and they were able to capitalize. We can’t have that. Sloppy. It’s not our game. We don’t give up those odd-man rushes. I thought we hung Malcolm out to dry.” Hartman, who was foiled by Subban on two earlier chances, danced around defenseman Colin Miller and beat Subban high on the backhand at 11:27 of the second to tie the game at 1. Less than a minute later, Knights defenseman Jon Merrill was unable to hold the puck in the zone, leading to a 3-on-1 for Nashville. Hartman finished off the rush when he one-timed a feed from Kevin Fiala to put the Predators on top 2-1. “You have to try and make a save there. Maybe if you stop one of those and it’s 2-1 instead of 3-1,” Subban said, unnecessarily shouldering the blame. “That’s why you become a goaltender, to make those saves. People don’t expect you to, but when your team makes a mistake you want to be there to bail them out.” Calle Jarnkrok gave the Predators a 3-1 lead with 13:23 left in the third period when he buried a pass from Kyle Turris on a 2-on-1. Fiala finished with two assists, and defenseman Roman Josi added two helpers for Nashville. “You can’t play like that,” Gallant said. “We played a great first period against them. We did exactly what you’re supposed to do and then we forced the issue too much and made some bad choices pinching.” The Knights controlled the latter half of the first period, holding the Predators without a shot on goal for the final 8:51. Smith put the Knights on top when he converted a cross-ice pass from Jonathan Marchessault on a power play with 2:46 left in the period. “There was times in the first when we were on the same page and times in the third, but we’ve got to put together a full 60 minutes or else it’s not going to work,” Tuch said. “We were up 1-0 after the first period. I thought we fell apart a little bit. We’ve just got to be better.” 1112977 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights’ Cody Eakin brushes off hard hit to face Predators

By David Schoen / Las Vegas Review-Journal

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Cody Eakin can take a hit. The Golden Knights center was back in the lineup Tuesday against the Nashville Predators, 48 hours after he was knocked out of Sunday’s victory over Ottawa. “We got on the plane (Monday) and they said everything’s fine,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “It’s definitely a relief. You hate to see a guy go down and miss the rest of the game. They do the right thing and make sure he’s fine, and he’s ready to go.” Eakin was drilled by Ottawa defenseman Mark Borowiecki and appeared woozy as he headed to the Knights locker room with 4:31 left in the first period. Borowiecki received a five-minute major and game misconduct, and he was handed a three-game suspension by the NHL on Monday for the illegal hit to the head. Eakin was not made available to the media following the Knights’ morning skate, but his quick recovery provided a boost. The Knights already are without injured left wing Max Pacioretty (upper body) and center Paul Stastny (lower body). Eakin is tied with William Karlsson and Ryan Reaves for second on the team in goals with three. He has four points in eight games after missing the first week of the season with a lower-body injury. “Cody’s a big part of our team,” forward Alex Tuch said. “He’s really good in the faceoff circle and does a lot of little things that don’t go unnoticed with us.” Pacioretty did not travel with the team to Nashville and missed his second consecutive game Tuesday. The Knights practice Wednesday in St. Louis and close out the two-game road trip against the Blues on Thursday. “Doesn’t mean he can’t meet us,” Gallant said, “but he didn’t come (Monday).” Pacioretty left in the first period of Friday’s loss to Tampa Bay after absorbing a jarring hit from Lightning defenseman Braydon Coburn. He remains day to day with an upper-body injury, and his status for Saturday’s home against Carolina is unclear. Nashville owned a sterling 28-9-4 record last season at Bridgestone Arena, but one of those losses came at the hands of the Knights. Malcolm Subban made 41 saves and stopped all six attempts in the shootout for a 4-3 victory on Dec. 8, 2017. The Knights also lost 1-0 on Jan. 16 when Juuse Saros had 43 saves for Nashville. “Last year’s last year, but … we played very well against this team,” Gallant said. “For me, the games that we played against this team last year, especially twice in this building, we played our best game.”

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112978 Vegas Golden Knights

GAME DAY: Golden Knights open 2-game road trip in Nashville

By David Schoen / Las Vegas Review-Journal

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Golden Knights begin a two-game road trip through the Central Division on Tuesday when they meet the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena. Opening faceoff is 5 p.m. Pacific time, and the game will be televised on NBC Sports Network. “They’ve got a lot of offensive firepower, plus a really good defensive corps,” forward Alex Tuch. “They’ve got a little bit of everything and they play hard. We’ve just go to outwork them, play smart and not give them any odd-man rushes.” Goaltender Malcolm Subban will make his second start of the season — and third appearance — for the Knights. Subban made 41 saves and stopped all six attempts in the shootout during the Knights’ 4-3 victory at Nashville on Dec. 8, 2017. “It’s time for him to play a game,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “He’s had great success in this building; he’s played really well. … He needs to play some games, and we’ve got confidence in him.” Injured left wing Max Pacioretty did not make the trip, but center Cody Eakin will be in the lineup after he took an illegal hit to the head from Ottawa’s Mark Borowiecki in Sunday’s 4-3 overtime victory. “Yesterday we got on the plane and they said everything’s fine,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “It’s definitely a relief. You hate to see a guy go down and miss the rest of the game. They do the right thing and make sure he’s fine, and he’s ready to go today.” The Predators are expected to make changes to their lineup following Saturday’s 5-3 loss to Edmonton. Goaltender Juuse Saros likely will start for Nashville with Pekka Rinne not slated to come off injured reserve until Wednesday at the earliest.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112979 Vegas Golden Knights However, 76ers fans will have the chance to win complimentary stays at Caesars properties in New Jersey and Las Vegas during online and in- game contests. Caesars signs promotional betting partnership with NBA, NHL teams Irwin Raij, co-chair of the sports group at international law firm O’Melveny and Myers, said he expects teams and gaming companies to continue to come up with “new and funky” ways to capture fan attention during By Todd Prince / Las Vegas Review-Journal games to make the partnership profitable.

Caesars Entertainment Corp. is playing ball with sports teams. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 10.31.2018 The gaming giant announced Tuesday that it had signed a multi-year partnership to promote its sports betting book and mobile app during New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia 76ers home games. Caesars’ deal with Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, whose portfolio includes the two professional teams as well as the Prudential Center, is not exclusive. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed. The sports betting partnership is the first announced by Caesars since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a law in May that banned wagering in most states. The deal also comes on the heels of an agreement announced Monday between the NHL and MGM Resorts International, Caesars’ largest U.S. rival by rooms. US sports betting market The U.S. Supreme Court overturned a ban on sports betting in most states on May 14 Four states — New Jersey, Delaware, Mississippi and West Virginia — have joined Nevada in offering legalized sports betting since And more than 20 states are looking to legalize it when their legislatures convene next year. Research firm Eilers & Krejcik Gaming predicts 44 states will have approved sports betting by 2023. Credit Suisse expects U.S. sports betting net revenues to surge to $4.5 billion by 2023 MGM Resorts also signed a partnership with the NBA in July. Michael Marino, Caesars’ senior vice president of marketing and chief experience officer, said the company is pursuing more sports betting deals with professional teams it has ticketing relationships with as more states legalize wagering. Caesars has ticketing partnerships with about 20 professional teams, he said. As for sports betting partnerships with leagues similar to the ones signed by MGM Resorts, Caesars is studying “what makes sense,” he said. Other U.S. gaming giants have yet to sign partnerships with either leagues or teams. Caesars will have the right to advertise on Prudential Center’s 80 digital boards and 4,800-square-foot outdoor screen during Devils home games. As part of the deal, the center’s 5,000 square-foot bar and restaurant will be rebranded as Caesars Club. Sportsbook operator William Hill signed a deal this month with Harris Blitzer to create a branded lounge at the Prudential Center. William Hill will also advertise on the dasherboards during Devils home games. Caesars will work “as fast as (it) can” to rebrand the club, said Marino, without giving a specific opening date. The club will try to incentivize customers to visit other Caesars properties, such as those in nearby Atlantic City or Las Vegas, with various promotions, he said. The success of the clubs and lounges will depend on how well the sports betting experience is integrated, said Chris Grove, managing director for emerging verticals at Eilers & Krejcik Gaming. “If it’s a bar and restaurant with the sportsbook experience lingering on the periphery, then I don’t see a sustainable model here. But if the sportsbook experience is woven through the club — localized promotions, screens with betting information overlaid on sports events, dedicated support staff — then I think you’ve got an intriguing asset,” said Grove. Caesars will also host special events during Devils home games to further drum up its sports betting business, including a company-branded Shoot for a Million on-ice promotion that will allow one fan to vie for $1 million during 10 regular season games. “We want to make it an engaging experience for the customer,” Marino said. Caesars will not have a branded spot in the Wells Fargo Center, where the 76ers play their home games. The deal with the basketball franchise will be of a smaller scale and feature digital advertisement inside the center. 1112980 Vegas Golden Knights

Marchessault upbeat despite Golden Knights' loss at Nashville

By Maren Angus, Special to the Sun Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018 | 10:40 p.m.

NASHVILLE — A first-period lead for the Golden Knights on Tuesday was quickly erased in the second period against the Predators. Nashville’s Ryan Hartman scored two goals in 57 seconds, and the Predators closed the game with four unanswered goals in a 4-1 victory. Vegas, which scored when Jonathan Marchessault assisted Reilly Smith for a 1-0 lead in the first, was limited to 11 shots in the final two periods. “In the NHL right now, you don’t know who is going to win every night. That’s what is so fun about it,” Marchessault said. “Nashville is a hard place to come and play.” Marchessault, who signed a six-year, $30 million extension in the offseason, leads the Golden Knights with six goals and five assists through 12 games. Or, as defenseman Jon Merrill said, “As he goes, we go.” That wasn’t the case against Nashville, as Vegas dropped to 5-6-1 on the season. “It’s a new year, we need to turn the page and stop talking about last year,” Marchessault said. “We are having some adversity, but we aren’t in a bad spot. I think we are going to keep moving in the right direction.” While last year’s run to the Stanley Cup Final — a season in which Marchessault had a career-best 75 points — is in the past, there’s no denying it helped turned the 27-year-old forward into one of Vegas’ more popular players. And, as witnessed in Nashville, that popularity isn’t limited to home. There were plenty of Marchessault’s jersey No. 81 in the stands on Tuesday. Wendy Pannell is a Las Vegas native who now calls Nashville home. She has never been to a game at T-Mobile Arena, but that didn’t stop her from supporting her favorite team and player on Tuesday. “I feel like I can always stand behind him,” Pannell said. “The team is awesome, but I love seeing Marchessault shine.” The Golden Knights’ road trip continues Thursday against St. Louis, where Marchessault surely will again be a main attraction. “I don’t think of myself as one of the best in the game,” he said. “I just come here, do my work and try to push others to be better.”

LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112981 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights Prez Is a Hit with the Ladies When He Breaks Out the VGK Gear

October 30, 2018 By ALAN SNEL LVSportsBiz.com

Vegas Golden Knights President Kerry Bubolz got a tip about his speaking engagement audience so he came with props Tuesday. It was the eighth annual Kick off your Heels Women’s Day luncheon at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at TPC Summerlin and Bubolz brought a stylish Golden Knights jacket, a slick bicycle kit outfit and a $200 crystal bling puck. Bubolz, who gets around the metro Las Vegas market so well that you could start a “Where’s Kerry” Saturday morning TV cartoon, admitted that talking in front of so many women was “outside his comfort zone.” But Bubolz turned out to be a popular guy with the ladies when he broke out a women’s VGK jacket, which was quickly modeled by luncheon emcee Kim Wagner, a Channel 3 morning news anchor. Kerry Bubolz presented the women’s VGK jacket and Channel 3’s Kim Wagner enjoyed wearing it. Several hundred women lunched in The Hill hospitality open structure, which swayed a bit under forceful winds at the par-72, 7,243-yard golf course about 12 miles west of the Strip. Bubolz said VGK retail sales will be stressed in the NHL franchise’s season two, with special efforts on “more female focused products.” Bubolz mentioned that 100 women also participated in a VGK learn to skate program, while 30 women signed up for a learn to play program. Besides selling licensed VGK logo gear to the masses, the Golden Knights will also prioritize creating the next generation of Golden Knights fans. That means focusing on kids. Bubolz said 3,000 local children participated in a VGK learn how to skate program and 400 have been enrolled in a learn how to play program. Plus, in February, team representatives, including Bubolz, went to a local middle school to announce a $500,000 program to start street hockey for nearly 80,000 students in the Clark County School District’s 63 middle schools and magnet schools. The Golden Knights are partnering with NV Energy and the NHL Players Association to buy the equipment to get the students playing street hockey this year. Bubolz and VGK staffers visited Walter Johnson Junior High School Academy of International Studies to announce the Golden Knights Hockey Academy Program last season. Bubolz had some fun fielding questions and each woman who posed an inquiry received a free Deryk Engelland bobblehead, which was the give- away at a recent VGK home game. One fan asked Bubolz when a children’s book would be coming out and he mentioned, “We will make it a priority.” And another woman asked the team president who is the diva on the team. Bubolz had some fun with that one by quipping, “He’s in Calgary.” He, of course, was referring to James Neal. Bubolz told the audience that Neal was the only Golden Knights player who would walk out before home games with his teammates through the mirrored corridor from the locker room to the ice rink at T-Mobile Arena and take a glance in the mirror “to make sure his hair was perfect.”

LVSportsBiz.com LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112982 Washington Capitals

Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik misses practice with ‘lower-body’ injury

By Isabelle Khurshudyan October 30 at 2:47 PM

Washington Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik didn’t participate in Tuesday’s practice because of an undisclosed “lower-body” injury, but Coach Todd Reirden said, “at this point,” he expects Orpik will play in Thursday night’s game in Montreal. Orpik was on the ice before practice for a special skills drill with the other defensemen, but he also missed Sunday’s practice for a “maintenance day.” The team was off Monday. “Waiting to hear more, but today was just maintenance for him, and we’ll reassess tomorrow,” Reirden said. Orpik has played in every game this season season, and the 38-year-old is averaging the fewest minutes of his career (16:18), though he logged more than 18 minutes in the Capitals' past two games against Calgary and Edmonton. If Orpik does have to miss Thursday’s game, Washington would almost certainly go with a third pairing of Christian Djoos beside Madison Bowey. Bowey has played in just three games, starting the season as the extra defenseman, but he replaced Djoos in the Capitals' game against the Flames on Saturday. “I liked his game,” Reirden said of Bowey. “I thought he skated really well. I thought his skating was noticeable, and I thought he made some strong plays defending. It’s not easy coming into a game having not played for a while. So, I thought he did some good things in that game, and it was a good building block for him after some time off. I don’t think that somebody deserved to come out of the lineup, but it was more of a situation where we wanted to get him in.” Center Travis Boyd, who injured his left foot blocking a shot in the preseason, is eligible to come off long-term injured reserve against the Canadiens on Thursday, but it’s unclear if he’ll play even if he’s medically cleared. To activate him, the Capitals would have to make a corresponding move to clear both roster and salary-cap space. In Tuesday’s practice, Boyd participated as the extra skater. “He’s also getting looked at this afternoon,” Reirden said. “We’ll have a better plan tomorrow with him, so it’s just doctors and trainers deciding what the right time to get him back going here. He continues to progress, so he’s definitely on the right track.” Speaking of Travis Boyd ... The Capitals had their Halloween karaoke party at Mari Vanna on Monday night. Boyd might have had the most amusing costume, dressing up as former Capitals coach Barry Trotz. Alex Ovechkin captured Boyd in his Trotz glory when Boyd and Nathan Walker sang Men At Work hit “Down Under.” “My big thing was hoping Barry didn’t see it,” Boyd said. “I didn’t mean any disrespect by it. I just thought the boys would get a good hoot out of it, and to be honest, it was actually a pretty last-minute thing. I didn’t really have it until earlier that afternoon when I came up with the idea. I kind of threw it together a little bit. I hope he thought it was funny. I got quite a few laughs. The boys definitely liked it, and that’s what I was going for, so I think it worked out pretty well.”

Washington Post LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112983 Washington Capitals

Penguins wear 'Stronger Than Hate' patches after Pittsburgh synagogue shooting

By Josh Luckenbaugh October 30, 2018 8:12 PM

Tragedy stuck Pittsburgh on Saturday when a lone gunman attacked Tree of Life Synagogue, killing 11 and wounding several others. In support of the victims within their city, the Penguins wore "Stronger Than Hate" patches on their jerseys for Tuesday's home game against the New York Islanders. An 11-second moment of silence was observed before puck drop in remembrance of the 11 victims. The Penguins will also be holding a jersey auction, with all proceeds going to the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and a fund established by the City of Pittsburgh Department of Safety to benefit police officers wounded during the shooting. The Capitals and Penguins may be rivals on the ice, but we can all agree this is a beautiful tribute after what must have been a horrific weekend in Pittsburgh.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112984 Washington Capitals puck. I haven't been able to completely see that translate into a game yet.”

Dmitrij Jaskin is starting to show promise, but Todd Reirden knows ‘there’s still more there’ Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.31.2018

By J.J. Regan October 30, 2018 5:07 PM

It took him seven games, but Dmitrij Jaskin finally earned his first point as a Capital on Saturday in Calgary. When the Caps left for Western Canada, they brought with them a player in Jaskin who very much looked lost in his new team’s system and as a result was playing overly cautious. They brought home with them a much more confident forward. “I think all three games on that trip were pretty solid,” Jaskin told NBC Sports Washington after practice on Tuesday. “I think the game in Vancouver was probably as good as the Calgary one. But every game, it takes some time to get used to everything, but I know where my game is and I think I kind of start applying to it game by game. I feel good now.” Jaskin recorded an assist on Matt Niskanen’s goal against the Calgary Flames. Not only did he record the assist, he also set up the goal with a screen right in the face of goalie Mike Smith. Getting in the face of goalies is something this Capitals team does not do enough and it was definitely a boost to see Jaskin provide that and finally get involved offensively. Coming from a very defensive system in St. Louis, Jaskin looked extremely cautious and overly defensive in his first few games as a Cap. But clearly, he has more to give offensively. Jaskin scored a career-high 13 goals in the 2014-15 season and in Canada, the Caps finally got a glimpse that there was perhaps some more offensive upside to their newest player. “There's still more there,” Reirden said. “I think he's been able to show us some things. It's a great example [Saturday] he's at the net-front on Niskanen's goal so bigger body that gets to that area. I thought he and [Nic Dowd] together have played well. If you're looking at some analytic numbers in particular, you'd find that those are pretty heavily skewed for them in particular on the prior couple games. I think he's added some different stuff to his puck possession, size. I think his play below the tops of the circles is where he's at his best and then he's defensively responsible for understanding the importance of doing everything he can to keep the puck out of the net.” But in today’s NHL, a fourth line can’t get by just by not getting scored on. They are never going to be relied upon like a top line is, but they still need some offensive production. That will come as the line continues to develop chemistry. “I think it's a little bit of the timing,” Jaskin said. “Guys are really used to all the systems and everything. I think I got better at it. It will get better, it's just the game action.” “It's just like learning how the tendencies of your linemates,” Dowd said. “When you know those tendencies, it allows you to make plays without having to think as much, without having to look as much. The game's so fast nowadays that sometimes getting your head up and seeing the guy making a play isn't an option. You just have to have an instinct of where your player's going to be and then make the play. I think we've adjusted well.” Jaskin may find himself having to adjust to a new center soon with Travis Boyd nearing a return from injury. But Boyd is a player with a higher offensive upside than Dowd so it could provide an offensive boost for Jaskin if they can find chemistry quickly. If not, then it is unclear what the future may hold for Jaskin. It seems unfair to judge a player who had no training camp after just a handful of games, but with the pending return of Boyd and the end of Tom Wilson’s suspension some time in November, the Caps will have to make some tough decisions with their depth players very soon. The onus is on Jaskin to show he can contribute offensively if he wants to remain in the lineup. “It's still very early in the process with [Jaskin] so we need to continue to push the envelope with him and see where it can take us,” Reirden said, “Because you watch in practice and he does a lot of great things with the 1112985 Washington Capitals

After more bad luck, Travis Boyd is finally nearing a return to the lineup

By J.J. Regan October 30, 2018 3:11 PM

Travis Boyd looked poised to make the NHL roster and be in the Capitals lineup for the opener for the first time in his career. Luck, however, had other plans. Boyd was injured blocking a shot in St. Louis in a preseason game. He suffered a lower-body injury that kept him out the first month of the season. Now, finally, Boyd is nearing his return. “I think I'm pretty close,” Boyd told reporters Wednesday. “From a personal side, the hard part is physical -- the battles and just how quick it actually happens in a game vs. out there during practice. Really the only way to get used to that is to play. Even doing some five-on-five, D-zone drills in practice and stuff, that helps, but once you get in a game, it's completely different than practice.” Boyd visited doctors on Monday. The doctors and training staff are expected to meet Tuesday to discuss what the plan will be for Boyd going forward. When asked if playing in Thursday’s game in Montreal was a possibility, Boyd said, “I’m not sure yet.” This is not the first time Boyd has had poor timing with a health issue. It was thought he could crack the team’s lineup when a serious illness kept him not only off the ice, but away from the team for several days. He ended up playing only one playoff game during last season’s Stanley Cup run. “I had a couple it seems like bad timings,” Boyd said. “Obviously, no one ever wants to get hurt. Just timing wise for me, I think it was pretty bad timing just given my situation and really tough for me, too. My goal coming into training camp was to make the team. That was a big goal of mine all summer and that's what I was working towards. I felt like I was doing a pretty good job and I felt like I had a chance to be here and play Game 1 and then you got hurt and there's nothing you can do about it now but keep coming every day and trying to get back up to speed as much as I can. Hopefully, if I'm given a chance, I can come in and hopefully pick up where I left off.” Boyd was locked into a training camp battle with Nic Dowd for the role of fourth line center. Now 10 games into the season with the team still adjusting to a new head coach and a new season, it would seem difficult to get Boyd back into the lineup. Reirden, however, emphasized the positive aspects of Boyd’s game and made it clear that he was someone he wanted to see back. “We didn't forget about how his training camp went and the things he's been able to do,” Reirden said. “Our team, as we continue to improve and get better in some areas and we've gotten a little bit more secondary scoring here in the last few games, but we're still looking to add to that. That's an important component of any successful team in this league is being able to have four lines that can score. So he's a guy that's earned that opportunity. We've got to put him in the right situation to succeed when he gets that chance.” Dowd has showed flashes of offensive upside in his first 10 games as a Cap, but there’s no question that Boyd’s offensive ceiling is much higher. “We think a lot of him,” Reirden said. “It's an injury that derails him, but I thought he came up in shape and ready to go and I thought he had a strong camp. As we find out more from our doctors on when he's ready and what's the best way to get him out there then we'll do that. But I think he does have more offensive upside than some others.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112986 Washington Capitals Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.31.2018 Even after 13 years with the Caps, Blaine Forsythe is as effective as ever

By J.J. Regan October 30, 2018 6:00 AM

Coaching is a tough profession. As the saying goes, coaches are hired to be fired. But that’s not the case for Capitals assistant coach Blaine Forsythe. Forsythe is now in his 13th season with the Capitals and 10th as an assistant coach. He first entered the organization in 2006 as a video coach, became an amateur scout in 2008 and later returned to the coaching staff in 2009. Since 2006, the Caps have had six different head coaches and two general managers. And yet, Forsythe has remained a part of the organization throughout. He did not expect his career to go that way. “You never know,” Forsythe said to NBC Sports Washington. “You're always hopeful given whatever situation you get lucky to be in, but I've been obviously pretty fortunate in a bunch of different areas to be able to obviously survive this long and work with different people and them having enough trust in me to keep me around through all those transitions. It's been pretty mind-blowing, but at the same time, pretty good. Pretty lucky.” Forsythe’s tenure in Washington is made all the more remarkable given the changes the team has gone through during that time. “I've seen a bit of everything,” Forsythe said. “When we first came in, it was obviously a rebuild and we got to a point where I think the second year, we were the worst team in the league at the Thanksgiving break and we ended up making the playoffs that year and you can just see the transition. Not only the group of players, but the city itself. “In the first few games, I was like, this is an NHL city? The building was not even half full and I think by the end of my second year, the Rock the Red stuff started and all of a sudden it was one of the best buildings in the league within a year.” Forsythe was a major part of that turnaround and continues to be a major part of the coaching staff today. While Forsythe is modest about his career calling his lengthy tenure in Washington “lucky,” you don’t survive in one city in a profession as competitive as coaching just by luck. “[Forsythe’s] someone that we've gone through the last four years together and we see the game quite similar,” Todd Reirden said in training camp. “Obviously he works with the forwards and in the past I've worked with the defensemen, but just we've worked together on the power play and he's a real creative mind in terms of where the game is headed and has a really good feel for the players. He's been here for quite a while so I lean on him in a number of different situations.” The aspect in which Reirden leans on Forsythe the most is the power play. Forsythe is responsible for coaching the team’s centers, one of the Caps’ biggest strengths as a team, and the power play. In Washington’s Stanley Cup run, the power play scored on 22 of 75 opportunities for a rate of 29.4-percent. The Caps’ 22 power play goals were the most scored in the postseason over the last eight seasons. This season, as the Caps continue adjusting to a new coaching staff, one aspect in which they have remained dominant is the power play. Washington has the top power play unit in the league scoring on 37.1- percent of their opportunities. The fact that he remains effective even after so many years in Washington is a credit to his abilities as a coach as is the fact that each new coach that is hired in Washington chooses to keep Forsythe on staff. What could have been just a stop on the road of a lengthy coaching career has now turned into a home for Forsythe who has seen and been a part of the growth of Capitals hockey in his 13 years with the team. Said Forsythe, “To see them grow and then become a really good team and not get over that hump and then obviously last year going through what we did to see them finally get over that hump, it was almost like three different lives I've lived personally within a city that I never would have expected to live in 20 years ago.” 1112987 Winnipeg Jets then jumped on a Dustin Byfuglien giveaway behind the net and passed to Jake Gardiner for the tying goal at 16:49.

And just 26 seconds later, John Tavares won a battle with Mark Scheifele What, Hellebuyck worry? at the side of the net and slid the puck to Kasperi Kapanen, who fired the winner on a shot most observers likely expected a Vezina Trophy candidate to turn aside. Hellebuyck was on one knee, leaning hard By: Jason Bell against the left post, but Kapanen shoehorned the puck through a miniscule gap above the goalie's shoulder. Posted: 10/30/2018 7:00 PM Hellebuyck, who signed a six-year, US$37-million contract (average annual value of $6.167 million) in mid-July, pleaded not guilty on sneaky clincher. HELSINKI — Connor Hellebuyck is enjoying a visit to the Finnish capital city and has wandered some of the twisting cobblestone paths in search "I think that’s some luck," he said. "I don’t even think it was a good shot. I of its many sights — a well-timed distraction from the outcomes of his think it got ramped up a stick and it hits the side of my helmet." most recent NHL starts and the mediocre stats that accompany them. It's worth giving a 44-game winner — a mark that broke Tom Barrasso's By his own admission, the Winnipeg netminder — who emerged last record for most victories by an American-born goaltender — the benefit season as one of the top goaltenders in the NHL — hasn't had a banner of the doubt, particularly just a month into the season. On a much larger beginning to the 2018-19 campaign. In nine opportunities to guard the sample size, his save percentage jumped from .907 in 2016-17 to .924 a Jets net, Hellebuyck has posted a 4-4-1 record, a 3.00 goals-against year ago, fifth-best in the NHL. He also had six shutouts. average and .907 save percentage. But shoring up his play sooner rather than later will be paramount for a Those aren't numbers that warrant a 911 response, but they're not what club hoping to stick with the league's elite, and Maurice noted Hellebuyck Jets fans were accustomed to seeing from the 25 year old during a will receive the lion's share of work down the stretch. breakout 2017-18 season. "I know in March (Hellebuyck’s) not coming out of the net a whole lot, so I Most importantly, they don't resemble the body of work the Michigan-born know the day where he plays the rhythm that he wants will be there for goaltender, who dropped his last two starts, demands of himself. him," Maurice said. "I thought I started very well and just recently I’ve had a couple of mistakes that have cost me," Hellebuyck said following Winnipeg's morning practice Tuesday at 13,400-seat Hartwall Arena in Helsinki. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 10.31.2018 "I can’t let that get on me, I can’t get down because I know it’s just part of those ups and downs. My numbers aren’t exactly where I want them to be, but I’m working hard and I know they’re going to come around. The guys in front of me have been great, and all I can do is work hard and be there when I’m needed. "Coming here certainly changes everything. So, I guess it does let us get away and forget what happened, and just continue to build and work hard." His creasemate, Laurent Brossoit, has been sensational in backup duty, prevailing in all three of his starts thus far, posting a 1.67 GAA and .957 save percentage. In his first two outings, Carolina and Arizona both directed north of 40 shots at him. The suggestion a goalie controversy has followed the Jets 6,700 kilometres to Helsinki is absurd, yet it creates an interesting situation for head coach Paul Maurice and how he deploys Hellebuyck and Brossoit in back-to-back contests against the Florida Panthers (2-4-3) Thursday and Friday in the NHL's Global Series. In a meeting with a large contingent of visiting North American reporters and Finnish media Maurice, whose team (7-4-1) is third in the Central Division, wouldn't disclose who plays when this week. "In some ways, this is a light schedule, right? I know we’ve played 12 (games) but we played six straight at home, we’ve got two games here but we’ve got nine days built around it were we don’t play. So, you’re stuck in the middle of running Connor, which is probably what he needs to get back to happy," Maurice explained. "But you also know that Laurent’s got to go in, and his play’s been so good. So I’m not worried about it. I’m also not going to work real, real hard to fix it. I’m going to leave the back-to-back this weekend kind of open. Then when we get back we’ll get into a normal schedule." Maurice took a strategical approach with his goaltenders the last three games, giving the nod to Hellebuyck twice in four nights against the offensive superpower Toronto Maple Leafs. And contrary to Hellebuyck's earlier remarks, his teammates had moments where they weren't particularly sound in front of, or behind him. The visiting Leafs pumped in three goals before the game was half-over last Wednesday, although the Jets' delinquence in their own end forced him to try making some acrobatic saves he just couldn't pull off. He finished the night blocking 30 of 34 shots. On Saturday, Winnipeg executed its A-game for the better part of 47 minutes to build up a 2-0 lead, and Hellebuyck stopped the first 22 shots he faced, but the Leafs stormed back with three goals in the final period, the first two resulting from defensive breakdowns. Jets blue-liner Josh Morrissey lost a puck race to the back wall to Mitch Marner, who fed Nazem Kadri for his second goal of the season at 6:33 on a rapid release that beat Hellebuyck high to the blocker side. Marner 1112988 Winnipeg Jets Another thing that interests me about Scheifele is that among Jets forwards this season only Brandon Tanev and Kristian Vesalainen have received fewer passes in the slot, meaning than Scheifele hasn’t been Scheifele playing at elite level, creating most of his own chances set up for scoring success by the puck movement of his linemates at all, despite the Jets being an elite puck-moving team.

More than any of the Jets’ other top players, Scheifele is almost By: Andrew Berkshire singularly responsible for creating his goal-scoring opportunities. This is likely a huge reason why he’s been able to continue his dominance Posted: 10/30/2018 4:00 PM despite Wheeler’s struggles to open the season, and a good sign for the Jets should they run into injury trouble down the road.

The Winnipeg Jets are off to a decent start to the season, though there are several important players who haven’t started off playing their best Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 10.31.2018 hockey and, as a consequence, there have been some off games. On the other side of the coin, Mark Scheifele has started the season at a level that has had some question if he might be a Top 10 player in the entire league. Scheifele has been very good for a long time now, but to be called Top 10 is a huge compliment — that’s elite territory that very few players ever get close to, even in the prime of their career. Scheifele is undoubtedly in his prime, 25 years old coming off of two straight seasons at a point per game or better, and three straight seasons on pace for 30 or more goals per 82 games played. The point-per-game pace that Scheifele is currently on is no surprise then, but it is a little surprising that he’s doing it while linemate Blake Wheeler is off to a slower start than usual. Just to put things in context, we can look at how many scoring chances each player on the Jets’ regular top line is generating at 5-vs-5 compared to last season. We’ll ignore that Nikolaj Ehlers recently swapped with Kyle Connor. Last season Scheifele and Wheeler were two peas in a pod at even strength, both involved in creating more than eight scoring chances per 20 minutes, while Connor was an excellent linemate who benefited from their playmaking, carving out a niche in front of the net banging in back- door passes, rebounds and other high-percentage plays on the way to a 31-goal rookie season. This year, however, while Scheifele has improved slightly on a season ago if you look at in isolation, as has Connor, both players have managed to improve their playmaking ability, while Wheeler has had an off start that puts him in mid-tier second-line forward territory offensively. That isn’t disastrous by any means, but Blake Wheeler is so good that this drop off in play looks catastrophic compared to last season. I’m not really worried about Wheeler at this stage, a slow start can turn around quickly, and based on his last couple games I think that’s already happening, but what does interest me is Scheifele being able to excel at an even higher rate with less help, and other data points us in that direction as well. Surprisingly, Scheifele actually gets fewer of his own scoring chances than the average Jets forward, and even the average NHL forward, but this was true last season as well, and Scheifele seems to have become similar to Patrik Laine in that he can score at a very high rate with few opportunities. It’s tempting to look at Scheifele’s 20 per cent shooting percentage and think he’s just riding a hot streak, but his last two seasons he scored on 18.4 per cent and 20 per cent of his shots on goal, respectively, so this start isn’t even an outlier for him, he’s just a menace for opposing goalies to deal with when he gets a shot. Part of the reason his shots are so successful is his propensity to complete dekes immediately before shooting, which improves his expected shooting percentage in multiple ways. For one, there’s often one fewer player for him to shoot through after a successful offensive- zone deke, or he can use that defending player as a screen. Deking also allows Scheifele to change his angle of attack, forcing goaltenders to move their feet and open up spots for him to shoot at, and finally, he’s also improving his shot distance more often than not. In fact, on average Scheifele shoots from closer to the net than almost anyone in the NHL, with his average shot attempt coming from just 21.9 feet from the goal line, while his average shot on goal comes from just 12.9 feet from the net, making his average shot on goal at even strength a high-danger scoring chance. One of the reasons Scheifele is able to maintain such high goal-scoring totals despite not shooting as often as you would expect is that he’s also an excellent playmaker, and opponents have to be ready for him to slide a pass to Connor or another linemate in the slot at any time, not just play the shot. 1112989 Winnipeg Jets

Laine looks forward to lining up with Lowry, Tanev

By: Jason Bell Posted: 10/30/2018 3:26 PM

HELSINKI — What’s that line from the classic David Bowie tune, Changes? "They're quite aware of what they're going through…" That’s Patrik Laine. The 20-year-old Winnipeg Jets winger is coming off a pair of dream seasons to begin what promises to be a long and prosperous NHL career, but, right now, he’s not quite himself. Laine, who hails from Tampere, Finland, can’t seem to get that black disk to go where he wants it to go, and not just when he’s directing it at the opponent's net. He was quick to concede Tuesday he’s enduring some hardships in how he moves the puck in his own end as well, and the 6-5, 200-pound forward has clearly had enough of his autumn of discontent. "Just overall, it kind of feels like the pucks are bouncing, and when I’m trying to get it out of the zone, it feels like it’s going to hit something and stay inside," Laine said, to a captivated press corps at Hartwall Arena. "That’s probably the biggest thing I need to work on, to get pucks out and get pucks deep. "Those are the small things that the team and the coaches and all of the other players respect, and they want everybody to do the same things. That’s something especially that I don’t like about my game." The expectation is Laine, who has scored three goals — all with Winnipeg enjoying the man advantage — and supplied two assists in 12 games this season, will be yoked with a couple of the Jets' most productive worker bees: hard-hitting centre Adam Lowry and speedy Brandon Tanev. The theory is the fore-checking tandem, combined with Laine’s big frame, should generate some sustained pressure in the opposition's end, equating to scoring chances. Laine said he’s down with the idea. "Just try to play simple. I know they have a lot of (offensive) zone time, when I’ve watched them play. They’re two big guys, strong guys who can play physical and can protect the puck well. Hopefully, we can create some O-zone time. Obviously, that’s where I’m at my best," he said.

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 10.31.2018 1112990 Winnipeg Jets It's no secret Laine and Barkov are close friends. Both hail from Tampere, about 180 kilometres north of Helsinki, although the Florida star is three years Laine's senior. Copp works out at centre on fourth line with Roslovic, Lemieux The two have openly traded barbs since the NHL Global Series was announced in January, yet the admiration comes through loud and clear. By: Jason Bell "He’s not a shy guy. He’s a really funny guy. I don’t know if he’s that funny in English. I’m not sure because I don’t talk English to him. But he’s Posted: 10/30/2018 1:03 PM a really funny guy in Finnish," Laine said. "He’s an amazing player, it will be great to play against him and hopefully, he enjoys this moment just as much as me." HELSINKI — Andrew Copp is back to being a centre of attention. Bob Bougher wasn't a pupil of Jets head coach Maurice for long, but the The fourth-year Winnipeg Jets forward will, in all likelihood, be the fourth- short relationship was meaningful. line middle man Thursday night between wingers Jack Roslovic and Brendan Lemieux. The trio worked out that way Tuesday during a The Panthers bench boss spent parts of 10 years patrolling the blue line morning practice at Helsinki's Hartwall Arena. with six different organizations from 1995-2006, stamping his time card in 630 career games. Copp landed on the line the other night in Toronto when head coach Paul Maurice flipped him with Patrik Laine. But Roslovic was the centre and He suited up for 43 during the 2003-04 season with the Carolina Copp was on right wing. Hurricanes, and Maurice was behind the bench. It's a return to a familiar position for the 24-year-old from Ann Arbor, "I love Paul’s personality and I love how he handles the room. He’s got Mich. some of the best sarcasm I’ve ever heard as a coach in front of the players," Boughner said Tuesday. "He’s a players’ coach. "His teams "It will be good. We’re not going to go the rest of the year with everyone play hard for him, they always have. He’s a guy that you want to play for." being healthy. It’s just like riding a bike. It was something that I knew was going to happen at some point," said Copp, who has played plenty of Boughner hung up the blades in 2006 after two years with the Colorado centre in Winnipeg. Avalanche and moved straight into head coaching in junior, taking over the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League that fall. He'd spend "This is the point (of the season) where you’re going to see some mixing eight of the next nine winters in Windsor, guiding the squad to a pair of and matching a little bit, based on when we’re away and when we’re championships, but also worked a year as an assistant coach with the home and all of that. It will be interesting, but I’m really comfortable in the Columbus Blue Jackets (2010-11). Following two seasons with the San middle." Jose Sharks (2015-17), he was hired to assume Florida's top post last season. The change comes at an interesting time for the Jets. The trio of Copp with centre Adam Lowry and Brandon Tanev looked like it was marked The Panthers finished 44-30-8 in the Eastern Conference, missing the down on Maurice's notepad in indelible ink. playoffs by a point. But it's clearly an effort to get Laine's mojo back. He's been up and down Some of Maurice's attributes, indeed, rubbed off, he said. the lineup and hasn't quite found the chemistry the organization and fan base is hoping to witness. "If (there’s) anything I take from Paul’s philosophy, he makes it a players’ environment. He’s hard when he needs to be hard, but he’s a guy that is "It happened last year, I put Patty out with Lowry’s line and I liked it. And easy to play for," he said. you’re saying it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense," Maurice explained. "You’ve got this shooter with two grinders. But when you take a look at Laine's not the only Jets winger with pro experience in Finland. the offensive-zone time, Lowry and Tanev get a tremendous amount. And it was the one thing with (Bryan) Little, (Nikolaj) Ehlers and Laine, Mathieu Perreault played seven games for HIFK Helsinki of the Finnish they didn’t have the offensive-zone time. SM-Liiga during the NHL lockout in 2012, scoring once and adding six assists. "Patty needs it. The rush is one thing, but this is a real fast game (and) he needs zone time. So, we’ll watch it, let it develop and see what He was just getting settled in with his new Nordic lifestyle over the happens." holiday season when the stalemate was resolved and he was back with the Washington Capitals just a few days into the new year. Copp said there's a comfort level with Roslovic, as the pair played with centre Little at times during the post-season last year. He's also getting a Does he remember much about his short stint in Europe? kick out of running drills with the always-vocal Lemieux. "They had jerseys. We lost to them, which was kind of "I've had some time with him before and he's a straight-line guy, he's embarrassing at the time. Well, the guys were making it sound like we going to be tough in the corners and win battles. And I just have to make shouldn’t be losing to that team, anyway," Perreault said, of a particular sure I'm talking to him as we're coming up the ice," said Copp. "He needs opponent. to shut up sometimes, to be honest with you (laughs) but he's that rah- "I feel like we might have bused there. I remember going up there and it rah type guy. He's always in the mix and that's his personality on and off was even darker. So those are the kind of memories. It was seven the ice, he doesn't change." games over three weeks." Credit an unnamed Finnish reporter with the finest question posed to Maurice during the Jets head coach's press conference following Tuesday practice. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 10.31.2018 Scrap that. Best question to PoMo all season, to date. He'd just been asked to compare the undisputed stars of the week, Jets winger Patrik Laine and Florida Panthers centre Aleksander Barkov, both back in the homeland for the two-game set. Maurice balked initially before giving an astute response. Then this oddball inquiry came from the floor: "(You) don’t want to compare them, but do you expect Laine to show Barkov who’s the daddy here in Finland?" Maurice nearly spit out his water. "Whoa, welcome to Europe. I never get asked a question like that," he said, to the chuckling gallery. "First of all, I’m not even sure that that means. I’m old. "Uhmm, I think it will be a great contest." 1112991 Winnipeg Jets But on the game-winner by Kasperi Kapanen, Hellebuyck did appear to go down into his butterfly a bit early.

While it took a perfect shot under the crossbar to beat him, Hellebuyck Hellebuyck’s confidence doesn’t waver; Familiar refrain for Jets goalie didn’t agree with the assessment. despite slow start “I don’t even think it was a good shot. I think it got ramped up a stick and it hits the side of my helmet,” said Hellebuyck. “I don’t play that differently Ken Wiebe ever. If that’s going to happen, that’s going to happen. I think that was really bad luck. It hit the side of my head, so maybe it was going wide, hit it and went down.” HELSINKI – Connor Hellebuyck remains in a state of no concern. There is no crisis in the crease or goalie controversy brewing when it comes to the Jets, but to this point Hellebuyck has some work to do to That’s pretty much been standard operating procedure for the goalie get back to the form he showed last season. since arriving on the scene with the Winnipeg Jets, first as a call-up who took the league by storm and eventually blossoming into a guy who was Having a guy like Brossoit who is pushing to earn a few more starts the runner-up for the Vezina Trophy last season. should only speed up the process, since a little internal competition is usually good for all parties involved. Rarely short on confidence, Hellebuyck is a guy who is almost always happy where his game is at, or at least that’s what he’s programmed himself to say publicly. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 10.31.2018 It’s important to remember that it’s early in the season, but through 12 games, there’s only one goalie on the Jets roster playing at an above- average level and that’s backup Laurent Brossoit. As for Hellebuyck, like several of his teammates, he’s been a little bit slow out of the gate. “Yeah, I thought I started very well and just recently I’ve had a couple of mistakes that have cost me, and I can’t let that get on me,” said Hellebuyck, who is 4-4-1 with a 3.00 goals-against average and .907 save %. “I can’t get down because I know it is just part of those ups and downs. My numbers aren’t exactly where I want them to be, but I’m working hard and I know they’re going to come around. The guys in front of me have been great, and all I can do is work hard and be there when I’m needed.” It remains an incredibly small sample size, but Brossoit has met every challenge so far this season, instilling confidence with a 3-0 record, 1.67 goals-against average and .957 save %. Of course, when you’re not playing as often, one subpar night can leave a significant dent in the numbers. But Brossoit looks like he can handle the workload of a backup and give his team a chance to win when called upon. In some markets, there might be a temptation to start Brossoit in goal on Thursday in the first of two Global Series games against the Florida Panthers. Carolina Hurricanes forward Jordan Martinook (right) falls on Winnipeg Jets defenceman Dmitry Kulikov while swinging at a loose puck in front of goaltender Laurent Brossoit on Sunday night in Winnipeg. Brossoit made 42 saves in his first start of the season. (Kevin King/Winnipeg Sun) Jets head coach Paul Maurice didn’t sound the least bit concerned when asked about the state of Hellebuyck’s game on Tuesday, nor did he commit to starting him in both games. “That theme would be true of our team. I think in a lot of ways there’d be guys whose numbers aren’t where they want. The numbers don’t matter,” said Maurice. “The schedule lines up in a way that we want to do a couple of things. In some ways this is a light schedule, right. I know we’ve played 12, but we played six straight at home, we’ve got two games here, but we’ve got nine days built around it were we don’t play. “So, you’re stuck in the middle of running Connor, which is probably what he needs to get back to happy. But you also know that Laurent’s got to go in and his play’s been so good. So, I’m not worried about it. I’m also not going to work real, real hard to fix it. I’m going to leave the back-to- back this weekend kind of open, and then when we get back we’ll get into a normal schedule.” A simple split of the two contests seems like a logical solution, but if Hellebuyck plays well on Thursday, Maurice might look to try to ride the momentum before his team heads back overseas on Saturday — since the Jets don’t play again until Friday when the Colorado Avalanche come to BellMTS Place. One of Hellebuyck’s best starts of the season came on Saturday night, when he blanked the powerful Toronto Maple Leafs through two periods. However, in the third period, Hellebuyck gave up three goals — all from Jets turnovers — and what looked to be a strong effort turned into an agonizing loss. None of the goals allowed by Hellebuyck were softies. 1112992 Winnipeg Jets On Thursday, Laine will start where he finished Saturday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, on right wing with Adam Lowry and Brandon Tanev. JETS SNAPSHOTS: Who’s the daddy?…Laine knows what he wants to “I know they have a lot of O-zone time when I’ve watched them play,” improve on…Trading places…Perreault recalls Liiga experience said Laine. “Two big, strong guys who can play physical and can protect the puck well. Hopefully, we can create some O-zone time, obviously that’s where I’m at my best. So try to do that and bring that to the line Ken Wiebe with those guys. Just work hard and play simple.” The line won’t likely be used in the same shutdown role the line is accustomed to be used in. HELSINKI – The questioner came out firing with both barrels at Paul Maurice. “You get one of the best natural goal scorers. It makes us a threat anytime we get over the blue line, to score a goal,” said Lowry. “He can The time for casual conversation about the Winnipeg Jets was over and beat goalies from anywhere on the ice. the Finnish reporter wanted to know once and for all if Maurice expected Patrik Laine was going to show Aleksander Barkov “who is the daddy” “Traditionally, our line has scored a lot of goals in and around the net during the Global Series games against the Florida Panthers. through hard work. We aren’t blessed with the shot (Laine) has. We lose a bit of the two-way game, but we certainly get that game-breaking ability “Whoa, welcome to Europe. I never get asked a question like that,” said with (Laine) there.” Maurice. “First of all, I’m not even sure what that means. I’m old. Umm, I think it will be a great contest.” With Andrew Copp moving down to the fourth line to make room for Laine, Maurice has decided to move him back to his natural position of With the Global Series coming to Finland, it’s no surprise that a large centre and shift Jack Roslovic to right wing on the with Brendan Lemieux. contingent of Finnish journalists want to put Laine and Barkov under a microscope and ask for opinions about which player is better. “It will be good,” said Copp. “We’re not going to go the rest of the year with everyone being healthy. It’s just like riding a bike. It was something Laine is coming off a season where only Washington Capitals captain that I knew was going to happen at some point. This is the point (of the Alex Ovechkin scored more goals than his 44, while Barkov is a bit more season) where you’re going to see some mixing and matching a little bit, under the radar but has already grown into an impressive two-way centre based on when we’re away and when we’re home and all of that. It will that will make him a candidate for the Selke Trophy for years to come. be interesting, but I’m really comfortable in the middle.” “They’re both brilliant. The contrast of it doesn’t work because you’ve Based on Tuesday’s workout, it looks like Nic Petan will be scratched up got a centre-man and a winger and you might as well be talking about front and that Dmitry Kulikov and Tucker Poolman will be the extra goalies and coaches, they’re just two different things,” said Maurice. defencemen in Thursday’s game. “There’s an uncoached brilliance in both their games. I can’t tell you how Patty shoots the puck the way he shoots it. Barkov (has) great hands but Jets forward Mathieu Perreault caught an observer off guard on Tuesday also his stick is in the right spot, (he’s) physical in the D-zone, kind of morning when he said hello to a local in Finnish, but they shouldn’t have came into the league and took a little bit of time and then looked like a been surprised. pro that you’re done coaching, right? There are four or five guys on my team I don’t really coach them. They know what they’re doing, they know Perreault had a brief cameo with IFK Helsinki of the Liiga during the the routes, they know the game. I say hi to them in the morning, ‘How’re lockout season of 2012-13, suiting up in seven games and chipping in a you doing?’ (Barkov) looked like he got to that point really quickly, that’s goal and seven points. hard to do. But completely different situations.” “It was a fun time,” said Perreault. “It feels a little different, because now Jets captain Blake Wheeler took a diplomatic approach to the question I’m coming in with a team. We’re in a hotel. When I came here last time, I before casting his vote with his teammate. was with my wife and we were in an apartment, living the life of playing here, not coming on the road. So, it’s a totally different feeling for sure.” “You know I’m partial, right? They’re both incredibly talented players,” said Wheeler. “Two of the brightest young guys in the league. Finland Perreault said the buzz around the event is familiar. definitely has two guys to be proud of. Clearly, (Laine) has been a huge “Honestly, it kind of feels like an outdoor game, where there is week or a boost for our team. So, I’ll stick with our guy.” few weeks of build-up right up to the game,” said Perreault. “The game Laine spoke with reporters in Finnish and English and has embraced the has the same meaning, there are two points on the line but there is so spotlight that comes with playing in his home country. much around the game that sometimes you forget about it. But once the game starts, you just play hockey and try to get two points.” “This might be the only time in my life that I’m able to play an NHL game back home,” said Laine. “Who knows, but I’m not going to look at the game like that. Just try to enjoy every second that I’m here and try to win Winnipeg Sun LOADED 10.31.2018 those two games.” Laine also let reporters know that Barkov has more personality than he might show when not speaking his first language. “He’s not the kind of guy that you think he is. He’s not a shy guy,” said Laine, who spent time with Barkov in their hometown of Tampere during Monday’s off day. “I don’t know if he’s that funny in English. I’m not sure because I don’t talk English to him. But he’s a really funny guy in Finnish. He’s an amazing player, it will be great to play against him and hopefully he enjoys this moment just as much as me.” Laine isn’t afraid to be critical of his own game. When the topic of what he wasn’t happy with was brought forth on Tuesday afternoon after the Winnipeg Jets skated at Hartwall Arena, the Finnish sniper expressed his disappointment with his play in the defensive zone. “Overall, it kind of feels like the pucks are bouncing and when I’m trying to get it out of the zone, it feels like it’s going to hit something and stay inside. That’s probably the biggest thing I need to work on,” said Laine. “To get pucks out and get pucks deep, those are the small things that the team and the coaches and all of the other players respect and they want everybody to do the same things. That’s something especially that I don’t like about my game.” Laine has been bounced around the Jets lineup during the past couple of weeks, moving everywhere from the first line with Mark Scheifele to the fourth line with Jack Roslovic and everywhere in between. 1112993 Winnipeg Jets

Panthers coach Boughner enjoyed playing for Maurice with Hurricanes

Ken Wiebe

HELSINKI – The grin on the face of Bob Boughner seemed to suggest his answer about Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice might have been even more colourful if the cameras weren’t rolling. On Tuesday afternoon, Boughner was set to wrap up his press conference inside the bowels of Hartwall Arena when he was asked what he remembered about playing for Maurice for 30 games during the 2003- 04 season with the Carolina Hurricanes. “I love Paul’s personality and I love how he handles the room,” said Boughner, who is now the head coach of the Florida Panthers. “He’s got some of the best sarcasm I’ve ever heard as a coach in front of the players.” Boughner may have been on the receiving end of some of that sarcasm, but made it clear he enjoyed playing for Maurice, who was replaced by Peter Laviolette later that season. “He’s a players’ coach,” said Boughner. “His teams play hard for him, they always have. He’s a guy that you want to play for. “So if (there’s) anything I take from Paul’s philosophy (into his own coaching style), he makes it a players’ environment. He’s hard when he needs to be hard, but he’s a guy that is easy to play for.” The Jets and Panthers meet on Thursday and Friday as part of the NHL Global Series.

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 10.31.2018 1112994 Winnipeg Jets important time, but he’s not perfect. That’s the best part of the story. He has all the issues that we all deal with and he accomplished that – makes you think I should get off my couch.

Q&A: Paul Maurice on his love of reading and what his players read Are there books you have read specifically that you’ve wanted to read as when they’re not playing Fortnite a coach, that influence your coaching style or your message to the players?

By Leah Hextall About all the books I read. Over the summer it was The Art of Learning (by Josh Waitzkin). Really, really good. Oct 30, 2018 What did you learn from that?

I’m not sure how much I want to share with you because some of it’s At the risk of sounding uncool, the only gaming skills I own are in Super really good stuff that I’m using now, lots of really good stuff. It’s not Mario or Tetris. (about) the mistakes that you make after the change – I say possession – but (it’s about preventing the mistakes) after momentum shifts in a game. Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice goes even farther back and You go from up 3-1 to 3-3, it’s really those mistakes you make after and recalls playing Pong. So, it’s safe to say Maurice will not partake with his why you make those mistakes. That’s true in a chess match and it’s also players in lengthy Fortnite battles on the team’s road trip to Helsinki, true in the rink. So, that one I hung onto a while; that’s a good one. Finland. Are there any books you’ve read that you have passed on to other Instead, when Maurice is not preparing for an upcoming game, you will coaches or players? likely catch him reading. A good book is the pastime of choice for Maurice and one he comes by naturally. He’s also not the only member People in the office got The Daily Stoic (by Ryan Holiday). of the organization who can be founding flipping pages instead of pressing buttons. Why?

“My dad was a big reader and both my brothers (and) my wife have quite If I have a conversation with you and a part of our conversation gets near a book collection so I’m the least of the readers in my family, but I do like that book, I’ll say you might like this or there is a piece in that book. Blake to read,” Maurice said. Wheeler the other day, we were talking about just him and how he practices and preps his summer routine and he said, “Read The Talent I caught up with Maurice last week before the Jets’ trip to Helsinki. Code (by Daniel Coyle).” I’m actually reading it now.

Do you recall the first book you ever read? You’re a reader and I think about the players today, the young players and it’s a different time, a lot of video games. Is there ever a suggestion I know that I got my primer. Do they still call them that? You know in to your players it might be wise to pick up a book? Grade 1 when you get your primer textbook? I read it when I got home; the whole thing. There is certain arrogance of age, right? Because we know everything. “You shouldn’t play video games.” When I have a problem with my Both my parents are teachers, and we always had books around, all phone, I pass it to my kids, it gets fixed and it comes back to me. I don’t different levels and all different kinds. You thought you were doing well take the time to learn. I don’t have a Twitter account, no Facebook, not and then my older brother was reading Dostoyevsky in Grade 11, so who on Instagram – I’m not part of that. There are a lot of really good things in does that, right? technology. There might be a value to video games, too, as there are a I don’t even know what Dostoyevsky is … lot of really good players that have incredible hands that play video games. Maybe there is something there and maybe our video games just Fyodor Dostoyevsky: The Idiot, The Brothers Karamazov and some sucked? Coleco: Head to head football, Pong – they’re no good. pretty good books – Russian. So, that was part of how me and my older brothers grew up. Those might have been your video games; they weren’t my video games.

That being said, you mentioned both your parents are teachers. Is that I wasn’t trying to get you to nod there! where the love of reading comes from? But do you think there is a benefit to reading for one’s mind? I don’t know. There is a benefit from reading because we can’t travel as much as we The importance of it? loved to. So, you can roll around the world without leaving Sault Ste. Marie. Learn about different things. My year over in Russia would have When you’re around it, you see it happening and it seems like a good opened my eyes to all the things I don’t know – cultures and things I’m thing to do. If you’re lucky enough, you can find someone who can kind not going to experience. And even if you go stay at a nice hotel in a of guide you through books. Believe it or not, right now it’s (Jets assistant foreign country, you don’t really get it. But I’m also not going to hang coach) Todd Woodcroft. He has a whole selection of books that I’ve around places where I don’t know the language. So, I’m never going to never read. So, I kind of get on that vein and I’ll get on themes of what have that experience, but sometimes you can read books and get a I’m going to read. sense of it.

What do you take away from reading? I was told from someone that there is a book the Winnipeg Jets leadership group has read, true? A version of meditation. You can get lost in a book. It’s like driving a motorcycle, especially if you’re not good at it, you really aren’t thinking Well, there’s one. Mark Chipman is the one who fires around some about anything else. If you can get in a good cadence or a good rhythm, books. you don’t think about hockey for an hour. That’s always good. So? Is that needed? I will not confirm or deny any top secret reading. At times. You need a place to go. We work on the planes, a lot of video on the planes and you also sit on the planes with nothing to do. So that’s You may have someone come to you one day and ask if you would like a real good time to read. to write a book…

Do you recall a book that has had an impact on you? Not a chance.

Winston Churchill: A Life. That book made a really big impact; very good. Not a chance? Why not?

What did you find interesting about it? It’s a public service because you have better things to do with your time, I guarantee that. The hours I would owe you in your life would be too It’s a historical book in his words but not an autobiography. There are so heavy a burden for me to carry. many little snippets from letters where you feel like you get an insight. Real tough start and rose to such an important person in such an Let’s put it this way then: If I were to read a book about Paul Maurice, how would the story go? (long pause) First, I think we’ve established that would never happen …

It’s happening; deal with it! What would I be reading?

I don’t know yet, Leah. Hopefully, we’re only in the mid-chapters. I’m really counting on this second half of this book to pick up.

What would you like to see in that second half of that book?

I wouldn’t mind some silver trophies; that would be nice …

The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112995 Vancouver Canucks Tyler Motte has proven to be a good partner to Sutter, but will he carry on with Granlund? Tim Schaller has been the other primary winger when down a man, so he’s an option as well. Patrick Johnston: Canucks’ penalty kill will miss Brandon Sutter Dayal’s data tells us that the first unit on the penalty kill, led by Sutter, has been far better than the second. That the Canucks’ goalies are posting a 96.2 per cent save percentage with Sutter on the penalty kill — Patrick Johnston the second unit is about 15 points lower — and that figure is quite possibly related in part to the fact that Sutter’s group is doing such a good job at disrupting opposition possessions. Brandon Sutter, as a penalty killer, has seen just one power-play goal The task while he’s out is for his teammates to learn his lessons and registered against him by the opposition in nearly 45 minutes of apply them. shorthanded duty over 13 games. Now he’s out four to six weeks with a separated shoulder. The Canucks' penalty kill has been remarkably proficient when the Vancouver Province: LOADED: 10.31.2018 veteran centre has been on the ice. Brandon Sutter was once billed by his general manager as a potential elite, two-way centre. He has not panned out that way, but there’s no denying his abilities as a penalty killer and that his influence on the Canucks’ penalty kill, which is sitting ninth in the NHL, can’t be understated. There’s a catalogue of numbers that back up the important role Sutter plays on the team’s work when down a man, and about how hard it will be to fill in for him while he recovers from a separated shoulder over the next month or so. The easiest one to look at is how many goals have been scored against the Canucks when he’s been killing penalties this season: Just one goal in almost 45 minutes of shorthanded duty, spread over 13 games. In publicly available data from NaturalStatTrick.com, Sutter has the second stingiest shot-attempts-against rate of any forward while the Canucks are killing a penalty, just behind Markus Granlund. He has the lowest rate of shots-on-net-against of any Canuck who is regularly killing penalties. When Sutter is killing penalties, he’s second stingiest in the rate of allowing scoring chances against — in other words, shots from the area bounded by the tops of the face-off circle, down through the face-off dots and in towards the crease — just behind, again, Markus Granlund. Sutter has also been the team’s primary face-off man when the Canucks are shorthanded, winning 45.5 per cent of his draws, well above Bo Horvat (37.5 per cent) and Jay Beagle (31.2 per cent). Offline, there’s more interesting data to consider. Local hockey writer Harman Dayal has written about the importance of understanding micro stats, the little numbers that require intense tracking and help us understand the bigger numbers like the ones above. “Intuitive,” he has called these numbers. Thankfully, they make total sense from first glance. They tell us things that we understand right away, like how much Sutter is able to disrupt what the other team is trying to do with the puck. (The numbers Dayal’s tracking, by the way, are the sort of thing that would be great to see more of. Hockey is a very complex game. There are still many principles and skills — Sutter’s back-checking and pressure on defencemen at even strength are another that would be fascinating to learn more about in terms of significance — that need further examination.) Sutter leads the Canucks in clearing the puck while down a man, is the best forward on the Canucks at breaking up plays and then retrieving the puck, plus when he’s on the ice he’s cutting in half the rate at which the opposition is connecting on passes into the high-danger shot area on top of the crease. This ability to break up the opposition’s efforts to make plays lines up very well with the public comments his coach made earlier this year about what the penalty kill needs to be better at: preventing passes across the ice. The challenge is how to replace Sutter. Jay Beagle, if he weren’t hurt, would be the obvious choice by reputation, though the data suggests his work last year in Washington wasn’t elite. The next-up guy will obviously be Markus Granlund, who hasn’t been terribly proficient on face-offs this year (he’s just over 40 per cent in all situations; he’s taken just three draws shorthanded) but his numbers after the face-off, you’ll have noted above, are solid. 1112996 Vancouver Canucks “It’s awesome to see, especially at such a young age,” marvelled the 23- year-old Horvat. “When you’re only 19 and doing that stuff already, there’s just more to come. People might think he’d be a little more timid Ben Kuzma: Canucks’ Horvat must shoulder bigger defensive load after after the hit (concussion), and he doesn’t show that at all. The way he Sutter injury has come back and played is pretty impressive.” It’s the kind of effort Canucks coach Travis Green is trying to coax out of Nikolay Goldobin. Pettersson’s linemate has a considerable skill set, but Ben Kuzma the Russian winger hasn’t scored since the season opener and has but one goal and a paltry 4.2 shooting percentage on 24 shots.

Goldobin needs to get to the areas to get better scoring chances. He did Bo Horvat of the Vancouver Canucks lines up for the draw during last start the passing sequence on Pettersson’s first goal Monday, but he week's game against the Arizona Coyotes in Glendale, Ariz. Horvat’s needs to be more engaged. faceoff efficiency has steadily improved over the years. “(Goldobin) needs to work,” said Green. “He needs to skate and move his Canucks centre must harness faceoff efficiency in tougher defensive- feet. You can’t just play the game hoping you’re on the outside and zone matchups. getting a puck and make a nice play, Sometimes, you have to go to the dirty areas — and when you’re not scoring or getting points, you can’t Amid the euphoria that is the electric Elias Pettersson, comes the stark wait for the game to come to you. reality for Bo Horvat. “I think he’s close, but as a young guy, when you don’t score you only As centres of attention for the Vancouver Canucks — the slick Swedish think about scoring. You have to think about doing other things and rookie has seven goals in seven games while the future captain has the scoring will come from that. Bo is a good example. His game wasn’t same amount in 13 outings — the loss of Brandon Sutter on Monday to a sharp early in the year.” right shoulder separation will have a trickle-down effect.

For the poised Pettersson, it may mean more minutes to spin magic with and without the puck because of a remarkable and relentless three-zone Vancouver Province: LOADED: 10.31.2018 awareness. For the workhorse Horvat, it will mean more own-zone diligence and critical defensive-zone face-offs. Horvat took 36 draws in Monday’s 5-2 win over the Minnesota Wild, a season-high total that ramped up when Sutter was injured early in the second period during a penalty kill. The veteran pivot tried to engage blue-liner Matt Dumba, slammed hard into the sideboards and is now out four to six weeks. Couple that with Jay Beagle recovering from a forearm fracture, and the centres who were supposed to ease Horvat’s defensive load have instead added to it. “For both of them to go down, it gives me more defensive responsibilities and taking big face-offs,” said Horvat, who won 56 per cent against the Wild. “I have to commit and not cheat all over the ice. Losing Sutter halfway through the game, you’ve got to take a step back, but play smart.” Without Alex Edler (knee sprain) and Chris Tanev (hip bruise), puck possession and transition out of the defensive zone Wednesday against the Chicago Blackhawks will be of paramount importance. “It’s unreal,” Horvat said of injuries that include Sven Baertschi (concussion) and Anders Nilsson (finger fracture). “It seems to happen to us every year. You become all-round players because you have to fill that void.” The value of Brandon Sutter, now sidelined four to six weeks with a shoulder separation, has been in a shutdown capacity and prime penalty killer for the NHL’s ninth-ranked unit. Horvat made his NHL way by learning the defensive game. His face-off efficiency has not only been steady and improved over the years — 51.4, 50.0, 50.5, 53.8 and a team-best 55.6 this season — he will now face tougher draw matchups with Sutter sidelined. That could overshadow some of the success Horvat has enjoyed with dominant 67, 68 and 79 per cent efficiency outings. To his credit, Sutter’s value has been in a shutdown capacity and prime penalty killer for the league’s ninth-ranked unit. Horvat had been freed up from extra work because the penalty-kill pairings of Sutter with Tyler Motte and Markus Granlund with Tim Schaller — and Beagle before he was injured blocking a shot — have been exceptional, with nine perfect games. Horvat did log 2:28 of penalty-kill time Monday and played a season-high 22:09 overall. Granlund could move back to the middle Wednesday, but he’s not great in the circle, at 40.4 per cent. Rookie Adam Gaudette won but two of eight draws Monday and was learning on the fly in a season high 12:15 of ice time — he found himself up against Eric Staal and Mikko Koivu once Sutter was sidelined. “I’ve been holding my own out there,” said Gaudette. “I’m playing a strong and physical game and making plays and keeping the puck on my stick a lot more often.” Whether it’s Gaudette or Horvat, the biggest adjustment to losing another veteran forward is to appreciate how hard a prized rookie is playing. Pettersson’s two-goal effort made the highlight reels, and the second effort, in which he blocked a point shot and sped away on a breakaway, had jaws dropping on the bench. 1112997 Vancouver Canucks

With Sutter injured, Canucks recall Archibald and Gaunce

Patrick Johnston

The Canucks made some roster moves Tuesday in the wake of another injury. As injuries continue to pile up in Vancouver, the Canucks have made another pair of roster moves. Brandon Sutter separated his shoulder in the second period of Monday’s 5-2 win over the Minnesota Wild. The usual recovery timeline for such an injury is four to six weeks at the minimum. Sutter will be placed on the injured reserve list. As a result, Canucks general manager Jim Benning told Postmedia News that the team is recalling Darren Archibald, who scored a goal last Thursday against the Arizona Coyotes in his only Canucks appearance so far this season; and Brendan Gaunce, who has skated in 114 games for the Canucks over the last three years, from their American Hockey League affiliate, the Utica Comets. Notably, both Archibald and Gaunce have killed penalties for the Canucks in the past; Sutter was a key member of the first penalty killing unit. To make room for the two players, Chris Tanev is also going on injured reserve, Benning added. Tanev suffered a bruise in his hip area on Wednesday night against the Vegas Golden Knights and hasn’t played since. He has skated with his teammates in practice but putting him on IR means he won’t play until Friday against the Colorado Avalanche at the earliest, as the minimum stint on IR is one week.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112998 Vancouver Canucks Long answer: After a forgettable first season in Vancouver, the big Swede showed some real flashes in October and — as mentioned above — really pushed Markstrom for minutes. This broken digit is a killer in Canucks’ goalie situation is pretty thin at the moment, which means terms of momentum, though Nilsson should be buoyed by the fact that Jacob Markstrom will be very busy the organization’s goalie of the future, Demko, isn’t available for a recall and a shot at making this a three-headed goalie monster (more on Demko later). By Mike Halford Do remember this season is an incredibly pivotal one. Nilsson’s a pending UFA who turns 29 in March, and there’s no guarantee his next Oct 30, 2018 contract will be of the NHL variety. He’s shown flashes in the past, but nothing beyond a one-to-two month stint that doesn’t exactly scream

sustainability. He had a nice month of January with Buffalo during the We interrupt the Pettersson hype and #ShotgunJakes to talk, for a ’16-17 campaign, and an eight-week run with Edmonton in the early part moment, about Vancouver’s current plight between the pipes. of ’15-16 in which he (briefly) wrestled the starting gig away from Cam Talbot. Don’t worry, the regularly scheduled stuff will return soon. Big picture, his time in Vancouver has largely been a downer. From the As of Tuesday afternoon, still basking in the glow of Monday night’s win disappointments of last season to Green angrily barking directives at over the Wild, here’s where things currently stood in the crease.: Nilsson during a practice… Anders Nilsson suffered a fractured finger in his glove hand and was … it’s fair to say Nilsson, monetary compensation aside, has had a rough placed on injured reserve. He’s expected to miss up to three weeks. go in Vancouver. This injury doesn’t help matters any. Thatcher Demko remains in concussion protocol, and has yet to play a What it means for Bachman game this season. The timeline for his return is unclear. Short answer: The big winner in all this. This leaves the Canucks with the one-two tandem of Jacob Markstrom and Richard Bachman, while the Utica Comets are left with 22-year-old Long answer: The 31-year-old journeyman gets an NHL paycheque for a Belarusian Ivan Kulbakov and 24-year-old Connor LaCouvee, a few weeks, along with a shot at big-league action for the first time in Qualicum Beach native who was previously with ECHL Maine. LaCouvee nearly two years. He also gets to fly charter and stay in fancy hotels, on was signed to a PTO on Monday. par with the luxuries included in your Athletic VIP membership. Pillow mints, champagne socials, express check-in, the works. Bachman will be This is quite the series of developments for an organization that, heading living the life for the next little bit. into the year, had pretty good depth in the goaltending department. What do these developments mean for the men tasked with stopping pucks But from a Canucks perspective, none of this is especially good. and the organizations that employ them? Bachman’s never been more than a spot starter at the NHL level and his play in Utica thus far has left much to be desired. He’s allowed 21 goals Let’s take a look. on 155 shots — bad for a .865 save percentage — and has actually ceded the net to Kulbakov on a few occasions already (more on What it means for Markstrom Kulbakov in a sec, too). Short answer: A truckload of games. That said, perhaps Bachman is on the verge of figuring things out. He Long answer: Markstrom is expected to do most, if not all, of the heavy posted this wonder save against Rochester last week, good enough to lifting while Nilsson recovers. If Nilsson misses the full three weeks as earn him a spot on ESPN’s SportsCenter Top 10: estimated earlier, that would take him and Vancouver up to Nov. 18 — a In speaking about how he’ll deploy Bachman over the next three weeks, stretch of nine games, and possibly a 10th depending on Nilsson’s Green was decidedly non-committal. availability for a home date against Winnipeg on Nov. 19. “He’s had a good career, played some good games in the NHL,” the So yeah, lots of ice time up for grabs. Markstrom was the goalie of record head coach said. “When and if we need him, he’ll give it his best. He’s in the Pittsburgh and Minnesota games, so the possibility exists of a had some good games down in Utica.” stretch where he plays eight straight and maybe 10 of 11. Should Bachman get a game, it would probably be that second of a back-to-back The best case scenario is the Canucks squeeze one, maybe two starts against the Isles on the 13th. out of Bachman and come out of them unscathed. And to his credit, since joining the organization three years ago he’s shown some ability to And with that, the conversation will again turn to Markstrom’s ability to provide that. He jumped in to record his first and only win of ’15-16 with a shoulder a full-fledged, No. 1 goalie’s workload. 28-save effort in Arizona and, one year later, flat out stole a victory in This has, for the uninitiated, been the predominant conversation about Anaheim by making 43 saves in a 2-1 decision over the Ducks. Marky since signing a three-year, $11.01M extension in July of 2016. Bachman also has major experience with Green, having played under There were signs that he’d started to figure it out last season, posting him in Utica for two seasons. So there’s a familiarity there, which is good. career highs in nearly every statistical category (including 60 games played, putting him tied alongside the likes of Martin Jones in San Jose What it means for Demko and Devan Dubnyk in Minnesota). Markstrom also had a terrific month of March, playing 11 of 14 games while posting a .928 save percentage. Short answer: Brutal start to the campaign gets brutal-er. Yet this year, it’s clear the No. 1 gig in Vancouver remains very much up Long answer: This should’ve been, by all accounts, Demko’s first major for grabs. Nilsson and Markstrom had near-identical minutes prior to the sniff at significant NHL minutes. But that won’t happen. former getting hurt, but it was Nilsson who posted superior metrics By now, you’ve all heard the issues surrounding his concussion and the (including a .912 save percentage). infamous flight back to Utica at the tail end of Vancouver’s preseason — And now Markstrom gets his chance to take the ball and run with it. a flight Demko accepted despite dealing with the aforementioned injury. His first salvo, sans-Nilsson, was an impressive 37-save win over the In case you missed it, here’s Botch’s reportage from a couple weeks ago: Wild on Monday night. With all due respect to his efforts in the opener Several people around the Canucks know this story. Demko talked to Jim against Calgary and the shootout win over Vegas, this might’ve been and expressed ambivalence about the flight. It’s believed he asked if he Markstrom’s finest effort of the year. could stay in Vancouver, even just for a few days and put off the flight. “He was fantastic, he was great tonight,” Travis Green said of Markstrom The Canucks didn’t see a reason for him to stay in Vancouver because following the win. “Not just good — they had the heat on us, and I liked the player had been cleared for the long flight. how hard our guys played. But Marky was a rock back there.” Demko did what the team had asked. It’ll be interesting to see if he can replicate that success against Chicago on Wednesday, and then again when the Canucks head out on that six- The post-concussion symptoms worsened when he landed. Demko game roadie. couldn’t even get to Utica. He would spend the next few days unable to do much at all, the Canucks said. What it means for Nilsson The Canucks advised him to stay away from the rink. Short answer: Timing couldn’t be worse. The flight had set his recovery back weeks and I don’t think that part of it is disputed by anyone. In the aftermath, I’ve twice checked in — once with Comets GM Ryan Johnson, once with head coach Trent Cull — to see where Demko is at in his recovery. Johnson and Cull were pretty tight-lipped, only saying that Demko was “in the protocol” and gradually working his way back into game shape. “The good thing with Thatcher is that he’s progressing,” Cull said last week. “To be honest with you, he’s on the ice and those are all good things. When I talk to Thatcher, honestly, it’s probably not what you would expect. For some of those guys who are out a little bit of time with concussions, the last thing they want someone to do is to come up and ask them how they’re feeling. “So me and Thatcher, we talk about the weather, we’ve talked about golf, we’ve talked about his place where he’s living, his schooling — he’s doing some correspondence — so all I know is he’s progressing and doing good. Just with me talking to Thatcher throughout the days and stuff, you can see that he’s starting to feel better. That’s just a really promising sign.” What it means for Utica Short answer: Good luck, and God bless. Long answer: If you’d asked Cull and Johnson five weeks ago what their goaltending situation would look like come Oct. 30, pretty sure they wouldn’t have answered with “the Kulbakov-LaCouvee tandem.” Combined, these guys have just 35 games of professional hockey experience and 25 of those came in the ECHL. Not surprisingly, the Canucks have dispatched director of goaltending Dan Cloutier to Utica. Kulbakov will (presumably) handle most of the upcoming workload, and there’s quite a bit to shoulder. Beginning Friday in Laval, the Comets will play five games in nine nights and Kulbakov — who’s posted a .896 save percentage while virtually splitting playing time 50/50 with Bachman — is expected to be in net. This is a decidedly tall order for a guy ostensibly signed to spend most of this season in ECHL Kalamazoo as the organization’s fifth netminder. Now, he’s a Bachman or Markstrom injury away from joining the Canucks.

The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 1112999 Vancouver Canucks But he’s too good a player to be in the AHL long term,” Jackson told The Athletic.

“But he’s not right now so he has to realize that if he doesn’t play well in Surprised by his demotion, Sam Gagner is resolved to prove the the AHL, there are lots of people vying for jobs. Lots of guys get down Canucks wrong — and his friends right and pout and think they didn’t deserve it but I didn’t get any of that sense from Sam. He didn’t expect to be there and he doesn’t expect to stay but he knows for that to be true that he has to play well and show Vancouver By Scott Wheeler or one of the other 30 teams that he can bring value to them.” Oct 30, 2018 Jackson and Gagner see Toronto as his best landing spot because of its proximity to scouts for each of those 30 other teams. Once upon a time, Jackson was the Marlies’ general manager and governor. That familiarity with the organization, and its management, from Kyle Dubas to Laurence The only other time Sam Gagner had played in the AHL since the day he Gilman, helps. was drafted sixth overall in the 2007 NHL draft, it was not strictly because of his play. “They’ve done a very good job in Toronto with their player development over the last few years and they’ve got a very good coaching staff. So While with the Flyers during the 2015-2016 season, he was sent to the when that opportunity came, it worked out. I spoke with Jim Benning and Lehigh Valley Phantoms for nine games as a way to get games in; his it worked out and I credit Jim for seeing the benefit in it for everybody. It’s playing time in Philadelphia had been sporadic to that point after dealing a good thing for them too in my opinion.” with a concussion and he was recalled soon after to close out the season. Gagner, handicapped in part by the two years remaining on a contract with the Canucks that pays him $3.15-million per year, has played in Outside of that short AHL stay and a 20-points-in-21-games stint with each of the Marlies’ nine games this season, awaiting that next chance. Austrian club Klagenfurt AC during the league-imposed lockout during the 2012-2013 season, every second of Gagner’s 12-year career has And he has, to no one’s surprise, excelled in his role. His eight points in been spent in the NHL. He made the Oilers in his first training camp, nine games rank second on the Marlies. His 31 shots on goal rank first. posted 49 points as a rookie, and never looked back. Players like Calle Rosen, the Marlies’ best defenceman for the better part So it came as a surprise to Gagner and those who know him in the of the last year, have pointed to Gagner’s unique skill set as game- hockey world when he was sent to the Toronto Marlies at the start of this changing at the AHL level. “He brings a lot,” Rosen stressed. season by way of his Vancouver Canucks. Gagner’s 31 points in 74 games last season made him the Canucks’ sixth-highest scorer. With the Others, like veteran linemate Chris Mueller, see the impact Gagner has since-retired Daniel and Henrik Sedin no longer around, only Brock had as a playmaker on fellow linemate Carl Grundstrom (who has eight Boeser, Bo Horvat and Alex Edler stood ahead of him on the current points in seven games). roster. The year before, he posted 50 points in 81 games (good for fifth on the Columbus Blue Jackets), which is what earned him a three-year “It’s not hard to incorporate a player like him. I mean, his resume speaks deal in Vancouver. for itself and then he gets down here and all he wants to do is work hard and get better. And it’s pretty fun when you play with a guy with that kind “He’s NHL talent, there’s no question about that. I think what got him of talent, that kind of offensive ability. He’s a great guy to be around, a back to the NHL with us just playing games and minutes – and that was guy I look up to even though I’m older than him,” Mueller said. the biggest thing. It’s not like he had to come down here and have an attitude adjustment or need to work on his game,” Phantoms head coach “His career, any of us wish we would have had.” Scott Gordon said on a recent phone call. In more ways than one, Mueller and Gagner share a lot in common. “He just needed to play games. And then he found a good spot for They’re the veterans who chose Toronto as a destination despite himself in Columbus and they used him on the power play and he played knowing they weren’t in the NHL club’s plans. a certain role. I don’t know how it played out for him in Vancouver but Gagner decided to ask to join the Marlies instead of the Utica Comets for he’s certainly a guy I’m sure that if a team is looking for somebody to add a few reasons. The first is that he’s from the area and it allows him the skill and someone on the power play, that there will be a lot of people chance to play closer to home while he awaits his next opportunity in the who will have some interest in him just because he has that capability. NHL. The second is the value the Marlies’ program provides AHL players Players that have that experience, they can certainly fill a role pretty vis-a-vis other teams in the league. quickly.” “The way they treat all of us, the way they treat the older guys and our Among those most surprised by Gagner’s demotion: Childhood friend families, it’s second-to-none. I mean, it’s as close to the NHL as you’re John Tavares. This summer, when Gagner was the best man in Tavares’ going to get with the resources they give us,” Mueller said. “When you’re wedding, the pair also trained together — like they always do — for close to home, you’re close to your family, it’s pretty special. I know he’s exciting seasons ahead in Vancouver and Toronto. When Gagner settled thankful and happy to be here, he’s working, and we’re just looking on a move to Toronto, rather than heading to the Canucks’ affiliate in forward to having him more.” Utica, N.Y., Tavares was among the first of his old teammates to reach out and offer him a place to stay. From the beginning, the entire process has been a whirlwind for Gagner. When he joined the Marlies, he played three games in four days without “We’re still extremely close. Our families spend time together. I’ve got to having a full practice with the team — a few days before that he was in know his two young boys and his wife really well. I was definitely really, limbo and not skating in Vancouver. really surprised, especially after the commitment Vancouver made to him last summer and the way he was feeling coming into this summer,” “It’s a lot of travel and a lot of different things going on. But that’s just part Tavares said. of the business. Just playing games helps things settle. I was happy to just come here and play right away and just focus on hockey. There’s “He has always had a great attitude, a great work ethic, and he is not a been some good and some bad,” Gagner said earlier in the season. guy to take anything for granted. We push each other. I know it hasn’t been easy on him. But he has really taken it in stride and he looks at this “The Marlies are absolutely first class. The way they treat the guys and adversity as a challenge for himself and find a way to grow his game and the resources we have it’s pretty incredible for an AHL team.” obviously work his way back to the league. There’s no question he has the skill set, the work ethic and the right attitude, so I expect him to be Support from around the hockey world has also propelled him through back in the league soon.” the lows to stay positive. Interest hasn’t yet materialized, though. “There’s a lot of guys around the league, friends of mine, who have reached out. It’s always nice to have that support and it gives you the That’s not for a lack of support. Gagner is surrounded by his father Dave, confidence that players around the league feel you can play at that level a mega-agent in the hockey world, the Bobby Orr Group and its lead, Jeff and it gives you a little jolt,” Gagner said. Jackson. They credit him for the way he has handled what was, in the moment, a true shock to all involved. There are familiar faces around the Marlies organization, too. He knows Rich Clune. He trains with centre Josh Jooris in the summer. He skates “I think he has been a real pro about it. It’s not easy after playing that with skating consultant Barb Underhill. long in the league. One of the reasons that he has stayed in the NHL and has been productive for as long as he has is because he works hard Gagner’s upfront about how surprised he was by Vancouver’s choice. He every day and he’s a good teammate and he tries to make a difference felt he played well in camp and that his 11 years in the league spoke for on the team. In talks with him, he’s trying to put the team first right now. themselves. But he’s using that as motivation to get back to where he feels he belongs. The NHL hasn’t seen the last of Sam Gagner. “I know I have a lot of game left and there’s a chance for me to now go out and prove it and that’s the only way I can handle it. I’m not sure if I’m in their plans. For me, either way I have to prove myself and prove that I can be an NHL player. I just have to go out there and play how I know I can. If I do that I know I can help this team play and be a good part of things here and see where it takes me,” Gagner said. The Marlies are open about how thrilled they are by the addition. Head coach Sheldon Keefe inserted Gagner immediately onto the team’s first line. “We have some experience dealing with players in his situation, granted this one is a little different given that he’s on assignment here from Vancouver versus Toronto, but in terms of being an established NHLer having to come down, we have quite a bit of experience dealing with that over the three years I’ve been here. I do believe it does take some time but all indications are he’s coming in with a good frame of mind. We prioritize all of our young players to give them opportunities but we’ve got a green light to utilize him how we see fit,” Keefe said. When the opportunity to acquire him on loan presented itself, Laurence Gilman didn’t think twice, either. He knew Sam from his days working with Dave in Vancouver, (Dave Gagner worked as the Canucks’ director of player personnel while Gilman served as their assistant GM in the late 2000s). Gilman also pushed for an agreement with the Canucks that if they do recall Gagner, that any subsequent AHL demotions throughout this season would always be to the Marlies and not the Comets. “I can’t speak for the decision that the Vancouver Canucks made but from our perspective it was a no-brainer. Really, when you have a player that has his calibre of productivity, I know what kind of a tremendous human being he is. He can play as a No. 1 centre or a No. 1 distributor here and really, bringing a player in of this calibre is really an extension of our player development program. He’s there to make the young forwards on our team, whether that’s Jeremy Bracco or Adam Brooks, better, whether that’s making them better by distributing the puck to them in places where they can put it into the net or watching him go about plying his trade day-after-day as a highly skilled professional,” Gilman said. Gagner was impressed by how well-versed the Marlies staff were on his game. In their first conversation, Keefe told Gagner they were going to play him in the wing at even strength and the slot on the power play (a role he played so effectively in Columbus but never got the chance to play in Vancouver). “It’s nice to be able to be here and be close to my family and friends. But the main thing is it’s a good situation to play hockey here and the coaching staff has been great,” Gagner said. “I mean, they won the Calder Cup last year. It’s obviously not the circumstances you want but to get a chance to come here and just play, I’m excited about it. I think it’s an opportunity for me to prove that I can play at a high level and get some swagger in my game.”

The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 1113000 Vancouver Canucks I’m here all day for this next drift. He couldn’t have done it faster if 100 people were pulling him on a rope. Pettersson’s rise, the gamer update and what you need to know about He said later going to one knee and opening up his hips like that allow Troy Stecher him to put more velocity on the shot. That whole play started with a Goldy forecheck. By Jason Botchford One of these games I will break down and clip every single moment in which Pettersson does something special, something different. Oct 29, 2018 Tonight, I’ll take one shift.

Inspired by a back and forth I had on Twitter, I promised to point out one When it was over, someone turned to me and said: shift where EP does more little things than Eriksson does in a week. “Elias Pettersson is like the Sedins, if the Sedins were on steroids.” With his team pinned, EP first drives to the boards to help Hutton win a It’s as close as anyone is going to get these days to comparing these puck battle. three Swedish players. The Canucks still aren’t able to clear the zone, putting Pettersson in Obviously, Pettersson still has so much to accomplish in what is hoped to position to block this next shot, then track the puck and get it to his only be a long Vancouver career to get to where the Sedins got. But on nights open teammate. like tonight, for a moment or three, the impossible is imaginable. The Canucks still can’t clear. Soon to be 20 years old, Pettersson’s sharp, fast-processing hockey EP then blocks a shot trying to direct the puck into the boards like a mind does lend itself to comparisons with the former Canucks twin goalie would to prevent loose change. superstars. Still not done, and with his team straining under the pressure, EP fights But his raw skills, including his shot, skating and tenaciousness on off Mikko Koivu with angling and … STRENGTH … and finally his defence, give him tools which the Sedins just never really had. teammates are able to exit the zone. EP’s bar down goal tonight was glorious. It brought the house down. Does he look small there? When he blocked that shot and was unleashed on a breakaway thanks to Does he look weak? Boeser, Vancouver’s hockey fans exploded in a way that hasn’t been heard since the Sedins final days in the spring. Asking for a friend. The electricity swirling felt like for a beat like it could have lit the Fraser “I wanted to make some defensive plays on that shift and not let them Valley for a couple of weeks. Part of it was what Pettersson has done. score,” he said. His seven goals in seven games is more than enough to generate this kind of reaction. “There was chaos on the back end. But another part of it is what’s to come. The ovations for the Sedins were “If I can block a shot, I will do it every single time.” bittersweet because it was an ending. BEST GOAL Tonight, however, is just the beginning for Dekey Pete. This one looked like a soccer penalty shot where the goalie was caught The goals will grab much of the attention and so too will his blocked leaning the wrong way. shots, because this is a town that can appreciate the little things in life. Check out the open space. Dubnyk didn’t have a prayer. But there is so much nuance to Pettersson’s performance to be enjoyed At first, I assumed EP faked Dubnyk with head movement but someone and savoured. When he’s on like tonight, nearly every shift he can take said to check EP’s stick blade to see what really happened. you on a ride. Pettersson closes his blade over the puck in a movement which suggests He is one of the few players in recent Canucks memory who really has to he’s going to pull it in for a deke. be seen live to be fully appreciated. Goalies are dependent on reading the blade for shot location. Dubnyk How many plays did he make which were unusual, or noteworthy, or sees deke until EP opens the blade back up and pops off the bar short brilliant? side. It is difficult to say, but if you told me there were more than two dozen of Show one thing and do another. them tonight, I’d say you came up short. And he did it snake quick and gloriously. When the pregame skate was over, EP lingered on the ice. He took several consecutive one-timers with Goldy feeding him the puck. Swoon. He would say later he does this often, much like batting practice before a BEST STAT ballgame. FROM NHL PR: Elias Pettersson is the 21st player in league history to “It’s something I do a lot before every game,” EP said. “It’s important to score at least seven goals through his first seven career games and just me to get a feel for it. the eighth to do so in the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44). “It helps me get the timing just right. It helps me. BEST CALLBACK “It’s preparation.” Unfortunately this is correct and we can never lose the Viking Clap now. That prep work paid off midway through the second when he took what Vancouver is drunk on Dekey Pete and no one is going to sober this city was a sweet MDZ look-off pass. up. The pass was nice but as EP explained to me later, what really made this DT is trying at least to play devil’s advocate it seems. work is the fact he never stopped moving as he labelled the one-timer essentially on the fly. He pointed out the other day that there are plenty of players who can do what EP can do. When Del Zotto gets the puck, EP is in the middle of the ice, at the top of the slot. I will say, he’s making history and is one goal behind McDavid and OV after missing six games, so maybe this is different? I’d say many forwards would just stay here. Apparently DT doubled down tonight and it riled up the Church of But this is where he scored from: Pettersson. The Alien moved freaking fast, gliding backwards like he was on I don’t think this looks anything like Boeser’s run myself. motorized blades to get to that spot. But hey, it’s a different opinion and DT is entitled to his. The Church wasn’t pleased and created this meme, framing DT as a It’s not. non-believing heathen. The way I see a Nylander Canucks deal, Vancouver would have to give Is it fair? up either Hughes or a Juolevi package. Of course not. I asked Beacher, Van’s leader in prospect analysis, for his thoughts on this and this is what he said: But it’s funny. “They still have a long way to go but Hughes and Juolevi on the left side There was much attention paid to a delayed penalty call on Guddy. is a good base to build around for a new core. It was a high stick and it was only called on him after it was reviewed in “Obviously, they still need to add some offence to their current group but Toronto, apparently, which no one here had heard of before. the cost of Juo/Hughes should be a non-starter. “It’s the first I’ve seen that,” Guddy said. “Juolevi will be a dependable top-four defenceman who thrives on puck Friedge said it was made by the ref who fell. possession and control of the game. I wasn’t even aware that was allowed. “Hughes will be on the other pair and be the breakout machine and power-play quarterback. Now let’s take a look at the ref who didn’t call it before he fell. “If you trade Hughes or Juolevi … who is coming into this defensive BEST COMMENT group to improve it?” MEDIA: What would it have been like if EP had shown up last year and Swim in the deep end with that question for a few minutes. was playing with the Sedins? And then he dropped a Beach Bomb HORVAT: “It would have been fun to watch, I’m sure. I think to add him to Hank and Danny on the same line would have been fun to watch.” “Imagine, if they just drafted Nylander.” Remember, Gradin always said he would have been ready to play in the People will be worried about Boeser. NHL last year. Don’t be. Where the hell did that Markus Granlund come from? I mean you can be but he’s playing through a lingering groin injury. He plays like that for a month and I’d start to really believe he could score He does not shoot like this when healthy. 24 goals in the NHL. Following a presentation right here on Little Things Loui last week, Boolis What got Horvat on this play was how long he held onto the puck before chose to piggyback it, even crowbarring the now copyrighted “Little shooting. Things” from The Athletties right into his headline. HORVAT: “Schaller really made a great play getting in on the forecheck. If it’s a “derisive” nickname apparently without merit why are you using it “He jumped right after the draw. I wanted to get on the D-man right away in your headline? who was carrying the puck and he coughed it up to me. FYI, Boolis, Green has never used the term Flow or Dekey Pete either. “I then could hear Granny screaming from the slot. I just wanted to get it But I still use those nicknames. to him as quick as possible. If you want to know my thinking behind a nickname, you can call me. “He took a little longer than I thought to shoot it, but it was a great play by I do interviews. him.” Boolis does go on in this piece to explain that Little Things isn’t correct to MEDIA: “Pettersson came on like gangbusters in the first period but we him. didn’t see it as much in the third…” I ran with it, say my name, Boolis. GREEN: “Yes, I’ve got to watch their minutes. Him and Boes. In his ripper on Lu, Boolis quotes Green from a game he wasn’t at, “It’s hard to when they come out like they did against (Pittsburgh). I quotes some of Boy Genius’s work in The Athletic and then picks out thought they were dynamite early. some plays where Eriksson did for sure help EP score goals. “I had them both at 13 minutes after two periods which is… But to be real, Victor Oreskovich would be getting assist playing with this “I have to find their sweet spot right now and 19, 20 might be a bit much guy. right now.” He’s been that good. No one had more blocked shots than EP tonight. I agree Green has to find the right minutes for EP but how about no one No one was more physical than EP tonight. (Crazy, I know). use the Pittsburgh game to judge him? And no one did more of the little things. Did he run out of some gas? Maybe. Not even Your Boy Lu. But he hadn’t played in two weeks. It is comforting Eriksson has such a big supporter on the Canucks beat. He returned for a full practice last Tuesday, except he was limited and But know this, after all of Boolis’ venting, and despite all of the working in and out of the fourth line on rushes. suggestions he made that Green loves the way he plays, Eriksson still The Canucks didn’t practice again until he played Saturday. ended up a line with Sutter. That’s not a lot of time to get into game shape and up to game speed. And you know what? EP was better for it. There was a really nice moment during the pregame skate when Nate My guess is that kind of shutdown role is where Littlethinger settles for Prosser approached Bachman to exchange pleasantries and most of this season. congratulate him on the call-up. BEST WHAT IF? The two played together a decade ago at Colorado College. Take a moment and just imagine the Toronto takes if this had happened Any day in the NHL is a precious one for Bachman so I’m sure it had to Elias Pettersson. meaning. And while we’re putting TO on blast there is something we still need to I’m also sure Torts hated the whole thing. talk about. I wish I had a counter on how many times I’ve been asked about the Yes, Dubas trolled all of Vancouver recently and it was amazing. Canucks trading for Nylander. TSN 1040 Some even seem to believe giving up Hughes to pay Nylander more than BOAT CAPN: (Taking a shot at the ongoing Auston Matthews hype $8 million a year is a great idea. which often bleeds west) “I look forward to the tracking of his rehabilitation process, step by step until he’s ready to play.” FERRARO: “I don’t know what you want me to say. When Pettersson got Some of his best zero in on the Canucks defence. For some time, Boy hurt I’m listening to people who had never seen him diagnose him. Genius has been shedding light in the market with convincing arguments explaining why and how Troy Stecher is pretty good at the hockey. “So I would think it’s the same thing in our market.” Long stories and piles of data ridiculously shortened to one sentence for Oh snap. The Athletties, Boy Genius has shown Stecher is not only a top-four Everything about this is pretty great. defenceman, he has the most potential on the Canucks blueline and is already their best D when it comes to driving play and offence. This thread is a walking, talking lol. This seems important. Too bad Brough can’t enjoy that part of it because he remains imprisoned by an antiquated notion people should not use the “lol” term One of the more interesting things he’s looked at is the stat expected in social media for anything other than actually laughing out loud. primary points at 5-on-5 which relies on passing data. (You can go and take a deep dive here if you want to know why that’s so important) He’s really missing out on the social media good times. Stecher compared favourably with the 10 best defencemen in the league, FYI, this Thursday is the live Patcast. It’s with the Odds which is pretty and finished last season in the 74th percentile (better than all but 26 per crazy. cent, which would put him in the top 30). Don’t. Miss. This. Why should the Canucks be interested in this? It honestly may never happen again like this. Well, how about this reason: I can’t help but picture Brough looking like this, complete with the grey, In his rookie campaign, the one that gained him considerable hype and a when people “lol” him. fat contract, Ben Hutton was in the 20th percentile in expected primary points at 5-on-5 Can you even meme, Brough? Meaning 80 per cent of the league’s defencemen were better. To which This is going to come across as a shot at the Canucks but it’s not Boy Genius says: intended that way. “If anyone had paid attention to it back then, they would have known The team, however, will get hit with collateral damage because the Hutton is not an offensive D at all.” Canucks just look, well, horribly dated on the file. And if the Canucks had known that part, no one would have been caught So too do many in the media, which shouldn’t surprise anyone. saying this: I do hope some of you make sure what comes next makes it to the desks He has another revelation for you to chew on. Pouliot’s primary point rate of hockey media who seem to think playing video games damages the last year was less than Gudbranson’s at 5-on5. performance level of high-end athletes. “Pouliot’s expected primary points at 5-on-5: as in the 25th percentile and Here are several examples of when just the opposite has been proven to Gudbranson the 26th percentile.” be true. Now, that should stop you cold. There was David Price who played Fortnite before the biggest game of his career. The same Price who just completed one of the great Knowing some of this data, I was floored today when Green brushed off redemption arcs in recent sports history. Boolis’ question about considering Stecher as an Edler replacement on the power play. It was quite a day of Ws for local gamers because Alphonso Davies also revealed he is so in on it. Actually, I’m not floored any time Green blows off a Boolis question and Green did eventually say they looked at it. What’s even more favourable for Team Fortnite is Davies new squad, Bayern Munich picked up his cue. But the “not really” comment Green blurted out when Boolis asked about it felt like the real answer. Bayern Munich is among the greatest sports franchises in the world. This stuck out for me because I was aware Harm had already written And guess what? this: Bayern Munich just loves Fortnite. Immediately after I heard Green’s Stecher take, I was messaging Boy Genius and damn if I wasn’t convinced by the time he was done with me. Take in all of this: “With Edler out, he’s my guy on PP1,” BG said. “The simple fact that he’s As someone texted me, “the receipts just keep piling in.” a right shot means the forward has to respect his shot. Two thoughts: “That will open up more space with EP. One, that looks like a lot of fun. “Second, it’s easier to swing the puck over to Boeser. And two, sometimes NHL media just sucks. “I also really like his east-west movement in walking the line. BEST INTRODUCTION “And he has a history working on the same PP with Boeser when they From Dellow: played together at UND.” You don’t know Boy Genius? (He really got to me with that one). He’s an 18-year-old whiz who lives in Vancouver. He is a full-time He quickly provided a preseason scene to bolster his point. student in a difficult post-secondary program by day, and a hockey micro- “It’s an old clip from preseason, but imagine that sort of play with the stats junkie by night and day. current personnel. He is the next big thing on Vancouver’s stat scene and I don’t just say all “That’d be EP on the half-wall with the puck after Stecher draws the of this because one day he’ll be working for the Leafs and I could really defender and Boeser on the other side to receive the cross-ice feed.” use an in there. Say no more. Look at the swag this young man has in his profile pic. I will not rest until Stecher gets his chance. And then say his name. Say it.

I won’t rest until Dellow does just that. The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 I want Harm in a “bro. do your takes” T-shirt immediately. He has many of them. Takes, I mean, not cheesy Tees. 1113001 Websites Ryan Suter, one of Weber’s friends and former teammates, didn’t wear a visor for the first nine years of his career.

“Once I started having more kids, I was like, ‘You know what? I’d like to The Athletic / Players without a visor already the ‘Old Dinosaurs’ in the see my kids grow up,'” Suter said. “Everyone, most of the guys wear ’em NHL now. At first, it was a little tough getting used to, something that I’m used to now.” By Sean Shapiro Many of those that still eschew the visor understand the benefit of putting one on. Methot has practiced with one multiple times. Brodziak put one Oct 30, 2018 on for a full season with Minnesota in 2011-12. “The next summer I started skating in the summer without it and I remember thinking, ‘I can’t go back.’ It’s a different feel,” Brodziak told Early in Jamie Benn’s career, the Dallas Stars tried to turn him into a The Athletic‘s Daniel Nugent-Bowman. “It’s something I’m so used to that center. it’s tough to get used to a visor.” In many ways it made sense. The franchise was in a rough financial Fog and sweat are common visor complaints, especially when you are position, its ownership situation was shaky, and the Stars were looking used to playing without a windshield. Other players have complained for frugal solutions to replace Brad Richards, who had made it about how the visor pushes against their face and can cause potential abundantly clear he would be leaving Dallas after the 2010-11 season. cuts when taking a hit. So the Stars tried moving their most promising young forward at the time “It cuts you sometimes, that can get annoying,” said Kings forward Kyle from wing to center. The experiment lasted two seasons and had Clifford, who put a visor on after playing without one. “That’s what I middling results — Benn was decent at center but was more effective in noticed. I guess it doesn’t happen too much though, because if it did I’d his natural position on the wing. just take it off. Still might, I guess.” While the move to center didn’t last, it had a lasting impact on the rest of At the simplest level it comes down to one thing for those choosing to go Benn’s career from an appearance standpoint. without a visor: The comfort level trumps the risks of not wearing one. Moving to the middle of the ice meant Benn was going to take more “Even when I got hit by a puck on my mouth and had 30 stitches I didn’t faceoffs. All of a sudden, the visor he wore during his NHL rookie season wear one,” Polak said. “Still they wanted me to put a cage or visor and I was becoming more and more of a hassle. said, ‘No, I can’t play with it.’ … I think you’re an adult, you should have your own opinion. If you want to lose an eye, it’s your thing.” “Every time I took faceoffs I had sweat dripping in my visor,” Benn said. “And I said after that, ‘I’ll just take it off.'” While some players choose to play visorless since they don’t want a second job as a window cleaner between shifts, others continue to play In Benn’s mind, it was both a strategic and cosmetic change. without one because of their role. Kassian looked up to players like Todd “Actually I thought it was pretty cool to not wear a visor,” Benn added. Bertuzzi and Darren McCarty. They didn’t wear visors, so why should “Growing up you wear that cage, then you wear a visor. And when you he? don’t have to wear a visor, I’m not going to wear one.” “The way I played, I just thought it was only right. Some of my idols never Now in his 10th NHL season, Benn has stuck with that decision he made wore it. Coming out of junior, you make it to the NHL (and) you’re kinda as a 21-year-old, and he’s one of the select few still taking the ice without living your dream,” Kassian said. “You try to model your game after a visor. certain people and all the people I modeled my game after didn’t wear a visor. It was one of those things where, coming into the league, if you According to the Canadien Press, only 34 skaters in the league didn’t use fought a bit, normally the guys didn’t wear visors. That’s changed a protective shield during the 2017-18 season, meaning 94 percent of the drastically now.” league wore a visor. The numbers for this season haven’t been tracked yet, according to the NHLPA, but the percentage has dropped since a Lucic added, “It was one of those things when you step into the league few players, like the Vancouver Canucks’ Erik Gudbranson, elected to and not wear one you’re showing that you’re a willing combatant. It was a add the visor to their helmet this season. sign of toughness when I first came into the league. Now, they don’t even get that option. I tried (to wear one) in three different occasions and in The Stars are actually amongst the NHL leaders when it comes to preseason games. I just haven’t been able to figure it out.” players electing not to use a visor. In addition to Benn, defensemen Marc Methot and Roman Polak don’t use one. It’s believed that list is second Kassian was one of 16 players to get into at least six fights last season. only to the Edmonton Oilers, who currently have four visorless players He’s been in one bout this season, against a visor-wearing Jamie (Zack Kassian, Kyle Brodziak, Jason Garrison and Milan Lucic). Oleksiak, and notices how rarely he has a clean look at his opponent’s face these days. For players like Methot and Polak, who are both in their 30s, not wearing a visor was an unwritten rule that they had to follow when they entered “It’s not fair. It’s definitely not fair,” Kassian said. “He’s covering three- the NHL. quarters of his face with a visor. You’re definitely at a disadvantage there. You try to get the helmet off. But you’re definitely at a disadvantage for “When I came into the league and you were a grinder or a stay-at-home sure.” D-man, then you didn’t wear a visor,” Methot said. “That’s crazy to think that was the case, but it was.” For what it’s worth, three of last season’s most active fighters (Michael Haley, Cody McLeod, and Chris Thorburn) didn’t wear visors. Methot broke into the NHL during the 2006-07 season with the Columbus Blue Jackets. At the time, Polak was a rookie with the St. Louis Blues. With fights playing a reduced role and Father Time having a say, the Polak said with veterans like Keith Tkachuk, Bill Guerin, and Dallas visor is eventually going to become a fixture across the NHL. Which begs Drake leading the way there was no way he was going to protect his the question, who will be the Craig MacTavish of this era? face. When the NHL first instituted the helmet rule in 1979 it took 18 years “When I got in the league, the way I was playing, the guys basically told before the entire league had head protection, an era that was officially me to not wear a visor,” Polak said. “I had lots of older players at that christened when MacTavish retired in 1997. time and they said ‘No one wears visors, basically just don’t wear it.'” Depending on individual choices and career longevity, we could still be Attitudes about visors have changed in the dozen years since Polak more than a decade away from the visor-less player finally being a thing entered the league. Before the 2013-14 season, it became a mandatory of the past. piece of equipment with a grandfather rule, similar to the way the NHL The Canadiens’ Andrew Shaw, now 27, is believed to be the youngest made helmets mandatory in 1979. If a player had played 26 NHL games player in the NHL without a visor. Kassian, 27, also has a chance at or more before the 2013-14 season, they still have the option to play with being the answer to a future trivia question. or without a visor. But the safest bet is probably Benn or St. Louis Blues center Ryan In many ways, the protective covering seems like common sense and O’Reilly. O’Reilly is 27 and has a contract through the 2022-23 season. many players that previously played sans-visor adopted it. Eye injuries Benn is older than O’Reilly at 29, but has a contract that runs through the helped push the visor movement. On Nov. 28, 2013, then-Nashville 2024-25 season, and the Stars captain said that at this point, he doesn’t Predators captain Shea Weber took a puck to his face and couldn’t see have any plans of ever putting a visor back on. until the next morning. He has worn a visor ever since. “He’ll be one of the last guys, if not the last guy,” Methot said. “He’ll be the old Dinosaur in the league without a visor.”

The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 1113002 Websites defencemen. They’re out of step with league norms and not doing well. It’s not an absolute that you shouldn’t do this – it will depend on personnel to an extent. It’s not hard to guess why the Sharks have so The Athletic / Power-play units are evolving for the better but there’s still much time in a 3F2D or to see that as defensible, at least early in the room for improvement season as they figure out how to maximize the return from Erik Karlsson. That said, I watched a Kings game earlier this year that saw Jake Muzzin in the bumper role, which seems harder to defend. By Tyler Dellow One of the questions that comes up when you look at power play groups is why a 4F1D is so much more successful. A big part, I think, is that they Oct 30, 2018 tend not to be built around point shots. The NHL has moved a long way from the 1980s, when a defenceman could reasonably expect to score

on a point shot. With goalies being as good as they are, there are few I was talking with someone yesterday about current NHL trends. To me, players who can score from the blueline and there are more efficient the biggest trend is one that I seem to be writing about an awful lot: ways of attacking. If you’re running a 4F1D, your forwards should be power plays are increasingly deadly. When I first got interested in power attempting a greater percentage of your shots and they should be doing plays a few years ago, I developed a sort of informal benchmark that a so from closer to the net. team should be chasing at 5-on-4: 7.0 goal difference per 60 minutes and Looking at the share of shots attempted by defencemen this year, we see 50 SF/60. If a team could achieve those criterion, they had a power play that the teams letting their defencemen shoot more tend to have lousy that was making a difference and providing their team with a competitive power plays. advantage. If what we’re seeing early this year holds, that standard is going to need to be revised significantly upward. Through last night’s There’s Carolina, Nashville, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago and games, 16 teams are scoring north of 7.0 GD/60. Twenty-two teams are Florida, all letting their defencemen attempt more shots than league averaging at least 50.0 SF/60. It’s a whole new world. What was once average. If we limit our look to 4F1D, Carolina’s numbers are particularly exceptional has become the norm. wild. Philadelphia at least has some positive history with a 4F1D and their defencemen shooting a lot. For the vast majority of power plays, there is little difference in their efficiency. Having the 24th best power play or the 8th best power play If you look at the teams that aren’t having their defencemen shoot all that might sound bad or impressive, respectively, but when you actually do often, you’ll see a lot of the league’s better power play units over the past the calculations, that difference is surprisingly small. You don’t like to few years – Pittsburgh, Boston, Buffalo, Toronto, Washington and leave anything on the table, but in the NHL’s recent past, the real value Winnipeg all pop up. On those teams, the defenceman’s job is more to or detriment associated with a power play has been at the far ends of the create space than it is to shoot. What this suggests to me is that there’s spectrum. probably more room for the league as a whole to improve at 5-on-4. Teams that aren’t scoring but are burning a lot of shot attempts by Let’s start with a quick look at where teams are at in terms of 5-on-4 goal defencemen might want to reconsider whether that’s the best approach difference, both per 60 minutes and then in terms of goal difference available. relative to the league. One other thing that’s been striking this year, although it’s hard to prove The difference between teams will likely tighten up as the season goes with data (until the tracking data comes online) is the extent to which along. It’s early enough that we’re seeing a lot of noise in the numbers – power plays have become more fluid, with players popping up in different a few pucks going in or failing to go in will make a huge difference in the locations and moving off the puck in the offensive zone. It’s something observed performance. That being said, none of the top four teams are that I’ve noticed with Todd Nelson teams before and, looking over the 5- all that surprising. Toronto has had an elite power play for a while and it’s on-4 goals scored by the Stars this year, I found it striking how many not just PP1 scoring – PP2 has been productive as well. Todd Nelson, different spots on the ice Tyler Seguin (91) patrols. who is with the Stars, has a long history of elite power plays, both in the American Hockey League and during his brief time in Edmonton. You don’t necessarily see Seguin moving to different spots here but you Washington’s power play is so good that it has literally resulted in the can infer some fluidity to the Stars’ power play based on the fact that he’s naming of a spot on the ice. Winnipeg’s top unit with Blake Wheeler, involved in goals from different spots on the ice. It’s something I’ve Mark Scheifele, Patrik Laine and Dustin Byfuglien really stood out last noticed with the Maple Leafs as well – a lot of movement. You’ll see it year. with the Capitals (Alex Ovechkin and John Carlson swapping spots) and the Jets (Laine, Byfuglien and Scheifele) as well. A power play in hockey St. Louis and Ottawa are a little more surprising here. The Blues really is analogous to an offensive possession in the NBA, in that the defending struggled at 5-on-4 last year, which could easily have been the reason team kind of cedes possession unless there’s an opportunity to attack the they missed the playoffs. It’s not unreasonable to think that the 5-on-5 team on the power play. NBA offences tend to feature a lot of movement roof will cave in on Ottawa at some point, but when I looked closely at the to open up lanes and shots; there’s probably room for a lot more of that Senators earlier this year, their power play looked legitimately good. in the NHL. At the other end of the scale, Anaheim, Columbus, Vegas, Nashville, The more that teams adapt and find ways to be more efficient at creating Arizona, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Chicago, Carolina and Florida have 5-on-4 offence, the more pressure will be applied to struggling team to all had particularly slow starts. evolve. Darwinian evolutionary processes in the NHL haven’t always If we look at things in terms of overall goal difference, you can see how been good – see the period in the league’s history in which goons difficult it is for a power play to really produce a competitive advantage. exploded in size and their playing ability fell through the floor – but the The analytical rule of thumb is that a three goal difference is worth a point league as a whole is on to something good here. in the standings. Again, keeping in mind that it’s early and the gaps will tighten up as the season goes along, only five teams (Toronto, Washington, Winnipeg, St. Louis and Dallas) have generated more than The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 a three goal difference above league average and just seven teams are more than a three goal difference below league average (Vegas, Nashville, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago, Carolina and Florida). So why the explosion in 5-on-4 scoring? Well, it’s probably due to a couple of different things. A really big factor is the extent to which the 4F1D has now become the norm for NHL power plays. About 75 percent of NHL 5-on-4 time is played using 4F1D, up from about 55 percent in 2016-17. The rate of change has been astronomical here – the league had been trending towards a 4F1D for years but very gradually. For whatever reason, it’s exploded over the past couple of seasons. The 4F1D has a long track record as being more effective than a 3F2D. As a rule, you’ll give up a little more but you’ll score a lot more. So teams are spending more time with a player mix that’s more conducive to scoring. The NHL’s the sort of league where if you do something different and you don’t have success, you’ll draw a lot of negative attention. As Los Angeles, Carolina, Chicago and Nashville look for answers as to why their power plays are struggling so much, one of the first questions that they might want to ask is why they’re giving so much ice time to 1113003 Websites “Guys really take to it,” Mottau said. “It’s usually a great party, early in the season, [and you get to] meet everyone’s significant other for the first time.” The Athletic / An NHL rite of passage: The team Halloween party Mottau said the costumes were always great, and creative — so much so that if he and his wife were new to an organization, they’d sometimes refer to people by what they dressed up as for Halloween rather than by By Katie Strang first name as a point of reference when speaking with each other. Oct 30, 2018 Kris Draper said back in the early 2000s, when he attended a big bash for the Red Wings at a popular spot in Royal Oak (dressed as the Dalmatian “Pongo” from the movie The Hundred and One Dalmatians to his wife’s Cruella De Vil,) Sergei Fedorov almost got bounced by security If you’re a hockey fan living in New York, you’ve probably been to Warren because he was virtually unrecognizable. 77, a cozy, dimly-lit, chic little pub where pucks reign supreme and they serve cold Molson on tap. So, these parties have certainly been around for the better part of two decades. But why have they become such a “thing”? If you’ve been to this downtown haunt, nestled in the trendy TriBeCa neighborhood, and you’ve had maybe a few pops, and you’ve managed “It might be the fact that sometimes hockey is a pretty conservative to squeeze into the impossibly-small bathroom toward the back, chances sport,” Ottawa Senators forward Matt Duchene told The Athletic. “It’s are you have seen what I’m about to describe. not like the NBA or the NFL where you can wear whatever you want to a game. And I enjoy that about hockey, but in a situation like that, it’s a Given the cramped quarters, it’s pretty hard to miss. chance for guys to get creative and express their sense of humor.” Staring you square in the face is a framed photo of somewhat-grainy Duchene and his wife Ashley have always relished the challenge of resolution and even-murkier origins. coming up with creative costumes. They began dating around the time of Side by side in that photo are Brendan Shanahan and Steve Yzerman, the first Halloween party Duchene ever attended, when he was playing clad in full Halloween garb as Batman and Robin. Shanahan is wearing a for Colorado. He and three other rookies dressed up as Beyonce and the glib expression. Yzerman is missing a front tooth. backup dancers in the “Single Ladies” video, replete with leotards, wigs and high heels. Ashley made sure they never slacked in the years that “I love that photo,” said Matt Abramcyk, the owner of Warren 77, which followed. One party they went as Bugs and Lola, the bunnies from Space he originally opened with former NHLer Sean Avery. Jam. Another party they attended as Jack and Jill, (of “went up the hill/ to fetch a pail of water “ fame) … post-fall. But this year’s reveal topped Abramcyk, who owns several other bars in the area, said it came into his them all. hands after a night hanging out with Avery and Shanahan. The two players were friends and teammates, first with the Detroit Red Wings and They unveiled their costumes on Twitter, painted and decked out as then with the Rangers. Abramcyk told Shanahan he was planning to elaborate, ghoulish skeletons. Ashley’s skeleton costume had a little open the bar and Shanahan insisted on gifting him a photo from one of baby skeleton in her belly. The Duchenes are expecting their first child in the Red Wings’ legendary Halloween parties — one that was taken on a January of 2019. disposable camera. Shanahan fished it out of storage and gave it to Abramcyk, who blew it up, framed it and put it in the bar’s bathroom. “The pictures turned out so good I was like well now we have to explain her costume,” Duchene said. He loves that it shows two of the game’s most well-respected, polished executives, captured in a candid snapshot during their playing days, Employing the use of a makeup artist is not uncommon for these athletes carefree and cutting loose. looking to get a leg up on their sartorial contemporaries. These are, after all, elite athletes with a fierce competitive edge. Abramcyk later attended some of those Halloween parties, which were simply epic because of how much fun guys would have once they got Red Wings forward Justin Abdelkader and his wife, Julie, have been into character. using the same woman for years. She has painstakingly spent hours transforming them into characters from Avatar (body paint and all), “In New York, no one bothers hockey players that much — it’s a town skeletons or, one of Abdelkader’s favorites, a Mad Hatter. acclimated to celebrities, but I feel like the Halloween party is the one night where all those guys just get a chance to be sillier than usual and Abdelkader said the level of preparation and effort that goes into it is part blend in a bit more,” Abramcyk said. of what makes it so fun. Team Halloween parties have become almost a rite of passage in the “With social media these days, that’s helped too,” Abdelkader surmised. NHL, the social event to mark the start of a regular season. As a team “Frankly, I think guys see players around the NHL dressing up and see feels its way through the first few weeks of the schedule, incoming how good some of their costumes are and are like, ‘I wanna do that. I players mix with the organizational stalwarts. As this new dynamic wanna (have) one of the best costumes and get into the Halloween spirit. unfurls, personalities start to be revealed. And the team Halloween party Whether you do face paint or a mask or some other creative idea, I think seems to be the perfect culmination of that — a kickoff to a new year and guys really get into it.” a chance for guys to cut loose before the travel starts to really grind on There’s generally five or six really memorable costumes at every party, the body and the practices really drag. Winnipeg’s Tyler Myers said. Last year, the 6-foot-8 defenseman went Take a twirl through Instagram and you’ll be flooded with some as a tree. Sometimes, the use of props is essential, albeit cumbersome. phenomenal costumes — Connor McDavid’s Homer Simpson, Tom “I went outside and hacked down some tree branches with leaves on ‘em Pyatt’s John Lennon, or some classics from years past, like Roberto and carried them around the whole night,” Myers said. “I stuck with it.” Luongo’s “Salt bae” or Nazem Kadri’s Bob Ross. Some of the characters are so good they will become urban legend. Like when a few Buffalo And while there have been some cringe-worthy moments of costumes Sabres players decided to dress up as teammate , floppy that caused backlash (see: Torres, Raffi) they are most often done in red curls and all. Or when defenseman Keith Yandle and his wife good fun. Those that feel comfortable sharing their getups will share camouflaged themselves as rabid team autograph seekers, replete with photos via personal Instagram accounts, while others prefer to keep their hockey cards encased in plastic binders, only to harass some of their getup’s under higher wraps. unwitting Rangers brethren at a New York bar. For the most part, these are team-only events, not the sort of sanctioned, Ask people around the league and they’ll tell you these parties have been formal festivities organizations host around the winter holidays. Around a common thing ever since they can remember. One trainer estimated Halloween, management is aware these parties take place, but generally it’s been at least 10-15 years. One longtime team executive said it’s been prefers to remain out of the loop. much longer — at least 25. Though the revelry and costumes are attracting much more fanfare now, particularly with the advent of social “I don’t ask questions,” said one NHL GM. “I’m sure they have some fun. media, there’s evidence to suggest these were raging on long before the I just don’t need to know firsthand.” use of a Valencia filter became commonplace Soon, the early part of the season will abate and then it becomes a bit Former NHL defenseman , who played with six NHL teams more serious. Teams will start gaining tractions in the standings, with over his 14-year career, said they’ve been happening since he began playoff contenders jockeying for position and bottom-feeders limping playing professional hockey in 2000, when he broke into the league as along listlessly. Coaches will be on the hot seat, players will be gritting the reigning Hobey Baker winner following a standout collegiate career at through injuries, and those West Coast road trips become very, very Boston College. long. But that time hasn’t approached. There’s still ample hope and optimism and a lot of time. Not much has changed at the parties since the first one Red Wings defenseman Mike Green attended, when he was just 19 years old and a rookie on the Washington Capitals. He remembers he had to leave the party halfway into it once the restaurant turned into a bar, since he was too young to legally drink. But he saw enough to know that this wasn’t simply a one-off, but rather an annual event worthy of circling on the calendar each year. “You start to really learn about guys because they put on this mask, this costume and let loose,” Green said. “It’s a team bonding thing.”

The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 1113004 Websites In December 2014, Morin was dealt to the Blue Jackets with whom the Auburn, N.Y., native scored two goals and added four assists in 28 games while battling injuries. That next June, Morin was re-acquired by The Athletic / After 17 teams and 11 leagues (and counting), Jeremy the Blackhawks in a trade that sent Brandon Saad to Columbus. But after Morin is still chasing his NHL dream 15 games without a point, Morin was again on the move via a deal with the Maple Leafs. That began a series of trades and free-agent signings both in North America and abroad that never resulted in a return to the NHL. By Chris Kuc If it sounds like a whirlwind, it was. Oct 30, 2018 Now Morin believes, if given a chance, he can work his way back into the NHL. HERSHEY, Pa. — There is a weariness in Jeremy Morin’s eyes that “I know what kind of player I am and I think if I can get those minutes and belies his 27 years on the planet. get the mojo going again, then, yeah, I think that’s definitely a possibility,” he said. “Right now, I’m just trying to focus on helping this team out and He has the look of a man who has seen some things while off in some just doing my part. It’s definitely a different role than I’m used to, far-flung places, which is exactly how Morin spent the past five years of especially in this league, but that’s what I’m going to try to do.” his life while navigating a hockey career that hasn’t panned out like he anticipated. Morin is a goal-scorer with an edge to his game but a lack of foot speed has been the main obstacle to establishing himself as an everyday At various points within the past decade, Morin was a promising prospect NHLer. for the Thrashers, Blackhawks (twice), Blue Jackets, Maple Leafs, Sharks, Lightning and Coyotes. During the 2017-18 season alone, he “The game has gotten quicker and ‘Mo’ is not a burner and in some donned sweaters for teams in Russia, South Carolina, Finland and games it looks like it’s no issue for him and some games he’s just like, ‘I Switzerland, while clinging to the dream of returning to the NHL, where can’t get my legs going the way I need to,’” Bears coach Spencer he played 82 games for two teams from 2013-15. Carbery said. “That’s part of what has been challenging for him over the last couple of years. If you’re scoring at home, Morin has played for 17 different teams in 11 different leagues — and counting. “At this point of his career, and I said this to him, he’s got to produce. It’s just a matter of when he gets in those spots for him to take advantage of If anything, Morin is persistent. it and get that confidence back to where he is able to do it like he used And that persistence brought him to Hershey, Pa., where Morin is hoping to.” to resuscitate his career on a 25-game professional tryout with the Bears, Bears vice president of hockey operations Bryan Helmer said there the Capitals’ AHL affiliate. remains a path back to the NHL for Morin, but it won’t be easy. (The Hershey Bears announced on Tuesday morning they released “It starts with the mindset and he’s got the right one,” Helmer said. “He Morin from his tryout.) just has to make sure that he’s doing the right things to first get himself “I’m just trying to prolong my career as long as I can,” Morin said last first in the lineup and then contribute. If he does that it’s getting the week. “I’m in a different phase in my career than I was five years ago. I confidence and then working on his foot speed and being that pro he can just keep grinding and keep going and … I don’t know, I just try to keep be. It’s up to him to get himself there.” playing.” Before being cut by the Bears, Morin said he’ll “take it day by day and That presented some difficulties as Morin attempted to crack the lineup of kind of go over my options and just see what happens. an AHL team that is the pipeline to the defending Stanley Cup “Looking back doesn’t do too much good. I’m just moving forward and champions. The AHL has a developmental rule in place — often referred trying to create another opportunity for myself.” to as the “Veteran Rule” — that allows a maximum of six more experienced players to dress for a game. That resulted in Morin playing in just three of the Bears’ first 11 games, which he did not record a point. The Athletic LOADED: 10.31.2018 “It’s tough with the vet rule but Hershey gave me an opportunity to come back (to North America) so I took it,” Morin said. “They have a lot of young prospects here so it’s kind of a waiting game for me right now. There’s always pressure to perform, but especially on a tryout like this, it’s like that even more.” Morin has felt the pressure to perform ever since getting his first taste of the NHL in 2010 with the Blackhawks following a trade from the Thrashers. The Thrashers selected Morin in the second round (45th overall) in the 2009 NHL Draft, and the winger had a career season with Kitchener of the OHL in 2009-10, piling up 47 goals and 26 assists in 58 games. When the Blackhawks needed to dump salary after winning the Cup in 2010, they orchestrated a trade with the Thrashers that sent Dustin Byfuglien, Brent Sopel, Ben Eager and Akim Aliu to Atlanta for Morin, Marty Reasoner, Joey Crabb and two draft picks. Morin was the centerpiece of the deal for the Blackhawks; Reasoner, Crabb and Aliu never played for Chicago. The thought of adding a high- scoring winger to a group of forwards that already included Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp intrigued the Blackhawks. Morin made his NHL debut with Chicago on Nov. 6, 2010 — against the Thrashers — and scored his first NHL goal on Dec. 8 against the Stars. Due to the Blackhawks’ continued issues with the salary cap and Morin’s inability to consistently find the back of the net, he shuffled between Chicago and its AHL affiliate in Rockford, and over the course of four seasons appeared in 39 NHL games, scoring eight goals. “It was definitely a tough team to crack, for sure,” Morin said of the loaded Blackhawks lineup. “They gave me a lot of opportunities, though. There was some tough timing with some things that happened but at the end of the day, I got my chances. I can’t say that I didn’t. I don’t blame anybody for that.” 1113005 Websites Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.31.2018 Sportsnet.ca / Oilers' strong outing sullied by poor special teams performance - Sportsnet.ca

Mark Spector | @sportsnetspec October 31, 2018, 1:19 AM

EDMONTON — There are some nights where you wonder, ‘Damn, we led that game three times but lost, somehow. How did that happen?’ This game, a 4-3 Edmonton Oilers loss at the hands of the Minnesota Wild, was not one of those. Edmonton’s power play went 0-for-5 while the Wild’s went 3-for-3. End of story. “Five-on-five, we were the better team throughout the game. We created more, I thought,” said Leon Draisaitl. Connor McDavid concurred: “We were the better team, five-on-five.” So what happened? “This is the easiest question to answer, because it’s so obvious,” said head coach Todd McLellan. “You give up three on the penalty kill and get none on the power play and you’re not winning. We could play that game 100 times, and do the same thing over and over again, and not win it.” Both McDavid and Draisaitl agreed, taking responsibility for a power play that they are, well, mostly responsible for. “The special teams lost us the game tonight. It is as simple as that,” said Draisaitl, who had a goal and an assist for 7-6-13 in 11 games. “We just didn’t have the finish on the power play. I think we had our chances for two or three goals. We just couldn’t set up that final punch. That is something we feel we have to do better.” Mikael Granlund was excellent Tuesday, sniping a puck into a spot the size of a donut hole over Cam Talbot’s shoulder for the game-winner. He has a nine-game points streak, 12 points in all. “I think if we were in another city,” Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said of Granlund, “whether it was a Canadian city or a high profile city, that everyone would know how good this guy is. He is our catalyst and that’s why he plays the most and why he’s usually our leading scorer. When you need something done, he’s the guy that you want to have the puck.” Honestly, Edmonton would take this template most nights. They held leads of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2. They had a 57 per cent Corsi and outshot the Wild 28-21 at even strength. They took just three penalties, drawing five. In an 82-game season, you’ll win the odd one the way Minnesota did Tuesday, and you’ll lose the odd one the way Edmonton did. And by the time we get to April nobody is asking, ‘How?’ Just, ‘How many?’ “At the end of the day, we lost the game, so it doesn’t really matter,” said Tobias Rieder. “I thought we played a good game, five-on-five. But the penalty kill? Was it 0-for-3? You can’t win a game like that.” Wild backup Alex Stalock, getting the start after Devan Dubnyk lost Monday night in Vancouver, made one more key stop than Talbot, not that you’d blame Talbot on any one goal in particular. The Wild just hung around and hung around, and the next thing you knew, they were protecting their first lead of the game with just 5:48 left on the clock. “We have good players and we have a good team,” said Eric Staal, who came in with his team’s worst plus-minus but carded a goal and three points. “We feel like we can come back any time and if we stay with our game and our structure, we have the talent to be able to cash in on opportunities.” So it becomes about the next one for Edmonton. About not letting last year’s ineptitude on the penalty kill seep in, or get a foothold. About re- establishing their mojo, having taken a 6-1-1 skein into the Minnesota game. The Chicago Blackhawks are in town Thursday, and they also play in Vancouver the night before. If the same opportunity is presented to Edmonton on Thursday that was presented on this night, well, if they’re truly a good team, they will seize it. Because these games come along every once in a while. They happen to everyone. They just don’t happen twice in a row. Not to the good teams. 1113006 Websites Ditto for the rest of the Canadiens. "There’s a lot of guys that are good right now that aren’t really scoring," said Julien. "Lehkonen’s another one of them. They’re playing good Sportsnet.ca / One-and-done chances sink Canadiens in loss to Stars - hockey. We’re going to need them to score, and I think that it’s going to Sportsnet.ca come. I really feel that those guys (Armia and Lehkonen, who have combined for three goals on the season) will eventually find the back of the net. Eric Engels "But again, there was really not much on the other side of the coin from October 31, 2018, 12:23 AM our lineup. I didn’t think that [Max] Domi’s line with [Jonathan Drouin] and Lehky—they just, they didn’t have it as much as they’ve had it lately. Things happen." MONTREAL—If you were only looking at the stat sheet, you’d call it a Domi had come into the game on a six-game point streak but spent more high-event night for Joel Armia and the Montreal Canadiens. time in the penalty box on Tuesday than he did in front of Bishop’s net. In truth, Armia, who led the Canadiens with five shots on net, eight total And Drouin, who hit the crossbar in the second period, had two non- attempts, five hits, and was their second-most used forward, didn’t threatening shots on net. generate any real chances worthy of goals. And the Canadiens, who notched 35 shots on net and lost 4-1, played hard but didn’t deserve a "I’m not going to stand here and dwell on one game," said Julien. "Let’s better fate. see what we can do and bounce back for the next one." Sure, they hit the post three times, and Artturi Lehkonen missed a golden Play the Sportsnet Fantasy Hockey Pool for your chance to win the opportunity to put them up 1-0 when he earned a second-period penalty ultimate grand prize: an all-new 2019 RAM 1500! shot and booted it into Ben Bishop’s pads. The Canadiens will have most of two days to figure out how to improve But just like those four opportunities, most of the ones the Canadiens had their penalty kill, which now ranks 18th in the NHL after giving up two on Tuesday at the Bell Centre were of the one-and-done variety. goals to Dallas. Digging further, Montreal’s special teams were also a mess, and there That will be a considerable challenge if top penalty killer Paul Byron, who were too many players who, in spite of their best efforts, didn’t have the left Tuesday’s game with a lower-body injury, is unavailable to play goods in this one. against the Washington Capitals on Thursday. That was great news for Stars forward Jason Spezza, who was skating in There’s a lot of work that needs to go into Montreal’s power play, as well, his 1,000th NHL game. It was great news for hometown coach Jim after failing to record more than a single shot on the four opportunities Montgomery, who was managing Dallas’s bench for the very first time they had against Dallas. against the team he grew up cheering for. This team has the work ethic to address all of that quickly. But it’s going And Alexander Radulov, who spurned these Canadiens to sign with the to take working the right way to continue scoring goals and winning more Stars in the summer of 2017—after making the fans in Montreal fall in games than they lose. love with him throughout an exhilarating 2016-17 season—was more than happy to put the icing on the cake with an empty-net goal, even if he didn’t want to talk about it afterwards. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.31.2018 Stream over 500 NHL games blackout-free, including the Flames, Oilers, Leafs and Canucks. Plus Hockey Night in Canada, Rogers Hometown Hockey, Scotiabank Wednesday Night Hockey and more. Canadiens coach Claude Julien gave his input on why things turned out as they did. "Well, it wasn’t the greatest game," he said. "I’m not going to stand here and say our effort wasn’t good. There was a good effort. Now, did we play well enough? That’s another thing. I don’t think we played well enough. But I can’t complain about the effort. I think the guys were trying. Some nights things go a lot better than others." That’s a reality for every team—and one Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin said on Monday that he expects his team to face more often than it had in establishing a 6-2-2 record through its first 10 games of the season. That Game 11 played out as such clearly frustrated the Canadiens, who took seven minor penalties, including four in the third period while they were trying to chase down the lead. They made it close when Brendan Gallagher stormed Bishop’s net and hacked away for a rebound while being pushed into the Stars goaltender. The puck rolled off of Bishop’s back and into the net and counted as a goal after a lengthy video review revealed that Stars defenceman John Klingberg had pushed Gallagher enough for there to be no goaltender interference on the play. That should have got the guys in red, white and blue to say to themselves, "This is how we’re going to score in this game." But what followed was more of the same perimeter offence. "He’s a big goalie. Obviously he covers up a lot of space," Gallagher said of the six-foot-seven giant that guards Dallas’s net on a nightly basis. "You have to make it tough. Those big guys, when you get traffic on them, that’s really how you score on them. That’s really the only way, and we didn’t do a good enough job of making it tough on him. Obviously he made some saves, but there were some opportunities on him that we left out there." Armia certainly made an effort, but not the type Gallagher is talking about. 1113007 Websites need to be able to look in the mirror at the end of every single day and know I gave everything I have to be the best possible player and person I can be. I’m happy with that.” Sportsnet.ca / Canucks' Del Zotto getting chance to lead as team works Sportsnet NOW gives you access to over 500 NHL games this season, through injuries - Sportsnet.ca blackout-free, including Hockey Night in Canada, Rogers Hometown Hockey, Scotiabank Wednesday Night Hockey, the entire 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs and more. Iain MacIntyre | @imacSportsnet Del Zotto again leads the Canucks with three hits per game. His defence October 30, 2018, 4:42 PM partner, minor-league call-up Alex Biega, also had a strong game against the Wild, directing four shots towards the Minnesota net and making a good lead pass to Jake Virtanen on Vancouver’s second goal. VANCOUVER — When he finally made it back into the lineup from the Edler is out another 3-5 weeks, but the Canucks insist Tanev is day-to- press box, Michael Del Zotto discovered his Vancouver Canucks uniform day, which means he could play Wednesday at Rogers Arena against the had been tampered with. Someone had stitched an ‘A’ on to his jersey. Chicago Blackhawks. “From the outhouse to the penthouse,” Del Zotto smiled. “I never question myself,” Del Zotto said. “Ask anyone in the room — I try to come to the rink with a smile on my face every day. I take pride in The 28-year-old isn’t exactly on the top floor of the National Hockey being the type of teammate I am, the type of leader I am, trying to help League. Del Zotto is on the Canucks’ third defence pairing, getting the the young guys be quality professionals. I never question my ability or the chance to play again because of injuries last week to top defencemen type of person I am. I was happy with my first two games and I’ve been Alex Edler (knee) and Chris Tanev (hip). really happy since I came back.” But compared to where he was, the view for Del Zotto is spectacular.

After averaging 21 minutes of ice time at the start of the season when the Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.31.2018 Canucks split two games against the Calgary Flames, Del Zotto was suddenly a healthy scratch. He played all 82 games for Vancouver last season after he signed a two- year, $6-million (USD) free-agent contract to provide experience and leadership to the Canucks. Even when the defenceman’s advanced statistics were unflattering, Canucks coach Travis Green stuck with Del Zotto the entire season, citing his physicality. Del Zotto’s 244 hits led the Canucks by 87 and ranked him fifth in the NHL. Then, after two games in early October, he was out of the lineup without any real explanation. Green said Edler was always going to be a lineup regular, and it was up to Del Zotto, Derrick Pouliot and Ben Hutton to compete for the other two spots on the left side. Pouliot is 24 years old, Hutton 25. Del Zotto, who has played 571 times in the NHL and should be at the peak of his career, sat out for eight straight games. “I understand the direction the team is going,” Del Zotto said during his press box period. “I understand the numbers we have here, my age, my contract, all the stuff that goes into it. It is what it is.” He added Monday morning: “You like to think ice time is performance- based. (But) whether I’m playing, what situations I’m playing, power play, penalty kill — none of that is in my control. What’s in my control is making the most of the minutes I’m given. I think I’ve done a really good job of that. “Even before I sat out, I thought I did a really good job of that. Some of that stuff is pretty frustrating with the stuff you can’t control, especially with the amount of work I put into being a professional every single day, including the extra things that go unseen away from the rink. This is part of the business — I understand the direction of the hockey club and what they want.” Then on Monday night against the Minnesota Wild, Del Zotto delivered a solid 14:18 of ice time that included two blocks, three hits and a strong play inside the blue-line that forced Charlie Coyle into a turnover and allowed the Canuck to tee up Elias Pettersson’s one-timer for the winning goal in a 5-2 victory. And this is why, with Edler and Tanev out, Del Zotto has been elevated to alternate captain. He is a pro’s pro, a guy who shows up with the right attitude, works relentlessly every game and practice and does what he can to help his teammates. It’s what could keep Del Zotto in the NHL even if it appears his future with the rebuilding Canucks is as limited as his contract, which expires on July 1. “What I was told last year before I signed here is they wanted me to come as a veteran presence,” Del Zotto said before the team took a day off on Tuesday. “And now with Tanny and Eagle out, having an ‘A’ on my jersey, that’s something I have earned with the qualities I bring on and off the ice. So there is that. But you also understand the direction of the hockey club and the business side of it. I can’t do anything about that. “If I was going through this at a young age, it probably would be tougher — not knowing the business and not being as mentally strong as I am now. But it still wouldn’t make it easy. You work so hard and put so much into it every single day, in the off-season as well. I always tell myself I 1113008 Websites Realistically, Kassian’s contract will make a trade nearly impossible. And the way the Oilers are playing, he understands the fact he’ll have to continue to play well to keep his spot in the lineup. Sportsnet.ca / Oilers' hot streak gives Todd McLellan new type of Suddenly, there is competition for roster spots in Edmonton. problem - Sportsnet.ca “Good teams have that. You’ve got to bring it every night (or) you’re going to get healthy-scratched,” Kassian said. “What are we? Second? Mark Spector | @sportsnetspec First in the Pacific? These are exciting times in Edmonton right now.” October 30, 2018, 2:49 PM Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.31.2018 EDMONTON — Who would have predicted it: Through 10 games of the 2018-19 season, the Edmonton Oilers are winning so much that it is causing lineup issues. But there was head coach Todd McLellan, his team seeking its fourth consecutive win later that night against Minnesota, addressing a trade request by Zack Kassian’s agent and the uncomfortable fact that Jesse Puljujarvi would sit out his fourth straight game as a healthy scratch. Let us first address Puljujarvi, the 20-year-old, fourth-overall draft pick who has gained little traction this season. He has been stalled in the press box at career NHL game No. 100. “Players need to play,” allowed McLellan, who undoubtedly has been part of internal discussion over whether or not Puljujarvi should go to AHL Bakersfield. “What ends up happening is, you try to make the best decision for the group. And while you’re doing that, you try to develop players. The NHL is a tough place to develop players, and we’ve got a lot of them: Yamo (Kailer Yamamoto), Ty Rattie, Jesse … “We have to consider the group as a whole,” he said. “When you make decisions based on the team, you’re usually making them right.” Sportsnet NOW gives you access to over 500 NHL games this season, blackout-free, including Hockey Night in Canada, Rogers Hometown Hockey, Scotiabank Wednesday Night Hockey, the entire 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs and more. The Oilers coach has his team at 6-3-1 through an extremely tough opening schedule. Still, his treatment of Puljujarvi is perhaps a bigger topic of conversation here than the fact Edmonton is one point behind the Pacific Division leaders. “It’s obviously a hot topic — he hasn’t played a game in five days — and he won’t play tonight. That’s not ideal,” McLellan said. “You have to look at the group — the total package. We also have to be aware of the individuals, and there has to be a balance.” Meanwhile, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman broke the news Saturday on Hockey Night in Canada that Kassian’s agent, Rick Curran, had asked for and received permission from the Oilers to explore trade options for his client. Kassian, who has been made a healthy scratch three times this season but is slated for his third consecutive start tonight, addressed the media on Monday. “I never asked for a trade. Never was looking for a fresh start,” he said. “It’s one of those things where, you get healthy-scratched and your agent is doing his job and calling the team to see what’s going on. “The first thing I did as soon as the rumour came out was address all the guys in the room. Hopefully it just goes to rest now. There are trades in hockey, that’s the way it goes. But right now I’m an Edmonton Oiler.” Kassian’s outlook is long-term here. He is in the second year of a three- year deal that pays him $1.95 million per season, but buried in a fourth- line role in a lineup that features young right-wingers like Yamamoto, Puljujarvi, Rattie, and even Alex Chiasson ahead of him. Play the Sportsnet Fantasy Hockey Pool for your chance to win the ultimate grand prize: an all-new 2019 RAM 1500! He’s looking for more play up the lineup, though his body of work in Edmonton has not necessarily justified that opportunity. Curran would be thinking that a new team, and a new coach, might present one. “Zack has sat out two or three of the first 10 games. That gives you a indication of what we thought his play was like,” said McLellan. He has seen Kassian’s game shore up — particularly when Kassian scored the only regulation goal in a 2-1 Oilers overtime win at Chicago Sunday. “That line was very effective,” McLellan said. “I’ve challenged all three players on that line (Kassian, Kyle Brodziak and Jujhar Khaira), to provide us, as a coaching staff, confidence. They’re doing that right now.” 1113009 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Granlund scores winner as Wild rally to beat Oilers - Sportsnet.ca

Staff Report Canadian Press October 30, 2018, 11:55 PM

EDMONTON — On the front end of their longest road trip in franchise history, the Minnesota Wild managed to bounce back from a loss in Vancouver despite playing for the second night in a row. Eric Staal had a goal and two assists as the Wild beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 on Tuesday. "We have good players and we have a good team," Staal said. "We feel like we can come back any time and if we stay with our game and our structure, we have the talent to be able to cash in on opportunities. You don’t want to give up the first goal, but it happens and you just have to keep playing. "The good thing is that we believe in each other and we believe we can continue to come back and play and tonight was about gutting it out and if felt like we deserved to win tonight." Zach Parise, Jared Spurgeon and Mikael Granlund also scored for the Wild (7-3-2), who have won six of their last seven games. Granlund extended his points streak to nine games. "It feels like pucks are going in," he said. "There are a lot of things that I think I can do better, but pucks are finding their way in and I’ll take it." Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid and Alex Chiasson responded for the Oilers (6-4-1), who saw a three-game winning streak halted. "We were the better team, five-on-five, but special teams cost us," McDavid said. "Our power play didn’t do anything (0-for-5) and they went three-for-three on their power play. That’s not good." "You give up three on the penalty kill and get none on the power play and you’re not winning," Oilers head coach Todd McLellan added. "We could play that game 100 times, and do the same thing over and over again, and not win it." The Oilers started the scoring eight minutes into the opening period just after a power play expired, as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins dove to poke the puck to Draisaitl, who sent his seventh goal of the season into an empty net before Wild goalie Alex Stalock could get across. Minnesota tied it up with six minutes left in the first with a power-play goal. Parise pounced on a rebound and slipped it past Oilers goaltender Cam Talbot. Edmonton outshot the Wild 22-14 in the first period. The Oilers went up 2-1 four minutes into the second period when McDavid turned on the jets to get past a pair of defenders and then beat Stalock up high for his ninth of the season. Minnesota tied the game back up 12 minutes into the second when Spurgeon was left alone in front to score his second of the year. Edmonton surged back ahead less than a minute later however as Chiasson tipped in a Matt Benning point shot. The Wild pulled even again with 1:40 left in the second with Staal tipping a shot in on the power play. Minnesota pulled ahead with yet another power-play goal with 5:48 remaining, as Granlund’s seeing-eye shot snuck past Talbot for his sixth goal of the season. Notes: The Oilers remain home to face the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday. The Wild’s next game is Saturday in St. Louis… With seven consecutive road games, the Wild are on their longest trip in franchise history… It was the first of three meetings between the two teams this season… The Wild currently have the oldest team in the NHL with an average age of 28.9. The Oilers are currently the youngest, with an average age of 25.5.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.31.2018 1113010 Websites Realistically, Kassian’s contract will make a trade nearly impossible. And the way the Oilers are playing, he understands the fact he’ll have to continue to play well to keep his spot in the lineup. Sportsnet.ca / Oilers' hot streak gives Todd McLellan new type of Suddenly, there is competition for roster spots in Edmonton. problem - Sportsnet.ca “Good teams have that. You’ve got to bring it every night (or) you’re going to get healthy-scratched,” Kassian said. “What are we? Second? Mark Spector | @sportsnetspec First in the Pacific? These are exciting times in Edmonton right now.” October 30, 2018, 2:49 PM Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.31.2018 EDMONTON — Who would have predicted it: Through 10 games of the 2018-19 season, the Edmonton Oilers are winning so much that it is causing lineup issues. But there was head coach Todd McLellan, his team seeking its fourth consecutive win later that night against Minnesota, addressing a trade request by Zack Kassian’s agent and the uncomfortable fact that Jesse Puljujarvi would sit out his fourth straight game as a healthy scratch. Let us first address Puljujarvi, the 20-year-old, fourth-overall draft pick who has gained little traction this season. He has been stalled in the press box at career NHL game No. 100. “Players need to play,” allowed McLellan, who undoubtedly has been part of internal discussion over whether or not Puljujarvi should go to AHL Bakersfield. “What ends up happening is, you try to make the best decision for the group. And while you’re doing that, you try to develop players. The NHL is a tough place to develop players, and we’ve got a lot of them: Yamo (Kailer Yamamoto), Ty Rattie, Jesse … “We have to consider the group as a whole,” he said. “When you make decisions based on the team, you’re usually making them right.” Sportsnet NOW gives you access to over 500 NHL games this season, blackout-free, including Hockey Night in Canada, Rogers Hometown Hockey, Scotiabank Wednesday Night Hockey, the entire 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs and more. The Oilers coach has his team at 6-3-1 through an extremely tough opening schedule. Still, his treatment of Puljujarvi is perhaps a bigger topic of conversation here than the fact Edmonton is one point behind the Pacific Division leaders. “It’s obviously a hot topic — he hasn’t played a game in five days — and he won’t play tonight. That’s not ideal,” McLellan said. “You have to look at the group — the total package. We also have to be aware of the individuals, and there has to be a balance.” Meanwhile, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman broke the news Saturday on Hockey Night in Canada that Kassian’s agent, Rick Curran, had asked for and received permission from the Oilers to explore trade options for his client. Kassian, who has been made a healthy scratch three times this season but is slated for his third consecutive start tonight, addressed the media on Monday. “I never asked for a trade. Never was looking for a fresh start,” he said. “It’s one of those things where, you get healthy-scratched and your agent is doing his job and calling the team to see what’s going on. “The first thing I did as soon as the rumour came out was address all the guys in the room. Hopefully it just goes to rest now. There are trades in hockey, that’s the way it goes. But right now I’m an Edmonton Oiler.” Kassian’s outlook is long-term here. He is in the second year of a three- year deal that pays him $1.95 million per season, but buried in a fourth- line role in a lineup that features young right-wingers like Yamamoto, Puljujarvi, Rattie, and even Alex Chiasson ahead of him. Play the Sportsnet Fantasy Hockey Pool for your chance to win the ultimate grand prize: an all-new 2019 RAM 1500! He’s looking for more play up the lineup, though his body of work in Edmonton has not necessarily justified that opportunity. Curran would be thinking that a new team, and a new coach, might present one. “Zack has sat out two or three of the first 10 games. That gives you a indication of what we thought his play was like,” said McLellan. He has seen Kassian’s game shore up — particularly when Kassian scored the only regulation goal in a 2-1 Oilers overtime win at Chicago Sunday. “That line was very effective,” McLellan said. “I’ve challenged all three players on that line (Kassian, Kyle Brodziak and Jujhar Khaira), to provide us, as a coaching staff, confidence. They’re doing that right now.” 1113011 Websites A weekly deep dive into the biggest hockey news in the world with hosts Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek. New episodes every Thursday.

Behind Johnsson, Marlies left wings Trevor Moore and Carl Grundstrom Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs' Andreas Johnsson must prove worth with have leapt to excellent starts for the farm team and could earn a peek if Matthews hurt - Sportsnet.ca Johnsson can’t step on the gas. “Sometimes the puck doesn’t bounce with you,” Johnsson tries to Luke Fox | @lukefoxjukebox explain, in his second language. “Last year I felt I had a full good season and a lot of positives. It kinda went my way all season. [This is] more October 30, 2018, 11:57 AM normal. Two seasons ago I had these bumps. You just keep working hard and the puck is going to bounce with you.

“I play pretty good sometimes and do good moves and make good plays, TORONTO – On a hockey team ingrained with a built-in mandate to do and the next time I drop the puck. It’s the consistency of playing heavy everything as fast as possible — play, practice, recover — there is no and playing hard.” time for mincing words in a meeting between a struggling rookie and a victory-obsessed head coach. William Nylander’s contract stalemate kept the Maple Leafs forward lines in a state of flux throughout October, and Matthews’ injury insures they’ll So, during the nine days Andreas Johnsson sat on the sidelines for the remain in pencil throughout November if not beyond. Toronto Maple Leafs, the man who drafts the lineup, Mike Babcock, made it bluntly clear what Johnsson must do to get back in it: play better. Kasperi Kapanen is the prime example of what extra ice time and some skilled linemates can do for a player’s confidence, status and, ultimately, “I haven’t been good enough. Simple as that,” Johnsson, sitting in his bank balance. dressing room stall, said in an interview Monday relaying the message sent from high on the bench. Ennis’s tumble from Line 1 to Line 4 reminds that the ladder goes both ways. “I still have to show myself that I can play in this league. Every time I get to play, I have to prove it.” An impending RFA on a team full of those, Johnsson wasn’t satisfied with his performance in training camp, and although he insists he’s keeping From afar, the 2018-19 season looked like a crisp, clean canvas for the positive, the happy isn’t quite filling his whole body. 23-year-old Swede to paint himself as a valued member of one of the East’s most dangerous collection of forwards. “It just became a shorter summer because we won the Calder Cup. I didn’t have as much time to rest and do the same workout as I normally Johnsson had instantly impressed during his late-season call-up to the wanted to, to go into a season. I had to shorten it up and pack it in bigs in the spring, scoring twice in just nine games of regular-season somehow,” Johnsson says. work and earning playoff minutes in the Boston series while fellow left wings Matt Martin and Leo Komarov (since dispersed from Toronto) “It’s tough. I want to play. It’s hard to sit on the side, but I’ve been doing looked on from the press box. my best to get into the lineup and working hard. I’ve been watching the guys and trying to give them energy, too.” Factor in both the departure of another expensive left-winger (James van Riemsdyk) to Philadelphia in free agency, and Johnsson’s triumphant The Leafs players, six of whom shared in that Calder Cup revelry with MVP turn for the AHL-championship-winning Marlies as an encore, and a Johnsson, are loaning that encouragement right back. top-nine role for opening night seemed like a decent bet. “It’s not like a big speech or anything,” Johnsson says. “It’s every day Instead, the magic Johnsson waved during his Calder Cup run (24 points they give me claps and they try to cheer me up and they’re being good in 16 playoff games for a team GM’d by Kyle Dubas) has gone poof. teammates.” It’s chicken-and-egg in reverse. Which disappeared first, the production Talk helps. Actions matter. or the opportunity? “I’ve never met one guy in hockey who says, ‘Coach, can I play less?’ Sportsnet NOW gives you access to over 500 NHL games this season, They always want more opportunity. Someone always thinks they’re blackout-free, including Hockey Night in Canada, Rogers Hometown getting the short end of the stick,” Babcock said. “No one is getting the Hockey, Scotiabank Wednesday Night Hockey, the entire 2019 Stanley short end of the stick. We’ve only got 12 forwards. They all get their Cup Playoffs and more. chance. Seeing his ice time plummet more than three minutes from 11:42 in Show me.” 2017-18 to 8:31 through the first seven games as a bottom-sixer on the bubble in 2018-19, Johnsson has managed just one assist and less than one shot per game. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.31.2018 And with one-year gamble Tyler Ennis taking over Johnsson’s original spot on the fourth line, Johnsson had been growing colder and less certain about how — or if — he belongs. That Johnsson returned Monday not only to the lineup but the top nine, skating alongside Par Lindholm and Connor Brown, was a promotion of necessity, not merit. Toronto did not immediately recall another forward in the wake of Auston Matthews’ shoulder injury, and Johnsson should get a lengthy look on one of the East’s most dangerous squads to assert his worth as a legitimate NHLer. “What does he do with it?” Babcock said. “He’s got to get his confidence back. He was a good player in the American Hockey League. The American Hockey League and the NHL are two totally different things. “He’s a young guy who’s getting better, who was a dominant player at the end of the year last year in the American League. He’s got to come in and do the same thing here now.” Specifically, using every inch of his five-foot-10, 181-pound body to win more puck battles, be hard on the wall, then make the smart play when the puck is on his stick. And, oh, by the way, Rook, you’re in a contract year. Johnsson skated a game-low 7:19 in Monday’s loss to Calgary. The coach’s trust is as elusive as the player’s impact. 1113012 Websites heavily relied upon forward in the defensive zone, where he has started more than 58 per cent of his shifts.

That Danault has still helped the Canadiens control 57 per cent of the Sportsnet.ca / Canadiens' Phillip Danault thriving as shutdown centre - shot attempts when he’s on the ice — starting the majority of his shifts Sportsnet.ca 180 feet away from the opposition’s net and playing against their best line — speaks to how he’s performing in his role. Eric Engels “I’m learning to be really strong and to not make any mistakes,” said Danault. October 30, 2018, 9:50 AM And he’s enjoying every minute.

“I talked about it with my wife; how lucky I am to play in the NHL like I BROSSARD, Que. — Phillip Danault agrees that Montreal’s 3-0 win over always dreamed of,” he said. “To be a first-line centre in Montreal, being the Boston Bruins this past Saturday was probably the best of his 197 trusted by the coach and getting to play the game I love that I played games in the NHL to date. since I’m three years old; I’m living the dream every kid wants to have, and I definitely got lucky. I get emotional about it.” Sure, he’s had more prolific ones. There was that explosive two-goal, two-assist performance against the New York Rangers in the early part of last season. And we’d be remiss if we failed to recall that game against the Winnipeg Jets in January of 2017, when he scored a tantalizing, end- Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.31.2018 to-end goal to bring his total to two on the night in a 7-4 win for the Canadiens. But we don’t think Danault has ever been more effective over 18 minutes of playing time than he was in skating as the centre on two separate lines to shut down what has to be considered the most dangerous trio in all of hockey. Neither does he. “I think it’s huge for my confidence,” the 25-year-old Victoriaville, Que., native said after Monday’s practice. How could it not be? To win seven of 12 defensive-zone faceoffs against his role model, Patrice Bergeron, to help hold Brad Marchand to zero shots at even strength, and to help keep the explosive David Pastrnak largely to the outside of the scoring zone takes a herculean effort, and that’s what Danault delivered. He also won nine of the other 14 faceoffs he took, blocked a big shot to protect the team’s two-goal lead late in the third period, and assisted on Jordie Benn’s insurance marker, which was scored into an empty net with 29 seconds remaining. “Scoring points for me is only a bonus,” Danault said. Not that he doesn’t want to do more of it. Playing on a line with Brendan Gallagher and Tomas Tatar, he’s expected to contribute at both ends of the ice. And in order for this to be the season he’s hoping to have, he’ll have to hold up his end of the bargain on offence by producing a bit more than the five points he’s notched through Montreal’s first 10 games. But without Danault’s defensive contribution, the Canadiens would certainly not be 6-2-2 on their season. And it’s fair to say they’d be in a world of hurt against the type of competition they’ll face this week. If Marchand, Bergeron and Pastrnak are the cream of the crop, Dallas stars forwards Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and Alexander Radulov present a near-equal challenge. It’s one Danault looks forward to as the Stars visit the Bell Centre for a game with the Canadiens on Tuesday. Just as he’s excited to face Washington’s Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Jakub Vrana when the Capitals visit on Thursday, and Tampa Bay’s J.T. Miller, Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov when the Lightning play in Montreal on Saturday. “[Canadiens coach] Claude [Julien] trusts me, but I think I showed him that he can trust me,” said Danault. “You don’t just get the trust; it’s earned. I work hard in practices and in games and do everything I can to keep the puck out of our net. His trust has been huge for me, mentally and physically, to stay involved in the game. I love taking the draw in my own zone and winning it, and go change and the boys are like, ‘Good job, Phil.’ “I take pride in those little details.” That’s been noticeable since Danault landed in Montreal via trade with the Chicago Blackhawks back in February of 2016. Stream over 500 NHL games blackout-free, including the Flames, Oilers, Leafs and Canucks. Plus Hockey Night in Canada, Rogers Hometown Hockey, Scotiabank Wednesday Night Hockey and more. But he’s taken it to another level in the early part of this season. It’s why he’s Montreal’s most-used forward at even strength and their most 1113013 Websites Still, true to his nature, Kadri didn’t seem concerned about another flat performance at Scotiabank Arena on the night he played his 500th NHL game. The Leafs managed just 15 shots on net in the first 54 minutes Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs' first look without Auston Matthews not very before pouring it on following a Kadri power-play goal. pretty - Sportsnet.ca “No, no. We’re more than fine,” said Kadri. “Just a few bad periods. We turned it on late — it was too late — Freddie stood on his head, gave us a chance.” Chris Johnston | @reporterchris They even thought they scored the tying goal when Zach Hyman tipped a October 30, 2018, 12:35 AM point shot with 1:28 to play and had the puck land flat on the back of the netting. The goal horn blared while Hyman and teammate Josh Leivo celebrated with a crowd of 18,000 strong — only to find out it wasn’t in. ORONTO — Just four shots on goal in the first period. A stretch of 14- Matthews could be seen walking the corridors after the final buzzer plus minutes without one while trailing by two in the third. And a false- sounded. start celebration to top it all off at the end of the night. Even though Babcock had noted that “the greatest thing about hockey is The 2018-19 Toronto Maple Leafs got their first look at life without it’s a team game and you don’t win by yourself,” it’s impossible to argue Auston Matthews on Monday and it wasn’t very pretty. that life wouldn’t be better for the Leafs if their 21-year-old game-breaker was playing. He’ll be missed. In fact, vast stretches of a 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames were downright ugly for a team that still sits atop the NHL standings. “It’s a hole for them, definitely,” said Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk. “I mean he’s one of the best players in the world.” “I just thought they were prepared, I thought they skated, I thought they worked, I thought they sailed out of their zone and beat us up the ice,” said Leafs coach Mike Babcock. “To me, our top group playing against their top groups weren’t good enough.” Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.31.2018 It started with Nazem Kadri’s line, which drew a tough assignment against Sean Monahan and Co. and had all kinds of trouble executing a clean breakout. One failed attempt — a bobbled pass from Morgan Rielly to Mitch Marner while Monahan applied pressure — ended with a quick Elias Lindholm goal to put Calgary ahead 2-0 with less than 14 minutes to play. That about summed up how things went for Toronto. Matthews watched the game in a sharp green suit and will be unavailable to the team for at least four weeks after suffering an injury to his left shoulder on Saturday night. In his absence, Babcock leaned heavily on his top remaining centres and gave both Kadri (21:14) and John Tavares (21:26) their season high in ice time. The Zach Hyman-Tavares-Kasperi Kapanen line spent some time in the Flames’ zone, but didn’t generate a significant number of high-danger chances. Their best saw Tavares get the puck behind Mike Smith and across the line just after time expired in the second period. “We’re learning some good lessons now with how much better we’ve got to be consistently night to night and how well teams are ready to play us,” said Tavares. “They’re coming in trying to do the same things we’re trying to do and get the results that they need. We know we can be a lot better starting with myself.” There’s no reason to think they won’t be, but this stretch of games without Matthews will come with some big challenges. They’ve got tough road games on the horizon, including visits to Pittsburgh, Boston, Carolina, Columbus and a swing through California. Among the more interesting thoughts from Babcock in the wake of Matthews’ injury diagnosis was his unwillingness to endorse the prevailing notion that this year’s Leafs are better-equipped to play without No. 34 than last year’s Leafs because of the signing of Tavares. “Yeah, I don’t know for sure,” said Babcock. “Now, when we’re 20 games in and you ask me that question again, I’ll tell you if we’ve got more depth this year.” Stream over 500 NHL games blackout-free, including the Flames, Oilers, Leafs and Canucks. Plus Hockey Night in Canada, Rogers Hometown Hockey, Scotiabank Wednesday Night Hockey and more. Surely, he’s thinking about the 108 goals out the door with the free-agent departures of James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak and Leo Komarov, plus the William Nylander contract standoff and Matthews injury. That will put a lot of pressure on the top six to produce in the meantime. The Leafs entered the night with just 56 games of NHL experience total between their third and fourth centres (Par Lindholm and Frederik Gauthier). Kadri, Marner and Patrick Marleau fuelled Saturday’s comeback win over the Winnipeg Jets, but they were held in check at 5-on-5 against Calgary. That trio had a poor possession night and just seemed to be a step off with passes and reads. “Their gaps were great,” Kadri said of the Flames. “Right on top of our guys coming through the neutral zone. It just seemed like a pain in the ass every time. They made it tough on us and certainly congested the neutral zone area. That was the difference.”