SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 10/14/2019 Anaheim Ducks 1156943 Ducks’ goaltending, defensive tweaks have led to strong 1156973 Kings’ penalties prove costly in 5-2 loss to Golden Knights start to season 1156974 Kings see errors of their way with passive play late in games 1156975 Kings’ kill lacking in home loss to Vegas Golden 1156944 Coyotes net two goals late, fall in to Avalanche Knights 1156945 Coyotes’ Niklas Hjalmarsson exits game with lower body 1156976 OCTOBER 13 RAPID REACTION: GOLDEN KNIGHTS 5, injury KINGS 2 1156946 Arizona Coyotes’ Phil Kessel plays 1000th career game 1156977 GAME 5: LOS ANGELES VS VEGAS 1156978 OCTOBER 13 PRE-GAME MCLELLAN OBSERVATIONS 1156979 WAKING UP WITH THE KINGS: OCTOBER 13 1156947 Heinen, Coyle key building blocks for Bruins’ third line 1156948 Bruins’ coach Bruce Cassidy needs a quick fix for second period 1156980 Wild take on the Senators on 4-game losing streak 1156949 Bruins and Ducks set for defensive struggle at TD Garden 1156981 Ecstasy and agony: Gophers and Vikings surge, while 1156950 Anders Bjork honing his game for a Boston return Wild struggles 1156951 Tuukka Rask makes it an easy night for the Bruins 1156982 Gameday preview: Wild travels to Ottawa for matinee 1156952 Rask blowing up his reputation as a slow starter with 1156983 Wild recalls 'Iowa's best player' Gerald Mayhew, before dominant October for B's road trip 1156953 Brad Marchand has 'found his stride' amid first-line 1156984 It’s #GerryTime in Twin Cities as Wild call up Gerald success Mayhew from minors 1156954 The elite Bruins team is off to a great start, and they're 1156985 As the winless Wild search for a spark, Gerry Mayhew going to need every bit of it gets his first NHL call-up 1156986 ‘We have to say it stops now’: Wild D falters again as franchise-worst start hits 0-4 1156955 Tage Thompson's overtime lifts Amerks to victory 1156956 Sabres recall forward Curtis Lazar from Rochester 1156957 Sabres Mailbag: Why isn't Rasmus Dahlin playing more? 1156987 3 Devils observations: When will Jesper Boqvist play? 1156958 Kim Pegula's goal for PSE: multiple teams, a single Why Nikita Gusev is with Kevin Rooney culture 1156988 NJ Devils look ahead to favorable schedule to turn season around Flames 1156989 NJ Devils 'lacking confidence' after fifth straight loss 1156959 Talbot loses first start in Flames drop to host Sharks 1156990 Panic meter: Assessing everything that ails the winless Devils and the biggest long-term concerns Chicago Blackhawks 1156960 3 takeaways from the Blackhawks’ 3-2 OT loss to the Jets, Islanders including why Jonathan Toews has to come out of his 1156991 Jordan Eberle's injury could create opportunity for Oliver 1156961 Robin Lehner shows he still could be Blackhawks’ X-factor Wahlstrom this season 1156962 Chicago faces Edmonton on 3-game losing streak 1156963 Saad deserves a bigger role with Chicago Blackhawks 1156992 Rangers can exhale after Chris Kreider injury scare 1156964 Rozner: Blackhawks' Colliton finding his voice 1156993 David Quinn is holding back ‘a lot’ of Rangers changes 1156994 The Rangers have plenty of problems, but their weeklong Colorado Avalanche break wasn’t one 1156965 Washington reunion for Avalanche’s Philipp Grubauer and Andre Burakovsky 1156966 Why Avs’ newcomer Pierre-Edouard Bellemare thrives in 1156995 GAMEDAY: Minnesota Wild at Ottawa Senators faceoff circle 1156996 Namestnikov has been a good addition for the Ottawa 1156967 Andre Burakovsky just picked a hell of a time to come Senators back and face the Capitals Philadelphia Flyers Columbus Blue Jackets 1156997 Flyers coach Alain Vigneault: ‘A lot of things to like’ about 1156968 Blue Jackets | CBJ vs. Hurricanes 3-2-1 breakdown shootout loss to Canucks 1156998 Pearson scores in shootout, Canucks beat Flyers 3-2 1156969 Red Wings get a boost from ‘big, strong, heavy’ fourth line 1156970 Red Wings believe fourth line’s chemistry sustainable 1156999 Empty Thoughts: Penguins 7, Jets 2 1157000 Penguins offense keeps rolling in rout of Jets Edmonton Oilers 1157001 Tristan Jarry to make his season debut for the Penguins 1156971 Raphael Lavoie delivers high-octane offence to lead Oilers 1157002 Tanev is latest Penguins player to experience facing prospect performances former team 1157003 Nearly everyone chips in as Penguins beat Jets, sweep Florida Panthers first back-to-back 1156972 Too soon to panic? Slow-starting Panthers endure 1157004 Patric Hornqvist looking like 'a warrior' again, Jack shootout losses on consecutive nights Johnson scratched against the Jets 1157005 Penguins are dealing with injuries — on the ice and in fantasy football San Jose Sharks Websites 1157006 Takeaways: Marleau’s role, Jones stays the course and 1157039 .ca / Facing stacked odds, Talbot's debut with Gambrell’s growing confidence Flames deserved better fate 1157007 Logan Couture, Martin Jones lead Sharks past Calgary 1157040 Sportsnet.ca / “Am I a scab?": Kicking off the NWHL’s Flames most controversial season 1157008 San Jose Sharks’ center still looking to find scoresheet 1157041 Sportsnet.ca / Coaching and protecting MacKinnon at 12: 1157009 The road home: Inside Patrick Marleau’s return to the San 'We had to watch out for him' Jose Sharks 1157042 Sportsnet.ca / Beyond Headlines: Crosby's Penguins in 1157010 Sharks takeaways: What we learned in San Jose's 3-1 win survival mode until Malkin returns over Flames 1157043 Sportsnet.ca / New-look Canucks finding ways to win that 1157011 Before Sharks return, Patrick Marleau left lasting mark on last season's team didn't Maple Leafs 1157044 TSN.CA / Five Takeaways: Canucks vs Flyers 1157012 Patrick Marleau's agent says his client only wanted to play 1157045 USA TODAY / Los Angeles Kings covering up Taylor Swift for Sharks banner during home games 1157013 Sharks look to douse Flames early, avoid another early one-goal hole Winnipeg Jets 1157034 Sluggish Jets go down 7-2 to Penguins St Louis Blues 1157035 Jets left grounded after Penguins drubbing 1157014 Islanders host the Blues after shootout win SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 Tampa Bay Lightning 1157015 Inconsistencies plague Lightning early in season 1157016 Lightning aren’t backing up Curtis McElhinney’s play in net 1157017 Five observations from the Lightning’s surprising start Maple Leafs 1157018 Babcock opts for a ‘family discussion’ after the Leafs’ humiliating loss to Lightning 1157019 beat Detroit Red Wings 5-2 to snap 3-game skid 1157020 Leafs are dealing with the usual suspects as they come out of first slump 1157021 Tampa Bay Lightning off to a slow start 1157022 Shore's patience key with Babcock still deciding on Leafs' fourth line 1157023 No stars, no problem as Leafs beat Wings to end losing streak 1157024 Leafs' Marner on personal slow start: 'It's going to come' 1157025 Ilya Mikheyev, Dmytro Timashov and the importance of the Maple Leafs’ newfound depth 1157026 Leafs Report Cards: Bottom six dominates, top six struggles in victory over Detroit 1157036 Canucks prospects tracker: Tryamkin stands tall, Juolevi gets the point 1157037 Ben Kuzma: Canucks buoyed by better team, better fan experience 1157038 Canucks snap Flyers unbeaten streak with 3-2 shootout win 1157027 Power play, Marc-Andre Fleury send Golden Knights past Kings 1157028 GAME DAY: Golden Knights face new-look Kings on road 1157029 Golden Knights enjoy easy first back-to-back 1157030 How attacking and defending the ‘blue paint’ made the difference for the Golden Knights through five games Washington Capitals 1157031 His confidence shattered in the playoffs, Jakub Vrana is out to prove he’s back 1157032 Capitals top Stars for 1st regulation win in Dallas in 24 years 1157033 Andre Burakovsky just picked a hell of a time to come back and face the Capitals 1156943 Anaheim Ducks

Ducks’ goaltending, defensive tweaks have led to strong start to season

By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | PUBLISHED: October 13, 2019 at 4:07 pm | UPDATED: October 13, 2019 at 4:07 PM

The Ducks have given up an NHL-low average of 1.2 goals through the season’s first five games. Their goaltenders have played a significant role in their stingy defense, with John Gibson third in the league with a .961 save percentage and fourth with a 1.26 goals-against average.

But there’s been more to the Ducks’ finest defensive start to a season in their history. A team effort from their goalies, defensemen and forwards has resulted in only six goals allowed, three fewer than the Ducks’ previous best through five games.

Their standout defensive play is the reason they were 4-1-0 going into Monday’s game against the Boston Bruins, their final contest on a four- game trip in which they’ve sandwiched victories over the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets around a loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Ducks don’t score many goals, averaging 2.2 per game, but they don’t give up many either. It’s been a winning formula going into a game against an opponent that doesn’t score many goals or give up many goals either. The Bruins are scoring 2.4 goals per game and giving up 1.6.

“If we’re going to win hockey games, it’s going to take our goaltenders, it’s going to take our ‘D,’ it’s going to take everything as we transition this team,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said, referring to the ongoing roster turnover that began last season.

“If you’re only going to score two goals, then you better only give up one. If that’s the way it’s got to be, then that’s the way it’s got to be.”

The Ducks have aided Gibson and backup Ryan Miller by cutting out second- and third-chance opportunities for the opposition. More often than not, it’s been a one-and-done situation. Opponents take a , a save is made and then the rebound is cleared away from the danger zone.

Last season, the Ducks began to pull back their defensive coverage and to play closer to their own net after general manager Bob Murray fired Randy Carlyle and assumed the coaching duties himself Feb. 10. The game plan has continued with Eakins now coaching the team.

“We’re not a team that plays man-to-man,” Eakins said after the Ducks took a 2-1 victory Friday over the Blue Jackets. “A lot of teams have gone to that. It’s very effective, too. We’ve chosen to have lots of layers, so if you do beat one guy there’s another guy waiting there for you.”

The Ducks have dropped their shots-against average to 31.2 per game to start this season, ranking 13th in the NHL going into Sunday’s games around the league, from 33.2 last season, which was 25th in the 31-team league.

“If you look to where all the goals are scored, they’re right in front of that net,” Eakins said. We’re just trying to clog that that up with as many sticks, feet, shin pads, whatever we can get in there to clog it. The one thing our ‘D’ and our low forwards have done excellent job of is getting inside (the opposition). So when ‘Gibby’ and ‘Millsy’ make a save, (the Ducks) are inside to clear those rebounds.”

Orange County Register: LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156944 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes net two goals late, fall in overtime to Avalanche

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

OCTOBER 12, 2019 AT 9:28 PM

DENVER — Andre Burakovsky scored at 3:29 of overtime and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Arizona Coyotes 3-2 on Saturday night.

Pavel Francouz had 34 saves in his first NHL start, and Nazem Kadri and Tyson Jost scored less than two minutes apart as the Avalanche started the season with four wins at home.

Francouz was signed as a free agent in May 2018. His only two appearances before Saturday were in relief last season.

Antti Raanta was equally sharp in his first start of the season, stopping 29 shots. Michael Grabner and Nick Schmaltz scored for the Coyotes.

Burakovsky got the winner after a back-and-forth extra period. Burakovsky collected the puck close in and sent a high shot past Raanta for his second goal and second winner in as many games.

After nearly 50 minutes without a goal, the teams combined for three in a span of 2 minutes, 30 seconds.

The Avalanche scored first at 6:57 of the third on Kadri’s first of the season. With Jason Demers off for tripping, Cale Makar took a shot from the point that Raanta stopped. Kadri grabbed the rebound on the left side, avoided defenseman Jordan Oesterle and beat Raanta high.

The second goal came 1:49 later when Jost, battling in front, knocked in another rebound, giving Colorado a 2-0 lead with his first of the season.

Grabner made it 2-1 41 seconds later with a blast from the right circle that beat Francouz to the top corner. The Coyotes tied it at 16:03 on Schmaltz’s second goal of the season.

NOTES:

Arizona RW Phil Kessel played in his 1,000th NHL game and 778th in a row Saturday night. Kessel is the 21st active player with a 1,000 games played and his consecutive games streak ranks third among current players. … Avalanche LW J.T. Compher missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury. … Coyotes LW Lawson Crouse was out of the lineup with an upper-body injury.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156945 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes’ Niklas Hjalmarsson exits game with lower body injury

BY ARIZONA SPORTS | OCTOBER 12, 2019 AT 8:16 PM

UPDATED: OCTOBER 13, 2019 AT 12:07 AM

The Arizona Coyotes had to finish out a tightly contested game down a man in Niklas Hjalmarsson.

The defenseman was removed from Saturday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche following the first period with what the team is calling a lower body injury.

Hjalmarsson had a blocked shot before exiting the game.

“Not sure yet,” head coach Rick Tocchet said about the defenseman. “Blocked a shot, so at this point, I’m not sure. But I don’t think it’s going to be day-to-day.”

Niklas Hjalmarsson takes an absolute rocket off the stick of Erik Johnson #Yotes #Coyotes #ourpack #NHL pic..com/40z13I1rP2

— GlendaleCardinals (@YotesGlendale) October 13, 2019

After making the block, Hjalmarsson could be seen heading to the bench hunched over in discomfort. The Athletic’s Craig Morgan reported that Hjalmarsson was on crutches leaving the Avalanches’ home Pepsi Center and left in a vehicle separate from the team, indicating that he would likely not join the team on its trip to Winnipeg.

“That’s a big loss for us. Nik is a good defenseman,” Tocchet said. “We’re going to miss Nik if he’s out for a bit.”

Against the Las Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, Hjalmarsson scored his only goal of the season, registering his first point of the year.

Hjalmarsson is in his third season with the Coyotes. He managed just 48 games during the 2017-18 season before playing in all 82 last year.

All told, the defenseman has two goals and 18 assists for 20 points in 133 games played (three seasons) with Arizona.

After being held scoreless for most of the game, both the Coyotes and Avalanche found the back of the net in the third period, combining for four goals.

Colorado got the last laugh, however, scoring the deciding goal in overtime to take the 3-2 win over Arizona.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156946 Arizona Coyotes

Arizona Coyotes’ Phil Kessel plays 1000th career game

BY ARIZONA SPORTS

OCTOBER 12, 2019 AT 11:13 PM

The Arizona Coyotes lost a 3-2 overtime game to the Colorado Avalanche in Denver on Saturday night, but celebrated a historic moment in the process.

Forward Phil Kessel, in just his fourth game with the Coyotes, played his 1000th career game. He became the 13th player in team history to play his 1000th game in a Coyotes uniform. He’s the 338th player in NHL history to reach the milestone, and the 47th American to do so.

Kessel played 20:45 and had three shots on goal in the Coyotes’ game on Saturday.

The 32-year-old played 222 games with the Boston Bruins, 446 with the Toronto Maple Leafs and 328 for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The game also marked his 777th consecutive game, which is the seventh-longest streak in NHL history and the third longest active such streak, trailing Patrick Marleau (789) and former Coyotes defenseman Keith Yandle (801).

The Coyotes will have a ceremony for Kessel’s 1000th game before the game against the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 19.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156947 Boston Bruins players, and that’s more than good enough for the third line, particularly since they’re responsible elsewhere.

Coyle, 27, got there four years ago in Minnesota, when he followed a 21- Heinen, Coyle key building blocks for Bruins’ third line 21—42 year with an 18-38—56 season, at the end of a run of three 82- game seasons. He played in 66 and 81 games the next two seasons, and doesn’t feel as though he’s peaked.

By Matt Porter Globe Staff,October 13, 2019, 9:04 p.m. He was one of Boston’s best forwards in the playoffs (9-7—16), praised by teammates and coaches as the best player in training camp. So far,

he has one assist in five games. Ritchie would love to kick-start his career as Boston’s third line right wing. “Get a practice in, get some reps in and create chemistry that way, that But maybe he won’t. Maybe Anders Bjork, operating at an early point-a- always helps,” Coyle said. “Sometimes that’s not always the case. With game clip in Providence, rejoins the varsity with oomph. Maybe David our travel, being on the road, we usually have days off and there’s a Backes resets his ticking clock and gives the Bruins a full and productive pregame skate, and then right to it. You’ve got to turn your brain on, talk season. a lot off the ice, whoever you’re with, and do those little things. That’s the best way to go about it. The more we get games under our belts, we’ll get Or perhaps no one emerges at all, and Don Sweeney spends February more familiar with whoever we’re playing with and their tendencies, I foraging for reinforcements. think we’ll gel a little bit better then.”

Regardless of who wins the still-open job next to them, Danton Heinen It should work, in theory. Coyle and Heinen are both building blocks of and Charlie Coyle must keep building, because Marcus Johansson is not the middle of this team, smart and skilled enough to carry a lower line walking through that door. The Bruins are relying on those two to carry together. Soon, it will become the expectation rather than the hope. the third line, at least in the near term, to keep things running smoothly. Boston Globe LOADED: 10.14.2019 In October, all teams are auditioning players, some more so than others. The Bruins lead with arguably the league’s most complete first line, and coach Bruce Cassidy is unafraid to use his hard-edged fourth line against anyone. The middle six, meanwhile, was not settled in camp. Since Karson Kuhlman keeps charging next to David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk, the hole next to Coyle and Heinen looks like the most significant of an otherwise deep roster.

After losing Johansson to Buffalo on July 1, Boston signed Ritchie, retained Backes and gave Bjork a long look in camp before sending him to the AHL for more seasoning. The long view was that Heinen and Coyle would be able to bring someone along. They have to find their own games first.

Coyle and Heinen, meanwhile, are developing as a pair. They’ve had Ritchie for three games and Backes for two, with one even-strength goal (Ritchie, on opening night in Dallas). Johansson has four points in five games in Buffalo, centering a second line with 40-goal man Jeff Skinner. This is not to knock Sweeney for not coughing up the $4.5 million-times- two years that made Johansson a Sabre; he was set to open his checkbook for Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo, and had Backes’s $6 million under his cap. Johansson would have been a third-line luxury.

But this third line can still be as strong as it was last postseason, when Johansson-Coyle-Heinen outscored their opponents, 10-6, at even strength, and in some games, looked like the best line on the ice in a time of year when having a stout third unit is a prerequisite.

Johansson’s confident playmaking and zone entries were a major reason for their success — he was driving that line — but his absence might help Heinen shine.

Danton Heinen celebrates a goal against Dallas earlier this month.

Heinen, 24, dipped from 47 points as a rookie, when he played with Backes and Riley Nash, to 34 last year. He was up and down the lineup, playing the left and right side, with veterans and players younger than he (recall the short-lived Schoolboy Line with Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson and Ryan Donato). In the playoffs, he stood slightly in the background, his playmaking secondary to that of the speedier, flashier, more veteran Johansson, playing a more defensive role. He has shown a bit more confidence early on, scoring a power play goal in Dallas on opening night, when he, Coyle and Ritchie were Boston’s best trio.

“I’m always telling myself to shoot more,” Heinen said. “I think I can do a better job of, when he’s protecting the puck, getting open and maybe pushing off of guys and moving to areas, finding that soft spot a little bit quicker.

“And then, yeah, telling myself to shoot more and getting it away quicker. When [Coyle] protects the puck he’s usually beating his guy. If you can get open or if he can take it to the net, that’s something we definitely want more of. Reps will help.”

That’s the key for he and Coyle, or “Heino and Chuck” in puck parlance. If they are to be a pair Cassidy can rely on, they have to be given the chance to play night-in, night-out. Both have the talent to be 50-point 1156948 Boston Bruins

Bruins’ coach Bruce Cassidy needs a quick fix for second period

By RICH THOMPSON | October 13, 2019 at 6:15 PM

The Bruins were outshot 15-9 in the second period of their 3-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils in the home opener on Saturday night at the TD Garden.

The Bruins salvaged the frame when Patrice Bergeron potted a power play goal at 19:14, but head coach Bruce Cassidy addressed the team’s deficiencies in the second period following Sunday’s practice at Warrior Ice Arena.

“We couldn’t manage the puck there in the second period very well,” said Cassidy. “There was a stretch where we had to ice it or we turned it over so we got what we deserved. I think Brandon (Carlo) had some hiccups in that same stretch. The way to get out of trouble are fresh legs in the second period and win some pucks and get us behind their D where they can’t get a quick up on a long change.”

Uninvited guest

Bruins second line left wing Jake DeBrusk wasn’t credited with a hit on the score sheet, but he was responsible for knocking Devils’ center Kevin Rooney completely into the Boston bench in the third period.

Rooney, a Canton native who played at Providence College, appeared dumbfounded trying make his way back onto the ice surrounded by black and gold. He took an additional shove from David Krejci before finding sanctuary in the Devils’ bench.

“I was actually trying to protect myself because his skates were getting close to my face,” said DeBrusk. “He tried to take a run at me pretty late and he was pretty much already going into the bench. Anytime you get pushed in it’s not a good feeling but it’s one of those things, and it happens. But it didn’t count as a hit on the sheet so what’s up with that?”

Penalty killers

Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk, who is paired on the third unit with Connor Clifton, logged considerable ice time while the Bruins were busy killing four Devils power plays.

Grzelcyk logged 15:58 minutes overall and 3:32 on the penalty kill, second on the team behind Charlie McAvoy (4:06). The other blueliners with more than three minutes of PK duty were Zdeno Chara (3:22) and Brandon Carlo (3:06).

“Luckily we haven’t been buried with a ton of penalties,” said Cassidy. “I think Griz can add some quickness and he can add that (PK) to his game but he’s not a big shot suppressor like say a Z or Carlo.”

Boston Herald LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156949 Boston Bruins

Bruins and Ducks set for defensive struggle at TD Garden

By RICH THOMPSON October 13, 2019 at 6:00 PM

The Boston Bruins and Anaheim Ducks have enjoyed similar starts on opposite coasts, hinged on defense and goaltending, factors which are expected to dominate play when the Bruins (4-1) host the Ducks (4-1) in a matinee, 1 p.m. match Monday at TD Garden.

Under first-year coach Dallas Eakins, Anaheim has allowed just six goals for 1.20 goals against average. The Bruins have allowed eight goals for a 1.60 goals against average and have recorded two shutouts, including Saturday night’s 3-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils.

“They have given up eight (six) goals or whatever it is and I watched them against Columbus the other night,” said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy following team practice at Warrior Ice Arena in Brighton. “They found a way to win a slate of games with saves and they are opportunistic. I guess on the surface they are something like us but I don’t know them well enough to sit here and say they are the Boston Bruins of the west or not. We will have a better idea of that (Monday).”

Cassidy said that Jaroslav Halak will start for Boston, most likely opposite Anaheim’s Josh Gibson. Halak is 1-1, including a shutout win over the Coyotes on Oct. 5. In his two games, he has a 1.53 goals against average and .957 save percentage. Gibson is 4-1 with a 1.26 goals against average and a .961 save percentage.

The Ducks are big in the back end with Hampus Lindholm and Josh Mason on the first unit with Michael Del Zotto and offensive minded Cam Fowler, who scored the game winner in the Ducks’ 2-1 victory over the Blue Jackets, on the second tier.

“I haven’t seen much film on them to be honest with you but they are definitely a defensive team and you know they are always a hard team to play against,” said Bruins left wing Jake DeBrusk. “They have big defenseman and big forwards as well and they always play a physical game. It’s one of those things where it’s an afternoon game as well.”

The Ducks’ first line is anchored by veteran center with Ondrej Kase and Maxime Comtois on the flanks.

“It will be interesting and they have a great young goaltender and some talented mobile guys in the back end, guys that eat up a lot of minutes,” said Bruins defenseman Torey Krug. “They have a big stronger group up front so it will be a big test for us for sure.”

Boston Herald LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156950 Boston Bruins The work ethic has been there for Bjork, said Providence coach Jay Leach.

“He’s come down and been excellent,” said Leach. “He’s on the ice after Anders Bjork honing his game for a Boston return practice, he’s all in. He’s terrific. He played a bunch both nights. He’s owning the puck, he wants to make a difference, he wants to make plays. All I’ve seen is a desire to get back there, and he’s going to let his play speak for that.” By STEVE CONROY October 13, 2019 at 6:00 am Sabres for real?

So are these Buffalo Sabres for real? Their best player, Jack Eichel, will After Anders Bjork was among the last big group of cuts by the Bruins, have a big hand in answering that question. Eichel had an interesting coach Bruce Cassidy – ever forthright – conceded that the Notre Dame week for the Sabres, who started the season at 3-0-1. Eichel was a product “pushed back” on the move. Bjork thought he had a pretty good monster in their 5-4 overtime win against on Wednesday, camp, which he did, and he let the coach know that. producing two goals and two assists in the back-and-forth contest. It was It was nothing disrespectful, mind you, and it was actually the kind of a performance befitting the “C” on his sweater. response for which he coach was hoping. But he might have been playing guilty. In the Sabres OT loss in Still, stories of top prospects who almost make the big club only to Columbus in the game before, Eichel was stripped of the puck in the sputter once they report to their AHL destinations are pretty common, extra session by Nick Foligno, leading to the Blue Jackets’ game-winner. whether it’s from disappointment, overconfidence or whatever reason. It No shame in that. Foligno’s a good and well-paid player, too. But the loss was something to keep an eye on. of the puck happened in the corner and there was still time to atone for the turnover. Eichel only made a half-hearted attempt to do so. That, however, does not sound like the case with Bjork. Not only did he pitch in with a goal and an assist in the P-Bruins opening weekend that The North Chelmsford product is still only 22 and it can take a while for produced two road wins, Bjork is focusing on the things that will get him players to learn how important consistency of effort is. But for Eichel to back to e NHL. reach his potential, he still has to figure that out.

“Everyone wants to play in the NHL,” said Bjork at the Dunkin’ Donuts Good start Center last week, “but there are definitely things I can work on. I had Leach was also very happy with the opening weekend of Urho good conversations with Butchie and management as well. I appreciate Vaakanainen, the smooth-skating left shot defenseman who had an up- their thoughts and the advice they gave me, what I need to work on. I and-down camp. agree with it. It’s good we’re on the same page there. Obviously, players can look at it as a negative, getting sent down and not playing exactly “He was one of our best defensemen. He was up the ice, he made the where you want to be. But personally I’m excited about this opportunity to power-play goal happen on Saturday night,” said Leach. “He was work on things and maybe play a bit more and maybe develop my game involved offensively, active off the blue line, his gaps were really tight. to get it to where I want it to be.” The biggest thing for me was that he just looked like he was a year older and he was comfortable in this league, which is a tough league t be in as While skilled players like Bjork often get sent to the farm to work on the a defenseman when you’re 19- or 20-years-old. He just looked like he less glamorous details of the game, the B’s are hoping Bjork regains the was having a good time out there.” finish he had when he left ND early (21-31-52 totals in 35 games his junior season) and before his first two pro seasons ended prematurely Having spent most of a decade patrolling the blue line in the AHL, Leach with shoulder surgery. knows how tough mentally it can be for a young prospect.

“I had a good amount of chances in the preseason and I realize what my “You’re thinking ‘I’m not even dominating in this league.’ And there’s a lot strengths are in getting to those area for chances,” said Bjork. “Now I of expectation there,” said Leach. “But he’s a year older, he’s more think I just need to get a little bit of my touch back and find ways to finish mature, he realizes he’s going to make some mistakes sometimes and more of those plays and consistently produce.” that’s OK. We’re fine with the mistakes We just want to make sure he’s trying the same play again and doing it right and making that play. It While Bjork played much of his collegiate career and early in his pro looked like he was… I’m not sure if I want to say fearless, but he was. It career on the right wing, the left shooting Bjork has played almost wasn’t going to bother him. He’s was just going to make plays. And he exclusively on left side during rookie and training camp and last weekend was thinking ‘if I don’t I’ll get back on it because I can skate well with Providence this season. Playing on the strong side does have its enough.’” advantages. While this is Vaakanainen’s second pro year in North America, he was “It’s not that big of a difference for me, really, but I do like being on my limited to just 32 games last year thanks to a concussion he suffered with forehand a bit and having that opportunity to make quicker players and Boston at the start of the season and then a shoulder injury later in the also avoid cutting in the middle as much because I think that got me int season in Providence. trouble a bit when I was up with Boston the last couple of years,” said Bjork. “I think I had a tendency to do that from college. I think I want to Consistency and good health are two priorities. drive the puck down and to the net more and being on the my forehand on the left helps with that.” “It’s frustrating and it gets in your head,” said the Finn about being injured, “so I just try to be happy and have a positive mindset all the time, With the forward lines in Boston unsettled despite the early success, go day by day, game by game.”… Bjork could still play an important role with the varsity. If the belief that he’s best suited for the left side is cemented in Providence then he won’t On Thursday, the B’s get their first look at the Lightning, again one of the be that perfect fit on David Krejci‘s right side – Karson Kuhlman and Brett favorites to represent the East in the Finals. They’d gotten Ritchie are currently getting looks there – but he could give Cassidy more off to a 1-1-1 start, which is no big deal. But their performance in an OT options, such as bumping up current third line left wing Danton Heinen loss in Carolina last Sunday was an eyebrow-raiser. They were outshot over to the Krejci’s right side and Bjork could move into Heinen’s spot. by the Hurricanes, 44-13, and managed just two shots on net in the last two-plus periods. But meanwhile, Bjork can work on his craft outside of the spotlight. Yes, the Bolts looked like their old selves once Brayden Point was “I think there can be a little less pressure for guys when they come down inserted into the lineup in Tampa’s 7-3 win Toronto. But the absence of because you don’t have that fear of being sent down all the time,” said one good player should not lead to the type of no-show performance the Bjork. “You can really focus on the things you need to work on and can I Bolts.gave in Carolina…. do that without as much pressure. But there’s still that competition here, which is good. It pushes all of us. That’s something I’m trying to use to Finally, if it’s too difficult to institute a 15-second statute of limitation on my advantage. We’re all competitors and we try to embrace that offsides, can we just get rid of the whole challenge? Please? competition and there are a lot of good players with skill here.” Boston Herald LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156951 Boston Bruins Tagging along? Rask has been a little more integral than that. Boston Herald LOADED: 10.14.2019

Tuukka Rask makes it an easy night for the Bruins

By STEVE CONROY | PUBLISHED: October 13, 2019 at 6:00 am | UPDATED: October 13, 2019 at 9:27 am

On the face off it, the Bruins’ 3-0 victory over the winless New Jersey Devils in the home opener at the Garden on Saturday was of the ho-hum variety. The B’s are clearly better than the Devils right now, so they collected their two points and moved on.

But that’s not the whole story. The B’s were hardly perfect. Their goaltender, however, was, and Tuukka Rask made the B’s fourth win in five games much more comfortable than it could have been.

Rask stopped all 31 shots he faced, including 15 in the long-change second period when the B’s were protecting a 2-0 lead and found themselves in their own end a little too much. He didn’t steal the win, but he needed to be good.

“That’s when Tuukka really stepped up. That’s when he should get the credit,” said coach Bruce Cassidy of the second. “In a game like this, that’s where he earned his paycheck tonight. We broke down a lot there trying to break pucks out and had some loose play. He was really good.”

The Devils (0-3-2) are not a good team right now, but they do have a handful of very good players, which is the reason many of us thought they’d have a bounce-back season. They still might. And there was a point in the second period where it looked like they were sick of watching Brad Marchand play keep-away from them and some professional pride was kicking in. But Rask made sure that’s as far as it went.

“It’s a momentum game and you expect the other team to make a push and they did,” said Rask. “They had a couple of power plays and we kept them off the scoreboard there, which was big. Then going with the lead in the third period, we were comfortable. It was good.”

After the potential crisis was averted, Patrice Bergeron added a power- play goal with 46 seconds left in the second period and that was that. With a 3-0 lead, the B’s cruised to victory in the third period. The only thing left to do for the sellout crowd was to boo P.K. Subban some more — he’s really not a bad guy, folks — and some people even had the temerity to pick up a short-lived “We Want The Cup!” chant.

That, of course, is ridiculous for October. But with the goaltending the B’s have gotten through the first five games of the season, it’s easy to see why some are already expecting a long run from this team.

In three games, Rask has a 1.33 goals against average and a .957 save percentage with his 3-0 record. His 1B, Jaroslav Halak, has a 1.52 GAA and a .957 save percentage as well. Cassidy plans to go back with Halak for Monday’s matinee against Anaheim. At this rate, Cassidy can rock back and forth between the two netminders all season long if he so chooses.

For a team that has legitimate Stanley Cup aspirations, the B’s biggest strength very well might be at the most important position.

“Tuuks just seems to be dialed in and he has a lot of confidence right now. And Jaro. They’re two of the best goalies in the world and we’re lucky to have them on our team,” said Marchand, the game’s second star behind Rask. “I think they feed off each other with that confidence they have. Again, we have a good team in front of them and that all helps, but they’re on their game right now and it’s fun to watch.”

Rask, of course, finished strong last year. He was consistently the B’s best player in their two-month run to the Finals. But coming into this season there was the question of Rask’s slow starts the past couple of years. So far he’s answering that question the best he can.

As is his way, Rask was not about to over-analyze his game with things are going well, preferring to spread the accolades around.

“We’re playing good,” said Rask. “When you finish your season in June, I think it helps everybody have that feeling in the back of your head how to play this game. System-wise, I think we’ve been pretty solid. And I’m just tagging along there.” 1156952 Boston Bruins

Rask blowing up his reputation as a slow starter with dominant October for B's

By Joe Haggerty October 13, 2019 2:26 PM

BRIGHTON, Mass – While so much of this first encouraging couple of weeks has been familiar for the Boston Bruins, one thing is a little different when it comes to the start of the season.

For the first time in a while, goalie Tuukka Rask is getting off to a strong start in the month of October. Last season Rask, of course, battled through a rough first month that ended with a personal leave of absence at the start of November. The numbers over the last five seasons of Octobers for Rask have been pretty brutal.

Whether it was last season’s 3.15 goals and against and .902 save percentage, or a 1-3-2 start with a 2.93 goals against average and .896 save percentage in 2017-18, or a 3.29 goals against average and .889 save percentage in 2015-16, it’s pretty clearly the worst month of the season for him. Over the course of his career, October features his highest career goals against average (2.49) and his lowest career save percentage (.915) of any month in the NHL regular season.

Even Rask has admitted in the past that it takes a while to get the engine going, particularly as a 32-year-old goalie preparing for the rigors of an entire regular season.

But that is not the case this time around.

Rask has been excellent in the first two weeks of the regular season and sits fourth in the entire NHL in both goals against average (1.33) and save percentage (.957) at this early juncture of the year. It’s something that has not gone unnoticed by the Bruins with Boston up at the top of all the defensive and goaltending categories along with the Anaheim Ducks team they will face on Monday afternoon.

“We’re still working on our game like every other team, and I thought that’s where Tuukka [Rask] really stepped up,” said Bruce Cassidy of Rask, who stopped all 31 of the shots he faced for his first shutout of the season Saturday night in a 3-0 win over the Devils. “That’s when he should get the credit. In a game like this, I thought that’s when he earned his paycheck tonight. We broke down a lot there, trying to break pucks out and had some loose play. He was really good.

“Our goaltending has been solid. We knew that coming in [with] two veteran, professional guys.”

Is there anything that Rask himself attributes it to after traditionally struggling so much to get going early in the season?

“I don’t know. We’re playing good,” said Rask. “When you finish your season in June it helps everybody to give you that feeling in the back of your head that you want to play this game. System-wise I think we’ve been pretty solid, so I’m just tagging along there.”

Certainly there is more there than Rask casually saying that he’s “tagging along” with the rest of the Bruins off to a 4-1-0 start. The real question now is just how good can Rask be this season if he doesn’t have that traditional subpar month of October to drag him down as he’s well on his way to blowing up that well-worn narrative about him during his time in Boston.

Now he just needs to keep going for a few more weeks until the calendar turns to November and December, which have always been among his months as an NHL goaltender.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156953 Boston Bruins

Brad Marchand has 'found his stride' amid first-line success

By Jacob Camenker October 13, 2019 11:14 AM

The Boston Bruins' top line didn't get off to a good start in the Boston Bruins' season opener against the Dallas Stars. But since that time, the line has been excellent. And a lot of that has to do with Brad Marchand's performance.

Marchand, the long-time Bruin, has been one of the team's best offensive players this season. He is on a four-game point streak and has generated seven total points on the season. And according to Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy, Marchand has "found his stride" to start the season.

"Well, he’s on right now," Cassidy said to reporters after the Bruins' win over the Devils. "The Dallas game, there was nowhere to go but up after that one. And he’d be the first to admit it, he didn’t play a lot of preseason. That was by design, he wanted to, he’s a competitor. But he’s found his stride now, that line seems to be clicking like we’ve seen them typically."

Bruins third line still looking for chemistry, offense in early going

For context on how well Marchand is playing, he has scored four of the team's last 10 goals. Meanwhile, his linemates Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak have generated another three goals. Suffice to say, the Perfection Line is living up to its standards.

In addition to the line's strong offensive performance, Marchand and Bergeron have been pesky penalty killers and they were all over the ice during the team's win over the Devils. Cassidy took time to praise them for their effort in that facet of the game as well.

"I think what it does more is deflates the other team," Cassidy said of Marchand and Bergeron's skills on the penalty kill. "If that’s our power play, and I see a team doing that, frustration sets in from the coaching staff; the players on the ice are frustrated and so I think it more demoralizes the opposition than it does to lift us up. We’ve seen them go to work, so that’s the benefit of when you’re able to kill with puck possession a penalty and do it so dominantly."

The Bruins are going to need the first line to continue playing well in all facets of the game, as they are still a top-heavy team. But at least they are off to a good start this season. They are 4-1-0 and rank second in the Atlantic Division behind only the 4-0-1 Buffalo Sabres.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156954 Boston Bruins all didn’t play as many games as we normally do. But we’re feeling good now. It helps when you win and luckily we’ve been able to do that a bit.”

It also helps that both Rask and Jaroslav Halak have been lights out to The elite Bruins team is off to a great start, and they're going to need start the season as well. After two weeks of regular season action, the every bit of it Bruins are second in the NHL in goals allowed (1.60) per game and second in the league with a .952 save percentage. Essentially their goaltending also gives them an advantage over at least 70 percent of the rest of the league. By Joe Haggerty October 13, 2019 8:02 AM “We’re still working on our game like every other team, and I thought

that’s where Tuukka [Rask] really stepped up and that’s when he should The Bruins know that things like fatigue, and “the wall” they are inevitably get the credit,” said Cassidy. “In a game like this, I thought that’s when he going to hit, will be waiting for them in the second half of the regular earned his paycheck. We broke down a lot there. Trying to break pucks season. out and had some loose play, and he was really good.”

It’s just a byproduct of playing an extra 24 games last season and That elite level goaltending for the Bruins is why they may not drop into sporting a roster with so many key players that have already crossed an extended slump through this entire season. It’s also one of the biggest over into their 30’s and 40’s, and it’s something the Bruins are fully reasons why the B’s may sidestep some of that second half “wall” they expecting to happen. are anticipating while coming off their run to a heartbreaking Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. That means it was incumbent on the Black and Gold to build up as many points as possible in the early portions of the season when their skating The Bruins may not be blowing people away right now with their level of legs were fresh, and they could perhaps take advantage of less rust play, and they are certainly not clicking on all cylinders at this young point gathered after playing high-intensity hockey into the middle of June. The in the season. The B’s are showing that they are once again top caliber Bruins are doing exactly that according to plan right now after dispatching in the NHL this season, and they are doing what they absolutely need to the New Jersey Devils by a 3-0 score in Saturday night’s home opener at do by getting off to a strong start to what’s going to be a long, taxing 82- TD Garden. game marathon for them.

It wasn’t a perfect game by any means from the Bruins, and certainly the Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.14.2019 hapless nature of a Devils team off to an 0-3-2 start to the regular season would indicate that Jersey is having some early issues this year.

But the Bruins rode their power with goals from Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, and they rode their depth with a score from fourth liner Joakim Nordstrom in his second game from an injury that sidelined him the entire preseason.

They also rode their No. 1 goaltender with Tuukka Rask making 31 saves in his first shutout of the season while showing zero issues after his dehydration issues in Vegas. In other words, the Bruins are once again an extremely well-rounded hockey team this season that’s going to be among the best in the Atlantic Division, and in the NHL.

We knew that going into the year based on last year’s Stanley Cup Final run, but the Bruins are leaving no doubt with an excellent start even though they are far from clicking on all cylinders right now.

“I don’t think we’ve stolen a lot of points here. Our goaltending has been solid; we knew that coming in. Two veteran, professional guys, so our D corps intact. We have two guys (Kevan Miller, John Moore) injured going into this season; we knew that, but the other guys have given us some chemistry, so we know that defensive part of our game,” said Bruce Cassidy. “It’s the offensive part we’ve been working on. [We’re working on] a little chemistry up front. You start to see that come around. It was good enough to win the first two games, barely, but good enough.

“Now, you’re starting to see a little more up and down the lineup, guys creating. I think we’re full value for our record, but I do believe that our exits out of our zone have to pick up. We have to be cleaner with our managing the puck, and then some second chances around the net for some of the other lines to get rewarded. I think Krejci’s line did more of that [in] the last two games, unfortunately one got called back [on video review] so not quite there. But they’ve been getting better in that area, so it’d be nice to see them get rewarded for their work.”

The Bruins are once again rolling out an extremely top-heavy team in the early going of the season when it comes to scoring. After Danton Heinen and Brett Ritchie accounted for the offense on opening night, Bergeron, Marchand and Pastrnak have been responsible for seven of the 10 goals scored over the last four games for the Bruins.

Expecting the top line to provide 70 percent of the offense obviously isn’t going to be sustainable for the Black and Gold. It was an issue at times last season and once again it will be a challenge for Cassidy and Don Sweeney to diversify the offense. But holding those top line players capable of shouldering a heavy offensive burden automatically makes them better than a good 50 percent of the league, and that has been plainly obvious over the first two weeks of the regular season.

“The first few games were a little bit sloppy, but I think we’re beginning to figure it out now,” said Marchand. “We’re kind of getting back in sync. It was a little bit of a different training camp and a different feel because we 1156955 Buffalo Sabres

Tage Thompson's overtime goal lifts Amerks to victory

By Staff

Published Sun, Oct 13, 2019|Updated Sun, Oct 13, 2019

Playing in the rink where he starred as a college player, Tage Thompson had two assists in regulation then scored the lone goal in the shootout to give the a 3-2 win over the on Sunday at the Hartford Civic Center.

After losing on a last-minute goal at Providence on Saturday, Rochester tied the game with just 13 seconds left in regulation Sunday when defenseman Zach Redmond scored with an extra attacker on the ice.

The Amerks came from two goals down to tie the game in the third period on scores by Remi Elie and Redmond. Elie picked up his first of the season at 4:42 and added an assist on Redmond’s tying goal.

Hartford took its 2-0 lead on second-period goals by Filip Chytil and Boo Nieves. Former Amerk Danny O’Regan assisted on Chytil’s goal.

Chytil failed to score to open the shootout. Then Thompson, who played two seasons at the University of Connecticut, beat Wolf Pack goalie Adam Huska. That turned out to be the winner after Vinni Lettieri and Phil DiGiuseppe failed to convert for Hartford.

Andrew Hammond made 33 saves for Rochester. Huska had 35 for Hartford. Each team went 0 for 3 on the power play.

The Amerks (3-1-0) and (3-0-0) are tied with six points each for first place in the AHL’s North Division after winning two of three weekend games in New England. The Amerks defeated Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Friday before losing on Oskar Steen’s goal with 57 seconds left in Providence.

Next for Rochester will be a North Division game against the on Friday at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester. The Amerks will play another division game at the Utica Comets on Saturday.

Buffalo News LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156956 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres recall forward Curtis Lazar from Rochester

By Lance Lysowski

Published Sun, Oct 13, 2019|Updated Sun, Oct 13, 2019

The Buffalo Sabres recalled forward Curtis Lazar from Rochester on Sunday ahead of a three-game road trip to the West Coast.

Barring another injury, the roster move will give the Sabres 13 forwards when they face the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks on the road. Winger Conor Sheary remains "week to week" with an upper-body injury.

Lazar, who signed with the Sabres as an unrestricted free agent in July, had one assist in three games with the Amerks. The former first-round draft pick scored 20 goals among 41 points in 57 games last season for the ' American Hockey Affiliate, Stockton.

Lazar has scored 15 goals among 51 points in 246 career regular-season games between the Flames and Ottawa Senators. He was drafted 17th overall by the latter in 2013.

Buffalo News LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156957 Buffalo Sabres to stop a barrage of shots from dangerous areas. We won't have to talk about which goalie is the "starter," unless this team manages to make the playoffs. They'll likely share the net throughout the season.

Sabres Mailbag: Why isn't Rasmus Dahlin playing more? Liam: Why is Rasmus Dahlin getting the fifth-most ice time among Sabres defensemen?

LL: There seems to be a considerable amount of angst among fans after By Lance Lysowski Dahlin sat for the final 9 1/2 minutes of regulation Friday night against Florida. After all, he has one goal among seven points through five Published Sun, Oct 13, 2019|Updated Sun, Oct 13, 2019 games and could have provided a spark offensively in a game in which the Sabres needed an insurance goal.

The Buffalo Sabres had every excuse to start slow this season. A new However, Dahlin's puck management and defensive-zone coverage have coach forced the players to learn new systems and there isn't enough been a liability at times. Remember, he's only 19 years old. He's not time in training camp to practice the power play or penalty kill. remotely close to reaching his potential. Krueger's job is to win games, and he's building a culture of accountability. In case you missed it, Dahlin However, the Sabres (4-0-1) were sitting atop the Atlantic Division struggled during his final shift of regulation Friday. He'll learn from the entering play Sunday, and they wrap up this homestand Monday experience and be a better player because of it. afternoon against the Dallas Stars. With Conor Sheary still out, Buffalo recalled forward Curtis Lazar from Rochester ahead of the team's three- We shouldn't be surprised. A of people I spoke to from game road trip to Anaheim, Los Angeles and San Jose. Edmonton, including former players, told me Krueger did not hesitate to sit young players such as and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins following The roster move is the latest example of the Sabres' improved depth at a bad shift or period in the 2012-13 season. This isn't Krueger picking on forward. With that in mind, let's start my latest mailbag with a reader's Dahlin, either. Marco Scandella didn't play for the final six minutes of question about Buffalo's success on offense through five games: regulation last Monday in Columbus.

Mike: Is the current group of forwards capable of producing more or do The Sabres are trying to put Dahlin in the best position to succeed. At the the Sabres need to add another piece? moment, it's clear Dahlin is placing too much pressure on himself. The best way to handle a young player's development is to be smart about Lance Lysowski: This group is capable of producing enough offense to usage. He's not ready to play more than 20 minutes a game. That time win games. The Sabres entered play Sunday tied for sixth in the NHL will come. For now, Krueger will continue to put Dahlin in situations to with 20 goals through five games and their power play remained first, help build confidence. Part of that is protecting him during close games. despite the ugly showing against Florida. They're getting production out You'll continue to see Rasmus Ristolainen average more than 24 minutes of Johan Larsson's line, and the offense will come for Casey Mittelstadt's a game until Dahlin is ready for a more prominent role. group, particularly Jimmy Vesey. Ed: What will the Sabres do on defense once Brandon Montour, It's also important to remember that offense in the NHL often starts with Lawrence Pilut and Zach Bogosian return from injury? your defensemen and General Manager Jason Botterill has done an outstanding job building a formidable group on the back end. I'm sure LL: Your guess is as good as mine. Seriously. My answer a few days ago fans would prefer a more skilled player such as Tage Thompson to play would have been simple: Henri Jokiharju gets sent to Rochester once with Jeff Skinner and Marcus Johansson, but Vladimir Sobotka's Montour is ready to return from the hand injury, and the Sabres will figure forechecking can allow them to use their creativity in the offensive zone. out the rest once Bogosian returns. Well, Jokiharju has been told by Sabres management to find a place to live in Buffalo. The 20-year-old The Sabres beat the Florida Panthers, who many analysts picked to defenseman will be sticking around for a while and he deserves that make the playoffs, without receiving a regulation goal from either of the opportunity. top-two forward lines. Buffalo will need to stay healthy to continue to produce at this rate. However, in my opinion, Krueger has the personnel Though Jokiharju has yet to record a point, he has been excellent in the to remain competitive this season, and Botterill has shown he won't defensive zone, particularly on the breakout, and quickly earned hesitate to add to the group. The Sabres have the depth to make a Krueger's trust. The Sabres are unlikely to trade Ristolainen at this time significant trade at the deadline in February, or perhaps a few months in because they'll be asking for a king's ransom in return. They could try to Rochester will help prepare Thompson to make a significant impact in send Montour to Rochester for a brief conditioning assignment to buy Buffalo at some point this season. some time but that's a temporary solution. I doubt Buffalo wants to risk losing John Gilmour on waivers, either. Carter: Do you expect Carter Hutton and Linus Ullmark to share the Sabres' net if they continue to do well? Pilut will be sent to Rochester once he's ready. He'll need to play quite a few games down there to prepare himself for a return to the NHL. That's LL: Krueger likely will use a tandem in net, much like his goalie coach, not a knock against Pilut. It's just difficult to miss all of training camp and Mike Bales, did last season in Carolina. Kruger, Bales and the rest of the the start of the season. He also needs to work on his play in the coaching staff meet prior to each game to decide which goalie will start. defensive zone. Bogosian, meanwhile, doesn't have a timeline to return Bales offers his recommendation and the group comes to a consensus. after he experienced multiple setbacks this summer. The Sabres will continue to pick the starter based on the matchup and which of the two goalies is better equipped to face a certain type of team A trade seems inevitable. The question is with which defenseman do the or situation. Sabres part? They're in an advantageous position. Last season, Buffalo was forced to use Matt Tennyson for four games and had to rush Pilut up Both goalies have performed much better so far this season. Ullmark from Rochester. seems to have rediscovered the confidence he lost last March and appears to have cleaned up some technical issues. Hutton, meanwhile, Buffalo News LOADED: 10.14.2019 has proven to be a capable goalie in the . But the Sabres' defensive-zone coverage is the primary reason behind the early success.

Consider this: Among goalies to start at least two games entering play Sunday, Hutton and Ullmark rank in the top eight of furthest average shot distance faced, according to NaturalStatTrick.com. Hutton also ranks first in rebound attempts against among goalies with at least three games played, and the Sabres have allowed the third-fewest high-danger scoring chances against.

The Sabres' defensemen have done an excellent job retrieving pucks after an initial shot attempt and defensive-zone pressure has forced opponents to shoot from the perimeter. We've seen that Buffalo has the goaltending to succeed as long as neither Hutton nor Ullmark are asked 1156958 Buffalo Sabres mirrors the One Buffalo approach: She has made efforts to unite the business units into an organization that shares a singular culture. She described those efforts both during her interview with The News and during the breakfast program, which was hosted by Independent Health Kim Pegula's goal for PSE: multiple teams, a single culture and called “The New Golden Rule: What’s Good for Your Employees and Community is Good for Your Business.”

They include straightforward strategies such as monthly breakfasts, By Tim O'Shei small-group lunches with executives and employees, business-themed Published Sun, Oct 13, 2019|Updated Sun, Oct 13, 2019 book clubs, and an annual kickoff picnic. There are large and splashy investments, including the Bills’ $18 million training facility in Orchard Park, which impressed Independent Health’s CEO, Dr. Michael Cropp, when he visited a few weeks ago. Kim Pegula is fond of saying that when you buy a professional sports team (or two), it doesn’t come with an owner’s manual. There are no Cropp, who is a medical doctor, spoke on the panel with Pegula and instructions for when to be hands-on, and when to keep a distance; when another physician, Dr. Jason Langheier, a Hamburg native and founder to make executive decisions, and when to get out of the way. of the San Francisco-based nutrition-app company Zipongo.

“People don’t tell you, ‘Hey, you should do this, this and this,' ” she said “One really subtle little thing, but it’s a huge thing, is professional athletes in an interview this week with The Buffalo News. historically didn’t like to be seen in the training room, because that meant they were vulnerable and might signal something about the next player But then Pegula, who with her husband, Terry, owns the and up is going to be better than them,” Cropp said to Sabres broadcaster Sabres, reconsidered. Brian Duff, who hosted the panel. “That was turned completely upside- “Well,” she added lightly, “sometimes you get too many people telling you down in that the training room is a place now that the athletes love to be what you should do.” in because they understand this is an investment in their health and well- being.” That’s true for any sports team owners, but even more so for Pegula, who doubles as president of both the Bills and the Sabres, a role that While it’s difficult at best to quantify the culture of a company, the positions her at the receiving end of frequent and often intense feedback. Pegulas’ highest-profile employees offer clues that suggest the effort may be working. To start, some of them use almost identical language in Lately, the reviews have been good: Both teams are off to fast starts. But talking about each other. After Pegula pointed out that Bills quarterback over the long term of the Pegulas’ ownership, winning has been elusive. Josh Allen would be attending the Sabres’ Wednesday night game The only time the Sabres have appeared in the playoffs is 2011, just against the Montreal Canadiens, we reached out to him to ask about the months after the Pegulas bought the team. The Bills, which the Pegulas link between the two teams. Allen, who is 23, brought up Sabres’ purchased in 2014, have been to the playoffs just once. At the same Jack Eichel, who is 22 and, like him, in the position of leading the hoped- time, the Pegulas’ business efforts have been largely successful, with for rebirth of a long-struggling franchise. “He’s a fantastic dude,” Allen solid ticket sales and sponsorship deals in one of pro sports’ smallest said of Eichel, noting the two text each other. “Super down to earth.” markets. The communitywide “One Buffalo” marketing campaign, which Kim Pegula launched after the Bills purchase, has become synonymous Speaking separately the next day, Eichel told The News of Allen, “He’s with the revitalization of the region. just a good dude and I like talking to him.”

Now, Pegula is taking that same unite-as-one approach to her own That’s because, as Pegula colleagues who are essentially working in companies. She spoke about it this week to The News after an invitation- different business units, they can relate. “We’re in similar situations, only business forum, and the top athletes and coaches who work for her whatever you want to call it: pressure, expectation, different things like are noticing the strategy — and playing it out, too. that,” Eichel said. “We’re both young guys trying to make a difference in our organizations and the city, and trying to help the organizations find “We both support each other and want to see the other team do well,” their way back to where they want to be.” Sabres captain Jack Eichel said of the Bills and Sabres. “I think the Pegulas do a really good job, and that’s what they wanted. They want the The same is true for Allen and Eichel’s bosses. Bills head coach Sean two teams to have a relationship.” McDermott, who is in his third season, and new Sabres head coach Ralph Krueger have met a few times and developed an ongoing If Kim Pegula were to one day write that so-called owner’s manual, those dialogue. achievements would make for positive chapters. “We’re texting each other on a regular basis, and we’ve seen each other But there have been tough lessons, too. Chief among them: You can’t multiple times now already,” said Krueger, noting that he and McDermott get too distant. share a similar philosophy about building culture on a team based around “This is our family’s legacy,” Pegula said. “This is our family’s communicating “to the point that everybody has the same level of responsibility. This is our role. That means not just letting others do it.” understanding.”

That was a reference to Pegula’s decision in the spring of 2018 to take “We feel totally on the same page as far as what we want to do here in on the team president role for both the Bills and Sabres. That happened Buffalo,” Krueger said, “which is a lot of fun.” after the Pegulas parted ways with longtime executive Russ Brandon, Buffalo News LOADED: 10.14.2019 who left the organization amid allegations of personal misconduct. Brandon is the most prominent and highly placed of at least six executives with whom the Pegulas have parted ways over the last year- and-a-half. For the most part, their positions have gone unfilled.

“I call it not just being owners, but taking ownership of our organizations,” said Pegula. “How do we want to build them going forward? I think I’ve grown in accepting that as the role I’m meant to play. You’ve probably seen that because I haven’t really hired anybody as replacements and that’s because I just felt like, ‘You know what? I’ve never taken the time to really understand our organization, our people, because I was doing it from too high up in the clouds.’ ”

Pegula indicated she is open to filling the vacated C-suite offices at PSE headquarters, but not urgently. “Eventually that process will happen,” she said, “but not this year.”

PSE-related entities employ more than 500 people full-time across sports, hospitality and entertainment holdings in Buffalo, Rochester, Pittsburgh, Nashville and Florida. Pegula’s internal strategy actually 1156959 Calgary Flames And the volume at SAP Center in San Jose was cranked as fans welcomed home franchise all-timer Patrick Marleau, skating on home-ice for the first time since re-signing with Team Teal earlier in the week. The 40-year-old Marleau, who spent two decades with the Sharks before two Talbot loses first start in Flames drop to host Sharks seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, received a standing ovation — followed by chants of ‘Patty! Patty!’ — during the first TV timeout.

Good luck, goalie. Wes Gilbertson And then this … Published:October 14, 2019 Just three minutes after the anthems Sunday, Sharks captain Logan Updated:October 14, 2019 12:06 AM MDT Couture faked out Lindholm in the corner and funnelled a pass toward the front of the net.

SAN JOSE — This isn’t how Cam Talbot would have dreamed it up. There, the puck ricocheted off the toe of Meier’s left skate and squeaked inside the far post. The summer free-agent signing had been waiting patiently for his formal introduction as the new backup netminder for the Calgary Flames. Talbot, with plenty to prove after his worst winter in the NHL, was briefly saddled with a .000 save percentage for the new season. Finally, his first start. The 32-year-old, to his credit, didn’t seem fazed by that early bummer. Finally, his first shot. San Jose’s other tallies were both beauties — Kevin Labanc’s strike was Unfortunately, his first goal against. a top-shelf sizzler, while Hertl uncorked a one-timer on a two-on-one rush for a second-period shortie. That sequence started when Couture His first win in the Flaming C will have to wait. foreshadowed a bit of fancy from Matthew Tkachuk, picking off his no- Timo Meier’s opening tally was simply a fluke, and certainly nobody look pass attempt. should be pointing fingers at the puck-stopper after Sunday’s 3-1 loss to In between, the Flames’ masked man denied Couture on a breakaway the Sharks in San Jose, but the Flames couldn’t play catch-up on this and kicked aside a wicked shot by Labanc on a man-advantage, the night. highlights of his 17 stops. “Stop the next one — that’s the only thing that can go through your mind “(Talbot) made the saves he needed to make, so that was good to see,” at that point,” Talbot said of surrendering a goal on the first shot of the Peters said. evening. “Just let that one go. There’s nothing you can do about that, it’s just a crazy bounce. So just move on.” Lindholm’s second-period strike came after he won a face-off back to blue-liner TJ Brodie then drifted into the slot and deflected the shot from Just move on. the point. That seemed to be the sentiment as the Flames packed up their gear Next up for the Flames is Tuesday’s date against the Philadelphia Flyers and headed home after Sunday’s loss. at the Saddledome (7 p.m., Sportsnet 360/Sportsnet 960 The Fan). The crew from Calgary managed just one victory on this three-game ICE CHIPS getaway — Thursday’s shootout thriller in Dallas — and now own a 2-3-1 record so far this season. The Flames scratched C Mark Jankowski and D Michael Stone in San Jose. With Jankowski sitting out for the first time this season, F Sam “I thought that was our best game of the road-trip,” Talbot said. “We did a Bennett shifted to the middle of the ice … It was a milestone night for lot of things well but just couldn’t find a way to get one by (Sharks goalie Flames superstar Johnny Gaudreau, who hit the 400-game plateau at Martin) Jones. I thought we battled hard all night and probably deserved hockey’s highest level … Flames first-rounder Jakob Pelletier had an a better result. offensive feast on Thanksgiving Sunday, notching a hat-trick and a pair “Even though it’s not the result we wanted, sometimes you can build off of helpers to lead the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats to a 9-0 rout of the little things that you do throughout a game that can become a positive Saint John Sea Dogs. The 18-year-old Pelletier has 13 points in eight trend for us moving forward. So we have to take those, build off them and outings since being returned to his junior club. move on.” Calgary Sun: LOADED: 10.14.2019 Talbot wasn’t the only guy preaching positive after the Flames were swept on their first back-to-back of the season.

“If we play like that, we’re going to win a lot of games,” said Flames right- winger Elias Lindholm, the only guy to solve former Calgary Hitmen stalwart Jones in his 32-save performance.

“Overall, 60 minutes … We want to win obviously, but I think we were the better team,” echoed alternate captain Mikael Backlund, who fired a game-high six shots on net. “We just didn’t score. We had the chances. And there are going to be nights like that. It’s not like we are happy with it — we lost still, and it’s tough — but I thought it was a well-played game by us.”

This was a tough spot for Talbot, whose last sliver of live action was a pair of periods of pre-season activity more that two weeks ago.

The Flames must have been a bit worn out as they wrapped a three- games-in-four-nights road-trip and were still licking their wounds after Saturday’s 6-2 shellacking from the Vegas Golden Knights and a call-out afterward from their coach. (“Until we start to play hard and play hard for 60 minutes, it’s going to be up in the air all night long or you’re going to get blown out,” bench boss Bill Peters scowled after the loss in Sin City. “We’ve got to develop a little bit of a work ethic here.”)

The Sharks, meanwhile, had some time to steam after struggling to a 1-4 record to start the season. 1156960 Chicago Blackhawks His best save came when he stonewalled Mark Scheifele late in the second period.

It was Crawford’s net by default to start the season, but we’re past that 3 takeaways from the Blackhawks’ 3-2 OT loss to the Jets, including why now. Either Lehner or Crawford will emerge as the de facto starter, which Jonathan Toews has to come out of his slump is what Hawks fans should want.

A situation where neither has won the job means they’re both putting up mediocre numbers. For now, Lehner looked more than strong enough to By JIMMY GREENFIELD keep the net against Connor McDavid and the unbeaten Oilers on Monday night. OCT 13, 2019 | 11:01 AM 3. The second period was miserable again.

Even though the Hawks came out of the second period with a 2-1 lead, it New goalie. New defenseman. Pretty much the same result. was once again a pretty rough period. Sure, the Blackhawks picked up their first point of the season in The Jets outshot the Hawks 11-6 and had the lone goal of the period on Saturday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Jets at the United Center. But even Nikolaj Ehlers’ power-play goal. Coach Jeremy Colliton didn’t try to with Robin Lehner and Calvin de Haan making their debuts, two downplay the importance of putting together better second periods. hallmarks from the first two losses of the season were still painfully visible. “Obviously it’s been three in a row where we haven’t been very good in the second period,” Colliton said. “And to me that’s where you show how A strong first period was followed up by inexplicably weak second and good you are. The best teams, they dominate the second period, and so third periods. it’s a point of emphasis for us. A defensive breakdown in the third period led to a key goal. [Most read] Neighbors and family stunned by shooting of 5 in Dunning: Despite having a pretty good game on the penalty kill, the Hawks allowed ‘You don’t expect to see that. Not when you’re raising a family.’ » a power-play goal for the third straight game. "We’d like to control the tempo of the game and control the territory, out- When the Hawks came home from Prague, they were looking forward to change the other team. That’s where you show how good you are, so a 7-game homestand to hopefully fatten up a bit. Now, they’ve lost the we’re not close to where we want to be in that area.” first two games and the final five will be against teams — the Oilers, Blue Chicago Tribune LOADED: 10.14.2019 Jackets, Capitals, Golden Knights and Flyers — that are a combined 15- 6-3.

Add in the first road game against the Hurricanes following the homestand, and the combined record improves to 20-7-3.

The mantra after the first two losses of the season was "it's still early." Well, it might be later than you think for the Hawks.

[Most read] ‘He gon’ pull through,’ says family of 3-year-old boy critically wounded in South Side shooting »

Here are three takeaways from Saturday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Jets:

1. Jonathan Toews has to end his slow start.

Jonathan Toews hasn’t had a point in three games this season, which is just the second time in his career he’s gone this long to start without at least one point.

Toews is coming off the best season of his career — at least statistically — and the Hawks need him to at least come close to replicating his 35- goal, 81-point season.

At 31, Toews still isn’t anywhere near finished. He remains a workhorse who plays on the penalty kill, the power play and any situation that’s asked of him. But he’s had a hard time meshing with linemates, and, despite having better possession numbers with Alex DeBrincat and Drake Caggiula than he did with Patrick Kane and Alex Nylander, the new line hasn’t produced any offense.

The Toews’ line isn’t alone in being ineffective. The Hawks didn’t score any even-strength goals against a Jets team that lost four vital defensemen during the offseason — Jacob Trouba, Dustin Byfuglien, Tyler Myers and Ben Chiarot — and was using Carl Dahlstrom, a Hawks reject, on its third pairing.

Toews isn’t alone in his struggles, but Toews isn’t just any other player. He has to pick things up for the Hawks to avoid falling further into a hole.

Consider this: Toews had only one three-game stretch without a point last season, and he never went four games without a point.

Getting off the schneid against the unbeaten Oilers on Monday would be a great place to end his scoreless streak.

2. Robin Lehner deserves a 2nd straight start.

If we’re ranking the three Hawks games by goalie starts this season, Robin Lehner easily had the best one in his lone start. He stopped 30 of 33 shots for a .909 save percentage, considerably better than Corey Crawford’s .875 save percentage in his two starts. 1156961 Chicago Blackhawks

Robin Lehner shows he still could be Blackhawks’ X-factor this season

By Ben Pope Oct 13, 2019, 2:49pm CDT

Fittingly, Blackhawks goalie Robin Lehner turned left out of the tunnel Saturday.

The Hawks’ typical route from their locker room to the ice involves turning right when the tunnel reaches the bench because the door in the boards on that side is slightly closer. But Lehner, making his first start for the Hawks, turned left — probably because he didn’t know otherwise but also because that was the more direct route to the goal.

Lehner is mere weeks into his tenure with the Hawks, but it already has become clear that he’s not a traditional goalie, as the left turn exemplified.

He spoke with the media after the morning skate Saturday, something most goalies never do. He has mentioned several times he’s ‘‘not a huge routine guy,’’ an equally odd attribute for the position. Even his netminding style is unconventional, such as when he executed a double- pad stack to rob Jets star Mark Scheifele late in the second period Saturday.

In the end, Lehner’s eccentricity added up to a .909 save percentage (30 saves in 33 shots) in the Hawks’ 3-2 overtime loss to the Jets.

He was spectacular at times, stopping seven of the Jets’ eight high- danger shots, and largely carried the Hawks to overtime after their first- period push faded.

‘‘I felt good,’’ he said. ‘‘I felt like I saw the puck well. I thought [my] rebound control was good.

‘‘The third goal, it just dove on me. He missed his shot. It’s unfortunate. But I thought I made some good saves and felt comfortable.’’

Entering the season, Lehner’s addition to the Hawks — providing not only injury insurance for Corey Crawford but also a true starter-quality presence in goal, even if he’s not a Vezina Trophy finalist again — was arguably the biggest reason for postseason optimism.

The playoffs seem a galaxy away after the Hawks’ sloppy 0-2-1 start, but there’s no reason Lehner still can’t be the X-factor that significantly alters the team’s fate, in spite of their aging core and loose defense. He certainly lived up to expectations Saturday.

‘‘[He] made some big saves for us,’’ coach Jeremy Colliton said. ‘‘He’s a big presence back there. Covers a lot of the net. He was good.’’

The game Monday against the Oilers will be the first time this season the starting-goalie role is meaningful. Crawford’s history with the franchise made it inevitable he’d start the season opener and home opener, so it was logical Lehner would start the first game after those two.

But now the scripting is over. The Hawks’ goalie battle should a meritocracy from now on. (If it isn’t, Colliton will have some serious questions to answer.)

Crawford hasn’t been explicitly bad in his two starts, with his .877 save percentage more a product of poor play in front of him (along with a couple of regrettable goals). But Lehner’s outing Saturday was clearly better than either of Crawford’s games so far.

Lehner, whose bulky 6-4, 240-pound frame fills much of the net even while he’s stationary, has earned the right to start Monday, if the decision is truly performance-based.

With so much about the Hawks in need of immediate repair, giving Lehner the opportunity to run with the starting-goalie role and carry the team out of the NHL’s early-season cellar might be the easiest potential fix of all.

Even if he does turn left out of the tunnel.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156962 Chicago Blackhawks

Chicago faces Edmonton on 3-game losing streak

By Associated Press osted10/14/2019 7:00 AM

Edmonton Oilers (5-0-0, first in the Pacific Division) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (0-2-1, sixth in the Central Division)

Chicago; Monday, 8:30 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Chicago aims to end its three-game slide when the Blackhawks play Edmonton.

Chicago went 36-34-12 overall and 20-21-9 in Western Conference action during the 2018-19 season. Goalies for the Blackhawks compiled an .898 save percentage while giving up 3.3 goals on 34.6 shots per game last season.

Edmonton went 21-24-5 in Western Conference games and 17-19-5 on the road during the 2018-19 season. Goalies for the Oilers allowed 3.1 goals on 31.5 shots per game last season.

The matchup Monday is the first meeting of the season between the two teams.

Blackhawks Injuries: Calvin de Haan: day to day (lower body).

Oilers Injuries: Josh Archibald: out (illness), Alex Chiasson: day to day (illness).

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156963 Chicago Blackhawks They can still have a solid defensive third line by slotting Drake Caggiula in with Kampf and Kubalik. Allow them to deal with the other teams' top line, and then Toews, Kane and Saad can overwhelm their weaker players. Saad deserves a bigger role with Chicago Blackhawks And it needs to start against the undefeated Edmonton Oilers on Monday. Or this season might soon turn into an overwhelming mess.

John Dietz Scouting report

Updated10/13/2019 9:23 PM Blackhawks vs. Edmonton Oilers at United Center, 7:30 p.m.

TV: NBC SportsChicago • Radio: WGN 720-AM

Imagine if Joe Maddon batted Kris Bryant or Anthony Rizzo sixth in the The skinny: The Oilers made NHL history by falling behind in their first order the last few years. five games of the season and coming back to win them all. "It's nice to be 5-0, but we have to keep getting better," Connor McDavid told reporters Or if Matt Nagy didn't play WR Allen Robinson on first down. after a 4-1 victory at the Rangers on Saturday. McDavid leads the Oilers Or if Phil Jackson had played Dennis Rodman 25 minutes a game. with 12 points, while linemate Leon Draisaitl has 11. They've both scored four times. ... Jonathan Toews has yet to record a point, tying his longest Fans and media members would have been perplexed, to say the least. drought to open a season with the 2009-10 campaign. He recorded an assist in the Hawks' fourth game that season and scored in a shootout This brings us to the very interesting case of the Blackhawks' Brandon that lasted nine rounds. Andrew Ladd finally ended the contest by Saad. beating Avs goalie Craig Anderson. ... The Hawks won the last meeting The way the Hawks' coaching staff used their $6 million forward in losses between the teams 6-2 in February by scoring 5 straight goals in the third to the Flyers, Sharks and Jets was … well, perplexing. period. ...

Saad saw less than 13 minutes of ice time in the first two games while Daily Herald Times LOADED: 10.14.2019 skating on the third line and got exactly 1 second of power-play time. His ice time increased to 16:06 in Saturday's 3-2 OT loss to Winnipeg, but he remained in a third-line role with David Kampf and Dominik Kubalik.

Enough.

Saad, while inconsistent at times, is one of the Hawks' best overall players and he deserves to be treated as such.

The power-play snub in the first two games was mind-boggling, especially when you consider Alex Nylander -- who has all of 21 games of NHL experience -- was on the second unit instead of Saad.

"I've always kind of played all kinds of special teams," said Saad, who scored a short-handed goal in the first period against the Jets. "I feel like I can contribute on the power play and penalty kill and at even strength. That's the type of player I want to be.

"At the end of the day, ultimately it's not my decision."

While talking to Jonathan Toews on Saturday, I said it seems like Saad is someone you'd want on one of the two power-play units.

Here was the captain's response: "I totally agree. I guess it's tough. You've got Brent Seabrook, who's got a (heck of a) shot. Duncan Keith, multi-Norris (Trophy) winner. I'd like to play (Patrick Kane's) spot on the power play too.

"We went through some power-play woes the last few years and this look (on the first unit) we have has been clicking. It's just sometimes it's hard. Saader always stays positive, even though he knows in a lot of cases he should be getting more opportunities."

With Nylander a healthy scratch, Saad was on the second unit Saturday and got 92 seconds of power-play time.

Coach Jeremy Colliton has chosen to deploy Saad in more of a defensive role, and he's definitely done his job with Kampf and Kubalik. No line has been more consistent through the first three games.

"He's going to carry a heavier load on the PK (penalty kill)," Colliton said "And the Kampf line can be a group that helps tilt the ice for us (as they play) against the other team's top lines. …

"He's a guy that seems to be able to produce no matter who he plays with. That's a real nice weapon for us. We can sprinkle him throughout the lineup and he's still going to contribute offensively."

But Saad deserves to be more than "sprinkled" throughout the lineup. As a consistent 20-goal scorer, the eight-year veteran should be on the ice for 17-19 minutes a game.

With Toews and Kane struggling to find consistency, it's time to move Saad up to play with them. The Hawks don't have the luxury to spread out their lines the way they did when Marian Hossa, Patrick Sharp, Brad Richards, Andrew Shaw, Antoine Vermette and others were wreaking havoc in 2015. 1156964 Chicago Blackhawks The problem is they don't have time to waste because the conference gets away quickly these days and two games into a seven-game homestand the Hawks have to get it going.

Rozner: Blackhawks' Colliton finding his voice "We haven't quite decided yet that we're willing to do the right thing every time, every shift for 60 minutes. That's what the teams do that have success," Colliton said. "No one's perfect. We're not gonna be perfect. We're gonna make mistakes, but the mistakes we make have to have the Barry Rozner right intention to do the right thing." Updated10/13/2019 5:45 PM Colliton is sending the correct message both publicly and in the dressing room.

It was not the easiest of spots Jeremy Colliton walked into last season. How the team responds is up to the players. And those who don't respond properly might just find themselves watching from the press box. Replacing a Hall of Fame coach with a veteran core and a group that couldn't locate its own netminder -- while trying to introduce a new In that regard, Jeremy Colliton seems to have found his voice. system during the season -- he had his hands full. Daily Herald Times LOADED: 10.14.2019 Colliton was also careful to quietly establish his own presence behind the bench and in the locker room, moving slowly and creating trust with his players.

It was smart to tread lightly considering the circumstances, but there is little question now that he's in charge.

It's evident in many ways, including how quickly he yanked Alex Nylander and Slater Koekkoek from the lineup, a wise choice given how poorly they played in the home opener Thursday, and his decision to promote or demote players based on performance, not on salary, reputation or popularity.

But it's also easy to see in his postgame remarks, where he has opened two consecutive pressers at home with comments rather than wait for questions.

"I would have liked us to respond a little better to the adversity that we faced because we're gonna face a lot this year, so that's a bit of a message to the team," Colliton said Thursday night, minus prompting. "We've got to do the things we talk about for 60 (minutes). We have a good enough team and good enough players."

When asked how he would implement that sense of urgency, Colliton said, "Oh, we have it. We're not happy with the result. We're not happy with the effort over 60 minutes, and I expect we'll respond."

The Hawks did respond with their best period of the year Saturday, a terrific opening 20 minutes against Winnipeg, followed by another dreadful second period.

"I thought it was a better effort overall. The first period was closer to what it should look like," Colliton said Saturday night. "Second period, we seemed to be late to a lot of situations and they were able to tilt the game on us. Third period was better.

"As I said to the team, we need to find a way to play that style and energy and pace of the first 20 minutes. We need to extend that to 60 and then I think we'll be in good shape.

"It's a mini-step forward."

But that miserable middle stanza.

"It's been three (games) in a row where we haven't been very good in the second period and to me that's where you show how good you are. The best teams dominate the second period," Colliton said. "It's a point of emphasis for us.

"We'd like to control the tempo of the game and control the territory and out-change the other team. We're not close to where we want to be in that area."

If you're already bored by the head coach saying his team needs a 60- minute effort, get used to it because this is the theme until it isn't.

The Hawks played about 20 minutes in the opener in Prague, 30 minutes against San Jose in the home opener and close to 40 minutes in Game 3 Saturday, which ended in an overtime loss to Winnipeg.

At 0-2-1 it's not easy to see, but this is a better Hawks roster -- more physical, faster and with better defenders -- capable of playing good hockey.

With so many changes, not to mention injured players just entering the lineup, and the search for line combos and defensive pairs, it's a work in progress. 1156965 Colorado Avalanche

Washington reunion for Avalanche’s Philipp Grubauer and Andre Burakovsky

By MIKE CHAMBERS | October 13, 2019 at 5:48 PM

WASHINGTON — In obscure roles, Philipp Grubauer and Andre Burakovsky helped the Washington Capitals win the Stanley Cup in 2018. Grubauer finished as the Caps’ backup goaltender after he started the first two playoff games. And Burakovsky was a depth winger, playing in 13 of 24 playoff games.

On Monday, they return to Washington as front-line players for the 4-0 Avalanche. Grubauer is Colorado’s clear-cut No. 1 goalie and will make his fourth start. And Burakovsky is one of the Avs’ top-six wingers and has scored a goal in each of his past two games, including a game- winner in overtime to defeat Arizona at the Pepsi Center Saturday night.

He’s off to a good start with the Avs, with four points in four games.

“I wouldn’t consider myself a hero,” Burakovsky said after Saturday’s win that gave Colorado a sweep of its season-opening, four-game homestand. “This was a team effort. It wasn’t my prettiest game but it was nice to get on the board and get the team a win. We stuck with it.”

He added: “The last two games haven’t been the prettiest but this team has the character to stick with it and get wins anyway. We’re going to learn from this and keep going. There’s always going to be games where we need to be more careful with puck and (Saturday) was one of those nights.”

Footnotes. Colorado rookie Cale Makar is the first defenseman in franchise history to produce points in each of his first four career regular- season games. Makar, who made his NHL debut with the Avs last spring in the playoffs, is tied with center Nathan MacKinnon with a team-high five assists. … The Caps are beginning a three-game homestand and playing a Central Division opponent for the third consecutive game. They split a two-game road trip last week, losing 6-5 at Nashville before winning 4-1 at Dallas.…The Avs didn’t practice or have media availability Sunday before departing for Washington.

Denver Post: LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156966 Colorado Avalanche second child. The whirlwind of change hasn’t always been easy, but Bellemare’s perspective allows for a level-head. It’s similar to the clarity he feels each time he skates into the circle.

Why Avs’ newcomer Pierre-Edouard Bellemare thrives in faceoff circle “It just makes me appreciate it even more,” Bellemare said. “Every change in an organization, when you get older, you don’t know how long you’re going to play hockey. So, you enjoy it and try to make the most of every day. By KYLE FREDRICKSON | PUBLISHED: October 13, 2019 at 6:00 am | UPDATED: October 13, 2019 at 11:36 am “Those are only good problems. I can’t complain at all.”

THE BELLY FILE

Avalanche fourth-line center Pierre-Edouard Bellemare skates into the What you need to know about Avalanche fourth-line center Pierre- faceoff circle with a simple goal of securing the puck before his opponent. Edouard Bellemare — nicknamed “Belly” — as he embarks on his first NHL season with Colorado. Easy enough, right? Age: 34 Wrong. Home country: France “It takes technique, but it also takes a lot of experience and studying,” Bellemare said. “It’s the way you place yourself, the way you put your Size: 6-feet, 198 pounds hands, the body language of the opponent, his habits, which referee it is and where they drop the puck; because some drop it in different areas Career path: 2003-06 — Rouen (France); 2006-14 — Leksands than others. IF/Skelleftea AIK (Sweden); 2014-17 — Philadelphia Flyers; 2017-19 — Vegas Golden Knights; 2019 — Avalanche “There’s way more to it than trying to win a stick battle.” Notable: Bellemare scored 64 goals and 125 points over 238 career Extreme attention to detail earned Bellemare a reputation for faceoff games in European leagues … At age 29, he became the ninth French- excellence, and the Avs are hoping he shores up a team weakness. The born player ever to reach the NHL. … Selected by the Golden Knights in Avs signed Bellemare on a two-year deal as an unrestricted free agent the 2017 NHL expansion draft and recorded his best offensive NHL from the Golden Knights after he posted faceoff-win percentages of 54.7 season to date with 16 points (six goals and 10 assists). … Bellemare’s and 51.2 in each of his past two seasons — marks that would have led sister, Rose-Eljandre, represented France at the 2008 Summer Olympics all current Avalanche players over the same span. as an artistic gymnast.

Lack of consistency winning faceoffs has plagued Colorado through its Denver Post: LOADED: 10.14.2019 recent resurgence. Collectively, the Avs ranked No. 26 last season (48.1) and No. 31 the year before (44.2) among all NHL teams.

“His role on our team is something we’ve been lacking the last couple of years,” coach Jared Bednar said. “A sturdy, physical guy who has great defending details that can win draws on the penalty kill. That’s something that we needed in our bottom-six and he takes a lot of pride in that. His leadership skills are another thing we really liked about his recent past.”

Bellemare’s hockey journey has been unconventional. He spent his first seven seasons between French and Swedish professional leagues before making his NHL debut at age 29 for the Flyers. More curious, though, is how he wound up as a faceoff specialist.

Bellemare had a basic understanding of faceoffs throughout his hockey life as a forward, but he didn’t fully embrace the art until he was ready to make the leap to the NHL from the Swedish Elite League. The craziest part? It started with a mistake.

The hockey stick maker CCM had sent Bellemare the wrong sticks — “They were ridiculously big,” he said — after Bellemare had accidentally left tape wrapped around the blade which was molded for his new sticks. Bellemare’s goalie-esque paddles weren’t legal for play, although they did spark an idea among teammates and coaches that eventually stuck.

“Everybody said I could be a perfect faceoff guy,” Bellemare said, “and I actually started doing them.”

He made the shift to full-time center several weeks later and has stuck with the position through the entirety of his six-year NHL career in which he has won 1,800 faceoffs over 388 games entering the Avs’ Saturday night game.

Bellemare scored a goal in consecutive outings against the Wild and Bruins this season but he has been slow to start from the circle, winning 17-of-41 faceoffs (41.5) through three games. When the Avs require a strong-handed lefty to win his matchup at key moments, though, the coaching staff is willing to play Bellemare situationally to keep puck possession.

“In the first two games I’ve had a couple centermen out on the ice (together) on some draws in the D-zone at what I consider important times of the game,” Bednar said. “I don’t like mixing up lines and putting two centermen out there at a time when we have some flexibility. … But it’s something for sure we’re going to protect ourselves with when we need to.”

Bellemare, 34, checks in as the oldest Avalanche player. A few days before making the move to Colorado, his wife, Hannah, gave birth to their 1156967 Colorado Avalanche Having Backstrom and Wilson around proved to be a crucial piece in Burakovsky’s life.

“Obviously, I got a lot of help from Backstrom. I lived with him and his Andre Burakovsky just picked a hell of a time to come back and face the family for three months,” Burakovsky said. “Then after that, I became Capitals really close with Tom Wilson during rookie camp. We were roommates there and became really close friends. Having him around too, someone you know and someone you’ve been spending time before you get up there obviously helped. It was a good time.” By Ryan S. Clark Oct 13, 2019 What’s the biggest takeaway Burakovsky will have from his five years

with the Capitals? It’s friendships. CENTENNIAL, Colo. — Going to the MedStar Georgetown Children’s Burakovsky said he grew extremely close with players such as Hospital had a greater impact on Andre Burakovsky beyond handing Backstrom, John Carlson, Christian Djoos, Brooks Orpik, Jakub Vrana Christmas gifts to children and spending time with them. and Wilson during his time with the Capitals. Every one of those annual visits during his five-year tenure with the “I was there for five years and you get close with some guys,” Washington Capitals further cements why he considers the nation’s Burakovsky said. “There are some guys in that locker room in D.C. that I capital a second home. Furthermore, he views D.C. as the place where became really, really good friends that I am going to be friends with he came of age after spending his childhood in Sweden. forever that I still talk to every day.” “In the beginning, it was something really new,” Burakovsky said. “I His feelings and sentiments also extend to Capitals fans as well. moved (to the United States) when I was 18 and before that I wasn’t really anything. I had some talent and I worked hard from home in “There’s always going to be ups and downs. There’s always the nice fans Sweden and that was about it. It wasn’t like people wanted to take that really love you that I have a lot of respect for,” he said. “There’s also pictures with me and stuff like that. going to be other people, too, that don’t like you. But I think overall in D.C., it was a lot of people that really liked me as a person and as a “It was a big step moving over and going through all that and you realize player and I really appreciate that. I thank them all for supporting me for that you mean something for other people.” all those years.” Fully understanding why Burakovsky feels this way requires knowing The Capitals have shown through social media they are still passionate more about him and his journey. Sweden was the only place he ever and supportive of Burakovsky even though he is in another city. knew before coming to North America in 2013 as a first-round draft pick with the Capitals. Why is that?

Going to the Capitals did more than just fulfill an NHL dream. Those “He’s always been there for the community,” said Avalanche goaltender development and rookie camps are where he first met one of his future Philipp Grubauer, who also played with Burakovsky when they were with teammates in Tom Wilson, who soon became one of Burakovsky’s best the Capitals. “He’s always been there for his teammates. He showed up friends. Reaching the NHL allowed him to learn from experienced figures on the ice and played really well for us. Obviously, performance on the such as countryman Nicklas Backstrom. ice plays a huge factor into it.”

He received the chance to connect with fans on a more personal level Burakovsky said he got involved because he wanted to give something to while also having the honor to be in the company of actual royalty to a community that openly supported the Capitals and felt the need to raise social awareness about an issue Burakovsky saw some of his show an appreciation for their dedication. friends struggle with firsthand. Especially when it came to setting an example for young children. And of course, there is winning the Stanley Cup in 2018. “You always want to give back to those people and put a nice smile on But this was still a place Burakovsky had to leave. Even he admitted he their face,” he said. “We always went to a lot of hospital visits for kids and did not have “a great feeling” about himself in Washington as it related to that was always a great day. You walked out of there with a smile on receiving more opportunities. It is what led to him being traded to the your face. They were all sick kids but they were all so happy. You just get Colorado Avalanche. The belief is the Avs can provide Burakovsky with so positive being around them.” the time needed that could see him further tap into the potential that eluded him in sequences with the Capitals. Connecting with area youth was one way Burakovsky was active in the community. There was also the time he set aside when it came to These days, he is getting those chances as a second-line winger with anything involving Sweden. three points through four games. He warmly discussed how every year the team held a Swedish Heritage Scratch that. Burakovsky is making a difference throughout Jared Night, which allowed him, Backstrom and Djoos a chance to spend time Bednar’s lineup by scoring game-winning goals in consecutive outings with fans who were either from and/or had family with ancestral roots such as Saturday in a 3-2 overtime win against the Arizona Coyotes at from the nation. the Pepsi Center. His three points have also played a part in the Avalanche catapulting to a 4-0 start. Burakovsky certainly felt a sense of national pride when he, Backstrom and Djoos were invited to the Swedish Embassy and they met Her This is Burakovsky’s role as he returns Monday to the Capital One Arena Majesty Queen Silvia for a benefit dinner dedicated toward helping youth to face the Capitals for the first time since the trade. to avoid drug abuse.

“I’m just trying to focus on what we have here,” Burakovsky said of his “I have friends that I grew up with that were definitely on the wrong path return. “It doesn’t matter really who we play. Obviously, it is going to be with drugs,” Burakovsky said. “That’s something you want to help with fun to play against my teammates back in Washington. It’s going to be a and want to help them get out of that.” little nervous. It’s going to be a lot of fun to get back there. I really love the city and I really love my teammates. It’s going to be a lot of fun to go What is it like to be in that moment? How do you go about championing back and play those guys.” something so personal while also keeping perspective you are doing it next to the queen? Attempting to make the transition from living and playing in Sweden to a different culture let alone the style of hockey became a challenge for There must surely be some surreal feeling that comes with it. Unless Burakovsky. His first North American season came months after he was Burakovsky spends more time with members of the Swedish Royal drafted when he joined the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League. Family than most realize.

The 41 goals and 87 points Burakovsky produced in 57 games led to him “I wouldn’t say I am used to hanging out with royalty,” he said. “I met her starting the next year in the AHL with the for a 13-game once and that’s something cool, too. Not every 24-year-old in Sweden is stint before being called up to the Capitals. able to meet the queen and have a conversation with her. That was really cool.” Everything Burakovsky experienced with the Capitals has led him to this place in his life. He’s part of an Avalanche team expected to challenge for the Stanley Cup starting this year with the expectation it could be that way for several seasons to come.

Bednar has consistently shown Burakovsky a sense of faith throughout training camp and the regular season. He filled in on the top line for Mikko Rantanen while the forward was sorting out a new contract with the organization. Rantanen’s return saw him move to the second line.

Burakovsky opened the season next to Tyson Jost and Nazem Kadri on the second unit in the season opener against the Calgary Flames until he was moved to the third line in favor of Joonas Donskoi.

That decision was short-lived. Bednar reinstated Burakovsky to the second line where he formed a partnership with Donskoi and Kadri over the last two games.

“I feel like he’s the kind of guy who can win the game for us,” Donskoi said of Burakovsky. “He’s always sniffing out the scoring chances and even after the first day of training camp, you can see he wants to score goals and he wants to be a difference-maker. I think he’s been great, the last two games especially.

What does Bednar have to say about Burakovsky?

“He’s a got a great skill set. He can skate. He can see the ice,” Bednar said after the win over the Coyotes. “He was making plays early in the first period and finding the puck. He knows how to expose teams. He’s in tune with the pre-scout and places where we can attack. I’ve liked his game for the most part. … When you can skate and make plays and committed to checking, I am going to like you and that’s what he’s been doing for us.”

Grubauer, who received a warm reception when he returned last season, hopes Burakovsky receives a similar experience for all of the things he did while he was with the Capitals.

The Avalanche’s trip to Washington is the first of a six-game road trip that starts with four games on the East Coast against the Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins, Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning.

Considering Burakovsky is off to such a strong start, this first game becomes an even more intriguing homecoming.

“I hope he can keep it up,” Donskoi said. “I know he is excited and the next game has been marked up in his calendar for a long time and that’s going to be exciting.”

The Athletic LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156968 Columbus Blue Jackets 2) Just rewards Tortorella was also happy to see the Jackets’ second and third goals

scored by Bjorkstrand, who tied it 2-2 in the second period, and Dubois, Blue Jackets | CBJ vs. Hurricanes 3-2-1 breakdown who scored the game-winner early in the third.

Bjorkstrand finished with the goal and a plus-2 rating, along with two shots and four attempted shots. Dubois packed the stat sheet with his Brian Hedger goal, a plus-1 rating, three shots, six attempts, four hits, one takeaway and one block. Oct 13, 2019 at 8:43 AM “It’s nice to see (Bjorkstrand) get rewarded, because I think he’s been

one of the stronger players on the puck,” Tortorella said. “I thought (he) RALEIGH, N.C. – The look on Markus Nutivaara’s face said it all. and (Dubois) were two of our stronger players on the puck, so for both of them to get rewarded is very important.” It was one of happiness, but also relief. Dubois’ night was even more impressive considering his individual “I mean, just look at the guys,” he said, glancing around the Blue Jackets’ matchup against Jordan Staal, the Hurricanes’ top center. victorious locker room following an impressive 3-2 victory Saturday night against the Carolina Hurricanes. “Everybody’s so happy and relieved and “That’s as strong as I’ve seen (Dubois) play in quite a while, consistently stuff like that. And, of course, they had the streak going on, so we wanted through the game,” Tortorella said. “He was concentrating. That’s a tough to cut that down. So, that felt good.” matchup. It’s a good matchup for us and I think (Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour) wanted that matchup, so we just stayed right with it. That’s Ah, yes, the streak. a tough one and I thought he handled himself very well.”

This may be a good point to mention the Hurricanes’ franchise-record 3) Finishing school five-game winning streak to start the season, which the Jackets brought to an unceremonious end. Columbus made Carolina’s “white out” t-shirt Cam Atkinson led all players with seven shots on goal, but couldn’t get giveaway night fade to black with a 35-32 shot advantage, a 30-save one past James Reimer – including two high-danger chances alone in performance by goalie Joonas Korpisalo and goals by Nutivaara, Oliver front of the net 35 seconds into the second period. Bjorkstrand and Pierre-Luc Dubois. That sequence fit right into a “trouble finishing” narrative that has vexed Also, the Blue Jackets came into the game with a 1-3-0 record. We the Blue Jackets thus far. The night didn’t get any better for Atkinson, but should mention that too, because they lost two of those games despite it did for the Jackets, especially Bjorkstrand and Dubois. playing pretty well – including a 2-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Friday Bkorkstrand’s shot was a laser from the slot, which he fired with a wrist in Columbus. shot after circling behind the net and dragging the puck out front. The This season is still in its infancy, but the Jackets needed this result. They puck beat Reimer over the left shoulder and under the crossbar for his needed to see the puck go into the net more than a couple times and second goal of the season. they needed to bump their record up to 2-3-0, avoiding another back-to- Dubois, though, had the goal of the game. back sweep. After clanking a shot off the crossbar on a power play with 4:42 left in the “Well, I look at our work week coming up here,” coach John Tortorella second, keeping the game knotted 2-2, the third-year center roasted said of having three days off before facing the Dallas Stars on Reimer for a 3-2 lead just 1:15 into the third. While holding off Brock Wednesday. “I feel a lot better about what we’re going to get out of them McGinn’s attempt to check him, the powerful pivot used a forehand- with a win under their belt instead of being (1-4-0) early on in the season backhand move to flip the puck into the net for his second goal in as and coming to work on Monday. They should feel good about many days. themselves. Everybody contributed.” “To be honest, I didn’t really know what to do,” Dubois said. “I was just Here is a 3-2-1 breakdown of a big night for the Blue Jackets in North going to wait to see what the goalie was going to do. He kind of gave me Carolina ... three takeaways, two questions and one more thing to know: the backhand, so I went with that.” Three takeaways Dubois also scored the lone goal in the loss to Anaheim, sending a shot 1) What a weekend from the left wing past Ryan Miller off a sharp-angle for his first goal of the season. Korpisalo showed why general manager Jarmo Kekalainen put his faith in him as one of the first options to replace Sergei Bobrovsky. “I’ve played enough games in this league to know that, sometimes you finish a game and think, ‘I should have finished with three goals tonight or After making 21 saves against 23 shots against Anaheim, he got back in two goals,’ and then in two weeks, you’ll play a game and take two shots net 24 hours later and made 30 saves on 32 shots against the that will hit two skates and go in and you’ll have two goals,” he said. “It’s Hurricanes – arguably the NHL’s hottest team. funny to say, but a lot of this league is karma. It’s just staying with it and you’ll get bounces. It evens out as it goes along.” It wasn’t just the quantity of saves, either. Two questions Korpisalo made at least two stick and blocker saves that were difficult stops and kept a tying goal out of the net in the third with a fantastic right 1) What was with the high flips out of the defensive zone? pad save. A point blast deflected off teammate Alexander Wennberg in the slot, slightly changing direction, but Korpisalo stayed with it and The NHL is a fast league. The Hurricanes are a fast team that plays fast, kicked it away. even by NHL standards, intentionally creating havoc by getting on opposing defensemen during forechecks. “He was amazing,” Nutivaara said. “Every time (your) goalie plays (well) or makes a game-saver, like that one – I don’t know who tipped that, but The Blue Jackets felt one way to combat that pace, aside from picking up that was a nice-looking save – it makes the whole group stand up more. their own speed, was to play it safe and chip or flip pucks over the It helps a lot.” Hurricanes’ heads. It was an effective strategy.

Tortorella was impressed too. “They’re really good at forechecking, getting in your face and getting on your (defensemen), so our (defensemen) did a really good job of reading “He looked confident and made a couple key saves at key times,” the play,” Dubois said. “When they had to make a pass, they made it, but Tortorella said of Korpisalo. “I thought our guys did a pretty good job in when they just had to chip it or high flip it, they made the right play.” front of him, as far as not allowing rebounds. We had some good sticks to keep things away, so it was a good game for us.” It’s not the way Nutivaara or the rest of the Jackets’ puck-moving defensemen prefer to play, but they stuck to the game plan. Korpisalo has started the past three games. He posted a 1-1-0 record with a 2.03 goals-against average and .927 save percentage in his back- “I think we knew what (was) coming,” Nutivaara said. “They always play to-back starts this weekend. that fast, bouncy, 50-50 pucks (style). It’s kind of annoying when you’re a (defenseman) and you’ve got to make sure (you get it out) every time. I think we were ready and it worked out really well.”

2) Can three lines work long-term?

One early trend through the first five games is the lack of ice time for the young fourth-line forwards.

Riley Nash is being used about 10 minutes per game, including some key shifts in the third period, but guys like Sonny Milano and rookies Emil Bemstrom and Jakob Lilja are watching a lot more than playing – especially in the third.

Bemstrom has logged less than 10 minutes in three of five games, including 9:05 against the Hurricanes, while Lilja has only logged one game with more than 10 minutes. He skated 8:43 against Carolina, while Milano logged 7:31 and hasn’t reached the 10-minute mark in any of his three games.

The issue is Tortorella’s trust level in tight games. The Blue Jackets have played all but two opponents close, by score anyway, which means there are less opportunities to send inexperienced players over the boards, particularly in the third.

The questions, then, are how long it will take for them to build up more trust with Tortorella and how long the Jackets can stay afloat while leaning heavily on their top nine?

Tortorella wants to play his fourth line more, but they must also force his hand. It’s a two-way street.

One more thing to know

The past couple years, the Blue Jackets have played the Hurricanes at PNC Arena just a few hours after North Carolina State’s men’s team hosted a game there.

The ice was a sloppy mess for those games and it showed. This time, that wasn’t the case. The men’s basketball season doesn’t open until later this month, so the building was cold and the ice was smooth.

“It was actually pretty slippery,” Nutivaara said. “It’s kind of different from our home ice, so it takes time to get used to it. It’s stickier (at home). I like that one, too, but this one was way more slippery.”

Slippery is a good thing for . The puck slides easier and stays flatter on “slippery” ice, which seemed to help both teams play a cleaner, more enjoyable game to watch.

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156969 Detroit Red Wings Thinking of Jimmy D Blashill and everyone in the Wings’ organization was thinking of Jimmy

Devellano, the long-time front office executive, after Saturday's game. Red Wings get a boost from ‘big, strong, heavy’ fourth line Devellano, 76, is having surgery Monday for a non-cancerous brain tumor.

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit NewsPublished 4:05 p.m. ET Oct. 13, 2019 Devellano, a member of hockey’s Hall of Fame, was owner Mike Ilitch’s first hire in 1982 as a general manager and was a key part of the Wings’ four Stanley Cups (1997, 1998, 2002, 2008) as either GM or senior vice- president. Detroit – The Red Wings are off to western Canada for a three-game trip, knowing they have another line helping out with secondary scoring. He is currently a senior-vice president and alternate governor in the Wings' front office. The line of Darren Helm, Jacob de la Rose and Justin Abdelkader, expected to be more of a grinding, physical line, has provided some “I just want to pass along my thoughts, certainly my prayers are with unexpected offense – without losing any grit. Jimmy Devellano for a successful surgery,” Blashill said. “I hope in a month from now, it’s not a big deal at all. But, obviously, anytime Helm and de la Rose each scored a goal, and Abdelkader assisted on anybody goes under surgery, there are certain risks. I’ve been thinking both, in Saturday’s 5-2 loss against Toronto. about Jimmy the last few days here. He’s a great man, a great Red Wing, So, while the line of Tyler Bertuzzi, and Anthony Mantha and has been a great mentor for me.” has accounted for the vast majority of the Wings’ offense, the much- Detroit News LOADED: 10.14.2019 needed offense is arriving from another source.

“They’ve had three games in a row where they’ve been big, strong, heavy and created scoring chances,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “I don’t know if I knew how good Abby (Abdelkader) played in the Anaheim game until I went back and watched the tape. He set up a number of opportunities up front.

“That’s why I started them in Montreal and that’s why I started them (Saturday). They’ve been a real good line for us the last little bit and they can continue to be. You got a line with Larkin that’s really clicking, you got a line with de la Rose, Helm and Abby that is clicking. We need to keep finding chemistry on the other lines.”

The way the de la Rose line plays, with a strong emphasis on forechecking, physical play and a strong work ethic, should be sustainable, and not be prone to slumps.

“They understand how they’re going to be successful,” Blashill said. “They’re a group that wants to put pucks behind people, want to forecheck hard, and they want to be physical, get to the net.

“It’s repeatable and that line can be a successful line for us.”

The success of the line hasn’t surprised de la Rose, who ended a 38- game goal-less drought with his Saturday goal.

“Everybody is buying into who we are and we know what we need to do to be successful as a line,” de la Rose said. “We’re not the most skilled guys on the team, but if we play the right way, we’re going to get chances.

“We’ve been playing good here the last couple games. We have to work hard and play the right way for us to get chances and being physical is part of that.

“We’re similar players, so it’s easier.”

The Larkin line was relatively quiet Saturday, compared to the other games earlier in the week. But Larkin said the de la Rose line lifted the entire team.

“They were our best line. They played hard, scored big goals, they kept it simple,” Larkin said. “They got the puck on the net, supported each other, and they were our best line by far.”

On the road

The Wings traveled to Vancouver Sunday, getting an early start on what’ll be a quick trip of three games in four nights – Vancouver Tuesday, Calgary Thursday and Edmonton Friday.

All three teams have begun the season at least .500 through the first week, with Edmonton a perfect 5-0-0.

The Wings’ trips to western Canada are almost always challenging, and that is likely to be the case again this weeks if Detroit plays like it did against Toronto.

“They (the Leafs) were really competitive, they outworked us,” Blashill said. “We have to make sure we outcompete and outwork teams, and I don’t think – I know – we didn’t outcompete and outwork (Toronto).” 1156970 Detroit Red Wings “I just want to pass along my thoughts, certainly my prayers are with Jimmy Devellano for a successful surgery on Monday,” Blashill said. “I hope in a month from now it’s not a big deal at all, but obviously, anytime anybody goes under surgery, there are certain risks. Been thinking about Red Wings believe fourth line’s chemistry sustainable Jimmy the last few days here; he’s a great man, a great Red Wing and has been a great mentor to me.”

Michigan Live LOADED: 10.14.2019 Posted Oct 13, 2019

By Ansar Khan

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings don’t expect steady offensive contribution from their fourth line, like they have had the past two games.

They will be satisfied with consistent energy from Jacob de la Rose, Darren Helm and Justin Abdelkader, strong forechecking, physical play and offensive zone time without sacrificing defense.

That is what the line provided Saturday, but it wasn’t nearly enough in a 5-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs at Little Caesars Arena, because other lines weren’t clicking.

De la Rose and Helm scored the goals. Abdelkader assisted on both.

“They understand how they’re going to be successful,” coach Blashill said. “They’re a group that wants to put pucks behind people, they want to forecheck hard and they want to be physical and get to the net. I think it’s easily repeatable and that line can be a successful line for us.”

Said Dylan Larkin: “They kept it simple. They got pucks to the net and used each other as support. They were our best line tonight by far.”

Blashill said the fourth line has been “big, strong, heavy” and created scoring chances the past three games.

“I think everybody is buying into who we are and what we need to do to be successful as a line,” de la Rose said. “We’re not the most skilled guys on the team, but if we play the right way, we’re going to get chances.”

That line matched up much of the night against Auston Matthews’ line and did a good job. The Leafs’ support players did all their damage as Ilya Mikheyev and Nicholas Shore each had a goal and an assist, Dymtro Timashov provided two assists and , Jake Muzzin and Trevor Moore scored goals.

“Their forwards outworked us,” Larkin said. “They were working and back-checking and stripping us.”

The Red Wings dropped to 3-2-0. The Leafs (3-2-1) stopped a three- game slide.

“I didn’t think we played our best,” Blashill said. “We have to play better than that.”

Abdelkader, who has struggled the past three seasons, has played better. He’s at his best when he’s the team’s physical catalyst and he delighted the crowd with a big hit on Rasmus Sandin along the boards.

“He’s a big guy and he throws his body around quite a bit and does a good job at it,” Helm said. “It’s important for everybody to do it and he kind of leads the way in that aspect.”

Said Blashill: “He’s had a couple tough years from a production standpoint, but he’s a guy that’s produced offense in the past. I think he’s shown some of those hands here lately. You don’t have to have ‘wow’ skill to score. The highlights are great, but it’s not really how you get lots of production. How you get lots of production is finding your way to that scoring square and scoring goals and that’s what they’ve done.”

Blashill said they must find chemistry with other lines in addition to Larkin’s and de la Rose’s.

That especially holds true for Andreas Athanasiou’s line with Taro Hirose and Luke Glendening.

“They weren’t very good tonight, so yeah, they’re working to find their way,” Blashill said.

Well wishes for Jimmy D

Blashill was among many who have offered well wishes to long-time Red Wings executive and Hall-of-Famer Jimmy Devellano, who is having surgery Monday for a non-cancerous brain tumor. 1156971 Edmonton Oilers Konovalov after MacTavish as coach: seven games, 4-3-0 record, 178 saves on 192 shots (.927 save percentage), 2.35 GAA

Konovalov overall in 2019-20: 11 games, 4-6-0 record, 256 saves on 282 Raphael Lavoie delivers high-octane offence to lead Oilers prospect shots (.908 save percentage), 2.70 GAA performances Konovalov doesn’t have to come over to North America in the fall of 2020, and that may allow the team to suss out Starrett, Wells and Skinner. However, if the Russian stopper posts another strong season in By Allan Mitchell 7h ago the KHL, the team may be tempted to fast-track his progress and bring him to the AHL or NHL in fall 2020.

NCAA Raphael Lavoie was projected as a first-round pick, but he fell to the Edmonton Oilers (No. 38 overall) in the 2019 entry draft. His goal-scoring The college hockey season is just underway and there are indications ability was the main attraction, as he posted 52 goals in his draft year Edmonton has some quality freshman. Mike Kesselring made his debut (including postseason play). For Edmonton’s scouting staff, which chose for by posting five shots on goal to lead the fleet defenceman Philip Broberg in the first round, Lavoie’s fall to the team. Kesselring is an interesting prospect who brings size (6-4, 205 second round was manna from heaven. The Oilers need goal scorers, pounds), skating ability and skill to the game. Described as “raw” on his and Lavoie was one of the best in the draft. draft day, he is making solid progress.

He has hit full stride, scoring at will for the Halifax Mooseheads of the Skyler Brind’Amour is the son of Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod QMJHL. On Oct. 5, he scored 1-1-2 against Baie-Comeau Drakkar, and Brind’Amour and a freshman for Quinnipiac. In the second period of his he followed up with an assist against the Saint John Sea Dogs on second game with the team, Brind’Amour scored his first goal for the Thursday of the following week. He posted 2-1-3 against the Moncton Bobcats. He didn’t make a lot of noise early in his BCHL career, but the Wildcats on Friday and then 2-2-4 against Val-d’Or Foreurs for a week of early NCAA goal may be an indication that Brind’Amour will have a 5-5-10 in four games. His totals so far (10, 7-10-17) have him on a 100- greater immediate impact at the college level. plus-point trajectory. A strong offensive campaign by Lavoie should be considered good news for Oilers fans, and his goal-scoring ability will Phil Kemp of Yale is probably the top player to watch this season among probably be on display in the AHL beginning in 2020-21. Oilers college prospects. He is a top-end defenceman whose shutdown ability is quality (he was on the silver medalist U.S. national team at the Bakersfield 2019 IIHF Junior World Championship) and whose career trajectory suggests he could see the NHL after college. Yale doesn’t play a regular- Kailer Yamamoto didn’t get a chance to show the new management and season game until Nov. 1. coaches of the Edmonton Oilers what he can bring during this fall’s main training camp. A wrist injury required surgery over the summer, and Next week, a complete look at the defence and the Yamamoto didn’t see any preseason action before being sent out to the adjustment to pro hockey for Evan Bouchard and Dmitri Samorukov. AHL Bakersfield Condors. The Athletic LOADED: 10.14.2019 He’s making up for lost time. Last weekend, Yamamoto scored in each of Bakersfield’s games, and on Sunday he followed up with a goal and an assist (now three games, 3-1-4 on the season). Added to his AHL numbers from last year, Yamamoto has scored 13-9-22 in 30 games, which projects to a 29-goal season over 68 games. The Oilers are looking for scoring wingers, and Yamamoto’s performance early in this AHL season will get him noticed. Oilers fans could see him in Edmonton before the end of the NHL season.

Joe Gambardella, who scored 29 goals last season for the Condors, had five shots Sunday and scored a goal. The former UMass-Lowell (NCAA) winger could be in the mix for an NHL recall later in the season.

Fleet rookie pro centre Ryan McLeod scored his first professional goal in the same game. McLeod’s skill set is NHL quality in terms of speed, but he needs to gain experience and prove he can score enough goals to maintain an NHL job. His big-league future, should he make the grade, will be as a two-way centre. The early goal, in his third game of the season, is a positive indicator about his offence.

At the 2019 draft, general manager Ken Holland surprised most Oilers fans when the club grabbed another goalie (Ilya Konovalov) in the third round. He was an older prospect (20 on draft day), played in a quality pro league (KHL) in 2019-20 and at first blush looked poised to push for playing time in North America right away. Because the Oilers already had three goalie prospects under contract for minor-league work (Shane Starrett, Dylan Wells and Stuart Skinner), it appeared to be a case of overkill.

After draft weekend, details began to pour in. Konovalov was under contract to Yaroslavl Lokomotiv for at least 2019-20, and the team’s new coach would be former Oilers coach and general manager Craig MacTavish.

As it turned out, the MacTavish-Konovalov combination didn’t last for long. MacTavish didn’t get a lot of time to install his game plan for Lokotomiv, as he was fired Sept. 24, less than a month after the season got underway. Konovalov struggled badly while MacTavish coached, and his early-season totals were poor. Since the firing, however, the young Russian goalie has turned his season around:

Konovalov with MacTavish as coach: four games, 0-3-0 record, 78 saves on 90 shots (.867 save percentage), 4.48 GAA 1156972 Florida Panthers me but the puck was bobbling a bit, so I had to settle it down then pick my spot.”

Panthers center Mike Hoffman (68) scores the tying goal against the Too soon to panic? Slow-starting Panthers endure shootout losses on Sabres late in the third period Friday night. (Timothy T. Ludwig / USA consecutive nights Today)

With Hoffman scoring and the rest of Florida’s big guns not doing so, Quenneville has moved him onto different lines in trying to get something By George Richards Oct 13, 2019 going.

Hoffman is not alone in playing with a bunch of different partners early on. BUFFALO, N.Y. — This was a weekend of firsts for the Florida Panthers. Spinning the lines First real road trip of a new season with new coach Joel Quenneville behind the bench. First set of games on consecutive nights. First start for Quenneville has never been shy about mixing up his line combinations the young backup goalie. and he got things spinning following a disastrous first period Tuesday against Carolina — and continued shifting things around through the It even turned out to be a weekend for their first go at overtime and the weekend. shootout. They apparently liked it so much on Friday, the Panthers did it again on Saturday. After putting Hoffman with Sasha Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau to try and get the top line going, Quenneville continued trying new For a team with the high expectations of the Panthers, how they reacted combinations Saturday before cycling back to Friday’s starting combo. to these challenges is important. After the game, he said they’ll probably remain together. After the Panthers rallied from a 2-0 third-period deficit Friday in Buffalo Though Hoffman has been one of the top goal producers in the league to grab a point in the standings before losing in a shootout, Vincent early on, both Barkov and Huberdeau — Florida’s top two scorers last Trocheck said getting a win Saturday against the Islanders a “must.” season — have yet to score a goal. “We can’t be losing three or four games in a row,” Trocheck said after the “I have been moving lines around right now and we’re looking for 3-2 shootout loss in Buffalo. “We have to be in must-win, desperation something to click,” Quenneville said. “I’ll take the hit … we know those mode.” guys are going to be fine.” The Panthers did not win on Saturday, losing by an identical 3-2 final Barkov is saying all the right things in front of the cameras and in private, score in a shootout against the Islanders. saying he is not getting frustrated with his lack of scoring so far. Through the first five games, nothing has been handed to the Panthers, He has been seen having on-ice conversations with Quenneville during who have the same record (1-2-2) last year’s Florida team did at this practices; after Friday’s morning skate at KeyBank Center, Barkov stayed time. behind and was still working out long after his teammates headed back to There does not seem to be any level of panic to this Florida team, which the team hotel. is going through some growing pains right now. Barkov has gone three games this season without a point, including the Their two top point producers from last season have yet to score a goal, first two on this road trip. Barkov has three points in the first five games but the team’s defensive play is improving all while their puck protection after setting a franchise record with 96 points last season. How many and possession continue to be a work in progress. points did Barkov have at this point last year? Five.

The goaltending has been pretty strong — especially in these first two “I need to be more ready when I’m in the situations where I can score a games of a three-game road trip, which concludes Monday afternoon in goal,” Barkov said. “Be a little sharper making the last pass. It has Newark against the New Jersey Devils. something to do with luck as well, but I just need to not get frustrated and work for it, work as hard as I can and believe I will score in that next On Friday night, Sergei Bobrovsky was terrific in keeping the Panthers game, on that next shift. It will come.” close. Barkov isn’t the only Florida forward struggling to find the back of the net. Florida trailed 1-0 late in the second and then 2-0 early in the third before Evgenii Dadonov got on the board with 13:45 left. Huberdeau added another assist Saturday with a pretty drop pass to feed Dadonov on the game-tying goal and has five points but no goals. Mike Hoffman tied it and ensured at least a point in the standings with his big shot from the right circle with 10.5 seconds remaining in regulation Trocheck scored on a short-handed chance in the opener for his lone and Florida bringing an all-out assault in the Buffalo zone. goal of the season.

On Saturday, the Panthers took the initial lead on a goal from Denis Dadonov, meanwhile, bounced back from seeing diminished playing time Malgin and took a 1-0 lead to the dressing room after a strong opening against Carolina on Tuesday by scoring three goals in as many games. period. Florida “got too cute” in a second period dominated by the Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky makes a save on Sabres left wing Islanders, who scored twice and went to the third with a 2-1 lead. Jimmy Vesey during the second period Friday. (Timothy T. Ludwig / USA The Panthers tied it in the third on another Dadonov tally, but again, the Today) Panthers could not score in overtime or in the shootout, leading to The Bob and Monty Show another loss. As expected, the Panthers are getting pretty good goaltending. Here is what we saw from the Panthers in the first two games of this road trip: Bobrovsky’s play has been stronger than his initial numbers indicated as he was pulled after giving up four goals in the first period Tuesday — Hoffman stays hot many in which he had little to no help from his teammates. After scoring in the final seconds of regulation on Friday, Hoffman came On Friday, Bobrovsky kept the Sabres off balance for much of the night, into Saturday fourth in the NHL with five goals in his first four games. but his best highlights may have come late in the 3-on-3 overtime Hoffman scored in the opener in Tampa, had a hat trick in the home session when both he and defender Denis Malgin lost their stick — and opener against the Lightning last Saturday and then basically gave his he still made a couple of saves to force the shootout. team a valuable point in the standings Friday with another of his strong “That was certainly a little too entertaining for our end of it,” Quenneville one-timers from the right side. said afterward. “Hey, we got to the shootout to get another chance at it. “We had a lot of opportunities and I was trying to get to the net with some He did a great job.” traffic,” Hoffman said Friday night. “(Dadonov) made a great pass over to Bobrovsky came into Friday with way-below-average numbers, but they did not bother the Panthers and they certainly did not seem to bother him. Bobrovsky feels comfortable in net and figures the team in front of him is still figuring out the new systems in place.

“You fight and try and win those small moments, one shift, one shot at a time,” said Bobrovsky, who made 30 saves against the Sabres.

Sam Montembeault has also been strong in net when given the chance.

Making his first start of the season after stopping 19 of 20 shots in relief duty against Carolina, Montembeault made two saves Saturday while sprawled out on the ice on shots from Anthony Beauvillier and Adam Pelech; the second was swept away by defenseman Josh Brown.

Late in the second with the Islanders ahead, 2-1, Brock Nelson broke loose after picking off the puck but Montembeault made a nice stop.

Montembeault finished with 26 saves — including three in overtime — against the Islanders. Montembeault has given up three goals in 85 minutes of game action.

“I felt pretty good,” he said. “It obviously helped, having my first game … get a few shots against Carolina, but I am really happy with my first start. Obviously it was not the result we wanted, but I think we played pretty good in the third and that’s something we have to work on, playing for the whole 60 minutes. We were all over them in the third.”

Said Quenneville: “He looked great. He handled the puck well, has a lot of confidence in the net. He sees plays around the net, anticipates well. He was good.”

Not playing

The Panthers are carrying two extra players on the roster right now, so that means two have to sit each night.

On this road trip, at least so far, it has been the same two guys: Henrik Borgstrom and Mike Pysyk.

Pysyk being the odd man out in Florida’s defensive rotation was established through the first week of the season as he has been scratched in four of the first five games. Florida is trying to trade Pysyk and as a pending free agent. It does not appear he fits into their future plans.

Borgstrom being sat in consecutive games is a bit of a surprise as the 22-year-old started the season as Florida’s third-line center. But he saw his playing time diminished in the final two periods of the Carolina game.

Malgin took Borgstrom’s place on the third line Friday after being the forward who sat on Tuesday. Quenneville liked Malgin’s game against the Sabres, and Saturday he moved Malgin up to the second line with Trocheck taking over third-line duties.

His response was his first goal of the season on a one-timer off a feed from Dadonov.

Getting things going

The Panthers has been one of the slowest-starting teams in this young season, with Malgin’s goal Saturday being the first one scored in an opening period. Florida had been outscored 5-0 in the first period in its first four games.

The opening lead on Saturday night was just the second of the season for the Panthers.

Florida previously took the initial lead in the home opener against Tampa Bay last week, but that did not come until the second period.

The Athletic LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156973 Los Angeles Kings

Kings’ penalties prove costly in 5-2 loss to Golden Knights

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

OCT. 13, 2019 10:41 PM

Paul Stastny scored twice on the power play, Max Pacioretty added a power-play goal and the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Kings 5-2 on Sunday night.

Reilly Smith and also scored, and Marc-Andre Fleury made 36 saves as the Golden Knights swept their first set of back-to-back games.

Vegas was 3 for 3 on the power play after starting the season 3 for 17 with the man-advantage.

Jonathan Quick allowed five goals on 36 shots for the Kings. Quick has allowed 19 goals on 92 shots in his three appearances this season. He has allowed at least five goals in five of his last seven starts.

Stastny redirected Pacioretty’s pass between Quick’s legs to put the Golden Knights up 3-1 at 14:51 of the second period. He made it 4-1 with a one-timer on a feed from Jonathan Marchessault 2:09 later. It was Stastny’s second career game with two power-play goals, and he finished with four points.

Dustin Brown pulled the Kings within 4-2 at 4:24 of the third period, but Stone pushed the lead back to three goals by scoring 17 seconds later.

Vegas went in front 1-0 at 5:42 of the first period on Smith’s fourth goal of the season. Smith scored on a wrist shot from the left circle, with William Karlsson providing his sixth assist through five games.

Pacioretty scored on the power play at 6:59 to make it 2-0, scoring from the right dot after being given too much space by the Kings. But Los Angeles cut the deficit to 2-1 on ’s first goal of the season 50 seconds later.

LA Times: LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156974 Los Angeles Kings Whether the Kings’ lead-blowing habits are simply a growing pain this season in that adaptation process or a more serious flaw is yet to be determined.

Kings see errors of their way with passive play late in games The Kings responded with three goals, including two empty-netters, in the final minute to survive. This time, their near-collapse in the third period didn’t cost them.

By JACK HARRISSTAFF WRITER “We’re starting to develop our identity,” McLellan said. “We slipped back a little bit every now and then. That’s why there’s so much inconsistency OCT. 13, 2019 9:03 AM in our game. Once we get it and everybody buys in for a full 60, we’ll be fine.”

The good news for the Kings: Twice already this season, they’ve built LA Times: LOADED: 10.14.2019 three-goal leads against the Calgary Flames and Nashville Predators, division-winning teams from a season ago. In three of their four games overall, they’ve led in the third period.

The bad news: They have squandered their advantage each time, leading to a loss in their season-opener against the Edmonton Oilers and the need for late rallies to salvage wins against the Flames and Predators.

Excluding empty-net goals, the Kings have been outscored 11-4 during the third period this season. Against the Predators on Saturday, they began the final frame leading 4-1, only to allow three unanswered goals in the first 11:30 of the third. Of all their early-season concerns, their shaky play near the end of games has been perhaps the starkest. For coach Todd McLellan, the issue begins with identity.

“In the third, we reverted back to something we don’t want to be,” he said Saturday. “That’s being really passive and standoffish. There were a number of times where we were in a standoff type of forecheck, and that’s not the type of team we want to be.”

The Predators’ goal early in the third period provided an example of what he’s talking about.

The chance began behind the Predators’ own net, where defenseman Ryan Ellis handled the puck behind the goal for several seconds. It allowed the Predators to run a full-ice breakout. Ellis banked a long pass to forward Calle Jarnkrok in the neutral zone. He quickly fed Viktor Arvidsson, who flew across the Kings blue line. Moments later, Arvidsson would score after just two passes.

“I don’t think once we ever stood off and let them manage their breakout from behind their net in the first two periods,” McLellan said. “In the third, there were probably five or six times in a row where we’re standing off, they’re getting what they want, they get fresh players on the ice, they get to play long, we didn’t make it difficult on them.

“That is not what we want to be,” McLellan continued. “We want to be what we saw for the first two periods.”

Applying pressure allowed the Kings to build their three-goal lead. Their fourth goal, for example, came as a direct result of the forecheck.

Forward Ilya Kovalchuk chased Predators defenseman Dante Fabbro into the corner, forcing him to attempt a weak back-handed clearance up the boards. Kings center Michael Amadio held it in, won a puck battle, then saucer passed a back-door feed to Kovalchuk.

“I think pressure on the puck is key,” forward Dustin Brown said. “Because guys are just too good now. Give most defensemen in the NHL now three seconds to make a play, it’s going to be out of your [offensive] zone.”

Asked why his team again couldn’t hold a three-goal advantage, Brown started his answer with the obvious: “We’ve got to learn how to protect a lead,” he said.

Then he stopped himself and changed the message.

“Actually, not even protect a lead,” he continued. “It’s about going after it when we have the lead still. I think we maybe took our foot off the gas. Then our forecheck doesn’t work and out neutral zone doesn’t work. Then we’re playing D-zone.”

The Kings in recent seasons had grown accustomed to retreating to their own end and relying on relentless defensive zone coverage.

McLellan’s philosophy is different. When done right, “it’s much more aggressive, we’re turning over way more pucks,” Brown said. “I don’t want to compare it to years past, because it’s a completely different team, different system and everything.” 1156975 Los Angeles Kings Following a successful penalty kill, Vegas got on the board first as Reilly Smith’s wrist shot from the left faceoff dot beat Quick to the stick side.

For the Kings, the task will be tidying up a disorderly penalty kill and Kings’ penalty kill lacking in home loss to Vegas Golden Knights getting back to a game where they can dictate the game offensively as they did Saturday against Nashville.

“It’s amazing how much energy goes into defending as opposed to By ANDREW KNOLL | playing offense,” McLellan said. “We used all our energy up and just kept giving the puck back to them.” PUBLISHED: October 13, 2019 at 10:45 pm | UPDATED: October 13, 2019 at 10:51 PM Orange County Register: LOADED: 10.14.2019

LOS ANGELES — Every gambler knows that the secret to surviving is knowing what to throw away and knowing what to keep, as Kenny Rogers told the world long ago.

The Kings would not mind discarding the result from Sunday night, a 5-2 loss at Staples Center to the Vegas Golden Knights, but they also had positives to hang onto from the ostensibly lopsided loss.

At even strength, the Kings cut down on costly turnovers and glaring defensive breakdowns, even against a domineering Vegas forecheck. Even if their aggression lacked at times, the Kings avoided blunders and played steadily.

“We’re fives games in. It’s not that it’s an excuse, but we’ve been together a little over a month and there are some significant changes,” center Anze Kopitar said. “We’re on the right track. One thing we can control is effort every night.”

Perhaps the sorest spot spot was the penalty kill, the Kings allowed a season-high three power-play goals, while producing no man-advantage markers of their own.

“It was obviously a horrendous night for (the penalty kill),” Kings coach Todd McLellan said, discussing failed clears, lost faceoffs, structural deficits, a lack of anticipation and general malaise. “It needs work. Individuals need work. Our system needs work … they took advantage of fatigue and they picked us apart.”

Right wings Austin Wagner and Dustin Brown scored goals for the Kings. Kopitar extended his point streak to five games and defenseman Sean Walker now has five points in five games. Vegas center Paul Stastny had a game-high three points. Despite some stellar saves, Jonathan Quick had another rough night statistically, halting 31 of 36 shots, while Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury turned away 36 of 38 bids.

The trio of Stastny, Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone factored into the Vegas win. Stone found a rolling puck that squirted through traffic, which he promptly backhanded past Quick to give Vegas a 5-2 edge.

The Kings got back on the board as the forechecking of Alex Iafallo caused a turnover behind the net that he sent out in front for Kopitar, who slipped the puck across the crease for a backdoor tap-in by Brown.

A tic-tac-toe passing sequence during a Golden Knights power play culminated in Stastny’s second power-play goal of the night. Iafallo had a scoring chance off a partial breakaway moments later, but pushed the puck wide while being pressured from behind.

The second period saw little in the way of sustained pressure until late in the frame. Quick stood his ground against an initial attack by the Vegas power play. But the Kings’ inability to clear the puck allowed Vegas to reset and get a shot through from high in the zone that was redirected home by Stastny.

The Kings halved the Golden Knights’ advantage 50 seconds after their Vegas’s second goal. Wagner led the rush up the left wing and sent a wrist shot past Fleury on the far side.

They nearly tied the game on a Jeff Carter one-timer, the second near miss for the veteran center in the first period. Fleury had also made a no- look save on Kopitar, denying him with the right pad while still looking over his left shoulder. Kopitar said he considered that moment a turning point, while Fleury had a bit lighter take on the save.

“I was screwed there,” he said. “There was a screen in front of me and I didn’t see the pass go, so I just threw (my leg) out there and hoped for the best and got lucky. The Carter one I saw a little better.”

Vegas’s power play stretched the lead to 2-0 when Pacioretty roofed a shot over Quick’s and into the top of the net. 1156976 Los Angeles Kings McLellan, on factors that led to the Kings leaving Quick in a “defenseless position” on the penalty kill:

We’ve got a lot of work to do in … the penalty kill situation. We’ve got OCTOBER 13 RAPID REACTION: GOLDEN KNIGHTS 5, KINGS 2 some structural things we’ve got to work on, we’ve got some anticipation things we’ve got to work on, faceoffs and clears are going to be really important so we can get fresh people on the ice. Some of their better chances on the power play, Quickie actually came u[ with saves – JON ROSENOCTOBER 13, 2019 anything that went through the seam. It was the gifts we gave them. It’s amazing how much energy goes into defending in comparison to playing offense. You could stay on the ice forever and play on offense, and we Todd McLellan, on whether it will take time to instill the penalty kill: used all our energy up and just kept giving the puck back to them. It’s hard to evaluate the whole unit and the goaltender in that situation when Actually, the penalty kill, there hasn’t been that much change to it. we’re serving up volleys, I guess, for them, one after another. There’s work to be done. It was obviously a horrendous night for that unit. It needs work. Individuals need work. The system needs work. Anze Kopitar, on what can be done to accentuate the desired aggressive When I look at the penalty kill, though, there are some factors. There’s play: faceoffs and there’s the opportunities to clear pucks. Tonight, we got hemmed in our end. We couldn’t get fresh people on the ice and they’re Obviously trying to shoot the puck on the power play. The penalty kill, obviously an elite power play right now. They took advantage of fatigue just making sure we stay more compact in the middle of the ice where all and they picked us apart, and eventually it was in our net. We never got the dangerous ice is. But we’ll look at that. We certainly can’t get relief on our penalty kill, ever. Faceoffs we did win, which was only, I discouraged. We’ll look at that, we’ll correct things and go from there. think, two of them. We gave it right back to them. There are some things Kopitar, on ways to be more “challenging” and aggressive: systematically, positionally, but there’s also the ability to get fresh people on the ice and stay ahead of it and we didn’t get that chance tonight. Yeah, obviously. You want ot be as aggressive as you can, but with that comes a lot of different factors. Obviously, you’ve got to make sure that McLellan, on whether penalty killing disrupted them executing their you take care of the puck, make sure you can be aggressive – really, you forecheck: can’t be just aggressive for no reason because the team on the other Well, it takes the team out of a rhythm. We want to be a four-line team, side will burn you. You’ve got to play smart. I thought the first period was and as soon as you get into penalty kill trouble, you eliminate players, pretty good. I thought we had chances. We didn’t score, and at the end of you take guys out of line rotations, your mindset becomes a defensive the day, that’s what made the difference. They had three power play mindset and the energy factor that goes into a penalty kill, it zaps some goals and we didn’t have any. of your better players. Certainly not what we wanted. Didn’t take many Kopitar, on taking strides in five-on-five play but trying to avoid “track penalties, but I think a couple of them were preventable – penalties we meet” 80-shot games: didn’t need to take, but we’re learning. Our system, our style is aggressive, but we’ve got to play within that. McLellan, on the positives he took from five-on-five play: Aggressive means hunting the puck and try to get it back in our position From the red line in, I like how we’re playing. From the red line back, as quick as you can after you lose it. Aggressive means playing in the we’ve got work to do. I thought the other night against Nashville we came offensive zone and making sure we throw a lot of pucks at the net, and out of our end better. Perhaps that was due to the two different aggressive in the defensive zone means that you want to take away the forechecks, but this team’s a handful. Vegas is a handful size-wise, ice and the time for them to make plays. It’s really not that big of a secret, they’re a handful positionally, speed and skill. I thought there were loose but you’ve got to execute it in order to be successful. pucks that were up for grabs and we probably didn’t come up with Kopitar, on whether the five-on-five play is getting cleaned up: enough of them or at least establish body position around the loose puck. So, red line-in, good things. Red line-back, some things we need to work Listen, we’re five games in. It is an excuse, but coming in, we’ve been on. together for a little over a month now. There are some significant changes that sometimes it will take a little bit more time than the other, McLellan, on whether it’s still fair to judge Jonathan Quick through the but we’re on the right track. The one thing we can control is effort every lens of his success and legacy: night, and I think that has been the case, and we’ve got to build on that. He’s still that good, in my opinion. When you’re the goaltender, when We’ll get better system-wise, too. We’ll get more of a ‘reacting’ instead of you’re the pitcher, when you’re the quarterback, all eyes are on you. It’s ‘thinking’ on the ice, and it’s going to get better. as simple as that. He’s the last line of defense for our mistakes, and we Kopitar, on whether it’s going to take more time to get comfortable on the made our share of them. I thought tonight was perhaps his best game of penalty kill: the season. He made some outstanding saves when we needed ‘em. Are there a couple or one maybe that he’d like to have back? I’m sure he Well, if you look at tonight, we don’t really have a whole lot of time. That’s would. They’re at a defenseless position, really, when they’re looking at the one thing you’ve got to clean up right away. We’ll look at it and make some of these shooters in the league, and we’ve got to be better around an adjustment. him. We know that. I think Quickie and Soupie both know that as well. We’ve got to be better around them to help them, and if they throw in a Kopitar, on the newer systems becoming more “natural”: big save for us every now and then, we’re grateful for that. Yeah, some of us, we’ve played the same system for 10-plus years. It’s McLellan, on how he’ll use his goalies over the remainder of the home tough to just turn it off and turn the new one on. There are still some stand: lingering effects from the other one, but like I said, we’re taking steps in the right direction. [Reporter: How tough has that been for you in The rest of the home stand? That’s a tough question for me to answer particular?] It’s not been too tough, but sometimes you catch yourself right now. We’re going to regroup. We’ve had two sets of back-to-backs thinking on the ice what you’ve got to do instead of just playing – the way in four days, so our team needs to regroup tomorrow, get freshened up, that it comes instinctively. That split second turns out to be a difference of and we’re going to play one hell of a good team on Tuesday, and that’s making a play and not making a play. But, like I said, we’re trending the all we’re really thinking about. So, we’ll talk about goaltending tomorrow right way. and who starts, and then worry about the games after that as they come. Kopitar, on whether he’s been surprised by the number of shots and McLellan, on any plans to get Tobias Bjornfot into a game soon: chances this season:

We don’t want a young player not playing by any means, but we also Well, that was the goal to start, to play on our toes, to be aggressive. Like have to keep in mind that we have to keep some guys up and running, I said, we’re trending in the right direction, and that’s encouraging. and Joakim Ryan, he hadn’t played yet and he played two pretty darn good games. We’ll make decisions on Toby as we go forward and what’s Jonathan Quick, on whether he’s experienced a start to the season like best for him and his career and for us as a team right now. this: I don’t know, I’m sure it’s online, you could look. Quick, on whether he’s seeing the puck well:

Yeah.

Quick, on whether today’s game represented a step forward:

It’s a loss, so the same as the last two. [Reporter: So, you don’t sense any difference either way?] It’s a loss. You either win or you lose. Either one or the other.

Quick, on whether he entered the season satisfied with his preseason:

Yeah.

Postgame Notes

— With the loss, Los Angeles fell to 5-4-1 all-time against the Golden Knights, a record that includes a home mark of 3-2-1. These teams have three games remaining: November 16 at Staples Center and January 9 and March 1 at T-Mobile Arena.

— With the loss, the Kings fell to 2-3-0 against the Western Conference, 1-3-0 against the Pacific Division, 1-2 in games decided by three or more goals, 1-3-0 when their opponent scores first, 0-2-0 when trailing after one period, 0-2-0 when trailing after two periods and 2-3-0 when outshooting their opponent.

— Los Angeles allowed three power play goals in a game for the first time since a 1-for-4 penalty killing performance in a 7-4 loss to Colorado on November 21, 2018.

— With his assist on Dustin Brown’s goal, Anze Kopitar extended his point streak to six games (2-6=8). He has a point in every game this season.

— With his assist on Austin Wagner’s goal, Sean Walker extended his point streak to a career-high four games (2-2=4).

— Drew Doughty has gone 30 games without logging 30 minutes, dating back to 4-3 shootout loss to Vancouver on February 14, 2019.

— Tyler Toffoli appeared in his 198th consecutive game, dating back to February 4, 2017. The club record is Drew Doughty’s 415 consecutive games played, which is currently active. Alex Iafallo ranks third with 87 consecutive games played.

— The Kings attempted 67 shots (38 on goal, 14 blocked, 15 missed). The Golden Knights attempted 65 shots (36 on goal, 10 blocked, 19 missed). Jeff Carter led all skaters with six shots on goal. Kyle Clifford was the only L.A. skater who did not record a shot on goal.

— Los Angeles won 25-of-65 faceoffs (38%). won 2-of-10, Michael Amadio won 3-of-16 Anze Kopitar won 13-of-20, Alex Iafallo won 1-of-1, Trevor Lewis won 0-of-1, Blake Lizotte won 1-of-5 and Jeff Carter won 5-of-12.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156977 Los Angeles Kings

GAME 5: LOS ANGELES VS VEGAS

JON ROSENOCTOBER 13, 2019

GAME THREADS

Vegas Golden Knights 5, Los Angeles Kings 2

Final

Preview

Box Score

Ice Tracker

LA Kings Audio Network Broadcast

Fox Sports Live Stream (requires subscription)

SOG: LAK – 38; VGK – 36

PP: LAK – 0/3; VGK – 3/3

First Period

1) VGK – Reilly Smith (4) (William Karlsson), 5:42

2) VGK PPG – Max Pacioretty (2) (Shea Theodore, Paul Stastny), 6:59

3) LAK – Austin Wagner (1) (Sean Walker, Adrian Kempe), 7:49

Second Period

4) VGK PPG – Paul Stastny (2) (Max Pacioretty, Shea Theodore), 14:51

5) VGK PPG – Paul Stastny (3) (Jonathan Marchessault, Nicolas Hague), 17:00

Third Period

6) LAK – Dustin Brown (3) (Anze Kopitar, Alex Iafallo), 4:24

7) VGK – Mark Stone (4) (Paul Stastny, Max Pacioretty), 4:41

Los Angeles Kings (2-2-0) vs Vegas Golden Knights (3-2-0)

Sunday, October 13, 2019, 7:00 p.m. PT

Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA

Referees: #15 Jean Hebert, #9 Dan O’Rourke

Linesmen: #84 Tony Sericolo, #82 Ryan Galloway

Fox Sports West, FOX Sports GO, LA Kings Audio Network

LAK starters: G Jonathan Quick, D , D Drew Doughty, LW Jeff Carter, C Blake Lizotte

LAK scratches: D Tobias Bjornfot, F Carl Grundstrom, D Kurtis MacDermid

VGK starters: G Marc-Andre Fleury, D Brayden McNabb, D Shea Theodore, LW Jonathan Marchessault, C William Karlsson, RW Reilly Smith

VGK scratches: D Jake Bischoff, F Brandon Pirri, G Malcolm Subban

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156978 Los Angeles Kings

OCTOBER 13 PRE-GAME MCLELLAN OBSERVATIONS

JON ROSENOCTOBER 13, 2019

GAME PREVIEWNOTEBOOKS

— Like Nashville, Vegas is another team with a go-go-go aggressive mindset somewhat similar to what Todd McLellan is looking to instill in Los Angeles. There’s still a ways to go before the Kings are on equal footing with the second Stanley Cup contender to visit Staples Center in as many days, so McLellan believes “the test we face is more ourselves than our opponent.”

“We’re not at that stage where we’re right there with those top teams. Yeah, we want to work to get there, but it was only about six, seven days ago when we played back-to-back and we didn’t respond really well, so that’s a test. The game that we played in Calgary set us up for the game in Vancouver. We failed that test, and I feel like we’re in the same spot again. It’s a lot more about us than what Vegas is doing or going to do. We know them. They know who they are. We’re still trying to figure our identity out.”

— One question I forgot to ask last night: How was Joakim Ryan in his first game as a King? The Kings radio broadcast pinch hit and received an encouraging answer. “He was very patient waiting for his opportunity. He went in, he gave us solid minutes. You can see he’s played in the league before. He had a calming influence on his partner, which we needed and he did exactly what we thought he would do. He would come in and pinch hit and provide us a good night, so he’ll get that opportunity again tonight.”

— Vegas won 6-2 at home versus Calgary last night, with all members of the well-defined Carrier-Nosek-Reaves combination accounting for a goal. Tomas Nosek is emerging as a perennial contender for the Casey Cizikas Fourth Line Excellence Award, but he’s not the only one to stir the drink. “I watched the game last night, and obviously that line had a significant impact on the game, the way they played and how they protected pucks,” McLellan said. “They created scoring opportunities and took advantage of them. I think that line has been an effective line for the last year and a half, and they continue to build their team so that the game can be played any way. It can be a physical game, it can be a fast game, a skill game, a special teams game. I think they’re one of the better built teams in the league because they can adapt to play any type of game, and that fourth line fits that mold, and I don’t even know if you can call them ‘the fourth line.’ They were pretty damn good last night and I’m sure they’ll be that way again tonight.”

It’s apparently Marc-Andre Fleury in net for Vegas, via Ben Gotz of the R- J. He stopped 33 of 35 last night. Alex Tuch (upper-body injury) and Nate Schmidt (lower-body) are on injured reserve, while Malcolm Subban is out with a lower-body injury. Goaltender Oscar Dansk will serve as the back-up should Fleury go.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156979 Los Angeles Kings

WAKING UP WITH THE KINGS: OCTOBER 13

JON ROSENOCTOBER 13, 2019

GAME STORY

Seldomly does one NHL Member Club step on another for a full 60 minutes, a notion that certainly applies to the 2019-20 LA Kings and whomever they’re playing on any given night. But on Saturday, against a powerhouse Nashville team that employs Kyle Turris as a fourth line center and a healthy top-six that includes Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen, Matt Duchene, Mikael Granlund and Viktor Arvidsson, they unleashed an avalanche of forechecking pressure for a good 40 minutes or so and contained the Predators to mostly uncomfortable and disjointed attempts to exit the zone. While the highlighted names ultimately worked their way back into the game in the third period, the Kings limited their bottom six and contained a defense with a capacity to generate offense: Defensemen other than Roman Josi combined for six shot attempts and only one shot on goal. And though Josi generated five shots and 10 total attempts, he was denied by a timely Jack Campbell save that was followed by the Amadio-to-Kovalchuk finish.

The Kings’ own top players were fine, and while we’ll get to Michael Amadio and Sean Walker in a moment, it’s important to note that Kopitar (1-1=2), Brown (1-2=3) and Kovalchuk (1-1=2) all recorded multi-point efforts. But Los Angeles got better production and assertive play from more corners of their lineup than Nashville, and Amadio is turning into a swiss-army-knife-type of a player at a position where they have minimal depth. He was always a smart player with an ability to see and read the game well, but he’s really covering ground a lot better now and exuding confidence, and those types of separation moves on the power play or bank passes off the boards to himself are the types of plays that he was yet to execute consistently in his first two seasons. (Which is understandable; he’s only 23.) He offers good support on the puck and retrieves them well below the goal line, and he earned his assist by forechecking both Mattias Ekholm and Dante Fabbro off a puck before dishing to Kovalchuk for important insurance.

And then there’s Walker, the, uh, league’s top possession defenseman – by four percentage points. He had an assist taken away from him last night but again added to his collection of third assists, the most impressive of which was his lightning-quick-up to Alec Martinez during an attempted Predators line change, setting in motion the wheels for Alex Iafallo’s winner. (Good things happen when you get pucks and bodies to the net, but Juuse Saros, a good young goalie who had an off afternoon, inopportunely juggled the puck.) But that goal was a very good demonstration of exactly how the Kings want to play. It’s similar to the styles of Nashville, and Vegas, and other attack-minded teams that turn pucks around quickly. That they were able to nab a valuable right-shot “modern” defenseman is a better-case scenario of the team accompanying its expensive stars with effective collegiate free agents and young players. And while there wasn’t really a question of his propensity to provide offense from the back end, there were challenges in his work without the puck last year, as there often are for rookie defensemen. This year, he’s averaging 1:18 on the penalty kill, which speaks to both Walker’s added layering and the state of L.A.’s defensive depth. And, of course, it helps to *never* play in your zone; with Walker on the ice in five-on-five play, the Kings have out-shot their opponents 55-17, out-chanced them 47-18 and outscored them 8-2.

And this is essentially the challenge. The Kings don’t want to be a team that’s regularly responding to poor performances, and on the second day of a back-to-back they’ll have a chance to maintain their offensive momentum against another awfully good team. They’re now 1-0-0 on the DEATHSTAND, which after Vegas continues with Carolina, Buffalo and Calgary. Teams aren’t inclined to remove their blinders, and certainly one would imagine a nearby divisional rival (against whom they’re 5-3-1 in the regular season) will get their full focus. There were very good performances in Calgary, followed by the bottomless pit of the Vancouver game, providing a back-to-back baseline for a number of players to improve upon.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156980 Minnesota Wild

Wild take on the Senators on 4-game losing streak

Staff Report

By The Associated Press Associated Press

OCTOBER 14, 2019 — 2:10AM

Minnesota Wild (0-4-0, seventh in the Central Division) vs. Ottawa Senators (1-3-0, eighth in the Atlantic Division)

Ottawa, Ontario; Monday, 1 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Minnesota aims to stop its four-game losing streak when the Wild take on Ottawa.

Ottawa went 29-47-6 overall with a 18-19-4 record at home during the 2018-19 season. The Senators were called for 278 penalties last season averaging 3.4 penalties and 8.4 penalty minutes per game.

Minnesota went 37-36-9 overall with a 21-18-2 record on the road a season ago. The Wild scored 210 total goals last season while collecting 361 assists.

The matchup Monday is the first meeting of the season between the two teams.

Senators Injuries: None listed.

Wild Injuries: None listed.

Star Tribune LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156981 Minnesota Wild It’s almost a shame Fenton isn’t here to watch it up close like the rest of us.

Ecstasy and agony: Gophers and Vikings surge, while Wild struggles Star Tribune LOADED: 10.14.2019

By Michael Rand Star Tribune

OCTOBER 13, 2019 — 11:38PM

In what felt like a defining weekend for the Gophers and Vikings before the first football was snapped, both produced high-quality victories with what was for both the best performance of the season.

And you, dear football fan, are now officially like the bank robber in the cheesy movie plot. Just when you thought you were out, they sucked you back in. They’ve both got you interested, despite all the history and your better judgment.

The Gophers did it by smashing Nebraska 34-7, a never-in-doubt score that still might not seem real for anyone who was sentient for “84-13,” a 1983 score that defines an era.

This is not the same Nebraska team and hasn’t been for a while. And yes, the Gophers benefited from playing against another backup quarterback. Their route to 6-0 has been paved with imperfection and good fortune.

But you don’t apologize for victories, and that’s all the Gophers have this season. They seem to be getting better on both sides of the ball, particularly on the offensive line. You barely have to squint to imagine an 8-0 start (at Rutgers, home vs. Maryland) before a Nov. 9 showdown vs. Penn State.

By then, the Vikings could be 6-2 — which is funny, because going into Sunday it wasn’t hard to imagine the season going off the rails with a home loss to the Eagles. Drop that one, watch dissent brew, falter at Detroit …

But that didn’t come close to happening. The Vikings were in control whenever it mattered Sunday, and the 38-20 final score was an accurate reflection of that decisiveness.

Adam Thielen wants the Vikings to throw when an opponent keys on the run? How about Kirk Cousins torching the Eagles deep on the way to 333 yards and four TDs.

Stefon Diggs wants a bigger role? Sir, here’s seven catches, 167 yards and three touchdowns (putting Diggs all of a sudden on pace for 1,120 yards receiving this year, which would be a career high. Funny how things even out.)

Mike Zimmer wants balance? The Vikings still ran 35 times.

You want meaningful football? You’ve got it. Proceed at your own risk, and enjoy.

• • •

It’s been barely two months since the Wild abruptly fired General Manager Paul Fenton only a little over a year into his tenure, replacing him a few weeks later with Bill Guerin.

The timing of it all, deep into the NHL offseason and with the Wild’s major free-agency decisions and draft already done, was bound to make 2019- 20 a strange season.

Guerin was another fresh set of eyes — to borrow a phrase used when Fenton was hired — and it stood to reason he would be re-evaluating (and adding input to) not only the decisions made by Fenton but also the players who skated out of the playoffs under Chuck Fletcher’s watch just 18 months ago.

The result of a lot of old parts blended with the new vision that helped get Fenton fired, all being overseen by a new regime with new ideas … well, it hasn’t been pretty so far with the Wild falling to 0-4 with a loss in the home opener Saturday.

There are three bad plays for every two good ones. That’s what mediocre and downright bad teams do, and the Wild sure looks like one or the other — a team in transition, a mishmash of ill-fitting parts, a season that could go off the rails in a hurry. 1156982 Minnesota Wild

Gameday preview: Wild travels to Ottawa for matinee

OCTOBER 13, 2019 — 10:56PM

Still looking for their first points

Preview: At 0-4, the Wild is the only NHL team that has yet to earn a point this season. It’s had recent success in Ottawa, where it begins a three-game, four-day road trip through eastern Canada. … The Wild has lost only one of its past seven games at CTC. … The Senators started 0- 3 before earning their first victory Saturday, a 4-2 home win over Tampa Bay.

Players to WATCH: Wild D Brad Hunt leads the team with four points, and his two goals tie him with Jason Zucker for the team lead in that category. … Ottawa F Vladislav Namestnikov has two goals and two assists in two games since the Senators acquired him Oct. 7 from the New York Rangers.

Numbers: The Wild has been outscored 21-10 in its four losses. G Devan Dubnyk has started all four games and has a goals-against average of 4.55 and save percentage of .862.

Injuries: Wild D Greg Pateryn (core muscle surgery) is out. Senators F Artem Anisimov (lower-body injury) is day-to-day.

Rachel Blount

Star Tribune LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156983 Minnesota Wild debut Saturday. He also believes Greenway, who has no points and is minus-2, “is lost a little bit right now.”

Etc. Wild recalls 'Iowa's best player' Gerald Mayhew, before road trip • Winger Mats Zuccarello did not practice Sunday, and his status for Monday’s game is uncertain. Boudreau was vague about what was ailing Zuccarello, saying only that the forward has “bumps and bruises” and By Rachel Blount Star Tribune that it happened in Saturday’s game. If Zuccarello is able to play, Boudreau said, he will be in the lineup. OCTOBER 14, 2019 — 12:07AM • Boudreau did not reveal who will start in goal Monday, but he said

backup Alex Stalock will play at least one game during the trip. The Wild The Wild, after losing its first four games for the first time in franchise plays at Toronto on Tuesday and at Montreal on Thursday. history, recalled forward Gerald Mayhew from its AHL affiliate in Iowa on

Sunday. Mayhew, who earned praise for his consistently strong play in training camp, arrived in time to practice and traveled with the team to Star Tribune LOADED: 10.14.2019 Ottawa.

Iowa’s top scorer this season with three goals and three assists, Mayhew, 26, has not played an NHL game. Wild coach Bruce Boudreau isn’t sure how soon that might happen, but he likes what the 5-10 forward brings.

“He’s been [Iowa’s] best player,’’ Boudreau said. “He’s definitely earned the reward to be up here.”

College hockey, high school action and the NHL: We dig into every corner of the state of hockey's sport on our Puck Drop page. Tap here to get there.

A former college star at Ferris State, Mayhew will wear No. 26 with the Wild.

“Whatever role they want me to play, I’ll be able to do,’’ he said. “Every time I go on the ice, I want to make an impact.”

Playing cards

Wild defenseman Brad Hunt used a poker analogy to address the problem. To break its distressing habit of allowing multiple goals in quick succession, Hunt said the Wild cannot “fold its cards” after its opponent scores.

Boudreau looked to another sport. Like a golfer who hits a shot into the water, he said the Wild has to move on immediately when it is scored upon, putting the disappointment behind it as fast as possible.

The Wild discussed that issue again Sunday, as it prepared for a three- game road trip that begins Monday at Ottawa. In Saturday’s 7-4 loss to Pittsburgh, the Penguins scored three times in a span of 2 minutes, 28 seconds. Winnipeg struck twice in 28 seconds, Colorado got two goals in 1:27 and Nashville potted a pair in 1:29.

“It seems like when we get scored on, it’s like, ‘Here we go again,’ ” winger Marcus Foligno said. “That crushes you, because it’s hurting our momentum and building theirs. We seem to sit back and hope for a bounce our way, and you just can’t do that.”

Hunt said the players have talked about the importance of responding to opponents’ goals with a more tenacious shift, rather than dwelling on the score. The issue has been raised every day, Boudreau added.

“It’s all up here,” he said, tapping his head. “You’ve got to forget about it. It’s over. The next line you put out there has got to be a line that wants to push the energy.”

Lines still fluid

Contrary to how it might seem, Boudreau said he hates changing line combinations. That said, he did it again Sunday, trying to spark a team struggling on offense and defense.

Ryan Hartman and Foligno — whom Boudreau called the Wild’s best players in Saturday’s loss — were separated, in the hope they can energize two lines rather than just one. Hartman practiced Sunday with Eric Staal and Kevin Fiala, while Foligno was with Joel Eriksson Ek and Luke Kunin. Jason Zucker was shifted from the left side to the right on a line with Mikko Koivu and Zach Parise.

Ryan Donato moved back to center, where he split time with Victor Rask on the fourth line. They were flanked by Mayhew and Jordan Greenway.

Boudreau envisions the Eriksson Ek trio as “a very viable checking energy line” and said he thought Rask played “pretty well” in his season 1156984 Minnesota Wild

It’s #GerryTime in Twin Cities as Wild call up Gerald Mayhew from minors

By DANE MIZUTANI | [email protected] | Pioneer Press

PUBLISHED: October 13, 2019 at 10:56 am | UPDATED: October 13, 2019 at 2:14 PM

Gerald Mayhew is here to save the day.

With the Wild already in turmoil after four straight losses to start to the regular season, the team officially recalled Mayhew from the of the on Sunday morning. He actually got the call from Wild assistant general manager Tom Kurvers on Saturday night and quickly packed his belongings around midnight.

“I got like five hours of sleep and had a car come get me, and I flew in this morning,” said Mayhew, who was practice on Sunday morning before the Wild left for a three-game road trip through Canada. “It was pretty exciting news.”

Mayhew leads the Iowa Wild with six points — three goals and three assists — this season. He registered career highs in goals (27), assists (33) points (60) last season, and was a standout for Iowa in the playoffs.

“It’s been great down there,” Mayhew said. “My linemates were great. We jelled right away. Just focused on shooting the puck and I got some goals, which is good. Just keep shooting the puck and good things are going to happen.”

He has become a celebrated hashtag in the minors — #GerryTime is a rallying cry for Iowa Wild fans — and that made it’s way to the Twin Cities in training camp when Mayhew impressed coach Bruce Boudreau with his ability to put the puck in the the net.

That’s something the Wild desperately need right now, and because of that, it wouldn’t be a shock if Mayhew made his NHL debut soon. He will wear No. 26, and while he won’t have the same role he did in the minors, he is focused on doing whatever is needed to help the Wild turn things around.

“Whatever role they want me to play, I’ll be able to do,” Mayhew said. “I’m pretty aware that I probably won’t be (a top-six guy). But every time I go on the ice I want to make an impact.

“We have a tough road trip, so just come in and be a spark plug, bang some bodies, do something to get the boys going. It’s four games into the season. We can’t panic.”

Pioneer Press LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156985 Minnesota Wild So far, that includes with his coach, too. “Bruce and I have a really good relationship personally and working,”

Guerin said. “We’re in discussions every day. A lot of this, we’re just As the winless Wild search for a spark, Gerry Mayhew gets his first NHL working through it.” call-up Mats Zuccarello, who missed practice Friday but played Saturday, didn’t practice Sunday with what Boudreau called “bumps and bruises.” Zuccarello, who has no points and three shots in four games, was to By Michael Russo accompany the Wild on the road trip, but Boudreau listed him as questionable against Ottawa. Oct 13, 2019 Zuccarello’s absence, the Wild’s record and the fact that nothing is

working caused Boudreau to toss his lines into the blender for the fifth OTTAWA — Sometimes you need a good chuckle when you wake up as time in five games this season. the coach of the last remaining NHL team without a point and are coming “You know what, I hate, and people may not believe this, but I hate off one disappointing home opener. changing the lines up. I really do,” Boudreau said. “I hate coming to work Andy Boudreau, one of Bruce Boudreau’s three sons and a player every day and thinking what’s going to work and what’s not going to development and skills coach at the Banff Hockey Academy, called his work.” dad bright and early Sunday morning. He explained his thought process on the latest moves: “He said, ‘If you think you have it bad, our girls’ team lost 17-0 and was — He feels Ryan Hartman and Marcus Foligno were their two best outshot 102-5, so keep your head up,’” the Wild coach said followed by a players against the Penguins, “and if you keep them on the same line, much-needed laugh Sunday afternoon. that’s good, but maybe on a different line, they can energize two lines.” The Wild, licking their wounds after a fourth consecutive loss to open the — He hasn’t tried Jason Zucker, tied with defenseman Brad Hunt for the season, practiced Sunday morning, then departed the Twin Cities for a team lead with two goals, on the right side yet this season. three-game trip starting with a Monday noontime matinee in Canada’s capital against the Senators appropriately on Canadian Thanksgiving. — Mikko Koivu has played well with Zach Parise in the past, “so I thought that’s worth a try.” Boudreau and the Wild so far don’t have a lot to be thankful for, but the coach did his best to get his team believing happy thoughts before — Kevin Fiala’s been playing with Eric Staal. “You’d like to go in packs of practice. three, but sometimes you have to go in packs of two,” Boudreau said of keeping Koivu and Zucker and Staal and Fiala together. “I keep telling the story that we started off 1-7-2 in Anaheim (in 2015-16) and everybody was saying, ‘The team’s done, the coach is gone, — Foligno-Joel Eriksson Ek-Luke Kunin “should be a very viable everything’s going terrible,’ and then we ended up winning the (Pacific checking energy line,” and even though it was a tough task for a couple Division) and being first I think in defense and (first on the power play). If of those guys going up against on Saturday, Boudreau you do the process right and don’t get lost with the process, once you said, “If we can identify a line that can do that, that’s great.” have some success, you’ll keep building on that success.” — Boudreau felt Victor Rask played pretty well in his season debut. Like we didn’t remind Boudreau that the St. Louis Blues switched “Other than his (0 for 8 on) faceoffs, things were OK for him,” the coach coaches just before Thanksgiving when he pointed out after the loss in said. Winnipeg that the Blues went from last in the NHL Jan. 3 to winning the Stanley Cup last season, we didn’t have the heart to remind him that he In other words, this is pretty much darts at a dartboard. still lost his job as Anaheim’s coach after that worst-to-first 2015-16 “There’ll be some smoke burning from some coaches’ heads thinking season anyway. about what’s right, but you can only go through so many things and then Regardless, Boudreau’s understandably doing everything he can think of eventually you’ve got to play,” Boudreau said. “Whatever position you’re in an attempt to keep the Wild in a positive frame of mind right now after in, left wing, right wing, play the game the way it’s supposed to be played the worst start in franchise history. and then things start turning around.”

“We worked (Sunday) with a lot of energy, and when you can get a team Because Boudreau doesn’t want to take Rask out of Monday’s lineup and that works with a lot of energy with the record that they’ve got so far to may want to reinsert Ryan Donato after scratching him for the first time in start the season, you know they care,” Boudreau said. “And if they care, his Wild career Saturday, Mayhew’s debut may wait. good things are going to happen.” Honestly, there are several candidates that could come out of the lineup Boudreau knows this season’s in danger of turning south fast, so one for Mayhew, including Jordan Greenway, who has struggled mightily and decision the Wild did make late Saturday night was to promote Iowa Wild is sliding down the lineup. He has been dropped to the fourth line. leading scorer Gerry Mayhew for the first time in his career. Remember, Donato was dropped to the fourth line in Winnipeg before getting a night off against the Penguins. Boudreau hadn’t decided yet if Mayhew will make his NHL debut Monday in Ottawa, but if he gets in during the Wild’s three-game road trip, Wild “I think he’s just lost a little bit right now,” Boudreau said of Greenway, general manager Bill Guerin said the team will be looking for “a lot of who has no points and six shots in four games, took a bad penalty energy, speed and grit” from Mayhew. Saturday and was schooled by Winnipeg’s Patrik Laine on a 4-on-4 en route to the winning goal Thursday. Guerin, looking for his first official win as GM, is obviously disappointed by the start to this season, but he told The Athletic during Sunday’s “We’re going to have a talk when he comes downstairs,” Boudreau said. practice, “I still feel good about our team.” “He wants to be good. He has the potential to be really good. I don’t think he’s a guy that is used to moving around on lines, playing left wing, right “We make mistakes and they cost us,” Guerin said. “We’ve been in every wing. game. It’s just a matter of finding more confidence. These guys have done everything that we’ve asked them to do, and there’s a lot of hockey “I just want to try to find good spots for everybody and leave them there to be played still. Honestly, I think it’s a confidence thing and I really think for awhile.” it’s a matter of getting over the hump and getting our first win. We’ve Mayhew, 26, is tied for the AHL lead with six points (three goals and done some really good things during the course of the games. It’s just a three assists, which doesn’t include two shootout goals) after setting an matter of putting a full 60 together and just getting our first win.” Iowa record last season with 27 goals and finishing second in the Calder Guerin is still in the early stages of evaluating the team and analyzing Cup playoffs with nine goals in 11 games. each and every player. “He’s definitely earned the reward to be up here,” Boudreau said. “You can’t do kneejerk decisions,” Guerin said of making trades. “I “Whether he’s playing (Monday) or not, we still haven’t made up our wouldn’t be doing anybody any favors by just reacting on emotions.” mind, but he’s earned every minute to be up here.” Mayhew’s a right-shot winger, a valuable commodity for the lefty-heavy Wild. But in Sunday’s practice, Mayhew still skated on the left side and the left-shot Greenway skated on the right side.

“He plays so well on the left side they tell me down there, like night and day,” Boudreau said of Mayhew in Iowa. “In our last preseason game we put him on the left side and he was pretty good in Colorado on the left side.”

Mayhew prefers the left side, he said, because it allows him to cut to the middle on his forehand.

Mayhew, a Michigan native and former Ferris State standout, played Saturday night for Iowa, then received a call around midnight from Iowa GM Tom Kurvers to return to the rink to get his gear. He took an early- morning flight from Des Moines to Minneapolis and practiced with the team Sunday.

It was a dream come true for a guy who last season played so well, the Wild turned his AHL contract into an NHL contract in the springtime.

He called his parents, Gerald and Catherine, with the good news.

“I woke (my mom) up last night because I knew she’d want to know,” Mayhew said. “And she was like, ‘Well, I won’t be able to sleep now.’ They were both really excited. … It’s a pretty special moment.”

Mayhew knows he’s stepping into a tough situation with the Wild winless.

“Obviously it’s tough,” he said. “We have a tough road trip, so just come in and be a spark plug, bang some bodies, do something to get the boys going. But it’s four games into the season. We can’t panic.”

His family will come to Toronto for Tuesday’s game if he happens to be in the lineup that night.

“Whatever role they want me to play I’ll be able to do,” Mayhew said. “I’m pretty aware that I probably won’t be top-six. But every time I go on the ice, I want to make an impact.”

The Athletic LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156986 Minnesota Wild It sure feels like the season could go off the rails quickly. The tension of last season has filtered right into this one, and despite all

that talk of repairing some of the underlying friction that resided in the ‘We have to say it stops now’: Wild D falters again as franchise-worst dressing room last season, the Wild are hardly playing together or start hits 0-4 competently on the ice.

Just look at the Wild’s defensive-zone coverage.

By Michael Russo All that talk the first three games about a team incapable of scoring (six goals) and one lacking a finisher or two or a “game-breaker” ignored the Oct 12, 2019 fact that each one of those three straight losses were because of poor defensive-zone coverage and neutral-zone breakdowns.

A 2-1 lead entering the third period on opening night in Nashville became Penny for your thoughts. a 3-2 deficit en route to a 5-2 loss within two minutes of the third period Bill Guerin had just watched the Minnesota Wild cut a deficit to 2-1 on and a two-goal deficit inside eight minutes. Why? Because of bad Jason Zucker’s power-play goal. But in a shocking span of 2 minutes, 28 tracking going back in their own zone, not fronting guys and sprinting out seconds, the team he worked for just two months earlier, the Pittsburgh of the defensive zone when the Wild didn’t even have possession of the Penguins, scored not once, not twice, but three times to end Devan puck. Dubnyk’s night after a fifth goal allowed to hand the Wild a four-goal In the second game in Colorado, a 4-2 loss, the Wild battled back from deficit with a little more than six minutes left in the second period. an early two-goal deficit but fell behind again in the waning moments Guerin briefly stood up in his box high above the ice and leaned against because of absolute confusion going back into their own zone against the the wall with his left shoulder. worst possible opponents for that to happen against: Mikko Rantanen, Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog. Just imagine the potential thoughts going through the former Penguins assistant GM’s head: In the third game in Winnipeg, the Wild tied the score 2-2 early in the third period on Brad Hunt’s goal and held the Jets without a shot until a Holy moly, I’m not in Pittsburgh anymore. four-on-four midway through the period. Suddenly, they gave up two goals in 28 seconds and left the rink reeling. What a disaster of a home opener and start to this season. On Saturday night, the Wild fell behind 2-0, got back in the game on Holy $%&, do I have a lot of work to do. Zucker’s goal, but suddenly gave up three goals in 2:28. Why? Guys Am I ever going to get my first win as Wild GM? were colliding with one another, becoming too puck focused, making bad reads going back to their own end, having two players lured to the puck Maybe I never should have answered Craig Leipold’s call. carrier and succumbing because of bad rebounds surrendered by All of the above. Dubnyk.

Poor Billy Guerin, but he has got to know by now he has quite the chore It was a mess, and it cost them because the Wild actually showed some in front of him with a flawed, disjointed roster off to the worst start in Wild fight in the third and made things interesting way too late in the contest history. on goals by Hunt and Luke Kunin.

That “all-in” poker chip each player received during the Beaver Creek “We work on defensive-zone coverage every day,” coach Bruce bonding trip late last month hasn’t brought much luck yet considering the Boudreau said when asked about the state of confusion going on in the Wild are the only team without a single point. Wild end. “That’s what I just finished saying in (the coaches’ office). I said, ‘Look it, we’ve given up 21 goals in four games for a team that After winning a league-worst 16 home games last season, the Wild finally takes a lot of pride since I’ve been here on being one of the better opened the gates to Xcel Energy Center nine days into the new season. defensive teams, for the most part.’ Today, we finally got more than two After talking all training camp about reestablishing their home-ice goals, but goal scoring is not going to be our forte. Defending’s got to be dominance, after trying to persuade everyone and anyone that last our forte if we’re going to win. season’s home-barn ugliness was just an anomaly, the Wild tripped all over themselves during a 7-4 loss in front of a bunch of disenchanted “People have to change their mindsets instead of thinking we’re 30- and fans. It was the first time in their 19-year history they had lost an Xcel 40-goal scorers. We’ve gotta play a 200-foot game, and I’m not singling Energy Center opener in regulation (14-1-4). anybody out. That’s all 20 players have got to be that.”

The seats were all full. But it’s no secret many Wild fans didn’t love the Suter and Spurgeon, two of the Wild’s best defenders, echoed that. The way last season ended and weren’t exactly booming with confidence Wild, who have a minus-11 goal differential, typically do a quality job over the squad heading into the season, even after July’s firing of the old against opposing stars, but they have gotten lit up by Rantanen, Patrik GM, Paul Fenton. Laine, Mark Scheifele and now Sidney Crosby.

The quietness of the crowd at the start of the game had to be alarming to “Every year you have to create your identity. And the good teams get to the Wild’s hardworking salespeople. And Saturday’s unpleasant that identity right away, and the teams that struggle out of the gates, I performance wasn’t exactly good for business for an organization that think that’s a big part of it,” said Suter, a minus-5. “They’re trying to find has sold out 230 consecutive regular-season home games the past six that identity, and obviously, we’re that team right now. years. “This team since I’ve been here, we’ve always been solid (with) The Wild are now 0-4, a ghastly start to the season for a team that talked defensive-zone coverage. I think we need to fix that, obviously. I think we so optimistically during training camp about being excited to start fresh need to win games right now 1-0, 2-0. That’s got to be our mindset, our and anew. mentality going into the game. The goals will come if we bear down defensively and play the way we’re supposed to play in our D zone. What’s even scarier, the winless Wild, who opened with three straight Everything else usually takes care of itself.” road losses, practice Sunday and then hit the road again for three games in four days at Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal. Said Spurgeon, who is a minus-7: “You just can’t think it’s going to be easy. The guy across you at the draw can’t outwork you. It’s hard work. “We have to figure it out quick or it’s going to be a long year,” It’s not going to be fun all the time. You’re going to have to take some defenseman Jared Spurgeon said. bumps and bruises, but at the same time, winning is a lot more fun than what we’re doing right now.” “From me to right down the lineup, I don’t think one guy can say they’ve had their ‘A’ game for a whole game,” said defenseman . “I Dubnyk loses composure? think it’s just look yourself in the mirror and make sure you’re ready because this thing can get going the wrong way fast, and we’ve got to get Patric Hornqvist, coincidentally one of Fenton’s old pride and joys from it stopped.” Nashville because he played a part in drafting him with the 230th and final pick in 2005, played a huge part in Saturday’s win for the Penguins. Not only did he get the scoring started with a power-play goal, he also got it. They played better in the third period. Maybe I’ve gotta do that continually got in Dubnyk’s kitchen. There were two whistles when more. The best two players we had on the ice were Foligno and (Ryan) Hornqvist intentionally draped himself all over Dubnyk. Hartman.”

Finally, in the second period with the Wild down 2-1, Dubnyk froze a puck In fact, with the net empty and the Wild trying to rally from a two-goal and Hornqvist grabbed the top of Dubnyk’s mask. A scrum ensued, and deficit late, Boudreau used the two fourth-liners with an extra attacker Dubnyk began giving Hornqvist body blows. along with Mikko Koivu, Zucker, Spurgeon and Hunt.

The Wild were, at the time, trying to kill a Jordan Greenway hooking He didn’t use Parise or Staal or Fiala or Dumba or Zuccarello in that penalty. Hornqvist earned four minutes for roughing, Dubnyk two. situation.

After 1:25 of four-on-four and a 35-second Wild power play, Adam That says it all. Johnson, who was serving one of Hornqvist’s minors, made it 3-1 just 15 seconds later. Marcus Foligno took the blame, saying he had a “They deserved to be out there,” Boudreau said of Foligno and Hartman. miscommunication with teammate Matt Dumba and it led to a bad read “That’s what it’s gotta be. It’s gotta be a reward system. This theme of by the two of them. But Dubnyk also sent a knuckle puck rebound right to ‘all-in’ only works if everybody’s ‘all-in’ for the right reason. That’s what Johnson’s tape. it’s gotta be or we won’t be successful.

Soon after, Dubnyk punched a rebound out to the slot and Kris Letang “I think people want to get on the scoresheet, and so consequently we made it 4-1. don’t stop and start when we should. We start to circle, hoping for the breaks. That’s never going to work. The harder you work intelligently, “I was just trying to get it to Suts,” Dubnyk said. “I don’t normally just pop then the more breaks you get. That’s the way it goes.” rebounds to the middle there, but I was just trying to give it to Suts there. Unfortunately, it was just right out of his reach.” It’ll be interesting to see how Boudreau uses Parise for the next little bit. The coach is clearly frustrated by the veteran’s play; he’s down to the Frankly, Boudreau probably should have pulled Dubnyk right there, but third line and finished Saturday’s game with no points, a minus-2 and no less than a minute later, Dubnyk thought a dump-in was going to be an shots. icing, Hunt and Carson Soucy got crossed up and Johnson set up Joseph Blandisi all alone at the goal mouth. It will also be interesting if the Wild have their first call-up from the minors Sunday. It’s clear the Wild need an infusion of something different. It continued the season-long theme of one goal against turning into two or three quickly against the Wild. Turns out Rask wasn’t the answer

In went Alex Stalock to replace Dubnyk. Did Dubnyk lose his composure With Donato without a point in the first three games, Boudreau made the when he got into it with Hornqvist, or was the quick barrage of goals just tough decision to sit the youngster for Victor Rask for the first time. Rask happenstance? He said the latter, claiming, “I wasn’t overly upset. I was was the 13th forward heading into camp after being acquired last season completely calm.” for Nino Niederreiter.

Hornqvist, long an effective goal-mouth crasher, said, “I want them to be “I hope to see that he’s been pretty angry sitting out three games in a row mad at me or paying attention to me. That means I’m doing something for a veteran that you traded a good player for,” Boudreau said Saturday right. At the same time, that’s my job, and we all have different roles out morning. “We want to see him compete and for him to sort of say, there.” ‘Coach, you’re never taking me out of the game again.’ The other thing is I wanted to see Kunin on right wing. I think he’s a valuable player on right Dubnyk, who might get Monday’s afternoon game in Ottawa off with a wing. Not that he’s not at center, but I think he gives us another right- game the next night in Toronto, is 0-4 with a 4.56 goals-against average handed shot at that position, so that was the two things that went into my and a .862 save percentage. mind.”

“It’s disappointing. We just got to try to stay working,” he said. “I felt good Rask assisted on a Spurgeon goal, but otherwise he wasn’t effective. about a lot of things with my game. It hasn’t worked out so far, but the worst thing you can do is start changing things that don’t need to be As for Donato, Boudreau felt terrible but said, “There are a lot of guys in changed. All you can do is go out and work as hard as you can, and the same group as him as far as points and productivity and stuff like eventually we’ll get there. I think everybody will definitely feel some that, but he seemed to be — he was the fourth-line guy last game. And urgency now. That’s really all we can do is go out and work and turn it it’s not necessarily going to be him all the time. I mean, we need other around on Monday.” guys to perform, and if not, then he’ll be right back in.

Hunt’s the Wild’s leading scorer? “He tries so hard, he’s such a good kid, and he’s still a young player, so he’s going to be — these things are going to happen.” Four games into the season, Hunt, the Wild’s third-pairing defenseman and the Vegas Golden Knights’ eighth defenseman before the Wild Donato handled the decision maturely. acquired him last season, is leading the Wild with four points. “Obviously, things weren’t going the way that we wanted to and there’s He has been outstanding, but with all due respect to the Wild’s resident got to be a change, and Victor has been doing a good job working hard, Mr. Nice Guy, that is absolutely unacceptable. and he deserves a chance,” Donato said. “It’s disappointing, but also, I’m not going to moan about it. I gotta get ready for my next opportunity. After Hunt, the second-leading scorers are fellow defensemen Suter and Spurgeon and fourth-line grinder Foligno. “I know I could play a lot better, and I think if there was any moving piece, I’d be a piece right now at this stage. It makes sense maybe. It’s just Mats Zuccarello has zero points. Zach Parise, who struggled mightily unfortunate that it comes at the home opener. But at the end of the day, Saturday, has one goal and is minus-7. Eric Staal has no goals and an it’s all about the winning.” assist. Greenway had another lousy game and took a lazy penalty. Kevin Fiala has no goals and one assist and continues to be a turnover Asked what he needs to do better, Donato said, “Scoring? I’ve had a machine. He has Boudreau at his wits’ end so much that it would not be couple great chances. And it’s tough because one of those go in, shocking if he winds up scratched like Ryan Donato was Saturday night if circumstances can be very different.” he doesn’t cut it out. Boudreau was asked point-blank what could alleviate some of the The Wild also had two goals disallowed, one because referee Brad Meier pressure. ruled Matt Murray had a puck covered before it squirted out to Foligno, “A win would stop it. A win would make them feel a lot better. A win the other when referee TJ Luxmore ruled Hartman interfered with Murray would give them confidence in themselves,” he said. before Joel Eriksson Ek scored. It was almost fitting Eriksson Ek, who always struggles to convert, scored when the game was out of hand But Koivu said the Wild have to earn it. because he was unable to score on three tremendous chances when the “Things are not going our way right now. We can be here and whine game was actually there for the grasp. about it, but you’ve got to go forward,” the Wild captain said. “A lot of it is “I’ve been pretty lenient (this season) as far as ice time goes and between the ears right now. You want that first one, and I think everyone averaging it out,” Boudreau said. “Today, I sat some of the kids, and they recognizes that. “Each of us, we’ve got to be better individually, and from there, you’ve got to be better as a team. It’s every year. You got to build that confidence — same thing, individually and as a team. You don’t get anything in this league. I don’t care if it’s Game 1 or Game 82. You got to earn every single point in this league, and we’re not doing that right now.”

Said Foligno: “We’re 0-4. There’s so many more games to play, but this is something we have to say it stops now and we need wins. We need to start catching up; we don’t want to be put in a hole, and this definitely stings. But at the same time, if we start getting negative here, it’s just going to make things worse. It takes everyone here to change it.”

The Athletic LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156987 New Jersey Devils those other two guys, but it’s a good combo of a different centerman, because of his speed and the way he plays the game.”

So in short, Rooney’s a player who can help support Bratt and Gusev by 3 Devils observations: When will Jesper Boqvist play? Why Nikita Gusev getting them out of the defensive zone and spending more time on is with Kevin Rooney offense, where the two wingers can flash their skill. And through the early part of the season, Hynes has refrained from labeling his lines.

In his mind, he has four interchangeable lines, and the players earning Posted Oct 13, 2019 the ice time will get it on any given night. So having the three on the fourth line doesn’t mean they’ll always get the least playing time. By Chris Ryan Prior to playing together Thursday, the Rooney, Bratt and Gusev had

never skated on a line during a game or practice. But the three quickly BOSTON -- Aside from the Devils’ game on Saturday against the Boston got on the same page. Bruins, here are some other observations from around the team, “We had a quick chat before the game. We didn’t have a morning skate including the plan for Jesper Boqvist, the logic behind the Nikita Gusev- before Edmonton, so we kind of sat down before the game and we just Kevin Rooney-Jesper Bratt line over the past two games, and more on talked it out," Rooney said. “I told them how I kind of played and I think Andy Greene’s injury. they appreciated that. Through the practice here I think we’ve developed The plan for Jesper Boqvist some good chemistry where I can be a guy who’s first in on the forecheck, try to to be hard on pucks and keep pucks in the O-zone, and Boqvist was a healthy scratch on Saturday for the fourth time in five then let them do their thing. They’re two very creative players, and I’ll just games to start the season, and the 2017 second-round pick has yet to try to get to the net like the goal (Thursday) night.” secure a bigger role in the lineup. How long Greene will be out That should change in the coming week, with coach John Hynes saying the rookie should suit up in the coming days, where the Devils play on The Devils placed defenseman and captain Andy Greene on injured Monday, Thursday and Saturday. reserve on Friday after he suffered an upper body injury during Wednesday’s game against the Flyers. Greene did not play Thursday Introducing Devils Insider: Sign up for exclusive news, behind-the-scenes against the Oilers and saw a doctor on Friday. observations and the ability to text message directly with beat writers He had a full day off on Saturday back in New Jersey, and the team will Saturday’s game against the Bruins could have been a chance for reevaluate him on Sunday to determine his availability for the upcoming Boqvist, but after the team’s strong even-strength showing against the week. He can’t play on Monday against the Florida Panthers, but he Oilers on Thursday, Hynes wanted to give that same lineup another would be eligible to return on Thursday against the Rangers. chance. “We’ll probably know more (Sunday),” Hynes said. "He saw the doctors “(Boqvist’s) going to be a guy we’re going to look to be able to get in, and Friday and we’ll see how it is with another day off. We’ll probably have a the other night, we felt we had a pretty strong game against Edmonton 5- good feel tomorrow of what it could look like going into next week.” on-5,” Hynes said. “Get a little bit of stability with that group, give this group another chance to play. Boqvist is a good player and he’ll find his way in for sure.” Star Ledger LOADED: 10.14.2019 Devils coaches and front-office members haven’t had any discussions about an ideal or minimum number of game Boqvist needs to play. They kept him on the NHL roster because they believe he can make a positive impact this season. They just aren’t in a rush to throw him to the wolves.

Part of getting Boqvist into the lineup also involves trying to get him onto a special teams unit. The power play is crowded, and that’s his biggest strength. If that unit continues to struggle, he should get his shot.

The forward has also been sitting in on all penalty kill meetings. While he’s never played on that unit, Hynes sees him as a player with the tools to do so.

“We think he can be a guy that could kill because he’s got really good smarts and instincts, and he’s quick and fast,” Hynes said. “So he’s been in all the meetings. He’s learning that, we’re kind of hitting that stride, and sometimes that helps when a guy doesn’t play, there’s extra reps and time to work in with that.”

Why Gusev and Bratt are with Rooney

When you think of a typical fourth line, you might picture some harder, physical players who grind out shifts during games. With their skill, Nikita Gusev and Jesper Bratt don’t fit that mold. But for the second straight game, those two wingers were on the fourth line with Kevin Rooney at center against the Bruins.

Bratt and Gusev certainly have the skill to be top-six wingers, so what’s been the logic behind putting them on the fourth line?

"I met with Goose (Friday) and just talked about how he’s doing and where his game’s at and what he’s done and who he’s played with. And he said, ‘I like Rooney,’” Hynes said. “The thing with Kevin, he’s good in the D-zone. He understands he can get you up and out of there so you don’t have to play as long. He does have a lot of speed and also when you look at him and Bratt, they work pretty well together. Kevin’s also another guy, he brings another element to that line. He can be first to a puck in the offensive zone, he can check and get stops in the O-zone. He’s a guy that maybe he doesn’t have some of the playmaking skills of 1156988 New Jersey Devils coach, to try and recapture the same magic the two had in 2009 when they helmed the Stanley Cup-winning Pittsburgh Penguins.

But Bylsma already has a job and we don’t know if Stevens even wants NJ Devils look ahead to favorable schedule to turn season around to return to coaching again. So again, what’s the alternative?

The Devils don’t have enough quality defensemen and none in the system ready to step in and contribute. The process of integrating all of Abbey Mastracco, NHL writer the new players is taking longer than expected. A new head coach isn’t going to fix any of that. What they do have working in their favor is six Published 9:10 p.m. ET Oct. 13, 2019 home games, starting Monday with the Florida Panthers, and a ton of off days the rest of the month.

The New Jersey Devils insist they are better than their 0-3-2 start would "It's one game," Hynes said after practice Sunday at RWJBarnabas lead you to believe. They’ve put together good stretches and in their least Health Hockey House. "Take the positives that we had (in Boston), two games they’ve seen progress. But the frustrating part is that the continue to work on the areas that need work, which we did today, and progress hasn’t shown up on the scoresheet or in the standings. just come out and focus on Florida."

Their latest loss, a shutout in Boston on Saturday night, was an They think they can salvage this before it’s too late, but they'll have to especially frustrating lesson in how to deal with momentum swings and play with a different type of urgency and push through the hard parts. good goalies. “We have a favorable schedule coming up and if we string a couple “At this point, I kind of just want to focus on the positives,” alternate together we can look back on the month and all of the sudden it’s a captain Travis Zajac said. “We did some good things. At 5-on-5, we shaky start,” Palmieri said. “You can find a way to have a decent record weren’t too bad. We created some looks during the third and the second coming out of this month with a favorable schedule and we’ve got to find and got ourselves on the power play a few times, so we were obviously a way, one game at a time, and take it from there.” doing a few things right. It’s just not easy for us right now so we’ve just got to keep it going. We’ve got to dig in and just find a way to get a win. That’s got to be the focus. That’s it.” Bergen Record LOADED: 10.14.2019 Metrics will show you the Devils had more scoring chances than the Bruins but goalie Tuukka Rask was unbreakable. The Devils didn’t exactly make his job as tough as they could have either, looking to score with the skill plays instead of making the goalie work to track tips and rebounds.

When he didn’t crack, they got frustrated and gave up on plays.

Oct 12, 2019; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara (33) controls the puck away from New Jersey Devils center Blake Coleman (20) during the first period at TD Garden.

“There are flashes,” forward Kyle Palmieri said. “You could look at some different parts of the game, like obviously special teams played a big part again tonight, but at the end of the day I just think we need to take it to a new level.”

Managing partner and co-owner Josh Harris was on hand at TD Garden for New Jersey’s second shutout loss of the season. There has been no indication that coach John Hynes’ seat is warm but it’s natural to question the status of any head coach after five straight losses to begin the season. The organization has long been high on Hynes for the way he communicates, the culture he’s built and his ability to get the most out of players.

General manager Ray Shero often likes to point out the fact that Taylor Hall won a Hart Trophy playing for Hynes.

But the product on the ice right now is not matching up with the expectations set forth by the organization and the coach. A fanbase conditioned by Lou Lamoriello to think coaches are disposable wants a new guy behind the bench.

But who are the alternatives? The list isn’t great.

There are some notable names from the old guard, but Darryl Sutter and Ken Hitchcock aren’t going to cut it. Coaches like that from a bygone NHL era probably won't work well with a team built for the modern-day NHL game. No one liked old, slow hockey players more than Sutter and the notoriously mercurial cattle farmer has little patience when it comes to developing talent.

With the Devils looking to 18-year-old speedster Jack Hughes to contend, Sutter is the opposite of what the team is looking for. He also said he’s not interested in a return to the NHL, preferring to stay in his advisory role with the Anaheim Ducks and work with his good friend and former Chicago Blackhawks teammate Bob Murray.

Fans want former Devils’ defenseman Scott Stevens, who was an assistant on Bruce Boudreau’s bench in Minnesota but left to spend more time with his family.

Shero doesn’t have a history of firing coaches on a whim. He could try and pry Dan Byslma out of Detroit, where he is currently an assistant 1156989 New Jersey Devils enough pressure on him and made him do too much hard work. It was a lot of one-and-done. He had to scramble a few times but there were rebounds there. We just didn’t find a way to get there and bury them.”

NJ Devils 'lacking confidence' after fifth straight loss Losses can weigh on teams and right now the losses are affecting the Devils’ ability to think the game through on the ice.

“It’s that we’re lacking a little bit of confidence right now and you can see Abbey Mastracco, NHL writer it in some areas,” Zajac said. “We’re still second-guessing ourselves a little bit and it’s not allowing us to play as quick as possible.” Published 7:02 a.m. ET Oct. 13, 2019 While on the ice New Jersey may be trying to establish themselves, the

good news is that the Devils aren’t lacking confidence in themselves to BOSTON — The New Jersey Devils were shut out by the Boston Bruins turn this around. They know they have the skill to put this together but on Saturday night at TD Garden to extend their season-opening losing they need to play with more toughness in order to withstand the highs streak to five games (0-3-2) and they went 0-for-4 on the power play to and lows of the game. extend their season-opening streak to 15 scoreless tries. “I’m all for moral victories and things like that but we need to find a way to Yet some members of the team felt it was their best game of the season. get the job done and get in the win column,” Palmieri said. “The desperation is something there at times but it needs to be there in the full Yes, really. 60 minutes. We need to impose our will on the other team.”

“Out of the games we’ve played, I really do think that was still one of the better efforts we put in there,” alternate captain Travis Zajac said following the 4-0 loss to the Bruins. Bergen Record LOADED: 10.14.2019

This bar was supposed to be set higher for the New Jersey this season but here we are. Five games into the year and it isn't answers the Devils are looking for, it’s execution.

“It’s just not easy for us right now so we’ve just got to keep it going,” Zajac said. “We’ve got to dig in and just find a way to get a win. That’s got to be the focus. That’s it.”

Here are three observations from the Devils’ loss in Boston.

New faces, new places

Jack Hughes and Nikita Gusev were supposed to give the Devils’ lineup an instant boost. But it’s become clear there is still a learning curve for both of them. Hughes, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft in June has gotten better and better with each game and Gusev, last season’s KHL player of the year, has found his way on to the scoresheet a few times but both are still struggling to simplify their games.

Hughes and Gusev are two exceptionally creative, dynamic skaters and playmakers but they’re adjusting to a new level of play where some of that creativity doesn’t have the same effect. They’ve been placed on lines with players who can help them simplify their games (Hughes with winger Wayne Simmonds and Gusev with center Kevin Rooney), but without those safeguards, they’ve been trying to do too much on the power play.

It was clear on a third-period power play Saturday night when they had easier options to create rebounds but instead tried to make skilled plays.

“When you see Hughesy and Goose, they tried to double seam it when both of them could just lay it right in and right off the pad right into a tip to create a second-chance,” coach John Hynes said. “They’re trying to make the highest skill play possible.”

Hynes compared that to the power play goal scored by Boston’s Patrice Bergeron in the second period.

“(Brad) Marchand comes in off the flank, lays it right off the pad and creates the scrum and then it winds up being a rebound goal right in the blue paint,” Hynes said. “We have some guys that have to understand that.”

The Bruins’ power play is loaded with elite veterans, whereas the Devils are still trying to get everyone on the same page. No one wants to stifle the creativity of Hughes and Gusev but if they can learn from these mistakes it may help get everyone on the same page a little quicker.

“They’re new to the league and they have to understand that lots of times that’s how you create offense and are able to score,” Hynes said. “It’s not going to be a seem tic-tac-toe play.”

They’re ‘lacking confidence’

They’re overpassing, holding on to pucks too long and then coughing them up as a result. They’re struggling to get sustained pressure in the offensive and the power play is disjointed.

“I thought we had a couple good shifts but it wasn’t enough sustained, shift-after-shift, pressure,” forward Kyle Palmieri said. “(Bruins’ goalie Tuukka) Rask made a couple nice saves but I don’t think we put nearly 1156990 New Jersey Devils team has been worse than .817 in the previous two seasons, but there are six teams at .808 or worse.

If the Devils had allowed five or six goals on the PK, it still wouldn’t be at Panic meter: Assessing everything that ails the winless Devils and the their standard from the past couple years, but it also wouldn’t look like a biggest long-term concerns three-alarm fire. And the Devils might have a win or two, depending on where the goals against are shaved off.

There’s plenty of track record to suggest the Devils will improve. They’ve By Corey Masisak had a great PK unit even when the rest of the team was bad, and even when the goaltending was suspect. Oct 13, 2019

Panic meter:  (could be , pending the severity of Greene’s injury, which is still TBA) BOSTON — If the Devils went to TD Garden in January and played the game that happened Saturday night, the level of concern would likely be The power play pretty tame. New Jersey has allowed the most power-play goals and the Devils have One unlucky deflection and one loose puck on the wrong stick in the slot not scored one so they’re obviously last in that category as well. Before left the Devils chasing the Bruins and a really good goaltending the Boston game, Hynes said the Devils needed to establish a shot performance, particularly in the second period, kept them chasing in a 3- mentality to help the rest of the options open up. 0 loss. It was by no means a great game for New Jersey, but it was far They had eight shot attempts and four scoring chances in four power- from a sound-the-alarm, the ship-is-sinking effort. play opportunities, according to Natural Stat Trick. The best power plays The problem at the moment is the Devils have played five games, and are close to 120 shot attempts per 60 minutes (or two per minute). One they didn’t win any of the first four, either. They could have won two of per minute is not good enough; Nashville was 19th last season at 90.69, them, but didn’t. They were outplayed significantly in the other two. or 1.5 per minute.

Expectations are much higher this season, in large part because the The power-play units have remained unchanged through five games. The Devils made four high-profile additions during the offseason. New Jersey top power play — P.K. Subban, Taylor Hall, Zajac, Kyle Palmieri and has started 0-3-2, and there have been varying degrees of struggles in Wayne Simmonds — has struggled with zone entries in a couple of every zone and at every position. games. The Devils also flipped Hall and Palmieri to get them on their off- wing sides. Zajac had a great one-timer chance against the Bruins, but The players are frustrated. The fans, at least the ones who are active on Tuukka Rask caught just enough of it with his shoulder. social media, are apoplectic. Both units have been too pass-happy, but the second power play — Will What’s gone wrong? Which problems are just some combination of an Butcher or Damon Severson, Nikita Gusev, Bratt, Jack Hughes and early-season funk and which might be a bigger cause for concern? Hischier — has definitely been looking for the perfect play too much. Gusev had a great chance against the Bruins, but he and Hughes tried Let’s dig in, in no particular order. seam passes through the middle of the Boston box when a shooting lane The penalty kill was open during a third-period power play that highlighted their issues so far. Here is where the Devils have ranked on the penalty kill in each season of the John Hynes/Alain Nasreddine era: eighth, 23rd, tied for seventh, The Devils are 19th in expected goals-for per 60 minutes (xGF/60), so fourth and … 31st. New Jersey is 8-for-16 on the penalty kill this season. there’s been a little bit of bad luck/good goaltending against, but they That might be a great 3-point shooting percentage, but it’s terrible absolutely need to shoot more. Some of that stems from not spending penalty-killing proficiency. enough time set up in the zone.

Compared to the past two seasons, the Devils are yielding significantly It’s the one area where “the Devils have more talent now” is a good more shot attempts per 60 minutes. Bad things happen when the other reason to believe it will work itself out. Maybe there’s a tweak to be made team shoots the puck a lot and there’s one less player to defend it (and to the two groups — Hughes or Gusev, or both, could force their way to track down rebounds and loose pucks, and to get the thing out of onto to the top unit at some point. danger). It’s also worth acknowledging the power play hasn’t been as successful The Devils’ modus operandi on the PK the past two years has been since assistant coach Geoff Ward left for a promotion in Calgary. He has aggressive play from the forwards and a lot of blocked shots from the a pretty good track record of running successful power plays. That said, defensemen. New Jersey is still among the top 10 teams in shot attempts it’s pretty hard to judge offensive assistants Rick Kowalsky and Mike on the PK, but it doesn’t have a shorthanded goal to show for it. Grier on last year, given how many of the key offensive players missed significant time with injuries. And it’s still just five games. Teams get into One eye-test assessment: the PK hasn’t looked as aggressive so far. five-game funks on the power play all the time. When it’s really rolling, guys like Blake Coleman and Travis Zajac are causing chaos in all three zones and forcing teams to waste time without Panic meter:  getting set up. It feels like the Devils have spent more time sitting back in Even-strength play the PK box so far. The Devils are 24th in the league in Corsi-for percentage, or the The top three PK forwards are back from last year (Coleman, Zajac and percentage of shot attempts they’ve taken at even strength. That’s not Pavel Zacha), but the Devils haven’t really settled on who the fourth and good, but there’s not a lot to be gleaned from a five-game sample size. fifth guys are. Kevin Rooney is likely to be one of them when he’s in the The teams that are 21st through 28th, courtesy of Natural Stat Trick: lineup. A handful of guys, including , Jesper Bratt and John Hayden, have gotten chances. Hynes said before the game Saturday the Rank Team Games CF CA CF % Devils are grooming Jesper Boqvist for potential PK duties, so he could be in the mix at some point as well. 21 Ducks 5 225 239 48.49

New Jersey is currently without Andy Greene, who led the NHL in PK 22 Avalanche 4 165 176 48.39 time on ice per game and blocked shots last season. Ben Lovejoy was 23 Oilers 5 191 208 47.87 second in PK time on ice. For what it’s worth, the Devils were at 83.8 percent with Lovejoy on the roster, and 86.0 percent in 21 games after he 24 Devils 5 191 210 47.63 was traded to Dallas. 25 Stars 6 214 242 46.93 There isn’t really a theme to hit on from the eight goals allowed. A couple of them have been goals the goaltenders would like back, and it’s worth 26 Red Wings 5 200 244 45.05 noting the Devils have a .708 save percentage on the PK, according to 27 Blues 5 199 249 44.42 Corsica, which is the worst in the league. It’s not going to be that bad. No 28 Lightning 5 189 247 43.35 it’s an area of the game that is hard for young or new NHL players to succeed in, and an area where average or below-average NHL players Those are four of the most talented teams in the NHL (Tampa Bay, St. can be exploited by above-average ones. Louis, Dallas and Colorado) and two teams that are off to surprisingly hot starts (Edmonton and Anaheim). One really good or really bad game has Panic meter:  too much influence on the data at this point, and CF% isn’t a be-all, end- all measure of how a team is playing at even strength. The shootouts

The Devils have been outscored 13-9 at even strength. It’s not as bad as New Jersey could be 2-3 right now without actually playing any real the special teams, but it’s certainly not good enough. They’re 25th in hockey any better than it has. The Devils have lost both shootouts. They goals-for percentage, but 20th in expected goals-for percentage. and the Panthers have combined to lose half of the eight shootouts in the NHL so far this season. Hynes and his coaching staff place more importance on scoring chances and winning the battle of the high-danger areas. They are 25th in The Devils have scored once on seven attempts. The goalies have scoring-chance percentage and 23rd in high-danger scoring-chance allowed three goals on seven attempts. There’s not a lot more to say percentage. Even when the Devils have struggled and yielded more than about it. New Jersey has no fewer than four guys who have the skill to be 50 percent of the shot attempts the past two years, they have been one elite shootout guys, but there’s an incredible amount of variance (i.e. luck of the better teams at collecting a higher percentage of high-danger or randomness) involved in the skills competition. Mackenzie Blackwood chances. probably needs to incorporate the poke check into his shootout plan after the Jets scored twice on goals that involved some extra stickhandling Adding Subban was the biggest reason to believe the Devils could within a stick’s reach of him. improve at even strength. They are basically breaking even with Subban on the ice across the board in every goals-based or possession-based San Jose, Calgary and Toronto combined to go 0-9 in shootouts last metric. They’ve been better than that when he plays with Severson or year. They were all really good teams with skilled shooters aplenty to Greene. They also need to be better when Subban’s not on the ice. choose from. It’s possible the Devils only see one or two more shootouts the rest of the season. The other new additions, particularly Hughes in the first two games and Gusev in general, have struggled at even strength. Hughes and his line As an aside, all of the struggles in other areas of the game have have been better the past three games. Gusev’s linemates have changed overshadowed how the Devils have played in the two overtimes. Other in four of the five games, but his line has been buried in a couple of them. teams dominated New Jersey during the three-on-three portion of the game last year. In theory, a team with that type of roster should probably be striving to break even at even strength and relying on above-average special The shot attempts were 5-5 in the Winnipeg game and 6-2 in New teams. Neither of those things is happening, to this point. Jersey’s favor against Edmonton. Hall had two fantastic chances against the Oilers and hit the iron with one of them. There’s a subset of this category worth digging into further … They’ve been significantly better in overtime than a year ago. And they’ll Panic meter:  likely have more luck in the coin-flip contest as the season progresses.

The defensive zone Panic meter: None

Think back through the five games so far. How many times has one of Hall and Hischier New Jersey’s forwards carried the puck into the offensive zone in a one- on-two/one-on-three/one-on-four situation, fired the puck toward the net Hall and Hischier combined for 145 points two years ago. They produced and immediately turned toward the bench? It’s happened a lot. Hall, in at a combined rate of about 135 points per 82 games last year. If they’re particular, has done that at least a half-dozen times. both healthy this year, any projection of fewer than 140 points between them was a conservative one, and 150 seemed like a reasonable goal. Most of the Devils’ problems at even strength are originating in the defensive zone, and a lot of the times “playing defense” in the traditional They have five between them so far. None of those five points are goals. sense has not been the problem. New Jersey has missed far too many Their line got smoked by Sean Couturier and his friends in Philadelphia, opportunities to get the puck out of its own end. but otherwise, they’ve pretty good at even strength. They saw a lot of The best defense in the modern NHL is not having to play it, and the Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, Zdeno Chara and Charlie McAvoy on optimal way to minimize how much time a team spends “playing defense” Saturday night in Boston and it was a pretty great battle. That’s maybe is to collect the puck in the defensive zone, skate or pass it out of danger the NHL’s best unit at suppressing offense, and the Devils’ top line had to and through the neutral zone and enter the offensive zone with work extremely hard to generate anything against them. possession. Hall, in particular, has looked a lot like his pre-injury self the past two There have been some instances where the Devils did not do enough to games, flying around the ice and finding more ways to be a threat at the “end the play,” as Hynes like to call it, which often means dislodging the offensive end. They’re going to score goals, and collect a lot of points. puck from the opposition or winning a battle for a loose puck. The biggest Panic meter: None issue has been when the Devils have collected the puck in the defensive zone. There have been bad decisions. There have been simple passes Hughes and Gusev bounce off teammates’ sticks. The breakout plan has looked disjointed at Here was the best way, in my mind, to describe the potential impact of times. the two additions before the season began: The Devils don’t need The result is spending too much time at that end of the ice. New Jersey is Hughes and Gusev to be great players to be a potential playoff team, but spending full shifts in its own end, and if the puck doesn’t end up in its if they are, it changes the potential ceiling. net by the time the Devils get it to safety, they’re out of gas. Sometimes, Both players are going through varying levels of adjustment and growing when a team is struggling, the coach will ask for more simple plays, more pains in the NHL. Gusev has two goals, but his line has struggled for dump-and-chase hockey. The Devils’ problems are forcing them to play large chunks of the five games. He doesn’t need to be a plus-player on dump-and-change far too often. That leads to the next line starting defense if the offense ends up being above average or even elite. He just without the puck and more time defending. It can be a tough cycle to needs to be passable and not hurt it. It’s been a mix of passable and break. hurting it so far. He hasn’t generated a ton of offensive chances, but he’s There are plenty of opinions about what is going wrong in the defensive also shown he doesn’t need a lot of space to create them. zone. The integration of new players is certainly part of the problem. Hughes struggled to make much of an impact in his first two games, but Some players just playing poorly in their own zone is also certainly part of each of the past three has been better. He hit the post against the Bruins, the problem. had another good chance late in the game and set up a couple of Maybe the coaching staff will need to make some tweaks to the plan, but opportunities. The offensive impact is coming. He and Gusev made an ill- it’s rare for any team to say, “Welp, it’s been five games so it’s time to advised decision in the defensive zone to prolong a possession late in tear it up and try something else,” especially when it hasn’t been all bad the second period against Boston, but overall, he’s been on the plus side during that stretch. It’s certainly been bad enough to be a concern, and of the possession ledger for three straight games. Natural Stat Trick had the even-strength scoring chances at 7-0 in New Jersey’s favor when decades competing for the Stanley Cup every year and disposing of Hughes was on the ice against the Bruins. coaches at an extreme rate, even during an era when coaching turnover was much higher than it is now. Panic meter:  for Hughes,  for Gusev Teams have made a coaching change early in the season in the salary The goaltending cap era, but those teams didn’t have a combination of four high-profile players to integrate and six players who are young enough to play on a The Devils were 28th in save percentage last season, but Blackwood and current version of the YoungStars team from the 2016 World Cup. Those Cory Schneider stabilized the position over the final six weeks. Schneider teams also didn’t have a GM who has made one in-season coaching is currently 29th in save percentage and Blackwood is 46th out of 47 change in 12 full seasons in charge. goalies who have played two or more games. At this point, no one should be absolved for an 0-3-2 start. No one has Blackwood had a bad night in Buffalo. He was better against Edmonton, more than three points. Palmieri is probably the guy closest to producing but it’s going to take several good games to get his save percentage at his expected rate, but he’s also fallen down with the puck in front of his back to where he’d like it to be over the course of the full season. goaltender and he took the penalty that led to Boston’s third goal. He Schneider was a bad deflection off his teammate away from having a wasn’t shrinking away from responsibility for the slow start after the strong game against the Bruins. game, either. The goaltending was one of the biggest question marks entering the The coaching staff is part of that, too. Hynes has tried a bunch of season. Other trouble areas have overshadowed it, but both goalies can different combinations so far. Some of them haven’t worked. Bratt and and absolutely need to be better. Gusev between Rooney is a non-traditional mix, but they played well Panic meter:  together against Edmonton. Then they didn’t against Boston. Some have: The Subban and Severson pair could be a keeper; Hughes has found The defense depth some success with Coleman and Simmonds.

Go back and read any of the articles about the Devils on this site from Boqvist hasn’t played in four of the first five games. If he still ends up the end of last season through the offseason, and look for the number of playing 60-70 games, the start will be a distant memory. If he spends half times the phrase “New Jersey needs at least one and probably two top- the year as a healthy scratch, it will be fair to question that decision, four defensemen to become a true Stanley Cup contender” or some particularly if the Devils struggle to score consistently and/or the fourth variation of it. OK, don’t do that — just know that some variation of that line has more nights where it gets caved in. phrase is in a story about a half-dozen times, if not more. To that point, Hynes has made it pretty clear they’d like to find Boqvist The point is, while general manager Ray Shero had a great offseason, chances to play that aren’t in a fourth line/checking role only. There’s the idea the Devils are a finished product or “the rebuild is over” is a little been no indication the coaching staff or management believes just short-sighted. There were a lot of holes to fill. Shero filled several of finding the 12 most skilled guys and rolling them out there is the most them. effective way to play. They aren’t going to neglect the idea of having responsible, meat-and-potatoes types of players in the lineup entirely. Getting Subban to anchor the defense was a huge addition. It allows everyone else to slide down one slot from last year, and he’s clearly Putting Boqvist through some on-the-job PK training (he’s never killed going to log 25-plus minutes most nights. penalties) before could be a way to find him more playing time and a consistent place in the lineup. Injuries are likely going to help get him into That doesn’t mean the renovations at that position are complete. Most of the lineup as well. the preseason projections for the Devils included Ty Smith as one of the top-six defensemen and expected him to be a positive-impact player. He Yes, it’s a results-based business and the Devils do have higher wasn’t ready during training camp, so that’s one subtle improvement that expectations this season. That said, these players and coaches likely didn’t happen from last year. have a long way to go before the season is truly in jeopardy of being a disappointment or even a failure. Collectively, a top four of Subban, Severson, Butcher and Sami Vatanen is probably good enough for the Devils to be a playoff team, assuming the forwards are better than league average and the goaltenders are somewhere around league average. The Athletic LOADED: 10.14.2019

The current group is probably not good enough collectively for the Devils to be more than a playoff contender and capable of a deep postseason run. Severson and Butcher aren’t that young, but by NHL defenseman standards, there is still some time for them to make some more improvements.

Ideally, Severson and either Butcher or Smith become a plus second pairing over the next few seasons, the other guy anchors a strong third pairing, and the Devils find another high-minute guy to play with Subban. That probably only leaves one spot for Vatanen or Greene, who are pending unrestricted free agents, or for someone like Reilly Walsh, Colton White or a veteran like Connor Carrick, Mirco Mueller or a free agent No. 5/6 type.

The bigger issue for this season could be the lack of depth options. With Greene injured, the Devils are already playing Carrick and Mueller in the top six when two months ago, people were projected them to be Nos. 7 and 8. Matt Tennyson impressed the coaching staff during training camp and has the early lead on the No. 8 spot. White is the one young guy who could make a push for NHL playing time at some point, but not likely until later in the season. Smith, and maybe Walsh, could be options next year.

Any sort of significant injury to Subban, Severson, Butcher or Vatanen is going to leave the Devils in a bad spot on the blue line.

Panic meter: 

The coaching

There aren’t enough fire emojis to express the state of Devils fans being mad online about the start to the season, and the coaching staff as an extension of that. It is a franchise that spent the better part of two 1156991

Jordan Eberle's injury could create opportunity for Oliver Wahlstrom

By Andrew Gross [email protected] @AGrossNewsday

Updated October 13, 2019 5:06 PM

The next-man-up mentality applies to the Islanders as much as it does any other NHL club. Still, there’s no doubt losing a top-line player, if that is the case, is a big roster hole to fill.

The Islanders did not practice on Sunday so there was no update on right wing Jordan Eberle’s status in advance of Monday’s matinee against the defending Stanley Cup champion Blues at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum.

Eberle appeared to hurt his right leg on a late third-period check from defenseman Mike Matheson in Saturday night’s 3-2 shootout win over the Panthers, which snapped a two-game losing streak. Eberle skated in obvious pain to the bench at 17:26 and did not take another shift, though he did not retreat to the dressing room.

“I couldn’t give a time frame,” coach Barry Trotz said after the game. “He got hit in a strange spot. We’ll evaluate it.

“It’s a hole, that’s for sure,” Trotz added when asked about Eberle’s potential absence. “That’s the way we play. The next guy up is going to have to get the job done.”

Eberle agreed to a five-year, $27.5 million deal in the offseason after leading the Islanders with four goals and five assists in eight playoff games in the spring.

It was unclear on Sunday who that next man might be if Eberle, who has three assists in five games, including one against the Panthers, is going to miss time. Or how Trotz might reconfigure his lines again after the top line of Mathew Barzal centering Eberle and captain Anders Lee was the only one left intact to start Saturday’s game.

One intriguing possibility, though, is Oliver Wahlstrom, the 11th overall pick in 2018 who has a power forward’s body at 6-2, 209 pounds and a shooter’s mentality. Wahlstrom, starting his first full professional season and reassigned to the AHL after training camp, has a goal and two assists in four games for Bridgeport.

The Islanders certainly selected him with the hope he would develop into a top-six forward in the NHL.

That, too, was the idea when the Islanders took Josh Ho-Sang 28th overall in 2014. But the offensively talented, if mercurial, Ho-Sang has not yet reported to Bridgeport per president and general manager Lou Lamoriello’s instructions after Ho-Sang did not make the Islanders’ season-opening roster and requested a trade.

The Islanders said on Friday there was no update on Ho-Sang’s situation.

On the current roster, Anthony Beauvillier, who has seen plenty of ice time with Barzal in the past and has started this season with two goals and two assists, would seem a logical candidate to take Eberle’s spot if needed.

The Islanders’ bottom six has been somewhat scrambled with fourth-line center Casey Cizikas missing the last two games with a lower-body issue. Leo Komarov has moved to Cizikas’, spot but the Islanders might also consider recalling reliable Tanner Fritz to center the fourth line and return Komarov to Derick Brassard’s right wing if Cizikas remains unavailable.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156992 New York Rangers

Rangers can exhale after Chris Kreider injury scare

By Brett Cyrgalis

October 13, 2019 | 8:51pm | Updated

It’s a bit of a relief for the Rangers that they don’t think the lower-body ailment affecting Chris Kreider is anything long term.

The winger did not practice with the team Sunday after he had a difficult time during the club’s 4-1 loss to Edmonton in the Garden on Saturday, having blocked a few shots then needing to go to the locker room after forward Jujhar Khaira fell on his leg late in the first period. He missed the final 4:34 of the first, but ended up getting 16:40 of ice time overall.

“Day-to-day, and obviously felt like the right thing to hold him off [Sunday],” coach David Quinn said after he gave a few players the day off from practice. “He’ll be reassessed [Monday].”

When asked if it was anything serious, Quinn simply said, “No.”

Kreider has been playing on a line with Ryan Strome and Kaapo Kakko, and has no goals and two assists through the first three games.

Also missing practice were Mika Zibanejad and Brendan Lemieux, both of whom have the flu. Veteran defenseman Marc Staal also didn’t participate, getting a maintenance day.

The Rangers had a terrific opportunity to score on a five-on-three man- advantage Saturday, but couldn’t get anything out of it. Quinn said the club had even practiced the two-man advantage for 20 minutes on Friday, but still got nothing.

“We do practice it,” Quinn said. “It’s something that can get overlooked over a course of a season, but we worked on it Friday. … Had a couple great chances, had a couple others we could have taken advantage of, and just didn’t do it.”

It was the Rangers’ first five-on-three of the season, while their power play overall is 3-for-9.

Lias Andersson celebrated his 21st birthday Sunday, saying it is a lot bigger deal for Americans, whereas turning 18 was a bigger deal in his native Sweden. He didn’t have any plans, but said he was likely going to dinner with Zibanejad, with whom he is living.

New York Post LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156993 New York Rangers “We’ve all talked about the schedule and how unique it is,” Quinn said. “We’d like to play more games, but that’s not the reason we can’t finish a game.”

David Quinn is holding back ‘a lot’ of Rangers changes

New York Post LOADED: 10.14.2019

By Brett Cyrgalis

October 13, 2019 | 7:01pm | Updated

Part of the difficulty for the Rangers with the strange opening to their schedule is their ability to stay patient. Now on another four-day break following Saturday’s first loss of the season, a 4-1 defeat at the hands of the visiting Oilers, the Blueshirts will have played just three games in the first 13 days of the season when they skate against the Devils on Thursday night.

Coach David Quinn wants to make evaluations for each individual, each line, each defensive pair, and the team as a whole. But he doesn’t want to overreact — it’s been just three games, even if it feels longer.

“We’re into Game 3 [Saturday] night, and I don’t want to have three different sets of ‘D’ pairings after three games. So I kept the ‘D’ pairs the same,” Quinn said after Sunday’s quick practice in Tarrytown. “Then I’m like, ‘Let’s give these lines a chance.’ I know our secondary scoring hasn’t been great, but let’s give it a chance.

“There were so many ‘X factors’ in that game because of the situation we’re in.”

Quinn is set to give his team off Monday, but then it’s two more practices before the Rangers head to Newark on Thursday night, followed the next night down in Washington against the Capitals. They’ve had quite a bit of time to work on details, but it’s hard for Quinn to really know what needs the most improvement when there have only been three games.

“Over the course of the game [Saturday] night, I was contemplating changing a lot of things,” Quinn said.

He does know that he wants his team to shoot more, registering only 21 shots against Edmonton backup Mike Smith. Having been offensively carried by the explosive top line of Artemi Panarin-Mika Zibanejad-Pavel Buchnevich, plus a great start for the power play, Quinn needs more offense from other places.

Rookie sensation Kaapo Kakko managed to get his first career NHL goal on Saturday after a really nice backhand feed from Ryan Strome, but Quinn wants more out of that second line, with left wing Chris Kreider now dealing with a minor lower-body injury. The third line has a little more bite now that Brendan Lemieux is on the left wing with and Jesper Fast, but hasn’t produced a ton, while the fourth line with Brendan Smith, Lias Andersson and now Greg McKegg was pretty effective in its limited ice time.

After Quinn said he basically liked the way his defense played on Saturday, he wants to see more from his forwards.

“You’ve played two games, it’s a 1-1 game, it’s just [that] I thought our forward group in general had a tough night,” Quinn said. “It was our forward group that caused a lot of the problems.”

Quinn said he is considering making changes for Thursday, but, again, that is still a few days away. There is just more practice between now and then, with not a ton of game experience for him to go off.

“When you have this many days off, you’re thinking about the same game for four or five days,” defenseman Brady Skjei said. “That’s what makes it difficult. But I think we have a ton of room to grow. We have a lot of things to work on still, and these days off are good for that. But on the other side, we’re looking to play some games and get back into the swing of things.”

The Rangers are doing everything they can not to use this scheduling quirk as an excuse for not playing well — but who can say they’re not playing well when it’s only been three games? With so many new players, they just need more games to get a proper evaluation of their team, from top to bottom.

And it’s difficult for Quinn to stay patient and not overreact to the things that have happened in such a small sample size. 1156994 New York Rangers “When you get a loose puck sitting in front of the net, you better get rid of it in a hurry,” he said, noting it was a common theme last season, when Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello wouldn’t shoot. “We didn’t do a lot of things in a hurry today.” The Rangers have plenty of problems, but their weeklong break wasn’t one Quinn also moved Ryan Strome, who set up Kaapo Kakko’s first NHL goal, down the lineup late in the game for the more energetic Brett Howden.

By Rick Carpiniello The Rangers wasted power plays — including a five-on-three, when they whipped the puck around but didn’t get a legit shot on goalie Mike Smith Oct 12, 2019 — and took some needless penalties, including one by Brendan Lemieux that led to McDavid’s goal immediately after consecutive Edmonton penalties. NEW YORK — Let’s get it out of the way because everybody, myself included, has harped on the ridiculous schedule the NHL has bestowed It just wasn’t good enough, and won’t be good enough most nights, upon the Rangers. unless Zibanejad’s line and Kakko and eventually Chris Kreider score enough goals to cover it up. Their 4-1 loss to undefeated Edmonton on Saturday didn’t have much to do with the seven-day layoff, which will be one game in 12 days when the Now that 82-0 is off the table, the Rangers can go back to basics again Rangers resume play Thursday. with more than enough time to work on things.

It had everything to do with attention to detail, along with a couple of bad They have another game in five days. Then they play three in four days, bounces and missed opportunities. the first two on the road. Absurd.

The Rangers’ first loss of the season wasn’t any more imperfect than Thoughts their first win of the season way, way back on Oct. 3 against Winnipeg, 1. The highlight for the Rangers, of course, had been imagined since when they outscored their mistakes. It wasn’t a lot worse than their 3-1 April 9 in Toronto, when Jeff Gorton, armed with late officer Steven win in Ottawa the last time they laced ’em up, but that was a game McDonald’s NYPD shield, won the draft lottery. From that moment, it was against an inferior opponent. certain the Rangers were going to get Kakko, and the organization and On Saturday, the Rangers got back onto the Garden ice and didn’t its fans awaited the magic. appear rusty at all, particularly at the start, when they played with a Well, the 18-year-old has his first NHL goal, and the Garden exploded decent pace and skated with the swift Oilers for a while. Eventually, when he scored it — for a 1-0 lead late in the first period, no less. though, it was a case of what we should probably expect from a young team that really hasn’t defended well in years and will have its problems “It was a nice one, too,” Lundqvist said. “It’s still early. It’s going to come. at various times this season: How often will there be lapses? That will be A lot of looks for him and it’s nice to see him get rewarded. He’s playing the critical question in determining whether the Rangers will be looking at very well.” a possible playoff berth in February and March. “Of course it feels good,” Kakko said. “That’s why I’m playing hockey In the middle of the third period, all their deficiencies aside, the Rangers because I can score goals. But we didn’t play good. … But it’s not were in a 1-1 game against the Oilers, who were looking to go to 5-0. enough, one goal.” They had done a relatively good job of limiting Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. They had done so with Rangers coach David Quinn 2. The best part of the break is it gave all the always-rational fans more deciding to go with his top line of Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad and free time to completely overreact to things, such as the Vladislav Pavel Buchnevich, and his second (more experienced) defense pair of Namestnikov trade and Vitali Kravtsov being scratched in Hartford. Marc Staal and Tony DeAngelo, against the two Edmonton stars. 3. Out of the gate, the Rangers were fine. Zibanejad found himself on a McDavid and Draisaitl were noticeable, for sure, but they hadn’t affected breakaway in the first half-minute. He didn’t pull away from McDavid, but the game in a meaningful way to that point. McDavid didn’t close in on him. Smith stopped his snap shot from inside The final stats will tell a different story, but what McDavid and Draisaitl the right circle. did to move the score from 1-1 to 4-1 in the final 10:16 had a lot of fluke 4. Lundqvist was sharp early, too, with a big save, then had to go all all over it. Yadier Molina on a terrible bounce on a puck dumped in from the blue McDavid scored the go-ahead goal, a pass off Jacob Trouba’s leg. line. Then Draisaitil, from McDavid, and Zack Kassian fired pucks Draisaitl padded the lead on a really bad — another really bad — shift by through the crease behind Lundqvist and wide. Early in the second the “Bread and Butter” line with a backhander that somehow trickled period, with the Rangers up 1-0, Lundqvist made a lunging save on Alex between Henrik Lundqvist’s pads and in. Lundqvist said he was waiting Chiasson on a two-on-one from Markus Granlund with Trouba trapped up for a whistle, thinking he had the puck in his knees, when it was actually the ice. still sliding at a turtle’s pace over the goal line. Then Draisaitl scored an 5. Lemieux drew a penalty to James Neal and the Rangers went to the empty-netter. power play in the first. Kreider hit the post as Buchnevich was hit in the “I thought we got off to a good start, but boy, as the game went on we got mouth with Kris Russell’s stick for a five-on-three, during which the sloppier and sloppier,” Quinn said. “I thought all throughout the lineup we Rangers’ first unit went all but didn’t get a good just didn’t play with a lot of pace or jam.” shot on net. That fivesome was wiped out by the time the second penalty ended. Just as it expired, Kakko set up Lemieux for a redirection that It started with the top line, which had been dynamic in the first two games goalie Mike Smith stopped. Brendan Smith then the crossbar behind but had a collective zero Saturday, with all three players on the ice for Mike Smith a few shifts later. three goals against. Zibanejad, fabulous through two games, lost two post-icing faceoffs with all five Rangers teammates completely gassed on 6. Daily Bread: Late in the first, while his linemates were changing, Edmonton’s first goal, scored by Oscar Klefbom. They all had a great Panarin did what he does best. He created his own chance out of view of Draisaitl’s insurance goal, even if one would expect Lundqvist to nothing, putting the puck between his own skates and moving in with a squeeze that one. short-side attempt that hit the outside of the net. Just another hint of what he is going to bring to the table. “At the end of the day, that line — again, I don’t want to pinpoint it on one line, one group, but we weren’t good all the way up and through the 7. Kakko-Meter: On the next shift, Kakko pushed the puck to Strome as lineup,” Quinn said. he crossed the blue line, then headed to the net. Strome threaded a return pass to Kakko in behind Klefbom. Kakko deftly went forehand- Quinn talked again about the fancy passing. When there’s a true backhand and flipped it over Smith’s outstretched pad for his first NHL opportunity to shoot — he estimated there were at least four times goal and about as loud a cheer as has been heard at MSG in a long time. Saturday, and all of those probably by the top line — “off of those might 1-0. By the way, that’s a Rangers goal without Zibanejad on the ice. come four more shots.” 8. At the start of the second, McDavid and Draisaitl broke two-on-one, and DeAngelo hurried over to cut off McDavid, who spun and set up Draisaitl for a shot off the left post. But the Rangers’ top unit, plus Staal and DeAngelo, got stuck on the ice and were unable to change for an awfully long shift with two icings, and Zibanejad twice lost faceoffs to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, the second of which ended up in Klefbom’s wrister through traffic and past a screened Lundqvist. 1-1.

9. Late in the second, with Edmonton on the power play, Lundqvist sprawled again to reject a Neal deflection. Neal was left all alone behind the defensemen by design, as all PK units now seem to do.

10. Lundqvist had to make a quick cross-crease save on Draisaitl, who had gone around Kakko above the circles early in the third. Matt Benning then ripped one off the left post from the right point.

11. The Rangers’ power play failed again with McDavid in the box, and even when it fails, it’s miles better than it has been in the past. Right off the first draw, Kreider retrieved a puck off a lost faceoff and got it across to Panarin for a shot that Smith stopped, and that’s why he’s valuable even when he’s not producing on offense.

12. When McDavid left the box, though, Lemieux needlessly interfered with him in front of the benches and the Oilers went on the power play. McDavid, from behind the icing line, tried a pass to Neal, but Trouba went down to one knee and redirected the puck past Lundqvist. 2-1, Oilers.

13. With 6:48 left, the Rangers got running and chasing and McDavid sped to recover his own pass that deflected to the corner. He got it to Draisaitl, fronted by Staal, and was forced to backhand one from an angle to the right of the net. Zack Kassian poked at Lundqvist’s pads as Zibanejad tried to tackle him in a mismatch. Shortly thereafter, the referee was pointing at the puck in the net. 3-1.

14. Good Tony, Bad Tony: In the old (tougher) days, the worst thing a tough guy could be called is a “spot-picker.” Well, DeAngelo is certainly not that. He doesn’t care who you are or how big you are. DeAngelo went at it with Kassian early on and chirped him all the way back to the benches.

15. Quinn Bin: There are only 21 players on the roster now, and Micheal Haley sat out a third consecutive game. But nobody’s been in the Bin yet. Well, except for Kravtsov in Hartford.

16. R.I.P. Ted Green, the former Rangers assistant coach, pal of Glen Sather and quite a hockey character. Tough as hell. Good man.

17. My buddy, the retired Steve Zipay, has a new Rangers book out this week: “The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Rangers,” published by Triumph Books. I’m sure he wrote it from a hammock on some tropical island, or the patio of a pub in Ireland. Fun book if, you know, you like the Rangers.

The Athletic LOADED: 10.14.2019

1156995 Ottawa Senators

GAMEDAY: Minnesota Wild at Ottawa Senators

Bruce Garrioch

October 13, 2019 9:27 PM EDT

The Senators top defenceman played a big role with 26:20 of playing time in the club’s win over the Lightning Saturday. It’s early, but the Senators need Chabot to start contributing more offensively — particularly on the power play — if this club is to have consistent success. Suter has three points in four games with the Wild this season but is a startling minus-5. This will be a good one to watch Monday afternoon.

FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME

1. Play with confidence

The Senators outshot the Lightning 34-21 in a 4-2 victory Saturday at the Canadian Tire Centre to give coach D.J. Smith his first career win. The club did a solid job at both ends of the ice and that’s important if they’re going to have success this season. Another victory before a three-game road trip would be a huge boost for this team.

2. Go back to Craig Anderson

It just makes sense. He made 19 stops in the win against the Bolts and has been fairly consistent in his three appearances this season. Anderson, 38, probably should have started against the Blues, but the Senators need to give Anders Nilsson the opportunity as well. Expect to see Anderson in this one.

3. Keep the Wild on the mat

The Senators are 12-8-1-2 lifetime vs. the Wild, but Ottawa hasn’t beaten Minnesota since March 31, 2016 when the club scored a 3-2 victory at the XCel Energy Centre. The Wild have yet to win this season and the Senators wouldn’t mind keeping it that way. Minnesota has won six straight against the Senators so a win today would end the skid.

4. Score on the power play

The Senators had an 0-for-4 effort against the Lightning and need to start putting up some numbers with the man advantage. The club is 0-for-12 this season and with the personnel the Senators have they should be better than this. They created chances against the Bolts but weren’t able to score. The Wild have decent penalty killing stats.

5. Points from Bobby Ryan

He picked up his 300th career assist on Colin White’s goal against the Bolts. In 31 career games vs. the Wild, Ryan has 11-15-26 points. He has played better this season and the Senators need him to step up offensively this year. A strong effort here would bode well as the Senators face four straight games in the Western Conference.

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 10.14.2019 1156996 Ottawa Senators “It’s way more calm here in Ottawa,” he noted. “I can park my car and not have to walk everywhere so it’s good, it’s more relaxing and I’m enjoying every second.”

Namestnikov has been a good addition for the Ottawa Senators THE LAST WORDS

The Senators hope to see some consistency as they face the Wild Monday. Bruce Garrioch They halted a three-game losing skid with the victory over the Lightning October 13, 2019 9:26 PM EDT and they have to bring the same kind of effort against Minny.

“That’s the way we’ve got to play,” Smith said. “We can’t give you high- end chances, we’ve got to smack you all night, we’ve got to make it hard There was no shortage of debate amongst the faithful when the Ottawa to get to our net and I thought from exhibition out that was our best effort Senators acquired Vladislav Namestnikov from the New York Rangers defensively and the way we played away from the puck. Monday night. “We played hard (Saturday) and if we play like that we’re going to give The overwhelming refrain from some was “so much for giving the kids a ourselves a chance to win.” chance.” Yes, the club may need to make a callup to face the Minnesota Wild Well after the 26-year-old Namestnikov had a three-point effort in Monday afternoon to close out this homestand at 1 p.m. with centre Saturday’s 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Canadian Artem Anisimov possibly out with a lower-body injury for a short period of Tire Centre, you didn’t hear anybody complaining about the fact the time. Senators gave up a fourth-round pick in a 2021 draft that’s not considered that deep because the reality is he’s helped make this team Vitaly Abramov was sent down to Belleville after playing only 3:17 better. Saturday and that means Mikkel Boedker could suit up against the Wild while the club will need another forward if Anisimov can’t play. When general manager Pierre Dorion closed the deal with the Rangers Monday, he explained the next day the move was made because the reality is the top young prospects in the organization — the likes of Logan Brown, Drake Batherson and Alex Formenton — are going to need more Ottawa Sun LOADED: 10.14.2019 time before they’re ready for the NHL on a full-time basis.

Dorion isn’t stepping away from the plan, he’s trying to enhance by giving the young players the opportunity to get playing time in Belleville in all situations under coach Troy Mann and then they’ll be brought to Ottawa when the time is right.

Dorion explained several times during the off-season the organization “couldn’t put all young players in the lineup” and when many weren’t able to reach up to grab jobs during camp the decision was made to give them more time.

Namestnikov isn’t a long-term solution, he’s here to help this team on its road back to respectability and, let’s be honest, if he has many more games like the performance against the Bolts there will be no shortage of interest in him at the trade deadline from contenders looking for one more piece to the puzzle to help put them over the top.

He scored the third period winner with 3:03 left on the clock to secure coach D.J. Smith’s first victory over his NHL career and then made sure the Bolts had no chance for a comeback by putting the puck into an empty net. Smith has certainly liked what Namestnikov brings to the table because the club needed somebody who can play at both ends of the ice.

“It allows us to have a lot more depth,” Smith said after the win Saturday. “I thought I could roll three lines pretty good (against Tampa), the fourth line didn’t get a lot of ice, especially with losing a centre, but it allows me to have a lot more depth.

“On the penalty kill I can roll six guys and we’re a lot quicker.”

This was a refreshing change for Namestnikov. He was spinning his wheels in New York where his role had slipped since David Quinn arrived behind the Rangers bench. Namestnikov didn’t ask for a trade but he knew one was coming because New York general manager Jeff Gorton spent the whole off-season trying to make a deal.

Putting up points helps Namestnikov feel more comfortable with the Senators. He finished the game with centre Jean-Gabriel Pageau after Anisimov left the game but there seems to be a good fit with winger Connor Brown, who was acquired in the trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1.

“It feels good. The guys are great here,” Namestnikov said. “I’m glad to be here and I’m finding chemistry with my line and it’s just been working out. Hopefully, it can go on.”

Namestnikov likes the fact he’s in a place where the lifestyle is a lot different than being in New York. 1156997 Philadelphia Flyers “It was nice to get that first one out of the way. ... It was a nice play by Brauner and we caught them in a line change,” Twarynski said. “Obviously, we came here to win games. We got a point tonight but would have loved two.” Flyers coach Alain Vigneault: ‘A lot of things to like’ about shootout loss to Vancouver Canucks

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 10.14.2019 by Sam Carchidi

VANCOUVER, – As the game got longer, the Flyers got better Saturday night in Vancouver, and they salvaged a point on Oskar Lindblom’s late power-play goal in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Canucks.

It could have been two points, but even Carter Hart, the 21-year-old goalie who appears headed for stardom, could not solve the franchise’s longtime albatross – the dreaded shootout. Hart allowed two goals on three shots in the shootout at , while Claude Giroux was the only Flyer to score in the glorified penalty-shot competition. Hart stopped all five shootout shots he faced last season.

Despite the loss, most of the players and head coach Alain Vigneault left the arena feeling good about themselves. They twice erased a one-goal deficit, dominated the third period, and now have five out of a possible six points on the young season.

“In my estimation, there were a lot of things to like about this game,” said Vigneault, whose 2-0-1 team plays in Calgary on Tuesday and in Edmonton on Wednesday. “I thought we came out well, and then we lost the momentum a little bit in the mid-first period. [There were] a couple of puck battles that we lost. In the second period, even though we didn’t get a lot of shots on net, I liked our puck-possession time. I liked some of the opportunities in the third. We pushed the pace.”

The Flyers had a 14-6 shots domination in the third period, and only superb goaltending by 6-foot-6, 206-pound goalie Jacob Markstrom (30 saves) prevented them from winning in regulation.

“I thought we took over,” center Sean Couturier said.

Lindblom tied it a 2-all by converting a slick Travis Konecny pass, whipping a one-timer from deep inside the left circle past Markstrom with 5 minutes, 2 seconds left in regulation.

“The point feels good,” Lindblom said, adding he didn’t like the Flyers’ start in the first period. "One point is better than zero.”

Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom makes a save against the Flyers' James van Riemsdyk.

“After the second, we were a little frustrated with how we were playing,” Giroux said. “We knew we can play better. We were down, 2-1, but there was no panic. We kept to the game plan.”

In the shootout, Jake Voracek and Kevin Hayes were denied by Markstrom. Voracek had just 14:30 of ice time and played sparingly in the third period while on the fourth line. James van Riemsdyk moved to the top unit in the third.

Tanner Pearson scored what proved to be the winner in the shootout, putting a shot between Hart’s legs.

“I honestly thought I read it the whole way,” Hart said. “I felt I had it, but my stick was a little bit off the ice and it just grazed the bottom of my stick. I have to make sure I keep my stick on the ice.”

Hart stopped 22 of 24 shots during the game, including ’s breakaway in overtime.

“I didn’t have a lot of work for probably a majority of the game. Most of my work came in overtime,” said Hart, who made five saves in the extra session. “That’s kudos to our group for how defensive we played, and how many shots and chances we generated on Markstrom, who played really well for them.”

One of the game’s highlights was Carsen Twarynski’s first NHL goal, which evened the score at 1-1 with 16:46 remaining in the second.

Twarynski, a 21-year-old rookie right winger, took a stretch pass from Justin Braun and fired a left-circle shot past Markstrom, beating him to the short side. 1156998 Philadelphia Flyers One attempt by James van Riemsdyk looked promising, skimming through the crease before Markstrom, flat on his belly, got a piece of it with his glove and directed the puck out of harm's way.

Pearson scores in shootout, Canucks beat Flyers 3-2 The Flyers outshot the Canucks 9-1 in the first five minutes of the third.

Lindbolm scored Philly's second goal of night on the power play at 14:58 into the frame after Vancouver defenseman Jordie Benn was called for Staff Report interference.

Oct 13, 2019 It was the first power-play goal the Canucks have given up this season.

"After the second we were a little frustrated with how we were playing and knew we could play better but there was no panic, we didn't change VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Vancouver Canucks forward our game, we kept the game plan and it was a big goal to tie it up," said Tanner Pearson was just looking for some empty space when he sent Flyers right-winger Claude Giroux. the puck flying in the shootout Saturday night. Sanheim rang a shot off the post with about 50 seconds left, but the Pearson beat Philadelphia goaltender Carter Hart between the pads in Flyers couldn't avoid extra time. the third round of the shootout, leading the Canucks to a 3-2 victory over the Flyers. Both sides had opportunities in overtime, including a great chance for Vancouver with just over a minute to go when Philly's Sean Couturier lost "I don't have a go-to move," he said after the game. "I just try to find his stick and Bo Horvat got a bit of a breakaway. some net and shoot it there. So luckily that one went in." Horvat couldn't burry the puck on the ensuing shot, but Couturier was Hart, who stopped 24 shots in the losing effort, said he read the shot "the called for throwing his stick, giving the Canucks a man advantage. whole way" but made a small and costly mistake. Vancouver still couldn't score, forcing the shootout. "I felt like I had it but my stick was a little bit off the ice and it just grazed the bottom of my stick, so I have to make sure I keep my stick on the ice," Hart said. Delaware County Times LOADED: 10.14.2019 Brock Boeser and Pearson scored for the Canucks in regulation, and Chris Tanev added a pair of assists.

"I think it's just a result of our line playing well, getting pucks deep, going east-west, getting pucks to the net and driving there," Boeser said. "So we've just got to keep doing that," the right-winger said.

Carsen Twarynski and Oskar Lindblom scored for the Flyers.

Despite the score in regulation, Hart said most of his work came in extra time.

"They came on in overtime, so it's important you make sure you stay into the game, whether that's little things throughout the game or looking at which way a guy shoots, or who is on the ice, making sure you keep your mind ready," Hart said.

The loss was Philadelphia's first of the season.

"Teams push in this league when they're down. And I think young teams, young players, that's a learning experience when you have the lead and you're getting pushed on and leaned on. We'll learn from it," Canucks coach said.

"I like that we found a way to win a hockey game. The first two periods were a bit of a match. I thought both teams were working hard and fighting for space on the ice."

Jacob Markstrom had 29 saves for Vancouver.

"They started slinging pucks to the net (in the third)," Pearson said. "That top line was just throwing everything there, trying to create something. We had to be on our toes but we know we could probably catch some sheen a bit, too."

The Canucks got on the board just over five minutes in after J.T. Miller picked off the puck behind the Flyers' net. He got it up to Tanev at the blue line and the veteran defenseman fired off a long shot.

Hart made the save but Boeser was there to grab the rebound. His beat Hart and put Vancouver up 1-0.

The Flyers got the equalizer 3:14 into the second frame.

Justin Braun sent a cross-ice pass to Twarnyski alone in the Canucks' end. The left-winger streaked toward Vancouver's net, sending a shot past Markstrom on the stick side. Braun and Travis Sanheim earned assists.

The Canucks bounced back just over a minute later when Tanev collected the puck near the blue line and sent down a long shot. Pearson deflected it in from down low.

Philly came out strong in the third, peppering Markstrom with a barrage of shots. 1156999 Pittsburgh Penguins The Penguins claimed a 2-1 lead at 7:50 of the second period with a power-play score. Taking a pass at the left point, defenseman Marcus Pettersson teed up a slap pass to defenseman Brian Dumoulin low in the left circle. Dumoulin then one-touched a pass to the right of the crease Empty Thoughts: Penguins 7, Jets 2 where forward Jake Guentzel deflected it past Brossoit’s glove for his third goal of the season. Assists were credited to Dumoulin and

Pettersson. SETH RORABAUGH It became a 3-1 game at 8:31 of the second. Racing up the left wing, Monday, October 14, 2019 2:57 a.m. Penguins forward Joseph Blandisi chopped a slapper but had it deflected behind the cage by the stick of Jets defenseman Tucker Poolman. The puck caromed off the end boards and bounced to the right of the cage. Lafferty, who you may have heard is from Hollidaysburg, beat Jets WINNIPEG, Manitoba — When the Penguins drafted Sam Lafferty in the defenseman Josh Morrissey to the rebound and poked it past Brossoit’s fourth-round of the 2014 draft, it was a great story. The local – or as local left skate. It was Lafferty’s second career goal, his first coming during as Hollidaysburg is in relation to the city limits of Pittsburgh – kid gets Saturday’s 7-4 road win against the Minnesota Wild. Assists went to drafted by the local team. Blandisi and defenseman Kris Letang. And in the ensuing years, anytime he participated in a development The Jets pulled within one goal at 10:00 of the second with a power-play camp or a rookie camp or a training camp or scored for the Wilkes- score of their own. Controlling a puck above the left circle, Jets forward Barre/Scranton Penguins, it was “Hollidaysburg native Sam Lafferty” Patrik Laine whipped it on net where it struck teammate Mark Scheifele signing with the Penguins or “Sam Lafferty of Hollidaysburg” practicing above the crease. As Jarry slid down in reaction to the release by Laine, with the Penguins. Scheifele settled the puck and lifted a backhander over Jarry’s right leg. Even when he was recalled last week, it was “Hollidaysburg’s Sam Laine and Morrissey netted assists. Lafferty” being summoned from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Penguins forward Dominik Simon got in on the act at 16:28 of the On Saturday, when he secured a win at Minnesota with an empty-net second. After winning a puck battled in the Jets’ left corner, Simon fed a goal, it was a goal from the kid from Hollidaysburg. pass to defenseman Marcus Pettersson at the left point. Pettersson whipped a wrister which struck Laine in the left circle and skidded across On Sunday, when he scored two goals in a rout of the Jets, it felt the blue paint. Forward Sidney Crosby was able to kick to the crease different. despite falling backwards. Simon jumped on it and backhanded the puck The novelty of a local kid scoring for the Penguins just didn’t seem as past Brossoit’s left skate for his first score of the season. Crosby and prevalent. Pettersson had assists.

He was just Sam Lafferty, NHL player, scoring two goals for the Lafferty struck again at 9:13 of the third. Swooping behind the net, Pittsburgh Penguins. Lafferty beat Scheifele for a puck, emerged in the left circle and then spun around whipping a wrister at the cage. The puck struck off the right Him being a native of Blair County growing up in the shadow of the skate of Jets defenseman Anthony Bitetto and past Brossoit’s blocker on Sidney Crosby era Penguins will always be a part of Lafferty’s story. This the near side. Aston-Reese and defenseman Justin Schultz recorded civic-minded author will certainly play that up as much as possible. assists.

But it’s no longer becoming the defining characteristic about Lafferty’s They poured it on at 11:40 of the third. After Crosby beat Scheifele on a NHL existence. faceoff in the Jets’ left circle, Letang controlled the puck above the circle, surveyed the zone and snapped off a pass to the right circle where He’s just an NHL player now. He’s proven that repeatedly through the Guentzel buried a wrister past a helpless Brossoit. Assists went to first four games of his NHL career. Letang and Crosby.

On Sunday, he scored a game-winning goal and was used in all sorts of The scoring was capped off at 14:46 of the third when Morrisey fumbled situations as the Penguins smothered the Jets. a puck at the blue line, Aston-Reese was all over it and created a short- His development over the past year has put him in this position. handed breakaway. Moving on Brossoit, Aston-Reese snapped off a Regardless of the health of the Penguins other forwards, Sam Lafferty is wrister past Broissoit’s blocker, off the post and into the cage. an NHL player … who happens to be from Hollidaysburg. Statistically speaking

“He’s earned his playing time,” said coach Mike Sullivan. “He’s just • The Jets had a 29-28 lead in shots. playing terrific hockey. He makes a difference every game he’s been in. As a result, he’s getting more ice time. He’s a very good penalty killer. He • Aston-Reese led the game with five shots. really understands his role and he’s taken pride in it. You can see it every shift. He’s gaining more confidence. We always felt like Sam was close • Defenseman Neal Pionk and Laine each led the Jets with four shots. coming into this training camp this year but I think he has a whole lot • Letang led the game with 25:21 of ice time on 28 shots. more confidence in himself that he belongs here. That’s great for him and that’s great for us.” • Morrissey led the Jets with 22:30 of ice time on 23 shots.

What happened • The Penguins controlled faceoffs, 34-30 (53 percent).

The Jets took the game’s first lead 1:47 into regulation. After Penguins • Crosby was 17 for 24 (71 percent). goaltender Tristan Jarry and rookie defenseman John Marino fumbled • Scheifele was 14 for 24 (58 percent). puck exchange behind the Penguins’ net, Jets forward Mathieu Perreault stole it in the left corner and immediately whipped a wrister towards the • Aston-Reese led the game with four blocked shots. cage. Penguins forward Jared McCann, on a backcheck, inadvertently deflected the puck past Jarry’s blocker on the near side and into the • Kulikov led Jets with three blocked shots. cage. Assists went to forward Jack Roslovic and Dmitry Kulikov. Historically speaking The Penguins responded at 4:09 of the first period. Circling around the • Letang’s first assist was his 500th career point. Winnipeg net, former Jets forward Brandon Tanev emerged to the left of the crease, fended off former linemate Andrew Copp and whipped a • Schultz (105 points) moved past Duane Rupp (104) for 87th place on wrister off the near post. The rebound hopped to the slot where Teddy the franchise’s career scoring list. Blueger put a wrister on net. Jets goaltender Laurent Brossoit fought it off but allowed a rebound to bounce free to the right of the crease where Randomly speaking Penguins forward Zach Aston-Reese cleaned it up with a backhander • Jarry made his season debut and finished with 27 saves. Having gone while falling for his first score of the season. Blueger and Tanev had 0-1-1 in two games last season, he recorded his first NHL victory since a assists. 5-3 road win against the Montreal Canadiens on March 15, 2018. • Erik Gudbranson returned to the lineup after being a scratch for two • Guentzel spoke about the significance of Simon getting his first goal games. He replaced Jack Johnson and was used on his off-side – he’s a after doing a lot of little things to help their line with Crosby over the past right-handed shooter – with rookie defenseman John Marino. few games: Gudbranson logged 16:36 of ice time on 28 shifts and recorded one shot on two attempts. He also drew one penalty while also taking one. “Yeah, huge. He’s been really good so far. Maybe it hasn’t showed on the scoresheet. But just for him to get that, it gives him a lot of • Lafferty now has five points (three goals, two assists) in four games in confidence. He’s such a big part of our line. It’s really nice to see that.” the NHL. • The Penguins’ power play was 1 for 2 and has gone 4 for 12 (33.3 • Simon scored his first goal of the season. percent) over the past three games. Sullivan is enthused with how it’s playing: Publicly speaking “The power play has been really good. There’s been a ton of movement. • Sullivan spoke about how his team has played over its three-game The biggest thing that we’ve noticed this year is that our puck retrievals winning streak: have dramatically improved. We’re getting to loose pucks and we’re “We’re starting to really form an identity that I think is a whole lot of fun. scoring goals off the retrievals. We got one last night in Minnesota. Jake When everybody contributes the way this team has come together over Guentzel’s goal is a perfect example of that. Sid jumps on the puck. the last week. It’s a real rewarding experience for everybody involved. It’s (Patric Hornqvist) is a part of it. Everybody is participating in that aspect certainly for our coaching staff to watch them. The energy on the bench of the power play, then wen we end up with the puck back, they have the has been terrific. The guys are sincerely invested in rooting for one instincts to act on it. That’s something that has helped him. The guys on another. They’re sticking up for each other out there. If mistakes are the power play are doing a terrific job. They’re working together, they’re made, they’re usually mistakes of enthusiasm and we move by them and committed. It’s a collective effort. When they work together the way they just keep playing the game. That resilience and that attitude I think is so do, they’re a dangerous power play. They’re a talented group.” critically important to our team moving forward.”

• Aston-Reese admitted this game was important to him after he had the Tribune Review LOADED: 10.14.2019 poor turnover leading to the Jets’ game-winning goal on Tuesday:

“It feels pretty good. Especially against this team after what happened last game, giving them an easy goal and not being able to respond. Just to be able to get those (goals) against this team feels good.”

• Sullivan was pumped for Aston-Reese:

“I’m thrilled for him. He had a great game tonight. He’s a good player and he doesn’t always end up on the score sheet but he does a lot of the thankless jobs. He’s a good penalty killer. He’s good on the wall. We play him a lot, his line against our opponent’s top players. If we don’t use Sid’s line, a lot of times, the line that he’s on is the next line that plays against the other team’s top players and he does a great job. He’s another guy that’s getting a better understanding of what his role is and what his niche is and how he can excel in that role for this team in particular. But I’m thrilled for him that he scores a couple of goals tonight. For a guy like that to get rewarded on the scoresheet for all the effort and the sacrifice that he puts in, we couldn’t be happier for him.”

• Aston-Reese kind of, sort of credited Letang with helping him on his short-handed goal:

“It was pretty nice, especially because I told (Letang) I was going to hold up for the draw. He was like, ‘No, just go.’ And I just got a lucky bounce. … Post and in. Pretty lucky.”

• Sullivan explained the decision to dress Gudbranson and to play him on his off side:

“We did but we also thought it was important to keep him in the flow. We’re trying to manage as best we can. We feel like we have nine real quality, capable defensemen. The challenge is for us, and I guess that’s a real good challenge to have, is to find a way to get him in the lineup. And that’s what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to keep them all involved. At the same side of the coin, we’re trying to make decisions to win the hockey game. We chose to put (Gudbranson) in the lineup tonight. I thought he had a solid game.”

• Lafferty is kind of “aw, shucks” about his success over the past two games:

“I’m just kind of playing. Right now, pucks are going in. You just want to ride that out as much as you can.”

• Aston-Reese spoke about his team trying to keep things simple while it deals with injuries up front:

“Some of the goals we have, they’re not the prettiest ones. (We’re) just throwing pucks to the net and just being strong in front and putting them home. …We’re trying to not be as pretty.”

• Jarry admitted the fluky goal at the start of the game is something he might not have handled as well in years past:

“Yeah, maybe. That year in Wilkes really helped me. It really helped me grow as a player and helped me manage my game a lot better. … Hopefully it shows.” 1157000 Pittsburgh Penguins “I’m thrilled for (Aston-Reese),” coach Mike Sullivan said. “He had a great game tonight. He’s a good player, and he doesn’t always end up on the scoresheet but he does a lot of the thankless jobs. He’s a good penalty killer. He’s good on the wall. We play him a lot, his line against our Penguins offense keeps rolling in rout of Jets opponent’s top players. If we don’t use Sid’s line, a lot of times, the line that he’s on is the next line that plays against the other team’s top

players, and he does a great job. SETH RORABAUGH “He’s another guy that’s getting a better understanding of what his role is Sunday, October 13, 2019 9:46 p.m. and what his niche is and how he can excel in that role for this team in particular. But I’m thrilled for him that he scores a couple of goals tonight. For a guy like that to get rewarded on the scoresheet for all the effort and the sacrifice that he puts in, we couldn’t be happier for him.” WINNIPEG, Manitoba — It was bound to end. Surely, there was no way it could be sustained.

At some point, the Penguins had to face the harsh reality. Tribune Review LOADED: 10.14.2019 They could not expect Sidney Crosby to continually buoy their offense while fellow superstar Evgeni Malkin and skilled contributors such as Alex Galchenyuk and Bryan Rust were sidelined.

And Sunday, for the first time in more than a week, Crosby failed to score.

Thankfully, they could rely on Zach Aston-Reese.

Twice.

And Sam Lafferty, twice.

Also, Jake Guentzel. Twice.

The three forwards each scored a pair of goals and led the surging Penguins to a 7-2 rout of the Winnipeg Jets at Bell MTS Place. It was the Penguins’ third consecutive victory.

Coming off a 7-4 road win against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday, the Penguins have displayed their depth as incumbent players and reinforcements from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton have thrived.

For Aston-Reese, he was only five days removed from the Jets’ 4-1 win at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday in which an ugly turnover by him led to the Jets’ winning goal.

His outburst Sunday helped his confidence.

“It feels pretty good,” said Aston-Reese, who scored his first two goals of the season. “Especially against this team after what happened last game, giving them an easy goal and not being able to respond. Just to be able to get those (goals) against this team feels good.”

The Penguins felt pretty good most of the night.

After Jets forward Mathieu Perreault opened the scoring 1:47 into regulation against goaltender Tristan Jarry, making his season debut, the Penguins’ responded with Aston-Reese’s first goal off a rebound scramble at 4:09 of the first.

At 7:50 of the second, Guentzel scored on a power-play. Then Lafferty, a Hollidaysburg native, scored his second career goal — one night after recording his first — at 8:31.

The Jets made it 3-2 game on a power-play goal by forward Mark Scheifele at 10:00.

After that, it was all Penguins.

Forward Dominik Simon scored his first goal of the season at 16:28 on a goalmouth scramble.

Lafferty added his second of the contest at 9:13 of the third period by lifting a wrister from the left circle that deflected off a skate. Guentzel fired a wrister off a perfect pass by Letang at 11:40.

Aston-Reese completed his retribution late with a short-handed breakaway goal at 14:46.

“It was pretty nice, especially because I told (Letang) I was going to hold up for the draw,” Aston-Reese said of his second score. “He was like, ‘No, just go.’ And I just got a lucky bounce.

“Post and in. Pretty lucky.”

He was much more fortunate and successful than he was at home Tuesday. 1157001 Pittsburgh Penguins

Tristan Jarry to make his season debut for the Penguins

SETH RORABAUGH

Sunday, October 13, 2019 6:18 p.m.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba – Backup goaltender Tristan Jarry is expected to make his season debut for the Penguins when they face the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday at the Bell MTS Place.

Matt Murray has started and completed all five of the team’s games to this point of the season.

Jarry, 24, has appeared in 29 career games before this season and has a 14-8-3 record, a 2.66 goals against average, a .906 save percentage and two shutouts.

Due in part to his modest salary cap hit ($675,000), Jarry won a battle in training camp for the backup role with incumbent backup Casey DeSmith, who carries a potential salary cap hit of $1.25 million. Assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton prior to the start of the regular season, Jarry only counts for $175,000 against the cap while he is on the AHL Penguins’ roster.

“(Jarry) had a really strong camp,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “When you watch the exhibition games that he played, he played extremely well. As did Casey. That’s not an easy decision that we made. But they’re two guys, we believe in both of them. They’re both high quality goaltenders. We obviously believe in Tristan with the decision that we made. We know that he can give us a chance to win. He’s a good goaltender.”

Notes:

• Erik Gudbranson will return to the lineup after being a healthy scratch for two games. He is expected to play on a pairing with rookie defenseman John Marino. Defenseman Jack Johnson will be a scratch along with fellow defensemen Juuso Riikola and Chad Ruhwedel.

• The Penguins have a 48-13-3 record all-time against the Jets/Atlanta Thrashers franchise.

• Jarry is expected to face Jets goaltender Laurent Brossoint. The two were a tandem as junior players with the of the earlier this decade. Brossoit has appeared in two games this season and has a 1-1-0 record with a 3.84 goals against average and an .889 save percentage.

• Jets forward Andrew Copp has played 299 career games.

Tribune Review LOADED: 10.14.2019 1157002 Pittsburgh Penguins Added Ruhwedel: “It’s even more fun if you go in there and play well and get a win for your new team.”

Tanev is latest Penguins player to experience facing former team Tribune Review LOADED: 10.14.2019

SETH RORABAUGH

Sunday, October 13, 2019 5:38 p.m.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba — The Bell MTS Centre is the smallest building in the NHL by seating capacity.

Capable of holding only 15,321 frigid but hearty souls from the Canadian Prairies, it is the league’s leanest by nearly 500 seats. The Barclays Center in Brooklyn, part-time home of the New York Islanders, is the second smallest at 15,813 seats.

Heck, even a handful of AHL barns hold more than the Bell MTS Centre.

But good luck finding a rink with more passion.

When the NHL decided to pluck the floundering Thrashers out of Atlanta in 2011 and move the franchise to Winnipeg, it knew what it might lose in tangible ticket sales it would make up in support, both in the moral and, most importantly, corporate realms.

As a result, the Bell MTS Centre is one of the rowdiest and most distinctive venues in the NHL.

Brandon Tanev is well aware of this. He spent the first four seasons of his NHL career there as a speedy and relentless forechecker. His assiduous style of play made Tanev, a key contributor to the Jets’ surprising run to the Western Conference final in 2018, a favorite of those crossing at Portage and Main, the famed intersection in Winnipeg.

Signed by the Penguins to a six-year contract worth $21 million this past offseason, he has gotten his initial games against his former team out of the way early. He played them Tuesday at PPG Paints Arena then faced them as a visitor Sunday.

Any romantic notions of a heartwarming return for Tanev aren’t openly shared by the man himself.

“When the puck drops, there’s no friends on the ice,” he said.

His feeling about his first games — home and away — against his former team aren’t universal. Several of his teammates who have worn other sweaters during their NHL careers have had a variety of experiences.

“It’s always a fun game,” said defenseman Erik Gudbranson, who has also played for the Florida Panthers and Vancouver Canucks. “It’s always a little bit different than most nights. You’ve got a little bit of a chip on your shoulder.

Added former Buffalo defenseman Chad Ruhwedel: “It’s a little bit of a weird feeling at first, especially if (you don’t) have too much time removed from them. It’s good though.”

Players also have different experiences when it comes to how long their return game feels unique.

“The first time you go out for warmups and look across and you know every guys on the other team, it’s a different experience,” said defenseman Jack Johnson, a former member of the Los Angeles Kings and Columbus Blue Jackets. “But after your first few shifts, you’re going, and you’re playing hockey.”

Said forward Jared McCann, who was dealt from Vancouver to Florida in 2016 in exchange for Gudbranson: “You kind of think about it the whole time to be honest with you. It’s just in the back of your head. Whether you admit it or not, it is. Some guys say it’s not, but …”

“After the first shift,” Ruhwedel said. “For me at least, I don’t think about it much after the first shift. Then you’re just playing.”

Regardless of how pleasant a player’s tenure was with an ex-team or if he departed on good or bad terms, there is one sentiment which is universal: He would prefer his current employer got the victory.

“You play with a chip on your shoulder,” McCann said. “You want to win that game a little bit more than you do other ones.” 1157003 Pittsburgh Penguins Early in the sec•ond pe•riod, with the score still tied, Jarry made his most crit•i•cal save of the game, fight•ing off a Blake Wheeler one-timer from 35 feet. That was one of 27 saves he made in his first NHL start since Nov. 28, 2018. Nearly everyone chips in as Penguins beat Jets, sweep first back-to-back “It’s nice to get the first one and hope­fully I can keep build­ing,” Jarry said.

MATT VENSEL Within a few min•utes, the Pen•guins went up, 3-1. Jake Guen•tzel bur•ied a feed from Brian Du•mou•lin late in a power play. Just 41 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette sec•onds af•ter that, Sam Laf•ferty banked a low-an•gle shot off the skate OCT 14, 2019 2:56 AM of goalie Lau•rent Bros•s•oit and in.

That made it two games in a row with a goal for Laf•ferty, who added an•other later. As the Pen•guins pulled away from the Wild Satur•day in a WINNIPEG, Man•i•toba — The Pen•guins fig•ured they would need an 7-4 win, the fourth line of Laf•ferty, Adam John•son and Joseph Blandisi all-hands-on-deck ap•proach to get by with•out Evgeni Malkin and three con•trib•uted three goals. other key for•wards. And with an as­sist Sun­day on Laf­ferty’s first goal, Kris Letang earned They took it to an ex•treme this week•end in their first set of back-to-back his 500th ca•reer point. The de•fen•se•man has at least one point in games of the sea•son, which ended Sun•day night with a 7-2 vic•tory ev•ery game this sea•son. against the Win•ni•peg Jets. Crosby also ex•tended his sea•son-open•ing point streak to six games The Pen•guins got five goals from their fourth line in those two games. with a beauty of an as•sist late in the sec•ond. While jos•tling with a Jets They had 15 play•ers record at least one point, in•clud•ing a rare as•sist de•fender, he kicked the puck to•ward Si•mon, who poked it past from Matt Mur•ray. And each of their goal•ies played well enough to get a Bros•s•oit for his first goal of the sea•son. W. The win Sun­day at Bell MTS Place was Tris­tan Jarry’s first in the NHL since the 2017-18 sea•son. The Pen•guins put an ex•cla•ma•tion point on their week•end with third- pe•riod goals from Laf•ferty, Guen•tzel and Aston-Reese, who scored his Oh, and Sid•ney Crosby still did Sid•ney Crosby things. After all, this was sec•ond short-handed. a week•end game in Can•ada. His kick-pass to Dominik Si•mon late in the sec•ond pe•riod gave the Pen•guins the fi•nal push they needed to “The way we play right now, it means a lot of en­ergy,” Letang said. “So come home with two wins. ev•ery time they go over the boards, guys are put•ting in the work and get re­warded.” Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins makes save on Penguins right wing Patric Hornqvist in the first period Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019, at the The Pen•guins next play Wed•nes•day, when they play host to the PPG Paints Arena Uptown. Col•o•rado Ava•lanche.

All and all, it was a fine week•end for a team that has three con•sec•u•tive wins since Alex Galchenyuk joined Malkin, Nick Bjug•stad Post Gazette LOADED: 10.14.2019 and Bryan Rust on in•jured re•serve.

“We’re start­ing to re­ally form an iden­tity that I think is a whole lot of fun,” coach Mike Sul­li­van said. “When ev­ery­body con­trib­utes the way this team has come to•gether over the last week, it’s a real re•ward•ing ex•pe•ri•ence for ev•ery•body in•volved.

“The en­ergy on the bench has been ter­rific. The guys are sin­cerely in­vested and root­ing for one an­other. They’re stick­ing up for each other out there. If mis­takes are made, they’re usu­ally mis­takes of en•thu•si•asm and we move by them and keep play•ing the game. That re­sil­ience, that at­ti­tude, I think, is so crit­i­cally im­por­tant.”

Sul•li•van is pleased with the way the Pen•guins have sim•pli•fied their game since los•ing to these Jets nearly a week ago at PPG Paints Arena. They are cov•er•ing for each other, mak•ing line changes at more ap•pro•pri•ate times, hus•tling back. And, prob•a•bly most im•por•tant, they have cut down on all those care•less give•aways.

“I know that’s a big cliché, put­ting pucks in deep and get­ting them back,” said Zach Aston-Reese, who scored two goals Sun­day. “But we’ve been stick­ing to that and it’s been work­ing. Some of the goals we had, they’re … just throw­ing pucks to the net and be•ing strong in front and put­ting them home.”

Aston-Reese was asked if that still would be the case if some of the team’s more, we’ll say, cre­ative for­wards weren’t out. He con­tem­plated be­fore re­ply­ing, “I think we’re not try­ing to be as pretty, so you can take it for what it’s worth.”

The night did not start ide•ally for the Pen•guins. Just 1:47 into the game, the Jets grabbed the lead with a fluky goal that bounced off Jared McCann and in. A cou•ple of years ago, that might have tor•pe•doed Jarry, but not in this game.

Penguins Erik Gudbranson, left, battles for a position with Evgeni Malkin during practice Thursday, Sept 26, 2019, UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry.

The Pen•guins tied it right back up with a pin-ball•ing goal of their own. Bran•don Tanev, back in the city where he spent his first four NHL sea•sons, tried to score on a wrap•a•round. Teddy Blue•ger put the re•bound off the left post. The puck skit•tered to Aston-Reese, who flung a no-look back•hand into the open net. 1157004 Pittsburgh Penguins He didn’t have to wait long. After being a healthy scratch two games in a row, the right-handed defenseman replaced Jack Johnson in the lineup Sunday.

Patric Hornqvist looking like 'a warrior' again, Jack Johnson scratched Gudbranson skated with rookie John Marino on the third pair. The against the Jets veteran played on the left side in that partnership of two right-handed defensemen.

“We thought it was important to keep him in the flow,” Sullivan said. MATT VENSEL “We’re trying to manage it as best we can. I’ve said almost daily, I feel like we have nine real quality, capable defensemen. And the challenge Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for us – and I guess that’s a real good challenge to have – is to find a OCT 13, 2019 8:40 PM way to get them in the lineup.”

Johnson, who had a plus-1 rating in the season’s first five games, was a healthy scratch for the first time since Game 1 of last April’s playoff series WINNIPEG, Manitoba — After Saturday’s 7-4 victory against the Wild in against the New York Islanders. Johnson, who has four years left on a Minnesota, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan tried to come up with the contract that pays him $3.25 million annually, has been the subject of proper words to describe Patric Hornqvist, an emotional tone-setter for trade rumors ever since. two Stanley Cup teams. Matt Murray got the night off against the Jets, with backup Tristan Jarry “He’s a warrior,” the coach concluded. “I don’t know how else to describe making his first start of the season. Murray’s night in Minnesota ended up it.” being an emotional one. That win, in his 160th start, was the 100th of his career. He must have gotten a look at the power forward a few moments earlier. “It’s really cool. It’s really humbling. If you would have told me as a kid Hornqvist, a heavy equipment bag slung over his shoulder, emerged that I’d have 100 wins in the NHL, I’d be thrilled,” he said after. “I feel from the locker room without a shirt on. That revealed a more Spartan very lucky.” physique than a season ago, not to mention bright, red scratches on his neck and shoulders. Murray was then asked about being able to do it with one team and seemed to get choked up a bit thinking about his relationship with his Penguins' Marcus Pettersson (28), Brandon Tanev (13) and Teddy teammates. Blueger (53) celebrate with Zach Aston-Reese after Aston-Reese's goal agains Winnipeg Jets goaltender Laurent Brossoit (30) during first-period “It means the world to me to play for this team. I just feel very lucky just NHL hockey game action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019. to get to play with these guys night in and night out,” he said. “It’s pretty special.” It was one of those nights for Hornqvist. He feuded with a few Wild players. He got in an altercation with another goalie, this time Devan Tanev makes his return Dubnyk. He fumed at the officials for giving him a double minor in its aftermath. And he soon watched Dubnyk unravel, allowing three more Sunday was Brandon Tanev’s first game back in Winnipeg, where he goals after Hornqvist got in his grill. spent the first four seasons of his career before signing with Pittsburgh in July. “Horny’s one of the best in the league at that, getting under a guy’s skin,” Matt Murray said. “He’s so good in front. I’m just glad he’s on our side, for In the days leading up to his return, the pesky winger talked about how sure.” pumped he was to return to Winnipeg, saying that “it’s going to be special.” Said Hornqvist, who has somehow never dropped the gloves: “I want them to be mad at me or paying attention to me. That means I’m doing "You spend four years there,” he said. “They’ve got a great crowd and something right.” fans there. It’s going to be exciting to get back there and step on that ice." Oh, and Hornqvist scored on the power play, too. That gave him three goals on the young season entering Sunday’s 7-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets at Bell MTS Place. That’s as many as Hornqvist had in the final 40 Post Gazette LOADED: 10.14.2019 games last season.

It’s no surprise that all three so far were from within 15 feet of the goal.

Hornqvist, whose second-half slump last season came after he suffered two more concussions, brushed off a question Saturday about how he feels physically. He’s “good,” he said, then pivoted to talking about how well the team played.

But make no mistake, Hornqvist being his disruptive old self again has a lot to do with the Penguins showing plenty of fight despite having forwards Evgeni Malkin, Alex Galchenyuk, Nick Bjugstad and Bryan Rust all on injured reserve.

Penguin fans try to get the attention of Pens defenseman Erik Gudbranson during warmups Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019, at the PPG Paints Arena Uptown.

“His energy is contagious on the bench. He loves to win,” Sullivan said. “And a game like [Saturday], that got a little edgy out there, he thrives in it.”

Erik Gudbranson spoke on Saturday about his disappointment with being out of the lineup. But he vowed to be ready when his next opportunity came.

“It’s given me time to work on some things on the ice. There was a fire in me before coming here and now it’s turned into a pretty big flame,” the 6- foot-5 blue-liner said. “So I’ll try to use this to my advantage as much as possible.” 1157005 Pittsburgh Penguins “Guys are always chirping each other about their teams. All day long. It’s fun,” Gudbranson (below) said. “It’s great. The way our schedule lines up, too, we more often than not get Sunday off. … I can’t sit in front of a TV and watch seven hours of football like some people can. But I’ll Penguins are dealing with injuries — on the ice and in fantasy football certainly get into it as much as I can.”

Just like you and your buddies may do, the Penguins do their draft on Yahoo! Any fantasy players who are in Pittsburgh the day of the draft will MATT VENSEL meet up for a little LAN party of sorts. The others picked players on their Pittsburgh Post-Gazette phones or laptops.

OCT 13, 2019 7:01 PM Gudbranson was on a golf course in Vail, Colo., with Crosby on draft day.

“After every shot, I was checking to see when we were up,” he said. “Rusty and I were texting the whole way through, thinking about who to Brandon Tanev, standing at his locker at UPMC Lemieux Sports pick next.” Complex on Wednesday, could only shrug in exasperation at the sorry state of his squad. Assessing their team afterward, both Gudbranson and Rust were pumped. Gudbranson said they “bet hard on the Browns,” drafting “My team is battling a lot of injuries right now,” he said. “We’re running back Nick Chubb followed by wideout Odell Beckham Jr. and struggling.” quarterback Baker Mayfield.

The Penguins over the past couple of weeks have been ambushed by a “We’re 1-4 now,” he said after an audible sigh. “It’s been tough. It’s been whole nest-full of injury bugs. But Tanev was talking about his fantasy tough. We’ve traded to shake it up. We’ve thrown some serious, football team. blockbuster trade offers out there. We’ve got people thinking. But nobody’s pulled the trigger yet.” “His team’s awful. The worst,” Erik Gudbranson said. “His whole team is hurt. Like everybody. So he’s been on the waiver wire pretty much the Tanev is reportedly at the center of trade talks. With his team struggling, whole season.” all of his teammates are trying to steal his studs. He isn’t about to get swindled. Penguins' Marcus Pettersson (28), Brandon Tanev (13) and Teddy Blueger (53) celebrate with Zach Aston-Reese after Aston-Reese's goal “They want to buy low, but that’s not going to happen,” the determined agains Winnipeg Jets goaltender Laurent Brossoit (30) during first-period winger vowed. “Hopefully my team turns it around here and can sneak NHL hockey game action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019. in.”

Tanev’s first pick in the Penguins team fantasy football league was stud Trades are also hard to come by because some teams, including the one running back Saquon Barkley. He also has been without quarterback run by Crosby and Ruhwedel that is 1-4 despite them having productive Drew Brees and wideouts Tyreek Hill and Desean Jackson the last few backs in Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Howard, take a draft-it-and- weeks. So it’s no surprise heading into the weekend that his team is forget-it approach. winless and in last place. That has forced more engaged teams to turn to the waiver wire for help. Tanev is one of many Penguins players who participate in the 10-team fantasy football league. Shortly after he left the Winnipeg Jets for the “I went to the Steelers game Sunday so I picked up [rookie WR Diontae] Penguins in free agency, he heard from Brian Dumoulin, who sort of Johnson,” Gudbranson said, “so I could at least yell at somebody while I serves as commissioner of the league and wanted to know if the new guy was there.” wanted to get in on the fun. The top team through five weeks belongs to the Minnesotans. Blueger, “It’s for whoever wants to play. We try to get multiple GMs [for each time], who is from Latvia but spent his formative years in the State of Hockey, that way everybody who wants to get involved can,” Dumoulin said of the said their 4-1 team has Lamar Jackson, David Johnson, Austin Ekeler league. “It’s a good thing to do, just to get guys talking. Obviously, guys and Travis Kelce. in here watch football. People enjoy it. … It’s just another competitive Who sets their lineup each week? Blueger said they go with the hot thing that we like to do.” hand. Dumoulin said “most of the North American guys” are in the league and “We kind of talk it through, but if someone makes a couple of good “some of the Euros aren’t just because I don’t think they follow football as [lineup decisions] one week, we try to let him run with it a bit,” Blueger much.” said. He and Jake Guentzel are co-GMs who won the league last year. Sidney Of course, the Penguins in real life are dealing with tough roster Crosby shares a team with Chad Ruhwedel. Nick Bjugstad and Teddy decisions after a rash of injuries to key players. This fantasy league, at Blueger, "two guys with Minnesota ties,” run another. Bryan Rust asked least on Sundays, allows them to take their minds of their unique day Gudbranson to partner up this summer. Zach Aston-Reese and Dominik jobs and relax a little bit. Simon make another tandem. “I’ll throw a football game on and check in on my team throughout the “They just needed somebody to fill a spot,” Aston-Reese said of their day. Maybe throw out a couple chirps to the team we’re playing. team. Mondays are usually pretty funny,” Ruhwedel said. “We’ve had some fun Aston-Reese and Simon are quick to admit they “don’t know anything with it over the years.” about football at all.” Aston-Reese has notifications set up on his phone so that he will be alerted if one of his players is hurt or on a bye week. He can name three guys on his team. Simon confidently said that their Post Gazette LOADED: 10.14.2019 record is 2-2. It’s Week 6…

Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins makes save on Penguins right wing Patric Hornqvist in the first period Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019, at the PPG Paints Arena Uptown.

And yet, somehow, those two got their team to the semifinals last year.

“We had a pretty good run at the title,” Aston-Reese said, snickering. “We like it because we don’t really know what we’re doing. So it’s a lot easier.”

Others take it much more seriously, even though they swear they are only playing for “pride” and a reason to playfully talk smack to Penguins teammates. 1157006 San Jose Sharks goals on 24 shots. He entered Sunday with an 0-3-0 record and a .854 save percentage.

“It hasn’t been an ideal start, but I feel like my game is right there,” Jones Takeaways: Marleau’s role, Jones stays the course and Gambrell’s said. “I haven’t really had that doubt just yet. I’ve felt pretty good in the growing confidence net, despite the results. I’m just sticking with it and making sure I’m working hard in practice and working on the details.”

2. Closer to a four-line identity: There’s still room to improve, as DeBoer By CURTIS PASHELKA and a handful of players noted after the game. The Sharks were outshot 11-6 in the first period nearly let the Flames back in it by taking two PUBLISHED: October 13, 2019 at 11:51 pm penalties in the third period. The turnovers were not as plentiful, but there UPDATED: October 13, 2019 at 11:53 PM were still too many for the Sharks’ liking.

“Like I’ve said all along here, I don’t think we’ve established our four-line game yet, where we’re pinning teams in and we’re dominating SAN JOSE — It would be tough to imagine the Sharks’ lineup without possession and we’re grabbing momentum,” DeBoer said. “We haven’t Patrick Marleau right now, wouldn’t it? gotten there yet. We’ve had pieces of it. That’s something that we’ll need to get to.” In just two games, he’s become the difference-maker the Sharks have needed. The Sharks’ second and third line might still be a bit unsettled. Kevin Labanc started Sunday’s game on a line with Hertl and Evander Kane Marleau once again skated on the top line Sunday in the Sharks’ 3-1 win and that trio had a combined four shots on goal and struggled from an over the Calgary Flames. He assisted on Timo Meier’s first period goal analytics point of view. The third line, centered by Joe Thornton, will get a and helped the second power play unit create a handful of chances. He’s boost when Marcus Sorensen returns soon. helped to stabilize the Sharks’ forward lines and given an emotional lift to his teammates. For now, though, DeBoer is liking what he’s seeing from Dylan Gambrell as the Sharks’ fourth line center. Gambrell put together another solid Marleau had 15 minutes an 26 seconds of ice time Sunday, and that’s game Sunday, his third straight in his coach’s eyes, as he finished with without stepping on the ice for the final three minutes and change. 10:47 of ice time and held his own in the faceoff circle, winning six of 13 “I don’t think it’s an accident that we’ve won the last two and he’s been in draws. the lineup. I think that’s a piece for sure,” Sharks coach Pete DeBoer said Gambrell started camp as a winger on Kane and Hertl’s line and has of Marleau after his team improved to 2-4-0. “Plays the right way, does moved around a bit, and might have been close to being sent back to the the right thing when he’s on the ice all the time. It’s really helped solidify American League after two or three games. But he seems to have found our lineup a little bit.” a position he can thrive in, where he’s not being asked to do too much. Fair to say, too, that Marleau will also always be the Sharks’ most “For him, it’s all about competing. Sticking his nose in there and popular player. competing, and his skill and speed will take over,” DeBoer said. “He’s The game was Marleau’s first as a Shark at home since April 2017. He started to do that here regularly. signed a one-year contract with the team on Wednesday and played his “It’s on us. We asked him to do too much. We played him on the wing first game back with the Sharks, the spent 19 seasons with from 1997- and on the top two lines, and it was too much for him. He’s playing with 2017, the following night when he scored twice in San Jose’s 5-4 win energy and assertiveness and some desperation to his game in the role over the Chicago Blackhawks. he’s in, and that’s made all the difference.” Marleau received a loud ovation when he was introduced as one of the

Sharks’ starters shortly before the game began. San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 10.14.2019 Marleau was given an even louder ovation during the first the first television timeout in the first period. After a video tribute, Marleau stood up to acknowledge the fans in attendance, with most of the patrons inside SAP Center rising to their feet to chant, “Patty, Patty.”

As he sat down on the bench, a clearly emotional Marleau wiped away a tear.

“It’s nice to have Patty and Timo,” Sharks captain Logan Couture said of his linemates after his two-assist night, “If you play with two guys who skate well, with Patty especially, it’s just that familiarity with him, knowing where he is going to be on the ice.”

Other takeaways from Sunday night.

1. Martin Jones rebounds from a tough start: The outcome could have been a lot different had it not been for some key saves by Jones at critical moments.

With the Sharks leading 2-1, Jones stopped a Mikael Backlund breakaway chance right before Brent Burns was called for tripping. Just 1:17 later, Couture intercepted a Matthew Tkachuk pass just inside the Sharks blue line and raced into the Flames zone. He then found a trailing Tomas Hertl, who one-timed the pass past Cam Talbot for a 3-1 Sharks lead at the 18:08 mark of the second period.

Jones also made four saves on four Sharks penalty kills, and finished with 31 stops for his first victory of the season.

“Jones was great tonight. We had breakdowns and Jones was there to bail us out,” Couture said. “That’s what you need from your goaltender.”

Jones said he didn’t make any adjustments to his game after his start, a 5-2 loss to the Nashville Predators, on Tuesday. In that game, with some shoddy puck management by the skaters in front of him, he allowed four 1157007 San Jose Sharks

Logan Couture, Martin Jones lead Sharks past Calgary Flames

By CURTIS PASHELKA

PUBLISHED: October 13, 2019 at 9:35 pm

UPDATED: October 13, 2019 at 10:54 PM

SAN JOSE — Timo Meier and Tomas Hertl scored their first goals of the season Sunday night, and they both had Logan Couture to thank for the assists.

Couture set up Meier for his goal at the 3:04 mark of the first period then found Hertl for a shorthanded marker late in the second period as the Sharks won for the first time at home this season, beating the Calgary Flames 3-1 at SAP Center.

Kevin Labanc added another goal off the rush and Martin Jones made 32 saves as the Sharks improved to 2-0 with Patrick Marleau in the lineup after they started the season with four straight losses.

The Sharks (2-4-0) continue their homestand Wednesday against the so- far undefeated Carolina Hurricanes.

With the Sharks killing a penalty to Brent Burns and leading 2-1, Couture intercepted a Matthew Tkachuk pass just inside the San Jose blue line. Couture then picked up the loose puck, raced into the Flames zone and found a trailing Hertl, who one-timed the pass past Flames goalie Cam Talbot for a two-goal lead.

That was enough offense for Jones, who made 21 saves through two periods to help pick up his first win of the season. Jones entered Sunday with an 0-3-0 record and a .854 save percentage.

The game was Marleau’s first as a Shark at home since April 2017. He signed a one-year contract with the team on Wednesday and played his first game back with the Sharks, the spent 19 seasons with from 1997- 2017, the following night when he scored twice in San Jose’s 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.

Marleau received a loud ovation when he was introduced as one of the Sharks’ starters shortly before the game began.

Marleau was given an even louder ovation during the first the first television timeout in the first period. After a video tribute, Marleau stood up to acknowledge the fans in attendance, with most of the patrons inside SAP Center rising to their feet to chant, “Patty, Patty.”

As he sat down on the bench, a clearly emotional Marleau wiped a small tear from his eye — reiterating, in a non-verbal way, just how much it has meant to him to be back in San Jose.

First period goals by Meier and Labanc, plus 11 saves by Jones, gave the Sharks the lead after 20 minutes for the first time this season.

Meier opened the scoring at the 3:04 mark of the first period, as he drove the net, established position and redirected a pass from Couture past Talbot for his first goal of the season.

Labanc then finished a pretty passing sequence with a wrist shot that beat Talbot at the 10:13 mark.

Erik Karlsson started the breakout with a pass to Labanc, who sped through the neutral zone and found Hertl near the Flames blue line. A nifty pass back set up Labanc, who came in alone and beat Talbot high to the glove side.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 10.14.2019 1157008 San Jose Sharks Martin Jones starts Jones will entered Sunday with a 10-3-0 record, a 2.48 goals against

average and a .923 save percentage in 13 career games against the San Jose Sharks’ center still looking to find scoresheet Flames. He has struggled at times this season with an 0-3-0 record, an 854 save percentage and a 4.56 goals against average.

The Sharks only win so far this season came Thursday when Aaron By CURTIS PASHELKA Dell made 26 saves in the 5-4 victory, leading to questions as to who would start against Calgary. But from DeBoer’s perspective, it wasn’t a PUBLISHED: October 13, 2019 at 1:26 pm difficult decision. UPDATED: October 13, 2019 at 2:45 PM “It wasn’t complicated,” DeBoer said Saturday about starting Jones over Dell. “The first game of the season was a disaster. Slowly we’ve gotten a little bit better every game at helping our goaltenders. But our game in SAN JOSE — Sharks center Tomas Hertl enjoyed a playful moment at front of those guys isn’t where it needs to be yet, either.” the end of a recent practice when after a failed shootout attempt on Martin Jones, he threw his stick in the air only to see it get caught in the Lineup changes netting behind the goal. Tim Heed, who has been out the last four games with an upper body “I just for fun throw it,” Hertl said Sunday. “At least we had a good laugh injury, returned to the lineup Sunday night, replacing Trevor Carrick. from it.” Forward Lukas Radil, who was scratched Thursday, also returned, taking the spot of Danil Yurtaykin. Hertl has had a tough time finding the back of the net in games, too. Through the first five games of the regular season, Hertl — mirroring the Injury updates struggles the Sharks have had overall at both ends of the ice — had zero Forward Marcus Sorensen remains day-to-day with an undisclosed goals, zero assists and had a minus-6 rating. injury, as he missed his third straight game Sunday. DeBoer said For a player who is the Sharks’ top returning goal scorer from last defenseman Jake Middleton, who was hurt Oct. 4 in the Sharks’ 5-1 loss season, that may be an early cause for concern. But neither Hertl or to Vegas from a heavy hit from Ryan Reaves, will be out another four-to- coach Pete DeBoer are overreacting right now. six weeks. Fellow defenseman Dalton Prout skated Saturday and is closer to being able to return. Hertl had 20 minutes and 45 seconds of ice time in the Sharks’ 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday, which snapped a four-game losing streak. San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 10.14.2019 “On the ice, I’m still playing my game. The chances were right there, on the (scoresheet) it looks pretty bad. A few zeroes for a top guy,” Hertl said. “I just keep working, I’m just happy we (won), and I would do anything for the win. For sure we need some of my goals to help win, but the chances are right there.”

With 13 shots on goal through five games, Hertl feels he can stand to put the puck on net a bit more than he has so far. Still, there have been opportunities that Hertl just hasn’t buried.

Early in the second period of the Sharks’ Oct. 5 game against Anaheim, Hertl picked up a rebound in front of the Ducks net after a Kevin Labanc shot on goal. But his backhand shot from just outside the crease was stopped by a toe save from goalie John Gibson. The Sharks power play also went 0-for-14 through three games.

“Tommy always gives you everything he’s got,” DeBoer said. “He’s been a little bit snake bit. I can count at least three, at the top of my head, unbelievable saves.

“Those are slam dunk goals, and he gets robbed. He’s just got to stick with it.”

Having Evander Kane back on Hertl’s left wing should continue to be of benefit, DeBoer said. Kane was suspended for the first three games of the season.

“I think he’s been a little bit of a product of our lineup,” DeBoer said. “We’ve had him surrounded with a lot of young guys, with Kane out the first three games. Kane’s back and I expect Tommy will be fine. I have no issues with him.”

Gambrell’s ‘desperation’

DeBoer said he’s liked what he’s seen the last two games before Sunday from center Dylan Gambrell, who had one assist against Nashville and two more against Chicago.

Gambrell also won 13 of 18 faceoffs in those games, as he begins to get a bit more comfortable in a fourth line center role.

“Just a desperation level in his game,” DeBoer said. “I know sometimes you have to see where things are going, and through camp and the exhibition series, I thought he was just OK. I think he saw he was coming to a crossroads about whether he was going to be in the NHL or have to step back again.

“There’s been a renewed desperation level to his game that’s changed everything.” 1157009 San Jose Sharks “Carolina had interest in Patrick for him to be part of the team this season, however Patrick wanted to be a Shark at all cost. He will retire as a Shark,” Brisson wrote Friday in an email. “At that point I started communicating with (Sharks GM) Doug Wilson on a regular basis in The road home: Inside Patrick Marleau’s return to the San Jose Sharks order to try making it work.”

Had the Leafs not been in such a cap crunch, would Marleau still be in Toronto? By CURTIS PASHELKA “We’ll never know,” Marleau said with a smile. PUBLISHED: October 13, 2019 at 5:01 am At that time, there was speculation that Marleau would be reunited with UPDATED: October 13, 2019 at 2:50 PM the Sharks. Coach Pete DeBoer, who was at the draft at the time of the trade, heard those rumors, too.

SAN JOSE — Patrick Marleau woke up Saturday morning and fell right “I read all that stuff and you think about it, and I’d be lying to tell you that back into a familiar routine — driving to the Sharks practice facility and (Wilson) and I didn’t discuss it at different points,” DeBoer said. “But entering the dressing room to begin another day in the NHL. there was a commitment here to really give the young guys an opportunity.” “The smile hasn’t come off my face, for sure,” Marleau said after practice. “To be able to come back here and walk in this locker room and see my The Sharks’ training camp in September was unlike any other in recent stuff up and see my name, it feels good to have somewhere to go and memory. somewhere to play.” Not only were there jobs available to be won, but important roles needed It certainly beats what Marleau’s routine was just a week or two ago, to be filled after forwards Joe Pavelski, Gus Nyquist and Joonas Donskoi when he renting ice time on his own dime at Solar4America Ice in San all left via free agency and defenseman Justin Braun was traded to the Jose — skating in a Toronto Maple Leafs practice jersey — still without a Philadelphia Flyers. contract. Forwards Danil Yurtaykin and Lean Bergmann — in their first seasons in But a confluence of events — even going back roughly three months, but the Sharks organization — and defenseman Mario Ferraro, a first-year especially during the first week of the Sharks’ season — helped Marleau pro, all made the team out of training camp. Forward Dylan Gambrell, a return to the team he played for from 1997-2017. 2016 second round draft pick, was also on the team for the start of the season. Sunday night, he’ll once again wear a teal jersey in front of the home fans as the Sharks face the Calgary Flames at SAP Center. It will be Marleau, meanwhile, was still waiting for a call. Marleau’s second game back, after he scored two goals for the Sharks in “The Sharks have made promises and commitments to their young their 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday. players as part of their development,” Brisson wrote. “If they were to look It’ll also be his first home game with the Sharks since April 22, 2017, at bringing a veteran player obviously Patrick was going to be Doug’s when they lost Game 6 of their first round series against the Edmonton choice all along.” Oilers and were eliminated from the playoffs. It didn’t take long for those decisions to be expedited. Asked Saturday if there were opportunities to sign with another team A day before the start of the regular season, forward Evander Kane was before Wednesday, when he officially joined the Sharks, Marleau paused suspended by the NHL for three games for physical abuse of officials. for a moment to find the right words. For the Oct. 2 opener against the Vegas Golden Knights, the Sharks had “It was a really … difficult situation,” he said. “There were a lot of ups Yurtaykin and Bergmann in their top-six forward group — hardly the plan and downs. I’ll leave it at that.” coming into the year.

Changes to the Maple Leafs seemed inevitable after they were The Sharks were throttled 4-1 that night in Vegas — a score that flattered eliminated by the Boston Bruins in the first round of the playoffs for the the visitors — and were outclassed 5-1 two days later by the Golden second straight season. Knights at SAP Center. That was followed by a 3-1 loss on Oct. 5 to the rebuilding Anaheim Ducks. Marleau had taken his share of criticism in hockey’s hotbed, recording two assists in the seven-game series after a regular season in which he Through the first three games, the Sharks never owned a lead and were had 16 goals and 37 points — his lowest totals since his rookie year — in 0-for-14 on their power play. The rookies were learning on the fly, not 82 games. quite ready for the roles they were being asked to play.

The Leafs also needed to clear salary cap space to help sign a handful of Adding to the overall malaise were a spate of injuries. Defensemen players, including winger Mitch Marner, that summer. Keeping Marleau’s Dalton Prout, Jake Middleton and Tim Heed were hurt in the first two $6.25 million cap hit for the 2019-20 season was untenable. games. Marcus Sorensen was hurt against the Ducks, taking out another experienced forward just as Kane was set to return. So on June 22, nearly two years after he signed a three-year, $18.75 million deal with Toronto as an unrestricted free agent, Marleau was It was clear the Sharks had to make adjustments. traded by the Maple Leafs to Carolina, a deal that included a conditional By that point, discussions between the Sharks and Brisson began to first-round draft pick and a seventh-round selection in 2020 going to the intensify. Hurricanes, and a 2020 sixth-round pick coming back to Toronto. “As Doug said, he and I spoke frequently throughout the summer and Marleau waived his no trade clause and agreed to be dealt, as his family camp,” Brisson wrote. “The conversations picked up to another lever had already put their Toronto-area home up for sale, looking to return to sometime last week.” the South Bay after two years in Southern Ontario. Just before the Sharks played the Nashville Predators on Tuesday, Marleau said he and Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas, Wilson announced that the team would be bringing back Marleau — the “communicated the whole time. Kyle was great about it and, Pat franchise icon who still owned nearly every individual offensive team (Brisson), my agent, we were all in it discussing, so there was definitely record. Without Marleau, the Sharks went on to lose to 5-2 to Nashville, some options on the table there for us. but with Kane back, looked better than they had in the previous three “It worked out. I’m back here and (the Leafs) got the cap space. Took a losses. little longer than I thought, but I’m happy that I’m here.” Still, they were making too many mistakes, and the hope was that The Hurricanes wanted to keep Marleau, but the now 40-year-old forward Marleau could come in and help settle things down for a reeling team. wanted to move back to California. On June 27, Carolina general “He plays the right way. I think that’s what we need.,” Kane said after the manager Don Waddell announced the Hurricanes would buy out the final game. “We need more examples like that, especially right now with how year of Marleau’s deal, making “Mr. Shark” a free agent. we’re playing.” The day after the loss to the Predators, Marleau signed a one-year, $700,000 contract with San Jose and landed in Chicago early Wednesday morning, right around the time the Sharks were getting in from Nashville.

It was a huge boost for a fragile team, lifting the spirits of everyone in the room. The Sharks were about to face the Blackhawks, looking to avoid the worst start in franchise history.

Interestingly enough, before Marleau got the call from Wilson about returning, he was on the ice with former Sharks teammate Scott Hannan, working on tipping pucks on shots from the blue line.

That practice would come in handy soon enough.

Late in the first period on a Sharks power play, Marleau set up in the high slot and redirected a pass from Erik Karlsson past Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford. Late in the second period, he collected a rebound in front of the net after a Burns shot on goal to score his second of the game.

Less than 40 minutes into his Sharks return, Marleau was already tied for the team lead in goals.

“We showed some clips this morning to our young players. He created two goals and played the right way the whole game,” DeBoer said Saturday. “On the right side of the puck, defensively on the right side. I think some of our guys have felt the first five games they had to cheat because we aren’t scoring.”

In Saturday’s practice, Marleau was back on the Sharks’ top line with Logan Couture and Timo Meier. The days of skating by himself or with friends in a blue jersey are over. He’s back to where he wanted to be all along.

“I was hoping to be able to come back here,” Marleau said. “There was a lot of ups and downs between the trade and between that happening, but where it ended up, I’m very happy.”

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Sharks takeaways: What we learned in San Jose's 3-1 win over Flames

By Chelena Goldman

October 13, 2019 9:37 PM

SAN JOSE -- Good play doesn't always carry over from one game to another. But after finishing strong and getting their first win of the season Thursday night, the Sharks hoped to build on that performance three days later when the Calgary Flames came to town.

Team Teal did just that, jumping out to an early lead and never giving it up, as they extinguished the Flames 3-1, tallying their second straight win of the season.

Here are three takeaways from Sunday's game at SAP Center.

Captain clutch

When Logan Couture's teammates described him during the preseason as a captain who would "lead by example," they really weren't kidding. No. 39 was one of the best players on the ice Sunday night -- not because he scored big goals but because he set them up and let his speed set the tone for the rest of the team.

San Jose's offense got two big jolts in the first 40 minutes, and both times it was from a goal that Couture set up. The second was most impressive, as he snagged the puck from Calgary forward Mikael Backland on a Sharks penalty kill and maneuvered up the ice to set up Tomas Hertl for San Jose's first short-handed goal of the season.

Jones stood tall

When San Jose's defense got a little loosey-goosey in the second period, goalie Martin Jones kept the Sharks in the game. Not only did Jones keep the Flames off the board during the first seven minutes of the opening period, but he also stopped a few breakaway attempts that could've erased San Jose's lead.

Needless, to say, Jones had his best outing of the season by far. With San Jose's defense still ironing out some kinks and cleaning up its 60- minute game, it was exactly the kind of confident performance this team needed.

The power of playing with the lead

It's pretty incredible how much momentum a team can get just from taking an early lead. Once Timo Meier found the back of the net and gave the Sharks their first first-period lead of the season, they had all the momentum in their favor for the rest of the frame.

The Sharks just need to make sure they don't let their defense regularly take its foot off the gas, as it did during Sunday's game. They might have had the benefit of getting a good performance out of Jones and playing against a tired Flames team, but that kind of play won't cut it against tougher teams.

Getting into turnover trouble could doom them this coming week when the Eastern Conference-leading Carolina Hurricanes come to town.

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Before Sharks return, Patrick Marleau left lasting mark on Maple Leafs

By Brian Witt

October 13, 2019 4:57 PM

Patrick Marleau has played for two NHL teams.

He has left quite a mark on both of them.

Marleau instantly became the best story in the league so far this season when he scored two goals against the Blackhawks in his first game back with the Sharks last Friday. The franchise's all-time leader in games played and goals scored re-signed with San Jose after the Sharks incurred some injuries on their way to an 0-3 start.

Marleau clearly is happy to be back with the team he began his career with, and as if the two-goal performance wasn't an indication, the feeling is mutual. It was his first game since last April when Marleau was still with Toronto, and although he was only with the Maple Leafs for two seasons, he left a lasting impression on them.

"He means a lot to a lot of guys on this team and he’s a close friend of mine,” Toronto's Auston Matthews said of Marleau to SportsNet's Chris Johnston. “Just the way he is as a player and as a person, I think it’s just something that we can all kind of take bits and pieces of and apply it to ourselves. Not just on the ice, but off the ice as well. Just how he treats people and just the way he is and just his presence."

"He’s been in this league for [22 years] and every time someone walked in -- no matter if it was their first game or not -- he was always there to introduce himself and talk to them and try and help out if anything could be done,” Mitch Marner said of his former teammate. "His legacy here, I think, is just how respected he was around our room and around the league and just how much he meant to our team."

Upon his arrival in Toronto, Marleau took the younger Matthews and Marner under his wing. They became travel buddies, and the young phenoms even grew close with Marleau's family.

They were both pleased to hear that Marleau wound back up in San Jose.

"He deserved to play somewhere in this league," Marner commented.

"It was great to see that," Matthews said.

Marleau won't have to wait long to make a return to the arena he once called home, as the Sharks travel to Toronto to face the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena on Oct. 25.

Of course, Marleau has another homecoming to get through first. That would be San Jose's game against Calgary on Sunday, Marleau's second first home game with the team that drafted him.

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Patrick Marleau's agent says his client only wanted to play for Sharks

By Marcus White

October 13, 2019 1:10 PM

When the Toronto Maple Leafs traded Patrick Marleau to the Carolina Hurricanes in a salary dump this summer, the NHL veteran had one thing on his mind.

Marleau was singularly focused on reuniting with the Sharks, his agent Pat Brisson wrote to The Mercury News' Curtis Pashelka.

"Carolina had interest in Patrick for him to be part of the team this season, however Patrick wanted to be a Shark at all [costs]," Brisson e- mailed Pashelka on Friday. "He will retire as a Shark. At that point I started communicating with (Sharks general manager) Doug Wilson on a regular basis in order to try making it work."

Marleau signed a three-year, $18.75 million contract with the Maple Leafs in 2017, and the longest tenured player in Sharks history suited up in a different uniform for the first time in two decades. Needing to re-sign a host of restricted free agents, including star winger Mitch Marner, the Leafs traded Marleau to the Hurricanes just before June's NHL draft.

Although the 'Canes wanted to keep him, Marleau wanted to return to his first NHL home. That appeared unlikely when Wilson told The Athletic in September that the Sharks were focused on giving their young forwards opportunities to earn roster spots in training camp.

But the Sharks struggled out of the gate, starting 0-3-0 to begin the season while dealing with Evander Kane's suspension, some injuries and those young players adjusting to the NHL. San Jose wanted to bring in a veteran presence, and that opened the door for a reunion.

"The Sharks have made promises and commitments to their young players as part of their development," Brisson wrote in the e-mail. "If they were to look at bringing a veteran player obviously Patrick was going to be Doug's choice all along."

Marleau officially signed with the Sharks on Wednesday, and he scored two goals in his first game back two days later. He kept skating on his own and with former teammates, but didn't participate in a training camp as a free agent. Marleau told reporters Saturday he experienced "a lot of ups and downs" when asked if he had a chance to sign with another team, but wouldn't elaborate.

Now, Marleau is set to play his first home game for the Sharks in two- and-a-half years Sunday when San Jose hosts the Calgary Flames. Marleau is sure to receive a raucous ovation, further reminding him that this reunion was worth the wait.

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Sharks look to douse Flames early, avoid another early one-goal hole

By Chelena Goldman

October 13, 2019 12:42 PM

SAN JOSE -- The Sharks finally broke through Thursday night by taking their first lead in a game, on their way to their first win of the season, no less.

But five games into the 2019-20 season, San Jose's opponents still are getting on the scoreboard first and doing so very early in the first period.

With the Calgary Flames coming to SAP Center on Sunday night on the tail end of a back-to-back, the Sharks have a prime opportunity to buck that trend and strike first.

"That's the plan," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said after practice Saturday. "Our fans are always ready to go, they always give us an opportunity to do that. But it's on us."

San Jose hasn't just allowed the first goal in every game. They've allowed the first goal less than 10 minutes into every first period so far this season, putting the Sharks on their heels before right from the get- go.

Here’s how long it’s taken the Sharks’ opponents to take a 1-0 lead:

VGK - 3:46

VGK - 5:01

ANA - 3:38

NSH - 6:16

CHI - 5:07

While loose defense and poor decision-making are mostly to blame for the early one-goal hole, DeBoer is encouraged by the strides the team made late in Thursday's win over the Blackhawks. With a couple of good practices under their belt heading into Sunday's contest, the Sharks should be able to continue building on that late-game performance in Chicago.

"I always worry about these games when you travel back at the end of a trip, that first game back when you arrive at 3 or 4 in the morning as we did," DeBoer said about returning from the roadie. "But we had a good skate today and we should be ready to go."

The Flames won't have the same luxury of getting solid practice time in. Calgary visits the South Bay at the end of a road trip and on the second game of a back-to-back, losing 6-2 to the Golden Knights in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

Additionally, in all three of the Flames' losses through this early part of the season, their opponent has scored the first goal. If the Sharks want a chance at scoring first and putting another notch in the win column, this is the time.

How does that strong start become a reality? The big key for the Sharks is going to be staying smart without compromising any of their grit -- something DeBoer referred to on Saturday as "aggressive patience."

"I know that sounds contradictory, but that's what we need," the coach said. "We're an aggressive team, our systems are aggressive. But the key is walking that line and knowing when to go and when you have to lay off and be patient and support each other. That always takes some work."

DeBoer knows it could take some time, but he believes his squad is worthy of getting it done.

"We're heading in the right direction," DeBoer said. "I like where we're going, but there's still a ways to go."

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Islanders host the Blues after shootout win

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

OCTOBER 14, 2019 02:06 AM

St. Louis Blues (3-1-1, third in the Central Division) vs. New York Islanders (2-3-0, seventh in the )

Uniondale, New York; Monday, 1 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: New York hosts St. Louis after the Islanders beat Florida 3-2 in overtime.

New York finished 48-27-7 overall in the 2018-19 season while going 24- 13-4 at home. The Islanders averaged 2.7 goals on 28.8 shots per game last season.

St. Louis finished 45-28-9 overall during the 2018-19 season while going 21-13-7 on the road. The Blues scored 244 total goals last season, 50 on power plays and five shorthanded.

The matchup Monday is the first meeting this season for the two teams.

Islanders Injuries: Casey Cizikas: day to day (undisclosed), Jordan Eberle: day to day (lower body), Nick Leddy: day to day (undisclosed).

Blues Injuries: Robert Thomas: day to day (upper body).

Belleville News-Democrat LOADED: 10.14.2019 1157015 Tampa Bay Lightning The Lightning have plenty of time to address their inconsistency. But sooner is always better.

Inconsistencies plague Lightning early in season Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 10.14.2019

By Diana C. Nearhos

MONTREAL — It is the age of crisp passes and dominant play. It is the age of turnovers and sloppy play.

Five games into the season, the Lightning have been wildly inconsistent. You can’t be sure which team will show up at puck drop: the one that looks like a Stanley Cup favorite or the one that looks like a bunch of players who just met.

The Lightning came together on all fronts and shut down an elite Maple Leafs team in a 7-3 win Thursday, then two days later, they could barely put together sustained pressure against the then-winless Senators in a 4- 2 loss.

They continue on the road with games against the Canadiens on Tuesday and the Bruins on Thursday that demand improved play.

The #TBLightning's 2011 first-round draft pick had two goals and an assist for Ottawa in the #Senators’ 4-2 win. https://t.co/MmTV8KETAs #Bolts #GoBolts #GoSensGo #TBvsOTT @dianacnearhos

— TampaBayTimesSports (@TBTimes_Sports) October 13, 2019

The difference in Ottawa went beyond the Senators’ performance. A team loses some games when it and the opponent play well and the opponent gets the edge. The loss to the Senators didn’t fall into that category. Neither did the 4-3 overtime loss to the Hurricanes on Oct. 6.

The Senators and Hurricanes executed good game plans against the Lightning. But Tampa Bay did its part by underperforming.

Is coach Jon Cooper surprised to see his veteran team be this inconsistent?

“Not surprised,” he said. “Disappointed.”

The Lightning had consistency issues last season, but those were more about lapses during games. The issues this season have been for entire games.

“When we’re rolling, teams will say it feels like there’s six, seven players on the ice,” Cooper said Thursday. “We were definitely not playing that way (against Carolina).”

The Ottawa loss was not the complete clunker that the Carolina one was, but it was in that category compared to the win over Toronto. The Lightning didn’t make anyone feel like they had extra players against the Senators.

Alex Killorn talked about inconsistencies within the game Saturday night as well as from day-to-day.

“It just seems through the whole game, it wasn’t a consistent-enough effort,” he said. “We had some really good shifts, but it seemed like (the Senators) outworked us.”

Being outworked is always an issue for any team. But the alternating effect of driving the game and being the team being driven points to a mental block. That’s something the Lightning needs to address.

“I’d like us to be more consistent, but we’re working through it,” Killorn said. “We have to match their intensity instead of watching to see what team we’re going to get.”

Ryan McDonagh figures the Lightning just need to play through the malaise.

“You can only do it by going out there and living in the moment and going through those experiences here,” he said. “We have to find a little more execution”

Steven Stamkos called out the Lightning, including himself, for its “freewheeling” ways after the Carolina game. He then praised the group after the Toronto win, saying that’s what the Lightning can do when they control play with their skating and intensity. 1157016 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning aren’t backing up Curtis McElhinney’s play in net

By Diana C. Nearhos

The Lightning needs to give Curtis McElhinney some help. The goaltender has played well enough to win two games, yet he’s come up empty.

Both times, the Lightning played a dud in front of him. Last Sunday, they started well and faded hard. Saturday, they started flat and never caught up. Either way, the result is zero in the win column for McElhinney.

“He’s been incredible,” Ryan McDonagh said. “He was our backbone back there. He came up with some huge stops to give us a good chance. It’s just too bad we haven’t been able to get him a W.”

The Lightning struggled to get out of their own zone and couldn’t get past the neutral zone to start the game. The Senators put 12 shots on McElhinney in the first period and he turned away all of them.

In all, McElhinney made 30 saves on 33 shots. Two of the goals against came on odd-man rushes and the third when Jean-Gabriel Pageau got to the crease past four Lightning skaters.

“We talk about giving (the goalie) an honest effort and I’m not sure we did that tonight,” coach Jon Cooper said.

Can a goalie get a little support here?

Read up on the Lightning’s 4-2 loss to the Senators

Odd-man rushes pull people out of their seats. They’re fast and they lead to scoring chances. The Lightning’s first few games have demonstrated exactly why – for the other team. Read more.

The Lightning’s 2011 first-round pick scored two goals and an assist against them. Vladislav Namestnikov was a difference-maker with his brand new team. Read more.

More notes and thoughts from the game:

Brayden Point is not the player the Lightning want dropping the gloves. Jean-Gabriel Pageau engaged Point after the two tangled, digging out a puck along the boards. The star center fighting in his second game back from injury makes you cringe.

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In the past, Cooper has stressed how much he likes rolling all four lines. But when the going has gotten tough so far this year, he’s pulled back on the fourth line. It’s not exactly a goal-scoring line but there’s more to the decision. Both Pat Maroon and Carter Verhaeghe play on the power play, which can effect the rotation of the lines. Luke Witkowski is the loser in that equation, as he ends up with the least ice time.

Least ice time, yes, but Witkowski did double his NHL goal total. He landed a nice wrist shot from the left circle to tie the game 2-2, midway through the third period. He scored his only previous goal with Detroit, against Nashville on Feb. 17, 2018.

Carter Verhaeghe lost a skate blade during play and looked like a baby giraffe just learning to walk as he tried to get back to the ice. It made for a decent metaphor for the team’s play overall, but at least he had a reason. (Good thinking by Andrei Vasilevskiy, who you can see reach out to help Verhaeghe from the bench at the end of this GIF)

The Canadian Tire Centre has no atmosphere. Other than when the Senators score (and when the t-shirt cannon comes out), the crowd has the feel of a group without an allegiance, just here to check out the game. It’s in the outskirts of Ottawa, which doesn’t help. And owner Eugene Melnyk has made matters worse by blaming fans while not putting money into his team nor arena. It’s a sad state.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 10.14.2019 1157017 Tampa Bay Lightning This is one of the biggest issues to me. The Lightning still rely too much on their skill, which is unquestioned, and

get “too greedy” going for their offensive chances. It worked last year Five observations from the Lightning’s surprising start when Tampa Bay was able to outscore some of their problems and find a way to win games they didn’t necessarily deserve.

But at some point, that’s going to catch up with you (it did against By Joe Smith Columbus in the playoffs). It’s about playing smart and poised.

Oct 13, 2019 Case in point was Saturday’s game, with all the odd-man rushes the Lightning gave up. That’s how the Senators scored two of their three

non-empty-net goals, including one off a bad change. “I don’t think we OTTAWA — Nobody expected the 62-win Lightning to tear up the league gave up a ton but obviously they ended up in the back of our net,” in the first five games this season. Cooper said. “In a 2-2 game, you can’t give them up, bottom line.”

Who did you think they were, the Sabres? Hurricanes? Defenseman Ryan McDonagh said the team just wasn’t sharp with its passing or decision making. But, all kidding aside, I don’t think many envisioned the defending Presidents’ Trophy winners being this maddeningly inconsistent to start “I don’t feel it was for a lack of effort,” McDonagh said. “It was just really their bounce-back season of redemption. A “look-in-the-mirror” moment disjointed, really not understanding the situation and the momentum three games in? Captain delivered a pointed message swings in a game. It’s something we have to learn as a team, go out and in a postgame interview Sunday that got the hockey world talking. try to get in a groove and be confident. But when it’s not (happening), you’ve got to really simplify your game, have to be really good in your “Unless we change things,” Stamkos said. “It’s going to be a really, really, support. That’s something we have to continue to work on.” really long year.” In other words, when it’s not there, don’t push it. What you do 200 feet Then there was Saturday. Two days after Tampa Bay dominated the from your own net can have dangerous implications. Leafs — in Toronto — they got outworked by the winless Senators in a 4- 2 loss at Canadian Tire Center. And former first-round pick Vladislav “We’ve just got to be better on top of guys,” Killorn said. “It all starts from Namestnikov delivered the dagger, scoring twice, including the game- the offensive zone. A lot of those (rushes) happen when we lose guys in winner. What did Nikita Kucherov teach his buddy Namestnikov at their the offensive zone. We’re greedy in trying to score goals. Italian dinner Friday night? “We have to realize we’ve got to take care of our own zone and those “How do I say this?” coach Jon Cooper said. “We were driving play opportunities will come.” against Toronto, and (Saturday) Ottawa drove the play against us. That’s A couple of charts from @IneffectiveMath here can show the Lightning’s what’s disappointing. It’s not up to our standards, that’s for sure.” struggles in 5-on-5 situations, using data from the first four games Listen, it’s too early to hit the panic button. It’s not even two weeks into (Saturday’s results are not available until Sunday). The first chart details the season and the Lightning are 2-2-1. What did those 62 regular- the team’s Corsi (shot attempt differential), with the second Micah Blake season wins do for Tampa Bay in the playoffs last spring? But Cooper McCurdy’s model on “threat,” which is similar to expected goals (shots acknowledged this four-game trip would be a “litmus test” to see where weighted by location to account for danger). they were. And playing eight of their first 12 on the road (and the next two How much of this is on coaching? That’s a fair question. Everyone is in Sweden), you don’t want to fall too far behind the eight ball (or accountable in these types of situations. But after coaches ran the Buffalo). Lightning through a 100-minute practice Tuesday (following the Carolina But there are a few reasons for concern here, some warning signs you clunker) and another back-to-basics workout Wednesday, I asked can’t avoid. assistant coach Todd Richards what coaches can do to help with the bad habits? All summer, all preseason, the Lightning talked about being a more disciplined team defensively (and in taking fewer penalties). They “The only thing we can do in controlling it is how many times they get out lamented how they relied too much on their goaltending and their “free- on the ice,” Richards said. “It comes down to the players buying in and if wheeling” and “high-octane” offensive abilities. Stamkos’ Sunday they admit the problem, that’s great — the turnovers in a lot of ways have comments stemmed from all the “bad habits” Tampa Bay had fallen back been our Achilles heel in the past. It’s how we manage the puck, limiting into. You know, the ones Stamkos admitted “cost us our season” last those turnovers but still having the skill and ability to make plays. year. “It’s recognizing the danger areas, danger situations when it’s in tight Yet here we are five games in and those same issues persist. For the spaces that we can’t try to make that extra play in terms of turnovers and second time in as many starts, backup goalie Curtis McElhinney was chances going the other way. When we go back and look at all the under siege Saturday, with the 36-year-old veteran the only reason the chances, the really good chances, it’s not really our systematic play, it’s game against the rebuilding Senators was even close. the result of turnovers.”

“It seems like through the whole game it wasn’t a consistent enough Finding a partner for Victor Hedman is a work in progress effort,” wing Alex Killorn said. “We had some very good shifts, but it The Lightning have been trying to figure out the best partner for their seems like they outworked us in a lot of aspects. We’ve got to be better Norris Trophy winner since the preseason. in that department.” I’ve always thought it was time to give Mikhail Sergachev a shot there The Lightning have it in them. You saw it in Toronto when Tampa Bay with Hedman, and the Russian has gotten plenty of reps. It was Kevin was engaged, disciplined, determined. They played smart and, as Shattenkirk with Hedman the first three games, and then Sergachev the Kucherov put it, all “on the same page.” They’re an awfully tough team to last two. While Sergachev played well on Thursday in Toronto, he had a beat when they play like that. rough night Saturday against Ottawa. But is the inconsistency a concern? Sergachev was stripped by Namestnikov on the Senators’ second goal “It’s still early in the season,” Killorn said. “But it has to be more by Jean-Gabriel Pageau in the final minute of the second period, a consistent. What is this, our fifth game? Ottawa came hard and played crushing score that gave Ottawa the lead entering the third. hard, but we’ve got to match their intensity and be the aggressor instead Sergachev has said since camp opened that he knows he has got to get of watching to see what team we were going to get tonight.” better defensively, and it’s something he continues to work on. He’s so Or what Lightning team would they get tonight? gifted offensively and on the power play, with him leading the team with six assists (he had one Saturday). But there is still room to grow in his Here are five things we’ve learned through the first five games. own end.

The Lightning still struggle to play a ‘simple’ game When asked if Sergachev has shown maturity defensively, Cooper said he can see it most in his effort. “If you look at game tape of him from a year and a half ago to today, it’s Man, the Lightning are making McElhinney earn every bit of his $1.3 drastically different,” Cooper said. “It starts coming with games played million salary. and reps. He’s understanding the players in the league, who can do what, and the other thing for him that’s tough is he has played the right The 36-year-old backup goaltender, signed to a two-year deal July 1, has and the left side. But he’s really grown. In his battles now, he’s coming been very sharp his first two starts while under siege. He was the only out with the puck, and it has just been fun to watch him grow.” reason the Lightning managed to steal a point in Sunday’s 4-3 overtime loss in Carolina. “A collective stinker,” as Stamkos put it. With Sergachev on the right side with Hedman, it put Shattenkirk in the third pair with Braydon Coburn. Ryan McDonagh and Erik Cernak have And McElhinney was the main reason Saturday’s game was tied late, been cemented as the shutdown pair since last season. It’ll be interesting making 25 saves in the first two periods. There were several point-blank to see what the coaches decide for Tuesday’s game against Montreal, chances by the Senators in the first that McElhinney steered aside. Sergachev’s former team. Cooper said the talk going into the game was to give McElhinney an Brayden Point may be the Lightning’s most important player “honest effort,” and it was unfortunate that they couldn’t for the second straight start. The Lightning have the reigning Hart Trophy winner in Nikita Kucherov, the Vezina Trophy winner in Andrei Vasilevskiy, a former Norris winner in “He’s been incredible,” McDonagh said. “He was our backbone back Victor Hedman and a generational scorer in captain Steven Stamkos. there and came up with some huge stops to give us a chance. It’s really unfortunate we weren’t able to get him a win the way he’s started the Yet you can make the argument that Brayden Point is their most year. He’s doing everything he’s expected to and more.” important player. Kevin Shattenkirk, signed after getting bought out by the Rangers, has You saw the world of difference Point made in his dazzling season debut three goals (four points) and is a plus-one in the first five games. While Thursday in Toronto. Shattenkirk has had some shaky moments defensively, he’s feeling more like his old self and has added a new wrinkle to the second power play. “He’s driving the bus,” Kucherov said. That and his highlight-reel goal off the rush against Tornoto’s Morgan It’s not that Point is the most talented player on this team. But the former Rielly on Thursday. All-Star is the team’s engine — it’s “heartbeat,” as Columbus coach John Pat Maroon, signed to a one-year deal in August, has also made an Tortorella once put it — that helps the Lightning play faster. And the fact impact. He has been a good voice in the room and a presence on the ice. that Point told Cooper he felt better Thursday than at any point last Maroon has used his 6-foot-3 frame in front of the net on the power play, season when he was dealing with a labrum tear in both hips is really and you can see other players following his lead by going to those dirty encouraging. areas.

“I don’t think anyone should be surprised anymore what Point can do,” On Saturday, Maroon set up another newcomer, Luke Witkowski, for the Cooper said. “What’s surprising is he played 20 minutes and still had game-tying goal in the third period. Witkowski has been a regular on the energy, and what I like is that (you thought) there would be stiffness or fourth line, though he played just over seven minutes against Ottawa. “A soreness and none of that happened. We’re just glad to have him back.” good pass by Patty,” Witkowski said. “And I snuck it in.”

Considering Point — and his line’s — importance, it shouldn’t be surprising that the Lightning lost when they had a rough night. Stamkos, Kucherov and Point were a combined minus-7, with Point a minus-3. The Athletic LOADED: 10.14.2019

What the Lightning probably didn’t like seeing Saturday was Point getting in a fight with Jean-Gabriel Pageau. It’s not that Point can’t defend himself, but the last thing Tampa Bay needs is one of its top players in the box for five minutes or, worse, hurt.

They’ve found a formidable shutdown line

Anthony Cirelli may be the Lightning’s best defensive forward.

He may win a Selke Award someday. He’s that good.

So it should come as little surprise that Cirelli is anchoring Tampa Bay’s shutdown line. The combo of Cirelli, Alex Killorn and Ondrej Palat has been entrusted with the toughest defensive matchups so far, including tackling the Auston Matthews line Thursday in Toronto.

Cirelli and Killorn have had great chemistry the past couple of years. And Palat has looked fantastic, on pace for a bounce-back season.

A reason the Lightning can put Brayden Point on a loaded top line with Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov is that Cirelli can handle the high- leverage defensive assignments.

“They kind of have a blend of everything,” Cooper said. “They commit to play on both sides of the puck. The way Cirelli plays, he’s just kind of all over you. He doesn’t give you time and space. He has really, over the last year, had a really good rapport with Killorn, and you’re always trying to find out who that third guy can be. Palat has always proven to be a player that can play the skating, skill game and play the checking game, too.

“They also have a little heavy to them, they can play against bigger players. And you need that.”

Midway through Saturday’s game, Cooper flipped Palat with Mathieu Joseph, likely hoping to get the third line with Tyler Johnson going. And it worked, with Palat scoring the tying goal a shift after the Senators jumped ahead. But whether Palat or Joseph joins Killorn and Cirelli, Tampa Bay’s got its shutdown line.

The new guys fit in well 1157018 Toronto Maple Leafs “We can’t skill our way through every single game,” he added. “There’s other teams that are just as skilled as us. If they work harder than us, they’re going to win.

Babcock opts for a ‘family discussion’ after the Leafs’ humiliating loss to “A bit of a wake-up call … it’s good to have it this early.” Lightning Toronto winger Kasperi Kapanen, who has struggled at times to find chemistry on a line with Tavares and Mitch Marner in place of the injured Zach Hyman, said it’s important to push forward. JOSHUA CLIPPERTON “We just weren’t at our best,” he said. “A bad game that we’ve got to PUBLISHED OCTOBER 11, 2019 learn from and at the same time forget.”

The Leafs didn’t suffer a three-game drought until Feb. 21 last season, and know their attention to detail – especially in the defensive zone – Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock gathered his players at Toronto’s needs to be a lot better after getting badly exposed against Tampa. practice facility Friday morning. “There were definitely points where they outworked us, and that’s That part shouldn’t come as a surprise – teams usually meet before unacceptable,” Rielly said. “And then there were points where we just hitting the ice to break down video, go over special teams or talk about didn’t execute and were working hard – we wanted it, but we just couldn’t the next opponent. execute. This particular conversation, however, had a different feel following an “That’s not a game you look back at fondly.” embarrassing 7-3 home loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning roughly 12 hours earlier in which a lot went wrong, and not much went right.

“It’s just like a family discussion. It’s just honest,” Babcock said when Globe And Mail LOADED: 10.14.2019 asked about the tone of the meeting. “The reality is we weren’t good enough. There’s nowhere to hide here. Like any good family, that’s what it’s like.

“You keep each other accountable.”

Having all of a sudden dropped three straight home games, including the past two in regulation, Toronto (2-2-1) will look to get back on track Saturday in Detroit against the Red Wings (3-1-0).

But no matter the opponent, the Leafs will need to be better across the board following an effort that left much to be desired and had some fans streaming to the exits at Scotiabank Arena with 13 minutes remaining in the third period.

“Our meeting was more important than our practice,” Babcock said following a brisk 30-minute session. “We didn’t have enough detail, didn’t have enough battle, didn’t have enough work. Any way you look at it, they outplayed us. They were quicker, they won more races, they won more battles, they looked like they had more structure.

“That’s unacceptable. We have to fix that.”

Toronto captain John Tavares, whose first goal of the season was one of Thursday’s lone positives, called the loss that saw his team give up two power-goals on three chances and surrender 11 points to Tampa’s top line of Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point a “learning experience.”

“You want to continue to have a pulse on things,” Tavares said of his approach to the first mini crisis as the Leafs’ outright locker-room leader. “We want to nip a game like [Thursday’s] in the bud and move forward. We haven’t gotten the results we’ve wanted over the last three games.

“It’s not our standard or our expectation.”

Toronto defenceman Morgan Rielly, who was victimized on Tampa’s third goal in a wild first period that saw the visitors come out with a 4-3 lead, said there are bound to be some duds in an 82-game schedule.

“It’s about how you respond to that, how you react, and how you adjust and limit those [performances],” he said. “You have to deal with the fact mistakes are going to happen, things aren’t always going to go your way.”

The Leafs blew a 4-1 lead before losing 6-5 in a shootout to the Montreal Canadiens last Saturday, but felt good about their game in Monday’s 3-2 loss to the Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues.

Those vibes didn’t continue against last season’s Presidents’ Trophy winners, who came in on a two-game slide of their own.

“Any time you play like we did, the first thing is the coach didn’t do his job,” Babcock said. “We’re up 2-1 with eight minutes left in the first period, but we didn’t stay playing, we got rattled, we didn’t keep digging in.”

Leafs blue-liner said Thursday showed that talent doesn’t mean much if a team isn’t willing to work. 1157019 Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto Maple Leafs beat Detroit Red Wings 5-2 to snap 3-game skid

NOAH TRISTER

PUBLISHED OCTOBER 12, 2019

Ilya Mikheyev scored in the final minute of the second period when goalie Jimmy Howard’s gamble backfired, and the Toronto Maple Leafs went on to beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-2 on Saturday night, snapping a three- game losing streak.

With the game tied at 1, Toronto’s Kasperi Kapanen flipped the puck up the ice, and Mikheyev appeared to have a step on Detroit defenceman Madison Bowey as the two chased it. Howard came well out of his net, hoping to beat Mikheyev to the puck, but the rookie forward got there first, stickhandled to his left and shot into the empty net with 29.5 seconds left in the period.

Nicholas Shore, Alexander Kerfoot, Jake Muzzin and Trevor Moore also scored for the Maple Leafs. Jacob de la Rose and Darren Helm scored for Detroit.

Toronto’s Auston Matthews and Detroit’s Anthony Mantha, who entered the night with six goals apiece, were both held without a point, although Mantha had a partial breakaway stopped by goalie Frederik Andersen in the second.

Fresh off a 7-3 loss to Tampa Bay two days earlier, the Maple Leafs fell behind 1-0 when de la Rose capped a busy shift in the Toronto zone by knocking in a rebound while falling to the ice in front of the net. The Maple Leafs tied it when Dmytro Timashov won a battle for the puck behind the net and found Shore, who had plenty of time to beat Howard from in front.

Kerfoot put Toronto up 3-1 in the third, collecting a rebound that Howard left in his crease. Helm answered 24 seconds later, beating Andersen with a wrist shot from the slot. Muzzin put Toronto back up by two when he converted a nice cross-ice pass from Timashov with 6:26 remaining.

Moore’s empty-net goal closed out the scoring.

Globe And Mail LOADED: 10.14.2019 1157020 Toronto Maple Leafs on his usage of his goaltenders and his star players. In his fifth season as the Leafs’ head coach, and still looking for his first series win in the playoffs, Babcock is on the hot seat more than ever.

Leafs are dealing with the usual suspects as they come out of first slump Babcock remains a top-shelf coach, but there are still wrinkles to iron out with this team. The auditions for roster spots are ongoing, and the makeup of this team probably won’t feel settled until Dermott and forward Zach Hyman return from injuries. It’s fair to judge Babcock on a nightly Mark Zwolinski basis, but the real evaluation of his work won’t come until after his Sun., Oct. 13, 2019 forward lines and defensive unit are settled. After that, it will be about building toward the playoffs and securing home-ice advantage. He’ll be judged there again.

The Toronto Maple Leafs might not have matched their high expectations But the post-season is a whole other animal; the Leafs and their coach over the first six games of the season, but they’re not that far off. need to get things right in the regular season first.

The Leafs have overcome their first performance hurdle, ending a three- The power play game winless streak Saturday night with solid goaltending and heroics from the forwards who make up their bottom six. Babcock wants two loaded guns, ready to plug in, so that the second unit can step up if the top one isn’t performing well. That’s the grand design, If the Leafs can get their top six in order, and play with greater but there’s a ways to go. Toronto has five goals in 23 power-play consistency in their own zone, they’ll be a force to reckon with in the East chances this season. They should be at least three goals better than that, again. But there’s still work to do. but they continue to have problems with the opposition checking them aggressively in the neutral zone, and standing up at the blue line to Here is what we’ve learned so far: prevent the Leafs entry. The defence There have been bright spots — Auston Matthews one-timing pucks from If the Leafs are to become the team they believe they are, they’ll need to the wing, for one — but the numbers aren’t there yet. John Tavares, who tackle the age-old problem of consistency in their own zone. Right now, had 10 goals with the man advantage last year, is still looking for his first the Leafs are dangerous when they have the puck and vulnerable when this year after a move away from the goal crease. they don’t. It’s still early, of course, but that power play has to be better sooner They’re not an overly physical team, and can have difficulty with a good rather than later. forechecking team. The Leafs aim to beat that with speed and puck movement, but that can’t be executed 100 per cent of the time. More communication — and more effort from the forwards in helping the team Toronto Star LOADED: 10.14.2019 become a five-man unit in its own zone — will help. And that should come with more games.

If the Leafs don’t show improvement in their own zone soon, the critics will be after GM Kyle Dubas again. Is this blue-line corps, with newcomers Cody Ceci, Tyson Barrie and teenager Rasmus Sandin, better than last year’s version, which included Nikita Zaitsev, Ron Hainsey and Jake Gardiner?

The goaltending

Frederik Andersen, with a 3.38 goals-against average and .886 save percentage, isn’t off to the greatest of starts, but that’s not unusual. Those numbers aren’t that different from his first two Octobers in Toronto (3.67, .876 in 2016; and 3.46, .896 in 2017) and he still finished with a .918 save percentage both seasons. Andersen is still working out positioning and communication with a new group. And take away that seven-goal game against Tampa Bay, and his numbers look a whole lot better.

He’s the least of the team’s worries at this point.

The teenager

Sandin, who won’t be 20 until March, is approaching the 10-game mark, at which point certain conditions in his contract kick in. That could lead to talk about whether he is better served by playing on the Leafs’ third pairing or by perhaps dominating with the Marlies in a second AHL season.

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He was soft positionally on Detroit’s two goals Saturday night, sparking talk that he’s not 100 per cent ready for the NHL. And is due back from injury by the end of the month, which could affect Sandin’s status and playing time. Sandin will be battling for minutes with Justin Holl and Martin Marincin, two players who know what it’s like to play after going through long stretches as healthy scratches.

Still, Sandin shows great hockey sense, he’s young and cheap, and he passed every test head coach Mike Babcock threw at him in the pre- season. It wouldn’t be a bad thing to keep him aboard.

The coach

Babcock is certain to hear it from his detractors every time his team loses. He will be questioned on Sandin, on the makeup of his fourth line, on his team’s overall defence, on his relationship with management, and 1157021 Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Star LOADED: 10.14.2019

Tampa Bay Lightning off to a slow start

By Diana C. Nearhos

Sun., Oct. 13, 2019

MONTREAL—It is the age of crisp passes and dominant play. It is the age of turnovers and sloppy play.

Five games into the season, the Lightning have been wildly inconsistent. You can’t be sure which team will show up at puck drop: the one that looks like a Stanley Cup favourite or the one that looks like a bunch of players who just met.

The Lightning came together on all fronts and shut down an elite Maple Leafs team in a 7-3 win Thursday in Toronto. Then two days later, they could barely put together sustained pressure against the then-winless Senators in a 4-2 loss.

They continue on the road with games in Montreal on Tuesday and Boston on Thursday that demand improved play.

The difference in Ottawa went beyond the Senators’ performance. A team loses some games when it and the opponent play well and the opponent gets the edge. The loss to the Senators didn’t fall into that category. Neither did the 4-3 overtime loss to the Hurricanes on Oct. 6.

The Senators and Hurricanes executed good game plans against the Lightning. But Tampa Bay did its part by underperforming.

Is Lightning coach Jon Cooper surprised to see his veteran team be this inconsistent?

“Not surprised,” he said. “Disappointed.”

The Lightning had consistency issues last season, but those were more about lapses during games. The issues this season have been for entire games.

“When we’re rolling, teams will say it feels like there’s six, seven players on the ice,” Cooper said. “We were definitely not playing that way (against Carolina).”

The Ottawa loss was not the complete clunker that the Carolina one was, but it was in that category compared to the win over Toronto. The Lightning didn’t make anyone feel like they had extra players against the Senators.

Alex Killorn talked about inconsistencies within the Ottawa game Saturday night as well as from day to day.

“It just seems through the whole game, it wasn’t a consistent enough effort,” he said. “We had some really good shifts, but it seemed like (the Senators) outworked us.”

Being outworked is always an issue for any team. But the alternating effect of driving the game and being the team being driven points to a mental block. That’s something the Lightning needs to address.

“I’d like us to be more consistent, but we’re working through it,” Killorn said. “We have to match (the other team’s) intensity instead of watching to see what team we’re going to get.”

Ryan McDonagh figures the Lightning just need to play through the malaise.

“You can only do it by going out there and living in the moment and going through those experiences here,” he said. “We have to find a little more execution.”

Steven Stamkos called out the Lightning, including himself, for their “freewheeling” ways after the Carolina game. He then praised the group after the Toronto win, saying that’s what the Lightning can do when they control play with their skating and intensity.

The Lightning have plenty of time to address their inconsistency. But sooner is always better.

1157022 Toronto Maple Leafs

Shore's patience key with Babcock still deciding on Leafs' fourth line

Terry Koshan

October 14, 2019 1:57 AM EDT

You’re not going to hear any complaints from Nick Shore as his tenure with the Maple Leafs unfolds.

Shore would love to be in the lineup every night, and though that could wind up happening, the veteran centre is being patient as coach Mike Babcock comes to a decision on his fourth line.

“It’s hard, but at the same time, this team has a lot of depth, and that’s a good thing,” Shore said on Saturday night in Detroit after the Leafs beat the Red Wings 5-2 at Little Caesars Arena. “When you’re not in, you just work and wait for your opportunities and try to make the most of them when you are.”

We would imagine that Babcock will use the same fourth line — Shore, Frederik Gauthier and Dmytro Timashov — when the Leafs play host to the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday at Scotiabank Arena. There’s no point in breaking it up, not after the determined way the trio played against the Wings as the Leafs broke a three-game losing streak to improve to 3-2-1.

"You've got to outwork the other team. That's the bottom line."

That would mean Jason Spezza and Nic Petan would sit again after watching from the press box in Detroit. Babcock used that pair in back-to- back games last week before going with Shore and Timashov on Saturday.

Gauthier, quicker than he has been at any previous point in his NHL career, has been the mainstay on the line.

Babcock has said he would need approximately 10 games to settle on his roster, while keeping in mind that more changes will come when winger Zach Hyman (knee) and defenceman Travis Dermott (shoulder) return from their respective injuries, likely some time later this month.

"We focused on our start and went from there and I think we did a good job for a full 60 there tonight."

Timashov has made great strides after apprenticing the past three seasons with the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League.

“It’s a real good league and it’s hard to be good in that league,” Babcock said. “Some guys that are good in that league, it doesn’t transfer to the National Hockey League. The guys who can skate and process information, it normally transfers and, in his case, it looks like it has.”

LOOSE LEAFS

The Leafs had the day off on Sunday, no doubt getting their fill of turkey or whatever meal the sports science staff deemed edible for Thanksgiving. The Leafs will practise on Monday before the game against the Wild kicks off a back-to-back set, with the second match coming on Wednesday night in Washington against the Capitals … Frederik Andersen could sympathize with Wings goalie Jimmy Howard, who lost a race for the puck with Leafs’ Ilya Mikheyev late in the second period, resulting in the rookie winger’s second goal. “It’s tough, especially going out that way (toward the blue line), when you’re in a bit of no-man’s land,” Andersen said. “Mickey was coming really fast and I don’t know if (Howard) was expecting that down there. Really good play to get to that puck first and it was a huge goal for us.” … Never mind the poor effort against Tampa last Thursday, resulting in a 7-3 loss: The Leafs, of course, would much rather use the effort against Detroit as a springboard into their three games this week, which ends with a visit by the Boston Bruins on Saturday. “It came down to working harder,” defenceman Jake Muzzin said. “We came out with the right attitude, we had a good start. I know (Detroit) got one early, but I thought we did most of the work in the first period, I think we did a good job. We focused on our start, went from there and I think we did a good job the full 60.”

Toronto Sun LOADED: 10.14.2019 1157023 Toronto Maple Leafs the Calgary Flames … Between them, Gauthier and Shore won 11 of 13 draws in the defensive zone. All told, the fourth line provides Babcock with a dependable option that didn’t exist last season.

No stars, no problem as Leafs beat Wings to end losing streak MARNER SHRUGS

The highest-paid player in the NHL this season isn’t lying awake at night, worried about his line’s play. Terry Koshan Of Mitch Marner’s six points through the Leafs’ first six games, just two October 12, 2019 11:45 PM EDT have come at even-strength.

“It’s going to come, so I ain’t worried about it,” Marner said after the Leafs’ optional morning skate. “I just think we have not clicked as well as DETROIT — The foot soldiers cleared the trenches for the Maple Leafs we want to yet. in a battle of attrition on Saturday night. “We have to make sure we get back to basics, make sure we are staying The Leafs’ bottom-six forwards shone against the Detroit Red Wings at above people, doing things right, not making mistakes and on the Little Caesars Arena, providing the offence in a 5-2 win as Toronto ended offensive side of it, we’re getting our shots, trying to get the puck back, a three-game losing streak. trying to get to the net.” Alex Kerfoot, Ilya Mikheyev and Nick Shore scored for the Leafs in a Marner, pulling in a salary of $16 million US (with a cap hit of $10.893 game that featured next to nothing in the way of open ice. Frederik million), John Tavares and Kasperi Kapanen have yet to find their stride. Gauthier was impactful throughout the evening and Trevor Moore added Marner and Tavares miss the impact of Zach Hyman, to be sure, but it’s an empty-net goal. not as though they are being stuck with an inferior player in Kapanen. And to give the win an exclamation point, it was Jake Muzzin, not Morgan Marner and Tavares have to be better, period. Rielly or Tyson Barrie, sneaking in from the point with less than seven minutes to play to deposit a pass from Dmytro Timashov past Wings PEERING AT PRESSURE goalie Jimmy Howard. When Andreas Johnsson scored his first goal of the season against As encouraging as it is for coach Mike Babcock when the Leafs stars are Tampa Bay, he didn’t feel a weight fall off his shoulders. dimmed and Toronto still emerges with a victory, just as pleasing to the staff was the players’ work ethic, which was absent in a lopsided loss to Johnsson is coming off a 20-goal campaign in 2018-19, followed by the Tampa Bay on Thursday. signing of a four-year, $13.6-million US contract at the end of June.

“We talked a lot about that: How hard can we work?” Babcock said. The biggest difference for Johnsson between now and a year ago is the “That’s got to be our calling card. If we go to work, our talent will show expectations. He was a healthy scratch for five of the Leafs’ first 11 and you’ve got to outwork the other team. That’s the bottom line. games in October before getting his feet under him.

“I liked our consistency and our patience in our game.” “Honestly, I have not felt that much difference,” Johnsson said. “I feel like it’s pressure anyway. The goal by Kerfoot, coming off a Mikheyev rebound, gave the Leafs a 3- 1 lead at 9:11 of the third. “It was pressure last year because I didn’t have a spot and I tried to fight for it. At this time, I was sitting in the stands. There is pressure all the Considering the tight nature of the match, for a brief time, we figured it time, wherever you play and whatever contract you have. You have to would serve as insurance. Instead, it was larger, as Darren Helm was left produce to play.” alone 24 seconds later and popped a quick shot past Frederik Andersen. THREE CHEERS FOR … Mikheyev gave the Leafs a 2-1 lead late in the second period with his second goal in the National Hockey League. The Leafs, naturally, want each other to have success individually, but there is a little more cheerleading directed toward defenceman Justin Howard underestimated the speed of Mikheyev as a loose puck made its Holl. way toward the Detroit net. Howard raced out of his crease to play it, but Mikheyev, steaming through the neutral zone, beat him to the puck, No surprise, really, as Holl was the good soldier last season, keeping his moving to his forehand past the sliding netminder to deposit it into an mouth shut as he played in just 11 games, including just two before the open net at 19:30. end of February.

Overall, the Leafs were a heck of a lot more engaged than they were The 27-year-old Holl played in his fourth game on Saturday night, skating against Tampa. alongside Sandin.

“I think it’s kudos to everyone involved — the players and everyone “I’m happy for him,” Johnsson said. “I have been playing with him since I finding the guys,” Muzzin said of the role players. “We have lots of depth got in this organization, know him well. I think it was a tough battle for here. We have smart hockey players and guys who are working hard and him last year to sit out basically the whole season (as a healthy scratch are hungry. It’s a great combination to have.” most nights), but he still had good energy and a smile on his face. I’m happy he can get this opportunity and hopefully it continues.” Andersen, with 25 saves, got some mojo back after being pulled against Tampa. Holl didn’t lose faith in himself in the off-season, even as the Leafs added depth to the defence corps. GAME ON “Whether you play or don’t play, and you are in the NHL all year, and you Mikheyev on whether he is happy (we say he should be) with the solid weight-train, you are around the guys and you learn a lot,” Babcock said. start to his NHL career: “I don’t think about this. I just work. I’m excited “He has been off to a pretty good start for us. It’s simple for us. We just and I’m very happy every day when I come to the practice rink or watch and then, if you play good, you get to play more. Good for him. Scotiabank for the game.” … We were going to make a lame joke on This is what he wanted. He is getting an opportunity right now and he has social media about the Leafs giving up an early first goal, but we didn’t to seize it.” have to. Jacob de la Rose beat us to it, scoring on a backhand at 3:44 of the first. Rasmus Sandin was not much physical help on the play as the POINT SHOTS Leafs fell behind 1-0 for the fifth time in six games … Babcock went back Count Sandin among those who find the use of personal iPads supplied to Timashov and Shore on the fourth line in place of Nic Petan and Jason by the team as a large positive. “Especially for me (starting his NHL Spezza, respectively. Timashov and Shore teamed up to score at 9:57 of career), I think it’s great to watch my own shifts and see what I did well the first to tie the game 1-1. The energetic Timashov, who had two and see what I can improve,” Sandin said … Overheard in the press box, assists, knocked Wings defenceman Dennis Cholowski off the puck and regarding Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi, with his long hair and missing to the ice, centring to Shore, who deked to his backhand to beat Howard. tooth: “He looks like he should be on Letterkenny.” … Joseph (Brick) For Shore, who spent last season with Magnitogorsk of the KHL, it was Woll kicked off his professional hockey career quite nicely on Saturday, his first goal in the NHL since April 3, 2018, when he was a member of posting a shutout as the Toronto Marlies won 4-0 in Winnipeg against the . Woll made 23 saves in his American Hockey League debut as the Marlies improved to 3-0-0, becoming the first rookie Marlies goalie to blank the opponent in his first game. Pontus Aberg, with two goals, Pierre Engvall and Egor Korshkov scored for the Marlies. Engvall and Nick Baptiste each had two assists. “We didn’t give up a great deal but he looked really confident back there, moved very well,” Marlies coach Sheldon Keefe said of Woll … When Leafs prospects Semyon Der-Arguchintsev and Nick Robertson packed up during camp and headed back to the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League, each had the idea that 100 points were attainable. So far, so good, and perhaps both were exceeding what they expected from themselves. Going into the Petes’ game against the Flint Firebirds on Saturday night, Robertson (11 goals and six assists) and Der- Arguchintsev (two goals and 15 assists) were tied for second in OHL scoring with 17 points, putting them on pace for 145 points each. Robertson’s 11 goals were tops in the league, as were Der- Arguchintsev’s 15 assists … The Leafs were scheduled to have Sunday off, returning to practice on Monday to prepare for a visit by the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night.

FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED

THE GOAT, INDEED

Frederik Gauthier didn’t have a point, but so what. He had a career-high five shots on goal and was a stellar 7-0 in the faceoff circle.

SHORE-D UP

Nearly as effective as Gauthier at the dot was Nick Shore, who won seven of his nine draws. Shore also had his first two points in a Leafs uniform.

JOHNNY HOCKEY

Winger Andreas Johnsson didn’t get on the scoresheet, but produced nine scoring attempts, including a team-high six shots on goal.

ATTEMPTING FATE

While there wasn’t much space, the Leafs still tilted the ice, registering 67 attempts to the Wings’ 38 while playing 5-on-5. Toronto had 10 high- danger scoring chances, Detroit six.

TOP-SIX FIZZLE

Of the Leafs’ 41 shots on goal, a mere 16 were provided by the top six forwards. Of that group, Johnsson’s six were the high. Neither John Tavares nor William Nylander had a shot on goal.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 10.14.2019 1157024 Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs' Marner on personal slow start: 'It's going to come'

Terry Koshan

October 12, 2019 1:45 PM EDT

DETROIT — The highest-paid player in the National Hockey League this season isn’t lying awake at night, worried about his line’s play.

Of Mitch Marner’s six points through the Maple Leafs’ first five games, just two have come at even-strength.

“It’s going to come, so I ain’t worried about it,” Marner said after the Leafs’ optional morning skate at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday.

“I just think we have not clicked as well as we want to yet.

“We have to make sure we get back to basics, make sure we are staying above people, doing things right, not making mistakes and on the offensive side of it, we’re getting our shots, trying to get the puck back, trying to get to the net.”

Marner, pulling in a salary of US$16 million (with a cap hit of $10.893 million), John Tavares and Kasperi Kapanen have yet to find their stride. Marner and Tavares miss the impact of Zach Hyman, to be sure, but it’s not as though they are being stuck with an inferior player in Kapanen.

Marner has had some success in his career against the Detroit Red Wings, recording nine points (four goals and five assists) in 12 games, and could use that knowledge to his advantage when the Leafs and Wings meet on Saturday night.

Marner, of course, is not the lone Leaf under a bit more of a microscope. Toronto (2-2-1) was embarrassed by the Tampa Bay Lightning at home on Thursday night in a 7-3 loss and has lost each of its past three games.

The Wings (3-1-0) have won three of their first four games, playing each night with a level of determination and outranks their talent level. Still, a top line of Dylan Larkin between Anthony Mantha and Tyler Bertuzzi is the kind that can give the Leafs fits.

“Just play right and give yourself a chance,” Leafs coach Mike Babcock said of the approach his players must have. “We have liked lots of things we have done, we didn’t like ourselves at all the other night. We feel we can play at a way higher level, so we have an opportunity today. Let’s play well.”

Frederik Andersen will get the start in the Leafs net, attempting to rebound from a shaky start against Tampa, when he allowed seven goals on 28 shots before being pulled for Michael Hutchinson.

“He has not been known for (great play at) the start of the year,” Babcock said. “We have to do a better job ourselves. The way I look at it, we’re all in this together. We have to pick each other up and we have to be sound defensively and over a period of time, he usually gets himself dialled in and ready to go and feeling better. I don’t know why the pattern is like it is.”

Andersen has a .911 save percentage in 51 career games in the month of October, his lowest in any month other than March, in which he has a .906 save percentage in 54 career games.

“I’ve felt great,” Andersen said. “Sometimes you don’t have it and sometimes the other team comes in and plays a little bit better and embarrasses you like that (as Tampa did), but then you have to move on.”

Toronto Sun LOADED: 10.14.2019 1157025 Toronto Maple Leafs It’s a testament to patient, productive development that he looks ready now — faster, certainly, with more pace and skill to his game. Gauthier went 7-for-7 on the draw against the Wings. He fired a career-high five shots. The Leafs won over 70 percent of the shot attempts when he was Ilya Mikheyev, Dmytro Timashov and the importance of the Maple Leafs’ on the ice. They outscored the Wings 2-0. newfound depth It was probably the best game the former first-rounder has played as a Leaf.

By Jonas Siegel “You see him out there, he’s flying,” said Moore, who won a Calder Cup with Gauthier with the Toronto Marlies. “He’s creating offence like I’ve Oct 12, 2019 never seen before from Goat, which is awesome.”

“I feel more confident,” Gauthier said. “Things are going well. Now, I DETROIT — Mike Babcock knew it was coming. guess we’re just gonna see where it goes.”

It was after a TV timeout in the first period. Defeated in three straight The guy who joked about potting 50 goals on Instagram recently knows games, the Leafs were already down 1-0 at that point. Babcock knew the he’s building trust with the Leafs coach. That means more ice time and Dylan Larkin-led Detroit top line was coming out for a faceoff in the Maple an extra security blanket at centre ice for the Leafs. Leafs’ end. As Babcock said, it’s a “huge deal” for the Leafs. The Leafs coach put his fourth line of Dmytro Timashov, Frederik Being able to trust the fourth line to trade blows with top competition in Gauthier and Nick Shore on the ice anyway. the defensive zone even occasionally means Matthews and Tavares “You don’t know what’s gonna happen,” Babcock said of that moment. don’t have to waste as much of their time down there. They can get to “But if the guys can do it, obviously it’s a huge deal for you. It makes you playing offence right away. And true enough, Matthews lined up for only a way better hockey club, and way deeper.” two five-on-five faceoffs in the defensive zone in Detroit, while Tavares was out there for only one. The Leafs owned the possession battle when Gauthier beat Larkin on the draw. the two lines were on the ice.

With seven minutes left in the third period and the Leafs up 3-2, Babcock Helping Gauthier after a couple of games off was Timashov, another did it again, put his fourth line out there for a key defensive-zone draw. former Marlie and product of the Leafs’ development wheel. He got a Shore won that one, too. The Leafs iced the puck. It didn’t matter. deserved shoutout from Babcock after setting up two goals in only 10 Gauthier snatched the ensuing faceoff, and about 30 seconds later, minutes against the Wings. Timashov out-waited the Red Wings defence and, with the Leafs coach hollering for him to shoot it from the bench, set up Jake Muzzin for the “I thought Timo had a heck of a game,” Babcock said. “He was fast, was dagger that put an end to the Leafs’ slide. strong, was physical. The goals and that stuff were bonus, but I thought he played real well.” The Leafs ended up with five goals in Motown, and not one came from Auston Matthews, John Tavares or any of the team’s top 12 goal scorers “I think tonight I started to relax a little bit,” Timashov said. “I wasn’t as from last season. Shore had one. Ilya Mikheyev scored another. So did stressed. I got a little more comfortable in the room. In the beginning, I fellow third-liners Trevor Moore and Alex Kerfoot. was feeling a little bit nervous, even on the practice days.”

It was a night in which depth shined for the Leafs, and it was a reminder He’s maybe not all the way relaxed just yet. He hadn’t realized he was of why newfound improvement there could be of great importance to the going head-to-head against Larkin and Anthony Mantha for much of the organization this season. night. He was trying to keep his focus on the things he had to do, like win battles in the defensive zone. The Leafs didn’t get that kind of bump from lower in the lineup often enough last season. That was especially true in the playoffs when a third He hunted down a puck at the other end that sparked Shore’s goal and line that included Patrick Marleau and Connor Brown was mostly quiet. then paused to find Muzzin later on. Tyler Ennis popped a bit in limited duty during the regular season. “In the beginning, I was thinking, ‘As soon as I will get it, I will shoot it,’” Nazem Kadri chipped in here and there. But it was largely a show of star Timashov said of the leadup to his second assist, “but then I saw Muzz power most nights — and rightly so, as that’s what stars do. going down so I passed to him.” But some nights, and for some stretches (including in the postseason), When he got to the bench, Babcock said, “I was yelling for you to shoot!” the stars go quiet, as they largely did in Detroit. And that’s when depth can really get a moment in the sun. The third and fourth lines have The Leafs coach wants him to shoot it more often. arguably been the most consistent for the Leafs early this season, a story told by the team’s current five-on-five goal leaders. They include Mikheyev looks like the most intriguing of the depth bunch, a real Matthews (3), Mikheyev (2), Kerfoot (2), Gauthier (2) and Moore (2). potential find for the Leafs. His smarts shine. So does his speed, including on the burst that won him a puck from Jimmy Howard, which he Oddly, the line that was most effective for the Leafs last season — two- confidently slid around the Red Wings netminder and into the back of the thirds of it, anyway, with Tavares and Mitch Marner still out there — has net. proved the least effective so far. Afterward, Mikheyev said Howard probably thought it was 50-50. But it This new show of strength from the lower ends of the lineup changes was he who won the race. things. Asked how happy he was with his start as an NHLer — five points in six For one, the Leafs are growing a fourth line that Babcock is learning and games —Mikheyev, still in the early days of speaking English publicly, willing to trust. He didn’t have that last year and said so after the 5-2 win said, “I don’t think about this, I just work, because this is my first NHL against his old team. Above all, he didn’t have the trust in Gauthier that season. Other country, other mentality and a new system for me. he’s showing now. “I’m excited, and every time — ” Mikheyev said, stopping for a second to The 24-year-old not only won a roster spot at training camp but has also gather his thoughts. “Sorry, I forget these words,” he said. Adding: “I’m secured the only stable job on the fourth line. While Shore and Timashov very happy every day when I come in the practice rink or Scotiabank trade places here and there with Jason Spezza and Nic Petan, Gauthier (Arena) for games. I’m just very happy.” goes nowhere. He’s become a stable presence in the middle or on the wing, the kind of boring, dependable option the Leafs coach wanted in Mikheyev, looking like a real player, is a real win for the Leafs. Not only 2017 when the club traded for Brian Boyle, and again, a year later, when do they find a speedy, capable upgrade at third-line left wing, a job that Tomas Plekanec was acquired from Montreal. mostly went to an aging Marleau last season, but they also get him for entry-level money ($925,000) this season. The 25-year-old is an RFA Gauthier made strides last season, but only to the point of seven minutes next summer, the only top-nine forward as yet unsigned for next season. or so in the playoffs. In other words, the Leafs (adding Zach Hyman to the mix) have nine of their top 10 forwards locked up for at least another year. They only need to fill in around the edges.

The organization can afford to pay its big guys up-front premium coin if it can keep finding more Mikheyevs and Moores. The Leafs have gotten deeper to the point now that Moore, signed this year and next for $775,000, will likely have to drop to the fourth line when Hyman returns next month from a torn ACL.

The Leafs will probably have to waive one of Shore or Spezza (and/or others) when Hyman and Travis Dermott are back. Both vets have shown their usefulness in short order, with Shore winning 6 of 8 defensive-zone draws on Saturday and 7 of 9 overall.

The 27-year-old, returning to the NHL after a year in the KHL, acknowledged it was difficult to bounce in and out of the lineup, to carry around that kind of insecurity, “but at the same time, this team’s got a lot of depth, and that’s a good thing.”

— Stats and research courtesy of Natural Stat Trick, Hockey Reference, and HockeyDB.

The Athletic LOADED: 10.14.2019 1157026 Toronto Maple Leafs Frederik Andersen (G, No. 31) — He didn’t have much of a chance on the first goal (Rasmus Sandin needs to clear that rebound), but Andersen looked extremely sharp the rest of the game. Who knew he wouldn’t keep posting an .876 save percentage after five games? Leafs Report Cards: Bottom six dominates, top six struggles in victory over Detroit ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Alexander Kerfoot (C, No. 15) — He’s been getting a bit outshined by his linemates lately, but if you’re watching closely, you’ll find plenty to like By Ian Tulloch about Kerfoot’s game. For a winger who’s playing his first season at Oct 12, 2019 centre full-time, he’s done an excellent job of keeping himself well- positioned in all three zones, taking his F3 responsibilities (the third forward back in the offensive zone) very seriously. Kerfoot also made a few crafty passes throughout the course of the game, as usual, and was In a confusing game in which Toronto’s best players performed poorly able to chip in on the scoresheet with a goal off a Mikheyev rebound. It and worst forwards played great, the Leafs found a way to defeat the was an all-around great game for Toronto’s bottom six. Detroit Red Wings 5-2. Now, that’s to be expected considering the talent disparity, so let’s break down the game in a bit more nuance from Jake Muzzin (LD, No. 8) — This felt like a playoff game for Muzzin with Toronto’s perspective. the way he was battling through contact (and a preseason game for some of Toronto’s more skilled players). Despite taking some heavy hits Key takeaways from Luke Glendening and Anthony Mantha, he found a way to stay in 1. “Starting on time” the action and play his usual steady defensive game. Muzzin also made an excellent read to jump up in the play when the situation called for it, One of these days, I’ll have to stop starting off the column this way: potting an insurance goal in the third period off a beautiful pass from Timashov. At some point, we have to concede this is a consistent pattern, and I’m honestly not sure who’s more to blame, the players or the coaching staff. Justin Holl (RD, No. 3) — I loved Holl’s first two periods (he didn’t get as much play time in the third). He’s been looking much more confident with 2. Toronto’s bottom six showed up the puck on his stick, joining the rush when the Leafs have numbers, The third line has been impressive for a while now, but it was great to making quick passes out of the zone, holding the line in the offensive end see Dmytro Timashov, Frederik Gauthier and Nick Shore have standout and, my favourite, skating the puck out at the end of those “nightmare” performances Saturday. This could make the battle for fourth-line roster shifts (rather than just flinging it off the glass and hoping for the best). spots interesting over the next few weeks. ⭐⭐⭐ 3. Its top six didn’t William Nylander (RW, No. 88) — I understand why Nylander’s such a You love it when your depth guys bring it, but when your high-end divisive player in Leafs Nation. His talent is undeniable; there was one forwards aren’t providing the same level of effort, it definitely leaves a play when he was on a one-on-three and still managed to gain the zone sour taste in your mouth. with speed. That elite puck-carrying ability is a big part of the reason his team has always been so much better when he’s on the ice; the Leafs Heat map spend more time in the offensive zone because of it.

Here’s a quick look at where each team’s shots were coming from, At the same time, I find myself yelling at the TV every time he shies away courtesy of Natural Stat Trick. from a puck battle, floats back on defence when he’s F3 or gets knocked The Leafs controlled the game at five-on-five, thanks largely to their down despite being one of Toronto’s strongest players on his skates. I bottom six, although the power play was a bit of an adventure. love Nylander. I think he’s a phenomenal hockey player, but I’d also like to see him play more like Mikheyev or Moore without the puck. Player reports Kasperi Kapanen (LW, No. 24) — It’s become a common trend to blame ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Kapanen for the top line’s struggles, and to some degree, it has been his fault (especially in the first few games of the season), but he was the only Game Ball : The fourth line — I couldn’t pick among these three player in Toronto’s top six who looked like he was legitimately trying in forwards, so they’re going to split this award. Timashov looked like he this game. He was flying into the offensive zone on the forecheck and belonged in the NHL on Saturday — “a guy,” as Justin Bourne would say. skating his butt off on the backcheck to prevent odd-man rushes, even Gauthier has become a surprisingly explosive skater who’s blowing by stopping a breakaway late in the third period. He was also making solid defencemen off the rush. Shore was threading cross-ice passes all night, decisions with the puck. I saw him make a drop pass to Mitch Marner on not to mention the beautiful goal he scored earlier in the game. a three-on-three, which is something we’ve been begging to see from him since last season. You never want your fourth line to be your “best” line in any particular game since it typically means your top lines didn’t perform well, but this is Was this Kapanen’s best game? Not necessarily, but the $11 million exactly the kind of performance coaches want to see from their depth forwards he’s playing alongside have been much more to blame for the players. line’s struggles recently.

Trevor Moore (RW, No. 42) — Remember when I said Moore has a Coaching staff — I find this grade tricky because, at the end of the day, limited offensive ceiling? I still believe that, but I’m starting to question whose fault is it for these consistent slow starts? I’m tempted to lean myself a bit after some of the plays I’ve seen him make off the rush. He toward coaching after this many years, but the players should also be found Ilya Mikheyev backdoor with a beautiful saucer pass, made a few held accountable for not showing up out of the gate on a consistent brilliant plays along the wall to get Alexander Kerfoot into open space basis. When it comes to in-game decisions, I liked how Toronto was and even pulled a spin-o-rama in the neutral zone to wheel himself into experimenting with Sandin, splitting his time with Tyson Barrie and Holl at open space. I know a lot of Leafs fans have Moore pegged for fourth-line five-on-five. The power play looked ugly on Saturday, but again, it’s duties after Zach Hyman returns from injury, but if he keeps playing like difficult to know how much to blame the players (namely Marner) this, he’s going to force Toronto’s coaching staff into some tough compared to the tactical game plan. decisions. ⭐⭐ Ilya Mikheyev (LW, No. 65) — Lock him up to a seven-year deal for $4.5 million already; it’s time for the borscht man to get paid. Andreas Johnsson (LW, No. 18) — There was a fun moment on the power play when Johnsson backed up into the crease butt first for a few In all seriousness, I love his relentlessness on every puck battle. The way nice scoring chances. (We know Babcock loves it when his players use he and Moore aggressively pursue loose pucks is what the Leafs need their keisters.) Other than that, though, this wasn’t the greatest game for more of from their star players. If Toronto’s big three played with that kind Johnsson. of energy, Toronto would become a terrifying team. Tyson Barrie (RD, No. 94) — I didn’t think he had a bad game per se, but I’d like to see more from him in the transition game. The Leafs acquired Barrie to be a dynamic puck-moving defenceman, but we didn’t get to Game score is a metric developed by The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn to see many of those plays from him on Saturday. His pairing still had a quickly measure a player’s performance in a single game. solid night, but I would make the argument that had more to do with Muzzin’s strong play. It’s not perfect, but it can help give us a decent idea of how well players performed in a particular game based on their numbers (although I’d Cody Ceci (RD, No. 83) — I think we’re starting to get a decent read on always recommend combining stats with video, since single-game Ceci’s skill set in Toronto. He looks completely lost in transition defence numbers can be wonky). (much like his partner), which doesn’t make for a great partnership. I broke that down earlier in more detail, using some video and numbers to As you can see, we’ve officially started the “Breakout Game” section in explain why the Morgan Rielly-Ceci pairing doesn’t work. But Ceci does the left column, which should be fun to keep track of this season. have some offensive talent. He has a knack for making smart passes in Most important clip of the night the offensive zone, skating himself into open space, even making Sandin-esque plays along the wall, where he’ll pretend to grab the puck, Looks like Gauthier finally realized he’s 6-5 and 235 pounds — watch then let it slide behind him to F3 on the point. out!

Realistically, he’s not a top-four guy, and Rielly is probably the last player Final Grade: B- he should be playing with in Toronto, but I still think there’s an NHL defenceman in there (albeit one you should be sheltering on a third pair). The Athletic LOADED: 10.14.2019 ⭐

Rasmus Sandin (LD, No. 38) — This was a rough game defensively for Sandin. He was making smart plays up the ice with the puck, which we’ve grown accustomed to, but he was arguably to blame for both goals the Leafs allowed. He failed to box out Jacob de la Rose on Detroit’s first goal (100 percent on him), and he wasn’t able to take away the pass to the slot on the Red Wings’ second goal (50 percent on him, since there was some confusion from Ceci and Kapanen in defensive zone coverage).

Mitch Marner (RW, No. 16) — “What’s wrong with Mitch Marner?”

I have to be honest: I’m not sure. There are times when he looks like he’s going to make a magical play off the rush, but then the pass is off by a mile.

He’s taking bad shots off the rush, missing open teammates on the power play — even his penalty killing hasn’t been as great as we’re used to seeing. I’m not a psychologist, but with all the pressure that’s on him after his contract situation (and for good reason), it feels like his on-ice problems are coming between the ears.

Auston Matthews (C, No. 34) — I have a bone to pick here. Auston Matthews is a phenomenal talent (in my opinion, the second-most- talented offensive player in the NHL behind Connor McDavid), but we need to stop praising him for backchecking when he’s put himself out of position in the first place. There were a few moments in this game when he did end up catching his man in transition, but only after he let the Detroit forward get behind him. When you’re F3 on a play, you can’t let your man get behind you, period. It’s happened way too often throughout his career, and it’s still happening.

There was also a play earlier in the game when he jumped out of the way when Mike Green skated the puck toward him. Why is a 6-foot-3, 220- pound centre shying away from contact? These are the types of plays coaches get frustrated with, and it’s a big part of the reason his defensive numbers have been so poor throughout his career. If Matthews is going to reach his potential, he needs to start using his size to his advantage.

Morgan Rielly (LD, No. 44) — He turned around his game in the third period, but we need to talk about his first 40 minutes. Rielly was getting embarrassed in one-on-one situations, letting Mantha blow by him on multiple occasions despite having plenty of room to recover. It’s easy to blame the pairing’s defensive struggles on Ceci (and to be fair, he’s also been poor in transition defence), but Rielly needs to do a better job of handling his defensive responsibilities.

There was one point in the game when the opposing right winger was skating down the ice on a one-on-four, and Rielly still gave him the free pass into the offensive zone. That isn’t Norris-quality defending, and it’s a big part of the reason he isn’t Toronto’s best defenceman at even strength; I’d trust Muzzin more against top competition.

John Tavares (C, No. 91) — This is a tough grade because Tavares did have a baby recently. Any parents reading this know how hard the first few months are (sleep becomes a thing of the past), but at some point, you need to find a way to show up for work and do your job. Tavares hasn’t been performing up to his standards this season, which is a big part of the reason Toronto’s top line has been getting shelled at even strength this season.

Game score 1157027 Vegas Golden Knights “The parity is so good around the league,” Fleury said. “If you’re on top of your division, you’ll be in good shape to make the playoffs. That’s why those games mean so much more.”

Power play, Marc-Andre Fleury send Golden Knights past Kings

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 10.14.2019

By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal

October 13, 2019 - 9:40 PM

Updated October 13, 2019 - 11:10 PM

LOS ANGELES — The Golden Knights want to monitor goaltender Marc- Andre Fleury’s workload more this season. Nights like Sunday make it tempting for them to not.

Fleury was sensational starting for the second time in two days, making 36 saves in the Knights’ 5-2 road win against the Los Angeles Kings (2-3- 0). The 34-year-old improved to 4-0-1 in Game 2 of a back-to-back with the Knights (4-2-0).

Fleury looked fresh and kept his teammates in the game while they found their legs in the first period. He made two spectacular right-pad saves in the first to keep the Knights in front — one on center Kings Anze Kopitar on the penalty kill and one on left wing Jeff Carter on a 2-on-1.

“I’ve played with goalies that read the puck really well but aren’t athletic and I’ve had goalies that aren’t the smartest goalies but are super athletic,” center Paul Stastny said. “He’s ‘Flower’ for a reason. He’s got a mix of both. He’s super athletic, but he’s able to anticipate really well.”

Right wing Reilly Smith, left wing Max Pacioretty, Stastny (twice) and right wing Mark Stone scored to back up their goaltender. Right wings Austin Wagner and Dustin Brown scored for the Kings.

Here’s what else stood out from the Knights’ win:

1. Power play plugs in

The Knights were 3-for-3 on the power play against the Kings, which matched their season-high for power-play goals in a game from last season.

Their unit with Pacioretty, Stastny, Stone, rookie Cody Glass and defenseman Shea Theodore was outstanding. Pacioretty beat Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick with a high glove-side shot 6:59 into the first period, then set up Stastny for a tip-in goal with 5:09 left in the second.

“We scored, but even when we didn’t score we had chances,” Stastny said.

Stastny also scored on the power play with three minutes left in the second. The Knights are scoring on 30 percent (6-of-20) of their power- play opportunities so far this season after finishing at 16.8 percent last season, which ranked 25th in the NHL.

“We’ve got some top players, and when they make plays like they did tonight we’re going to have success,” coach Gerard Gallant said.

2. Second line reunion pays dividends

Pacioretty, Stastny and Stone didn’t just look good 5-on-4.

Their line, which was the Knights’ best in the playoffs, played well for the second straight night after being reunited Saturday against the Calgary Flames.

Stone scored his fourth goal 4:41 into the third. Pacioretty finished with a goal and two assists. Stastny finished with two goals and two assists. He scored zero points playing on the third line for the first four games.

”I think the most important thing is everyone works hard and everyone works for each other,” Stastny said. “Anytime you can just go out there and forecheck as hard as you can, knowing that (Pacioretty) or (Stone) is going to be (the second or third forward) or vice versa, you don’t have to go out there and waste energy for no reason.”

3. Division statement

The Knights’ win against the Kings finished up their stretch of five division opponents in six games. They went 4-1 overall and 2-1 on the road.

The Knights now play one division opponent in their next 14 games. 1157028 Vegas Golden Knights

GAME DAY: Golden Knights face new-look Kings on road

By David Schoen Las Vegas Review-Journal

October 13, 2019 - 2:26 PM

LOS ANGELES — The Golden Knights play the second game of a back- to-back Sunday when they face the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center.

Opening faceoff is 7 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain.

The Knights are coming off a 6-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on Saturday that saw each member of the fourth line (William Carrier, Tomas Nosek and Ryan Reaves) score.

“We are looking forward to it, it’s going to be a tough game. L.A. had a real good game (Saturday), so they’ll be at a high (Sunday),” coach Gerard Gallant said following the game Saturday. “We’ll be ready for the game. Should be a good hockey game. They’re playing really well this year.”

The Knights (3-2-0) did not have a morning skate and no lineup information is available until two hours before opening faceoff.

Gallant is seeking his 250th career victory as an NHL coach (249-199- 48-4).

Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 15 of his 33 saves in the second period against the Flames and is 3-1 with a 2.16 goals-against average and .930 save percentage in five appearances.

Right wing Mark Stone tops the Knights with eight points (three goals, five assists) after he produced a goal and an assist in the victory over Calgary, his fourth multipoint game. Stone is one assist shy of 200 for his career.

Center Paul Stastny scored his first goal Saturday after returning to his spot between Stone and left wing Max Pacioretty.

The Knights finished 2-2-1 last season against Los Angeles.

The Kings (2-2-0) defeated Nashville 7-4 on Saturday for the 1,000th win in franchise history. Dustin Brown had three points, and Anze Kopitar extended his points streak to four games with a goal and an assist.

Los Angeles is playing an aggressive, wide-open style under new coach Todd McLellan and is second in the league in goals (4.5) and shots (37.3) per game.

The Kings also are allowing 5.25 goals per game, tied for last overall with Minnesota.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 10.14.2019 1157029 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights enjoy easy first back-to-back

By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal

October 13, 2019 - 6:44 PM

Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb said every time the team plays on back-to-back days it’s different, but Sunday was certainly one of the easier turnarounds of the season.

The Knights hopped on a plane after their 6-2 win against the Calgary Flames at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, flew for about 40 minutes and relaxed Sunday before their 7 p.m. game against the Los Angeles Kings.

“It’s not too bad when it’s only a short flight here and you can get some good rest,” McNabb said.

The Knights play on back-to-back days 12 times this season. That’s down from 13 a year ago. The back-to-backs are frontloaded this season though, with eight in the first three months and four in December alone. The Knights were 7-5-1 in the first game of back-to-backs last season and 5-6-2 in the second.

“Every team does it and it’s no big deal,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “We always play well in back-to-backs.”

The Knights’ fourth line of William Carrier, Tomas Nosek and Ryan Reaves had one plus-3 game between the three of them (Nosek on March 9) before Saturday. Then they each got one against the Flames.

Carrier, Nosek and Reaves all scored and weren’t on the ice for a goal against to play a key role in the victory.

“It’s nice when the fourth line can chip in,” said Reaves, who scored his first goal in the game. “Those guys played well. They’ve been playing well all year. It’s good for me to catch up a little bit.”

The trio’s success also made their teammates happy. The fourth line tries to give the Knights energy every time it’s on the ice. It just rarely does it with goals.

“It’s good to see them all score,” defenseman Shea Theodore said. “It doesn’t happen too often but when they’re clicking they definitely make a difference whether they’re on the scoresheet or not. It’s good that they got rewarded for it.”

Center William Karlsson, who had been battling a “little issue” that prevented him from taking faceoffs, according to Gallant, was back taking draws Saturday.

“He’s over his issues,” Gallant said. “Everything is good.”

Karlsson took 16 faceoffs against the Flames (winning nine) after taking 11 in the first four games. That’s a welcome change for the Knights, as Jonathan Marchessault performed admirably (25 of 56) in the first five games but his career winning percentage is 43.1.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 10.14.2019 1157030 Vegas Golden Knights But Saturday night the Golden Knights held the Flames to only eight shots on goal with traffic in front of the net.

“It was huge,” defenseman Nick Holden said. “We did a bad job of that in How attacking and defending the ‘blue paint’ made the difference for the Phoenix, so it was something that we wanted to focus on, and make sure Golden Knights through five games no one was getting in front of his eyes. Obviously when he can see the puck he’s going to make the save most times.”

In the Golden Knights loss to Arizona on Thursday, they surrendered two By Jesse Granger goals through traffic. One of which came directly off a faceoff, and Fleury didn’t see the shot until it was too late. Oct 13, 2019 In fact, in Vegas’ two losses this season it allowed four goals that were at

least partially because of the traffic around the net. In its three wins it Tomas Nosek got the Golden Knights on the board Saturday night at T- allowed only one. Mobile Arena when he jammed a loose puck underneath goaltender Cleaning out the crease is no easy task, and isn’t for the faint of heart. If David Rittich’s pads and into the net. the cross checks, high sticks and slashes don’t get you, the 100-mile-per- The game’s final tally came late in the third period when rookie Cody hour slap shot from the point might. Then there’s the obstacle of trying to Glass sent a cross-crease pass that tipped off a Flames defender’s stick move a forward out of your goalie’s sight line without screening him and into his own net. yourself.

Vegas’ 6-2 win over Calgary wasn’t pretty, but it was exactly how coach “The biggest thing is trying to engage a little bit outside of the net, just so Gerard Gallant drew it up. it’s hard for guys to even get to the net,” Holden explained. “They only have so long to shoot, so if you can buy a couple seconds outside of that Saturday morning — prior to the game — Gallant spoke about the little area, it helps. Sometimes you just have to cut your losses and just importance of getting players to the tough areas of the ice. Playing in and make sure you’re not double-screening (the goalie).” around the crease to bother goaltenders, collect rebounds, tip pucks and score dirty goals. Vegas emphasized it after a poor showing in Arizona, and it worked. Not only on the defensive end, where they kept Fleury unbothered — “In a lot of games when you look back at the tape, no matter who you’re allowing him to stop 33-of-35 shots — but also on the offensive end, playing, the team that does the best job of keeping people out of the blue where they scored dirty goal after dirty goal. paint usually wins those hockey games,” Gallant said. “If the goalies can see the puck in the NHL today, there’s a good chance they’re going to “I think that was a focus for us. Making sure we get to hard areas,” stop it.” Holden said. “I thought we did a much better job tonight getting to the net. When your fourth line can score three goals it’s huge, so I thought How much does traffic in front of the net affect goalies? Just to see how they did an excellent job.” it’s affected the Golden Knights’ first five games of the season, I went back and re-watched them all, keeping track of every shot that was The Golden Knights received three goals from their fourth line, and one through traffic. from their third. Nosek scored his third goal of the year on a rebound put back, and William Carrier and Ryan Reaves each lit the lamp as well. Vegas has scored six of its 12 goals this season with traffic in front of the goalie. Those six goals have come on 37 shots through traffic, for a traffic “We talked this morning about getting to the blue paint, and getting pucks influenced shooting percentage of 16.2 percent. to the blue paint, and that’s exactly what they did,” Gallant said. “They did their job and they got rewarded for it.” Meanwhile, on its 129 shots on goal with no traffic around the crease, Vegas’ shooting percentage is only 9.3 percent. That’s a major When players like Nosek, Reaves and Carrier are pitching in, it takes difference, especially when you consider that extremely high-danger pressure off the top-six forwards who are counted on to produce each opportunities like breakaways and backdoor one-timers come with no and every night. traffic. Those types of plays are included in the shots with only a 9.3 “We feed off energy, and those big boys really brought energy today,” percent success rate, while shots through traffic score at a much higher said Mark Stone, who scored his third goal (and eighth point) of the efficiency. season. “They got us started early. Reaves had two or three good looks, It’s also no coincidence that the players most-often creating havoc but kept with it and gets rewarded in the end. Between him, William around the opposing crease were Jonathan Marchessault and William (Carrier) and Tomas (Nosek) they’ve been consistent all year and they Karlsson. Vegas’ top line was utterly dominant through the first five build energy for us.” games. Karlsson, Marchessault and Reilly Smith have the three highest Vegas will get plenty of highlight reel goals this season. Smith, expected goals for percentages on the team (73.29, 72.80 and 70.93), Marchessault, Max Pacioretty and Stone have already supplied a handful meaning when those three are on the ice at even strength, more than 70 of them in the opening weeks. But Gallant knows his team is at its best percent of the expected goals are for Vegas. The next closest Vegas when it’s scoring ugly goals. forward is Nosek at 52.44 percent. The pretty play won’t always be there, and good teams find other ways to That line dominated by converting on cross-ice passes, but also score. screening goalies and deflecting passes in front. “It wasn’t an outstanding game by (any) means,” he said of his team’s The same theory for creating traffic in front of the net obviously works the performance, “but we did the right things all night long, and we were same way on the other side of the ice. Golden Knights’ opponents have fortunate that we put some pucks to the net and they went in.” recorded 35 shots on goal through traffic this season, scoring five goals. That’s a shooting percentage of 14.3 percent. On the other 125 shots on goal, Vegas’ opponents have only scored seven times for a shooting percentage of 5.3 percent. The Athletic LOADED: 10.14.2019

“It makes it a lot easier,” Marc-Andre Fleury said about having a clean crease to see the puck. “Around the NHL you see a lot of goals are scored with screens and tips. Those are the tough ones to stop. But tonight our guys did a great job of moving the guys and letting me see the puck.”

The Calgary Flames are one of the best teams in the NHL at creating havoc around the opposition’s crease. Matthew Tkachuk is particularly good at it and has had success doing it against the Golden Knights in the past. 1157031 Washington Capitals But Parez is more than a skills coach; he also helps Vrana with the mental side of the game. Vrana believes making sure his mind is in the right place is of the utmost importance. And for a player who always seems bubbly and happy — singing along to whatever catchy song is on His confidence shattered in the playoffs, Jakub Vrana is out to prove he’s in the Capitals’ dressing room, throwing on a backward Capitals hat or back meticulously choosing the right portrait of himself for a team project — a serious confidant is a necessity.

“Sometimes we just sit down and talk about stuff, about real life stuff,” Samantha Pell Vrana said of Pařez. “And it is important to have someone to share stuff October 13, 2019 at 4:31 PM EDT with like that, important stuff to share, someone who understands and someone who you can trust.”

We asked Capitals players to draw themselves (and other things) Washington Capitals forward Jakub Vrana went home to the Czech Republic in the summer feeling frustrated and lacking confidence. The The work with Parez and vacation have served Vrana well the first six 23-year-old had just completed his second postseason run with the games of the season. He has two goals, including the game-winner in the Capitals, both the team’s first-round playoff exit and lingering doubts of Capitals’ 3-2 overtime victory over the St. Louis Blues in the season his play still dancing through his mind. opener, and one assist. But he is not completely happy yet. With a mission to prove himself year after year, he isn’t here for constant talk of The speedy, smooth-skating winger recorded zero points in seven goals and points. Instead of setting benchmarks, he believes he will earn postseason games against the Carolina Hurricanes after setting career goals through his play on the ice. highs in goals (24) and assists (23) in the regular season. Nearly everything was clicking for Vrana through 82 games, but the playoffs Still, there have been moments reminiscent of the postseason; Coach were a different animal. When reporters brought up his career year in Todd Reirden was unhappy with Vrana’s play in the Capitals’ 6-5 loss to early September, it was Vrana who cut in and joked about his poor the Nashville Predators on Thursday. Reirden sent Vrana to the fourth postseason play negating his regular season. line for a shift or two, searching for a spark. He was back in his normal spot on the second line Saturday in the team’s 4-1 win over the Dallas He kept thinking about the teammates he let down, the goals he should Stars. have scored if he were just a second faster down the ice. All the scenarios raced through his head, with the “what ifs” stacking up. He was And as Vrana looks back at his disappointing play, he is trying to leave prepared. He just didn’t execute. the past in the past — one wide-toothed grin at a time.

“I was really down on myself,” Vrana said. “You know me, I am a happy guy,” Vrana said. “I am a happy guy. Sometimes I just get really emotional when it doesn’t go my way. That is Caps finally get a third-period lead they can hold on to in 4-1 win over when it is really important: When things don’t go well for you, you have to Stars find a way to change it and to make them right again, and that is not being frustrated and sad and all these negative stuffs. You have to find a The overthinking continued when he was home with friends and family in way to be positive.” the Czech Republic and didn’t start to diminish until he played in the world championships for his national team. He felt his confidence coming back as he returned to the ice and proved the type of player he could be. In the world championship preliminary rounds, Vrana had five points in Washington Post LOADED: 10.14.2019 seven group-stage games, including four goals.

Then he was broken down once more.

In the world championship quarterfinals, Vrana was scratched ahead of a game against Germany. The scratch came after an analyst for iSport.cz, Marek Sykora, said in an interview that Vrana “doesn’t work enough” and that he could see his “celebrity manners.” It was another blow to Vrana’s comeback mission.

“I went to the world championships where I kind of got my confidence back first couple games, and then you see what happened there. It is the same thing with the playoffs,” Vrana said. “You can’t change it anymore.”

After the world championships, Vrana continued to train by himself, taking some time off in the offseason as he normally does to be with some of his friends and family. In part, that is a sliver of his coping mechanism when he is in a bad place. To escape the rink and recharge himself in mid-July, he took a vacation to Marbella, Spain. While there, he got the news via a phone call that his agent had worked out a two- year, $6.7 million deal to re-sign with the Capitals.

While taking time off can help, Vrana knows he would much rather be at a hockey rink, all by himself, with no one else around. It’s hard to find an open sheet of ice in the Czech Republic, but Vrana said he is continually trying. He wants to find a place like the Capitals’ practice facility, where he routinely was the last player on the ice after practice last season, just working on his craft.

“Most of the time I’m just excited to be at the hockey rink by myself,” Vrana said. “Maybe go work by myself, nobody there and go on the ice by myself and do my stuff. Just me and work on what I need to work on, and that brings me my confidence back. That brings me that feeling.”

When Vrana isn’t by himself, he trains with his coach, Aleš Parez, in the Czech Republic. Parez, 38, is a former Czech player who also has ties with the Capitals. Parez went through an unsuccessful rookie camp with the Capitals after his college hockey career with the University of Alaska Anchorage. He then moved back to Europe and played with the Manchester Phoenix in the United Kingdom’s Elite Ice Hockey League. 1157032 Washington Capitals “We’re playing pretty good hockey,” Wilson said. “I think we’ve had a good chance to win every night. We’re putting ourselves in a position that we want to be in throughout the game.”

Capitals top Stars for 1st regulation win in Dallas in 24 years

Washington Times LOADED: 10.14.2019

By Schuyler Dixon - Associated Press

Saturday, October 12, 2019

DALLAS — Tom Wilson scored a power-play goal before Washington got busy killing penalties.

The strong special teams combo helped the Capitals get their first regulation victory in Dallas in 24 years.

Evgeny Kuznetsov also had a goal with the man advantage, rookie goalie Ilya Samsonov won again in his second career start and the Capitals beat the Stars 4-1 on Saturday night.

The last time Washington won in regulation in Dallas, the Stars still played at Reunion Arena. It was a 4-3 victory on Oct. 17, 1995. Dallas was 13-0-4 in that stretch. The Stars moved to American Airlines Center in 2001.

Wilson’s tally came on a rebound during a four-minute high-sticking penalty against rookie Joel Hanley just 52 seconds into the game. Kuznetsov skated in untouched early the third period after a holding the stick call against Hanley.

The Capitals killed all six of their penalties as the Stars dropped to 1 of 20 on the power play this season.

“The penalty killing against a power play like that, all of the skill that they have, is a challenge,” coach Todd Reirden said. “The best penalty killer’s gotta be your goalie, and I thought he was very strong tonight.”

Samsonov stopped the first 19 shots before Radek Faksa rammed in a wraparound midway through the third. Samsonov finished with 24 saves and has stopped 49 of 51 shots in two starts.

“Just a real stoic guy back there, good angles, played great for us in both games,” said John Carlson, who had Washington’s second goal when a failed breakout by Dallas turned into a 4-on-1 for the Capitals.

Anton Khudobin had 21 saves in his second start, including against Alex Ovechkin alone in front in the second period. Ovechkin scored an empty- netter in the final minute.

Joe Pavelski, the free agent pickup expected to boost Dallas‘ scoring, is still looking for his first goal. He was denied by Samsonov on a point blank try late in the first period. And he’s a big part of the struggling power play as well.

“It felt better, but I’d be kidding myself if I said it was good enough,” Pavelski said. “We’ve got to stay with it. If we can stay on net, keep tipping pucks, we’re going to get a few bounces and a few of those are going to start going in. But it’s time for production.”

The Stars spent most of the first five minutes on the penalty kill. After Wilson’s goal on a rebound, Dallas challenged a no-call on a hand pass. The challenge failed, and the Stars were assessed a delay of game under the new rule. The Stars killed the second penalty.

“We all thought that when the hand pass hit the skate, that it would be a hand pass,” coach Jim Montgomery said. “But they said it was a deflection and not a possession play. That’s why it wasn’t a hand pass.”

After those two calls, it was Washington’s turn to kill penalties - six in a row over the rest of the first period and the second. Wilson was called for tripping and high-sticking during that stretch. The Stars had just two shots during the four second-period power plays.

“I think we did a decent job of disrupting,” Reirden said. “When there was breakdowns, we seemed to do a really good job of collapsing around out net and paying the price when we had to to block shots or have good stick on puck and at least deflect a few pucks out of play.”

The Capitals opened the season with four of six games on the road, and all three of their wins have come away from home. 1157033 Washington Capitals Having Backstrom and Wilson around proved to be a crucial piece in Burakovsky’s life.

“Obviously, I got a lot of help from Backstrom. I lived with him and his Andre Burakovsky just picked a hell of a time to come back and face the family for three months,” Burakovsky said. “Then after that, I became Capitals really close with Tom Wilson during rookie camp. We were roommates there and became really close friends. Having him around too, someone you know and someone you’ve been spending time before you get up there obviously helped. It was a good time.” By Ryan S. Clark What’s the biggest takeaway Burakovsky will have from his five years Oct 13, 2019 with the Capitals? It’s friendships.

Burakovsky said he grew extremely close with players such as CENTENNIAL, Colo. — Going to the MedStar Georgetown Children’s Backstrom, John Carlson, Christian Djoos, Brooks Orpik, Jakub Vrana Hospital had a greater impact on Andre Burakovsky beyond handing and Wilson during his time with the Capitals. Christmas gifts to children and spending time with them. “I was there for five years and you get close with some guys,” Every one of those annual visits during his five-year tenure with the Burakovsky said. “There are some guys in that locker room in D.C. that I Washington Capitals further cements why he considers the nation’s became really, really good friends that I am going to be friends with capital a second home. Furthermore, he views D.C. as the place where forever that I still talk to every day.” he came of age after spending his childhood in Sweden. His feelings and sentiments also extend to Capitals fans as well. “In the beginning, it was something really new,” Burakovsky said. “I “There’s always going to be ups and downs. There’s always the nice fans moved (to the United States) when I was 18 and before that I wasn’t that really love you that I have a lot of respect for,” he said. “There’s also really anything. I had some talent and I worked hard from home in going to be other people, too, that don’t like you. But I think overall in Sweden and that was about it. It wasn’t like people wanted to take D.C., it was a lot of people that really liked me as a person and as a pictures with me and stuff like that. player and I really appreciate that. I thank them all for supporting me for “It was a big step moving over and going through all that and you realize all those years.” that you mean something for other people.” The Capitals have shown through social media they are still passionate Fully understanding why Burakovsky feels this way requires knowing and supportive of Burakovsky even though he is in another city. more about him and his journey. Sweden was the only place he ever Why is that? knew before coming to North America in 2013 as a first-round draft pick with the Capitals. “He’s always been there for the community,” said Avalanche goaltender Philipp Grubauer, who also played with Burakovsky when they were with Going to the Capitals did more than just fulfill an NHL dream. Those the Capitals. “He’s always been there for his teammates. He showed up development and rookie camps are where he first met one of his future on the ice and played really well for us. Obviously, performance on the teammates in Tom Wilson, who soon became one of Burakovsky’s best ice plays a huge factor into it.” friends. Reaching the NHL allowed him to learn from experienced figures such as countryman Nicklas Backstrom. Burakovsky said he got involved because he wanted to give something to a community that openly supported the Capitals and felt the need to He received the chance to connect with fans on a more personal level show an appreciation for their dedication. while also having the honor to be in the company of actual royalty to raise social awareness about an issue Burakovsky saw some of his Especially when it came to setting an example for young children. friends struggle with firsthand. “You always want to give back to those people and put a nice smile on And of course, there is winning the Stanley Cup in 2018. their face,” he said. “We always went to a lot of hospital visits for kids and that was always a great day. You walked out of there with a smile on But this was still a place Burakovsky had to leave. Even he admitted he your face. They were all sick kids but they were all so happy. You just get did not have “a great feeling” about himself in Washington as it related to so positive being around them.” receiving more opportunities. It is what led to him being traded to the Colorado Avalanche. The belief is the Avs can provide Burakovsky with Connecting with area youth was one way Burakovsky was active in the the time needed that could see him further tap into the potential that community. There was also the time he set aside when it came to eluded him in sequences with the Capitals. anything involving Sweden.

These days, he is getting those chances as a second-line winger with He warmly discussed how every year the team held a Swedish Heritage three points through four games. Night, which allowed him, Backstrom and Djoos a chance to spend time with fans who were either from and/or had family with ancestral roots Scratch that. Burakovsky is making a difference throughout Jared from the nation. Bednar’s lineup by scoring game-winning goals in consecutive outings such as Saturday in a 3-2 overtime win against the Arizona Coyotes at Burakovsky certainly felt a sense of national pride when he, Backstrom the Pepsi Center. His three points have also played a part in the and Djoos were invited to the Swedish Embassy and they met Her Avalanche catapulting to a 4-0 start. Majesty Queen Silvia for a benefit dinner dedicated toward helping youth to avoid drug abuse. This is Burakovsky’s role as he returns Monday to the Capital One Arena to face the Capitals for the first time since the trade. “I have friends that I grew up with that were definitely on the wrong path with drugs,” Burakovsky said. “That’s something you want to help with “I’m just trying to focus on what we have here,” Burakovsky said of his and want to help them get out of that.” return. “It doesn’t matter really who we play. Obviously, it is going to be fun to play against my teammates back in Washington. It’s going to be a What is it like to be in that moment? How do you go about championing little nervous. It’s going to be a lot of fun to get back there. I really love something so personal while also keeping perspective you are doing it the city and I really love my teammates. It’s going to be a lot of fun to go next to the queen? back and play those guys.” There must surely be some surreal feeling that comes with it. Unless Attempting to make the transition from living and playing in Sweden to a Burakovsky spends more time with members of the Swedish Royal different culture let alone the style of hockey became a challenge for Family than most realize. Burakovsky. His first North American season came months after he was drafted when he joined the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League. “I wouldn’t say I am used to hanging out with royalty,” he said. “I met her once and that’s something cool, too. Not every 24-year-old in Sweden is The 41 goals and 87 points Burakovsky produced in 57 games led to him able to meet the queen and have a conversation with her. That was really starting the next year in the AHL with the Hershey Bears for a 13-game cool.” stint before being called up to the Capitals. Everything Burakovsky experienced with the Capitals has led him to this place in his life. He’s part of an Avalanche team expected to challenge for the Stanley Cup starting this year with the expectation it could be that way for several seasons to come.

Bednar has consistently shown Burakovsky a sense of faith throughout training camp and the regular season. He filled in on the top line for Mikko Rantanen while the forward was sorting out a new contract with the organization. Rantanen’s return saw him move to the second line.

Burakovsky opened the season next to Tyson Jost and Nazem Kadri on the second unit in the season opener against the Calgary Flames until he was moved to the third line in favor of Joonas Donskoi.

That decision was short-lived. Bednar reinstated Burakovsky to the second line where he formed a partnership with Donskoi and Kadri over the last two games.

“I feel like he’s the kind of guy who can win the game for us,” Donskoi said of Burakovsky. “He’s always sniffing out the scoring chances and even after the first day of training camp, you can see he wants to score goals and he wants to be a difference-maker. I think he’s been great, the last two games especially.

What does Bednar have to say about Burakovsky?

“He’s a got a great skill set. He can skate. He can see the ice,” Bednar said after the win over the Coyotes. “He was making plays early in the first period and finding the puck. He knows how to expose teams. He’s in tune with the pre-scout and places where we can attack. I’ve liked his game for the most part. … When you can skate and make plays and committed to checking, I am going to like you and that’s what he’s been doing for us.”

Grubauer, who received a warm reception when he returned last season, hopes Burakovsky receives a similar experience for all of the things he did while he was with the Capitals.

The Avalanche’s trip to Washington is the first of a six-game road trip that starts with four games on the East Coast against the Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins, Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning.

Considering Burakovsky is off to such a strong start, this first game becomes an even more intriguing homecoming.

“I hope he can keep it up,” Donskoi said. “I know he is excited and the next game has been marked up in his calendar for a long time and that’s going to be exciting.”

The Athletic LOADED: 10.14.2019 1157034 Winnipeg Jets Jared McCann and fluttered past goalie Tristan Jarry, making his first start of the season. He finished the night with 27 saves.

The lead was short-lived as Aston-Reese batted a rebound by Brossoit Sluggish Jets go down 7-2 to Penguins just over two minutes later.

After a mundane finish to the first period and an equally tedious pace for half of the middle frame, the Penguins took command. Guentzel By: Jason Bell converted a pretty touch pass from Brian Dumoulin with Appleton in the box and then Lafferty stuffed a puck behind Brossoit to make it 3-1 after Posted: 10/13/2019 8:54 PM | Last Modified: 10/13/2019 10:41 PM | the frozen biscuit hit the backboards and bounced in front. Updates | Comments: 9 The Jets trimmed the lead with a power-play goal of their own at the 10-

minute mark. Laine's shot hit a leg and Scheifele fired the loose puck into The Winnipeg Jets played ugly, the Pittsburgh Penguins tossed up a an empty cage with Jarry turned the other way. touchdown for the second night in a row and the outcome Sunday night But Simon inflated the lead with another goal with just four minutes left in was predictable. the middle period. Marcus Pettersson's point shot hit Laine's stick and Recent AHL call-up Sam Lafferty played the bounces well on the first bounced off Simon's foot, squirted to the side of Brossoit and was poked two-goal game of his career, while Zach Aston-Reese and Jake Guentzel in by Simon. also scored twice to spark the Penguins to a 7-2 victory over a Jets Laine was replaced by Adam Lowry on the top line for the final shift of the squad that looked out of sorts at Bell MTS Place. period, a message from coach Paul Maurice, perhaps, for puck watching The Pens were a much fresher group than the Jets, despite the fact both in the corner and then giving the goal scorer a free route to the net. squads were on the second half of a back-to-backs. Winnipeg rallied to Nikolaj Ehlers played the final period on the left side with Scheifele and beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 in overtime Saturday, but botched an Wheeler, while Laine joined Andrew Copp and Kyle Connor. opportunity to post its fourth consecutive win, falling to 4-3-0. Maurice admitted juggling personnel at that point in time failed to spark Pittsburgh (4-2-0) fired 14 goals in 24 hours after hammering the his squad. Minnesota Wild 7-4 on Saturday night in St. Paul. "I don’t think moving the lines around had a big impact on the game... Laurent Brossoit, a spectator the last three contests, allowed seven goals probably should have done it earlier," he said. on 28 shots in the Jets net — three pucks that eluded him were just high- "You know what, don’t take this game as permanent. We had a tough speed games of Plinko. night tonight. We’ve been a pretty damn good team. We weren’t tonight. "Puck bounced the wrong way (Sunday night)," said Winnipeg captain I’m leaving it." Blake Wheeler, who was tied with his centre, Mark Scheifele, for a team- Lafferty added his second goal of the night and third in 24 hours in the worst minus-4. "You don’t ever feel good about a goal going in your net, third period when his harmless wrister skimmed off Anthony Bitetto's but it’s like, 'What do you do?' I thought (Brossoit) was really good all skate and sailed behind Laurent. Guentzel beat Brossoit high to the glove night. Some (bounces) kinda just went against us. side for his team-leading fourth of the season, and Aston-Reese poured "It’s hard to really remember how every play unfolded. There might have salt on the wound with a shorthanded effort late in the final frame. been some miscommunication or some guys out of place, but for the Wheeler said there won't be much hand-wringing internally over the most part, I thought we were in the right spots, defensively. We will get blowout. that cleaned up." "I feel it’s just an outlier. I don’t feel it’s indicative of our team. We’ve Winnipeg's usually steady backup wasn't at his sharpest, however, he obviously been behind a fair bit this year but we’ve stayed in the battle," wasn't solely to blame. No one in a Jets jersey was spared the goat he said. "We’ve fought all year. Every once and a while it’s going to go horns against a Penguins team missing four key forwards to injuries, like that." Evgeni Malkin, Nick Bjugstad, Alex Galchenyuk and Bryan Rust. Winnipeg played its first seven games in 11 nights and has the Arizona Mason Appleton took a careless tripping penalty six minutes into the Coyotes, the New York Islanders on Thursday, the Edmonton Oilers on middle period and Guentzel scored on the ensuing power play. Lafferty Sunday and the L.A. on the following Tuesday to round out a five-game then supplied his first of two tallies 41 seconds later and the hosts were home stand. reeling

"We take a penalty we don’t like... and then we’re down 3-1. That would be the turning point for me," said Jets head coach Paul Maurice. "We Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 10.14.2019 were in a fairly tight game. Not a heavy advantage to either team shot wise or chance wise. That’s where I thought it turned for us."

In another demonstration of mismanagement, Patrik Laine made a soft play along the wall that led to Dominik Simon's late second-period goal and a 4-2 Pittsburgh advantage.

The visitors added three goals in the final frame, including a short- handed breakaway tally by Aston-Reese — the third goal Winnipeg's power-play unit has yielded this season.

"Obviously, we can play better. There were definitely some mistakes in the game, but there were a lot of weird bounces. Not to make excuses, but over the course of 82 games, that’s one you put in the rearview mirror," said defenceman Josh Morrissey. Obviously, a tough schedule right now.

"We’ll Watch video on some things we can improve on and take things that are meaningful from that game. But over 82 games, there are going to be some where the bounces don’t go your way and you’ve got to move on."

Mathieu Perreault opened the scoring with a freaky goal just 1:47 into the game, marking the only time this season the Jets have scored first. His centring pass from the corner boards deflected off the stick of Pens' 1157035 Winnipeg Jets The whole sequence was a lot of things going wrong at once. Laine was moved off the top line after the goal as Nikolaj Ehlers was

promoted into his spot and several other changes were made further Jets left grounded after Penguins drubbing down the lineup.

“I don’t know that that had a major effect,” Maurice said of the shuffle. “We had a bunch of chances and some zone time there, we were going. Scott Billeck But I don’t think moving the lines around had a big impact on the game. Probably should have done it earlier.” October 13, 2019 11:29 PM CDT The loss was Winnipeg’s third of the season and now sit at 4-3-0.

The 1-2-1 Arizona Coyotes come to town on Tuesday. If the Winnipeg Jets can be thankful for anything this Thanksgiving, it’s that the final buzzer came before a 7-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins The Jets have two power-play goals in their past two games, which is a could get any worse on Sunday. steady improvement since they last got one in the second game of the season in New Jersey. It turns out that Penguin tastes pretty fowl during this holiday. But given all their chances with the man advantage (21 now), and on a And while the Jets can look to the fact that they didn’t allow the first goal team that torched their opponents last year when up a man (25%, 4th in of the game for the first time in seven games this season, the silver the NHL), these are uncharted waters for the club. linings soared off a cliff from there in a game that went from relatively even to utter disaster somewhere along the line. Winnipeg’s power play is sitting at a dismal 14.3% (24th in the league).

“I feel it’s just an outlier,” Jets captain Blake Wheeler said. “I don’t feel it’s Winnipeg’s expected goals on the power play, by comparison, is 3.22, indicative of our team. which is 10th in the NHL. Meanwhile, their Corsi-for/60 is 26th at 78.4.

“We’ve obviously been behind a fair bit this year but we’ve stayed in the Concern? battle. We’ve fought all year. Every once and a while it’s going to go like that.” “Zero,” Wheeler said. “We’ll get it right.”

“Like that” meant seven of the game’s next eight goals would come off Maurice’s concern level was a little higher than his captain’s. Pittsburgh sticks after Mathieu Perreault scored 1:47 after the opening “We don’t have the zone time and we’re kind of out of sorts a little bit,” he puck drop. said. “When we get to positions that pucks get knocked down or we’re Zach Aston-Reese tied it just over two minutes later for the Pens in a not coming up with it, we’re not in a particularly good place to defend it. closely contested first period, with the shots even at 9-9. “We’re working on it.” The next forty minutes would be severely one-sided. They’ll need to work on the penalty kill, too. Jake Guenztel, Sam Lafferty and Dominik Simon tallied in the second, It sits ranked 28th at 69.2%. with Lafferty and Guentzel and Aston-Reese all adding their second goals of the night in the final frame. For a guy who was leaned upon heavily over the past couple of seasons, Adam Lowry’s minutes continue to toil on the low-end of the spectrum. Winnipeg’s lone goal during the onslaught came on their wonky power play, with Mark Scheifele’s third goal of the season only briefly offering With Gabriel Bourque and Mark Letestu flanking him for several games some hope as it pulled the score to 3-2 at the time. now, Lowry was relegated to less than 10 minutes of ice time in a 3-2 overtime win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday night. But a flicker of good on the power play in the second was doused by the team’s third shorthanded goal allowed this season in the third after a Twenty-four hours later, Lowry was heading toward another sub-double- bouncing puck skipped over Josh Morrissey’s stick and into the path of digit game on the ice before Maurice whipped out the line blender and Aston-Reese, who scored on the ensuing breakaway. threw a life-line to Lowry.

“There was nothing you can do there,” Morrissey said. Still, he’d finish with just 11:20. Lowry averaged 14:38 last season, nearly 2:30 more. Morrissey said the obvious, that a team never wants to concede shorthanded goals. You would have read in these pages that Lowry wasn’t letting egos get in the way and that he was embracing the role, but for a player who’s been That said, he feels the power play competed and created chances. a favoured weapon by Maurice and often second off the bench after “That was a theme for us (on Sunday),” Morrissey said. “We actually Scheifele’s line. competed hard on the power play, but we got a tough bounce and now, Prior to the line shuffling on Sunday, fitting Lowry anywhere than where we’re talking about shorthanded goals. Some of them will happen.” he was on the team’s fourth line wasn’t going to be easy. Perreault, whose goal in the first was the beneficiary of a bounce that The top line wasn’t getting broken up in their three-game winning streak. went Winnipeg’s way as it caromed off Pittsburgh centre Jared McCann, The second line had been creating chances and Roslovic’s move to the said the power play was addressed prior to the game. third line at centre had worked out well with Mathieu Perreault and “Having a bit more of a 5-on-5 mentality out there, so you work as if it Mason Appleton. was a 5-on-5 game and you just work with your opportunities when you We’ll have to wait and see what Tuesday brings when the Coyotes come get them,” he said. “So, maybe work a little bit more on that.” to town. Jets head coach Paul Maurice, like Wheeler before him, believed the Bryan Little’s return will surely change things up, a move that could come game was an exception and not the rule. Thursday if a full practice sans a non-contact jersey comes between now “Don’t take this game as permanent,” Maurice said, interrupting himself an then. as he was answering a question about the power play. “We had a tough Maurice has said that he wants Little to return at centre, so it’s possible night tonight. We’ve been a pretty damn good team. We weren’t tonight. Lowry could be shipped out to the wing. If not, they could potentially I’m leaving it.” move Roslovic up as the second-line centre and reunite Copp with Lowry Maurice brought out the line blender late in the second period after and perhaps Little on the wing. Simon pushed Pittsburgh’s advantage to 4-2. Winnipeg’s 18-year-old defensive wunderkind took a seat in the press The play leading up to the goal included Patrik Laine skating away from a box for the second straight game on Sunday. puck in his feet, re-directing a point shot by Pittsburgh into the path of Simon and then not using a whole lot of effort to make up for any of it. After playing in Winnipeg’s first five games of the season, Heinola appears to be a victim of the Jets trying to manage his entry-level contract.

The Jets have nine games to decide on what to do with Heinola before it would burn a year of his ELC. Given he’s played five, he can only play a maximum of four more times before they’d be forced into that decision.

If they decide to send him to either Finland or to the American Hockey League, his ELC would slide to next season, meaning it would not kick in until he plays that 10th game next year.

That said, the Jets can slide his contract twice, so theoretically they could do it again next year if they decide it’s best and it wouldn’t come into effect until the 2021-22 season.

The implications come further down the road in terms of Heinola’s next contract. Essentially, do they want the meter to start running now or later?

Heinola’s play has been deserving of a roster spot, but this is a team that rarely toys around with their prospects, erring on the side of development in junior/minors rather than rushing them to the NHL.

“That’s what I wanted,” Maurice said when asked why he missed a second straight game. “He’s a young man. He’s got lots of time.”

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 10.14.2019 1157036 Vancouver Canucks again. The Canucks’ defence is as deep as it’s been in years, though Tryamkin’s unique skill-set and 6-foot-7 frame could still be a boon for the squad, even in a third-pairing role.

Canucks prospects tracker: Tryamkin stands tall, Juolevi gets the point We’ll see where it all goes, but what’s clear is the Canucks’ desire to have him back and the blueliner’s itch for an NHL encore. Gone are the hard feelings, replaced by a sense of what could still be between team and player. MIKE RAPTIS Tryamkin has three assists, a plus-two rating, 31 shots on goal, 10 October 13, 2019 8:24 PM PDT penalty minutes and is averaging 20 minutes in ice time in 17 games played this season.

Tomas Jurco of Slovakia gets hassled by of Russia Vasili Podkolzin during the group A match Russia vs Slovakia of the 2018 IIHF Ice While we’re in Russia, the Canucks’ 2019 first-rounder continues to Hockey World Championship in Denmark. assert himself playing in the country’s second-tier league. It’s the latest edition of the weekly tracker, where we tally up the efforts of Podkolzin, playing for SKA-Neva of the Supreme Hockey League (VHL), theVancouver Canucks’ highest-profile prospects: notched a primary power play assist in his only game of the week, a 3-1 Nikita Tryamkin win over Zvezda Moscow on Friday.

From Russia, with love. On the play, the 18-year-old circled behind the opponent’s net before reversing a pass to a teammate for a sharp angle shot. The goalie was It wasn’t that long ago that Tryamkin last suited up in Vancouver, though completely fooled by the play, leaving half of the net open for the goal. it feels like the world has turned since then for the Canucks. Podkolzin was also involved in a rush up the ice that resulted in the Those days in 2017 were different. The big Russian defenceman opening goal of the game. patrolled a thin blue-line in a time of flux for the franchise. Coach Willie Desjardins was on his way out and the rebuild was in its infancy. He’s involved and continues to evolve playing at this level. He’s banging and crashing along the boards, causing turnovers with his hustle and These weren’t good times for the Canucks, nor for their project of a pushing the puck back up the ice to lead his team on the fast break. prospect. He did his job the best he knew how, through his superior skating ability and strong puck skills. And despite his displays of pugilism, He creates so many chances through his powerful stride and exceptional he was hounded by the coaching staff to be more aggressive — even vision that it’d be nice to see him finish more often, but let’s not nitpick. getting called out by Desjardins in the media for it. Podkolzin has one goal and three assists in eight VHL games this The result? An increase in penalties and a decrease in ice time as the season. He’s also a plus-one overall. season wound down. Like Rasputin and the Russian ruling class, it was a Carson Focht partnership that had lost its trust. And thus he bolted back to the motherland. He’s shooting up the WHL scoring charts in what’s been a strong start to the season. Fast forward to 2019 and we’ve got the climate for a comeback. The Canucks’ 2014 third-rounder is on an expiring contract with Avtomobolist Focht scored a goal and added a primary assist in the Calgary Hitmen’s of the KHL and his game looks as good as ever. only game this past week, a 6-4 loss at the Edmonton Oil Kings.

Tryamkin’s being utilized on the power play, penalty kill and everything in His assist was on the power play. His goal came on a power move to the between. He often leads his team in ice time and is using his skating, net. Focht, 19, scored after taking a pass on the wing and making a reach and toughness to impress upon the game. His passing game also beeline to the net, eventually snapping a shot far-side past the goalie’s appears to have improved, something that needed some work during his blocker. time in Vancouver. Halfway through the match and Carson Focht has his 4th goal of the This past week was another good one for the 25 year old. In Monday’s 3- season. He has a primary assist as well. #Canucks 0 win at Traktor, Tryamkin had 21:05 of ice time, going plus-one in a pic.twitter.com/uDKrCa3v1p— /Cam Robinson/ (@Hockey_Robinson) flawless defensive effort for his team. October 13, 2019

He even body-slammed an opponent for crashing the crease. Coach With nine points in just five games played, the 2019 fifth-rounder is Willie would’ve approved. among the league’s best points-per-game producers. Among those points, the Hitmen centre has four goals and five assists. He’s a plus- At one point, he joined the rush after stepping out of the penalty box and three overall. got a couple of scoring chances. Back in the defensive zone, Tryamkin tried his hand at goaltending, stopping a scoring chance by batting a shot out of the air with his glove. Down on the farm, the Utica Comets are off to a 2-0 start and Juolevi is Alex Edler would’ve approved. playing his part.

Things got tougher in the next two games — a 2-1 overtime loss against The Canucks’ 2016 first-rounder is quarterbacking the first power play high-powered SKA St. Petersburg on Thursday and a 6-3 loss at home to unit and was rewarded with an assist in Saturday’s 4-3 overtime win at Dynamo on Saturday — but Tryamkin still made his mark on the the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. proceedings. On the goal, Canucks cast-off slid the puck to the point Against SKA, the Big Friendly Giant racked up several hits, killed a bunch for a Juolevi one-timer, which was blocked in the direction of noted AHL of penalties and even took a helmet to the face, drawing a call. He led his sniper , who fired it. team in ice time with 22:11 of plus-one hockey. Juolevi was also originally credited with an assist in the Comets’ first win #Canucks KHL of the season, but that was given to Boucher upon review. Still, the long diagonal breakout pass the Finnish defenceman made to start the Close up of hit to BFG's head. He takes a licking and keeps on ticking. sequence was a thing of beauty, hitting in stride at the SKA leads Avtomobilist 1-0 after two periods. opposition’s blue-line. Though he was a minus-two against Dynamo, Tryamkin did notch a Juolevi gets his assist after a long pass up to Lind at 0:05. Juolevi has a primary power play assist, faking a slap shot and dishing it to a teammate good chance to score at the 0:27 mark. Really nice pass to Arseneau for a one-timer goal. He logged 20:07 in the loss. under pressure at 1:00 mark. I liked the battle and clearing of the Just as his game ripens, the pastures are green again in Vancouver. The rebound at the 1:13 mark. Drop pass fails at the 2:00. coaching staff has turned over, while the team appears to be competitive P2 pic.twitter.com/LqmOHBdaqP— Daniel Gee (@DanielGScouting) October 7, 2019

Juolevi’s in a good place to continue his development. He’s seeing regular ice time, giving him the opportunity to sharpen his defensive skills while fine-tuning his offensive game.

He appears physically fit after knee surgery last season and is poised to prove his worth as a top draft pick.

Juolevi, 21, has one assist and a minus-one rating in two games played this season.

Tyler Madden

The puck was dropped on the NCAA regular season this past weekend and a couple of Canucks prospects kicked off their 2019-20 college campaigns.

Michigan’s Will Lockwood didn’t record a point in the Wolverines’ tie and loss to Clarkson on Friday and Saturday night, and neither did Northeastern’s Madden — though the Husky was dangerous in his team’s pair of 2-1 wins at Union.

Madden, the Canucks’ 2018 third-rounder, had a breakout freshman campaign last season, collecting 28 points in 36 games while scoring big goals to lead his team to a Beanpot tournament triumph.

The 19-year-old was drafted for his tenacity on and off the puck, but continues to show a level of offensive upside that’s left Canucks brass licking their chops at the versatile nature of his game.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 10.14.2019 1157037 Vancouver Canucks What’s always right is making games affordable. The Canucks had 17,000 season-ticket holders in 2010 and then saw the percentage of renewals dip before a recent resurgence.

Ben Kuzma: Canucks buoyed by better team, better fan experience “When you’re in the 80s, you’re in a tough grind,” admitted Carroll. “You’ve not only have to grow the business, you’ve got to fulfil what you lost. When you get into the 90s, you can bring in new fans and starting growing the base and that’s where we are now.” BEN KUZMA The Canucks are offering $40 single-seat tickets in the upper bowl and October 13, 2019 7:07 PM PDT $68 in the lower bowl for Tuesday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings.

“We’re keeping it (price) flat on an aggregate and not everybody gets it,” If you build it, they will come. said Carroll. “We do a heat map where fans gravitate toward with location or pricing. Some tickets are lower and some have increased and we have Well, not really. Not all the time. Especially in Vancouver. 12 to 14 areas that are capped.”

In a world-class city that offers a myriad of culinary and entertainment What has kept some fans away is the challenge of getting to and from options, attending any sporting event is an option — not a priority. The games. Vancouver Canucks are not immune from the ongoing challenge to tap into cultural diversity, the millennial movement and those who think the The Canucks have partnered with ride-hailing company Lyft, and like left-wing lock is a home-security device. many of their frustrated fans, are awaiting for the official government operational switch to be flipped. Hard-core faithful will always flock to the affordable Level 300 — whether it’s a prime-time Saturday showdown or a mid-week matchup against a Transportation Minister Claire Trevena said this in a July statement. “Our bottom-feeder — and that throng will always drown out the corporate plan has made it possible for ride-hailing companies to apply to enter the crowd in the lower bowl or premium lounges. market this fall, with vehicles on the road later this year, while ensuring the safety of passengers and promoting accessibility options in the However, how do you touch all the fan demographics and fill Rogers industry.” Arena on a regular basis?

You make it an experience because the on-ice product hasn’t always been the main attraction. Four-straight years without a playoff berth Vancouver Province: LOADED: 10.14.2019 contributed to annual 10 per cent drop in season tickets, but now there’s a growing buzz.

A transitioning team that sports Calder Trophy winner Elias Pettersson, Calder Trophy finalist Brock Boeser and a possible Calder Trophy contender in Quinn Hughes, is going to quicken the pulse. Add better food and beverage options in the concourse, bars and lounges, enhanced lighting and multimedia presentations and the club’s 50th anniversary has some pop.

A 3-2 shootout win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday before 18,652 certainly helped, even if the old-school, grind-it-out clash wasn’t the best way to excite newer fans. But if the total experience checked the boxes — complete with unveiling new third alternate jerseys — it was a win-win scenario.

“It’s critical,” said Canucks’ chief operating officer Trent Carroll. “The fans are our bulls-eye all the time. You just put yourself in their shoes. To support the team from emotional and financial perspective, what does the return look like if the team is not performing at the level you hope? You have to make sure the value is there in other areas you can control.”

The Canucks understood how the constraints of Rogers Arena could work in their favour. New NHL arenas sport wide corridors, upscale food and beverage options and giant screens. It can make viewing the game as comfortable as a lower-bowl seat. In Vancouver, it was the same story on a smaller scale.

“We were starting to panic with people hanging out in the concourse and not racing back to their seats,” said Carroll. “The flip side was to make it a night out for the millennials, who are way more social. You create bars and lounges with bigger televisions so they can still hang out. You enhance it and don’t inhibit it.”

That brought about The Sports Bar high in one end of Rogers Arena — where fans can watch the game on TV or far below — and popular lounges for patrons willing to pay higher prices for premium lounges and loge-club services.

Another key component is fan interaction. The decision to officially announce Bo Horvat as the 14th captain in franchise history at the home opener last Wednesday was collaborative.

“The hockey ops and business sides are starting to work a lot together and that has changed since I’ve been in the business here, almost 10 years,” added Carroll, who joined the Canucks in 2010 was and promoted to his current position last November.

“We wanted to make the captaincy a fan opportunity to be there for the moment. The focus was on what’s right for them and not just us. We don’t do anything without researching the fans.” 1157038 Vancouver Canucks “I like that we found a way to win a hockey game. The first two periods were a bit of a chess match. I thought both teams were working hard and fighting for space on the ice.”

Canucks snap Flyers unbeaten streak with 3-2 shootout win The loss was Philadelphia’s first of the season and marked the Flyers’ second contest in North America after they opened the year in the Czech Republic as part of the NHL’s global series.

Staff Report The Canucks will wrap up a three-game home stand on Tuesday when they host the Red Wings. Philadelphia continues its western swing the THE CANADIAN PRESS same night, battling the Flames in Calgary. PUBLISHED OCTOBER 13, 2019

UPDATED OCTOBER 13, 2019 Globe And Mail LOADED: 10.14.2019

The left-winger beat Philadelphia Flyer netminder Carter Hart, getting it through his legs in the third round to secure Vancouver’s 3-2 home victory.

It wasn’t a shot Pearson had spent ample time planning out, however.

“I don’t have a go-to move. I ain’t (Canucks centre Elias Pettersson),” he said after the game. “I just try to find some net and shoot it there. So luckily that one went in.”

Philly netminder Carter Hart, who stopped 24 shots in the losing effort, said he read the shot “the whole way” but made a small and costly mistake.

“I felt like I had it but my stick was a little bit off the ice and it just grazed the bottom of my stick so I have to make sure I keep my stick on the ice,” said the 21-year-old native of Sherwood Park, Alta.

Pearson bested the young goalie in regulation, too, burying the puck midway through the second period to give Vancouver a 2-1 lead.

Brock Boeser also scored for the Canucks (2-2-0), notching his first goal of the season 5:01 into the game.

“I think it’s just a result of our line playing well, getting pucks deep, going east-west, getting pucks to the net and driving there. So we’ve just got to keep doing that,” the right-winger said.

Despite the score in regulation, Hart said most of his work on Saturday came in extra time.

“They came on in overtime so it’s important you make sure you stay into the game, whether that’s little things throughout the game or looking at which way a guy shoots, or who is on the ice, making sure you keep your mind ready,” the goalie said.

Philly (2-0-1) came out strong in the third, looking to add to Carsen Twarynski’s second period tally.

The Flyers had Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom under siege, out- shooting Vancouver 9-1 in the first five minutes of the game’s final frame.

The 29-year-old Swede stopped 29 of the 31 shots he faced on Saturday.

“They started slinging pucks to the net (in the third),” Pearson said. “That top line was just throwing everything there, trying to create something. We had to be on our toes but we know we could probably catch some sheen a bit, too.”

Oskar Lindblom finally put away Philly’s second goal of night with a power-play marker 14:58 into the third frame after Vancouver defenceman Jordie Benn was called for interference.

It was the first power-play goal the Canucks have given up this season.

“After the second we were a little frustrated with how we were playing and knew we could play better but there was no panic, we didn’t change our game, we kept the game plan and it was a big goal to tie it up,” said Flyers right-winger Claude Giroux.

The fact that Philly came out hard in the third is no surprise, said Canucks coach Travis Green.

“Teams push in this league when they’re down. And I think young teams, young players, that’s a learning experience when you have the lead and you’re getting pushed on and leaned on. We’ll learn from it,” he said. 1157039 Websites "It took me a little while to settle in," said Talbot, whose club finished its three game roadie through Dallas, Vegas and San Jose with just two points earned in a shootout against the Stars.

Sportsnet.ca / Facing stacked odds, Talbot's debut with Flames deserved "Obviously the first one going off a skate wasn’t the ideal start that I better fate wanted. To be honest, I would’ve preferred a few more shots to get into it. But those are the kind of games that you have to battle through and stay focused. Thought I did that throughout. Just needed to come up with one extra save and get a better bounce." Eric Francis | @EricFrancis Talbot signed as a free agent this summer to replace Mike Smith and October 14, 2019, 2:24 AM split roughly half the starts with David Rittich, and was originally slated to start Game 3 against L.A.

SAN JOSE – The odds couldn’t have been more stacked against Cam However, a shutout by Rittich his previous outing prolonged the Czech’s Talbot from the start. five-game run to open the season – a decision Talbot took no issue with.

Devoid of action since his final pre-season start 17 days earlier, the 32- Suffice it to say you’ll see plenty more of Talbot in the near future as the year-old netminder was summoned for his Flames debut in the most coach looks to balance the workload a little more, while also rewarding hostile of environs. the hot hand.

Playing in a notoriously tough building against a desperate Sharks club, Considered a major question heading into the Flames’ season, the the ask was that Talbot chip off the rust to backstop a bunch that had its Flames’ goaltending has been good enough for the team to be better work ethic questioned by the coach a night earlier in Vegas. than its 2-3-1 record.

Oh, and to ramp up the emotion of the hosts, it was Patrick Marleau 2.0 The team has yet to hit its stride, as was the case last year when the Night, as the 40-year-old legend had his homecoming in teal. Flames were a .500 club 10 games in before exploding for a 50-win, 107- point season to win the west. Gulp. The Flames host Philadelphia Tuesday and Detroit Thursday before Who, then, could have been surprised when the Sharks’ first shot on net returning to California next weekend. found its way to the very back of it?

It was a theme of Talbot’s a year ago in Edmonton where the Flames reclamation project often struggled early. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.14.2019

Fact is, this one wasn’t on him at all – the first goal or the game.

A fluky deflection off the toe of net-front Timo Meier three minutes in was followed by a rocket from a streaking Kevin Labanc at the faceoff dot that had the hosts up 2-0 by the ten-minute mark.

Neither could be pinned on Talbot whose club truly deserved a better fate on a night in which they out-shot Martin Jones and the Sharks 33-20.

Having allowed the first goal of the game for the fifth time in their six outings, the Flames spent the rest of the night chasing the game while Talbot did his part to keep it close with several huge stops, including a save on a Logan Couture breakaway.

"He was good – there’s no issue there," said coach Bill Peters of Talbot’s 17-save effort in a 3-1 loss.

"First one goes off a guy’s foot in the paint, no kicking motion. Second he didn’t have much of a chance. He made the saves he needed to make so that was good to see."

Peters said what was also good to see was the improved work ethic of his team, who some might go as far as to say deserved a better fate.

"It was 2-0, but I liked our start," said Peters, frustrated with his club’s showing one night earlier in Vegas, a 6-2 drubbing.

"I thought we had everybody emotionally and physically engaged."

Mikael Backlund, the Flames’ best skater with six shots, a breakaway and a drawn penalty, said the process was a good one even though the result wasn’t.

Talbot agreed.

"I thought that was our best game of the road trip," said Talbot, whose club got within one early in the second when Elias Lindholm redirected a T.J. Brodie point shot past Jones.

"We battled hard all night tonight and probably deserved a better result. Even though it’s not the result you wanted, sometimes you can build off little things that you do throughout a game that can become a positive trend for us moving forward. We have to take those, build off them, and move on.”

Shortly after Sean Monahan hit the post on a Flames powerplay that would have knotted the game, the Sharks inserted a dagger the Flames simply couldn’t extract from their hearts late in the second when Tomas Hertl converted a short-handed 2-on-1 with Couture that Talbot had little chance on. 1157040 Websites a Beauts teammate scores, No. 95 says she’s often “cellying harder” than the goal-scorer herself. In 33 career regular games with Buffalo, Accursi has cellied hard for 10 goals of her own.

Sportsnet.ca / “Am I a scab?": Kicking off the NWHL’s most controversial Accursi and the rest of the Beauts skaters are now crammed into one season zone, and everybody has a puck. On the whistle, they transition from wheeling around while stickhandling to passing with a partner while staying mostly still. Buie saucers a puck over to Sara Bustad, an NWHL rookie who plays both forward and defence. Bustad recently gave up her Gare Joyce job as the Tampa Bay Lighting’s coordinator of diversity development so she could play pro hockey, and she and another teammate just moved into an apartment in a former Buffalo firehouse, which she says is “so It’s Wednesday afternoon and Corinne Buie just finished her six-hour cool.” shift at Daily Planet Coffee Company, where the sign outside reads: “Do something nice for the planet, daily.” There are plenty of examples of that On the next whistle, the drill transitions, and players battle one-on-one. mantra inside this North Buffalo café, like uncooked fettuccini in lieu of Accursi wheels around while an assistant coach tries to get the puck off plastic stir sticks. Buie made an espresso for her last customer of the day her to no avail. It’s 9:40 p.m. Practice is 10 minutes old. minutes ago. She just clocked out, poured herself a fresh coffee and took Beauts head coach Pete Perram sounds off his whistle a third time and a seat on the café’s patio. “Check out my Beauts mug,” she says, players begin to cycle through the three-part warmup drill again. A former grinning as she rotates her cup to display the logo — a buffalo with a head coach of the Swiss women’s national team, Perram is wearing a crown floating over its head. “A fan actually made this for me.” Beauts track suit with “PETE” spelled out on the front in bright white About six hours from now, Buie (“Boo-ee,” she emphasizes) will head to embroidered letters. “They’re all women playing at a high level, but they the Northtown Center at Amherst for her other job with the National play like kids when they’re out there right now, don’t they?” he says, Women’s Hockey League’s , who practice tonight. She’s leaned up against the boards, revelling in his team’s love of the game. the team’s captain, and nobody has been on the roster longer than Buie’s “It’s a very passionate group, and the sacrifice that they endure to be part four seasons. She’s been working just as long at Daily Planet, where of this team? Total respect. R-E-S-P-E-C-T.” you’ll find a copy of the Beauts’ schedule taped up beside the cash Out here, you’ll find the NWHL’s first-ever Slovakian-born players, Lenka register. The 27-year-old Minnesotan works here in large part because Curmova and Iveta Klimasova. Both defenders are members of their she can tailor her hours to ensure hockey remains the focus. The sport is national team, and each put up more than 1,000 of their own Euros to fly the reason Buie moved to Buffalo, after all. from Slovakia to Buffalo for a free-agent camp in July. The women had On October 5, the NWHL dropped the puck on Season No. 5. Buie tears in their eyes when they found out they made the Beauts. recorded a goal and an assist in a 3–1 Beauts win over the Connecticut Curmova, 22, and Klimasova, 21, also now work as nannies for a local Whale in the opener. And with that, the most divided season in family, taking care of four kids, including seven-year-old twins. They’ve professional women’s hockey history is officially underway. never been nannies before, but they’re both older sisters. The family About 140 of the best players in the world have chosen to sit out this year provides them with “everything,” Klimasova says, including food and of pro hockey in North America — that means refusing to play in the housing. There’s a pool in the backyard and sometimes the two sit out NWHL, the only league on offer after the abrupt collapse of the Canadian there and watch deer eat grass. “It feels like home already,” Curmova Women’s Hockey League in March. Instead of playing this season, the says. richest and most famous women in the sport, led by stars like former “I’ll go to the end of the Earth to be a part of this.” Beauts goalie and fellow Olympic gold medallist and speedster , are part of a #ForTheGame Curmova is now passing back-and-forth with Marie-Jo Pelletier, who was movement backed by the great Billie Jean King, and they’ve come captain of the University of New Hampshire Wildcats the past three together to form the Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association seasons. Pelletier is from New Brunswick and she recently moved to a (PWHPA). The women are taking a stand they hope leads to a city she’d never heard of before (Thorold, Ont.) to live with a woman sustainable league that would pay enough to make the sport a career, so she’d never met before (teammate Kim Brown) so she could play for the players don’t have to also work in, say, a coffee shop to make ends Beauts and also work in Ontario (once she finds a job, that is). The meet. commute to practices and games takes Pelletier and Brown 45 minutes each way, and both players are looking into getting a Nexus pass to “Am I crossing the picket line?” speed up the border crossings — a tip from Accursi, who lives an hour That sounds like a dream come true to Buie. And, like a lot players, the and a half away in Ancaster, Ont. veteran forward had to think long and hard this off-season about her Perram kicks an errant puck back into the zone, then blows his whistle decision to continue playing in the league she’s been part of since Day 1. twice and orders up a fast lap with a resounding: “Go haaaaaard ladies!” It meant passing on the #ForTheGame movement chosen by many of her former teammates and current friends. It meant going against the The coach lives and works in downtown Toronto, and he makes the four- popular grain and playing in the league that Coyne Schofield and Hilary hour-and-change roundtrip about three days a week. Tonight’s practice Knight and other national team stars say doesn’t provide adequate ends at 11 p.m. “I’ll get home at 2 a.m.,” Perram says, just before he salaries or have a viable business model that’ll lead to a strong future. rounds up his team and explains the next drill. Ask him why he coaches “You think, ‘Oh, am I crossing the picket line?’” Buie says, forehead so far from home and his eyebrows shoot up. It’s been a dream to coach scrunched, hugging one knee on her chair. “Am I a scab?” professional women’s hockey, he says: “I’ll go to the end of the Earth to be a part of this.” The goal of every elite female hockey player is the same. But there are different views on the best way to get there. And the path chosen by The losses the NWHL suffered this off-season were nothing short of Buie, the Beauts and the more than 100 women who’ve chosen to play in major. The said goodbye to Olympic gold medallist the NWHL this season is to stick with the league that many of the world’s and three-time world champion, . The Minnesota best have decided just isn’t good enough. Whitecaps lost both of their leading scorers, including , the five-time world champion who paced all NWHL defenders in points last Conflict and an uncertain future may be the big themes in women’s season and scored the game-winner in the championship final. hockey these days, but there’s no sign of either on a Wednesday night in Connecticut bid adieu to Czech national team player Katerina Mrazova, Buffalo as players get ready to hit the ice for practice. About 20 Beauts who led the Whale in points as a rookie. , a three-time are waiting at the door of the Olympic-sized rink, chatting and laughing Olympian and veteran defender for Team USA, left the . with each other as the Zamboni finishes its last laps. As soon as it’s And Szabados, Canada’s top goalie and the No. 1 jersey-seller in the safe¬ — the moment the big double doors close, the Zamboni now gone, NWHL last season, parted ways with the Beauts. the shoveling done — the Beauts explode onto the ice. All these players — and plenty more — officially announced their After a few warmup laps, practice begins. Forward Taylor Accursi rips departure from the NWHL on May 2, the day the #ForTheGame around below the blue line, head up, puck on her stick. “Cursi,” as she’s movement launched. But while the league’s product suffers in the known to teammates, is the owner of silky mitts and a goal celebration absence of stars like Kessel and Coyne Schofield, the NWHL has played that features a dramatic sweep along with ice with her right glove. When on without its national team members before. Not a single Team USA Now that they’re here, the women who each broke onto their national player participated in the 2017–18 NWHL season, because they were all team at age 15 are doing big things for the game at home. Klimasova centralized ahead of the 2018 Olympics. and Curmova are among fewer than 600 female hockey players in the country of more than five million, according to Slovak Hockey — and Not all the stars fled. Of the 32 players who participated in the 2019 they’re easily the most famous in that group at the moment. Curmova NWHL All-Star Game, 10 remain, including the league’s all-time leading had more interview requests from back home than she could handle after scorer, Jillian Dempsey. She opened her season with two goals and a scoring in the opener. “Oh, we are all in television,” Klimasova says. three-point night for Boston. “Yeah, we are like superstars,” Curmova adds. “It’s really, really big for For Riveters captain and 2019 all-star Madison Packer, who trailed only our country and for Slovak women’s hockey. Because we show them it’s Kessel among her teammates in points last season, the decision to possible, because nobody think that it’s possible to play professional [in return was made easy by improvements the league has made of late. the U.S.] before. We didn’t think that it’s possible even. It’s going to be The regular-season schedule expanded from 16 to 24 games. Twitch huge step for the whole national team in Slovakia. We hope it pushes bought the rights to livestream every game for the next three seasons. national team, and we are going to get better and better.” And the NWHL now offers players a 50 per cent revenue split of league- Opportunity has opened up for a lot of players who wouldn’t otherwise level sponsorship and media deals. Packer made $15,000 in her rookie have made an NWHL team or simply didn’t take a shot before players season in 2015–16, one year before the NWHL slashed its salaries to elected to sit out. Meg Delay, the 22-year-old Beauts defender who also stay afloat. “I can say with full confidence that this year I will be making works as a server at Chuck’s Roadhouse back home in Fort Erie, Ont., the most money I ever have playing pro hockey,” she says. first tried out with the Beauts a few years ago but didn’t make the team. Packer, 28, signed for a base salary of $12,000 (the high-end salary in Delay won a with Markham in 2018, though she was a the league is around $15,000). In late September, the NWHL announced healthy scratch in the final. “This boycott went on and I thought, ‘Well, I that players had each earned an additional 28 per cent of their base think this is my chance to slip in the door,’” she says. “Here’s my shot, so salaries thanks to the revenue split, bringing Packer to $15,360. Any I took it.” other deals that come in will increase that number. “There’s real money The same is true for Beauts goaltender, Kelsey Neumann, who has her in the door, there’s real money waiting to come in the door, and it’s not dad’s catchphrase stenciled on her helmet: “Pull your head out of you’re just sitting in a bank account for the league,” Packer says. “It’s going a$$.” She got cut from the team last season because Buffalo had a pair back to the players.” of national team goalies. “For me it was like, ‘Hey, if I get a chance to “It’s a real incentive,” adds Pride defender, Kaleigh Fratkin, who won a 4 play, I’m not passing that up,” Neumann says ahead of practice, shortly Nations Cup with Team Canada back in 2015, the same year she after finishing up a lesson plan for her Grade 2 students. “I believe this became the first Canadian to sign in the NWHL. “It really puts more league is the starting block we need.” responsibility on the players to say, ‘Hey, we have opportunities to really For Curmova and Klimasova, the hope is the league is a starting block grow our sport.’ I think it’s an opportunity for us to be better brand for better things not only for the game in North America, but back home, ambassadors for our league and for our actual teams.” too. “We want to show little girls in Slovakia that everything is possible “The NWHL is proven progression of what we’ve been working on for and dreams can come true,” Klimasova says. “Of course you can be a over a decade.” pro in the best league.”

Fratkin’s team in Boston has the added benefit this season of being the Nearly a month after NWHL teams could begin re-signing players and league’s lone privately-owned franchise, bought up by a group of inking draft picks, the Beauts signed their first player of the 2019–20 investors this off-season who’ve promised to “treat us like pros,” Fratkin season. She is the only player in league history to play in every Isobel says. The team recently landed a new sponsor in Legal Sea Foods, and Cup Final. She is the winner of three pro hockey championships. the restaurant will be giving fans free chowder samples at home games Buie was first despite taking her time with the decision. She didn’t want to and launching foam lobsters into the crowd. Among the NWHL’s league- rush signing because, as the two-time champion puts it (she wide sponsors are Dunkin’ Donuts, its official ice cream sandwich is lost by a single goal the other two times), “I’m not the type to ruffle Chipwich and American Giant is outfitting all teams with track suits and feathers.” She originally tweeted out the #ForTheGame message the leisure wear. same day all the women involved did. It seemed like everyone was “Every time I go into the dressing room, they’re getting more free stuff,” heading in that direction, and: “Well, Billie Jean King, you know?” she says Beauts General Manager, Mandy Cronin. She played in and helped explains. Buie was ready to join any movement supported by the former found the now-defunct Canadian Women’s Hockey League, and tennis star who waged and won a legendary fight for equality. backstopped the Brampton Thunder to the league’s championship Most of the Beauts stars had already left. Gone were the league’s MVP Clarkson Cup in 2008. in Maddie Elia, defender of the year in Blake Bolden, and the players’ “I just look at what we have here,” Cronin says, midway through one of choice for player of the year, Hayley Scamurra. The Beauts owners, the two weekly Beauts practices. “The NWHL is proven progression of what Pegula family — the Bills and Sabres owners who’d provided the Beauts we’ve been working on for over a decade.” with more ice and gym time and per diem than any other team and had plastered their faces on billboards around Buffalo to promote the Beauts Pros across North America are divided over the best way to grow the like never before — had also cut ties with the NWHL. That meant the game. Buie, right, thought long and hard before returning to the NWHL. Beauts lost their home at the Pegula-owned Harborcenter, which hosted the league’s second-highest per-game attendance last year, an average It’s little more than four minutes into the first game of the season, and the of 1,101 fans. Beauts are on the power play in a so-far-scoreless game. Pelletier makes a pass over to Curmova on the right point, and the Slovak fires a wrist “Hopefully we’re all growing the game, because we’re all in the same shot through traffic. When Curmova sees that red lamp light, she throws boat.” up both arms while her teammates pile on with hugs. The Beauts needed a new coach and new management, too. In short, It’s 1–0 Beauts, and the rookie Slovakian has the first goal of the 2019– the only team to advance to every NWHL final in history was decimated. 20 campaign. But as weeks passed and some of those positions were filled and announcements were made, Buie started to second-guess her decision. Curmova never thought she’d play professional hockey in North America; And, after speaking with Cronin, newly installed as the team’s GM, she let alone feel like she belonged in a pro league on this continent; let changed her mind entirely. “It just started me thinking: ‘What am I alone score 4:20 into her debut. “Scoring this goal is probably the top thinking?’” Buie asks. “Why would I not play hockey? I live here to play moment of my life,” she says. But had players not sat out this year, hockey and I need to play hockey. I’m not going to just sit out for a year. Curmova and Klimasova, both alternate captains on the Slovakian team, This league has given us a lot, and it’s the only league that pays its never would’ve taken the chance to even try out. “We were so nervous to players. It hasn’t been perfect, but it still exists and it’s growing and it’s come here because we didn’t even dream about NWHL, it was not even here for us. Hopefully what [the PWHPA] is doing grows the game, too. our dream, because we thought that we can’t make this team, like ever Hopefully we’re all growing the game, because we’re all in the same — girls from Slovakia,” says Klimasova, who had an assist in her first boat.” NWHL game. “It was hard for us to think that we can be here. Skill level, and it’s far, and we are the first Slovakian girls in this league. This is why Though this Buffalo team looks almost nothing like it did last season, we didn’t think about this.” having lost the bulk of its stars, this isn’t the first time the Beauts have faced long odds — they won the franchise’s lone championship in 2016– 17 as a major underdog.

That win capped Buie’s first season in Buffalo. Sitting in her patio chair at the coffee shop, she stretches out her arms like she’s holding a stick and she handles an invisible puck as she replays the move she made to beat Boston goaltender Brittany Ott. Her goal stood up as the winner against a Pride team that included world and Olympic champions like Knight and Brianna Decker, a 3–2 upset. “We beat them, the stacked team,” Buie says. “For the Beauts, who nobody expected to win, for our team to come out and beat the team that was full of Olympians, it was shocking and it was thrilling to be a part of.”

Cronin is hopeful this Beauts team can come up with another shocking and thrilling and unexpected championship effort this season. It’s a driven group, with something to prove. “I think we’re all eager to show that we each belong here, and I think there’s also a little sense of, an NHL team gave us back,” the GM says. “There’s a little feeling of maybe they didn’t believe in us, and we want to prove to the community, to Buffalo, that we belong here.”

Accursi saw that point firsthand this off-season. The 24-year-old had planned not to return to the NWHL, figuring a year off could be spent focusing on her career off the ice. She recently applied to the OPP. Then, while she was working at a hockey clinic in Tampa Bay, a little girl wearing Accursi’s No. 95 skated right up to her.

“Are you No. 95 on the Beauts?” the girl asked. Accursi confirmed, yup, she was. The child’s dad explained the family were big Beauts fans.

“I’m like: No. Way!” Accursi says, slamming her hands on the table in front of her, while sitting in the top level of the Northtown Center before practice. “No way. In Tampa? Of all places?

“That was the moment for me, the defining moment of: I’m coming back. Ever since that moment — if we can have an impact on kids that are all the way in Florida? How is this not growing the game?”

Buie only wondered if she’d crossed that picket line, if she was a scab, for a moment. “You see these little girls watching our practices. People love us — they love the Beauts,” she says. “That’s helping the game.”

Curmova notched the first goal of the NWHL season, a highlight she calls "the top moment of my life"

It’s the final drill of the night and Klimasova just scored on a wristshot she wired from the point. Her Beauts teammates cheer and tap her shin pads with their sticks as she glides back into the lineup along the blue line, smiling.

When the clock hits 11 p.m., Pellam blows his whistle and gathers his players at centre ice. He talks about how excited he’s been about the team’s development over the past few weeks, and then the players and coaches all get together for a loud “Beauts!”

It’s 11:02 when Accursi beelines for the door, then runs in her skates on the rubber floor toward the dressing room. She’s hoping to be in bed by 12:30 a.m. It’s going to be competitive.

Buie, Bustad, Klimasova, Curmova and a few other locals stay on the ice after practice, skating around and firing pucks on net and chatting. It’s one of those rare nights when they don’t have to hurry off for the Zamboni. No group has the 11-12 hour booked.

Since she made the decision to play another season for the Beauts, Buie hasn’t once questioned it. She’s getting as much ice time as she can. “I want to play hockey,” the captain says. “And what’s wrong with that?”

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.14.2019 1157041 Websites smallest kid on the ice and other teams would take liberties with him and try to run him.”

With MacKinnon on the ice and MacLean behind the bench, Cole Sportsnet.ca / Coaching and protecting MacKinnon at 12: 'We had to Harbour beat the St. John’s Hitmen in the Atlantic Canada final. watch out for him' “We had a really strong team, a bunch of players who went on to play in (Major Junior Hockey) League and for university teams,” MacLean said, “but Nathan was clearly the most talented kid in the Gare Joyce | @garejoycenhl lineup.”

October 11, 2019, 3:14 PM He was also the one who left home the soonest. When MacKinnon enrolled at Shattuck-St. Mary’s in Minnesota, he wasn’t just following the

trail blazed by Crosby. That first principle of hockey development — If you wander into Cole Harbour Place on a weekend morning these always be looking for stiffer challenges — propelled him to leave home. days, you’ll see kindergarten-age boys and girls learning to skate, “Everyone understood that and no one begrudged Nathan (going to learning how to hold a stick, learning to love the game. Shattuck-St. Mary’s). He had to move on and play with better players, It’s easy to imagine the scene when Nathan MacKinnon was on this face better competition and, really, get more time on the ice and better same sheet of ice 20 years ago — playing in his first games, scoring his coaching. We’d done as much as we could for him here.” first goal — back when he was one of the smallest kids on the ice, A few years later, MacLean faced his own crossroads, and rather than skating in a kiddie league sponsored by a doughnut company. move up, he chose to move back. His wife, Crystal, is a teacher at Astral Of course, some things have changed dramatically over the years. By the Drive Junior High School — yup, Sidney Crosby’s alma mater before he time MacKinnon was playing peewee hockey as an under-ager, the tiny headed off to Shattuck — so it’s not so much of a surprise that Charlie community of Cole Harbour was on everyone’s radar because of another has gone from coaching to teaching on the ice. local boy — Sidney Crosby, maybe you’ve heard of him — who’d made “It was really enjoyable working with the bantams and midget teams, but I good. And these days, of course, MacKinnon’s arguably the most got to the point that I wanted to spend that time in the arena with my dynamic and powerful player in the NHL. In his spare time he does kids,” says MacLean, who currently works with players as young as his commercials for the same doughnut outfit. Even the arena itself has four-year-old daughter, Emilia. “And it was the right time to let someone received a fairly extensive renovation that shortened the hockey camp a else have the chance to work with the older players.” summer ago. Don’t mistake MacLean’s decision as any sort of fading from the scene. Some things around the local arenas are constants, though. One of them He’s currently working with the kindergarten-aged kids alongside his old is Charlie MacLean, a fixture on the hockey scene in Halifax — where assistant Dave Peters, and plans to move up the coaching ranks every Rogers Hometown Hockey makes a stop this weekend — since before season. he coached MacKinnon in bantam AAA. “With my daughter and kids her age, it’s a different type of coaching, but A twelve-year-old MacKinnon, second from the left behind the goalies, it’s a lot of fun,” says MacLean. “It’s teaching the game, the basics and celebrates his team’s bantam AAA provincial championship. (Courtesy of fundamentals, rather than doing anything with game strategies. You have Charlie MacLean) to strike a balance at any level — whether it’s bantam AAA or the very While Crosby’s greatest minor-hockey glories came down the road with youngest kids playing for the first time. You want kids to compete and the Dartmouth Subways, MacKinnon played all of his youth hockey in the have fun. Maybe with my daughter’s group, it’s learning to compete as arena closest to home. While MacLean will reserve judgement, many well, something that you’re not having to do with the older kids.” locals will make the case that MacKinnon and his bantam AAA And the scouting report on his young sons? teammates were the best to ever play out of the arena. MacLean was behind the bench with assistants Dave Peters and Jeff Porter for that “Rylan is six, so he’s a couple of years away from thinking about playing Cole Harbour team, which won both the provincial and Atlantic Canada anything like AAA, but my older son is eight, so we’re a season away championships. from when it gets more serious,” he says. “My older boy is a good skater and a pretty good little player, but he’s defensive-minded, so I imagine at MacKinnon didn’t rack up the same hard-to-fathom goal-scoring numbers some point as he moves up he’ll go to the blue line.” that Crosby had, but neither was he an unknown commodity coming up through the ranks. And it’s just coincidence that his eight-year-old’s name is Nathan.

“We knew about Nathan when he was in atom,” MacLean says. “I was coaching bantam and his team would be on the ice before we practiced. He was a small kid and pretty shy, but well-mannered and clearly Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.14.2019 talented. At that point, I thought there’d be a pretty good shot that I’d be coaching him someday.”

MacLean had a a shorter wait than he imagined.

“In his first year of peewee, he was 11, and he’d practise with the bantam AAAs, who were mostly 14 going on 15,” MacLean says. “You could see even then how competitive he was. He wanted every drill to be just right.”

In his second year of peewee, the MacKinnons applied for exceptional- player status to allow Nathan to play up with Cole Harbour’s bantam team in AAA play.

“Hockey Nova Scotia did a lot of homework on it and watched him in practice,” Maclean says. “They talked to his parents (Graham and Kathy). They talked to Nate. [Exceptional-player status] wasn’t anything that they just handed out, but he really deserved it.”

Celebrate Our Community. Celebrate Our Game.

Though turning out a superstar talent turned out to be a twice-in-a- lifetime proposition for the community, MacLean assumed he was only going to get a single shot with a prodigy and made the most of it.

“Getting to work with a player that talented, it’s a real treat as a coach,” MacLean says. “We had to watch out for him because he was still the 1157042 Websites And, of course, Friedge managed to unearth another nugget after ‘Headlines’ aired: The Ottawa Senators have decided to put off their search for a president of hockey operations for at least the rest of the season. Sportsnet.ca / Beyond Headlines: Crosby's Penguins in survival mode until Malkin returns The St. Louis Blues plan to have every returning member from their Stanley Cup team in tow when they get an audience with President Trump at the White House on Tuesday.

Chris Johnston | @reporterchris This comes after they became the first organization to bring their entire group to the Hockey Hall of Fame this week for the customary October 13, 2019, 1:24 PM championship ring donation ceremony. The Blues roll together.

They also carry more Canadians on the roster than any other NHL team. ‘Beyond Headlines’ is a deeper dive into some of the stories — and even The only American-born players who were part of their championship are some that weren’t — discussed each week on Hockey Night in Canada’s Zach Sanford and Pat Maroon, who has since moved on to Tampa. ‘Headlines’ segment. The Anaheim Ducks are off to a strong 4-1-0 start under Dallas Eakins You could have lost a lot of money over the years betting against Sidney and it sounds like the seeds of success were planted when the new head Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins. coach was hired this summer. But after seeing Evgeni Malkin knocked out for an unspecified, but not John Gibson, a perennial Vezina-quality goaltender, knew Eakins a little insignificant period of time with a lower-body soft-tissue injury, it’s hard bit from his days in AHL San Diego, but was blown away when the coach not to view this as one of the biggest challenges the Penguins have flew to his off-season home in Pittsburgh to break bread and take the faced in the Crosby/Malkin Era. temperature of the room. They are a remarkable 13-for-13 in playoff appearances with that “Gestures like that show he really cares,” said Gibson. generationally-great pair as teammates, but the salary cap exists as a force meant to drag against any run of sustained success like the one “I was excited. I’ve never had that before where somebody wants to Pittsburgh has enjoyed. come all the way to visit me just to kind of hear my thoughts, hear what I thought of the last year,” he added. “He just kind of picked my brain. I It doesn’t help that the Penguins were capped out to start the season and thought it was really nice that he came for dinner with me and my wife then saw Malkin, Alex Galchenyuk, Nick Bjugstad and Bryan Rust all and flew all the way there.” injured. Even though they bought some temporary relief by placing Malkin and Rust on long-term injured reserve, they have to be mindful It’s a more collaborative approach than Eakins took with his first NHL about taking on any financial commitments that will remain when those coaching job in Edmonton, where he felt he had to immediately change forwards are ready to be activated. the culture around a losing team.

From a roster management standpoint, this is survival mode. That’s by design. Live and learn.

Pittsburgh is carrying nine defencemen and has sometimes only had 10 We sat down with Gibson at the NHL/NHLPA Player Media Tour in early forwards to practice with. In Minnesota on Saturday night, three-quarters September and he predicted the Ducks would surprise this season. He of its forward group was comprised of players who have never previously pointed to the young forwards graduating with Eakins from San Diego recorded 30 points in a single NHL season: Jared McCann, Dominik and a clean slate as the biggest reasons for optimism. Simon, Zach Aston-Reese, Dominik Kahun, Teddy Blueger, Joseph Blandisi, Sam Lafferty and Adam Johnson. “I think we’re going to be all right,” said Gibson. “A lot of people think that maybe we’re in a rebuilding [process], but I think we’re going to be a Oh, and the Penguins won 7-4. team that goes out and competes.”

They’ve actually taken two of the three games since Malkin went down Jesse Puljujarvi and Julius Honka share a lot in common. with his injury on Oct. 5 and they’re asking a lot of Crosby in the process — playing him more than 22 minutes per night, and seeing him pick up Both Finns, both recent first-round draft picks, both unsigned by NHL three goals and five points this week. teams and both back home playing in the SM-liiga while waiting to be traded. Jim Rutherford is as aggressive as any general manager in the business, but there’s not likely to be a cure-all trade to be made here. The However, what’s best for one might not be best for the other. Penguins simply need to forge on until better health returns, do what they Puljujarvi is currently wearing the gold helmet as the leading scorer for can to stay above water until No. 71 is back in the lineup. Karpat. He is looking to rebuild his confidence after yo-yoing between I wouldn’t bet against them. Edmonton and Bakersfield the last three seasons and is prepared to spend the entire year in Finland before resuming the pursuit of an NHL But the challenge is real. career.

Senior Writer Ryan Dixon and NHL Editor Rory Boylen always give it In fact, you could probably argue it’s best for him. 110%, but never rely on clichés when it comes to podcasting. Instead, they use a mix of facts, fun and a varied group of hockey voices to cover Honka is a little older — soon to be 24 — and hopes the Dallas Stars find Canada’s most beloved game. a trade before the Dec. 1 deadline, when he needs to be signed to remain eligible to play NHL games this season. There is some built-in chaos when you’re doing live television on the busiest night of the NHL schedule. The puck-moving defenceman is currently playing alongside his brother, Anttoni, with JyP Jyvaskyla, but it’s likely more of a temporary solution to And so a touch of turbulence came for ‘Saturday Headlines’ this week. stay in game shape. His contract includes a clause that allows him to Elliotte Friedman was working a couple angles right up to the point we move to another European league even if something doesn’t open up for were on set and that kept our lineup of topics from being finalized until him in North America over the next few weeks. the camera’s red light was about to turn on. PHIL IN THE HALL? As the second period was ending in Detroit, Friedge apologized to Ron MacLean for the fluidity. Ron didn’t flinch: “No worries. I’ve been doing Bless David Amber. Coach’s Corner for 34 years.” The Hockey Night host keeps our conversation flowing on- and off- In other words: This is just how it’s supposed to be. camera every Saturday night, filling the 10th-floor bunker with a steady stream of topics to chew on. In the lull before the 7 p.m. games got going From the perspective of the least-tenured member of the segment — me this week, he seized on the occasion of Phil Kessel’s 1,000th NHL game — it was a cool moment amid the chaos. to ask:

Hockey Hall of Famer? Yay or nay? I’ll grant my colleagues confidentiality, but suffice to say there was a range of opinion in the room. So D.A. took the poll to the people and Kessel came away with a decisive victory across more than 18,000 votes on Twitter.

Tonight #Coyotes Phil Kessel will play in his 1000th game.

His resume:

*11 straight 20 goal seasons

*6x 30 goal seasons

*2x Stanley Cup

*Bill Masterton winner 2007

Is he a Hall of Famer?

My two cents: Kessel’s got a great shot, given the consistently high level of play, durability, and his major role in those two Stanley Cup victories in Pittsburgh. But it’s probably going to take a few more productive seasons in Arizona to seal the deal.

Fortunately, he’s got this year plus two more on his contract. And maybe more beyond it.

The legend of Victor Olofsson’s impending NHL breakthrough first started spreading through the summer skates at Fjallraven Center back home in Ornskoldsvik, Sweden.

It was after those shared sessions with the local Modo Hockey team where Victor Hedman predicted the Buffalo Sabres rookie could score as many as 30 goals this season — a number that, if realized, would place the former seventh-round draft pick squarely in the Calder Trophy conversation.

In Olofsson, the Tampa Bay Lighting star saw the right mix of ability and drive. He’s no unproven kid, either, at 24 years of age and coming off a 30-goal season with Rochester in the AHL and a 27-goal season with Frolunda in the more defensively-inclined Swedish Hockey League.

“He’s got a tremendous release. Just an unbelievable shot,” said Hedman. “Works hard. I’ve seen his dedication — he wants to be in the NHL, I can tell.”

Olofsson hasn’t wasted any time in making Hedman look prescient by scoring four goals in five games to start the season with the Sabres.

A couple days ago, he and 20-year-old defenceman Henri Jokiharju were told by general manager Jason Botterill to get an apartment in Buffalo. That’s a great conversation for any NHL rookie to have.

It means they’re not going anywhere.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.14.2019 1157043 Websites Hart was beaten in the shootout by Elias Pettersson and Pearson. "I don’t have a go-to move; I ain’t Petey," Pearson said. "I just come in

and try to find some net and shoot it there." Sportsnet.ca / New-look Canucks finding ways to win that last season's The Canucks scored 5:01 into the game and led for all but a minute of team didn't the next 50.

Brock Boeser, struggling after missing training camp and half of the pre- Iain MacIntyre | @imacSportsnet season, scored his first of the season to make it 1-0. It was a goal- scorer’s goal, Boeser chipping a tumbling rebound from Pettersson’s October 13, 2019, 2:11 AM deflection. J.T. Miller made the goal possible, motoring to recover a loose puck as Flyer defenceman Ivan Provorov yielded to the 220-pound

Canuck. VANCOUVER – No team in the National Hockey League lost more one- Philadelphia tied it briefly at 3:14 of the second period when Carsen goal games last season than the Vancouver Canucks. Twarynski, on a partial breakaway down left wing after a poor Canucks It’s a simple and sometimes delusional thing to revise history, but if the line change that followed a penalty kill, beat Markstrom short-side. Canucks, who were 17-14-11, won eight more one-goal games than they But two shifts and 1:13 later, Pearson deflected Chris Tanev’s low point lost instead of the other way around, they’d have been a playoff team. shot high into the net after Horvat won a faceoff. They’ve got a bunch of new players, and a new outlook this season. With Canuck Jordie Benn in the box on a questionable interference They’re bigger, more talented, more experienced. But are they going to penalty, the Flyers tied it 2-2 when Canucks penalty killer Brandon Sutter be any better? was bypassed at the blueline, creating an outnumbered rush that ended They kind of looked like last year’s Canucks in their season-opener when with Travis Konecny setting up Lindblom cross-ice. they blew a third-period lead in Edmonton and lost on Connor McDavid’s "Situations like that are going to happen, where teams tie the game up in late goal for the Oilers. Which is why Saturday’s 3-2 shootout win against the third period," Canucks defenceman Tyler Myers said. "I thought we the Philadelphia Flyers felt significant. stuck with it. It was a pretty tight game the whole game, to be honest. It’s Vancouver lost another third-period lead on Oskar Lindblom’s power-play one of those games you’re kind of used to seeing at the end of the year goal for Philadelphia with 5:02 remaining in regulation time. But that was with how tight it was." the only goal the Canucks surrendered while playing most of their final 20 The Canucks haven’t played a playoff game to end their year since 2015. minutes in their zone, getting out shot 14-6 by the Flyers, who must have angered the NHL schedule-maker to open their season in Prague – yes, the original one in the Czech Republic – and two games later be playing on the Pacific coast. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.14.2019

But the Canucks still managed to leave with a victory when Tanner Pearson, whose deft second-period deflection gave Vancouver a 2-1 lead that it held for 30 minutes, shimmied and shot through Flyer goalie Carter Hart’s pads.

Sure, shootouts are coin flips, more spectacle than meaningful barometer. But this was the kind of game the Canucks would have found a way to lose last season.

Instead, they evened their record at 2-2 after a 0-2 start and built some confidence among players still getting used to one another.

"You don’t want to do that too often, but it’s huge to get this win," veteran defenceman Chris Tanev said. "Hopefully, as the year goes on and we get more comfortable with each other, playing this new system which is a little more aggressive, hopefully we lock down those leads in the third period.

"There are going to be a lot of one-goal games. We’re not going to win 8- 2 very often. Most games will be 2-1, 3-2, 4-3 and you’ve got to find a way somehow to win these games. Tonight, obviously, was not the way we wanted to play with the lead. We sat back a little bit. But you learn from it and move on."

The Canucks beat the Los Angeles Kings 8-2 on Wednesday, riding the emotions of Bo Horvat’s coronation as captain.

The game against Philadelphia was starkly different. There was plenty of speed and back-and-forth flow, but not many high-quality scoring chances. Sustained pressure was rare as each team played quickly to exit its zone.

"After potting eight in one game and (you) kind of go another way the next, so you’ve got to be dialed in from the get-go," Pearson said. "We wish we would have played a little bit better there in the third. We kind of sat back a little bit. At the same time, to show that perseverance and not giving them too many Grade-A scoring chances, keeping them to the outside, I thought we did a lot better job of that than in Edmonton. And, obviously, Marky stood on his head tonight.

"Getting this extra point tonight after losing our first two games is huge. It’s nice to get back to .500."

Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom finished with 30 saves, which didn’t include the game-clincher in the shootout when he stacked his pads like Cesare Maniago to deny Kevin Hayes on the final shot. 1157044 Websites like a solid bet to remain in a top six role on the hockey club. Even more so, if he continues to score the way he has since arriving from Pittsburgh at last year's trade deadline. Plus, keep in mind that Bo Horvat with 0+1=1 through the first four games is bound to pick up his scoring pace TSN.CA / Five Takeaways: Canucks vs Flyers soon which should only help Pearson's productivity.

5) On December 10th last season, Chris Tanev sat with no goals and three assists. On Saturday night, the veteran blueliner set up both Jeff Paterson Vancouver goals. That followed his first goal of the season on Wednesday against LA. So he's two months ahead of his scoring pace from last season. Points aren't likely to flow for Tanev the way they have 1) On balance, the Vancouver Canucks weren't the better team through this week. But he's healthy, he looks confident in the early going this 65 minutes of play on Saturday night. But they got the better result in a 3- season playing alongside rookie Quinn Hughes and he's part of a 2 shootout win over the Philadelphia Flyers. While the Canucks never Canucks defense corps that has chipped in quite nicely through the first trailed, they were hanging on in the third period and were a Travis four games. Last season, the Canucks were among the lowest scoring Sanheim goal post away from a last minute loss in regulation time. But defenses in the NHL with 27+108=135 or 1.64 points per game. It's there will be nights over the course of an 82-game schedule when a team remarkably early this season -- probably too early to draw conclusions -- isn't at its best, but still has a chance to secure two points. It was but with Tanev's two points against the Flyers, the Canucks blueline has important that the Canucks found a way to grind out the result. They let a contributed 4+6=10 or 2.5 points per game. Again, it's awfully early, but 2-1 third period lead get away on opening night in Edmonton. They it's a step in the right direction to be sure. And it's a refreshing change to couldn't have that happen for a second time in four outings in the early be talking about Chris Tanev's point totals rather than the number of going this season. That may have inflicted psychological damage that games missed due to injury. would be difficult to undo. Teams play so many tight games in today's NHL that it's imperative to learn how to come out on top in these types of tests. Although outshot 14-6 in the third period, the Canucks bent but TSN.CA LOADED: 10.14.2019 ultimately did not break and that allowed them to collect the bonus point awarded in the shootout.

2) Overshadowed by a struggle to score in Alberta and the hoopla that accompanied Wednesday's home opener, Jacob Markstrom has been very solid in his first four outings. He allowed three goals in Edmonton on opening night and has held the past three opponents to just two goals apiece. When your team allows two in the NHL, you stand a very good chance of securing points. It won't always happen (see last Saturday in Calgary when the Canucks didn't score), but Markstrom was the first star on Saturday and he earned it with a couple of spectacular saves. This is a big year for Markstrom. He turns 30 in January. He wants to prove that the final four months of last season were not a mirage -- and it's a contract year. So there is plenty of motivation every time he steps on the ice. The big Swede has been a huge part of a Canucks penalty kill that is 11 for 12 on the season. He has likely benefited from a relaxed schedule that has seen the Canucks play Wednesday-Saturday-Wednesday- Saturday giving him plenty of rest between starts to work with Ian Clark and remain at the top of his game. The schedule picks up starting on Tuesday night against Detroit. It's likely Markstrom will get that start giving the team a chance to move above .500 for the first time this season.

3) Brock Boeser scored his first goal of the season potting a rebound behind Carter Hart five minutes into the hockey game. It was his first goal since signing his contract extension at the tail end of training camp. Due to the late signing and a concussion that curtailed his exhibition play, Boeser only skated in parts of two preseason games. He didn't find the back of the net in either of those and hadn't scored through the team's first three games on the schedule. It was nothing to worry about, but you can't score 30 -- or more -- without the first one and Boeser doesn't have to wonder any longer when that first one will come. He had looked dangerous at times. He had six shots on goal in Calgary last Saturday, but couldn't find the mark. He had a great third period chance on Wednesday but was unable to beat Jonathan Quick. Against the Flyers, Boeser had three shots on goal and a team high nine attempts. That's an encouraging sign. For whatever reason, he has feasted on Philadelphia scoring six career goals in just five meetings. He'll get a chance to add to those totals when the teams meet again next month at Wells Fargo Center. Now that he has his first, who knows how many goals Boeser will have by then.

4) Tanner Pearson continues to be a thoroughly professional goal scorer for the Vancouver Canucks. The veteran winger bagged his second goal of the season on a deft deflection to put the team up 2-1 early in the second period. He then looked supremely confident as the third Canuck shooter in the shootout waiting for Carter Hart to open up and slipping the puck between his pads. Pearson now has 11 goals in 23 games since coming over from Pittsburgh. Both his goals this season have come on deflections which speaks to Pearson's willingness and ability to get to the front of the net and score goals the Canucks feel they haven't scored enough of in recent years. Skating on a line with Bo Horvat and Josh Leivo -- and with a bump from some penalty killing duty -- Pearson played a season-high 19:30 on Saturday night and had four shots on goal. While struggles to find his form, Pearson seems 1157045 Websites

USA TODAY / Los Angeles Kings covering up Taylor Swift banner during home games

Steve Gardner, USA TODAY

Published 11:42 a.m. ET Oct. 13, 2019 | Updated 12:53 p.m. ET Oct. 13, 2019

Taylor Swift has nothing to do with the Los Angeles Kings' recent string of playoff failures. But Kings officials aren't taking any chances.

The 2012 and 2014 Stanley Cup champions haven't won a playoff series since their home arena, Staples Center, put up a banner in 2015 celebrating Swift's record number of sellout concerts there.

The NHL team covered up the banner for Saturday's home opener — which, coincidentally, was against the Nashville Predators.

“The connection to our fans is our highest priority and through our engagement they have made it clear that the banner shouldn’t be part of their Kings game experience,” Michael Altieri, senior vice president of marketing, communications and content for the Kings, told the Los Angeles Times.

L.A.'s two NBA teams who play at Staples Center have differing philosophies on the unfurled fabric. The Clippers cover Swift's banner, along with those of the Lakers and the WNBA's Sparks, for their home games. The Lakers don't cover anything.

Swift hasn't performed at Staples Center since her record-setting 16th sellout on Aug. 21, 2015.

USA TODAY LOADED: 10.14.2019