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SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 03/11/17 1052097 Blues score late to down the Ducks, 4-3 1052136 2000 and counting: Blue Jackets' broadcaster Jeff Rimer 1052098 Ducks fall, 4-3, on St. Louis with 20 seconds left hits milestone with no end in sight 1052099 Whicker: Overcoming Red Wings propelled Ducks to 1052137 Blue Jackets 4, Sabres 3 | Jackets score twice on power 10 years ago play 1052100 What you need to know: Ducks stone Blackhawks as 1052138 Blue Jackets | Saad, Bjorkstrand blur the lines Jonathan Bernier puts up wall 1052139 Bobrovsky on brink of breaking Blue Jackets record 1052102 Coyotes' Mike Smith snaps out of funk, eyes strong finish 1052140 Stars sign Curtis McKenzie to one-year contract extension 1052103 Morgan: Coyotes need the right location to succeed — it’s 1052141 Hard work pays off for Curtis McKenzie, who's been a not Glendale pleasant surprise for the Stars 1052104 Coyotes partnering with USAA for Pat Tillman Military Appreciation Night Red Wings 1052142 ' Anthony Mantha takes healthy scratch as challenge 1052105 Tim Schaller, Ryan Spooner are out for Saturday’s Bruins 1052143 Detroit Red Wings' getting first NHL start in game 3 months 1052106 TD Garden’s bull gang needed a hand. Zdeno Chara 1052144 How to watch the Detroit Red Wings vs. provided it Blackhawks game 1052107 Bruins players make it known that they want to play in 1052145 Tomas Tatar, Red Wings spoil Chicago's last visit to the Olympics Joe, 4-2 1052108 Bruins players show interest in next Olympic Games in 1052146 Howard sharp in return as Wings beat Blackhawks South Korea 1052147 Inconsistent Mantha scratched for Blackhawks game 1052109 STAFFORD SHOWING PLENTY OF POSITIVES IN 1052148 Krupa: Mantha on notice — backchecking required in NHL EARLY RETURNS FOR BRUINS 1052149 Jimmy Howard returns to Red Wings' net for first time 1052110 Cehlarik on 'learning curve,' may return to Bruins lineup since Dec. 20 1052111 Under Cassidy, home has finally become sweet for the 1052150 Red Wings' Anthony Mantha scratched due to recent Bruins decline in compete level 1052112 Schaller, Spooner both out Saturday vs. Flyers 1052151 Lawsuit involving NHL concussions could go to trial this year 1052152 Jimmy Howard's return for Red Wings could ease Petr 1052113 Noble efforts not good enough for Sabres to earn points Mrazek's workload 1052114 Quick Hits: Blue Jackets 4, Sabres 3 1052153 Red Wings vs. Blackhawks: Detroit on pace for most 1052115 Sabres Notebook: Bylsma tougher on the kids but Eichel losses in 25 years ready to respond 1052154 Tomas Tatar, Jimmy Howard lead Red Wings past 1052116 Five things to know as the Sabres play in Columbus Blackhawks 1052117 attempts the impossible: following Rick 1052155 Tatar, Howard lead Red Wings past Blackhawks, 4-2 Jeanneret 1052118 Elmira Jackals, Amerks affiliate, to fold at end of season Oilers 1052156 Sidney Crosby on Connor McDavid leading NHL scoring race: "He's there for a reason" 1052119 Injuries could open door for Rasmus Andersson to debut 1052157 Oilers fall in a shootout against the Penguins for Flames 1052158 Kris Russell back on the Oilers blue line against Penguins 1052120 Flames netminder Brian Elliott a fixture among star 1052161 Oilers snapshots: Fleury on his way out ... 'Wow factor' ... selections during streak 'Diaper players' ... Little additions 1052121 Game Day: Calgary Flames vs. 1052163 Florida Panthers playoff run has stalled but don’t blame 1052125 Canes’ Aho appears to be the ‘real deal’ Thomas Vanek 1052164 Minnesota wins wild game as sinking Florida Panthers lose again at home 1052126 Johnny Oduya on reunion with Niklas Hjalmarsson: 'OK's 1052165 Preview: Panthers at Lightning; Saturday, 7 p.m. not going to be good enough' 1052166 Slumping Panthers need to focus on themselves, not the 1052127 Blackhawks fall 4-2 to Red Wings in final game at Joe standings Louis Arena 1052167 Panthers fall 7-4 to Wild as collapse continues 1052128 Friday's recap: Red Wings 4, Blackhawks 2 1052129 Blackhawks lose second straight in lackluster effort vs. Wings 1052130 Dennis Rasmussen finds himself on the outside looking in 1052131 ODE TO THE JOE: PAST, PRESENT BLACKHAWKS REMEMBER ARENA 1052132 FIVE THINGS TO WATCH: BLACKHAWKS MAKE FINAL STOP AT JOE LOUIS ARENA TONIGHT ON CSN 1052133 Quick Hits from Blackhawks-Red Wings: Lacking jump 1052134 Blackhawks suffer second straight loss in final game at Joe Louis Arena 1052135 Niklas Hjalmarsson, Johnny Oduya to sit out when Blackhawks visit Red Wings 1052168 Three things we learned from the Kings' 3-2 win over the 1052209 Claude Giroux channels Chris Pronger as Flyers resume playoff hunt 1052169 Kings' Jake Muzzin fined $2,000 for embellishment 1052210 Flyers surprise: Neuvirth replaces sizzling Mason 1052170 “A VERY GOOD STUDENT OF THE GAME,” LADUE 1052211 CLAUDE GIROUX HELPING FLYERS HAVE SHORT ACCLIMATING QUICKLY MEMORY THE WAY CHRIS PRONGER TAUGHT HIM 1052171 MARCH 10 PRACTICE NOTES; MUZZIN FINED FOR 1052212 MINUS-16 ON THE ROAD, CLAUDE GIROUX NEEDS DIVING/EMBELLISHMENT; LADUE PREVIEW BETTER MATCHUPS 1052172 THE VIEW FROM NASHVILLE 1052213 JAKUB VORACEK LASHES OUT AT BILL DALY, GARY 1052173 WAKING UP WITH THE KINGS: MARCH 10 BETTMAN OVER OLYMPIC INDECISION 1052174 MARCH 10: BUS TEXTS WITH STOTHERS 1052214 AFTER LOSS TO MAPLE LEAFS, FLYERS 1052175 GAME 54: BAKERSFIELD 3, REIGN 2 + POSTGAME DESPERATELY NEED 2 REGULATION POINTS IN NOTES/VIDEO BOSTON 1052176 MORE QUOTES FROM TODAY’S PRACTICE: 1052215 Giroux takes page from Pronger's book to 'flip the page' STEVENS, DOUGHTY 1052216 Penguins notebook: Fleury gets call in net at Oilers 1052177 Wild looks to bounce back tonight at Florida, will be patient 1052217 Fleury makes 40 saves, Malkin and Bonino score as with Hanzal Penguins win in shootout 1052178 Postgame: Relentless forecheck results in 46 shots, seven 1052218 Tom Sestito disagrees with suspension but will 'take it in goals by Wild stride' 1052179 The key players and stats from Friday's game: 1052219 Paul Zeise: Time to legislate players such as Tom Sestito 1052180 Martin Hanzal's solid game pleases Wild coach Bruce out of the NHL Boudreau 1052220 's 'evolution' brings call-up from Wilkes- 1052181 Parise, Staal lead Wild over Panthers, 7-4 Barre/Scranton 1052182 Wild rallies for 7-4 victory over Florida to end two-game 1052221 Penguins beat Oilers, 3-2 in shootout skid 1052183 Wild’s Martin Hanzal still struggling to find his place with new teAM 1052222 Sharks notes: Keeping Martin Jones fresh is top priority 1052184 Wild break out of scoring slump, beat Panthers 7-4 1052223 Purdy: Ranking the Sharks’ all-time enforcers, by popular demand 1052224 Sharks hope inconsistent power play is turning a corner 1052185 Stu Cowan: Lack of offence should be big concern for 1052225 NHL ready to say no to 2018 Olympics Canadiens 1052226 SHARKS REMIND THEMSELVES THEY CAN PLAY 1052186 In the Habs Room: Canadiens looked sick in shutout loss WITH ANYONE IN DOUBLING UP CAPS to Flames 1052227 DELL'S GAME MAKING HUGE STRIDES WITH THE 1052187 Calgary Flames tie franchise mark with eighth straight win HELP OF NABOKOV but lose two to injury in 5-0 win over M St Louis Blues Nashville Predators 1052228 Blues face Ducks in a race that keeps getting tighter 1052188 Predators' skid complicating playoff path 1052229 Preview: Blues vs. Islanders 1052189 Iginla gets 2nd goal in OT, leads Kings past Predators 3-2 1052230 Blue Notes: Gunnarsson, Bortuzzo get familiar as partners 1052231 Edmundson an unlikely hero as Blues pull out 4-3 win 1052190 Devils' Travis Zajac out Saturday vs. Coyotes 1052191 Devils who have most to gain and prove over last month 1052232 Injuries to three Lightning centers not as bad as first 1052192 Greene will play but Zajac leaves Devs to be with wife thought 1052193 Devs still have individual reasons to play well as teAM 1052233 Lightning's Johnson, Namestnikov, Paquette all day-to- 1052194 Devils Up Next: At Arizona day 1052234 Exploring Lightning's options at center with injuries 1052195 Islanders’ Doug Weight counts on youngsters Anthony Maple Leafs Beauvillier, Josh Ho-Sang 1052235 Study says minor hockey body-checking ban has led to fewer injuries New York Rangers 1052236 Hockey’s biggest shift: Fifty years of evolution in NHL 1052196 Rangers lose again as NHL says Antti Raanta was not coaching interfered with 1052237 Nylander gaining upper hand on Leafs power play 1052197 NHL’s ‘spin’ on how they burned the Rangers 1052238 Leafs’ Frederik Andersen doesn’t mind heavy workload 1052198 NHL backs good-goal call in Rangers’ loss to Hurricanes 1052239 Saturday game preview: at Carolina Hurricanes 1052240 Maple Leafs' off-ice focus shifts with playoffs in sight 1052200 Donibrook: Senators' Alex Burrows a ball-hockey goal 1052241 Marincin in, Marchenko out machine 1052242 Slump? What slump? Maple Leafs' Matthews has earned 1052201 Snapshots: Why, exactly, are the Senators winning? free pass 1052202 Marc Crawford re-lives Stanley Cup title in Colorado 1052203 Senators aiming for top of Atlantic despite avalanche of injuries 1052204 Mark Stone latest Senator added to the injury list 1052205 Can these Senators keep winning? 1052206 Depth vaulting Senators to new heights 1052207 Senators dealing with injuries ahead of meeting with Avalanche 1052208 Senators coach Crawford has fond memories of Colorado 1052252 Jason Botchford: Canucks have just 15 games left, so … Play. The. Kids 1052253 Bulls and Bears: Vegas, baby! Sin City securing a sporty future with NHL, NFL 1052243 After back-to-back losses, Capitals have new lines for first time in months 1052244 The Caps are 5-4-1 since their bye week. Are they headed for another late-season slide? 1052245 AFTER CONSECUTIVE REGULATION LOSSES, CAPITALS FACE QUESTIONS ABOUT LAST SEASON'S SWOON 1052246 PREDICTION RECAP: CAPS GET GOOD START, BAD FINISH 1052247 WITH THE CAPS SCUFFLING, COACH BARRY TROTZ SHOOK THINGS UP FRIDAY Websites 1052254 ESPN / Rookie center Brayden Point has become central to the Tampa Bay Lightning's playoff hopes 1052255 NBCSports.com / ‘Absolutely ridiculous’ — Voracek frustrated with no Olympic deal 1052256 NBCSports.com / Former Glendale mayor rips NHL, Coyotes in blistering letter 1052257 .ca / Thriller in Edmonton only validates Crosby-McDavid comparisons 1052258 Sportsnet.ca / Jets’ Trouba: Penguins not losing much in Sestito suspension 1052259 Sportsnet.ca / More than just a wicked shot, William Nylander a student of the game 1052261 Sportsnet.ca / Quick Shifts: Is Morgan Rielly the new Dion Phaneuf? 1052262 Sportsnet.ca / Penguins fan uses extra ticket to bring homeless man to game 1052263 Sportsnet.ca / If Jets want to make the playoffs they need better goaltending 1052264 Sportsnet.ca / P.K. Subban: ‘One day I’d love to be the commissioner of the NHL’ 1052265 Sportsnet.ca / Jakub Voracek thinks NHL’s stance on Olympics is ‘stupid’ 1052266 TSN.CA / Maple Leafs take playoff chase on the road 1052267 TSN.CA / Point central to Lightning's playoff hopes 1052268 Wall Street Journal / Will Las Vegas Be Able to Fill Seats? Winnipeg Jets 1052248 Dirty Penguin puts Enstrom on ice indefinitely with concussion 1052249 Trouba focuses on play, not contract extension 1052250 Jets defenceman Enstrom out indefinitely 1052251 Five keys to Jets vs. Flames

SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1052097 Anaheim Ducks

Blues score late to down the Ducks, 4-3

Associated Press

Joel Edmundson scored with 20 seconds left and Jake Allen made 23 saves in the St. Louis Blues' 4-3 victory over the Ducks on Friday night. Paul Stastny, Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan Reaves also scored to help the Blues win their third straight. Jakob Silfverberg, Chris Wagner and Rickard Rakell scored for the Ducks. They had won two in a row. Stastny snapped a 2-2 tie in the first minute of the third with a blast from the slot that eluded goalie John Gibson, who was making his first start after missing six games in a row with a lower-body injury. Silfverberg tied it at 3 on a power play with 10:36 left. Reaves, known more for minutes than goal-scoring prowess, stuffed in a rebound early in the second period for a 2-1 lead. He then came up empty on a penalty shot in the third period when Gibson came out and poked the puck off his stick Anaheim, which was coming off a 1-0 victory in Chicago on Thursday night, jumped to a 2-1 lead on goals by Rakell and Wagner. Rakell scored his 28th of the season at 11:59 of the opening period to tie it at 1. On ice-officials first disallowed the goal, ruling that Allen had been interfered with on the play. But a video review determined Corey Perry had been pushed into Allen. Tarasenko scored his 30th goal of the season just 12 seconds into the game. It was the fastest goal of the season for the Blues, LA Times: LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052098 Anaheim Ducks

Ducks fall, 4-3, on St. Louis goal with 20 seconds left

By STEVE OVERBEY 2017-03-10 18:30:44

ST. LOUIS – Joel Edmundson scored with 20 seconds left and Jake Allen made 23 saves in the St. Louis Blues’ 4-3 victory over the Ducks on Friday night. Paul Stastny, Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan Reaves also scored to help the Blues win their third straight. Jakob Silfverberg, Chris Wagner and Rickard Rakell scored for the Ducks. They had won two in a row. Stastny snapped a 2-2 tie in the first minute of the third with a blast from the slot that eluded goalie John Gibson, who was making his first start after missing six games in a row with a lower-body injury. Silfverberg tied it at 3 on a power play with 10:36 left. Edmundson has three goals in 120 NHL games. He snapped a wrist shot past goalie Josh Gibson off a nifty set up from defenseman Robert Bortuzzo, who had just his third assist of the season. "An unlikely pair," Reaves said. "Not exactly how we drew it up," St. Louis coach Mike Yeo joked. Reaves, known more for penalty minutes than goal-scoring prowess, stuffed in a rebound early in the second period for a 2-1 lead. He then came up empty on a penalty shot in the third period when Gibson came out and poked the puck off his stick. "To lose with under 20 seconds left, it's very disappointing," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. "We played well at times, but didn't get any real reward." The Ducks, who were coming off a 1-0 victory in Chicago on Thursday night, jumped to a 2-1 lead on goals by Rakell and Wagner. Rakell scored his 28th of the season at 11:59 of the opening period to tie it at 1. On ice-officials first disallowed the goal, ruling that Allen had been interfered with on the play. But a video review determined Corey Perry had been pushed into Allen. The Ducks outshot St. Louis 14-9 in the third period and appeared to grab the momentum after Silfverberg's goal. "I thought we played hard the whole game," Rakell said. "Every game is so close and it means so much. We've just got to put this one behind us." Tarasenko scored his 30th goal of the season just 12 seconds into the game. It was the fastest goal of the season for the Blues, NOTES The teams will meet again on Wednesday in Anaheim. … St. Louis G Jake Allen is 16-3-2 in March during his career. … The Ducks have 14 games remaining, nine at home. … Ducks coach Randy Carlyle is sitting on 399 career victories. … The Ducks have allowed just 72 goals since Christmas, fewest in the league. Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052099 Anaheim Ducks Meanwhile, the Red Wings dazzled their way to the top seed. Niklas Lidstrom was hockey’s best defenseman without laying an angry glove on anyeone. and staged Ice Capades Whicker: Overcoming Red Wings propelled Ducks to Stanley Cup 10 every night. years ago Anaheim’s fan base thought the Wings should take the ice with berets and cigarette holders. Detroit’s fan base thought the Ducks were Hell’s Angels. By MARK WHICKER Live action was on the way. 2017-03-10 18:46:08 LATE MAGIC

It’s hard to remember the real blackness of the Game 4 cloud. ANAHEIM – Tomas Holmstrom stood in front of nets and spread a deep root system. Anaheim had whiffed on 32 consecutive power play chances. Ric Jackman, who replaced Pronger, broke that famine. Getzlaf broke a 3-3 He let things bounce off him. Sticks, elbows, knees, especially pucks, tie in the third with a laser past Dominik Hasek. The Ducks won 5-3 and which often deflected past blinded goaltenders and into the net. burned rubber for Detroit. He was one of many problems presented by the Detroit Red Wings. But Game 5, in the industrial-strength fervor of Joe Louis Arena, began with when Holmstrom left his bunker, the Ducks followed him with bad the Wings in flight. At one point they had 34 shots on goal and the Ducks intentions. only 16. But they led only 1-0 as the third period clock began to bleed. It was late in Game 3 of the 2007 Western Conference Finals. Detroit “I had a great goalie coach, Francois Allaire,” Giguere said. “We would was finishing up a 5-0 win that would create a 2-1 series lead. study video before every series. With the Red Wings, they had so many skilled people who had so many moves. I didn’t try to anticipate. I just All year the Ducks played for destiny. General manager called it a “dead tried to react.” sprint.” Now that saga was headed for the rocks, just as Chris Pronger spotted Holmstrom, head down, near the Detroit bench. Carlyle pulled Giguere with four minutes left. Suddenly the Ducks had a 6-on-4 when Datsyuk was off for interfering with Andy McDonald. They It was like cutting yourself shaving and then jumping into a shark tank. cycled the puck behind Hasek. Johan Franzen tried to get it out of the Pronger rushed up and bashed Holmstrom’s head against the glass, with zone and couldn’t. Rob Niedermayer in front of both. S. Niedermayer jumped into open space and shot. The bounce went off Holmstrom collapsed and took 13 stitches. Pronger was suspended for a Lidstrom’s shoulder and over Hasek’s with 48 seconds left in regulation. Game 4 that the Ducks had to win to avoid a 3-1 deficit. Tie game. “There were times,” Todd Marchant says now, looking back through the “A little floater, up and over,” Niedermayer said. “That’s why you put the binoculars 10 years, “when we crossed the line.” puck on the net.” More often, the Ducks drew it. “A shot from one Hall of Famer, off another Hall of Famer, past another Hall of Famer,” Marchant said. “The stars were aligned.” In 2007 they won the Stanley Cup without the hassle of a single Game 7. They went 16-5 and grew with each series. Selanne said later that the arena hushed to the point “you could hear people breathing.” The Ducks certainly were. In ’s 12th minute, But there was one point of no return. They had to win Game 4. They did. Andreas Lilja tried to skate the puck in front of Hasek and was bumped They had to win Game 5, too. They did that. by Andy McDonald. They beat the Red Wings in six and then demolished Ottawa in five for The puck came out to Selanne, who flipped his customary backhand over their first Stanley Cup, an occasion commemorated at Honda Center Hasek’s shoulder. Sunday. “Forehand, backhand, nothing but water bottle,” said NBC’s Ed Olczyk. Randy Carlyle sits behind the coach’s desk, now as then. He smiles tightly. The Ducks had won, 2-1. “Holmstrom was a very effective player,” he said. “But he didn’t score a Either goal can stand, so far, as the most consequential in Ducks’ history. point after that.” GROWTH CHART NATURAL FOES And, no, it doesn’t seem like 10 years. The Ducks and Red Wings were opposites who generated angry sparks. So many principals remain. Getzlaf and Perry play for the Ducks. Mike Babcock had coached Anaheim, but Burke gave him a low-ball offer Marchant and S. Niedermayer are on staff. Selanne is a frequent in hopes he would quit, which he did. Now Babcock coached Detroit. spectator. Chris Kunitz, Drew Miller, Francois Beauchemin and Shawn Thornton are still playing in the NHL. And Carlyle is back. Burke then signed Scott Niedermayer to play alongside his brother. He brought something no Duck had. Stanley Cup rings. Three, in fact. The game itself has changed. Most of the subsequent champions lived on speed and dexterity. Malice doesn’t live here anymore. The 2006 team made a late run to the Western Finals. “Dwayne Roloson got hot for Edmonton and stole that series,” Marchant said. “It was Maxime Giguere does. He was born on April 4, 2007. When he unfinished business for us. It seemed like the off-season never developed an eye problem, his dad and mom took him to UCLA’s Jules happened. We were ready to go.” Stein Eye Institute. “Giggy” missed the first playoff series against Minnesota. “We lost that series and Pronger was their best player,” S. Niedermayer said. “So then we had the same team except we traded for Pronger.” The Ducks won the Cup on June 6 and Giguere placed his son inside it. Now Maxime is 10, growing like the memories. That happened when Burke learned Pronger wanted to leave Edmonton. So now the Ducks had S. Niedermayer, Pronger and Teemu Selanne, all Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.11.2017 Hall of Famers or immiment ones. Goaltender Giguere was the king of playoff overtime (8-1). Ryan Getzlaf, whom Selanne called “a great puppy,” teamed with rookies Corey Perry and Dustin Penner for a rambunctious second line. Travis Moen, R. Niedermayer and center Samuel Pahlsson provided a lethal checking line. “We could play however you wanted,” Carlyle said, but their image was size and menace. Pronger, Shawn Thornton and fit Burke’s vision of a “bellicose, belligerent and obnoxious” powerhouse. “I don’t think we tried to hurt people,” Giguere said. “But people around the league knew. You didn’t screw around with the Ducks.” 1052100 Anaheim Ducks - Nick Ritchie was left back at home as Ducks coach Randy Carlyle told reporters that the winger suffered a “whiplash” effect on a hit in Tuesday’s game against Nashville and is going through the concussion What you need to know: Ducks stone Blackhawks as Jonathan Bernier protocol. puts up wall THE DRESSING ROOM - “I think we were able to settle in a bit and we started playing our game. By ERIC STEPHENS Obviously our third period was our best tonight. Our PK was unbelievable tonight. We blocked a lot of shots and that’s how you’re going to win on 2017-03-10 15:25:24 the road.” – Jonathan Bernier - "Hopefully you peak at the right time of the year. You've got to get ready and keep pushing. I mean, there's teams behind us that are pushing for a Here’s what you need to know about the Ducks’ 1-0 win over the Chicago [playoff] spot. Every point's crucial in this league right now." – Corey Blackhawks on Thursday night: Perry, to NHL.com THE GAME IN 140 OR LESS - “Well, we’re happy. Obviously when you come into this building, we know it’s going to be tough. They play a puck possession game. They - A spectacular Jonathan Bernier kept his sluggish teammates in the had the puck a lot tonight but we kept them to the outside for the most game and then the Ducks stepped up and made Corey Perry’s goal part and our goalie made some big stops.” – Ryan Getzlaf stand up. - “That’s not something I like to do. Obviously I don’t ever want to take THE QUOTE the instigator in those. Sometimes I have to fight and that’s the way it - “I felt really good. Obviously I wanted to have a full 60 minutes really goes. Luckily our team reacted the way I wanted them to and we went on being focused. Obviously it’s a fun building to play in. We needed those to win.” – Getzlaf two points. I thought last game [against Nashville], the guys helped me THE KEY STATS out and found a way to score four. Tonight, I felt I needed a better performance.” – Ducks goalie Jonathan Bernier, to Fox Sports West’s - Corey Perry scored the only goal for his 12th of the season to snap a Julie Stewart-Binks 10-game drought. THE PLAYER - Cam Fowler played a game-high 25:19 and four of the Ducks’ 21 blocked shots. - Jonathan Bernier. Against the hottest team in the NHL and a legitimate threat to come out of the Western Conference, Bernier simply played his - Andrew Cogliano led the Ducks with seven shots on goal. best game as a member of the Ducks. It was his 100th career victory and his 43 saves in a shutout is tied for the second most in franchise history, - Logan Shaw had the primary assist on Perry’s goal and won six of eight joining Jonas Hiller. Doing it against the Blackhawks says it all. faceoffs in 6:12. THE MOMENT - Nate Thompson had five hits and went 8-for-17 on faceoffs in a season- high 18:06. - There were many but we’ll go with the last one, which was Bernier making a blocker stop on the dangerous Artemi Panarin while dealing - Rickard Rakell had just one shot attempt in 15:45 of ice time. with a bunch of traffic around the net and losing his stick as he slid to his right to make the big save after Chicago pulled goalie Corey Crawford to - Ryan Kesler registered seven hits, six shot attempts and won 16 of 25 ice an extra attacker. faceoffs. THE THOUGHT - The Ducks had 44 hits for the game, with Josh Manson leading them with eight. - Let’s not kid ourselves here. The first 20 minutes was about Chicago playing as if the puck was on a string. Passes were connected between - Brent Seabrook had five hits, four blocked shots and seven shot teammates all over the ice. And the Ducks couldn’t do that whenever attempts. they did get the puck. The skill difference was frightening and Bernier - Chicago had a 79-56 edge in shot attempts and 43-26 advantage in was, in many cases, the only reason why the Blackhawks didn’t have a shots on goal. two- or three-goal lead after the opening period. But the Ducks did do two things well. Forced to really battle on the defensive end, they did in - Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews each had six shots on goal for the largely containing Chicago’s stars. Shots were often kept to the outside Blackhawks. and when the Blackhawks did get some good looks, Bernier was able to see them and keep his positioning for glove saves or body stops. A - Corey Crawford stopped 25 of 26 shots for Chicago. penalty kill that has resumed its top-tier status was once again effective. - The Blackhawks blocked 24 shots, with Johnny Oduya having a team- The Ducks were also terrific in the faceoff circle, particularly on draws best five. that were key in the defensive zone and late in the game. Their best period was the third and it reflected how they’re often at their best in THE RECORD protecting leads. We’ll hold off on saying whether this is the game that Corey Perry turns back into the All-Star winger of old but any time he is a - 35-22-10 (21-8-3 at home, 14-14-7 on road), second place in Pacific difference maker in a positive vein, it is a good and major thing for the Division Ducks. An ill-advised with Rickard Panik notwithstanding, Ryan Getzlaf THE NEXT ONE has turned up in his game as they’ve become more important. And while he hasn’t been lights out every time out, Jonathan Bernier delivered the - The Ducks play the St. Louis Blues on Friday at Scottrade Center at 5 kind of game the Ducks felt he was capable of when they acquired him p.m. last summer. Being an option to be comfortable with for a big game – a playoff game especially – if John Gibson wasn’t available, which he isn’t Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.11.2017 now. THE TREND - The Ducks have not allowed two power-play goals in a game since Dec. 20 at Montreal. They haven’t allowed power-play goals in back-to-back games since Feb. 9-11, killing off 32 of 35 disadvantages over than span. THE NEWS - John Gibson joined the Ducks on their road trip and faced some shots in a morning workout for the first time since suffering a lower-body muscle strain that kept him from making a start on Feb. 22. Gibson is not expected to play at St. Louis and it isn’t clear when he’ll become available. 1052101 Anaheim Ducks Meanwhile, the Red Wings dazzled their way to the top seed. Nicklas Lidstrom was hockey’s best defenseman without laying an angry glove on anyone. Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg staged Ice Capades Whicker: Overcoming Red Wings propelled Ducks to Stanley Cup 10 every night. years ago Anaheim’s fan base thought the Wings should take the ice with berets and cigarette holders. Detroit’s fan base thought the Ducks were Hell’s Angels. By Mark Whicker, LA Daily News Live action was on the way. Posted: 03/10/17, 10:29 PM PST | Updated: 49 secs ago It’s hard to remember the real blackness of the Game 4 cloud.

Anaheim had whiffed on 32 consecutive power-play chances. Ric ANAHEIM >> Tomas Holmstrom stood in front of nets and spread a deep Jackman, who replaced Pronger, broke that famine. Getzlaf broke a 3-3 root system. tie in the third with a laser past Dominik Hasek. The Ducks won 5-3 and burned rubber for Detroit. He let things bounce off him. Sticks, elbows, knees, especially pucks, which often deflected past blinded goaltenders and into the net. Game 5, in the industrial-strength fervor of Joe Louis Arena, began with the Wings in flight. At one point, they had 34 shots on goal and the Ducks He was one of many problems presented by the Detroit Red Wings. But only 16. But Detroit led only 1-0 as the third period clock began to bleed. when Holmstrom left his bunker, the Ducks followed him with bad intentions. “I had a great goalie coach, Francois Allaire,” Giguere said. “We would study video before every series. With the Red Wings, they had so many It was late in Game 3 of the 2007 Western Conference Finals. Detroit skilled people who had so many moves. I didn’t try to anticipate. I just was finishing up a 5-0 win that would create a 2-1 series lead. tried to react.” All year the Ducks played for destiny. General manager Brian Burke Carlyle pulled Giguere with four minutes left. Suddenly the Ducks had a called it a “dead sprint.” Now that saga was headed for the rocks, just as 6-on-4 when Datsyuk was off for interfering with Andy McDonald. They Chris Pronger spotted Holmstrom, head down, near the Detroit bench. cycled the puck behind Hasek. Johan Franzen tried to get it out of the zone and couldn’t. It was like cutting yourself shaving and then jumping into a shark tank. Pronger rushed up and bashed Holmstrom’s head against the glass, with Scott Niedermayer jumped into open space and shot. The bounce went Rob Niedermayer in front of both. off Lidstrom’s shoulder and over Hasek’s with 48 seconds left in regulation. Tie game. Holmstrom collapsed and took 13 stitches. Pronger was suspended for a Game 4 that the Ducks had to win to avoid a 3-1 deficit. “A little floater, up and over,” Niedermayer said. “That’s why you put the puck on the net.” “There were times,” Todd Marchant says now, looking back through the binoculars 10 years, “when we crossed the line.” “A shot from one Hall of Famer, off another Hall of Famer, past another Hall of Famer,” Marchant said. “The stars were aligned.” More often, the Ducks drew it. Selanne said later that the arena hushed to the point “you could hear In 2007 they won the Stanley Cup without the hassle of a single Game 7. people breathing.” The Ducks certainly were. In overtime’s 12th minute, They went 16-5 and grew with each series. Andreas Lilja tried to skate the puck in front of Hasek and was bumped But there was one point of no return. They had to win Game 4. They did. by Andy McDonald. They had to win Game 5, too. They did that. The puck came out to Selanne, who flipped his customary backhand over They beat the Red Wings in six and then demolished Ottawa in five for Hasek’s shoulder. their first Stanley Cup, an occasion that will be commemorated Sunday at “Forehand, backhand, nothing but water bottle,” said NBC’s Ed Olczyk. Honda Center. The Ducks had won, 2-1. Randy Carlyle sits behind the coach’s desk, now as then. He smiles tightly. Either goal can stand, so far, as the most consequential in Ducks’ history. “Holmstrom was a very effective player,” he said. “But he didn’t score a And, no, it doesn’t seem like 10 years. point after that.” So many principals remain. Getzlaf and Perry play for the Ducks. The Ducks and Red Wings were opposites who generated angry sparks. Marchant and Scott Niedermayer are on staff. Selanne is a frequent spectator. Chris Kunitz, Drew Miller, Francois Beauchemin and Shawn Mike Babcock had coached Anaheim, but Burke gave him a low-ball offer Thornton are still playing in the NHL. And Carlyle is back. in hopes he would quit, which he did. Now Babcock coached Detroit. The game itself has changed. Most of the subsequent champions lived Burke then signed Scott Niedermayer to play alongside his brother. He on speed and dexterity. Malice doesn’t live here anymore. brought something no Duck had. Stanley Cup rings. Three, in fact. Maxime Giguere does. He was born April 4, 2007. When he developed The 2006 team made a late run to the Western Finals. “Dwayne Roloson an eye problem, his dad and mom took him to UCLA’s Jules Stein Eye got hot for Edmonton and stole that series,” Marchant said. “It was Institute. “Giggy” missed the first playoff series against Minnesota. unfinished business for us. It seemed like the offseason never happened. We were ready to go.” The Ducks won the Cup on June 6 and Giguere placed his son inside it. Now Maxime is 10, growing like the memories. “We lost that series and Pronger was their best player,” Scott Niedermayer said. “So then we had the same team except we traded for LA Daily News: LOADED: 03.11.2017 Pronger.” That happened when Burke learned Pronger wanted to leave Edmonton. So now the Ducks had Scott Niedermayer, Pronger and Teemu Selanne, all Hall of Famers or imminent ones. Goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere was the king of playoff overtime (8-1). Ryan Getzlaf, whom Selanne called “a great puppy,” teamed with rookies Corey Perry and Dustin Penner for a rambunctious second line. Travis Moen, Rob Niedermayer and center Samuel Pahlsson provided a lethal checking line. “We could play however you wanted,” Carlyle said, but their image was size and menace. Pronger, Shawn Thornton and Brad May fit Burke’s vision of a “bellicose, belligerent and obnoxious” powerhouse. “I don’t think we tried to hurt people,” Giguere said. “But people around the league knew. You didn’t screw around with the Ducks.” 1052102 Arizona Coyotes “I think there has been those instances in the past that goaltending has been a question,” Smith said. “(Goalie coach Jon Elkin and I) didn’t want to have that excuse this year. We wanted to take care of our job, and we Coyotes' Mike Smith snaps out of funk, eyes strong finish focused on that from the start of the summer last year to the start of camp that we were coming in with our work boots on and controlling things that we can control and putting the work in when the work’s needed and doing the things that it takes as consistently as possible Sarah McLellan , azcentral sports 7:31 p.m. MT March 10, 2017 throughout the course of the season. I felt like I’ve done that so far. I want to end it on a good note.”

Arizona Republic LOADED: 03.11.2017 It’s been almost three weeks – five starts – since Coyotes goalie Mike Smith has celebrated a win, but he hasn’t been playing like he’s stuck in a rut. Nor does he feel he is. “I’m out of the funk,” he said. The drought started when Smith tied a season-high when he gave up six to the Blackhawks Feb. 23. He also wasn’t sharp in his next appearance, getting tagged for four goals on 14 shots by the Bruins through two periods before he was pulled. But since then, he’s been steady – even if the results haven’t indicated as much. And this late-season rebound puts Smith in position to accomplish an important goal during the remaining four weeks of the schedule: embarking on the offseason feeling confident about his play. “I think it’s been one of my more consistent years that I’ve had probably since the first year I got here,” he said. “I just want to continue that throughout the course of the season, continue to build on that game-in, game-out (and) just be solid back there for the group and go into the summer feeling like I was solid all the way through the season. There’s going to be games where it’s not going to go your way but for the most part, I’ve tried to limit those this year. I want to finish that way.” Smith was critical of his performance after that loss in Boston last week, saying he was in “a little funk” and needed to use practice time to reset after he had surrendered 10 goals on just 43 shots in two games. “Wasn’t seeing it. Wasn’t feeling it,” he said. “Just felt a little off. It’s going to happen through the course of the season. You try not to let it go on for very long, which I think I’ve done a fairly good job of this year. So I think just trying to work on some things in practice that make you back to being comfortable and when you get in the game, try to simplify a little bit and not worry about anything other than doing your job.” Despite giving up four goals March 2 in a 6-3 loss to the Sabres, the margin of defeat very well could have been much wider if not for Smith – who battled to keep the Coyotes close. He was on-point again last Sunday against the Hurricanes with the deficit much slimmer (2-1). And he was solid in the 3-2 overtime loss to the Senators on Thursday. The game-tying goal came off a scramble in front that had the puck bounce out to a wide-open Erik Karlsson at the back post for an easy shot. In overtime, the Senators broke out for a 2-on-0 rush with Karlsson completing Ottawa’s comeback when he kept the shot – going glove-side on Smith. “I think there was a time in my career every goal I was mad at,” he said. “I’ve learned how to understand which ones I should have had and not -- and kind of try to not let those ones that are uncontrollable affect the way you’re feeling or playing.” That foresight has come during his time in Arizona; Smith continues to work with a sports psychologist to help with the mental side of the position but hasn’t relied on her as much this season. “I feel like I’ve had a pretty good handle on what I’ve been doing,” he said. Recognizing what he can and can’t control hasn’t sapped his competitiveness but has allowed him to evaluate his performance amid a tough season for the team. “I want to win every game I play in,” he said. “But in reality and where we’re at as a group, that’s going to be hard. Try to not let that affect you mentally and try to not let that affect the way you play.” This season hasn’t been without its adversity for Smith, who missed about a month early with an MCL sprain in his left knee. At 16-20-7 and with a .913 save percentage and 2.98 goals-against average, his numbers are well below the league leaders but he’s been one of the more consistent contributors on the Coyotes. And in that sense, Smith has already achieved another ambition for this season – to not be the reason the team has struggled. 1052103 Arizona Coyotes Arizona ranking among the nation’s bottom 10 percent in educational spending, but we digress from the topic at hand.

NHL commissioner made international headlines this week Morgan: Coyotes need the right location to succeed — it’s not Glendale with a letter to state lawmakers in which he wrote, among other things: “The Arizona Coyotes must have a new arena location to succeed. The Coyotes cannot and will not remain in Glendale.” By Craig Morgan | March 10, 2017 @ 3:34 PM Some perceived that as a threat. It was not. The threat came in majority owner ’s curiously worded statement on the topic, in which he wrote: “While we cannot and will not stay in Glendale, we will GLENDALE, Ariz. — Nobody is blameless in the latest war of words continue to push our proposed public-private partnership until we either between the NHL, the Coyotes and the city of Glendale — a conflict at achieve a long-term arena solution in a more economically viable location least eight years old that has drawn state lawmakers into the fray. in the Valley, or we reach the point where there is simply no longer a path forward in Arizona.” The hard truth for the team is that it has produced four winning seasons, three playoffs berths and two playoff series wins in 13 seasons in the Let’s be clear on something. Barroway has no say in whether the team West Valley location that welcomed it when nobody else would. Winning leaves town. That’s up to the league and Bettman. If you’ve been paying sells in any market, but it’s especially important in one as fickle as attention the last eight years, you’ll notice that Bettman’s heels are dug Phoenix. Repetitive losing is an unwise investment of fans’ dollars and so deeply into Arizona soil they are cemented in caliche. emotions. If you actually read Bettman’s letter, he is simply confirming a statement In 13 seasons in Glendale, the Coyotes have endured poor ownership the Coyotes have made for the last two years — ever since Glendale from Steve Ellman and Jerry Moyes, poor coaching from , voided its agreement with the team. They have no intention of staying in poor drafts, poor development of those draft picks, poor management Glendale long term. from general manager Mike Barnett, an attempt by Moyes to put the team into bankruptcy in 2009, four years of frugal league ownership. Bettman also reaffirmed his commitment to the Phoenix market in that There’s also been an endless and sometimes comical carousel of letter to lawmakers (and he did again the following day to reporters at the ownership suitors from Jim Balsillie, Matthew Hulsizer and Jerry GM meetings in Boca Raton, Florida): “I am writing to you today to make Reinsdorf, to Greg Jamison and Darin Pastor (remember him?). sure that you hear directly from me about the NHL’s commitment to keeping the Arizona Coyotes in the Greater Phoenix market and to clarify There was a protracted sale to IceArizona, some missteps by the new the economic realities associated with accomplishing that goal.” and inexperienced ownership group, and now a long-needed rebuild whose architects are suffering in the shadows cast by their predecessors. In response to Bettman’s statement, former Glendale Mayor Elaine The past is haunting the Coyotes, even if none of its current actors are Scruggs told the Republic: “the Coyotes position at the bottom of the responsible for it. standings is a leadership problem, not a location problem.” It was a pithy quote with some substance, but the idea that the Coyotes do not suffer On the flip side, to cast the city of Glendale as the victim in this saga is to from a location problem does not stand up to critical analysis. ignore its own recent history. The city has a record of poor business practices with sports franchises. Just ask Cardinals team president The Coyotes have long noted that their season-ticket holder base is on Michael Bidwill about his repeated disputes with his civic partner, and the east side of town. This stands to reason since East Valley suburbs take a look at where all the Super Bowls activities were hosted the last represent about twice the population of West Valley suburbs, according time the NFL’s marquee event came here in 2015. to U.S. Census figures. It is also undeniable that the wealth-base of the city resides on the east side, not only in the wealthiest communities of Recent editorials have defended the city for ending what they called Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Fountain Hills and Carefree, but in sizeable “subsidies” to the Coyotes when it voided a 15-year arena lease and pockets of Cave Creek, Chandler, east Mesa, Tempe and Gilbert. management agreement in 2015 — less than two years after it signed it. Those editorials gloss over the fact that the city of Glendale broke a East-side buyers make up 77 percent of premium season tickets sold (on business deal it had signed with the team, citing a questionable conflict of the glass, BMW Lounge, suites and loge boxes), and 78 percent of interest that never made its way to court, despite the opinions of five premium-seat revenue for the Coyotes. With non-premium packages in independent legal experts that the Coyotes had the better case. the upper and lower bowls, east-side residents account for 59 percent of seats sold and 67 percent of non-premium, full-season equivalent Glendale had questions about city employees joining the team as far revenue. back as the Jamison deal. The city held onto them when it could have easily been resolved beforehand if the city had actually intended to act as East-side residents account for 54 percent of the revenue generated in a true business partner. the upper bowl of and 71 percent in the lower bowl. Group tickets are similarly skewed toward the east side in both premiums If you think breaking signed business deals is a trifle, you have no sales and non-premium full-season equivalent sales. In other words, the concept of the business world and the importance of holding to more expensive the product, the more pronounced the revenue agreements. Business leaders and scholars across the Valley were clear differential between the east side and the west side. in underlying the significance of Glendale’s decision. Coyotes’ season-ticket buyer breakdown “Even if they eke out a victory in the short term … they could still lose in the long term by damaging their brand for future negotiations,” said Premium 1 glass seats: east side 87%; west side 13% Rodney Smith, the director of the sports law and business program at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. Premium 2 BMW Lounge: east 67%; west 33% “Anyone is going to think long and hard before they decide to do Premium 3 (suites): east 78%; west 22% business with Glendale.” Premium loge: east 60%; west 40% In the wake of that decision, the Coyotes are seeking to establish a community engagement district elsewhere in the Valley. A portion of the Regular lower-level tickets: east 62%; west 38% tax generated within that district would be used to help pay debt service on bonds used to fund construction of an arena. Without that district, the Regular upper-level: east 53%, west 47% undeveloped site would generate no tax revenue, so the Coyotes say the The fallout from this break-up will be messy. That’s unavoidable and state can either have slightly more than half of something or all of regrettable, but it should be clear to all that the Coyotes will not remain in nothing. The counter-argument, and it’s a valid one, is what will be lost in Glendale long term. That door has closed. If the current legislation does Glendale in the form of tax revenue and another tax-funded stadium not pass, the Coyotes should be compelled by the league to take a seat whose very survival would be at risk. at the table with a group that wants to build them a 20,000-seat arena on It’s clear lawmakers and taxpayers do not have the appetite to pursue Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community land, first reported by such a venture, based on recent polls and an Arizona Republic story that Arizona Sports in October. canvassed lawmakers and found that the legislation introduced by Sen. The Coyotes need three key ingredients to succeed in this difficult Bob Worsley (R-Mesa) does not have the votes required to pass the market. They need stable ownership, they need to win and they need the Arizona Senate. To hear lawmakers and taxpayers shouting the right location. That location is not Glendale. simplistic mantras of no taxpayer dollars for rich sports owners and support education for our kids instead is disingenuous, however. Arizona Sports LOADED: 03.11.2017 This is coming from the same lawmakers and taxpayers who have shown no such commitment to education at any point in recent memory, with 1052104 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes partnering with USAA for Pat Tillman Military Appreciation Night

By Arizona Sports | March 10, 2017 @ 9:17 AM

The Arizona Coyotes are partnering with the USAA to bring Pat Tillman Appreciation Night to Glendale on Friday, March 31. The game against the Washington Capitals will have the first 10,000 fans arriving receive a Coyotes camo-themed bandana courtesy of USAA and Pepsi. Most importantly of all, $5.42 of every ticket purchased through Arizonacoyotes.com/Tillman (promo code: TILLMAN) will benefit the Tillman Foundation. “As a teammate and soldier, Pat believed we should always strive to be part of something bigger than ourselves while empowering those around us,” said Marie Tillman, Chair of the Pat Tillman Foundation, in a press release. “We’re proud to team up with the Arizona Coyotes to carry on Pat’s legacy of service and help empower more Tillman Scholars as leaders to strengthen our communities.” For the game, Coyotes players will be wearing a Pat Tillman Foundation No. 42 helmet decal. Arizona Sports LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052105 Boston Bruins “To bring family with you, and represent your country, it’s not just as part of Team USA hockey but the Olympic congregation and the bobsledders and the figure skaters and the skiers. Tim Schaller, Ryan Spooner are out for Saturday’s Bruins game “I don’t know how the inner workings work, but I know I had a great time and others should have the opportunity as well.” By Anthony Gulizia “It would be disappointing,” said Bergeron. “Guys want to go, and we’ll see how it turns out. It’s the biggest sporting event in the world and as an March 10, 2017 athlete you want to participate in it. “The more, I guess, you play, and the travel is part of it, it does wear on you a bit, but I had two amazing experiences.” The Bruins host the Philadelphia Flyers Saturday at TD Garden as they look to continue their ascent in the Eastern Conference standings, but Getting perspective they’ll have to do it without forwards Ryan Spooner and Tim Schaller. In Cehlarik’s first two NHL games, he tallied two assists. He then Spooner has been out since sustaining a concussion in the 4-2 loss to struggled and did not register a point in his next eight games. He was Ottawa Monday. Schaller, the fourth-line left wing, slammed feet-first into scratched again Wednesday against Detroit, but he took Cassidy’s the boards in the first period of Wednesday’s 6-1 win against Detroit. message in stride. “Schaller’s [is] lower body,” said coach Bruce Cassidy Friday. “He’ll be Cehlarik said he benefitted from watching the game in the press box, unavailable tomorrow but we’ll reassess going forward after that and see where he got a different perspective and reviewed the game at a slower how it plays out.” speed. Cassidy said Spooner has been doing some “light activity,” but he is still “I got a good start,” Cehlarik said. “I had a couple tough games in in the concussion protocol and will be unavailable until at least Monday. Anaheim and Ottawa. I’ve been creating a lot of chances and haven’t Spooner was present for the Bruins team picture, which was taken before been effective, but this time of the year they want the top six to produce. Friday’s practice. “I need to attack more inside. I can manage the puck better in the neutral “I can’t tell you when he’d be back, but I don’t believe he’ll be available zone and sometimes pass too quick.” Monday,” said Cassidy. “But I’ll double check.” Boston Globe LOADED: 03.11.2017 Matt Beleskey, who has not played since March 2, skated on the fourth line in Schaller’s absence during Friday’s practice at TD Garden. The Bruins can also turn to 21-year-old Peter Cehlarik, a healthy scratch Wednesday after playing 10 games, though that is less likely. “They’re both left shots, so we have options, but we’ll make that decision tomorrow,” Cassidy said. “Matt Beleskey has been working hard.” Standings check The Bruins are 9-3 since Cassidy replaced Claude Julien and and sit seventh in the Eastern Conference — on track for a playoff spot, though it is far from secure. The Maple Leafs, who right now are on the outskirts of the playoffs, have 74 points, 2 behind the Bruins’ 76. If the Maple Leafs pass the Bruins, they’ll knock them out of third place in the Atlantic Division and into the second wild-card slot, currently held by the Islanders (75 points). The Flyers, meanwhile, sit in 11th place with 70 points. They should be playing with desperation against the Bruins, who go on a three-game road trip to Western Canada next week against Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton. “It’s obvious every game is important, but at the same time, you’ve got to focus on yourself and make sure you’re ready to play,” said defenseman Torey Krug. “If you focus too much on the standings and are too intense, you’re not ready and other teams capitalize on it and throw that energy right back at you. “We’ve been playing pretty well here. Now we can take another step forward here and it can be huge.” Olympic flame flickers NHL commissioner Gary Bettman mentioned this week following the GM meetings that the league is moving forward with its 2017-18 scheduling without the inclusion of the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. NHL players have participated in the Winter Games since 1998, but the idea of players missing nearly three weeks is not appealing. “I think the overwhelming sentiment of the teams is that it’s very disruptive on the season, and there’s somewhere between fatigue and negativity on the subject,” Bettman said. The NHL’s inclusion appears unlikely, but Bettman said that could change “if something dramatic happened.” Bruins players David Backes and Patrice Bergeron both expressed disappointment in that sentiment. Backes played for the US in 2010 and 2014, while Bergeron helped Canada capture gold medals those years. “You get to represent your country, and that’s an honor in whatever you’re doing,” Backes said. “Obviously the highest is to be in the military, but to be doing what I do for a living and being able to represent my country on that stage is an exhilarating feeling, it’s a proud feeling. 1052106 Boston Bruins

TD Garden’s bull gang needed a hand. Zdeno Chara provided it

By Anthony Gulizia March 10, 2017

The Boston Bruins practiced at the TD Garden on Friday rather than their state-of-the-art Warrior Ice Arena in Brighton. The reason? Team picture day. After the players posed for their annual photo, the TD Garden bull gang had the task of clearing the staging off the playing surface. That task became easier with the help of a 6-foot-9, 250-pound bulldozer. Bruins captain Zdeno Chara and all-around good guy helped the crew by pushing the staging toward the Zamboni entrance. If only they could enlist the defenseman’s help before a Celtics game when the ice gets flipped to parquet. Boston Globe LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052107 Boston Bruins Backes is adamant that NHL players should be allowed to play. He's already told the NHLPA too.

"If I'm able to go or not, I think the next generation deserves that Bruins players make it known that they want to play in Olympics opportunity," Backes said. "From my standpoint, seeing guys elevate their games and guys come to national hero status the way T.J. Oshie did when I was playing with him in St. Louis. Chris Mason Friday, March 10, 2017 "Just guys doing what they do and then all of a sudden getting on that next stage and showing that to the world, to me is great for the game." Eleven months from now, Olympic hockey players will be buzzing up and Yet, whether they'll get that chance is in serious doubt. NHL deputy down the ice in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Whether NHL skaters will be commissioner Bill Daly was even blunter than Bettman on Wednesday. wearing their countries' crests remains murkier than ever. “Unless something changes, we’re not going,” Daly said. Negotiations between the NHL and IOC are at a complete standstill. The eleventh hour is rapidly approaching. While pessimism continues to filter out of the commissioner's office, Backes is trying to stay optimistic. At the GM meetings earlier this week, commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters that the league is working on a 2017-18 schedule without As a player, it's all he can do. Olympic games. He offered one of his most dour updates on the situation "It's a little bit of business I think that's factoring in," Backes said. "But yet. also I think it's best for everyone that some sort of agreement gets “There's absolutely nothing new," Bettman said. "I think the reached. I don't make that (agreement) and we'll leave that in someone overwhelming sentiment of the teams is that it’s very disruptive on the else's hands who's a really good negotiator, because I'm a hockey season, and there is somewhere between fatigue and negativity on the player." subject." Boston Herald LOADED: 03.11.2017 Perhaps some owners feel that way, but the sentiment was nowhere to be found in the Bruins dressing room this afternoon. The players want to play. "The two Olympics I been able to play in have been some of the best times I've had playing hockey," David Backes said. "Representing my country in a way - doing what I do for a living. It was exhilarating. It was one of the most proud moments I've had playing the game." Backes won a silver medal as a member of Team USA at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Patrice Bergeron has won gold twice with Team Canada. There's no doubt that Bergeron wants to go for the hat trick in South Korea. "I think it would be disappointing. I think guys want to go. We'll see how it turns out," Bergeron said. "I think it's the biggest sporting event in the world. As an athlete you want to participate." The league has pointed to the additional workload the tournament puts on its players, but for Bergeron, the shot at glory outweighs any additional fatigue. "It does wear on you a bit, but at the same time I've had two amazing experiences," Bergeron said. "It's hard for me to say no to that. I thought it was amazing hockey for fans too, to watch." Playing in the Olympics isn't without risk. The Islanders lost franchise cornerstone John Tavares for the season when he injured his knee at Sochi in 2014. It's easy to see why an NHL coach would object. Bruce Cassidy doesn't. Cassidy is still wearing the interim tag, so the 2018 games aren't at the forefront of his mind, but he hopes his players can go. "I enjoy watching the Olympics. I'm no different than anybody else. I'm a huge hockey fan so I love seeing the competition. In a perfect world they'd get it ironed out, be able to do it and not disrupt the season. I'm sure there's a lot more that goes into it than that," Cassidy said. "I enjoy watching it... and cheering for Canada." By not going, the NHL could be opening Pandora's box. Alexander Ovechkin made it known that he'd be playing for Russia in 2018 whether the NHL gave its blessing or not, and team owner Ted Leonsis quickly declared that any Capital that wants to participate would be allowed to go. Backes explained that a scenario like this would throw off the competitive balance of both the league and the tournament. "If Ovechkin goes, does that mean (Nicklas) Backstrom goes and (TJ) Oshie goes? Or whoever else, you go down the lineup," Backes said. "If they're missing six guys from their team and they play six, eight games during the time when those guys are absent, I don't think they're as strong as if those guys were in the game. At the same time, the teams that they go and play for are going to be a little bit stronger because those guys are there and potentially other guys aren't there." Backes will be 33 when the games roll around, and he knows that he'd on the bubble to make Team USA. Whether he's on the roster or not, 1052108 Boston Bruins “If I’m able to go or not, I think the next generation deserves that opportunity,” Backes said. “From my standpoint, seeing guys elevate their games and guys come to national hero status the way T.J. Oshie Bruins players show interest in next Olympic Games in South Korea did when I was playing with him in St. Louis. “Just guys doing what they do and then all of a sudden getting on that next stage and showing that to the world, to me is great for the game.” Chris Mason Saturday, March 11, 2017 Yet, whether they’ll get that chance is in serious doubt. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly was even blunter than Bettman on Wednesday. Eleven months from now, Olympic hockey players will be buzzing up and “Unless something changes, we’re not going,” Daly said. down the ice in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Whether NHL skaters will be wearing their countries’ crests remains murkier than ever. While pessimism continues to filter out of the commissioner’s office, Backes is trying to stay optimistic. Negotiations between the NHL and IOC are at a complete standstill. The 11th hour is rapidly approaching. As a player, it’s all he can do. At the general managers meetings earlier this week, commissioner Gary “It’s a little bit of business I think that’s factoring in,” Backes said. “But Bettman told reporters the league is working on a 2017-18 schedule also I think it’s best for everyone that some sort of agreement gets without the Olympic Games. He offered one of his most dour updates on reached. I don’t make that (agreement) and we’ll leave that in someone the situation yet. else’s hands who’s a really good negotiator, because I’m a hockey player.” “There’s absolutely nothing new,” he said. “I think the overwhelming sentiment of the teams is that it’s very disruptive on the season, and Boston Herald LOADED: 03.11.2017 there is somewhere between fatigue and negativity on the subject.” Perhaps some owners are of that opinion, but the sentiment was nowhere to be found in the Bruins dressing room yesterday. The players want to play. “The two Olympics I been able to play in have been some of the best times I’ve had playing hockey,” David Backes said. “Representing my country in a way, doing what I do for a living. It was exhilarating. It was one of the most proud moments I’ve had playing the game.” Backes won a silver medal as a member of Team USA at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Patrice Bergeron has won gold twice with Team Canada. There’s no doubt Bergeron wants to go for the hat trick in South Korea. “I think it would be disappointing. I think guys want to go. We’ll see how it turns out,” Bergeron said. “I think it’s the biggest sporting event in the world. As an athlete you want to participate.” The league has pointed to the additional workload the tournament puts on its players, but for Bergeron, the shot at glory outweighs any additional fatigue. “It does wear on you a bit, but at the same time I’ve had two amazing experiences,” Bergeron said. “It’s hard for me to say ‘no’ to that. I thought it was amazing hockey for fans, too, to watch.” Playing in the Olympics isn’t without risk. The Islanders lost franchise cornerstone John Tavares for the season when he injured his knee at Sochi in 2014. It’s easy to see why an NHL coach would object. Bruce Cassidy doesn’t. Cassidy is still wearing the interim tag, so the 2018 games aren’t at the forefront of his mind, but he hopes his players can go. “I enjoy watching the Olympics. I’m no different than anybody else. I’m a huge hockey fan, so I love seeing the competition. In a perfect world they’d get it ironed out, be able to do it and not disrupt the season. I’m sure there’s a lot more that goes into it than that,” Cassidy said. “I enjoy watching it . . . and cheering for Canada.”

By not going, the NHL could open a Pandora’s box. Alexander Ovechkin made it known that he’d be playing for Russia in 2018 whether the NHL gave its blessing or not, and team owner Ted Leonsis quickly declared that any Capital who wants to participate would be allowed to go. Backes explained that a scenario like this would throw off the competitive balance of both the league and the tournament. “If Ovechkin goes, does that mean (Nicklas) Backstrom goes and (T.J.) Oshie goes? Or whoever else, you go down the lineup,” Backes said. “If they’re missing six guys from their team and they play six, eight games during the time when those guys are absent, I don’t think they’re as strong as if those guys were in the game. At the same time, the teams that they go and play for are going to be a little bit stronger because those guys are there and potentially other guys aren’t there.” Backes will be 33 when the games roll around, and he knows that he’d on the bubble to make Team USA. Whether he’s on the roster or not, Backes is adamant that NHL players should be allowed to play. He’s already told the NHLPA too. 1052109 Boston Bruins

STAFFORD SHOWING PLENTY OF POSITIVES IN EARLY RETURNS FOR BRUINS

By Joe Haggerty March 10, 2017 12:31 PM

BOSTON - It’s safe to say that the early returns on the Drew Stafford trade have been pretty good. The 31-year-old Stafford scored his first goal as a member of the Bruins on Wednesday night in the win over the Red Wings, giving him a goal and three points in three games since moving from the Winnipeg Jets at the trade deadline. Even better, Stafford has shown some versatility in addition to the instant offense and has looked good skating right wing with the Ryan Spooner line and left wing in a top-six spot on the David Krejci line. “It’s all about opportunity and fit, really. I believe in myself and what I can do and how I can play – given an opportunity here to play with some pretty good players," Stafford said. "I’m trying to just ease myself into it a little bit. But, at the same time take advantage of it – this opportunity. So, still early, still some work to do and stuff, but, so far, a pretty good start. It’s not too hard. Those guys are great offensive players. Most of the time, you just try and make sure you’re smart with the puck, you’re taking care of it, and you’re executing with it. You’ll get your offense.” Stafford and Krejci connected immediately for the first goal in the six- score explosion vs. Detroit with a cross-ice pass off the boards that was able to lead his center and Stafford kept right on producing for the rest of the game. “He did a nice job with that line [on his] off side. He’s got a lot of composure with the puck," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. "He can shoot or pass. Again, it was one game, but I certainly liked what he did and he’s done it with [Ryan] Spooner and [Frank] Vatrano – he was very good on the other side it looks like. So, I think we’ve got an offensive player here who can play either side, and that’s what we thought we were getting as well. “He played a good 200-foot game, he’s talking on the bench to the other guys, he continues to play the right way, and we’re hearing the right things. So, you know, those games can get away from you – you start trading chances and it looked like it might go that way, so we wanted to stay with the program. You’re always going to be a little loose, like I said, when you have a four- or five-goal lead or deficit, and that’s what happened for a while. But [Stafford] was good at, you know, reminding his linemates to keep going because we were going to get our chances playing that way. So, [there were] a lot of positives.” So, the early returns are good on Stafford. In the past, he played very strong hockey after being moved from Buffalo to Winnipeg a couple of years ago, so there’s reason to believe he can maintain his current level for the rest of this season. It might result in the Bruins giving up a fourth- round pick instead of a sixth-rounder, based on the conditions of the trade with Winnipeg, but Boston will take it if they keep getting versatile, productive play from their newest forward. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052110 Boston Bruins

Cehlarik on 'learning curve,' may return to Bruins lineup

By Joe Haggerty March 10, 2017 11:25 PM

BOSTON – After going through his first 10 NHL games without a goal despite skating with David Krejci, Bruins rookie Peter Cehlarik found himself a healthy scratch in the last win over Detroit in favor of Drew Stafford. The newly acquired veteran scored a goal and had a multi-point game skating on Krejci’s line that will probably get him an extended look there after finding some immediate chemistry with the Czech playmaker. The 21-year-old rookie might also get back into the lineup with Tim Schaller out for Saturday afternoon’s matinee vs. the Flyers with a lower body injury, or the B's coaching staff could opt for a veteran left-shot option in Matt Beleskey instead. If it's indeed Cehlarik, the hope is that the view from the ninth floor at TD Garden was a beneficial one for the youngster hoping to make a big impact. “With a lot of the young guys they’re going to have their ups and downs,” said Bruce Cassidy of Cehlarik, who has two assists and eight shots on net in 10 games. “We’re not down on Peter. Like a lot of young guys, and even some of the older guys too, puck management is crucial, and just being heavier and harder on it, with it and at it against men. It’s a learning curve and you just have to go through it just like everybody else.” Both of those assists for Cehlarik came in his second NHL game and he didn’t convert on a handful of scoring chances and set-ups from Krejci over his 10 games, so the game-to-game consistency was an area that needed improvement. But it’s also much more about the 6-foot-2, 202- pounder playing much closer to his size and strength when it comes to puck possession and one-on-one battles, and not just be content to play the skill game when filling out a top-6 role with the Bruins. While the fourth line might not the rightful permanent place for a guy like Cehlarik, a brief stint as a fourth liner could also do the rookie some good to really tap into efforts to get stronger and tougher on the puck, and in doing so could ultimately lead to offense for the rookie. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052111 Boston Bruins

Under Cassidy, home has finally become sweet for the Bruins

By Joe Haggerty March 10, 2017 5:15 PM

BOSTON -- The Bruins have practiced and held morning skates at their new Warrior Ice Arena training facility all season, so it was a little different for them to practice at TD Garden on Friday morning. They did it because they were taking their team picture at the Garden, but it was also appropriate considering how they’ve turned things around on home ice. The Bruins were 12-13-0 at TD Garden this season before the coaching change, and one even wondered if holding all their home practices away from the Garden might be having a negative impact. The fans booed the hometown team in the last few depressing losses, and there was no snap, or energy, or mojo, to the way they played on Causeway Street. It was the same story last year, when they were 25-13-3 -- the fourth-best road record in the league -- away from the Garden, but a 23rd-best 17- 18-6 at home. But since Bruce Cassidy took over as coach, the B's have won six of seven in Boston. And outscored their opponents by an impressive 30-12 margin. “About three weeks ago I stood up here and said our urgency in this building has to improve,” said Cassidy. “If you start [games] well, then it can snowball for you. And it can go the other way for the other team if they start from behind.” Those quick starts have signaled a turnaround that’s made the Bruins a much better product on home ice for the organization, the fans and everybody involved with the business of the team. “When you get a few games in a row where you get the wins and you play well, it builds some confidence and that’s obviously what’s been lacking at home,” said Patrice Bergeron. “It becomes almost a vicious cycle, and we’re glad to be out of that at home and realizing that we can be a good team. “We have to be a good team at home in order to have success, and now we have a lot more home games in his last stretch. So it’s even going to be more important to be good at home. After gaining that confidence at home I think we’ve just kept the ball rolling.” Better performance on home ice is a must for the Bruins, who play 9 of their final 15 games at the Garden and finish the regular season with home dates against Tampa Bay, Ottawa and Washington. So the last seven games are an encouraging sign, but the job isn’t even close to done. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052112 Boston Bruins

Schaller, Spooner both out Saturday vs. Flyers

By Joe Haggerty March 10, 2017 1:35 PM

BOSTON – Both Tim Schaller (lower body) and Ryan Spooner (concussion) were missing from a rare Bruins' TD Garden on-ice practice Friday morning and have been ruled out from playing Saturday afternoon against the Philadelphia Flyers. Bruce Cassidy said there’s a chance Spooner could also be out for the Monday start of the Western Canada road trip in Vancouver while he remains in the concussion protocol, but he needed to confirm with the medical staff. “We’ll reassess Schaller going forward after [Saturday] and we’ll see how it plays out,” said Cassidy. “Spooner is in the concussion protocol, so I can’t tell you when he’s going to be back. We have options [to fill in for Schaller] and we’ll make that decision tomorrow. Matt Beleskey is a guy that’s certainly been working hard, and he can help us. I think it was beneficial for [Peter] Cehlarik to watch a game upstairs, so we’ll make that decision [on Saturday].” Spooner has been doing “light activity” and was in uniform for the team picture snapped on the Garden ice prior to practice, so it sounds like he’s well on his way toward a return in the next 5-10 days barring any setbacks. Cassidy said both Peter Cehlarik and Matt Beleskey could be candidates to step in for Schaller on the fourth line as left-handed shots, but he’d wait until Saturday morning to make that decision for the matinee vs. Philly. Here are the line combos and D-pairings for the Flyers based on practice: Marchand-Bergeron-Backes Stafford-Krejci-Pastrnak Vatrano-Czarnik-Hayes Beleskey/Cehlarik-Moore-Nash Chara-Carlo Krug-McQuaid C. Miller-K. Miller Rask Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052113 Buffalo Sabres “They’ve got a good power play,” Franson said. “They move it around quick. They don’t really waste any time . They move it around and it’s efficient and that makes it tough to kill. Sometimes you’ve got to Noble efforts not good enough for Sabres to earn points tip your cap a little bit. They made some pretty good plays to get the goals they got.”

Those were pretty plays, but the overall play of the Blue Jackets wasn’t By Amy Moritz exactly up to their desired standard. Published Fri, Mar 10, 2017 While the Blue Jackets have won four straight at home and are 7-2-1 in their last 10, the bright spot for head coach John Tortorella was that his team did not play its best but found a way to win. COLUMBUS – The result remains the same. “It’s good to find a way to win when you’re not on your game,” Tortorella said. “I think it’s a good sign when you know, and the players certainly Once again, the Buffalo Sabres did a lot of things right. Their young know, they weren’t that good.” guns, and Sam Reinhart, paired with veteran Matt Moulson, played like a top line with good, quick movement and an aggressive Buffalo News LOADED: 03.11.2017 pursuit of the puck which created one goal and a multitude of other opportunities. The fourth line was solid, scoring the first goal of the game, and the first goal by an opponent in Nationwide Arena in 182 minutes and 50 seconds. Robin Lehner made impressive saves, holding off a hard-charging offense from the Columbus Blue Jackets while the Sabres' defensemen got on the board offensively with goals from Josh Gorges and Rasmus Ristolainen. But the result was the same – a mistake in the final five minutes cost the Sabres the game-winning goal in a 4-3 loss to the Blue Jackets. It was the third straight loss for the Sabres, who have won only once in their last nine games. A good game with a bad result. It’s been one of the tunes the Sabres know by heart this season. And with 14 games left, the time for taking positives out of losses is over. “The time for learning lessons I think is past us,” said Sabres defenseman Josh Gorges, who scored his first goal of the season in the second period. “It’s now about winning games. That’s all that matters. That’s all that should matter. I said this after last game, it doesn’t matter if you play an ugly game. You get two points. That’s the job. It doesn’t matter if you play a good game and fall up short, you didn’t get the job done. Tonight was that way.” The Sabres were in the game for the entire 60 minutes, something that hasn’t been a regular occurrence. They opened the scoring at 2:50 when Evan Rodrigues capitalized on a turnover and worked a give-and-go with Nic Deslauriers. Rodrigues scored his third goal of the season, beating Columbus goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who entered the game with three consecutive shutouts. The Blue Jackets responded and took a 2-1 lead by the end of the first. Buffalo battled back, with Gorges' goal tying the game in the second. Columbus took another lead. Buffalo battled back. It was a 3-3 game thanks to a bullet from Rasmus Ristolainen. But the Sabres couldn’t close out the game. “It’s very frustrating, I think tonight probably more so than our last four or five,” Gorges said. “Did a lot of good things. Competed hard. That’s a hard-working team on the other side and we matched it. And that’s what we want. We want to have that intensity. It’s tough to lose a game like that no question.” “I’m not saying any one stings more than another one,” head coach Dan Bylsma said. “This is one you feel like, we’re in this game, we come back in this game. We’re tooth and nail with this team and you, I think, just the nature of the goals they got, how they got the goal at the end of the game is what stings the most.” The game-winner came with 5:07 left in regulation. Ryan O’Reilly had won the faceoff to the right of Lehner but Cody Franson could not take control of the puck to clear the zone. Boone Jenner picked it up, rushed in on Lehner and tucked a backhand around the sprawling Sabres goaltender. O’Reilly “did a good job winning the draw,” Franson said. “I just started going a little early thinking the puck was going to go a little farther to the inside. I handcuffed myself and couldn’t get a handle on it. It just is what it is.” It certainly wasn’t the only bad note of the night as the Sabres' penalty kill came up short. The Blue Jackets entered the game in a 3-for-39 funk on the power play since Jan. 22 but went 2 for 3 with the man-advantage against the Sabres. Nick Foligno’s goal gave Columbus a 2-1 lead in the first while Sam Gagner’s gave them a 3-2 lead in the second. 1052114 Buffalo Sabres

Quick Hits: Blue Jackets 4, Sabres 3

By Amy Moritz Published Fri, Mar 10, 2017

COLUMBUS -- The Buffalo Sabres solved the riddle that had been Sergei Bobrovsky. They got to the goaltender who had shut out three straight teams and tagged him for three goals. But with 5:07 left in the third, Boone Jenner picked up a loose puck off a faceoff in the Sabres zone and made a move around a sprawling Robin Lehner to break a tie and give the Columbus Blue Jackets a 4-3 win in Nationwide Arena. It was the fourth straight home win for the Blue Jackets. It was the third straight loss for the Sabres, who have one win in their last nine games. Fourth line goes to work: Before the game, Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella noted the Sabres had plenty of good goal scorers in its lineup. He wasn't referring to Evan Rodrigues. But the forward used his speed to create a turnover and work a give-and-go with Nicolas Deslauriers to open the scoring at 2:50 of the first period. It was the third goal of the season for Rodrigues and first point of the season for Deslauriers, who was playing his 35th game of the season. End of a streak: The goal ended a shutout streak for Bobrovsky, who had gone three straight games without allowing a goal. The last goal he gave up was an overtime game-winner at Montreal Feb. 28. Tying it up off the faceoff: The Blue Jackets tied the game, 1-1, at 6:09 when Ryan O'Reilly lost the faceoff to Brandon Dubinsky in the Sabres zone. Dubinsky drew the puck back to David Savard, who got a nice wrister through Justin Falk and past Robin Lehner. Power play goal 1: With Tyler Ennis in the box for a delay of game penalty, the Blue Jackets had some slick passing and puck movement on their power play. Lehner twice stymied attempts on the doorstep, one by Cam Atkinson and one by Nick Foligno, but Foligno deflected the puck past Lehner for his 11th power play goal of the season, 23rd overall. Getting goals with the screen: The line of Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart and Matt Moulson had a good shift, moving the puck quickly. Eichel set a screen in front of Bobrovsky that allowed a shot by Josh Gorges from the point to get through. The goal tied the game, 2-2, at 4:56 of the second. Power play goal 2: The Blue Jackets cashed in on their second power play of the game. With just four seconds left in Justin Falk's cross- checking penalty, Brandon Saad provided the screen for Sam Gagner's shot from the right faceoff dot. About that Blue Jackets' power play: Columbus had been in a 3-for-39 funk on the power play since Jan. 22. They went 2 for 3 against the Sabres. Another blue line goal: Rasmus Ristolainen scored early in the third period, his shot from inside the blue line hitting Bobrovsky in the pads, then trickling over the goal line. It was the first goal for Ristolainen since Feb. 9. An Ohio state of mind: Sabres defenseman Justin Falk was a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets for two seasons, playing in 29 games from 2014-16 with one goal and five assists. Falk made his mark up the road from Columbus in Cleveland, playing 32 games with the Lake Erie Monsters, who won the Calder Cup in 2016. Scratches: The Sabres scratched Kyle Okposo and Dmitry Kulikov. Okposo missed his fourth game with a rib injury while it was the third game missed for Kulikov with an upper body injury. The Blue Jackets scratched defensemen Ryan Murray and Scott Harrington and forward Josh Anderson. Attendance: There were 17,530 in Nationwide Arena Friday night. Up next: It's the 14th set of back-to-backs for the Sabres who meet the Blue Jackets again Saturday, this time at 7 p.m. in KeyBank Center. It will be the first ever home-and-home series between the two franchises. After that, the Sabres head out West to play at San Jose (March 14), at Los Angeles (March 16) and at Anaheim (March 17). Buffalo News LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052115 Buffalo Sabres "I’d say just the consistency," Eichel said. "I think adding a little more grit and compete in your game and getting in corners, getting pucks back, a little more physical. Little stuff like that gives you a little more room, Sabres Notebook: Bylsma tougher on the kids but Eichel ready to opens stuff up. It helps a lot when you’re playing the power play like we respond have. We’ve been pretty good lately with that. I just try to come ready to play every night with the same mindset of move your feet, get after the puck, get on the puck and skate." By Amy Moritz Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky entered Friday's game tied for the league lead in wins with 35 while ranking second in Published Fri, Mar 10, 2017 save percentage (.929) and third in goals-against (2.05). More impressively, he posted three straight shutouts.

Columbus coach John Tortorella said he stays out of the way of COLUMBUS – Dan Bylsma started answering the question before it was Bobrovsky. "I don't know anything about the position," he said when finished, nodding his head vigorously in agreement as he is wont to do. meeting members of the media Friday afternoon in Nationwide Arena. Does he need to be harder on younger players – Jack Eichel and Sam And the most impressive thing hasn't just been the saves but the way Reinhart for instance – to get them to understand what the identity of the Bobrovsky has moved the puck. Buffalo Sabres needs to be? "There’s no extra motion. He’s not chasing it," Tortorella said. "Quite "You're going to hate this answer, but yes," Bylsma said on Thursday in honestly, I think one of the best parts of his game has been his puck Buffalo's HarborCenter, a day removed from a horrible performance in a handling. Forget about the saves that he’s made; he’s moved the puck 6-3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers and one day before taking on the Blue pretty well. He’s gotten us out of problems as far as forechecking. You Jackets here in Columbus. know how I feel – I just want him to stop the puck. I’m not going to coach Friday morning, Eichel was curt when offering his response to Bylsma's him. I’m just going to try to stay out of the way." statement. The Buffalo Sabres Green Team will hold a hockey equipment drive at Did the second-year player, baptized as the future of the franchise, feel KeyBank Center beginning Saturday and running until March 31. All that his journey was more difficult with his head coach being harder on equipment donated will benefit Hasek's Heroes. The collection will be the young, skilled players? located outside the Sabres Store and anyone donating equipment will receive a coupon for 30 percent off at the Sabres Store. "No, not at all," Eichel said in Nationwide Arena after the team's morning skate. Buffalo News LOADED: 03.11.2017 Eichel entered Friday's game on an 11-game point streak, the longest active streak in the league and one game away from tying the best streak in the NHL this season. But there is room for his game to grow and the second-year pro had a prominent teachable moment in Tuesday's loss to the Flyers. Skating through the neutral zone, he tried to get through three Flyers but turned the puck over. Philadelphia then scored the opening goal of the game. It was one bad play in a game full of bad plays. But Bylsma sat Eichel for a shift. The forward responded with two goals and an assist. "Jack is a star player, no question, but he’s a young player as well and he’s got to learn that," Bylsma said. "It’s a process we’re going through. Did he miss a few shifts after that play, he did. And that’s got to be an indicator of where he’s got to be better at and our whole team needs to be better at." Eichel understands the need to learn when to be aggressive with the puck and when to take the more conservative approach. But he's also unabashed in his offensive skills. "I try to play the same all 60 minutes," Eichel said. "Team asked me to make that play, so I’m going to try and make it. You know if it works, it works. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. Obviously it’s tough when it ends up in the back of your net and you’ve got to pick and choose your spots. "It’s my game. I think I said this a little earlier in the year. It’s tough to put handcuffs on you when they expect you to create offense and things like that. You know, I’ve got to play with the puck on my stick during the game. I know I’m going to turn the puck over at some point. It’s important to be careful where you do it and when you do it. But I’m an offensive player that creates stuff for our team. I’m going to continue to make plays." The turnovers don't bother Bylsma. Turnovers are going to happen. It's sometimes a sign that the team is playing aggressive. But Bylsma wants Eichel to cultivate more discernment when making aggressive plays. "I’ve implored Jack that he needs to have five turnovers a game. If he’s not having a turnover, then he’s not trying to do the right thing," Bylsma said. "There’s a time and a place and a situation for those attempts and that wasn’t a good one. But we calculate the game to have 100 turnovers, 50 aside, every game, so it’s not like we’re talking about no turnovers happening in the game. We’re going to have turnovers. Every player has probably at least one turnover in a game. That’s just a learning process that we’re going through as a group." Eichel's career-best 11-game point streak includes five goals and 11 assists. In the time since his return on Nov. 29, he is tied for eighth among all NHL skaters with 45 points (18 goals, 27 assists) and leads the league with 188 shots on goal. The key to his point streak lies in some classic hockey intangibles. 1052116 Buffalo Sabres "I think he’s a bit of an indication of how our team is playing," Bylsma said of Lehner. "Last game was no different than some of the struggles we’ve had in third periods, giving up goals. We’ve given up too many Five things to know as the Sabres play in Columbus shots, we’ve given up more plays at the net, bounces around the net, and those have found their way in the back of the net. Some have been good goals. Some have been bad bounces you could say but as a team we’ve just been giving up too many opportunities in and around our net and By Amy Moritz Robin’s numbers are a direct reflection of that." Published Fri, Mar 10, 2017 5. Bailey back with O'Reilly. Rookie Justin Bailey had spent time on a line with Ryan O'Reilly and Kyle Okposo. He was demoted from that line but

brought back to play with O'Reilly and Evander Kane. It's the last first meeting of the season for the Buffalo Sabres as they "Anytime you get get to play with Ryan, obviously it's an opportunity," meet the Columbus Blue Jackets in Nationwide Arena at 7 p.m. Friday. Bailey said. "I want to do the most I can to stay there. ... For me I think The teams had to wait until March to play each other, but they'll get their it's just getting in hard to forecheck, creating space with my speed, fill with back-to-back games this weekend (7 p.m. Saturday in Buffalo) pushing D back. I think there were a couple of games where I wasn't at with the rubber match on March 28 back in Columbus. my best when I was with him and that's something I can't do." Here's what you need to know for tonight's matchup: Buffalo News LOADED: 03.11.2017 1. Jack Eichel is hot. The Sabres as a team aren't setting the NHL on fire, but Eichel is. The second-year NHL forward enters the game on a career-best 11-game point streak with five goals and 11 assists over that span. It's the longest active streak in the NHL and the longest by a Sabre since Tim Connolly recorded points in 16 straight games from Dec. 23, 2009 to Jan. 25, 2010. With a point on Friday, he would tie Mikael Granlund’s 12-game streak (Jan. 12 to Feb. 4) for the longest point streak in the NHL this season. "I’d say just the consistency," Eichel said when asked about the key to his point streak after the team's morning skate Friday in Nationwide Arena. "I think adding a little more grit and compete in your game and getting in corners, getting pucks back, a little more physical. Little stuff like that gives you little more room, opens stuff up. It helps a lot when you’re playing the power play like we have. We’ve been pretty good lately with that. I j just try to come ready to play every night with the same mindset of move your feet, get after the puck, get on the puck and skate. I’m going to do the same thing tonight and see how it goes. 2. It's hard to score on the Blue Jackets, especially at home. Columbus has won its last three games at Nationwide Arena and all three via shut out. Joonas Korpisalo started the trend on Feb. 25, making 24 saves in 7-0 win over the New York Islanders, while NHL All-Star Sergei Bobrovsky made 38 saves in a 1-0 win over Minnesota on March 2 and 33 saves in a 2-0 win against New Jersey on March 7. Bobrovsky has been particularly hot with three straight shutouts himself (including a 3-0 win on March 5 in New Jersey). "They have, I think, an elite goaltender in net," Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said of Bobrovsky. "They’ve been very good at defending and not giving up a lot but we have to get more shots and get more shot total, more volume at this guy tonight and this group if we’re going to come out on the right end of the stick." 3. Columbus is back on a hot streak. After a 16-game win streak earlier this season, the Blue Jackets cooled off in January and early February. But the team is getting back on point for a playoff run, going 7-2-1 in its last 10 games and outscoring opponents, 30-13, in that span. (That's an average score of 3.00 to 1.30). Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets are one win away from tying the franchise record for wins (43 set in 2013-14) and home wins (25 set in 2008-09) in a season. "This is going to be a big test for us," Bylsma said. "We’re going to be playing a really good hockey team tonight and one that competes at a high level. That’s really the trademark of their team – their compete, their energy and their work. That’s going to be the test for our group tonight." It's the kind of game that Eichel loves, one where he can pit his speed, and the Sabres' team speed, against the speed-game of their opponent. "You know this is going to be a good test for us," Eichel said. "They come ready to play every night. They’ve got a lot of offensive power. They can blow you out of the building if you’re not ready to play. It’s going to be a real good, tough test for us tonight. I look forward to it. They’re one of the better teams in the league." "I like playing teams that want to play hockey. Teams that sit back and trap, those are usually the more boring games but I enjoy it when a team wants to get up and go, doesn’t sit back, comes at you and you can go after them," Eichel said. "Hopefully this is an exciting game tonight." 4. Robin Lehner is searching for a good game. The Sabres goaltender will get his 48th start of the season. In his last six games, Lehner's numbers portray struggles. He's just 1-3-2 with a 4.59 goals against- average while stopping just 85.3 percent of the shots he's faced in that span. 1052117 Buffalo Sabres "I was the kid with a blue soap on the rope walking around the house interviewing and doing play-by-play during games," Dunleavy said.

He was glued to "" every Saturday night and Dan Dunleavy attempts the impossible: following would cry until he was allowed to watch the games. "I am an absolute junkie for (play-by-play legends) , Bob By Alan Pergament Cole, Dick Irvin, that era of hockey," Dunleavy said. " was another guy I absolutely adored. And living in Southern , (the late Published Fri, Mar 10, 2017 Sabres announcer) . My mother and I would watch Ted Darling and she and I would try and impersonate him all the time, the way he would roll his B's." Buffalo Sabres play-by-play man Dan Dunleavy has the most difficult job Before coming to Buffalo, Dunleavy was calling Toronto Maple Leafs in local media: He is compared to the legendary broadcaster he splits the games in a similar situation to his Sabres role. He worked games on 82-game season with – Rick Jeanneret. radio when Toronto's regular veteran, Joe Bowen, worked on television. Prior to joining the Leafs, Dunleavy called games That's what made a message that Dunleavy received so special after his for 10 years, worked the World Junior tournament for eight years and most memorable call of the season. worked at The Fan 590 for 20 years. While in college with Jeanneret's "Eichel carries, Kane BURIES," exclaimed Dunleavy after Jack Eichel son, he worked some college hockey games on cable in St. Catharines. assisted Evander Kane on a game-winning goal. His resume also includes stops at a country music station and an adult contemporary station. "Rick texted me," recalled Dunleavy during a recent interview. "'Great call on the winner.' I texted him, 'From anybody, this means the most.' " As a result of some uncertainty in Toronto because two media giants were fighting for control, Dunleavy was open to leaving the Leafs for the Since adding the Eichel-Kane call to his earlier naming of the Eichel Sabres for a five-year deal in which he was named Jeanneret's heir Tower after the Sabres star scores, it has been easier to warm up to apparent. Dunleavy and appreciate his solid work when Jeanneret takes off. "I was flattered to think that somebody felt I had the ability to step into a The play-by-play men had a more important conversation than the text market where you have a Hall of Fame play-by-play man who may think exchange over the summer after Jeanneret delayed his retirement, of retiring," Dunleavy said. "People thought I had the ability to not fill his resulting in Dunleavy having to wait longer to become the full-time play- shoes but maybe shoulder the load to be the next guy to sit in a chair that by-play man than originally planned. was already occupied by Ted Darling and Rick Jeanneret." This goal by left wing Evander Kane in overtime against the San Jose He is aware of the old saying that you don't want to replace the legend, Sharks could one day be thought of as a career milestone for Dan you want to replace the man who replaces the legend. And he realizes Dunleavy. (James P. McCoy/Buffalo News) criticism comes with the territory and one needs a thick skin. Dunleavy, who went to Niagara (Ont.) College with Jeanneret's son Chris "I can be Dan Dunleavy," he said. "I'm confident enough on how I call a and considers him his best friend, called to meet Rick over lunch. game that I know I can step into this market or any market around the NHL and be myself. Which I think is an energetic, entertaining play-by- "I wanted to talk with him," said Dunleavy. "My exact words were 'I need play guy." you to know that I'm not here to push you out of your chair. I'm more than willing to be a member of this broadcast team and work with you and He used to read the criticism on Twitter, but recently stopped. whenever the day comes you don't want to do this anymore that's your choice.' " "As thick a skin that you think you have, it does sting because you are trying your best," Dunleavy said. "Even if there wasn't a Rick Jeanneret Of course, Dunleavy doesn't have the power to push out Jeanneret here already, you are going to have your critics … I don't want the people anyway; the Sabres are content with having the legend stay as long as who expect RJ to be on the air let down with my call." he wants to call the games. The bigger question is whether the Sabres still view Dunleavy as Jeanneret's eventual replacement. He enters the The criticism that hit Dunleavy like a crosscheck was being told after one final year of his five-year contract next season. of Jeannaret's trademark calls that he had a lot to learn about play-by- play. Mark Preisler, the executive vice president of media and content for Pegula Sports and Entertainment, gave Dunleavy a vote of confidence "It kind of undermines all the years before today of work you put it in," and praised the phrases he coined when Eichel and Sam Reinhart score. Dunleavy said. "I don't mind someone saying I don't like your call, but to tell me I have a lot to learn about play-by-play you are insinuating I just "Dan does a good job calling an energetic game," wrote Preisler in an showed up here without any experience or I don't have any credibility to email. "He connects with our fans through his signature calls like 'Eichel have this position. That kind of stung. I get that I'm not RJ and you might Tower' and 'Sam I am' to name a couple. "We are lucky to have him, not not like my call compared to his. But to say that I don't know what I am just as a member of our broadcast team, but as a member of our entire doing." content team. We look forward to his future contributions across all our media platforms." He appreciated some recent tweets. Dunleavy, who said he has turned down three play-by-play jobs since "Some people have said, 'Dan has grown on me,' " said Dunleavy. "If joining the Sabres, hasn't yet asked for an extension. they don't like you, they're not going to like you. But if they sit there and go, 'he's no RJ but he's growing on me a little bit then I'm OK with that.' " "I would love to remain in Buffalo for the rest of my career," he said. "They knew that when I came here." Now, that is a great call for anybody being compared to a legend. The native of Georgetown, Ont., 40 miles west of Toronto, says he loves Buffalo News LOADED: 03.11.2017 Buffalo, is engaged to marry the former graphics coordinator on Sabres broadcasts, Brenda Banister, has adopted a rescue dog, Bandit, and established roots here. His biggest problem with some fans is he is not Jeanneret. But if , the lead announcer for NHL national telecasts on both NBC and NBC Sports, called Sabres games regularly, fans would probably complain, too. The Eichel-Kane call could have been a turning point for Dunleavy, judging by the positive reaction on Twitter. He spent February doing play-by-play while Jeanneret was off. In a way, Dunleavy is like a backup goaltender trying to find his rhythm calling games when the main guy gets a rest. "It is a close analogy," said Dunleavy. "But unlike a backup goalie, I am made aware the beginning of the season what games I am going to do." Like many Canadians, Dunleavy saw play-by-play as a dream job growing up. 1052118 Buffalo Sabres

Elmira Jackals, Amerks affiliate, to fold at end of season

Justin Murphy , Published 9:19 p.m. ET March 10, 2017 | Updated 7 hours ago

The Elmira Jackals will fold at the end of this season, the team announced Friday. The Jackals are the Buffalo Sabres and Rochester Amerks affiliate in the ECHL, formerly known as the East Coast Hockey League. The team was formed in 2000 and signed an affiliation agreement with the Sabres beginning in the 2014-15 season. Before then, it had brief affiliations with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Anaheim Ducks, Ottawa Senators and New Jersey Devils. The Jackals are currently in last place in the ECHL with a record of 13- 38-7 (34 points). A statement on the team website read: "The Elmira Jackals organization would like thank its incredibly loyal fans and sponsors for their support over the past 17 seasons. We are proud of the positive impact the Jackals organization has made on the community during this period." The team will play out the rest of its schedule, including 10 home games. The final game will be April 8 at home versus the Adirondack Thunder. The Elmira Star-Gazette reported the publicly-owned First Arena has been sold to a local businessman who expects to attract another hockey team in time for the 2017-18 season. It was not immediately clear what relationship that team might have with the Amerks or Sabres. A number of former Jackals have gone on to play in the National Hockey League, including former Sabre Craig Rivet and current Ottawa Senators Mike Hoffman and Chris Wideman. There is also a regular stream of Jackals moving up to play in Rochester; this year they include goalies John Muse and Jason Kasdorf and skaters Justin Kea, Vaclav Karabacek, Paul Geiger and Brycen Martin. Democrat and Chronicle LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052119 Calgary Flames with a real good partner in (Tyler) Wotherspoon, and he’s been helping me a lot.

“I’m comfortable in my game. I have some confidence going right now. Injuries could open door for Rasmus Andersson to debut for Flames So if I get the opportunity, I just have to bring my game and play my game out there.” Wes Gilbertson Question is, will he get that opportunity against the Jets? Published on: March 10, 2017 | Last Updated: March 10, 2017 8:03 PM Andersson’s greatest asset is his poise, so you know he’s not going to MST spill the beans. Maybe Maritha knows more – she’s en route to Winnipeg, just in case. Rasmus Andersson has been waiting, hoping, dreaming of his first NHL “I just have to wait and see (Saturday) morning what is happening,” call-up. Andersson said. “If I’m going to play, I’ll be ready. If I’m not, I’ll be ready for the next time.” That call came late Thursday, and suddenly the Calgary Flames’ defensive prospect was waiting again. Calgary Herald: LOADED: 03.11.2017 After all, the sun hadn’t even poked above the horizon back home in . Surely, his biggest fan would still be sleeping. “I waited an hour and a half, and then I called my mother (Maritha),” said Andersson, who finally dialed when the clock struck 7 a.m. in Sweden, sharing the news that he’d be joining the Flames on Friday as an emergency recall. “She was freaking out, so that was fun.” Folks were freaking out in Calgary, too. Just when it seemed like nothing could go wrong for the Flames, winners of eight straight, a pair of defencemen suffered injuries in Thursday’s 5-0 drubbing of the Montreal Canadiens. Dougie Hamilton exited late in the second with a lower-body ailment, believed to be a laceration. A few minutes into the third, Michael Stone grimaced his way to the locker-room with what looked like a shoulder issue. It’s the time of year that a coach would sooner share the PIN number for his chequing account than dish on the details of an injury, so it’s no surprise Glen Gulutzan was non-committal about their status for Saturday’s road matchup against the Winnipeg Jets in Manitoba. “Both guys are getting looked at right now,” Gulutzan said prior to Friday’s flight. “We’ll see how this plays out, but we’re hoping that one of them will be able to play (Saturday) and then one of them will be able to play shortly. “But both guys are getting looked at, so we don’t know.” The 20-year-old Andersson is up on an emergency basis, meaning he can’t dress if the Flames have six other healthy defenders. Dennis Wideman, a scratch for the past eight dates, would have to draw in first. If both Hamilton and Stone are unavailable, Andersson will log his big-league debut. The Flames didn’t practise Friday, offering no hints on how Gulutzan might – if need be – shuffle his pairings. Hamilton, who leads Calgary’s blue-line brigade with 41 points, has worked alongside captain Mark Giordano for most of this season. Since arriving in a Feb. 20 trade from the Arizona Coyotes, Stone has sparked chemistry with T.J. Brodie on the second tandem. “I think a lot like when Johnny (Gaudreau) was down this year, sometimes it gives you even more of a boost because you know you have to pick up and everyone has to give a little bit more to do it by committee,” Giordano said, putting a positive spin on the injury concerns. “I think, for us, it hasn’t changed. We’ve had guys in and out of the lineup all year, whether it be through injuries or just changing the lineup, and I think guys have done a good job of stepping in. “Yeah, it’s cliché, but when someone does go down, it always gives that other guy a new opportunity and new excitement comes into your lineup. I think that’s how we have to rally around it.” That new guy, in this case, is Andersson. A second-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft and now a first-year pro, the new arrival has registered three goals, 19 helpers and a plus-14 rating in 50 outings so far this season for the ’s Stockton Heat. “I think my game has developed a lot in Stockton during the year,” Andersson said. “I’ve felt more and more comfortable down there. I’ve been playing pretty well, putting up some numbers. And I’ve been playing 1052120 Calgary Flames what’s going to happen around you and you can expect what’s going to happen, where the shots are going to come from.

“It allows him to play his game a little bit more.” Flames netminder Brian Elliott a fixture among star selections during streak Right now, he’s at the top of that game. And, it seems, always near the top of the list of three-star candidates. Wes Gilbertson “I’m just proud of the way the guys have come together,” Elliott said. “You have a unique view standing in the net and in the crease, and when you Published on: March 10, 2017 | Last Updated: March 10, 2017 6:27 PM see guys doing the things that we’ve talked about all season and really MST working hard for each other, that’s what you really have to be proud of. “You work so hard in practice and in preparation for it, and when it comes Brian Elliott figures he might be benefitting from a case of backstop bias. together, it’s really cool to see.” The Calgary Flames netminder has now been selected as one the three Calgary Herald: LOADED: 03.11.2017 stars in five consecutive contests. All victories, by the way. “It’s probably because Kelly Hrudey is picking,” Elliott cracked. “It’s the goalie union.” Indeed, Hrudey and his Sportsnet cohorts selected the standouts in three of those five outings, tabbing the 31-year-old Elliott as top performer in an overtime victory against the Detroit Red Wings, as second star in another extra-time triumph over the Los Angeles Kings and as third choice in Thursday’s 5-0 drubbing of the Montreal Canadiens. Maybe masked men do stick together, but with 762 big-league crease appearances before his second career in the broadcast booth and TV studio, Hrudey has a unique understanding of the sort of roll that the man they call Moose has been on. Truth is, even if you’ve never strapped on pads or if you’re sure you would suffer a groin pull if you so much as imagined a kick-save, you can also appreciate the type of steady, star-worthy puck-stopping performances that have been commonplace during the Flames’ record- tying eight-game win streak. “We wouldn’t be in the position we are today without him,” star winger Johnny Gaudreau said following Elliott’s 24-save blanking of the Canadiens, his first shutout of what’s been a roller-coaster season. “You need big-time players to step up at this part of this season, and that’s exactly what he is doing for us.” With Thursday’s thumping of the Habs, the Flames equalled their longest win streak in 37 years since the franchise moved north from Atlanta. Elliott has been between the pipes for seven of those eight dates, with a sparkling 1.83 goals-against average and .939 save percentage during that stretch. Those numbers would be even better if he didn’t surrender five goals during a wild one in Nashville at the start of Calgary’s tear. Still, he delivered a couple of clutch stops that night to force overtime. “He’s made some real key saves for us at the right times,” said Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan, who has yet to reveal his starter for Saturday’s meeting with the Winnipeg Jets at MTS Centre (5 p.m., Sportsnet/Sportsnet 960 The Fan). “And that’s always big for a goalie, because they know when the right times are.” You don’t win eight straight without a wide variety of contributions, but Elliott is the biggest reason for the Flames’ ascent from wild-card wannabe to a squad with a legitimate shot at a top-three finish in the Pacific Division. He’s one of just two twine-minders with 10 victories since the NHL’s all- star break. Braden Holtby, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner and go-to for the league-leading Washington Capitals, is the other. “With goaltending, a big part of it is confidence and you can see that in Ells now,” said Flames netminding coach Jordan Sigalet. “Once he got that first win and that second win, it just grows. And not only that, (with) the way the team has come together, our structure is a lot more consistent at this point in the year than it was early in the year, so he can trust what’s going on around him. “And then for Ells, it’s just playing at the top of his paint more, especially through traffic and tips. If you watch him now compared to the start of the year, he was drifting a bit more at the start of the year, playing a little bit deeper. He’s playing more aggressive, and that comes with confidence too. “It’s not being over-aggressive, it’s just being at the top of the blue. That comes because we’re getting consistent in the way we play, with our structure, trusting our D-men back there to clear away second pucks. That gives you that opportunity to step out a little bit more. You know 1052121 Calgary Flames Penalty Kill – Flames During this eight game win streak, their penalty kill has been 73.7 per cent effective. Game Day: Calgary Flames vs. Winnipeg Jets Intangibles – Jets

The Flames defence suffered a blow on Thursday, losing Dougie Kristen Odland, Postmedia Hamilton and Michael Stone. Published on: March 10, 2017 | Last Updated: March 10, 2017 6:02 PM Overall – Flames MST At some point, their streak has to end, but it’s likely not going to be in Winnipeg. Calgary Flames (37-26-4) at Winnipeg Jets (30-32-6) Set-up Notes 5 p.m., Sportsnet, Sportsnet 960 The Fan Saturday’s 5-2 triumph against the New York Islanders at the Last five: Saddledome marked Calgary’s eighth straight win … The Flames are 13- 2-1 in their last 16 games and have points in 10 in a row (9-0-1) … The Calgary Flames schedule is heating up. The Flames will play games every other night until the end of the season … Up next? Following Saturday’s clash vs. Canadiens W 5-0 against the Jets, the Flames have a four-game home stand with games against Pittsburgh (Monday), Boston (Wednesday), Dallas (Friday) and vs. Islanders W 5-2 Los Angeles (next Saturday) … Saturday is the end of a six-game home vs. Red Wings W 3-2 (OT) stand for the Jets and they’re 2-3-0 so far during that stretch. Winnipeg has lost two straight … LW Johnny Gaudreau was fined $2,000 for diving vs. Kings W 2-1 (OT) on Friday. Based on the NHL’s rule book, the system “is designed to bring attention to and more seriously penalize players (and teams) who @ Hurricanes W 3-1 repeatedly dive and embellish in an attempt to draw penalties.” The Winnipeg Jets system is based on a graduated scale. Gaudreau’s first embellishment was delivered as a warning on Dec. 23 against the Vancouver Canucks. vs. Penguins L 7-4 But Sunday’s incident warranted a $2,000 fine after he was tagged for embellishment in the second period of Calgary’s 5-2 victory, when New vs. Sharks L 3-2 York Islanders forward Josh Ho-Sang was tabbed for holding. vs. Avalanche W 6-1 Injuries vs. Blues W 3-0 Flames: D Dougie Hamilton (lower body), D Michael Stone (upper body). vs. Wild L 6-5 Jets: D Toby Enstrom (concussion), RW Chris Thorburn (questionable), Who To Watch D Tyler Myers (lower body), G Ondrej Pavelec (knee). Flames – D Rasmus Andersson Calgary Herald: LOADED: 03.11.2017 In the wake of injuries to D Dougie Hamilton and D Michael Stone, the 20-year-old Swedish defender was recalled from the Stockton Heat on an emergency basis. And, because he’s with the Flames on an emergency basis, Andersson will draw in Saturday night versus the Jets, which will be his NHL debut. The second-round selection from the 2015 draft has played 50 games for Stockton in his first pro season with 22 points (three goals and 19 assists) to lead his defensive teammates in points, assists, and plus-minus (plus-14). His biggest attribute is poise and he’ll need that during his first NHL game. Jets – D Jacob Trouba The Jets will be without Toby Enstrom for a while after the blue-liner was taken to the hospital after an illegal check from behind by Tom Sestito in the Jets’ 7-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. That means someone has to step up. In the end, Jacob Trouba wound up leading his team in ice time with 29:04 on Wednesday. The 23-year-old has had an up and down season, which started with a contract dispute. Behind Dustin Byfuglien in total ice time per game, logging 24:48 on average, Trouba has six goals and 21 assists in 51 games to go along with a plus-seven rating (top-four on the Jets). What’s In The Tank Flames – Three-quarters Jets – Two-thirds How They Match Up Forwards – Flames Have out-scored opponents 10-2 in the last two games. Defence – Jets The Dustin Byfuglien factor is a dangerous one. Goaltending – Flames On the heels of his first shut-out as a Calgary Flame, Brian Elliott has been solid. Power Play – Toss up Flames are two-for-31 in the past 12 outings, while the Jets went oh-for- five vs. Pittsburgh earlier this week. 1052122 Calgary Flames with a real good partner in (Tyler) Wotherspoon, and he’s been helping me a lot.

“I’m comfortable in my game. I have some confidence going right now. Injuries could open door for Rasmus Andersson to debut for Flames So if I get the opportunity, I just have to bring my game and play my game out there.” By Wes Gilbertson, Calgary Sun Question is, will he get that opportunity against the Jets? First posted: Friday, March 10, 2017 07:20 PM MST | Updated: Friday, Andersson’s greatest asset is his poise, so you know he’s not going to March 10, 2017 08:07 PM MST spill the beans. Maybe Maritha knows more – she’s en route to Winnipeg, just in case. Rasmus Andersson has been waiting, hoping, dreaming of his first NHL “I just have to wait and see (Saturday) morning what is happening,” call-up. Andersson said. “If I’m going to play, I’ll be ready. If I’m not, I’ll be ready for the next time.” That call came late Thursday, and suddenly the Calgary Flames' defensive prospect was waiting again. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 03.11.2017 After all, the sun hadn’t even poked above the horizon back home in Sweden. Surely, his biggest fan would still be sleeping. “I waited an hour and a half, and then I called my mother (Maritha),” said Andersson, who finally dialed when the clock struck 7 a.m. in Sweden, sharing the news that he’d be joining the Flames on Friday as an emergency recall. “She was freaking out, so that was fun.” Folks were freaking out in Calgary, too. Just when it seemed like nothing could go wrong for the Flames, winners of eight straight, a pair of defencemen suffered injuries in Thursday’s 5-0 drubbing of the Montreal Canadiens. Dougie Hamilton exited late in the second with a lower-body ailment, believed to be a laceration. A few minutes into the third, Michael Stone grimaced his way to the locker-room with what looked like a shoulder issue. It’s the time of year that a coach would sooner share the PIN number for his chequing account than dish on the details of an injury, so it’s no surprise Glen Gulutzan was non-committal about their status for Saturday’s road matchup against the Winnipeg Jets in Manitoba. “Both guys are getting looked at right now,” Gulutzan said prior to Friday’s flight. “We’ll see how this plays out, but we’re hoping that one of them will be able to play (Saturday) and then one of them will be able to play shortly. “But both guys are getting looked at, so we don’t know.” The 20-year-old Andersson is up on an emergency basis, meaning he can’t dress if the Flames have six other healthy defenders. Dennis Wideman, a scratch for the past eight dates, would have to draw in first. If both Hamilton and Stone are unavailable, Andersson will log his big-league debut. The Flames didn’t practise Friday, offering no hints on how Gulutzan might – if need be – shuffle his pairings. Hamilton, who leads Calgary’s blue-line brigade with 41 points, has worked alongside captain Mark Giordano for most of this season. Since arriving in a Feb. 20 trade from the Arizona Coyotes, Stone has sparked chemistry with T.J. Brodie on the second tandem. “I think a lot like when Johnny (Gaudreau) was down this year, sometimes it gives you even more of a boost because you know you have to pick up and everyone has to give a little bit more to do it by committee,” Giordano said, putting a positive spin on the injury concerns. “I think, for us, it hasn’t changed. We’ve had guys in and out of the lineup all year, whether it be through injuries or just changing the lineup, and I think guys have done a good job of stepping in. “Yeah, it’s cliché, but when someone does go down, it always gives that other guy a new opportunity and new excitement comes into your lineup. I think that’s how we have to rally around it.” That new guy, in this case, is Andersson. A second-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft and now a first-year pro, the new arrival has registered three goals, 19 helpers and a plus-14 rating in 50 outings so far this season for the American Hockey League’s Stockton Heat. “I think my game has developed a lot in Stockton during the year,” Andersson said. “I’ve felt more and more comfortable down there. I’ve been playing pretty well, putting up some numbers. And I’ve been playing 1052123 Calgary Flames what’s going to happen around you and you can expect what’s going to happen, where the shots are going to come from.

“It allows him to play his game a little bit more.” Flames netminder Brian Elliott a fixture among star selections during streak Right now, he’s at the top of that game. And, it seems, always near the top of the list of three-star candidates. By Wes Gilbertson, Calgary Sun “I’m just proud of the way the guys have come together,” Elliott said. “You have a unique view standing in the net and in the crease, and when you First posted: Friday, March 10, 2017 06:25 PM MST | Updated: Friday, see guys doing the things that we’ve talked about all season and really March 10, 2017 06:29 PM MST working hard for each other, that’s what you really have to be proud of. “You work so hard in practice and in preparation for it, and when it comes Brian Elliott figures he might be benefitting from a case of backstop bias. together, it’s really cool to see.” The Calgary Flames netminder has now been selected as one the three Calgary Sun: LOADED: 03.11.2017 stars in five consecutive contests. All victories, by the way. “It’s probably because Kelly Hrudey is picking,” Elliott cracked. “It’s the goalie union.” Indeed, Hrudey and his Sportsnet cohorts selected the standouts in three of those five outings, tabbing the 31-year-old Elliott as top performer in an overtime victory against the Detroit Red Wings, as second star in another extra-time triumph over the Los Angeles Kings and as third choice in Thursday’s 5-0 drubbing of the Montreal Canadiens. Maybe masked men do stick together, but with 762 big-league crease appearances before his second career in the broadcast booth and TV studio, Hrudey has a unique understanding of the sort of roll that the man they call Moose has been on. Truth is, even if you’ve never strapped on pads or if you’re sure you would suffer a groin pull if you so much as imagined a kick-save, you can also appreciate the type of steady, star-worthy puck-stopping performances that have been commonplace during the Flames’ record- tying eight-game win streak. “We wouldn’t be in the position we are today without him,” star winger Johnny Gaudreau said following Elliott’s 24-save blanking of the Canadiens, his first shutout of what’s been a roller-coaster season. “You need big-time players to step up at this part of this season, and that’s exactly what he is doing for us.” With Thursday’s thumping of the Habs, the Flames equalled their longest win streak in 37 years since the franchise moved north from Atlanta. Elliott has been between the pipes for seven of those eight dates, with a sparkling 1.83 goals-against average and .939 save percentage during that stretch. Those numbers would be even better if he didn’t surrender five goals during a wild one in Nashville at the start of Calgary’s tear. Still, he delivered a couple of clutch stops that night to force overtime. “He’s made some real key saves for us at the right times,” said Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan, who has yet to reveal his starter for Saturday’s meeting with the Winnipeg Jets at MTS Centre (5 p.m., Sportsnet/Sportsnet 960 The Fan). “And that’s always big for a goalie, because they know when the right times are.” You don’t win eight straight without a wide variety of contributions, but Elliott is the biggest reason for the Flames’ ascent from wild-card wannabe to a squad with a legitimate shot at a top-three finish in the Pacific Division. He’s one of just two twine-minders with 10 victories since the NHL’s all- star break. Braden Holtby, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner and go-to for the league-leading Washington Capitals, is the other. “With goaltending, a big part of it is confidence and you can see that in Ells now,” said Flames netminding coach Jordan Sigalet. “Once he got that first win and that second win, it just grows. And not only that, (with) the way the team has come together, our structure is a lot more consistent at this point in the year than it was early in the year, so he can trust what’s going on around him. “And then for Ells, it’s just playing at the top of his paint more, especially through traffic and tips. If you watch him now compared to the start of the year, he was drifting a bit more at the start of the year, playing a little bit deeper. He’s playing more aggressive, and that comes with confidence too. “It’s not being over-aggressive, it’s just being at the top of the blue. That comes because we’re getting consistent in the way we play, with our structure, trusting our D-men back there to clear away second pucks. That gives you that opportunity to step out a little bit more. You know 1052124 Calgary Flames Penalty Kill – Flames During this eight game win streak, their penalty kill has been 73.7 per cent effective. Game Day: Calgary Flames vs. Winnipeg Jets Intangibles – Jets

The Flames defence suffered a blow on Thursday, losing Dougie By Kristen Odland, Postmedia Hamilton and Michael Stone. First posted: Friday, March 10, 2017 05:43 PM MST | Updated: Friday, Overall – Flames March 10, 2017 05:47 PM MST At some point, their streak has to end, but it’s likely not going to be in Winnipeg. Calgary Flames (37-26-4) at Winnipeg Jets (30-32-6) Set-up Notes 5 p.m., Sportsnet, Sportsnet 960 The Fan Saturday’s 5-2 triumph against the New York Islanders at the Last five: Saddledome marked Calgary’s eighth straight win … The Flames are 13- 2-1 in their last 16 games and have points in 10 in a row (9-0-1) … The Calgary Flames schedule is heating up. The Flames will play games every other night until the end of the season … Up next? Following Saturday’s clash vs. Canadiens W 5-0 against the Jets, the Flames have a four-game home stand with games against Pittsburgh (Monday), Boston (Wednesday), Dallas (Friday) and vs. Islanders W 5-2 Los Angeles (next Saturday) … Saturday is the end of a six-game home vs. Red Wings W 3-2 (OT) stand for the Jets and they’re 2-3-0 so far during that stretch. Winnipeg has lost two straight … LW Johnny Gaudreau was fined $2,000 for diving vs. Kings W 2-1 (OT) on Friday. Based on the NHL’s rule book, the system “is designed to bring attention to and more seriously penalize players (and teams) who @ Hurricanes W 3-1 repeatedly dive and embellish in an attempt to draw penalties.” The Winnipeg Jets system is based on a graduated scale. Gaudreau’s first embellishment was delivered as a warning on Dec. 23 against the Vancouver Canucks. vs. Penguins L 7-4 But Sunday’s incident warranted a $2,000 fine after he was tagged for embellishment in the second period of Calgary’s 5-2 victory, when New vs. Sharks L 3-2 York Islanders forward Josh Ho-Sang was tabbed for holding. vs. Avalanche W 6-1 Injuries vs. Blues W 3-0 Flames: D Dougie Hamilton (lower body), D Michael Stone (upper body). vs. Wild L 6-5 Jets: D Toby Enstrom (concussion), RW Chris Thorburn (questionable), Who To Watch D Tyler Myers (lower body), G Ondrej Pavelec (knee). Flames – D Rasmus Andersson Calgary Sun: LOADED: 03.11.2017 In the wake of injuries to D Dougie Hamilton and D Michael Stone, the 20-year-old Swedish defender was recalled from the Stockton Heat on an emergency basis. And, because he’s with the Flames on an emergency basis, Andersson will draw in Saturday night versus the Jets, which will be his NHL debut. The second-round selection from the 2015 draft has played 50 games for Stockton in his first pro season with 22 points (three goals and 19 assists) to lead his defensive teammates in points, assists, and plus-minus (plus-14). His biggest attribute is poise and he’ll need that during his first NHL game. Jets – D Jacob Trouba The Jets will be without Toby Enstrom for a while after the blue-liner was taken to the hospital after an illegal check from behind by Tom Sestito in the Jets' 7-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. That means someone has to step up. In the end, Jacob Trouba wound up leading his team in ice time with 29:04 on Wednesday. The 23-year-old has had an up and down season, which started with a contract dispute. Behind Dustin Byfuglien in total ice time per game, logging 24:48 on average, Trouba has six goals and 21 assists in 51 games to go along with a plus-seven rating (top-four on the Jets). What’s In The Tank Flames – Three-quarters Jets – Two-thirds How They Match Up Forwards – Flames Have out-scored opponents 10-2 in the last two games. Defence – Jets The Dustin Byfuglien factor is a dangerous one. Goaltending – Flames On the heels of his first shut-out as a Calgary Flame, Brian Elliott has been solid. Power Play – Toss up Flames are two-for-31 in the past 12 outings, while the Jets went oh-for- five vs. Pittsburgh earlier this week. 1052125 Carolina Hurricanes When the Canes selected Aho in the second round of the 2015 NHL Draft, several scouts said Carolina may have gotten a player with first- round talent. It appears they have. Canes’ Aho appears to be the ‘real deal’ “He’s a very quiet kid, a very humble kid,” Canes goalie Cam Ward said. “Kudos to his parents for his upbringing, to be that mature at his age in this league. He’s a pro already.” BY CHIP ALEXANDER TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS AT CAROLINA HURRICANES

When: 7 p.m., Saturday Sebastian Aho says he has made a habit of going on NHL.com each morning to check out the league highlights from the night before. Where: PNC Arena, Raleigh. “I like to watch each day and see how the best players play,” Aho said. TV: FSCR. The Carolina Hurricanes rookie could have seen highlights of himself News Observer LOADED: 03.11.2017 Friday morning on the website – scroll to the “Performance Moment of the Night.” His two power-play goals Thursday, on a three-point night, gave the Finnish forward 20 goals for the season while spurring the Canes to a 4-3 comeback victory over the New York Rangers at PNC Arena. Aho, 19, also had his first career hat trick Jan. 31 against the Philadelphia Flyers. One would think it was exciting for him to relive those highlights from that special game. “No,” Aho said, smiling. “I did not watch that.” It’s not surprising. In a season in which rookie forwards Auston Matthews of Toronto and Patrik Laine of Winnipeg have been smothered with attention, certainly on NHL.com, Aho has quietly gone about his business, scoring 20 goals and collecting 18 assists. He has a team-best four game-winning goals and his minus-1 plus/minus rating is among the best for the Canes’ forwards. “I would hope everybody believes Sebastian Aho is the real deal,” general manager Ron Francis said. While Aho had the two power-play scores Thursday, it was his hustle on a penalty-kill unit in the first period that shifted some momentum the Canes’ way. The Rangers had taken a 1-0 lead on a 5-on-3 power play and were looking to add another score, but Aho shook loose on a shorthanded breakaway that forced a penalty against the Rangers. “His hockey sense is elite, his compete is very high, his skill you can see on display,” Canes coach Bill Peters said. “He impacts the game in multiple ways.” After Aho’s shorthanded chance, the Canes took a 2-1 lead on Jeff Skinner’s 21st of the season and a goal by rookie forward Valentin Zykov, who was making his NHL debut. Zykov, strongly built at 6-1 and 224 pounds, fought past Rangers D-men Marc Staal and Ryan McDonagh to poke the puck past goalie Antti Raanta. The Rangers bounced back with a couple of power-play goals by Mika Zibanejad in the second, but two Rangers penalties in the third were decisive. Aho scored on a long outside shot as Elias Lindholm screened Raanta, then from the bottom of the right circle at 12:28 of the period off a pass. Only two other Canes players have scored 20 goals as a rookie – Jeff Skinner, who had 31 in 2010-11 when he won the Calder Trophy at age 18, and Shane Willis with 20 in 2000-01. Aho, who played last season for Karpat in SM-, the Finnish Elite League, did not get his first NHL goal until the 14th game, although the chances were there. “There are some things you have to learn,” Aho said “Everything here was new for me – new language, new country, new team.” The NHL rinks have smaller playing surfaces than those in Finland. Aho is a good skater and a slippery type at 5-11 and 180 pounds, able to elude the big hits, but has had to make plays in tighter spaces in the NHL. “You can’t prepare for everything before you come here,” Aho said. “I think I have gotten used to it pretty fast. After 20 games I got more comfortable and more confidence and was able to play my game.” Aho had seven goals and two assists, including the hat trick, in the 10 games before the Canes’ five-day bye week in February. He said he spent a couple of days in Charlotte with his girlfriend during the break, relaxing, but did get in some conditioning work. But Aho wasn’t as sharp in the first 10 games after the break. Neither were the Canes. Before Thursday, he had one goal and two assists as the Canes went 2-5-3. “Before the bye week I think I played pretty good and felt pretty good,” Aho said. “I think the timing was bad, but that’s not an excuse. I did get enough rest so that I can play the rest of the season and feel good.” 1052126 Chicago Blackhawks

Johnny Oduya on reunion with Niklas Hjalmarsson: 'OK's not going to be good enough'

Chris Hine

There was a lot that felt familiar to Johnny Oduya when he took the ice in a Blackhawks uniform Thursday night. And despite the fact that the Hawks lost his first game back since the Hawks traded for him on Feb. 28, Oduya couldn’t help but crack a smile when asked about the video montage that played during the first period. After the highlight reel, which featured key moments from Oduya’s two Stanley Cup runs with the Hawks, the crowd gave Oduya a big hand and Oduya waved back. "I saw a little bit of it. It’s very nice, obviously. Nice gesture," Oduya said. "I was trying to focus on the game as much as I could, but that’s something as a player you appreciate a lot." Oduya’s first game back wasn’t quite perfect on the ice. He played 17 minutes, 36 seconds and blocked five shots but said it is likely to take some time before he and Niklas Hjalmarsson recapture the chemistry that made the two so effective in Oduya’s first stint in Chicago. "I think we both felt OK, but OK’s not going to be good enough," Oduya said. "So, you know, we’ll work on our game and keep getting better. That’s pretty much what we can do." Oduya and Hjalmarsson were both coming off injuries, Oduya was nursing an injured ankle while Hjalmarsson was recovering from a back injury. "He was fine," coach said of Oduya. "That pair, you could tell they can get reacquainted and they’ll get better as they go along here. Being off for some time I thought their process working together -- there’s a couple of little things we like to do he’ll get better at." Oduya said he was ready to move on and get back in a groove over the next few weeks, but he was hopeful the good vibes he experienced Thursday will stick around. "You have those feelings. You have a lot of memories and a lot of good memories, and that’s something you try to feed off and get that positive energy from the fans," Oduya said. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052127 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks fall 4-2 to Red Wings in final game at Joe Louis Arena

Chris Hine

For the last time Friday night, the Blackhawks took the ice at Joe Louis Arena, a place that has housed memories good and bad throughout the last 38 years of their storied rivalry with the Red Wings. In a few months, bulldozers will bury those memories — along with the stale smell that wafts over you when you enter the building — in a pile of rubble. Instead of creating a lasting memory, the Hawks put forth an effort they would rather forget in a 4-2 defeat. "Last game at the Joe you'd think you'd have a lot of jump and energy," winger Patrick Kane said. "It was frustrating." It had been a while since the Hawks — who won 12 of their last 15 — played a clunker. Even when they lost during their recent stretch, they put up performances worthy of a win. That wasn't the case Friday in an uneven, choppy effort the resembled nothing like the Stanley Cup contenders the Hawks have looked like since the start of February. "I look back probably the last 14 or 15 games, we had momentum, we had pace, and (Friday) was probably the one game that didn't get to that level we were able to play at for a long stretch," coach Joel Quenneville said. "We had a couple (of) good looks to get it tied in the third but not good enough." Tomas Tatar had two goals for the Red Wings while the Hawks skated with little rhythm offensively most of the night and had defensive breakdowns after playing most of the last six weeks with a sense of purpose. Perhaps Friday was just an off night. It was the second of back-to-back games, and the Hawks were without defensemen Johnny Oduya and Niklas Hjalmarsson, both of whom played Thursday but sat as a precaution Friday as they rehabilitate an ankle and back injury, respectively. The night started promising enough for the Hawks when Artemi Panarin and Patrick Kane added another clip to their highlight reel. On a rush chance, Kane slid a perfect backhand pass to Panarin, who clocked a one-timer from the slot for his 21st goal of the season at 4 minutes, 23 seconds of the first period. Kane, however, took responsibility for the loss because his line was on the ice for all four Red Wings goals. "It probably falls on myself tonight," Kane said. "A lot of bad turnovers and plays and missed coverage in our end, being out for four goals against isn't good enough. I have to be better." He wasn't alone in his struggles. It all led to a good night for the Red Wings, who got to serenade the Hawks with a version of "Don't Stop Believin' " with a few minutes remaining and afterward "The Night Chicago Died." The night the Joe will die is just around the corner, and the Hawks felt bad they couldn't leave its inhabitants disappointed one last time. "Any time you get a chance to play here, the history, the way the building is, the old-school setup, it gets you excited to play," Kane said. "It's an unfortunate finish, but looking back we'll have a lot of great memories." Chicago Tribune LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052128 Chicago Blackhawks

Friday's recap: Red Wings 4, Blackhawks 2

Chris Hine

The Blackhawks’ finale at Joe Louis Arena was a dud as the Hawks fell to the Red Wings 4-2. With the loss, the Hawks fell in consecutive games since they had a three-game losing streak at the end of January. The Hawks started the game in impressive fashion as Artemi Panarin scored off his patented one-timer 4 minutes, 23 seconds into the game. Panarin was on a rush chance with Patrick Kane, who set up the goal with a pretty backhand pass to Panarin. Panarin rifled the shot home from the slot for his 21st goal of the season. But the Red Wings found a rhythm against the Hawks later in the period, first with a goal from Xavier Ouellet from just outside the left circle on a shot that went through the legs of Michal Rozsival. Then with eight seconds remaining in the period, Andreas Athanasiou scored from in close on goaltender Corey Crawford, who was starting his second game in as many nights. Coach Joel Quenneville challenged the goal, alleging Tomas Tatar was offside since he entered the zone before the puck prior, but replay officials ruled he had possession as he entered and upheld the goal. The Hawks are without Niklas Hjalmarsson and Johnny Oduya, who are not playing as a precaution after playing in their first games back from injury on Thursday. The Hawks continued their sluggish play in the second period and couldn’t develop any rhythm offensively while the Red Wings extended their lead to 3-1 on a goal from Tomas Tatar at 15:17. The Hawks did get one back late in the second when Trevor van Riemsdyk, who had gotten in a fight earlier with Justin Abdelkader, scored from the point with 44.3 seconds left. But Tatar made sure the Hawks wouldn’t get back into it and scored his second goal of the night at 15:31. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052129 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks lose second straight in lackluster effort vs. Wings

Mark Lazerus

DETROIT — Twenty hours earlier, they played a game in Chicago. Sixteen hours earlier, at about 2 a.m., they trudged into their hotel. And barely a day later, they were looking at as big a regular-season game as you can find in March, with the Wild coming to the United Center. Fatigued? Looking ahead? Generally uninterested? The Blackhawks at times looked like all three in their 4-2 loss Friday to the Red Wings, their second consecutive defeat after a seven-game winning streak. With Niklas Hjalmarsson and Johnny Oduya getting the night off and Corey Crawford playing for the second straight night, the Hawks had their worst showing since before their February resurgence. In fact, it was the first time they allowed four goals since Jan. 26. That it came against a non-playoff team that was starting a goalie (Jimmy Howard) who hadn’t played since Dec. 20 and that had lost four in a row, including a dreadful 6-1 loss Wednesday to the Bruins, only made it worse. The Hawks tried to paint the Red Wings as dangerous because they were angry about the losses, but the standings don’t lie. It was a poor effort against a poor team. “I look back at the last 14 or 15 games, we had momentum, we had pace,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “Tonight was probably the one game that didn’t get to that level.” The 1-0 loss Thursday to the Ducks was easy to shrug off, as a dominant Hawks effort was simply stymied by goalie Jonathan Bernier. This loss was just a generally lackluster effort — a lousy last game at Joe Louis Arena, the site of so many memorable Hawks-Wings showdowns over the last four decades. “Last game at the Joe, you think you’d have a lot of jump and energy,” Patrick Kane said. “So it was frustrating. . . . It probably falls on myself tonight. A lot of bad turnovers and missed coverages in our end. And being on for four goals against isn’t good enough. I’ve got to be better than that.” Kane was hardly alone in this one. In fact, Kane got the Hawks off to a 1- 0 start when he set up Artemi Panarin’s one-timer off the rush with a nifty backhanded pass at 4:23 of the first period. But after Trevor van Riemsdyk pounced on and fought Justin Abdelkader after a high hit on Brian Campbell, Detroit woke up with two late goals in the period. First, Xavier Ouellet beat Crawford from the point with a shot that went between Michal Rozsival’s legs at 16:25. Then, with eight seconds left in the first, Andreas Athanasiou put the Red Wings up 2-1 with his 15th goal. The second period was a lifeless slog, with the Hawks as sluggish and as sloppy as they’ve looked since January. Tomas Tatar made it 3-1 late in the period before a goal by van Riemsdyk gave the Hawks some life in the final minute. The Hawks had a decent third-period push, but the only grade-A scoring chance came when Kane fed Nick Schmaltz for a hard drive to the net late in the period. Howard made the stop. “Wish I would have had that one back,” Schmaltz said. “Probably could have waited him out a little longer. I tried to go five-hole, and it just didn’t go in. That would have been a big goal.” Instead, Tatar’s second goal soon after sealed the Hawks’ fate. Now come the Wild for an 11:30 a.m. start — on the first day of daylight savings, no less. Minnesota won Friday night and has a three-point lead in the Central Division with a game in hand. It’ll take a much better effort Sunday. “That should get us excited,” Quenneville said. “Another opportunity to close that gap again. It’s a huge game for everybody, so let’s be excited about it.” Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052130 Chicago Blackhawks

Dennis Rasmussen finds himself on the outside looking in

Mark Lazerus

DETROIT — If you’re waiting for Dennis Rasmussen to go on an angry rant about playing time or to smash a stick in his locker stall out of frustration, don’t hold your breath. Rasmussen is one of the more easygoing guys around, an affable sort who’s not the type to ruffle any feathers or call attention to himself. But, yes, he very much wants to play. And, yes, it bothers him that he’s not. “Of course, I want to play,” the second-year forward said. “But it’s all about the team here. We have a lot of games coming up, and it’s going to be important that everyone is ready to play. I’ve got to be ready. I’ve got to skate hard in practice, and I’ve got to show up every day and show that I want to be in the lineup and play important minutes. That’s my mindset going forward.” Rasmussen was a healthy scratch Friday for the third consecutive game and fourth in his last six. The arrival of Tomas Jurco via trade and the presence of veterans Andrew Desjardins and Jordin Tootoo have left Rasmussen on the outside looking in. It’s a sudden, and mildly surprising, development. Rasmussen entered the lineup in the third game of the season and seemed to have entrenched himself as a regular, sitting out only two of the next 59 games, averaging a healthy 12 minutes as a penalty-killer and defensive forward. But with so many penalty-killers and so many bottom-six-type players on the roster now, there’s only so much ice time to go around. But as coach Joel Quenneville always says, a player’s performance usually dictates his playing time. “I know I can play a little bit better,” said Rasmussen, who has four goals and four assists in 59 games but only one goal and one assist since Dec. 18. “I know I can play with a little more pace. I feel like I’ve created a couple of chances, but we just haven’t scored on those chances. That’s one thing I can do better, is score on my chances. But at the same time, I have to value the defensive play because that’s my role on this team.” With the Hawks only two games into a 17-game, 31-day scramble to the playoffs, Rasmussen surely will get back in the lineup eventually. Once he does, it’ll be up to him to stay there. “If I play better, then I’m going to play,” Rasmussen said. “That’s all it is. But if I don’t play, then I’m going to try to help the team whenever I can and try to show in every practice that I really want to play, and that I deserve to play.” Take it easy Niklas Hjalmarsson and Johnny Oduya got the game off. With three games in four days — including a Sunday-morning showdown with the Wild — Quenneville wants to be careful with his shutdown defenders, both of whom are coming off injuries. Michal Kempny and Michal Rozsival skated in their place. In the heat of a division race, but in the midst of a grueling schedule, Quenneville will have to walk a fine line with how he doles out rest. “We’re trying to win,” he said. “You want to give yourself the best chance you can, and the best lineup. . . . With [Oduya] and [Hjalmarsson] coming in, with eight defensemen, four pairs, we’re solid in all aspects. And these guys get a chance to get fresh again for Sunday.” Ticket hike The Hawks sent out season-ticket renewal information and revealed that the cost of season tickets will go up an average of 4 percent. Standing- room-only season tickets go for $50 a game, while the highest-end seats will cost $500 per game. Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052131 Chicago Blackhawks history of the Joe is pretty tremendous. Growing up, watching the Red Wings, you got a feel for all the teams that went through there. It’ll be a pretty emotional thing for the community to see that transition, but it’s a ODE TO THE JOE: PAST, PRESENT BLACKHAWKS REMEMBER JOE new step, a new direction." LOUIS ARENA Yes, all good things must end and all old-school arenas eventually make way for shiny new ones. The shiny new ones are big and pretty. They have more amenities, more luxury boxes. They also have less character. By Tracey Myers March 10, 2017 9:10 AM Joe Louis Arena isn't pretty. But for hockey fans, from its octopus to its boards to its intimate setting, it will still be one of the most memorable arenas long after it's gone. Troy Murray remembers those nasty days of the Blackhawks-Detroit Red "There are a lot of great memories and the history goes way beyond my Wings rivalry, especially those games at Joe Louis Arena. Given the time in the league," Toews said. "It’s cool to play in that building. And you animosity between the two teams, it usually didn’t take much for appreciate it a little more when you’re playing your last game there and emotions in those games to boil over. But one particular night at Joe that team’s moving on." Louis, Ed Belfour decided to add fuel to the fire anyway. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.11.2017 "A scrum happened beside the net and Eddie Belfour hit with his blocker, just sucker punched him, and it didn’t faze him. Then everything broke loose," Murray said. "Keith Brown and I both had Bob Probert, and I basically was on his back and Browney was in front of him. Probert just peeled me off his back and pulled me around, and had both me and Keith Brown strung out [at arm’s length] like that. Me and Browney are thinking, 'Now what do we do?’" Thanks to the realignment, the Blackhawks-Red Wings rivalry is pretty much a thing of the past. By the end of this season, Joe Louis Arena will be, too. The Joe was never the prettiest building in the league. It’s dank. There’s a smell that can only be described as a cross between disinfectant and stale beer. Their press box looks more like a bar, although considering it caters to sportswriters that may have simply been genius design. Still, there’s something special about that type of building. It’s small and intimate. Fans are right on top of the action. There’s no such thing as a bad seat – the press area included. As coach Joel Quenneville said, "It was always a hard building to play in. The octopus was a regular visitor. Joe Louis had that feeling. It reminded me, of the smell of the place and existence, of the Old Stadium." It’s definitely the last of a dying breed, and Blackhawks past and present will always remember it. Eddie Olczyk’s memories of The Joe range from his own scuffle with Probert – "I just grabbed Probie by the waist and held on" – to his playoff overtime winner against the Wings when he was with the Toronto Maple Leafs. For Olczyk, Joe Louis is right up there with , the old Igloo in Pittsburgh and the original . "Those are places that I looked at as a kid, and then I got the great privilege to be able to play in them. But The Joe is the last one. It’s the one that still connects the past to the present, when you think of all the players," Olczyk said. "The vivid memory of going into the Joe was a feel of more than just a game. It was an event. It was a great place to play, the crowd right on top of you. I don’t want to steal a phrase from Slap Shot, but it’s old-time hockey." For current players, it would be easy to look back at that 2013 playoff series, especially when Brent Seabrook skated over to give Jonathan Toews a penalty-box pep talk. But for most of the veteran Blackhawks, their 2009 postseason series against the Wings, who were then still the cream of the NHL crop, loomed larger. "We had a good playoff series the first time we went to the conference final and kind of fell on our face," Toews said. "We learned a hard lesson with a team that had a lot of experience winning." Seabrook looks back at that 2013 Toews talk as, "just a thing that happens throughout games. Not trying to do anything other than win the game." His fondest memories of Joe Louis go further back. "I think the feelings I had, being able to watch them for so many years, what they were able to do when I was a kid was the cool part. Being able to play there my first couple of years, it was such a great team when we first got into the league and they usually kicked our butt. But there was always something about that building," Seabrook said. "It was cool to be in the league and be a part of it." From a hockey standpoint, we’d be remiss to mention JLA without talking about those springy end boards. There isn’t a visiting player or goaltender who’s struggled to figure those things out. Tanner Kero, who played in the at Joe Louis while he attended Tech, said it took time to get used to them. "We’d always have one practice before the tournament started. Our coaches would always point that out, take shots from the point, see which directions they’d bounce and get a feel for it," Kero said. "The 1052132 Chicago Blackhawks

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH: BLACKHAWKS MAKE FINAL STOP AT JOE LOUIS ARENA TONIGHT ON CSN

By Charlie Roumeliotis March 10, 2017 1:30 AM

Watch as the Blackhawks take on the Detroit Red Wings tonight on CSN and streaming live on CSNChicago.com. Coverage begins at 6 p.m. with Blackhawks Pregame Live. Then stick around after the final buzzer to watch Blackhawks Postgame Live for highlights and analysis. Click here to watch the game or download the NBC Sports App, your home for live streaming coverage of the Blackhawks. Five Things to WATCH: 1. Last stop at The Joe. For one last time, Chicago and Detroit will rekindle its rivalry at Joe Louis Arena, which has been the Red Wings home since 1979. The team will move into the new next season. Notable games between the two at The Joe include Game 5 of the Western Conference Final in 2009 that eliminated the up and coming Blackhawks from the postseason. They would get revenge in 2013 by rallying from a 3-1 series deficit to beat Detroit in its building in Game 6, and then closing the deal at home in Game 7 en route to a Stanley Cup. 2. Pair of 2014 first-round picks square off. For the first time in their young NHL careers, and Nick Schmaltz will go head-to-head in a battle of 2014 first-round selections. Larkin was drafted at No. 15, five picks before the Blackhawks took Schmaltz at No. 20. Larkin made his debut a year before Schmaltz, and was among the league's best rookies in 2016 when he compiled 45 points in 80 games, but has struggled during his sophomore campaign — as has his entire team — with 22 points in 63 games. Schmaltz enters with 19 points in 44 games this year, with 12 of those points coming in his last 10 games. 3. Another back-to-back for Corey Crawford? Before this month, the last time Crawford had started in two games in as many days was Dec. 19-20 in 2015. Now he'll do it twice in a week. He did just fine in the second of a back-to-back last Saturday, stopping 32 of 35 shots in a 5-3 win over Nashville. And coming off a four-day break before Thursday's game, Crawford should be well-rested to handle another start less than 24 hours later. 4. Win at the dot. In Thursday's 1-0 loss to Anaheim, the Blackhawks won only 41 percent of their faceoffs against the No. 1-ranked team at the dot. Tonight, they'll play a Red Wings club that's just as good as the Ducks in that area. They're the fourth-best team at the faceoff circle, winning 52.4 percent of their draws this season, led by Frans Nielsen, who owns a 54.7 percentage. The Blackhawks rank 23rd with a 48.4 percentage, led by Jonathan Toews, who's at 56.9 percent. 5. Score first. The Red Wings have scored the game's first goal in only 26 of their 65 games this season, the third-fewest total in the league. They've also given up 71 goals in the opening frame; only Colorado (73) has allowed more. That's not very good company. The Blackhawks have the third- most wins when scoring the first goal of the game with 30. That'd be a good way to get back on track after getting blanked by the Ducks last night. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052133 Chicago Blackhawks

Quick Hits from Blackhawks-Red Wings: Lacking jump

By Tracey Myers March 10, 2017 10:00 PM

DETROIT – Getting the early lead was one thing. Following it up was another, and the Blackhawks couldn’t do that against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday night. Playing without Johnny Oduya and Niklas Hjalmarsson didn’t help – coach Joel Quenneville didn’t want to tax the two players, both coming back from injuries, with three games in four days. But the Blackhawks’ overall game just wasn’t there. Anyway, it’s a pretty quick turnaround. So let’s get to the notables. What Worked: The Red Wings’ response after Justin Abdelkader’s hit. Oh, the Blackhawks’ immediate response was fine. Abdelkader hit Brian Campbell high and late, and Trevor van Riemsdyk went after Abdelkader. But it was the Red Wings who capitalized following that fracas, scoring twice in the final 3:35 of the first period, turning the Blackhawks’ early 1-0 lead into a 2-1 deficit. What Didn’t Work: The Blackhawks’ overall game. It’s been a while since we’ve said this but the Blackhawks were flat. As Patrick Kane said, it was surprising that the Blackhawks’ last game at Joe Louis Arena didn’t draw the expected enthusiasm level. Hey, this rivalry isn’t what it used to be thanks to realignment, and perhaps coming off the back to back – or even looking ahead to Sunday – factored into Friday’s bad game. Star of the game: Tomas Tatar. Net-front presence is big, and Tatar was supplying it all night. When he wasn’t providing a screen on Andreas Athanasiou’s late-first period goal, Tatar was assisting or scoring his own. He finished with two goals and an assist, to give Detroit their last victory over the Blackhawks at Joe Louis Arena. He Said It: “Yeah, nice to see Riems jump in there. I didn’t see the hit but it must’ve been pretty bad for Riemer to jump in. Good to see him stick up for his teammate.” — Corey Crawford on van Riemsdyk’s reaction to the hit on Campbell By the Numbers: 4 – Goals allowed by the Blackhawks on Friday, the most they’ve allowed since Jan. 26 (vs. Winnipeg). 900 – Career regular-season games for Duncan Keith. 400 – Career regular-season games for Andrew Desjardins, who was back in the lineup on Friday. 1,127 – Career points for Marian Hossa following his assist on van Riemsdyk’s second-period goal. Hossa is now 55th all-time in NHL history in points. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052134 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks suffer second straight loss in final game at Joe Louis Arena

By Tracey Myers March 10, 2017 9:15 PM

DETROIT – Over the last month the Blackhawks have been a different team, with a strong four-line rotation, a lot of high-scoring games and plenty of energy. Friday's game featured none of that. Tomas Tatar scored twice, including the game-winning goal, as the Detroit Red Wings beat the Blackhawks 4-2 in the final meeting between the two at Joe Louis Arena. The Blackhawks, who were without Niklas Hjalmarsson and Johnny Oduya for this one – they were given a rest night – have lost two in a row for the first time since late January. They'll enter Sunday's game against the Minnesota Wild trailing by three points; the Wild beat the Florida Panthers on Friday night. The Blackhawks have been stellar since the start of February but they looked listless on Friday night. After so many years of great games between the two rivals, Friday's Wings-Blackhawks game was decidedly mediocre. "Last game at the Joe, you'd think you'd have a lot of jump and energy," Patrick Kane said. "Frustrating. We had the start we wanted, then give up two goals there late in the first. Not the way you want to finish that period." Kane also talked of his own tough outing. "It probably falls on me tonight, lot of bad turnovers and plays and missed coverage in our end," he said. "Being on for four goals against isn't good enough. Gotta be better than that." The Blackhawks' biggest burst came early, when Artemi Panarin's 21st goal of the season gave them a 1-0 lead. But for the most part after that, the Blackhawks got quiet. Justin Abdelkader hit Brian Campbell near the boards, which drew the anger of Trevor van Riemsdyk. "It was a pretty hard hit and we didn't like it too much. That's how it goes after something like that," van Riemsdyk said. "I ended up sitting in the box longer than you'd like to, but I just saw the hit and that was my reaction." Coach Joel Quenneville had no problem with van Riemsdyk's reaction. "Sometimes you go in there, doesn't necessarily means it's a fight, but it ended up being one," he said. But the Red Wings reacted better after all of that, scoring twice within the final 3:35 of the first period (Xavier Ouellet and Andreas Athanasiou). "It seemed like we were in a good spot and, boom, they scored two quick ones and now we're chasing," Corey Crawford said. "Tough spot to be in, second half of a back-to-back and playing catch-up hockey." The Blackhawks couldn't catch up. Now they'll face the Wild, which should definitely get their attention. The Blackhawks have played great hockey over the last month or so. Friday's game just wasn't one of those outings. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052135 Chicago Blackhawks Injuries/illness: Johan Franzen (concussion), Joe Vitale (concussion), Jonathan Ericsson (wrist), Ryan Sproul (knee).

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.11.2017 Niklas Hjalmarsson, Johnny Oduya to sit out when Blackhawks visit Red Wings

By Tracey Myers March 10, 2017 5:00 PM

DETROIT – Niklas Hjalmarsson and Johnny Oduya will be busy enough down this regular-season stretch. So coach Joel Quenneville is giving them a break on Friday night. Hjalmarsson and Oduya will be out and Michal Kempny and Michal Rozsival will draw back in when the Blackhawks face the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena. Quenneville said there’s nothing wrong with either Hjalmarsson or Oduya; both returned on Thursday after their respective injuries. But with the very busy schedule out of the break, Quenneville wanted to rest them for this one. "We have three games in 3 1/2 days, with those guys coming off that one I want to make sure they get a little bit of a break between the games," said Quenneville. "We looked at the back-to-back and three in 3 1/2, it’s not easy to come back from and we have (Nos. 6) and 32 ready to go, so that’s part of it." The Blackhawks host the Minnesota Wild in a late-morning start on Sunday. Quenneville said there will be one change among the forward lines, too, but didn’t divulge who. Corey Crawford starts tonight. Broadcast information Time: 6:30 p.m. TV: CSN Live stream: CSNChicago.com or NBC Sports app Radio: WGN 720 AM Chicago Blackhawks Forward lines Nick Schmaltz-Jonathan Toews-Richard Panik Artemi Panarin-Artem Anisimov-Patrick Kane Ryan Hartman-Tanner Kero-Marian Hossa Tomas Jurco-Marcus Kruger-Jordin Tootoo Defensive pairs Duncan Keith-Brent Seabrook Brian Campbell-Trevor van Riemsdyk Michal Kempny-Michal Rozsival Goaltender Corey Crawford Injuries/illness: Scott Darling (hand) Detroit Red Wings (via MLive.com) Forward lines Gustav Nyquist-Henrik Zetterberg-Tomas Tatar Andreas Athanasiou-Dylan Larkin- Justin Abdelkader-Frans Nielsen-Darren Helm Drew Miller-Luke Glendening-Mitch Callahan Defensive pairs Dan DeKeyser-Mike Green Niklas Kronwall-Nick Jensen Xavier Ouellet-Robbie Russo Goaltender Jimmy Howard 1052136 Columbus Blue Jackets

2000 and counting: Blue Jackets' broadcaster Jeff Rimer hits milestone with no end in sight

Mar 10, 2017 at 3:53 PM Tom Reed

Jeff Rimer’s dreams of playing elite-level hockey ended as a teen when he attended a midget AAA tryout in Calgary with longtime friend John Davidson. It’s an observation nobody disputes. It’s the details of what led to Rimer’s dismissal, however, which remain up for debate years later. “Well, when he came out on the ice pushing a chair and wearing triple runners (on his skate blades), that was a sign to the coach,” said Davidson, the Blue Jackets’ president of hockey operations. Standing within earshot, Rimer bellowed: “Those are alternative facts.” This much is true: Rimer found a way to stay in the game he loves. The television voice of the Blue Jackets has spent the past 40 years in the NHL, working in Montreal, Washington, Florida and Columbus. His broadcasting career reaches another milestone Saturday night in Buffalo as he calls his 2,000th NHL game. The club will recognize him at its next home game Thursday against the Florida Panthers, which seems fitting since he’s a bit like the Jaromir Jagr of broadcasters – one blessed with tremendous longevity and no immediate plans to retire. “When they asked me if they could honor me, I said, . . . ‘this is not a retirement party.’” Rimer said. “I plan on being here. Hey, Vin Scully worked until he was (88). I’ve got a long way to go until that.” Rimer has seen and experienced plenty over the past four decades. He provided gymnastics commentary at the 1976 Summer Olympics for the CBC and served as pre- and post-game host for the Baltimore Orioles. In hockey, he covered the dynastic Montreal Canadiens of 1970s as a pre- and post-game host. Before becoming the Capitals’ play-by-play man in 1990, he inherited game-host duties from Larry King – yes, that Larry King – who notified his stunned bosses on air that he was leaving for CNN and Rimer was his replacement. Rimer once called games for two NHL teams, the Capitals and Florida Panthers, in the same season. Saturday night’s telecast marks his 981st game with the Blue Jackets. His favorite Columbus memory is an easy one, he said. “Game 4 of the Jackets-Penguins series in Nationwide Arena in 2014,” Rimer said. “The game was sensational, exciting beyond belief. And, of course, the house came down when Nick Foligno scored the game- winning goal in overtime and tied the series at 2-2.” Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052137 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets 4, Sabres 3 | Jackets score twice on power play

Posted Mar 10, 2017 at 11:18 PM Updated Mar 10, 2017 at 11:18 PM By Aaron Portzline

Early this season, when the Blue Jackets needed an early burst of confidence to get off and running toward this surprising season, it was the power play that puffed out chests and padded stat lines. Lately, the Blue Jackets have found other ways to sustain winning, but they got a visit from the old friend Friday night, and it was well-timed. The Blue Jackets scored two power-play goals in a game for the first time since Jan. 22, leading the way to a 4-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres before 17,530 at Nationwide Arena. "It was an important part of the game tonight," coach John Tortorella said, "because our 5-on-5 play was not good." Nick Foligno and Sam Gagner scored power-play goals, and David Savard and Boone Jenner also scored. Jenner's goal with 5:07 remaining — his 14th of the season — was the winner. "I don't think we were very strong compete-wise," Foligno said. "Our power play bailed us out, which is huge. I didn't like the way we played. We stick-checked and we swung off things. That's not really how we need to play the game, but it's big when your power play is there to bail you out." Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who carried a three-game shutout streak into the game, lost his bid for a fourth only 2:50 in when Buffalo's Evan Rodrigues forced a turnover and beat him with a wrist shot from the slot. The longest streak of Bobrovsky's career — and the second longest in Blue Jackets' history — ended at 182 minutes, 50 seconds. The Blue Jackets pushed back with two goals later in the first period and didn't trail the rest of the game, winning three straight games for the first time since their 16-game winning streak ended Jan. 5 at Washington. The win pushed the Jackets to 43-17-6, matching the franchise wins record set in the 2013-14 season. At 92 points, they are one short of matching that record, set in the same season. By assisting on the Blue Jackets' power-play goal at 17:05 of the first period, rookie defenseman Zach Werenski reached 40 points (nine goals, 31 assists), breaking Rick Nash's rookie scoring record. "I had no expectations coming into the year, and to pass someone like Rick Nash, who has had a great career, it's pretty cool," Werenski said. The Blue Jackets had been 3 of 39 on the power play (7.7 percent) since Jan. 22. But Foligno redirected a pass from Alexander Wennberg at 17:05 of the first and Gagner rifled home a slap shot from the right circle at 18:28 of the second, restoring leads for the Blue Jackets. Their third power play, midway through the third, did not result in a goal. But it shifted momentum dramatically, and Jenner capped it with a hard- working goal in heavy traffic. "It runs hot and cold over the course of a season, but you want to create momentum with it regardless," Gagner said. "We got back to that tonight and it won us a Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052138 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets | Saad, Bjorkstrand blur the lines

Posted Mar 10, 2017 at 10:34 PM Updated Mar 10, 2017 at 10:34 PM By Aaron Portzline

Once showed he was ready to be a difference-maker at the NHL level, Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella started tinkering with his lines in a way that must be maddening for opponents. On Friday, when the Blue Jackets played the Buffalo Sabres at Nationwide Arena, Brandon Saad was on the left side of the No. 1 line. Bjorkstrand manned the right wing on what appears to be a third line. But during the game, he Bjorkstrand took a sprinkling of shifts with the No. 1 line, while Saad spelled him lower in the lineup. The same could happen again tonight when the teams play at Buffalo. "You can do a lot of different things, especially with Saader, who can play both sides," Tortorella said. "It's not a top six (now), it's more the top nine." Saad has the speed to stretch the ice. Bjorkstrand is more of a slasher and a sharpshooter. During the recent home-and-home slogfest against New Jersey, the third line clicked when Bjorkstrand has played with center Sam Gagner and left wing Scott Hartnell, totaling three goals, five assists and a plus-8 rating. Asked why that line has worked, Tortorella looked bemused. "I don't know," he said. "If a coach tells you he knows why it works when he puts players together, he's lying." Only one better Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky saw his shutout streak end at 182 minutes, 50 seconds when the Sabres' fourth-line center Evan Rodrigues scored on Buffalo's fourth shot of the game. It's the second-longest streak in the NHL this season, trailing only Minnesota's Devan Dubnyk, who had a steak of 183:16 from Oct. 22 to Nov. 1. The Blue Jackets franchise record — held by Steve Mason, who had a streak of 199:28 during the 2008-09 season — remains intact. Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052139 Columbus Blue Jackets The home-and-home series marks the first meetings of the season. They’ll conclude their three-game season series at Columbus on March 28. In recent matchups, the home team has not fared well, losing seven Bobrovsky on brink of breaking Blue Jackets record of the last nine contests. foxsportsohio.com LOADED: 03.11.2017 TSX / STATS Mar 10, 2017 at 10:30a ET

The Blue Jackets and Buffalo Sabres, two teams going in opposite directions, meet Friday night in Columbus, Ohio, for the first game of a home-and-home series on consecutive days. Coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. on FOX Sports Ohio The Blue Jackets are 5-1-1 since coming off their five-day break nearly two weeks ago. It’s a stretch that’s seen the Blue Jackets rise to second in the Metropolitan Division, five points behind division-leading Washington with 17 games left in the regular season. Columbus posted three shutouts in their last three home games while scoring 10 goals. Their last contest, a 2-0 home victory over the New Jersey Devils Tuesday night, might have been the least impressive game since the break. However, the Blue Jackets still got high marks from their coach with the way they grinded out the victory, scoring two goals in the final 10:21. “That’s as close as we’ve come to a clunker since the break,” John Tortorella said. “But we found a way in the third period to generate enough energy and find a way to win.” The Blue Jackets are in the midst of their most successful season in their 16-year existence. They need four more points to break the club record of 93 the 2013-14 team earned. That team earned just the franchise’s second playoff berth. Center Sam Gagner said the various ways the team has won in recent weeks show that when they make the playoffs for the third time ever this season, the Blue Jackets will be a tough matchup for teams. “That’s the good part about this team,” said Gagner, who got an assist on Oliver Bjorkstrand’s game-winning goal and reached the 40-point plateau for the seventh time in his career Tuesday. “We can grind out wins. We can play with skill, and we can have patience like we showed tonight.” Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky posted three consecutive shutouts, including back-to-back blankings of New Jersey earlier this week. If he starts Friday and completes a scoreless first period, he’ll break the team record for longest scoreless streak. Steve Mason went 199:28 between goals in the 2008-09 season. The Sabres’ Marcus Foligno knows Columbus well as his older brother Nick is the Blue Jackets’ captain. The younger Foligno said in an interview after practice Thursday that it will be key for the Sabres to get to Bobrovsky early. “It’s just got to be a workboot game from us, and we got to make sure everyone is ready to go,” he said on the team’s Twitter feed. The Sabres, meanwhile, dropped out of legitimate playoff contention. They’re 1-5-2 in the last eight games, allowing at least three goals in seven of those contests. Buffalo finds itself in seventh place in the Atlantic Division. With 66 points in 67 games, the Sabres are nine points behind the New York Islanders for the Eastern Conference’s final wild card spot despite the Islanders having played one fewer game. “We have a lot to prove with the last 15 games, with who we are and how we’re going to play,” Dan Bylsma said. “Pride is a big factor.” Sabres center Jack Eichel has been hot over the last five weeks. His 23 points since Feb. 1 leads the NHL. In Tuesday’s 6-3 home loss to Philadelphia, the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft notched three points to extend his career-high points streak to 11 games. In the game, the former Boston University standout earned his 100th career point, becoming the third youngest Sabre to reach that milestone. Only and Phil Housley reached 100 points as teenagers, as Eichel turned 20 earlier this season. Despite not scoring a goal until Dec. 1, left wing Evander Kane ranks among the top 25 goal scorers in the league. His 24 goals are tied for second-most in the league since the start of December. 1052140 Dallas Stars

Stars sign Curtis McKenzie to one-year contract extension

By Mike Heika ,

The Stars likely made the extensions for McKenzie and Adam Cracknell this early because they want to be compliant for the expansion draft (two forwards exposed who have played 40 games this season or 70 over the past two seasons). This also allows them to ponder a trade of Cody Eakin or Antoine Roussel rather than leave either exposed and available for Vegas to take. Here is the press release: FRISCO, Texas - Dallas Stars General Manager announced today that the club has signed forward Curtis McKenzie to a one-year, $700,000 contract extension. McKenzie, 26, has recorded 11 points (4-7=11) in 43 games with Dallas in his first full NHL season. The forward shares third on the Stars with a +7 plus/minus rating this season, while he ranks fourth on the squad with 87 hits in 2016-17. McKenzie has registered 16 points (8-8=16) and 115 penalty minutes in 82 career regular-season NHL contests over parts of three seasons, all as a member of the Stars. He has also appeared in one career Stanley Cup Playoff contest in 2016, recording four hits and a fighting major. "Curtis has developed into a strong and tenacious player who has continued to define his role as a valuable member of the team," said Nill. "A true home-grown player, he has worked hard at all levels within the Stars organization and has earned his way onto the NHL roster." The 6-foot-2, 205-pound native of Golden, British Columbia was originally selected by Dallas in the sixth round (159th overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft. Dallas Morning News LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052141 Dallas Stars

Hard work pays off for Curtis McKenzie, who's been a pleasant surprise for the Stars

By Mike Heika ,

One of the odd benefits of the NHL's expansion draft in June is that teams need to take care of business a little early this year. The Stars this week locked up two forwards, making them compliant in the rules for the expansion draft that will help stock the Vegas Golden Knights. Of course, the preferred course is that both will be in Dallas next season. Curtis McKenzie on Friday signed a one-year contract extension, joining forward Adam Cracknell, who signed a one-year extension Wednesday. McKenzie will get $700,000 on a one-way deal next season, and that is a happy little bonus for the hard-working winger. "It's nice, for sure," said McKenzie, 26. "This whole year has kind of been wondering what was going to happen for next season, so I was pretty happy when they offered it to me. It's definitely nice to have that in the back pocket for next year." It's also nice for the Stars to have McKenzie in house. Dallas was shredded by injuries this season and needed someone to step up. McKenzie has done that with 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 43 games. He also is a plus-7 on a team filled with minuses. Dallas has already traded away and Lauri Korpikoski, and it could lose , Ales Hemsky and Jiri Hudler to free agency. While Mattias Janmark could come back from knee surgery and Valeri Nichushkin could return from Russia, the Stars have a lot of question marks when it comes to next year's lineup. Retaining McKenzie and Cracknell fills a few of the holes. "He's played a physical role for us, and he's done a good job killing penalties," Stars coach Lindy Ruff said of McKenzie. "He combines offense with grit, and he's a guy that will stand up to anybody on the ice for us. Coming from the American League and doing so well down there to fitting in here, he's done a nice job." McKenzie is home-grown for the Stars, who drafted him 159th overall in 2009. He played four years at Miami (Ohio) University and has spent parts of three seasons in the AHL with the Texas Stars. He won AHL Rookie of the Year in 2013-14 when he tallied 65 points (27 goals, 38 assists) in 75 games. While he has concentrated mostly on physical play and strong defense in the NHL, he does have the ability to help out around the net, either at even strength or on the power play. "He's played up the lineup at times," Ruff said. "He hasn't had the power- play time with the level of skill we have here -- that's a big change for a guy coming out of the American League. He's a guy that I've thought about giving him a chance in front of the net [on the power play], and it still may happen here coming to the end of the year." That's music to the ears of McKenzie, who is simply trying to make a difference every game. "It's been a little different than I probably drew up," said the native of Golden, B.C., who still is a candidate to be a healthy scratch on any given night. "There are few more games I'd like to be playing in, but I think I have been playing well when I have had the opportunities. Now, going into next season, I know I can play here. I feel like I'm an NHL player, and I'm excited for next season to come along and be part of the team again." The Stars just hope he hasn't played so well that he is a part of the new team in Vegas. Dallas Morning News LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052142 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings' Anthony Mantha takes healthy scratch as challenge

Helene St. James , Detroit Free Press Published 12:29 p.m. ET March 10, 2017 | Updated 6 hours ago

Anthony Mantha got mad. Then he reacted with a maturity that foretells success. When he arrived at Joe Louis Arena this morning, Mantha saw a lineup chart that had him as a healthy scratch for the evening’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks (7:30, FSD, NHL Network). It dinged his pride, but the deeper message was complimentary: specifically, that Mantha is a better player than he has been over the past week. “There are opportunities, in coaching, to have teaching moments to make sure the trajectory of the player is as upward as we are going to need him to be,” coach said. “He's going to be a great player in this league. He’s going to be a great player for us, still, this year. But tonight, we are going to let him have an opportunity to watch, and then he’ll get back in there. When he gets his opportunity, I assume he is going to be great.” Blashill has stressed in the past that Mantha, 22, is at his best when he is playing to his 6-foot-5, 221-pound size and moving his feet. Mantha conceded that he has not been doing that of late. Mitch Callahan will take his spot on the dress list tonight. “Last few games, I haven't really played the game I wanted,” Mantha said. “Winning a few battles one-on-one and being more intense, in general, I think I can do that. That's the message he’s sending me right now. I need to prove him wrong and be better the next few games. The game I had when I was first called up here -- I need to bring that back. “It’s a learning process. It’s been a learning process for two years now, even three. For me, it's to keep building off it and become stronger.” Mantha has 14 goals in 50 games but only one goal his last nine. He said he was mad when he first saw tonight's lineup, “but after I talk with Blash on the ice, he just wants me to be a better player, in general, and to compete in little details that are going to help my game out. “He wants me to be a great player for this team. Just learning the process like this is probably going to help me out in the long term.” The fact that Mantha seems to take being scratched as a challenge is a good sign -- at best, he responds the way Andreas Athanasiou did after he was scratched at Anaheim, coming back and scoring in each of the next three games. “One of the hardest things, as a young player, is to learn how hard it is every single night,” Blashill said. “You have to be on your A game every night in this league. In other leagues, you get to a point where you are just better than other people, and so even if you are not on your A game, you still have success. That never happens in this league. Even the very best players have to be on their A game every night, in order to really be successful.” Detroit Free Press LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052143 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings' Jimmy Howard getting first NHL start in 3 months

Helene St. James , Detroit Free Press Published 11:02 a.m. ET March 10, 2017 | Updated 6 hours ago

Next up for the Detroit Red Wings: a date with an old rival. The Wings host the Chicago Blackhawks tonight (7:30, FSD). The Blackhawks (42-19-5, 89 points) were shut out, 1-0, by Anaheim on Thursday. The Wings (25-29-11, 61 points) are on a three-game losing streak. Goalie Jimmy Howard will be back in a Wings uniform for the first time since suffering a sprained knee Dec. 20. “It’s pretty special, “ Howard said. “Honestly, I am just really excited to get out there and play.” Howard spent two games playing for Grand Rapids and said, “Just getting the rust off, in general, was good. “It’s been a long, grinding road, but I am glad the day is finally here where I get to go back out there and play.” All the skaters who played Wednesday were on the ice for the morning skate. They spent the time practicing special teams, which saw Henrik Zetterberg out with Niklas Kronwall, Gustav Nyquist, Frans Nielsen and Justin Abdelkader; the other unit had Dylan Larkin with Mike Green, Andreas Athanasiou, Tomas Tatar and Riley Sheahan. Sheahan, Drew Miller and Luke Glendening were the only skaters to escape the 6-1 rout against the Boston Bruins without a minus next to their name. Anthony Mantha is a healthy scratch tonight, giving Mitch Callahan his first appearance at Joe Louis Arena. “It’s pretty exciting to finally play in front of home fans,” Callahan said. “This is a big matchup, Chicago is a great team.” The Wings don’t have any reserves on defense, so it’s Danny DeKeyser with Green, Kronwall with Nick Jensen, and Xavier Ouellet with Robbie Russo. (Ouellet and Russo were the Wings’ best pairing in the Bruins game, even thought it was only Russo’s second NHL game.) Detroit Free Press LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052144 Detroit Red Wings

How to watch the Detroit Red Wings vs. Chicago Blackhawks game

James Jahnke , Detroit Free Press 9:07 a.m. ET March 10, 2017

Detroit Red Wings (25-29-11, 61 points) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (42-19- 5, 89 points) When: 7:30 tonight. Where: Joe Louis Arena, Detroit. TV: FSD, NHL Network. Radio: WXYT-FM (97.1; other radio affiliates). Box score Game notes: It's the Blackhawks' last visit to Joe Louis Arena (barring a MIRACLE meeting in the , of course). ... Chicago is coming off of a 1-0 home loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052145 Detroit Red Wings “I thought Justin was excellent,” Blashill said. “He played with unreal desire. Abby’s urgency level was awesome. That hit is something he’s got to be about regardless of whether it was a penalty or not a penalty, Tomas Tatar, Red Wings spoil Chicago's last visit to the Joe, 4-2 we will take that all the time. “I can’t say enough good things about how Justin played tonight.” Helene St. James , Detroit Free Press Published 10:28 p.m. ET March Shortly after the fight, Ouellet sent a shot through traffic from the top of 10, 2017 | Updated 6 hours ago the left circle. The Wings took the lead with 8 seconds to play. Tatar carried the puck into Chicago’s zone, passed off to Nick Jensen, who sent a short pass to Athanasiou. Athanasiou threw the puck on net as Tatar leaped into the paint for the distraction. Tatar scores twice, Howard makes 24 saves in first start for Wings since Dec. Tatar was around the net much of the night. Nothing like meeting an old familiar rival for inspiration. “He had a lot of energy tonight,” Zetterberg said. “He brings a lot of positive energy.” The Detroit Red Wings fought, hit and scored Friday as they hosted the Chicago Blackhawks for the last time at Joe Louis Arena, the atmosphere Howard contributed three saves during a penalty kill early in the second invigorated by an enthusiastic bipartisan crowd. Tomas Tatar scored period, which also saw Helm test Crawford, who made a big stop in Tatar twice to ensure the home fans would be the ones celebrating a 4-2 after he threw a shot on net along the goal line. When Howard denied victory. Richard Panik on a backhand midway through the period, it was the Blackhawks' first shot on net since their power play. When they got a “It’s always fun,” Henrik Zetterberg said. “There were a lot of Blackhawk second power play at 10:45 of the second period, Howard only had to fans here. It was a loud game. It was a good game.” make one save. Tatar relished the night. The Wings got it to 3-1 when Nyquist picked off Kane and drove towards the net before dropping a pass for Zetterberg. Crawford got a piece of “Against Chicago, it is always like this,” he said. “There is still the rivalry that shot, but Tatar turned the rebound into his 16th goal of the season. from back. The fans were outstanding and they deserve to see us play this way.” “Nyqui made a really nice play, he cut to the middle, and I just try and create a spot fo him,” Tatar said. “He dropped it to Hank and I just tried to Why the Wings are able to beat Stanley Cup contenders such as create a net presence. I got a lucky bounce.” Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Washington, and then look as awful as they did two nights earlier in Boston is the question of the season. Van Riemsdyk made it a one-goal game with 44.3 seconds left when he scored on Howard while he was screened. “I will say that when we play good, we are a good team,” Zetterberg said. “When we do the right things, we’re pretty decent out there. But when we Detroit Free Press LOADED: 03.11.2017 are not doing the right things, we are more so a terrible team.” Friday night, the good team appeared. Jimmy Howard made 24 saves in his first NHL start since late December. He got goal support, first from Xavier Ouellet and Andreas Athanasiou, and then the winning goal and some insurance from Tatar. “We competed hard, we played with a good urgency level,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “We played a pretty smart game. I recognize the fact they played last night, but from our own perspective, we played real good.” The Blackhawks scored first and made it 3-2 near the end of the second period, but Howard had a big third-period with nine saves, including a beauty on Nick Schmaltz. “Jimmy was good,” Blashill said. “We did a pretty good job defensively, but they are a group that can create some, and when they did, Jimmy was excellent. He controlled his rebounds well and made his saves look easy. It’s a real positive after being out that long.” Tatar cushioned the score with 4:29 left in regulation when he went to the slot and scored his 17th goal of the season when he finished a pass from Zetterberg. Tatar and Gustav Nyquist each had three points, and Zetterberg had two assists. “We were pretty calm and collected,” Nyquist said. “We all thought we were playing a pretty good game overall, we were breaking out of the zone fast, we were getting on their D. Just keep doing the thing and it was nice to get that fourth one.” The victory came after three straight losses, most recently an embarrassing outing at Boston. “It was a tough trip,” Tatar said. “It was unacceptable. We didn’t show up, we didn't play well. We needed this. It’s nice to see.” The Wings fell behind 1-0 less than 5 minutes into the game, but in fairness, it was a heck of a goal. Patrick Kane carried the puck up the right side before eluding Mike Green and sending a backhand pass across the slot for Artemi Panarin to finish. “Kane is a world-class passer,” Howard said. “Not a lot of guys can do that off their backhand and put it right into a guy’s wheelhouse.” A power play saw both Dylan Larkin and Riley Sheahan shoot wide. Larkin next made a play back to Ouellet on the left point; Ouellet’s rebound was picked up by Darren Helm, but Helm backhanded the puck right into Corey Crawford. With 5 minutes to play in the period, Justin Abdelkader pounded Brian Campbell into the glass, leading to a fight with Trevor Van Riemsdyk. 1052146 Detroit Red Wings Detroit Free Press LOADED: 03.11.2017

Howard sharp in return as Wings beat Blackhawks

Ted Kulfan , The Detroit News Published 10:26 p.m. ET March 10, 2017 | Updated 6 hours ago

Detroit — Welcome back, Jimmy Howard. And along with him, welcome back to the Red Wings playing the way they want to — and can.. In his first start since Dec. 20 — he sprained his knee that evening — Howard looked in near peak form Friday while helping the Red Wings to a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Howard stopped 24 shots and overcame giving up a goal on the first shot he saw — by Artemi Panarin on a slick 2-on-2 passing play with Patrick Kane — to help end the Red Wings’ 4-game winless streak. “I was just excited to be out there with the guys and competing again,” said Howard, who made a big save on Nick Schmaltz on a partial breakaway with seven minutes left and the Red Wings holding a one- goal lead. “It was frustrating not being able to do anything, just sitting on the sidelines. But it was a lot of fun personally to just be back out there competing with the guys.” Tomas Tatar had two goals and an assist, and Xavier Ouellet and Andreas Athanasiou scored for the Red Wings (26-29-11). Gustav Nyquist had three assists and Henrik Zetterberg two assists as the Wings returned home successfully after a long and ragged five-game trip. “It was a tough trip,” Tatar said. “It was unacceptable, we didn’t play well, (so) we needed it (Friday’s win) and I bet the fans appreciated it, too. “We played hockey and it was nice to see.” This was one of the cleanest, more efficient games the Red Wings have played, and the result was a hard-earned victory. That’s no surprise to Zetterberg. “When we played good, we’re a good team, and when we do the right things, we’re a pretty decent team,” Zetterberg said. “But when we’re not doing the right things, we’re more so a terrible team. The consistency has be better. “Hopefully we can have a lot more of that the rest of the way.” Panarin and Trevor van Riemsdyk scored for the Blackhawks (42-20-5, 89 points), but Howard shut the door otherwise. “Jimmy was good,” Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. “We were better defensively than certainly in Boston and what we were in Edmonton, but obviously they’re a group that can create some and when they did, Jimmy was excellent. “He controlled his rebounds well and made his saves look easy. It was a real positive after being out so long.” Tatar, who was a factor all evening, made it 4-2 at 15:31 of the third period with his team-leading 17th goal (and second of the game). Zetterberg fed Tatar skating into the slot after a forced turnover and Tatar beat goalie Corey Crawford to restore a two-goal lead for the Red Wings. “Me, Gus and Hank have some chemistry out there,” Tatar said of the red-hot line. “We’re just trying to play and do some things.” Chicago cut the lead to 3-2 with just 45 seconds left in the second period on van Riemsdyk’s goal. Marian Hossa gained control of the puck along the boards and fed van Riemsdyk at the point. But the Red Wings didn’t buckle to begin the third, with Howard making some key saves and the Red Wings showed resiliency in the final appearance at Joe Louis Arena for the Blackhawks. “We haven’t given the fans enough at home,” Blashill said. “I recognize our home record isn’t nearly good enough (13-14-5), so it’s real important to make sure we give these fans a lot to cheer about down the stretch. “The fact this was the last game in the Joe Louis against the Blackhawks means a lot. A long time rival, , there’s tons of meaning there.” 1052147 Detroit Red Wings Friday’s start in net was goaltender Jimmy Howard’s first with the Red Wings since Dec. 20, before he sprained his right knee, and first at Joe Louis Arena since Dec. 15. Inconsistent Mantha scratched for Blackhawks game Howard's return creates crowded Red Wings' crease After two impressive conditioning games in Grand Rapids, Howard felt he Ted Kulfan , The Detroit News Published 12:58 p.m. ET March 10, 2017 | was NHL ready. Updated 30 minutes ago “I’m just excited to be back and playing with the guys,” Howard said. “I was able to go down there (Grand Rapids) and get the rust off and play competitive games again. Detroit — When Anthony Mantha arrived at Joe Louis Arena Friday morning, he looked at the lineup sheet and was unpleasantly surprised “Everything was fine (physically). That’s why I’m here and getting a chance to start again.” Mantha wasn’t in the lineup for Friday’s game against Chicago. Howard wants to recapture the start he had this season, as his 1.96 After a stretch of games where Mantha hasn’t competed as he did when goals-against average and .934 save percentge ranked among the NHL’s he first arrived from Grand Rapids, coach Jeff Blashill felt it was time to best for a long period of time. sit Mantha. “The work in the offseason, playing simple and not overdoing anything, Mitch Callahan replaced Mantha in the lineup. and just trying to keep everything really quiet,” said Howard of what made this season’s start so successful. “That’s what I’m going to try to do “I was about it when I got here this morning and saw the lineup,” said (the rest of the season).” Mantha after Friday’s morning skate. “But after I talked with Blash on the ice, he just wants me to be a better player in general, to compete harder Ice chips and (do the) little details that will help my game out. Blashill’s house is one of thousands in without power after “He talked to me about it before. He wants me to be a great player on Wednesday’s wind storms. this team, and it’s learning process. This will help me in the long term.” “A lot of blankets,” said Blashill, of what the last few days have been like. Mantha has one goal and one assist over the last six games, but it wasn’t the offensive production — his 14 goals is one behind Tomas Tatar for … Chicago entered Friday’s game just one point from Minnesota for best the team lead — as much as the work ethic and drive that hasn’t been record in the Western Conference. The Blackhawks appear capable of there consistently. making a strong run toward a fourth Stanley Cup. “My job is to make sure the upward trajectory is there and it’s not going “The key is getting the core, and obviously they then paid to keep that to be a straight line, there’s going to be ups and downs, but over the last core together,” Blashill said. “It’s been impressive. But the job that’s been four games or so I haven’t seen the upward trajectory that I saw before,” done over here for 25 years is more impressive, but that’s neither here Blashill said. “This gives us a chance to hit the reset button and get him nor there.” in the right direction. Detroit News LOADED: 03.11.2017 “It’s just part of the development. There’s opportunities in coaching to have kind of teaching moments. He’s going to be a great player in this league. He’s going to be a great player for us still this year, but tonight we’re going to let him have an opportunity to watch and then he’ll get back in there and when he gets an opportunity, I’ll assume he’ll be great.” One negative that dogged Mantha in the minor leagues was his inability to consistently move his feet and win one-on-one battles, parts of the game that are standard in the NHL. Over a period of time Mantha learned to do those things successfully in Grand Rapids — and has to do so again with the Red Wings. “It’s just outcompete the opposing team, win more battles and probably get more intense a litte bit,” said Mantha of what’s needed of him. “Bring the game I had when I was first called up here. I need to bring that back, and that’s the message this morning. “It’s a learning process, it’s been a learning process for two years, even three, so for me it’s keep building up and come back stronger.” Friday’s game marked the return of forward Tomas Jurco back to Joe Louis Arena. The Red Wings traded Jurco to the Blackhawks Feb. 24 in exchange for a 2017 third-round draft pick. Jurco has played five games with Chicago, and continues to look for his first point this season while averaging almost 12 minutes per game. With the Red Wings, Jurco didn’t have a point in 16 games. “I hope he’ll find his game there,” said Tatar, Jurco’s best friend on the Red Wings. “He’s getting a lot of chances there, he’s getting to play with Marian (Hossa), which is huge for him. Hopefully, he can score and establish himself.” Jurco, 24, appeared to stall in his progression, and wasn’t able to crack the Red Wings lineup. A trade was probably best for player and team. “It’s not easy, he just couldn’t find a way here,” Tatar said. “It could happen to anybody. I’m just happy for him, he’s somewhere else and getting a chance. “It’s a big chance for him. With any team, it would be a restart and he needed that. He can start playing and he can prove he belongs in this league.” Howard excited 1052148 Detroit Red Wings It will be evermore so, the Red Wings clearly hope, after he sits and watches the last game against the Blackhawks at Joe Louis Arena Friday. Krupa: Mantha on notice — backchecking required in NHL After playing in 50 consecutive games, a raft of them on the top line with Zetterberg, it is quite arguably the precise juncture at which he should take some time to think about the game off the ice, so there is more time Gregg Krupa , The Detroit News Published 2:51 p.m. ET March 10, 2017 for the doing on the ice. | Updated 14 hours ago The Wings are acting with the thought, I can only assume, that Mantha is right back in there, with a vengeance and far firmer intent Sunday against the Rangers. Detroit — Anthony Mantha knows. The question for the Red Wings, in the long run, is: Will he do? Jeff Blashill has played Mantha from 9:51 to 21:24, mostly depending on what Blashill calls the player’s “compete level.” Mantha will sit out the last Blackhawks game in Joe Louis Arena, Friday. The 9:51 also came against the Bruins amid similar concerns. Amid the turmoil in Boston Wednesday, the puck eluded him and a mate along the sideboards in the Bruins zone and he failed to leap to the Competitiveness, along with a body still in need of maturing, was backcheck when the opposition grabbed it and launched the attack. Mantha’s problem in Grand Rapids. In fact, not only was there no leaping to anything, there was not much of Competitiveness was an issue Wednesday, in Boston, for Mantha and a quick reaction by Mantha. others. To best express it, the reflex seemed to be something along the lines of: Denying a player playing time is the drastic measure, when other “Oh, man, we lost the puck!” attempts at coaching have failed. Amid disappointment, Blashill has brandished the sanction once again, in its most aggressive form: a Which is fine, if a simultaneous response is an aggressive, brisk, healthy scratch. determined stride towards the defensive zone, armed with firm intent. Why do coaches do it less with veteran players? And the next, nearly instantaneous thought must be, “That puck is mine.” Because some of them are, frankly, beyond salvation. And, as a tactic, it Mantha may not skate quickly enough to have accomplished the task, is less effective with the grizzled and crusted, regardless. Wednesday. But that is not the point. Who knows, maybe there is some serendipity for Mantha. There was little or no discernable intent. In his travels in Joe Louis Arena Friday, perhaps he runs into the senior And we have seen him skate like the wind, despite his considerable size, adviser for hockey operations for the Blackhawks. when his intentions are offensive. , the legendary coach and motivator of men might have a It must be equally so, they are defensive. few, quick words of counsel for a young, potential star, in such situations. No giddy-up Any Red Wings fan who remembers those days doubtlessly knows what Bowman thinks about that play Wednesday night, if he saw it on any Will Mantha get to the point that no thinking is required to perform the highlight reels. task? Will he simply do? And had he been Mantha’s coach? If he does, he may well be so talented, otherwise, that he is capable of playing key role in returning the Red Wings to glory. Maybe that is something for a young player to consider as he watches his mates play Bowman’s latest team, and how the Blackhawks stars get Right now, the Wings full resurrection seems a long, long haul. back on the backcheck. Some other things did not go terrifically, either, for Mantha and just about Detroit News LOADED: 03.11.2017 all of the Red Wings, Wednesday. But, in young Mr. Mantha’s case, they were all pretty much within the bounds of customary performance for any NHL rookie, even one on whom so much promise rests. So, why does he sit? In part, because he can. The Wings, given the standings, do not need to beat the Blackhawks. They need stars. Anthony Mantha can be a star. And stars go get the puck when they and their buddies manage to lose it. Or, they get back on the play and become disruptive. And, they try really, really hard, always, to do whatever winning at hockey requires. It is what did. It is what Henrik Zetterberg is doing. It is what is expected of Mantha. He better learn Mantha knows. Will he do? My strongest instinct is yes. It is quite literally within his blood, his paternal grandfather Andre Pronovost having won the Stanley Cup four times with the Canadiens. But, more importantly, Zetterberg told me he knows Mantha knows, because the young guy sometimes comes to his captain after games and says he understands what he did wrong. That is a big step towards accomplishing the doing. The need for getting the job done is certainly on Mantha’s mind. 1052149 Detroit Red Wings Nyquist-Nielsen-Abdelkader (net front), Kronwall-Zetterberg Tatar-Larkin-Sheahan (net front), Athanasiou-Green Jimmy Howard returns to Red Wings' net for first time since Dec. 20 Michigan Live LOADED: 03.11.2017

Ansar Khan | on March 10, 2017 at 12:54 PM, updated March 10, 2017 at 1:05 PM

DETROIT - Jimmy Howard returns to the Detroit Red Wings net for the first time in 21/2 months tonight when the Chicago Blackhawks visit Joe Louis Arena (7:30, Fox Sports Detroit). Howard has been out with a sprained right MCL suffered on Dec. 20 in Tampa Bay. "It's been a long, grinding road, but I'm glad the day is finally here where I get to go back out there and play with the guys," Howard said. Howard had a pair of two-game conditioning stints with the . His return was delayed following a setback during his first assignment more than a month ago. He said he never doubted that he would return this season. "I tried to remain positive, just worked hard every single day and hoped the knee would get strong enough that I would get a chance to get back out there and play and the day has come," Howard said. The Red Wings play 17 games in 31 days to close out the season and don't want to overtax Petr Mrazek, who has played all but 13 minutes in the past nine games. "(Howard) told me he's ready to go, and obviously, between practice and work with (goaltending coach) Jeff Salajko and the work he's put in with Mike Kadar (strength coach) and then going down to Grand Rapids, he's put himself in position to be successful," coach Jeff Blashill said. "Now he's got to come out tonight and execute. We need great goaltending. I said that throughout the year and certainly it's true now. "We have two guys in Jimmy and Petr that I think can give us that. Petr has played excellent in the last little bit, even in some of these games where it hasn't gone our way. We're going to need the same thing from Jimmy." Said Howard: "There is no let-up (in the schedule) down the stretch here and we just need both guys going out there and giving a good effort for the guys." Howard was excelling prior to his injury, posting a 1.96 goals-against average and .934 save percentage in 17 appearances. His 5-7-1 record was due to a lack of offensive support. "I was playing well up until the injury and now it's time to pick up where I left off." The Red Wings are all but mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. But they're still playing to win. "It is important, you still have to conduct yourself as a pro when you're out there night in and night out and work hard for the organization," Howard said. Here are the Red Wings' lines tonight: Gustav Nyquist-Henrik Zetterberg-Tomas Tatar Justin Abdelkader-Frans Nielsen-Darren Helm Andreas Athanasiou-Dylan Larkin-Riley Sheahan Drew Miller-Luke Glendning-Mitch Callahan Anthony Mantha (healthy scratch) On defense: Danny DeKeyser-Mike Green Niklas Kronwall-Nick Jensen Xavier Ouellet-Robbie Russo In goal: Jimmy Howard (starting) Petr Mrazek Power-play units: 1052150 Detroit Red Wings team. For sure, I need to use it in a positive way and come back stronger."

Mantha has one goal (Saturday in Edmonton) and one assist in the past Red Wings' Anthony Mantha scratched due to recent decline in compete six games. level "I know I could be better than the last few games," Mantha said. "I haven't really played the game I wanted, that's the most part. I think Ansar Khan winning a few battles one-on-one and just being more intense in general." on March 10, 2017 at 12:06 PM, updated March 10, 2017 at 12:15 PM He added: "The best players out there are (Sidney) Crosby, (Connor) McDavid, even Zetterberg's a great player again this year. They just play their game every single night. They're the same player in and out and DETROIT - Anthony Mantha leads the Detroit Red Wings in goals per they just work so hard that they become impact players." game, is second in points and is tied for first in plus-minus rating. Michigan Live LOADED: 03.11.2017 But, he'll be watching tonight's game against the Chicago Blackhawks at Joe Louis Arena as a healthy scratch. Despite his offensive success, Mantha of late hasn't been competing hard enough, particularly defensively, to suit coach Jeff Blashill. Blashill called it part of the development process for a 22-year-old player. "There's opportunities in coaching to have kind of teaching moments to make sure the trajectory of the player is upward as we're going to need him to be," Blashill said. "He's going to be a great player in the league, he's going to be a great player for us still this year, but tonight we're going to give him an opportunity to watch and then he'll get back in there, and when he gets his opportunity I assume he's going to be great." Red Wings' Anthony Mantha disappointed about being scratched Mantha, who has been skating on the top line with Henrik Zetterberg and, variously, Tomas Tatar or Gustav Nyquist, has 14 goals and 33 points in 50 games, along with a plus-12 rating. Blashill apparently wasn't pleased with his effort in losses this week against Toronto and Boston. "First of all, a little of that is between him and I," Blashill said. "But I've talked publicly about how when he's great he moves his feet and he wins battles. If he does those things he's been a great player and at times he's been one of our best. "I think his future is extremely bright. There's lots of different ways to train habits and one of the ways is ice time and he'll get a chance to watch tonight." Blashill similarly sat Andreas Athanasiou Jan. 4 at Anaheim. Athanasiou had three points (goal, two assists) in Los Angeles the next night. "One of the hardest things as a young player to learn is how hard it is every single night," Blashill said. "When a young player goes through it, it just gives more and more respect to guys like Zetterberg that have done it for so long every single night. "You have to be on your 'A' game every night in this league. In other leagues, you get to a point where you're just better than people, so even if you're not on your 'A' game you still have success. That never happens in this league. Even the very best players have to be on their 'A' game every night in order to really be successful." Asked is a series of games or one particular instance led to this decision, Blashill said: "My job is to make sure the upward trajectory is there and it's not going to be a straight line, it's going to be ups and downs, ups and downs. But the last four games or so it hasn't been in that same upward trajectory that it was before, so this gives us a chance to hit a reset button and get him back on in the right direction." Mantha said he learned of the move Friday morning before the skate, when he saw the lineup sheet. He was surprised and angry. Blashill then discussed it with him on the ice. "For sure it's not good news this morning," Mantha said. "But I just need to work harder. That's the message he wants to send me. I need to prove him wrong and be better in the next few games." Mantha acknowledged the need to compete harder, win more battles and play with more intensity. "Bring the game I had when I was first called up here (on Nov. 11)," Mantha said. "I think that's the message this morning." Mantha said it's been a learning process ever since he turned pro in 2014 and it will make him stronger. "Obviously, it's hard not being in the lineup," he said. "Obviously, you want to play every single game, you want to be an impact player on this 1052151 Detroit Red Wings

Lawsuit involving NHL concussions could go to trial this year

Brendan Savage | on March 10, 2017 at 11:59 AM, updated March 10, 2017 at 12:05 PM

DETROIT - A lawsuit by former players against the NHL could be heading to trial this year, according to a report by TSN.ca. In a transcript released last week, federal court Judge Susan Richard Nelson said in November that she wants to see the case go to trial sometime this year, one of the lawyers for the players told TSN. "As your Honor said last year, or earlier this year, the court wants to try something in this case in 2017," Stephen Grygiel, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, told the court during a Nov. 29 hearing, according to TSN. "I assure you, the plaintiffs would like to do the same thing." More than 150 players are suing the NHL, claiming the league ignored scientific research regarding concussions and put profits ahead of the players' well-being. The NHL countered by saying players know the risk that comes with a game like hockey. The lawsuit was originally filed in 2013 and the league's response was that players should have been able to "put two and two together" when it came to the risk of concussions, TSN reported. "The NHL players - the most prominent of whom include former Red Wings star Joe Murphy, one-time Toronto Maple Leaf Gary Leeman and former Los Angeles Kings star Bernie Nicholls - filed the suit after a group of nearly 4,500 former NFL players reached a settlement with the NFL over similar concussion-related complaints," TSN wrote. Lawyers for the players, who would like to see the case reach the trial phase this year, want medical monitoring for players and to have the NHL cover the costs of medication and brain scans, TSN reported Forward Johan Franzen, who is under contract with the Red Wings for three more seasons, hasn't played since Oct. 10, 2015 after suffering a series of concussions. Michigan Live LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052152 Detroit Red Wings

Jimmy Howard's return for Red Wings could ease Petr Mrazek's workload

Brendan Savage | on March 10, 2017 at 9:09 AM

DETROIT - Jimmy Howard's return to the lineup is coming at an ideal time for the Detroit Red Wings. Petr Mrazek's has had a heavy workload the past month while Howard worked to return from a knee injury that originally sidelined him Dec. 20 in Tampa. Mrazek has played in nine straight games - starting eight of them - and could use a break even if the Red Wings' playoff hopes are fading with each game. Howard was recalled from Grand Rapids before Wednesday's game in Boston, will rejoin the Red Wings for today's morning skate and will likely play either tonight against the Chicago Blackhawks or Sunday vs. the New York Rangers. Both games are at Joe Louis Arena. "I think it'll be good to get Jimmy back, get him back playing to the way he was at the beginning of the year," said coach Jeff Blashill. "When he's been healthy, he's been an excellent goaltender this year for us. Hopefully he can get back. Obviously he's been out a while. "It's not going to be easy but I know he's been working real hard with (goalie coach) Jeff Salajko. He's worked real hard now in two different stints to get himself back into a good spot. The reports I heard from Grand Rapids is that he played excellent (Tuesday) night." Howard played four games in Grand Rapids on two rehab assignments. He suffered a slight setback Feb. 8, tweaking the knee in his second game with the Griffins, but he played two more games with Grand Rapids in the past week and reported no issues. Howard blanked the 3-0 Tuesday, making 21 saves before the Red Wings recalled him and sent Jared Coreau back to the Griffins. In four games with Grand Rapids, Howard had a 3-1 record, 2.11 goals- against average and .920 save percentage. "So I think that stint served its purpose and then when he gets back here, hopefully gets playing at that same level," Blashill said Although his record with the Red Wings doesn't indicate it, Howard was outstanding before getting hurt in December. He was among the NHL's leaders with a .934 save percentage and 1.96 GAA in 17 games but had a 5-7-1 record because the Red Wings struggled to score goals while he was between the pipes. Blashill didn't say how he would use Howard and Mrazek. "We'll take all that stuff day by day," he said. "The biggest thing for us is we're going to need real good goaltending here every night in order to give ourselves the best chance to win." Mrazek had made eight straight starts before Coreau got the call Wednesday in Boston. But when the Bruins scored three times in a span of 2:25, Blashill replaced Coreau with Mrazek at 13:32 of the first period in a 6-1 loss. Coreau faced eight shots. The Red Wings didn't give either goalie much help against the Bruins and Blashill didn't blame the early deficit on Coreau, who hadn't played since Feb. 12 in Minnesota. "I think Jared's done a real good job," Blashill said. "I think he's done as much as we could have asked him to do. We need him to continue to develop the way that he's developed over the last couple years. I think he's done a real good job. "He's been a real positive thing for our team and our organization." Mrazek has appeared in 42 games for the Red Wings, posting a 15-18-7 record, 2.99 GAA and .901 save percentage with one shutout. Michigan Live LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052153 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings vs. Blackhawks: Detroit on pace for most losses in 25 years

Brendan Savage | on March 10, 2017 at 6:06 AM, updated March 10, 2017 at 6:07 AM

* Who: Detroit Red Wings (25-29-11) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (42-19-5) * Where: Joe Louis Arena * When: 7:30 p.m. * TV: Fox Sports Detroit * Radio: 97.1 WXYT-FM and Red Wings radio network * Social media: Follow MLive sports on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. * Twitter: Follow Ansar Khan and Brendan Savage * Live coverage: Join our open thread at 6:30 p.m. GAME NOTES * With a 25-29-11 record and 17 games remaining, the Red Wings are on pace for 36 regulation losses. That would be the most they've lost since 1990-91, when their 25-season playoff streak began with a 34-38-8 record. That marked the second straight season the Red Wings lost 38 games. * It's certainly not out of the question the Red Wings could challenge the 38 losses from the aforementioned seasons. In their previous 17 games, they've got a 5-10-2 record. If they maintained that pace over the final 17 games, they'd finish with 39 losses. * The Red Wings are on pace for about 32 wins. That would be their worst showing in a full season since 1985-86, when they had a 17-57-6 record and finished last in the overall standings with 40 points, 14 fewer than any other team. Their reward? The No. 1 overall pick in the draft, which they used to select Joe Murphy of Michigan State. * Since we're apparently fixated on projections today, let's take a look at where the Red Wings are headed in the points department. They're are on track for 80 points, which would be their fewest during a full season since they had 76 in '90-91. * The Blackhawks will be after a season sweep of the Red Wings. They won the first meeting between the teams this season 4-3 in overtime Jan. 10 at the United Center. Duncan Keith scored the winning goal on a power play 38 seconds into OT. Andreas Athanasiou, Tomas Tatar and Drew Miller scored for Detroit. Michigan Live LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052154 Detroit Red Wings

Tomas Tatar, Jimmy Howard lead Red Wings past Blackhawks

Ansar Khan on March 10, 2017 at 10:12 PM, updated March 11, 2017 at 1:03 AM

DETROIT - Friday's game won't enable the Detroit Red Wings to sneak into the playoffs or diminish the Chicago Blackhawks' status as Stanley Cup contenders. But, for the Red Wings, it was just like old times. Tomas Tatar tallied two goals and an assist and Jimmy Howard made 24 saves in his first NHL game since Dec. 20 as the Red Wings defeated the Blackhawks 4-2 at Joe Louis Arena. The Red Wings (26-29-11) snapped a three-game losing streak and stopped the Blackhawks' franchise-record eight-game road win streak in Chicago's final appearance at the Joe. Gustav Nyquist had three assists and Henrik Zetterberg added two assists for the Red Wings, who also got goals from Xavier Ouellet and Andreas Athanasiou. The Red Wings are 4-8-2 in their past 14. It was their first home appearance since Feb. 21 and first win at JLA since Feb. 18. The Blackhawks (42-20-5) had their seven-game winning streak snapped Thursday in a 1-0 loss at home to Anaheim. They are 12-3-0 in its past 15. Tatar gave the Red Wings a two-goal cushion by scoring with 4:29 remaining in the third period, beating Corey Crawford with a shot from the slot. It was his team-leading 17th goal. Howard improved to 6-7-1. He had been out with a sprained MCL but played in four games for the Grand Rapids Griffins during two conditioning stints, separated by a setback. The Red Wings led 3-1 after Tatar scored at 15:17 of the second period. Parked by the side of the net, Tatar whiffed on the first attempt of a rebound from Zetterberg's shot but buried the second try. The Blackhawks cut the deficit when Trevor van Riemsdyk scored with 44.3 seconds to play in the period. Howard appeared to be screened by young defenseman Robbie Russo as van Riemsdyk's point shot beat him five-hole. The Red Wings and Howard got off to an inauspicious start after Artemi Panarin blasted in a one-timer on a backhand pass from Patrick Kane at 4:23 of the first period, on the Blackhawks' first shot. But the Red Wings regrouped and played well in the period. Ouellet scored on a slap shot from above the top of the faceoff circle, with Tatar at the net front, at 16:25. It was his third goal of the season. Athanasiou scored with eight seconds remaining, rushing the net and converting a pass from Nick Jensen. It was his 15th goal, in his 51st game. Michigan Live LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052155 Detroit Red Wings

Tatar, Howard lead Red Wings past Blackhawks, 4-2

By The Associated Press POSTED: 03/10/17, 11:05 PM EST | UPDATED: 1 HR AGO # COMMENTS

DETROIT >> Tomas Tatar had two goals and an assist, Jimmy Howard made 24 saves in his return and the Detroit Red Wings beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2 on Friday night. Howard saw his first NHL action since injuring a knee Dec. 20 at Tampa Bay. Tatar scored what proved to be the winner late in the second period and added an insurance goal in the third period to end Detroit’s three-game losing streak. He has a team-high 17 goals. Andreas Athanasiou and Xavier Ouellet also scored for Detroit. The Blackhawks lost for the second straight night and had their club- record road winning streak end at eight games. Trevor Van Riemsdyk and Artemi Panarin scored for Chicago. The Blackhawks opened the scoring at 4:23 of the first period on an impressive display of skill by Panarin and Patrick Kane. Just outside the Detroit zone, Panarin slid a backhand pass through defenseman Danny DeKeyser’s leg to Kane, who carried the puck into the Detroit end. Kane zipped a quick cross-ice pass to a closing Panarin and he drove a one- timer past Howard. Detroit tied it with 3:35 left in the period. Using Tatar as a screen, Ouellet drove a rising shot from the point past goalie Corey Crawford for his third goal of the season. With only eight seconds to play in the second, Detroit regained the lead. Athanasiou accepted a drop pass from Nick Jensen and zipped a low shot by Crawford, who was again screened by Tatar. The Wings increased their lead to 3-1 15:17 into the second period. Gus Nyquist carried the puck into the Chicago zone and dropped a pass to Henrik Zetterberg. Crawford stopped Zetterberg’s shot but Tatar was on the doorstep to smack the rebound home. A low point shot by Van Riemsdyk beat Howard on the stick side with just 44.3 seconds left in the second period to narrow Detroit’s advantage to a goal. Tatar completed the scoring at 15:31 of the third period. Nyquist forced a turnover along the boards and fed the puck to Zetterberg. He relayed it to Tatar in the high slot and he whipped a shot past Crawford. NOTES Including this game, Chicago will close out the regular season with 16 games over a 30-day span. ... Facing his former Detroit teammates for the first time, left-winger Tomas Jurco skated on a line with Marian Hossa and Marcus Kruger. ... Saying he was unhappy with his play in recent games, Detroit coach Jeff Blashill made rookie right winger Anthony Mantha, tied for second on the team with 14 goals, a healthy scratch . . . Defenseman Robbie Russo and forward Mitch Callahan made their Joe Louis Arena debuts as Red Wings . . . The Van Riemsdyk family has scored twice on the Wings this week. Trevor’s older brother, James, scored for Toronto in the Maple Leafs’ 3-2 win over the Red Wings on Tuesday night. UP NEXT Blackhawks: Welcome the Minnesota Wild to the United Center on Sunday in a potential showdown for first place in the Central Division. Red Wings: Host the New York Rangers on Sunday. Macomb Daily LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052156 Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan also said Sestito creates “a little anxiety for the other team.”

“I certainly notice a difference when he’s in the lineup. You can read into Sidney Crosby on Connor McDavid leading NHL scoring race: "He's that as much as you want,” said Crosby. “We’re all human and we have there for a reason" those normal emotions where there’s somebody out there being physical and able to fight (on your team), you have to answer for it (an opposing transgression) for that. That was something really common not too long Jim Matheson ago.” Published on: March 10, 2017 | Last Updated: March 10, 2017 9:45 AM “It doesn’t mean he has to fight or hit everything that moves, but having MST him in the lineup seems to create a little more space.” Sullivan, who says Sestito creates “a little anxiety for the other team” likes having Sestito around. Sidney Crosby says he doesn’t obsessively check out-of-town National Hockey League box scores to see how many points Connor McDavid “We’ve had these internal discussions lately and when Tommy’s in the might have collected for the Edmonton Oilers in the league’s scoring lineup he has a calming influence,” Sullivan said. “The players have a race. certain comfort level and can play their games. It’s much more powerful coming from the players than the coach. They’re the ones on the ice that But Crosby is competitive like all the great ones. Every now and then, are trying to play through some of the challenges or tactics around us,” there’s a peek. he said. The Pittsburgh Penguins captain wants to win the Art Ross Trophy, and “None of us want to see players get hurt (Enstrom). There’s mutual yet he knows how much McDavid, only 20, wants it, too, along with a respect there, but this is a belligerent game we play and Tommy is a guy playoff spot for his Oilers after 10 years with Edmonton’s noses pressed who brings a physical element. Our team wants to make sure we don’t against the post-season glass. get deterred from the way we have to play to have success. This team has created an identity and it’s built on speed and skill,” said Sullivan. “I don’t look at how he’s doing (against other teams) too much. But there is the odd glance,” said Crosby. “There are lots of guys you have to Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 03.11.2017 watch for (Patrick Kane and Brad Marchand). At this point, points (team) are so important. You’re worrying about that (more).” Crosby and Penguins’ teammate Evgeni Malkin are four points behind McDavid (70 each to Connor’s 74) with Pittsburgh meeting the Oilers Friday night at Rogers Place. Kane and Marchand also had 70 as of Thursday night. In the only other meeting between the Penguins and the Oilers this season back in November — a 4-3 win by the Stanley Cup champions after a late rally — McDavid had three points and was super-charged every shift against his hero. Crosby scored none that game, which is pretty much the scoring deficit, along with the fact Sid the Kid was hurt and missed seven games earlier in the season, so he’s been in catch-up mode points-wise, but not when it comes to goals — he leads the league with 34 of them in 59 games. The two team captains along with San Jose Sharks defenceman Brent Burns are likely the three finalists for the Hart Trophy as league most- valuable player, too. “Connor has been consistent and that’s what’s allowed him to produce so much. Every night, he’s creating chances,” said Crosby. “He’s there (top of the league points race) for a reason.” “I think Connor gets up for everybody and wants to be the best,” said Oilers coach Todd McLellan. “Will it be different against Sidney and Malkin? I don’t know. I don’t see him getting any more revved up for Sidney Crosby than (Dallas Stars captain) Jamie Benn or anybody else. “That’s a really good sign for us because he wants to be the best no matter whom he’s going against. He’s pushing for the scoring race and he’s (20). Great quality to have.” McDavid’s face-off percentage is only 43.8, not very good but allowable for a second-year player. The Oilers captain held a 41.2 percentage in his rookie season so he has improved. Crosby knows expertise on draws come from experience as much as adding strength. Crosby was at 45.5 per cent on face-offs his first year, 49.8 his second, and is close to 52 per cent now. “You get used to who you’re taking face-offs against, you get older, you get stronger,” he said. “With more experience, you realize how important face-offs can be for puck-possession. There’s so many things you have to learn (as a kid in the NHL) and face-offs aren’t at the top of your list as far as adjusting to it. With time, he’ll get better and better.” While Penguins tough guy Tom Sestito got a four-game suspension Thursday for drilling small Winnipeg Jets defenceman Toby Enstrom face-first into the boards on Wednesday and won’t play against Oilers, Crosby likes having his rough exterior in the lineup. NHL teams are doing away with beat cops, but Crosby’s old-school. He feels more comfortable with Sestito, a Pens’ farmhand, around for the game. 1052157 Edmonton Oilers and on a play like that, you’re kind of just panicking. Kind of a funny play; we’ll be seeing that for a while on the bloopers for sure.”

Edmonton Oilers forward Jordan Eberle ties to get his own rebound on Oilers fall in a shootout against the Penguins Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (during NHL action at Rogers Place on March 10, 2017. Ed Kaiser / Edmonton Journal Robert Tychkowski After David Desharnais cut it to 2-1 and McDavid tied it, it was tense, wild and furious action all the way to Kessel’s final shot. Published on: March 11, 2017 | Last Updated: March 11, 2017 1:35 AM MST If the rest of the stretch drive is like this, hang on. “You’re on coach mode, but you appreciate what’s going on out there,” said McLellan. “It’s going fast, there’s a lot of skill, great plays, the energy You know it’s an important time in the season when a head-to-head in the building was phenomenal. You could feel it on the bench and the showdown between Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby is a side note. guys got going. It was a tremendous game.” But with the Edmonton Oilers having lost three of their previous five Three Stars games and the Anaheim Ducks and Calgary Flames making things too close for comfort in the Pacific Division stretch drive, which superstar had C Connor McDavid, Oilers: Scored the tying goal, had nine shots on net. more points took a distant back seat to which team got the win. G Cam Talbot, Oilers: Would not let the Penguins pull away. In the end, McDavid stole the show with another one of his next-level G Marc-Andre Fleury, Penguins: Withstood a ferocious Oilers’ attack in performances, but Pittsburgh stole the only result that mattered – a 3-2 the final 40. shootout victory in a thrilling and wildly entertaining battle between two of the league’s most exciting teams Friday night at Rogers Place. Worth noting “We’re disappointed we didn’t get the two points but I thought the game The Oilers sat out Drake Caggiula, Jujhar Khaira to make room for Iiro drew a little bit of desperation out of our group, we took it up a notch, Pakarinen and Benoit Pouliot, and defenceman Eric Gryba to make room there was more intensity to our game,” said Oilers coach Todd McLellan. for Kris Russell. “We didn’t have that against Detroit and New York. It’s in us and the Penguins brought it out of us, now it’s up to us to keep it. The Oilers had two shots in the first 10 minutes of the first period, one of them coming in the first 30 seconds. “In my opinion, there were some real positives on our game. A point short but a really good night.” The first period assist by Justin Schultz gave him seven points in the last four games. McDavid had an amazing game, even for McDavid. He played 26:53, put nine shots on net, scored the tying goal with 7:15 left in regulation and David Desharnais’ goal in the second period was his fifth of the season added another goal in the third round of the shootout. and first in eight games. He has two points in three games with the Oilers. It wasn’t enough, though, as Crosby and Phil Kessel scored shootout goals for Pittsburgh to seal the win. Edmonton was on top of it physically, with Patrick Maroon, Milan Lucic and Zack Kassian all doling out punishing hits. “(McDavid) was all over the rink,” said McLellan. “He played well offensively, defensively, he was a threat every time he was out there. He The Penguins had two shots in the first 10 minutes of the second period. was good in the circle and in overtime. I don’t know what else you want Sidney Crosby came into the game on a five-game scoring drought … me to say.” McDavid’s third-period goal was his sixth point in the last five games. McDavid admitted he was geared up for this one with Crosby staring at Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 03.11.2017 him from across the faceoff dot. “To say it’s a normal game would be lying,” he said. “Obviously, he’s someone I’ve looked up to my whole life. To play against him is fun. It was probably to my advantage; it’s easier for me to get up to play against him than it his for him to get up to play against me.” While they needed two points instead of one, the Oilers looked better in this loss than they’ve looked in some of their wins. After a slow start in the first period, they outshot Pittsburgh 32-14 over the final 40 minutes and 42-30 overall. They were the stronger team physically, too, outhitting Pittsburgh 30-17. Faceoffs? Edmonton won 76 per cent. They did everything but win the game. And while this is the time of year where the only thing that matters are wins, the Oilers and their fans left the rink feeling better than when they arrived. “We wanted the extra point, but we’ll take one after having to battle back (from a 2-0 deficit),” said Talbot. “That second period was probably some of the best hockey we’ve played. Down the stretch after the first period, we really turned out game around.” Even Crosby noticed. “They’re a playoff team and they’ve had success this year for a reason,” said the Pens captain. “It’s not fun when they’re coming at you. (McDavid) is dangerous. Plays that seem like nothing plays, he’s able to create a chance. You try to contain him the best you can but with speed like that, he’s going to create things out there.” Unfortunately for the Oilers, McDavid did a little creating at the wrong end of the ice to give Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead. Nick Bonino had already made it 1-0 when Talbot let a long shot from Evengi Malkin dribble through his legs to the goal-line, but not over, late in the first. McDavid came to rescue, only to kick the puck over the line in a desperate attempt to save the day. “It was a mistake on my part that cost our team.” said McDavid. “I was just trying to get my stick in there and I kinda caught the edge of the net 1052158 Edmonton Oilers

Kris Russell back on the Oilers blue line against Penguins

Jim Matheson Published on: March 10, 2017 | Last Updated: March 11, 2017 1:32 AM MST

Edmonton Oilers defenceman Kris Russell will be back with partner Andrej Sekera for Friday’s game with Pittsburgh Penguins after missing the last two games with a recurrence of his lower-body (likely groin) injury. Eric Gryba will be out, which means Darnell Nurse and Matt Benning on the third defensive pairing against the Penguins, five points back of the Washington Capitals for top spot in the the NHL’s best division, the Metro. Oilers winger Benoit Pouliot will play his first game in almost a month after he was injured crashing into the boards in a practice drill. He’ll be on the third line with David Desharnais and Zack Kassian. Iiro Pakarinen will be in for Jujhar Khaira on the fourth line with centre Mark Letestu and Matt Hendricks. The Oilers see Khaira as a better centre and weaker on the wing, where he’s been the last few games. But with the multi-purpose Letestu in the middle, and Desharnais the third- line centre, Khaira is being squeezed out. In nine games, Khaira has one goal, averaging 9:08 ice-time. The Penguins will make one lineup change at forward with Tom Sestito suspended four games for hitting Jets Toby Enstrom face first into the boards in Winnipeg Wednesday night. They’ll likely add Carter Rowney, who’s from Grande Prairie and played in the AJHL before going to University of North Dakota, where he was a teammate of Oilers rookie Drake Caggiula and farmhand defenceman Dillon Simpson. No need to ask who’s in net for the Oilers. Cam Talbot will make his league-leading 60th start. Marc-Andre Fleury gets the call in goal for the Penguins rather than Matt Murray, who got the win over Edmonton in a 4-3 rally in Pittsburgh early in the season. Fleury is 7-2 lifetime with a 2.45 average against the Oilers, as a point of reference, but this season Murray has been the man with a 2.39 average and .923 save percentage. Fleury, who could be traded before the expansion draft so they can protect Murray, has a 16-8-5 record and a 3.08 goal average this season. The Oilers, 7-8 since the all-star break, are third in the Pacific with 78 points, two back of the Anaheim Ducks. But the Ducks have played one more game (67-66). The Calgary Flames also have 78 points but have also played 67 tilts. Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052159 Edmonton Oilers

Oilers podcast: An all-Canadiens affair, March 10, 2017

Edmonton Journal Published on: March 10, 2017 | Last Updated: March 10, 2017 5:04 PM MST

Hockey Hall of Fame writer Jim Matheson and Montreal Gazette sports columnist Stu Cowan join Edmonton Journal and Sun sports editor Craig Ellingson to talk about the Edmonton Oilers, the Montreal Canadiens, the NHL playoff picture in both the Western and Eastern Conferences, the recent trade between the two teams that saw centre David Desharnais come to Edmonton and defenceman Brandon Davidson head to Montreal, the ongoing and forever present phenomenon of Canadiens fans (and their Toronto Maple Leafs counterparts) filling opponents rinks in Western Canada, and probably the most noteworthy player from the Edmonton area to ever don the Habs’ Bleu, Blanc et Rouge: Joe Benoit. Never heard of him? Well, you should. Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052160 Edmonton Oilers NOTES: The Oilers sat out Drake Caggiula, Jujhar Khaira to make room for Iiro Pakarinen and Benoit Pouliot, and defenceman Eric Gryba to make room for Kris Russell … The Oilers had two shots in the first 10 Oilers fall in a shootout against the Penguins minutes of the first period, one of them coming in the first 30 seconds … The first period assist by Justin Schultz gave him seven points in the last four games … David Desharnais’ goal in the second period was his fifth of the season and first in eight games. He has two points in three games BY ROBERT TYCHKOWSKI with the Oilers … Edmonton was on top of it physically, with Patrick Maroon, Milan Lucic and Zack Kassian all doling out punishing hits … FIRST POSTED: FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 2017 09:49 PM MST | The Penguins had two shots in the first 10 minutes of the second period UPDATED: FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 2017 09:54 PM MST … Sidney Crosby came into the game on a five-game scoring drought … McDavid’s third-period goal was his sixth point in the last five games. You know it’s an important time in the season when a head-to-head Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 03.11.2017 showdown between Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby is a side note. But with the Edmonton Oilers having lost three of their previous five games and the Anaheim Ducks and Calgary Flames making things too close for comfort in the Pacific Division stretch drive, which superstar had more points took a distant backseat to which team got the win. In the end, McDavid had the bigger game but the Penguins got the only result that mattered, a 3-2 shootout victory in a wild, fast-paced and thoroughly entertaining battle between two of the league’s most exciting teams Friday night at Rogers Place. The Oilers fought back from a 2-0 deficit to force overtime when McDavid tied it with his 23rd of the season with 7:15 left in regulation, but they couldn’t complete the comeback. Crosby and Phil Kessel scored in the shootout for Pittsburgh, while McDavid scored the only goal for Edmonton. The Penguins limped into town without three of their top six defencemen, or forwards Patric Hornqvist and Matt Cullen. So if there was ever a time for the Oilers to jump on a Stanley Cup champion, this was it. Alas, it was Pittsburgh that did all the jumping in the first period. They were all over Edmonton for most of the opening frame and built themselves a 2-0 lead going into the first intermission on goals from Nick Bonino and Evgeni Malkin. Sort of. Bonino scored his fourth goal in two games when he lifted one over a down-and-out Cam Talbot, with the Oilers on their heels at 5:42. Edmonton seemed a little overwhelmed by the Penguins, managing just two shots in the first 10 minutes, one of them coming on McDavid’s partial breakaway on the opening shift. The Pens went up 2-0 when Talbot let a long shot from Malkin dribble through his legs to the goal line, but not over. At least, not until McDavid kicked it off of Talbot’s pad in the mad scramble to clear the puck. It was a pretty unfortunate way to fall behind 2-0 to one of the best teams in the NHL. The Oilers killed off a penalty to start a second period that might have sealed the game for Pittsburgh, had they scored and then turned the tables in a big way. They outshot Pittsburgh 10-2 in the first 11 minutes and closed the gap to 2-1 on David Desharnais’ first goal with the Oilers at 4:55. This time, it was Pittsburgh on its heels as the Oilers pressed hard for the equalizer. The period ended 2-1, but it was a big momentum shift for the Oilers, who outshot the Penguins 15-5. With a 28-1-0 record when leading after two periods this season, the Penguins know how to close out a game. But the Oilers have shown sone third period ferocity of their own this season and used to tie the game on McDavid’s power play goal with 7:15 to go in the game. It was a wild battle after that, with Edmonton hitting the post and Talbot stopping Phil Kessel on a breakaway to keep it 2-2. Marc-Andre Fleury then stopped McDavid on an overtime breakaway. The Oilers are back at it Sunday when the Montreal Canadiens visit. GAME OVER Three Stars: 1) Connor McDavid - Scored the tying goal, had nine shots on net. 2) Cam Talbot - Would not let the Penguins pull away. 3) Marc-Andre Fleury - Withstood a ferocious Oilers' attack in the final 40. 1052161 Edmonton Oilers first shot on his first shift of the game, he had two goals in his maiden NHL voyage.

THIS 'N' THAT: Pittsburgh winger Tom Sestito, who got four games for Oilers snapshots: Fleury on his way out ... 'Wow factor' ... 'Diaper players' hitting Winnipeg defenceman Toby Enstrom from behind into the boards ... Little additions Wednesday night, didn’t buy his punishment. “I didn’t agree with it, but you have to serve 'em,” said Sestito, who felt he made eye contact with Enstrom before the wallop to let him know he was coming. Enstrom has BY JIM MATHESON a concussion … Matt Cullen, the 40-year-old multi-purpose centre, was a late scratch for the Penguin, who dressed Sexsmith’s Carter Rowney in FIRST POSTED: FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 2017 08:42 PM MST | Sestito’s spot. Rowney, 27, played three years with the AJHL Grande UPDATED: FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 2017 08:50 PM MST Prairie Storm and also played with Oilers rookie Drake Caggiula and farmhand defenceman Dillon Simpson at the University of North Dakota.

He signed as a free-agent in 2013 and started in the ECHL. “Lots of Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury got the start against the Edmonton Oilers family and friends made the trip here from Grande Prairie for the game, Friday, maybe because he’d won seven straight against them but once but they’re pretty much huge, die-hard Oiler fans, but hopefully for one the playoffs start, he’ll likely be watching Matt Murray as he did last night they’ll be for Pittsburgh,” laughed Rowney, who had a good spring when the Pittsburgh Penguins rolled to the Stanley Cup. backhand chance on Cam Talbot in the first period … The Oilers sat Jujhar Khaira on the fourth line and put Iiro Pakarinen into his wing spot. The Penguins will have to convince Fleury to waive his no-trade clause to The team feels Khaira is a better NHL centre than a right-winger, but with move him so they can protect the much younger Murray in the expansion Mark Letestu there, there’s no room. draft, but that’ll most likely happen. Fleury, the guy in net when the Penguins won the 2009 Cup over Detroit, would rather be a starter Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 03.11.2017 somewhere else than take a backseat to the younger Murray. He’s a team player, but also a proud guy. Cheerleading isn’t for him at 32, not after these playoffs. Fleury, always co-operative with the media, doesn’t talk on game days like a lot of goalies, so it was left to coach Mike Sullivan to offer up his analysis of the tandem, with Fleury playing his 33rd game Friday, while Murray’s had 39. On the first shift, he got tested when he stopped Connor McDavid before getting bowled over by the bolt-of-lightning Oilers captain. “We believe we have the best goaltending tandem in the league. Two No. 1s, both really good, both giving us a chance to win every single night. Our challenge this year has been to find enough net for both of them,” said Sullivan. “They’re both competitive guys who want to play. I give both of them credit, they’re good pros and good people and they’ve handled the situation really well.” Murray, 22, became the fourth rookie goalie to lead his team to the Cup – joining Ken Dryden, Patrick Roy and Sherwood Park’s Cam Ward – last spring with 15 playoff wins. NEW KID Oilers coach Todd McLellan said nobody in his dressing room is surprised McDavid is trying to hold off Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, Patrick Kane and Brad Marchand for the scoring race. “It’s been done before by Sid (in his second year in 2006-07), back to his 20, 21-year old days (actually 19). The iconic-type players seem to rise to the top. There is a wow factor but it has been done by those types of guys before. We come to expect it of Connor. He’s that talented and committed,” said McLellan. McDavid went into the Penguins’ game with a league-leading 22 two- point games, one more than Malkin. DIAPERS OFF David Desharnais, who got the Oilers' first goal against the Penguins in his third game since being traded for Brandon Davidson Feb. 28, is still getting his feet wet. “There’s guys who grow up in the NHL, we call them diaper players because you enter the league as a very young player and they’ve always been with one organization. That’s all they’ve ever known,” said McLellan. “But once you’ve moved once or twice, it’s easier to adapt or adjust.” SPEEDY SMALL The Penguins keep coming up with small, skilled forwards to plug into their Cup lineup. Last year, it was five-foot-eight Conor Sheary, who’s almost a point-a-game player now. This year, they’ve found a place for the 180-pound draftee Jake Guentzel, 22, who went into the Oilers’ game with nine goals and 17 points in 28 games. Guentzel and Sheary were flanking Sidney Crosby on the No. 1 line, but the former University of Nebraska-Omaha kid probably figures more as second-line forward. “He’s a lot like Sheary. For a guy who’s not overly big, he plays a stiff game. He’s brave and goes to the battle areas. And he has a high hockey IQ. He makes us a better team,” said Sullivan. Guentzel scored the fastest-ever goal by a Pittsburgh player in his first NHL game (62 seconds) against the New York Rangers. First goal on his 1052162 Edmonton Oilers

Kris Russell back on the Oilers blue line against Penguins

BY JIM MATHESON FIRST POSTED: FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 2017 06:12 PM MST | UPDATED: FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 2017 07:46 PM MST

Edmonton Oilers defenceman Kris Russell will be back with partner Andrej Sekera for Friday’s game with Pittsburgh Penguins after missing the last two games with a recurrence of his lower-body (likely groin) injury. Eric Gryba will be out, which means Darnell Nurse and Matt Benning on the third defensive pairing against the Penguins, five points back of the Washington Capitals for top spot in the the NHL's best division, the Metro. Oilers winger Benoit Pouliot will play his first game in almost a month after he was injured crashing into the boards in a practice drill. He'll be on the third line with David Desharnais and Zack Kassian. Iiro Pakarinen will be in for Jujhar Khaira on the fourth line with centre Mark Letestu and Matt Hendricks. The Oilers see Khaira as a better centre and weaker on the wing, where he's been the last few games. But with the multi-purpose Letestu in the middle, and Desharnais the third- line centre, Khaira is being squeezed out. In nine games, Khaira has one goal, averaging 9:08 ice-time. The Penguins will make one lineup change at forward with Tom Sestito suspended four games for hitting Jets Toby Enstrom face first into the boards in Winnipeg Wednesday night. They’ll likely add Carter Rowney, who’s from Grande Prairie and played in the AJHL before going to University of North Dakota, where he was a teammate of Oilers rookie Drake Caggiula and farmhand defenceman Dillon Simpson. No need to ask who’s in net for the Oilers. Cam Talbot will make his league-leading 60th start. Marc-Andre Fleury gets the call in goal for the Penguins rather than Matt Murray, who got the win over Edmonton in a 4-3 rally in Pittsburgh early in the season. Fleury is 7-2 lifetime with a 2.45 average against the Oilers, as a point of reference, but this season Murray has been the man with a 2.39 average and .923 save percentage. Fleury, who could be traded before the expansion draft so they can protect Murray, has a 16-8-5 record and a 3.08 goal average this season. The Oilers, 7-8 since the all-star break, are third in the Pacific with 78 points, two back of the Anaheim Ducks. But the Ducks have played one more game (67-66). The Calgary Flames also have 78 points but have also played 67 tilts. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052163 Florida Panthers Scouting report: The Wild leads the Western Conference under new coach Bruce Boudreau yet has lost three of four after losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night. Minnesota comes into Friday Florida Panthers playoff run has stalled but don’t blame Thomas Vanek second in the league in goals scored and fourth in goals against. ▪ SATURDAY: PANTHERS AT LIGHTNING BY GEORGE RICHARDS When/where: 7 p.m.; , Tampa. TV/radio: FSFL; WQAM 560, WMEN 640, WMYM 990. The Florida Panthers made a nice deal at the trade deadline to help with Series: Florida leads 64-51-10. their run to the playoffs. Scouting report: The Lightning has won three of its past five and despite Although that postseason push has stalled, don’t blame Thomas Vanek dealing off some assets at the trade deadline are closer to a playoff spot for it. than its cross-state rival going into Friday. Florida, which has won two of three against Tampa Bay this season, came into its game against the Florida goes into Friday’s game against the Minnesota Wild with losses in Wild two points back of the Lightning. six of its past seven games including all three since acquiring Vanek from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a third round draft pick and depth Miami Herald LOADED: 03.11.2017 defenseman Dylan McIlrath. Vanek, who spent the past two seasons with the Wild before having the final year (this one) of his contract bought out, scored his first goal with the Panthers in Florida’s eventual 5-2 loss to the Rangers on Tuesday. “He’s a really good player and we knew what we were getting when we traded for him,” interim head coach Tom Rowe said Friday morning. “He has obviously brought the offense and has a real confidence about himself in the locker room, really calm on the bench. That rubs off on everyone.” In his first game last Thursday, after flying across North America to make it from Vancouver, Vanek had five shots on goal and numerous scoring chances in Florida’s 2-1 shootout loss at Philadelphia. On Saturday, he set up Nick Bjugstad a number of times in a 2-1 loss to visiting Dallas. “I need to put them in this time,” Bjugstad said. “The puck isn’t going in for us right now, and that happens. But you don’t want it happening at this point of the season. You want to help the team out. We’ll bear down on it.” Tuesday, playing on a new line, Vanek took three shots with one finding its way past Henrik Lundqvist to bring Florida within 3-1 in the second period. The Rangers scored their fourth goal minutes later and that was that. “I tihnk things are going OK but it would have been nice to get a win and probably deserved the win in two of three of them,” said Vanek, who will be back with Bjugstad and Jonathan Marchessault on Friday. “That’s the way it goes something. Overall, this team plays a good brand of hockey, creates plenty of chances. We just need to tighten up in our defensive zone. It’s amazing how many chances we do get when we’re playing right.” ▪ The Panthers haven’t been helping themselves in the playoff race and now aren’t getting much help from others. Florida went into the trade deadline a point out of the playoffs last week; going into Friday’s games, that deficit has grown to six. Jaromir Jagr said the Panthers are currently in a bad position and don’t need to be reminded about it. The Panthers have 16 games remaining after Friday. “We can’t say anything, we just need to go out and do it,” Jagr said. “We know the situation, know we probably have to win every game to make the playoffs, have to beat teams like Toronto and Boston. That’s for sure.” Said Rowe: “We just have to worry about ourselves, there’s still a lot of hockey left.” ▪ Roberto Luongo was back on the ice prior to Florida’s morning skate working with goalie coach Robb Tallas without taking shots. Luongo has been out since leaving last Thursday’s game in Philadelphia with an undisclosed lower body injury said to be related to the hip surgery he had last summer. ▪ FRIDAY: WILD AT PANTHERS When/where: 7:30 p.m.; BB&T Center, Sunrise. TV/radio: FSFL; WQAM 560, WMEN 640, WMYM 990. Series: Minnesota leads 14-5-1. 1052164 Florida Panthers The third goal Reimer allowed came with him flat on his back — looking like a kid doing snow angels on the ice — as a loose puck sat around with Florida failing to clear. Minnesota wins wild game as sinking Florida Panthers lose again at swooped in and popped it in the unguarded net. home Florida’s first goal came on a long shot from Marchessault off a power- play face off, his shot deflecting off Minnesota defenseman Ryan Suter BY GEORGE RICHARDS and past Kuemper. MARCH 10, 2017 10:24 PM Reimer even got into one of the scuffles as Mikael Granlund grabbed his stick and wouldn’t let go. The Florida goalie gave the Wild center a few shoves, including one in the head. There was a lot to like for the Florida Panthers on Friday night, although Kuemper didn’t make it to the end of the game as Minnesota coach there was plenty of concern as well. Bruce Boudreau yanked him in favor of regular starter Devan Dubnyk to begin the third. Despite taking the lead in the third, Florida’s defensive deficiencies led to yet another loss as the Minnesota Wild escaped Sunrise with a 7-4 Dubnyk then misplayed a puck, allowing Barkov to score into an empty victory. net — although Dubnyk was strong for much of the third, leading the Wild to victory. Florida’s losses are piling up like firewood, and the Panthers’ playoff hopes might just be cooked. “We did some good things but we did some things which are costly this late in the season,” Panthers defenseman Keith Yandle said. “The things The Panthers have lost seven of their past eight, including a seven-game we did will hurt you, and they did [Friday night]. When you give up as run at home in which Florida got just a lackluster shootout win against the many goals as we did, you can’t be happy. We’ll look at it, try and be Carolina Hurricanes. better [Saturday night].” “It was a good battle, but they got seven [goals] on us so that’s terrible. SATURDAY: PANTHERS AT LIGHTNING There’s not much to say,” Jonathan Marchessault said. When/where: 7 p.m.; Amalie Arena, Tampa. “Our whole season, right now, has been a disappointment. ... At this point of the year, time is limited. We have less games; we need to turn this TV/radio: FSFL; WQAM 560, WMEN 640. boat around.” Series: Florida leads 64-51-10. Florida led 4-3 early in the third before Eric Staal scored off one of the many loose pucks the Panthers failed to clear around goalie James Scouting report: The Lightning has won three of its past five and despite Reimer 5:24 into the period. dealing off some assets at the trade deadline is closer to a playoff spot than its cross-state rival. Florida, which has won two of three against With 5:07 left, Zach Parise also took advantage of a loose puck and Tampa Bay this season, sits two points back of the Lightning after losing scored the game-winner. to the Wild on Friday night. Minnesota tacked on a pair of empty-net goals in the final 70 seconds to Miami Herald LOADED: 03.11.2017 finish Florida off. The Wild is the fourth team during Florida’s recent slide to play in Tampa one night and beat the Panthers the following evening. Interim coach Tom Rowe, who has been stressing the importance of Florida’s defensive play lately, said he didn’t see much wrong with it on Friday despite all the goals allowed. The Florida Panthers playoff hopes are rapidly going away after another home loss - this one to the Minnesota Wild, 7-4,- on Friday night. Florida gave up 46 shots on goal — two of which were into the empty net — as Minnesota took aim at Reimer 70 times, according to official missed/block shot totals. The Panthers were credited for 40 shots on goal and 59 attempted shots. “There were some defensive breakdowns, but I thought we played a heck of a game,” Rowe said. “I thought our guys competed hard and were right there to the end. There were a few rebounds we didn’t pick up quick enough, but I thought our guys played a real good game.” A point out of the playoffs just last week, the Panthers have seen their standing slide over the past few weeks. The Lightning hosts the Panthers on Saturday night and will go into the game two points ahead of Florida in the playoff hunt despite injuries having most observers counting the Bolts out. Minnesota, which lost 4-1 in Tampa on Thursday night, took a 1-0 lead in the first. But Florida fought back and took a 2-1 lead into the intermission after goals from Marchessault (his 20th of the season) and defenseman Mark Pysyk off a slick feed from Vincent Trocheck. The Wild tied it and then took a 3-2 lead midway through the second. But Jaromir Jagr brought things back to even as he carried the puck around the net, fired off a shot from 20 feet and watched the puck bounce off goalie Darcy Kuemper and in. Early in the third, Sasha Barkov charged in and scored the go-ahead goal for the Panthers. But the lead wouldn’t last. Kuemper and Reimer had a lot to deal with Friday, with both teams coming out hard. It wasn’t just shots but odd plays as well. 1052165 Florida Panthers

Preview: Panthers at Lightning; Saturday, 7 p.m.

Harvey Fialkov

Panthers at Lightning When/where: 7 p.m.; Amalie Arena, Tampa TV: Fox Sports Florida Radio: 560-WQAM, 640-WMEN, 760-WEF (Spanish) Notable: The Panthers lost six of seven before Friday’s meeting with the Wild, who fell 4-1 to the Lightning on Thursday. Lightning F Nikita Kucherov had three points, giving him nine goals and 17 points in his last eight games. He leads the Lightning with 30 goals and 66 points. Tampa Bay has gone 9-2-3 in its last 14 games to propel the Lightning back into the wild-card race with 71 points. The Panthers won both meetings at home this season on game-winning goals by Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault. The host Lightning downed Florida 4-3 in a shootout in the third game of the season, thanks to Steven Stamkos’ tying goal with six seconds remaining. Stamkos, a three-time All-Star, has been out since Nov. 15 with a knee injury, but is practicing again. Three Lightning centers, Tyler Johnson, Vladislav Namesnikov and Cedric Paquette, left Thursday’s game with lower-body injuries and are day-to-day. The Lightning traded centers Valtteri Filppula and Brian Boyle prior to the deadline last week. Panthers G Roberto Luongo (lower body) is out for at least another week. Sun Sentinel LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052166 Florida Panthers “I’ve gotten to watch him over the years and I think that helps,’’ Bjugstad said.”The first two games we played pretty well, so it’ll be good rolling with him and Marchy. Hopefully, we’ll generate chances like we did but Slumping Panthers need to focus on themselves, not the standings hopefully I’ll put them in this time.’’ Sun Sentinel LOADED: 03.11.2017 Harvey Fialkov

Perhaps the Panthers need to stop watching the scoreboard and instead watch the puck in their defensive zone if they hope to climb back into the playoff race. They received no help Thursday night. Every team the Panthers are battling with for the final wild-card playoff berth, including the Maple Leafs and Islanders, won. With just 16 games remaining after Friday’s game against the Western Conference-leading Wild, the Panthers know they’re running out of time. “We just got to worry about our games,’’ Panthers general manager and interim coach Tom Rowe said after Friday morning skate in the BB&T Center. “There’s still a lot of hockey left, and those teams ahead of us got to keep winning, too. So the more we win, the more pressure we put on them like they’re putting on us. We got to go out there [Friday] and get two points.’’ After losing six of seven, Rowe felt it was important for his team to hear another voice of encouragement in the locker room, so he called on , president of hockey operations and acting general manager. “Tampa [Saturday] and Toronto on Tuesday, those are huge games for us. The guys can do it,’’ Rowe said. “Dale came in, and we had a good meeting. Dale went over everything from systems to lines. “I thought it went well and thought it gave us a lot of jump in practice yesterday. The guys know we all still believe in them. We can get this done.’’ Rowe shuffled the lines again and returned newcomer Thomas Vanek to the third line with fellow University of Minnesota Gopher Nick Bjugstad and Jonathan Marchessault. “It hurts,’’ Bjugstad said of Thursday’s results. “I don’t like seeing, you go down in the standings obviously. We’re trying to stay positive. We can do it. There’s a chance for us to make a playoff push. Obviously, at home it’s been tough for us right now. We got to find a way here. “[Tampa and Toronto] are huge games for us so we can’t let a few hiccups take us off the path. “It’s been a little bit up and down these past few months. We’ve had some really good spurts, too, so we have to remember that. I think we can benefit if we can play like we did on the West Coast.’’ After the Panthers’ franchise-best 5-0 road trip ended on Feb. 21, they were tied for a wild-card berth and just six points out of first place in the Atlantic Division. Before Friday’s game, they were six points out of a wild- card spot and 15 points out of first. “We know we’re not in a good situation,’’ top-line right wing Jaromir Jagr said. “We know we have to win almost every game to get into the playoffs and win against teams like Toronto and Boston, that’s for sure. Minnesota is a very good team, probably No. 1 or 2 in the league. It’s not going to be easy and will be a big challenge for us. We’re still going to have everything in our hands.’’ Rowe surprisingly broke up the top-line trio of Jagr, and Jonathan Huberdeau, with Huberdeau going to the second line with Vincent Trocheck and Colton Sceviour. A slumping Reilly Smith joins Jagr and Barkov. “Neither line is scoring 5-on-5, so the coach decided to change it,’’ Jagr said. “Last year it happened in some games, too.’’ Barkov joked that he’s, “not going to cry,’’ without Huberdeau, his longtime linemate. “I started the season without [Huberdeau],’’ Barkov said, referring to the first 51 games missed by Huberedeau due to Achilles’ tendon surgery. “Every player on this team is good, so I don’t mind playing with anybody. Smith, I played with him this season, too. We had some success. He’s an easy guy to play with. “Everybody needs to get going. There are 17 games left. Everybody needs to play their best game, like me. … We still have chances if we win a lot of games we can still make the playoffs.’’ Bjugstad was excited about getting back with Vanek. 1052167 Florida Panthers Panthers goalie James Reimer, starting his fourth consecutive game with Roberto Luongo still nursing a lower-body injury, didn’t rise to the occasion, allowing five goals on 44 shots. Panthers fall 7-4 to Wild as collapse continues The Wild, who usually own the middle period (80 goals), scored twice within 2:01 to take a 3-2 lead. Staal’s forecheck kept possession and he ended up cruising in for a point-blank goal as Smith was once again late Harvey Fialkov on coverage. At 10:08, Reimer flopped to make a save and for some reason remained prone, allowing the Wild to take two swipes at it before Jason Pominville Baseball managers have been known to shake up his slumping team by smacked it in before the late-arriving Thomas Vanek could back-check. picking names out of a hat to make out his lineup. Just 1:01 later, Jaromir Jagr strolled around the net for a wraparound While Panthers coach Tom Rowe didn’t use a hat, he scrambled all four wrister that banked off Kuemper. Jagr’s 13th goal was assisted by lines in search of offense from a team that had produced 9 red-lights over Trocheck, for his second consecutive multiple-helper outing. their last six games. Despite Florida’s line changes, the Wild, perhaps stoked from Thursday’s While the shakeup did produce their most goals in the past nine games, it 4-1 loss in Tampa, jumped out to a 1-0 lead at 7:50 of the first when wasn’t enough as the Western Conference-leading Wild pulled away to a winger Jason Zucker redirected a straightaway slapper from Brodin for 7-4 victory Friday night at the BB&T Center to extend the reeling his 21st goal. Panthers’ losing streak to four. A couple of big hits from Panthers’ little big men, MacKenzie and Denis It was panthers conservation night, but after losing seven of eight, it’s Malgin, led to a payback trip by Martin Hanzal, while pumping up the hockey’s Panthers who may soon be added to the endangered list as crowd. Just seven seconds later, the Panthers rapidly improving power they continue to tumble out of the playoff picture. play clicked when Jonathan Marchessault’s rocket caromed off the stick and body of Wild defenseman Ryan Suter past Kuemper, who was The Wild swept the season series, having also won 5-1 in the Xcel partially screened by Jagr. Energy Center in mid-December. Marchessault, arguably the best offseason free-agent bargain in the Jonathan Marchessault: 'Our defensive game is bad' NHL, notched his 20th goal, nearly triple his previous career high of 7. “The guys competed hard. We were right there to the end, a couple of “It could’ve gone both ways. We always find to manage a way to not win rebounds we didn’t get there quick enough,’’ Rowe said, trying to remain hockey games,’’ said Marchessault, who took an ugly minus-5 ice rating. upbeat with the season on the brink. “Obviously, there’s something we’re not doing right, especially me “I thought our guys played a real good game.’’ defensively. Next for the Panthers are absolute must-wins against two teams ahead “We need to turn that boat around … just disappointing. Certainly not a of them in the wild-card race: the injury-ridden Lightning in Tampa on lot of games left. It’s not over if we get on a roll. It’s a huge game Saturday and the Maple Leafs at home on Tuesday. tomorrow. There’s no excuse for us. We need to get two points.’’ “If we were coming off a three-game, four-game win streak I’d tell you it The revamped second line of Trocheck, Colton Sceviour and Jonathan was enough to win,’’ Panthers captain Derek MacKenzie said. “When Huberdeau made it 2-1 with 1:49 left in the period. Trocheck crossed a you’re not playing your best hockey you can’t just throw the switch and backhand pass in the slot to charging defenseman Mark Pysyk, who get two points. This league is real good. Hopefully, that was our game, snapped an unscreened wrister into the twine, his third of the season. we deserved better. We got to stick with it and get back tomorrow night in “It’s pretty frustrating. We have to win a lot of games here to pass six Tampa. teams,’’ Pysyk said. “We got to help out Reims and keep them off the “Yes, absolutely [the season is on the line].’’ scoresheet as much as possible.’’ Unlike the Rangers last week, the Wild didn’t save their No. 1 goaltender, Tallon talks to teAM Devan Dubnyk, a frontrunner for the Vezina Trophy, in the second game After losing six of seven and slipping out of playoff contention, Rowe felt of a back-to-back set. Instead, the Panthers drew backup Darcy it was important for his team to hear another voice of encouragement in Kuemper and his 3.22 goals-against-average, who had never faced the locker room, so he called on Dale Tallon, president of hockey them, while Dubnyk was 6-1 with a 1.41 GAA. operations and acting general manager. Tied at 3-3 after two periods, Wild coach Bruce Boudreau had seen “Tampa tomorrow and Toronto on Tuesday, those are huge games for enough of a shaky Kuemper and inserted Dubnyk to start the third. us. The guys can do it,’’ Rowe said. “Dale came in and we had a good Just 2:57 later, a cold Dubnyk mishandled the puck behind his net, which meeting. Dale went over everything from systems to lines. went off his stick right to Aleksander Barkov for a gimmee putt, his 17th “I thought it went well and thought it gave us a lot of jump in practice goal and the easiest of his fledgling career. yesterday. The guys know we all still believe in them. We can get this “When we scored that one I thought it was going to turn the tide,’’ Rowe done.’’ said. “A lot of good stuff. Penalty kill was unbelievable again; we got Sun Sentinel LOADED: 03.11.2017 another power-play goal so we got to keep looking at the positives, keep digging and keep our chin up and keep fighting. “Definitely, Tampa Bay is back in it and Toronto, coming in here on Tuesday, we just got to worry about Tampa Bay tomorrow, have a real good game and forget about tonight as quick as we can.’’ The Panthers top-ranked penalty kill shut down all three Wild power plays and have now gone 12 games without allowing a PPG (30-of-30). However, the ping-pong match continued when 2:24 later Eric Staal knocked in a rebound, his second goal of the night and 21st, to forge the fourth tie. With the ice seemingly tilted to the Wild’s offensive zone, Zack Parise beat a struggling Reilly Smith to a juicy rebound of Jonas Brodin’s flick shot for the back-breaker with 5:07 remaining. Mikael Granlund nailed the empty-net dagger with 70 seconds left. Charlie Coyle added another empty-netter to twist the knife as Panthers defenseman Mike Matheson furiously smacked the puck back into the vacant net. 1052168 Los Angeles Kings

Three things we learned from the Kings' 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators

Kevin Baxter

The Kings have given up more goals than they’ve scored this season, which doesn’t sound like a recipe for success. But the team has gutted out some tough games over the last three weeks, the last a 3-2 overtime win against the Nashville Predators on Thursday that pulled them to within a point of St. Louis in the race for the Western Conference’s final playoff spot. “This time of year they find ways. A whole crew of them have won two Stanley Cups,” Jarome Iginla, picked up in a trade 10 days ago, said of his new teammates, who rallied twice from one-goal deficits. “The leadership that they have, they get in these tight games and they seem to like them even more.” Here are a few more things we learned Thursday: 1. Iginla has been a more useful addition than Ben Bishop Bishop, a Vezina-caliber goaltender in the prime of his career, was acquired from Tampa Bay to back up Jonathan Quick and give the Kings the best goalie tandem in the NHL. Iginla, a 39-year-old future Hall of Famer averaging less than 15 minutes of ice time a game, was acquired from Colorado to … well, we’re not exactly sure what he was expected to add. So far, however, the winger has won more games than the goalie, with Iginla’s two power-play goals Thursday — the second one in overtime — giving the Kings an important playoff-stretch win. Bishop, meanwhile, is 0-2 in his starts with the Kings, having allowed six goals in the losses. “It feels good, especially with a new team and being with the guys and to be able to try to find some way to contribute,” said Iginla, whose two goals gave him 621 for his career. “He’s scored a lot of power-play goals in his career,” Coach Darryl Sutter said. “You should look it up. I think it’s close to 200.” We did look it up and it is close to 200. With the two Thursday, Iginla has 196 power-play scores in his career. 2. The Kings’ special teams are indeed special All three Kings goals Thursday came on the power play, giving them seven goals with the man advantage in their last four games. That’s the most consecutive games in which the Kings have scored a power-play goal this season, and it’s the first time they’ve had multiple power-play goals in consecutive games since 2014. And they’ve been even better on the penalty kill, allowing just two goals in 50 chances dating to Jan. 21, the best kill percentage in the league. Over that 20-game stretch, the Kings have outscored opponents 13-2 on the special teams. The Kings’ 85.2% success rate on the PK this season ranks third in the NHL and first in the Western Conference. 3. The Kings are proving scrappy down the stretch The Kings have won just two of their last seven games in regulation. But by taking four of those games to overtime, the team picked up eight points in those seven games to stay in the thick of the playoff race. And eight of the last 10 games have been decided by one goal. “There’s a lot of work left to do,” Iginla said. “But the guys enjoy these types of games and are used to them.” LA Times: LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052169 Los Angeles Kings

Kings' Jake Muzzin fined $2,000 for embellishment

March 10, 2017 Updated 3:50 p.m. By ELLIOTT TEAFORD

EL SEGUNDO – Jake Muzzin’s rocky 2016-17 season continued Friday, when the NHL fined him $2,000 for an embellishment incident during the Kings’ loss March 4 to the Vancouver Canucks at Staples Center, his second offense this season. Muzzin was fined under NHL Rule 64, which is designed to catch players who “repeatedly dive and embellish in an attempt to draw penalties.” Fines are set, starting with the second infraction, and can rise to $5,000 for the fifth offense by the player. Coaches also can be docked $2,000 if a player is fined a fifth time. Muzzin was initially warned by the league after an incident in the Kings’ loss Oct. 14 to the Philadelphia Flyers at Staples Center. Muzzin was then fined for embellishment after the Canucks’ Michael Chaput was penalized for high sticking at 17 minutes, 41 seconds of the first period. Video replay indicated Chaput’s stick never struck Muzzin in the face. Chaput’s penalty nullified a Canucks power play during their 4-3 victory. Muzzin’s next offense will result in a $3,000 fine. The 28-year-old defenseman has eight goals and 21 points in 66 games going into the Kings’ home contest Saturday against the league-leading Washington Capitals. He had eight goals and 40 points last season after setting career highs with 10 goals and 41 points in 2014-15. Muzzin’s minus-20 defensive rating, the second-worst in the Kings’ lineup, is what’s most noticeable about his tail-off this season. He’s never had a defensive rating worse than minus-4 since becoming a full-time player with the Kings during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. Muzzin wasn’t available Friday for comment about the fine. He said during a Feb. 20 interview with reporters, “When you know you’re not playing as well as you’re capable of, you try to do too much and try to force things and then you end up playing worse, and then you get down on yourself and you get frustrated and stuff like that.” POWER PLAY CLICKING The Kings were 3 for 3 on the power play during their 3-2 overtime victory Thursday over the Nashville Predators, with Jarome Iginla scoring his first two goals since a March 1 trade from the Vancouver Canucks and Marian Gaborik also scoring with the man advantage. Overall, the Kings’ power-play units have clicked at a 19 percent success rate (36 for 189) this season, 16th-best in the 30-team NHL at the start of business around the league Friday. They are a sizzling 50 percent (7 for 14) during their past four games, however. “You never want to just rely on your power play, but you need your power play to win games, just like you need your penalty-kill to win games,” Kings assistant John Stevens said. “We’re certainly happy. We’re not going to turn away the power-play goals. They were obviously a huge part of the game (Thursday) and got us two points, but we would like to see our 5-on-5 production come up.” The Kings have only one even-strength goal in their past four games. Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052170 Los Angeles Kings promise as a versatile defenseman capable of playing both sides and operating with poise.

But LaDue, a 2012 sixth round draft pick who was clearly at the top of the “A VERY GOOD STUDENT OF THE GAME,” LADUE ACCLIMATING list of the team’s AHL-based defensive prospects to have spent most of QUICKLY the season in Ontario after a standout training camp, etched out one of his most noticeable performances in the win over Nashville. JON ROSENMARCH 10, 2017 “He’s been really good,” Stevens said. “It was unfortunate – we played a really good game in Anaheim and then got hurt late in that game and he kind of got set back a little bit with some time off, but then he’s come back strong. With Paul, like anybody else, we were looking for Paul LaDue, who has all of nine games of NHL experience, was on the consistency in his game, but he’s a very good student of the game. You ice for both regulation power play goals against the Nashville Predators tell him things, you can see he takes it in, he implements it into his game in Thursday’s overtime win. right away, he can understand what you’re trying to do. I mean, he’s getting a great opportunity to play in a lot of situations. He hasn’t really That, of course, meant that he got to hug Jarome Iginla, who was playing killed many penalties yet, but he will. He’s got a chance to play second his 1,538th NHL game and potted the 620th and 621st goals of a career unit power play and he’s done a good job there, and he’s getting to play that will culminate with a plaque at the corner of Yonge and Front Street some meaningful minutes against top guys on the ice, so it’s agreat in downtown Toronto. opportunity that we want him to take advantage of.” “I was a little star-struck first time [Iginla] walked into the locker room but John Stevens, on whether the team’s structure and checking eases yeah it was unbelievable,” LaDue said. “Yeah, him and Marian Gaborik acclimation for young players: were out there with me, so it’s a little crazy knowing I grew up watching them play, but they’ve been great guys and they’ve been playing so well, It’s probably more comfortable for him because he’s good at that stuff. so it’s been fun hockey. We’ve just got to keep moving forward.” Paul’s a good defender of the rush and he’s learned to be a good defender down low where he can handle plays and get plays sealed off In that late season push, LaDue has been playing an important part. His and be a good competitor in the one-on-one battle situations, so I think value was on display in Thursday’s game as he played an assertive role he takes a lot of pride in his game. If you watched him at North Dakota, in using his skating not only to work his way out of trouble and calm plays that’s what he was. He’s a real good defender, checker, get the puck down the defensive zone – as has been part of his reputation – but in back and make a play out of th zone, and that’s exactly what we want picking spots to jump into the play in the attacking end. He notched an him to do here. I think he really fits our style of game and the way we assist and registered two shots on goal over 18:27 of ice time, 2:04 of want to play, and obviously he’s done a good job in Ontario up to this which was spent on the power play. point, and now he’s getting an opportunity to do it here. “When young players come up here, it’s a different level, especially this Paul LaDue, on what he liked about his game against the Predators: time of year,” Associate Coach John Stevens said. “Every game has huge implications in terms of playoff positioning and you’re playing I thought I was moving the puck well and defensively I felt pretty against the best players in the world, so I think you’re finding a few feet comfortable out there, so it’s always nice to get a good team win and feel here, a few feet there, a little bit casual here, a little bit casual there can good about your play, so I’ve just got to keep moving forward. get you in trouble in a hurry, so I think he’s just realizing how important every shift is, and how important it is to play with a sense of urgency all LaDue, on the progression in his play from game to game: the time. Not that you’re panicking out there, I think, but you just have a real intensity about your game … because if you don’t, it can go in your I mean, every game you can get in, it’s just a sense of comfortability out net in a hurry or put you in a situation where your team’s going to get hurt there and I definitely feel a lot more settled down than I did earlier on, so in a hurry.” I think it definitely helps getting these games in and I’ve just got to keep trying to improve and keep trying to get better. Many of those sentiments were echoed by Mike O’Connell of the team’s development staff, who noted that since LaDue has joined the parent LaDue, on whether he has more offensive potential to his game: club, he has done a better job preparing for every shift and taking stock Yeah, I think so. Obviously that’s one area that I always want to work on of the type of players he’s facing. Some shifts will come against hard- and keep improving and that’s the fun side of the rink to play in so. I’ve nosed power forwards, some will come against highly skilled waterbugs. been pretty happy with what I’ve put forth so far but I know I can be Some will come against first lines, some against fourth lines. In a game better and I’ve just to keep working on getting shots through and getting against the Washington Capitals on Saturday, he’s going to face a pucks to the net. diverse array of competition that has boosted the Metropolitan Division club to the top of the NHL standings. LaDue, on whether he watches games on TV differently than before: Juan Ocampo/NHLI Not really. I’ve just always watched and tried to pick up on little things. Usually watch D-men do their thing out there but no, not really. It’s “You just learn their styles and you’ve got to know your opponent,” he definitely a little different watching guys that you’ve played against now said. “A team like (Nashville) last night, they’re pretty skilled up front, so but just understanding the speed and pace of the game, it almost makes you’ve got to respect them, but at the same time you’ve got to get on it more enjoyable watching and it makes it almost easier to pick up things them quick and play them physical, so it definitely helps out knowing the from other guys. players and kind of getting used to the league.” LaDue, on whether any players talk to him about his play: The former University of North Dakota defender is also a quick and absorbent learner, something gathered by the organization during his You know, I think all our guys have been very talkative and helpful for our mid-summer development camp stints and in through his experience in young guys and that’s huge. I mean, I couldn’t have done it without the American Hockey League. everyone helping you out and being supportive and giving you a little advice here and there that’ll just help the young guys grow, and everyone “We’ll get to know him in a hurry,” Stevens said. “I mean, we’ve got a in this locker room has been great. pretty good book on him. We’ve had him in the organization for years. We talk to our minor league coaches a lot and our development team a LaDue, on his power play unit “clicking” against the Predators: lot in terms of how he’s come along and what he’s been like to work with. We had a chance to see him in the summer in development camp, so Yeah, we were just moving pucks around quickly. Not trying to force there’s a good, strong relationship there with Paul, but until you get him anything, kind of making the play when it was there and a couple lucky here and he sees the league, but I think in terms of the relationship, bounces just getting pucks through to the net and good poise out front to knowing his personality, how he responds to different things, that bury those pucks. So it was good and hopefully we can keep working and groundwork’s been laid for years now, so we’re getting an opportunity to keep producing for our team. put it to work.” LaDue, on his expectations for himself before the season started: He’s not the only young defenseman being placed in a key role that the You know, I try not to look forward too much. Just try to get better every team needs quality minutes from. The NHL is not a developmental day, and obviously I hoped that I would eventually end up here and now league, as Darryl Sutter often reminds reporters, and Los Angeles has that I have I’m pretty excited but you’ve got to take advantage of the received good mileage from both he and Derek Forbort, who has all of 80 opportunity and just keep working hard and hopefully we can keep NHL games under his name and averages over 20 solid minutes per winning. night of a team battling for a playoff spot. Kevin Gravel has also shown LaDue, on whether he thought he would be playing with the Kings down the stretch: You know, I always hoped for it but I never knew what was going to play out. Like I said, I try not to think about it too much, but it is pretty crazy being up here and I’m thankful for it and I’ve just got to keep working. LaDue, on his “welcome to the NHL” moment in his first game: Yeah I think that whole first period was kind of a — I kind of blacked out that whole first period. But no, I settled down a little bit and it was all good, but playing in that first game in the same rink where we won the national championship – that was a pretty cool moment. So that was fun to be able to do that and good to get my first games in. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052171 Los Angeles Kings

MARCH 10 PRACTICE NOTES; MUZZIN FINED FOR DIVING/EMBELLISHMENT; LADUE PREVIEW

JON ROSENMARCH 10, 2017

FINES AND SUSPENSIONSNHL NEWSPRACTICE NOTES Good afternoon, Insiders. It’s a busy day down in the little town we know as Gundo. The Kings held an optional skate that began at 11:00 a.m., but because of the small group, there were no real hints at any sort of lineup decisions or changes that might take place. Neither Nick Shore nor Jordan Nolan skated with the group. Ben Bishop was the lone goalie on the ice. -New nickname: Daniel Day Muzzin. Muzzin was fined $2,000 for diving/embellishment as part of NHL Rule 64, which is designed to “bring attention to and more seriously penalize players (and teams) who repeatedly dive and embellish in an attempt to draw penalties,” according to the league’s release. As it turns out, that high-sticking call on Michael Chaput in Saturday’s game against Vancouver was the result of a play in which Chaput did not actually make contact with Muzzin’ face, as seen above in the video. Via the league: “Muzzin was issued a Warning following an incident flagged by NHL Hockey Operations during NHL Game No. 16 against Philadelphia on Oct. 14. His second Citation, which triggered the $2,000 fine, was issued for an incident at 17:41 of the first period during NHL Game No. 961 against Vancouver on March 4. Vancouver forward Michael Chaput received a minor penalty for high-sticking, nullifying a Canucks power play.” The next (hypothetical) citation will carry a $3,000 fine. Once a player reaches a fifth citation, the head coach of the team also receives a fine. Calgary’s Johnny Gaudreau was also fined $2,000 for diving/embellishment, the league announced Friday. -So. Paul LaDue. The rookie looked assertive and confident in his 18:27 of ice time last night and picked some opportune times to pinch deep into the offensive zone to create some chances. He was also a part of the second power play unit that cashed in on both regulation goals. What’s it like celebrating goals with Jarome Iginla? “I mean, it’s pretty crazy,” he said. “I was a little star-struck first time he walked into the locker room but yeah it was unbelievable. Yeah, him and Marian Gaborik were out there with me, so it’s a little crazy knowing I grew up watching them play, but they’ve been great guys and they’ve been playing so well so it’s been fun hockey.” Lots of good stuff from both Muzzin and John Stevens coming later this afternoon, after we shoot tomorrow’s Saturday Straight Up. -Stevens, on what can improve in five-on-five scoring: “Well, putting the puck in the net,” he said. (The Kings have one five-on-five goal in their last four games.) “You never want to just rely on your power play, but you need your power play to win games, just like you need your penalty kill to win games. We’re certainly happy, we’re not going to turn away the power play goals. They were obviously a huge part of the game last night and got us two points, but we would like to see our production come up five-on-five. I think there’s a lot of areas our defense can do a lot better job of getting pucks through to the net. If you look at the goals we scored last night, even though it was a man advantage from guys being at the net and finding second chances around the net, teams are bearing down. Every team’s going to be relentless defensively, and there’s got to be a real compete element from everyone – from our D getting pucks to the net and from us being around the net more and being a little more determined around the net in the scoring areas. We’re getting enough time in the zone, we just have to do more with our time in the zone.” LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052172 Los Angeles Kings

THE VIEW FROM NASHVILLE

BO HAMBYMARCH 10, 2017

Predators’ skid complicating playoff path “Scoring the first goal also hasn’t helped, with Nashville, which has a 19- 3-7 record when doing so, striking first against Montreal on March 2, Anaheim on Tuesday and Los Angeles on Thursday. The Predators trailed for a combined nine seconds against those three teams, ending up with two of a possible six points (0-1-2).” Iginla gets 2nd goal in OT, leads Kings past Predators 3-2 “After the Predators were whistled for too many men on the ice with 2:24 to play, Iginla skated in low and roofed a shot over Pekka Rinne, who made 31 saves. Just like that, Iginla had his first multi-goal game since February 2016 with Colorado.” Roman Josi standing on his own for Predators “The Predators possess enviable scoring balance. They have nine players with 10 or more goals, led by forward Filip Forsberg, one of the League’s hottest scorers, and forward Viktor Arvidsson, a 23-goal scorer who has been one of this season’s breakout players. But so much of what Nashville does depends upon Josi’s contributions, starting from the back.” Jarome Iginla lifts Kings past Predators in OT “Calle Jarnkrok and Kevin Fiala scored for the Predators (32-24-11), who lost their fourth game in a row (0-3-1) and are four points ahead of the Blues for third place in the Central Division. Pekka Rinne had 31 saves.” Nashville Predators 2, Los Angeles Kings 3 (OT): Loser Point “Despite a flat start, the Preds got the first goal of the game when Calle Jarnkrok ripped a high wrist shot by Jonathan Quick with about 3 minutes left in the 1st. In a period where the Preds only managed four shots on goal, somehow they entered the first intermission up 1-0. In the 2nd period, noted Pred destroyer Jarome Iginla tied up the game on the power play.” LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052173 Los Angeles Kings

WAKING UP WITH THE KINGS: MARCH 10

JON ROSENMARCH 10, 2017

The Kings won a very important hockey game on Thursday amidst very little margin for error on the current home stand. For a realistic shot of the playoffs, this is a team that can’t post a record any worse than 5-2-0 or 4- 2-1 during this seven-game stretch, with one of the wins needing to come against St. Louis on Monday night. (For a better sense of how important that head-to-head match-up is and maximizing the remaining home games, take a look at the Blues’ remaining schedule). Meanwhile, Nashville appears to be getting dragged back down into the fight for a Wild Card berth, a development that wouldn’t be taking shape had the team not left so many overtime points on the table for the second year in a row. The game-winner was scored in four-on-three play, but let’s not forget the three-on-three too many men call that set in motion the events leading to Los Angeles earning two points. For a 2016-17 hockey game, the first period followed an all-too-familiar script. The Kings burst out of the gates with as much energy and purpose as in any game since the 6-3 win over Florida exactly one month prior. They were dominant physically, with large hits by Dustin Brown, Brayden McNabb, and a Brown/Trevor Lewis sandwich raising the energy and setting a tone for a game in which Los Angeles checked well and the Anze Kopitar line generated a small fortune of high-quality chances over the first 15 minutes. But because this is the ’16-17 Kings, and mistakes weasel their way into the back of their net with a curious (if anecdotal) regularity, the Predators scored on only their third shot of the game when Roman Josi made a good play at the blue line to disrupt a zone exit – see: checking leading to scoring chances – as Mike Fisher fed the puck to an unmarked Calle Jarnkrok in the slot. (+1000 quattors to Jarnkrok, who was very good in this game.) (Quattors are the official currency of LAKI, so Jarnkrok is now able to purchase LAKI Gold Status and talk politics in all caps on the blog.) Gaborik drew a lot of heat for this play, and yeah, let’s face it, he wasn’t particularly strong along the boards when trying to get the puck out of the zone. But the disruption of a zone exit along the boards by a defenseman is a play that happens a dozen times in the game, and this particular incident wouldn’t have stung Los Angeles had Alec Martinez not headed due north from his post, leaving Jarnkrok alone in the low slot to swing and connect on a pass headed towards a high danger area. Though they generated a lot in five-on-five play early, Gaborik, Kopitar and Iginla actually got hemmed back in their own zone over the remainder of their game (when, you know, they weren’t scoring huge power play goals) and were also on the ice for Kevin Fiala’s third period go-ahead marker. So. Jarome Iginla. Wearing number 88. Scoring two goals in a vitally important late season game for the Kings, including a follow-your-shot heads-up play on the overtime game-winner. So weird, right? Less weird? Iginla scoring goals against Nashville. He’s a point-a-game player against the Preds in his career, with 42 goals (!) in 68 games. Despite his familiarity with playing under Darryl Sutter last decade, this team is not the 2003-04 Flames, and there is still going to be a curve as he continues to become more comfortable playing in Los Angeles’ system. But he’s an effective power play performer with 196 career goals on the man advantage, and his slick hands around the net allowed the team to tie the game early in the second period before he buried his own blocked shot short-side past a not-set Pekka Rinne for the game-winner. The Kings are in dire need of offense – they still have only one five-on-five goal over the last four games – and one of the key factors towards a playoff berth will be getting familiar goal scorers going alongside Anze Kopitar, who has two goals and five points over his last six games but was held off the scoresheet Thursday. The details of the win over the Predators were encouraging in this regard, but this is still a team that will need to raise its five-on-five scoring to make the playoffs. They’ll have a really tough test on Saturday against the NHL-leading Washington Capitals and their league-best (by an 11-goal margin) 143 goals against. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052174 Los Angeles Kings

MARCH 10: BUS TEXTS WITH STOTHERS

LINDSAY CZARNECKIMARCH 10, 2017

This edition of Bus Texts with Stothers comes from the drive back from Bakersfield following a one-point gathering in an overtime loss, not the full effort the Reign coach was looking for. Bakersfield 3, Reign 2 (OT) The Reign hung around in the third period of a game they were mostly outplayed in but the end result was another road loss in Bakersfield. Joey LaLeggia beat Reign goalie Jack Campbell 1:05 into overtime on a shot from the left circle on a 2-on-1, this just moments after T.J. Hensick was stopped on a breakaway. Bakersfield struggled to solve Campbell early, who stopped all 11 shots he faced in the first when his team only registered three on Jonas Gustavsson and none in the final 10 minutes of the opening 20. Again in the second, Campbell did his part, even stopping Anton Lander on a five-hole try on a penalty shot attempt, the result of Lander being hauled down by Jonny Brodzinski on a breakaway. Bakersfield would finally open the scoring at 16:44 of the second on its 23rd shot as Campbell had very little chance on a Justin Fontaine feed to a wide-open on the back door. The Reign did answer in the final two minutes of the period, a bizarre play in which Gustavsson appeared to have the puck covered but instead lost it as it crossed the goal line. Teddy Purcell, the last to touch the puck and put it toward the net, was credited with the goal. Into the third the Reign were able to channel some desperation into their game despite giving up the go- ahead goal, a rebound put-away by Josh Currie of a long shot from the right point by Jordan Oesterle at 12:31. Presented with a power play — a delay of game call on Brodie Dupont for a faceoff violation — less than a minute later, the Reign converted. Brodzinski, playing in his first game since suffering a mid-body injury suffered last Wednesday, scored on a high redirect of a Vincent LoVerde shot to tie the game. As a little bit of luck and chance factored in on both their regulation tallies, Ontario didn’t have the same kind of fortune in OT. On the game-winning play Hensick actually lost his footing in the neutral zone, resulting in Cameron Schilling defending a 2-on-1, which he broke up and then fed Hensick, who was then behind the Condors defense. When Hensick made a move to his forehand, he couldn’t plant the puck over Gustavsson and as play went the other way LaLeggia scored. BUS TEXTS WITH STOTHERS ORI: What did the team do well tonight that you want them to build off of? Stothers: Play the entire game with the passion and urgency that we showed in the third period. ORI: Did you feel like the team was more in this one than the last visit to Bakersfield, just being able to get some bounces with Purcell’s goal and then the penalty that set up the PPG? Stothers: I guess the easy answer would be yes, because we got a point in a game we lost. Hockey is the only sport where you get a point for losing, or rewarding mediocrity. We were “OK” at best, but still got a ribbon for participating. You don’t get anything for losing in extra innings in baseball. Football and can go into overtime and the loser goes home knowing they came up short. We fell short again. Got scored on first. Took the first three penalties of the game and watched the smallest guy on their team score the game winning goal on his eighth shot of the game. ORI: Pointed synopsis. As far as Brodzinski goes, a relief to have him back and not out for an extended period? Also, was Setoguchi a healthy scratch? Stothers: Always good to have Brods in the lineup. He has 22 goals on a team that doesn’t score easily. He is a well rounded player that brings a lot more to the team than just scoring. He makes his teammates better. ORI: And Setoguchi? Or no answer on him tonight? Stothers: Setoguchi was a scratch. At this point we are making a push to play our younger players so they can gain the experience of playing down the stretch. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052175 Los Angeles Kings –Jack Campbell stopped Anton Lander on a penalty shot with 6:01 left in the second period. The penalty shot was the result of Lander receiving a stretch pass and going in on a breakaway before being caught and GAME 54: BAKERSFIELD 3, REIGN 2 + POSTGAME NOTES/VIDEO hauled down by Jonny Brodzinski. On the penalty shot, Lander’s move to his backhand, an attempt to go five hole on Campbell, was stopped.

Campbell stops Lander's penalty shot! Still scoreless deep into 2nd LINDSAY CZARNECKIMARCH 10, 2017 pic.twitter.com/o9zcLViSkb — Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 11, 2017 GAME THREADSONTARIO REIGN PREGAME NOTES Bakersfield Condors 3, 2 (OT) –Here’s how the Reign appeared in line rushes, courtesy of Joey Zakrzewski (no specific order): Final Michael Mersch – Mike Amadio – Sean Backman Radio feed Jonny Brodzinski – T.J. Hensick – Teddy Purcell Box score Patrick Bjorkstrand – Brett Sutter – Justin Auger SOG: ONT 28, BAK 36 Joel Lowry – Andrew Crescenzi – Sam Herr PP: ONT 1/2, BAK 0/3 Alex Lintuniemi – Vincent LoVerde ONT starters: G Jack Campbell, D Alex Lintuniemi, D Vincent LoVerde, LW Jonny Brodzinski, C T.J. Hensick, RW Teddy Purcell Kurtis MacDermid – Alexx Privitera BAK starters: G Jonas Gustavsson, D Griffin Reinhart, D Jordan Cameron Schilling – Zac Leslie Oesterle, LW Joey LaLeggia, C Anton Lander, RW Jesse Puljujarvi –Scratches for Ontario tonight: D Damir Sharipzianov, D Rob Scuderi, F FIRST PERIOD Paul Bissonnette, F Devin Setoguchi, D Connor Hardowa, F Daniel Ciampini, D Craig Wyszomirski and D Zach Trotman. No scoring –The Reign’s leading goal scorer Jonny Brodzinski returned to practice SECOND PERIOD this week and looks to return after missing two games last weekend due to a mid-body injury. 1) BAK – Scott Allen (8) (Justin Fontaine, Brodie Dupont), 16:44 –Goalie Jack Campbell (25-12-5; 2.64 GAA, .910 SV%) led the Reign out 2) ONT – Teddy Purcell (8) (T.J. Hensick), 18:17 for warmups and will face Jonas Gustavsson (3-3-1; 2.72, .908). THIRD PERIOD LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.11.2017 3) BAK – Josh Currie (15) (Jordan Oesterle, Kyle Platzer), 12:31 4) ONT PPG – Jonny Brodzinski (22) (Vincent LoVerde, Teddy Purcell), 13:42 OVERTIME 5) BAK – Joey LaLeggia (Josh Currie), 1:05 POSTGAME NOTES –With the loss, the Reign are now 29-16-9-0 overall and 5-1-2-0 against Bakersfield, which improved to 26-21-5-1. Ontario is now 23-16-9-0 against Pacific Division opponents and 11-8-7-0 in away games. –Ontario (.620 winning percentage) has 14 games left in the regular season and continues to stand in third place in the Pacific behind first- place San Jose (16 GR, .712) and second-place San Diego (15 GR, .689). The Condors are in fourth at .547 with 15 games left. –Ontario dropped to 8-9 in games decided in overtime/shootout this season. –Jack Campbell made his first start since starting 36 straight games and having that streak broken a weekend ago. He made 33 saves on 36 shots, including a penalty shot stop on Anton Lander in the second period. His record dropped to 25-12-6. –All eight games this season between the Reign and Condors have been decided by one goal. –Teddy Purcell scored his first goal since returning to the lineup on March 1 and added an assist. It was his seventh multi-point game with Ontario this season. –T.J. Hensick picked up his 30th assist of the season on Purcell’s goal to extend his points lead for the Reign to 43 (13G-30A=43). –The Reign dropped to 4-5-4-0 in games tied going into the third period and 18-7-9-0 in one-goal games. –Jonny Brodzinski scored his team-leading 22nd goal of the season in his first game back since missing the previous two due to a mid-body injury. He has a goal and two assists in his last three games. –Ontario’s power play went 1-for-3 to improve to 24.1 percent on the season, good for second in the AHL. The penalty kill went a perfect 3-for- 3 to improve to 81.2 percent overall. VIDEO IN-GAME NOTES 1052176 Los Angeles Kings

MORE QUOTES FROM TODAY’S PRACTICE: STEVENS, DOUGHTY

JON ROSENMARCH 10, 2017

Stevens, on whether Washington will serve as a good “test” on Saturday: Well, if you look at Washington, Minnesota, some of those teams, they’re the top offensive producers in the league and they’re the top defensive teams in the league. They’re far away out in front now with the goals against, and they do it last year, and they’re doing it again this year. They don’t just create offense from run and gun, they’re a very sound defensive team and really solid at all positions. They’re a committed checking team that gets the puck back in a hurry the other way. They’ll be a good challenge for us tomorrow. Drew Doughty, on what makes the Capitals a good team: Yeah, they’re good at everything, basically. I think they’re obviously one of the best teams in the league this year. They added a little firepower here at the trade deadline so yeah, they’re good at everything. We need to play good defensive hockey to beat them and if we try to get in to their style of game which is the rush game and give them chances back and forth then we’re going to lose. Doughty, on whether he “gets up” for games against Washington: I don’t think so. Yeah, I get up for games against Washington, obviously because I’m playing against Ovechkin and Backstrom and guys like that, but my type of game I like to play is against the Western teams like San Jose or Anaheim with the big, strong, physical games. Doughty, on a “pretty good on-ice rivalry with Ovechkin”: We obviously respect each other as players but when it comes down to it we both have a big desire to not lose and we’ll do whatever it takes to win and I’m going to run him and he’s going to run me. That’s just the way it is. Doughty, on the possibility that the NHL does not go to the Olympics: Yeah, it would be nice to know whether it’s going to happen. Obviously I always want to represent my country and playing in the Olympics is very special, but with them adding the World Cup and the Olympics it’s a lot of hockey. They’re expecting their top guys in the league to play a lot of hockey. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052177 Minnesota Wild different roles for some players and a different look and style by the team.

“We’ve had to do that, and I want to end that as quick as possible,” Wild looks to bounce back tonight at Florida, will be patient with Hanzal Boudreau said. “You have to see who works with Marty and who works with Whitey. Believe me, I hate moving the lines around as much as we’re moving them right now, but it’ll be very soon – I’d say the last 15 By Michael Russo MARCH 10, 2017 — 12:10PM games we want to get into a set combination and get ready for the playoffs.”

Hanzal has three assists in six games, is minus-3 and disturbingly has Bruce Boudreau was in a surprisingly jolly mood this morning. won only 44.9 percent of his draws. “Woke up this morning, sun came up, we’re still first place in the whole “You’ve got to understand,” Boudreau said. “He spent 10 years in one Western Conference, so it’s not like the world is falling,” the Wild coach organization and the last seven I think with the same coach. It’s an said after his team meeting before a very optional skate here in Sunrise, adjustment period for him. I know when I moved from organization to Fla. organization how different it is, whether it’s good or bad, it’s different. We’re trying to find out what his role is, and who’s best suited to play with As I stared out the window of my flight this morning and over the plume him on that role. That’s why he’s had almost different linemates every of smoke above the Everglades, I noticed the sun, too. night. We’re hoping that ends as well pretty soon, that he knows his role, Florida’s on fire right now! that he knows his linemates and that his linemates know him.” Good day from my old stomping grounds, the former National Car Rental Hanzal admits he’s having a tough time adapting both on and off the ice. Center/Office Depot Center. “It’s different, it’s new, something new for me, but I’m trying to just focus Boudreau’s message to the Wild following consecutive regulation losses on hockey right now and leave everything behind me because this is for the first time in four months? where I belong right now and I want to help this team to win,” he said. “I’m trying to focus 100 percent on hockey.” “Don’t get down,” Boudreau said. “I mean, just because things don’t work out right for us, we can correct this thing pretty quickly here. That’s what But there’s little doubt when you’re comfortable in Arizona forever and we plan on doing. It’s been the perfect storm of teams we’re playing then you get uprooted to a team that essentially has been on the road recently. They all need to win, they’re all motivated to win, they’re all since being traded, it has been tough living out of a suitcase, in hotel rested to win, but at the same token, it’s a great test, and it’s a great after hotel and with his wife and 5-year-old boy and 2 1/2-year-old challenge. daughter in the Czech Republic. “If you want to be a player in May and June, these are challenges you Turns out, because Hanzal knew he’d be traded somewhere, his family have to accept and take.” returned to Europe a week before the trade. He desperately misses them and expects them to arrive in Minnesota when the team returns from this The Wild faces yet another desperate opponent tonight in the Florida five-game trip. He also hopes by then he’ll have a place set up to live in Panthers. that’s not a hotel. It has been all downhill for the Panthers since sweeping a five-game road “When you don’t see your kids, your family, it’s tough,” he said. “It’s trip. The Panthers are 1-5-1 in their past seven with no regulation wins something new for me. This is hockey. Sometimes you get traded. I just since at St. Louis on Feb. 20. have to suck it up and play.” This is the second and final meeting of the season with Minnesota. The Asked how dramatically the systems are between Minnesota and Wild blew Florida out at home, 5-1, on Dec. 13. The Wild’s 14-3-3 all-time Arizona, Hanzal said the penalty kill is about the only thing that’s very vs. Florida, 6-3-1 in Sunrise. similar. Matt Dumba gets back in the lineup tonight. I’d assume it’s for Gustav “There some different stuff,” Hanzal said. “It’s a new coach, right? He Olofsson with Jonas Brodin moving back to the left side. wants something different than my old coach wanted, so it’s different. But I’m trying to adjust myself and hopefully I’ll adjust quick enough.” Darcy Kuemper vs. James Reimer. I’d assume new first, third and fourth lines tonight. I didn’t like the Kuemper’s 2-0-1 in his past three decisions, but he was yanked in his makeup of last night’s right from the morning skate. I’d think tonight last outing after giving up five goals in an eventual win at Winnipeg on makes a whole lot more sense. I’ll tweet em during warmups. Feb. 28. Lastly, Nino Niederreiter faces no discipline from the knee-on-knee with Reimer, in for an injured Roberto Luongo, believe it or not is 3-1 against Tyler Johnson last night. Minnesota with a 0.48 goals-against average, .984 save percentage and two shutouts in five games (four starts). That’s it for now. I have a bunch of cool stories in the works, by the way, so try to grab the paper or come back to the site during the next several No Wild forward changes, Boudreau said, meaning Jordan Schroeder is off-days (actually, technically they’d run day of the games). scratched again. I think Boudreau has thought about sitting Charlie Coyle (no points in 10 games, minus-8), but actually when I watched the game I’ll be on KFAN at 5 p.m. CT. over again quickly this morning, Coyle may have been Minnesota’s best forward last night and had five shots. Star Tribune LOADED: 03.11.2017 Thomas Vanek will face the Wild for the first time since being bought out. Remember, he was supposed to face Minnesota last month with Detroit, but he got hurt the day before in Columbus. Here’s the story I wrote to advance his return that never happened. He’ll play alongside fellow former Gopher Nick Bjugstad tonight. “I’ve been watching him since I was a little kid,” Bjugstad said. “Just to be on the same line with him is pretty exciting. He brings a lot to this lineup and adds depth offensively. I know what his skillset is around the net. You get it to him around the net, he’s probably going to bury it.” Bjugstad said it’s imperative the Panthers get on a role starting with “one of the best teams in the league. We have to find a way to compete and get on a roll here. Beating these guys would be huge for us.” Boudreau wants a lead tonight. He’s tired of the Wild playing from behind nightly, saying, “It’s a tough job mentally when you have to play catchup all the time.” I asked Boudreau more about his comment last night that it’s a coincidence the Wild’s in a rut since the Martin Hanzal/Ryan White trade. There’s a reason he’s changing the lines nightly with the byproduct being 1052178 Minnesota Wild Contributions up and down the lineup with Boudreau praising everybody from the lively Erik Haula line to Martin Hanzal, calling him a beast and saying you could see why they acquired him. Postgame: Relentless forecheck results in 46 shots, seven goals by Wild Other than a penalty, Hanzal drew a penalty, had an assist, three shots, five hits and won 12 of 22 draws. By far his most impactful game. By Michael Russo “I thought we played well,” Parise said. “We didn't play well the last two [games]. But you know what, I think that means that we've set the March 10, 2017 — 11:11PM standard pretty high, when it feels like panic sets in when we lose two games in a row. That means we're doing some good things this year. Yeah, we didn't play great for two games, I hope that today we learned some things about how we need to score. We got to the net really well. It felt like a Wild home game after Friday’s 7-4 win over the Florida And were able to put some in.” Panthers. On why the forecheck was so good, Parise said, “I'm not sure we were As the press elevator started to descend, there was an unmistakable, doing anything different. I think we had better legs. I think we were loud “Let’s Go Wild” chant coming from the BB&T corridors as getting in on the puck. I think we had better dumps, too. We didn't give vacationing and very satisfied Wild fans departed this entertaining game them as many goalie touches. And we had good rims that I think we were and streamed onto the fast-paced streets of … Sunrise. able to, I know the last goal, there was a rim, and we were able to get You have to hand it to coach Bruce Boudreau. some offense off of that. So that's something that we'll have to look at. But I thought we just had better legs forechecking.” The gutsy coach has no set way he drives a hockey game. He reacts on instinct, whether it’s changing lines or shortening the bench or, in this Boudreau said, “Both teams kept coming back. You just never knew. It case, not worrying about fracturing Darcy Kuemper’s already shaky was an entertaining game, but it’s one of those that make coaches hearts confidence by pulling him in a 3-3 game to start the third period because stop.” he wanted these two points badly and felt Devan Dubnyk offered the Wild Staal said, “I thought our start was actually pretty good. I mean the first the best chance of achieving that. ten minutes especially. But then they got some life on the power play. “I just thought that was such an important game that we did it the last Tough one on the other one, off the rush, and we're down 2-1. But we time and it worked,” Boudreau said, referring to the Winnipeg win 10 collectively got it back together there at the start of the second. It was a days ago when he pulled Kuemper after the Jets made it 5-5 in an good game. A couple goals either way that coaches probably don't like, eventual 6-5 Wild win. “I wanted to get this win as bad any other. I but we fought hard all night, and it was nice to be rewarded after last thought it was important for the team to get this win because the next two night.” games we’re in Chicago and Washington. … I didn’t want anything to That’s it for me. spill over. My thought is if this was the World Series or something, you’ve got your best pitcher in the bullpen, you’re going to use him. One big concern? Blue-line depth. Gustav Olofsson sustained an “It didn’t have anything to do with third goal. I wanted our best goalie in at upper-body injury against Tampa Bay that GM Chuck Fletcher is not that time.” prepared yet to say is day-to-day. Mike Weber is hurt with Iowa, so Mike Reilly is next in line and maybe only in line, kinda sorta. The third goal Boudreau was referring to was a bank shot from a corner wraparound Kuemper surrendered to Jaromir Jagr a mere 61 seconds Wild’s off Saturday. Barring news, no blog as I write an advance on the after the Wild rallied to take a 3-2 lead on goals by Staal and Jason Hawks game. Pominville 2:01 apart. I’m assuming the Wild won’t be “cocky” and start Kuemper, so NBC Dubnyk made a puck-handling booboo to start the period shaky and should be thrilled. allow Florida to take a 4-3 lead, but the Wild didn’t succumb, tied the score at 4-4 on Staal’s second goal of the game 2:27 later and the Wild Star Tribune LOADED: 03.11.2017 dominated from there during a 19-shot third period and season-high 46- shot game. Seven goals (yes, two empty-netters) after scoring five goals in the previous four games to snap a modest two-game losing streak and dial down the FREAKING OUT in the Twin Cities, and frankly, maybe its coach, too. The line-juggling master that is Boudreau unveiled four much more balanced lines against the Panthers than in my opinion he had in Tampa Bay, and the Wild rolled with a smothering forecheck and hardly looked like a team that played the night before and suffered a bad loss the night before. “If they work like that all the time, they’ll stay together like that all the time,” Boudreau said of the lines. What’s more, the Blackhawks have suddenly lost two in a row, so the Wild’s now three up on Chicago heading into Sunday’s NBC showdown and final regular-season meeting before what potentially could be a second-round showdown. Staal two goals and an assist to hit the 20-goal mark for the 10th time and 50-point mark for the 11th. Charlie Coyle empty-net goal, an assist, four shots on goal, nine shot attempts and coming one game after having five shots. Great foundation to build his game, these last two. Zach Parise the winning goal with 5:07 left and an assist. Jason Zucker a goal and an assist. Jonas Brodin two assists. Pominville a goal and an assist. Mikael Granlund an empty-net goal and an assist. Dubnyk 11 saves to match his career-high in wins (36). 1052179 Minnesota Wild

The key players and stats from Friday's game:

March 10, 2017 — 10:10PM

STAR TRIBUNE’S THREE STARS 1. Eric Staal, Wild: Topped the 20-goal mark for the 10th time and 50- point mark for the 11th time with two goals. 2. Vincent Trochek, Panthers: Assisted on two Florida goals. 3. Charlie Coyle, Wild: Empty-net goal, assist, four shots. BY THE NUMBERS 40: Assists for Mikael Granlund (eighth player in Wild history). 200: Career assists for Martin Hanzal. 100: Career assists for Coyle. 6-3-2: Wild record in second of back-to-backs this season. MICHAEL RUSSO Star Tribune LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052180 Minnesota Wild

Martin Hanzal's solid game pleases Wild coach Bruce Boudreau

By Michael Russo Star Tribune March 11, 2017 — 12:22AM

SUNRISE, FLA – Martin Hanzal admitted Friday morning he has had a tough time adapting on and off the ice to the first trade in his NHL career, and for that the Wild plans to be patient. “You’ve got to understand,” a sympathetic coach Bruce Boudreau said hours before Hanzal’s best game with the Wild during a 7-4 win over the Florida Panthers. “He spent 10 years in one organization and the last seven, I think, with the same coach. It’s an adjustment period for him. “I know when I moved from organization to organization how different it is, whether it’s good or bad, it’s different. We’re trying to find out what his role is, and who’s best suited to play with him on that role. That’s why he’s had almost different linemates every night. We’re hoping that ends pretty soon, that he knows his role, that he knows his linemates and that his linemates know him.” Boudreau sung Hanzal’s praises after the game by calling him a “beast” and saying he showed why the Wild traded for him. Hanzal brushed off a nasty slash to the left hand with an assist, three shots, five hits, 12 faceoff wins and a drawn penalty. Earlier in the day, the 30-year-old said he was trying to get used to the vastly different systems and styles of the Wild and Coyotes. “There some different stuff,” Hanzal said. “It’s a new coach, right? He wants something different than my old coach wanted, so it’s different. But I’m trying to adjust myself and hopefully I’ll adjust quick enough.” It has been hard for Hanzal because the Wild has essentially been on the road since the trade. So he has been living out of a suitcase from hotel room to hotel room. He also desperately misses his wife, 5-year-old son and 2½-year-old daughter, who returned to the Czech Republic in late February because Hanzal knew he’d be dealt somewhere. His family plans to come to Minnesota after the Wild returns from its five- game road trip. “When you don’t see your kids, your family, it’s tough,” he said. “It’s something new for me, but I’m trying to just focus on hockey right now and leave everything behind me because this is where I belong right now and I want to help this team to win.” A Gophers reunion Panthers center Nick Bjugstad is enjoying playing alongside newly acquired and fellow former Gopher Thomas Vanek, who faced the Wild on Friday night for the first time since the Wild bought out the final year of his contract in June. Vanek, 33, who was traded from Detroit to Florida on March 1, won the national championship in 2003 with the Gophers and was named the Frozen Four MVP. “I’ve been watching him since I was a little kid,” said Bjugstad, 24. “Just to be on the same line with him is pretty exciting. He brings a lot to this lineup and adds depth offensively. I know what his skill set is around the net. You get it to him around the net, he’s probably going to bury it.” Bjugstad, a former Blaine star, still keeps an eye on the state tournament. He listened to Stillwater’s final game on his cellphone (his cousin, Jesse, played for Stillwater). Bjugstad once lost in the state semifinals to Eden Prairie, led by Nick Leddy and Kyle Rau, after holding a 2-0 lead going into the third period. “You never know this time of year. One-game elimination. I wish it was a series,” said Bjugstad. Etc. • Defenseman Matt Dumba, who missed two games because of an illness, returned and replaced rookie Gustav Olofsson, who has been sidelined with an upper-body injury. Winger Jordan Schroeder was scratched for a fourth consecutive game. • Left winger Nino Niederreiter faced no discipline for his knee-on-knee that injured Tampa Bay’s Tyler Johnson on Thursday. Star Tribune LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052181 Minnesota Wild Pysyk broke a 1-1 tie when his wrist shot from the high slot got past Kuemper on the glove side with 1:49 left in the first to give the Panthers a 2-1 lead. Parise, Staal lead Wild over Panthers, 7-4 Zucker gave the Wild a 1-0 lead 7:50 in. The Panthers tied it at 1 on Marchessault's power-play goal at 14:22. By PAUL GEREFFI Associated Press NOTES: Panthers G Roberto Luongo, who has missed three games, March 10, 2017 — 10:45PM might be out another 1-2 weeks with a lower-body injury. ... Marchessault has 20 goals for the first time in his NHL career. ... Wild C Martin Hanzal recorded his 200th career assist on the Pominville goal. ... Staal reached the 20-goal mark for the 10th time in his career. ... D Christian Folin SUNRISE, Fla. — Zach Parise and the Minnesota Wild got back to their missed his second straight game with an upper-body injury. ... D Matt winning ways. Dumba missed his second game due to illness. Parise scored the go-ahead goal with 5:07 left and the Wild pulled away Star Tribune LOADED: 03.11.2017 to beat the reeling Florida Panthers 7-4 on Friday night to snap a two- game losing streak. With the score tied 4, goalie James Reimer blocked a shot from the point by Jonas Brodin, but the puck bounced out to his left side where he didn't see it and it sat in the crease. Parise swept the loose puck in. The Western Conference-leading Wild won after losing their previous two games. "I think we've set the standard pretty high when panic sets in when we lose two games in a row," Parise said. "That mean we're doing some good things this year. We got to the net really well and were able to put some in." Mikael Granlund scored an empty-net goal with 1:10 left, his team- leading 22nd of the season, and Charlie Coyle added another empty- netter with 2.5 seconds left. Eric Staal scored twice for Minnesota, and Jason Pominville and Jason Zucker also connected. Darcy Kuemper made 25 saves before he was replaced by Devan Dubnyk to start the third period. Dubnyk stopped 11 shots, and matched his career high with 36 wins. Kuemper was also given an early hook in his last start on Feb. 28in a 6-5 win at Winnipeg in favor of Dubnyk. "I just thought that this was such an important game," Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said. "We did it last time and it worked. I wanted to get this win as bad as any of them. I thought it was important for our team to get this win because the next two games we're in Chicago, Washington and (later) the Rangers. If it's the World Series and you have your best pitcher in the bullpen, you use him." Jaromir Jagr scored his 762nd NHL goal. Mark Pysyk had a goal and an assist, and Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Marchessault also scored. Reimer stopped 38 shots. The Panthers have lost seven of their past eight. "Obviously, it could have gone both ways, but we always manage to find a way to not win hockey games," Marchessault said. "It's a bad game defensively. Everybody needs to help each other and try to pick each other up. We need to turn that boat around." The Panthers were riding high after a five-game win streak on the road. Now, it seems their season is coming apart as they have won just one home game in their past eight. "We just have to worry about Tampa Bay tomorrow, go in there and have a real good game and forget about this one as quick as we can," Panthers interim coach Tom Rowe said. Barkov gave the Panthers a 4-3 lead at 2:57 of the third. Dubnyk mishandled the puck behind the net. Barkov found the loose puck and put it into an empty net. The Wild tied it 4 on Staal's second goal. He grabbed a rebound and put the puck past Reimer at 5:24. "Tonight we fought hard to make sure that we were on the right side of the win and against a desperate team," Staal said. "We should feel good about that." The Wild tied it 2 in the second period when Nino Niederreiter passed from behind the goal line to Staal in front, who poked in the puck at 8:07. The Wild took a 3-2 lead two minutes later. Pominville shot the puck over Reimer, who was down flat on his back in the crease during a scrum in front. Jagr tied it at 3 when he came from behind the net and put a shot on goal from the right side that went off Kuemper and in at 11:09 of the second. 1052182 Minnesota Wild "Our group overall, we're a pretty positive group," Pominville said. "We keep our composure, don't get rattled about many things. We kept our cool." Wild rallies for 7-4 victory over Florida to end two-game skid Star Tribune LOADED: 03.11.2017

By Michael Russo Star Tribune March 11, 2017 — 12:08AM

SUNRISE, FLA. – With 16 games left and three sets of back-to-backs, there's little doubt Darcy Kuemper will see a few more starts for the Wild before the playoffs begin. The question is whether he sees those starts through without Devan Dubnyk having to come in for cleanup duty. For the second time in 10 days, the Wild's backup goalie got the heave from Bruce Boudreau, this time — unusually — in a tie game against the Florida Panthers to start the third period. And, for the second time in as many relief appearances, Dubnyk backstopped the Wild to victory. In an entertaining game full of crazy twists and windy turns that Boudreau said could make a coach's heart stop, the Wild triumphed 7-4, ending its modest two-game losing streak. "We've set the standard pretty high when it feels like panic sets in when we lose two games in a row," said Zach Parise, who broke a 4-4 tie with 5 minutes, 7 seconds left. In Winnipeg — a 6-5 win on Feb. 28 — Boudreau pulled Kuemper after the Jets stormed back to tie the score because he felt Kuemper was too rattled to complete the contest. Thursday, with the Wild playing with energy and relentlessness despite a bad loss the night before, Boudreau didn't want to waste a strong performance with the Wild about to enter the barns of powerhouses Chicago and Washington. "I wanted to get this win as bad any other," Boudreau said. "My thought was if this was the World Series or something, you've got your best pitcher in the bullpen, you're going to use him. … I wanted our best goalie in at that time." Boudreau insisted the decision in a 3-3 game had nothing to do with a poor tying goal Kuemper surrendered to Jaromir Jagr a mere 61 seconds after the Wild rallied to take a 3-2 lead on goals by Eric Staal and Jason Pominville 2:01 apart. But, it couldn't have helped. "You feel bad for Kuemps," Parise said. "I thought he made some good saves." Dubnyk's initiation didn't go as planned when he committed a puck- handling gaffe that resulted in Aleksander Barkov's go-ahead goal into a wide-open net 2:57 into the third. But slumping Charlie Coyle, who followed a strong game at Tampa with another solid game at Florida, flew into the offensive zone, dropped a pass to Marco Scandella and Staal potted the rebound for his 21st goal and second of the game. The Wild fired a season-high 46 shots and got contributions up and down the lineup from three revamped lines. Staal had three points, Coyle, Parise, Pominville, Mikael Granlund, Jason Zucker and Jonas Brodin two each. "If they work like that all the time, they'll stay together like that all the time," said Boudreau, who's juggling lines incessantly lately. The Wild's forecheck was fantastic, and the Wild was rewarded on all its goals after scoring five times in the previous four games. Zucker tipped a Brodin shot for the Wild to open the scoring for only the second time in the past eight games. Staal's first goal came after he crashed the net to receive Nino Niederreiter's pass. A charging Pominville roofed a rebound after a mad scramble. Parise's winner came when he pounced on a Brodin rebound sitting in the blue paint behind goalie James Reimer. Granlund and Coyle scored empty-netters. Dubnyk made 11 saves and matched his career high with 36 wins. It was a solid bounceback after the loss in Tampa that had Boudreau voicing concern but changing his tune Friday morning, reminding his team that, "We're still first place in the whole Western Conference, so it's not like the world is falling." The Wild broke out of the "mini-slump" by moving three points up on Chicago, which has lost two in a row, heading into Sunday morning's showdown on NBC at the United Center. 1052183 Minnesota Wild Defenseman Matt Dumba, who missed two games because of illness, was scheduled to rejoin the lineup against the Panthers. … Backup goaltender Darcy Kuemper was tapped to start for the first time since Wild’s Martin Hanzal still struggling to find his place with new teAM allowing five goals and getting pulled in a 6-5 win Feb. 28 at Winnipeg Pioneer Press LOADED: 03.11.2017 By BRIAN MURPHY | PUBLISHED: March 10, 2017 at 12:42 pm | UPDATED: March 10, 2017 at 12:42 PM

SUNRISE, Fla. — Pending free agent Martin Hanzal knew he would be traded by the Arizona Coyotes, the organization that drafted him 17th overall in 2005 and the only team he had played for before the Wild acquired him Feb. 26. So he had his wife, Lenka, pack up their 5-year-old son and 2 1/2-year- old daughter in Phoenix and move back to their native Czech Republic and prepare for the unknown. Three weeks later, Hanzal acknowledged he is “still searching” to find his game in Minnesota. The transition has been difficult on and off the ice. The hulking center is shedding old habits from the system he played under longtime Coyotes coach and absorbing coach Bruce Boudreau’s style of play with a revolving cast of linemates. “A lot of new stuff for me,” he said Friday as the Wild prepared to play the Florida Panthers. “I’m trying to learn as fast as I can. We’ve lost a few games here, which makes it tougher. I’m trying to get better each day. Just asking the guys, the coaches, where’s the right place five-on-five, on the (penalty kill).” Hanzal has three assists but is minus-4 through six games with the Wild, belying his reputation as a solid two-way center who is tough to play against. “I think it’s more the system,” he said. “I don’t care who I play with. I’ve been playing the same system the last eight years, right? So that’s probably the biggest difference.” There is a lot at stake for Hanzal and the Wild. The team traded its 2017 first-round draft pick, a 2018 second-round pick, a conditional 2019 fourth-round pick and prospect Grayson Downing for Hanzal and center Ryan White. It was an aggressive deal by general manager Chuck Fletcher, who acknowledged mortgaging the future for a pair of rental players brought in to complement an already balanced and productive lineup. Boudreau, a vagabond minor-leaguer, is sympathetic to Hanzal’s adjustment period. But time is running out to solidify the forward lines. He has been shuffling them for weeks trying to assimilate Hanzal and White while juggling the unexpected loss and recent return of mumps patients Zach Parise and Jason Pominville. “You have to see who works with Marty and who works with Whitey and things,” Boudreau said. “Believe me, I hate moving the lines as much as we’re moving them right now. The last 15 games we want to get into a set combination and get ready for the playoffs. “I know what (Hanzal’s) role is and who’s best suited to play with him in that role. That’s why he’s had almost different linemates each night. We’re hoping that ends pretty soon as well, and that he knows his role and knows his linemates.” Hanzal is set to reunite with his family when the Wild return to Minnesota on March 17 from their season-long five-game road trip. He expects to have housing established after spending his first few nights in town sleeping in a hotel. “Yeah, when you don’t see your kids, your family, for three weeks, it’s tough,” he said. “This is hockey. Sometimes you get traded. You’ve got to suck it up and play. “It’s something new for me, but I’m just trying to focus on hockey right now and leave everything behind me because this is where I belong right now, helping this team to win.” HE SAID IT Boudreau on the Wild’s current three-losses-in-four-games skid, their first since early November: “I woke up this morning. Sun came up. We’re still in first place in the whole Western Conference, so it’s not like the world is falling. If you want to be a player in May or June, these are challenges you have to accept and take.” BRIEFLY 1052184 Minnesota Wild Staal, who eclipsed 20 goals for the 10th time in his career, was equally circumspect.

“I don’t think we were worried by any stretch. We like our team. We like Wild break out of scoring slump, beat Panthers 7-4 our group,” he said. “We’ve got experienced players, guys that get it. It’s not going to be perfect every night. That doesn’t mean that gives us an excuse. But tonight we fought hard to make sure we were on the right By Brian Murphy | PUBLISHED: March 10, 2017 at 9:45 pm | UPDATED: side against a desperate team. We’ve got to feel good about that.” March 10, 2017 at 10:53 PM Pioneer Press LOADED: 03.11.2017

SUNRISE, Fla. — Yeah, about that scoring slump … After scoring just four even-strength goals in their previous four games, the Wild erupted offensively Friday night, outlasting the Florida Panthers to steal an assuring victory despite their festering problem with backup goalie Darcy Kuemper. Zach Parise’s goal with 5:07 remaining capped a raucous, back-and-forth third period that lifted the Wild to the 7-4 win at BB&T Center. Eric Staal scored two goals and added an assist to pace a ferocious attack that featured seven players with multiple points. Devan Dubnyk came off the bench in the third period to lock down a win Minnesota needed to sand off the edge after it lost consecutive games and three of four for the first time in four months. “It was an entertaining game but one of those that make a coach’s heart stop,” said coach Bruce Boudreau. Parise pounced on a loose puck in the crease after Jonas Brodin’s long drive trickled through Florida goalie James Reimer. It was his 16th goal of the second and fourth game-winner. The win allowed the Wild to split back-to-back games in the Sunshine State after an ugly 4-1 loss Thursday at Tampa Bay. With Chicago’s loss at Detroit, they extended their Western Conference lead over the Blackhawks to three points entering Sunday’s showdown at United Center. However, not all is still not right in the Wild kingdom. Boudreau’s confidence in Kuemper has evaporated after the Wild coach yanked him to start the third period in a 3-3 game, turning over the net to Dubnyk on the off-night of a back-to-back set. Kuemper, who was pulled late in the third period of his last start — an eventual 6-5 victory Feb. 28 at Winnipeg — allowed a momentum- snuffing, tying goal to Jaromir Jagr in the second period only a minute after Jason Pominville put the Wild up 3-2. Boudreau insisted the Jagr goal did not prompt the move but acknowledged games against the Blackhawks and NHL-leading Washington Capitals in the next four days put a premium on these two points in southeast Florida. “I just thought that this was such an important game that, we did it the last time and it worked, and I wanted to get this win as bad as any of them,” he said. “If this was the World Series, and you’ve got your best pitcher in the bullpen, you’re going to use him. It didn’t have anything to do with that third goal because Kuemps made a couple good saves after that. It was just that I wanted our best goalie in at that time.” It was a dubious beginning for Dubnyk, who mishandled a dump-in behind that net that led to Aleksander Barkov’s goal early in the third to make it 4-4. But he made 11 saves to earn his 36th win. Minnesota pumped 46 shots on goal during a wide-open game that featured four lead changes and five third-period goals, including empty- netters by Mikael Granlund and Charlie Coyle. The jump the Wild lacked in their previous two losses was evident. Pominville and Jason Zucker also scored for the Wild, who lost leads of 1-0 and 3-2 but rallied from deficits of 2-1 and 4-3. “It was a good game; had a little bit of edge to it,” said Parise. Staal and Nino Niederreiter had a strong game. Niederreiter assisted on both of his veteran linemate’s goals as Staal and Zucker tied each other for the team lead with 21 goals apiece. One could sense a collective sigh of relief as the Wild packed their bags for the trip north to Chicago, their toughest two road games of the season looming. “We’ve set the standard pretty high when it feels like panic sets in when we lose two games in a row,” Parise sagely noted. “That means we’re doing some good things this year.” 1052185 Montreal Canadiens The Canadiens enjoyed a day off Friday in Edmonton — which should help Price fight off his flu bug — and will wrap up their Western Canada trip Sunday against the Oilers (7 p.m., SN, RDS, TSN Radio 690). Stu Cowan: Lack of offence should be big concern for Canadiens Coach Claude Julien has made the Canadiens a better team since taking over from Michel Therrien, posting a 7-3-0 record so far while putting a swarming defence into place to cut down on shots against and time spent STU COWAN, MONTREAL GAZETTE in the defensive zone. But after going four straight games allowing less than 30 shots, the Flames fired 38 at Montoya. It wasn’t the goalie’s fault Published on: March 10, 2017 | Last Updated: March 10, 2017 6:57 PM the Canadiens lost after they were outshot 16-5 in the first period and EST were only losing 1-0. “Our whole game suffered,” said Julien, adding his players looked tired for some reason and didn’t have their skating legs. “We were second to EDMONTON — It doesn’t matter who your coach is or what new system the pucks, we were slow to close, all those kind of things. It all crept into you’re using, one thing never changes in hockey: the team that scores our game here, so I don’t think that defensive part of our game is a worry. the most goals wins. Hopefully we get our skating legs going, we’ll get some scoring chances And however far the Canadiens end up going this season it certainly like we did the other night in Vancouver (a 2-1 overtime win against the seems like a lack of offence will eventually be their downfall. They simply Canucks). We had a lot of quality scoring chances, we only scored one in don’t have enough depth when it comes to scoring goals. regulation. But we were creating them and we’ll keep working on that.” A case in point was Thursday night’s 5-0 loss to the Flames in Calgary. They better. The Flames, who won their eighth straight and have earned points in 10 Montreal Gazette LOADED: 03.11.2017 consecutive games (9-0-1), have five players with at least 40 points. The Canadiens have only two: Max Pacioretty (31-27-58) and Alexander Radulov (15-31-46). Pacioretty hasn’t scored in five games and Radulov is out with a lower- body injury, which partially explains why the Canadiens were shut out in Calgary. The Canadiens had won six straight before losing to the Flames, but won two of those games by scoring two goals and another by scoring only one. Carey Price was in goal for all three of those games and has won five straight starts while posting a mind-boggling .964 save percentage. Price didn’t play in Calgary because of the flu, but it wouldn’t have mattered if he did unless he was dressed as a forward and could score. A .964 save percentage is not sustainable — even for Price — so the Canadiens are going to have to start scoring more goals. But as GM Marc Bergevin said after the NHL trade deadline passed on March 1, scoring goals is not easy late in the season as the playoff races heat up. Downtown Edmonton, where #Habs have day off today. Next game is Sunday vs #Oilers (7 pm, SN, RDS) #HabsIO pic.twitter.com/tbQELGiPrr — Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) March 10, 2017 Of course, Bergevin didn’t do much to help the Canadiens score more goals at the trade deadline, acquiring forwards Dwight King, Steve Ott, Andreas Martinsen and defenceman Brandon Davidson, who have combined for 14 goals this season — none since joining the Canadiens. The Canadiens were averaging 3.4 goals per game when they got off to a 9-0-1 start, but after Thursday’s loss fell to 18th in the NHL in that category with an average of 2.69. The power play has also dropped to 12th with a 20.5 per cent success rate. Goals are definitely getting harder to score — especially for a team like the Canadiens that doesn’t have much offensive depth. The Senators moved within two points of the first-place Canadiens in the Atlantic Division on Thursday night when they beat the Arizona Coyotes 3-2 in overtime on a goal by offensive-minded defenceman Eric Karlsson. The Senators, who hold two games in hand on the Canadiens, have four players with more than 40 points: Karlsson (61), Mark Stone (50), Mike Hoffman (46) and Kyle Turris (44). The Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets — the two top teams in the Eastern Conference standings after Thursday’s games — both had five players with at least 40 points, while the third-place Pittsburgh Penguins had four before facing the Oilers in Edmonton on Friday night. You have to wonder where the Canadiens would be if Bergevin hadn’t taken a risk on free-agent Radulov last summer. Pacioretty hasn’t been the same player the last three games Radulov has missed with his injury. Phillip Danault, the Canadiens’ first-line centre, hasn’t scored in 20 games and it’s not from a lack of effort on his part. After Thursday’s loss, Pacioretty was asked if he is concerned by a lack of team offence. “We just won six in a row, so I don’t know if I’m in the place to comment on that,” the captain said. “We liked the way we were playing as of late. Tonight is definitely not our identity, that’s not our team. But we’ll make sure we come out flying against Edmonton.” 1052186 Montreal Canadiens fact or not, there wasn’t 20 guys out there with the flu. It was more one of those flat games that every once in a while will creep in. So for us, it’s hopefully to really look at the next game, hopefully have a much better In the Habs Room: Canadiens looked sick in shutout loss to Flames outing, bounce back and get yourself back on track. “These kind of games, sometimes you got to move on,” the coach added. “It’s not like you can look at one or two or four or five players. It was all Stu Cowan, Montreal Gazette across the board. We just didn’t seem to have our skating legs here tonight and it affected our whole game. … It’s unfortunate. We were Published on: March 10, 2017 | Last Updated: March 10, 2017 6:11 AM looking for a good matchup of two teams that had been playing well, but EST we came out real flat here tonight.” After the game, Price was spotted heading to the team bus dressed in a nice suit and looking not too bad. CALGARY — Al Montoya did his best Carey Price impersonation during the first period of Thursday night’s game against the Calgary Flames, but That was the only good news for the Canadiens on this night. in the end he simply isn’t Carey Price. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 03.11.2017 Final score: Flames 5, Canadiens 0. The backup goalie only found out he was getting the start Thursday afternoon after Price came down with a flu bug and Montoya’s teammates might have made him feel ill himself after they were outshot 16-5 in the first period. But Montoya played great and the score was only 1-0 after 20 minutes on a goal by Mark Giordano after Matthew Tkachuck did a spinarama move to set Giordano up all alone in the high slot. The Canadiens’ defence pair of Jeff Petry and Alexei Emelin were left in freeze frame and Montoya had little chance of stopping Giordano’s shot high to the glove side. It was a sign of things to come for both Montoya and Emelin, who finished the game minus-3 after being a healthy scratch for Tuesday’s 2-1 overtime win in Vancouver. The final score could have been much worse if not for Montoya, who ended up stopping 33 of 38 shots while the Canadiens fired 24 blanks at Flames goalie Brian Elliott, who earned his first shutout of the season and is 11-1-1 in his last 13 games. The Canadiens saw their six-game win streak come to an end, while the Flames won their eighth straight. “We looked like a tired team tonight for some reason,” Canadiens coach Claude Julien said. “We had no energy, our skating legs weren’t there across the board and it showed. When you don’t have the energy and your skating game’s not there, the rest of your game suffers and we weren’t executing because we weren’t skating. “They played well,” Julien added. “Their game was at its best and you can see why they’re on a pretty good roll right now.” A big reason for the Canadiens’ six-game winning streak heading into the game was the fact Price won five of them while posting a .964 save percentage. Price was the No. 5 overall pick by the Canadiens at the 2005 NHL draft and Montoya was selected sixth overall the previous year by the New York Rangers. Price has since earned a reputation as the best goalie in the world, while Montoya has become a career backup, capable of playing well often enough when needed, but not the type of goalie who can steal games like Price can when his teammates don’t play well. And Montoya can’t score. Give Montoya credit for not making any excuses after finding out so late in the day that he was getting the start. He actually didn’t need any after his performance. “It’s my job,” said Montoya, who couldn’t remember the exact time he found out he was playing. “I’m ready to go. I look for the opportunity to play when it arises and unfortunately Pricer was sick, but he’s been phenomenal for us and for me it’s my job to go in there and step up and give the team a chance to win.” He did for more than half the game. It’s Montoya’s teammates who could have been searching for some excuses after their performance. Captain Max Pacioretty noted quite a few players on the team have been fighting the flu bug. “A lot of guys have had it, but that’s still no excuse,” said Pacioretty, who had four shots but has now gone five games without a goal. “Knock on wood, but I think I might have been the guy who started it, but it went away pretty quickly so hopefully that’s the case for everyone who doesn’t feel well right now.” If Julien wants his players to feel better, he probably shouldn’t show them any video of the game and the team’s scheduled day off Friday in Edmonton comes at a very good time. The Canadiens will wrap up their Western Canada road trip Sunday night against the Oilers (7 p.m., SN, RDS, TSN Radio 690). When the flu bug was mentioned to Julien, he responded: “I don’t believe in excuses and I’m not going to use that as an excuse. Whether that’s a 1052187 Montreal Canadiens and also fetched the keepsake puck for the former Calgary Hitmen standout.

The way Elliott has been slamming the door, a two-goal lead probably Calgary Flames tie franchise mark with eighth straight win but lose two would have been plenty, but his pals would provide extra cushion with a defenceman to injury in 5-0 win over Montreal Canadiens pair of lamp-lightings in a 26-second span to turn this one into a rout. After Stone’s shot from the point was blocked, Monahan buried a gimme Wes Gilbertson, Postmedia Network | March 10, 2017 | Last Updated: from point-blank range. That tally hadn’t even been announced when Mar 10 8:42 AM ET Gaudreau found Ferland with a sneaky saucer pass and the bruiser picked the top shelf for his sixth goal in eight skates since being promoted to Calgary’s top line. Goaltender Brian Elliott of the Calgary Flames keeps his focus squarely Gaudreau would round out the scoring with less than four minutes on the puck during NHL action Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens remaining in the final frame and the hosts would help Elliott seal the you- in Calgary. Elliott had 24 saves as the Flames posted a 5-0 victory to know-what. extend their winning streak to eight straight, tying a franchise mark. “I don’t think we turned the puck over in the third. We just wanted to Eight straight. make sure that we were playing the right way the whole way,” said Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan. “Nobody says (shutout) on the The Calgary Flames continued their red-hot roll and forced a revision to bench. Nobody says the word. But everybody knew what we were the local record books with Thursday’s 5-0 drubbing of the Montreal playing for.” Canadiens at the Saddledome. National Post LOADED: 03.11.2017 The Flames not only extended their current tear to eight consecutive Ws, they equalled the longest such spree in the 37 years since the franchise moved north from Atlanta. “Anytime you’re part of these streaks and you can say that we matched the longest one in history . . . It’s a big accomplishment,” said Flames captain Mark Giordano. “Last year, we did 11 at home … and it feels good to be a part of those streaks. You’re doing something right. But this one feels a lot better because of the situation we are in and what it means for playoffs.” What it means in the playoff race is the Flames (37-26-4) now have just as many points as the Edmonton Oilers, although their archrivals are sitting third in the Pacific Division because they have one game in hand. What it means in the history books is that the Flames’ current sizzler is, officially, an all-timer. The 1988-89 Flames rolled to eight in a row during their Stanley Cup- winning campaign. The 1992-93 edition would repeat that feat, while Jarome Iginla and Miikka Kiprusoff co-starred in an eight-game run in November 2005. Now, Gio and Moose, Johnny and Monny, Backs and Chucky and the rest of the current cast, have earned their own slice of history. They’ll be shooting for sole possession of that club mark in Saturday’s road meeting with the Winnipeg Jets at MTS Centre. “We can’t be satisfied with it, but we’re playing well right now. We’re playing as a group,” said Flames alternate captain Sean Monahan. “When you’re coming to the rink every day and it’s fun like this, it makes you want to keep building on it. As a group right now, we’re doing that.” Question is, will the Flames have a full complement of back-enders in Winnipeg? Thursday’s celebrations came with a side of concern after a pair of key defencemen — Dougie Hamilton and Michael Stone — departed early due to injuries. Hamilton exited with a lower-body ailment after he was tangled along the boards with Andreas Martinsen late in the second, while Stone seemed to be favouring a shoulder as he retreated to the locker-room after a collision about five minutes into the third. That’s the only thing that didn’t go Calgary’s way on this night. “I would say, out of the eight, that’s the most complete,” Giordano said. “And probably one of our better games all year.” Johnny Gaudreau led Thursday’s blowout with a goal and three assists, while Giordano, Stone, Monahan and Micheal Ferland also scored and Brian Elliott delivered a 24-save shutout for his first goose-egg in Calgary’s colours. You need some breaks to enjoy an extended roll at hockey’s highest level, and the Flames lucked out Thursday when Montreal’s superstar puck-stopper, Carey Price, was scratched due to the flu. The hosts greeted goalie Al Montoya with a barrage of 16 shots on net in the opening stanza, although Giordano was the only guy to put a puck behind him, ripping a wrister just inside the iron after a dandy setup by rookie Matthew Tkachuk. Stone sparked a second-period outburst with his first tally in Flames silks. Troy Brouwer provided the screen, while Gaudreau collected an assist 1052188 Nashville Predators PREDATORS at SHARKS When: 3 p.m. Saturday Predators' skid complicating playoff path TV/radio: Fox TN/102.5-FM Tennessean LOADED: 03.11.2017 Adam Vingan , USA TODAY NETWORK — Tennessee 11:24 a.m. CT March 10, 2017

A 3-2 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday was the Predators' fourth consecutive defeat, marking their longest losing streak this season. There's never an advantageous time to endure such a slump, but the Predators are suffering theirs at the most inopportune moment. Barely clutching onto third place in the Central Division, Nashville is needlessly making its path to a possible playoff appearance more treacherous. "We’re giving points away right now," Predators defenseman Roman Josi told reporters. Here's what has gone wrong for the Predators over the past week: Wins are for closers The Predators have displayed an inability to finish off opponents, a trait commonly held by championship-caliber teams. In consecutive regulation losses to the Canadiens and Blackhawks last week, the Predators surrendered the game-winning goal in the dying moments of the third period, losing with nine seconds left against Montreal and 1:05 left against Chicago. Scoring the first goal also hasn't helped, with Nashville, which has a 19- 3-7 record when doing so, striking first against Montreal on March 2, Anaheim on Tuesday and Los Angeles on Thursday. The Predators trailed for a combined nine seconds against those three teams, ending up with two of a possible six points (0-1-2). "I think we can be better in the third (period)," Predators captain Mike Fisher told reporters. "Just shut it down." Porous penalty kill Each of the Kings' three goals Thursday were scored on the power play. During the Predators' four-game losing streak, they have allowed six power-play goals on 11 opportunities, which converts to a terrible 45.5 penalty-killing percentage. Between Jan. 1 and March 1, the Predators thwarted 82.5 percent of opposing power plays, ninth-best in the NHL within that two-month span. "Needs to be better," Predators coach told reporters. Overtime woes There's no sugarcoating the fact that the Predators are incredibly inept at winning games that extend past regulation. A bench minor for having too many men on the ice Thursday led to Kings forward Jarome Iginla's overtime game-winner. Since the start of last season, the Predators are 4-19 in games decided within the 3-on-3 period, the fewest wins and most losses in the NHL. Nashville is 2-7 this season, wasting several points that would've bettered its playoff position. Including shootouts, the Predators have lost 25 of 35 games in the past two seasons that required overtime. If they qualify, at least the Predators can find comfort in knowing that 3- on-3 overtime and shootouts disappear in the postseason. "Just being better in those crucial moments and then attacking games for 60 minutes," Josi told reporters Thursday. "I mean, we got the lead in the third and we just somehow have to hold onto that lead and keep playing and try to find that next goal. We didn’t do that." WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFF STANDINGS ENTERING FRIDAY Nashville: 75 points, third place in Central Division Calgary: 78 points, first wild-card holder St. Louis: 71 points, second wild-card holder Los Angeles: 70 points, ninth place NEXT GAME 1052189 Nashville Predators The veteran has one point in 14 games with Nashville. Colton Sissons played for the first time since Feb. 21, and Fiala also returned after being a healthy scratch in Anaheim. Iginla gets 2nd goal in OT, leads Kings past Predators 3-2 Tennessean LOADED: 03.11.2017

GREG BEACHAM, AP Hockey Writer 8:07 a.m. CT March 10, 2017

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jarome Iginla has spent the better part of two decades scoring clutch goals against the Western Conference's best teams, including the Los Angeles Kings. The 39-year-old scorer is finally on the Kings' side, and they've discovered his shot is still as dangerous as ever. Iginla scored with 1:26 left in overtime, and the Kings rallied for a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on Thursday night. In his third game with his new club, Iginla got his first two goals for the Kings, both on Los Angeles' frequently struggling power play. "It feels good, especially with a new team," Iginla said. "To be with the guys and find some way to contribute, it's exciting to be out there at the end in a key situation." The Kings acquired Iginla at the trade deadline for the playoff push, and the 20-year veteran capitalized on two big opportunities to push his low- scoring new club to another win. "He's a goal-scorer, and he has been for a long time," Kings defenseman Drew Doughty said. "His first goal was a pretty easy one, but the second one was a great shot. He's just had an unbelievable shot for so long, and he just puts pucks in the net that not many other guys can put in." Iginla's first goal for the Kings was the 620th of his NHL career. He scored on a tap-in of Marian Gaborik's chance in the waning seconds of a power play in the second period. After the Predators were whistled for too many men on the ice with 2:24 to play, Iginla skated in low and roofed a shot over Pekka Rinne, who made 31 saves. Just like that, Iginla had his first multi-goal game since February 2016 with Colorado. "It's fun, these games," Iginla said. "There's a lot on the line. It feels great to be back in these types of games." Gaborik also had the tying goal along with his assist in just his third multipoint game of the season, and Jonathan Quick made 21 saves. Calle Jarnkrok and Kevin Fiala scored for Nashville, which has lost four straight. The Predators still took a point in each of their first two stops on a three-game California road trip despite giving up three power-play goals between Anaheim and Los Angeles. "We are giving points away right now," defenseman Roman Josi said. "The past couple games, we're just making bad decisions on our part and giving points away." The Kings went 3 for 3 on the power play, scoring three times with the man advantage for only the second time all season. Los Angeles has won three meetings with Nashville this season, but two Western Conference teams in desperate need of points both inched up the standings in this one. Nashville has a precarious lead over St. Louis for third place in the Central Division, while the Kings are chasing the Blues for the second wild-card postseason spot. Nashville took a first-period lead when Josi got the puck away from Gaborik. Jarnkrok eventually scored his 14th goal, the ninth since Jan. 1 for the two-way forward. Fiala put the Predators back ahead when he pounced on a rebound of captain Mike Fisher's initial chance on a loose puck in the crease. The goal was the Swiss rookie's first since Feb. 19 and just his third since Dec. 3. Gaborik tied it again on the power play when Alec Martinez's shot hit him and he flipped it home for his eighth goal of the season. "Well, again, it's the power play," Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said. "We just have to do a better job on the penalty kill." NOTES: Nashville D Ryan Ellis was a late scratch after re-aggravating a lower-body injury that kept him out for the second time in three games. ... Nashville LW Vernon Fiddler was a healthy scratch for the first time since returning to the Predators in early February in a trade with New Jersey. 1052190 New Jersey Devils

Devils' Travis Zajac out Saturday vs. Coyotes

Chris Ryan on March 10, 2017 at 6:16 PM, updated March 10, 2017 at 6:30 PM

Devils center Travis Zajac will not play in Saturday's game against the Arizona Coyotes for personal reasons. Zajac returned home early from the team's road trip as his wife prepares to give birth to the couple's third child. Zajac only missed one other game this season, and that came on Jan. 2 against the Boston Bruins due to illness. He has 13 goals and 26 assists in 66 games this season. The Devils should get defenseman and captain back for Saturday's game. Greene missed the previous four games after the death of his father. Greene joined the team in Colorado but did not play in Thursday's 3-2 loss. Star Ledger LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052191 New Jersey Devils

Devils who have most to gain and prove over last month

Updated March 10, 2017 Posted March 10, 2017 By Chris Ryan

The Devils have a handful of younger players and prospects occupying lineup spots, and now in the final month of the season, they're playing for more than just this year. Here are players with the most to gain and prove during the final four weeks of the 2016-17 season. Steven Santini Of the players featured here, Santini has the biggest body of work in the NHL this season. After being called up at the beginning of January, Santini hasn't left the lineup, and he's formed a strong pairing with Jon Merrill. The first-year pro has already carved out a role in the NHL, and he'll be looking to add to it. "As a young player coming in as a first-year pro, his consistency level has been impressive," Devils coach John Hynes said. "That's one of the reasons why he hasn't been taken out." Joseph Blandisi Blandisi got a big taste of the NHL last season when he recorded 17 points in 41 games, but he spend the first four months of this season in Albany. He's now played 14 games with the Devils since being called up, and Blandisi has shown improved puck management and consistency on both sides of the ice. It's led to just one goal and two assists, and Blandisi will continue to work on hitting that stride. "I feel like I'm another year mature, which I am, and I think I fixed some parts of my game they weren't happy with last year," Blandisi said. "Happy with that, but the production's coming hard these days. It's hard to put numbers up and it's hard to score goals in this league. I'm still working on ways to score goals, going to the right areas, maybe anticipating more." Star Ledger LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052192 New Jersey Devils So, given that review, here’s how Smith-Pelly described the play: “The D came down, I put my stick there, thought I got enough of it, kept going think I got enough of it,” Smith-Pelly said. “Usually, a D would Greene will play but Zajac leaves Devs to be with wife come down, shoot it and try to get back to the point. He just didn’t so I was behind him. I could’ve maybe finished my check on him but, like I said, OI thought I got enough of it to distract him. I was ready to go the Andrew Gross , Published 7:34 p.m. ET March 10, 2017 | Updated 10 other way. I didn’t see what Hynsie said after. That’s how I saw it. hours ago “It happens a lot during a game where the D shoots it and goes back to his spot,” Smith-Pelly added. So, news… Greene, who watched Thursday’s game from the press box after flying from Michigan to Denver earlier in the day, but not in time to participate in Travis Zajac will not play on Saturday night when the Devils look to snap the morning skate, spoke to the media for the first time since leaving the their season-long, nine-game losing streak against the Coyotes at Gila team to be with his grieving family. Riva Arena in Glendale, Ariz. The team’s No. 1 center flew home from Denver following Thursday night’s 3-2 loss to the Avalanche to be with As mentioned, David Greene, who had been seriously ill, passed away his wife as they await the impending birth of their third child. this past Saturday while the Devils were in Boston. Captain Andy Greene will play after missing the past four games as his “I was trying to get out of there,” Andy Greene said. “We knew it was father, David, 68, passed away this past Saturday. Greene participated in going to be soon. I was trying to get home in time to see him. today’s full team practice (minus Zajac), his first time on the ice with his Unfortunately, I didn’t. About two weeks ago, I went home on one of our teammates since before his father’s passing. off days kind of, not to make peace with it, but just sit around and say hi and be around him. I was fortunate enough to do that. Backup goalie Keith Kinkaid practiced after not dressing for Thursday’s game because of a right knee issue sustained as he started Tuesday’s 2- “Coming out of the All-Star break, we went to Detroit,” Greene added of 0 loss to the Blue Jackets, which opened this three-game road trip. But the Devils’ game against the Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena on Jan. 31. coach John Hynes said he’s not sure yet whether Kinkaid will be “After the pre-game skate, I went home for about five or six hours. That available to dress against the Coyotes. As a result, Ken Appleby, 21, was about two days before I really came back (Greene was at the end of getting his first taste of NHL life as he served as Cory Schneider’s a string of missing 12 games with a left arm injury). It was good to see backup on Thursday, will remain with the team as insurance. him all day and see him as himself and be there and hang out with him, talk to him. I was really fortunate. Looking back if I did play that game, I And rookie left wing Miles Wood is “likely” to play after going hard into the probably wouldn’t have been able to see him at all that day. It was very end boards during today’s practice, appearing to go shoulder first, and fortunate about that.” leaving the ice with his left arm dangling. Pavel Zacha did not play the final 10:39 against the Avalanche and “It’s very likely he will play tomorrow,” Hynes said. “It’s just a little bump.” Hynes confirmed that was a coach’s decision, not an injury situation. But it looked way worse at the time. “We all understand and respect how skilled he is but since he’s come off the injury (concussion) there’s another level that he has to play at speed “A little bit,” Hynes said. “I think it looked a bit worse than it was. So that’s wise and compete wise and I thought the other two games he was OK good news for us.” but last night he didn’t have a great night,” Hynes said. “He’s a young Hynes said he has not yet decided whether he’ll dress the usual 12 guy, we talked to him about it and hopefully he responds.” forwards and six defensemen – in which case rookie Kevin Rooney will No morning skate for the Devils on Saturday at a 6 p.m. (local time) re-enter the lineup – or go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen for faceoff. That’s 8 p.m. for you folks back East. the second time this season. Bergen Record LOADED: 03.11.2017 Here were the lines at today’s practice: Taylor Hall-Adam Henrique-Kyle Palmieri Miles Wood (before leaving practice)-Pavel Zacha-Nick Lappin Beau Bennett-Joseph Blandisi-Devante Smith-Pelly Kevin Rooney-Blake Coleman-Stefan Noesen Sat with Smith-Pelly at his stall after practice and asked him about defenseman Francois Beauchemin’s winner on Thursday. To review, here’s what I wrote about the play following Hynes’ post-game press conference, in which he seemed as mad as he’s been all season: “’I’ll make this one easy for you,” the Devils coach said after Beauchemin scored the winner at 18:46 of the third period. “We weren’t ready to play in the first period,” Hynes said. “Played better in the second. Better in the third. We have a winger go out to the point, guy stick checks, swings by him. D-man stays in and scores the goal. Can’t play like that with 1:27 (actually 1:14) left. That’s the game.” Hynes was asked a follow-up question as to whether it was good for the Devils to finally score a goal as Taylor Hall’s goal to tie the game at 1 just 42 seconds into the third period ended the Devils’ goal-less drought at 174:51, which was approaching the franchise record. “What’s important is when the game’s on the line with a minute, 27 seconds (actually 1:14), we don’t stick check in the D zone,” Hynes said. Hynes never called out by name which winger he was upset with. Miles Wood and Devante Smith-Pelly are the two wings on the ice for Beauchemin’s winner, along with center Adam Henrique. Wood was positioned near the crease, below the right circle while Smith-Pelly was on the opposite side. Smith-Pelly swung wide from below the left circle toward the point after Beauchemin took his initial shot. The puck came back to Beauchemin in the left circle with Smith-Pelly now above him and trying to recover. But Smith-Pelly was not able to get his stick out to disrupt Beauchemin’s shot. 1052193 New Jersey Devils

Devs still have individual reasons to play well as teAM

Andrew Gross , 8:46 p.m. ET March 10, 2017

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Taylor Hall has heard a lot about next seasons. That’s what happens when the current season does not include a playoff appearance. The Devils, who bring a season-long, nine-game losing streak into Saturday night’s game against the Coyotes at Gila River Arena to conclude a three-game road trip, will miss the playoffs for the fifth straight year. The Devils will have captain Andy Greene back in the lineup after their No. 1 defenseman missed the last four games to be with his family Michigan as his father, David, 68, passed away. “When you do go through a patch like this, when you haven’t won in a long time, it’s that much more magnified in Edmonton,” said Hall, in his first season with the Devils after spending six playoff-less seasons with the Oilers, who took him first overall in 2010. “In Edmonton, it was always, next year is going to be the year. Next year, next year. For us, we’re building for something just like Edmonton has. That team has really improved. That’s what we want to do for next year. “I just want to be on a good team, I want to be part of the playoffs,” Hall added. “I want to win the Stanley Cup. I want to do that here. I want to do that on whatever team I’m on. That was my goal in Edmonton and it didn’t happen and now I’m here so that’s what I’m here to do.” Hall, acquired from the Oilers this past off-season for top-pair defenseman Adam Larsson, leads the Devils with 15 goals and 28 assists for 43 points after snapping a seven-game goal-less streak in Thursday’s 3-2 loss at Colorado. It was just Hall’s second goal in 14 games and his fourth in his last 22 games. But despite the organization’s focus turning toward evaluating for next season, Hall said there’s still plenty to motivate him – and his teammates – over the remaining 15 regular-season games. “To be honest, when you’re not going to make the playoffs, I don’t think it’s selfish to say you’re playing for your future,” Hall said. “If there’s anything I learned last year, it’s that eyes are always watching in the last 15 games. Individually you have to hold yourself accountable and I think, in doing that, it’s going to help our team the most.” Hall, 25, has three more seasons remaining on a seven-year, $42 million deal. Other Devils are playing for their next contract. “Everyone is playing for something,” said right wing Devante Smith-Pelly, in the first season of a two-year, $2.6 million deal. “There’s always scouts, always people watching from this team and other teams. If you’re on a one-year deal, obviously you’re trying to get another contract. If you’re on a longer-term deal, you’re trying to play for your country [at World Championships], or trying to show another team, if this team doesn’t want you, what you’ve got.” That includes a seemingly secure veteran such as Greene, 34, as he rejoins his teammates. “I feel good coming into the game and making a positive impact out there and trying to get the ship righted here,” Greene said. “It is about wins and loses but it’s about playing the right way, playing hard for each other and playing for the organization. It’s about pride and honor.” BRIEFS: Center Travis Zajac returned to New Jersey to be with his wife for the birth of their third child and will miss Saturday’s game. …Backup goalie Keith Kinkaid participated in practice after not dressing on Thursday because of a right knee issue. It has not been determined whether Kinkaid or Ken Appleby, 21, would serve as Cory Schneider’s backup against the Coyotes. …Rookie left wing Miles Wood went hard into the boards and appeared to hurt his left shoulder at practice but coach John Hynes said it was “likely” Wood would be available on Saturday. Bergen Record LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052194 New Jersey Devils

Devils Up Next: At Arizona

Andrew Gross , 8:40 p.m. ET March 10, 2017

UP NEXT Devils at Coyotes Saturday, 8 p.m. TV: MSG Radio: WFAN-FM 101.9/AM 660, One Jersey Network (NewJerseyDevils.com or app, NHL.com or app or iHeartRadio app) Story line: The Devils (25-30-12) topped the Coyotes, 5-3, at New Jersey on Oct. 25 as LW Taylor Hall (15 goals, 28 assists) scored twice. The Devils, in an overall 0-7-2 slide, have five straight regulation losses on the road as they complete a three-game trip. The Coyotes (23-35-8) are in a 1-3-1 slide and have dropped the first two games of their four-game homestand, including Thursday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Senators. Bergen Record LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052195 New York Islanders

Islanders’ Doug Weight counts on youngsters Anthony Beauvillier, Josh Ho-Sang

Updated March 10, 2017 9:13 PM By Arthur Staple

With 6:20 to go in Thursday night’s game in Vancouver and the Islanders ahead by a goal, Doug Weight was starting to look for his forwards who, in his words, “have identities.” He meant the guys like Nikolay Kulemin and Cal Clutterbuck, the forwards who will be hard on opponents with the puck and simple with said puck once they get possession. Weight sent Kulemin out, but his other two choices were eyebrow-raising: Anthony Beauvillier and Josh Ho-Sang. A 19-year-old and a 21-year-old in his fifth NHL game. The Islanders’ coach was dealing with two forwards who were banged up, so he didn’t have his pick of players who would eat clock and not get the team into trouble. But he didn’t hesitate to send his two youngest and least experienced forwards over the boards and that line did the job, ragging off a solid minute in the Canucks zone before coming off. The Islanders surrendered the tying goal with 19.3 seconds to go in regulation with all the veterans Weight wanted on the ice before Andrew Ladd scored in overtime. But in a must-win game, Weight’s move to the two kids showed a real trust and could be important for the Islanders going forward. “Dougie definitely recognizes if we’re going to do anything in the long run, we need everybody to be able to play in a lot of different situations,” Ho- Sang said. “Beau had the big goal and away from the puck he was tremendous, too. Dougie’s putting me in situations I’ve never really been in before, just because of the confidence he’s trying to instill in me and teach me how to manage the game.” 2:22 IslandersIsles use 4-day break to gear up as road trip continues Beauvillier went out for another shift with three minutes to go to give John Tavares a bit of a break. Coupled with his nifty breakaway goal to tie the game at 2-2 in the second, it was another strong night for the teenaged center. “I couldn’t get him on the ice enough,” Weight said. “We had a couple guys that were a little banged up so it was probably a little strange from the outside looking in. Beau had to step up and played really well.” The Islanders finish off their nine-game road trip in St. Louis on Saturday. They did not call anyone up from Bridgeport on Friday, so those banged- up forwards will likely play on. And Weight knows if he needs Beauvillier or Ho-Sang late, there’s something to build off. “I feel good with them,” Weight said. “Believe me, I’m coaching to win a game, so I don’t care if feelings are hurt or whatever. But when I look down the bench and see 66 (Ho-Sang) — he hasn’t warranted anything to be stuck there.” Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052196 New York Rangers

Rangers lose again as NHL says Antti Raanta was not interfered with

BY Justin Tasch Friday, March 10, 2017, 2:00 PM

Alain Vigneault was steaming Thursday night after his challenge that Carolina's Elias Lindholm interfered with Antti Raanta was unsuccessful. He won’t be any happier on Friday. The explanation Vigneault received Thursday — that because Raanta’s face was outside the blue paint when Lindholm made contact with Raanta’s mask on the game-tying goal in the third period, it was “involuntary contact” and not interference — was backed by the NHL on Friday. According to a league spokesman, the call was correct because a skater is entitled to space in the white, and Lindholm didn’t back into Raanta or extend his arm. Vigneault said he was “100 percent sure” he was right that Raanta was interfered with while expecting the league to back the referees’ decision. Referee Francois St. Laurent made the initial call on the ice of a good goal. “You ask the league that. But they’re gonna spin it any way so that they look all right, and that’s the way it always is,” Vigneault said after the Rangers’ 4-3 loss in Raleigh. Raanta’s skates were in the blue paint while Lindholm was outside the crease when his left arm made contact with Raanta’s mask. Raanta said, “My mask is on my nose. It’s pretty tough to see the puck anymore after that” on Sebastian Aho’s tying goal at 9:04 of the third. “If I can’t be on top of my crease, should I be on my goal line, or what should I do?” an upset Raanta wondered afterward. “It’s hard to say right now what I should do there differently.” Aho scored another power-play goal 3:24 later for the final goal of the game. “It was obviously a turning point,” Ryan McDonagh said of the tying goal standing. “We didn’t handle it the right way, either. You’ve got to have a strong shift right after they score against us and we let them make plays in the o-zone.” The Rangers on Friday sent goaltender Brandon Halverson back to the ECHL . Halverson was recalled Thursday on an emergency basis to be the Rangers' backup as Henrik Lundqvist was ruled out with a lower-body injury. Lundqvist is day-to-day. The Rangers were off Friday before a scheduled Saturday practice ahead of Sunday’s game in Detroit. New York Daily News LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052197 New York Rangers

NHL’s ‘spin’ on how they burned the Rangers

By Brett Cyrgalis March 10, 2017 | 12:01PM

Alain Vigneault called it. The Rangers coach was incensed Thursday night when his team gave up the game-tying goal on what he thought was clearly goaltender interference, eventually leading to a 4-3 loss to the Hurricanes in Carolina. But Vigneault also knew that the league would defend the call, after he challenged the play when Elias Lindholm’s elbow lifted goalie Antti Raanta’s mask, allowing for Sebastian Aho’s long point shot to go in and tie the game, 3-3, at 9:04 of the third period. A league spokesman responded to The Post by email on Friday morning, saying it was incidental contact outside of the crease. The explanation, which was asked to be paraphrased, went on to say that Lindholm was not in the crease, he was moving laterally, and did not extend any body part or clip Raanta as he was going by. “You ask the league, but they’re going to spin it any way to look alright,” Vigneault said after the game. “That’s the way it always is.” The explanation Vigneault got from the officiating crew of Francois St. Laurent and Gord Dwyer was the contact was “involuntary,” and though Raanta’s feet were in the crease, his head was outside of the crease. Although that is a new explanation for many, former Rangers goalie Marty Biron also defended the call. “When a goalie is going to be at the top of his crease and the screen is close but outside the crease, both players have a right to the ice,” Biron texted The Post on Friday. “I think it’s the goalie’s responsibility to keep a gap between he and the screen. A goalie will always tend to go a bit forward when going to the butterfly [stance], and without that gap you will get contact, even with a standing-still screen. “If the player comes in the crease, then it would be no goal. But like this one, he stayed outside the blue.” It was a tough one for Vigneault to accept, and though he knew the league (and others) would defend the call, he’s likely going to agree to disagree. “Of all the times I’ve asked for a coach’s challenge,” Vigneault said, “this one I’m sure I’m 100 percent right.” New York Post LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052198 New York Rangers

NHL backs good-goal call in Rangers’ loss to Hurricanes

Updated March 10, 2017 6:33 PM By Steve Zipay

The NHL on Friday defended the “good-goal” call that had Rangers coach Alain Vigneault fuming after the team’s 4-3 loss to the Hurricanes in Raleigh on Thursday night. Vigneault had challenged Sebastian Aho’s power-play goal, which tied the score at 3 at 9:04 of the third period, arguing that Elias Lindholm interfered with goalie Antti Raanta, loosening his mask while the netminder’s skates were in the crease. Vigneault said he received different explanations why the plea was denied. Raanta said he couldn’t see Aho’s shot with his mask displaced. “This was a fairly straightforward example of incidental contact outside the blue paint,” an NHL spokesman said. Apparently, the ruling was based on Lindholm, outside the crease, moving side to side, screening Raanta and colliding with his mask as Raanta leaned forward to establish position. The league’s Situation Room had provided this statement after the challenge: “After reviewing all available replays and consulting with NHL Hockey Operations staff, the Referee confirmed no goaltender interference infractions occurred before the puck crossed the goal line.” Injuries hurt penalty kill The Rangers, who ranked fifth in the league on the penalty-kill on the road at 85.7 percent, were stung twice by third-period power-play goals against the Hurricanes. In the last ten games, road and away, prior to Thursday the shorthanded units had allowed six goals on 28 opportunities, or 78.5 percent. What’s missing? Start with injured Dan Girardi, Michael Grabner, Jesper Fast and Rick Nash. Girardi, who has missed six straight games with an ankle injury, logs the second-most minutes per game shorthanded (2:15). Grabner, whose speed disrupts mid-ice plays, leads all Blueshirt forwards in ice-time shorthanded (1:41 per game) and Fast is right behind (1:34). Both have missed five games. Grabner has a hip/oblique problem and Fast a separated shoulder. Nash (1:13 per game) was playing through an upper-body injury before being rested on Thursday, Vigneault said. Lundqvist likely to play Brandon Halverson, who was summoned from Greenville of the ECHL on Thursday to back up Raanta with Henrik Lundqvist sitting due to a lower- body issue that developed in the defeat of the Florida Panthers on Tuesday, was sent back down. That seems to signal that Lundqvist will be ready to play in one of the back-to-backs, in Detroit on Sunday and at home against Tampa on Monday. The Detroit game will be the franchise’s final visit to Joe Louis Arena, which opened in 1979 and is being replaced. Bergen Record LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052199 New York Rangers

NHL backs good-goal call in Rangers’ loss to Hurricanes

Updated March 10, 2017 6:33 PM By Steve Zipay

The NHL on Friday defended the “good-goal” call that had Rangers coach Alain Vigneault fuming after the team’s 4-3 loss to the Hurricanes in Raleigh on Thursday night. Vigneault had challenged Sebastian Aho’s power-play goal, which tied the score at 3 at 9:04 of the third period, arguing that Elias Lindholm interfered with goalie Antti Raanta, loosening his mask while the netminder’s skates were in the crease. Vigneault said he received different explanations why the plea was denied. Raanta said he couldn’t see Aho’s shot with his mask displaced. “This was a fairly straightforward example of incidental contact outside the blue paint,” an NHL spokesman said. Apparently, the ruling was based on Lindholm, outside the crease, moving side to side, screening Raanta and colliding with his mask as Raanta leaned forward to establish position. The league’s Situation Room had provided this statement after the challenge: “After reviewing all available replays and consulting with NHL Hockey Operations staff, the Referee confirmed no goaltender interference infractions occurred before the puck crossed the goal line.” Injuries hurt penalty kill The Rangers, who ranked fifth in the league on the penalty-kill on the road at 85.7 percent, were stung twice by third-period power-play goals against the Hurricanes. In the last ten games, road and away, prior to Thursday the shorthanded units had allowed six goals on 28 opportunities, or 78.5 percent. What’s missing? Start with injured Dan Girardi, Michael Grabner, Jesper Fast and Rick Nash. Girardi, who has missed six straight games with an ankle injury, logs the second-most minutes per game shorthanded (2:15). Grabner, whose speed disrupts mid-ice plays, leads all Blueshirt forwards in ice-time shorthanded (1:41 per game) and Fast is right behind (1:34). Both have missed five games. Grabner has a hip/oblique problem and Fast a separated shoulder. Nash (1:13 per game) was playing through an upper-body injury before being rested on Thursday, Vigneault said. Lundqvist likely to play Brandon Halverson, who was summoned from Greenville of the ECHL on Thursday to back up Raanta with Henrik Lundqvist sitting due to a lower- body issue that developed in the defeat of the Florida Panthers on Tuesday, was sent back down. That seems to signal that Lundqvist will be ready to play in one of the back-to-backs, in Detroit on Sunday and at home against Tampa on Monday. The Detroit game will be the franchise’s final visit to Joe Louis Arena, which opened in 1979 and is being replaced. Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 03.11.2017

1052200 Ottawa Senators people playing. I might play more for fun, just not as competitive as I used to play.”

Senior ball hockey players should be warned: You might think you’re in a Donibrook: Senators' Alex Burrows a ball-hockey goal machine fun, recreational league, but The Goalmaker only knows one way to play games. DON BRENNAN, POSTMEDIA NETWORK OFF THE BAT: Just like the game of baseball, I’m also suddenly in a hurry to get finished this column, and like baseball, my reasons are weak. MaybeIshouldeliminatethespacebar? … Jean-Gabriel Pageau is having a very good road trip for the Senators, but that post-game interview with Alex Burrows looked exhausted and anxious to hit the showers after on Thursday as blood ran from his lip, was mint. No playing a starring role in the Ottawa Senators’ win at Canadian Tire wonder coach Guy Boucher calls Pageau “the Ultimate Warrior.” … Very Centre and dutifully doing his post-game interviews in both official little has been said about the Senators’ post-deadline minor-league trade languages last Sunday. for former first rounder Brandon Gormley, a 25-year-old defenceman who has played 58 NHL games. They gave the Devils “future considerations” Still, with the Senators about to leave on a road trip, I had to stop him for him because they needed some depth in Binghamton after Mike with one more very important question. Kostka was moved to Calgary. Gormley, who will be a restricted free Can we talk ball hockey? agent in the summer, made his B-Senators debut on Friday. He has two NHL goals to his credit, both against the Edmonton Oilers … How is it “For sure,” Burrows said, his sweaty face lighting up. “I love to talk about possible that the Brier hasn’t been to Newfoundland in 45 years? It ball hockey. I hope you’ve got a lot of time.” should move from province to province, across the map and be held in St. John’s for two consecutive years before going back the other way. This you might not know about Burrows, the 35-year old veteran of 827 Like a snake draft … At some point, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ William National Hockey League games: He is one of the best ball hockey Nylander will look like he’s older than 14, right? players in the world. FOOD FOR THOUGHT: If you too are determined to get into game He is also a proud member of both the Canadian Ball Hockey shape for the upcoming baseball and golf seasons, there’s the new “Carb Association Hall of Fame and the International Ball Smart” bread, that has one net carbohydrate per slice, is good toasted, in Switzerland. which is the only way I’ve tried it … I just don’t understand why Anna He also had his jersey number 68 — “Jaromir Jagr was one of my Kendrick has 6.13 million Twitter followers. She didn’t have a single favourite players growing up” — retired after he was named International scoop at the NHL trade deadline … Another carb cutting tip: boil (to Player of the Year at the 2005 world championships in Pittsburgh. soften), then either bake or broil radishes. With a little butter, salt and pepper, they taste a lot like potatoes … Long before there was a Google, The whole ball hockey thing started when Burrows used to play on the my mom whipped up a pot of macaroni, ground beef, tomatoes and streets, “like a normal kid, after school.” From there, Burrows and his onions and called it “Barney Google”. So, so good … buddies formed the Montreal Red Lite, entering and winning tournaments around the city. OUT OF BOUNDS: Everybody likes the Chris DiDomenico story of a 28- year old who has clawed his way back from a major injury to finally play Suddenly, they were looking for bigger mountains to climb. The national his first NHL game on Thursday. Everybody except referee Dan championship in Vancouver beckoned. The Red Lite wanted to go, but O’Rourke, who called two weak penalties on him in the first period. Burrows was in a quandary. He had just finished his first season in the Seriously, Dan … Anybody else notice Shane Doan’s ‘C’ was on his right Quebec Major Junior Hockey League as a 19-year-old and, with only 16 shoulder? All other captains around the league wear letters on the left … goals, he didn’t like his chances of being invited back by the Shawinigan Our pal Terry Marcotte was listening to Montreal’s TSN690 the other day Cataractes as an overager. But if he didn’t at least try. … when he heard the station was giving away Lee Harvey Osmond concert tickets to the first person who called in with the name of the band’s Ultimately, Burrows decided to go to Vancouver with the Red Lite, even frontman. Nobody was getting it, so Terry called. “Tom Wilson,” he said. though it conflicted with the start of Cataractes camp. “You’re right,” he was told. “And who is our lucky winner?” Terry “Back then we didn’t have cells,” he remembered. “I called my mom and panicked. “Jim, from Ottawa,” he said. “Montreal’s a little too far, give the she said, ‘Your coach in Shawinigan called and said you’re not at camp. tickets to somebody else.” Nice of him, right? Except when he tuned back He wants you ASAP when you come back. You’re going to make the in to the station, Terry heard he was being mocked. “Thanks Jim in team.’” Ottawa for calling to show off how smart you are. That’s good of you, Jim in Ottawa.” I’m not sure how the story translates in print, but it was very The Red Lite won that Canadian championship, beating Toronto’s funny to hear Jim in Ottawa tell it … Until next week, long may your big Midnight Express, “a big dynasty in the ball hockey world,” Burrows said. jib draw. The next morning, Burrows flew back across the country, went to Shawinigan and revived his NHL dreams. TOP 5 Over the next half decade, Burrows became known as “The Goalmaker” LEADING THE WAY and the Red Lite claimed five more national titles. They also added a Ottawa Senators players at the top (or very close) in National Hockey couple of players from around the country to play in the worlds, winning League statistical categories as of Friday. gold in Switzerland (2003) as well as in Pittsburgh. (In no particular order of importance) When Burrows made it to the NHL full-time in 2006, he was suddenly being “challenged” by ball-hockey opponents a little more often. 1. Erik Karlsson: First in the league with 178 blocked shots. Had a lead of 19 on the Islanders’ Calvin de Haan as of Friday. Incredible stat for “I’m so competitive, I’ve never really turned down a challenge before,” he Karlsson, who was also just six points back of Brent Burns in the said. “So I told my friends, ‘Boys, I can’t play anymore, I can’t risk an defenceman scoring race. Last season Karlsson was 11th in blocked injury. My career is way more important.’ shots. The year before he was 123rd. He has become the best all-round “The boys understood. They kept going.” defenceman in the NHL, hands down. Going strong, too. Last year, the Red Lite won its 12th national title in 16 2. Mark Stone: First in the league in takeaways with 88. Next on the list years. was Carolina’s Jaccob Slavin with 64. Stone had this category locked up before Christmas. His anticipation skills and hockey sense are brilliant. Now Burrows hosts a 3-on-3 ball hockey tournament that is actually six Watching him steal pucks from opponents has become a fun sidelight of tournaments a month in the summer and has to be the largest on the Senators games. He finished tied with Ryan O’Reilly as a rookie two planet. Last year, the Burrows Cup in Trois-Rivières, Que., attracted 330 years ago and last season led the league with 128 takeaways, 51 more teams and more than 3,000 players in 19 divisions. than runnerup Jeff Skinner. “I try to give back to the sport because it gave so much to me,” he said. 3. Mark Borowiecki. Led the league in hits with 288, a full 38 more than “It made me quicker, faster, a better understanding of the game.” Toronto’s Matt Martin, who was second. Guy Boucher’s system of having the left D-man step up and step into an opponent in the neutral zone has About his jersey being retired, Burrows says, “Guys like to make fun of been a Godsend for Boro, and he will be the first to admit it … when he’s me about it, but I think it’s pretty cool.” not giggling. The man loves to hit. Last season he finished sixth in the NHL with 271. Martin led the category with 365. About the possibility he could come out of retirement when his NHL career is over, he said: “I always attend my tournaments, check out 4. Zack Smith. Led the league with four short-handed goals, one up on the pack. This must secretly delight Smith, who never wanted to lose his defensive reputation even when he was scoring 25 goals last season. He’ll fall short of that number this year, but should still get 20. Meanwhile, Smith also leads the league with nine shorthanded goals over the past two seasons. 5. Craig Anderson. Could be the NHL’s save-percentage leader when you wake up Sunday morning. As of Friday, his .931 had him tied with Sergei Bobrovsky and Braden Holtby for second. Devan Dubnyk led at .932. Anderson’s amazing story includes an 8-2 record since missing two months while helping his wife battle cancer. Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052201 Ottawa Senators COYOTE UGLY: The announced crowd at the Gila River Arena in Glendale on Thursday night was 10,661, but it sure looked as if the building was two-thirds empty . ..To give the most passionate fans credit, Snapshots: Why, exactly, are the Senators winning? it is certainly unique and entertaining to hear spontaneous Coyote-like howls to ring out in the middle of the action.

Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 03.11.2017 KEN WARREN, OTTAWA CITIZEN

DENVER — At every stop along the way, well-respected National Hockey League observers can’t quite get a grip on why the Ottawa Senators continue to win. They look at some of the usual telltale numbers of what spells success, including elite power-play and/or penalty-killing units, and wonder whether it’s all smoke-and-mirrors. The Senators’ power play is stumbling along at 17.6 per cent, 21st in the 30-team league. In short-handed situations, they rank 11th at 82 per cent, which is decent, but hardly spectacular. Then there’s the overall goal differential of plus-seven, a rather pedestrian eighth-best in the Eastern Conference and 14th overall. Add in the fact the Senators played much of the first two-thirds of the season without their No. 1 goaltender and the question becomes “What’s going on here?” LITTLE NUMBERS, NOT BIG NUMBERS: The way newcomer Viktor Stalberg looks at it, there’s a “bend, but not break” attitude. The Senators are 5-0 since Stalberg and Alex Burrows stepped into the lineup, yielding only eight goals and no more than two in any game … The Senators may actually be a better team away from home. They’ve already won 19 games in opposition buildings — only the New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks have more — and they have 10 more contests away from home. They won a grand total of 17 road games in 2015-16. UNDER-RATED DEFENCE? The goaltending of Craig Anderson and Mike Condon has ranged from good to very good, but associate coach Marc Crawford also says captain Erik Karlsson is under-rated as a defensive presence. “As much as he loves to play the game on an offensive sled, his read is really terrific, he breaks up so many plays subtly just by positioning himself in the right area,” Crawford said. “Because he reads the play and positions himself, opponents go in a different direction and he steers things in the right way. He’s equally as good (defensively), a superstar defensively. He has been magnificent for us this year.” BACK (UP) SEAT DRIVER: After playing a major role in November, December and January, Condon has rather quietly accepted his role in the background now that Anderson is on a roll again. It’s not always an easy job, such as being thrust into the net in the second game on back- to-back nights as was the case Thursday in Arizona. “It’s a bit different in terms of game rhythm and you have to make sure you’re getting your reps in practice and treating practices like games,” Condon said. It’s even tougher when practices are pretty close to non-existent. “When you’re the second guy, you’re expected to play the second game of the back-to- backs and you’re not trying to steal games, just give your team a chance to win.” REVISITING THE TRADE: With Anderson back in his old home of Colorado, it’s intriguing to look back at the 2011 trade that brought him to Ottawa for Brian Elliott. Both netminders are in a groove now. Anderson is 8-2 since returning from his leave. After his terrible start to the season with the Calgary Flames, Elliott has won seven consecutive games and is 8-0-1 in his past nine. He did the Senators a huge favour by shutting out the Montreal Canadiens 5-0 on Thursday. WELCOME TO THE NHL MOMENT: Chris DiDomenico’s NHL debut with the Senators didn’t get off to a stellar start. He took high-sticking and holding the stick penalties in the first period. “The penalty killers bailed me out there. That was beginners’ (bad) luck and hopefully it doesn’t stay like that,” DiDomenico said. While he played sparingly, seeing only 6:55 of ice time, he rallied. He was a presence in front of the Arizona net on Karlsson’s game-tying goal in the third period. “I got to the blue paint (in the crease) and that’s where most goals come from,” DiDomenico said. “After the first shift, I wheeled in there and I got better as the game went on.” Given the injury situation, DiDomenico should probably play a bit more Saturday against Colorado … Thursday was a rough night for the Stone brothers. The Senators’ Mark Stone, who has been playing through leg and neck injuries, didn’t finish the game against Arizona and is expected to miss Saturday’s game against Colorado. Meanwhile, Mike Stone had a suspected shoulder injury in the Flames’ win over the Canadiens. 1052202 Ottawa Senators

Marc Crawford re-lives Stanley Cup title in Colorado

KEN WARREN, OTTAWA CITIZEN

DENVER — It was 21 years ago when a 35-year-old Marc Crawford coached the to a Stanley Cup title. It doesn’t take much prompting to get him to recall the details and the legends involved. “It brings back an awful lot of good memories,” the Ottawa Senators associate coach said of returning to the scene of the success. “Any time you win a Stanley Cup — it’s so hard to win — your thoughts go back to all the great players. Every time I come back here, I think of Patrick Roy, Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Adam Foote, (Valeri) Kamensky. It was a really talented club.” The Avalanche outclassed the Florida Panthers in the final, sweeping them in four games, but the Avalanche needed to win six-game series against the Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings to get through the Western Conference. Crawford couldn’t say enough about the play of Sakic, who scored 18 goals in those 1996 playoffs, one shy of Reggie Leach’s all-time National Hockey League record, and Roy, who was a wall in goal. “You’ve got to win some games where your goalie stands on your head, and Patrick did that, especially in the Detroit series,” Crawford said. “That team had 130 points in the regular season, and that’s without the extra point (for overtime and shootouts). They were absolutely magnificent and. going into it, I wasn’t sure we could win it. Roy was the guy who influenced the rest of the team in believing we could win.” Flash forward to today and the picture in Colorado is, well, pretty much a shambles. Roy abruptly left as head coach in the summer following a power struggle with Sakic, the general manager. Under replacement coach Jared Bednar, the Avalanche are 19-44-3. Their goals for/goals against differential is minus-88. Crawford feels for Sakic, suggesting the loss of No. 1 goaltender Semyon Varlamov to injury was the kind of devastating blow that made recovery next to impossible. “They went undefeated in the pre-season and it just shows you can’t take anything for granted,” Crawford said. “They still have very good, talented people. They have a lot of good players in all their position areas and hopefully, for their sake, they’ll put it together and be better next year.” While Sakic has always been a soft-spoken leader, Crawford says that’s somewhat misleading. “He’s as competitive a guy as I’ve ever had,” he said. “When he stood up in the dressing room, it wasn’t (often), but it was very purposeful.” Crawford believes Sakic has the ability to turn around the Avalanche. “There are so many complexities for how to solve problems — financial, personnel, chemistry — and you have to try and do it while out-flanking some pretty smart people on the other teams in the league,” Crawford said. “He’s got a lot of the capabilities to make me think he is going to be successful.” Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052203 Ottawa Senators “I have a lot of respect for the players’ mental toughness,” he said. “It shows up again, with a real team thing again.”

Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who scored the Senators’ first goal against Senators aiming for top of Atlantic despite avalanche of injuries Arizona, has become a pivotal glue player, a “warrior” in Boucher’s eyes. Pageau has now scored in three consecutive games and continues to match up against top opposition lines. KEN WARREN, OTTAWA CITIZEN If Reggie Jackson once owned the title Mr. October, Pageau could be Mr. March. He has three goals and two assists and is plus-five in five games this month. Last March, he scored four goals and seven assists in 15 DENVER — They’re battered, bruised and covered with Band-Aids, but games and was plus-eight. they have somehow battled their way toward the top. “Hopefully, it keeps going,” Pageau said. “It’s always fun to contribute After captain Erik Karlsson’s late heroics in Thursday’s 3-2 overtime offensively. It’s not my main role, but, when you’re defending well, it victory against the Arizona Coyotes, the Ottawa Senators can do what opens up some (offensive chances). We’re facing a lot of adversity with once seemed unthinkable — overtaking the Montreal Canadiens for first all the injured players, but we’ve been able to come back all year long. place in the National Hockey League’s Atlantic Division — with a victory It’s a challenge for us.” over the reeling Colorado Avalanche here on Saturday. Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 03.11.2017 Perhaps more importantly, the Senators have maintained an eight-point edge on the Toronto Maple Leafs, currently third in the Eastern Conference wild-card race and on the outside looking in at a playoff spot. Countless players have their fingerprints on the Senators’ season-high five-game winning streak. “We haven’t been letter perfect every night, but (the players) have followed instructions and found ways,” associate coach Marc Crawford said. “You need different people to step up on different nights. Sometimes, it’s going to be your game-breaking people, like Erik Karlsson was for us (against Arizona). Some nights, it’s just going to be the workmanlike work of the third and fourth lines — the (Chris) Kellys, the (Tommy) Wingels, the (Viktor) Stalbergs, and (Jean-Gabriel) Pageaus – who are going to have to grind it out for you.” Get ready for another makeshift lineup against the Avalanche. Winger Mark Stone likely won’t play against Colorado after leaving Thursday’s game with an apparent leg injury. He joins winger Bobby Ryan (broken finger) and centre Kyle Turris (bruised finger) on the sidelines, prompting the recall of Phil Varone from Binghamton of the American Hockey League. Where, exactly, everyone fits will remain a bit of a guessing game until game time. After games on consecutive nights, including Wednesday’s 5- 2 win over the Dallas Senators, Senators players had an off day to enjoy the Rocky Mountain air on Friday. Fortunately for the Senators, the additions of pre-trade deadline pickups Stalberg, Alex Burrows and Chris DiDomenico have plugged holes. Goaltender Craig Anderson, who is 8-2 since returning from his leave of absence, will be back in goal against Colorado after back-up Mike Condon turned in a 39-save effort against Arizona. With a win, Anderson would have 147 victories in a Senators uniform, passing Patrick Lalime to set a new franchise-record total. As sharp as Anderson has been, he has also benefitted from the determined effort in front of him. Karlsson has been spectacular. Just in case you went to bed early Thursday, thinking the Senators had run out of gas against Arizona, the Senators captain found some late jump. He tied the game 2-2 with 7:13 remaining, ripping a rebound past Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith from his temporary station just outside the crease. “(Karlsson) was on the back post,” Condon said while shaking his head in amazement. “You don’t expect to see a defenceman there, but (Karlsson) is and he’s the best defenceman in the game. And, as soon as he got the break in overtime, you knew something good was going to happen.” In extra time, Karlsson jumped on a terrible turnover by Arizona’s Radim Vrbata inside Ottawa’s blue-line and used Tom Pyatt as a decoy on a 2- on-0 break before ripping a shot off the post and past Smith. In his past four games, Karlsson has three goals, three assists and a plus/minus rating of plus-seven. He has also blocked 16 shots during the five-game winning streak. “Right now, I don’t see anybody better around, it’s unbelievable,” head coach Guy Boucher said. “This guy is just gold right now in every aspect of the game. It’s very inspiring for everybody.” Boucher also raved about his club’s ability to re-focus even though they were down 2-1 after two periods against Arizona. 1052204 Ottawa Senators

Mark Stone latest Senator added to the injury list

KEN WARREN, OTTAWA CITIZEN

DENVER – The Ottawa Senators are riding a season-high five game winning streak, but they’re paying the price for that success. As the club continues to battle injury upon injury – Mark Stone was hurt late in Thursday’s comeback 3-2 overtime win over the Arizona Coyotes — Phil Varone was recalled Friday morning from Binghamton of the American Hockey League. Varone has no points in six previous games with the Senators. He has 13 goals and 29 assists in 51 games with Binghamton. While the Senators will attempt to run the winning streak to six games against the Colorado Avalanche Saturday, their forward group is limping. Stone (undisclosed) joins Kyle Turris (bruised finger) and Bobby Ryan (broken finger) on the injury list. Chris DiDomenico, who made his NHL debut in Thursday’s win over Arizona, will stay in the lineup against the Avalanche. The Senators will not practice Friday. Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052205 Ottawa Senators against Colorado … Thursday was a rough night for the Stone brothers. The Senators’ Mark Stone, who has been playing through leg and neck injuries in recent weeks, didn’t finish the game against Arizona and is Can these Senators keep winning? expected to miss Saturday’s game against Colorado. Meanwhile, Mike Stone suffered a suspected shoulder injury in the Flames’ win over Calgary. BY KEN WARREN COYOTE UGLY The announced crowd at the Gila River Arena in Glendale Thursday was 10,661, but it sure looked like the building was two-thirds empty ... To DENVER - At every stop along the way, there are well-respected NHL give the most passionate fans credit, it is certainly unique and observers who can’t quite get a grip on why the Ottawa Senators entertaining to hear spontaneous Coyote-like howls to ring out continue to win. throughout the arena in the middle of the action. They look at some of the usual telltale numbers of what spells success — Ottawa Sun LOADED: 03.11.2017 including elite power play and/or penalty killing units — and wonder whether it’s all smoke-and-mirrors. The Senators power play is stumbling along at 17.6%, 21st in the league. In shorthanded situations, they rank 11th overall at 82%, which is decent, but hardly spectacular. And then there’s the overall goal differential of plus-7 — a rather pedestrian eighth best in the Eastern Conference and 14th overall in the league. Add in the fact they played much of the first two-thirds of the season without their No. 1 goaltender and the question becomes “what’s going on here”? Numbers game The way newcomer Viktor Stalberg looks at it, there’s a “bend, but not break” attitude involved. The Senators are 5-0 since he and Alex Burrows stepped into the lineup, yielding only eight goals and no more than two in any one game … The Senators may actually be a better team away from home. They’ve already won 19 games in opposition buildings — the New York Rangers and Chicago are the only teams with more — and they’ve got 10 more contests in opposition buildings. As a reminder, they won a grand total of 17 road games in 2015-16. UNDER-RATED DEFENCE? The goaltending of Craig Anderson and Mike Condon has ranged from good to very good, but associate coach Marc Crawford also says that captain Erik Karlsson is underrated as a defensive presence. “As much as he loves to play the game on an offensive sled, his read is really terrific, he breaks up so many plays subtly just by positioning himself in the right area,” Crawford said. “Because he reads the play and positions himself, opponents go in a different direction and he steers things in the right way. He’s equally as good (defensively), a superstar defensively. He has been magnificent for us this year.” BACK (UP) SEAT DRIVER After playing such a major role in November, December and January, Condon has rather quietly accepted his role in the background now that Anderson is on a roll again. It’s not always an easy job, such as being thrust into the net in the second game on back-to-back nights as was the case Thursday in Arizona. “It’s a bit different in terms of game rhythm and you have to make sure you’re getting your reps in practice and treating practices like games,” he said. It’s even tougher when practices are pretty close to non-existent. “When you’re the second guy, you’re expected to play the second game of the back-to-backs and you’re not trying to steal games, just give your team a chance to win.” REVISITING THE TRADE With Anderson back in his old home of Colorado, it’s intriguing to look back at the 2011 trade which brought him to Ottawa for Brian Elliott. Both netminders are in a groove now. Anderson is 8-2 since returning from his leave. After his terrible start with Calgary, Elliott has won seven straight games and is 8-0-1 in his past nine. He did the Senators a huge favour by shutting out Montreal 5-0 on Thursday. WELCOME TO THE NHL Chris DiDomenico’s NHL debut with the Senators didn’t get off to a stellar start. He took high sticking and holding the stick penalties in the first period, feeling shame in the penalty box. “The penalty killers bailed me out there, that was beginners’ (bad) luck and hopefully it doesn’t stay like that,” he said. While he played sparingly, seeing only 6:55 of ice time, he rallied. He was a presence in front of the Arizona net on Karlsson’s game-tying goal late in the third period. “I got to the blue paint (in the crease) and that’s where most goals come from,” he said. “After the first shift, I wheeled in there and I got better as the game went on.” Given the injury situation, DiDomenico should probably play a bit more Saturday 1052206 Ottawa Senators “Right now, I don’t see anybody better around, it’s unbelievable,” Senators head coach Guy Boucher said. “This guy is just gold right now in every aspect of the game, it’s very inspiring for everybody.” Depth vaulting Senators to new heights Boucher was also raving about his club’s ability to refocus when down 2- 1 after two periods against Arizona. BY KEN WARREN “I have a lot of respect for the players’ mental toughness,” he said. “It shows up again, with a real team thing again.”

Pageau, who scored the Senators first goal against Arizona, has become DENVER — They’re battered, bruised and full of Band-Aids, but they’ve a pivotal glue player, a “warrior” in Boucher’s eyes. Pageau has now somehow battled their way towards the top. scored in three consecutive games and continues to match up against top opposition lines every game. After captain Erik Karlsson’s late heroics in Thursday’s 3-2 overtime victory over the Arizona Coyotes, the Senators can do what once If Reggie Jackson once owned the title Mr. October, Pageau could earn seemed unthinkable — overtaking Montreal for first place in the Atlantic the title Mr. March, raising his game late in seasons. He has three goals Division — with a victory over the reeling Colorado Avalanche here and two assists and is plus-five in five games this March. Last March, he Saturday. scored four goals and seven assists in 15 games and carried a plus- eight. Perhaps more importantly, they’ve maintained an eight-point edge on Toronto, currently third in the wild card race and on the outside looking in “Hopefully, it keeps going, it’s always fun to contribute offensively,” he at a playoff spot. said. “It’s not my main role, but when you’re defending well, it opens up some (offensive chances). Countless players have their fingerprints on the Senators’ season-high five-game winning streak. “We’re facing a lot of adversity with all the injured players, but we’ve been able to come back all year long. It’s a challenge for us.” “We haven’t been letter-perfect every night, but (the players) have followed instructions and found ways,” Senators associate coach Marc Ottawa Sun LOADED: 03.11.2017 Crawford said. “You need different people to step up on different nights. Sometimes, it’s going to be your game-breaking people like Erik Karlsson was for us (against Arizona). Some nights, it’s just going to be the workmanlike work of the third and fourth lines — the (Chris) Kellys, the (Tommy) Wingels, the (Viktor) Stalbergs, and (Jean-Gabriel) Pageaus — who are going to have to grind it out for you.” Get ready for another makeshift line-up against the Avalanche. Mark Stone likely won’t play against Colorado after leaving Thursday’s game with an apparent leg injury. He joins Bobby Ryan (broken finger) and Kyle Turris (bruised finger) on the sidelines, prompting the recall of Phil Varone from Binghamton of the AHL. Where, exactly, everyone fits will remain a bit of a guessing game until puck drop. After games on consecutive nights — the Senators opened the three- game trek with a 5-2 win over Dallas Wednesday — the club had an off day Friday to enjoy the Rocky Mountain air. Fortunately for the Senators, the additions of pre-trade deadline pick-ups Stalberg, Alex Burrows and Chris DiDomenico have allowed the club to plug holes. Goaltender Craig Anderson, who is 8-2 since returning from his leave of absence, will be back in goal against Colorado after backup Mike Condon turned in a 39-save effort against Arizona. With a win, Anderson will have 147 victories in a Senators uniform, passing Patrick Lalime to take over sole possession of the franchise record win total. As sharp as Anderson has been, he has also benefited from the determined effort in front of him. Karlsson has been spectacular. In case you went to bed early Thursday, thinking the Senators had run out of gas against Arizona, the Senators captain found some late jump. He tied the game 2-2 with 7:13 remaining, stationed just outside the crease to rip a rebound past Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith. “(Karlsson) was on the back post,” said Condon, shaking his head in amazement. “You don’t expect to see a defenceman there, but he’s (Karlsson) and he’s the best defenceman in the game. And as soon as he got the break in overtime, you knew something good was going to happen.” In extra time, Karlsson jumped on a terrible turnover from Arizona’s Radim Vrbata at the Senators blueline and used Tom Pyatt as a decoy on a 2-on-0 break before ripping a shot off the post and past Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith. In his past four games, Karlsson has three goals, three assists and a plus-minus rating of plus-seven. He has also blocked 16 shots during the five-game winning streak. 1052207 Ottawa Senators

Senators dealing with injuries ahead of meeting with Avalanche

BY KEN WARREN

DENVER — The Ottawa Senators are riding a season-high five game winning streak, but they’re paying the price for that success. As the club continues to battle injury upon injury — Mark Stone was hurt late in Thursday’s comeback 3-2 overtime win over the Arizona Coyotes — Phil Varone was recalled Friday morning from Binghamton of the American Hockey League. Varone has no points in six previous games this season with the Senators. He has 13 goals and 29 assists in 51 games with Binghamton. While the Senators will attempt to run the winning streak to six games against the Colorado Avalanche Saturday, their forward group is limping. Stone (undisclosed) joins Kyle Turris (bruised finger) and Bobby Ryan (broken finger) on the injury list. Chris DiDomenico, who made his NHL debut in Thursday’s win over Arizona, will stay in the lineup against the Avalanche. The Senators will not practice Friday. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052208 Ottawa Senators

Senators coach Crawford has fond memories of Colorado

BY KEN WARREN

DENVER — It was 21 years ago when a 35-year-old Marc Crawford coached the Colorado Avalanche to the Stanley Cup title. It doesn’t take much prompting to get him to recall the details and the legends involved. “It brings back an awful lot of good memories,” the Ottawa Senators associate coach said of returning to the scene of the success. “Any time you win a Stanley Cup — it’s so hard to win — your thoughts go back to all the great players. Every time I come back here, I think of Patrick Roy, Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Adam Foote, (Valeri) Kamensky. It was a really talented club.” The Avalanche ultimately outclassed the Florida Panthers in the final, sweeping them in four games, but the Avalanche needed to win six-game series against Vancouver, Chicago and Detroit to get through the Western Conference playoffs. Crawford can’t say enough about the play of Sakic, who scored 18 goals in the 1996 playoffs — one shy of Reggie Leach’s all-time record — and Roy, who was a wall in goal. “You’ve got to win some games where your goalie stands on your head and Patrick did that, especially in the Detroit series,” he said. “That team had 130 points in the regular season and that’s without the extra point (for overtime and shootouts). They were absolutely magnificent and going into it, I wasn’t sure we could win it. Roy was the guy who influenced the rest of the team in believing we could win.” Flash forward to today and the picture in Colorado is, well, pretty much a shambles. Roy abruptly left as head coach in the summer in a power struggle with Sakic, the general manager. Under replacement coach Jared Bednar, the Avalanche have gone 19-44-3. Their goals for/goals against differential is minus 88. Crawford feels for Sakic, suggesting the loss of number goaltender Semyon Varlamov to injury was the kind of devastating blow that made recovery next to impossible. “They went undefeated in the pre-season and it just shows you can’t take anything for granted,” he said. “They still have very good, talented people. They have a lot of good players in all their position areas and hopefully for their sake, they’ll put it together and be better next year.” While Sakic has always been a soft-spoken leader, Crawford says that’s somewhat misleading. “He’s as competitive a guy as I’ve ever had,” he said. “When he stood up in the dressing room, it wasn’t (often), but it was very purposeful.” Crawford believes Sakic has the abilities to turn the Avalanche around. “There are so many complexities for how to solve problems — financial, personnel, chemistry — and you have to try and do it while out-flanking some pretty smart people on the other teams in the league. He’s got a lot of the capabilities to make me think he is going to be successful.” Ottawa Sun LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052209 Philadelphia Flyers

Claude Giroux channels Chris Pronger as Flyers resume playoff hunt by Sam Carchidi, STAFF WRITER

BOSTON - Claude Giroux is channeling his inner Chris Pronger in order to get the Flyers to regroup from a painful 4-2 loss in Toronto on Thursday. Giroux, of course, is the Flyers captain. Pronger, now retired, is one of their former captains. "We have to do the best we can to put it behind us. We had our chances," said Giroux, who led a furious third-period onslaught in which the Flyers fired 20 shots and came close to tying the game before Toronto iced the win with an empty-net goal. When it came to moving past a loss, "the best at it was Chris Pronger," Giroux said, recalling how the big defenseman would spar, good- naturedly, with the media after a defeat - and how it left an impression on him as a young player. "We'd be in the playoffs and he'd be in the room and he'd already turned the page and everybody's looking at him like, 'What's wrong with this guy?' That's the kind of mentality we need right now. Whether you lose or you win, you need to be able to turn the page as quick as you can and focus on the next opponent." That would be Boston on Saturday afternoon at TD Garden. The Bruins (76 points) are in a playoff spot - they sit third in the Atlantic Division - while the Flyers (70 points) are five points behind the Islanders (75), who hold the Eastern Conference's last wild-card spot. The Flyers need to climb over three teams to get into the playoffs. "It's good stress, I think," Giroux said of the Flyers' quest to duplicate last year's playoff run. "It's really exciting. Obviously, it's frustrating when you don't get the wins and kind of put yourself back in that position, but there's a lot of hockey left to be played here. The last game, you're frustrated and you're kind of looking at the big picture and [how] it's going to be harder to get back in. But you know what? At the end of the day you just have to win some hockey games and you'll be back in that position." Saturday's matinee is against a Boston team that has outshot the Flyers by a combined 86-45 in their two meetings. The Flyers won a 3-2 shootout on Nov. 29, thanks to Steve Mason's brilliant play. Boston shelled Michal Neuvirth in the Jan. 14 rematch, 6-3. "Every game for us is basically a must-win from now on," Giroux said. "We need to embrace that and kind of have fun doing that." Giroux had six shots and an assist Thursday. "I felt pretty good. I had that jump again and being able to jump on pucks and make plays," said Giroux, one of the Flyers who spoke to the team Friday, reminding his teammates to stay upbeat in the season's last 16 games. "It was too bad we couldn't tie it up there at the end. . . . Our chances were there. In the third period, it was obviously our best period and we need to play 60 minutes like that." Mason will start Saturday. He had played four straight games - going 3-0- 1 with a 1.45 goals-against average and .945 save percentage - before Neuvirth got the call Thursday and was shaky early. Mason is ready for the stretch run. "I feel fine. I've only played 45 or so games. I work hard all summer to manage a heavy workload," he said. "As long as you're not starting 20 games in a row, you should be fine. Four, five games in a row isn't that big a deal for me." The Bruins have been on a roll. "With the coaching change, they have played well, they've responded to it," Mason said, mindful the Bruins are 9-3 since Bruce Cassidy replaced Claude Julien. "We definitely have to be ready for a fast start. This isn't a team you want to fall far behind on." Breakaways. The Flyers' penalty kill has allowed five goals in 10 chances over the last three games. "We've had one piece miss an assignment on probably our last five or six goals against," coach Dave Hakstol said. . . . Travis Konecny is expected to replace Nick Cousins on the third line Saturday Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052210 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers surprise: Neuvirth replaces sizzling Mason by Sam Carchidi, STAFF WRITER

TORONTO - In a mild surprise, Flyers goalie Michal Neuvirth started Thursday night's critical matchup in Toronto. Neuvirth replaced the sizzling Steve Mason, who was 3-0-1 with a 1.45 goals-against average and .945 save percentage in the Flyers' previous four games. "I think the schedule dictates it," coach Dave Hakstol said before the game. "Mase has been real good and has done a great job for us. Neuvy has to do the same thing for us. If you look at the schedule for us, one guy isn't going to be able to run the table all the way through." The Flyers have 16 games remaining. It was Neuvirth's first appearance since a shaky performance in a 4-2 loss to Pittsburgh at Heinz Field on Feb. 25. It was also his first game since signing a two-year contract extension for a total of $5 million. "You have to be ready for every opportunity you get," Neuvirth said Thursday after the morning skate at the Air Canada Centre. Mason was shelled in a 6-3 loss in Toronto on Nov. 11, while Neuvirth beat the Leafs, 2-1, on Jan. 26 at the Wells Fargo Center. Neuvirth had better career numbers against the Leafs (9-4-1, 2.83 GAA, .901 save percentage) than Mason (4-6-2, 3.43, .876). Hakstol said "you try to factor some of those things into it, but that wasn't the dominant factor in Neuvy getting the start" against the high-scoring Leafs. No thanks Center Valtteri Filppula nixed a trade to Toronto before the Flyers acquired him from Tampa Bay on March 1. Toronto coach Mike Babcock coached Filppula in Detroit and wanted him again. Filppula was honored. He respects Babcock. But he felt he was a better fit with the Flyers, so he did not add the Maple Leafs to the list of 16 teams to which he would agree to be dealt. "I had made a list earlier and just decided to stick with the list," Filppula said before the game. "I think everything at the trade deadline comes at you really quick. When you do those things [in the summer], you have a little bit more time to think about things. "So I just wanted to stick with that." Before the game, Babcock praised Filppula, calling him a "good pro" and saying he helped give the Flyers four balanced lines. "He's a real good skater, can play with and without the puck, and distributes it well," Babcock said. Breakaways Entering the night, Claude Giroux was tied for second in the NHL in power-play points (26) and power-play assists (21). . . . Ivan Provorov was averaging 21 minutes, 42 seconds per game entering Thursday and could break the franchise's rookie record (Braydon Coburn, 20:58 in 2006-07) for average time on ice. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052211 Philadelphia Flyers One thing the Flyers have to be wary of tomorrow is the first 10 minutes of play. The Bruins always seem to come out hard against the Flyers right from the puck drop. CLAUDE GIROUX HELPING FLYERS HAVE SHORT MEMORY THE "They start quick," Mason said. "With the coaching change, they have WAY CHRIS PRONGER TAUGHT HIM played well, they've responded to it. We definitely have to be ready for a fast start. By Tim Panaccio | CSNPhilly.com March 10, 2017 "This isn't a team you want to fall far behind on. It kinda emphasizes the importance tomorrow morning for an early start."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.11.2017 BOSTON -- Claude Giroux says it used to amaze him just how quickly Chris Pronger could let go of a game. Forget the loss. Even if it was awful. Move on. It was among the many lessons Giroux learned from Pronger during the short time that "Mr. Warmth" was a Flyer: that the next game is the most important one to worry about. Which is the attitude the Flyers' captain says his teammates will bring into Saturday's matinee against the Bruins. The Flyers find themselves five points behind the Islanders for the wild card but now have to catapult over both Tampa Bay and Toronto just to get to Boston. "The best at it was Chris Pronger," Giroux said. "In the playoffs, we'd lose a game and he'd be in the room and had already turned the page. "Everbody would be looking at him like, 'What's wrong with this guy?' That's kind of the mentality we have to have right now. You lose or you win, you have to be able to turn the page as quick as you can and focus on the next opponent." Giroux said the tip-off that Pronger had moved on would be if he was joking with teammates or the media. "He was talking about the next game already and for a young guy like me, he's been in that position before and you kinda learn from that," Giroux said. "The game is over. You can't put more stress on yourself. You let it go." Giroux had a team meeting in the morning here and told players they had to let go of the game in Toronto and just focus on Boston. He reinforced that the five-point gap in the wild card is not insurmountable. "The good thing about this team is we're all on the same page," he said. "If there's a small problem, we fix it right away. I really feel like the guys have turned the page. Worry about Boston and get excited about it." All that said, Flyers coach Dave Hakstol says it's much harder to have this attitude than you think. The 4-2 loss in Toronto doesn't just disappear in their minds overnight. "It sticks with you," Hakstol said. "It eats at you. I'm sure a lot of guys probably didn't have a great night of sleep last night but you've got to wake up today. That's what the workday today was all about -- clearing your mind, clearing your plate, getting ready for the next one tomorrow. "Is it cliché? Absolutely, but before the game yesterday we had gotten seven out of eight points. Most important two points are the next ones up. That doesn't change." Steve Mason, who had his 3-0-1 stretch of solid goaltending interrupted with Michal Neuvirth getting the start against Toronto, returns to the net. There's a world of pressure on Mason right now, especially given that Neuvirth had an off-night against the Maple Leafs. "It's a big game, there is no way around it, but at the end of the day, every game the rest of the season is going to be big," Mason said. "We understand we're not going to win every game for the rest of the year but losing last night obviously makes the importance of this game a little bit greater. "We just have to have a good game. It's not work putting the extra pressure on it just because this is the type of hockey that will be the rest of the year." Hakstol wants to manage his goalies based off the stretch run to the playoffs and not tire either of them out. "I feel fine," Mason said. "I've only played 45 or so games. I work hard all summer to manage a heavy workload. "As long as you're not starting 28 games in a row, you should be fine. Four, five games in a row isn't that big a deal for me." 1052212 Philadelphia Flyers "Val is well-respected in the league," Giroux replied. "So when a team plays against him, they respect the way he plays and they pay attention to him. He's a great two-way player and he will help the team in a lot of MINUS-16 ON THE ROAD, CLAUDE GIROUX NEEDS BETTER two-way situations. Five-on-five is one of them." MATCHUPS Fippula's line played up against Jack Eichel's in Buffalo this week, leaving Giroux to face Ryan O'Reilly's unit, which was a favorable match for the Flyers as Giroux scored his first goal in 13 games. Six of his 13 By Tim Panaccio | CSNPhilly.com March 10, 2017 goals this season have come on the road, so it's almost an even split. Hakstol tried and succeeded in getting Filppula against Auston Matthews' unit in Toronto and leaving Giroux to face Nazem Kadri's line. Hakstol BOSTON -- The debate rages on. seemed comfortable the entire game with whatever Toronto had on the ice. What can be done to assist Flyers captain Claude Giroux into getting more scoring chances and goal production on the road? Even without scoring a goal, Giroux was simply a beast at Toronto, being double-shifted in the third period and doing everything he could to inspire It's the central theme to why Giroux has been a minus player this season the Flyers to match his intensity. One player did: Shayne Gostisbehere. out of town (minus-16) and an even player on home ice. The Flyers didn't lose 4-2 to the Leafs because of poor matchups. They Interestingly, general manager Ron Hextall admitted on trade deadline lost because their penalty kill units failed them again, hardly even making day that a major benefit of acquiring Valterri Filppula was that he would the Leafs work to earn a goal. In this one, Toronto's power play went 2 give the Flyers a legit second-line center to take some pressure off for 2. Giroux in terms of road matchups. Either Couturier or Filppula will likely draw Patrice Bergeron's unit "To have centers who can play against anybody when you are on the Saturday when the Flyers meet the Bruins. road, a team sends its best line out there, and you only have one option or two options, it's very tough," Hextall said. Again, unless the Flyers get an all-around performance where their special teams help them level the playing surface or even tilt it in their "The more options you have, the more times they don't get the matchups favor, matchups may not matter. they are looking for. It's important." Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.11.2017 For all criticisms that Craig Berube unfairly took here as head coach, he was excellent in matching his players up on the road and making adjustments on the fly. That's because "Chief" played two decades in the league and rose through the coaching ranks from minor to pro. Berube had oodles of experience. It's not easy and it takes time for a coach to figure it out. This is just Dave Hakstol's second season in the NHL and learning how to make adjustments when you don't get the last chance is, in itself, an art form. Which is why Hakstol often is content to allow things to play out on the road in terms of matchups. For instance, in three games against Washington this season -- two on the road -- Hakstol was content to allow Jay Beagle's line to match against Giroux the majority of three games. He was more concerned with the defensive pairing of Karl Alzner and John Carlson against him. "Washington is going to play four lines," Hakstol said. "That's been a big part of their success. Rather than take ourselves out of rhythm, we had everybody going. "You ask about Filppula and how that changes things. There is always a decision to make. Before that, there is a decision for the home team to decide if they want a matchup. "Everybody looks at the forward matchups. You've got to look deeper into it with the defense matchups. That is normally what you are going to get. You have to look at all of it. Sometimes, it is a group of five." What Hakstol tries to do is get his checking line of Nick Cousins, Sean Couturier and Matt Read against the other team's top line or second line. Filppula gives him more options now. With Filppula centering Brayden Schenn and Jakub Voracek, it gives the opposition pause as to whether they want to place their best checkers on that skill unit or Giroux's line with Jordan Weal and Wayne Simmonds. Yet often, Hakstol lets things play out. “The way Hak's been coaching, I don't think on the road he bothers a whole lot," Sean Couturier said this week. "If we're on the road he tries to get it, but if we don't, it's not a big deal. We just roll four lines." Since he's been here, Giroux has never been one to offer excuses for anything that might affect his play. He feels he should be a top-tier center regardless of injury, matchup or anything else. It has taken him until only recently to actually look like the confident player with speed that he was in the past. Line matchups? "To be honest, I haven’t really thought about it," Giroux said. "Every line and every team have a shutdown line. Sometimes I get away from it, but if you play against them, you have to make the most out of it." Can Filppula help? 1052213 Philadelphia Flyers

JAKUB VORACEK LASHES OUT AT BILL DALY, GARY BETTMAN OVER OLYMPIC INDECISION

By Tim Panaccio | CSNPhilly.com March 10, 2017

TORONTO -- Commissioner Gary Bettman's stance on the NHL participation, or lack thereof, in the 2018 Winter Games in South Korea hasn't changed one iota and at least one Flyer -- Jakub Voracek -- remains upset. "It's stupid and I find it absolutely ridiculous," said Voracek, who represented the Czech Republic at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. But during this week's NHL general manager meetings in Boca Raton, Florida, Bettman didn't provide any kind of update that would have made Voracek feel any better about the situation. "There's absolutely nothing new," Bettman told reporters. "And I think the overwhelming sentiment of the teams is that it's very disruptive on the season and there's somewhere between fatigue and negativity on the subject." There remains a strong consensus among players throughout the league to attend the Winter Games, regardless of the logistical issues and time differences for broadcasts of games from Pyeongchang, South Korea. "Unless something changes we're not going," deputy commissioner Bill Daly told Canadian Press. "We've said that consistently for three months so there's nothing new about that." That comment, in particular, angered Voracek, who spoke to CSNPhilly.com during Thursday's morning skate hours before the Flyers' 4-2 defeat in Toronto. "Absolutely ridiculous. We have it once every four years. I read something that Bill Daly said we're not going. Nobody wants you to go. "The players want to go. Why you're saying you're not going? You're not part of the players' association. ... Nobody wants you there. They want the players." Bettman said the NHL is already putting together its schedule for next season and it doesn’t include an Olympic break. Interestingly, Bettman did say that the league has strong interest in the 2022 Games in China, mentioning that those Games present the NHL with some strong business opportunities and partnerships. "It's the Olympics," Voracek said. "It's not just about business. You want to be part of the Olympics. And trust me, players want to go. And the players who don't go get a week off to recharge their batteries. If you have bumps and bruises, you can heal and recover. "The players want to go, I guarantee you that. I want to see how you are going to hold (Alex) Ovechkin back. The Russian players. Tell them they can't go." While the NHL consistently harps on shutting down for up to 17 days, it hasn't stopped them from going to the previous five Olympics. One more thing -- that Bettman hasn't said flat-out that "it's over" means there is still time to salvage NHL participation. After all, everything in life is negotiable. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052214 Philadelphia Flyers

AFTER LOSS TO MAPLE LEAFS, FLYERS DESPERATELY NEED 2 REGULATION POINTS IN BOSTON

By Tim Panaccio | CSNPhilly.com March 10, 2017

TORONTO -- It won’t be easy going into Boston now. Not after Thursday's 4-2 loss to the Maple Leafs (see story) that put the Flyers in a deeper hole in their attempt to earn a wild-card playoff spot. In other words, Saturday's matinee at TD Garden is a "must" win even more than it was 24 hours ago. "Absolutely," said Shayne Gostisbehere. "Obviously, [Thursday] was a must-win for us. And going into Boston, it's going to be huge for us. "It's going to be a playoff-like atmosphere for us. We’re going to need two points." The Leafs moved into the second wild-card spot in the East with 74 points and the Islanders kept pace as the wild-card leader by virtue of an OT win in Vancouver late Thursday night. So the Isles (75 points) now have a five-point cushion on the Flyers in the wild-card chase. The Lightning (71 points) jumped the Flyers thanks to a 4-1 win over Minnesota on Thursday. Regardless, the Flyers lost a golden chance to gain ground. Ironically, the Flyers went into Boston right around the same time -- March -- back in 2015. They were 15 seconds from winning a game in regulation play and ended up losing to the Bruins, 3-2, in overtime. It was a crushing defeat that left Craig Berube's club emotionally drained. So much so, they went into New Jersey the next day and got slammed 5-2, ending their playoff hopes. The Flyers don't want to see this turn into another lost weekend like that one did. "In the past, when there was pressure, guys elevated their game," said Flyers captain Claude Giroux. "We can't be pouting. We have to put this behind us and be ready for Boston." They need to take two points from the Bruins in regulation play. They still have to surpass the Leafs, directly in front of them. "It's not that much, we’re just four points behind [Toronto] and we got games left," countered Sean Couturier. "Doesn't matter. It's still tight. We got to take it one game at a time and win. Still games left." Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052215 Philadelphia Flyers miss an assignment on probably our last five or six goals against. When I look at it throughout an entire two-minute PK, we’re doing so many good things getting the pressure and the clears that we want, but we haven’t Giroux takes page from Pronger's book to 'flip the page' finished. We’ve got to finish the PKs.” Loose Pucks Dave Isaac , Steve Mason will be back between the pipes against the Bruins. He has a 6-2-3 record in 12 career games against Boston with a 2.26 goals- against average and .933 save percentage. … Hakstol hinted there may be lineup changes, also. One likely one is that Travis Konecny, who was BOSTON — Claude Giroux didn’t know what to think when he saw it for creating plays Thursday but his linemates couldn’t finish, will probably not the first time several years ago. be on the fourth line. … Tim Schaller and Ryan Spooner will both be out of the lineup for Boston Saturday afternoon. After a loss — a playoff loss — Chris Pronger was already joking around, talking about the next game, “having a blast” with reporters as he was Dave Isaac; 856-486-2479; [email protected] wont to do. He refused to let the loss fester into a negative locker room. Up next: at Boston Bruins A look into Dave Hakstol’s goalie decisions When: 1 p.m., Saturday “He had already turned the page,” Giroux said. “Everybody’s looking at him like, ‘What’s wrong with this guy?’ That’s the kind of mentality we TV/Radio: CSN/93.3 FM have to have right now. You lose or you win, you need to be able to turn the page as quick as you can and focus on the next opponent. Courier-Post LOADED: 03.11.2017 “For a young guy like me, he’s been in that position before and you kind of learn from that. You know what, the game’s over. You can’t do anything about it. You can’t put more stress on yourself. You need to let it go and worry about the next one.” Friday afternoon Giroux was one of four players to take the option and not go on the ice for practice. He was still in the locker room doing his best Pronger impression, trying to raise the spirit of a team that lost 4-2 the night before in Toronto, a game could be a backbreaker if the Flyers end up not making the playoffs. “The way (Pronger) was in the locker room, he obviously knew when to speak up and be a leader and he knew when to put things behind him,” said Brayden Schenn, who played in the 13 games Pronger did before an ocular concussion ended his career. “He was good at that. I’m sure guys learn off that stuff.” And it’s a tall task to move debilitating loss out of a player’s head. Might be even tougher considering the Flyers spent Friday practicing in TD Garden, the site of where the wheels came off in their playoff run two seasons ago. Had they beaten Boston in regulation on March 7, 2015 they’d have been within two points of the Bruins for the final wild card spot. Instead they lost 3-2 in overtime and the next night went to Newark and played a sloppy game against the Devils, losing by three. “That was kind of the end point of our season,” Schenn admitted. “We went to Jersey and lost the next night and before we knew it we were five or six or seven out. We’re five out right now and can’t afford to go seven.” With the exception of a handful of players, this is also the team that went on an improbable run last year and did make the playoffs. Through 66 games, the Flyers were two points out. They got better at pushing games out of their memory like they couldn’t in Boston two years ago. “It sticks with you. It eats at you,” coach Dave Hakstol said. “I’m sure a lot of guys probably didn’t have a great night of sleep (Thursday) night but you’ve got to wake up (Friday)…that’s what the workday was all about — clearing your mind, clearing your plate, getting ready for the next one (Saturday). Is it cliché? Absolutely, but before the game (against Toronto) we had gotten seven out of eight points.” With 16 games left, Giroux and the Flyers are telling themselves there’s still plenty of time left to rebound. “It’s good stress, I think,” the captain said. “It’s really exciting. Obviously, it’s frustrating when you don’t get the wins and kind of put yourself back in that position, but there’s a lot of hockey left to be played here.” Struggling penalty kill If the Flyers do make the postseason, that’s when special teams decide hockey games and if the Flyers go in with what they have now they won’t like the results. Penalties have killed the Flyers and opposing power plays have feasted. “Our PK’s been pretty good when you look at the number of opportunities we’ve given up,” Hakstol said, before he was reminded that the Flyers have allowed five power-play goals against on 10 opportunities in the last three games. “I’m not gonna get too much into it,” the coach said. “PK, you need everyone doing their job on a PK. Everybody. And we’ve had one piece 1052216 Pittsburgh Penguins “We've used (Bonino) in a lot of different capacities this year. He's been in our top nine all year long and been one of our top penalty killers. We're hoping his best games are ahead of him. That was a trend last year, and Penguins notebook: Fleury gets call in net at Oilers we hope that continues again this year.' SUNDQVIST SET TO SHINE? JASON HILLS | Friday, March 10, 2017 Oscar Sundqvist is ready to show he can be an offensive catalyst this time around.

The Penguins recalled Sundvist from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Friday. All year long, goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury has likely had to answer The 22-year-old forward recorded 16 goals and 39 points in 53 games in more questions about where he's going to be playing, rather than how the American Hockey League this season. he's playing for the Penguins. This is the first call up this season after spending 18 games last year with Trade speculation followed him around, but now the trade deadline has the Penguins, registering one goal and four points. passed, the 13-year veteran can move forward. “My offensive game has developed a lot, and I'm coming here with Fleury will get the start between the pipes Friday, when the Penguins confidence,” Sundqvist said. clash with the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place. The Penguins brass know what Sundqvist brings on defense and told the His playing time has been cut down this season due to the emergence of 2012 third-round pick to work on his game offensively in the AHL. rookie goaltender Matt Murray, who took over the reins during last season's Stanley Cup championship run. “He's a guy that we can play in a lot of situations,” Sullivan said. But the former No. 1 overall pick has handled his playing future “We can use him in a checking capacity… but the evolution in his game distractions well. this year has been on the offensive side. He's turned into a good playmaker, and he's going to the net and scoring goals and that's good to “He's handled it so well… so professionally. Away from the ice, you see his complete game develop.” couldn't find a better guy. He's done a fantastic job coming in with limited time and limited reps and played great for us,” said Penguins CLOSE TO HOME defenseman Ian Cole. Carter Rowney hasn't played this close to home since his Junior A days “You saw the other night against Buffalo, he comes in relief and shuts the with the Alberta Junior Hockey League's Grande Prairie Storm almost a door and plays unbelievable and we come back and win. decade ago. “You've seen over the course of his career how good he is. Enough can't “I'm excited. I have a lot of family and friends coming in to cheer me on. be said how well he's handled it personally.” It's been a while since I've been back here for hockey reasons,” said Rowney, who grew up in Sexsmith, Alta, 260 miles northeast of The decision to stick with Fleury and not move him at the March 1 trade Edmonton. deadline was a no-brainer for the Penguins. Sure, they risk potentially losing him to the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft, but the Tribune Review LOADED: 03.11.2017 Penguins are focused on the present not the future. They want to go on another Stanley Cup run and having Fleury in the fold provides the Penguins with options. If Murray were to get injured or suffer some playoff struggles, the Penguins know they can count on Fleury. You can't forget he's only two years removed from posting a 34-win season and a career-best 10 shutouts. “We believe we have the best goaltending tandem in the league. Both are No. 1 guys. They're both really good, and they give us a chance to win each and every night,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “Our challenge this year has been to try to find enough net for both of them. They're both competitive guys. They both want to play, and that's been our biggest challenge, but we're fortunate to have both guys back there to make timely saves for us.” SESITO SITS FOR 4 Tom Sesito thought Winnipeg Jets defenseman Tobias Enstrom saw the hit coming. The Penguins enforcer, who was called up Wednesday, was suspended by the league for four games after boarding Enstrom at the 13:10 mark of the first period in Wednesday's 7-4 victory. Enstrom was diagnosed with a concussion and is out of the Jets lineup indefinitely. “I was coming in, and he made eye contact with me… I know they analyze things frame by frame and it looks like I could've changed directions, but in my mind, I thought he saw (the hit) coming,” Sestito said. “I don't want to see him get hurt, and I hope he has a fast recovery. I will sit my time out and hopefully get back to playing.” BONINO HEATING UP It was this time last year that Nick Bonino got hot and was an integral part of the Penguins' playoff run. Bonino scored a hat trick in Wednesday night's 7-4 win in Winnipeg. Could history be repeating itself? “The hat trick is a real good start,” Sullivan said. 1052217 Pittsburgh Penguins

Fleury makes 40 saves, Malkin and Bonino score as Penguins win in shootout

JASON HILLS | Saturday, March 11, 2017

EDMONTON — The Sidney Crosby-Connor McDavid showdown lived up to its billing, but Marc-Andre Fleury might have stolen the show for the Penguins on Friday night at Rogers Place. The veteran goaltender made 40 saves, including one on a McDavid breakaway in overtime to help the Penguins take a 3-2 shootout victory. Phil Kessel scored the shootout winner, and Nick Bonino and Evgeni Malkin scored in regulation for the Penguins. Trade-deadline acquisition David Desharnais scored his first goal as an Oiler, and McDavid also scored. The Oilers want to mold their team into what the Penguins are. The young upstart Oilers are poised to make the playoffs for the first time in 11 seasons and put up a fight against the Stanley Cup champions, but the Penguins' experience showed in the victory. “They played hard tonight,” Crosby said. “They're a playoff team, and they've had success this year for a reason. We know that playing other teams, we're going to get their best and we have to compete every night.” Bonino and Malkin have been red-hot of late, combining for 10 goals and five assists in their last four games. Bonino's 13th goal of the season and fourth in two games and Malkin's 32nd goal of the season gave the Penguins a 2-0 lead after a first period in which they outshot Edmonton, 13-8. Bonino caught Cam Talbot out of position on the first goal at the 5:42 mark, and Malkin's goal late in the opening frame is one Talbot would like to have back. Malkin's blast squeaked through his pads, and in a mad flurry trying to swipe the puck away in the crease, McDavid kicked it in his own net. In the final 40 minutes and overtime, Fleury made 32 saves. “It was one after another with some of the saves he made, and they weren't easy ones. They had some clean looks, some breakaways ... he was incredible tonight,” Crosby said. “It's fun to see him when he gets that mindset that he's having fun out there. We made it tough on him, but he was great.” The Oilers cut the lead in half with Desharnais' marker early in the second period and tied it with 7:15 left in the game thanks to McDavid's power-play goal. Fleury made a great save off the initial shot that was deflected by Zach Kassian but was unable to stop Desharnais, who was in perfect position to pot his fifth goal of the year. He had no chance on McDavid's marker, a perfect top-corner shot. McDavid was buzzing all night, leading all skaters with nine shots on goal. But the Penguins, who are banged up on the blue line, received some gritty efforts from their defensive corps and Fleury stood tall when they needed him most. It was an entertaining overtime, with the goalies stealing the spotlight — particularly Fleury, who showed great patience on a McDavid breakaway, and followed it up with an incredible toe save against Ryan Nugent- Hopkins in the dying moments. “I just tried to stay patient. (McDavid) has great hands ... I already poke- checked him once, and I just had to wait for him to make his move and it worked out,” said Fleury, who earned his 17th victory of the season. “It was entertaining. They're good players, lots of skills, and you have to be ready for these guys. It was to make those saves. “I just tried to cut their space away a little bit, but my guys did a great job blocking shots and cleaning out rebounds.” Tribune Review LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052218 Pittsburgh Penguins

Tom Sestito disagrees with suspension but will 'take it in stride'

By Sam Werner / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

EDMONTON, Alberta — Penguins forward Tom Sestito said Friday he disagrees with the NHL’s ruling to suspend him four games for a hit on Winnipeg defenseman Toby Enstrom Wednesday. “I’ve got no choice but to serve them,” Sestito said after the Penguins’ morning skate Friday. “Take it in stride and go from there.” The NHL ruled that Sestito’s first-period hit on Enstrom constituted boarding. At the time, Sestito was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct. Enstrom left the game and has been diagnosed with a concussion. Sestito said he thought Enstrom saw him coming, even though his back was turned. “When I was going in for the puck, I saw him look over his shoulder,” Sestito said. “We made eye contact, so I knew he knew I was coming. I thought he would take the hit. It happens quick out there. “I know they analyze it frame-by-frame and it looks like I could’ve changed directions, but in my mind I thought he saw it coming. I don’t mean for him to get hurt. I hope he fast a great recovery, fast recovery.” Sestito added that, in situations like that, he felt the onus should be on the player with the puck to be aware of his position on the ice. “Maybe I can avoid [it] somehow and go into the boards somehow, but I thought he made eye contact with me so he knew I was coming,” he said. Penguins coach Mike Sullivan backed up his player but did not offer any specific thoughts on the league’s ruling. “He brings a physical element to his game,” Sullivan said. “But I know that his intent, and we know that his intent was not to injure. But certainly the league, it’s their prerogative to make their rulings the way they see fit, and we’ll be respectful of it.” This story will be updated. Sam Werner Post Gazette LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052219 Pittsburgh Penguins There is much less fighting in hockey, and that’s a good thing. Hockey doesn’t need fights to be entertaining, and it is a much better game without them. Paul Zeise: Time to legislate players such as Tom Sestito out of the NHL The sport is physical by nature, but being physical and being a goon are not the same thing. It is time for the NHL to make the status of goons go from “rare” to “extinct.” By Paul Zeise / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Post Gazette LOADED: 03.11.2017

Penguins goon Tom Sestito was suspended four games for his cowardly late hit on Winnipeg’s Toby Enstrom Wednesday night. That’s unfortunate. If the NHL had any clue, Sestito would have been suspended for the rest of the season. And I’d go one step further: The NHL should have fined the Penguins for calling up Sestito and putting him on the ice in the first place. That would send a clear message to the rest of the NHL that the days of putting goons on the ice to settle scores are over. The previous game between the two teams got chippy. Evgeni Malkin elbowed Blake Wheeler in the head, and the Penguins lost defensemen Justin Schultz and Olli Maatta to injuries. That means both teams were on alert for the rematch. But all three of those hits were within the context of hockey, and only Malkin’s was over-the-line dirty. Malkin should have been suspended for a game or two. The league claims it wants to legislate head hits and make it safer, and that was a textbook case of a player headhunting. He wasn’t suspended, though, and that angered the Jets. Of course, the Penguins felt they needed Sestito just in case something went down. Thankfully, the Sestitos of the world are becoming few and far between, but the fact that they still exist in 2017 is ridiculous. And the fact that the Penguins went down this road and Mike Sullivan tried to justify it is even more ridiculous. “Tommy’s intent isn’t to injure,” Sullivan said. “He plays the game hard and brings a physical element to our team.” No, Ian Cole plays the game hard and brings a physical element to the Penguins. But he actually has skill and a role in helping the Penguins win games. Chris Kunitz leads the team in hits and has become a physical player. He also has a skill that helps the Penguins win. Sestito’s job is to try and hurt people. His main talent is throwing punches at another player’s face. I don’t know about you, but the last time I threw a punch at someone, my goal wasn’t to avoid injuring them. The Penguins should be ashamed of themselves for even having Sestito in the organization. It is ridiculous they call him up to play on the same team with some of the most skilled players on the planet. He did his job, though, as he was on the ice for 1:02 and had three penalties and 20 penalty minutes and knocked someone out of the game. Oh, wait, his plus/minus was also plus-1, so he apparently did contribute to the win. This old-school hockey mentality is slowly but surely going away but still exists in far too many circles. And adding a player like Sestito into the mix won’t make the game safer for the Penguins stars. The opposite is actually true, because both teams understand that he isn’t in uniform to give out Swedish massages. The final six minutes of the game turned ugly, and Winnipeg’s Adam Lowry was given a 10-minute misconduct for taking a run at Malkin. Malkin himself got into a fight with Wheeler early. What if Malkin had broken his hand in that fight or worse, sustained a concussion and was out for two months? The irony of all of this is the Penguins are one of the teams that has led the NHL out of the dark ages by proving that talent, speed and skill trumps heavy and physical almost every time. More teams are searching for players with speed, and less are searching for big, physical plodding players who muck the game up. As a result, the NHL is a far better product today than it was even five or six years ago, as more and more teams have tried to replicate what teams such as the Penguins, Blackhawks and Lightning have done. 1052220 Pittsburgh Penguins

Oskar Sundqvist's 'evolution' brings call-up from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

By Sam Werner / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

EDMONTON, Alberta — Thursday was a bit of a travel day for Oskar Sundqvist. He got word in the afternoon that he was getting called up from the American Hockey League’s Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins to the big- league club. The only problem? The Penguins were in Edmonton, getting ready to play the Oilers. Believe it or not, there aren’t direct flights from Wilkes- Barre/Scranton to Edmonton. So Sundqvist went from Wilkes-Barre to New York, New York to Toronto and Toronto to Edmonton, arriving at the team hotel late Thursday. “It took a while,” he said after the Penguins’ morning skate Friday. “A lot of running through airports.” The call-up itself has also been a bit of a long time coming for Sundqvist, who played in 18 regular season games and two playoff contests for the Penguins last year. This season, though, he has spent the whole year in Wilkes-Barre, scoring 16 goals and notching 23 assists in 53 games. “You need a little bit of luck,” Sundqvist said. “When I went on a hot streak down there, everyone was healthy up here, then I went down a little bit. You need a little bit of luck for when it comes. I haven’t been thinking about it too much. Just been trying to find my game and play my game down there.” After Sundqvist’s stint in the NHL last year, during which he recorded one goal and three assists, he and Penguins brass both agreed his offensive game needed some refining before he could claim a regular spot on the big-league roster. That’s precisely what he has tried to focus on in Wilkes-Barre this season. It didn’t take long for Sundqvist to start producing results, either, with 30 points in his first 28 AHL games this season. “I played in a lot of offensive situations down in Wilkes,” Sundqvist said. “It gave me a lot of confidence, especially in the offensive zone.” His offensive production has cooled a bit recently, partially due to some injuries, but Wilkes-Barre/Scranton coach Clark Donatelli said he can see the progress Sundqvist has made this season. At 6-foot-3, the rangy Sundqvist’s defensive length will likely always been his greatest asset, but if he wants to fill the third-line center role the Penguins envision for him, he has to be able to contribute on the offensive end, as well. “We wanted him to play well defensively, but also when he gets a chance, to take advantage of the offensive abilities he has,” Donatelli said. “To challenge defensemen offensively, challenge them in the [offensive] zone. He’s done that. He’s answered the bell.” Given his size, one of the best ways Sundqvist can contribute offensively is by getting to the front of the net and wreaking havoc for opposing goalies, and Donatelli said he even could be a net-front man on the power play if called upon. It’s unlikely the Penguins will use him in that capacity, at least right away, but coach Mike Sullivan agreed with Donatelli’s assessment of Sundqvist. His natural defensive ability is still there, but the improved offensive game is what has the Penguins bullish on Sundqvist’s prospects for this season and beyond. “We knew that [defense was] the strength of his game,” Sullivan said. “We can use him in a checking capacity, he’s a good penalty killer, he’s got good awareness away from the puck. “But really, the evolution in his game this year has been on the offensive side. He’s turned into a good playmaker. He’s going to the net, he’s scoring goals. That’s great for us. It’s great for him, and it’s great for us, to see his complete game develop down there.” Post Gazette LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052221 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins beat Oilers, 3-2 in shootout

By Sam Werner / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

EDMONTON, Alberta — In the two matchups between Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby this season, McDavid has claimed the individual statistical edge. Crosby, though, has two wins. And he’ll certainly take that. The Penguins’s 3-2 shootout win in Edmonton Friday night gave them a season sweep of the Oilers and McDavid, the young star pegged as Crosby’s heir apparent to the title of best player in the league. While much of the outside focus was on the two captains, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan was, understandably, more concerned about the bigger picture. “The Pittsburgh Penguins against the Edmonton Oilers was a pretty fast- paced game, and those guys obviously are elite players,” Sullivan said. “It was certainly, I think, one of the faster-paced games that we’ve played in.” That’s especially true of the frantic 3-on-3 overtime the teams played to get to the shootout. The teams traded chances, but both goalies stood up to the task. Marc-Andre Fleury, in particular, was outstanding for the Penguins. He finished with 40 saves, most made in his typical acrobatic fashion. The biggest came midway through overtime, when he stopped McDavid from point-blank range on a clear breakaway. “You can tell when he kind of gets that mindset and he’s having fun out there,” Crosby said. “You can tell he had a lot of fun tonight. We made it tough on him, but he was great.” While Fleury came away with that save, McDavid did score a game-tying, power-play goal midway through the third. It marked his first career goal against the Penguins, and the first goal either he or Crosby have scored in their two career matchups. In the teams’ two meetings this season — the first a 4-3 Penguins win Nov. 8 — McDavid has four points to Crosby’s 0. “I think he’s got that ability and he uses the guys around him really well,” Crosby said of McDavid. “Being able to give and go, get some separation for himself. There’s more to it than just being a fast skater.” McDavid’s goal completed the Oilers’ comeback after the Penguins had staked themselves a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals from Nick Bonino and Evgeni Malkin. Both scores continued hot streaks, as Bonino now has four goals in his last two games, and Malkin has nine points in his last four. Justin Schultz also picked up an assist on Malkin’s goal, giving him a point in his first game back in Edmonton since being traded to the Penguins last year. But the ice seemed to tilt in the second period, and the Oilers started to gain momentum. David Desharnais’ goal early in the second period cut the deficit to 2-1, and McDavid completed the comeback midway through the third. The Oilers outshot the Penguins, 42-30, on the night. “I thought we defended hard, but certainly we’re at our best when we’re playing at the other end of the rink,” Sullivan said. “We would’ve liked to have held onto pucks a little bit more in the offensive zone, force them to have to defend us. We couldn’t seem to get an opportunity to change the momentum.” Even if they never seized the game, Phil Kessel’s shootout winner gave the Penguins an extra point in the standings and that — more than any individual matchup — is what they were most happy about afterwards. “I think the situation we’re in, the importance of getting points ourselves, getting a good playoff position, I think that hopefully helps us,” Crosby said. “We’re going to see a lot of teams like this, and we’ve got to be able to continue to play the right way.” Post Gazette LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052222 San Jose Sharks

Sharks notes: Keeping Martin Jones fresh is top priority

By CURTIS PASHELKA | PUBLISHED: March 10, 2017

SAN JOSE — Goalie Martin Jones will start Saturday’s afternoon game with the Nashville Predators as the Sharks look to win their third straight and continue their pursuit of the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. Still, the top objective for the Sharks in the final month is to get Jones the proper amount of rest. The workload between Jones and Aaron Dell has been more balanced of late, and that will likely continue through the final 16 games of the regular season. “We look at opponent, we look at the previous record against opponent,” DeBoer said when asked about the factors involved in choosing a starting goalie the rest of the way. “The biggest mandate, though, is to spread the games out so that’s Jonesy’s fresh. But it’s not just one game, then the next game goes to the other guy. There’s some thought put into who’s going to play when.” Last season provided an ideal model for how the Sharks might handle their goalie situation for the final month. James Reimer started eight of the Sharks’ final 20 games and went 6-2 with a .938 save percentage and 1.62 goals against average. Jones went 6-6 in his last 12 starts, but still had a solid .922 save percentage and a 2.02 GAA. Jones followed that up with a 4-1 record in the Sharks’ first round playoff series against the Kings, finishing the round with a .912 save percentage and 2.18 GAA. Jones finished last season with 65 games played. His start in Thursday’s 4-2 win over the Washington Capitals put him at 54 for this season. “Jonesy’s as low maintenance as they come. Whatever you throw at him, he’s ready for,” DeBoer said, adding that goalie coach Johan Hedberg and Jones “have conversations but for the most part, the feedback I get is that he’s good with whatever we decide. That’s the kind of athlete he is.” And like last year, don’t expect the even-keeled Jones to complain if he stays on the bench for a couple more games than usual down the stretch. “I think he appreciates that,” DeBoer said. “It’s hard to recognize fatigue. Everybody wants to play as much as possible, especially when you come into the league the way he has with nothing given to him and a backup. “So, you don’t expect a guy like that to put his hand up and say, ‘Hey, I don’t want to play.’ I think he’ll play as much as we play him. We recognize that and I think when he steps outside of it and looks at it, I think he recognizes it.” The Sharks were eight points back of the Minnesota Wild on Feb. 19 for the top seed in the Western Conference. Since then, the Sharks have gone 5-1-1, the Wild 3-4 and the Chicago Blackhawks 7-1. Things are tightening up for what should a riveting stretch run. As of Friday morning, the Sharks had 87 points, the Blackhawks had 89 and the Wild 90. Minnesota played at Florida on Friday night and the Blackhawks played at Detroit. Had the Sharks beaten the Wild on Saturday, they’d be tied for the top spot in the West with Chicago with 89 points each. Still, the Sharks are within striking distance, and play another game against the Wild on March 21. The Sharks have 10 games left against teams that are now in a playoff spot David Schlemko did not skate Friday as he remains day-to-day with a lower body injury. The Sharks kept their forward lines intact from Thursday’s game. San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052223 San Jose Sharks But no, I won’t fight you about it. San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 03.11.2017 Purdy: Ranking the Sharks’ all-time enforcers, by popular demand In fourth installment of 10 x 10 x 10, violence is inevitable

By MARK PURDY | PUBLISHED: March 10, 2017

(Sports columnist Mark Purdy has challenged himself to write 10 columns in 10 hours on March 10. Here is one of the columns.) Fighting will never go away on ice. At least if the paying customers have anything to say about it. This unassailable truth was affirmed once more over the past few days. The Sharks are playing pretty good hockey. At times, great hockey. Can we agree on that? I was at Thursday’s 4-2 victory over the Washington Capitals, currently the best won-loss record team in the league. The Sharks were skilled and nasty, each when appropriate. Their power play, which hasn’t been totally sharp, clicked into gear. Goalie Martin Jones was again solid. Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau continued their milestone seasons. The beloved Los Tiburones padded their lead in the Pacific Division. But you can probably surmise what happened this week when, after announcing my self-challenge to write 10 columns in 10 hours, I solicited ideas from readers on my Twitter feed. That’s right. The hockey fans decided it would be a fantastic idea for me to rank the all-time best Shark enforcers. “I would enjoy reading such a column,” said Twitter follower @DarrinBaker, politely. “Every enforcer list for los tiburones must start with link gaetz,” said Twitter follower @dpdjjd1, in a more demanding way. What can you do? In hockey, the fighters carry some sort of strange romantic appeal. And yes, for the Sharks, every enforcer list must start with Link Gaetz. But what about the rest? As readers may know, I am very old. Which means I have been around and covered every Shark season since the franchise’s first game in 1991. So here is my totally subjective ranking of the top five men who have dropped gloves for the team over the years. I have accounted for both length of service with the Sharks as well as impact of their contributions: Link Gaetz. Such an unforgettable player. Gaetz was big and strong and ready to go, anytime. He racked up 326 penalty minutes in the Sharks’ inaugural season, still a team record. He wasn’t afraid to challenge anybody, including the NHL’s reigning tough guy, Bob Probert of Detroit. That happened at the on Nov. 14, 1991, with a first-period fight that resonated around the league. Gaetz and Probert threw punches for 40 straight seconds. It was generally scored a draw, though Probert left the ice wearing just his sweat-drenched tee shirt after Gaetz pulled off his jersey and pads during the tussle. Gaetz had other memorable encounters but had his career ended early after being involved in a car accident the following season. His injuries weren’t fatal but he never totally recovered. Owen Nolan. The team captain from 1995-2003 didn’t drop the gloves often but when he did, he meant serious business. Jeff Odgers. He was undersized but so game and would stand up for any teammate, any time. Often ended up on the wrong end of the decision but didn’t care. He’d come back for more. Led the Sharks in penalty minutes four seasons. Ryan Clowe. At 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, he played even bigger and was possibly the largest hockey player from Newfoundland, ever. And he could definitely swing them. Micheal Haley. He is the Sharks’ current sheriff and at 5-foot-11 and 205 pounds, lacking stature physically just like Odgers. Haley also has more skill than the average fighter. But he’s willing to go toe-to-toe any time. HONORABLE MENTION: Marty McSorley, Scott Parker, John Scott, Jody Shelley, Andy Sutton, Dody Wood. So there you have it. I may have forgotten some candidates but don’t think so. I respect the opinions of other longtime Shark followers and will accept criticisms and corrections if necessary — although I will defend this fine ranking list to all comers. 1052224 San Jose Sharks • Goalie Martin Jones will start Saturday’s game with the Nashville Predators. Jones has a 1-2-2 regular season career record against Nashville, but made 27 saves for the Sharks in their 4-1 win over the Sharks hope inconsistent power play is turning a corner Predators on Oct. 29. • Defenseman David Schlemko did not practice Friday and remains day- to-day with a lower body injury. By CURTIS PASHELKA San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 03.11.2017

SAN JOSE — Members of the Sharks’ power play units meet off the ice almost daily with assistant coach to look at video and go over ways things can be improved. The meetings weren’t much fun of late for Spott, or anyone else around him. “A lot of pressure, and it affects our home life,” Sharks coach Pete DeBoer said with a laugh, as he shares a South Bay home with Spott and goalie coach Johan Hedberg. “He cares. He’s a bear to be around at the rink and away from the rink when it’s not going well.” In a meeting earlier this week, though, Spott and his troops hit on something. Putting theory into action, the Sharks struck twice with the man advantage Thursday, providing the difference in a 4-2 win over the NHL- best Washington Capitals. “I think the biggest difference was supporting each other and working hard,” said Sharks center Logan Couture, who scored twice on the power play, including the winner late in the second period. “Finding the guy in the middle, shooting the puck and getting it back.” “Just getting to the right spots and supporting each other, but also outworking other teams is a big part of it,” said Sharks forward Patrick Marleau, who had an assist on Couture’s game-winner. “Getting loose pucks back. You get one good chance, but if you work to get the puck back when you do that, you’re going to get another good chance.” No big deal, just another power play goal for Logan Couture. pic.twitter.com/zAl16btXDF — San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) March 10, 2017 It was a welcome change of results for a historically strong power play unit that had gone 2-for-23 in a nine-game stretch and had sagged to 24th-best in the NHL. “The nice thing of that meeting was we pinpointed some of the things in a pretty small package what we needed to fix that we thought would start to help us,” DeBoer said. “Guys went out and did that.” With just a month to go before the start of the playoffs, the Sharks are fully aware that the power play, led by Marleau, Couture, Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski and Brent Burns, will have to improve if they want to make another deep run. Friday, the Sharks’ power play was ranked 23rd in the NHL at 17.2 percent. By the end of the 2015-16 regular season, the Sharks were ranked third and clicking at a 22.6 percent clip. There might not be time for the Sharks to finish in the top-five again, but there is time to get the power play at least looking like it’s one of the best in the league. “You’re going to need it,” Thornton said. “We realize, in the postseason, you’re special teams are huge. The power play’s going to have to win us games down the stretch and into the postseason. To get a game like that under our belt that we can build off of is important.” Of course, thanks to their play at even strength, the overall lack of goals with the man advantage hasn’t really hurt the Sharks that much. Entering Friday, they still had a healthy lead in the Pacific Division and were within earshot of Western Conference leaders Minnesota and Chicago. “The fact that our record is what it is with our special teams sitting where they’re at, I think we feel both areas can be better,” DeBoer said. “It’s a credit to our five on five game, but it’s something that we think can take us to another level.” And after a night like Thursday, everybody, including the normally affable Spott, can sleep peacefully. “Better mood today,” DeBoer said of Spott. “Things are good in that world today.” 1052225 San Jose Sharks

NHL ready to say no to 2018 Olympics

By Ross McKeon Updated 8:59 pm, Friday, March 10, 2017

It appears that few if any NHL players will take part in next year’s Winter Olympics in South Korea. No official announcement was made, but Commissioner Gary Bettman essentially sealed the deal Wednesday when, speaking to reporters at the general managers’ meetings in Florida, he said there was “absolutely nothing new” to say about negotiations. While players are in favor of being included in the Olympics, the league has been forced to choose between the added international exposure, including a chance to reach a new audience, and shutting down the regular season for almost three weeks. When the International Ice Hockey Federation and International Olympic Committee balked at paying travel expenses for players and NHL staff this time around, the NHL realized it’s just not a profitable venture. “I think the overwhelming sentiment of (team owners) is that it’s very disruptive on the season and there’s somewhere between fatigue and negativity on the subject,” Bettman said. The NHL has sent players to every Winter Oympics since 1998 in Nagano, Japan. The decision for the 2018 Games, however, doesn’t mean NHL players won’t return; the league is reportedly in negotiations with the IOC and IIHF to send players to Beijing in 2022. The question now: How hard will the players push back? Flyers wing Jakub Voracek told CSN Philadelphia that the NHL refusing to go is “absolutely ridiculous.” Months ago, Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin said he would play in the Games regardless of the league’s decision. And, interestingly, Washington owner Ted Leonsis is on record supporting Ovechkin’s stance. “The players want to go, I guarantee you that,” Voracek told CSN. “I want to see how you are going to hold Ovechkin back. The Russian players ... tell them they can’t go.” Assuming next year is a no-go, that means a number of Sharks have played in their last Olympics — Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski — and it’s questionable whether Brent Burns, who would be 36 in 2022, Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Logan Couture might still garner consideration for the Beijing Games. Burns on fire: Speaking of Burns, the Sharks’ record-setting defenseman is five points shy of last year’s career-best and franchise-record 75 points for a blue liner. He’s also the first defenseman since Mike Green in 2008- 09 and ’09-10 to reach the 70-point plateau in consecutive seasons. Points galore: Four teams are on pace to eclipse the 100-point plateau in the Metropolitan Division. The Capitals are projected to have 118 points, the Blue Jackets and Penguins 114, and Rangers 106. Even the Islanders, who are 15-6-3 since Doug Weight replaced Jack Capuano behind the bench, are on pace for 93 points. End of the line: The Red Wings’ streak of 25 straight years in the playoffs is clearly ending this spring. But did anyone expect a last-place finish in the East? Tough way for Joe Louis Arena to bow out. Adversity strikes: The Flames are the hottest team in the league with eight straight wins and points in nine in a row, but defensemen Michael Stone and Dougie Hamilton were injured Thursday. Stone appears to have separated a shoulder — the team is 8-0 since acquiring him from Arizona. Keep an eye on whether the rampaging Flames can keep it up. Briefly: For those wondering, the average length of video review on offside challenges this season is 2:18 compared to 2:35 last season. It’s still too long. … There’s anticipation of a Battle of Alberta playoff matchup this spring. If so, it would mark the first time in 26 seasons the Flames and Oilers have met in the postseason. … The “bye week” format will change next season. Fifteen teams will be off one week in January, and return to play each other the following week when the other 16 are off. I still don’t understand why a bye week is necessary, but the league is locked in with the players’ association to do it at least one more year. San Francisco Chronicle LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052226 San Jose Sharks While Hansen’s performance was notable, most of his teammates played splendidly, too. They took advantage of a chance to remind themselves – and their home fans – they can compete with the league’s best, after all. SHARKS REMIND THEMSELVES THEY CAN PLAY WITH ANYONE IN “We know we can play against any top team in this league, and it’s a DOUBLING UP CAPS good feeling to have,” Thornton said. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.11.2017 By Kevin Kurz March 09, 2017 11:23 PM

SAN JOSE – The Sharks already believe they’re a very good hockey team. Last season’s run to the Stanley Cup Final, and this season’s comfortable lead in the Pacific Division are examples 1A and 1B of why they’re correct about that. But last Sunday’s lopsided loss in Minnesota, a club challenging for the President’s Trophy, was a dud. Even though it was a rare regulation defeat in the second half of a season in which the Sharks are regularly collecting points, the fact they were so soundly beaten at this late stage of the season by a club that they may have to face in the playoffs at some point had to be a bit disturbing. Perhaps that was why they were dialed in against the NHL-leading Capitals from the drop of the puck on Thursday night, putting forth one of their more complete efforts of the season in a 4-2 victory. Every facet of their game was on point. “That’s what it felt like. Guys came out, we didn’t miss a beat,” Joe Pavelski said. Despite the Capitals taking a 1-0 lead on a Daniel Winnik goal, “nothing changed in our game,” said the captain. “If anything, we kind of just dug in a little deeper and our focus kind of intensified. On the bench that’s what it felt like, everyone was in there tonight. It felt good out there.” Special teams was crucial, as the Sharks finally got their power play going while the penalty kill was a perfect 5-for-5. Logan Couture scored two goals with a man advantage, while Pavelski tipped in a low Brent Burns shot-pass in the second period in what was officially an even strength goal, but came while Brooks Orpik still had a skate in the box. Couture and Pavelski both spoke earlier in the week about how their power play unit had to work a little harder to generate chances, as the Sharks started the night ranked 23rd in the NHL. Joe Thornton mentioned they’ve “had a lot of meetings lately,” too. Whether it was their work ethic, Pete DeBoer’s classroom laser pointer, or a combination of the two, something finally clicked. “When your power play goes dry for a little bit you kind of second guess yourself, and I think with a game like that we just wanted to work hard for each other, work away from the puck hard, and I think we did that,” Thornton said. Couture said: “We watched a lot of video, noticed some stuff the last couple days, and worked on it during practice. I think tonight the biggest difference was supporting each other and working hard.” Newcomer Jannik Hansen had an immediate impact in his debut. He assisted on Thornton’s early game-tying goal in the first period, setting up the future Hall of Famer for a one-time blast, but perhaps his biggest effect came with the Sharks down a man. Despite having just one practice with his new team, Hansen skated for four minutes and 52 seconds on the penalty kill – tops among forwards. While it usually takes a few practices for a new player to get used to a team’s system on the PK, Hansen indicated it wasn’t all that complicated against the Capitals. “I think every team kills the same way against them,” Hansen said. “They have a certain way and teams seem to adjust to the way they play. It’s obviously the [role] I played the most in Vancouver. I'm not a power play guy, I'm not a setup guy. I play in the trenches in front of the net, killing penalties, digging pucks out." Thornton said: “His penalty killing tonight was huge. He had a great game, I thought.” Hansen was credited with a team-high five hits and one shot to go along with his primary assist. His linemates were impressed, and if one game is any indication, he should remain with Thornton and Pavelski for quite some time. “It felt like we were playing with him for a long time, it really did,” Pavelski said. “He just went, and went hard. Made a lot of plays. His speed, kind of playing on the inside, allowed us to keep a few pucks alive.” 1052227 San Jose Sharks

DELL'S GAME MAKING HUGE STRIDES WITH THE HELP OF NABOKOV

By Kevin Kurz March 10, 2017 5:53 PM

SAN JOSE – In the age of gigantic goalies, the Sharks’ Aaron Dell doesn’t quite measure up – in the literal sense of the word – to guys like Pekka Rinne, Devan Dubnyk or Ben Bishop. That’s why having someone around like former Sharks goalie and current goalie development coach Evgeni Nabokov proved to be so helpful in Dell’s first full season with the AHL Barracuda last year. Nabokov, generously listed at six feet tall in his playing days, also had to overcome being a goalie on the smaller side to become one of the best netminders of his era. Dell, also listed at six feet, worked with Nabokov “pretty much every day before practice” last season, and it eventually resulted in him becoming the number one starter for the Sharks’ top affiliate. “He was one of those guys that I liked to watch when I was younger, too, so it was kind of a cool experience for me to work with him, and I think we were able to connect on the style of play,” Dell said on the latest Sharks Insider Podcast. “I think I play a fairly similar style to the way he played.” How so? “He’s a smaller guy, he had to be more aggressive. You have hold your feet a little bit more, stay up when you’re smaller. He worked with me a lot on that last year. That actually made a huge difference in my game.” It also helps that this season, his latest coach, Johan Hedberg, is on the same page with Nabokov in terms of what Dell needed to do to sharp while Martin Jones got the bulk of the playing time. That’s the benefit of having the NHL and AHL teams in the same practice facility. “[Nabokov and Hedberg] work really well together. They’re on the same page, and I think that really helped out a lot coming from there to here because I did a lot of work with Nabby last year,” Dell said. "I know he did kind of the same thing Heddy is doing with me this year, keeping me in good habits and making sure I don’t slip on anything and keeping me sharp.” Dell has certainly remained sharp, with a 9-3-1 record, 1.88 goals-against average and .935 save percentage in his first NHL season. His playing time is about to pick up, too, as the Sharks have made no secret they’d like to give Jones more time off before the playoffs. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052228 St Louis Blues Forwards Rickard Rakell-Ryan Getzlaf-Patrick Eaves Blues face Ducks in a race that keeps getting tighter Andrew Cogliano-Ryan Kesler-Jakob Silfverberg Ondrej Kase-Nate Thompson-Corey Perry By Tom Timmermann St. Louis Post-Dispatch Chris Wagner-Logan Shaw-Jared Boll Defensemen It was the worst of all worlds for the Blues on Thursday night, and they Hampus Lindholm-Josh Manson weren't even playing. Cam Fowler-Kevin Bieksa While the Blues were off, Nashville, the team the Blues are chasing in the Central Division, and the Kings, the team chasing the Blues for the last Sami Vatanen-Brandon Montour wild card spot, were playing. It was a classic pick-your-poison situation: A Goalie win by the Kings would put them one point in back of the Blues for the final playoff spot, but it would keep Nashville from expanding its lead. A Jonathan Bernier Nashville win would keep the Kings three points back, but extend the Predators lead. One way or another, the Blues' situation would be worse. Jhonas Enroth And then it got worse. The teams were tied after regulation, turning the The Ducks didn't skate, so it's not known who will be in goal. Bernier game into the dreaded three-point game. The Kings won in overtime, but played Thursday in Chicago and had a shutout, stopping 43 shots. Nashville still got a point. Their lead went up to four points, while the The Blues' scratches will be forwards Ivan Barbashev, Zach Sanford and Kings are one point back. Nail Yakupov, and defenseman Jordan Schmaltz. Yeo is sticking with the "That (stinks)," forward Kyle Brodziak said. "That's the one thing I didn't same forwards he used in the Minnesota game. This is the third straight want, a three-point game, but it always seems to happen. It is what it is. game where Barbashev will be scratched. We just have to take care of our own business." "I thought we played a strong game last game," Yeo said. "For me, a lot While it's a time of year for scoreboard watching, this does not seem like of it is attitude. There were some moments in the game where we still a race where the Blues, or anybody, is going to back in to the playoffs. could have shot the puck. But we still went in and beat a real good hockey team and so I want to see if we can bring that home." “They're going to win games” Blues coach Mike Yeo said. “Those teams we're battling with are going to win hockey games. We can't hope our As for the young guys who are sitting now, Yeo said there isn't a plan for way into the playoffs, we have to get points and in order to do that we how that group will be deployed. have to concentrate on our game and get prepared. Obviously a good "We don't have a plan," he said. "A week out, we don't have a plan. test today and our mindset should be coming back home and making We're just going day to day now. We're making sure we're doing sure we play a real strong game at home, something we haven't done everything we can to make sure they're part of the group and that they're enough of.” getting the work and practice they need so when they get in the lineup The Blues play the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night at Scottrade Center in they're ready to go." just their second Friday night home game of the year. (The other was a FABBRI UPDATE 4-0 loss to Nashville on Dec. 30.) The Blues have lost two in a row at home and, with a schedule heavy on road games, haven't won in St. Forward Robby Fabbri had his knee surgery on Feb. 27, otherwise Louis Feb. 16 vs. Vancouver. They are 4-10-1 at Scottrade Center since known as the day Kevin Shattenkirk was traded, which kind of explains Dec. 17. (That total doesn't include the Winter Classic at Busch.) why it got lost in the shuffle. “You look at a lot of our home games, everyone has been very winnable “Everything went well,” Blues GM Doug Armstrong said, “and he's but there's too many points in the game where we crack,” Yeo said. obviously focusing and working hard to be ready for training camp next “Whether it's a big opportunity we give up or a large period of time where year.” we don't have the push back in our game, on the road I think we've handled the ups and downs better. Last game was a good example of Blues surviving departure of Shattenkirk that and some of that is just an understanding when you come home, there's no guarantees. At this time of year, I think home ice doesn't mean Blues surviving departure of Shattenkirk as much. You feel the momentum and you feel the energy of your crowd The Blues posed for their annual team picture before practice on but the other team is more ready for that.” Thursday, bringing players … So the Western Conference playoff race looks like this: The Blues are in Gordo: 10 players to watch as the Blues rebuild fourth in the Central, four points back of Nashville but having played two fewer games. The Blues currently have the second wild-card spot, and SPORTS are one point ahead of the Kings, who have played one more game. The Blues and Kings meet on Monday in Los Angeles. Gordo: 10 players to watch as the Blues rebuild LINES Rutherford: Read his Q-&-A on Blues' issues Blues ST. LOUIS BLUES Forwards Rutherford: Read his Q-&-A on Blues' issues Jaden Schwartz-Paul Stastny-Vladimir Tarasenko Post-Dispatch hockey writer takes your questions and comments about the Blues and the National Hockey League. Alexander Steen-Patrik Berglund-David Perron SPORTS Dmitrij Jaskin-Jori Lehtera-Magnus Paajarvi Blues Talk: Sound off about the Anaheim game Scottie Upshall-Kyle Brodziak-Ryan Reaves HOCKEY Defensemen NHL standings Jay Bouwmeester-Alex Pietrangelo St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.11.2017 Joel Edmundson-Colton Parayko Carl Gunnarsson-Robert Bortuzzo Goalie Jake Allen Ducks 1052229 St Louis Blues

Preview: Blues vs. Islanders

By Tom Timmermann St. Louis Post-Dispatch

When • 7 p.m. Saturday Where • Scottrade Center TV, radio • Fox Sports Midwest, KMOX (1120 AM) Blues • The Blues lost to the Islanders 3-2 in Brooklyn on Dec. 8 in one of just two games this season in which the Blues didn’t have a power play. After this game, the Blues don’t play at home until March 23. … The Blues are 7-2 in the second game of back-to-backs this season. Islanders • This is the last stop on a nine-game, 19-day road trip that saw the Islanders beat Vancouver 4-3 in overtime Thursday. The Islanders went 5-2-1 on the trip, which has had a wide gamut of highs and lows, including a 3-0 win at Montreal and a 7-0 loss at Columbus. … Former Blue Doug Weight was named the team’s interim head coach on Jan. 17. The team has gone 14-6-3 since then and is holding on to the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. Injuries • Blues – F Robby Fabbri (knee), out. Islanders – F Shane Prince (leg), F Casey Cizikas (upper body) and F Mikhail Grabovski (concussion), out; D Johnny Boychuk (lower body) and F Alan Quine (upper body), day to day. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052230 St Louis Blues

Blue Notes: Gunnarsson, Bortuzzo get familiar as partners

By Tom Timmermann St. Louis Post-Dispatch

For a two-week stretch leading up to the trade deadline, the Blues established a rotation on their blue line. Rather than choose between Carl Gunnarsson and Robert Bortuzzo, the two took turns playing alongside Kevin Shattenkirk. Once Shattenkirk got traded, it opened the door for both Gunnarsson and Bortuzzo to get in the lineup at the same time. The two played their third game as partners Friday night. It’s rare enough to see them on the ice at the same time – before the trade, they had played in the same game just eight times all season, all while Joel Edmundson was hurt early in the year — even rarer to see them playing alongside each other. They haven’t done it this season outside of practice. “In practice, with seven D, you’re in and out,” Gunnarsson said. “Everyone has been kind of pairing up with everyone. We’re getting a little feel of it. We’ve been talking the last couple games. We’re building it, getting more and more used to each other. The (Minnesota) game, not just for us, for the team, was a good game.” “We’re trying to eat up some minutes and play solid defensively,” Bortuzzo said. “Move pucks out of our end as quickly as possible. We’ve been able to do a good job of that the last couple games. We’re just working through that every game, communicating on the ice and off the ice and we’re trying to make it easy on ourselves. Make the simple play and have good puck movement.” Both are glad to be free of that one-game-in, one-game-out rotation, especially Gunnarsson, who isn’t used to being a healthy scratch. “It’s been a few in a row here so that’s nice,” Gunnarsson said. “I don’t have to be worried every morning, coming in, if you’re going to play or not. It’s still a competition in here, but better rhythm.” (Bortuzzo is more familiar with extended stretches without playing. “It was different,” he said.) For Gunnarsson, the game Friday was his sixth in a row, the longest stretch of consecutive games he’s had since early December. “I think Gunny’s game, the last five, six games has been really strong,” coach Mike Yeo said. “He’s a guy that’s always in position, and right now I feel like he’s defending hard in position. He’s being a little bit more aggressive, a little bit more assertive. (Against Minnesota) you see him jump into the play and get into the attack for a scoring chance. So when he’s doing those things in addition to what he’s already doing, he brings his game to another level.” Fabbri surgery Forward Robby Fabbri had his knee surgery Feb. 27, otherwise known as the day Kevin Shattenkirk was traded. “Everything went well,” Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said, “and he’s obviously focusing and working hard to be ready for training camp next year.” Kids rest The Blues stuck with the same lineup they used against Minnesota, meaning the team’s youngsters, defenseman Jordan Schmaltz and forwards Ivan Barbashev and Zach Sanford, as well as Nail Yakupov, were scratched. The Blues seem inclined to err on the side of experience in the closing month of the season, though Yeo said they’ll play it by ear. Back-to-back games, which the Blues have twice in the next week, could come into play for giving some players rest. “We don’t have a plan,” Yeo said. “A week out, we don’t have a plan for. We’re just going day to day now. We’re making sure we’re doing everything we can to make sure they’re part of the group and that they’re getting the work and practice they need so when they get in the lineup they’re ready to go.” St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052231 St Louis Blues shot. Reaves was slashed by Anaheim’s Patrick Eaves as he came in on a two-on-one (with Edmundson, no less) in the third period.

“I saw (the referee) point,” Reaves said, “and I went back to the bench, Edmundson an unlikely hero as Blues pull out 4-3 win ‘Oh, my arm. Steener, you want to take it?’ But you can’t do that. That was fun, though.” By Tom Timmermann St. Louis Post-Dispatch On the penalty shot, the first for the Blues since Alexander Steen had one against Nashville in 2014, Anaheim goalie John Gibson poke- checked the puck off Reaves’ stick as he tried to cross over to his backhand. As the clock wound down in the final 30 seconds with the score tied Friday night at Scottrade Center, the Blues had their top line on the ice: “I was laughing,” Edmundson said. “I wasn’t sure what was happening. I Paul Stastny, Jaden Schwartz and Vladimir Tarasenko. The members of made that pass out to him and I was hoping he would bury it. It’s pretty that line had a part in all three of the goals the Blues had scored so far in cool to get the crowd all into it. It was loud, it was pretty much like a the game. If something was going to happen in the final seconds, they playoff game in there when he was shooting.” would surely be the guys to make it happen. “The crowd was too loud,” Reaves said. “I was going to do the Peyton They weren’t. Manning quiet-down (sign). There was too much going on for me. That’s not my element.” Instead, it was the other two guys on the ice, two defensemen whose offensive production this season could be counted on the fingers of their St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.11.2017 gloves. Robert Bortuzzo, who came into the night with two assists, served up a pass to Joel Edmundson, who had one goal, for the most unlikely game-winning goal the Blues will see this season. The goal gave them a 4-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks that was a feel- good victory in a totally different way from the win over Minnesota on Tuesday. While the Blues’ game may have been lacking at points against the Ducks, they got a last-second win instead of a last-second loss and got key plays from unexpected sources. “Just builds our confidence going into tomorrow,” said Edmundson, who now has three goals in his career. “We’re making a playoff push and it’s an exciting time in the dressing room.” “Huge,” said forward Ryan Reaves, who up until the end had had the evening’s most unexpected performance. “It’s crunch time right now, push time for the playoffs. Obviously teams are chasing us, we’re chasing other teams. We need to get as many two-point games as we can right now.” The win put three points between the Blues and the Kings in the race for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference, and put the Blues two points in back of Nashville in the race for third place in the Central Division. The Blues play the New York Islanders on Saturday night at Scottrade Center, while Nashville has an afternoon game at San Jose. The win was also a rare one at home for the Blues, who came in 4-10-1 at Scottrade Center since Dec. 17. They twice let leads slip away, but they rose to the occasion one last time to run their winning streak to three in a row. The Blues have given away points in these situations before and got a break when Anaheim’s Jakob Silfverberg put a shot off the post with three minutes to play and then after an icing call with a minute to go, won a faceoff and found Bortuzzo bringing the puck up the right side with 30 seconds to play. Bortuzzo, who was on the ice with Edmundson because Colton Parayko left the game in the third period for what Yeo said was a precaution (he’s questionable for Saturday), took the puck into the offensive zone, avoided a check by Hampus Lindholm and wound up with the puck near the goal line. He passed it out to Edmundson in the far circle, who controlled the puck and shot through traffic. “I think I just saw some space,” Bortuzzo said. “I think Stas was yelling, ‘Skate it!’ as opposed to just ripping it up to a guy standing still. So I took the ice and was able to squeak by and make a play. Once I got by the guy, I saw we had three forwards at the net. Their forwards collapsed, so I figured there would be a spot open and Eddie’s good at finding those little pockets and made an incredible shot. So it was big for our team.” “I’m sure lots of D-men would have just chipped it in,” Edmundson said, “but he had patience to keep it and drive all the way to the corner and made them turn all their heads and I was wide open. So it was a good play by him.” Stastny’s line loomed large in the game. Tarasenko scored 12 seconds into the game to hit 30 for the season, making him the first Blue since Keith Tkachuk from 2001-04 to have 30 or more goals in three straight seasons. The Blues fell behind 2-1 by the end of the period before tying it when Reaves put in the rebound of a shot by Schwartz, who had two assists and was a plus-4 in the game. The Blues got a goal from Stastny 24 seconds into the third period to take the lead but couldn’t hold it. It took a game-winning goal by Edmundson, the first of his career, to overshadow a game in which Reaves scored a goal and had a penalty 1052232 Tampa Bay Lightning

Injuries to three Lightning centers not as bad as first thought

Joe Smith

TAMPA — Nobody has spent more games behind an NHL bench than Lightning associate coach Rick Bowness. Saturday will be No. 2,171. Yet Bowness had never seen anything like Thursday, when Tampa Bay had three centers — Tyler Johnson, Vladislav Namestnikov and Cedric Paquette — helped off the ice with injuries in the same game. "That was very rare," Bowness said. "They all looked bad." Turns out, the lower-body injuries looked worse than they are, the Lightning said Friday, listing Johnson, Namestnikov and Paquette as day-to-day. The meaning of "day-to-day" is wide-ranging in NHL terms, especially this time of year, so there's no specific timetable for when the three forwards can play again. It would be surprising to see any of them in Saturday's huge game against the Atlantic Division rival Panthers, who entered Friday trailing Tampa Bay by two points in the chase for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. But if there's any team capable of surviving this latest string of injuries, it's the Lightning (31-26-9). Sure, it is now short at center, which not too long ago was its deepest position. Captain Steven Stamkos (knee surgery) is still out, and veterans Brian Boyle (Maple Leafs) and Valtteri Filppula (Flyers) were traded at last week's deadline. But Tampa Bay has experience dealing with the deflating moments of teammates going down this season. "One thing we've all been around is injuries," Bowness said. The latest example is how the Lightning responded in Thursday's 4-1 victory over the Wild, which entered Friday leading the Western Conference. Down to nine forwards for half the game, Tampa Bay pulled off one of the most impressive wins of its season. "They didn't let the injuries stop them from competing and playing the game," Bowness said. "But is it tough to overcome? Absolutely." The biggest blow is losing Johnson, though it wouldn't be surprising if he were the first one to return. Johnson is the No. 1 center since Stamkos' injury in mid November and the Lightning's second-leading scorer (19 goals). He anchors the Triplets line, which, with Nikita Kucherov and Ondrej Palat, has been the team's best lately. But the Lightning is fortunate to have a strong fallback in rookie Brayden Point, who is expected to take Johnson's place with Kucherov and Palat. Point has impressed with his hockey IQ, his work ethic and his consistency all season. Alex Killorn, who has played on lines with Johnson and Point, sees similar characteristics. "Similar in size. Unbelievable skaters, both of them," Killorn said. Losing Namestnikov and Paquette is tough, no question, both for the bottom-six forwards and the penalty kill. Rookie Yanni Gourde filled in at center between Killorn and Jonathan Drouin at Friday's practice. The Lightning can also insert center Greg McKegg, who was claimed from the Panthers last week, on one of the lower lines. Expect Matt Peca, impressive in a callup from AHL Syracuse earlier this season, to be recalled for Saturday's game. That could mean five rookies in the lineup. The timing of these injuries is bad. The Lightning is just four points out of a playoff spot with 16 games to go. And this is a telling stretch, with Tampa Bay hosting the Panthers, then having back-to-back road games against the Rangers and Senators before home games against the Maple Leafs and Capitals. But the mood was upbeat around the Lightning dressing room Friday, with players not believing these injuries are season-ending. "With a lot of them, the way they kind of happened, you think they're pretty serious because of twisted knees," Killorn said. "Luckily, none of them are too bad. Guys are going to have to step up, like we've done before." Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052233 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning's Johnson, Namestnikov, Paquette all day-to-day

Joe Smith, Friday, March 10, 2017 2:09PM

The news on the Lightning injuries appears encouraging, with Tyler Johnson, Vladislav Namestnikov and Cedric Paquette all considered day- to-day with lower body injuries, the team announced today. But there still doesn't seem to be a definite timetable on when any of the centers will be back. None of them practiced Friday and it would be surprising to see any of them play Saturday against the Panthers at Amalie Arena. "They all looked bad," associate coach Rick Bowness said. "Only time will tell, we'll see how that goes." Johnson, Namestnikov and Paquette all had to be helped off the ice at different times, all appearing to be favoring their left leg. Bowness, who has been behind the bench for more than 2,000 NHL games, hasn't seen anything like it. "Not three centerman go down like that," Bowness said. "Sometimes you get banged out there and it's a stinger and it goes away after 10-15 minutes, but that wasn't the case last night. That was very rare." It was impressive to see the Lightning find a way to hold on for a 4-1 victory over the Western Conference leading Wild. "They didn't let the injuries stop them from competing and stop playing the game," Bowness said. "But is it tough to overcome, absolutely." As for how the Lightning plans to adjust, there were some hints at Friday's practice. Rookie Brayden Point moved up to the No. 1 center spot, between Ondrej Palat and Nikita Kucherov. Fellow rookie Yanni Gourde is centering the second line with Jonathan Drouin and Alex Killorn. Greg McKegg centered a fourth line. There still could be a callup too. Bowness said Drouin and Killorn could play center, too. "We'll see how it shakes out tomorrow night," Bowness said. There was an upbeat mood around the Lightning room Friday, with players not believing these injuries are season-ending. "With a lot of them, the way they kind of happened, you think they're pretty serious because of twisted knees,'" Killorn said. "Luckily none of them are too bad. Guys are going to have to step up, like we've done before." Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052234 Tampa Bay Lightning

Exploring Lightning's options at center with injuries

Joe Smith, Friday, March 10, 2017 11:44AM

Rookie Brayden Point assumed the No. 1 center role last night, and would appear the leading candidate. It certainly didn't look good when three Lightning centers - Tyler Johnson, Vladislav Namestnikov and Cedric Paquette - all had to be helped off the ice during Thursday's 4-1 win over the Wild. There's expected to be an update later today on just how serious these lower body injuries were, with coach Jon Cooper not seeming overly optimistic last night. "It doesn't sound encouraging for any of them," Cooper said. "We'll see." All three - Johnson, Namestnikov and Paquette- were able to leave Amalie Arena last night without the use of crutches. Paquette appeared like his might have been the worst, his left ankle/leg crumpling awkwardly after a third period fall. Either way, it looks like the Lightning will have to do some juggling at center, which had been its deepest position entering the season. But with captain Steven Stamkos (knee surgery) still out, and veterans Brian Boyle and Valtteri Filppula traded last week, all of a sudden there's a shortage up the middle. Rookie Brayden Point assumed the No. 1 center role last night, and would appear the leading candidate. It's a stunning turn even for Point, who was hoping he'd merely make the team out of training camp. But Point's high hockey IQ, his speed and dependable play at both ends have drawn praise from coaches and teammates alike. "He's been phenomenal," said. "Coming into training camp, he was the guy that really stood out. He worked so hard, so mature in his play, very responsible. He's got a bright future ahead of him. He's got a very long career as a Bolt." The Lightning could also turn to Jonathan Drouin, who has played center both in juniors and with AHL Syracuse. He's arguably the team's top playmaker, and if given more time and space up the middle, imagine what kind of impact he could have. Greg McKegg, claimed off waivers from the Panthers last week, was a healthy scratch last night and could plug in on the bottom six at center. As could Gabriel Dumont, who is strong at faceoffs. There aren't many (healthy) options at AHL Syracuse, though would think Matthew Peca could earn another emergency callup. He was impressive in his earlier stint this season. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052235 Toronto Maple Leafs

Study says minor hockey body-checking ban has led to fewer injuries

ALLAN MAKI

CALGARY — The 2013 decision to disallow body checking at minor hockey’s pee-wee level has produced major results, according to a University of Calgary study that will be presented at an International Olympic Committee world conference in Monaco. The study shows that the introduction of Hockey Canada’s body- checking rule resulted in “a 50-per-cent relative reduction in injury rate and a 64-per-cent reduction in concussion rate in 11-year-old and 12- year-old hockey players in Alberta.” The data, to be shown next week at the IOC’s conference on prevention of injury and illness in sport, was collected from players on 59 then 73 pee-wee teams in all divisions before the body-checking rule changed (the 2011-12 season) and after (2013-14). The study was in response to Hockey Canada’s call for a national ban, which sparked fiery debate between those who wanted body checking introduced in pee wee and those who wanted it taught and used in bantam, the next age group up. Dr. Carolyn Emery, one of the study’s researchers at the Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre in the U of C’s faculty of kinesiology, said the reduction in the number of injuries and concussions was expected, but not to the extent that was calculated. “It’s very exciting when you do research and there’s a significant change,” Emery said from France while en route to Monaco. “The big concern in pee wee is there’s a huge disparity in size [and growth rates] and there are also young and developing brains. As we go forward, what we’re seeing is a policy change in non-elite levels in the older age groups. That’s quite the reverse. We see that provincially in B.C., in Ontario and in Calgary.” The study showed there were 163 game-related injuries and 104 concussions in Alberta before the rule change. After the alteration, there were 48 injuries and 25 concussions. For Ash Kolstad, the study has been especially meaningful. He suffered a concussion playing pee wee at the age of 12 and had to stay home for a week. His second concussion just two weeks after his return to action was the one that ended his hockey-playing aspirations. Driven head-first into the boards, Kolstad couldn’t stand light and had to stay in a dark room. He missed a year of school and saw seven specialists to deal with his symptoms, from the constant headaches he still endures to the loss of balance that at one point wouldn’t let him walk more than three steps before he’d fall over. “I was just trying to get back my life,” he said. Thanks to his mom, who worked at the U of C’s kinesiology department, Kolstad’s story was relayed to Emery. Having released a 2012 study examining the risks of allowing body checking, Emery brought Kolstad aboard first as “a poster boy for the project” and then as a research assistant. He is now 19, a third-year kinesiology student, and working on a separate study that is exploring the body-checking policy change on player performance before and after body checking was banned in pee wee. “I’m very passionate about this,” he said. “To be a part of it and see things change [for the better, for other players], I’m really lucky.” Emery added the body-checking study will continue to follow young hockey players over the years and in various age groups as well. The other researchers in the study being presented at the IOC injury- prevention conference are Drs. Brent Hagel, Willem Meeuwisse, Kathryn Schneider, Luz Palacios-Derflingher and Alberto Nettel-Aguirre. Globe And Mail LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052236 Toronto Maple Leafs would go for lunch around 12 o’clock. A couple of times, I’d get wind of the fact that the guys would stay in the bar until about three or four.

“So I said to Toe” – when Bowman took over from Blake in Montreal, he Hockey’s biggest shift: Fifty years of evolution in NHL coaching had a standing appointment to consult with him every Friday morning – “‘I’m going to switch it up. I’m going to start practising at noon. That would let them sleep in after a game – and it would also be cutting down ERIC DUHATSCHEK on their time in the bar.’” From that informal era to the modern fixation on players being in exactly the right place at exactly the right time – on and off the ice – coaching There was a time, just before the dawn of expansion, when the NHL has evolved in three broad areas: strategy/teaching, motivation and coaching fraternity consisted of just six men, all of whom wore the same technology. essential uniform: jacket, tie, fedora and dour facial expression. The net effect of these changes has turned the game on its ear. Back then, the game of hockey was played in straight lines – up and down the ice, no veering out of your lane. Shifts could last two minutes or STRATEGY AND TEACHING more, with players catching their breath on the ice when the play went the other way. The European influence Strictly speaking, coaching really meant bench coaching – changing Bowman, who is the NHL’s all-time leader in coaching wins, joined the lines, directing traffic, trading pleasantries with officials. Any teaching that ranks early, when a fractured skull forced him to abandon his playing went on during practices often came from the players themselves, with career. In all, he coached 2,141 NHL regular-season games for five older players instructing younger ones in the whys and wherefores of life teams over 30 seasons and won nine Stanley Cups. in the NHL. In the mid-1950s he was coaching Junior B when he attended his first It was a small, staid, insular world – and it didn’t start to change until the Montreal Canadiens camp. league went from six to 12, 16 and then 21 teams in a 14-year span, at “I’ll never forget. Dick Irvin Sr. was the coach and he drew two lines on which point the demand for qualified coaches and players had become the ice to divide the width into thirds,” Bowman recalled. “The left wing so great that innovation, out of necessity, flowed into the sport. had to be to the left of the line, the centre was in the middle, and the right Now, 50 years later, consider what coaching has become. Instead of one wing had to be to the right of the line. And he was a stickler about it. The coach, there can be four to eight. Fred Shero – the mercurial Freddie the centre could move a little, but if you were a left winger, you were Fog – hired the first official full-time assistant coach, Mike Nykoluk, in responsible for one third of the ice. The same with the right winger.” 1972. Roger Neilson – a.k.a. Captain Video – is credited with introducing Bowman can draw a direct line from that era to 1972, when a team from video as a teaching tool. And skating expert Dawn Braid became the the Soviet Union that was supposed to offer meek opposition instead NHL’s first full-time female coach when she was hired by the Arizona pushed the NHL’s greatest players to the limits in a seminal eight-game Coyotes last summer. exhibition series. That opened some coaching eyes to a fresh approach. After the Russians almost defeated Canada in the 1972 Summit Series, “I studied this extensively,” Bowman said. “The Canadian defencemen in the strict adherence to straight-line hockey slowly leaked out of the that series – Serge Savard, Guy Lapointe, Brad Park, Gary Bergman, game. European players filled the talent gap created by expansion, and Rod Seiling, Bill White and Pat Stapleton – these guys were all pretty their style of play – more east-west than north-south – became the new good offensive defencemen. But if you look at the stats in that series, our normal. defencemen literally did nothing – they could hardly get a point because Gradually, the harsh and abusive approaches that coaches sometimes of the way the Russians played. took with players to demonstrate who was in charge disappeared as well. “I’d played the Russians a couple of times with junior teams. They had Teams began to hire psychologists to work with the players. NHL these guys up in the neutral zone taking off, and they’d be gone, and we coaches started to attend summer clinics, partly to enhance their never had that in the NHL. Our defencemen, who were so good technical knowledge – sometimes just to improve their people skills. offensively in the NHL, couldn’t play the same way. They couldn’t pinch “What hockey in Canada missed in its evolution was what baseball, because there was a guy out there, going right to left, and they had to be basketball and football had – the education route,” said George Kingston, aware of him. the first coach of the San Jose Sharks and one of the founders of the “If you remember, the top NHL lines in the 1970s – Bryan Trottier, Mike NHL Coaches Association. “All three of those other sports were played in Bossy and Clark Gillies or Bobby Clarke-Bill Barber-Reggie Leach – they the schools. Hockey, in the 1950s, was played outside of the schools. stayed on their wings. The Russians played a different game, and their Unfortunately, it stayed outside of the schools, except for a few pockets influence, that’s what started guys crossing over from one side of the ice in Ontario, Quebec and Alberta. The other sports had coaches and to the other.” leaders who were also teachers and wrote books about their sports. That was not part of the tradition of hockey.” Shorter shifts, more intense Now 77, Kingston has one of the longest coaching résumés in history – Once skating became more of a factor in the game, it also forced teams in North America and internationally and at the college and pro levels. to shorten shifts. But that didn’t happen overnight. Many coaches believe the trailblazer was long-time coach Clare Drake, Over the arc of his career, he saw a “major paradigm shift in hockey,” he who influenced a generation of NHL coaches, including the Toronto says. “It went from a pastime to a profession – and it’s certainly been a Maple Leafs’ Mike Babcock and former St. Louis Blues coach Ken winding path. It’s shifted from personal play for enjoyment to a work role Hitchcock. within an entertainment and business industry.” Kingston, who eventually coached against Drake when he was with the One can only imagine what Punch Imlach or Toe Blake would think of University of Calgary, also ran track and played football for Drake as a today’s game, in which coaches have television monitors on their high-school athlete. Some of the training principles Kingston learned on benches so they can instantly watch a replay of a goal and, if it meets the way to becoming an ultra-marathoner were primarily gleaned from certain criteria, ask for a video review. Assembling a lineup to participate studying champion distance runners such as Paavo Nurmi and Emil in a shootout would have been a foreign concept. The idea of “cycling the Zatopek. Ultimately, Kingston, Drake and a few others transferred what is puck” low in the zone in order to maintain possession would have been now known as interval training to their hockey programs. puzzling. And the number of players blocking shots would have positively terrified them. “This was the 1950s,” Kingston said. “Nurmi had been an influence on Zatopek, and Zatopek’s focus was all on speed play for training – go hard For better or worse, coaching in today’s NHL is practically and then rest. That had an impact on all of us. In 1967, Clare and I talked unrecognizable from what it was 50 years ago, when Scotty Bowman about how to apply that to hockey – and that shifts had to change and was at the start of his Hockey Hall of Fame career. shorten. You’d go hard and then you’d rest. “Historically, if you list all the things now that are different from the sixties, “But it was light-years before it ever came to the NHL. In ‘67, I’d become it’s amazing how much it’s all changed,” Bowman said. Nowadays, a short-shift guy because I’d seen that from my own interval training. You athletes may be finally tuned machines, but things were a lot different do shorter intervals and you recover faster. Now, is the optimum shift 25 then. to 30 seconds? Is the optimum 30 to 45 seconds? For sure the optimum “When we were rolling along pretty good in the 1970s, we started is a lot less than two minutes, or a minute and a half, which is where it practices at 10 in the morning, finished about 11:30, and then the players was in the late 1950s.” Scotty Bowman behind the bench in December, 1984. Bowman says the “They also serve who only stand and wait.” The final line of the John introduction of video into coaching was a game changer. Milton sonnet On His Blindness is generally understood to mean that we all have a role to play – even those of us who are no longer at the top of Scotty Bowman behind the bench in December, 1984. Bowman says the their game. Summit Series between Canada and the Soviet Union signaled a massive shift in coaching philosophies. “I’d see that,” Crisp said, “and I’d know: ‘Shoot, I’m out again tonight.’” HANS DERYK/CANADIAN PRESS Crisp would go on to coach 631 NHL games with Calgary and Tampa and win the Stanley Cup with the Flames in 1989. He remains one of Teaching NHLers the value of shorter shifts proved problematic, and only a handful to win the Stanley Cup as both a player and a coach. Bowman said that when he moved on to Buffalo from Montreal, he developed a tactic to make the point to his players. His coaching career began as an assistant on Shero’s staff in Philadelphia, along with Pat Quinn. On his first day on the job, he roared “We used to scrimmage a lot more then than they do now,” he said. “I into Shero’s office with a question. had a football horn and a stopwatch. I used to go as close to a minute as possible. At 50 seconds, I’d blow the horn to let them know they’d been “I said: ‘Freddie, now that I’m officially an assistant coach in the league, I on for 50 seconds and the next chance you get to change, take it. If they want the book.’ ‘What book?’ asks Freddie. I say: ‘The book – the book of didn’t change, I’d blow the whistle and stop the play and say, ‘We’re quotes. I now am entitled to them because I’m an assistant coach.’ He already at a minute [and] 10, and you’re not even close to getting off.’ For says: ‘There’s no book.’ I say: ‘What do you mean there’s no book? me, the shorter shifts came in the 1980s.” There has to be a book.’ Possession is 9/10ths of the law “He looks at me and says, ‘Crispy, do you drink tea?’ ‘Tea? Sure, sometimes I drink tea.’ He says: ‘What kind? Red Rose tea?’ He says: ‘If Thanks to the NHL’s wild rush to embrace advanced analytics, no current you drink Red Rose tea, you’ll know there’s a little string attached to the hockey term enjoys wider use than “puck possession” – which, to older tea bag, and at the end of the string there’s a little piece of cardboard coaches, is simply restating a basic, timeless truth: It’s better to have the with a saying, like a fortune cookie.’ puck than not. “Everyone thought Freddie was this motivational genius and he had it all But the tactics of how to possess the puck longer did develop over time. written down in a book. That’s where he got his motivational sayings – One can be traced back to a day, early in his coaching career, when from the end of a Red Rose tea bag.” Dave King was attending a practice at . After the practice, King stayed in his seat to watch the players of that era fool Crisp also played for Bowman on the 1967-68 Blues, their expansion around with the puck. He was particularly struck by a game the Leafs’ year and Bowman’s first season as a full-time NHL coach. No. 1 line of the time – Lanny McDonald, Darryl Sittler and Errol Thompson – were playing in the corner to cool down. Crisp recalled Bowman promoting former NHL great Doug Harvey from the minors to play in the deciding seventh game of a series against “They were just going in a circle and they’d either pass it inside or Philadelphia. Harvey, considered the greatest defenceman in NHL reverse it back to a guy behind them,” said King, who coached Canada’s history prior to ’s arrival, was at the end of his career by then, national men’s team for three Olympic Games and was also the first but Bowman wanted him in the dressing room because of his big-game Canadian to coach a team in Russia’s top domestic league. “They experience – so he could share it with the young Blues. weren’t using it as a tactic. They were having a little fun. eath “But I thought to myself: ‘That’s interesting stuff. That might be something we can use to maintain puck control in the offensive zone.’ That’s where Pat Quinn, who died in 2014, was an NHL coach, player and executive it started.” throughout his long career in pro hockey, which began in the early 1960s. He got his start with the Flyers in the 1977-78 season, the same year as King taught the cycle to his University of Saskatchewan Huskies team, . but he said it was most effective with the 1984 Olympic team, specifically with three players he used as a line: Carey Wilson, Dave Donnelly and “Scotty comes in, we’re getting ready to go, and says, ‘Guys, you all Patrick Flatley. noticed, Doug Harvey, great man, won this many Stanley Cups, played in this many all-star games, has been through the wars. He’s here tonight. “All of them were average skaters at best – but had huge puck-control Doug have you got anything to say to the boys?’ Doug looks up. He looks skills. So when these guys caught on to that tactic of cycling, it was so left. He looks right. There’s this looooong pause. Finally, he says: ‘A wet impressive. If they got the puck into the offensive zone and got control, bird never flies at night.’ Then he sits down. We all look at each other. we could play with the Russians and make them have to work at What? ‘A wet bird never flies at night.’ To this day, that speech gets coverage.” repeated every time someone on those old Blues teams get together. You’d say to Bobby Plager: ‘What about a wet bird?’ He’d answer: ‘Never The shot blocking ‘mindset’ flies at night.’ You tell me, what does that mean? In the 1970s and 1980s, only a handful of brave souls with overstuffed “But we played the game and Doug Harvey was great. He masterminded and reinforced shin pads blocked shots. Now, with changes in the whole game, as if he was sitting in a rocking chair. We won 3-1. Who equipment, practically every player blocks shots. But early in the would have done something like that but Scotty Bowman?” evolution of the tactic, one of its most strident advocates was Columbus Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella, who won the Stanley Cup in 2004 Who’s the boss? with the Tampa Bay Lightning. For a short time, before blocking shots became so ubiquitous, the willingness to do so provided Tortorella’s At the beginning of his coaching career, Bowman was a taskmaster and clubs with a competitive advantage. influenced many of his successors, including Mike Keenan. Nowadays, former players such as Larry Pleau like to tease Bowman about some of “I tell players: Blocking shots is part of playing defence properly when the things he said and did in his early coaching days . you don’t have the puck,” Tortorella said. “But you know what the end goal for me with shot blocking is? It’s camaraderie. “You do a lot of crazy things,” Bowman acknowledged. “One game we played in Chicago, we had a real good team and had just won a Cup the “When I watched a guy block a shot, I watched his teammates on the year before. But for some reason we got beat 5-1 or 6-1, and I blew up in bench – they just loved it. It showed courage. It showed character. It the dressing room at the big guys after a game. I laced into Savard and carries you into a whole different identity – of maybe thinking you’re a some of these guys: ‘You think you can win playing this way.’ We had little invincible. No one’s ever asked me why before. Usually, they’re only Pleau and Pierre Bouchard on that team, but for some reason I didn’t criticizing me – which is fine, it’s their prerogative. But shot blocking for play them. They didn’t hit the ice. But I see them sitting in the corner, so I me created a whole different mindset for my hockey club. That, to me, is say: ‘And you two guys in the corner, you don’t even know how to cheer.’ the most important part of shot blocking.” “That was an awful thing to say, and I don’t think you’d ever do that now. MOTIVATION I think you might blow up at the whole team, but you’d never single out individual players. If you’re going to harp on a guy now, you’d do it in Positive (and negative) reinforcement private.” Ever since Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne asked his team to In Crisp’s playing days, he said, no one questioned why a coach gave an “win one for the Gipper,” coaches have been looking for inspirational order, they just followed it. ways to motivate their teams. “If a coach said to us, ‘Skate through the wall!,’ you skated through the In his final years of playing with the Philadelphia Flyers, Terry Crisp wall,” Crisp said. “Then I started coaching. But if I said, ‘Skate through would often find a message from coach Shero in his dressing room stall: the wall,’ the guy would want to know: ‘How high is the wall? How thick is the wall? Which part of the wall do you want me to skate through? And, Nowadays, coaches can get video sent to their iPads between periods – by the way, what do you want me to do when I get to the other side of the and even between shifts if needed – to dissect a play. wall?’ I’m not sure how well we motivated them back then, but we thought we had to show the players who was in charge.” I have really cut back on how much information I give to my team because I want to bring the instinctive part back to it. I’ve gone full circle Another way of demonstrating who was in charge was to direct sarcasm – from being at it every day with the tape and telling them ‘this is where at players, something Crisp came to realize was actually a you need to be in this situation or that situation.’ By the time they get on counterproductive technique. the ice, their instincts are gone. “One on one, the players would take a crock of shit from you, but they JOHN TORTORELLA wouldn’t take the sarcasm on the bench,” Crisp said. “I couldn’t say, ‘Duhatschek, you’re minus-three already, go out there and give them King recently coached a Canadian team at the Deutschland Cup and was another goal.’ Or I might walk down to where Tom Watt [a Calgary Luke Richardson’s assistant at the Spengler Cup, international events assistant] was standing and say loudly: ‘Tom, if I put Duhatschek out where Canada competed with makeshift teams. And yet, getting the there one more time, I want you to come right over and kick me square in same quality of video support King was accustomed to as an NHL the ass.’ Now the guy doesn’t want to look at you, and the other players assistant was no problem. are squirming on the bench, too – they don’t like it either. That’s not “The technology is so advanced and so portable – as long as you’ve got motivation, that’s just stupidity. a high-quality video guy, you can use it anywhere in the world,” King “So when you think back about the things you might have done said. “It’s an easy set-up and easy to do.” differently, there are a lot of things you wouldn’t change, but that’s one Bowman agrees. you probably would.” “It’s a high-tech world now. As soon as the plane starts, the coaches are By the time Bowman left the Pittsburgh Penguins to join the Detroit Red using the time on the plane to break down the game that night. Wings, he too had changed his methods. “The teams cut these CDs, and they’ll even send a CD to a college “In Detroit, we started breaking the season into 10-game segments, and player they’ve drafted and say, ‘This is the way Jonathan Toews takes sometimes, after a 10-game segment, you’d bring a guy in and you’d go faceoffs. This is how Patrick Kane plays on the power play.’ All the teams over the 10 games and what he did. I’d rate the players with the other do that.” coaches. I might call you in and say, ‘Eric, you keep playing like this, you’re not going to make it.’ Nowadays, you might talk strategically to the But, according to King, there is an immense downside to the prevalence guy, but you wouldn’t chastise a player individually in front of the group of video because it has led to so much imitation. any more.” “A new idea, if it’s a good idea, is only a new idea for a short period of The Badger effect time before it’s picked up by everybody,” King said. “The result is very few teams now play a thoroughly distinct style. There’s a tendency to One of the most innovative coaches in the early 1980s was “Badger” Bob play the same game. It’s like opening Campbell’s soup: You know what Johnson, the first U.S. college coach to land an NHL job. Johnson you’re going to get out of every single can. Many nights, you could brought a distinctly different philosophy to the NHL: Instead of teaching change sweaters and, other than the superstars, if you get two generic the game from the point of fear, he taught it from the point of pride. teams, people wouldn’t know the difference sometimes.” It’s a lesson Tortorella says he belatedly learned in his own career. And video has hurt the game in another way, King says: It has made “It’s a constant battle of mine,” Tortorella said, “because I’m trying to coaches “paranoid” about mistakes. appeal to a player’s pride – of being the best he can be as an individual “So to prevent mistakes at the blueline, for example, we’d say to players, and the best he can be within the context of the team. I still believe that. I ‘Get the puck in deep,’ because if we play chip-and-chase and get it still tell my guys: ‘You’re going to be pushed. Make sure you understand. behind everybody else, you cover your ass. Don’t listen to how it’s presented, just listen to what I’m saying to you’ – because that’s an important part of getting an athlete to be who he can “To me, one of the greatest challenges in coaching is ‘Don’t listen to be. everybody else.’ People will tell you: ‘You can’t attack a team when it has five players back.’ That is incorrect. There are ways to do it. There are “But I’ve made some huge mistakes, where I’ve crossed the line – where seams inside, little creases where, if you hit the seams with speed and I’ve hurt that player and stopped his growth because of something I said pop the puck to the guy, you can shock everybody by exploding through to him.” a seam. Nowadays, Tortorella says, he primarily stresses motivation, team “In hockey, we always tend to coach to the lowest common denominator. building and the mental strength of his players, in part because players It becomes like a game of musical chairs. You hope they make a mistake arriving in the NHL today are so well-versed in tactics and strategy that in their end, and they hope you make a mistake in your end. The use of the need to teach basic concepts is not as great as it once was. video takes us to a defensive perspective more than it takes us to an “I’m a guidance counsellor in the sports business,” Tortorella said. “My offensive perspective. daughter’s a seventh-grade schoolteacher, and we talk about this a lot. I “Instead of saying, ‘How can we make them pay a price to play that say to her: ‘We’re trying to do the same thing, except you use textbooks way?’ we look for the safest way to get through it.” and you’re in a classroom setting.’ Tortorella coined the phrase “Safe is death” when he was coaching the “It’s one of the most unique and exciting parts of coaching – trying to get Lightning to a championship and says he is more convinced than ever between the ears of each individual and straighten out that wiring so they that there is too much instruction in the game. can be the best they can be. But it’s impossible to get to everybody – you try to do the best you can, to get all these personalities to mesh together “We over-coach,” he said. “We have too many meetings. We want to put and to believe in the common goal.” our claws into them all the time when they’re with us. This game is such an instinctive game, but nowadays kids aren’t on the ponds nearly TECHNOLOGY enough. They go to a practice at 5 o’clock in the afternoon and In today’s NHL, video has two primary functions: as a teaching tool and sometimes they’ll go 40 minutes without touching the puck – and that kid, as a scouting tool – and often the two overlap. playing hockey at age 6 and 7, is going to want to quit at age 8 because it’s so frigging boring.” Bowman, now a special adviser to the Chicago Blackhawks, says that when he started in St. Louis, video was non-existent, largely because Tortorella is in the midst of a breakthrough season with Columbus. television was also so random. Earlier this year, the Blue Jackets put together a 16-game winning streak, the second-longest in NHL history. Now in his first full season with the “Dan Kelly [the Blues’ legendary play-by-play man] would ask me my team, he says he’s trying to find the right instructional balance to suit the lines, and I wouldn’t give them to him because I didn’t want the other modern era. team to know who I was playing. I’d say to him, ‘I’ll give you my lines if you give me their lines.’ That’s how much it’s changed. We had no “I have really cut back on how much information I give to my team knowledge of the other team.” because I want to bring the instinctive part back to it,” he said. “I’ve gone full circle – from being at it every day with the tape and telling them ‘this Video made its way into the NHL largely thanks to Neilson, who landed is where you need to be in this situation or that situation.’ By the time his first NHL gig with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1977 and used a clunky they get on the ice, their instincts are gone. old VHS machine to break down tape. “With this club here, I told them: ‘I’m going to turn away from some of the mistakes if you’re trying to make a play. Just meet me halfway. Let’s have some structure when we don’t have the puck – not when we have it, but when we need to get it back. Then you can go do your thing.’ That’s the deal we’ve made here.” Globe And Mail LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052237 Toronto Maple Leafs

Nylander gaining upper hand on Leafs power play

By MARK ZWOLINSKI

William Nylander’s next power-play goal will set a Leafs record for rookies. Nylander tied the mark with his ninth goal with the man advantage, in Thursday’s 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. On Friday, Nylander’s wicked shot — part wrist shot, part snapshot — was still a hot topic. He leads the team with 20 power-play points, and only Nazem Kadri (11) has more Leaf goals with the man advantage. The shot isn’t a classic one-timer, which has been an incredible weapon for the likes of Alex Ovechkin and Steven Stamkos. Nylander can fire the puck even quicker, though — corralling the puck and getting the shot away in one motion. He mentioned that he recently changed from a grey-coloured Bauer stick to a black one. “I used (the black version) against Detroit, too,” Nylander said, referring to Tuesday’s win over the Wings. The sticks are significantly different when it comes to flex, and the areas of the shaft and blade that are critical for shot release. Nylander says he often chirps his father Michael, who scored 209 goals in 920 NHL games, about having a better shot. “We laugh about it a lot — and he admits it, too — but he’s scored more goals than me in the NHL so I can’t say too much,” the Leaf said with a laugh, adding brother Alexander, a Buffalo Sabres prospect, also has a splendid shot. Elsewhere, the Leafs are expected to insert defenceman Martin Marincin into the lineup for Saturday’s road game against the Carolina Hurricanes, in place of Alexey Marchenko. “We’ve been thinking we should get Marty in for a while now,” Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. Toronto Star LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052238 Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs’ Frederik Andersen doesn’t mind heavy workload

By MARK ZWOLINSKI

If goaltender Frederik Andersen is in the crease Saturday when the Leafs face the Carolina Hurricanes, he will be making his 55th start of the season, a new career high. Andersen was expected to get the bulk of the work when the Leafs traded for him in the off-season. He was expected to do what Curtis Joseph and Ed Belfour did a decade or more ago, when they regularly backstopped Leaf teams into the playoffs. But the 27-year-old Andersen is on pace for at least 68 starts, and possibly 70, with each start from here on in putting the Danish goalie in uncharted waters. For Andersen, there’s no sense in worrying. “Numbers are not something I care about too much,” he said as the Leafs wrapped up practice Friday and headed out on a three-game road trip, which starts Saturday in Carolina. “Given the number of games I’ve played in, my body feels good, I have been able to take care of my body, and I feel good about playing a lot of games. That’s a positive thing for me . . . doing a good job with my body and managing it so that I can play these games.” Leafs coach Mike Babcock, whose Detroit teams made the playoffs in all 10 seasons he was behind the bench, understands the impact a goalie has. He can cover up his teammates’ mistakes and help them find ways to be playoff-worthy. “When we signed him, we felt he was the best goalie on the market and had a lot of upside,” Babcock said Friday. “He fits in our age group here, and he’s getting better all the time. “Look, teams without goaltending don’t win, period. Soon, you blame forwards and defencemen for things you wouldn’t if you had good goaltending. I think Freddie’s done a good job for us.” Andersen has helped put the Leafs in a position to either take the second wild-card spot in the East or catch Boston for third place in the Atlantic Division. And he will set career highs for saves and shots faced. So far, he’s faced 1,722 shots (putting him on pace for 2,000) and made 1,578 saves, both of which are ranked second in the NHL. Andersen is not in the top 15 in goals-against average (2.71) or save percentage (.916) but, according to advanced metrics, he’s among the most valuable goalies in the league. His “goalie point shares” — the estimate of points contributed by a goalie — currently sits at 10.8, fourth highest among NHL goalies. And while the Leafs remain shaky in their defensive zone positioning when under pressure, Andersen feels the team is getting better in all areas as the post-season approaches. “As a player or a goalie, you want to have that, being the guy who’s first, working hard . . . it challenges the other guys to work hard too,” Andersen said. “It’s fun to be around each other when guys are doing well and working hard. Other guys watch that and get excited about it too. I think that’s how a team progresses and gets better, they compete with each other. “There’s a lot more work to do in what we want to achieve, but we’re excited about the direction we’re going and things we’re getting better at.” Toronto Star LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052239 Toronto Maple Leafs

Saturday game preview: Toronto Maple Leafs at Carolina Hurricanes

By MARK ZWOLINSKI

PNC ARENA Raleigh, N.C. PUCK DROP: Saturday, 7 p.m. TV: CBC RADIO: TSN 1050 KEY PLAYERS Aho vs. Nylander These two players were rivals in world junior circles, Sebastian Aho with Finland and William Nylander with Sweden. Now they rank as two of the better rookies in a season filled with excellent freshman. Aho had two power-play goals in the Hurricanes’ 4-3 win over the Rangers on Thursday, and has 20 goals on the season, second on Carolina to Jeff Skinner (21). Nylander had a power-play goal in the Leafs’ win over Philadelphia Thursday to tie a team record for the most power-play goals by a rookie (nine). NEED TO KNOW The Hurricanes have not won back-to-back games since the first week of February . . . The Leafs shut out Carolina 4-0 in a visit to PNC Arena Feb. 19 … The Hurricanes called up Valentin Zykov this week with forwards Brock McGinn and Phil Di Giuseppe injured. The six-foot-one, 224-pound Zykov scored on his first NHL shot . . . Carolina defenceman Jaccob Slavin has assists in five straight games and leads the team with a plus-15 rating. UP NEXT Tuesday, at Florida, 7:30 p.m. Toronto Star LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052240 Toronto Maple Leafs “Sometimes I worry about the guys that are young and don’t have a significant other or don’t have their folks around. What do they do all the time? I think it’s important to have things to do.” Maple Leafs' off-ice focus shifts with playoffs in sight ACC ALSO GETTING READY There was little talk of hockey playoffs around the Air Canada Centre the BY LANCE HORNBY, TORONTO SUN past few springs, but it’s certainly open for business next month. In accordance with National Hockey League guidelines for all 30 teams, potential playoff dates are put on hold a year in advance. So multi-use TORONTO — The Maple Leafs don’t want to be accidental tourists facilities such as the ACC do not book many major concerts or events in should they wake up April 10 in a playoff spot. April in case their teams qualify and need flexibility in the first round. Were the Maple Leafs to make the playoffs and have an arena conflict, Just as the boards seem to be closing in for all teams in the race with air- they would get priority as the Raptors did for a Pearl Jam concert last tight checking, expect the Leafs to adjust to related conditions off the ice season. in the last month of the regular season. There are a few holdovers from the 2013 series with Boston, but it’s largely a club of youngsters who’ve As for playoff tickets, many NHL clubs such as the Leafs print them for never been through the 82-game grind, let alone a post-season test and subscribers in the summer and send them with the regular-season the challenges away from the rink. package so they can be in hand and activated if needed. Should the Leafs qualify, remaining seats would go on sale to the public in early Heading off to a three-game southern U.S. road trip on Friday, one point April. out of the top eight, the Leafs have to think and act like winners if they want their first full-season playoff berth since 2004. Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.11.2017 That’s part of the reason veteran forwards Brian Boyle and Eric Fehr were added at the trade deadline, the latter a recent Cup champion with Pittsburgh, Boyle a 100-game veteran in six consecutive years of playoff appearances with the Rangers and Lightning. They’ve seen this movie in March many times. “The media attention picks up first,” Boyle said. “You start noticing a bit more cameras on the road. That’s how it’s going to be from now on. You have to make sure you get in, get out. Know you have a responsibility to the media, but other than that, go home and rest. “Playoffs — that’s always the goal in advance, to make them. That’s really the most fun part of the game and hopefully that’s why they brought me in. The guys should expect to win every night, have confidence in yourself and one another. I think that’s coming along in here nicely. “I just look forward to playing with these guys and being in more meaningful games as we get down the stretch. Every game we play becomes a little more important. We’ve won a couple on home ice (over Detroit and Philadelphia this week to keep both in their rear-view mirror). Now we have a tough road trip where hopefully we continue to grow.” In the years the Leafs did make the playoffs with regularity — 10 times in a 12-season stretch of the Pat Quinn/Pat Burns years — both those coaches imposed rules on the team as the final weeks of the season approached, limiting team publicity functions, asking players to cut back personal appearances or autograph sessions. “We did that in New York, though it (depends) on the market,” Boyle said. Fehr was with the Washington Capitals most of his career, playing 37 playoff games there, then appearing in 23 last spring as the Penguins went the distance. He’s also quite familiar with the change in routine when the snow starts melting. “A lot of teams I’ve been on, once you get to February or March, you cut back on the appearances and all the extra-curriculars around you and just get dialed in. It’s important for the guys to get rest when they can. You realize that one game can be the difference (in getting a spot). If you give yourself the opportunity to be better prepared for it, you give yourself a better chance.” Both Boyle and Fehr agree that today’s NHLer, with so much at stake financially in a short window of their lives will have realized some of the spring guidelines already, just as kids come to September camps in far better shape than 20 years ago. “The game is becoming more businesslike every year,” Fehr said. “Guys know what to expect. If they don’t, they’re going be taught. Guys are recovering from injuries at higher levels, whether it’s recovery (chambers) or different manual therapy. Players are taking care of their bodies a lot better than they used to.” Head coach Mike Babcock was asked about any team rules he imposed on the Red Wings at this time of the season during his decade as part of that franchises’s 25-year playoff streak. “Well, use your coconut,” he said of players taking ownership of their off- ice activities. “But one of the things I learned in Detroit is that it’s important to have things to do besides hockey. Some people could think that’s a distraction, but you don’t get distracted when you love what you do. You have other things going on in your life. 1052241 Toronto Maple Leafs

Marincin in, Marchenko out

BY LANCE HORNBY, FIRST POSTED: FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 2017

TORONTO - Martin Marincin, come on down. Mike Babcock appears ready to spring the Czech defenceman from almost five weeks in the press box, moving Alexey Marchenko out of the lineup for Saturday’s game in Carolina. Marchenko’s ice time dried up Thursday night against the Flyers, to under two minutes and two shifts in the third period. Newcomer Marchenko has been paired mostly with Jake Gardiner since he went into the lineup following Connor Carrick’s upper body injury Feb. 21. “We think Marchy has done a really good job, (but) we’ve been thinking we should get Marty in there for awhile,” Babcock said Friday. “We would have made it before the Detroit game, but he’s from Detroit (claimed by the Leafs from the Wings with Babcock’s approval). We’ll make the change and see where it goes.” As far as Carrick’s recovery goes, Babcock met with strength and conditioning personnel Friday and was told Carrick’s skating and shooting in solo drills are coming along fine. But he had no set date that Carrick will return to practice. “Sooner is better than later, he’s an important part of our team,” Babcock said. “But we’ve been through this before. I don’t get much of a say in these matters.” HAT TRICK Babcock was changing lids again on Friday, this time leaving his press conference as it was getting underway and then returning with a red McGill University cap. Babcock and assistant coach D.J. Smith had a wager on the OUA Queen’s Cup bronze medal game Friday night, Babcock’s alma mater against the University of Windsor where Smith is from and once coached the . Babcock will have to wear the Windsor hat in a future media scrum if McGill loses, just as he had to don New Hampshire colours earlier in the week when James van Riemsdyk’s old school beat Merrimack where Babcock’s son now plays. Speaking of OUA hockey, former Leaf assistant coach Chris Dennis and his York Lions host Queen’s on Saturday night in the gold medal game. LOOSE LEAFS Former Toronto captain Doug Gilmour’s old banner from the Air Canada Centre was delivered to its new home in the Rogers K-Rock Centre in Kingston on Friday night before the Frontenacs-Steelheads OHL game. All 18 of the ACC flags are going back to the players’ hometowns this season after new 100th anniversary banners took their place ... The Marlies have added another player on regular season loan, forward Cal O’Reilly, formerly of the Buffalo Sabres ... Big Brian Boyle was quite impressed that the wiry William Nylander absorbed such a huge hit from Philly’s Bryaden Schenn on Thursday in order to get a puck deep. “That’s hard to do,” Boyle said of staying with the play that saw Tyler Bozak chase the puck down, get it back and score Toronto’s second goal ... As expected, Bozak was held out of practice on Friday with a suspected lower body issue, but should play Saturday in Raleigh ... Babcock continues to talk up the Matt Martin-Boyle-Nikita Soshnikov line. “They re-established our game a number of times (against Philadelphia), both in the defensive zone with good plays and in the o-zone with good forechecks and heavy shifts. To me, that’s important.” ... Not that it means much when they are aiming at a playoff spot, but even if the Leafs get just 18 points down the stretch of these last 16 games and finish with 92, that would still be a post-Pat Quinn high... Also on Friday, fellow Hall of Famer Johnny Bower’s banner was delivered to Prince Albert, Sask., at the Art Hauser Centre prior to the Prince Albert Raiders-Brandon Wheat Kings game. Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052242 Toronto Maple Leafs

Slump? What slump? Maple Leafs' Matthews has earned free pass

BY LANCE HORNBY, MARCH 10, 2017

TORONTO — Trust in Auston Matthews has come to the point where he can go four games without a point and hardly anyone in the city notices. Yes, the attention that is paid to the No. 1 overall pick has intensified, but like many of the rookie stars on the Leafs, he can still make something out of nothing. Matthews has gone stretches of five, three, three and four without a point, yet has 55 overall and is 11 shy of Peter Ihnacak’s club rookie record with 16 games to play. “Right now, we’re just not creating enough offence as a line,” Matthews said. “Things are tighter now and those 10-foot plays, we’re not making them.” Teammates have noted the evolution in his overall approach to the NHL. “He’s playing a 200-foot game,” defenceman Morgan Rielly said. “If he continues to do that, we’re not worried at all. We haven’t even noticed (the four-game drought).” Head coach Mike Babcock has tried to get more from the duo of Matthews and left winger Zach Hyman by using William Nylander more on the right side, often starting a game with Connor Brown in that spot before switching back. “I’ve split 50-50 playing with both of them throughout the year,” Matthews said. “They both bring different things to the table, but they’re both pretty good players.” Nylander has scored a couple of nice power-play goals on feeds across the slot from Matthews. “He’s been playing great, creating chances,” Nylander said. “Sometimes the puck won’t go in, but as long as you’re creating chances, that’s what you have to be happy about.” Coach Mike Babcock surmised Matthews and others are encountering the most effective grinders the opposition can muster and in the case of the past two games, it has been Eastern Conference playoff rivals in his face. “In the neutral zone, there are five guys everywhere you go,” Babcock said. “The greatest thing about pond hockey is that no one is ever in your way and you have time to make plays. As it goes on, the game becomes a real grind and as playoffs go on, there is no space every night and you battle for every inch. That’s why some players who have success in the regular season don’t have it in the playoffs. But I think it’s a really good process for our guys to be going through.” Matthews returns to Carolina on Saturday where he had a memorable deke on Cam Ward last month and scored with his legs bent like a pretzel. But the Leafs were still talking Friday about the latest picture goal by a kid, Nylander’s high power-play snap from the faceoff circle past Michal Neuvirth. That’s 18 goals for Nylander, nine on the power play. “He gets good down-force on it, definitely uses his strength,” Matthews said of Nylander’s release. “He gets a lot of whip on his stick.” Babcock likes the way Nylander can cradle a pass across his body and let it go in one motion. “He shoots the pass better than he shoots the one-timer. He has great edges and a great understanding of the game. The most impressive thing Willy is doing is competing better, playing way harder without the puck. So he’s becoming a more complete player which makes us a better team.” Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.11.2017

1052243 Washington Capitals

After back-to-back losses, Capitals have new lines for first time in months

By Isabelle Khurshudyan March 10

LOS ANGELES — With the Washington Capitals on a rare losing streak and their scoring down since returning from a five-day bye week last month, Coach Barry Trotz tinkered with his forward combinations for the first time since late December. “We had really great success before the break there, and coming out of the break, I kept the same,” Trotz said. “I thought they’d sort of re-spark, and they quite haven’t. What I’ve learned with this group and the guys is that we move them around and they sort of find their way a little bit. And you can always go back to the old reliable lines. At some point, we probably will do that. Right now, we just need a little spark, a little interest, a little more production at five-on-five for us.” The Capitals were 17-2-1 going into the bye week, averaging 4.65 goals per game during that stretch. The biggest difference in the team’s play since is the decline in offense. Washington has been held to fewer than four goals in eight of the past 10 games. The most significant move is splitting Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom, and that’s potentially related to Ovechkin’s 16-game even- strength goal drought. In practice at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo on Friday, Ovechkin skated on a line with Evgeny Kuznetsov and Tom Wilson. Backstrom centered T.J. Oshie and Marcus Johansson. Trotz said he tried to put a “scorer” in each forward trio. Trotz said he’s been happy with Ovechkin’s recent play, despite the slumping point production. Ovechkin has one point in the past seven games. “Actually, I think he’s got good energy,” Trotz said. “He’s skating probably as well as he has all year. I like his work ethic. If he just keeps adding that little bit of physical element and keeps shooting the puck, he’s going to score some goals. I’m pretty sure about that. I’ll bet anybody that he will. He’s working at it. The one thing you don’t want to see from a player who’s maybe not having the production that they expect or they want is for them to be the victim and feel sorry for themselves, to not put in the time and the work to work out of it. He’s not doing that. He’s putting in the time and he’s putting in the work.” Ovechkin’s last five-on-five goal came on Jan. 26 against the New Jersey Devils. During this streak, Ovechkin has had three games where he didn’t record a shot on goal. He’s scored 50-plus goals in three straight seasons, but with 27 goals through 66 games, he’s unlikely to reach that mark again this season. “I think the situation right now, it’s obviously not fun,” Ovechkin said. “Obviously, we didn’t produce a lot. Our line, we had chances and we didn’t use them. So, I think it’s a good thing it’s happening right now and not in the playoffs. It’s time to regroup and get ready.” Here’s what the new lines look like: Marcus Johansson-Nicklas Backstrom-T.J. Oshie Alex Ovechkin-Evgeny Kuznetsov-Tom Wilson Brett Connolly-Lars Eller-Justin Williams Daniel Winnik-Jay Beagle-Jakub Vrana 0 Comments Share on FacebookShare Share on TwitterTweet Share via Email Isabelle Khurshudyan Washington Post LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052244 Washington Capitals that we’re doing that. From our standpoint, we’re in a race with a lot of good teams in the Metro right now, so I don’t think that’s a concern at all.”

Washington Post LOADED: 03.11.2017 The Caps are 5-4-1 since their bye week. Are they headed for another late-season slide?

By Isabelle Khurshudyan March 10 at 7:55 AM

SAN JOSE — Even as the Washington Capitals were riding the highs of January and early February, scoring five-plus goals in almost every game, they knew that kind of run was unsustainable. Still, as they departed for various vacations on Feb. 12 for the start of their five-day bye week, they vowed to maintain their momentum when they returned to the ice later that week. Ten games after the February hiatus, bye-week blues still linger. The Capitals are 5-4-1 in that stretch after a 4-2 loss to the Sharks on Thursday night, and a second straight regulation loss was the Capitals’ first such skid since Dec. 1. The Capitals were burned by an extended break last season, too. A January snowstorm a year ago postponed two games, which, coupled with the all-star break, meant Washington played just two games in two weeks, and the team never rediscovered its dominant form after that. The Capitals aren’t happy with their post-bye week play, but they’re also not subscribing to the theory that history could be repeating itself. “It’s a different team,” defenseman Karl Alzner said. “That’s a thing that everyone always wonders, but it’s just coincidence right now. We all know that we can turn it up and things will be better. It’s a tough stretch of the year. These are good teams that we’re playing right now that are in fights that are maybe a little bit more intense than our fight is right now. When it comes time to really show our true colors, I think we’re going to show them.” Bye weeks are new to the NHL this season, a player-negotiated concession for the All-Star Game switching to a three-on-three format last season. Every team took the break sometime between Jan. 1 and Feb. 28, and the majority of teams lost their first game out of it. Washington was one of those, and it hasn’t snapped out of that slump yet. The Capitals were 17-2-1 going into the bye week, and they were averaging 4.65 goals per game during that stretch. The biggest difference in the team’s play since is the decline in offense. Washington has been held to fewer than four goals in eight of the past 10 games. Alzner noticed some bad habits in the team’s loss to the Sharks, such as getting too fancy in the neutral zone and losing the puck rather than making a simple play to move it deep into the offensive zone. Forward Daniel Winnik said lower-scoring games are to be expected this time of year when teams are desperately fighting for points — an overtime loss preferable to a regulation one because there’s at least a standings point as a consolation prize. Coach Barry Trotz attributed the decline in scoring to the team’s high shooting percentage just coming back down to earth. With star winger Alex Ovechkin in a career-long 16-game, even-strength goal drought, Trotz alluded to potentially tweaking his forward combinations. Forward Justin Williams has one goal in his past 13 games, and Lars Eller hasn’t scored a goal in 12 games. “We’ve had some chances, and we haven’t buried them, you know?” Trotz said. “That’ll come around. There’s always times in the year when things don’t add up, and sometimes they’re positive and sometimes they’re a little more negative. When we were scoring a lot of goals, we had a lot of snipe and our shooting percentage was really, really high. Right now, our shooting percentage isn’t as high, and we’re not finding the back of the net as much.” Said forward Brett Connolly: “We’re still finding our game here a little bit. If you ask anybody, I don’t think we’re happy with the way we’ve come out of the break. We’re looking to fix that. … We’ve just got to take a deep breath. We’re still in first place, and we’ve still got a great hockey team. It’s just a matter of finding it, and we’ll be fine.” The Capitals have two games left in their California road trip, and their lead for first place in the Metropolitan Division is just five points on the Columbus Blue Jackets and Pittsburgh Penguins, who have both played one fewer game than Washington. A significant difference from last season: The division is more competitive, forcing the Capitals to feel urgency, even in first place. “I think this team’s a little different,” Trotz said. “I think last year, we had such a lead that we just sort of parked it. I don’t think that you could say 1052245 Washington Capitals

AFTER CONSECUTIVE REGULATION LOSSES, CAPITALS FACE QUESTIONS ABOUT LAST SEASON'S SWOON

By Tarik El-Bashir March 10, 2017 1:36 PM

With Thursday’s 4-2 loss in San Jose, the Capitals have now suffered consecutive regulation losses for the first time in more than three months. The defeat also dropped the Caps’ record to 5-4-1 since the team returned from the bye week. Their average goals per game since the five-day hiatus? A pedestrian 2.2 per contest. Indeed, it’s been an unsettling stretch for the NHL’s top team, which encountered a similar malaise late last season. But, according to Coach Barry Trotz and his players, there's no sense of panic or déjà vu spreading over the dressing room. “We haven’t lost two in a row for a while, so it does seem a little awkward,” Coach Barry Trotz acknowledged to reporters at SAP Center. “But this group is great at responding, and we’ll have to go into L.A. and see if we can respond.” Asked if he sees any similarities between last year’s soft stretch run and the current downturn, Trotz said: “No. I think this team is a little different. I think last year when we had such a lead, we just sorta parked it. I don’t think you can say we’re doing that. From our standpoint we’re in a race with a lot of good teams in the Metro right now. So, I don’t think that’s a concern at all.” A year ago, the Caps went 10-4-6 in their final 20 games. This year, the Caps are 2-2-0 in the first four games of that 20-game sprint to the finish. “It hasn’t been [like] how we went into the break,” winger Brett Connolly said. “We were humming pretty good. We’ve got a new player in [Kevin] Shattenkirk and [Andre Burakovsky] goes down. So we’re still finding our game a little bit. If you ask anybody, I don’t think we’re happy with how we’ve come out of the break. We’re looking to fix that. This is not our style. …We just gotta take a deep breath. We’re still in first place. We still have a great hockey team.” The Caps’ three-game California trip continues Saturday at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The Kings are battling for their playoff lives, sitting a point out of the second wild card spot in the West. Washington, meantime, will be looking to avoid losing three straight games in regulation for the first time since Feb. 2015 as its captain and leading goal scorer, Alex Ovechkin, searches for his first goal since Feb. 19, nine games ago. “We don’t want to lose three in a row,” Connolly said. “L.A. is a big game. …Now we need to go into L.A. and beat a good hockey team.” Defenseman Karl Alzner acknowledged that a few recent opponents have played with more desperation than the Caps have brought to the rink. But that said, Alzner scoffed at the suggestion that last year’s late- season swoon is happening all over again. “No, not at all,” he said. “It’s a different team. That’s the thing that everyone always wonders. It’s just coincidence right now. We all know that we can turn it up and things will be better. This is a tough stretch of the year. These are good teams that we’re playing right now and [their] fight is a little bit more intense than our fight is right now. When it comes to time to really show our true colors, I think we’re going to show them.” Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052246 Washington Capitals

PREDICTION RECAP: CAPS GET GOOD START, BAD FINISH

By J.J. Regan March 10, 2017 11:10 AM

Thursday's game started well for the Caps, but it was pretty much downhill from there in a 4-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks. Here’s a recap of the three bold predictions for the game. 1. Marcus Johansson will score - Wrong The Caps' top forwards were all silent on Thursday with the only goals coming from Daniel Winnik and Brett Connolly. 2. San Jose will score first - Wrong For all the things that went wrong for Washington on Thursday, at least they didn’t have a poor start to the game. The Caps actually took the early lead thanks to Winnik’s goal about five minutes into the first period. 3. Jannik Hansen will get a point - Correct Hansen looked right at home on San Jose’s top line with the primary assist on Joe Thornton’s goal in the first period. It was a nice pass from behind the night to find a streaking Thornton. 2017 results: San Jose is a place in which the Caps never seem to play all that well as they have not won there in regulation since 1993. My predictions also fell victim to the Sharks’ curse. Correct: 30.5 Wrong: 49.5 Push: 3 Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052247 Washington Capitals

WITH THE CAPS SCUFFLING, COACH BARRY TROTZ SHOOK THINGS UP FRIDAY

By Tarik El-Bashir March 10, 2017 8:02 PM

With his team mired in an offensive funk, Barry Trotz did something he’s avoided for months: the Capitals’ head coach changed up his forward lines. Here’s how the combinations looked during practice on Friday in El Segundo, Calif.: Johansson-Backstrom-Oshie Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Wilson Connolly-Eller-Williams Winnik-Beagle-Vrana The highlights included Alex Ovechkin being dropped from the first line to the second, Wilson being promoted from the fourth line to the second and Williams moving from the second line to the third. Why the drastic changes? Well, the NHL-best Caps have scored just 22 goals since returning from the bye week 10 games ago (2.2 goals per game). In the 10 games prior to that five-day hiatus, T.J. Oshie and Co. scored 43 goals (4.3 per). Overall, Washington has lost two games in a row and is just 5-4-1 since the bye. Trotz told reporters that he hopes the moves stir some “interest” amongst the forwards. “I think we’ve gone a little stale,” Trotz said. “Sometimes a little change [and] you’ll get a little spark. Sometimes you get a new linemate or a couple of new linemates, so there’s a little more communication. You're working through stuff rather than just going through it. So, hopefully, that will spark a little bit of interest and production.” Although he didn’t single out anyone, a quick glance at the game logs reveal the players Trotz is attempting to jumpstart. Ovechkin has no goals in the last eight games and just one in the last 12. Justin Williams has no goals in the last six games and just one in the last 13 games. Meantime, Lars Eller has just one point in the last eight games, while Evgeny Kuznetsov has one in the last four. On Saturday, Washington faces Los Angeles at Staples Center. The Kings are clinging to their playoff lives while the Caps will be looking to avoid losing three straight games in regulation for the first time since Feb. 2015. Will the new lines do the trick? It’s worked in the past, Trotz noted. “What I’ve learned with this group is we move them around and they sort of find their way a little bit,” he said. “And then you can always go back to the old reliable lines, and at some point, we’ll probably do that. But right now we need a little spark and a little interest and a little more production 5-on-5.” The defense pairs were unchanged. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052248 Winnipeg Jets And what's on his to-do list? "I'd like to keep that private," he said. "My internal stuff. What I work on needs to be in my head and I don't need anyone else kinda poking and Dirty Penguin puts Enstrom on ice indefinitely with concussion prodding.... I know what I need to do." Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 03.11.2017 By: Mike Sawatzky

Veteran Winnipeg Jets defenceman Toby Enstrom is out indefinitely after suffering a concussion courtesy of a bone-crushing hit from Pittsburgh Penguins forward Tom Sestito Wednesday night. Enstrom left the game and was taken to hospital as a result of concerns he might have suffered facial fractures. Toby Enstrom's injury will open the door for veteran defenceman Mark Stuart. Sestito, a journeyman pro who was called up from the AHL for the game, was suspended four games by the NHL Thursday. He was assessed a major penalty for checking from behind and a game misconduct on the play. "Don't know what the time frame is for (Enstrom)," head coach Paul Maurice said following Friday's practice. "There's no equitable way to sort this out because you can't measure what we lose. And the player suspended, they all have to be treated regardless of value to the game. So, it is what it is." The incident was troubling for Jets forward Mathieu Perreault. Sestito, a 6-5, 228-pounder, has one assist and 44 penalty minutes in nine games with the Pens this season. He also has six goals, 16 points and 121 penalty minutes with the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Enstrom is 5-10, 180 pounds. "Not too sure what's his role on this team, really," Perreault said. "They call him up for one game, so it's not like he has a role. He comes out, maybe get a fight and do something stupid I would say, hit a guy from behind. So, yeah, I don't think there's any room in this league for this kind of play anymore." Enstrom's injury will open the door for veteran defenceman Mark Stuart, who is expected to slot back into the lineup for Saturday's game against the visiting Calgary Flames (6 p.m., Sportsnet, TSN 1290). Winnipeg trails the St. Louis Blues by five points in the race for the final wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Blues also have three games in hand on the Jets, who have only 14 regular-season games remaining. Perreault, a 5-10, 188-pounder, was asked if he fears for his own safety when he sees the way players such as Sestito conduct themselves on the ice. "Not really, because you'd like to think guys out on the ice against you are smart enough to not do that," he said. "They're trying to get rid of guys that are not smart at times. To understand you can't hit a guy in a vulnerable situation. I like to think the guys I play against, they understand that." Defenceman Josh Morrissey wasn't on the ice Friday but is expected to be in Saturday's lineup. Forward Chris Thorburn also missed practice and is considered questionable. Hellebuyck returns Maurice confirmed Connor Hellebuyck will get his 13th consecutive start Saturday after being pulled Wednesday for the seventh time this season. He allowed five goals in 15 shots in the 7-4 loss to Pittsburgh. "We're going to give Connor the opportunity to bounce back and fight through it," Maurice said. "I don't look at those five (goals) as dropped pucks or five-hole from the red line. There were some good shots in there." Hellebuyck, for his part, said battling for a post-season berth is his No. 1 concern. "It's the same as when I first got here," said Hellebuyck. "To win as many games as possible. That's all we can do. We can go out and win and if we sneak into the playoffs, we sneak in. That's still our goal and we're not eliminated yet, so we're going to try." The 23-year-old said he isn't changing his preparation. "I like my game. In the places I need to improve on, I'm working hard to improve," he said. 1052249 Winnipeg Jets

Trouba focuses on play, not contract extension

Mike Sawatzky By: Mike Sawatzky

Winnipeg Jets' Jacob Trouba says he hasn't really put much thought into extending his current contract with the team. Jacob Trouba’s contract extension — beyond the two-year, US$6-million deal he signed with the Winnipeg Jets last fall — remains a subject of interest. "I haven’t put much thought into it," the 23-year-old defenceman said Friday. "I’ll think about it at the end of the year. I mean, I’m happy with how things have gone this year, personally. I think we could still improve as a team and we’ve got places where we want to go, so there’s definitely room to grow." Trouba signed his current deal on Nov. 7 after missing 15 games due to a contract holdout. He publicly stated his desire to play on the right side (he is right-handed) after being pencilled in to play left side in a pairing with Dustin Byfuglien. But an injury to right-handed veteran Tyler Myers on Nov. 11 has put Trouba where he wanted to be. "Well, it’s a product of who we have — and Tyler being injured, obviously, has played a role in everything," Trouba said. "So, yeah, it just one of those things. The opportunity ended up coming and you’ve gotta make the most of things." In 51 games, Trouba has scored six goals and 27 points, with a plus-7 rating, while joining with rookie Josh Morrissey to form the Jets’ most- dependable blue-line pairing. In Wednesday’s 7-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Trouba registered a season-high seven hits and seven shots on goal. "That’s always something I thought I could do," Trouba said, noting the quality of play he has delivered from the right side. "I mean, it’s the position I’ve played my whole life." Down the stretch Entering Friday’s action, the Jets were five points behind the St. Louis Blues for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference, with 14 games left to play. The Blues, who hosted the Anaheim Ducks Friday night, had three games in hand on the Jets. The Los Angeles Kings, also out of a wild-card spot but four points up on Winnipeg, had two games in hand on the Jets. "We understand we pretty much have to win out," Jets forward Mathieu Perreault said. "It’s still possible for us to do if we win tomorrow and we can look after the next one. But like I’ve said, all the teams in front of us at one point in the season, had a really (good) stretch where they win 10 or 15 games in a row. A bunch of wins, which is basically what we have to do. It doesn’t matter if you do it in the first 15 games or last 15 — we can still do it now." Losses this week to last spring’s Stanley Cup finalists, the San Jose Sharks and Pittsburgh Penguins, highlighted the gap between the Jets and elite teams. "I liked our game against San Jose; we played well," Jets head coach Paul Maurice said. "I liked half of our game against Pittsburgh. But what Pittsburgh did wasn’t based on skill level in my mind. Some of it is because they come up with so many of the puck battles. Their hand skills are good, they knock that down. But it’s speed and a real competitive game that they play. We do that and (we) get to that level. We’re just not as consistent with it as Pittsburgh or San Jose." Noteworthy Of Winnipeg’s 14 remaining games, 10 are against teams currently holding down a playoff spot... The Jets now have lost 266 man-games to injury... Jets right-winger Patrik Laine continues to lead the NHL rookie scoring race with 32 goals and 59 points in 60 games. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 03.11.2017 1052250 Winnipeg Jets

Jets defenceman Enstrom out indefinitely Penguins enforcer Sestito suspended for hit that caused Enstrom's concussion

BY PAUL FRIESEN, WINNIPEG SUN

Winnipeg Jets defenceman Toby Enstrom is out indefinitely with a concussion after a hit from Pittsburgh's Tom Sestito, Wednesday. Sestito hit Enstrom into the boards from behind, drawing a major penalty and game misconduct early in the Penguins 7-4 win. Called up from the AHL for Wednesday's game, Sestito was slapped with a four-game suspension by the NHL, Thursday – small consolation to the Jets. “There's no equitable way to sort this out, because you can't measure what we lose,” head coach Paul Maurice said, Friday. “The players suspended, they all have to be treated (the same) regardless of value to the game.” Others questioned the fairness of Pittsburgh losing a player who hasn't been in the NHL most of the season, while the Jets lose a top-four defenceman. “That's something the league should think about, maybe,” Jacob Trouba said. “They're not really losing much by him being suspended.” Forwards Blake Wheeler and Mathieu Perreault questioned what Sestito's job even was when he was called up. “I don't really know what he was doing out there in the first place,” Wheeler said. “I guess they made their point, and we lose a guy for it. They did a good job of coming down on him, because that was a pretty bad hit.” “Well-deserved,” Perreault said of the four-game ban. “It wasn't a very smart play. It's one thing the league is trying to get rid of. There's no room for that in this game anymore.” Mark Stuart is expected to take Enstrom's place in the lineup as the Jets close out a six-game homestand against Calgary, Saturday. Chris Thorburn is questionable with an undisclosed ailment, while Maurice said he'll give goalie Connor Hellebuyck a chance to bounce back from the Pittsburgh game, in which he was pulled for the seventh time this season after giving up five goals on 15 shots. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 03.11.2017 1052251 Winnipeg Jets Kris Versteeg-Sam Bennett-Troy Brouwer Lance Bouma-Matt Stajan-Alex Chiasson Five keys to Jets vs. Flames Defence Mark Giordano-Dougie Hamilton BY PAUL FRIESEN, FIRST POSTED: FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 2017 T.J. Brodie-Dennis Wideman Matt Bartkowski-Deryk Engelland Carolina Hurricanes v Winnipeg Jets Goalies Five keys to the game Brian Elliott Between the ears Chad Johnson After back-to-back home losses to the Penguins and Sharks, the Jets Sick Bay have two chances to make the playoffs: slim and none -- and slim is getting ready to leave town. It would be natural to suffer a letdown. Jets: D Toby Enstrom (concussion), D Tyler Myers (lower body), G Perhaps youth and exuberance can carry the Jets even though they're all Ondrej Pavelec (knee), F Chris Thorburn (undisclosed) but out of it. Flames: D Ladislav Smid (neck), F Curtis Lazar (upper body), D Michael Replacing Enstrom Stone (upper body) Defenceman Toby Enstrom, out with a concussion, hasn't had his best Special teams season, but he's still difficult to replace for a team not loaded on the blue Jets: PP 17.2% (24th), PK 76.9% (28th) line. Ben Chiarot will likely take his place alongside Dustin Byfuglien, with Mark Stuart stepping down from the press box to fill out the third pairing. Flames: PP 19.5% (14th), PK 80.6 (18th) Bounce-back from the goalie Winnipeg Jets (30-32-6) vs Calgary Flames (37-26-4), 6 p.m. CT, MTS Centre, TV: Sportsnet, Radio: TSN 1290 Once again, the Jets are asking Connor Hellebuyck to rebound from a bad game – he was pulled for the seventh time this season in Winnipeg Sun LOADED 03.11.2017 Wednesday's loss to Pittsburgh. “I don't look at those five (goals) as dropped pucks or five-hole from the red line,” coach Paul Maurice said. “There were some good shots in there.” Some penalty killing, please A dreadful three-goal performance by their penalty-killing units, Wednesday, was one of the low points of the 7-4 loss to the Pens, and put an end to a perfect 10-for-10 run over the previous three games. It also dropped Winnipeg from 25th to 28th in the league rankings. The other special teAM The Jets were also 0-for-5 on the power play against Pittsburgh, and were busy practising a few new things on that unit, Friday. Wednesday's performance also ended a run in which Winnipeg had scored a power- play goal in three straight games. Big Matchup Momentum vs doubt Further to the first key of the game, the almost down-and-out Jets have the added challenge of facing a Flames team that's won a team-record eight straight games, and is 13-2-1 over its last 16. Confidence, meet self-doubt. Winnipeg Jets Forwards Mathieu Perreault-Mark Scheifele-Patrik Laine Nikolaj Ehlers-Bryan Little-Blake Wheeler Shawn Matthias-Adam Lowry-Joel Armia Marko Dano-Nic Petan-Andrew Copp Defence Josh Morrissey-Jacob Trouba Ben Chiarot-Dustin Byfuglien Mark Stuart-Paul Postma Goalies Connor Hellebuyck Michael Hutchinson Calgary Flames Forwards Matthew Tkachuk-Mikael Backlund-Michael Frolik Johnny Gaudreau-Sean Monahan-Micheal Ferland 1052252 Vancouver Canucks “You try to win every game right to the end of the year,” Desjardins said. “Your lineup may change a little bit, but whoever is in the lineup that day, you expect to play hard and try to win. Jason Botchford: Canucks have just 15 games left, so … Play. The. Kids “That doesn’t change. Maybe you do dress some younger guys. Maybe guys who have performed a little better wouldn’t be in. JASON BOTCHFORD Published on: March 10, 2017 “But the expectations don’t change. That has to be a constant. It has to be ‘This is how you play and this is how you get better.'”

The Canucks’ quickest path to getting better just may be giving many In the last meaningless game, at the end of the final meaningless month fans what they want — more kids. last season, Matt Bartkowski played 19 minutes and Andrey Pedan was a healthy scratch. Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 03.11.2017 It’s wild to think about now. Right to the bitter end, and nowhere near the playoffs, the Canucks played Bartkowski, a fringe NHL veteran who was out of the league a few months later, over prospects like Pedan and Jordan Subban. There are three words which seem so obvious this time of year for a team accepting it’s not going to be in the postseason. Play. The. Kids. Often, it’s easier to write that on a sign, bring it down to Rogers Arena and pin it to the glass than to actually get it done. Part of it is because points still matter to a coach. Could an 86-point season swing someone thinking about replacing Willie Desjardins? It’s possible. Of course, the Canucks would have to go 10-4-1 in their final 15 games to get there. But aside from the coach, there are veterans who want effort, points (their own), and, yes, wins right to the end. And keeping those veterans happy, arguably, has been part of the reason Desjardins has built a team this year which consistently plays hard for him. “(The coach) has to show the team we’re here to win games,” Henrik Sedin said. “When you get away from that, it takes away a lot from us. “There’s a way to (play the kids) without taking away from us feeling that we need to win. “You see a guy like (Reid Boucher) getting time on the power play, and that’s good because he can show what he can do there. But late in games, you may not play guys who haven’t had a great game. “It’s a fine line but (Desjardins) needs to show us he wants to win.” Somehow, with this coach, I don’t think that will be a problem. But fate has a funny way of giving sports teams what they need. Remember, Troy Stecher couldn’t crack an eight-man defensive unit to start the season, and only got his opportunity because of injuries. It was a similar story for Nikita Tryamkin, who would have played significantly fewer games if Erik Gudbranson had been healthy for the past few months instead of recovering from wrist surgery. Both players got into the lineup because of necessity, not because they earned it. And both have thrived. A recent run of injuries and trades have created a similar petri dish for Canucks forwards. Reid Boucher, who has had his conditioning publicly shamed by the organization, has got minutes and excelled. Maybe peak fitness isn’t as important as the Canucks think it is. Think Kyle Wellwood. The electric Nikolay Goldobin has made the most of limited chances, enough for fans to swoon and demand more. Alex Grenier has been recalled and will play tomorrow against Pittsburgh. He’s not really a prospect anymore but at least he’s younger than Jayson Megna. And up and down the lineup, it is the kids who are outplaying the veterans. As Postmedia contributor Jeff Paterson pointed out, of the Canucks’ past 12 goals scored, only one was by a player older than 24. In the past 20 games, Brandon Sutter, who probably is too injured to be playing, has five points and the Sedins have four goals, combined. Alex Edler is the only veteran on this team who is outplaying the Canucks’ collection of youth, which is good news for the head coach because right now giving the kids more and more ice time may give the Canucks their best chance to win. 1052253 Vancouver Canucks

Bulls and Bears: Vegas, baby! Sin City securing a sporty future with NHL, NFL

TOM MAYENKNECHT

Sorting out the major winners and losers of this week — with a bottom- line twist — in the world of sports: Bulls of the Week Bell versus Rogers is quickly becoming a telecom and media company rivalry reminiscent of the Coke versus Pepsi soft drink wars and the Molson versus Labatt or Bud versus Miller of beer pong. It plays out nationally in the form of competition for major league sport television and radio rights deals. It is also a compelling storyline regionally in the battle for local team rights deals, as it was this week when Rogers swooped in late in the game and poached the local radio rights to the Vancouver Canucks from Bell-owned TSN 1040. The break in TSN’s 11-year run as Canucks rights holder will almost certainly result in another sports radio station in Canada’s second largest English-language market and only heighten the competition between TSN and Rogers Sportsnet across the country. There isn’t another rivalry more important today in the business of sport in Canada. Elsewhere, Hamilton began the countdown to its second straight year of hosting the Vanier Cup, the Saskatchewan Roughriders made headlines on both sides of the border by signing former Heisman Trophy winner Vince Young and Rugby Sevens continued its dynamic upwards trajectory as B.C. Place Stadium prepared to host another sold-out event this weekend. Yet there was no more bullish market than Las Vegas, where the Golden Knights signed their first player contract and the Oakland Raiders unveiled a refurbished US $1.9-billion NFL stadium proposal financed by Bank of America. With the new stadium plan in place, it made it increasingly likely that the Raiders will relocate to the gambling and entertainment capital of North America as early as 2019. It will only add to the 45 million tourists who visit Vegas every year, surely giving each of the other major pro sports leagues pause for how Sin City figures into their plans in the future. A good barometer will be Golden Knights and Raiders merchandise sales. Expect them to be at or near the top of their respective leagues in very short order. Bears of the Week Despite the buzz around hockey in Vegas, the NHL is in tough on several fronts. The concussion lawsuit continues to expose the league’s reluctance to get with the science connecting brain trauma with CTE and is giving the NHL unwelcome political attention, especially in the U.S. The league also appeared rather small this week when first indications were that the NHL Expansion Draft will not include published lists of unprotected players, a short-sighted and insecure approach to the Vegas launch and certainly a missed promotional opportunity in this era of fantasy sports and social media. In neighbouring Arizona, the sport business soap opera in the desert reared its ugly head yet again with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman urging state lawmakers to fast-track public funding for a new arena for the Coyotes, who are still without a long-term business horizon in suburban Glendale. Meanwhile, the NHL is also getting close to the point of no return on participation in the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. There’s plenty of blame to go around the league, the NHLPA, the IIHF and especially the IOC for letting the issue slide to within 11 months of the actual Games in South Korea but, ultimately, it will be global hockey fans who lose out if a solution isn’t forthcoming. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052254 Websites He has won over the coaching staff in Tampa Bay. EDITOR'S PICKS ESPN / Rookie center Brayden Point has become central to the Tampa Lightning lose 3 more centers to injuries Bay Lightning's playoff hopes Lightning centers Tyler Johnson, Vladislav Namestnikov and Cedric Paquette all left Thursday night's win over Minnesota with lower-body injuries, adding to the woes of an already-thin offense. Pierre LeBrun Eichel, Scheifele and Domi lead under-24 rankings

Buffalo's season has been a bust, but superstar-in-the-making Jack TAMPA -- Brayden Point just wanted to get noticed when training camp Eichel is giving the Sabres reason to smile. Winnipeg's Mark Scheifele opened seven months ago. Had someone whispered in his ear then that and Arizona's Max Domi have also been bright spots. come March 9 he'd be the Tampa Bay Lightning's No. 1 center -- well, you can just imagine his reaction. Ben Bishop's veteran move "I would have told you that you were crazy,'' Point said with a laugh after In a Q&A, the newly crowned King shares how it felt to learn he'd been Tampa Bay's 4-1 win over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday. "Because I traded, be called one of the most important players in Lightning history was just trying to make the team, just get some games in this year." and have his first L.A. moment with Will Ferrell. The rookie center is more important than ever now to the surging "There's a kid that has a high hockey IQ," said head coach Jon Cooper of Lightning, who lost three centers -- Tyler Johnson, Vladislav Point. "Guys that have that, and couple that with an impeccable work Namestnikov and Cedric Paquette -- during the course of Thursday's ethic, usually figure out the game and how to play it. And for somebody game, but are just four points behind the New York Islanders for the last who's probably on the smaller side of players in this league, gosh he sure wild-card spot in the East. wins a lot of puck battles. When you have the puck and you are just creating space for yourself and making plays for other guys, guys want to Those losses came just over a week after centers Valtteri Filppula and play with you. It's really a tribute to him, for somebody that's a rookie in Brian Boyle were traded. And superstar captain Steven Stamkos, the this league, to make the mark that he has.'' team's No. 1 center, has been out since Nov. 15 -- although he's making strides in his recovery from a serious knee injury. Point took his life in his own hands growing up in Calgary and cheering for a rival. "It's tough to see guys go down, some top guys. Hopefully they're back soon," said Point. "But it's an opportunity for me to step in and play some "I was a Markus Naslund fan growing up, and a [Vancouver] Canucks big minutes.'' fan," he said with a smile. "I got razzed a little bit in Calgary for that. But I loved watching him.'' Point, who turns 21 next week, has soundly become a major cog in his first year as a pro, and you won't find a single person in the Lightning A dozen or so years later, Point is getting his own opportunity to inspire dressing room who doesn't believe he can handle it. hockey fans. "He's been phenomenal,'' said Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman. ESPN LOADED: 03.11.2017 "Coming into training camp, he was actually the guy that really stood out. He works so hard, he's so mature in his play. Very responsible in all parts of the game. He's got a bright future ahead of him." "For somebody who's probably on the smaller side of players in this league, gosh he sure wins a lot of puck battles," said Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper of Point, 21. Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports An NHL scout told ESPN.com on Thursday night that Point reminded him of another Lightning center. "He's impressive to watch. Reminds me of when Tyler Johnson broke into the league, in terms of that edge, and that tenacity that he just won't lose a puck battle," said the scout. When told of the scout's comment., Point demurred. "[Johnson is] a great player, and if I end up being as good as him, I'll be extremely happy," Point said. "It's obviously a nice compliment for sure. He's a guy I watch in practice and in games. He's a great guy to learn from.'' When Johnson left Thursday's game with a lower-body injury, Point replaced him on the top line between Nikita Kucherov and Ondrej Palat. If the Lightning somehow catch the Maple Leafs and make the playoffs, odds are it will be because mostly of guys like Hedman -- who is having a Norris Trophy-worthy season -- as well as the electric Jonathan Drouin, who has been unreal in the second half of the season; Kucherov, a goal- scoring machine; and goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, who has been lights-out since Tampa Bay traded Ben Bishop. But Point, who has made the jump from junior to the NHL this season, after playing nine games in the AHL late last year, has been right there with them in terms of impact. As the story goes, Al Murray, the director of amateur scouting for the Lightning, and Tampa Bay GM Steve Yzerman were at a Moose Jaw Warriors playoff game in the spring of 2012, mainly to see highly touted prospect Morgan Rielly, when they found that they couldn't take their eyes off a little center. Bolts WHL scout Brad Whelen had also seen Point play a lot, so Tampa Bay drafted that five-foot-10, 166-pound center two years later with the 79th overall pick. The key for Point in making the jump from junior to pro has been improving his skating. "I worked a lot on my skating," said Point. "That helped me. Worked hard in the summer. (Former world champion figure skater) Barb Underhill helped me a ton with my skating. I owe a lot to her for helping me fix my stride and helping me go faster.'' 1052255 Websites

NBCSports.com / ‘Absolutely ridiculous’ — Voracek frustrated with no Olympic deal

By Jason BroughMar 10, 2017, 11:50 AM EST

It’s no secret that NHL players want to go to the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. They haven’t been shy about saying so. Yesterday, Flyers forward Jakub Voracek really wasn’t shy about saying so. “Absolutely ridiculous,” Voracek said, per CSN Philly. “We have it once every four years. I read something that (NHL deputy commissioner) Bill Daly said we’re not going. Nobody wants you to go. The players want to go. Why you’re saying you’re not going? You’re not part of the players’ association. … Nobody wants you there. They want the players.” The last Olympic update that commissioner Gary Bettman shared was not all that encouraging. “There’s absolutely nothing new,” Bettman said Wednesday, per NHL.com. “I think the overwhelming sentiment of the teams is that it’s very disruptive on the season, and there’s somewhere between fatigue and negativity on the subject.” But Bettman refused to set a deadline to make a decision one way or the other, so there’s still time to get something done. According to outspoken agent Allan Walsh, Voracek’s remarks were “just the beginning.” Presumably, Walsh meant that other players will soon be speaking up, and speaking up loudly, just like Voracek did yesterday. “The players want to go, I guarantee you that,” said Voracek, who represented the Czech Republic at the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia. “I want to see how you are going to hold [Alex] Ovechkin back. The Russian players. Tell them they can’t go.” NBCSports.com / LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052256 Websites

NBCSports.com / Former Glendale mayor rips NHL, Coyotes in blistering letter

By Jason BroughMar 10, 2017, 1:57 PM EST

The former mayor of Glendale is mad as hell at the NHL and the Arizona Coyotes, and she wrote a letter to Arizona lawmakers to say why. “Strong emotions rushed through me as I read the recent haughty comments from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Coyotes Owner Andrew Barroway regarding their personally motivated announcement of the absolute impossibility of hockey succeeding in Glendale,” wrote Elaine Scruggs in a letter addressed to State Senator Steve Yarbrough and Speaker of the House J.D. Mesnard. “As the former Mayor of Glendale who had a front row seat for many of the City’s dealings with the NHL and the Coyotes, I cannot sit silently as they mislead the Arizona Legislature and unabashedly insult the community I love.” Scruggs’ letter is a response to Bettman’s recent letter to state lawmakers pleading support for a bill that would help the Coyotes fund the construction of a new arena in Greater Phoenix. “The simple truth?” Bettman wrote. “The Arizona Coyotes must have a new arena location to succeed. The Coyotes cannot and will not remain in Glendale.” To which Scruggs asserts: a “great deal of fast-talking and fuzzy math” have come from Bettman, Barroway, and Coyotes president and CEO Anthony LeBlanc. “Disregard the fact that the team ranks last in the NHL in hockey spending, continually trades away top talent while it annually ‘builds for the future,’ and spends next to nothing to market the team. I will say what they will not: the Coyotes position at the bottom of the standings is a leadership problem, not a location problem,” Scruggs writes. “The facts are easy to verify. Before the Coyotes moved out of downtown Phoenix they ranked 29th in attendance out of the league of 30 teams. Their first year in the Glendale Arena they ranked 19th in attendance. Attendance stayed in that tier until the floundering team started losing their disappointed fans’ support. “Now the NHL and the Coyotes’ ownership group have hitched their wagons to a new scheme: Senate Bill 1149. After receiving hundreds of millions of dollars from Glendale, the NHL and Coyotes ownership are asking a much larger group of Arizona taxpayers for $225 million in public funding for another new arena. It’s the only way to make hockey work in Arizona, they tell us (again). This is the only solution, they say; this is what will make hockey thrive. “They say a lot of things.” NBCSports.com / LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052257 Websites That’s against Montreal, a Hometown Hockey matchup on Sunday night at Rogers Place. If it’s half the game this one was, I wouldn’t miss it.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.11.2017 Sportsnet.ca / Thriller in Edmonton only validates Crosby-McDavid comparisons

Mark Spector

It is a long season, full of visits by the Arizonas, Carolinas and New Jerseys of the world—teams that might not move the needle of a Canadian hockey fan as much as the Washingtons and Torontos might. Every once in a while, however, a game comes along like the one Friday night in Edmonton. A frosty Friday night in Alberta and a packed house in a reborn hockey town; Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby and a frenetic, wildly entertaining game that had to be settled by a shootout. The kind of game that makes you forget how much the tickets cost, or how cold the car was when you fired it up post-game. It ended in a 3-2 Penguins win, but despite dropping the point it was likely the most entertaining game of Edmonton’s home season thus far. "To say it’s a normal game would be lying," admitted McDavid, who took his game to an impossibly high level on a night when he would trade shootout goals with his childhood hero Crosby. "Obviously, he’s someone I’ve looked up to my whole life. To play against him is fun. "It was probably to my advantage," he added. "It's easier for me to get up to play against him than it his for him to get up to play against me." This was Pittsburgh’s only visit to Rogers Place all season, and it was as if Crosby was responsible for holding on to his "Best Player in Hockey" mantle, the way a wrestler carries a belt from town to town. And just as Wayne Gretzky used to do when Guy Lafleur or Mike Bossy rolled through the old , McDavid did everything he could to steal Crosby’s title. The Oilers’ 20-year-old captain was the best player on the ice Friday, outplaying Crosby with a goal and nine shots on net. It was simply tremendous theatre between two good teams and their superstars. "The Pittsburgh Penguins against the Edmonton Oilers was a pretty fast- paced game," marvelled Penguins coach Mike Sullivan, "and those guys (Crosby, McDavid) are elite players. It was certainly one of the faster- paced games that we’ve played in." While Crosby went pointless, McDavid scored the game-tying goal midway through the third period, and fanned on his shot with Marc-Andre Fleury down and out on an overtime breakaway. Crosby rifled home his shootout goal, answered immediately by McDavid, and then the two watched as Phil Kessel’s ripper gave Pittsburgh the extra point. Edmonton fell behind 2-0 after 20 minutes, and then took the game away from Pittsburgh over the final 40, hitting three posts along the way. "That second period was probably some of the best hockey we’ve played. Down the stretch after the first period, we really turned our game around," said Oilers goalie Cam Talbot, who sat back and watched the McDavid show alongside 18,347 fans. "I don’t think you ever get used to it. It doesn’t matter who the opponent is, but tonight was a little extra motivation to play against Sid and Malkin. They’ve been two of the best in the game for a really long time. And Connor? He’s the future." "To me, Sid is the best," countered Fleury, who was simply fantastic, stopping 40 shots. "He’s been the best for a long time and I think he does so many good things offensively and defensively. He’s a real complete player out there." It’s a game like this one that validates the Crosby-McDavid comparisons. Crosby’s game is surely more well-rounded than McDavid’s, though McDavid’s speed makes him more explosive. Both show that sense for the dramatic, McDavid with one of his best games all season under the bright lights, and Crosby with a cool shootout goal that shows why he has always been money in the clutch. McDavid played a game-high 26:53, Crosby 22:46. If you had asked the fans, they’d have stayed all night. "(McDavid) was all over the rink, a threat every time he was out there," said Oilers coach Todd McLellan. "In the circle, in the overtime, what else do you want me to say? The energy in the building was phenomenal, we could feel it on the bench. If you’re driving home tonight, after that game, you want to come back for the next game." 1052258 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Jets’ Trouba: Penguins not losing much in Sestito suspension

Emily Sadler

The Winnipeg Jets won’t be forgetting about Wednesday’s heated matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins any time soon. In addition to losing the game, they also lost a key member of their defence as Toby Enstrom has been listed as out indefinitely with a concussion thanks to a dangerous hit from Penguins forward Tom Sestito. The incident resulted in a four-game suspension for Sestito and stirred up more bad blood between the clubs in what looks like a budding NHL rivalry. When questioned by reporters about Sestito’s short stint on the ice—he was ejected after boarding Enstrom late in the first period after just three shifts—a few members of the Jets weren’t afraid to let their feelings known. "I don’t really know what he was doing out there in the first place," said Jets captain Blake Wheeler, who called Sestito's infraction "a pretty bad hit." "I guess they made their point and we lose a guy for it," he said. Wheeler played a contributing role in what became a pretty wild matchup on Wednesday, dropping the gloves with Evgeni Malkin in an attempt to even up the score a few weeks after the Penguins forward laid him out with a questionable hit. "There’s no equitable way to sort this out because you can’t measure what we lose," Jets head coach Paul Maurice said, adding that there's no timeline for Enstrom's return. "The player suspended, they all have to be treated regardless of value to the game." Fresh off the loss Wednesday night, Maurice was quick to point out that Sestito, "wasn't called up to dangle." Sestito has spent the majority of his time in the Penguins organization with the club's AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton but was called up ahead of Wednesday's game. "I don’t think anybody really appreciated the situation," said Jets defenceman Jacob Trouba. "That’s something I think the league should think about, maybe. They’re not really losing much by him being suspended." Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052259 Websites “The most impressive thing about what Willy’s doing is he’s competing way harder, he’s better without the puck and he’s more competitive each and every night,” said Babcock. “And so he’s becoming a more complete Sportsnet.ca / More than just a wicked shot, William Nylander a student player, which obviously makes us a better team.” of the game Those close to the Leafs describe Nylander as a real student of the game – the kind of guy who knows the ins and outs of every player around the league. Chris Johnston However, he’s still a bit reluctant to share that side of himself with reporters. TORONTO – Now firmly entrenched in the family business, William For example, he didn’t really want to get in to specifics about the recent Nylander never hesitates to give it to his old man. decision to switch between stick models that feature different kick points – joking that his main motivation was simply favouring the look of grey The biggest piece of ammo the 20-year-old has at the ready when over black. delivering playful chirps? An incredible wrist shot that already far surpasses anything Michael Nylander displayed during a 920-game NHL “The only thing about the model is I just like the feel and the colour, I career. guess,” he said. “That’s the only difference.” “I tell him all the time,” William said Friday. “He just laughs; he admits it, William and his younger brother Alexander – a Buffalo Sabres prospect though. But he still says he’s got more goals than me. I can’t say too currently playing for Rochester in the American Hockey League – both much.” use Bauer sticks. Their dad tried various manufacturers throughout his career. The official count on that front stands at 209-24, but the Toronto Maple Leafs forward possesses the potential to keep narrowing the gap. He’s There isn’t a patented family model, though. started seeing more time on Auston Matthews’ wing in recent weeks and has eight goals over the past 17 games. William has his own tailor-made specifications and they’re quite different than what Michael preferred to use. That’s put him on pace to score 23 times in his first full NHL season – not far off the career-best 26 Michael Nylander managed with the New York “My dad had a pretty straight curve,” he said. “Mine’s got a little bit more Rangers in 2006-07. toe.” Of course, the son does have the benefit of better stick technology. This As he likes to remind him – a little more oomph, too. week he switched back to a Bauer Vapor model he’s used in the past, Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.11.2017 and made good use of the whippy 77-flex shaft to beat Michal Neuvirth with a lethal shot in Thursday’s 4-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. “He gets good downforce on it,” said Matthews. “He definitely uses his strength and, when he shoots, he gets a lot of whip on his stick there. It was an unreal shot, there wasn’t much space there.” While Nylander had the benefit of growing up around various NHL dressing rooms during his father’s well-travelled career, he didn’t place any extra emphasis on developing his wrist shot as a kid. The advice he offers to anyone looking to follow in his footsteps is pretty straightforward. “It’s just practice,” said Nylander. “You’ve just got to go out and shoot pucks during the summer, whenever you have time. Just go shoot pucks. That will help you for sure.” It’s played a big role in his increasingly productive campaign. Nylander has already matched a Leafs record by scoring nine times on the power play as a rookie, with almost all of those goals coming on snipes from the right circle. While many teams deploy their shooters on the off-wing in a power-play scheme, coach Mike Babcock has the right- shooting Nylander set up on the right side because of his unique ability to cradle the puck and fire it. “The way he can receive it across his body and let it go in one motion (stands out),” said Babcock. “He actually, I think, shoots the pass across his body better than he shoots the one-timer. He likes to touch the one- timer and he can really shoot that puck. NHL Rookie Scoring Leaders Patrik Laine: 32-27-59 Auston Matthews: 31-24-55 Mitch Marner: 16-37-53 William Nylander: 18-29-47 Matthew Tkachuk: 12-31-43 “Willy’s got great edges and a great understanding of the game.” There’s an argument to be made that he may possess more raw skill than fellow rookies Matthews or Mitch Marner. In addition to the shot, Nylander can dance with the puck and deliver the kind of slick passes his father was once known for. Where he’s made the biggest leaps in the eyes of his coach this season is his defensive awareness and willingness to engage in puck battles. That’s significant because it gives Babcock the confidence to play him with Matthews at even strength while knowing that he’ll often be on the ice with the other team’s most skilled and dangerous players. 1052260 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Jets’ Trouba: Penguins not losing much in Sestito suspension

Emily Sadler

The Winnipeg Jets won’t be forgetting about Wednesday’s heated matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins any time soon. In addition to losing the game, they also lost a key member of their defence as Toby Enstrom has been listed as out indefinitely with a concussion thanks to a dangerous hit from Penguins forward Tom Sestito. The incident resulted in a four-game suspension for Sestito and stirred up more bad blood between the clubs in what looks like a budding NHL rivalry. When questioned by reporters about Sestito’s short stint on the ice—he was ejected after boarding Enstrom late in the first period after just three shifts—a few members of the Jets weren’t afraid to let their feelings known. "I don’t really know what he was doing out there in the first place," said Jets captain Blake Wheeler, who called Sestito's infraction "a pretty bad hit." "I guess they made their point and we lose a guy for it," he said. Wheeler played a contributing role in what became a pretty wild matchup on Wednesday, dropping the gloves with Evgeni Malkin in an attempt to even up the score a few weeks after the Penguins forward laid him out with a questionable hit. "There’s no equitable way to sort this out because you can’t measure what we lose," Jets head coach Paul Maurice said, adding that there's no timeline for Enstrom's return. "The player suspended, they all have to be treated regardless of value to the game." Fresh off the loss Wednesday night, Maurice was quick to point out that Sestito, "wasn't called up to dangle." Sestito has spent the majority of his time in the Penguins organization with the club's AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton but was called up ahead of Wednesday's game. "I don’t think anybody really appreciated the situation," said Jets defenceman Jacob Trouba. "That’s something I think the league should think about, maybe. They’re not really losing much by him being suspended." Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052261 Websites 3.To hear him tell it, there is a better chance Mitchell Marner is taking a wild haul of smelling salts right now than checking in on the rookie scoring race. Sportsnet.ca / Quick Shifts: Is Morgan Rielly the new Dion Phaneuf? Marner's 37 assists lead all freshmen and have him ready to break a 73- year-old Toronto franchise record as early as this weekend. Points-wise, he's on a four-game streak and still trails Patrik Laine and pal Auston Luke Fox Matthews, but not by much — and he's seen less ice time than them both.

So how often does he peek at the leaderboard? A quick mix of the things we gleaned from the week of hockey, serious and less so, and rolling four lines deep. “Never. I don’t care," Marner says. 1. Morgan Rielly is supposed to be the Toronto Maple Leafs‘ best "We want to win in here. We want to be a playoff team. If we’re all defenceman, and on many nights he has been. Since his ankle injury, focusing on points, it’s not going to happen. We’re all in here together. however, not so much. We’re a team.” Rielly has all of three goals and is a team-worst minus-22; Jake Gardiner Somewhere, a single, happy tear trickles down Lou Lamoriello's cheek. is a team-best plus-23. 4. For three seasons before this one, Ben Bishop appeared in more than Leafs coach Mike Babcock has explained that Rielly gets the tougher 60 of the Tampa Bay Lightning's games. In one of those, he backstopped minutes, the D-zone starts, and misses out on a stats boost from power- the Bolts to the Cup Final. In two of those, he ended up a Vezina finalist. play time. He’s also been partnered with a rookie to the North American game. This year, the club tried to smooth-transition Andrei Vasilevskiy into the starter role and essentially had the goalies split starts 50/50. Everyone Rielly was matched against the Claude Giroux line in Thursday's knew the plan and said the right things publicly, but the fence-sitting important win over the Flyers. He and partner Nikita Zaitsev had positive approach failed miserably. possession numbers, and Rielly snapped an eight-game pointless streak with an assist on his birthday. Victory keeps the critics at bay. Bishop wasn't playing at the same level of awesome. He was shipped to L.A. at the deadline, and in a candid interview with ESPN's Scott "We're just happy that we were able to pull out a win and play well," Burnside this week, he said what many were thinking. Rielly said. "I was a little frustrated, at the beginning of the season, coming off of Still, many wonder if the 23-year-old is still feeling the effects of his injury. probably my best season of my career and not getting to play as much as He's looked more hesitant and mistake-prone of late. Slower. He had a I wanted to in Tampa," Bishop said. giveaway Thursday and missed a check on Philly's opening power-play goal. "I wanted to kind of keep it the same as the last three years, because it had been working. We started switching goalies back and forth in Tampa, Asked directly about the injury by a reporter Thursday, Babcock instead and it wasn't working. We were falling in the standings and it was making invoked Toronto's last most contractually secure defenceman. me a little bit upset. Why fix what's not broken?" "It's an interesting thing. There's a guy who used to be here named Dion 5. Eyes rolled when Tampa GM Steve Yzerman traded away actual Phaneuf that took all the flak for everybody. When you trade that guy, humans Bishop, Brian Boyle, Valtteri Filppula and Mark Streit at the someone else gets the flak, especially when it doesn't go good for ya," deadline for picks and then said straight-faced that the Lightning are still Babcock said. gunning for a playoff spot. Uh huh. "[Rielly]'s just gotta quit thinking and worrying about what anybody else Don't look now, but Tampa has earned points in 12 of its past 14 outings, says. He understands the manager and the coach think he's great, and and Steven Stamkos continues to participate in morning skates. Is this his mom and dad think he's great. I'd spend less time worrying about the Tampa run we've been waiting on for months? what anyone else gives you feedback on and just play." No timetable for the captain's return yet, but he's "progressing well," A couple things: (1.) As he did with William Nylander earlier this season, according to coach Jon Cooper, and feeling good enough to be tweeting Babcock is excellent at going to bat for his guys. (2.) Don't expect to out gifs of himself. squeeze injury details out of this team. Be afraid, Atlantic Division. The coach is making this about the mental side of sport and not the physical. You'd be hard-pressed to find a Leafs fan who thinks of Rielly Wow !! He did that twice this week in practice. pic.twitter.com/k1zo0zqsqi as Phaneuf, except for maybe that they've been miscast as No. 1's by — Steven Stamkos (@RealStamkos91) March 5, 2017 default. 6. Thanks to the beauties at SN Stats, here is the strength of schedule Most of us feel more confident when we're healthy. for every team between the trade deadline and the end of the season “I think he’s like a lot of us. When you’ve got a swagger to your game and based on opponents' points percentage. Canadian teams in bold. you’re playing real fast and things are going real good, you don’t think A positive sign for bubble teams like St. Louis, Los Angeles, and the about anything. You’re just doing what you do,” Babcock said. “I think Islanders. Not so much for the Flyers, Panthers, Lightning and Leafs. he’s probably got himself thinking a little bit." 1. Flyers .593 2. It's OK. You can respect Mario Lemieux's career with the Pittsburgh Penguins and still be cool with Josh Ho-Sang wearing No. 66 for the New 2. Canucks .584 York Islanders. 3. Panthers .584 Love the way Ho-Sang — that rare hockey kid who does not speak in cliches — has handled this nontroversy. 4. Rangers .584 What I love more is how coach Doug Weight has his back. Watch how 5. Sabres .582 Weight 86’d the 66 question in Edmonton Tuesday night: 6. Lightning .576 "People try to paint him as a bad kid because he looked up to [Lemieux]," 7. Predators .571 Weight said. "It's an homage." 8. Ducks .571 Preach, Dougie. 9. Avalanche .570 That night Ho-Sang went out and fired his first career goal. A bull's eye from the point. 10. Maple Leafs .569 Is it too early to scratch Weight's interim title? 11. Blue Jackets .567 Josh Ho-Sang is now 5th all-time in goals scored while wearing 66 12. Jets .567 https://t.co/1NpTYqEWoj pic.twitter.com/PIfw2DRPMT 13. Bruins .565 — Hockey Reference (@hockey_ref) March 8, 2017 14. Devils .565 118 days 15. Stars .563 — Shattenkirk = Ranger (@ShattyCountdown) March 5, 2017 16. Sharks .563 Rangers forward Brandon Pirri had played for Chicago, Florida and Anaheim before inking a one-year deal as a free agent with New York in 17. Penguins .561 late August. I asked him to compare the culture around the four 18. Flames .560 franchises. 19. Capitals .560 “This organization has been amazing for me and my wife since I got here. They took care of everything. They took all the outside-of-hockey 20. Islanders .556 stuff, the thinking of it, the stress of it, and put it on themselves. We didn’t have to think about it," Pirri told me. 21. Kings .555 "They helped me find a place, they got me a car, they took care of my 22. Blackhawks .554 wife, whatever you need. It lets me, as a player, just focus on hockey. Which is huge. I’m sure the budget here is a lot bigger and they have 23. Wild .551 more [staff] to take care of things, but as a player it takes away all your 24. Canadiens .551 stress, which is how it should be.” 25. Senators .549 Pirri wasn't pitching Shattenkirk, but even in a cap world, you see how a financially secure team might have a leg up on UFAs. 26. Hurricanes .549 Pirri, 25, will turn UFA himself this summer. Of the four clubs he's been 27. Coyotes .543 on, is this the best fit? 28. Red Wings .541 “Yeah. Because they’re having me right now," he laughed. "Me and my wife love it. We hope to be here a while, but I know it’s a business in the 29. Oilers .527 end. 30. Blues .486 “Being part of a winning team and having a role in the team is big. You 7. A funny thing happened when Reid Duke became the first Vegas never know how long you’re going to be in the league.” Golden Knight. 10. A common belief is that the mathematicians are running the Florida Reid Duke — no, the other one — got blown up huge on Twitter. Panthers. Some interesting comments this week from the Cats' GM and interim head coach Tom Rowe about Corsi: Wow, fifty million notifications about the other Reid Duke (hockey player) doing something awesome. Staying off Twitter for a while! #FlaPanthers head coach Tom Rowe took an interesting, subtle jab at analytics / Corsi after today's practice: pic.twitter.com/siNQnktcfS — Reid Duke (@ReidDuke) March 6, 2017 — Cats On The Prowl (@Cats0ntheprowl) March 6, 2017 Reminds me of all the followers computer guy Michael Babcock gained on social media when a similarly named Red Wings coach became a free 11. Maybe it's because I was still high off viewing the Goon sequel, but I agent a couple years back. loved how Blake Wheeler and Evgeni Malkin — two of the most skilled players on their respective teams — handled their beef Wednesday night If I followed hockey more I'd probably know in advance that I'm about to in Winnipeg. get all these stupid tweets... Still not a hockey coach. They didn't wait for the resident tough guys on their teams to do their — Michael T. Babcock (@mikebabcock) March 13, 2015 dirty work (although that did happen later). Careful, kids. Those blue check marks are no joke. Wheeler challenged, Malkin accepted without hesitation, and then Malkin even gave Wheeler respect and admitted wrongdoing in his post-game 8. The Ottawa Senators will consider making their alternate heritage interview. sweaters their permanent look. Great news. Wheeler's little pat of Malkin after he cranked him with rights signaled an Earlier this season we learned that the NHL plans to nix alternate end to the chapter. And they move on. sweaters for 2017-18 and force teams to roll with one look. 12. Want to feel behind in your development? New Sens president Tom Anselmi told Postmedia that Ottawa's appearance has been in a state of “schizophrenia," undergoing a bunch Watch these jumpy, dangling seven- and eight-year-old Russian kids of tweaks since the city got its NHL team. getting trained by former KHLer Alex Antropov. Yikes. “There has been a lot of jerseys, a lot of logos, lots of patches,” Anselmi Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.11.2017 told Postmedia. “Whatever we end up with at the end of day, we want to stick with it. We want something that will stand the test of time.” He likes the “O" and so do we. “That jersey has inspired lot of people,” Anselmi said. “It’s a great-looking jersey and the players like it. But we’re not going to do anything knee- jerk.” @Senatorsreports @OttawaCitizen @Senators @MelnykEugene To have the Heritage jersey "O" as main jersey but no Redo #SeasonTicketHolder pic.twitter.com/kAvcfSpovO — christian le hawk (@ChrisDuguay69) March 7, 2017 9. The assumption is that UFA-to-be Kevin Shattenkirk is merely a rental in Washington for GM Brian MacLellan. Maybe not. “It’s an outstanding team, it’s an outstanding market, it’s a really great city, it’s a really enthusiastic fan base,” Shattenkirk’s agent, Jordan Neumann, told the Washington Post. “So yeah, I think if Kevin gets in there and really falls in love with it and they fall in love with him like I would expect to happen, we would certainly be open to having a conversation with Brian at the appropriate time.” Most have Shattenkirk, a New Yorker at heart, signing with the cash-rich Rangers on July 1. 1052262 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Penguins fan uses extra ticket to bring homeless man to game

Sportsnet Staff

Pittsburgh Penguins fan Jimmy Mains is the kind of guy you want to have in your corner. While on his way to last Friday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, a stranger approached him. It was a homeless man named Rob, who was hoping Mains had some money to spare. Mains told him he did not have any cash, but he did have an extra ticket in his pocket. Instead of turning him away, Mains decided to bring Rob along to watch the hockey game. “We went in and the whole time he couldn’t stop smiling,” Mains wrote in his Facebook post. “Once we got to our seats it was time for the National Anthem. Rob took off his hat and sang the whole time.” Mains, who is a police officer in Rankin, Pa., was blown away by how much Rob appreciated the experience as he had never been inside PPG Paints Arena before. "He was yelling and cheering the whole game," he told NHL.com. "It was just great to see a guy, who is obviously a little down on his luck, so happy." After some chicken tenders, good conversation and a 5-2 Penguins victory, the two exchanged contact information. Rob was extremely grateful for the kindness his new friend had showed him. "He told me that I made his life," Mains said. "He asked me how he could repay me and I told him just to pay it forward." Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052263 Websites “Helly’s been awesome,” added rookie defenceman Josh Morrissey in advance of that meeting with Pittsburgh. “This time of year, it comes down to the smallest little things, and everybody’s fighting, everybody’s Sportsnet.ca / If Jets want to make the playoffs they need better ramping up. He’s been big for us, and it’s been a huge help.” goaltending Helleubuyck, who split time between the Jets and the AHL’s Moose last Nick Bonino had a hat trick and Evgeni Malkin had three points to get the season, has now played in 74 career NHL games, nearly equal to a full Penguins a 7-4 win over the Jets. season. Morrissey says the goaltender seems pretty relaxed these days, despite the high stakes.

“Helly’s a pretty loose guy. He’s focused, he’s always preparing, but I’ve Kristina Rutherford played with goalies that you stay away from them on game day,” Morrissey said. “Helly’s not like that.”

It does seem pretty relaxed among the Jets these days. On an off day, WINNIPEG — Connor Hellebuyck was hours away from giving up five when Laine sits down for an interview and pauses before he answers a goals on 15 shots when Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice question, Hutchinson fills the silence with a suggestion he offers up from considered the position his young goaltender was in as his team fights for across the room: “Hutch made me a better player,” the goalie its playoff life. emphatically says. “You’re in a Canadian market and you’re playing goal,” Maurice said Laine grins: “Yeah, he’s been helping me a lot,” he says of Hutchinson. ahead of a 7-4 drubbing at the hands of the defending Stanley Cup “He’s been giving me confidence, ‘cause he can’t take my shots.” champion Pittsburgh Penguins Wednesday. “Your options are stellar or in trouble.” When it comes to offence, (though not on the power play, which has been anemic of late) the Jets should have loads of confidence. They’re Well, Hellebuyck has been a bit of both. the only team in the league with four players (Laine, Mark Schiefele, Blake Wheeler and Nikolaj Ehlers) among the top 30 in league scoring. The 23-year-old from Michigan has started 12 straight games for the Jets, and in the month of March alone, we’ve seen the guy they call They’re also 17-3-3 in games that Laine scores a goal—“That’s a good “Helly” post a shutout, come seconds away from another, and, most record,” as Laine points out. recently, get the hook. Only five teams have put more pucks in the net this season than the Jets, As Maurice put it, “he’s had his ups and downs.” teams like the Blue Jackets, Capitals and Penguins, who all have 90 points or more, compared to Winnipeg’s 66. Such has been the case in the Jets’ crease for much of this season. Hellebuyck has shown himself to be the best option available, with 22 If the Jets don’t advance to the post-season for the second time in wins in 48 starts, a 2.83 GAA, and four shutouts. He’s also failed to finish version 2.0 of their history goaltending will be the giant red flag. Only one seven games he’s started. team has given up more goals in the NHL this season, and it’s the woeful Avalanche. Backup Michael Hutchinson is 4-11 with a 3.24 GAA, and veteran Ondrej Pavelec, who’s likely done for the season following recent knee surgery, “We can put the puck in the net,” says Wheeler, the team’s captain. was only called up in January after Hellebuyck had a couple nightmarish “[Goaltending] is the great equalizer, you know what I mean? starts. Pavelec’s 4-4 record with a 3.55 GAA and .888 save percentage didn’t exactly win him the starting role back, anyway. “You get that area going good, you have a chance to win every night.” It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that if the offensively gifted And that’s what it’ll take—and maybe even a little more—to keep this Jets are going to have even a shot at making the playoffs—a possibility season alive. that keeps slipping further out of grasp—they need either Hellebuyck or Hutchinson to catch fire. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.11.2017 Winnipeg sits five points back of that second wild-card spot in the West, occupied by the St. Louis Blues, who also have three games in hand. The Blues also close out the season with a sweetheart schedule, with three more games against each of the NHL-worst Colorado Avalanche, who’ve yet to hit the 20-win mark, and the Arizona Coyotes, who aren’t faring much better. Winnipeg, meanwhile, faces a schedule heavy on playoff-bound teams, including a visit on Saturday from the red-hot Calgary Flames, who are fresh off their eighth straight win. If Winnipeg’s head-to-head match-up early next month against St. Louis is going to be meaningful that means Hellebuyck is going to have to play more like the guy who came seconds away from back-to-back shutouts last week, and less like the one who got shelled by Pittsburgh on Wednesday. (To be fair, they’re the offensive juggernaut in the NHL, and no team has scored more than the Penguins this season.) On this second-youngest team in the NHL—so young that 18-year-old Patrik Laine says, “I feel young, obviously, because I am young, but it’s not like everybody else is so old”—no player is more integral to the Jets’ fate right now than the young guy in the crease. “Goaltending is a tough place to be a young player,” Maurice says. “We’ve had every one of our other young guys quietly having tough nights, tough weekends. The difference is when Connor has a tough night, it’s on the scoreboard.” That’s why Pavelec got called up in January. Hellebuyck was pulled in back-to-back starts, and surrendered six goals on 13 shots. But Hellebuyck is also tied for 10th in the league for shutouts, and when the Jets needed him to be at his very best in a matchup against the Blues earlier this month, he was perfect, making 29 saves. Before the Penguins came to town on Wednesday, Hellebuyck had stopped 78 of 81 shots in his last three games, and posted a .963 save percentage. “In the last week, when we’ve needed him to be at his best, he’s been very, very good,” Maurice said. 1052264 Websites "I wouldn't be opposed to that..." "The Best of Bobby Orr tape my dad bought me I watched it and got to watch his whole story and his impact on the game and what he did -- he Sportsnet.ca / P.K. Subban: ‘One day I’d love to be the commissioner of changed the game for defencemen. the NHL’ "How many different generations of a defencemen are we going to see? That's the pinnacle of it. He was able to do everything. Sportsnet Staff "But then you gotta take into play it's the equipment, it's the speed of the game, it's the players. I mean, players have improved so much they're so much better. Everybody's fast, everybody can skate, everybody can Can you imagine hockey’s most vocal ambassador and one of its most stickhandle, everybody's got skills. exciting players serving as commissioner? Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.11.2017 It’ll never happen, of course, but when P.K. Subban joined the Bill Simmons Podcast this week, he pondered the idea, and discussed some of the things he’d change. “One day I’d love to be the commissioner of the NHL,” Subban said. (Listen to the full podcast here) “Let’s play less games. Our game is just (as), if not more physical than the NFL. They play 16 games all year, we play 82, plus travel, plus playoffs. "Jonathan Toews has played over 100 games a year probably consistently over the past five or six years. Think of the wear and tear on your body." This season has been especially tough schedule-wise, with the late start after the World Cup -- which most of the top players were involved in -- the All-Star Game, and mandatory team bye weeks, which will also be around next season. This has led to a much more condensed schedule than usual, especially in the back half of the season and down the stretch. Subban pondered what this would mean for the players of today, and the likelihood one of them could pull off a career that runs as long as Jaromir Jagr's. "If I had it my way, I would like to see the games get cut down," Subban said. "82 games, in my opinion, it's a grind. You’re going to see great players' careers ended shorter because of the fact they’re playing more games. And you look at this year just the schedule alone, we’ve been playing almost every second day for the whole season. It's been crazy because of the World Cup and the All-Star Game and all these extra things coming in. "The days of seeing guys who have 22-year careers - only the freaks will be able to do that." Subban, rightly, points out that cutting down on games would of course have a negative impact on revenues. That in turn would lead to less money for the owners, smaller salaries for the players and a situation where the sport that's already dwarfed by the NBA, MLB and NBA in the , gets even smaller. If the NHL were to cut down its regular season, how much would it go down by? Simmons floated the idea of a 70-game regular season followed by a playoffs that has a best-of-nine series. Subban went a couple steps further -- even if it was in jest. "I'd like to see it just like the NFL: 16 games, one game a week and just blow out the stadiums, make them huge… "I’m just kidding, you can’t do 16 games." SUBBAN ON IF CANADA COULD HAVE MORE NHL TEAMS "You could probably put more. But if we're looking to grow the game you have to be willing to experiment. Here's the reality of the experimentation process: who takes the blame, or who takes the heat, or who's at expense -- who's the expense go to when it doesn't work out? When you have a team that maybe doesn't get the fan base or have the revenues. Who takes the hit for that? Is it the owners or the players or do we share it? "That's where we have the disagreements. At the end of the day you have to be willing to test the waters. You have to try. You have to go into communities and that's where grassroots come in, and that's where the growth of the game happens. You have to be willing to get kids into the game and grow the game. "A perfect example is Nashville. If we were scared to not go to Nashville there'd be no team there. You ask any player in the league it's one of the best places to play." ON CHANGING THE NORRIS TROPHY TO THE BOBBY ORR TROPHY 1052265 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Jakub Voracek thinks NHL’s stance on Olympics is ‘stupid’

Sportsnet Staff

Count Jakub Voracek as one who wants to go to the 2018 Olympics in South Korea. At the BOG meetings in January, the topic of Olympics wasn’t even on the agenda. There were reports that the IIHF and IOC would cover the costs of NHL players going, but as Bettman said, that wasn’t the league’s only requirement. Bettman had this to say at all-star weekend: “What I think has happened though, there were probably some owners over time who always thought the Olympics were a good idea, there were some owners who always hated it, and there were probably a bunch of clubs who didn’t give it much thought until the IOC said they were not going to pay the expenses. And then I think it caused a number of clubs to say ‘wait a minute if that’s how they value our participation why are we knocking ourselves out?’ So whether or not it gets paid, and we haven’t been assured that it’s being paid, we haven’t been told where the money’s coming from and frankly I have on some level, perhaps it’s emotional, a real problem if money that would otherwise go to hockey development is going to this purpose.” Voracek was speaking to the media in Toronto on Thursday and got on to the topic of Olympic participation. "It's stupid and I find it absolutely ridiculous," Voracek told CSN Philly. "Absolutely ridiculous. We have it once every four years. I read something that Bill Daly said we're not going. Nobody wants you to go. The players want to go. Why you're saying you're not going? You're not part of the players association. ... Nobody wants you there. They want the players." Presumably, part of the issue too is that the NHL loses its players and has to shut down its league for two weeks in the middle of the season, while also not being paid for the tournament. Whereas the World Cup is NHL run and owned, the Olympics are an IOC event that they hold close to the chest. Some players, such as Alex Ovechkin on many occasions, have floated the idea of going to the Olympics whether the league shuts down or not. "It's the Olympics," Voracek said. "It's not just about business. You want to be part of the Olympics. And trust me, players want to go. And the players who don't go get a week off to recharge their batteries. If you have bumps and bruises, you can heal and recover. "The players want to go, I guarantee you that. I want to see how you are going to hold [Alex] Ovechkin back. The Russian players. Tell them they can't go." Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.11.2017 1052266 Websites the change, probably would have made it before the Detroit game [on Tuesday] but he came from Detroit so we didn’t want to do that. We’re just going to make the change and see where it goes.” TSN.CA / Maple Leafs take playoff chase on the road Marincin hasn’t played in over a month. His last action was Feb. 4 against Boston, when he took three penalties and was unable to execute one of his most important duties to the team as a penalty killer. He’s By Kristen Shilton been a healthy scratch ever since. Marincin and Gardiner have seen limited time together this season back in December, posting 64 per cent possession numbers when they were The Toronto Maple Leafs got back in the win column this week with a on the ice. Marincin’s struggles throughout the season have been rooted pair of victories over Eastern Conference foes, but those contests were in poor judgment with the puck, especially in the defensive zone. just the beginning of what will be a demanding final three weeks of March. As for Carrick, he’s been skating regularly on his own, but there’s no timetable for when he’ll be able to rejoin the Maple Leafs. Toronto has 10 games in the next 21 days, starting with the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday. The three-game southern swing that starts in “He skated again today and he was in there shooting. I just talked to the Raleigh will include stops against the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay strength people and they said he’s getting way better,” Babcock said. Lightning, divisional rivals every bit as hungry for points as the Maple “He’s an important part of our team, but we’ve been through this before. I Leafs and directly behind them in the standings. don’t get much of a say in these things.” The physical challenge of playing tight-checking, high-tempo games this TSN.CA LOADED: 03.11.2017 time of year has taken its toll – Tyler Bozak missed practice Friday with a mystery ailment but is expected to travel – but it’s not the only hardship a postseason push presents for the young group. “The mental grind is there for everyone,” said Zach Hyman. “…Being a little older [at 24] I think helps because I’ve been through those grinds before, whether in college or the Marlies, and you learn to just stick with it and let your teammates and your family help.” While the Maple Leafs are coming off two solid games offensively, Hyman’s line has been a beat behind. Centre Auston Matthews hasn’t registered a point in four games, his longest drought since Oct. 27 to Nov. 3, when he went five games without one. Coach Mike Babcock has had Connor Brown and William Nylander rotating on his right wing while Hyman remains on his left, searching for the best combination. “We’re just not creating enough offence as a line,” Matthews said. “Things are a little tighter now and those little 10-foot plays, we’re not making them. We want to get back to what we were doing before.” Hyman’s goal in Anaheim last week is the only even-strength marker among the four rookies in the last four games. His status as Matthews’ only consistent linemate all season has repeatedly come under scrutiny - Hyman has six even-strength goals and 16 assists in 66 games playing every shift of 5-on-5 with Matthews except those directly after a penalty kill. While Matthews leads the league in even-strength goals (26), Hyman has assisted on only two of his last eight. Insisting he doesn't think much about where or with whom he’s slotted in the lineup, Hyman also said he doesn't pay attention to the court of public opinion. “I focus on the team and what goes on in here and stay away from the noise, because that’s when you can start to overthink everything,” he said. “At every level for me, once I settle in things get a little bit easier. The more you play and generate offence, the more [the game] comes naturally to you anyway.” Hyman and Brown fly more under the radar with their contributions than most of Toronto’s rookies, but you can count the coach among those who admire their effort. “Their leadership, whether they want to believe it or not, is really important, because it’s contagious,” Babcock said of the pair. “People who work that hard make the people around them better; it’s just the way it is. When you put in an honest effort, you have some success, so those guys have become real important drivers for us on and off the ice.” Blueline shakeup Alexey Marchenko was a non-factor in the third period of Thursday’s game, playing just two shifts – none in the final 15 minutes. Babcock has been trying to find the right mix on the blueline all season, shuffling Martin Marincin and Connor Carrick in and out of the lineup beside Jake Gardiner and recently moving Nikita Zaitsev down from the top pairing to skate with him. Marchenko has been solid with Gardiner in the seven games since Carrick went down with an injury Feb. 21 – he’s an even plus-minus with one goal and 14 blocked shots. But Marchenko has seen his ice time dwindling over the last three games, down to just 11:19 on Thursday, and now Marincin will step in on his off-side to play with Gardiner going forward. “We think Marchy’s done a real good job, but we’ve been thinking we should get Marty in for a while,” said Babcock. “We were going to make 1052267 Websites who's probably on the smaller side of players in this league, gosh he sure wins a lot of puck battles. When you have the puck and you are just creating space for yourself and making plays for other guys, guys want to TSN.CA / Point central to Lightning's playoff hopes play with you. It's really a tribute to him, for somebody that's a rookie in this league, to make the mark that he has.''

The five-foot-10, 166-pound Point had to take his life in his own hands By Pierre LeBrun growing up in Calgary and cheers for a rival. "I was a Markus Naslund fan growing up, and a [Vancouver] Canucks fan," he said with a smile. "I got razzed a little bit in Calgary for that. But I TAMPA -- Brayden Point just wanted to get noticed when training camp loved watching him.'' opened seven months ago. Had someone whispered in his ear then that come March 9 he'd be the Tampa Bay Lightning's No. 1 center -- well, A dozen or so years later, Point is getting his own opportunity to inspire you can just imagine his reaction. hockey fans. "I would have told you that you were crazy,'' Point said with a laugh after TSN.CA LOADED: 03.11.2017 Tampa Bay's 4-1 win over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday. "Because I was just trying to make the team, just get some games in this year." The rookie center is more important than ever now to surging Lightning, who lost three centers -- Tyler Johnson, Vladislav Namestnikov and Cedric Paquette -- during the course of Thursday's game, but are just four points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs for the last wild-card spot in the East. Those losses came just over a week after centers Valtteri Filppula and Brian Boyle were traded. And superstar captain Steven Stamkos, the team's No. 1 center, has been out since Nov. 15 -- although he's making strides in his recovery from a serious knee injury. "It's tough to see guys go down, some top guys. Hopefully they're back soon," said Point. "But it's an opportunity for me to step in and play some big minutes.'' And so Point, who turns 21 next week, has soundly become a major cog in his first year as a pro. But you won't find a single person in the Lightning dressing room who doesn't believe he can handle it. "He's been phenomenal,'' said Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman. "Coming into training camp, he was actually the guy that really stood out. He works so hard, he's so mature in his play. Very responsible in all parts of the game. He's got a bright future ahead of him." An NHL scout told ESPN.com on Thursday night that Point reminded him of another Lightning center. "He's impressive to watch. Reminds me of when Tyler Johnson broke into the league, in terms of that edge, and that tenacity that he just won't lose a puck battle," said the scout. When told of the scout's comment., Point demurred. "[Johnson is] a great player, and if I end up being as good as him, I'll be extremely happy," Point said. "It's obviously a nice compliment for sure. He's a guy I watch in practice and in games. He's a great guy to learn from.'' When Johnson left Thursday's game with a lower-body injury, Point replaced him on the top line between Nikita Kucherov and Ondrej Palat. If the Lightning somehow catch the Maple Leafs and make the playoffs, odds are it will be because mostly of guys like Hedman -- who is having a Norris Trophy-worthy season -- as well as the electric Jonathan Drouin, who has been unreal in the second half of the season; Kucherov, a goal- scoring machine; and goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, who has been lights-out since Tampa Bay traded Ben Bishop. But Point, who has made the jump from junior to the NHL this season, after playing nine games in the AHL late last year, has been right there with them in terms of impact. As the story goes, Al Murray, the director of amateur scouting for the Lightning, and Tampa Bay GM Steve Yzerman were at a Moose Jaw Warriors playoff game in the spring of 2012, mainly to see highly touted prospect Morgan Rielly, when they found that they couldn't take their eyes off a little center. Bolts WHL scout Brad Whelen had also seen Point play a lot, so Tampa Bay drafted that five-foot-10, 166-pound center two years later with the 79th overall pick. The key for Point in making the jump from junior to pro has been improving his skating. "I worked a lot on my skating," said Point. "That helped me. Worked hard in the summer. (Former world champion figure skater) Barb Underhill helped me a ton with my skating. I owe a lot to her for helping me fix my stride and helping me go faster.'' He has won over the coaching staff in Tampa Bay. "There's a kid that has a high hockey IQ," said head coach Jon Cooper of Point. "Guys that have that, and couple that with an impeccable work ethic, usually figure out the game and how to play it. And for somebody 1052268 Websites fandom has migrated from California just like much of Nevada’s population.

He has zero doubt the stadium would be full every weekend, especially Wall Street Journal / Will Las Vegas Be Able to Fill Seats? given the Raiders’ recent success, finishing last year with their best record in more than a decade. By CHRIS KIRKHAM “When the Raiders are winning, people will go to Antarctica to be at the game,” he said. “They would go see the Alaska Raiders if they were kicking butt in the AFC West.” Las Vegas has finally overcome the long-standing taboo that kept Bill Foley, owner of the new Golden Knights hockey team, has taken a professional sports out of the gambling capital. Now the question is different approach in evaluating Las Vegas as a sports market. The whether the city can supply enough fans to keep teams in business. mortgage and finance executive said he was attracted to Las Vegas because of its population growth and relatively low cost of living, which Long thwarted by concerns that casinos’ sports-gambling operations he said leaves more disposable income for sports. made Las Vegas a risky place for a professional team, the city has now secured the National Hockey League’s first expansion team since 2000, Though he expects some out-of-town fans will come to hockey games, the Golden Knights, who begin play this fall. he has primarily focused on cultivating a local fan base. So far he said Commissioner Rob Manfred last month said Las Vegas could be a viable the team has the equivalent of nearly 13,000 committed season ticket market for a team, an about-face from his predecessor, Bud Selig. holders, surpassing his goal of 10,000 for the debut season. The National Football League’s Oakland Raiders say they are committed “The Raiders are going to have plenty of fans, but with their cost to moving to Las Vegas as well, despite financing hurdles after billionaire structure it’s going to be a big percentage of people coming from out of casino mogul Sheldon Adelson pulled out of a $650 million pledge toward town to see the other team play,” Foley said. “We’ve tried to make it very a $1.9 billion domed stadium. The Nevada state legislature has clear that we are the home team. We’re locals.” committed $750 million in hotel tax revenue toward the project, and this week the NFL said Las Vegas is a viable market for a team. Wall Street Journal LOADED: 03.11.2017 The Raiders this week also presented a stadium financing plan that included a commitment from Bank of America for a construction loan of as much $650 million that could make up the current shortfall, according to Eric Grubman, the NFL’s point-man on stadium issues and relocations. Bank of America declined to comment. However, Las Vegas’s ability to fill seats and succeed as a pro sports town still hinges on the idea that it is a market unlike others in the U.S. Underscoring the trickiness, the hockey and football camps are taking different approaches to the problem: the Golden Knights are focusing hard on the local market while the still-developing plan for the Raiders focuses more on courting tourists. With a population of more than 2.1 million, it is the most populous U.S. metropolitan area without an active professional sports franchise. But Las Vegas would also be one of the smallest local television markets in any league and lacks the Fortune-500 corporate concentration that is crucial for leasing suites and purchasing season tickets. An NFL team, for example, would need to attract nearly 15,000 new out- of-town visitors for each game, according to a study by a state tourism committee that reviewed the stadium deal. Local officials studying the Raiders stadium proposal acknowledge the challenges, but point to the estimated 43 million visitors who came to the city last year—nearly as many as the much larger Los Angeles County attracts—as a reason Las Vegas is different. “I definitely think we’re ready now,” said Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman, who, along with her predecessor and husband, Oscar Goodman, has made landing a pro sports team a top priority since the late 1990s. “We are a physically small community, but there’s so much action, so much excitement.” Some sports economists who have followed Las Vegas’s push for professional teams, however, are skeptical that its tourist draw alone will be able to make up for its other deficits, which include lower median income compared to many other pro sports markets. Roger Noll, an economics professor at Stanford University who has focused on sports and stadium construction, called the tourist-attendance estimates “unrealistically optimistic.” “It’s truly amazing that anyone would buy that. It’s just silly,” said Noll, who added that teams in other major tourism hubs like New York or Miami do not attract those kinds of visitors. Now that Los Angeles has two NFL teams, the Rams and the Chargers, fewer Southern California fans are likely to travel to Las Vegas for Raiders games, said Andrew Zimbalist, an economics professor at Smith College, despite the large existing fan base from when the team was in Los Angeles from 1982 to 1994. “Their memory of the team hasn’t been that great,” he said. “It would be one thing if you were talking about the New England Patriots moving to Las Vegas. Then people might travel.” Raiders fanatics wholeheartedly disagree. Jack “Slammy” Brown, an Oakland native who has lived in Las Vegas since the early 2000s and organizes Raiders-watching parties that attract 200 people, said Raiders