SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 1/6/2020 1169553 Ryan Getzlaf’s shootout winner gives Ducks victory over 1169587 Nathan MacKinnon is one- shy of NHL scoring lead. Predators But he’s got bigger goals for himself and the Avalanche 1169554 Ducks’ shortcomings are numerous and changing 1169588 Discarded and doubted, Valeri Nichushkin resurrects NHL constantly career with Avalanche 1169589 Rantanen’s hat-trick leads Avs over New Jersey 1169590 The Tape: Zadorov’s simplified defensive play 1169555 Shane Doan, not Paul Bissonnette, gets invite to play in WMPO Pro-Am Columbus Blue Jackets 1169556 Coyotes recall Ivan Prosvetov from Tucson 1169591 Columbus Blue Jackets’ returning players must buy in to Roadrunners recent emphasis on defense 1169557 Coyotes blow out Flyers, end homestand with 3-game win 1169592 Columbus Blue Jackets’ Cam Atkinson trying not to rush streak back from injury 1169558 Coyotes goalie Antti Raanta leaves with injury vs. Flyers, 1169593 Michael Arace | Blue Jackets points streak ends, and now doesn’t return team hits the road 1169559 Coyotes’ Barrett Hayton leaves game, injured in World Junior semi-final 1169560 Amid goaltending uncertainty, memory of ‘killer trip’ serves 1169594 Neil Graham is back to hockey as usual in his role as as motivation for Coyotes Texas Stars head coach 1169561 The Bruins’ perch atop Atlantic Division standings looks 1169595 Detroit Red Wings can't finish after taking early lead, lose precarious 4-2 to Blackhawks 1169562 Some Bruin odds and ends 1169596 Two Detroit Red Wings win gold with Canada in world 1169563 Slumping Bruins need outside scoring help to shake off junior hockey tournament extended skid 1169597 Red Wings play 'stupid hockey' to cough up lead in 4-2 drubbing by Blackhawks 1169598 Ex-GM Brian Burke rips Dylan Larkin for All-Star Game 1169564 A 'magical' season for Sabres greats Pat LaFontaine and comment Alexander Mogilny 1169599 Red Wings can’t maintain lead in loss to Blackhawks 1169565 Sabres prospect Dylan Cozens wins gold with Canada at 1169600 A 2-0 lead is not enough as Red Wings fall to Blackhawks world juniors 1169566 Rasmus Ristolainen wins hardest shot at Sabres' Skills Challenge 1169601 The Bakersfield Condors prospect that commands your attention? Evan Bouchard Flames 1169602 Oilers notebook: James Neal’s resurgence, Matt 1169567 Dillon Dube credits brother as Flames rally for shootout Benning’s injury and the Tyler Benson recall temptation victory in Minnesota 1169603 Lowetide: Oilers farmhands are pushing hard for NHL jobs 1169568 Father of Flames goalie David Rittich thrilled to witness milestone moment Florida Panthers 1169569 Flames goalie David Rittich’s bad habit bleeds into his 1169604 Florida Panthers shut down , create milestone game blueprint for success 1169605 Driedger locks down Penguins as Panthers get first win in Pittsburgh in almost six years 1169570 When it comes to giving up Grade A chances, Hurricanes 1169606 Then and Now: Looking back at bold predictions for the get an F Panthers at midseason 1169571 Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour disgusted with his team after loss to streaking Lightning 1169572 Canes are in good position at the season’s halfway point. 1169607 Kings to face resilient Blue Jackets after humbling loss to Can they stay there? Nashville 1169573 Hurricanes midseason superlatives: The MVP, unsung 1169608 WAKING UP WITH THE KINGS: JANUARY 5 hero, the Chris Hogan award and best dressed 1169609 Wild looking forward to three-day break before rematch 1169574 ’s 3rd-period and ’s 1st of with Flames his career lift Blackhawks to a 4-2 win over the lowl 1169610 Wild-Calgary game recap 1169575 Dylan Sikura knows he can be sent down at any moment. 1169611 Dube scores in 7th round of shootout, Flames beat Wild 5- That’s why he’s taking advantage of his opportunity with 4 1169576 Blackhawks avoid embarrassment by rallying to edge Red 1169612 Zach Parise still cleans up when doing the dirty work Wings 1169613 Wild works extras for second night in a row, but this time 1169577 Blackhawks AHL defenseman Philip Holm terminates loses to Calgary in shootout contract, will sign with European team 1169614 Wild finishing off back-to-back at home vs. Flames with 1169578 Chicago hosts Calgary after shootout win Alex Stalock in net 1169579 Blackhawks storm back to beat Red Wings 1169615 Wild fall 5-4 to Flames after seven-round shootout 1169580 Sikura, Blackhawks rally past lowly Red Wings 4-2 1169616 Wild’s checking line is GEEKed up and playing well 1169581 Corey Crawford shakes off rust to start homestand 1169617 ‘We needed two points’: Wild blow four leads and let a win 1169582 Dylan Sikura breathes sigh of relief, finally scores first slip away vs. Flames career NHL goal with Blackhawks 1169583 4 Takeaways: Blackhawks crawl back to beat Red Wings 1169584 Rebuild? Blackhawks not ready to tear it down like Red Wings just yet 1169585 Blackhawks 'need the points' ahead of 4-game homestand 1169586 Dylan Sikura took a long, trying path to his first NHL goal Canadiens 1169618 Canadiens Notebook: Will Ilya Kovalchuk make his Habs 1169648 The Maple Leafs and Oilers clash as their playoff hunts debut Monday? continue 1169619 Stu Cowan: Ilya Kovalchuk very happy to get No. 17 with 1169649 Coach Dave Tippett, directing traffic while Connor Canadiens McDavid takes the ice, 1169620 Jack Todd: It's time for the NHL to battle the Toronto War 1169650 Why Canadian passion for world junior hockey is at an Room's rancid calls all-time high 1169621 Shift chart: Breaking down Marco Scandella’s intriguing 1169651 The Swedish world junior team strikes the pose after Canadiens debut winning Sunday’s bronze-medal game against Finland. 1169652 Leafs - Oilers Game Day Nashville Predators 1169653 Pulling McDavid's welcome mat 1169622 Predators' Austin Watson, Ducks' Nicolas Deslauriers fight 3 seconds into game 1169623 Predators vs. Ducks: Game time, TV, streaming info 1169664 Willes' Musings: Signing Markstrom to a new deal should be Canucks' top priority 1169665 Canucks prospects tracker, WJC edition: Podkolzin settles 1169624 3 Observations from Devils’ loss to Avalanche | What for silver, Hoglander helps win bronze players said about controversial Avs goal and no-call 1169666 Ben Kuzma: Stick slams spotlight Miller's relentless 1169625 NJ Devils weigh in on 'dangerous play' after 5-2 loss to Canucks drive Avalanche 1169654 Golden Knights’ William Carrier shows surprising scoring 1169626 Barry Trotz struggling to find right combination to fix touch Islanders' scoring woes 1169655 Fourth line wills Golden Knights to historic comeback Ottawa Senators 1169627 Senators interact with fans during skills showcase 1169656 Capitals stun Sharks, 5-4, after scoring twice in final 1169628 Family man Borowiecki wants to know if he's staying or minute to force overtime going 1169657 Capitals pull off comeback win over Sharks 1169658 For Capitals, anything seems possible 1169659 An epic comeback, a confident Vrana and another clutch 1169629 Carter Hart’s strange season and, fair or not, why the Eller goal Flyers need him to quickly figure it out | Sam Carchidi 1169660 Capitals pull off remarkable comeback to stun Sharks in 1169630 Another injury-riddled season for Flyers prospect Wade overtime Allison 1169631 Flyers prospect WATCH: Wade Allison ‘always catching Websites up,’ in another injury riddled season 1169667 The Athletic / Top 2020 NHL draft prospect Tim Stützle 1169632 Q&A: Flyers prospect Adam Ginning on captaining leads Germany’s next generation with ‘superstar’ upside at the world juniors, his season and areas he 1169668 Sportsnet.ca / How a deportation taught Elias Pettersson must impr to take nothing for granted 1169669 Sportsnet.ca / Flames get away with chasing lead again in Pittsburgh Penguins improbable win over Wild 1169633 Empty Thoughts: Panthers 4, Penguins 1 1169670 Sportsnet.ca / Why Pierre Engvall deserves to stick with 1169634 Penguins prospect Calen Addison helps Canada win IIHF Maple Leafs World Junior Championship 1169671 Sportsnet.ca / Canucks mid-season report: Young group 1169635 Letang’s errors contribute to Penguins’ loss to Panthers continues to learn as they go 1169636 Penguins assign goaltender Emil Larmi to Wheeling 1169672 TSN.CA / Toronto Maple Leafs look to shut down Connor 1169637 Kris Letang sloppy, Tristan Jarry outplayed as Florida McDavid, Edmonton Oilers in second meeting Panthers take down Penguins, 4-1 1169673 TSN.CA / Canada storms back to beat Russia, win World 1169638 Dominik Kahun gets another look on Malkin line as Alex Junior Championship Galchenyuk tumbles down depth chart 1169674 TSN.CA / Barrett Hayton a game-time decision as Canada's 'resilient group' faces more adversity 1169639 Capitals 5, Sharks 4: Shocking ending dims otherwise solid road effort 1169661 Sorely missed Copp on cusp of return 1169640 Sharks collapse in final minute of third, lose to Caps in OT 1169662 Game Day: Jets at Canadiens 1169641 Eller's goal completes Capitals' stunning OT win over 1169663 Jets need lineup changes to stop rough ride Sharks SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1169642 Despite improvements, the Sharks are now finding historic ways to lose St Louis Blues 1169643 Perron lashes out at Reaves after ex-Blue roughs up Pietrangelo 1169644 Blues lose their poise — and a three-goal lead — in OT loss to Vegas 1169645 Blues get a point, but their losing streak lives on 1169646 Lightning top Carolina Hurricanes to extend win streak to seven games 1169647 How do Lightning decide goalie starts in back-to-back games? 1169553 Anaheim Ducks Nashville rallied to tie it 4-4 with goals from Smith and Orange County native Rocco Grimaldi in the opening 6:30 of the third period. The Ducks squandered a late power-play opportunity, after the Predators were Ryan Getzlaf’s shootout winner gives Ducks victory over Predators penalized for having too many men on the ice with 2:30 left in regulation.

Gibson denied Grimaldi on a breakaway in overtime and Kase was stopped on a close-range try. Getzlaf then settled matters in the shootout By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | PUBLISHED: January 5, 2020 at 10:14 pm | with a quick shot that glanced off the left arm of Nashville goalie Juuse UPDATED: January 5, 2020 at 11:54 PM Saros for the Ducks’ fourth win in five shootouts this season.

“I try not to have a plan,” Getzlaf said of his attempt, his 28th goal in 78 career shootout chances (36 percent). “That was a mistake I made as a ANAHEIM — There was something very different about the way the kid. I tried to go in with a plan of attack. If the play is not there, you’re Ducks started Sunday’s game against the Nashville Predators at Honda screwed, so I just try to take what I can get.” Center. Nicolas Deslauriers’ fight with the Predators’ Austin Watson right off the opening faceoff was only the beginning. Orange County Register: LOADED: 01.06.2020 The Ducks jumped on the Predators with both feet — figuratively, anyway — and although it took a while to get where they wanted to be by night’s end, their early dominance in almost all facets of the game propelled them to a 5-4 shootout victory that ended a three-game losing streak.

Ryan Getzlaf scored in the fifth round of the shootout to lift the Ducks, who led 1-0, trailed 2-1, led 4-2, were tied 4-4, and finally pulled it out in the skills contest. Ondrej Kase also scored for the Ducks in the shootout. Goalie John Gibson stopped all but Filip Forsberg’s shot in the first round.

In addition to his shootout winner, Getzlaf assisted on three of the Ducks’ four goals in regulation play. Adam Henrique scored twice for the Ducks and also had an assist. Daniel Sprong, the third member of the line, had a goal and an assist.

“We were shooting the puck first, asking questions later,” Henrique said of the Ducks’ season-high 47 shots, including 21 in the first period.

It served them well.

Unlike some recent games, there was no easing into this one for the Ducks. Deslauriers and Watson dropped their gloves and sticks and started to exchange punches only three seconds into the game. Deslauriers brought the crowd of 15,858 to its feet with a couple of heavy blows.

It set the tone for a determined, resilient showing from the Ducks, who had two days to rest and prepare for the Predators’ only Honda Center appearance of the season. The Predators played and won Saturday over the Kings at Staples Center, ending a three-game losing streak.

“’Des’ goes out, him and Watson, and I personally hold my breath during those things because those guys are so big and strong, but I really believe it set the tone for at least our team,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. “That’s one tough job to do. Once that got over with, I thought we were energized.

“We were on the puck. We weren’t backing off. We were throwing pucks into the red zone. Right there at the front of that net. Everything was coming through the front of their net. That’s something we’ve just got to continue and turn it into a nightly habit, not just a once in a while habit.”

Yet for all their standout play in the opening period and well into the second, the Ducks were deadlocked 1-1 by the end of the first and trailed 2-1 in the early minutes of the middle period. The Ducks outshot the Predators 21-4 in the first and then by 15-10 in the second.

Watson countered Henrique’s first-period goal by evening the score for Nashville late in the first. Craig Smith then gave the Predators a 2-1 lead with a power-play goal at 2:59 of the second, and all of a sudden, it seemed the Ducks were in trouble despite doing a great many things well.

It’s the story of their season in many ways.

The Ducks simply pushed back harder than before, though, and soon they had regained the lead and had their special teams to thank for a 4-2 lead heading into the third period. They scored three times in the second period, including twice on the power play.

Defenseman Cam Fowler tied the score 2-2 with an even-strength goal at 12:34 of the second. Sprong’s power-play goal put the Ducks ahead 3-2 at 14:52 and Henrique’s second of the game, also while on the man advantage, extended it to 4-2 at 17:22. 1169554 Anaheim Ducks

Ducks’ shortcomings are numerous and changing constantly

By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | PUBLISHED: January 5, 2020 at 3:15 pm | UPDATED: January 5, 2020 at 3:15 PM

ANAHEIM — What’s wrong with the Ducks? Why were they stuck in last place in the Pacific Division and the Western Conference at the opening of business around the NHL on Sunday? What has prevented them from improving their play and rising in the standings?

“It’s a moving target, is what I find,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. “I don’t know if it’s a whole game we’re backing up, but I think early on what cost us a number of points was our power play. Over the last 10 or 11 games, our power-play numbers are actually quite good.

“Then there was a stretch where our kill wasn’t great. Maybe it was costing us. Now they’ve done a damn good job the last 10 games. We’re always going to be a little bit handicapped to score, but now it’s our ability to shoot ourselves in the foot.

“Or maybe not be as nasty or hungry down in front of our net.”

In many regards, it’s been like plugging leaks in a faulty dam. For now, Eakins said he would like the Ducks’ five-on-five play to improve, but not at the expense of their power play or penalty kill. Overall, the Ducks have scored 105 goals, the second-fewest in the league.

Only the woeful Detroit Red Wings have fewer, with 90.

“OK, we’ve just got to fix that power play and that penalty kill,” Eakins said. “Great, got ’em fixed. OK, there’s another leak there. So, it is a moving target. I’m not sure that’s not unexpected, but it’s certainly not the standard here.

“The standard here is always going to be, ‘Hey, we’re doing our best to score goals. We’re doing our best to defend. We’re doing our best on the power play. The penalty kill. Our goaltending. Or whatever it is.’ The reality within any team is that it’s always going to be moving target.”

CRASHING THE NET

Right wing Kiefer Sherwood was encouraged from an early age to crash the net in search of rebounds and loose pucks that he might smack behind the opposing goaltender. It’s a fundamental that all young players are taught, as much a part of the game as passing to an open teammate.

Sherwood might have taken it a bit too far when he slammed his knee into the goal post while playing for the San Diego Gulls of the AHL earlier this season. He was sidelined for six weeks, returning only recently to play four games with the Gulls before the Ducks recalled him Saturday.

“It is what it is,” Sherwood said of an injury that limited him to 18 games with the Gulls. “It happened. I’m just focused on getting my knee back and trying to control what I can. It’s a part of sports. I ran into the post. I feel better every game. It’s more of a mindset now.”

WORLD JUNIORS PERSPECTIVE

Canada’s victory over Russia in the world juniors gold medal game was a source of great national pride, of course. But what did it mean in terms of the bigger picture for players with hopes and aspirations of playing key roles in the NHL some day?

“Just to be the go-to guy in a tournament like that, being the captain, and learning from all those things … it was a huge thing,” said Ducks left wing Max Comtois, who played in the past two world juniors for Canada. “It was a great experience.”

Orange County Register: LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169555 Arizona Coyotes

Shane Doan, not Paul Bissonnette, gets invite to play in WMPO Pro-Am

BY TYLER DRAKE | JANUARY 5, 2020 AT 11:14 AM

UPDATED: JANUARY 5, 2020 AT 3:56 PM

Always a groomsman and never the groom.

That’s probably how former Arizona Coyote Paul Bissonnette feels after his latest snub.

With the dream of being the first hockey player to ever play in the Waste Management Phoenix Open Celebrity Pro-Am, Biz got up bright and early to head to TPC Scottsdale for an important announcement.

Meeting with 2020 Waste Management Phoenix Open Tournament Chairman Tim Woods on the legendary No. 16, Bissonnette eagerly waited to hear his name called as the latest member of the Pro-Am.

“I’ve never seen it so quiet here, normally it’s chaos, people getting wasted, having a blast and just a whole bunch of fun,” Bissonnette said standing on the tee box of the empty Par-3. “I’m very excited for the announcement today.”

Technically his name is on the list, just not the way he drew it up in his head.

Instead of getting the nod, he got the white caddy jacket with the name, “S. Doan” on the back.

That’s right, Shane Doan, not Bissonnette, was asked to swing the sticks, leaving a bewildered and devastated Biz.

“I was under the understanding that I as going to get asked to play,” Bissonnette said. “They told me you we’re going to ask me to play in the tournament, and now I’m getting asked to caddy for Shane Doan.

“Just like always, Shane Doan gets everything … I get the short end of the stick.”

Clearly distraught at the offer to caddy, Bissonnette took some time for solo reflection, walking the empty stands of the 16th hole and living with heartache.

“I wake up early this morning, all happy, think I’m getting the invite — they never even had a hockey player at this Pro-Am before — and he hits me with the Shane-Doan-Caddy bomb? What am I some pigeon?

“I used to be the jester in the locker room and now they want me to do it once my career is over? Such a joke, no respect around here.”

Arizona Sports LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169556 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes recall goaltender Ivan Prosvetov from

BY ARIZONA SPORTS

JANUARY 5, 2020 AT 10:22 AM

The Arizona Coyotes made a roster move Sunday morning.

Arizona announced the team has recalled goaltender Ivan Prosvetov from AHL-affiliate Tucson Roadrunners.

The move comes following an injury to netminder Antti Raanta. Raanta sustained a lower-body injury in Saturday’s 6-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers and did not return to the ice.

This season with the Roadrunners, Prosvetov, 20, has an 11-3-0 record, posting a .931 save percentage. He’s also compiled 15 shutouts with Tucson. The rookie ranks third in save percentage and has the eighth- most wins among AHL netminders.

In the , Prosvetov posted a 36-11-1 record, earning four shutouts in 53 games with Saginaw. He was third in both shutouts and wins among the league’s goaltedners and was named to the OHL Third All-Star team.

Prosvetov was selected by the Coyotes in the fourth round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169557 Arizona Coyotes Tocchet didn’t call the move precautionary, and said Raanta prompted the goalie change.

“Raants kind of pulled himself because he didn’t feel comfortable about Coyotes blow out Flyers, end homestand with 3-game win streak something,” Tocchet said. “I just got the same information during the second intermission.”

If both Raanta and Kuemper miss time simultaneously, the next goalie on BY MATT LAYMAN | JANUARY 4, 2020 AT 10:09 PM the Coyotes’ depth chart would seem to be Tucson Roadrunners (AHL) netminder Ivan Prosvetov. Tucson Star reporter Brett Fera reported that UPDATED: JANUARY 4, 2020 AT 11:03 PM Prosvetov, who was playing on Saturday night, was pulled from that game — likely for if he’s needed with the NHL club on Sunday.

GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Arizona Coyotes’ 6-2 win over the Philadelphia In relief, Hill allowed goals to Tyler Pitlick and Justin Braun. He faced 12 Flyers on Saturday night was the continuation of fixing an issue that shots, stopping 10. maybe hit a low point on Sunday. LOOSE PUCKS When the Coyotes started this four-game homestand, they had lost three — Coyotes forward Barrett Hayton, who is on loan to Team Canada for of the last four home games and had one of the league’s worst home the World Junior Championship and is serving as Canada’s captain, went records. Then, they hosted the Dallas Stars and lost, despite taking a 2-0 hard into the end boards on Saturday and left with what appeared to be lead into intermission in that game. They’ve since won three home an arm or similar injury. TSN’s Frank Seravalli reported that the outlook games in a row — snapping a three-game overall losing streak, no less. on Hayton was “not positive” and he was a “long shot” to play in the “Listen, you’ve got to win at home if you want to be successful,” head World Juniors gold medal game. coach Rick Tocchet said. “We knew that. We’ve been a little sluggish. I — Coyotes forward prospect Jan Jenik, who was also injured in the think being at home for a little bit has helped us — usually we’re at home World Junior Championship with the Czech Republic team this week, for a little bit and then we’ve got to get out of here. was seen on crutches on Saturday. The Athletic’s Craig Morgan reported “The one thing I’m proud of this team, we don’t have the long losing that Jenik was meeting with the Coyotes’ medical staff. streaks, which is nice. We’ve bounced back after some losses, and this Arizona Sports LOADED: 01.06.2020 homestand is a tribute to that.”

Arizona got three first-period goals and tacked on another with just 0.3 seconds left in the second period to take a whopping 4-0 lead into second intermission. The Coyotes scored at even strength again in the third and tacked on the empty-netter to make it six tallies on just 22 shots on goal.

The offensive onslaught prompted the Flyers to remove goalie Carter Hart in the first period. played the rest of the game as Philadelphia outshot Arizona 29-22.

Brad Richardson, Jordan Oesterle, (2), Lawson Crouse and Derek Stepan were the goal-scorers for the Coyotes. Keller now has 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in his last 17 games.

“I’m having fun. I’m shooting the puck and moving my feet,” Keller said. “When I do that, I’m a dangerous player. Moving my feet is the biggest thing. I think I can be successful whenever I do that. I think that’s one thing.

“And our line’s had a lot of chemistry. I think with Carl [Soderberg] and [] I think we all can help each other a little bit. It’s so fun to play with those guys. We want to keep that up and be the difference every single night.”

Keller now has 12 goals this season, tied with Soderberg for the second- most on the team behind Conor Garland’s 14.

Schmaltz assisted on one of Keller’s two goals, as well as Oesterle’s goal. His two-point night brought him up to 15 points (two goals, 13 assists) in his last 13 games.

“He’s such a smart player and he can shoot the puck, too,” Keller said of Schmaltz. “He’s so fun to play with and he’s always looking for me, and I’m looking for him as well. It’s fun to play with him, like I said, and we just want to keep it going.”

The Coyotes now have to go to the East Coast, visiting the Florida Panthers (Tuesday), Tampa Bay Lightning (Thursday) and the Carolina Panthers (Friday).

“We’re going over to the other conference now and these are free points for us,” Crouse said. “We’ve got to go over there and take as many as we can and hopefully climb the leaderboard here.”

ANTTI RAANTA

Coyotes goalie Antti Raanta had a shutout going through two periods but didn’t come back out for the third. Backup Adin Hill, who has been with the team since Darcy Kuemper got hurt, played the entire third period.

“He had a little bit of an issue, a lower-body,” Tocchet said. “So we’ll talk to the doctors here after I get through with you guys.” 1169558 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes goalie Antti Raanta leaves with injury vs. Flyers, doesn’t return

BY MATT LAYMAN | JANUARY 4, 2020 AT 8:29 PM

UPDATED: JANUARY 4, 2020 AT 11:02 PM

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Arizona Coyotes goaltender Antti Raanta did not finish Saturday night’s 6-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers, despite having a shutout going.

The team later announced that Raanta sustained a lower-body injury and would not return to the game.

“It’s basically Raants kind of pulled himself because he didn’t feel comfortable about something,” head coach Rick Tocchet said when asked if pulling Raanta was precautionary.

The Coyotes took a 4-0 lead into the second intermission as Raanta had made 17 saves up to that point. When the Coyotes skated out for the third period, backup Adin Hill went to the crease to take over the goaltending duties. Hill has been the backup while Darcy Kuemper is sidelined with a lower-body injury.

In relief, Hill allowed goals to Tyler Pitlick and Justin Braun. He faced 12 shots, stopping 10.

Raanta was originally acquired by the Coyotes to be a No. 1 goaltender but has missed periods of time with injury on multiple occasions. He played 47 games his first year in Arizona and only 12 last year.

This year, Raanta has played 20 games (19 starts) and brought a .918 save percentage into Saturday night’s game.

If Raanta misses any time, it would seem the next goaltender on the Coyotes’ depth chart would be Ivan Prosvetov, though Prosvetov is only 19 years old and has never played an NHL game. He made his pro debut this year and has only 19 games between the AHL and ECHL.

Tucson Star reporter Brett Fera reported that Prosvetov, who was playing for the Roadrunners on Saturday night, was pulled from that game — likely for if he’s needed with the NHL club on Sunday.

The Coyotes’ next game is on Tuesday at the Florida Panthers.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169559 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes’ Barrett Hayton leaves game, injured in World Junior semi-final

BY TOM KUEBEL | JANUARY 4, 2020 AT 2:51 PM

UPDATED: JANUARY 4, 2020 AT 4:10 PM

Arizona Coyotes rookie Barrett Hayton left the semi-final game of the IIHF World Junior Championship with an injury after crashing into the boards against Finland.

Hayton, the captain of Canada’s national junior team, was playing on loan from the Coyotes. The hit took place in the third period with Canada holding a 5-0 lead.

 Canada’s leading goal scorer Barrett Hayton heads to the dressing room after this play.  pic.twitter.com/xTamCxdvP7

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 4, 2020

Following the hit, which came from Finland captain Lassi Thomson, Hayton skated off the ice favoring his left arm.

Hayton’s linemate Alexis Lafreniere, who is projected as one of the top picks in the upcoming 2020 NHL Draft, scored two goals for Canada in the game while Hayton tallied two assists. Canada was up 3-0 just four minutes into the game, the final score was 5-0.

It has been a busy tournament for Hayton who leads Canada in goals scored and is tied for the overall lead with 11 points in the tournament. He also issued a written apology to the Russian team for leaving his helmet on during the Russian National Anthem, following Canada’s 6-0 defeat to Russia on Dec. 28.

“I’m sorry for leaving my helmet on for the Russian anthem following today’s game and I apologize to the Russian team and its fans,” Hayton’s statement read.

The Russian players refused to shake Hayton’s hand in the post-game handshake line.

“The Russians played a great game tonight and my actions were not intended to be disrespectful. My mistake should not detract from their win. I owe it to my team and all Canadians to be better,” Hayton said in the statement.

Canada and Russia are scheduled to meet in the Gold Medal final on Sunday. Hayton’s availability for the game has not been determined.

Hayton has appeared in 14 games for the Coyotes this season scoring one goal, three assists and logging a +1 with 12 penalty minutes.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169560 Arizona Coyotes easier for him going on the road if he knows he’s getting the start. It’s a good opportunity for him and he’ll be ready.”

Defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson is also on this trip, but Tocchet said it is Amid goaltending uncertainty, memory of ‘killer trip’ serves as motivation doubtful he plays on this trip. for Coyotes “He’s doing really, really well but he’s got to practice with us for a while before I even think about putting him in the lineup,” Tocchet said. “Nik’s a veteran guy. He knows when he’s ready. I try to stay out of it with the By Craig Morgan 3h ago veterans because they know, and obviously, the doctors have got to clear him.”

As the All-Star break looms, the Coyotes are close to returning to full FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. — When the Coyotes departed for Florida on health, and that’s a big plus because the Pacific Division has become a March 17, 2019, they held the Western Conference’s final wild-card spot five-team dogfight. Seven points separate first place (Vegas) from fifth with 10 games to play in the season. By the time they returned home place (Calgary), and the Flames have two games in hand on the Golden from that ill-fated, four-game trip, they had slipped to 10th place. Arizona Knights. The Coyotes have won three straight games, the third-place lost at Tampa, 4-1, at Florida, 4-2, and then went 0-1-1 in two games in Vancouver Canucks have won seven straight, and Edmonton has the New York metro area to fall out of playoff position for good. The stabilized after a cold spell. Coyotes managed just four goals combined in those four games. “Vancouver keeps winning, Vegas keeps winning, Edmonton has won There are more games to play this season, and the Coyotes’ playoff two or three in a row (two) and Calgary’s got a great team,” Tocchet said. position isn’t quite so precarious as it was last season, but that lost “We have to keep pace. We can’t get into those long losing streaks. opportunity was on their minds as the team arrived in south Florida on We’ve got to play consistent hockey.” Sunday. The Athletic LOADED: 01.06.2020 “That ended up killing our season,” forward Lawson Crouse said. “I’m sure we’ll all have that long-term memory. We’ve got to bounce back from that. We’re going in there against three really good teams that are neck-and-neck in the standings so we’ve got to be ready to go right from puck drop.”

Before Sunday’s games, Florida had won six of its past nine games to pull within two points of Philadelphia for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference. Tampa Bay had won six straight games to climb into third place in the Atlantic Division and Carolina, the third team on this trip, was in the first wild-card spot.

Tuesday’s opponent, Florida, has won five straight games against the Coyotes at BB&T Center in Sunrise. The last time the Coyotes won here was March 11, 2014 (3-1).

“This is a killer trip,” coach Rick Tocchet said. “Any of those three teams could be in the Final. They have a lot of talent, so to me, it’s business trip. When we went to Florida last year, it cost us the playoffs. We didn’t have a good trip in Florida. I heard some players saying this is going to be a little payback, this road trip, which is nice to hear.”

Adding to the Coyotes’ challenge is the uncertainty in goal. Antti Raanta left Saturday’s win against the Flyers after the second period with a lower-body injury and Darcy Kuemper is still out with a lower-body injury. When the team departed for Ft. Lauderdale, both of those goalies, along with Adin Hill and Ivan Prosvetov were on the plane.

Kuemper is not ready to return, although he took some shots in Saturday’s morning skate before leaving the ice after his own workout with goalie coach Corey Schwab and skill development and special projects coach Jeff Ulmer. Everything hinges on Raanta’s availability. If he can go on Tuesday against the Panthers, Hill will be the backup. Even if Raanta starts and emerges from that game feeling fine, Hill could still get one of the two starts in back-to-back games against the Lightning and Hurricanes on Thursday and Friday.

“I talked to Rants after the (Flyers) game and he said, ‘It’s not that bad.’ He had a smile on his face,” Tocchet said. “We’ll know (Monday) at practice if he’s good to go. If not, Hilly will have to take over like he did last year in a crucial part of the season when he won four games in a row for us.”

Raanta has stopped 180 of 195 shots (.923 save percentage) in his seven starts since Kuemper suffered his injury against the Minnesota Wild on Dec. 19. If he can play, all returns to normal and the Coyotes will feel good about their immediate future in goal with Kuemper progressing well. If Hill has to start, the mindset will change. Hill allowed two goals in one period of relief action against the Flyers.

“We realize when a goalie goes down and we bring Hiller in, we’ve got to tighten it up a little bit,” Crouse said. “He sat and watched for two full periods so that’s a tough position for him to go in cold.”

Crouse knows Hill well from their playing days in Tucson.

“Hiller and I have actually talked about this a lot,” Crouse said. “This is an opportunity for him and you’ve got to make the most of it. It might be 1169561 Boston Bruins It’s offense now that most concerns the Bruins. By the end of Saturday’s loss to Edmonton, Cassidy was turning over his lines faster than a Denny’s short-order cook. All of it to little pleasure of TD Garden diners.

The Bruins’ perch atop Atlantic Division standings looks precarious The churn included a brief look of Charlie Coyle, the all-purpose forward (just plug him in anywhere in the top nine), riding as No. 1 right wing with Brad Marchand and . In the world of short-order cuisine, that one hit the floor before it made its way to the table. By Kevin Paul Dupont Globe Staff,January 5, 2020, 7:12 p.m. “I think our mind-set is good,” said Cassidy, who has had a particularly

long fuse with some of his underperforming bunch of forwards over the OK, so we see now that it’s going to get interesting, perhaps even a bit last five weeks. “I think at the end of the day we’ve just got to kind of pull dicey, for the Bruins here in the second half. ourselves out of it. We’re the group that’s got us this far, had some success, we’re the group that’s got to get back to basics.” Their offense has hit a snag. Which includes goaltending. And stout defense. All of which should sort Toronto and Tampa are sizzling and on the chase. out.

The Providence pipeline, deemed by many to be bursting with prospects As for an offense that lives or dies far too much around the likes of who can push the varsity for jobs on offense and defense, looks like it’s Marchand, Bergeron and David Pastrnak (owner of the two Boston goals clogged with a lot of, you know, AHL guys. Odd that, huh? scored in the last two games), that remains a nagging question.

The standings on Sunday morning, following their matinee idle 4-1 loss to Cassidy needs to get far more compete and finish from the so-called next the Oilers on home ice Saturday, had the Bruins (59 points) still pegged wave of scorers, particularly the likes of Danton Heinen, Jake DeBrusk at No. 1 in the Atlantic Division, their lead now winnowed to six points and Anders Bjork. Through Saturday, their combined production for 109 over the Leafs and nine ahead of the Bolts. games this season stood at 23 goals and 46 points.

But look a little closer, folks. The Bruins and Leafs were tied in wins (24) Let’s remember here that Heinen alone collected 16 goals and 47 points and the Bolts, seemingly woke now some nine months after getting in his 2017-18 rookie season, the same year DeBrusk posted 40 points in bushwhacked by the Blue Jackets in the opening round of the playoffs, 70 games. Those two in particular are not adding to their numbers or had 23. their compete. Bjork is harder to quantify and compare year over year, because his last two seasons were truncated by injury/surgery. So, all that funny math aside, it’s tighter than maybe even the Bruins want to say. As of Jan. 5, it was their league-high trove of 11 loser points Overall, all three are falling short of their promise as the next generation that had them still believing, or at least professiing, they’re the team to of offense. They play polite, smart games, and that’s fine and dandy for, beat in the Atlantic. say, an All-Star Game or skills contest, or when the Bruins face some of the league’s bottom feeders That win column alone shouts a different story. They’re young. They’re skilled. But they are far too quiet, be it because Ever since improving to a season-best 20-3-5 with a 2-0 win over the everyone through the order has become too accustomed to Bergeron’s Hurricanes on Dec. 3, the Bruins have been chasing their own lead, line carrying the day, or because they’re too complacent or lacking the winning but four of their last 15 games (4-5-6, .467) and unable to edge and snarl it takes to compete for pucks and shots. generate more than two goals in eight of those outings. Their record in those eight: 0-5-3. Which is precisely what happens in a 3-2 league. If they can’t do it, or won’t do it, then it’s either find a fix [Jack Studnicka? Karson Kuhlman?) in Providence or have GM Don Sweeney chase it one By the way, the Bruins were not shut out in any of those eight. So, had more time before the Feb. 24 trade deadline. their goaltending and team defense been excellent, 0-5-3 might have looked more like, say, 3-2-3 or maybe 4-1-2. But they were outscored by What we know today is that waiting on one line won’t cut it. It’s time for nearly double (25-13) in those losses, and it was even a touch more some of these kids to step up. Or step aside for someone else. lopsided (27-13) if factoring in the two winning goals surrendered in shootout losses to the Islanders and Devils. Boston Globe LOADED: 01.06.2020

Meanwhile, how about them Leafs and Lightning?

The Leafs were a Nowheresville 9-10-4 when they finally ditched Mike Babcock in November and have since gone an astounding 15-4-1 (.775) run since promoting Sheldon Keefe as bench boss.

Since Sheldon Keefe took over as head coach in Toronto, the Leafs have won 15 of 20 games.

Similar to when Bruce Cassidy took over here for Claude Julien in February 2017, the Leafs have struck some gold by pushing the puck, taking some risk, and having the courage to weather the on-ice mistakes that are inevitable with a new approach that accentuates offense. Outcome: they’ve outscored the opposition, 82-54, in Keefe’s 20 games.

Yep, they’re dusting off that tattered 1967 parade route map in Toronto. We’ve seen how that’s gone for them in the past, but these Leafs seem different, a bit relaxed if not liberated.

The Bruins play them once more here on March 14. Before their inevitable first-round matchup in April, of course.

In Tampa, the Lightning needed two months to shake off their Blue Jacket wounds and stood a feckless 11-10-3 through November. Headed into Sunday’s late matinee against the Hurricanes, they were 12-3-1 (.781) in their 16 games since the start of December, looking far more like the club that last season rolled up 62 wins, finished with a .780 points percentage and ran off with the President’s Trophy.

The Bruins play in Tampa March 3 and the Lightning visit here on March 7. One week later it’s the Leafs. If the results of the most recent four or five weeks serve as prologue, the power rankings in the Atlantic could look vastly different by mid-March. 1169562 Boston Bruins Wagner is getting closer to the standard it set last year. Thanks to injury to Nordstrom earlier in the year and the pillaging of the line to supplement other under-performing lines, the group had a hard time getting any momentum going. But it was the one line Cassidy kept Some Bruin odds and ends together in the third and, though it got nicked for a Connor McDavid goal, it skated pretty well.

• If they needed any more motivation to break out of their skid, the B’s will By STEVE CONROY | January 5, 2020 at 5:27 PM be bringing their mothers along for the Nashville trip on Monday for Tuesday’s game for their semi-regular parent trip. Nashville is apparently a good draw. The B’s brought their fathers to Music City a couple of The Bruins enjoyed their CBA-mandated day off on Sunday and, with an years ago on a two-city trip that started in Philadelphia. On that trip, the illness working it’s way through the room and coach’s office, it was B’s beat the Flyers but then dropped the second one to the Predators. probably well-timed. Nashville can take a toll on the body, I hear.

But when they arrive at Warrior Arena on Monday morning, they’ve got a Boston Herald LOADED: 01.06.2020 lot of work in front of them. They are in the midst of an honest-to- goodness slump, having won just four games in the past 15 (4-5-6). On Tuesday, they begin a run of four road games in five contests beginning in Nashville on Tuesday and then featuring a three-games-in-four-nights run in Brooklyn, Philadelphia and Columbus after a home game against Winnipeg.

The road has often been known to cure some ills and, with the exception of the second half of the New Year’s Eve shootout loss in New Jersey, they’ve been pretty good away from the Garden recently (2-0-1 in their past three). They better get their act together soon, because their once safe lead in the Atlantic Division is slip-sliding away.

Here are a few notes and observations from the team’s recent swoon:

• An interesting tidbit came from GM Don Sweeney’s chat with 98.5 The Sports Hub’s play-by-play man Judd Sirott and analyst Bob Beers while assessing the game of third-year defenseman Charlie McAvoy, who still has a rather glaring zero in the goal column next to his name. While generally pleased with his development, Sweeney said he simply needs to pound the puck more.

“In his offensive game, he’s just got to be more selfish to be perfectly honest with you,” said Sweeney. “If he looks at the volume of his shots relative to the peers that he compares himself to and we might compare him to around the league, he’s way below. He has to understand that his shot needs to be more of a weapon in his his arsenal and I think his offensive game will round out as a result.”

In 40 games, McAvoy has landed just 55 shots in 40 games. For comparisons in the under-23 in which McAvoy belongs, Ottawa’s Thomas Chabot has 113 in 42 games, Dallas’ Miro Heiskanen has 108 in 42, Philadelphia’s Ivan Provorov has 96 in 42, Arizona’s Jakob Chychrun has 95 in 44 and Colorado’s has 72 in 34 games.

The feeling here is, once McAvoy heaves the gorilla off his back and finally pops one home, his offensive game will bloom again. But the less he shoots the puck, the less chance he has of that happening.

• In case you missed it while witnessing the possible end to the Patriots’ dynasty on Saturday night, the B’s slump has coincided with both the Maple Leafs and Lightning catching fire. With their wins on Saturday, the Leafs are now just six points back of the B’s and the Lightning, the NHL’s slumbering giant, is nine back with three games in hand.

Since firing Mike Babcock, the Leafs are 15-4-1 under Sheldon Keefe and you have to wonder how much Babcock was holding this young, talented team back. And while the Toronto back end still may be suspect, the Leafs have outscored their opponents 17-2 in the third period of the past eight games.

Whether you like it or not, B’s fans, it looks like we might have a race for the Atlantic Division crown after all. But assuming the B’s get their bearings soon that should be a good thing. The Lightning waltzed to the divisional title last year and didn’t know what to do once the records were wiped clean at the start of the playoffs. Competition is the name of the game.

• Monday’s practice session in Brighton should be one of the more interesting ones of late. Coach Bruce Cassidy took the ingredients of his top three three lines, threw them in the Shake-N-Bake bag and shook it vigorously. The guess here — and it’s just a guess — is that Charlie Coyle, after two games at wing, goes back to his third line center spot and the top line is reunited. David Krejci’s wings? No idea.

• If you’re looking for some good Bruins news, it appears as though the so-called fourth line of Joakim Nordstrom, Sean Kuraly and Chris 1169563 Boston Bruins “We know the goals aren’t coming easily, so you know it’s gonna be, every goal matters. I think that’s in everybody’s head. It’s just the stretch we’re in right now,” said Bruce Cassidy. “You go through the opposite where nothing seems to faze you, and we went through that and came Slumping Bruins need outside scoring help to shake off extended skid back every night it seemed in this building for a stretch. Right now, we’ve got to find a balance where we get the lead and play the right way,

protect the lead. I think that’s how we play our best hockey.” By Joe Haggerty January 05, 2020 11:45 AM Key young veterans like Charlie McAvoy, Jake DeBrusk, Danton Heinen and Sean Kuraly haven’t been consistently good for the Bruins this season, and they need to elevate their level of play if the Bruins hope to BOSTON — The Bruins knew they would hit some adversity this season rip off the kind of winning streak that came easily to them in October and after the wins, and points, piled up fast and furiously in the opening November. months of the season. The bottom line with the Bruins: They probably weren’t as good as they Well, that extended midseason slump has definitely arrived, and it looked when they were blowing teams away and running out to a double- continued on Saturday afternoon with a 4-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers digit lead in the division back in the first two months of the season, and at TD Garden. they certainly aren’t as bad they’ve been while losing to just about everybody over the last month of hockey either. The loss to the Oilers was certainly disappointing as the secondary offense continues to sputter, and a flu-plagued Bruins group didn’t have The Bruins still have a six-point lead on the division and they will be a the usual energy or competitiveness to muster a strong final kick once playoff team regardless of how bad things get over the next few months, they fell behind in the second half of the game. but their cushion is officially gone with the Maple Leafs and Lightning closing on them. As of late, the Bruins have had enough juice to at least squeeze the “loser point” out of their myriad shootout and overtime losses, but they It’s time for the B’s to start playing with a little urgency and shake off the weren’t even close against an Edmonton group experiencing their own Christmas hangover that’s been dulling their overall game for the last problems as of late. month.

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The Bruins have now won just four times in their last 15 games spanning the last month of play and a divisional lead that was once in the 15-point range is now down to just six points over a Toronto Maple Leafs team that’s been streaking (9-0-1 in their last 10 games) since they fired Mike Babcock.

The experienced B’s leadership group knows they are going through the winter doldrums right now and that the only way to get out of it is by working harder, believing in each other and paying much closer attention to detail.

“I think we stick with the game plan and trust what we have in here. The season is long. We knew we were going to go through some rough patch at some point this year and seems like we are in it right now," said David Krejci. "We just need to keep working in practices and go back to the little details. Maybe a little bit. But we just need to believe in each other.

“We know we have a good team. We know we can come back in any game in the third period if we’re down. But we’re just in the middle of it now, so just keep your head up, keep working hard and things should turn the other way.”

Certainly, it’s going to take more than good, old-fashioned work ethic for things to get better for the Bruins. There is a problem with consistent offense from anything beyond the Perfection Line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak, and even those three are far too reliant on the power play for their offensive production.

The Bruins are averaging 2.6 goals per game over the last 15 games — well below their season average of 3.3 goals per game — and that’s what it really comes down to for a team that’s lost its margin of error.

With all due respect to Krejci, the Bruins are learning that they’re going to come up short offensively if they keep relying on players like Par Lindholm, Brett Ritchie, David Backes, Karson Kuhlman or even Heinen or Charlie Coyle to chip in at a top-6 scoring level.

They need some scoring help outside the organization to truly make themselves into a more dangerous attack, and that comes down to Don Sweeney finding a way to assist a club that’s spinning its wheels offensively right now.

Last season, Marcus Johansson was a missing piece at the trade deadline who helped them get to the Stanley Cup Final, and the Bruins are going to need another hired gun like that to enhance them offensively again this season.

Maybe it’s Chris Kreider from the Rangers, or Tyler Toffoli from the L.A. Kings, or Kyle Palmieri from the New Jersey Devils, but it’s clear the B’s need them sooner rather than later — no matter who they end up being. 1169564 Buffalo Sabres Mogilny had four goals twice in a six-game span, scored 27 times on the power play and finished the regular season with 11 game-winning goals. His 76 regular-season goals tied then-Winnipeg Jets rookie Teemu Sellane for the league lead and were the fifth-highest total in NHL history. A 'magical' season for Sabres greats Pat LaFontaine and Alexander Mogilny also set a career-high with 127 regular-season points. Mogilny "He was making $185 grand – you can do your homework on this – if I’m not mistaken," former Sabres forward Brad May recalled. "When he scored his 40th goal, he got $5,000 a goal from 40 to 45 and after 45 he By Lance Lysowski got $10,000 a goal. He scored 13 goals in a week and bought himself a Published Sun, Jan 5, 2020|Updated Sun, Jan 5, 2020 car, like a Mercedes that was special ordered or whatever it was. True story.

"If Alex Mogilny was paid 10 grand a goal at that time, he would have The wizardry of Jack Eichel kept the Sabres in contention during the scored 100. That's how good he was. Why did he not score some nights? season's first half and solidified the 23-year-old captain as an early Hart It’s not easy to do this for 84 games. Al Mogilny is one of the best Trophy candidate in his fifth NHL season. players. He’s not in the Hall of Fame today, which is an absolute joke. Alexander Mogilny is a sure-fire Hall of Famer. One hundred percent." Eichel's blend of effortless skating, remarkable passing and devastating shot produced an 18-game individual point streak, and he was selected LaFontaine, meanwhile, had 24 multi-point games, including a stretch in an All-Star for a third consecutive season. He needs only three goals to which he had 11 points in three games over a four-day span. He had a surpass his previous career high, and his artistry could produce one of season-high five assists during an 11-6 win over the . the best individual seasons in 50 years of Sabres hockey. LaFontaine, then 27 years old, scored 53 goals with 95 assists for a Eichel is on pace for 51 goals among 107 points, the highest totals by a career-best 148 points, which is a single-season Sabres franchise record Sabre since Alexander Mogilny and Pat LaFontaine combined for 275 and then the most by an American-born player. He was a finalist for the points in 1992-93. Mogilny's 76 goals and LaFontaine's 148 points Hart Trophy and finished second in the league scoring race behind remain franchise records, a transcendent offensive display that still Pittsburgh Penguins center Mario Lemieux. mystifies those who witnessed that historic season. "It was fantastic," former Sabres defenseman Doug Bodger said. "The "It was pretty magical," Sabres broadcaster Rick Jeanneret said. "Patty thing about those days was our power play was probably one of the best seemed to know where Mogilny was at all times, which was amazing in the league and if you still ask John Tortorella today, he’d say it was the because I’m not sure Alex knew where he was at all times. The two of best with (Dale) Hawerchuk, Mogilny, LaFontaine, Andreychuk. There them together, they worked so well together. You didn’t even think of a were some great memories and we had a great team that year. We third member on that line, and I’m not downplaying anyone that did play should have beat Montreal, and I’m still mad about that. That’s when we over there on that side. It wasn’t one person over there all year long were going for it. It was a pretty special year." anyway, but it was basically the two of them carrying the load." Relying on two players proved to be the Sabres' downfall. They swept the The offensive eruption was partially the product of a well-executed plan Boston Bruins in a first-round series, capped by the classic "May Day" by former General Manager Gerry Meehan, who rebuffed other teams' goal, and were on the wrong end of the same result during a second offers to acquire Mogilny. In October 1991, Meehan acquired LaFontaine, round loss to the in which Mogilny broke his leg a future Hall of Famer, from the New York Islanders in a seven-player during a 4-3 overtime loss in Game 3, and LaFontaine sustained a knee trade that sent former first overall pick Pierre Turgeon, among others, to injury. They combined for 22 playoff points, and Andreychuk was the only Long Island. Sabre with more than 10 in the team's eight games.

LaFontaine had the skill set to complement Mogilny's elite speed. Though Mogilny and LaFontaine never replicated their magic together. Mogilny scored 30 goals in 1990-91, his second season since defecting LaFontaine played only 16 games the following season, and Mogilny from Russia, the Sabres thought he was capable of producing more. scored 51 goals over the next two seasons before he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks. Though LaFontaine and Mogilny combined for 85 goals in 1991-92, the Sabres lost in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Though it was LaFontaine was enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003 and is one the franchise's ninth straight season without a playoff series win, the of seven Sabres to have his number retired by the team, while Mogilny dynamic forwards' chemistry created a considerable amount of hype. was inducted in the Sabres' Hall of Fame in 2011. They did not experience the playoff success achieved by others in franchise history, Mogilny was finally "coming out of his shell," as former Sabres however, their 1992-93 individual records are unlikely to ever be broken defenseman Grant Ledyard recalled, and LaFontaine was settled into his and etched their names in Sabres lore. role in Buffalo after spending eight years on Long Island. Signs of potential greatness emerged in the preseason and were confirmed during "You think about the guys we had and how much fun we had and they a season-opening loss to , when Mogilny had his first of seven were a big part of it," former Sabres defenseman Richard Smehlik said of hat tricks that season and LaFontaine had one goal among four points. Mogilny and LaFontaine. "It was pretty wild seeing those guys score goals every game. They made unbelievable plays flying down the ice. "Obviously being on the ice with them was great," Ledyard recalled. You knew how good they were and everybody else did too, but they were "Having Alex right from the beginning -- I was involved when he got here, still able to score. You'd be on the ice watching and they'd make amazing he was in and out of my house a lot – and then when Pat got here that plays." was quite the complement. It kind of brought Alex out of his shell, and whenever you were on the ice with them you made sure you looked Skills challenge around and got them the puck right away because it was just magical to watch from the backside. It was a fun time. Very fun." Rasmus Ristolainen won the hardest shot event to lead Team Campbell to victory at the Sabres' Skills Challenge in KeyBank Center on Sunday. Mogilny helped form what former Sabres assistant John Tortorella, now Ristolainen registered a shot of 105 miles per hour to defeat fellow coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets, still refers to as one of the NHL's defenseman Colin Miller in a tiebreaker after both were clocked at 102.5 all-time best power plays. mph.

LaFontaine, Mogilny and Dave Andreychuk each scored at least 20 Additionally, Conor Sheary won the accuracy showdown by hitting four power-play goals. The trio played on the same line until Andreychuk was targets on four shots, and Scott Wilson took first in the one-timer traded with goalie Daren Puppa to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange challenge by scoring seven times. Defenseman Rasmus Dahlin dazzled for goalie Grant Fuhr in February 1993, preventing each member of the in the shootout by stickhandling the puck between his legs and knocking Sabres' top line from reaching the 50-goal plateau. it out of midair.

Mogilny had 13 goals during a five-game span from Dec. 23 through Jan. Players wore custom jerseys in recognition of the 1978 NHL All-Star 3, and he didn't go more than three games without a goal until he Game, which was held at Buffalo's Memorial Auditorium. encountered a six-game scoring drought late in the season. Buffalo News LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169565 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres prospect Dylan Cozens wins gold with Canada at world juniors

By Lance Lysowski

Published Sun, Jan 5, 2020|Updated Sun, Jan 5, 2020

Dylan Cozens will have a gold medal to his name when he eventually joins the Buffalo Sabres.

Cozens, who was drafted seventh overall in June, scored the first of four goals for Canada in a 4-3 gold-medal win over Russia on Sunday at the IIHF World Junior Championship in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

Cozens scored his second goal of the tournament with 8:58 remaining in the second period to tie the score, 1-1, and he was on the ice in the final moments to help Canada clinch its second gold medal in three years. The 18-year-old finished the tournament with nine points in seven games.

Canada scored three unanswered goals in the third period, capped by Akil Thomas flipping a loose puck into the net with 3:47 remaining in regulation. Connor McMichael and Barrett Hayton also scored for Canada, which won its final five tournament games.

Canadian forward Alexis Lafreniere, the projected first overall draft pick in the next NHL draft, was voted by the media as the tournament's most valuable player.

This was the opportunity the Sabres envisioned when they assigned Cozens to the 's Lethbridge Hurricanes near the conclusion of training camp in September. He had a top-six and power- play role with Canada, and he scored on the man advantage Sunday by capitalizing on a rebound off Lafreniere's shot from the point.

Cozens left the game late in the second period after blocking a shot with his knee, however, he returned to help Canada rally from a two-goal deficit. He tied for the team lead with five shots on goal in 17:24 of ice time against Russia. In addition to his performance at world juniors, Cozens has 20 goals among 46 points in 30 games with Lethbridge this season.

The Sabres' top pick in the most recent draft pushed for a roster spot during his first NHL training camp in Buffalo after he had surgery on his thumb in June. He signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the team in July.

Fellow Sabres prospect Erik Portillo, a 19-year-old goalie, won a bronze medal with Sweden, though he did not appear in a game. Portillo did not dress for Sweden's 3-2 win over Finland in the consolation game on Sunday. Defenseman Mattias Samuelsson (United States) and forward Matej Pekar (Czech Republic) did not medal.

This was the second consecutive year a Sabres prospect won a gold medal at the event. Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and defenseman Oskari Laaksonen accomplished the feat with Finland last January.

Buffalo News LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169566 Buffalo Sabres

Rasmus Ristolainen wins hardest shot at Sabres' Skills Challenge

By Lance Lysowski

Published Sun, Jan 5, 2020|Updated Sun, Jan 5, 2020

Rasmus Ristolainen won the hardest shot event to lead Team Campbell to victory at the Sabres' Skills Challenge in KeyBank Center on Sunday. Ristolainen registered a shot of 105 miles per hour to defeat fellow defenseman Colin Miller in a tiebreaker after both were clocked at 102.5 mph.

Additionally, Conor Sheary won the accuracy showdown by hitting four targets on four shots, and Scott Wilson took first in the one-timer challenge by scoring seven times. Defenseman Rasmus Dahlin dazzled in the shootout by stickhandling the puck between his legs and knocking it out of midair.

Players wore custom jerseys in recognition of the 1978 NHL All-Star Game, which was held at Buffalo's Memorial Auditorium.

Buffalo News LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169567 to-back victories for the first time since that seven-game winning streak that stretched into the second week of December.

“I thought the biggest thing we could take out of the game is we were Dillon Dube credits brother as Flames rally for shootout victory in pretty resilient,” Giordano said after Sunday’s doozy. “We had some Minnesota moments that we didn’t like obviously, especially in the second. But I thought guys were committed to doing the right things to win, and we got rewarded in the end.”

Wes Gilbertson Dube made sure of it.

Published:January 5, 2020 In a private suite in the corner of the rink, the high-fives were flying.

Updated:January 5, 2020 9:30 PM MST “Everyone was sort of on their toes. Each shooter that was going up, everybody was waiting to do the celebration,” Jake said, describing the Filed Under:Calgary SUN Sports Hockey Calgary Flames scene. “And thankfully when Dillon shot it, his ended up being the winner.”

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Calgary Flames speed-demon Dillon Dube, the hero The Flames will conclude this two-game junket with Tuesday’s clash with in Sunday’s shootout thriller in Minnesota, insists he learned his best the Blackhawks in the Windy City (6:30 p.m. MT, Sportsnet moves from his older brother. West/Sportsnet 960 The Fan).

Jake Dube, one of the special guests on the Flames’ Fathers/Mentors MEET THE DADS Trip, isn’t so sure. There were a couple of special additions to the invite list for the Flames’ “I’m just happy that he was the one taking the shot, because I was pretty Fathers/Mentors Trip — Stanley Cup-winning alumni Lanny McDonald nervous up in the stands,” Jake beamed shortly after Dillon picked the and Colin Patterson are along to be sure the dads behave themselves … top corner in the seventh round of the breakaway competition to lift the or something like that. (At Saturday’s team dinner in St. Paul, Lanny Flames to a 5-4 shootout triumph at Xcel Energy Centre. “I’ll let him do quipped that he was claiming Patterson as his son on his income-tax his thing out there, because if it was me, it might have been a stumble return.) and a fall and maybe a missed net. I’m relieved it happened, but he’s Another familiar face in the crowd? Retired politician Preston Manning, giving me a little more credit than I think I deserve because he’s the one the founder of the Reform Party and leader of Canada’s official who finished it. That was a great shot.” opposition from 1997-2000, is the proud pops of Flames doctor David Indeed, it was. Manning.

The Flames provided no shortage of entertainment Sunday in front of All told, the lineup of guests includes one grandpa, 22 dads, one father- some of their biggest fans — mostly dads, but also a grandpa, a few in-law, two uncles and four brothers, while three staffers — equipment siblings and assorted other loved ones. manager Mark DePasquale, athletic therapist Kent Kobelka and video coach Jamie Pringle — brought their sons along. Four times, they spotted the host Wild a one-goal lead. Four times, they tied up. ICE CHIPS

They killed off a penalty — a tripping call on captain Mark Giordano — in Calgary-raised goaltender Devan Dubnyk was honoured by the Wild prior overtime. to Sunday’s meeting against his hometown team — a special salute to recognize his climb to the 500-game plateau. The best part was that his Their go-to goalie, David Rittich, shrugged off a shaky start and stopped wife, Jennifer, joined him on the ice for the pre-game ceremony. Dubnyk, six of seven in the shootout. 33, recently returned from a month-long absence because his better half was dealing with a medical issue … It was a milestone night for Rittich, At the opposite end, Dube finally ended it. The 21-year-old froze who has now logged 100 appearances at the NHL level. “Hopefully it’s Minnesota’s Alex Stalock with a move to backhand and then roofed a not the last hundred,” he cracked prior to his 30-save showing. beauty. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 01.06.2020 Just like Jake, a former defenceman in the Alberta Junior Hockey League, apparently would have before a serious hand injury forced him to give up the game.

“He has some pretty silky hands. He was always a shootout guy,” Dillon said of his 23-year-old brother, now studying business at SAIT and working as an intern for . “I don’t know if I was the best shootout guy and I learned a little bit from him, so he’s the guy to talk to.”

The Flames gave their proud papas and supportive siblings a whole lot to talk about as they boarded Sunday’s late-night flight to Chicago.

Giordano snapped his two-month goal-scoring drought with less than six minutes left in regulation, getting a little lucky on the man-advantage as his cross-crease pass to was instead deflected in by Wild defender Ryan Suter for the tying tally. The Flames workhorse, who now has five snipes on the season, hadn’t tickled twine since Nov. 5, a span of 25 games.

The rest of Sunday’s marksmen have done even less damage — Milan Lucic scored a greasy one for his fourth of the campaign, boosted his total to three with a wicked one-timer and Michael Stone snuck a wrister through a screen for his second.

Marcus Foligno potted a pair for the Wild, while and Jordan Greenway provided singles.

This was hardly a thing of beauty for the Flames (22-17-5), who must have given interim coach Geoff Ward some grey hairs with their struggles to clear their defensive zone, but they ultimately prevailed, staying ahead of the Wild in the Western Conference wildcard race and notching back- 1169568 Calgary Flames started. The next year, I played even more games and I’m trying to play every year more games. That’s my evolution. That’s what I want to do.”

That will mean more nail-biting nights for David Sr., whose son proved to Father of Flames goalie David Rittich thrilled to witness milestone be a quick study — both with the language and the nuances of the game moment on the North American ice surface — during a season and change with the ’s before establishing his spot at the Saddledome.

Wes Gilbertson It can be stressful when a loved one is the last line of defence.

Published:January 5, 2020 “He watches every game and he’s nervous whether it’s first game of season or 30th game of the season or the 100th game of my career,” Updated:January 5, 2020 5:26 PM MST Rittich said. “He’s going to be the same nervous because if the goalie is going to make a mistake, you can see that mostly. If a forward makes a mistake, you have five more guys who can cover it up.” ST. PAUL, Minn. — David Rittich was doubling as a translator, and the grinning goaltender seemed to be enjoying his turn as the guy who poses Although Rittich Sr. initially preferred that his son stick to being one of the questions. those other guys, his support ever since has been key to David’s climb from netminding newbie to NHLer. Way back when, David Rittich Sr. didn’t want his son to don pads and the rest of the puck-stopping armour. “He played hockey when he was young and he was a referee for a long time, so he’d bring me to the games and I saw a lot of different goalies,” After Sunday’s morning skate in Minnesota, mere hours before his boy Rittich said of his dad. “And he always had something to say to me. marked a significant milestone at the NHL level, a reporter was Honestly, I didn’t listen when I was younger and I can say I was wrong — wondering why. I should have listened and I could be here earlier than I was.”

Big Save Dave, it seems, was also curious for this explanation. He’s here now.

The 27-year-old, now the No. 1 netminder for the Calgary Flames, was And what mattered most is that Sunday, as his son hit triple digits in even more animated than usual as he relayed the question to his father appearances on the biggest stage, David Sr. could be there too to in Czech. witness it.

He smiled wide. “He said it’s a tough thing for him (to describe) — he was never going to say I’m going to play in the NHL in my life,” Rittich relayed. “And he’s the He playfully poked Rittich Sr. in the shoulder as he demanded an most proud dad, probably, right now here.” answer. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 01.06.2020 “He says he didn’t want that because it’s even harder for a goalie to get to first team and to NHL and stuff like that,” Rittich said, translating for his dad. “You know, you have 20 guys on the team and you have just two goalies, and just one goalie can play. So that’s why he didn’t want it.

“But he said he’s proud that we did that decision and I’m in the net.”

The Flames’ Fathers/Mentors Trip came at a perfect time for Rittich Sr. — he was in the house Sunday at Xcel Energy Center as his son reached the 100-game plateau at hockey’s highest level, a meaningful achievement for a guy undrafted and largely unknown before being signed out of the in 2016.

When he’s back home, Rittich Sr. is up in the middle of the night whenever the Flames are in action. Despite the time difference, he doesn’t miss a game.

Ironically, he wasn’t watching David’s first try as a twine-minder in minor hockey.

A former referee in the professional ranks in the Czech Republic, he had an assignment that day.

Plus, he wasn’t aware it was happening. Couldn’t be.

“When I started, our goalie, he made a decision he wanted to play football — or soccer,” Rittich explained. “He decided that, and then everyone asked me if I want to try goalie. My mom (Jana) was like, ‘Yeah, if you want, you can.’ But he was like, ‘No, you’re going to stay a forward or defence and we’ll see what can happen.’

“But then he left for a game to referee and my mom was like, ‘Hey, if you want to try it, let’s do it.’ So we did it kind of behind his back, but I think he’s glad.”

Indeed, he is.

Despite the language barrier, his pride was apparent prior to Sunday’s clash between the Flames and Wild.

In fact, both Davids were beaming.

“It’s a big milestone,” the younger Rittich said of his 100th crease-call in the Flaming C. “Four years ago, who is going to say that, right? Obviously, I’m very happy about it, and especially that I have my dad here to see that. It’s a good time for me.

“When I did my debut in San Jose (in April 2017), it was a point for me — I told myself, ‘Hey, keep working, you can be here.’ And then everything 1169569 Calgary Flames But, fair to say, success at the Xcel Energy Center looked in doubt all night. That soft start in net, combined with the mad scramble of the travellers, who never led in the contest but never trailed by more than one goal. Flames goalie David Rittich’s bad habit bleeds into his milestone game THE @NHLFLAMES ARE THE FIFTH TEAM TO SCORING FOUR GAME-TYING GOALS IN A CONTEST THIS SEASON. THE OTHERS: EDMONTON (OCT. 5), NASHVILLE (OCT. 10), SAN JOSE (10) AND By Scott Cruickshank Jan 5, 2020 WINNIPEG (DEC. 27). #NHLSTATS PIC.TWITTER.COM/AQVKGHYBJR

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Three hours after he stepped into his 100th game in — NHL PUBLIC RELATIONS (@PR_NHL) JANUARY 6, 2020 the NHL, David Rittich was asked what he was going to remember about “It was a crazy game for a goalie, for sure,” Rittich said. “When we the milestone appearance. scored, they scored right away. They’d have a grade-A chance, so it was The Calgary Flames goalie didn’t hesitate. kind of hard to stick with it. I mean, it was a good game by our team because we worked hard and we stuck with it. “Hopefully not the first period.” “I’m glad we got the two points.” Understandably. Because it was forgettable. Yet again. Coach Geoff Ward, in the morning, had been preaching the virtues of In each of his last three starts — including Sunday’s against the home- ugliness in the offensive zone. (He’s been known to stop practice to ice Minnesota Wild — Rittich has allowed three goals in the opening reinforce that philosophy, telling his players to focus on being barn period. For a team that struggles to score, that is certain death. painters, not Picasso.)

Among those, nine goals (on only 30 shots) are stinkers, including Kevin “We need to find ways to score more,” Ward noted before the game. Fiala’s power-play wrister. The night’s opening tally should have never “Look at how teams score traditionally in this league: It’s point shots with entered the Calgary net. But it did. Slowly. In familiar fashion. Getting traffic, it’s funnels to the net with traffic, it’s tips, it’s playing on the inside. through Rittich’s gear and dribbling over the line. “You get the pretty goal once in a while, but an awful lot of what goes on Thankfully for the uneven Flames, Rittich did manage to regroup. To in the O-zone happens from being able to play on the inside.” secure the 5-4 victory, he parried 24 of 25 pucks over the final 45 minutes and six of seven shootout attempts. Sure enough, his lads — who in terms of offensive achievement reside in the league’s bottom third — paid heed. So give Rittich some credit. Milan Lucic, heading netward, had a puck go in off his right skate. Two For the win. For getting this far, period. defencemen slammed pucks at the net — Travis Hamonic and Michael Stone — and counted. Mark Giordano, from a sharp angle, flung a puck Because there’s a lot to be said about the self-made nature of his toward the net’s front and it bounced in off Ryan Suter’s stick. journey. Regarding the approaching benchmark, the player had not bothered to feign ignorance. Nothing highlight-reel worthy in there. But four conversions — and enough to shove the night into an extra period, during which the Flames He knew exactly where he stood. That, remarkably, the century mark needed to survive a power play after Giordano was dinged for tripping. was in his sights. Which added up to a nervous two minutes for the captain. “Honestly, who would’ve said that a few years ago?” Rittich said. “That I would get a hundred games.” “Yeah, it felt long,” Giordano said. “Those are the worst ones — sitting and watching your teammates block shots and battle for you. Those guys Unheralded in his native Czech Republic, the goalie never showed up on did an unbelievable job. (Hamonic) was out there for pretty much the the national-team map, even as a junior. Nor was he identified by Central whole thing.” Scouting. So he plugged away, suiting up for HC Dukla Jihlava’s various sides — U18 and U20 and Czech2 — before catching on with Czech elite Quickly the teams tore through the shootout, with Rittich and Wild goalie outfit BK Mlada Boleslav. Alex Stalock blanking the opening three rounds. When Ryan Donato struck to open the fourth, the Flames needed to counter — and Derek Oft-told is how Flames scout Derek MacKinnon, who had been on-site to Ryan did. assess HC Sparta Praha centre Daniel Pribyl, took note of the unknown netminder. The Flames liked what they saw on videotape and signed the Then two more scoreless rounds. young man. “We basically script the first three or four,” Ward said of his shootout Then, Rittich made it happen. selection process. “Then, after that, you go by what your gut’s telling you.” He got into an NHL game in his first season, 2016-17, handling 20 minutes in relief of Brian Elliott, in Game 82. When Luke Kunin was foiled to open the seventh, the potential win was put in the hands of … Dillon Dube. But he knew if he missed, the game He participated in 21 games the following year and 45 last winter. would continue, and there’s comfort in that. And the 33rd start of the season for No. 33 vaulted him into triple digits. “I’m really happy Ritter made that save because it calmed me down a All lovely stuff, of course. lot,” Dube said. “The game’s not over if you miss — that relaxes you a lot.” Especially with David Sr., on this trip with the rest of the fathers, in the building. With his big brother, Jake, appraising from the stands — “He has some pretty silky hands; he was always the shootout guy” — Dube confidently “For sure, he had a good impact on me, everything my parents did for me sliced a backhander into the top corner. when I was younger — and what they’re still doing now,” Rittich said. “It’s huge. It’s awesome I’ve got my dad (here) for 100 games.” That earned the Flames the win and Dube a big hug from Rittich.

Then he cracked: “Hopefully, it’s not the last 100.” Asked what he whispered to the shootout hero during their on-ice squeeze, he cackled. Sunday’s triumph boosts Rittich’s career line to 53-25-13. The 27-year- old’s win total puts him into an eighth-place deadlock with Rick Wamsley “He finally did something on the ice — that was the only thing I told him,” on the franchise charts. Rittich said. “No, honestly, it was a really nice breakaway by him. Obviously, a pretty good player. A really smart guy. He’s still young; he’s The result also nudges the Flames back into a playoff spot. They own a still learning. It’s good he went in the shootout — I’m glad they put him in. 22-17-5 record, identical to the Edmonton Oilers’, the Western Conference’s other wild-card squad. “He did what he did — it’s good for him. It’s good for us.” The Athletic LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169570 Carolina Hurricanes “Probably the first time I can say all year that we had nothing,” Brind’Amour said.

At times, it seems like an absolute grind for the Hurricanes to score, When it comes to giving up Grade A chances, Hurricanes get an F especially on the nights when they dominate the shot totals. (Sunday wasn’t one of those.) They can’t make it this easy for the other team.

News Observer LOADED: 01.06.2020 BY LUKE DECOCK

JANUARY 05, 2020 08:09 PM

Just like Roy Williams had a premonition Saturday’s North Carolina basketball debacle was coming when he spoke to his already-listless team before the game, Rod Brind’Amour seemed to sense a vision of the future Sunday afternoon.

A few hours before the game, in his shirtsleeves in the frigid wind tunnel- slash-hallway outside the Carolina Hurricanes’ dressing room, the coach rehashed his No. 1 gripe with his team, a group that has done so much well at the halfway mark of the season while being unable to shake at least one persistent bad habit.

“At times we give up too many of the good looks,” Brind’Amour said. “We don’t give up a lot in general, overall. I don’t know what our shot totals are per game, but I know they’re pretty low in the league. It’s just the Grade A’s we’re giving up at times, that’s what we’ve got to cut back on. That’s probably been our Achilles’ heel this year. We give up too many two-on-ones, the Grade A variety. Certainly not a lot of chances, but too many good ones.”

The Hurricanes then went out and gave up two Grade A chances in the first five minutes against the Tampa Bay Lightning, both of which ended up behind Petr Mrazek. Just like that, the Hurricanes were back to .500 on this critical seven-game homestand with a 3-1 loss to the Lightning.

On the first, the puck hopped over Dougie Hamilton’s stick at the offensive blue line, and the Hurricanes were never able to get their defensive coverage sorted out at the other end. On the second, Hamilton turned the puck over under pressure while skating out from behind his net on a play everyone seemed to believe was icing, and Steven Stamkos made it 2-0.

Two shots. Two Grade A chances. Two goals. And against a team that came in having won six in a row after winning in Canada late Saturday night, the two points were off the table quickly

“We gave them everything they got to start the game,” Jaccob Slavin said.

Poor Mrazek couldn’t do much about either, let alone the third, and made a point-blank power-play save on Brayden Point to keep things from being any worse. There’s no question the Hurricanes need better, more consistent goaltending from Mrazek and James Reimer — that’s a given — but they don’t do their goalies any favors either. The Hurricanes have terrific analytics in part because they don’t give up many shots, but too often the ones they do give up are terrific chances.

What they almost unfailingly restrict in quantity, they are prone to giving up in quality. Brind’Amour knows that better than anybody.

The Hurricanes have had enough problems trying to get their blue line settled as they wait for (hope for?) Jake Gardiner to settle in, but the situation has become increasingly untenable. They went a month without giving up four or more goals and have done it five times in the past seven games. The Hurricanes are slowly trying to scrape together the salary cap room to add a defenseman at the trade deadline, but there’s a lot of hockey still to be played before reinforcements arrive, if they even do.

The Hurricanes certainly wanted to narrow the enormous plus-minus gap between Hamilton (who came into the game tops among NHL defensemen at plus-31) and Gardiner (a staggering minus-21), but a minus-3 from Hamilton (on a night nobody was very good) probably isn’t the way to go about it.

Losing six of their last eight doesn’t change the fact it was a very good first half for the Hurricanes. Only the 2006 team had a better 41-game record than this one, and this one had a better goal differential. There’s every opportunity for the Hurricanes to continue to improve as well, if the goaltending can jump up a notch and if Erik Haula continues to recover from his knee issues and if five-goal Nino Niederreiter ever starts scoring again. But this was unacceptable Sunday, right from the start. 1169571 Carolina Hurricanes It did Sunday. “They played it simple and they didn’t beat themselves,” Brind’Amour said.

The Canes won the first two games of their seven-game homestead, Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour disgusted with his team after loss to beating the Caps on Dec. 28 and then Montreal in a New Year’s Eve streaking Lightning game. They’ve now dropped the first two games in 2020, to the Caps and Lightning at PNC Arena.

The Canes face the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday, then Arizona and BY CHIP ALEXANDER the Los Angeles Kings as they try to keep pace in a tightly bunched Eastern Conference. JANUARY 05, 2020 07:35 PM “We’ve got to be ready to go on time,” Slavin said. “That’s what makes us

successful, going the full 60 (minutes). We’ve got to get back to our Everyone agreed it was a matter of time before the Tampa Bay Lightning game.” began to roll this season. News Observer LOADED: 01.06.2020 That time is now.

The Lightning made it seven consecutive wins Sunday, rolling past the Carolina Hurricanes 3-1 at PNC Arena in a game that left Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour complimenting the winners and disgusted with his team.

“We weren’t ready to play,” he said. “At the end of the day, two periods where we didn’t do anything. You can’t expect to win that way. We were flat. It’s tough to find someone that was really having a great game out of our group.

“Disappointing, for sure. We haven’t had really one of those all year. That was the first one for me where I can just say I was really disappointed in that.”

Brind’Amour juggled the lines during the game, looking for some kind of spark, but noted, “It just got worse.”

“It’s tough,” he said. ”As I said, that’s the first one all year where I could say we had nothing.”

The Lightning (24-13-4), fast climbing the Eastern Conference standings, scored twice in the first five minutes of the game and never let the Canes launch a comeback.

Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy was near-flawless in net for the Lightning, making 28 saves and staying in control. The 2019 Vezina Trophy winner allowed a third-period goal to , but it took a super backhand pass from defenseman Jaccob Slavin and sharp finish by Svechnikov to beat him — Svechnikov’s 18th of the season.

Goals by Tampa Bay fourth-liner Mitchell Stephens and then Steven Stamkos early in the first period were body blows for the Canes, who were coming off an emotional 4-3 loss Friday to the Washington Capitals. The Lightning played Saturday, beating Ottawa 5-3 on the road, but weren’t lacking any jump.

Stephens scored on a backdoor play, catching the Canes flatfooted, at 2:36. About two minutes later, the forechecking of Nikita Kucherov forced Canes defenseman Dougie Hamilton into a turnover in the Carolina zone, Stamkos hopping on the puck and beating goalie Petr Mrazek as the Lightning scored on two of five shots in the period.

“We came out and weren’t ready, and it cost us,” Svechnikov said. “They were way more faster, more physical and we didn’t play our game.”

The Lightning controlled the pace in the second period, adding a goal from Brayden Point, his 17th. Kucherov’s centering pass from the corner went off the side of the net, but Point collected the puck and beat Mrazek with a backhander for a 3-0 lead.

Svechnikov considered making his lacrosse move in the third period but backed off with Lightning defensemen in position. “It was hard to do that move,” he said.

The Canes (24-16-2) twice beat the Lighting this season but that was before Tampa Bay began to show the efficiency, skill, form and swagger that earned it the Presidents’ Trophy in 2018-19. It’s all falling into place after a sluggish start — the Lightning was 12-9-3 after a 3-2 home-ice loss to the Canes on Nov. 30.

“They seem to be playing with a little more grit to their game, lot more pucks to the net,” Brind’Amour said before the game. “They’re always a team that looks for that pretty play, but I think now they’re doing it a little simpler. The talent they’ve always had. So I think it’s all coming together for them.” 1169572 Carolina Hurricanes They’re sixth in power-play percentage (24.2), which Brind’Amour calls the biggest improvement on the team from last year, and eighth in overall scoring (3.34 goals a game).

Canes are in good position at the season’s halfway point. Can they stay The flip side? The Canes are 26th in 5-on-5 shooting percentage (7.5). there? WHAT’S UP WITH THE PK?

The Canes can look air tight in killing penalties and then look very leaky. BY CHIP ALEXANDER Overall, they were 10th in the league at 81.3 percent after Saturday’s games. They had a stretch of 19 games in November and December JANUARY 05, 2020 10:29 AM where they killed off 62 of 68 penalties but have allowed two power play goals in five of the past six games, including two against the Caps on

Friday. For the Carolina Hurricanes, the numbers are telling at the halfway point “When we’re not as aggressive and kind of let teams set up and play of the season. catch and we give their good players time and space, that’s not good for The Canes were 19-17-5 at the midpoint of the 2018-19 season and 10th our kill,” defenseman Brett Pesce said Saturday. “The more aggressive in the Eastern Conference with 43 points. They were seven points out of we are and the more we’re up on our toes, the better we are. We’ve playoff position, and that after winning four straight games. gotten away from that a little bit, so we definitely need to get back to that.” This season the Canes are 24-15-2 and in the sixth spot in the East after the 4-3 loss Friday to the Washington Capitals. Through Saturday’s As Brind’Amour said, the P.K. has to be a “difference-maker” for the games, they held the first wild-card position in the Eastern Conference Canes. with 50 points and were fourth in the Metropolitan Division. QUIRKY SCHEDULE (AGAIN) “It’s pretty tight out there, especially in our division,” forward Teuvo There is never much rhyme or reason behind NHL scheduling when it Teravainen said Friday. “Everyone is just winning every game.” comes to the Canes, it seems. The Canes have played the Florida The Canes made the Stanley Cup playoffs with 99 points last season. Panthers of the Atlantic Division three times and face the Tampa Bay Barely. But it may take more than 100 points to get it done this year. Lightning on Sunday for the third time. They have yet to play the Pittsburgh Penguins, a Metro divisional opponent. The Canes are 3-8-1 against Metro teams at the midpoint (6-6-2 in 2018- 19). That has to change in the second half. Pens star Sidney Crosby has had sports hernia surgery, been sidelined seven weeks and should soon return to the lineup. Several others, “Our division is stacked,” Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “We’re including Evgeny Malkin and Kris Letang, have missed games for going to have to just keep winning and stay on pace.” Pittsburgh, second in the Metro after Saturday’s games.

A look at the Canes’ first half: “The first half was weird how the schedule was or whatever and we didn’t play a lot of division games,” Brind’Amour said. “Now, we’re loaded with BEST PLAYER them. The second half of the season is really where you’re going to see Defenseman Dougie Hamilton is headed to the NHL All-Star Weekend some things probably shake out.” and among the league leaders for D-men with 13 goals and 37 points. BIGGEST WORRY He’s putting together a career season, no doubt, and has had Canes fans chanting “Doug-ie, Doug-ie” at PNC Arena. Erik Haula’s right knee. The versatile center, who had major knee surgery last season, missed 15 consecutive games and 19 of 21 in But the most valuable player of the team has been forward Teuvo November and December. Will knee problems continue to flare up, Teravainen. He leads the team in assists (33), points (41) and power- causing more missed time? play points (17). He’s the Canes’ candidate for the “Last Men In” All-Star fan balloting and would be a worthy addition to the Metro team in St. It has been a most challenging year for Haula, 28, and his wife, Kristen. Louis. This week, the couple posted on Instagram that they had lost their baby girl, whose due date was in May. As Brind’Amour said, “It’s one of those Carolina Hurricanes’ Teuvo Teravainen (86) moves the puck against the things in life that happens and it certainly takes on a lot more importance Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period of an NHL hockey game, in the grand scheme of things than the game of hockey.” in Raleigh, N.C., Sunday, Oct. 6, 2019. Karl B DeBlaker AP BIGGEST NEED BEST GAME A reduction in odd-man rushes against is a must, Brind’Amour said In terms of entertainment value, the Canes’ 6-4 home win over the Saturday. Capitals three days after Christmas might have been the best. Big festive crowd, a lot of up-and-down skating. Warren Foegele, who has become “I’d like to see us not give up as many Grade-A chances,” he said. “We something of a Caps killer, scored two goals and set up Hamilton for seem to have a tendency to give up a few too many. If we can eliminate another. a couple of those a game it takes a little stress off our game.

Then again, a clutch road victory came Dec. 19, wrapping up a 4-0-1 trip “We’re certainly creating enough offense every game to win, so I like that set a franchise record for points. Jaccob Slavin and Sebastian Aho that. But we’ve got to do a better job of not letting guys get behind us. We scored in the last 1:39 of regulation as the Canes shocked the Colorado can’t give up Grade-A chances out of nothing, where they really haven’t Avalanche 3-1 in Denver. had to work for it.”

BEST PLAY BIGGEST QUESTION

Is there any doubt? “The Svech” made its debut this season in the NHL Is Justin Williams coming back? That question has been asked often as forward Andrei Svechnikov became the first player in league history to since September. All signs point to last year’s captain returning soon but successfully score off a lacrosse move. And he did it twice. where would he best fit in the lineup once up to speed?

The first, against Calgary at home on Oct. 29, took everyone but his News Observer LOADED: 01.06.2020 teammates and coaches by surprise. Even with league on alert, Svechnikov then beat Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck on Dec. 17 in a 6-3 road win.

ANALYTICS, ANYONE?

In some ways the Canes are analytics darlings. According to Natural Stat Trick, the hockey analytics web site, Carolina leads the league in 5-on-5 Corsi percentage (55.2) and scoring-chance percentage (55.3). 1169573 Carolina Hurricanes 46th in time on ice. Yeah, he’s come along way since the little we saw of him last season —

and he’s just getting started. Hurricanes midseason superlatives: The MVP, unsung hero, the Chris Best dressed: Nino Niederreiter Hogan award and best dressed I asked a handful of Canes for their anonymous answers on this one.

They all said Nino. By Sara Civian Jan 5, 2020 Biggest overachiever: Lucas Wallmark

Bardown Wally doesn’t have to go so hard. But he does, he does it for It always makes sense to do some housekeeping halfway through the the #wallmarkhive. NHL regular season. Nothing is set in stone quite yet, but enough time Lucas Wallmark’s gotta be one of the most productive fourth line centers has elapsed that you can make some educated guesses about who is in the NHL, with eight goals and 11 assists. He can play in any situation, primed to finish strong, who needs to step it up and where the whole which is why Brind’Amour left him on the power play when Haula team is trending. returned to the lineup. It has paid off. “It’s been pretty good. I like this group and how they come to work,” Most reliable: Dougie Hamilton Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said at the halfway mark. “They don’t quit. That’s pretty positive. We’ve had some tough losses this year, but What stood out about the penalty Dougie Hamilton took for punching T.J. the guys seem to always dig in. That’s all you can ask for as a coach.” Oshie at the end of the Hurricanes’ comeback attempt Friday was how uncharacteristic it was. These days, Hurricanes All-Star rep Hamilton is The Canes are 24-15-2, currently sitting in the first wild card spot in the the Cane you look to for the game-winning goal, momentum-changing Eastern Conference. As Brind’Amour said, they don’t let the bad things play, strong defensive effort, you name it. snowball — that’s crucial for this team. But how are the individual players performing? He tends to come through for the Canes when they need it the most, and he’s primed for a career year with 13-24—37 and a league-leading plus- Sorry, but I always cringe at myself trying to do “report cards.” Who am I 30 through 41 games. It’s hard to believe this is going to be the first All- to hand out grades about anything in the first place, let alone to folks who Star appearance of his career, but it’s well-deserved. are generally elite at something I can’t really do anymore. I did win most humorous in middle school, though. So let’s stick with the superlatives. Most likely to succeed: Erik Haula

With the clout vested in me by the Galvin Middle School class of 2008, Haula has been through some absolutely awful hardships this season, midseason superlatives for the Hurricanes: but he has handled it all gracefully. It’s an inspiration to everyone. He’s a no-brainer Masterton Trophy winner to me. Most generous: Teuvo Teravainen Unsung hero: Brett Pesce Teuvo Teravainen has strung together a convincing “last men in” All-Star campaign, leading the Hurricanes in scoring with 41 points in 41 games. Since the Hurricanes are a small-market team with the second-youngest That’s including 33 assists — seventh-most in the NHL. He could use his roster in the NHL, the word underrated is thrown around a lot. At this shot more, but he genuinely prefers to make a play. Most selfless of the point, Jaccob Slavin is accurately rated as an absolute beast. If you don’t 2019-20 Canes class, and a linemate anyone would love to play know Teravainen that’s on you. alongside. But Brett Pesce? Best celebrity look-alike: Ryan Dzingel Pesce is actually underrated in my opinion. He seems to bite the bullet Just add hat. and play the penalty kill when he could be on the power play, he’ll stabilize any partner having a rough time and he never complains about Best all-around: Sebastian Aho it. After a characteristically slow start (he’ll be the first to admit when the He’s really the type of player you need to keep an eye on for an entire bounces don’t go his way it can mess with his head), Sebastian Aho has game to get the vibe. been the hottest goal-scorer in the league since November. The Chris Hogan award for also playing lacrosse: Andrei Svechnikov What’s more is his ability at all strengths. He’s tied for the league lead with three shorthanded goals and he’s eighth in overall goals with 23. Andrei Svechnikov has never even held a lacrosse stick, but he became He’s a plus-10 if you care, and he’s aggressive on defense. the only player in NHL history to score a lacrosse goal.

Best nickname: Petr Mrazek Then he did it again.

I really need to investigate this further, but Tripp Tracy calls Mrazek Oops. Pietro, meaning stone or rock in Ancient Greek. I don’t think anyone else calls him this, but I like it. The Athletic LOADED: 01.06.2020

I also like that the Hurricanes call Martin Necas two things: 1. “Nee Chee” or 2. the Czech word for “junior” because Jordan Martinook is Marty Senior. But Necas has a different superlative …

Most changed since freshman year: Martin Necas

Technically this is still Necas’ freshman year as he’s Calder Trophy eligible, but talk about a glow up since his handful of NHL appearances last season.

After spending the season in Charlotte, he won a spot on the NHL roster out of training camp alongside Ryan Dzingel and Erik Haula, who have complemented him well. He’s stepped up for the team in a way perhaps many didn’t expect — many except him.

Through 41 games, he’s:

Fourth overall among NHL rookies with 23 points.

Tied for third in goals with nine. 1169574 Chicago Blackhawks

Adam Boqvist’s 3rd-period goal and Dylan Sikura’s 1st of his career lift Blackhawks to a 4-2 win over the lowly Red Wings

By JIMMY GREENFIELD

JAN 05, 2020 | 9:22 PM

The Red Wings were as bad as advertised Sunday, but that didn’t stop the Blackhawks from nearly finding a way to get embarrassed again at the United Center.

It took a pair of goals 45 seconds apart late in the second period, including the first of Dylan Sikura’s career, and Adam Boqvist’s goal with 11 minutes, 13 seconds remaining in the third period to lift the Hawks to a 4-2 win and help save them from a humiliating home loss to the NHL’s worst team.

Losing to the Red Wings, who dropped to 10-30-3, would have been a huge blow to the Hawks as they try to stay in the playoff race with a stretch of six straight games against nonplayoff teams.

Instead, the Hawks won for the sixth time in eight games and improved to 19-18-6.

The Red Wings built a 2-0 lead after one period on a power-play goal by Filip Zadina and a deflection by Luke Glendening. Corey Crawford, filling in for the injured Robin Lehner (knee) and making his first start since Dec. 23, when the Hawks were trounced 7-1 by the Devils at the United Center, was perfect the rest of the way and finished with 19 saves. The Hawks outshot the Red Wings 27-21.

[Most read] What just happened? Why the U.S. killed an Iranian general, and what it might mean. »

Even with the Hawks controlling the play much of the second period, they didn’t get many shots on goal and weren’t able to beat goalie Jimmy Howard until Dylan Strome’s wrist shot made it 2-1 with 4:53 remaining.

Less than a minute later, Sikura pushed back a rebound into a wide-open net to tie the game that touched off a celebration on the ice for their hard- luck teammate.

Sikura, who had failed to score in the first 43 games of his career, was picked up off his skates by Erik Gustafsson and mobbed by his linemates as a huge smile spread across his face.

But Sikura’s goal merely tied the game, and it took the second goal of Boqvist’s career to give the Hawks their first lead of the game. He stepped around a defender near the blue line and from the slot sent a blistering wrist shot past Howard to make it 3-2.

Dominik Kubalik added an empty-netter for his 12th of the season to close the scoring.

The Hawks drew iron twice in the first period, once during a power play when Patrick Kane hit the bottom of the left post and the puck caromed almost perfectly in front of the goal line before exiting the other side. John Quenneville nearly had his first goal in a Hawks uniform midway through the period, but his shot struck the crossbar.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169575 Chicago Blackhawks Caggiula appears to be getting closer to returning from his concussion, and Nylander won’t stay out of the lineup forever. One slip-up by Sikura and he could find himself back watching the game from the press box.

Dylan Sikura knows he can be sent down at any moment. That’s why Or even worse, back playing games in Rockford. he’s taking advantage of his opportunity with the Blackhawks. “I think most people, including myself, thought at this time two years ago I would be an everyday guy in this league,” Sikura said. “Maybe it’s taking a little longer than expected, but better late than never. It can still happen Jimmy Greenfield and it can still come. I’m confident in myself and hopefully with this chance I can run with it a little bit.” JAN 05, 2020 | 8:01 PM Chicago Tribune LOADED: 01.06.2020

Dylan Sikura’s love for playing hockey is so strong, for the briefest moment he wondered if he was better off being in the lineup with the Rockford IceHogs or sitting out with the Blackhawks.

But as Sikura worked his way through his thought process, he soon came to the realization the NHL is the better to place to be — even if you’re not playing every game.

“That’s a tough one,” Sikura said. “You always want to be playing hockey. That’s why you do it and it’s how you love it. It’s tough not to lose confidence, but at the same time you always want to be up here. And being up here you’re obviously closer to being in the lineup and making a difference and getting that chance.

“Down there you never know what happens, injury-wise or even getting outplayed or whatever it is. So I think it’s always good to be up here in the NHL and knocking on the door and having a chance whenever you get called on to make an impression and stick again.”

Sikura, 24, had reason to wonder if he would be given an opportunity to stick with the Hawks again after failing last season to prove he was a keeper. He had unspectacular numbers — no goals and eight assists in 33 games — and rarely was noticeable on the ice.

The Hawks added several forwards in the offseason, including rookies Kirby Dach, Alex Nylander and Dominik Kubalik and veterans Andrew Shaw, Ryan Carpenter and Zack Smith. When training camp began, it was evident Sikura wasn’t likely to make the roster and, sure enough, he was shipped to the IceHogs before the Hawks left for their season- opening trip to Europe.

He stayed in Rockford for more than two months and probably would still be there if Shaw and Drake Caggiula hadn’t suffered concussions that developed into long-term injuries. But even after getting called up from the IceHogs in early December, Sikura played in only three games in 3½ weeks.

It was another difficult reminder for Sikura that he transitioned from a top prospect immediately given a chance to make it in the NHL to a struggling tweener who might be a career minor-leaguer.

“When you’re down there sometimes it kind of feels like maybe you’ll be down there forever,” he said.

So when the opportunity came last month to join the Hawks, he didn’t take it for granted despite limited playing time. Each practice was a chance to improve and show the coaching staff he was ready.

When Nylander made one too many mistakes and played himself out of the lineup, Sikura was given a shot on New Year’s Eve against the Flames. And he was ready.

Sikura had two assists while playing on a line with Carpenter and Patrick Kane in what was his best game as a pro. It earned him another shot, which he turned into another opportunity. He was in the lineup for the third straight game Sunday against the Red Wings and scored his first NHL goal, while Nylander is now the one waiting for his next turn.

“(Sikura) has had two pretty good performances,” coach Jeremy Colliton said. “Calgary especially, but even last game I think he was good. Of course, want more, but competition is good. Nothing’s going to be given to anyone.”

Entering Sunday’s game, Sikura’s goal drought didn’t seem to be weighing on him like it did last season when he failed to score in 33 games. What matters to him is that he keeps showing he belongs because he knows time could be running out. 1169576 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks avoid embarrassment by rallying to edge Red Wings

By Ben Pope Jan 5, 2020, 9:54pm CST

When asked if the message as the game dragged on was to shoot the puck more often, coach Jeremy Colliton smirked.

“We’re always preaching that,” he said. “I would say, by and large, I’d like to push us to being more shooters out there.”

But Colliton’s challenging quest to change these Blackhawks’ pass-first mentality received some tangible backup.

After a sloppy start Sunday against the last-place Red Wings, with lots of possession but nothing to show for it, the Hawks finally turned their sticks toward shaky goaltender Jimmy Howard and rallied from a two-goal deficit to win 4-2.

“We just kept playing,” said goalie Corey Crawford, who won for the first time since Dec. 6. “If we do that, eventually we’ll get our chances, and we’ll score goals. You just can’t let up, that’s the only thing.’’

Dylan Strome and Dylan Sikura scored 45 seconds apart late in the second period, Adam Boqvist gave the Hawks the lead with 11 minutes to play and Dominik Kubalik sealed the victory with an empty-netter.

As ugly as the overall performance was — the teams combined for only 48 shots on goal, the second-fewest in a Hawks game this season — each of those four moments provides optimism for the future.

The average age of the four scorers: 22.3. For Boqvist, it was only his second career NHL goal. For Sikura, it was his first, and it came after 44 games of frustration.

“That’s something I pictured, that exact scenario, maybe a thousand times before bed,” a grinning Sikura said. “I waited a long time for that.”

The Hawks have won six of their last eight overall and three of four at the United Center, with the majority of this homestand against subpar opponents still to be played.

“We kind of threw that seven-game homestand away at the beginning of the season and didn’t really take advantage of it,” Strome said. “This is our second-longest [yet] this year at four games, and [we’ve] got to get three, hopefully four [wins].”

Holm terminates contract

Hawks minor-league defenseman Philip Holm, long considered a leading candidate for an NHL call-up, was put on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a mutual contract termination.

Holm’s agent, Peter Wallen, said he has signed an agreement with a European team, and the contract will be announced when he clears NHL waivers Monday.

Holm, 28, signed a one-year contract with the Hawks in August after playing for a Russian team in 2018-19, seeing it as his last NHL opportunity.

And he impressed in training camp, nearly earning an Opening Day roster spot. Even after being assigned to Rockford, he seemed likely to return to Chicago at some point, especially as his productivity on the blue line — 15 points in 30 games for the IceHogs — continued.

The Hawks never called Holm up, though.

“As the season progressed, and a lot of other defensemen from the IceHogs have been called up but not him, he thought it was about time to take care of the rest of his career,” Wallen said. “In the end, he signed with the European team, and [general manager Stan] Bowman was understanding of it.”

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169577 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks AHL defenseman Philip Holm terminates contract, will sign with European team

By Ben Pope Jan 5, 2020, 12:33pm CST

Blackhawks minor-league defenseman Philip Holm, long considered a leading candidate for an NHL call-up, was placed on unconditional waivers Sunday for the purpose of mutual contract termination.

Holm’s agent, Peter Wallen, said Holm has signed an agreement with a European team and the contract will be announced when he clears NHL waivers Monday.

The 28-year-old defenseman signed a one-year contract with the Hawks in August after playing for a Russian team in 2018-19 and in the Canucks and Golden Knights organizations in 2017-18.

“He’d been offered a lot of very good European contracts last summer, but when we sorted things out with the Blackhawks, he saw it as his last opportunity to get a shot at the NHL,” Wallen said.

Holm impressed in training camp, nearly earning an Opening Day roster spot. General manager Stan Bowman said at the time that he “fits in with how we want to play.”

Thus, even once assigned to Rockford of the AHL, he seemed likely to return to Chicago at some point, especially as his productivity on the blue line — 15 points in 30 games for the IceHogs — continued.

The Hawks never called Holm up, though, instead making Dennis Gilbert and Adam Boqvist NHL regulars and establishing fellow minor-league veteran Ian McCoshen as their go-to next option.

“As the season progressed, and a lot of other defensemen from the IceHogs have been called up but not him, he thought it was about time to take care of the rest of the his career,” Wallen said.

“In the end, he signed with the European team and Mr. Bowman was understanding of it. It’s all good, there’s no fight, there’s nothing going on.”

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169578 Chicago Blackhawks

Chicago hosts Calgary after shootout win

By Associated Press

Posted1/6/2020 7:00 AM

BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago Blackhawks host Calgary after the Flames knocked off Minnesota 5-4 in a shootout.

The Blackhawks are 11-11-5 in Western Conference games. Chicago has scored 21 power-play goals, converting on 15.3% of chances.

The Flames are 6-6-1 against opponents from the Pacific Division. Calgary has given up 25 power-play goals, killing 82.3% of opponent chances.

In their last matchup on Dec. 31, Chicago won 5-3. Patrick Kane recorded a team-high 4 points for the Blackhawks.

TOP PERFORMERS: Dylan Strome leads the Blackhawks with a plus- three in 39 games played this season. Kane has collected nine goals and eight assists over the last 10 games for Chicago.

Johnny Gaudreau leads the Flames with 24 total assists and has recorded 35 points. Sean Monahan has four goals and two assists over the last 10 games for Calgary.

LAST 10 GAMES: Flames: 4-5-1, averaging 2.7 goals, 4.5 assists, 3.3 penalties and 7.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game with a .911 save percentage.

Blackhawks: 7-3-0, averaging 3.7 goals, 5.9 assists, 2.9 penalties and 7.2 penalty minutes while giving up 3.2 goals per game with a .908 save percentage.

INJURIES: Blackhawks: None listed.

Flames: None listed.

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169579 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks storm back to beat Red Wings

Scot Gregor

Updated1/5/2020 10:10 PM

If the Blackhawks are ever going to flip the switch and start stringing needed wins together, Sunday presented the perfect starting point.

Not only were the lowly Red Wings in town, the Hawks played their first of four straight home games against teams currently out of the playoffs. The Flames are up next on Tuesday, followed by the Predators and Ducks.

"We have to be really good at home," goaltender Corey Crawford said. "We talked about that. These are big points coming up so we have to take care of home ice."

Coming in with the worst record (10-29) in the NHL, Detroit looked like the surest of wins during this favorable stretch.

But as they've shown during another erratic season, nothing is guaranteed with the Blackhawks.

The managed to beat the Red Wings 4-2 at the United Center, but it was far from a waltz.

Getting a break just 20 seconds into the game when Detroit's Dylan Larkin went to the box for a tripping penalty, Patrick Kane beat goalie Jimmy Howard from the right circle but his shot hit the post.

Just 22 seconds after the Wings killed off the rest of the penalty, Dominik Kubalik was called for slashing and Filip Zadina scored a power play goal to put Detroit in front.

Luke Glendening scored late in the first period to make it 2-0, and the unpleasant tone was firmly set.

"We didn't have a good start in the first period, a lot of bounces and stuff," Blackhawks defenseman Adam Boqvist said. "But I think there's a lot good confidence with this group. Stay positive and never panic."

The Hawks didn't exactly come out flying in the second period, but they scored two quick goals late to pull into a tie.

Dylan Strome ended Howard's shutout bid at the 15:07 mark. Scoring his first NHL goal, Dylan Sikura got the equalizer 45 seconds later.

Boqvist put the Blackhawks in front for good at the 8:47 mark of the third period and Kubalik added an empty netter.

"We don't have the best home record, so we have to find a way to be good at home," Strome said. "That seven-game homestand (2-5) at the beginning of the year, we didn't take advantage of it. Now we have another stretch here."

Crawford might play the remaining three games at the United Center this week if Robin Lehner can't get healthy. Lehner hurt his right knee at Vancouver Thursday night and is day-to-day.

Crawford was back in net Sunday night for the first time since Dec. 23, when he was pulled during a 7-1 loss at New Jersey.

Against Detroit, Crawford faced only 21 shots.

"I didn't really feel that great at the start," Crawford said. "Kind of in- between on the plays sometimes. I think traffic's the toughest thing, which way to look, which way the play is going. It was good to get the win and just move on and try to get better."

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169580 Chicago Blackhawks NOTES: Blackhawks G Robin Lehner is day to day with a right knee injury after he got hurt during Thursday night's 7-5 loss at Vancouver. Kevin Lankinen served as Crawford's backup after he was recalled from the minors Saturday on an emergency basis. ... Blackhawks F Zack Sikura, Blackhawks rally past lowly Red Wings 4-2 Smith played after missing practice Saturday for a family matter. Smith and his wife, Brittany, recently welcomed their second child, a boy named

Eddie Dean Smith. ... The Red Wings host the Blackhawks on March 6. By JAY COHEN Daily Herald Times LOADED: 01.06.2020 Associated Press

Posted1/6/2020 7:00 AM

CHICAGO -- Ever since he made his NHL debut almost two years ago, Dylan Sikura has been asked about when he might score his first goal for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Those questions are over.

Sikura, Dylan Strome and Adam Boqvist scored, helping Chicago rally for a 4-2 victory over the lowly Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night.

'œWaited a long time for that,'• a grinning Sikura said.

Dominik Kubalik tacked on a empty-netter as Chicago (19-18-6) won for the fourth time in five games. Corey Crawford made 19 saves in his first start since he was pulled in the second period of an ugly 7-1 loss to New Jersey on Dec. 23.

'œWasn't the prettiest game, but I thought we did what we had to do," coach Jeremy Colliton said.

Detroit dropped to 3-18-2 in its last 23 games. Filip Zadina and Luke Glendening scored for the NHL-worst Red Wings (10-30-3), and Jimmy Howard made 23 stops.

'œIt's obviously hard to play right now," Zadina said. 'œWe're not producing some points as a team. It's kind of disappointing, but we're trying to do our best."

The game was tied at 2 when Boqvist skated past Detroit forward Darren Helm near the blue line and beat Howard on the glove side 8:47 into the third. It was the second goal for the rookie defenseman in his 18th NHL game.

Kubalik added his 12th with 20 seconds left as the Blackhawks kicked off an important four-game homestand with their seventh win in their last 10 games. Chicago is just 10-9-3 at the United Center this season.

'œWe have to be really good at home. We've talked about that," Crawford said. 'œThese are big points coming up. We've got to take care of home ice."

Looking for its first road win since Dec. 14, Detroit jumped out to a 2-0 lead.

With Kubalik serving a slashing penalty in the first period, Zadina beat Crawford with a wrist shot from the right circle. It was the fourth goal of the season for the 20-year-old Zadina, who was selected by the Red Wings with the No. 6 pick in the 2018 draft.

Glendening then got his sixth with a well-placed redirect of Patrik Nemeth's shot with 3:07 left in the first.

Chicago responded with two goals in a 45-second span in the second.

'œWe just shoot ourselves in the foot for no reason," Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. 'œWe played stupid hockey I thought in the second."

After Strome finished a give-and-go with Alex DeBrincat, Erik Gustafsson had a shot go off the right skate of Detroit defenseman Filip Hronek and right to Sikura, who drove the puck into the open net for the tying score at 15:52.

Sikura then skated around the back of the goal and was lifted into the air by Gustafsson as the crowd of 21,493 roared its approval. The 24-year- old Sikura had a big grin as he sat on the bench after breaking through in his 44th NHL game.

'œI was telling the guys, I think that's something I kind of pictured, that exact scenario maybe a thousand times before bed," Sikura said, 'œso it was kind of just instincts when it came there. It was a nice play by Gus. Happy to get that one out of the way.'• 1169581 Chicago Blackhawks

Corey Crawford shakes off rust to start homestand

By Scott King January 05, 2020 9:57 PM

It wasn't pretty, but it was a win and the right game for Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford to shake off his rust. The two-time Stanley Cup champ is expected to be leaned on during the Hawks' four-game homestand this week with Robin Lehner day-to-day with a right knee injury.

Crawford was pulled in his last start on Dec. 23, when Chicago trailed the New Jersey Devils 4-1 in the second period before losing 7-1. Sunday, he made 19 saves to help the Hawks come back to win 4-2 after trailing the Detroit Red Wings 2-0 following the first period.

"I didn't really feel that great at the start," Crawford said. "Got in between on plays sometimes. Just little details come easier when you're playing. Just trying to get better as I go here."

"Good," Blackhawks head coach Jeremy Colliton said of Crawford's game. "Obviously, him and us, we didn't want to fall behind 2-0 but he made some huge saves to keep it 2-0 and then he shut the door the rest of the way."

A loss against the league's worst team would have been hard to overcome for Crawford and the Blackhawks, who are 19-18-6 and five points out of a wild card spot. But the goalie found his game and got some support off goals from Dylan Strome, Dylan Sikura (first NHL goal) and Adam Boqvist (second NHL goal) to crawl back and capture two points.

"That team plays pretty hard," Crawford said of the Red Wings. "We didn't let up. We just kept playing. So if we do that eventually we'll get our chances and we'll score goals. You just can't let up, that's the only thing."

The Blackhawks play the Calgary Flames (22-17-5) on Tuesday, the Nashville Predators (19-15-6) on Thursday and the Anaheim Ducks (16- 20-5) on Saturday.

"We have to be really good at home, we talked about that," Crawford said. "These are big points coming up, so just got to take care of home ice."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169582 Chicago Blackhawks

Dylan Sikura breathes sigh of relief, finally scores first career NHL goal with Blackhawks

By Charlie Roumeliotis January 05, 2020 10:15 PM

Dylan Sikura has been an offensive player his entire hockey career. In juniors, in college and in the American Hockey League he was relied upon to score goals and put up points and had no problem doing it at those first three levels.

It's the NHL where it hasn't translated as easily.

After a 43-game drought to open his NHL career, Sikura finally scored his first goal and celebrated by leaping into the arms of Erik Gustafsson. It was a huge relief for Sikura, who did his best to stay patient throughout the process, but you knew it was eating at him internally.

"I waited a long time for that," Sikura said following the Blackhawks' 4-2 comeback win over the Detroit Red Wings at the United Center on Sunday. "As much as I tried to not let it affect me, obviously at the end of the day it's going to and it's going hurt your confidence a little. Sometimes when you're not scoring it kind of feels like you're not doing much out there even if maybe you are. It's nice to get that weight off my back and hopefully get a couple more here."

Sikura became the fifth player on the Blackhawks this season to score his first career NHL goal, joining Adam Boqvist, Kirby Dach, Dennis Gilbert and Dominik Kubalik. It took only two games for Boqvist, Dach and Kubalik to get on the board, all of whom made it seem easier than it really is.

Sikura had to wait nearly two years for his turn, but he no longer has to wonder when it's going to come. He capitalized beautifully on Gustafsson's rebound by burying the puck into a wide-open net to even the score at 2-2 in the middle frame. It was the second goal in 45 seconds for the Blackhawks, who scored four unanswered to finish the game.

"I was telling the guys," Sikura said, "I think that's something I pictured, that exact scenario maybe a thousand times before bed."

Perhaps the best part about Sikura breaking through is how much his teammates wanted it for him. Before every game, somebody would make a comment to Sikura about how this is going to be the night. On Sunday, it was .

"It was awesome," Dylan Strome said. "I hope there's a bench reaction. We were going crazy for the bench for him, obviously. It sucks; it took me 12 games and I was thinking about it every single night and I'm sure he was too. You know he's thinking about it — the guy can score goals, makes plays, he's been doing it all since he's been here. Tazer said today that he 'feels it today, Sikky,' and he gets that all the time, but I think this one stuck with him and he put it right home."

"Tazer had a good feeling for me tonight," Sikura said. "So cheers to him."

On second thought, maybe sharing that special moment with your teammates isn’t Sikura’s favorite part about scoring his first NHL goal.

Two reporters approached Sikura on separate occasions after morning skate on Sunday to talk about whether his scoring slump is taking a toll on him. Those questions can finally be put to rest.

"I don't have to listen to you guys ask me about it anymore," a smiling Sikura said. "That's nice."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169583 Chicago Blackhawks

4 Takeaways: Blackhawks crawl back to beat Red Wings

By Scott King January 05, 2020 5:29 PM

Dylan Sikura scored his first NHL goal and the Blackhawks came back to beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-2 after being down 2-0 after the first period. Here are four takeaways:

Stop playing to opponent's level

The Blackhawks had just won five of seven before Sunday's contest at the United Center, the first home game of 2020. But you wouldn't guess it, as the Red Wings, last place in the Eastern Conference, led them 2-0 after one period. The Hawks weren't able to make things difficult for Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard — who was 2-13-1 heading to Chicago — or help out Corey Crawford on their end in the opening frame.

The Blackhawks beat the Islanders, fourth place in the Eastern Conference, handily on Dec. 27 (5-2) and lost to the New Jersey Devils (7-1), second to last in the East, the game before on Dec. 23. They've also beaten top teams like the Avalanche, second in the West (5-3 on Dec. 21), and the Bruins, second in the East, earlier in December.

Yes, it's an up-and-down season with young players and veterans, but there's a theme. The Blackhawks tend to play down to or up to their opponents' level. It's time for them to snap this bad habit and focus on their game instead of matching and mimicking their dancing partners. Following the game, Blackhawks head coach Jeremy Colliton said he's noticed the trend as well but didn't see it much against the Wings.

"Maybe there has been, but I don't think that was really the case tonight," Colliton said. "I just think we had a tough start. They scored on the power play and then the end of the power play where we had 3 D on the ice. It's going to happen like that.

"And at that point we know we're in a hole and we just got to be patient, not panic, play the right way. So I don't think tonight we took them lightly. It was just a hard game because they had the lead early and we had to battle our way back."

First timer

Forward Dylan Sikura scored his first NHL goal 45 seconds after Dylan Strome cut the Red Wings' lead to 2-1 to tie it 2-2 at 15:52 of the second period. Sikura skated up to the right circle where a rebound found him and he found some open net to live a dream and lift a heavy weight off his shoulders. It was Sikura's 43rd game with the Hawks.

"I was telling the guys I think that's something I pictured that exact scenario maybe a thousand times before bed," Sikura said. "It was kind of just instincts when it came there and it was a nice play by Gus (Erik Gustafsson, who got the primary assist), so happy to get that one out of the way."

Second timer

Rookie defenseman Adam Boqvist scored his second NHL goal to put the Hawks up 3-2 at 8:47 of the third period. Boqvist skated around Darren Helm near the blue line, then made his way to the slot, releasing a wrister that beat Howard.

Power-play woes

The Blackhawks went 0-for-3 on the power play against Detroit, who was 30th in penalty kill percentage (73) before Sunday night. The Hawks were 26th in the league, converting just 15.7 percent of their man advantages.

It's a good thing Boqvist found the back of the net again in five-on-five play. It should help his confidence on the power play, where he needs to be shooting a lot more.

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Rebuild? Blackhawks not ready to tear it down like Red Wings just yet

By Charlie Roumeliotis January 05, 2020 12:45 PM

For two and a half decades, the Detroit Red Wings were the gold standard of hockey. They made the playoffs 25 years in a row from 1990- 2016 and, over that span, went to eight Western Conference Finals, appeared in six Stanley Cup Finals and won four of them.

Perhaps the most impressive part is the fact the Red Wings didn't skip a beat when the salary cap was introduced during the 2005-06 season. They replenished their core group multiple times and went from one Hall of Fame coach () to another (Mike Babcock).

But the circle of life in the salary cap world has finally caught up to the Red Wings, who are in a full-on rebuild and on the verge of missing the playoffs for the fourth straight season. They're on pace to finish with only 45 points. To put that into perspective, the Blackhawks are currently sitting at 42 points. And there are still 40 games left.

The Blackhawks were the baby brother to the Red Wings in the Central Division for a long time before taking control of the entire NHL in 2009, which was the start of a stretch where the Blackhawks made the playoffs nine years in a row, reached the Western Conference Final five times and won three Stanley Cups. They followed the path of the Red Wings.

But now the Blackhawks find themselves at a similar crossroads as their longtime rivals. Do they try keeping the window open with this core group for as long as possible or revamp the roster to the point where starting from scratch makes more sense?

The Blackhawks are stuck in between.

Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews are still at the top of their games at age 31. Duncan Keith is 36 but has a lot of good hockey left in him. Corey Crawford just turned 35, but Robin Lehner is the perfect successor and he’s only 28.

When the Red Wings made the playoffs one final time before it ended in 2016-17, Pavel Datsyuk was 37, was 35 and Niklas Kronwall was 35. Zetterberg led the team with 50 points with Datsyuk right behind at 49. Dylan Larkin was the only prospect the Red Wings could feel good about as a potential franchise-changer and he was 19 at the time. It was time for the organization to tear it down and it was probably long overdue, but the playoff streak became important to the franchise.

The Blackhawks aren’t there yet. And even if they wanted to, it would be difficult to execute a rebuild because of all the player-controlled contracts.

The Blackhawks are fortunate to be in a position where they have a couple of promising young players in Adam Boqvist and Kirby Dach, both of whom have grown into larger roles during their rookie season as teenagers. They are part of the next core, along with Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Strome, both of whom are 22. The organization should feel good about that.

But right now the Blackhawks should be maximizing what this current group can do without taking away from the long-term developments of their new core because at some point they're hoping the veterans performing at a high level will coincide with the younger players hitting their prime. And that’s what they’re trying to do, which makes the city of Chicago impatient with the Blackhawks in danger of missing the playoffs for the third straight season.

It might not get as dark as the Red Wings anytime soon, but the Blackhawks don't have to look very far to see what it could look like if their tires keep spinning without going forward.

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Blackhawks 'need the points' ahead of 4-game homestand

By Scott King January 05, 2020 11:12 AM

Having the same home and away record isn't ideal for an NHL team. The Blackhawks, 9-9-3 at the United Center and on the road, look to improve their record on friendly ice during a four-game homestand beginning Sunday.

"It’s been a missed opportunity for us," Blackhawks head coach Jeremy Colliton said. "You want to be around .500 on the road, of course you want to be better. Then at home you have to make some hay and we just haven’t done that.

"Last [home] game (5-2 win against Islanders on Dec. 27) was better, and I thought the Minnesota game (5-3 win on Dec. 15) was good, also. We just have to find a way to give ourselves a chance by playing more of a road game at home, being patient, being clean with the puck, making good decisions with the puck, willing to defend, play more 0-0 shifts and that’s a formula that can give us success."

Sunday's start to the homestand will be against the struggling Detroit Red Wings, who are last in the Eastern Conference with a 10-29-3 record. Every game this week will be against a team currently outside the playoff picture. The Blackhawks also play the Flames (21-17-5) on Tuesday, Predators (19-15-6) on Thursday and Ducks (16-20-5) on Saturday.

"We need the points," Colliton said. "Regardless of who we're playing, we're not in the position to take anyone lightly. We talked about being better at home, this is an opportunity to take another step there. I think two of the last three have been good."

As the Hawks settle into home ice for a week before heading to Canada, they'll be looking for Patrick Kane to keep up his stellar play. Kane, who's quickly approaching 1,000 career points with 991, has 17 points (10 goals, seven assists) in his past 10 games.

Corey Crawford will start in net after Robin Lehner suffered a right knee injury in Vancouver on Jan. 2. Crawford's last start was on Dec. 23, when he was pulled in the second period with the Hawks trailing 4-1 after allowing four unanswered goals. Chicago went on to lose 7-1, heading into the Christmas break.

"We definitely want to be better than we have been at home," Crawford said. "We've had some big wins on the road and then we come back and it's kind of like you lighten up a little bit, I think.

"We've had that in the past. We just have to try and feed off the energy of the building, get the building going and we just got to better at home. If we want to make the playoffs we definitely have to step our game up here."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169586 Chicago Blackhawks offensive player in the NHL. He envisioned himself being a top-six forward when he first arrived, but maybe that wasn’t who he was going to be. You could tell he was beaten down psychologically. He even half- joked he was glad to go to the AHL and see the puck still fit in the net. Dylan Sikura took a long, trying path to his first NHL goal He went through all of the emotions. It was full circle. He was confident and excited entering the NHL. The world was his. He then lost it all and was knocked for a loop when he failed to produce. And then he came By Scott Powers Jan 5, 2020 back this season basically saying, forget it.

“Kind of my mindset this time is there’s nothing to lose,” Sikura said after The question popped up nearly everywhere Dylan Sikura went. he was recalled in December. “If I want to be here and want to be here to stay, I’m going to have to prove myself.” Everyone wanted to know when he was going to score his first NHL goal. Some even assumed he had already scored it considering he had spent And proving himself still came down to scoring. If you’re going to play nearly half of last season in the NHL with the Blackhawks. with Patrick Kane, you better eventually come through or that chance disappears. “I was asked sometimes, ‘When was your first goal last year?'” Sikura said in training camp in October. “It’s a little embarrassing at times.” Entering Sunday, Sikura was feeling better about himself after the last few games. He had chipped in a few assists, was holding his own in all Sikura’s father, Glenn, laid it out in a unique way. zones, was showing he could be trusted and Colliton kept giving him consistent shift. Sikura knew he just needed the right puck at the right “You know what I said to somebody when they were asking me about it, time and what he had dreamed about for much of his life would finally it’s something like when you win an Oscar, but the opposite,” Glenn said. happen. “You’re not Scott Powers, the actor anymore. You’re Scott Powers, Oscar winner. And it was like that. He was Dylan Sikura, NHL player who And then it did. hadn’t scored a goal yet. That was sort of his introduction. Even if he did something well, it’s, ‘Nice play by Sikura. Forty-two games he hasn’t Erik Gustafsson shot from the top of the left circle. Sikura darted toward scored a goal yet.'” the net on an angle from the top of the right circle. The puck struck a body or two at the front of the net and began a new path directly to It was something reporters brought up in nearly every interview. I can Sikura. He lowered himself and his stick at the perfect moment and remember at least five instances when Sikura and I discussed it over the struck the puck into a wide-open portion of the net. last few years. Chris Kuc tweeted he had asked Sikura as recently as Sunday morning. In his 44th career NHL game and on his 112th shot attempt and 70th shot on net, Sikura had scored his first NHL goal. He was finally Dylan Teammates didn’t bother him about it, but they were well aware of it, too. Sikura, NHL goal scorer. They tried to encourage him. Jonathan Toews had often been the one trying to lift Sikura up. When Sikura was hitting every part of the goal Sikura raised his arms in celebration, skated behind the Detroit Red except the inside of it last season, it was Toews who was constantly Wings’ net and was met by Gustafsson. Gustafsson picked him up and beside him on the bench letting him know it would come. He even said to celebrated as if it was his first goal, too. Sikura on Sunday he had a feeling it would be the day. “I saw him in the squat position,” Sikura said of Gustafsson. “I kind of Certainly plenty of others had similar hunches in the past. Sikura had wanted to play it cool a little bit there but thought I’d give him a little learned how to handle such situations. He’d smile and nod in agreement. jump.” He was just as hopeful, but he also knew nothing was promised. The While that unfolded, Sikura family celebrations were occurring hockey gods had been unkind before. simultaneously across North America. Sikura was asked to estimate Sunday how many times he thought his At the Sikura family home in Ontario, his father, mother Lorie, sister goalless drought had been referenced since it became a thing. Karlie and brother-in-law Jordan Wrightly were watching the game. When “Couple hundred at least,” Sikura said. “Even people back home, guys Sikura scored, the family erupted. that don’t even know hockey will say something. Like, when are you “Lots of yelling, lots of jumping,” Glenn said of the reaction. “The going to score? Before every game, five or six times, do the math, a granddaughter is sound asleep, but I don’t know if she slept through all bunch.” the screaming. The mentioning of it was part of it, but Sikura could handle that aspect. “It was just such a sense of relief. He’s done some good things, but you No one was ever mean about it. What did affect him, though, was the have to produce and he knows that. Just nice to get a good bounce repeated lack of results. When you’re a goal scorer and you don’t score instead of it going the wrong way whether it’s crossbar or one that ends — ever — that begins to weigh on you. For every game that passed up in his feet. It was a thrill to watch him put it in.” where Sikura didn’t put one in, it was like he was carrying around even more on his shoulders the next game. Sikura’s older brother, Tyler, felt the same exact way. Tyler had played in a game for the Rockford IceHogs on Sunday afternoon and was just There was that, plus the fact he was pretty much playing for his NHL getting out of the shower when he stopped by a television in the locker career. His time in the AHL and as a healthy scratch with the Blackhawks room and noticed his brother was on the ice at that moment. taught him nothing would be handed to him. As much as the Blackhawks were willing to do whatever they had to ensure he signed after his senior “I was standing there watching for about 15 seconds and saw the goal,” college season, that faith only lasted so long. His NHL future would still Tyler said. “Some of the other guys were in the room as well, just be determined by his play. celebrated all together. It was a pretty cool moment.

And as an offensive player, that meant producing. If he didn’t, he could “I had a feeling I would (see it live) even though I don’t get to see all the easily play himself out of the league. There are plenty of players who are games. I always had a weird feeling I would see it. It’s happier to actually deemed simply really good AHL players and don’t have NHL careers to watch it live than just get a notification on your phone or whatever.” speak of. If it wasn’t for a few injuries, Sikura would probably be in Rockford right now. Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton seemed ready to Tyler knew what that moment meant to his brother. They’ve been best move on from Sikura after seeing how he played in his first three games friends their entire lives. They shared a hotel room at Blackhawks training after being called up last month. Sikura only got another look because camps. They’ve shared a place in Rockford. They’ve been through the someone else wasn’t playing up to expectations, and no one else was ups and downs in hockey together. ready to come off injured reserve yet. “It was only a matter of time,” Tyler said. “When you’re going through it, Dylan Sikura had zero goals and 14 assists in 43 NHL games coming every game and every chance seems monumental. When you get that into Sunday. (Dennis Wierzbicki / USA Today) first one, you can kind of breathe a little bit.”

Through it all, there were times where Sikura began to doubt himself. He While the brothers do talk a lot of hockey, Tyler had mostly stayed away mentioned last year he wasn’t so sure anymore if he could be an from the topic everyone else was bringing up. “I figured he was getting it a little bit from enough people,” Tyler said. “I knew it was going to happen eventually. And I have a feeling once he gets the first one, then he can start filling the net because they come in bunches. Yeah, just really, really happy for him.

“It’s such a relief. My first 25 games in the American League I didn’t have a point. I had the summer to think about it. It’s frustrating. You don’t know when you’re going to get another chance. I can relate to what he’s going through and what he had to go through. But I’m so happy for him to get that first one.”

Ironically, Sikura did nearly score his second later in Sunday’s game. With that monkey off his back, Sikura is hopeful he can move on and score many others.

For the moment, he plans to thoroughly enjoy his first.

“I’ll probably watch it a thousand times tonight,” Sikura said.

One of the last questions Sikura was asked Sunday was what he’d do with the puck. The Blackhawks’ team photographer stood by waiting to take his picture with it. Sikura said he didn’t know.

Dylan Strome was standing near him and mentioned the Blackhawks would put it on a plaque for him. Sikura chimed in.

“I’ve seen a couple in my time,” Sikura said with a laugh.

Finally, he’ll soon see his own.

The Athletic LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169587 Colorado Avalanche

Nathan MacKinnon is one-point shy of NHL scoring lead. But he’s got bigger goals for himself and the Avalanche.

By MIKE CHAMBERS | January 5, 2020 at 3:11 PM

A transgender teen helped pass a new birth certificate law. She’s now the first in Colorado to benefit from it.

Nuggets rookie Michael Porter Jr. duped into postgame shower: “I thought we were having a heartfelt moment”

After a decade of dramatic gains, metro Denver home prices expected to slow in 2020

NEW YORK — Fans of Nathan MacKinnon have their eyes on him winning the NHL scoring title, but the player himself? He just wants to win the Stanley Cup.

“Trying to be consistent, trying to win a Cup here and scoring titles usually don’t get you a Cup,” MacKinnon said late Saturday after his two assists helped the Avalanche defeat the New Jersey Devils 5-2 at the Prudential Center. “If it happens, it happens, but I just want to help my team win anyway I can.”

MacKinnon has upped his points total to 64, just one shy of the NHL lead behind Edmonton teammates Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. But MacKinnon, who leads the league in points per game at 1.52, has played two fewer games than the Oilers’ duo.

MacKinnon is coming off a career-high 99-point season and is on pace to exceed the club record of 120 points, established by Joe Sakic in Colorado’s inaugural season of 1995-96. Pittsburgh’s Mario Lemieux won the 1996 Art Ross Trophy as the NHL scoring champion with 161 points, and Sakic was third behind the Penguins’ Jaromir Jagr (149).

The Avs’ only Art Ross winner is Peter Forsberg, with 106 points in 2002- 03. Forsberg had a career-high 116 points in 1995-96.

MacKinnon has played in all 42 games for the Avs, with 40 to go — beginning Monday at the New York Islanders on Long Island. On Saturday against the Devils, he might have played the most physical game of the season after being dumped by Blake Coleman in the second period.

“I just got ran and I got kind of (upset). I just tried to answer,” MacKinnon said. “I don’t want to get pushed around. I don’t hit very much, but I can take care of myself, for sure. It will probably happen again, but hitting a lot is really tiring, and I’ve got to play big minutes. So I’ve got to manage myself. I don’t want to run around too much and attract too much attention, but I think there is a time and a place for it.”

Avs coach Jared Bednar likes when his superstar center plays with an edge.

“When Nate plays with a little anger, he’s a better player,” the coach said. “I really want him to manage his emotion, but getting physical and checking the puck back — hitting players to take the puck back — and getting underneath guys to keep pucks alive is part of it. Instead of just going and trying back into our zone, if we can get into people and force them into some turnovers — it’s what we want all our guys to do. (MacKinnon) had a couple nice hits tonight, and I like when he plays like that.”

The Avs had Sunday off to rest for their upcoming consecutive-night stretch that ends Tuesday against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

Denver Post: LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169588 Colorado Avalanche season with the Stars, producing 14 goals and 34 points in 79 games. But then his hip required surgery and he didn’t trust his comeback.

He slipped to nine goals and 29 points in 79 games in 2015-16, after Discarded and doubted, Valeri Nichushkin resurrects NHL career with which he decided to return to his homeland and play in Russia’s Avalanche Kontinental Hockey League. He didn’t feel like he belonged in the NHL.

“When you missed the whole year, it’s tough. Every year, everybody is better. When you’re not skating most of the year, it’s hard to come back,” By MIKE CHAMBERS | January 5, 2020 at 8:00 am he said.

Nichushkin spent two relatively productive seasons with CSKA Moscow before returning to the NHL as a restricted free agent with the Stars, A transgender teen helped pass a new birth certificate law. She’s now signing a two-year contract worth $5.9 million. Dallas had high hopes, but the first in Colorado to benefit from it. ultimately severed ties with a buyout after his goalless season. Nuggets rookie Michael Porter Jr. duped into postgame shower: “I Nichushkin was in the lineup often, but he didn’t play much and lost the thought we were having a heartfelt moment” physical edge that had always helped him score. After a decade of dramatic gains, metro Denver home prices expected “I’ve always played more physical than skills, but when you play less to slow in 2020 minutes it’s harder to play physical,” he said. “Sitting for five minutes, it’s Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin prefers not to talk about it — his hard to get back on the ice and go hit. When you play all the time, every mental state, his NHL career or anything else — until he succumbs to two minutes, you’re always warm. It helps you, you’re always hot and I slight persuasion from a familiar face. actually feel faster. I think that’s a big point.

“No talk,” he often says, before usually trying to identify a better time to “So it was always weird in Dallas. I played in first period and then I’d sit be interviewed. for 10 minutes. And then I’d get back on the ice and it was way harder to play. If you’re a good player, you have to find a way to stay warm all the Making eye contact in the locker room seems impossible from afar. And time. That was my mistake last year. I was nervous a lot and I didn’t try to with tribal tattoos attached to his physically imposing 6-foot-4, 220-pound change something. I was waiting for coach to give me more ice time. It frame, some might think Nichushkin is unapproachable. didn’t happen. This year, if I don’t get the ice time I want, I really try to stay warm and confident.” But if that were true, the soft-spoken Russian would have to stop being so happy. Nichushkin is part of the puzzle that has made Avs general manager Joe Sakic and his staff look so good for their offseason moves. They traded Happiness defines Nichushkin these days, although he rarely shows it for forwards Nazem Kadri and Andre Burakovsky and signed fellow without working on his English. In a 20-minute interview that was forwards Joonas Donskoi, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Nichushkin originally declined, Nichushkin, 24, mentioned being happy more than a through free agency. The team lacked secondary scoring the last two half-dozen times. His satisfaction stems from resurrecting his NHL career seasons but now leads the NHL at 3.68 goals per game. in Colorado, playing a distinct third-line role as one of the club’s five offseason additions at forward that has helped turn the Avs into the “I’m so happy Joe gave me the chance. I’m so happy to be here with NHL’s highest-scoring team and Stanley Cup contender. great teammates,” Nichushkin said. “We have a great team. I feel like, if we play our best, everyone, we can fight for (the) Cup, for sure. This is a Entering Saturday’s game against the Devils, Nichushkin had seven Stanley Cup team.” goals and 13 points in 19 games since snapping a 91-game goals drought Nov. 23 against Toronto. Read it again: That’s 91 games without CAREER RESTORATION a goal, from a former top NHL prospect expected to score a lot of them. Entering the Avs’ game Saturday at New Jersey, power forward Valeri Bought out by the Dallas Stars in June, Nichushkin signed a modest one- Nichushkin had seven goals and 13 points in 19 games since snapping a year deal ($850,000) with the Avs in August and is now in position to be 91-game goals drought Nov. 23 against Toronto. offered an extension. The $850,000 risk, so far, has paid off. Season Team GP G A PT PIM “He moves real well and is a real hard-working guy,” Avs left wing and team captain Gabe Landeskog said of Nichushkin. “We kept saying, ‘If he 2013-14 Dallas Stars 79 14 20 34 keeps bringing it, you just can’t stop a guy like that.’ It took a while for 8 him to find the back of the net, but when you bring that work ethic every 2014-15 Dallas Stars 8 0 1 1 day it’s going to pay off. 2 “I’m super happy for him and the way he’s found a role on this team. He’s 2015-16 Dallas Stars 79 9 20 29 a real valuable player for us.” 12 Thanks to his strong work ethic, increased ice time and patience from his 2018-19 Dallas Stars 57 0 10 10 new club, the Avs have gotten out of Nichushkin what the Dallas Stars 0 could not. Nishushkin, the Stars’ 2013 first-round draft pick (10th overall), had zero goals in 57 games with Dallas last season. He also had zero 2019-20 Avalanche 37 7 8 15 12 penalty minutes, which speaks to his skating on eggshells. Career 260 30 59 89 34 “I feel better on the ice, especially after I score first goal. I’m so happy,” Nichushkin told The Post. “All my family is happy. That was the biggest Denver Post: LOADED: 01.06.2020 point. Last year, the family, everyone (knew I struggled). I look at my mom and dad and they look not that happy because they worry about me and they know I’m nervous. The year wasn’t good last year. I’m so happy now that I can see more smiles.”

The Avs are certainly smiling.

“From Day 1 here, even though he wasn’t producing on the offensive side, I thought he was playing real good hockey,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “Checked really hard. He was getting chances; you could tell he was getting frustrated by not scoring. But we played him through that. He’s earned a real good opportunity here and now that he’s capitalizing he knows he can still be an offensive weapon.”

Nichushkin began losing his confidence in 2015 at age 20, following a six-month recovery from hip surgery. He had a successful NHL rookie 1169589 Colorado Avalanche

Rantanen’s hat-trick leads Avs over New Jersey

By Aarif Deen - January 5, 2020

The Avalanche continued its dominance over the Eastern Conference on Saturday, scoring the first three goals and defeating the New Jersey Devils 5-2. The Avs improved to 11-2-2 against the East—where they will play their next two games in a back-to-back starting Monday.

Avs forward Mikko Rantanen scored the first goal for Colorado, one- timing a setup from center Nathan MacKinnon in the second period. His first of three on the night gave the Avalanche a lead they would not relinquish for the rest of the evening.

After defenseman added another tally in the second, the Avs scored again just eight seconds into the third to make it 3-0. MacKinnon cleanly won the faceoff—where Colorado has struggled all season—back to rookie Cale Makar, who skated up the boards, escaped a hit, and fed Rantanen for this second of the evening.

The tally matched an Avalanche record for the fastest goal to start a period, matching a feat by former Av Antti Laaksonen nearly 14 years ago.

The teams exchanged shorthanded goals in the high-scoring third period before an empty-netter from Rantanen completed the hat-trick.

Takeaways

Girard is on fire. In the matter of three games, Avs defenseman Sam Girard has seen his offensive production this season evolve from disappointing to spectacular. After recording two more assists on Saturday—his third straight multi-point effort—Girard has now set up eight goals in his last three games.

Girard is the only Avalanche defenseman to appear in all 42 games this season and has recorded one goal and 22 points in the process. He is five points away from matching his career-high in points from a season ago.

MacKinnon continues to climb. Similar to Girard, MacKinnon has also recorded eight points in three Avalanche games this week. After his two- assist performance, MacKinnon is now up to 64 points in 42 games. The two-time Central Division All-Star captain is one point back of both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in Edmonton for the NHL points- scoring race. MacKinnon has two games in hand on both and leads the league in points per game with 1.52.

Another win for Grubauer. After a four-week stretch where Grubauer overcame an injury and some disappointing losses at the Pepsi Center, the second year Avalanche goalie has now won two consecutive games. Grubauer is 12-9-3 on the season and is just six wins back of his career- high in wins which he set with the Avs last season.

Avs coach Jared Bednar said he will split Grubauer and backup Pavel Francouz in the upcoming back-to-back.

Colorado will continue its road trip at 5 p.m. on Monday against the New York Islanders. milehighsports.com LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169590 Colorado Avalanche

The Tape: Zadorov’s simplified defensive play

BY NATHAN RUDOLPH JANUARY 6, 2020

This time on The Tape we are diving into Nikita Zadorov’s bare-bones approach to defense this season.

1. Physicality. Hitting always has and always will be a key part of Zadorov’s game but it doesn’t have to be a bone-rattling open-ice hit. His six-foot-six, 235-pound frame is a massive advantage, literally. When he goes into the corner with a smaller opponent it’s something he should be leveraging as often as possible, as seen below.

2. Long reach. More often than not opponents are going to do everything in their power to stay off the tracks and not get rocked by Zadorov. Big Z can still be effective thanks to his size by covering a massive amount of ice with his stick. On this play, Street gets the inside line and turns back to the blue line with open ice to skate into but Zadorov is able to reach in from behind and knock the puck loose, flipping possession to the Avs.

3. Off puck decisions. Z is embracing the role of defense-first this season. When away from the puck in the offensive zone he seldom pinches and his first move is to back off into the neutral zone. With the Avs working the puck low to high on the far side Zadorov remains high in the zone so when something goes wrong he can cover back and be the responsible defenseman. Keeping the odd-man rush in front of him allows him to play patiently, take away the passing lane and force the puck carrier into the single option of shooting.

4. Shot blocking. The Avs defensive structure is set up in such a way that it requires defensemen to take some rubber at times. Zadorov seems to have bought into this philosophy this season as his blocks are up by a noticeable margin. On the play below you can see a pinballing puck leaves Zadorov in an awkward position but his recovery time is impressive. His immediate reaction is to lift a stick which is a good instinct but once he realizes where the puck is he has no choice but to commit to the block. In this case, it helps save a goal.

5. Chips and flips. One of the biggest knocks on Zadorov is his puck management in the defensive zone. While there is still plenty to be desired in that regard he has started to get a better feel for making the simple play. Being able to loft and knock pucks out to open ice in the neutral zone while not taking an icing is a key factor for defensemen to reset plays and allow their team to change if necessary. Sometimes it can even create an odd-man rush.

BSN DENVER LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169591 Columbus Blue Jackets

Columbus Blue Jackets’ returning players must buy in to recent emphasis on defense

Brian Hedger Jan 6, 2020 at 5:01 AM

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — It’s a reminder Sonny Milano has already gotten and one that John Tortorella might need to give a few more times in the coming weeks.

It’s about the Blue Jackets’ gritty, defensive mentality that has helped them weather a slew of injuries the past three weeks and needs to stick around after the guys who’ve been out start returning.

“That’s a discussion I’ve had with a number of the players that are out,” Tortorella said after a practice Sunday in which it appeared Cam Atkinson (ankle), Emil Bemstrom (ribs) and Markus Nutivaara (upper body) were all nearing possible returns. “One who came back in (last week in Boston) is Sonny and I had a quick discussion with him about that. The guys that are going to come back in, I think they can see it. They’re in the meetings. They hear it, they’ve been in the meetings, video and all that. So, I think they understand.”

If they don’t, all it takes is a glance at the past three weeks to see what Tortorella means. Despite the list of injured regulars rising to 11, the Jackets have also risen back into the playoff race in the Eastern Conference.

Using a rededicated effort defensively, some great goaltending and a motivated group of replacements from the , the Blue Jackets rattled off a 12-game point streak (8-0-4) that shrunk their distance behind the second wild-card spot from 11 points to just three.

The run finally ended Saturday night at Nationwide Arena in a 3-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks, but the Jackets’ defense-first mindset must continue, no matter who returns to health.

“I’m not sure what people are saying about us when we’ve had the injuries, but I think ourselves, in our room, it’s a style of play that is a little bit different than prior (years),” Tortorella said. “Again, I go to just a concentration on playing away from the puck.”

Forced by injury into a bunker mentality of sorts, the Blue Jackets doubled down on that concentration. They have become one of the stingiest teams in the league, and it doesn’t matter who they’re playing.

During the point streak, which was tied for the third-longest in franchise history, the Blue Jackets went 4-0-2 in six games against four of the NHL’s top seven teams by points: the Washington Capitals (2-0-1), Boston Bruins (1-0-0), Pittsburgh Penguins (0-0-1) and New York Islanders (1-0-0).

They also downed the Los Angeles Kings, whom the Blue Jackets will play Monday night at Staples Center to start a busy trip that includes games Tuesday in Anaheim, Thursday in San Jose and Saturday in Las Vegas.

The Kings, Ducks and Sharks are all wallowing near the bottom of the Pacific Division, but it’s still a challenging stretch.

“Let’s face it, we’re fortunate,” Tortorella said. “We’ve strung together some wins, so that helps that belief even more. A true test is now we lose a game ... now, can we come back? And can you come back with your confidence and your swagger and play the way we’re supposed to play? These are things we’re going to find out.”

They might get some familiar faces back too. If so, the returners will need to play with their replacements’ grit.

“Everyone has bought into what we’re trying to do, and it’s been great,” said Atkinson, who is nursing a high-ankle sprain. “We’re definitely playing the right way, so we have to continue.”

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Columbus Blue Jackets’ Cam Atkinson trying not to rush back from injury

Brian Hedger

Jan 5, 2020 at 10:36 PM

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Cam Atkinson has dealt with this injury before, only it was a high-ankle sprain on his other foot.

What he learned from that one is that it’s best not to return too soon, because setbacks can happen and they’re every bit as frustrating as the original problem.

“They say it’s almost better to break your ankle just because you have a set timetable (to return),” said Atkinson, who is a possibility to return to the lineup Monday night when the Blue Jackets play at the Los Angeles Kings. “I can skate, but it’s the things that make me the player I am that are kind of holding me back — and, of course, putting myself in a vulnerable position, where I don’t want to have setbacks. Out there practicing is one thing, but I still have tweaks, and it scares me.”

Atkinson twisted the ankle, coincidentally, in a 3-2 overtime win against the Kings on Dec. 17 in Columbus. He has missed seven games and might miss more, calling his availability for Monday night a “50/50” decision.

Atkinson skated on a line with Gustav Nyquist and Pierre-Luc Dubois during practice, which was a positive sign, but the Jackets also play Tuesday at Anaheim in this week’s busy four-game trip.

“I had a worse one about three years ago on my other ankle, and it’s just crazy,” Atkinson said. “It’s never really healed properly. So I understand the mindset of what I’m going to have to go through the rest of the season and into the playoffs, but I also don’t want to have any setbacks.”

Bemstom eager to play

After being activated from injured reserve Saturday, Emil Bemstrom said he’s ready to return against the Kings if coach John Tortorella puts his name in the lineup.

“I’ve always been a quicker healer,” said Bemstrom, who originally was given a recovery estimate of six to eight weeks for a dislocated rib and cartilage damage. “When I’ve been injured before, it usually takes less (time) than it’s supposed to be. So, I guess that’s just lucky. I’m feeling great out there. I’ve been on the bike for four weeks, so I’m so excited.”

The injury happened on a crosscheck by Florida Panthers center Brian Boyle on Dec. 7. Bemstrom has since missed 13 games.

“That’s how the game is,” Bemstrom said. “You’re going to get injured. It’s just lucky it wasn’t the whole season. It was only about four weeks, so that’s fine.”

Nutivaara activated

The list of Blue Jackets players on injured reserve shrunk again Sunday night, as defenseman Markus Nutivaara (upper body) was activated.

Nutivaara was hit on the head by a puck during a game Nov. 5 against the Vegas Golden Knights, and he has missed the past 27 games for what the team calls an upper-body injury.

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Michael Arace | Blue Jackets points streak ends, and now team hits the road

Michael Arace

Jan 4, 2020 at 9:09 PM

Jan 5, 2020 at 9:36 AM

The Blue Jackets' points streak, which stretched to 12 games, was back- checked into the history books in Nationwide Arena on Saturday afternoon. The San Jose Sharks capitalized on the few opportunities they were given and slogged their way to a 3-2 victory before a sellout crowd of 18,874. It was not a festival of thrills.

Some thoughts as the Jackets hit the road for stops in LA, Anaheim, San Jose and Vegas:

If Saturday marked the last appearance of future Hall of Famer Joe Thornton in Columbus — and it probably did — a tip of the cap to Jumbo, who assisted on the game-winning goal with 3 minutes, 1 second remaining in the third period. The man still sees the ice like no other, even after 1,609 games over 22-plus seasons. I hope he had a Land Grant Beard Crumbs Stout before he left town.

Let this not be the last time the Jackets do a Kids Takeover matinee. Not to pick on the usual game operations, but having children handle everything — from the anthem to the public address to the intermission interviews — was a gang of fun. Kudos all around.

Goodbye streak: The Jackets lost in regulation for the first time in 13 games. They have had two point streaks of greater duration — including an 18-gamer that ended on Jan. 5, 2017, three years ago almost to the day — but this streak had another aura about it. It looked and felt impossible.

The Jackets have had more emergency recalls than Yugo in order to maintain 18 skaters and two goaltenders on their NHL roster. As of Saturday, they had nine players on injured reserve and one unhealthy scratch. It has been that way for weeks. The giant posters of players hanging outside Nationwide turned into a roll call of orthopedic patients.

Credit must go to the coaching staff, led by John Tortorella. The Jackets have channeled the energy introduced by hungry Cleveland Monsters and used it to refocus on hard-and-fast fundamentals. They have stayed above the puck, as the coach might say.

The Jackets do not have a game-breaking forward. Their All-Star goaltender, Joonas Korpisalo (arthroscopic knee surgery), is on the shelf for at least a month. Among the injured are their relatively potent goal scorers.

Where's the star power? Right here: Seth Jones and Zach Werenski. Jones has seven helpers in his last nine games. Werenski, since returning from a shoulder injury on Dec. 17, has seven goals and nine points in nine games.

Werenski has 13 goals with 40 games to play. The team record for goals in a season by a defenseman, which he shares with Jones, is 16.

The 2013-14 Detroit Red Wings lost 421 man-games to injury and made the playoffs. To this point this season, the Jackets have lost 183 man- games. Did someone say “playoffs?”

“We have a belief that it's in here,” Jones said. “We're still right there.”

These Jackets were in seventh place in the wild-card standings prior to their 12-game point streak. They accrued 20 points in three weeks and moved up to fourth in the wild-card standings. At the very least, they are interesting.

Backup goaltender Elvis Merzlikins has turned in three solid performances in a row. The Jackets' fortunes are in his glove hand, or through his five hole, until Korpisalo returns. Let us see how this goes now.

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169594 Dallas Stars “If you want to be an upper-echelon team and if you want your players to be ready for a call-up when they go to the next level, you have to be playing that way,” Graham said.

Neil Graham is back to hockey as usual in his role as Texas Stars head Dallas Morning News LOADED: 01.06.2020 coach

By Matthew DeFranks

1:22 AM on Jan 6, 2020

CEDAR PARK, Texas — For Neil Graham, the first 25 games of the season were the weirdest. The last 11, when he’s been the Texas Stars head coach? Well, that’s been hockey as usual.

Graham was promoted midseason to head coach of the Stars’ AHL affiliate as part of a franchise-wide coaching shuffle due to the abrupt firing of Jim Montgomery on Dec. 10. As Rick Bowness elevated to interim head coach in the NHL, previous Texas coach Derek Laxdal was called up to the NHL staff. That left an opening for Graham in the AHL, who welcomed assistant coach Travis Morin behind the bench.

The level is new for Graham, who prior to this season had never coached or played in the AHL. But the position is familiar. For the last four seasons, Graham was the head coach for ECHL affiliate Idaho before joining Texas’ staff as an assistant coach this season.

“Being a head coach the last four years, I’m probably a bit more comfortable, to be honest, in a head coaching role,” Graham said Saturday night. “I just feel like I’m being myself. Like I said when I first got the job, we were in a good spot. Lax left the group in a very good spot. I didn’t have to come in as a bulldozer and reinvent the wheel. We had to keep the train in the tracks, add my own personality to it because you have to be authentic.”

Under Graham, Texas is 6-4-1-0 after beating Grand Rapids 4-0 on Saturday night at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park. Since a 12-game losing streak that lasted a month and ended Nov. 23, Texas has found its groove by ripping off a 12-4-2-0 record.

At 34 years old, Graham is the second-youngest coach in the AHL (Charlotte’s Ryan Warsofsky is 32) and was once a player-assistant coach in the ECHL. During his four years in Idaho, the Steelheads went 166-91-21-10 and advanced to the second round of the playoffs twice.

“He’s really good at communicating,” defenseman Joel Hanley said. “He’s 34 years old, so he’s kind of a younger coach that hasn’t been out of the game for that long. He gets the guys that way. That’s what I’ve noticed the most, he’s really good at communicating with the guys. I think he’s brought the best out of a lot of players.”

Hanley said Graham is “really precise at explaining exactly what we need to do” when going over the game plan and there is no gray area with Graham. Forward Joel L’Esperance said Graham hasn’t try “to do too much, and I think that’s helped.”

“He hasn’t tried to change too much,” L’Esperance said. “He’s thrown a few little things, his ideas and his things that were different from Lax, but other than that, it’s been good.”

Graham said: “I didn’t have to change a ton of Xs and Os, but your own verbiage, certain things that you’ll emphasize more than another coach, those things happen naturally. It’s not necessarily by design, but your personality will come out in what you want to teach, and you may key on something slightly more within a system or within a structure than maybe someone else would.”

Graham is a Calgary native whose Canadian accent comes through in his detailed and fast-talking interviews. His energy can be infectious to those around him, and he wants his teams to embody that.

“I’m an upbeat guy,” Graham said. “I think naturally, I’m pretty energetic. That’s how I want my teams to play as well. I want to play fast. I want to have possession or I want to have puck pressure.”

The philosophy should be familiar to Stars fans. It’s what Montgomery preached when he was hired in the summer of 2018 and it’s a style the Stars still play despite his firing last month. It also helps players that get recalled to Dallas that the systems are similar (but not the same). 1169595 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings can't finish after taking early lead, lose 4-2 to Blackhawks

Helene St. James, Detroit Free PressPublished 10:16 p.m. ET Jan. 5, 2020 | Updated 11:20 p.m. ET Jan. 5, 2020

CHICAGO — The Detroit Red Wings started well, giving the mothers along for the trip a reason to cheer.

They were not able to build on the good work, however, and their Sunday evening game against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center ended with a 4-2 loss.

Filip Zadina and Luke Glendening scored in the first period, but the Blackhawks struck twice in the second period and Adam Boqvist put the Wings (10-30-3) in a hole in the third period. Dominik Kubalik added an empty-net goal with 20 seconds to play in regulation.

The trip, which began with a loss Friday at Dallas, was the Wings’ annual parents trip.

Jimmy Howard started in net and Brendan Perlini replaced Givani Smith in the lineup, which meant every player who brought his mom played in at least one of the games.

Zadina makes a difference

Zadina scored for the fourth time in 18 games since being called up from the Grand Rapids Griffins in late November. Taking a pass from Dylan Larkin, Zadina fired a shot on net from the right circle that hit the cross bar and sank behind goalie Corey Crawford during a power play. It’s the second time Zadina has scored during a man advantage, and five of his 10 points have come during power plays.

Glendening has a good game

Glendening had an excellent first period. He helped kill off two Blackhawks penalties, and provided his team a two-goal lead at 16:53. Patrik Nemeth fired a shot from the blue line that Glendening got his stick on, causing the puck to bounce past Crawford. It was Glendening’s sixth goal of the season. Glendening had a great scoring chance in the third period, but his attempt from just outside the right goal post was denied.

45-second surrender

The Wings didn’t generate much offensively in the second period, squandering a power play early in the period and registering four shots on net. They didn’t give up a whole lot, but what they did give up was costly. Dylan Strome scored at 15:07 when he got the puck from Alex DeBrincat and fired a wrist shot from the top of the left circle that eluded Howard at 15:07. Dylan Sikura followed up at 15:52, ripping Erik Gustafsson’s shot into a wide open net to even the score at 2-2. That was part of six shots on net the Blackhawks (19-18-6) had in the second period.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169596 Detroit Red Wings

Two Detroit Red Wings win gold with Canada in world junior hockey tournament

Kirkland Crawford, Detroit Free PressPublished 5:42 p.m. ET Jan. 5, 2020

OSTRAVA, Czech Republic — Akil Thomas scored the winning goal in the final period and Canada rallied from two goals down to beat Russia, 4-3, in the final of the world junior hockey championship on Sunday.

It was the 18th title for Canada, the most successful team in the tournament.

The Canadian team included a pair of Detroit Red Wings prospects, forward Joe Veleno and defenseman Jared McIsaac.

Thomas backhanded the puck past goaltender Amir Miftakhov with 3:58 left to avenge a 6-0 loss to Russia at their group stage game, the worst loss for Canada in the history of the tournament.

Dylan Cozens, Connor McMichael and captain Barrett Hayton also scored for Canada. Goaltender Joel Hofer made 35 saves.

Nikita Alexandrov, Grigori Denisenko and Maxim Sorkin netted Russia’s goals.

The Canadians were looking to bounce back from a disappointing sixth- place finish last year when it hosted the event. They won the previous title in 2018 while Russia was seeking its first title since 2011.

It was the ninth final between the two rivals since the playoff system was introduced in 1996. Both teams had won four of them before their encounter on Sunday.

The Canadians were 3-1 down after Sorkin’s goal 8:46 into the final period. McMichael deflected a shot into the net with his leg and Hayton tied it at 3-3 on a power play with a wrist shot from the right circle, with the two goals coming in a span of 2:01.

McMichael added an assist and Calen Addison had three assists. Alexis Lafreniere, who is projected to be the No. 1 pick at the 2020 NHL draft, contributed two assists to finish the tournament with four goals and six assists from the five games he played.

Alexandrov broke the goalless deadlock 9:37 into the the middle period, deflecting a shot by Yegor Zamula from the point on Russia’s power play.

Canada answered on a 5-3 advantage 1:24 later with Cozens netting on a rebound.

Denisenko restored Russia’s one-goal lead, pushing the puck under the pad of Hofer still in the frame.

Earlier, Samuel Fagemo scored his eighth goal to become the best scorer of the tournament and help Sweden beat defending champion Finland 3-2 and take bronze.

Bronze medal game: Sweden 3, Finland 2

Samuel Fagemo scored again to help Sweden beat defending champion Finland, 3-2, and take bronze at the world junior hockey championship on Sunday.

Fagemo, the leading scorer of the tournament, scored his eighth goal to tie the game at 2 in the middle period before Linus Oberg netted the winner at Ostravar Arena in the eastern city of Ostrava.

Red Wings prospects Jonatan Berggren and Jesper Eliasson played for Sweden.

Rasmus Sandin also had a goal for Sweden with Fagemo adding an assist.

Patrik Puistola and Matias Maccelli had a goal each for Finland.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169597 Detroit Red Wings Patrik Nemeth got the puck at the point and unleashed a shot that Glendening, on his knee, got his stick on and redirected past Crawford for Glendening's sixth goal.

Red Wings play 'stupid hockey' to cough up lead in 4-2 drubbing by But in the middle period – the Wings have been outscored 67-31 in the Blackhawks second period this season – turnovers became more prevalent, and eventually, Chicago cashed in.

“We get ourselves a 2-0 lead and you have to play smart hockey,” Ted Kulfan, The Detroit NewsPublished 10:15 p.m. ET Jan. 5, 2020 | Blashill said. “We have to grow as a group that way. We won’t be better Updated 11:41 p.m. ET Jan. 5, 2020 until we understand that we have to stop from beating ourselves. That’s the first step we have to take at some point here in order to get better.”

Detroit News LOADED: 01.06.2020 Chicago — Not surprisingly the Red Wings did it again.

They lost, really, they did, 4-2, Sunday to the Chicago Blackhawks — who like the Red Wings, hardly look like the dynasty of earlier this decade.

But it was how the Red Wings lost that has become so familiar.

Leading 2-0 — on Filip Zadina (power play) and Luke Glendening's goals — the Red Wings allowed two goals in a matter of 45 seconds (Dylan Strome and Dylan Sikura) late in the second period, enabling the Blackhawks to get back in the game.

Once again, it was the Wings’ turning the puck over, giving Chicago prime scoring opportunities — and sure enough, the Blackhawks cashed in.

“We just shoot ourselves in the foot for no reason,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “We played stupid hockey in the second. We forced pucks on the power play we didn’t need to, force a play to the slot on the first goal.

“Let’s just be patient and grind them down and make them defend — and it ends up in our net. Our puck management was terrible as the game went along.”

And in the third period, Chicago defenseman Adam Boqvist — a heralded 2018 first-round draft pick — broke the tie with his second goal at 8 minutes, 47 seconds.

Chicago forward Dominik Kubalik scored into an empty net with 19 seconds left, his 12th goal, giving the Blackhawks the final margin of victory.

“We had too many turnovers, especially in the second period,” forward Valtteri Filppula said. “It’s tough, you end up spending a lot of time in your zone and you don’t get your changes going and it keeps going that way for a while before you get the puck in the offensive zone.

“Still, it’s a 2-2 game in the third (period), it’s not a bad situation to be on the road. We just have to find a way to win.”

With the defeat, the Red Wings reached the 30-loss mark (10-30-3). They’ve lost eight of their last nine games, and stretched a bit longer, a staggering 19 of 22 (3-17-2).

Sometimes, there is no end in sight, it appears.

“It’s not easy, I don’t even know, what, 10 wins or something like that,” Glendening said. “It’s not easy but we have to continue to show up and continue to work hard and do our job.”

On the Boqvist goal — Boqvist wheeled around Darren Helm and snapped a shot in the slot past goaltender Jimmy Howard (23 saves) — the Wings also lost defenseman Trevor Daley, who took a shot to the ankle by Chicago defenseman Duncan Keith. Daley was down on the ice and had to be helped into the locker room when he got to the bench.

Blashill didn’t have an update on Daley’s availability going forward, but Daley was unable to finish Sunday’s game.

Zadina opened the scoring at 3:21 with his fourth goal, one of the bright spots of the evening.

Zadina got Dylan Larkin’s pass out the corner, created room for himself in the circle, and ripped a shot just under the crossbar past goalie Corey Crawford’s (19 saves) ear.

“The goal he scored is a goal he can score and will score,” Blashill said. “He has a real good wrister from that spot. He’s grown as a player and that’s a positive, but we have to keep learning as a group.”

After a Red Wings power play went nowhere, the Wings pushed it to 2-0 on Glendening's goal. 1169598 Detroit Red Wings “He’s a good defender, learning a little bit the way we want to gap in the neutral zone. He plays to win the hockey game. He just plays hard.”

Stay patient Ex-GM Brian Burke rips Dylan Larkin for All-Star Game comment A persistent Red Wings problem has been poor puck decisions and trying to make a play out of nothing being there.

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit NewsPublished 9:31 a.m. ET Jan. 5, 2020 | It was a major issue in Friday's loss in Dallas, with Robby Fabbri and Updated 6:52 p.m. ET Jan. 5, 2020 Madison Bowey both making errant plays with led to Dallas breakaways or odd-man rushes that resulted in goals.

Blashill wants the Wings to be patient with the puck. Chicago — Brian Burke doesn’t agree with Dylan Larkin preferring rest, rather than attending the NHL All-Star Game. "We work too hard to try to create offense. We work too hard to try to create offensive zone time to give away those easy chances," Blashill Burke, a analyst, didn’t hold back during his said. "It wasn’t like it was 100 times, but it was big (turnovers). We have Saturday segment, criticizing Larkin for his preference to use All-Star to be OK with the game being 1-0 and 1-1. You can’t force things that weekend as a time for rest. aren’t there. If they are not there they are not there. You have to take what is given. “Please don’t vote, I’d like the days off more,” Larkin said earlier in the week of being a possible write-in candidate for the Jan. 25 game in St. "That’s got to be something we just have to keep getting better at. We Louis. “There are great players in that group (of candidates). We have compete hard and we work hard, but we have to be sure to do a better great fans, but I’m sure there’s guys more deserving to go. I’m fine with job of not giving away easy chances." that.” Detroit News LOADED: 01.06.2020 Larkin has played in one previous All-Star Game. He is having a sub-par season currently, with only 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) in 42 games.

Tyler Bertuzzi was selected as the Wings’ representative for the game.

Burke didn’t agree with Larkin’s opinion of preferring the All-Star weekend for rest.

"It's stupid," Burke said. "This kid is a good kid and he's a good player, but it's an honor to be a part of the All-Star weekend. It's a very important weekend for the and its sponsors and broadcast partners.

"You should get a speeding ticket on your way to the airport to fly to this game Dylan Larkin, and you shouldn't scoff at it like that.”

In the last couple of weeks, Washington star Alex Ovechkin and Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury have backed out of the game.

Former Wings Pavel Datsyuk, Nicklas Lidstrom and Henrik Zetterberg often skipped All-Star invitations.

"A player acquires the right to turn this down like Alexander Ovechkin, but that's after he played in about 12 or 15 of these. International hockey, all the other stuff he's done, all the playoffs,” Burke said. “Once you've done that, you can say no to this game. Otherwise, if you're voted in, get on a plane and keep your mouth shut."

Burke felt Wings general manager Steve Yzerman should talk to Larkin about the player’s comments.

Burke said if he was Yzerman, he would've "gone down and ripped his face off" for the comments.

"If that was one of my players, I would say, 'How could you be that dumb in front of a camera.' If you're going to be that stupid, do it off-camera,” Burke said.

The fan voting for the Last Men in closes on Jan. 10. One player from each of the four divisions will be added.

Larkin was unavailable for any comment on Burke’s remarks Sunday, as the Wings didn’t have a morning skate.

Helping out

With defenseman Danny DeKeyser (back surgery) done for the season, Patrik Nemeth is one of the defensemen who have had to take on a larger role.

Nemeth is one of Yzerman’s free-agent signings last summer, namely to be a shutdown defenseman and key penalty killer.

Nemeth is averaging just over 22 minutes per game (22:02), only trailing Filip Hronek (23:27).

“He’s really had to jump into that role where he’s generally playing against the other team’s best (players) every night, and that’s a hard role,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “He’s really had to shoulder that responsibility, (and) he’s done a good job. 1169599 Detroit Red Wings Kevin Lankinen served as Crawford’s backup after he was recalled from the minors Saturday on an emergency basis. ... Blackhawks F Zack Smith played after missing practice Saturday for a family matter. Smith and his wife, Brittany, recently welcomed their second child, a boy named Red Wings can’t maintain lead in loss to Blackhawks Eddie Dean Smith. ... The Red Wings host the Blackhawks on March 6.

UP NEXT

Today 12:55 AM Red Wings: Open a three-game homestand Tuesday night against Montreal. By The Associated Press Blackhawks: Host the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night.

Michigan Live LOADED: 01.06.2020 CHICAGO — Ever since he made his NHL debut almost two years ago, Dylan Sikura has been asked about when he might score his first goal for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Those questions are over.

Sikura, Dylan Strome and Adam Boqvist scored, helping Chicago rally for a 4-2 victory over the lowly Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night.

“Waited a long time for that,” a grinning Sikura said.

Dominik Kubalik tacked on a empty-netter as Chicago (19-18-6) won for the fourth time in five games. Corey Crawford made 19 saves in his first start since he was pulled in the second period of an ugly 7-1 loss to New Jersey on Dec. 23.

“Wasn't the prettiest game, but I thought we did what we had to do," coach Jeremy Colliton said.

Detroit dropped to 3-18-2 in its last 23 games. Filip Zadina and Luke Glendening scored for the NHL-worst Red Wings (10-30-3), and Jimmy Howard made 23 stops.

“It’s obviously hard to play right now," Zadina said. “We’re not producing some points as a team. It’s kind of disappointing, but we’re trying to do our best."

The game was tied at 2 when Boqvist skated past Detroit forward Darren Helm near the blue line and beat Howard on the glove side 8:47 into the third. It was the second goal for the rookie defenseman in his 18th NHL game.

Kubalik added his 12th with 20 seconds left as the Blackhawks kicked off an important four-game homestand with their seventh win in their last 10 games. Chicago is just 10-9-3 at the United Center this season.

“We have to be really good at home. We’ve talked about that," Crawford said. “These are big points coming up. We’ve got to take care of home ice."

Looking for its first road win since Dec. 14, Detroit jumped out to a 2-0 lead.

With Kubalik serving a slashing penalty in the first period, Zadina beat Crawford with a wrist shot from the right circle. It was the fourth goal of the season for the 20-year-old Zadina, who was selected by the Red Wings with the No. 6 pick in the 2018 draft.

Glendening then got his sixth with a well-placed redirect of Patrik Nemeth's shot with 3:07 left in the first.

Chicago responded with two goals in a 45-second span in the second.

“We just shoot ourselves in the foot for no reason," Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. “We played stupid hockey I thought in the second."

After Strome finished a give-and-go with Alex DeBrincat, Erik Gustafsson had a shot go off the right skate of Detroit defenseman Filip Hronek and right to Sikura, who drove the puck into the open net for the tying score at 15:52.

Sikura then skated around the back of the goal and was lifted into the air by Gustafsson as the crowd of 21,493 roared its approval. The 24-year- old Sikura had a big grin as he sat on the bench after breaking through in his 44th NHL game.

“I was telling the guys, I think that's something I kind of pictured, that exact scenario maybe a thousand times before bed," Sikura said, “so it was kind of just instincts when it came there. It was a nice play by Gus. Happy to get that one out of the way.”

NOTES: Blackhawks G Robin Lehner is day to day with a right knee injury after he got hurt during Thursday night’s 7-5 loss at Vancouver. 1169600 Detroit Red Wings

A 2-0 lead is not enough as Red Wings fall to Blackhawks

By JAY COHEN AP Sports Writer 6 hrs ago

CHICAGO (AP) — Adam Boqvist snapped a third-period tie, Dylan Sikura scored his first NHL goal and the Chicago Blackhawks rallied past the lowly Detroit Red Wings 4-2 on Sunday night.

Dylan Strome also scored for Chicago (19-18-6), which won for the fourth time in five games. Corey Crawford made 19 saves in his first start since he was pulled in the second period of an ugly 7-1 loss to New Jersey on Dec. 23.

Detroit dropped to 3-18-2 in its last 23 games. Filip Zadina and Luke Glendening scored for the NHL-worst Red Wings (10-30-3), and Jimmy Howard made 23 stops.

The game was tied at 2 when Boqvist skated past Detroit forward Darren Helm near the blue line and beat Howard on the glove side 8:47 into the third. It was the second goal for the rookie defenseman in his 18th NHL game.

Dominik Kubalik added an empty-netter with 20 seconds left as the Blackhawks improved to 7-3-0 in their last 10 games.

Looking for its first road win since Dec. 14, Detroit jumped out to a 2-0 lead.

With Kubalik serving a slashing penalty in the first period, Zadina beat Crawford with a wrist shot from the right circle. It was the fourth goal of the season for the 20-year-old Zadina, who was selected by the Red Wings with the No. 6 pick in the 2018 draft.

Glendening then got his sixth with a well-placed redirect of Patrik Nemeth's shot with 3:07 left in the first.

Chicago responded with two goals in a 45-second span in the second.

After Strome finished a give-and-go with DeBrincat, Erik Gustafsson had a shot go off the right skate of Detroit defenseman Filip Hronek and right to Sikura, who drove the puck into the open net for the tying score at 15:52.

Sikura then skated around the back of the goal and was lifted into the air by Gustafsson as the crowd of 21,493 roared its approval. The 24-year- old Sikura had a big grin as he sat on the bench after breaking through in his 44th NHL game.

NOTES: Blackhawks G Robin Lehner is day to day with a right knee injury after he got hurt during Thursday night's 7-5 loss at Vancouver. Kevin Lankinen served as Crawford's backup after he was recalled from the minors Saturday on an emergency basis. ... Blackhawks F Zack Smith played after missing practice Saturday for a family matter. Smith and his wife, Brittany, recently welcomed their second child, a boy named Eddie Dean Smith. ... The Red Wings host the Blackhawks on March 6.

UP NEXT

Red Wings: Open a three-game homestand Tuesday night against Montreal.

Blackhawks: Host the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night.

Macomb Daily LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169601 Edmonton Oilers Bouchard does an excellent job of joining the attack, and in this next clip we see him start the rush with a quick and accurate tape-to-tape pass, then him charging up to force the play at the offensive blueline, leading to a Bakersfield chance. The Bakersfield Condors prospect that commands your attention? Evan Bouchard There’s some worry about Bouchard’s skating. Indeed, he’s going to have to pick it up a bit to excel in the NHL, but we’ve seen that kind of improvement from Ethan Bear. And, as we see in the next clip, Bouchard is an OK skater at the AHL level, partly because he’s really moving his DAVID STAPLES, EDMONTON JOURNAL Updated: January 6, 2020 feet now, getting after pucks and moving fast to pass them out of trouble. Plus, he’s got that outstanding puckhandling and passing to make the most out of a tough situation where he’s being harassed by an opposing Evan Bouchard, the youngest player on the Bakersfield Condors, is also forechecker. the one that commands your attention. This next clip is one of my favourites. On the play, the Condors are Bouchard’s game has picked up considerably in a number of key aspects defending a fast developing San Diego attack, and Bouchard organizes from both his spring of 2019 AHL playoff run, and with his play earlier this his teammates, pointing to Joe Gambardella that he should take the year in preseason with the Edmonton Oilers and at the start of the 2019- trailing player. Very often when a player points for a teammate to take a 20 campaign with the Condors. player, he’s pointing at the wrong player, or it’s a player that the pointer should actually be covering himself. But in this case, Cool Hand Bouch His improvement is marked, which is another way of saying that correctly identified whom Gambardella should check, then made sure to Edmonton has its prime prospect in exactly the right spot, right where cover the right player himself, thus helping to thwart the opportunity. That he’s developing in strong fashion, in the AHL frying pan but not in the fire kind of reading of a play on the fly and communicating to a teammate in of the NHL spotlight. the heat of dangerous opposing rush is notable. I checked in on AHLTV now and then to watch the Condors and just Right now, Bouchard is being paired up with veteran Keegan Lowe. watched their two weekend wins, 3-2 and 2-1, over the San Diego Gulls. Bouchard is being used in all situations, the power play, penalty kill, I wasn’t looking for Bouchard necessarily, though I was curious about his against tough comp at even strength and at the ends of periods when play, especially with his not-so-nice -11 goals plus-minus. Was that stat sound defensive play is needed. This is the perfect situation for him right really indicative of his play? now. If he can continue to develop his game and stay healthy, it’s hard to The Condors now have 14 wins in 32 games, but are four wins and a imagine he won’t be in the NHL some time next season, if not right out of loss in their last five games. They’re much improved, largely because training camp. With him in the line-up, along with Oscar Klefbom, Ethan they’re now getting strong netminding from Stuart Skinner, 21, who Bear and maybe even Caleb Jones, the Oilers would be able to ice four struggled mightily earlier this year after veteran Shane Starrett got hurt. strong puck-passing d-men, which will be one more step in the transformation of this team from perennial loser to perennial playoff But Bouchard’s improved game is also another reason the Bake is contender. starting to cook. Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 01.06.2020 I’ll not only talk about him today but show you a series of videoclips from the two San Diego games.

In the first, we see Bouchard with the puck in his own zone, stickhandling his way out of trouble. The play looks a bit iffy, but Cool Hand Bouch has outstanding dexterity stickhandling.

He could stickhandle in a phone booth, as we said in the days when there were phone booths.

Next up we see Bouchard on the ice at the end of the game, trusted by coach Jay Woodcroft to protect a one-goal lead, calmly grabbing up the puck in the defensive slot and advancing it towards the empty net. In the defensive slot, Bouchard does not wield a battle axe like Adam Larsson, nor does he have that cowboy-wrassling-a-steer courage and intensity of Kris Russell. In fact, Bouchard is the opposite. He’s not nasty and he’s never looks too rushed, but he’s doing a better job of being in the right place at the right time, mainly because he’s strong at reading the game, even this early in his career. He’s got one fundamental down, in that his head is always on a swivel, him looking for the open man, the danger man who might get the puck, and Bouchard takes care to move towards that player, not forget that he’s there.

Next, we go to a typical Bouchard play at this level, him winning the puck with his long stick and good reach, then deftly threading a pass to a breaking player.

Whether he’s head-manning the puck, passing D-to-D, or banking the puck off the boards to a teammate, the thing I notice about Bouchard is his passes are invariably right on the tape. For an Oilers fan who has endured too many non puck-moving Edmonton d-men killing the Oilers’ attack before it can get started, it’s just a wee bit thrilling to think about Bouchard making such passes in Edmonton. Again, this isn’t to say that Bouchard is ready for the NHL. He’s doing great just now in Bakersfield, so let that continue for the rest of the year. Fortunately, Edmonton has solid defensive depth, so there’s no need to rush him.

In this next clip we see some bad and good from Bouchard. First, he gets beat in the neutral zone on a play, leading to a two-on-one break for the Gulls. Bouchard is doing a much better job in the neutral zone of playing up on his man, not allowing easy entries in the Condors zone, but he does get beat now and then by speedy opposing breakout plays. On this one, though, he wins the puck in the corner and quickly works a give- and-go to get a sneaky quick high slot shot on net. 1169602 Edmonton Oilers responsible. Benning laid out his views to The Athletic in detail last week and had no illusions about the danger involved.

“I want to get back in there. But if I have another one in a short time, my Oilers notebook: James Neal’s resurgence, Matt Benning’s injury and the career could be over and I’m never playing hockey again,” he said. “It’s Tyler Benson recall temptation one of those things where you want to make sure your head’s fully, fully recovered because you can’t have a brain transplant later in your life. You only have one.”

By Jonathan Willis Jan 5, 2020 No injury story is a good story, but it’s hard not to feel positive about Benning’s attitude. Hockey culture has always emphasized playing

through injury and valued sacrificing one’s body for the good of the team. It hasn’t received a lot of attention, largely because there’s so much else To hear a player like Benning with a reasonable and rational take on the going on with the Oilers, but James Neal is playing increasingly well of need to protect himself from the long-term ramifications of head injury is late, especially at even strength. That opens the real possibility that a refreshing indicator that attitudes are changing when it comes to Neal’s struggles this season at five-on-five might have been less an issue concussions. of long-term decline and more a result of injury taking a short-term toll on As for the Oilers, their public statements on Benning are exactly what his game. one would hope to see from an NHL team handling a player in his Sportsnet’s Mark Spector reported on Nov. 20 that Neal was limping, with situation. Their struggles in December didn’t enter into the equation. the cause suspected as being a broken toe. At that time, Neal had not They simply determined to give Benning as long as is necessary to make recorded an even-strength point in five games, and his drought went on sure he isn’t at undue risk upon his return. That’s precisely as it should for 10 more. be.

It ended with a two-point night against the Wild on Dec. 12. Since then, Tyler Benson scored a goal and assist for the Condors on Friday night. It Neal has scored three goals and four points at even strength over 11 was his fourth two-point game in five contests and fifth in seven. With games, representing 40 percent of his total production in that discipline Kailer Yamamoto recalled and playing well, understandably many fans for the season. His promotion to a top line centered by Connor McDavid wonder if Benson could step into the lineup and provide a similar boost. was the result of multiple causes, including a desire to move Leon Before Saturday’s win over Boston, I asked Tippett whether the Draisaitl back to the middle, but we might also interpret it as the coaching combination of one call-up playing well and one potential call-up lighting staff choosing to reinforce success. up the minors puts extra pressure on some of his NHL forwards to That trio, which includes Zack Kassian, was very good Saturday in the produce. win over Boston. The three have played just three-quarters of an hour “I don’t think that puts extra pressure on our guys. We put pressure on together, posting strong underlying numbers (53 percent share of shot them to produce here. If you’re worried about the guy in the minors, attempts; 61 percent of expected goals), and although they are flat by you’re thinking about the wrong thing,” he said. “Yamamoto’s come in goal differential (two for, two against), it could well be worth letting play and played well for us, but we have some players that can play better. out longer. We expect them to continue to contribute, or contribute a little more in Also of interest: Over the last 11 games, Neal leads the forwards in some cases.” several statistics. Edmonton has a 54 percent share in shot attempts with Still, as a coach, surely it is nice to know that the organization has him on the ice over that span, a 57 percent share in actual shots and a options? 58 percent share of expected goals. Some of that is from playing with McDavid, but as we’ve seen, the strong numbers preceded the promotion “I’m worried about the players we have here,” he said. “We’re trying to and are thus more cause than effect. The opposition has actually get them up and going. You understand what your minor-league team is outscored the Oilers 8-5 in those minutes despite the underlying doing, but that’s not a factor in what we’re doing day-to-day here.” numbers, so there’s some projection involved. Still, it’s reasonable to think that eventually the goal totals will fall in line with those leading Tippett’s response was entirely appropriate. He’s working with what indicators. management gives him and is focused on the task at hand. It will be up to Ken Holland and Co. to determine if and when Benson is promoted. Neal spoke Sunday about the benefits of playing with great players, but he also talked about the work he did in the summer to make sure that his Still, it’s tempting to look at Edmonton’s lines and imagine where Benson first season in Edmonton would be more productive than his year in might fit. Calgary. As we’ve seen, there’s a good argument to keep the top line intact, and “Obviously, last year was tough,” he said. “I just kind of wanted a bounce- the same goes for what so far looks to be an effective second unit of back year, to get back to the player I know I can be. It’s nice to see that Yamamoto, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Tippett also values work pay off. … Getting back to doing the little things right, all the stuff being able to run the Riley Sheahan unit in a matchup role at times, so that makes you a good player. It’s been good so far.” that really isn’t a place for a rookie. That leaves one unit: the line of Joakim Nygard, Gaetan Haas and Alex Chiasson. That line has some Neal’s 19 goals at the halfway point match his total point production in versatility but gets more offensive situations than the Sheahan unit. Calgary last season. That’s largely been the result of his exceptional work on the power play. If he can combine that with improved five-on-five Putting Benson in at left wing in place of Nygard might well confer an play, the decision to acquire him this summer will look even better for the additional advantage. It would allow Tippett a choice between size and Oilers than it already did. speed on the Sheahan line, deploying Nygard or Jujhar Khaira as required. The hope was that defenceman Matt Benning would join Edmonton on its current five-game trip. It still is. Yet as the Oilers practiced in Toronto on The one real downside to taking Khaira out would be the penalty kill. Sunday, Benning was still back in Alberta, skating on his own. Although the Oilers have other options, he is exceptional in the role. Khaira has the best goals-against and expected-goals-against numbers The Oilers fully appreciate the significance of his recent injuries. They will on the team in four-on-five situations and is only a whisker back of not put their short-term interests ahead of his long-term well-being. regular partner Nugent-Hopkins by shot attempts against. The frustration with his five-on-five performance this season is justified, but he is “There’s no rush on him,” coach Dave Tippett said. “He had two contributing a lot in that one discipline, and it isn’t hard to understand why concussions in a short amount of time. We want to make sure there. Edmonton has been patient with a player who at times looks like a very There’s a chance he might come out on the latter part of the trip, but he effective bottom-sixer. continues to skate at home.” Given how quickly things change in the NHL, the situation might be The league’s treatment of injuries, and especially head injuries, has significantly different by the time our hypothetical recall occurs. What come under increased scrutiny as public awareness increases on the seems clear is that Benson built the kind of foundation in the minors that long-term ramifications of concussions. In that respect, the Oilers bodes well for his NHL future: 105 career games, 96 points and many organization and Benning himself deserve praise for being patient and minutes in varied disciplines. He is also nearly 22, meaning a step up would fit nicely with the philosophy of patient development Edmonton has pledged to observe under Holland.

The Athletic LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169603 Edmonton Oilers weekend (two wins, stopped 68 of 71 shots and was stellar in a shootout) was outstanding.

Kirill Maksimov (11 games, 2-3-5), Evan Bouchard (11 games, 2-2-4) and Lowetide: Oilers farmhands are pushing hard for NHL jobs Dmitri Samorukov (9 games, 0-3-3) are all first-year pro players who are starting to play more games and are moving the needle. If you’re an Oilers fan, this is wildly encouraging. Do you remember the first seasons of Ethan Bear, Caleb Jones and Ryan Mantha? The men listed here are By Allan Mitchell Jan 5, 2020 in the same spot and, in some cases, ahead of the three rookie blueliners from 2017-18.

It started in training camp, with two feature players from the 2018-19 World Juniors Bakersfield Condors pushing for NHL jobs. Ethan Bear and Patrick The Oilers had four draft picks at this year’s World Junior Russell eventually won opening-night roster spots (Bear played, Russell Championships, and three of them won medals. Philip Broberg and was a healthy scratch) thanks to impressive preseason play. Since then, Sweden took home bronze, and Canadians Raphael Lavoie and Olivier the parade of Condors flying north has been steady. Since opening night, Rodrigue earned gold. AHL recalls to the Edmonton Oilers include Sam Gagner, Caleb Jones, Kailer Yamamoto and William Lagesson, all of whom have moved the Matej Blumel, the Czech forward selected No. 100 overall at the 2019 needle upon arrival. draft, played well for his country. In five games, he scored one goal, had seven shots and averaged 15:39 per game (sixth among Czech forward) That brings us to three questions: Is there anyone on the farm whose during the tournament. skills match a team need at the NHL level? Who’s next? Who’s trending? To answer those questions, the most recent results — since Dec. 1 — Philip Broberg, Edmonton’s first-round pick in 2019, played a top-four give us the best idea about usage by coach Jay Woodcroft and defensive role for the loaded Swedish blue line. That’s somewhat performance by the player. Here are the highest performers in the past unusual, as it’s a tournament built for 19-year-olds. Broberg’s 14:13 per five weeks. night ranked No. 4, and he scored a shorthanded goal for Sweden.

Unique skill matches a need Olivier Rodrigue was Canada’s No. 3 goalie throughout the tournament and did not play. If you watch the Condors for any length of time, it’s impossible to ignore the blazing speed of Ryan McLeod (11 games, 0-4-4). He has been used Raphael Lavoie played a regular shift for Canada, finishing with three on the wing and at centre, and on both special teams. assists and contributing away from the puck. He appeared at both wings and played a more physical style as the tournament progressed. McLeod is a longshot to reach the NHL this season, but his best asset (speed) matches an extreme team need in Edmonton. As wild as it might The Athletic LOADED: 01.06.2020 sound, it’s possible McLeod blossoms in the second half of the AHL season and sees time with the Oilers during the 2019-20 campaign.

Who’s next?

Tyler Benson has three goals and 10 points in Bakersfield’s 11 games since Dec. 1. His shot totals have increased only slightly. He could reach another level on offence if he becomes more of a shooter than a playmaker. He is less reliant on a skilled centre this season, and a lot of his offence comes off the rush. Benson would fit well (as a rookie) on a line with a veteran two-way centre such as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and it’s possible we see that combination before April. Oilers fans have long worried about Benson’s foot speed, and he will need to address that before or during his NHL audition. Based on his range of skills and impressive AHL résumé, I’d say he has done everything possible to earn a recall. As a scout told me before Benson was drafted, he’ll go as far as his speed takes him. Next stop, NHL.

Joel Persson has been up and down between the NHL and AHL a lot this season, but he’s been doing some unique things over the past few weeks. In his past 10 AHL games, Persson has six assists. He also has 15 shots, including games in which he had six and five shots. Edmonton’s power play has been fire all season, and Persson might add to the production. Caleb Jones and William Lagesson are in the NHL, but the Oilers are overloaded with lefties. Persson, a righty, might be a fit.

Patrick Russell remains in the NHL, but he hasn’t played much in recent weeks. Jujhar Khaira has had some poor outings in the past 20 games. Coach Dave Tippett’s evaluation of Markus Granlund ended with a demotion, and we could see that again in the coming weeks.

Josh Currie (11 games, 2-6-8), Colby Cave (10 games, 4-3-7), Cooper Marody (11 games, 1-6-7), Joe Gambardella (11 games, 3-3-6) and Brad Malone (11 games, 3-2-5) all provide varying skill sets and have played well enough to be considered for recall. If Tippett feels the need to shuffle the bottom of the roster by sending out Russell or moving along Khaira, any of these forwards could be a fit.

Who’s trending?

Stuart Skinner is either emerging in real time or on a fantastic post- Christmas run. Either way, his performances have turned the corner after more than a dozen mediocre starts to begin the season. In his most recent five games, he owns a 4-0-1 record, a 2.95 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage. I don’t believe we’ll see Skinner in the NHL this season, but if he has turned a corner, Edmonton will have uncovered a valuable and elusive gem: an NHL-quality goaltender. Skinner’s 1169604 Florida Panthers The second period featured a ton of terrific goaltending, as the Panthers were surprisingly held without a goal; they began Sunday tied with Colorado for the most markers in the middle 20, with 60.

Florida Panthers shut down Pittsburgh Penguins, create blueprint for Jarry made a spectacular stop on Aaron Ekblad from 24 feet at 4:11 of success the second, moving from left to right and using the bottom of his blocker to make the save.

Driedger, who relieved Sergei Bobrovsky 25:33 into Saturday’s game BY JASON MACKEY and also started Sunday, equaled Jarry with a couple 10-bell saves, thwarting Penguins wingers Simon and Zach Aston-Reese on two-on- JANUARY 05, 2020 09:26 PM ones.

“The guys did a great job,” said Driedger, who has squared off with Jarry The Panthers’ 4-1 victory over the Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on since their junior hockey days. “The last game we weren’t happy with the Sunday did not lack for descriptors. For one, it was rare. loss. We rallied and tried to do the little things a little better.”

The win was Florida’s first here since Jan. 20, 2014, with the Penguins And, in the process, the Panthers sketched themselves out a pretty nice having won 16 of their past 17 home games in the series before Sunday. little blueprint.

It also helped the Panthers, who have now won seven of 10 to raise their “Today,” Quenneville said, “is something to build off of.” record to 22-15-5, bounce back from a lackluster performance Saturday ▪ Denis Malgin and Jayce Hawryluk drew into the lineup, while Brian in Buffalo and close their four-game road trip with a win. Boyle and Mark Pysyk were healthy scratches. … MacKenzie Weeger But most of all, Sunday’s victory represented a blueprint, the type of 60- missed a sixth consecutive game with an upper-body injury. minute effort the Panthers should look to replicate regardless of Miami Herald LOADED: 01.06.2020 opponent, month or any other variable.

The Panthers used a four-line effort to shut down one of the NHL’s hottest teams and showed some maturity by playing arguably their best hockey during a third period where they put the Penguins (25-12-5) away for good.

“We’ve had some tough third periods with leads,” Panthers coach Joel Quenneville said. “We’ve had three-goal leads, and it’s almost like we think we have to manufacture stuff. But I think we played the clock and the score against a good team.

“We get that improvement in our game, we’re going to be a much better team.”

Chris Driedger started in goal and turned aside 31 of 32 Pittsburgh shots, including all 13 during a busy — but scoreless — second period. Mike Hoffman and Evgenii Dadonov scored in the third period, as the Panthers again dominated in the second half of a back-to-back set.

In the past four such games, the Panthers have four wins and have outscored their opponents 19-9.

“It was good that we played a full 60 minutes,” said Vince Trocheck, a Pittsburgh native playing in his 400th NHL game. “It’s been an issue of ours, coming out flat when we have the lead. [Sunday] we played as well in the third as we did in the first and second.”

Dadonov’s goal, scored into an empty net, was his 18th of the season, breaking a tie with Jonathan Huberdeau for the team lead. The Russian winger now has six in his past eight games

.Bigger in this game, though, was Hoffman’s marker, which came at 8:52 of the third period. Frank Vatrano controlled the puck in the right circle and waited for a passing lane to open. Hoffman took Vatrano’s feed and ripped a snap shot past Tristan Jarry from the high slot, 37 feet out.

Vatrano, who this past Thursday scored for the first time in 11 games, actually put the Panthers ahead, 1-0, with his goal at 2:28 of the first. After picking up a pass from Hoffman, Vatrano out-skated Penguins defenseman Kris Letang — no small feat — and finished his own rebound for a 1-0 Panthers lead.

“We’ve had some ordinary starts lately,” Quenneville said. “It was nice to have the lead early.”

The lead did not last long, however, as Penguins center Jared McCann finished a two-on-one with Dominik Simon by scoring from the inner-edge of the left circle at 3:52 of the first.

Brett Connolly restored Florida’s one-goal cushion with a terrific goal at 10:44 of the opening period. After Letang was unable to get the puck out of the Penguins’ zone, Mike Matheson threw it behind the net, where Trocheck gathered it and delivered a spinning feed to Connolly.

“Huge timing that we came right back and finished [the first period] with the lead,” Quenneville said. 1169605 Florida Panthers Yet Pittsburgh isn’t the only pleasant surprise during the NHL’s first half. The Panthers are in the mix in the Atlantic Division behind a potent offense that ranks fourth in the league in goals. Florida can skate and score, and Connolly put the Panthers in front 10:44 into the first when Driedger locks down Penguins as Panthers get first win in Pittsburgh in Trocheck — working behind the net — found Connolly in the slot. almost six years And for the first time in a long time for Florida in Pittsburgh, the Panthers didn't give it back.

By WILL GRAVES Though Jarry settled down and kept the Penguins in the game with some timely stops, Driedger was every bit his match. Jarry made a sprawling ASSOCIATED PRESS | stick save on Aaron Ekblad early in the second and Driedger matched it JAN 05, 2020 | 7:55 PM with a terrific blocker save on a charging Simon.

“They had a couple two--on-ones tonight that he bailed us out on, that’s huge,” Trocheck said. Joel Quenneville insisted when he agreed to coach the Florida Panthers last spring the perpetually struggling club was close to figuring it out. Hoffman gave the Panthers a two-goal advantage 8:52 into the third with a shot that zipped over Jarry's shoulder. Driedger and the defense did Following a sluggish start, it looks as if Quenneville might be right. the rest to give Florida just its second victory in Pittsburgh since 2009.

Mike Hoffman had a goal and an assist, rookie Chris Driedger stopped “I think we played the clock, the score, against a good team," Quenneville 31 shots and the Panthers ended an eight-game losing streak on said. “They've been on a roll. I liked the commitment that the guys had, Pittsburgh ice with a 4-1 victory over the Penguins on Sunday night. putting the puck in the safe areas. You don't always have to manufacture stuff and if we keep improving that in our game, we're going to be a much “It was good that we played a full 60 minutes,” said center Vincent better team." Trocheck, who set up Brett Connolly’s goal late midway through the first period that gave the Panthers a lead they would never relinquish. “It’s UP NEXT been an issue of ours, closing out games in the third period, coming out a little bit flat when we have a lead. Tonight, we came out in the third and Panthers: Start a four-game homestand on Tuesday night against played just as well as we did in the first and second." Arizona.

Frank Vatrano had his ninth and Evgenii Dadonov added an empty-netter Sun Sentinel LOADED: 01.06.2020 for his 18th. Florida bounced back from a loss to Buffalo on Saturday by winning in Pittsburgh for the first time since Jan. 20, 2014.

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Driedger, who played well in relief after replacing Sergei Bobrovsky was pulled against the Sabres, didn't hesitate when asked if the victory felt like the most important of the season.

“Yeah, honestly,” Driedger said. "The guys did a great job. I think, the last game, we weren’t happy with the loss there. Kind of rallied and try to do little things a little bit better.”

Jared McCann scored his 11th for Pittsburgh. Tristan Jarry finished with 31 saves, but the Penguins looked out of gas at times while playing for the third time in four nights.

“I don’t think we had the juice that we have had in a number of the games, in most of the games this year,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. "But I think one of the challenges of this league is the grind of the schedule and good teams just need to understand how to manage those games.”

For once, the Penguins couldn't.

Pittsburgh reached the season's halfway point with the NHL's fourth-best record following an overtime victory in Montreal on Saturday night, heady territory for a club that's been riddled with injuries since opening night and spent the last two months playing without captain Sidney Crosby. Their formula during the first 41 games has been remarkably simple: avoid major mistakes, play smart in front Jarry and Matt Murray and take care of business at PPG Paints Arena.

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Pittsburgh arrived at work Sunday with an NHL-high 16 home victories thanks in large part to stellar play from Jarry, who leads the NHL in save percentage and goals-against average and entered Sunday unbeaten in regulation in his last seven home starts.

Yet a sluggish opening period less than 24 hours removed from a quick trip to Canada cost Pittsburgh. Vatrano chased down a lead pass from Hoffman then raced around Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang — one of the fastest skaters in the league — and jammed the puck by Jarry to give the Panthers the lead just 2:28 into the game.

McCann tied it 1:24 later thanks to some excellent work by linemate Dominik Simon. Simon skated through the neutral zone, drew two Panthers and passed to McCann, who ripped one by Driedger to pull the Penguins even. 1169606 Florida Panthers And as things stand right now, I probably should start looking at hotels in Washington, D.C., for the second week in April.

The Panthers’ top line will all reach 85 points Then and Now: Looking back at bold predictions for the Panthers at THEN: For the first time in franchise history, Florida had two players — midseason Sasha Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau — eclipse the 90-point mark.

Mike Hoffman and Evgenii Dadonov finished second in the points race By George Richards Jan 5, 2020 with 70 apiece (both career highs).

This season, with Quenneville leaving well enough alone, the top line of Barkov centering Huberdeau and Dadonov start the season together BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Florida Panthers ended the first half of their instead of waiting around for it. season Saturday afternoon, limping into the final 41 with another one of those listless losses that have to be driving coach Joel Quenneville With that, the Florida trio should power the Panthers throughout the year. crazy. Will they play all season together? Probably not, but they will be on the ice together a lot more than they were last year. Saturday, the Panthers gave up three goals on the first seven shots faced (the last two goals came early in the second period) and did not put And with Hoffman back on the top power play unit, he is going to be able up much of a fight until late in what ended up being a 3-2 loss to the to continue piling up the points in a contract year. Sabres. NOW: Yeah, I will keep this one just as it is. Huberdeau leads the For a team that seemingly should challenge for a playoff spot but is Panthers in scoring and has enjoyed a total breakout season (NHL top currently on the outside looking in, games such as the one Saturday star of the month for December, first All-Star selection) and is on pace for afternoon are not a good look. 110 points.

They certainly do not give those who picked Florida as one of the eight As for the other two (the line is currently but probably temporarily broken playoff teams in the Eastern Conference before the season started much up), Barkov is on pace for 92 points and Dadonov is trending for 66. reason to believe they will be there. Although Dadonov appears to be off the pace, he has nine points in his past eight games, so he is going into the second half on a tear. “We were not sharp right out of the gate,” Quenneville said Saturday. “It would be nice to start on time.” Hoffman has been scoring at 58-point clip and could challenge for 30 goals again this season. After the loss in Buffalo (which was the second on this four-game road trip that concludes Sunday in Pittsburgh), the Panthers head into the Barkov, meanwhile, sets aim for 100 second half of the season just a game above .500 in the win/loss/OT loss THEN: In a year in which Barkov became more recognized for his column (21-15-5) and their 47 points puts them on a 94-point pace. exceptional play on both ends of the ice, this season he keeps moving up The Panthers, if they end up with 94 points at the end of the season, will the scoring chart. not be a playoff team. In 2017-18, the Panthers had 96 points and Last season, Barkov’s 96 points (off 30 goals) was good for 12th in the missed out by a point. league. This year, expect Barkov to add at least five goals to his tally and With 41 games left, the Panthers have put themselves in a decent spot possibly increase his assists as well. Barkov not only hits 100 points — but are, for sure, a flawed bunch. They have a lot to figure out in this becoming the first Florida player in history to do so — but ends up among second half of the season or there will be another long offseason in the top scorers in the NHL. South Florida. NOW: For Barkov to hit 100 points, he’s going to have to pick things up a Before the season started, I was one of those who picked the Panthers to touch in the second half, but we have seen him do that before. be a playoff team, writing: I have the Panthers finishing fourth in the Barkov got off to a slow start (for him) and did not get his first goal until Atlantic Division behind the Lightning, Maple Leafs and Bruins. We shall the 13th game as he was definitely dealing with some sort of injury. see where it goes from there. It was the longest goal drought to start a season in his career. Barkov I still stand by that. obviously got things going after that — he had 13 points in his first 12 I think the Panthers are going to figure things out and just have too much games despite not scoring a single goal — and can still match or exceed talent to wither as the season heads down the back 9. his career mark of 96 points.

Some other predictions I made on Oct. 1, well, they have not aged as Bobrovsky is a Vezina Trophy finalist well. THEN: The new goalie of the Panthers really does seem to be in his Here they are in all their glory — with where things stand right now: happy place. “This is paradise,’’ Bobrovsky said last week. He has a new contract, a new team and a new start to his career. At 31, Bobrovsky is The Panthers will make the playoffs for the first time since 2016 far from done, far from slowing down.

THEN: Last season, Florida was 12 points back of the final playoff spot The Panthers hope to get the Bobrovsky who won his second Vezina won by Columbus. Trophy three years ago when he put the Jackets on his back and carried them into the playoffs. I don’t think the Blue Jackets make the playoffs this year — although I think they’ll be in the mix despite their big-ticket departures in Sergei They’re going to get it this season. Florida’s defensive play might not be Bobrovsky and Artemi Panarin — but the Panthers will. I have the as good as Columbus’ is, but it should be improved and, well, Bobrovsky Panthers finishing in the high 90s, challenging for one of the three spots digs the extra work anyway. in the Atlantic but ultimately settling for a wild-card. NOW: OK, this is not going to happen unless Bobrovsky really — and I Hey, after missing the playoffs the past three seasons and only being mean, REALLY — sets things on fire in the second half of the season. part of the dance twice this decade, just make it and see what happens. With improved play from the net on out, the Panthers could be a very On Saturday, Quenneville pulled Bobrovsky five minutes into the second tough team to play against … and open the playoffs against Washington period after Buffalo scored three goals on only seven shots. The first two goals were helped by defensive breakdowns, the third (albeit on a power The home finale April 4 against the Capitals should be just another game play) should have been stopped. as Florida has already clinched its spot — and will be gearing up to play Metro champ Washington in the first round. “I didn’t like the third one,” Quenneville said.

NOW: I still say Florida will end its season in the high-90s, could still Although I do not think Bobrovsky’s play in net has been as bad as his challenge for one of the top three spots (OK, the second or third) in the numbers indicate (15-12-4, 3.33 GAA, .895 save percentage), they are Atlantic but, realistically, they would be happy with one of the wild-cards. nowhere near Vezina consideration. Nowhere. He knows it and the Panthers know it. But Bobrovsky going on a roll sure would help the Panthers’ quest to After a slow start in which he did not get his first goal until the 13th game, reach the playoffs. Panthers center Sasha Barkov is on pace for 92 points and can still match or exceed his career mark of 96 points. (Timothy T. Ludwig / USA “I don’t like to get pulled, but that is the coach’s decision and I respect Today) that,” Bobrovsky said Saturday. “I just have to keep working and getting better. It has not been easy. This is a little more different than I expected. Power play keeps lighting it up

“But the most important thing is the wins, and the process is ongoing. We THEN: Florida had the second-best power play in the league last season are working as a team together, the coaches are getting everyone to behind Tampa Bay, scoring at nearly a 27 percent clip. It was the best work. We will see.” showing with the advantage in franchise history and, with the parts which remain in place, should continue to put up big numbers. And, yeah, Columbus’ defensive play is much better than Florida. That is pretty obvious. I don’t think Bobrovsky or anyone else thought it would be The Panthers will start the season with their top unit back for more with this much different. Barkov, Huberdeau, Dadonov, Hoffman and Keith Yandle; the second unit will be run by Aaron Ekblad again with Vincent Trocheck, Frank Sam Montembeault will win 10 games Vatrano and Borgstrom seeing a lot of time. The Panthers may not score THEN: Barring injury, Bobrovsky should start 65 of Florida’s 82 games at the rate they did last year, but this should continue to be a very big this year. That leaves at least 17 starts out there for new backup Sam part of Florida’s offensive game. Montembeault. NOW: After a torrid start, the power play has slowed a little of late but still Last season, Montembeault got his first real taste of NHL hockey in his ranks in the top 10 in the league, which is still miles beyond what the second pro year and is much better off for it. He had some success in his Panthers had been used to. late-season stint, and he looks extremely ready for the challenge in front Last season, the Panthers scored 72 power play goals on 269 chances. of him. Through the first 41 games this season, they are scoring on 23 percent of Montembeault knows his role, knows what is expected of him. The their chances. Panthers need him to win games when he goes in and he gets a bunch Speaking of Trocheck… of them. THEN: Trocheck missed two months after suffering a gruesome ankle NOW: I never said “win 10 games” in the NHL, so technically this one injury at Ottawa. His numbers were down across the board last season works. Montembeault, after all, won three games with the Panthers as he seemed frustrated at times. This year, expect Trocheck to get back before being sent to Springfield in November. As of Saturday morning, he to the numbers he put up a few years ago — 25 goals, 60 points should has won three games for the AHL Thunderbirds, giving him six total. be a target.

OK, I should have said “Florida’s backup — whomever it is — will win 10 NOW: Although Trocheck has been healthy all season (save for missing games.” But I did not. So there’s that. some time after blocking a shot in Nashville), has continued to center the I did not see Montembeault being sent down this season, but after he second line and gets some power play time on the second unit, the gave up five goals in each of his final three starts, it appeared he would numbers have not returned to his previous production. be. Sure enough, the team decided it would be best for him to get more Last year, based on an 82-game season (he played 55 because of the playing time in Springfield. injury), Trocheck would have been on pace for 15 goals with 51 points.

Chris Driedger, meanwhile, continued his strong play at Springfield and This season, he is on track for only 11 goals and 46 points. He could was recalled on Nov. 25. He has won three of four starts when filling in definitely use a big second half. for Bobrovsky and has been fine when called upon by the Panthers. Saturday, he made all 11 saves faced in relief of Bobrovsky. Quenneville wins the Jack Adams

Driedger, who has handled the mental rigors of the backup position THEN: The new coach of the Panthers won the Cup with Chicago three behind Bobrovsky better than Montembeault did, deserves to stay as times but has only won the league’s coach of the year award once — long as he keeps dong what he’s doing. back in 2000 when he coached St. Louis to a franchise-record 51 wins and the Presidents’ Trophy. Borgstrom takes flight There will be a lot of eyes on the Panthers this season, and if they turn THEN: Henrik Borgstorm was recalled from AHL Springfield in December things around as expected, Quenneville is going to get a lot of the credit and found himself playing in all sorts of different situations. By the end of and the hardware that comes with it. the season, he found his playing time limited, and his confidence was not near where it is right now. NOW: The Panthers are in the middle of the playoff race but are far from the talk of the league. It is going to take more for just making the Borgstrom starts his second NHL season centering Florida’s third line, a postseason for Coach Q to get into the Jack Adams conversation. position he may or may not have been ready for last season when Riley Sheahan was acquired and took over that role. If, for instance, Florida puts together a run like 2015-16 and has something in the neighborhood of a 12-game win streak and overtakes Borgstrom may have a rotating number of wingers around him, but he Boston for the Atlantic title, well, that would definitely help. should also get a lot of playing time on the second power play unit. Borgstrom had eight goals and 18 points last season in 50 games; The Athletic LOADED: 01.06.2020 expect him to crack the 20 goal mark and make a run at 50 points.

NOW: This prediction looked bad in October and has not gotten any better as the months have rolled by. Borgstrom did start the season centering the third line, but after three games, was a healthy scratch against Buffalo.

Borgstrom was scratched for three of his final four games with the Panthers and was sent to Springfield as Florida signed veteran Brian Boyle (32 games, five goals and 12 points) to a one-year deal. Borgstrom has not been called back from Springfield as the team wants him to continue his development.

Quenneville did say Borgstrom would be an important part of the Panthers’ success moving forward and it would not be surprising to see him get called up later this season and play at a rate they had hoped for. We’ll see.

In Springfield, Borgstrom has not exactly set the AHL on fire with eight goals and 14 points in 29 games. 1169607 Los Angeles Kings

Kings to face resilient Blue Jackets after humbling loss to Nashville

By ANDREW KNOLL |PUBLISHED: January 5, 2020 at 5:54 pm | UPDATED: January 5, 2020 at 6:07 PM

Smarting from a lopsided loss in which their coach felt they regressed and were out-competed, the Kings will receive a visit Monday from one of the most resilient teams in the NHL this season, the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Kings coach Todd McLellan was critical of his team’s lack of intensity and awareness in Saturday’s 4-1 loss to Nashville. He suggested that only about half his team showed up for a contest where they fell behind early and struggled to muster much push-back in the third period.

“I’m disappointed in some individuals that have worked hard and crawled up into the lineup and have been competitive over the last little bit; they gave some of it back tonight,” McLellan said. “They’ll need to be reminded that they’re important and we need everybody.”

Only the speedy line of Adrian Kempe, Blake Lizotte and Austin Wagner avoided a negative plus-minus rating Saturday.

Faceoff situations proved challenging as the Kings were beaten for four goals following defensive-zone draws — three of them were losses — in a variety of ways that exposed their faceoff coverage. That was a glaring issue in their last loss at home, a 4-1 drubbing by St. Louis prior to the Christmas break.

“Those are obviously breakdowns. Those are things that we practice. We can’t afford to do that and expect to win,” defenseman Alex Martinez said.

Detail and doggedness are signature elements of the Blue Jackets, and they have helped them surmount considerable adversity. Three of their top players fled in free agency, and all were marquee names. Artemi Panarin, Sergei Bobrovsky and Matt Duchene ranked first, second and third in both total dollars and per-annum contract value among 2019 free agents.

Forwards Cam Atkinson, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Alexandre Texier and Josh Anderson, as well as defenseman Ryan Murray, defenseman Dean Kukan and goalie Joonas Korpisalo are among the players currently injured for Columbus. Only four players have competed in all 42 contests for the Blue Jackets this season.

Among them are leading scorers Pierre-Luc Dubois, a physically imposing center; wing Gustav Nyquist, a significant free-agent addition; and Seth Jones, one of the most complete defensemen in the NHL.

That group, along with the emergence of Korpisalo in net, helped them string together a 12-game point streak that ended with a loss to San Jose in their most recent game. During the streak, they won 8 games, including victories over the Washington Capitals and Boston Bruins, the two best teams by record in the NHL.

Toward the end of the streak, Korpisalo sustained a knee injury that required surgery in a controversial loss to Chicago. Time was not put back on the clock in the final minute after a stoppage, and a last-second goal by Columbus was nullified. The game ultimately went to a shootout, in which Korpisalo sustained the injury and the Blackhawks won, prompting a profane tirade from coach John Tortorella.

Nonetheless, the Jackets won their next two games and their streak sprung them to within striking distance of a playoff spot. Elvis Merzlikins, a rookie from Latvia who cut his teeth in Switzerland’s top professional league, has taken over in net during Korpisalo’s recovery.

Columbus at Kings

When: 7:30 p.m. Monday

Where: Staples Center

TV/Radio: Fox Sports West/iHeartRadio

Orange County Register: LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169608 Los Angeles Kings

WAKING UP WITH THE KINGS: JANUARY 5

ZACH DOOLEYJANUARY 5, 2020

With as much excitement and buzz as 2020 ended with, was as little as it began with for the Kings. Coming off of a dominant special teams performance on Tuesday, in a 5-3 win over Philadelphia, we saw a different team show up on Saturday against Nashville, a team that did not show the fight and grit that had worked its way into their DNA over the last month. Todd McLellan used the word “disappointed” over and over again to discuss last night’s setback against the Predators, and felt his team tried to do things the easy way, against a team that did things the right way. “I just thought one team was so much more intense and hard and committed to doing it over and over again and another team was going to try and win it the easy way and we haven’t done that often,” McLellan said. “Perhaps this was good for our team, a little piece of humble pie won’t hurt us right now, it gives us an indication that we’ve still got a lot of work to do.”

Yesterday’s game squared off two of the NHL’s top three teams in shot differential heading into the game. The Kings, who led the league, were overmatched by Nashville, which ranked third, with Nashville +14 in that department. “I think that they’re a high-volume shooting team, we knew that going in, that was part of the pre-scout,” defenseman Alec Martinez said following the game. “I think we probably let Rinne handle a little bit too many of our dumps back there he’s really good at playing the puck and can kind of serve as another defensemen there. That said, Soupy did a hell of a job today, he made a lot of really nice plays. I think that against a team like that, you’ve got to keep the puck away from the goalie if you want to establish the forecheck.”

A major shortcoming in the defeat was faceoff coverage. Martinez pointed to at least three of the goals being off of blown faceoff coverage in the defensive zone, while McLellan upped that to saying that all four came off of those situations. Faceoff coverage was a point of emphasis last week in practice, and it will be so again, you can imagine both through video and on-ice execution this coming week. McLellan talked about faceoff situations in his post-game press conference yesterday, and all of the elements that faceoffs consist of. “There’s so many pieces that go into a faceoff,” McLellan said. “Right off the bat in the circle, the two centers, and to me that’s an indication of where your team is at. Are they really battling for ice in that circle, are you winning the 50/50’s, are your D helping out, what do you do with a win, and you can watch our team.” It wasn’t just losing faceoffs either – Nashville’s fourth goal came off of a faceoff win – but the Kings “didn’t do anything with it”, per McLellan. As Jack Harris of the LA Times reported, over the last five games, 9 of the 16 goals allowed by the Kings came within 15 seconds of a defensive zone faceoff. That points to an area in need of improvement, one that you’d think can be corrected with added emphasis.

As we look at the bigger picture, last night’s loss isn’t all doom and gloom for the Kings. It doesn’t completely overshadow that the Kings have earned a point in 8 of their last 12 games, but in a game in which they could have made a statement, the Kings fell short. Over the last month or so, the Kings have begun to establish an identity as a hard-working, gritty, shot-volume style of team, but last night’s game did not represent that identity. Martinez discussed, while he was out, how he saw the Kings start to take the next step in “feeling more comfortable in the system and establishing that and establishing our identity as a team.” The Kings got away from that identity in yesterday’s game against Nashville, and with Columbus coming to town on Monday, they will need to get back to what has made them successful.

The Kings are off today and are expected to skate tomorrow morning at 10:30, prior to the game against the Blue Jackets tomorrow night at 7:30 PM.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169609 Minnesota Wild One other angle to keep an eye on involves goalie Alex Stalock. Although he was bowled over in the crease in the third period by the

Flames’ Dillon Dube, the play didn’t result in a goalie interference Wild looking forward to three-day break before rematch with Flames penalty. The non-call comes on the heels of Stalock getting fined by the NHL for diving/embellishment.

“[The referees] have to make a judgment call is he diving? is he not By Sarah McLellan JANUARY 5, 2020 — 10:54PM diving?” Boudreau said. “So, they make that call. But it’s unfortunate if you get that reputation, you’re eventually not going to get the call ever.”

Star Tribune LOADED: 01.06.2020 Following up a deflating shootout loss with a three-day break in the schedule might not seem like a desirable itinerary for the Wild since it has to wait until Thursday to make amends for letting four leads slip away en route to a 5-4 letdown to the Flames Sunday night at Xcel Energy Center.

But a day off Monday and a couple days at the practice rink is exactly what the Wild wants right now.

“The day off is coming at a good time and then two good practices hopefully,” coach Bruce Boudreau said.

After being idle Monday, the Wild will regroup for practice Tuesday and Wednesday before traveling to Calgary for the rematch Thursday. And it isn’t tough to guess where the focus will shift in the meantime after the team was burned for two power play goals Sunday while scoring just once in its two chances.

Special teams slipped further under the microscope after this setback, particularly the penalty kill.

Since Nov.21, a span of 22 games, the Wild has surrendered 20 power play goals in 62 shorthanded situations – a 67.7 percent efficiency that ranks last in the NHL during that time.

“It's not that teams are making great plays and beating us,” Boudreau said. “We give pucks away, and they put it in the net.”

Although the power play delivered the game’s first goal, the Wild came up emptyhanded when it was given a glorious chance in overtime – getting a 4-on-3 advantage after Flames captain Mark Giordano was called for tripping.

But the setup that worked Saturday to propel the Wild to a 3-2 overtime win over the Jets wasn’t successful Sunday, and that opened the door for Calgary to prevail in the shootout.

“On the 4-on-3, [we] should have scored,” winger Kevin Fiala said.

Despite going into this mini-lull on a loss, winger Marcus Foligno expected the vibe to be upbeat when the team reconvenes Tuesday.

“I think we’re happy to get a day off here and just regroup,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing. We have two practice days, which will be nice. Tuesday will be a hard practice. I think just go back to the basics a little bit.”

It’ll be interesting to see if Boudreau reshuffles the lines at practice or sticks with the look he debuted Sunday.

Against the Flames, Jordan Greenway started on the fourth line and Ryan Donato took Greenway’s spot on the top line next to center Eric Staal and right winger Mats Zuccarello.

Greenway did score in the third period, his first in 11 games, but there was a message behind the move.

“I hate to use the word intensity, so I’ll use the word consistency,” Boudreau said when asked what’s been missing from Greenway’s game. “That’s what we talk about. When he’s a mean player every night, he’s really, really good. When he’s not, he’s average.”

Another player who capitalized on his recent change of scenery is Foligno.

He scored twice against the Flames to wrap the weekend with three goals and an assist, this after he was moved from the fourth line to the third ahead of Saturday’s game. With seven goals, Foligno’s already matched his goal output from last season.

“He’s earned it,” Boudreau said. “He works hard. He’s a great team player. He does all the right things as far as off the ice, on the ice, competing in practice, showing up for everything. So you really like to see those guys succeed and get breaks.” 1169610 Minnesota Wild

Wild-Calgary game recap

JANUARY 5, 2020 — 10:17PM

Sarah McLellan

GAME RECAP

STAR TRIBUNE’S THREE STARS

1. Dillon Dube, Flames: The winger buried the decisive goal in the seventh round of the shootout.

2. Marcus Foligno, Wild: The winger scored twice, the eighth two-goal game of his career.

3. Mark Giordano, Flames: The defenseman sent the game to extra time when with his power-play goal in the third period.

BY THE NUMBERS

3 Goals by the Wild on its first eight shots of the game.

Star Tribune LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169611 Minnesota Wild Foligno's goal came 34 seconds after Lucic tied the game on the power play.

Minnesota has allowed five power-play goals on 12 penalty kills in its Dube scores in 7th round of shootout, Flames beat Wild 5-4 past three games. "It's not that teams are making great plays and beating us. We give pucks away and they put it in the net," Boudreau said.

NOTES: Mikael Backlund and Johnny Gaudreau had two assists for By MIKE COOK Associated Press JANUARY 5, 2020 — 10:20PM Calgary. ... This two-game road trip for the Flames is the annual fathers/mentors trip. ... Eriksson Ek had an assist to establish a career-

high with 17 points. He had 16 points in 75 games in 2017-18. ST. PAUL, Minn. — Sitting at the end of the bench, Dillon Dube couldn't UP NEXT hear his coach call out names, but he kept looking over wanting for his chance in the shootout. Flames: At Chicago on Tuesday night.

For someone who'd never been in that situation before, Dube came Wild: At Calgary on Thursday night. through. Star Tribune LOADED: 01.06.2020 Dube scored in the seventh round of the tiebreaker to give the Calgary Flames a 5-4 win over the Minnesota Wild on Sunday night.

The third-line forward hopped over the boards moments after Flames goalie David Rittich made his sixth save against seven Wild shooters.

"It calmed me down a lot knowing I was going. The game's not over if you miss, so that relaxes you a lot," Dube said.

He had no specific plan to beat Alex Stalock.

"You see him, you see what he does to most guys coming straight on. Watch and just react to it," Dube said.

Derek Ryan also scored in the shootout for the Flames, 4-0 in tiebreakers this season.

"We basically script the first three or four, and after that it's just you go by what your gut's telling you," Calgary coach Geoff Ward said. "What a move by Dillon. He came out there with a lot of confidence and made a real solid move to get the win."

Milan Lucic, Travis Hamonic, Michael Stone and Mark Giordano scored for Calgary, 4-5-1 in its last 10 games after winning seven straight during a stretch of nine consecutive outings with at least a point. Rittich finished with 30 saves through overtime.

Marcus Foligno scored twice, and Kevin Fiala and Jordan Greenway also had goals in regulation for Minnesota, which finished 1-2-1 on a four- game homestand by relinquishing a one-goal lead four times. Ryan Donato scored in the shootout for the Wild.

"You can sit there and say, 'We got a point in back-to-back games,' and stuff like that. But when we should've had two (points), against a team we could've caught (in the standings), it's very frustrating," said Wild coach Bruce Boudreau.

Minnesota beat Winnipeg 3-2 in overtime Saturday.

Giordano scored on a power play with under 6 minutes to go to tie the score 4-4 as his shot from the left circle went off the stick of Wild defenseman Ryan Suter.

Greenway scored at 2:37 of the final period for a 4-3 Wild lead by redirecting a long shot by Jared Spurgeon into the net. The goal came 42 seconds after Stone's wristshot through traffic tied it 3-3.

Replacing Greenway on Minnesota's checking line with Joel Eriksson Ek and Luke Kunin for the second straight game, Foligno has responded with three goals and an assist. Foligno was held off the score sheet in eight of his previous nine previous games.

"We want to crash the net. We want to create chances. We're playing smart. We got our legs going and our heads up too. We're finding each other," Foligno said.

Greenway played with Victor Rask and Ryan Hartman on the team's fourth line.

Tied 2-2 in the final minute of the first period, Foligno crashed the net, and amidst a trio of Calgary players, knocked home a loose puck. It marks his eighth career multi-goal game — first with the Wild — and first since March 2, 2017, for Buffalo.

Foligno put Minnesota up 2-1 midway through the opening period, but Hamonic tied it 5 minutes later with a one-timer from the right dot. 1169612 Minnesota Wild • Stalock, who started Sunday against the Flames, has been fined $2,000 for diving/embellishment. He received a warning after an incident Oct. 12 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. His second citation, which resulted in the fine, was issued for an incident 15 seconds into the third period of the Zach Parise still cleans up when doing the dirty work Dec. 21 game vs. the Winnipeg Jets. On the play, Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele was called for goalie interference. The money goes to the

Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund. By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune JANUARY 5, 2020 — 11:19PM Star Tribune LOADED: 01.06.2020

With the final say on whether the goal would count or disappear, the NHL’s situation room and its video review process played an integral role in the Wild’s come-from-behind 3-2 win over the Jets Saturday at Xcel Energy Center — rubber-stamping a shot by center Eric Staal that came after Zach Parise was pushed into goalie Connor Hellebuyck by two Winnipeg defensemen.

But what set the sequence in motion was Parise acting as a screen, in one of the latest examples of the winger reporting for duty in the gritty areas on the ice and getting rewarded.

“It creates goals,” Parise said about his net-crashing style. “Whether it’s for me or someone else, you have to get there. Someone has to get there. It’s not always my turn; it could be someone else’s. But if you look at where a lot of goals are scored, it’s always right around there — whether it’s a rebound or a tip or something.”

While this has long been Parise’s approach, the circumstances surrounding him have changed.

Unlike the start of his career when he’d get whacked and hacked repeatedly for trying to set up shop in front of the net, now he finds defensemen more likely to focus on blocking shots and boxing out.

Parise’s also had to reconcile his objective with the ever-intensifying spotlight on goaltender interference, which came into question Saturday.

Although the officials will give him a heads-up, telling him to move when he’s too close to the goalie, Parise said he feels what makes his role more challenging is when goaltenders initiate the contact.

Still, it hasn’t deterred him from doing what he’s always done.

“When the shots are coming in, that’s my job to be there and try to screen him and take away his eyes a little bit,” Parise said, “especially when no one else is down there. It’s just me and him.”

Dubnyk honored

The Wild held a pregame ceremony Sunday to recognize goalie Devan Dubnyk for playing in his 500th game earlier this season.

Dubnyk reached the milestone on Nov. 7, when he appeared during the second period in relief of Alex Stalock in San Jose, becoming the 73rd goalie to hit the number.

Accompanied on the ice by his family, including his wife, Jenn, and their three children, Dubnyk was presented a crystal and silver goalie stick. He was also gifted a watch by his teammates and a family vacation by the Wild, and the Minnesota Wild Foundation made a $5,000 donation to Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare.

“It’s fun to sit back and kind of reflect on everything, right from the start and everything I’ve been through and we’ve been through as a family,” said Dubnyk, who was away from the team earlier this season while Jenn dealt with a medical situation. “Coming here, obviously, was a huge part of that. I’ve played the majority of them here. This is just a place that’s really meant a lot to me.”

World juniors update

Prospect Alexander Khovanov nabbed silver at the IIHF World Junior Championship after Russia fell 4-3 to Canada on Sunday.

He took three shots in 16 minutes, 34 seconds of ice time, finishing the tournament with three goals and five assists. Khovanov’s eight points were tied for second-most on the team.

In the pipeline

Iowa forward Gerald Mayhew and defenseman Brennan Menell, both of whom have spent time with the Wild this season, were named to the American Hockey League All-Star Classic.

Etc. 1169613 Minnesota Wild “You can sit there and say, ‘We got a point in back-to-back games,’ and stuff like that,” Boudreau said. “But when we should’ve had two against a team we could’ve caught [in the standings], it’s very frustrating. A lot of frustrating things out there.” Wild works extras for second night in a row, but this time loses to Calgary in shootout Star Tribune LOADED: 01.06.2020

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune JANUARY 5, 2020 — 11:22PM

Not only was the action teeing up a potential encore performance by the Wild, but it looked like it was following the exact same script.

After outlasting the Jets the day before by converting on a 4-on-3 power play in overtime, the Wild was again given the chance to capitalize with an extra attacker in the extra session Sunday against the Flames.

The Wild even trotted out the same players that were on the ice for the clinching goal.

But instead of copying Saturday’s strategy, the Wild whiffed on the chance and nosedived into a 5-4, seven-round shootout loss to the Flames in front of 17,204 at Xcel Energy Center to go 1-2-1 on its four- game homestand.

“Special teams is killing us,” coach Bruce Boudreau said.

That’s where the blame turned after the game, not just because of the missed opportunity in overtime that came after Calgary captain Mark Giordano was called for tripping Ryan Donato.

WIRES

Gallery: Wild loses to Calgary in shootout

Two of the Flames’ goals, including Giordano’s game-tying goal at 14 minutes, 32 seconds of the third period, came on the power play — magnifying the team’s recent woes on the penalty kill. Calgary ended up 2-for-4, while the Wild was 1-for-2.

“When you don’t get the puck out, it almost always kills you,” Boudreau said. “When you get the puck out, 200 feet, and it’s not like we’re going for goals trying to make plays, we’re just trying to get the puck out and we’re giving it right to them.”

Giordano’s goal was a fortuitous bounce, a centering feed that caromed off defenseman Ryan Suter’s stick and flew past goalie Alex Stalock.

“I should have cleared it, and then just a bad bounce,” Suter said.

After overtime, Donato scored in the fourth round of the shootout before Derek Ryan immediately retaliated. On the Flames’ seventh attempt, Dillion Dube sealed the comeback win for Calgary. Aside from making six stops in the shootout, David Rittich had 30 through regulation and overtime. Stalock finished with 33.

“Quite frankly, even though he gave up four goals, he made some great saves at the end just to make sure we got a point,” Boudreau said of Stalock. “We just didn’t help him very much.”

The Wild never trailed until the final score, going ahead 5:01 into the first on winger Kevin Fiala’s power play shot.

At 9:32, the Flames responded with their own power play marker — a redirection by Milan Lucic that rolled five-hole on Stalock.

But only 34 seconds later, winger Marcus Foligno scored his first of the game on a rising shot set up by center Joel Eriksson Ek.

After Travis Hamonic’s one-timer evened it again at 15:40, Foligno reinstated the Wild’s lead with 46 seconds to go after he crashed the net to poke in a loose puck.

The two-goal outburst was the eighth of Foligno’s career and first with the Wild. He capped off the weekend with four points, after recording a goal and assist Saturday. He’s just three points shy of tying his total (19) from last season.

In the third, the Flames evened it again on a point shot from Michael Stone at 1:55. Just 42 seconds later, winger Jordan Greenway again put the Wild ahead on a deflection, his first goal in 11 games.

Unlike before, though, the Wild didn’t have an answer once Giordano scored. 1169614 Minnesota Wild

Wild finishing off back-to-back at home vs. Flames with Alex Stalock in net

By Sarah McLellan JANUARY 5, 2020 — 10:35AM

Backup Alex Stalock will start Sunday against the Flames at Xcel Energy Center when the Wild wraps up a four-game homestand, but No.1 Devan Dubnyk will be honored before puck drop for playing in his 500th career game earlier this season.

“You just want the goalie’s focus on the game rather than everything else, family coming in and all this stuff,” coach Bruce Boudreau said. “So that was the reason we did it that way.”

Dubnyk was in net Saturday afternoon when the Wild toppled the Jets 3- 2 in overtime, rallying after scoring the tying goal in the third period. The victory snapped a two-game slide for the Wild.

“Hopefully that translates over into tonight’s game,” defenseman Matt Dumba said. “It was awesome. I thought that was one of the best games we’ve played in a while, so we want to keep that rolling.”

This is the second of three meetings between the Wild and Flames.

The Wild won the first matchup, 3-0, on Dec.23. That game was the second half of a back-to-back for Calgary. This go-around, it’ll be the Wild finishing off two games in two days.

“They’re going to be really ready for us,” Boudreau said. “Taing nothing anyway from anybody but once Winnipeg got the lead [Saturday], they sort of sat back and we kept going at them. I don’t think Calgary is going to sit back at all today.”

Projected lineup:

Jordan Greenway-Eric Staal-Mats Zuccarello

Zach Parise-Mikko Koivu-Kevin Fiala

Marcus Foligno-Joel Eriksson Ek-Luke Kunin

Ryan Donato-Victor Rask-Ryan Hartman

Ryan Suter-Jared Spurgeon

Jonas Brodin-Matt Dumba

Carson Soucy-Brad Hunt

Alex Stalock

Key numbers:

1-3: Record in the second half of a back-to-back.

7: Shots for defenseman Ryan Suter Saturday, a season high.

2: Points for winger Luke Kunin in the previous game vs. Calgary.

.903: Career save percentage for Stalock against the Flames.

4: Points for center Joel Eriksson Ek in his last five games.

About the Flames:

Calgary is just two points ahead of the Wild after an up-and-down run of late. Following a seven-game win streak, the Flames dropped three in a row, won once, lost once, won again and then fell twice before winning Thursday against the Rangers. Center Sean Monahan has been in an offensive groove of late, boasting a four-game point streak. Overall, he ranks secondo n the team in points (34). Winger Matthew Tkachuk paces the Flames with 36. Center Elias Lindholm has a team-best 16 goals.

Star Tribune LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169615 Minnesota Wild “It’ll be good to get a little rest these next few days,” Greenway said. “We play these guys in their building soon. We have to think about a game like this and let it motivate us. We should be ready to go after them next game, and once we get the lead, keep the lead and keep going for it.” Wild fall 5-4 to Flames after seven-round shootout Pioneer Press LOADED: 01.06.2020

By DANE MIZUTANI | PUBLISHED: January 5, 2020 at 8:59 pm | UPDATED: January 5, 2020 at 10:29 PM

There were so many times during Sunday’s game that the Wild could have folded in the face of adversity.

Already playing with tired legs amid a taxing back-to-back, the Wild also had to deal with giving up the lead on four separate occasions.

While the Wild grinded it out to force overtime, ultimately falling 5-4 to the Calgary Flames in a seven-round shootout, coach Bruce Boudreau wasn’t interested in putting a positive spin on this loss.

“Frustrating,” Boudreau said. “You can sit there and say, ‘We got a point in back-to-back games.’ We should’ve had two points against a team we could’ve caught (in the standings). It’s very frustrating.”

Dillon Dube scored the game-winner for the Flames in the shootout, beating goaltender Alex Stalock with a quick move in front and providing the Wild with a lasting memory about a game that got away from them.

“That’s what it felt like all night,” Stalock said when asked about surrendering the lead time and time again. “Even in the shootout we had a lead and we lost it.”

It’s fitting that a back-and-forth game started with a back-and-forth first period in which Kevin Fiala got the ball rolling for the Wild with a wrist shot from the left circle.

That was only the beginning of the madness as winger Milan Lucic tied the score a few minutes later, then the Wild’s Marcus Foligno responded less than 60 seconds later.

After defenseman Travis Hamonic tied the score for the Flames, Foligno scored again late in the first period to help the Wild take a well-deserved lead heading into intermission.

“I felt we played pretty good,” Fiala said. “We still can do better defensively, especially the first period, because I felt like they had too many chances in our house.”

Everyone cooled off in the second period as both teams looked content to feel each other out, perhaps saving themselves in hopes of taking over down the stretch.

That race to the finish in the third period didn’t disappoint as defenseman Michael Stone tied the score for the Flames early in the third period, and Jordan Greenway returned the favor almost immediately for the Wild.

While it looked like that might be enough, the Wild surrendered the lead once again when defenseman Mark Giordano fired a pass that squirted into the goal.

As frustrating as it was for the Wild to allow that goal, they were even more frustrated with the sequence that led up to that point.

A couple of minutes earlier, Stalock got bulldozed near his crease with no penalty called, and Zach Parise got called for a penalty shortly after that.

That put the Wild on the penalty kill when they felt they should’ve been on the power play, and Giordano scored with the man advantage much to the chagrin of the home crowd.

Asked whether he got an explanation, Stalock sidestepped the question, perhaps not wanting to say something his wallet might regret.

“I’ll have to look at (the play),” Stalock said. “I don’t know.”

That said, the Wild know it’s hard to blame the officials for a game in which they surrendered the lead on four separate occasions.

“You can’t (come back and score) all the time,” Boudreau said. “After awhile the well is going to run dry when it comes to that.”

Now the Wild will get a few days of rest before traveling to Calgary for a rematch against the Flames on Thursday. 1169616 Minnesota Wild

Wild’s checking line is GEEKed up and playing well

By DANE MIZUTANI PUBLISHED: January 5, 2020 at 6:51 pm | UPDATED: January 5, 2020 at 6:52 PM

For a good chunk of this season, the GEEK Squad has served as the predominant checking line for the Wild.

With Joel Eriksson Ek in the middle, and Jordan Greenway and Luke Kunin on the outside, the GEEK Squad consistently found ways to make life miserable on opposing players.

And one of the biggest things that has helped the Wild rise from the ashes this season is that fact that coach Bruce Boudreau can tinker with his checking line without much of a drop-off.

That was on display over the weekend as Marcus Foligno slid in alongside Eriksson Ek and opposite Kunin — and the checking line didn’t miss a beat.

“There are a lot of similarities (with Foligno and Greenway),” Kunin said. “They’re both big bodies, and always work so hard and do the right things. It’s pretty easy to play with guys like that. Just trying to do whatever we can to help the team be successful.”

That usually means shutting down the best players on the other team, though in Saturday’s 3-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets, both Foligno and Kunin scored goals.

Asked how he slid so seamlessly into the checking line, Foligno credited Eriksson Ek with be strong in the middle and Kunin for being a threat to score from anywhere on the ice.

“We like playing with each other,” Foligno said. “I thought we played really well.”

So well that, in fact, that Boudreau opted to keep the trio together for Sunday’s game against the Calgary Flames.

While it wouldn’t shock anyone if the GEEK Squad was reunited at some point, it’s pretty hard to mess with a good thing right now.

DUBNYK HONORED

A couple of months ago, Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk reached the 500-game career milestone, which for a goaltender, is akin to to a skater playing in 1,000 games.

He was honored with a video tribute before Sunday’s game, soaking in the moment alongside his wife Jenn and the couple’s three children.

It’s quite the accomplishment for Dubnyk, especially considering he was nearly out of the NHL before arriving in the Twin Cities midway through the 2014-15 campaign.

To say Dubnyk has completely revitalized his career since then would be putting it lightly. He has played in 319 games with the Wild, producing a 173-108-28 record, 2.38 goals-against average and .919 save percentage.

STALOCK STARTS

With the Wild playing on the second half of a back-to-back, goaltender Alex Stalock got the nod between the pipes.

It was Stalock’s first start since giving up six goals a couple of weeks ago in a blowout loss to the Jets.

Pioneer Press LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169617 Minnesota Wild It perhaps will be an important goal — his first since Dec. 12 — for a player who has not played well lately.

“Sometimes you can talk to people and then sometimes you gotta say, ‘We needed two points’: Wild blow four leads and let a win slip away vs. ‘Here’s what’s happening to you,’” Boudreau said of the delivered Flames message to Greenway. “We did it to a lot of guys this year, and they’ve responded well understanding that they don’t want to be in that situation.

“I hate to use the word intensity, so I’ll use the word consistency. That’s By Michael Russo Jan 5, 2020 what we talk about (with Greenway). When he’s a mean player every night, he’s really, really good. When he’s not, he’s average.”

It was also a frustrating game from an officiating standpoint. The missed The door swung open to Bruce Boudreau’s postgame news conference, calls and non-calls all game Sunday were pretty outrageous, but the and the coach rolled his eyes and exhaled exaggeratingly. most egregious came in the third period when Dillon Dube skated right The coach wasn’t happy, and justifiably so. through the middle of the crease and trucked over Stalock. He even got Stalock across the mask with his stick. The Wild aren’t in a position to feel good about getting a point out of hockey games anymore, particularly ones where they blow four one-goal Neither referee Dan O’Rourke or Ghislain Hebert raised their arms, yet leads, can’t convert on a two-minute overtime 4-on-3 and then fittingly O’Rourke whistled Zach Parise for a cross-checking penalty not long blow a one-goal shootout lead in an eventual 5-4, seven-round shootout after. That’s when Giordano tied the game. loss to the Calgary Flames on Sunday. Stalock told The Athletic after the game that he’s worried referees now “Frustrating,” Boudreau said after a very disappointing 1-2-1 homestand. won’t give him the benefit of the doubt on goalie interference penalties “You can sit there and say, ‘We got a point in back-to-back games,’ and because he was flagged a few days ago for a second embellishment this stuff like that. But when we should’ve had two (points), against a team we season. He was fined $2,000. could’ve caught … it’s very frustrating. A lot of frustrating things out The two incidents in question came Oct. 12 against Pittsburgh and Dec. there.” 12 against Winnipeg. If the Wild would have won in regulation, they would have technically Stalock said he’s only worried because he felt there was a goalie moved past the Flames into ninth place in the Western Conference interference by Calgary in the first period that was even worse than the standings and inched to within a point of eighth-place Winnipeg. Instead, Dube incident. Calgary moved into a playoff position and three points ahead of the Wild. “And the refs all get those (NHL memos),” Boudreau said. “They have to Many of the Wild’s shortcomings outlined in Friday’s midseason report make a judgment call: Is he diving, is he not diving? So they make that reared their ugly head. call. But it’s unfortunate if you get that reputation, you’re eventually not The Wild scored first. It meant nothing. They are now 12-6-3 when they going to get the call ever.” score first. That .571 win percentage ranks 26th in the NHL. In overtime, Ryan Donato drew a 4-on-3, so Boudreau and power-play The Wild, who all season long have had difficulty holding leads, gave up coach Dean Evason rolled out the same personnel that won the game four of them. against Winnipeg the day before: Eric Staal, Parise, Suter and Brad Hunt. This one didn’t go as well. Staal, who scored the winner Saturday, The Wild’s sinking penalty kill was scored on twice and is now 42 for its especially looked to make tired mistakes. last 62 (67.7 percent in the past 22 games). The second shift, after a Mikko Koivu-taken faceoff, the personnel was The Wild fell to 9-3-3 when leading after two periods. That .600 win Fiala, Mats Zuccarello, Matt Dumba (no goals since Nov. 12) and percentage is tied for 30th in the NHL. And on this night, the Wild allowed Spurgeon, and it didn’t go better. Michael Stone to tie the score at 3-3 early in the third, then got a Jordan Greenway response 42 seconds later only to still see Calgary force “We should have scored,” Fiala said. overtime with a Mark Giordano tying power-play goal. The shootout was no better. After Giordano scored with 5:28 left in regulation, Greenway hit the post In seven rounds, Boudreau chose Fiala, Parise, Koivu, Donato, for a chance to put the Wild up 5-4, but as Boudreau said, “After a while, Zuccarello, Ryan Hartman and Luke Kunin. the well is going to run dry when it comes to that.” Only Donato scored in Round 4, but Derek Ryan scored to force Round 5 Still, the coach said, interrupting himself, “That’s not what’s killing us. before Dube won the game for Calgary. Staal, who is 6 for 27 all-time in Special teams is killing us. Two more power-play goals against again shootouts, and Joel Eriksson Ek, who has had success in shootout tonight. And it’s not that teams are making great plays and beating us. contests in practices, didn’t get a try. We give pucks away and they put it in the net.” So, plain and simple, this was a bad, bad homestand. In this game, the guilty parties at least before the goals were Greenway and Ryan Suter, who also saw the Giordano centering pass intended for Not only did they secure just three of a possible eight points, in the Matt Tkachuk redirect perfectly off his stick and by Alex Stalock. games where they got points, they gave two teams they’re chasing — Winnipeg and Calgary — three combined points. It’s crazy to watch how a Wild team that’s historically pretty decent at killing penalties struggle so mightily. Now, the Wild sit idle ‘til Thursday’s rematch in Calgary. A couple days off will be good from the standpoint that the Wild do have a couple “It’s mostly the same players that kill,” Boudreau said. “How do we get wounded players playing hurt and several players have been playing sick out of it? You can talk to them and show them and hope we understand all week. that the No. 1 thing with teams scoring goals on a power play is when we don’t get the puck out. When you don’t get the puck out, it almost always But not playing most the week will create further separation in the kills you. When you get the puck out, 200 feet … and it’s not like we’re standings. going for goals trying to make plays, we’re just trying to get the puck out and we’re giving it right to them.” As Stalock said, bluntly, “We needed two points that game.”

The Wild carried a 3-2 lead into the second period on Kevin Fiala’s ninth Odds and ends goal and two goals from Marcus Foligno for his eighth career two-goal Foligno continues to play tremendous hockey for the Wild. game. But David Rittich, who looked so shaky in the first period, really settled down in the second, turned away all 12 shots he faced and held His two goals, one came by crashing the net, the other was just a top- that deficit to one entering the third. shelf beauty.

After Stone’s tying goal, Greenway, demoted to the fourth line the last MARCUS FOLIGNO RESTORES THE WILD LEAD IN THE game-and-a-half, redirected a Jared Spurgeon shot for a 4-3 lead. FIRST!#MNWILD PIC.TWITTER.COM/UGUEFFQIWA — HOCKEY DAILY 365 (@HOCKEYDAILY365) JANUARY 6, 2020

“He’s earned it,” Boudreau said. “He works hard. He’s a great team player. He does all the right things as far as off the ice, on the ice, competing in practice, showing up for everything. So you really like to see those guys succeed and get breaks. He’s only one goal less than what he got last year with almost half the season to go.” …

Suter had two assists.

Suter’s 21 points since Nov. 19 rank third among NHL defensemen. His 17 assists since Nov. 19 rank second among NHL defensemen. …

Devan Dubnyk was honored before the game for becoming the 73rd goalie to play 500 games, which he achieved back in November. The ceremony was delayed because of the medical situation his wife, Jenn, is currently enduring. The good news is Jenn was able to attend the game and stand on the green carpet with the couple’s three kids, Dubnyk’s parents and her mother. Wild goalie coach Bob Mason represented the Wild and league executive Kay Whitmore represented the NHL.

The Athletic LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169618 Montreal Canadiens because I think it was (Ben) Chiarot that got away with it the first time. They didn’t score on that two-on-one, but we made that mistake twice. I thought we could have done a better job, too, of coming back hard and then helping out on that goal.” Canadiens Notebook: Will Ilya Kovalchuk make his Habs debut Monday? Max Domi, who was late getting to Tanev and failed to take the puck off him, accepted blame for the goal after the game.

STU COWAN, MONTREAL GAZETTE Updated: January 5, 2020 “I had a stick on it and I have to win that battle,” Domi said. “You got to get under a guy’s stick like that, not come over the top. Especially at the

end of a shift like that. So just the little details like that that I think we all Ilya Kovalchuk practised with the Canadiens for the first time Sunday, but could be better. But that’s an example where I have to be a lot better, coach Claude Julien wouldn’t guarantee the Russian winger will be in the too.” lineup Monday night at the against the Winnipeg Jets (7 p.m., Rookie mistakes TSN2, TSN3, RDS, TSN 690 Radio). The Canadiens had four rookies in the lineup against the Penguins: “The only reason I can’t tell you whether he’s in or not, he just practised. Suzuki, Ryan Poehling, Lukas Vejdemo and Cale Fleury. We haven’t even discussed it … haven’t even talked to him,” Julien said after Kovalchuk was one of 11 players who took part in Sunday’s optional That means there’s going to be rookie mistakes. Julien has to juggle practice at the Bell Sports Complex in . letting the rookies learn from those mistakes while also trying to win hockey games. Kovalchuk signed with the Canadiens as a free agent last Friday after the Los Kings put him on unconditional waivers on Dec. 17 and then “It’s not easy,” Julien said Sunday. “But at the same time, we have what terminated his contract. Kovalchuk hasn’t played a game since Nov. 9 we have. You have to live sometimes with mistakes and you’re always when the Kings lost 3-2 to the Canadiens at the Bell Centre. crossing your fingers that most of the mistakes are not going to cost you a game or a goal, for that matter. But that’s the risk and reward of “He says he’s feeling good,” Julien said about the 36-year-old developing young players at the NHL level. Kovachuk. “We’ll have a chat with him, we’ll have a chat with our coaching staff and then we’ll decide where is the best place for him to “That’s where we’re at in today’s game,” the coach added. “We bring up start. You know, guys, he hasn’t played since November a game. He’s young players that just come out of junior or whatever and they haven’t practiced and everything else. So you put him in and we’ll have to keep had the American league experience like it used to be a long time ago. an eye on his performance because, at the end of the day, it doesn’t That’s where we’re at with the league and you have to accept that and matter how much you’ve skated, game shape is different than just you have to work within those situations. I think a guy like Suzuki, you skating. So all that stuff we have to kind of take time to put together and can’t say enough good things about him because he’s been a great today’s a good day to do that. So for me to start answering questions on player.” where and when and all that stuff is a little difficult. We’ll probably have a clearer answer for you guys tomorrow after we go through all that stuff.” Kulak falls down depth chart

The Canadiens have a morning skate scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Monday When the Canadiens acquired defenceman Marco Scandella from the in Brossard. Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, Brett Kulak fell down on the team’s depth chart and was a healthy scratch Saturday night against the Penguins. "I just want to help the team make the playoffs."#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/wL6Yt1oHs0— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) “I think for me he’s a good player and he’s going to help the team win,” January 5, 2020 Kulak said about Scandella. “For me, my focus stays the same. I got to be ready to go and prepare myself and be ready to go when I get called Gallagher back on skates to step on the ice and be the best I can be and help the team win. So my focus doesn’t change.” Brendan Gallagher skated for the first time Sunday since suffering a concussion in a 3-1 loss to the Hurricanes on New Year’s Eve in Scandella logged 15:40 of ice time against the Penguins on the third Carolina. defence pairing with Fleury. Scandella had one shot, four hits, three blocked shots and hit the goal post with a blast from the point in the third Gallagher skated for about 30 minutes with a member of the Canadiens’ period. training staff before the team’s optional practice while wearing a tinted visor. He was joined by Joel Armia (hand) and Jonathan Drouin (wrist), A little humour who are also on the injured-reserve list. Kovalchuk gave Kulak a Rolex watch for giving him his No. 17 and “It’s just a concussion protocol,” Julien said about Gallagher. “He’s going switching to No. 77. through all of, I guess, the segments of concussions and he’s progressing. So every time he progresses he’s able to take the next step. Julien was asked if he ever received a Rolex for giving up a number And the minute things start going in the wrong direction you got to pull when he was a player. him back. So right now he’s at that stage where it was his first day just “You know what, I got a Casio watch,” the coach said with a grin. skating a little bit and we’ll see where he goes from day to day.” What number did he give up? Quelques extraits de plus de Kovalchuk à l’entraînement: “I can’t tell you,” he said. “I really didn’t get a watch.” Costly overtime mistakes Folin placed on waivers Rookie Nick Suzuki made a mistake during overtime Saturday night that resulted in the winning goal by the Pittsburgh Penguins in their 3-2 The Canadiens placed defenceman Christian Folin on waivers Sunday. victory over the Canadiens. Folin only played five games with the Canadiens this season and had With the Penguins in control of the puck at their own blue line, Suzuki one assist along with a plus-2. He hasn’t played a game with the decided to go to the bench for a change that resulted in a two-on-one Canadiens since Oct. 19. Folin was pointless and minus-3 in seven and Brandon Tanev scoring the game-winner. games with the AHL’s .

Suzuki finished the game with 21:52 of ice time, the most of any The Canadiens acquired Folin from the Philadelphia Flyers last February, Canadiens forward. along with Dale Weise, in exchange for Byron Froese and David Schlemko. On Sunday, Julien was asked if the 20-year-old Suzuki still has his trust despite the mistake in overtime. Romanov named junior all-star

“Absolutely,” the coach said. “There’s no reason not to trust this guy. It’s Russian defenceman Alexander Romanov, who was selected by the a game of mistakes and everybody makes a mistake, from your best Canadiens in the second round (38th overall) at the 2018 NHL Draft, was player to your last player. Yesterday it was a long shift for them. They named to the all-star team for the second straight year at the IIHF World had been on for over a minute and he thought he could get away with it Junior Hockey Championship in the Czech Republic. Canada beat Russia 4-3 in the gold-medal game on Sunday. Romanov logged 21:42 of ice time, picked up an assist and had four shots on goal in the game. He finished the tournament wth 1-5-6 totals and a plus-6 in seven games while averaging 20:48 of ice time.

What’s next?

The Canadiens will have a morning skate at 10:30 a.m. Monday before facing the Jets at the Bell Centre (7 p.m., TSN2, TSN3, RDS, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM).

The Canadiens will fly to Detroit after the game and face the Red Wings on Tuesday (7:30 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM). The Edmonton Oilers will be at the Bell Centre on Thursday (7 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM) and then the Canadiens will wrap up the week Saturday in Ottawa against the Senators (7 p.m., CBC, SN, SN360, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM).

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169619 Montreal Canadiens Kovalchuk didn’t want to talk about what went wrong in Los Angeles, but said he believes he can surprise some people with the Canadiens if given the chance.

Stu Cowan: Ilya Kovalchuk very happy to get No. 17 with Canadiens “I don’t think I ever had that opportunity that I will have here to play on the first power play and more minutes than usually, hopefully,” he said. “When you play a lot you can create a lot and help way more.”

STU COWAN, MONTREAL GAZETTE Updated: January 5, 2020 Kovalchuk is 36 and hasn’t played a game since Nov. 9 when the Canadiens beat the Kings 3-2 at the Bell Centre. There’s no guarantee

he will be ready to play Monday night after passing his physical on No. 17 means a lot to Ilya Kovalchuk. Saturday and taking part in Sunday’s optional practice, but the Canadiens are desperate at this point. It would be surprising if he doesn’t Why? play.

“Because (Valeri) Kharlamov was the favourite player of my dad,” It’s hard to judge Kovalchuk on one optional practice, but he can still Kovalchuk said after practising with the Canadiens for the first time shoot and is very strong on the puck, but his lack of speed could be a Sunday at the Bell Sports Complex in Brossard. “He kind of told me problem. (about Kharlamov) because he died before I was born, obviously. But I watched a lot of videotapes of the ’72 (Summit) Series and everything. As for his age, Kovalchuk said: “I’m not that old, come on. Big Z (42-year- He was one of the best-ever Russian players.” old Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara), he’s way older than me. He’s enjoying his time. So I got a few more years.” Kovalchuk will be wearing No. 17 when he makes his Canadiens debut thanks to new teammate Brett Kulak, who was willing to give it up and He has also got No. 17. switch to No 77. Sunday’s practice was an optional one with only 11 Montreal Gazette LOADED: 01.06.2020 players on the ice, and coach Claude Julien said he would wait a day before deciding if Kovalchuk will be in the lineup Monday against the Winnipeg Jets at the Bell Centre (7 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM).

When Kovalchuk was asked what he gave Kulak in exchange for No. 17, the Russian winger said: “I think you should ask him. I got him a nice present. I think he’ll remember that he gave me 17.”

Kulak certainly will. The gift was a Rolex watch with “Thanks for No. 17” engraved on the back.

“I think it’s just a nice personal special touch, for sure,” Kulak said about the engraving. “It’s going to be a good thing for me to hang on to and good memory of when he came in. Seventeen is his number, so I was happy to give it up to him.

“I probably would have been OK with just Rock, Paper Scissors or something for the number,” Kulak added with a smile. “But I mean it’s really generous of him, a nice thing to do.”

Kulak is happy with his new No. 77.

“There’s a few really good D-men who have worn 77 in the past,” he said. “But I was just looking down the list and it kind of jumped out at me. I thought it was nice looking. My favourite number is 7. Seven is retired with the team (for Howie Morenz) but I figured whatever: two of them’s better than one. So I thought it was a good number.”

The Canadiens are hoping Kovalchuk can still look good in No. 17, which he has worn since being the No. 1 overall pick at the 2001 NHL Draft by the Atlanta Thrashers. Kovalchuk has 436-423-859 totals in 897 career NHL games, but only had 3-6-9 totals and was minus-10 in 17 games with the Los Angeles Kings this season before they put him on unconditional waivers on Dec. 17 and terminated his contract.

The Canadiens need all the help they can get after going 0-4-1 in their last five games, including a 3-2 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins Saturday night at the Bell Centre. The Canadiens are in sixth place in the Atlantic Division with an 18-17-7 record and have four of their top-nine forwards on the injured-reserve list (Brendan Gallagher, Joel Armia, Jonathan Drouin and Paul Byron).

“I just want to help team to make playoffs,” Kovalchuk said. “Obviously, we’re missing a lot of key guys right now, but they will be back after the bye week (Jan. 19-25). We have all the tools here. It’s a great hockey town and I’m enjoying every second here. So I will give everything I can to help.”

One place Kovalchuk should be able to help is on the power play, where he has scored 184 of his career goals.

“I don’t want to say too much because I know expectations are high,” Kovalchuk said when asked about the power play. “But, like I said, we have all the tools. We got Maxy (Domi) there and we got Webs () obviously with the big shot. I still can shoot the puck, too, a little bit. So we’ll see.”

Tout le monde est ici pour voir le nouveau. 1169620 Montreal Canadiens Enter Kovalchuk on a two-way contract that will cost $700,000 at the NHL level and $70,000 in the AHL.

Not so long ago, Kovalchuk was one of the most feared players in the Jack Todd: It's time for the NHL to battle the Toronto War Room's rancid league. (Ask Sidney Crosby about that.) He was big, strong and fast. He calls possessed a blistering shot and he played with an edge.

The Canadiens gave up no players, no prospects, no draft picks to acquire Kovalchuk, and he’s being paid the NHL equivalent of pocket JACK TODD, SPECIAL TO MONTREAL GAZETTE Updated: January 5, change. If he can score some goals, great. If he can’t, bye-bye — and 2020 nothing lost.

Same with the acquisition of Marco Scandella. The Canadiens gave up a player who wasn’t playing and acquired one who might be an upgrade. In the wake of Don Cherry’s firing and the exit of the regrettable Bill Peters, there is some reason to be optimistic about the future of hockey. So after screaming GM had to do something as the current slump deepened, the fans got their wish. He sent a clear signal to The effect may not be felt for another decade, but removing the Cro- the players he’s not throwing in the towel on the season — and it was Magnon element from a fast, exciting international game is all to the greeted in some quarters with the same derision that greets every move good. The exposure of Mike Babcock (and the fact the Leafs are so the GM makes. much better without him) and the suspension of Marc Crawford are more signals the game is finally climbing out of the Dark Ages. It’s enough to make a grown man weep.

Within the NHL, however, there are still festering issues that need to be Montreal Gazette LOADED: 01.06.2020 addressed. One is the Department of Player Safety, which quite simply does not do its job. The other is the constant issue of the Toronto War Room and its complete inability to get replay reviews right — or simply to be consistent in its interpretation of the rules. There is zero evidence the league is moving to correct either problem.

Look, the Canadiens are going through a bad stretch. It’s conceivable the War Room cost them two wins, but terrible calls are not the reason the playoffs are a vanishing dream. The club is missing key forwards (Jonathan Drouin, Paul Byron, Joel Armia and Brendan Gallagher) and at a time they need Carey Price to be at his all-world best, he simply isn’t.

But the War Room and its rancid calls are a festering, league-wide issue that is going to have to be dealt with, preferably before the playoffs. The fact the NHL’s replay reviews and “Toronto” are synonymous is not a good look. The Leafs have been on a roll since shortly after the Babcock firing and they’re looking to make a deep playoff run — and that doesn’t come without controversial calls.

Any call that goes Toronto’s way is going to be suspect because of the long history of bias from the NHL’s replay officials. And if it’s the wrong call (as it is so often) and if it costs an opponent a playoff game, John Tortorella’s outburst is going to look like mild criticism by comparison.

Torts was absolutely right when he called out the league’s refereeing and its replay review system. It cost him, but the entire hockey world should be grateful he’s a loudmouthed hothead who sometimes can’t hold back.

Meanwhile, a league that is obsessed with counting the centimetres on an offsides call still can’t figure out what constitutes goaltender interference. We are more than 20 years on from the toe-in-the-crease fiasco that arguably cost the Buffalo Sabres the 1999 Stanley Cup, and the league still hasn’t figured out how to deal with attacking players in the crease.

Interference was one thing on Dec. 17, when the Canadiens lost a goal with Artturi Lehkonen fighting hard to get out of the crease in Vancouver. It was another thing when Phillip Danault was caught in much the same position in North Carolina on New Year’s Eve.

And the interference rule apparently did not apply Saturday night at the Bell Centre, with Price knocked down and unable to get back to block Brandon Tanev’s winning goal in overtime.

Inexplicable? Confusing? Biased? It’s all of that. It’s also fundamentally twisted when a play is ruled as interference, yet no penalty is called. You can’t have it both ways: it’s either a penalty or a good goal.

The departure of Cherry and Peters may signal a fundamental and long- overdue shift in the hockey culture, but until that shift is put into practice at the NHL level, the next massive controversy is only one bad call away.

I will never understand the tendency of Canadiens fans to scream loud and long over moves that cost the team absolutely nothing, from the Sebastian Aho offer sheet to the signing of erstwhile NHL star Ilya Kovalchuk.

The Canadiens right now are missing a good part of their offence up front, with the absence of Drouin, Byron, Armia and Gallagher. They are desperately short of forwards, especially forwards who can score. 1169621 Montreal Canadiens Aston-Reese as he attacks the right wing side, getting a stick blade on his shot attempt, which goes wide.

The puck ends up going back up to the point, where defenceman Juuso Shift chart: Breaking down Marco Scandella’s intriguing Canadiens debut Riikola scoops it up and storms back down the side boards. Let’s pick up the action there:

The defensive read to take Blueger’s stick, and then react to the puck By Sean Gordon Jan 5, 2020 before Riikola can jab at it, is very sharp indeed. Then he recognizes Montreal has numbers and ends up in front of the opposing net,

whacking at a loose puck. As defencemen do. Anyway, the crowd seems Let’s face it, there would have been a nice symmetry had the new guy’s to appreciate the effort, perhaps the fans infer the local kid is up for it. Canadiens jersey sported 36 on the back. His second shift starts just over four minutes into the period, when he That’s the one Marco Scandella’s uncle, former winger-turned- and Fleury are sent out for a defensive zone faceoff. His first action is to broadcaster Sergio Momesso, wore for the team, and it hasn’t been sweep the puck out the zone, and when the puck is shot back in a few occupied since Brett Lernout left town last summer. But the principally moments later, he confidently grabs the puck in the corner and makes a concerned party didn’t ask for it, and when he showed up in the dressing nifty pass to Jesperi Kotkaniemi from the corner to set up a clean exit. room they’d given him Mike Reilly’s 28. The third and final touch Scandella will take is a back pass from Ryan Poehling in the neutral zone, he whips a D-to-D pass to Fleury, who then “This is what’s here, this is what I’ll go with,” Scandella said Saturday sends it back cross-ice to Poehling by the far boards. Fleury and morning. Scandella get off the ice.

In fairness, he had other things on his mind. His third shift begins with a puck retrieval behind the net, and he shrugs a little forehand chip up the boards to evade Dominik Simon’s forecheck. It The big defenceman hadn’t slept much since moving back to his ends up working out rather well: hometown from Buffalo, and he was mostly preoccupied with putting his best foot forward with the team he grew up rooting for. The next two shifts are largely uneventful, featuring a couple of retrievals, and an outlet pass that’s tipped down the ice. There’s also a firm check It didn’t go according to plan results-wise, the Canadiens lost 3-2 to the on Bryan Rust along the boards and a drop pass that nearly results in a Penguins in overtime, but that didn’t make the evening any less turnover. At one point, Shea Weber and Joseph Blandisi get into a spot memorable. of handbags at 50 paces in front of the Pittsburgh net and are sent to the “It felt like my first game again,” he said after it was all over. “It was really box, Scandella spends the television timeout doing figure-8s near his special, just to play here every night for every home game it’s going to be bench. unbelievable.” At the 14:45 mark, he takes a post on the left side of the penalty kill. He And the moment it finally sunk in that he was a Canadien? The national manages to erase Patric Hornqvist on the entry, then ends up almost anthems. kicking the puck into his own net, then finally making a nice play to dispossess Rust behind the net and chip the puck up to goal scorer “Kind of got goosebumps there,” he said, “I’m not going to lie.” Artturi Lehkonen, who draws a penalty.

Canadiens coach Claude Julien opted to match his newly acquired On his final shift of the period, which begins with 1:42 to play, Scandella defenceman with 20-year-old rookie Cale Fleury on the third pairing. smartly steps up to contest the blue line as Evgeni Malkin barrels forward Judging from the way he was used in his first game, it’s an open question with the puck, and ultimately strips it from the big Pens centre. whether he remains there or moves up the depth chart over the coming days and weeks. He quickly joins the play going the other way and motions for a pass, which promptly hits a skate and eventually sends play back the other way Scandella was brought in to provide greater stability than what Reilly and two-on-one, catching Scandella deep in the offensive zone. Watch him Brett Kulak have been able to offer on the left side of Montreal’s defence. make up the distance relative to Tomas Tatar, who, despite being at the It seems clear he’ll get the opportunity to show he’s up to the task. On end of a shift, is no slowpoke. the strength of a single showing (and everyone should look at small sample sizes with an appropriately jaundiced eye) he may well be. The worst is avoided when Rust doesn’t convert. On balance, it’s an eminently solid period from the new guy; if anything, Scandella is In any event, Julien liked what he saw. showing more offensive punch than what was featured in the sales “He was good, he made good passes, he hits the post and it could easily brochure. have been 3-1 … little bit of bad luck there on his part and our part, I Second period (8 shifts, TOI: 4:39) thought he made good plays and as I mentioned when he came here, he certainly gives us some stability,” he said. The first shift of the period for Scandella, just over two minutes in, is spent mostly in the defensive zone. He barks out “time” to Jordan Weal Scandella ended the game having played 15:40, fourth in total ice time as the latter maneuvers near the boards to clear the puck; eventually among Montreal defencemen; he also played 1:17 on the penalty kill. On Scandella takes a pass from Fleury and zips a diagonal bullet across two a night when the Penguins outshot the home side 37-28 and out-chanced zones right onto Kotkaniemi’s tape. them 41-23 (19-13 on high-danger chances) per NaturalStatTrick.com, Scandella was on the ice for two high-danger chances for, and three Then Montreal gets some power-play time and four minutes pass until against. He was also slightly below water in shot share, although the only he’s over the boards again to replace Weber. It’s Scandella’s bad luck blueliner who wasn’t on the night was his most frequent partner, Fleury. that it’s in the middle of a sketchy line change, and it all nearly goes sideways when Malkin schools Fleury. Price thwarts Rust again, and the Here’s how his game unfolded. Bell Centre DJ plays the theme from “Superman.”

First period (8 shifts, total time on ice: 4:40) Scandella’s late to the scene, but the blame on this one is shared by Scandella clambers over the boards in relief of Ben Chiarot at precisely several players. After the ensuing faceoff, Scandella gets tangled up with the one-minute mark of the game, just as the Canadiens have knocked Malkin along the boards, and then takes him down in front of the net for the puck deep into the Pittsburgh zone. good measure. You can’t do that.

And so begins his first shift at the Bell Centre wearing home colours. But like the man said, if you’re going to be in the building playing in front of friends and family (he said before the game he wasn’t sure exactly When the Pens eventually gain possession, he’s cruising around near how many would be in attendance, just that it was “lots”), you might as the centre red line and makes a sharp backward cut, skating into position well make sure the rink announcer says your name. to defend the rush. Look Mom, got myself on the scoresheet! He’s kept a decent gap on Brandon Tanev, who is cutting through the middle to gather a pass, and then manages to pivot and close on Zach Montreal killed the penalty, and Scandella’s new teammates got a couple of decent shorthanded looks to boot. He returned to take a regular shift with Fleury, although they spent much Defencemen are generally coached to line up with the goalie’s outside of it bottled up in their own end. Julien reacted by throwing them back out post in that circumstance and play the pass, which is what Scandella there just a minute later for an offensive zone faceoff. Shortly afterward, does. Nitpickers might have preferred that he not turn his back to Tanev Fleury feathered a nice pass to his partner down the half-wall, and after the initial shot, but Bluger is falling into Price and Domi was back- Scandella wired a heavy wrister that went narrowly over the net. checking to help out (he admitted afterward he has to lift the opponent’s stick in that situation, not get on top of it). With under six minutes left, Scandella took a turn against the Malkin line with Ben Chiarot to his right; they managed to keep their noses clean, In any case, Scandella held up his hand and said he was disappointed then Scandella fired a stretch pass to Dale Weise at centre — just as not to have done more on the sequence. Weise was turning away to head off. Icing. Nate Thompson would win the ensuing faceoff, the Canadiens would eventually get the puck out and “It’s tough to lose in overtime. I was on the ice for that play, I wish I could survive to fight another day. have helped out and try to get a stick on that,” he said.

He’d play one more shift, a quick one in the final 90 seconds of the The NHL is not a place where you can afford to dwell or ruminate, and period, but nothing noteworthy would happen. though Scandella wanted badly to celebrate his first game with a win, the focus shifts to Monday’s game against the Jets. Third period (8 shifts, TOI: 5:13) “Tomorrow’s a new day, just come prepared, come positive,” he said. Fleury and Scandella are sent out 1:44 into the third period with the “Tonight was a fun experience, but we have another game in two days.” Kotkaniemi line, and manage to get the puck to the forwards and send Poehling in for a decent scoring chance. The Athletic LOADED: 01.06.2020

Their next shift is the pair’s best of the game.

The Canadiens have already gained the zone when they skate onto the ice, and they’ll end up staying there as Fleury gets a couple of shots at goal, and Scandella keeps the puck in the zone on a couple of occasions and feeds the cycle down low.

As the Pens look ready to relieve the pressure, Fleury makes a great read at the offensive blue line and steps up to keep the puck in. Watch Scandella when Kotkaniemi arrives to support Weal (who has a simply marvelous sequence here). He immediately turns his shoulders up ice and heads for open space to create a shooting lane. And then he very nearly completes the fairytale ending.

When asked afterward if he thought if the shot had gone in from the way it angled back out toward the boards, Scandella made an anguished groan, adding “I wasn’t sure. I knew I put it in a good spot, (Weal) made a really nice play to me, it’s too bad it didn’t go in.”

Nothing of note on the next shift, one after that a good setup for Domi in the middle for a long-range shot, then a nice regroup.

With just under 13 minutes to play, Julien sent out the Fleury-Scandella combo with Kotkaniemi’s line again, and once again it resulted in some offence from the back end. Check out the Finnish teenager’s sumptuous cross-ice pass to Scandella, who scoots around John Marino and ends up setting up Poehling for a scoring chance.

Just after the midway point of the period, Scandella takes a shift with Jeff Petry. (Perhaps a sign of things to come?) He gives the puck away, but later recovers and wins a battle along the boards against two Penguins to send Nate Thompson away with the puck; his pass springs Lehkonen for a breakaway, the Finn was immense on the night and very nearly completes the hat trick.

During a television timeout a short time later, the TVA cameras show trainer Graham Rynbend talking to Scandella and massaging his neck and shoulder area. Maybe it’s an injury, maybe it’s just part of the welcome package.

The next shift unfolds without incident, and when he and Fleury go out with 2:32 to play in a 2-2 game it starts off just fine but as Scandella is skating over to the bench for a change he has to race back to challenge Tanev in order to interrupt what is shaping up to be a partial breakaway. He succeeds. The defencemen eventually get their change.

Inside the final 40 seconds, Julien once again sends Scandella out with Petry. He contributes a high, flipping clearance, and races up the ice to make himself available for a pass in the offensive zone before quickly backing out.

That Julien would send him out in crunch time is a nice vote of confidence, and presumably also a test.

Overtime (1 shift, TOI: 0:20)

When Chiarot wheels toward the bench 1:29 into overtime, Scandella is the player tapped to replace him. He jumps on the ice just as the Pens create a two-on-one. Welcome aboard, new guy.

Montreal survives, but only temporarily. The Penguins bring the puck back to centre, at which point Nick Suzuki decides to make an ill-timed change. Ballgame. 1169622 Nashville Predators

Predators' Austin Watson, Ducks' Nicolas Deslauriers fight 3 seconds into game

Paul Skrbina, Nashville TennesseanPublished 9:29 p.m. CT Jan. 5, 2020 | Updated 1:03 a.m. CT Jan. 6, 2020

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The puck drop beat the gloves being dropped by three seconds Sunday night at the Honda Center.

Just beyond center ice, Predators forward Austin Watson and Ducks forward Nicolas Deslauriers decided a fight was in order. Deslauriers landed a few solid rights before Watson finally wrestled him to the ice as players from both teams looked on.

Both players then took a seat for five minutes as a result in what turned out to be a 5-4 shootout victory for the Ducks.

It was Deslauriers' ninth fight this season, the most in the league, according to hockeyfights.com. Watson leads the Predators with six.

Watson redeemed himself by tying the score 1-1 with under a minute left in the first.

"It's Nashville-Anaheim," Watson said when asked how such animosity could occur three seconds into a game. "For the last three, four years it's been like that. I guess good to get it out of the way early and play some hockey."

"I loved the way we started the game. (Deslauriers) comes out and gets us going on a Sunday," the Ducks' Ryan Getzlaf, who scored the winner in the shootout, said.

Tennessean LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169623 Nashville Predators

Predators vs. Ducks: Game time, TV, streaming info

Nashville TennesseanPublished 6:00 a.m. CT Jan. 5, 2020

Predators vs. Ducks

When: 9 p.m. Central, Sunday, Jan. 5

Where: Honda Center, Anaheim

Radio: 102.5 FM

TV: NBC Sports Network

Streaming: NBC Sports app

Tennessean LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169624 New Jersey Devils The controversial no-call became the obvious focus in the final period and after the game. However, it wasn’t the thing that dictated the overall outcome.

3 Observations from Devils’ loss to Avalanche | What players said about “That play wasn’t really what won or lost us the game anyways,” controversial Avs goal and no-call Blackwood said. “It was just a crappy way to end it.”

Yes, that goal came with the Devils trailing by two goal while on a power play. Had the deficit stayed at two, they could have converted on the Posted Jan 05, 2020 power play and bought themselves about five minutes to find the equalizer. By Chris Ryan But based on the first 50-plus minutes of the game, the Devils didn’t do

enough to walk away with points, controversial call aside. The Devils saw their three-game winning streak snapped following a slow They fell behind 3-0 while the Avalanche racked up scoring chances and start, a late comeback attempt and a controversial no-call in a 5-2 loss to limited the Devils in the same category. A shorthanded goal by Blake the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday at Prudential Center in Newark. Coleman a few minutes earlier served as the main reason the Devils had The no-call on the fourth Avs goal was the main topic of conversation life before the Bellemare goal. following the game, so here are the players’ reactions to the bizarre play, Greene called the Devils’ play stubborn at points, with the team trying to plus more from the team’s first loss of 2020. get too cute and fine, rather than pushing north-south play. That helped Devils players react to controversial no-call feed into the Avs’ transition game, and their firepower offensively eventually tilted the game in their favor. knew Matt Calvert was closing quickly. The Devils goalie cleared the puck along the boards from behind the net and started “The first 40 (minutes), I don’t think we got to our game," Devils interim to back up toward his crease. coach Alain Nasreddine said. "We said before the game we were either going to play on offense, or if we fed their transition game that we were That’s when Blackwood and Calvert collided, with Calvert taking out going to play a lot of defense, and that’s what happened. The call is the Blackwood’s legs before both fell to the ice. Before Blackwood could call, but they were the better team.” recover, the puck was in the net, scored off a long shot by Avs defenseman Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. Blackwood was again the Devils’ best player

Based on how the NHL rule book currently stands, Calvert didn’t do Blackwood allowed four goals in a game for just fourth time since the anything wrong. Goalies aren’t fair game when they leave the crease, start of December, but without him, the Devils would have been well out and players can’t initiate contact with them just because they’re playing a of the game before the third period. puck away from the net. The Devils’ offense didn’t provide any support over the first 40 minutes. But based on replays, Calvert didn’t initiate the contact. Blackwood did by There were no power plays for New Jersey in that stretch, so all the following through on his clear and turning to go back to net. Calvert was Devils’ work came at 5-on-5, and they generated just 10 scoring chances trying to skate between Blackwood and the net to pursue the puck. and 0.88 expected goals over the first two periods. They had zero actual goals to show for it, while the Avalanche peppered Blackwood, posting The Devils’ rationale for challenging the play for goalie interference was 22 scoring chances and two goals. that Calvert didn’t make any move to avoid the contact — one qualifier for goalie interference — but the officials didn’t view the play that way. It The 2-0 deficit the Devils faced entering the third period could have been was seen as incidental contact that couldn’t be avoided. worse, but Blackwood was there to keep it tight for most of the night.

But in that situation, Blackwood felt he was in a protected area. He didn’t “Blacky continued to play the way he’s been playing," Palmieri said. "So, venture far up the ice — into lala land, as he called it — to play the puck. that’s a positive. He looked good and kept us in the game and gave us a He stayed in the trapezoid, an area that limits where goalies can play the chance.” puck behind the goal line, and got knocked down trying to get back to Other than that, the Devils didn’t have much good to take away from the net. rest of the game. After having their five-game point streak snapped, “It’s a dangerous play. I’ve got my back to them and I’m trying to move it they’ll try to start a new on Tuesday when they host the New York along the wall and guy takes your feet and you’re falling basically on your Islanders. butt and your head, so it’s not a safe way to fall," Blackwood said. "It’s Star Ledger LOADED: 01.06.2020 basically like a slew foot and that’s pretty dangerous for players.”

To be clear, Blackwood wasn’t calling anything Calvert did malicious. A slew foot is one player intentionally kicking out the skates of another player, and there was nothing intentional about Calvert’s move, but it caused Blackwood to fall dangerously after having his left leg taken out.

Blackwood and other Devils wanted to see the play blown dead right there. Instead of playing on, err on the side of caution and reset the puck on a face-off, even without calling a penalty.

“What I’m thinking there, kind of arguing there. You call it incidental contact, blow it dead, bam,” Devils captain Andy Greene said. “Doesn’t have to be a penalty, doesn’t have to be anything crazy. I think that’s just the call. It is incidental contact, but obviously it causes a huge shift in the game and huge goal at the moment.”

The Devils were plenty animated on the ice trying to get the call overturned. Wayne Simmonds was ejected for arguing with officials, and Sami Vatanen also gave the referees an earful. Greene and Kyle Palmieri both tried to seek explanations about the call, all the no avail.

“It didn’t go our way, so I’m not gonna sit here and sugarcoat it, but it’s tough," Palmieri said. "It was a crucial part of the game. We were on the power play and then, not only do they score, it puts it back to 4-on-4 and you’re down another goal. So it’s obviously a big point the game and obviously we thought the call should have gone the other way.”

The call wasn’t why the Devils lost 1169625 New Jersey Devils But that one call was not the reason the Devils lost the game. How they lost

After a scoreless first period, the Avalanche tilted the ice in the second NJ Devils weigh in on 'dangerous play' after 5-2 loss to Avalanche and it didn't tilt back. Colorado skated circles around New Jersey, playing the way the Devils want to play, by using their speed to generate off the rush. Abbey Mastracco, Published 5:30 a.m. ET Jan. 5, 2020 | Updated 12:32 p.m. ET Jan. 5, 2020 "They have a lot of talent but if you look at the talent they have in their room they kept it simple, for the most part," Nasreddine said. "They got above pucks, they created turnovers because we were trying to be too cute." NEWARK — It’s never a good thing when the officials become the targets of cheers or jeers in the third period of a hockey game but that’s Nathan MacKinnon made a move few others can make to turn along the exactly what happened Saturday night at Prudential Center. wall and send a drop pass to Mikko Rantanen, who sniped it home at 11:23. Just over four minutes later, Ian Cole caught a puck at the right With the Devils down 3-1 with 6:11 left in the game, New Jersey goalie point and hammered it through traffic and past Blackwood to put Mackenzie Blackwood was upended in the trapezoid as Colorado Colorado up 2-0. Avalanche forward Matt Calvert came around the net. The puck spit right out to Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, who hit the open net with ease, Rantanen scored his second goal just eight seconds into the third period. dropping the Devils with a 5-2 loss. Cale Makar, an early Calder Trophy favorite, corralled the puck off the draw, skated past Damon Severson along the right boards and fed Jesper Boqvist cut the lead in half with 1:23 left to play and Blake Rantanen to make it 3-0. Coleman scored a shorthanded goal. Blackwood stopped 29 of 33 shots faced as the Devils' winning streak was halted at three games and their "We fed a lot of it," Nasreddine said. "For us, we talked about the north point streak stopped at five. game tonight because they're quick to counter and they're good off the rush. And in the second period, for some reason, we refused to get it The collision deep and go to work." The Devils challenged Bellemare’s goal, saying Calvert interfered with Blake Coleman #20 of the New Jersey Devils bumps into Philipp Blackwood. But the contact was ruled incidental, with the officials saying Grubauer #31 of the Colorado Avalanche during the first period at the it was initiated by Blackwood when he had his leg out to play the puck. Prudential Center on Jan. 4, 2020 in Newark, New Jersey. "They said it's not a penalty," interim coach Alain Nasreddine said. "The Coleman cut the lead at 6:36 when he broke free for a shorthanded goal (goaltender interference) rule says that the player has to make a and he nearly had another before the penalty expired. After it did, Miles reasonable effort to avoid the goalie and we didn't think (Calvert) did so. Wood was sprung free for a breakaway coming out of the penalty box but That's the rule." he was tripped by Ryan Graves, giving the Devils their first power play of As soon as the puck hit the net the Devils' bench erupted. Sami Vatanen the game. slammed his stick on the wall with such force it was heard through all the Damon Severson was tripped in the neutral zone on the power play but booing. Wayne Simmonds was ejected for trying to argue with the no penalty was called. The officiating in this game was controversial from officials after the call came in from the NHL's situation room in Toronto. start to finish. There is a lot of gray area when it comes to goalie interference but for Blackwood was pulled during a late power play to give the Devils a 6-on- safety reasons, some think that gray should be more black and white. 4 advantage and Boqvist capitalized when he tipped a shot by Vatanen Is it a dangerous play? past goalie Phillip Grubauer, but Rantanen's empty-net goal with 15 seconds left completed the hat trick and the win for Colorado. The trapezoid was created for Devils great Martin Brodeur, but the trapezoid was what kept Blackwood, the heir to Brodeur's throne, from Bergen Record LOADED: 01.06.2020 being able to get out of the way of Calvert.

"It’s basically like a slewfoot, and that’s pretty dangerous," Blackwood said. "They’ve got you trapped in the trapezoid. I’m not going up to la-la- land, I’m going up to my own area.”

However, Blackwood said he did not see Calvert coming until it was too late. He felt his legs taken right out from underneath him. The goalie is protected in the crease and leaves at his own risk to play the puck but the trapezoid is fair game for a goalie. He wasn't way out in front of his crease, he was in an area designated for the goalie.

Goals are allowed with incidental contact as long as the skater made a reasonable effort to avoid contact. But it's about safety, and Blackwood feels that when a goalie does leave the crease to play the puck and a collision like that occurs that the play should be blown dead for safety reasons.

“Yeah, because it’s a dangerous play," Blackwood said. "I’ve got my back to them and I’m trying to move it along the wall. A guy takes your feet out, you fall and you’re falling on your butt and your head. It’s not a safe way to fall."

Maybe it's not a penalty and maybe it's not goalie interference. It's just a play blown dead for safety reasons. Calvert himself was the victim of one of the NHL's rules recently when he took a puck to the face and play continued without the officials signaling to get him off the ice for the injury. Colorado needed to regain possession of the puck to get a stoppage in play and when they failed to do so, the Canucks scored.

Maybe more discretionary calls need to be made for safety reasons.

"I don't think there needs to be a penalty there," Greene said. "If it's incidental contact then bam, whistle, start over." 1169626 New York Islanders

Barry Trotz struggling to find right combination to fix Islanders' scoring woes

By Andrew Gross

Updated January 5, 2020 11:34 PM

Mathew Barzal didn’t spend too much time thinking about the possibility. But the speedy center never dismissed the idea that Islanders coach Barry Trotz again would place him on a line with speedy wing Anthony Beauvillier.

“We kind of switch lines all the time and mix it up,” Barzal said. “Maybe I thought we would get back together, but I wasn’t too worried about it. I think Barry knows what’s best.”

Trotz reunited Barzal with Beauvillier and Josh Bailey — an effective line for much of last season — against the Maple Leafs on Saturday night in Toronto. The trio generated six shots — four by Bailey and none by Beauvillier — but was on the ice for both of the Leafs’ even-strength goals in the Islanders’ 3-0 loss.

There’s no guarantee Trotz will keep the line together against the Avalanche on Monday night at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum, where they have lost four straight.

Trotz has had a tough time finding the right combinations to spark the Islanders’ struggling offense. A season-long issue has been finding a mix for a third line — is Derick Brassard a fit as the center or is he a top-six wing? — in order to effectively roll four lines. Also problematic is the recent lack of scoring from some of those the Isles need most to score.

They have been held to two or fewer goals in four of their last six games and have scored only one goal in their last two games after being shut out for the second time this season Saturday.

“Oh, for sure,” Beauvillier said of the team feeling the pressure to produce more. “As a player, you want to score. You want to get points. The results are frustrating when we don’t score. You want to get scoring chances and get on the scoresheet. It’s kind of on us.”

Scoring chances weren’t the issue against the Leafs — the Isles had 33 shots on goal and 48 attempts — but finishing opportunities has been a problem.

Beauvillier has one assist in the last eight games. Bailey, shuttled between third-line center and wing, has one assist in his last 10 games. Anders Lee has one assist in his last five and Jordan Eberle has gone without a point in that span.

The lack of scoring has led to some wondering if Kieffer Bellows is a candidate to be recalled from the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport after scoring 12 goals in a 15-game stretch. He was the 19th overall pick in 2016 but has yet to make his NHL debut.

“He’s had an outstanding month,” president and GM Lou Lamoriello said. “He’s gotten our attention and we’re monitoring him closely and consistency is what we need.”

Notes & quotes: The Islanders, who did not practice on Sunday, will reach the season’s midpoint on Monday. They will conclude the back-to- back, and a stretch of four games in six days, at New Jersey on Tuesday night.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169627 Ottawa Senators

Senators interact with fans during skills showcase

Ken Warren

Published:January 5, 2020

Updated:January 5, 2020 9:37 PM EST

After his Team Red won the 90-minute, light-hearted intrasquad skills competition at Canadian Tire Centre Sunday, Ottawa Senators goaltender Craig Anderson celebrated in style.

He dropped to the ice and pretended to be rowing a boat ashore as he slid towards the players’ bench.

“I haven’t won one of those in nine or 10 years,” said Anderson, acknowledging that his memory is a bit foggy. “It’s about fun, about having fun with the kids out there and just making sure the game is fun. It is a game at the end of the day and today you can just relax, kick back and enjoy the moment.”

For those who keep track of these things, Nick Paul successfully defended his hardest shot title with a 105.0 miles per hour blast, edging out Thomas Chabot’s 103.9 mph slapshot. Colin White went a perfect five-for-five in the accuracy shooting competition and Christian Jaros claimed the fastest skater title, circling the rink in 14.373 seconds.

The most compelling part of the afternoon, though, was watching a select group of minor hockey players go through the drills. A few even joined the three-on-three contest that ended the show.

The $40,000 raised will go to the Ottawa Senators Foundation to support Ottawa-area charities.

“We’re in a process where we have some older guys that have been here that the fans really like and then we have some young guys that interact real well with the fans and the kids,” said Senators coach D.J. Smith. “Days like this help (fans) associate with these players and I know when I was a kid (in Windsor) watching Steve Yzerman and them in Detroit. It’s days like this when you pick your favourite player and maybe that’s the guy you cheer for the next 20 years.”

BATHERSON STAYS, FOR NOW: While Anthony Duclair continued to nurse a sore foot, Belleville call-up Drake Batherson remained to take part in the skills competition.

At this point, he’s not looking beyond the next day and doesn’t know whether he’ll leave with the Senators Monday for their road trip to Washington and Detroit. “I don’t know what they’re thinking, all I can control is how I’m playing,” said Batherson, who led the AHL in scoring before being recalled Saturday.

After he picked up an assist in Saturday’s 5-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Smith was full of praise for his slick playmaking with the man advantage.

“You could see on the power play, he made some plays, probably the most plays anyone has made on (the side boards) all year,” he said. “I was really impressed with his game.”

REILLY MAKES HIS MARK: After playing 20:09 in his Senators debut Saturday, defenceman Mike Reilly was pleased with his performance. “I haven’t played that many minutes in awhile … it has been two and a half weeks, maybe, since I’ve played,” he said. While seeing limited duty in Montreal this season, he says he was at times afraid to make a mistake. In his first game in Ottawa, he felt a little more freedom to join the rush … If all goes well at practice Monday, Smith is optimistic defenceman Dylan DeMelo (broken finger) will return to the lineup Tuesday against Washington. He has missed the past 10 games. It’s possible that both Ron Hainsey (lower body) and Nikita Zaitsev (lower body) could be back for Friday’s game in Detroit.

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169628 Ottawa Senators “That’s why you see a little bit of extra emotion out of me there,” he said. “This isn’t about me. This is about my family and having success for them and taking care of them. Whatever happens, happens. I love being here, but I understand the business side of things, too.” Family man Borowiecki wants to know if he's staying or going Veteran centre Jean-Gabriel Pageau and veteran goaltender Craig Anderson are also in limbo as pending unrestricted free agents.

Ken Warren Pageau, also an alternate captain, is in the final season of his three-year, $9.3 million contract and tied a career-high with his 19th goal of the Published:January 5, 2020 season Saturday. Updated:January 5, 2020 5:25 PM EST If the Senators aren’t interested in committing to a long-term extension, Pageau will draw plenty of interest in advance of the trade deadline.

Ottawa Senators defenceman Mark Borowiecki is looking for some clarity Anderson, 38, the winningest goaltender in franchise history, says he’s about his future. prepared for anything, but he isn’t losing sleep waiting for what’s next. The Montreal Canadiens, Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs are With the NHL’s trade deadline fast approaching and his first child due among the teams who could upgrade their goaltending by adding an next month, the pending unrestricted free agent is anxious to know experienced back-up. whether the organization plans to re-sign him or trade him to a Stanley Cup contender. “As players, we play better when we don’t worry about things we don’t have control over,” said Anderson, who isn’t likely to receive a contract “No, I haven’t really had any discussions in that regard,” Borowiecki said. extension with the Senators. “We don’t know what’s going to happen. There could be major injuries down the stretch here. There might be a “The situation is a little different for me now. I’m married and I’ve got a kid team that is looking for a guy. It might work out. It might not. But I can’t on the way. My priority is looking for their future. That’s my responsibility worry about that. All I can do is enjoy every moment that I can, coming to as a husband and soon to be father.” the rink and playing with these guys.” Borowiecki, 30, is in his ninth season with his hometown team. As an Ottawa Sun LOADED: 01.06.2020 alternate captain, he’s an unquestioned leader. He has always been hard-nosed and physical defensively, but he’s also enjoying the best offensive season of his career, with five goals and 11 assists in 42 games.

Additionally, he’s a significant presence in the community due to his dedicated support for a variety of causes.

Yet with his existing two-year, $2.4 million contract set to expire at the end of the season, a trade looms as a distinct possibility.

“The baby is due in the next five or six weeks and I’m kind of open to whatever,” Borowiecki said. “It’s one of those situations that it’s kind of unique. If I’m going to get moved, I would prefer it to happen early to get my wife (Tara) settled.

“If a contract is there (with the Senators), great. I love the city. I really truly love this coaching staff. They really connect with me on a human level and I’m so grateful to have them here. But it’s a business and I get that, too.”

Indeed, Borowiecki has been around long enough to have seen some of the best players in franchise history — including Daniel Alfredsson, Erik Karlsson, Mark Stone, Jason Spezza — move on during what has been a tumultuous decade for the organization.

The Senators added another element to the defensive picture last week, trading for veteran Mike Reilly in a deal with the Montreal Canadiens. Reilly, who, like Borowiecki, generally plays as a left defenceman, has a $1.5 million contract for next season. He joins Thomas Chabot, Nikita Zaitsev and Christian Wolanin as the only defencemen with guaranteed contracts for 2020-21.

While it’s expected the Senators will try to trade Ron Hainsey, the future of Dylan DeMelo — also heading into unrestricted free agency — is uncertain.

The Senators also want to keep the door open for the possibility that prospects Erik Brannstrom, Lassi Thomson and Jacob Bernard-Docker could have a role here next season.

Borowiecki recognizes that he’s not a superstar on the verge of cashing in on a colossal contract that could draw headlines around the league.

“In my situation, I’m not one of those guys making five by five (five million per year over the next five seasons) or seven by seven (seven million per year over the next seven seasons),” he said.

“I’m not set for life here. I’m a role player in this league. I know what I can do and what I can bring and you’re kind of fighting for your life every game in a contract year.”

When he scored late in the second period of Saturday’s 5-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning — the goal had given the Senators a 3-2 lead — he acknowledges adding a little more than usual to the goal celebration. 1169629 Philadelphia Flyers Road disaster The Flyers are 1-4 on their current road trip, and, as noted, Hart hasn’t

been the only one struggling. Carter Hart’s strange season and, fair or not, why the Flyers need him to “We’ll figure it out,” defenseman Ivan Provorov said. “It’s taken us longer quickly figure it out | Sam Carchidi than we want to, but we’ll figure it out.”

By the nature and magnitude of his position, Hart has been the most by Sam Carchidi, noticeable player on this road trip. The Flyers have allowed a whopping 22 goals (5.5 per game) in their four losses.

In the first period of their last three games, they have been outscored, GLENDALE, Ariz. — Carter Hart seemed so unflappable, so mentally 11-2. strong, in his rookie season and the first couple months of 2019-20 that it was easy to forget he was barely 21 and there would be growing pains “There’s no doubt that we’re a better group than we’ve shown lately,” along his path to becoming an All-Star goaltender. Vigneault said.

The growing pains, which have escalated on the Flyers’ disastrous road Hart has lost his last seven road games. Brian Elliott’s last six wins, trip, are real and sometimes difficult to watch. meanwhile, are on the road.

Like the first-period goal that Brad Richardson scored Saturday in That means Elliott will probably get the call when the six-game road trip Arizona, a shot from distance that hopped past Hart and changed the ends Tuesday in Carolina. Hart figures to get the start Wednesday when complexion of the game. the Flyers return home and play powerful Washington.

Like the four first-period goals he allowed — not all of them were his The NHL’s ridiculous schedule makers – after a six-city, 12-day road trip, fault, mind you — in the Flyers’ 5-4 loss in Vegas on Thursday. the Flyers are playing on the back end of back-to-back nights as they return to the Wells Fargo Center – is a story for another day. Like his last seven road starts, which all turned into losses. Right now, the concern is getting Hart to play like a 31-year-old veteran Hart denies it, but it sure seems like playing on the road has gotten into and not a 21-year-old in his first full season. Is that fair? Absolutely not. his head. But medical developments, unfortunately, have made that a reality.

But give coach Alain Vigneault credit for trying to get him out of his road At every level, Hart has played with a maturity beyond his years, so a slump by playing him in back-to-back games in Vegas and Arizona. It bounce-back at some point this season isn’t out of the question. didn’t work, but at least we learned more about Hart: That his focus is wandering, that he’s not (yet) the cure-all to what ails the Flyers. Stay tuned.

Reality check Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 01.06.2020

Sadly, with Oskar Lindblom out for the season as he battles a rare bone cancer and Nolan Patrick’s return unknown while he recovers from a migraine disorder, the Flyers need Hart to be razor sharp if they are going to be a factor in the playoffs – if they get there.

From here, their only hope to earn a berth and win their first playoff series since 2012 is to have Kid Goalie get hot and carry the team.

Like he has at the Wells Fargo Center.

That’s a lot of pressure on a 21-year-old kid playing in his first full NHL season.

On the road, Hart is 2-9-1 with a 4.01 goals-against average and .850 save percentage. At home, he is 11-1-2 with a 1.49 GAA and .947 save percentage.

On the road, Hart is 2-9-1 with a 4.01 goals-against average and .850 save percentage. At home, he is 11-1-2 with a 1.49 GAA and .947 save percentage.

At the Wells Fargo Center, he thrives on that pressure and, even at such a young age, looks capable of carrying the team. He makes some key stops early in games, and, by his body language, you can see his confidence grow. The team picks up that vibe, and it follows his lead.

On the road, well, he and his teammates have lately been a textbook case of Murphy’s Law: Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong.

Hart has given up early goals, and you can sense his teammates getting that here-we-go-again feeling.

The Flyers desperately need Hart to straighten out his road woes, whether he does it with goalie coach Kim Dillabaugh or his long-time sports psychologist, John Stevenson. And the sooner the better.

On the road, Hart is 2-9-1 with a 4.01 goals-against average and .850 save percentage. At home, he is 11-1-2 with a 1.49 GAA and .947 save percentage.

The discrepancy is startling, even if the entire team has played much worse on the road.

“He’s a young goaltender that is exactly that,” Vigneault said after Saturday’s 6-2 loss in Arizona. “He’s young, and he’s growing, and he’s trying to get better. We’re going work with him, and he’s going to work, and he is going to get better.” 1169630 Philadelphia Flyers he’s missed nine of 17 this season with two separate injuries. In the eight games he’s played, Allison has a goal and two assists, which is far lower numbers than he’s capable of compiling. When healthy and on his game, Allison is a gifted offensive player with a good stride, a rocket of a shot Another injury-riddled season for Flyers prospect Wade Allison and a strong stick. He returned from injury Friday night and everyone will be watching him closely in the second half of the season.”

Burlington County Times LOADED: 01.06.2020 By Dave Isaac

Posted Jan 5, 2020 at 2:27 PM

If there was any doubt in Wade Allison’s mind about going pro before his senior season at Western Michigan, it’s probably gone now.

He’s needed the extra time and still needs more because the fourth-year Bronco and 2016 second-round pick of the Flyers is still trying to get healthy and stay that way. He tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in January of 2018 and still wasn’t right this summer, with the recovery taking longer than he or doctors expected.

Allison missed four games this season after taking a hit to the head on consecutive nights and finally returned from another five-game absence Friday night as Western Michigan tied Notre Dame 1-1 in the first half of a home-and-home.

“It’s kind of tough to always be injured. You’re always catching up to where you were,” Allison said. “You can never quite get into game shape. You’re just constantly trying to catch up so to get the first one out of the way felt good. I felt good on the ice, felt comfortable out there. I felt like we played a really good game as a team, too.

Fish: Reason to be optimistic with Flyers

January 4, 2020

“It’s definitely been a roller coaster. The season hasn’t been going the way I want to but that’s life. You’ve got to roll with the punches and control what you can control. Now that I’m back going and I’m past my last couple injuries here I’m ready to go and I’m excited.”

Anything that could rear its head again in the future?

“There’s a couple things that are lingering but for the most part I feel good right now,” Allison said. “I feel good.”

That’s become a theme for Allison, a power forward for whom the Flyers have high hopes.

Players on entry-level contracts are more important than ever. It’s one of the reasons losing Oskar Lindblom hurts the Flyers so much now.

Because Allison plays NCAA and is now 22, he’s probably a bit more advanced than a prospect coming out of major junior or only one year of college. It is expected he’ll sign his ELC when Western Michigan’s season is over, but they are ranked 19th in the country in the USCHO.com and Allison said, “there’s no ceiling to this group” as they try to make a run for a national championship. That’s where his interests lie now, although he does keep half an eye on the team that drafted him.

“I watch all the time on TV,” Allison said. “I pay a little bit of attention to it but at the same time I’m here at Western and that’s what’s in front of me. I don’t look too far in front of me. I gotta take care of my business here now and hopefully give myself an opportunity one day with the Flyers.” all statistics through Saturday

Wade Allison, right wing, Western Michigan University (NCAA)

Age: 22

Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 205 pounds

Acquired: 2016 second-round pick (52nd overall)

This season: 8 games, 1 goal, 2 assists

The skinny: This hasn’t been a great season for Allison because of the injuries, but he plays a physical game and if he can stay healthy the rest of the way through this season and turns pro, he has the tools to be in the NHL in short order. Any bite or physicality the current Flyers roster lacks among skilled players is a box that Allison could check someday.

Brad Schlossman, college hockey writer for the Grand Forks Herald: “Allison missed 40 percent of Western Michigan’s games last season and 1169631 Philadelphia Flyers the NHL in short order. Any bite or physicality the current Flyers roster lacks among skilled players is a box that Allison could check someday.

Schlossman’s take: “Allison missed 40 percent of Western Michigan's Flyers prospect WATCH: Wade Allison ‘always catching up,’ in another games last season and he's missed nine of 17 this season with two injury riddled season separate injuries. In the eight games he's played, Allison has a goal and two assists, which is far lower numbers than he's capable of compiling. When healthy and on his game, Allison is a gifted offensive player with a good stride, a rocket of a shot and a strong stick. He returned from injury Dave Isaac, Cherry Hill Courier-PostPublished 1:08 p.m. ET Jan. 5, 2020 Friday night and everyone will be watching him closely in the second half | Updated 5:39 p.m. ET Jan. 5, 2020 of the season.”

Ronnie Attard If there was any doubt in Wade Allison’s mind about going pro before his Ronnie Attard, defense, Western Michigan University (NCAA) senior season at Western Michigan, it’s probably gone now. He’s needed the extra time and still needs more because the fourth-year Bronco and Age: 20 2016 second-round pick of the Flyers is still trying to get healthy and stay that way. Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 210 pounds

He tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in January of 2018 Acquired: 2019 third-round pick (72nd overall) and still wasn’t right this summer, with the recovery taking longer than he This season: 11 games, 4 goals, 1 assist or doctors expected. He missed four games this season after taking a hit to the head on consecutive nights and finally returned from another five- The skinny: The Flyers picked Attard his second go-around in draft game absence Friday night as Western Michigan tied Notre Dame 1-1 in eligibility so he’s older than most freshman. He’s stepped in well for the the first half of a home-and-home. Broncos, leading the blueliners in goals. He already has an NHL sized frame. If his offense can carry over into the pro game, the Flyers could “It’s kind of tough to always be injured. You’re always catching up to have a winner on their hands, especially considering everyone always where you were,” Allison said. “You can never quite get into game shape. wants right-handed defensemen. You’re just constantly trying to catch up so to get the first one out of the way felt good. I felt good on the ice, felt comfortable out there. I felt like Schlossman’s take: “After his record-breaking season in the USHL, we played a really good game as a team, too. Ronnie Attard has stepped into college hockey without a problem. He's continued to show his goal-scoring ability from the back end — he has “It’s definitely been a roller coaster. The season hasn’t been going the four goals in the first 11 games — and has carved out a role on the way I want to but that’s life. You’ve got to roll with the punches and power play for an offensively loaded Western Michigan team.” control what you can control. Now that I’m back going and I’m past my last couple injuries here I’m ready to go and I’m excited.” Bryce Brodzinski

Anything that could rear its head again in the future? Bryce Brodzinski, right wing, University of Minnesota (NCAA)

“There’s a couple things that are lingering but for the most part I feel Age: 19 good right now,” Allison said. “I feel good.” Height/weight: 6-feet, 215 pounds That’s become a theme for Allison, a power forward for whom the Flyers have high hopes. Acquired: 2019 seventh-round pick (196th overall)

Players on entry-level contracts are more important than ever. It’s one of This season: 20 games, 2 goals, 4 assists the reasons losing Oskar Lindblom hurts the Flyers so much now. The skinny: Brodzinski is somewhat of a legacy in Minnesota. Three Because Allison plays NCAA and is now 22, he’s probably a bit more older brothers are also in hockey — Jonny, 26, and Michael, 24, are advanced than a prospect coming out of major junior or only one year of already in the pro ranks while Easton, 23, plays for St. Cloud State. college. It is expected he’ll sign his ELC when Western Michigan’s Bryce, USA Today's Boys Athlete of the Year for 2018-19 has slick hands season is over, but they are ranked 19th in the country in the and is regarded as both a playmaker and finisher. Granted Minnesota USCHO.com poll and Allison said, “there’s no ceiling to this group” as coach Bob Motzko knows Brodzinski well (he was a teammate of they try to make a run for a national championship. That’s where his Brodzinski’s father, Mike, and coached Easton at St. Cloud State before interests lie now, although he does keep half an eye on the team that moving to Minnesota last season) but there is already a clear trust factor. drafted him. Schlossman’s take: “Brodzinski struggled early this year but is coming “I watch all the time on TV,” Allison said. “I pay a little bit of attention to it around. Minnesota moved him to right wing on the top line for the team's but at the same time I’m here at Western and that’s what’s in front of me. last game against St. Cloud State and Brodzinski delivered a goal. His I don’t look too far in front of me. I gotta take care of my business here numbers will improve as he gets older and improves his skating.” now and hopefully give myself an opportunity one day with the Flyers.” Gavin Hain If he can stay healthy, he could fill a needed role for the Flyers in the next year or two. Gavin Hain, forward, University of North Dakota (NCAA)

This week’s prospect report covers three other NCAA prospects and Age: 19 adds insight from Brad Schlossman, college hockey writer for the Grand Forks Herald. Height/weight: 6-feet, 196 pounds

*all statistics through Saturday, January 4. Acquired: 2018 sixth-round pick (174th overall)

Wade Allison This season: 18 games, 2 goals, 4 assists

Wade Allison, right wing, Western Michigan University (NCAA) The skinny: Hain fills a bottom-six role for the top-ranked Fighting Hawks, which would likely be his role as a pro as well. That probably won’t Age: 22 happen soon, though. Considering he’s not a top point producer and was a late-round pick, Hain isn’t like the usual candidates who turn sign with a Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 205 pounds pro team early. The Flyers see him as a good two-way player, but may Acquired: 2016 second-round pick (52nd overall) get a bigger role at UND in the years to come.

This season: 8 games, 1 goal, 2 assists Schlossman’s take: “Offense hasn't come for Gavin Hain this year. He has two goals and six points in 18 games, but he's been excellent in a The skinny: This hasn’t been a great season for Allison because of the shutdown role, frequently frustrating top players on the other team. That's injuries, but he plays a physical game and if he can stay healthy the rest likely the role he projects to play at the next level. He's got good size, of the way through this season and turns pro, he has the tools to be in skates well and is excellent at protecting the puck.” Courier-Post LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169632 Philadelphia Flyers He started that afternoon playing in front of 76 people in a junior game and ended the night in front of more than 7,000 in the same arena he’d frequented as a young fan. It was a big day, and a big year, for Ginning.

Q&A: Flyers prospect Adam Ginning on captaining Sweden at the world From your perspective, what happened in that age 16-17 season? You juniors, his season and areas he must improve started the year at the u-18 level and finished the season in the SHL.

A lot happened. Started in the u-18s and played well there, came up to u- 20s and just kept playing well … and then got the chance to practice By Alexander Appleyard Jan 5, 2020 sometimes with the SHL team, and from there played some games. It was just a great season.

While he now captains Sweden at the world juniors, it wasn’t too long TRINEC, Czech Republic — Adam Ginning had just spent the final ago that he captained a team for the first time. period of Sweden’s blowout win over Slovakia in the middle of a number of battles. Whether by design or chance, Slovakia — which trailed 5-0 at For your second u-18 world juniors, you captained the team and helped it the start of the third period in the preliminary round of the World Junior to a bronze medal. Was that the first time you had captained at that kind Championship — made several egregious plays in the final stanza, of level? taking no less than seven minor penalties. They caught Sweden’s offensive stars Jonatan Berggren and Nils Höglander up high with loose Yeah, I think I was an assistant captain at some other tournament, I don’t sticks, and sent the team’s No. 1 defenseman Rasmus Sandin to the know. But that was the first time I was a captain, yeah. locker room with a vicious slash to the hand. How would you characterize your style as a captain? Ginning, a 2018 second-round pick of the Flyers, was front and center in I am a little bit more “lead by example,” but I definitely can be vocal, too. I the commotion. He was involved in several scrums and attempted an like to spread some good energy in the locker room, try to do that as enormous hit that led to a ruckus along the boards after Slovakia’s much as I can. But a little bit of both (lead by example and be vocal.) consolation goal made it 6-2. Earlier, Ginning picked up a nice assist to help Sweden win the group and advance to the quarterfinals, jumping up Between last year’s world juniors and this year’s tournament, what are into the play and sliding a perfect pass onto the stick of Oskar Bäck for a the differences for you? tap-in. It’s the second time, so I have a little bit more experience, and being But you wouldn’t have known it based on Ginning’s reaction — calm, captain, that is really big for me in this tournament, too. collected and diplomatic. One might have thought the imposing Swede had simply just finished an off-day optional skate. It’s easy to see — even In his draft year, Ginning was one of just a handful of young Swedes who from the outside — why, on a team with a host of future top-six and top- cemented a regular spot in the SHL. He played almost 12 minutes a night four NHL players, the defense-first blueliner was named captain of his as a No. 6-7 defenseman at 17 and 18, which was a big factor in the nation’s world juniors side. (Sweden defeated the Czech Republic in the Flyers selecting him with the 50th overall pick. No one expected him to quarterfinals, lost to Russia in the semifinals and face Finland in the be a big point producer, but he held his own against men that season — bronze medal game on Sunday.) albeit in a limited role — before the 2018 draft.

But just how did the 19-year-old defenseman find his way to leading his In the lead-up to the 2018 draft, did you know the Flyers were interested? country on the world stage? And how does he feel about his season and Not more than any other team, actually. I had one meeting with (Flyers developmental progress? I spoke with him late last month to find out. scout Joakim Grundberg) before the draft, and then at the combine had a (The conversation has been edited for clarity.) meeting with them, too. It was not like I knew that they were going to pick How did you first get into hockey and when did you start playing? me, but it was a lot of fun when they did.

I started playing when I was 7, just because a friend of mine started This season hasn’t gone smoothly for Ginning. After a shaky start, he playing and wanted me to join him. So I joined him, it was fun, so just was dropped down the Linköping lineup and then became a healthy kept going. scratch. It resulted in a loan to HC Vita Hästen in the Allsvenskan, Sweden’s second tier. Who were the biggest influences in your early career? This year, you went on loan to Vita Hästen. What was it like coming from My parents have always been a big part of my career, always driving me Linköping to Norrköping, never having played a game for anyone but to practice, games, and just helping me a lot, so I would say them. Linkoping since you were 13?

It might surprise Flyers fans and Team Sweden followers to learn that It was special, for sure (playing for Linköping) … but I did not get so Ginning wasn’t always a defensive-minded player. Early on, he lit up much ice time, so it suited me better to come (to Vita Hästen), play a lot. I scoreboards with his offense and was a legitimate power-play threat. think I have like 20 minutes a game there (19:39). So it is way better for me, and I am happy that the decision was made (to loan him out). As an under-16 defenseman, when it came to TV-Pucken and u-16 Elit, you were actually an offensive defenseman, a top-scoring defenseman in What are the biggest differences between the SHL and the Allsvenskan? TV-Pucken, and had the most assists in u-16 Elit. Was it tough to adapt to a more defensive role as you got to u-18s? It is a little more structured in the SHL. And obviously, the players are a little bit better, so it is kind of a step down (to the Allsvenskan), but I think I mean, I think when I started with the national teams … when it got to u- that was what I needed at this point of my career. 17, all of the defensemen were offensive, and I felt like maybe if I am going to go and get a role on this team then maybe I will have to be more Since before the draft, the knock on Ginning — by both fans and scouts defensive. It was not a hard decision to make. — was that, while he has good physical attributes (6-foot-4, 205 pounds) and decent skill, his transition and passing games need work. Ginning Ginning made his pro debut in January 2017, just days before his 17th said he’s aware he must work on those areas. birthday. He had an interesting day. This season, it seems like you have been trying more in the neutral zone You made your SHL debut at 16. How did you find out you were playing than last year, trying to be a bit more offensive, rushing the puck up ice and what was the feeling like to realize you were going to play for and passing. Is that something you’ve focused on? Linköping, your hometown club? I want to be a defensive defenseman. I am not an offensive guy. But, of I was actually playing with the juniors right before, and after the game, course, I need to work on (getting the puck up ice), too, but it is not they just said that they wanted an extra defenseman on the (SHL) team, something I have been thinking about. so I went straight to their locker room and went out in the first period. I did not think I was going to play, but after just five minutes or so the So, the “spin-o-rama” early in the season? coach said my name. That was a lot of fun. (Laughing) Yeah, that just happened.

And what are you working on going forward? Getting quicker feet and moving the puck better.

What would you consider your best skills?

On the penalty kill and work in my defensive zone.

Is there anyone you looked up to growing up and tried to model your game on?

Actually, I don’t know. Like you said, when I was younger, I was a more offensive player, so I looked at those kind of guys (offensive defensemen). But with the player I am right now, I don’t look at anyone especially.

The Flyers keep close tabs on their prospects throughout the world, and Ginning — one of several Swedes in the pipeline — is no different.

How often do you speak to development coach Kjell Samuelsson? What kind of input does he have on your game?

I speak to him maybe every other month. Pretty often, actually. He was in Sweden at the beginning of the season, too. I think I have a good connection with him, which is great.

The Flyers have a large Swedish contingent in the system. What’s that like?

(Olle) Lycksell plays in Linkoping, too, so I know him well, and yeah, it is a lot of fun when we go to development camp and things like that. It is great to have some Swedes around.

Ginning is never going to be a player in the mold of Ivan Provorov or Travis Sanheim. It’s simply not his game. But with continued improvement, he could provide a positive impact at the NHL level in a bottom-pairing role, akin to a player like Justin Braun. Ginning has a ways to go until he reaches that level, but the physical young blueliner knows what he needs to work on to make it. Not every player has that awareness, and it’s the first step to getting there.

The Athletic LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169633 Pittsburgh Penguins (Video courtesy NHL) Florida reclaimed a lead, 2-1, at the 10:44 mark of the first. Corralling a

puck on the end boards, Letang forced an errant pass which was Empty Thoughts: Panthers 4, Penguins 1 intercepted by Panthers defenseman Mike Matheson above the left circle. Matheson immediately dealt it to Trocheck above the crease. Trocheck momentarily lost the puck but quickly reclaimed it on the end boards, turned towards the cage and moved a pass to the slot where SETH RORABAUGH | Sunday, January 5, 2020 11:51 p.m. forward Brett Connolly was able to lift a wrister past Jarry’s glove hand for his 16th goal. Trocheck and Matheson netted assists.

Observations from the Penguins’ 4-1 loss to the Panthers: (Video courtesy NHL)

No one likes excuses. After a scoreless second period, the Panthers secured victory at 8:52 of the third. Off a Vatrano feed from the right half wall, Hoffman, one of the Especially hockey players and coaches. NHL’s best shooters, sniped a blistering wrister from above the right circle past Jarry’s glove hand on the near side for his 14th goal. Vatrano “We’re not going to make excuses for ourselves” or some variation and defenseman Riley Stillman had assists. thereof is usually the standard retort when a circumstance such as injuries or tough scheduling is brought up. (Video courtesy NHL)

(Heck, a team could be stricken with scurvy and lose 3-1 with two of the An empty-net goal by forward Evgenii Dadonov, his 18th, at 17:32 of the goals being kicked in illegally and the third-line left winger will say, “We third capped the scoring. Forward Jonathan Huberdeau collected the can’t make excuses.”) lone assist.

That brings us to the Penguins’ lackluster 4-1 loss at home to the Florida (Video courtesy NHL) Panthers on Sunday. Statistically speaking Dressing a limited lineup due to injuries and playing their second game in less than 22 hours, the Penguins gave an honest effort. But they just • The Panthers had a 35-32 edge in shots. couldn’t scrape enough together to pose a sustained threat over the • Hornqvist led the game with six shots. course of 60 minutes. • Vatrano led the Panthers with four shots. What they’ve accomplished through the first 42 games of the season is remarkable. To be in second place of the Metropolitan Division with 55 • Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad led the game with 25:46 of ice time points while virtually missing at least one player of significant on 28 shifts. consequence for every game this season is a feat to admire. • Letang led the Penguins with 24:10 of ice time on 27 shifts. At the same time, they might be starting to hit a wall, particularly in the aftermath of Jake Guentzel’s right shoulder injury. • The Panthers controlled faceoffs, 31-23 (57 percent).

Granted, three games is hardly an ample sample size. But in three • Trocheck was 11 for 15 (73 percent). contests they’ve played minus Guentzel’s services, they’ve really had to • Penguins forward Teddy Blueger was 9 for 16 (56 percent). grind things out to generate even a spartan amount of offense. They’re getting plenty of shots, 30-plus in each of the three games they’ve been • Letang led the game with four blocked shots. without Guentzel. • Matheson and Stillman each led the game with three blocked shots. But they just haven’t looked as dangerous without him. Historically speaking It’s one thing when Guentzel gets a breakaway. It’s another when Dominik Simon gets one (which Panthers goaltender Chris Driedger • Hornqvist (248 points) surpassed forward Pascal Dupuis (247) for 34th snuffed out at 16:33 of the second period). place on the franchise’s career scoring list.

The Penguins don’t want to make excuses and that’s a valiant ethos to • Trocheck, of Upper St. Clair, appeared in his 400th career game. take up. At the same time, there’s a reality to the limitations of their roster • The Panthers snapped an eight-game losing streak (0-6-2) in as it’s presently constructed. Pittsburgh. Their last victory here was a 5-1 triumph, Jan. 20, 2014.

“Anytime a guy who is that important and does that much on the ice, it is Randomly speaking a little bit difficult at times to get your bearings and get your chemistry and make up for that,” forward Bryan Rust said. “But give credit to the • Few areas of the Penguins might be impacted by Guentzel’s absence guys in this room. We’ve done a really good job all year of that. We’ve more than the power play. On Sunday, the Penguins were 0 for 3 with done a pretty good job up until tonight. Obviously, we didn’t have our the man advantage. Over their past three games, they are 0 for 9. best game. We’ve just got to learn from it and move on.” • Letang had a rough weekend. He had a hand in each of the Panthers’ What happened first two goals, the second coming off his own turnover. The night before, in a 3-2 overtime road win against the Montreal Canadiens, an ugly The Panthers took a 1-0 lead at 2:28 of the first period. Pushing a puck turnover out of his own left corner ended up being converted into up the left wing, Panthers forward Frank Vatrano zipped by minimal Montreal’s second goal. He needs a hug after the past 48 hours. resistance from Penguins defenseman Kris Letang and attacked the net, shuffling a one-handed backhander on net. Goaltender Tristan Jarry • Jarry has had better games but he was strong enough to win this denied the initial shot but allowed a rebound that Vatrano jabbed past contest. He kept his team in the contest with a stunning blocker save at Jarry’s left leg with a forehand shot for his ninth goal of the season. 4:06 of the second period against Ekblad: Forward Mike Hoffman had the lone assist. • McCann nearly scored a game-tying goal with a nifty piece of stick work (Video courtesy NHL) as he stole a puck then juggled it five times out of the air and baseball swung a shot on net which Driedger at up at 6:08 of the third period: Only 84 seconds had expired before the Penguins responded. Meandering his way past Panthers forward Vincent Trocheck, a native of • Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin took a penalty for the fifth time in six Upper St. Clair, Simon created a two-on-one with forward Jared McCann games. against Panthers defenseman Josh Brown. Simon dished a subtle backhanded pass from the right circle to the opposite circle where Publicly speaking McCann was able to sizzle a wrister past Driedger’s blocker on the near • Sullivan admitted the team was worn down: side for his 11th goal. Simon and forward Patric Hornqvist collected assists. “I don’t think we had the juice that we have had in most of the games this year. One of the challenges of this league is the grind of the schedule. Good teams just need to understand how to manage those games. I thought we could have done a better job in certain circumstances in not putting ourselves in difficult positions where we had to defend when we were tired. The details of line changes and decisions with the puck late in shifts, all of those things come in to play, especially in a game like this one.”

• Letang was curt but direct in assessing his own play:

“Some mistakes. I made some mistakes. It is what it is. A bad one.”

• Sullivan was asked for a critique of Letang’s play in recent games:

“(Letang) can simplify his game in those situations. Him and I have had this conversation. It’s usually ongoing with us. (Letang) has the ability to be a difference maker and we certainly don’t want to take the stick out of his hand. But as we say to all of our players, sometimes the best play is a simple play. It’s just recognizing those situations. It’s not going to be perfect out there, especially for guys that log the type of minutes that (Letang) logs. It’s not going to be a flawless game but certainly that’s a conversation that (Letang) and I have fairly frequently.”

• Penguins defenseman Jack Johnson spoke about his team’s play in its own zone:

“I thought we were a little looser in our (defensive) zone than usual. Playing well in the (defensive) zone, it’s hard, it’s demanding, it takes a lot of discipline. Stopping and starting, I think we got away from it. That allowed to them to get their (defense) involved and I think that fed into them sustaining some offensive zone pressure.”

• McCann on the tight schedule over the past two days:

“Two games in what? Under 24 hours? You have to give guys in this room credit. We’ve been battling injuries and everything this year. I know that’s not an excuse. We just have to keep moving forward.”

Tribune Review LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169634 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins prospect Calen Addison helps Canada win IIHF World Junior Championship

SETH RORABAUGH | Sunday, January 5, 2020 10:01 p.m.

Penguins defensive prospect Calen Addison recorded three assists for Canada in a 4-3 comeback victory against Russia in the gold-medal game of the IIHF World Junior Championship tournament at the Ostravar Arena in Ostrava, Czech Republic, on Sunday.

Canada rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the third period. Addison’s second assist was the primary helper on a tying power-play goal by forward Barrett Hayton at 51 minutes, 21 seconds of third period.

His third assist was a secondary helper on forward Akil Thomas’ winning score at 56:02 of the third.

Addison, a second-round pick by the Penguins’ in 2018, appeared in seven games during the tournament and recorded nine points (one goal, eight assists). He was the only Penguins prospect to participate in the tournament.

Sweden edged Finland, 3-2, in the bronze medal game.

Tribune Review LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169635 Pittsburgh Penguins the absences of teammates Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel, Brian Dumoulin and others, much of that success can be attributed to Letang.

The same could be said for Sunday’s defeat. Letang’s errors contribute to Penguins’ loss to Panthers “It was not great from start to finish,” Letang said. “You try to forget about it.”

SETH RORABAUGH | Sunday, January 5, 2020 7:47 p.m. Tribune Review LOADED: 01.06.2020

There are plenty of ways to elucidate what Kris Letang is.

All-Star. Stanley Cup champion. Franchise pillar.

Most prolific defenseman in Penguins history.

All are accurate descriptions.

This past weekend, another apt adjective would be mistake-prone.

A pair of errors by the Penguins all-everything defenseman helped lead to a flat 4-1 loss to the underwhelming Florida Panthers at PPG Paints Arena on Sunday.

The loss snapped a five-game points streak for the Penguins.

“Some mistakes,” said a succinct Letang. “I made some mistakes. It is what it is. A bad one.”

It was a bad one seemingly from the get-go for Letang and the Penguins.

The Panthers took a 1-0 lead at 2 minutes, 28 seconds of the first period. Pushing a puck up the right wing, Panthers forward Frank Vatrano zipped by minimal resistance from Letang and attacked the net, shuffling a one- handed backhander on net. Goaltender Tristan Jarry denied the initial shot but allowed a rebound that Vatrano jabbed past Jarry’s left leg with a forehand shot for his ninth goal of the season.

Only 84 seconds expired before the Penguins responded. Meandering his way past Panthers forward Vincent Trocheck, a native of Upper St. Clair, Penguins forward Dominik Simon created a two-on-one with forward Jared McCann against Panthers defenseman Josh Brown. Simon dished a subtle backhanded pass from the right circle to the opposite circle, where McCann was able to sizzle a wrister past goaltender Chris Driedger’s blocker on the near side for his 11th goal. Simon and forward Patric Hornqvist collected assists.

Florida reclaimed a lead, 2-1, at the 10:44 mark of the first. Corralling a puck on the end boards, Letang forced an errant pass that was intercepted by Panthers defenseman Mike Matheson above the left circle. Matheson immediately dealt it to Trocheck above the crease. Trocheck momentarily lost the puck but quickly reclaimed it on the end boards, turned toward the cage and moved a pass to the slot, where forward Brett Connolly was able to lift a wrister past Jarry’s glove hand for his 16th goal.

It marked the second time in as many games a turnover by Letang in his own zone led to an opposing goal. During Saturday’s 3-2 overtime road win against the Montreal Canadiens, he fed a soft pass toward his own net that was intercepted by Canadiens forward Artturi Lekhonen and converted into a goal.

“(Letang) can simplify his game in those situations,” said coach Mike Sullivan, one of Letang’s most fervent advocates. “Him and I have had this conversation. It’s usually ongoing with us. (Letang) has the ability to be a difference-maker, and we certainly don’t want to take the stick out of his hand. But as we say to all of our players: Sometimes the best play is a simple play. It’s just recognizing those situations.

“It’s not going to be perfect out there, especially for guys that log the type of minutes that (Letang) logs. It’s not going to be a flawless game but certainly that’s a conversation that (Letang) and I have fairly frequently.”

After a scoreless second period, the Panthers secured victory at 8:52 of the third. Off a Vatrano feed from the right half wall, Panthers forward Mike Hoffman sniped a blistering wrister from above the right circle past Jarry’s glove hand on the near side for his 14th goal.

An empty-net goal by forward Evgenii Dadonov, his 18th, at 17:32 of the third capped the scoring.

The Penguins, with 42 games played, enter the second half of the 82- game season with 55 points, second most in Metropolitan Division. Given 1169636 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins assign goaltender Emil Larmi to Wheeling

SETH RORABAUGH | Sunday, January 5, 2020 12:32 p.m.

The Penguins assigned goaltender Emil Larmi to the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL on Sunday, one day after recalling him.

On Saturday, Larmi served as the backup to Matt Murray in a 3-2 overtime road win against the Montreal Canadiens.

The Penguins had initially intended to recall former backup Casey DeSmith from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton but DeSmith misplaced his passport and was not able to travel to Canada. That prompted the team to recall Larmi, a 23-year-old Finn in his first professional season in North America. He has split time between Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Wheeling.

In five AHL games, he has a 1-2-2 record along with a 4.43 goals against average and an .861 save percentage. In four ECHL contests, he has a 3-1-0 record along with a 1.51 goals against average, a .959 save percentage and one shutout.

Notes:

• The Penguins are scheduled to host the Florida Panthers at PPG Paints Arena on Sunday, shortly after 5 p.m.

• Goaltender Tristan Jarry is expected to start for the Penguins.

• The Penguins have won eight consecutive home games against the Panthers dating to Dec. 20, 2014.

• Coach Mike Sullivan has 199 career wins with the Penguins.

• Panthers forward Vincent Trocheck, a native of Upper St. Clair, has appeared in 399 career games.

Tribune Review LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169637 Pittsburgh Penguins Letang had another bad giveaway in the third period, coughing up the puck at his blue line with the Penguins down two goals. But Jarry bailed him out.

Kris Letang sloppy, Tristan Jarry outplayed as Florida Panthers take Asked about Letang’s giveaways, a couple of them costly, this weekend, down Penguins, 4-1 Mike Sullivan said he would like him to “simplify his game in those situations.”

“Him and I have had this conversation. It’s ongoing usually with us,” the MATT VENSEL coach said. “Tanger has the ability to be a difference-maker and we certainly don’t want to take the stick out of his hands. But as we say to all JAN 5, 2020 8:19 PM of our players, sometimes the best play is a simple play. And it’s just recognizing those situations.”

Kris Letang is a special talent, a perennial All-Star and a winner. Sullivan added: “It’s not going to be perfect out there, especially for the guys that log the type of minutes that Tanger logs. It’s not going to be a He will have a lengthy reel of jaw-dropping plays when he decides to flawless game. But certainly that’s a conversation that Tanger and I have hang up his skates. But beyond that he makes a positive impact most fairly frequently.” nights with his supreme skating, slick passing and the courage to try stuff others wouldn’t dare. After Connolly’s goal, the Panthers threatened to pull away from the Penguins but Jarry wouldn’t allow it. He stood his ground on a breakaway Of course, on his off nights, when his gambles backfire, the Penguins by Aleksander Barkov late in the first period. A few minutes into the accept the consequences, figuring he will get back to changing games in second, a backdoor pass made it through to Aaron Ekblad. Jarry a good way. sprawled to get his blocker on that.

The past month, though, there have been a few clunkers for Letang, Florida’s Chris Driedger came through with key saves, too. In the second including Sunday’s 4-1 loss against the Florida Panthers at PPG Paints period, he shuffled across to rob Zach Aston-Reese on a 2-on-1 and later Arena. got his blocker on a shot by Simon after McCann sprung him on a partial breakaway. Penguins center Dominik Kahun battles for position with Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020, at the PPG The two teams continued to trade chances in a fun third period. McCann Paints Arena in Uptown. nearly scored for the Penguins after bouncing the puck up in the air with his blade four times before batting a shot on goal. But the Panthers “I made some mistakes. It is what it is. It was a bad one,” Letang pushed it to 3-1 with 11:08 left in the game when Mike Hoffman sniped admitted, later adding, “It was not great from start to finish. You try to Jarry from the high slot. forget about it.” Jarry, whose six-game winning streak was snapped in Thursday’s To be clear, Letang wasn’t the only reason the Penguins lost. They overtime loss to San Jose, lost back-to-back starts for the first time in two obviously got just one goal, giving them six in three games since losing months. He was sturdy, stopping 31 of 34 shots. But Driedger, who made Jake Guentzel. They went 0 for 3 on the power play. Tristan Jarry was 31 saves, was better. good but got outplayed. Evgeni Dadonov scored an empty-netter to seal thex Panthers victory. It certainly didn’t help that it was their third game in four days and Sunday’s start time was 5 p.m., giving the road-weary Penguins two “I don’t think we managed the game well enough,” Jack Johnson said. fewer hours to rest. “We knew today was going to be a tough game for us. And I just think the lesson from that is under the circumstances we were in, make sure we But Letang’s play has been a roller coaster since sturdy partner Brian play with our heads more than anything, because we know it’s going to Dumoulin had ankle surgery Dec. 1 that will sideline him at least a few be tough physically.” more weeks. He had a strong game against Ottawa last Monday and some rough moments since. The Penguins next will play Tuesday. That road game at Vegas is their first stop on a weeklong road trip that includes games at Colorado and Letang took a penalty in overtime Thursday that set up San Jose’s game- Arizona. winner. In a 3-2 overtime win Saturday in Montreal, Letang made a careless pass in front of his net that led directly to a Canadiens goal. Post Gazette LOADED: 01.06.2020 Sunday was the fifth time in the past 15 games that Letang was on the ice for multiple goals against at 5-on-5.

He hasn't offset it with scoring. He has one point in the last seven games.

Less than three minutes in Sunday, Letang lost a race, something that doesn’t happen often, even with Letang closing in on his 33rd birthday. Fatigue might have been a factor. He logged 53 minutes of ice time over the weekend.

Frank Vatrano got a step on him in the neutral zone and kept him in the rearview as he broke in on Jarry. Jarry stopped his first shot but not the rebound.

“He came with a lot of speed and he drove the net. And he was able to get a shot off and the rebound just went straight to his stick,” the goalie said.

Dominik Simon set up Jared McCann on a 2-on-1 to make it 1-1. But later in the first period, another giveaway by Letang ended up in the Penguins net.

The fourth line got outworked for about a minute by their Florida counterparts then had to stay on after icing the puck. Letang, whose shift also dragged on, had a chance to get the Penguins out of the zone but couldn’t connect on a breakout pass to Thomas Di Pauli. Panthers blue- liner Mike Matheson kept it in.

Pittsburgh native Vincent Trocheck then put a centering pass through Letang to Brett Connolly, who beat Jarry upstairs to put the Panthers back on top. 1169638 Pittsburgh Penguins Sullivan suggested that Murray, who has started just four games since the start of December, could be in line for more work in the next three weeks.

Dominik Kahun gets another look on Malkin line as Alex Galchenyuk “We’re [near] the beginning of playing 11 games in 20 days,” he said. tumbles down depth chart “That’s a lot of hockey in a short period of time. We’re going to rely on both of them.”

Taking show on road MATT VENSEL The Penguins have been one of the NHL’s toughest teams to beat at JAN 5, 2020 5:02 PM home. Recently, they’ve been pretty formidable away from PPG Paints Arena, too. Saturday in in Montreal was their fifth in their past six road

games. Alex Galchenyuk’s audition got called off much earlier the second time. “It’s not like we draw up a game plan for the road and [one] for at home,” The Penguins last week gave the struggling winger another opportunity Sullivan said. “We’re trying to play a game that will bring this team next to Evgeni Malkin after Jake Guentzel had shoulder surgery. It took success regardless of where the rink is. It boils down to commitment, coach Mike Sullivan only a few periods to yell “cut” and call in somebody execution, discipline. It’s all the things we talk about all the time. When else. we have it, we’re pretty good.”

That was Dominik Kahun, who impressed Sullivan Saturday in 3-2 Then will need to have it these next three weeks. Following the Florida overtime win against the Canadiens in Montreal. A day later, when the game, the Penguins will hit the road for a week, with games at Vegas, Penguins played host to Florida at PPG Paints Arena, Sullivan kept Colorado and Arizona, all playoff hopefuls. Nine of the next 12 games are Kahun on the top line with Malkin and Bryan Rust. on the road.

“When we think Dominik is going on a given night, we try to find ice time “I think it will be nice … to go out west and get some nice weather and for him because we think he’s that good. He’s got great offensive have some games, but we’ll also have some time to relax and re- instincts. He can score goals,” Sullivan said. “We’re trying to find energize,” Zach Aston-Reese said. “But these games are huge. [Getting] combinations right now that give us some balance and some these points — February and March fly by — is going to put us in a good consistency. That’s why we made the switch.” spot going into the playoffs.”

Penguins defenseman Kris Letang battles for loose puck with Panthers Around the boards center Colton Sceviour, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2020, at the PPG Paints Arena. Sullivan, both before Sunday’s game and after, declined to say whether Putting Kahun on the top line midway through the Montreal game gave Crosby would travel with the team out west. ... The Penguins sent Emil the Penguins a spark. Eventually, it broke through when Rust swatted the Larmi back to Wheeling of the ECHL. Larmi was the backup goalie in tying goal into an open net after a fortunate bounce off the end boards. Montreal so that Jarry could remain in Pittsburgh to rest for his start Sunday. … Sam Lafferty, who did not play Saturday due to an illness, sat Kahun has been streaky in his first season with the Penguins. It took him out his second in a row game. … Prospect Calen Addison, a 12 games to get his first goal and he was a healthy scratch for one game defenseman, won gold at the world junior championship. Addison in early November. He eventually got comfortable and has provided assisted on all three third-period goals for Canada on Sunday as they secondary scoring. With 9 goals and 12 assists entering Sunday, Kahun rallied to beat Russia, 4-3. is on a 40-point pace. Post Gazette LOADED: 01.06.2020 “He’s a great kid. He works extremely hard. He responds to some of the decisions the coaches make. He always responds the right way,” Sullivan said. “He’s a competitive kid. He wants to play up the lineup. And he shows it through his play.”

His game has some similarities to that of Dominik Simon. They are smart, shifty players who excel in the give-and-go game. They also are decent defensively. The biggest difference is obvious — Kahun is actually putting the puck in the net. His .148 shooting percentage is more than twice as high as the other Dominik.

Those qualities could help the 24-year-old land a leading role alongside Malkin or next to Sidney Crosby when the captain returns to the lineup.

Galchenyuk, meanwhile, is running out of opportunities to prove himself.

Sullivan felt the Malkin line, with Galchenyuk on the left wing, was “decent” in a loss Thursday to the San Jose Sharks. He wanted to get a longer look at Galchenyuk there but didn’t like what he saw in Montreal — not enough zone time or dangerous scoring chances for Malkin and Rust, two of the hottest players in hockey.

Galchenyuk started Sunday against the Florida Panthers on the fourth line, playing with grinders Joseph Blandisi and Thomas DiPauli.

“Alex is working hard. I know with Alex, it’s really not an effort issue. I see how hard he works every day. It’s an adjustment process,” Sullivan said. “We’ve moved him around the lineup quite a bit this year. We’re trying to find a spot where we think he has a comfort level. And we’ll continue to work with him.”

More work for Murray?

Matt Murray stopped 26 of 28 shots against the Canadiens, a performance that his coach called “terrific.” He earned the win in three of his past four starts.

“We’ve got two goalies that are playing really well for us,” Sullivan said. 1169639 San Jose Sharks “Thought it was OK,” he said of his overall performance. “Just need a save at the end there.”

“I’m not going to put Jonesy on the spot,” Boughner said. “There were Capitals 5, Sharks 4: Shocking ending dims otherwise solid road effort some breakdowns around him. We win and lose as a team. We’ll just watch the game again and take the positives out of it.”

Jones had allowed just one goal in each of his last two starts before By CURTIS PASHELKA | PUBLISHED: January 5, 2020 at 3:06 pm | Sunday, stopping 26 shots in the Sharks’ 6-1 win over Philadelphia on UPDATED: January 5, 2020 at 3:20 PM Dec. 28 and 21 in a 2-0 loss to Detroit on Dec. 31.

Still, in all likelihood, Boughner will now opt to play Dell on Tuesday in St. Louis. WASHINGTON — The Sharks picked up a point off of the best team in the NHL. Their power play struck for two goals as their top scorer has “These are valuable points,” Boughner said. “We got one valuable point started to find a rhythm. They’re still enjoying their best road trip of the and we gave up one. But I think the guys feel good about our game, just season. a little disappointed now.”

Those were the positives from the Sharks’ 5-4 overtime loss to the 3. Kane, power play get going: Boughner has wanted the Sharks’ power Washington Capitals on Sunday at Capital One Arena. But in a season play — which had gone 2 for 49 from Nov. 19 to Dec. 31 — to move the filled with disappointing results, especially in the first half, this one may quicker, get shots off faster. have stung the most. The message has started to hit home, as two of Kane’s three second The Sharks blew a two-goal lead late in the final minute of the third period goals came on the man advantage. period, and lost in overtime as Lars Eller beat Martin Jones at the 2:01 mark of the extra session. “That was probably the biggest positive of the night, was getting off the schneid on the power play and scoring a couple,” Kane said. “Carry that The Sharks, who got a hat trick from Evander Kane in the second period, over to St. Louis, play through the 60 minutes instead of just through the had a 4-2 lead after Logan Couture scored on an empty net goal with 58 minute mark, and we like our chances to win the game.” 1:00 left in the third period. But Jakub Vrana scored with 46.9 seconds remaining in regulation time, and T.J. Oshie tied the game 4-4 with 14.2 San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 01.06.2020 seconds left.

The Sharks are now 3-1-2 since the Christmas break and 2-1-1 on their five-game road trip that winds up Tuesday in St. Louis.

“It sure feels like we lost every single way you can possibly lose a game in sport this year. Blowouts, close games like this,” Couture said. “Now that we’ve got this one done, hopefully we never have to do this again.

“You’ve got to take positives from a night like this, even though it’s tough right now to sit here and only get one point. But we got one in a tough building and against a team that’s pretty good. So, get ready for St. Louis.”

Takeaways from Sunday.

1. The late collapse: Playing their third game in less than 96 hours, some mental and physical fatigue caught up to the Sharks in the last minute of regulation time.

Vrana got open in the slot as he took a pass from Eller and fired a shot past goalie Martin Jones.

After the ensuing faceoff, the Sharks iced the puck, keeping Couture on with Timo Meier and Kane with defenseman Erik Karlsson and Marc- Edouard Vlasic. Tomas Hertl probably would have come on the ice if the Sharks had been able to get a fresh body out there.

After the Capitals won the faceoff in the Sharks’ zone, Kane has a brief chance to clear the puck but couldn’t get all of it. The puck went to the point and a couple seconds later, was sent to the corner for Evgeny Kuznetsov, who backhanded a pass past Vlasic to an open Oshie, who one-timed it past Jones.

“Maybe in the 6-on-5, it caught up to us a little bit,” Sharks interim coach Bob Boughner said of the final minute when the Capitals pulled goalie Braden Holtby for the extra attacker. “There were a few plays, 50-50 pucks that we lost, especially on the half-wall.

“Those are the things when you’re playing a lot of hockey and you’re in an intense game, sometimes those are some of the battles you lose.”

After all that, the Sharks still had a chance to pick up two points. But after Kane and Burns couldn’t connect on a 2 on 1, or Burns couldn’t beat Holtby on a breakaway, it opened the door for Eller’s goal.

“All of that’s forgotten if you score in overtime,” Boughner said. “A post, a 2-on-1 and a breakaway. So, that’s the way the game goes. I think we have to concentrate on getting a day of rest (Monday) and really taking the positives out of this for the St. Louis game.”

2. Jones’ overall play: Few Sharks players were as disappointed after the game as Jones, who had a pretty solid game for 59 minutes, stopping 24 of the first 26 shots he faced. Three of his saves came as the Sharks killed two penalties to Kane. 1169640 San Jose Sharks

Sharks collapse in final minute of third, lose to Caps in OT

By CURTIS PASHELKA | PUBLISHED: January 5, 2020 at 12:16 pm | UPDATED: January 5, 2020 at 3:18 PM

WASHINGTON — The Sharks went from earning one of their most impressive wins of the season to suffering one of their most disappointing losses in a matter of seconds.

The Sharks blew a two-goal lead late in the final minute of the third period, and lost in overtime as Lars Eller beat Martin Jones at the 2:01 mark of the extra session, handing San Jose a 5-4 loss at Capital One Arena.

The Sharks had a 4-2 lead after Logan Couture scored on an empty net goal with 1:00 left in the third period. But Jakub Vrana scored with 46.9 seconds remaining in regulation time, and T.J. Oshie tied the game 4-4 with 14.2 seconds left.

The loss spoiled Evander Kane’s third career hat trick, as the Sharks blew a chance at their third straight victory to continue what’s been their most successful road trip this season.

Kane scored all three of his goals in the second period, with two coming on the power play. The Sharks are now 3-1-2 since the Christmas break and 2-1-1 on their five-game road trip that winds up Tuesday in St. Louis.

Kane’s goals came at the 6:25, 10:06 and 16:49 marks of the second period, with his third goal giving the Sharks a 3-1 lead. Kane, who also scored in the Sharks’ 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday, now has a team-high 18 goals this season.

The Capitals cut the Sharks’ lead to 3-2 with 1:18 left in the second period, as Vrana took a pass from T.J. Oshie and beat Martin Jones for his 17th goal of the season.

Jones, who allowed just one goal in each his last two starts before Sunday, finished with 24 saves to improve his record this season to 14- 15-1 in 31 games.

Kane’s two other career hat tricks also came with the Sharks. He scored four goals against the Calgary Flames on March 16, 2018, and had three goals against the Carolina Hurricanes earlier this season on Oct. 16.

Kane’s first power play goal came at the 6:25 mark of the second period, as he stationed himself in front of the Capitals net, took a pass from Joe Thornton and beat goalie Braden Holtby for a 1-0 Sharks lead.

Kane has just finished serving a slashing penalty midway through the second when he scored his second goal. Kane came out of the box, took a pass from Logan Couture and beat Holtby clean with a low wrist shot.

He completed the hat trick with another power play goal, as he collected a rebound after a Erik Karlsson shot on goal and one-timed a shot past Holtby.

Nic Dowd also scored for the Capitals, who beat the Sharks 5-2 in their one other meeting this season on Dec. 2 at SAP Center.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169641 San Jose Sharks Capitals: Host Ottawa on Tuesday. San Francisco Chronicle LOADED: 01.06.2020

Eller's goal completes Capitals' stunning OT win over Sharks

Ian Quillen, Associated Press Updated 2:20 pm PST, Sunday, January 5, 2020

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Capitals never believe they’re out of a game. On Sunday, they showed why.

Lars Eller scored with 2:59 remaining in overtime after the Capitals rallied from two goals down in the final minute of regulation, completing a stunning 5-4 victory over the San Jose Sharks.

T.J. Oshie tied the game with 15 seconds left. Eller also assisted Jakub Vrana’s second goal of the game with 47 seconds remaining as the NHL- leading Capitals became just the seventh team in league history to win after trailing by two inside the final minute.

“We just keep working,” Oshie said. “We’ve got everyone tugging the rope. And when you have that, it’s fun.”

Evander Kane had his third career hat trick for San Jose, which never trailed before Eller's game-winner.

“That’s why they lead the league and that’s why they have the most points,” said Sharks coach Bob Boughner, “because they find ways to win games. As disappointed as I am, I’m pretty content in how our 5-on-5 game looks.”

Logan Couture scored an empty-netter with a minute remaining, appearing to seal the game. But Capitals coach Todd Reirden left the net empty, and Washington responded with its sixth and seventh goals of the season when playing in 6-on-5 situations.

“We have a plan,” Reirden said of those late-game successes. “We believe in those players. They are players that are not fazed by pressure. They’re anxious to get out there and try to be the guys that tie up the game.”

Nic Dowd had a second-period goal for Washington. Braden Holtby made 25 saves to snap a three-game losing streak in net and picked up an assist on Eller’s decisive goal, pushing the puck up ice to John Carlson.

From there, Carlson sent a cross-ice pass to Eller, who rifled his shot beyond Martin Jones and inside the right post.

“That was one of the wildest games I’ve played,” Eller said.

Jones stopped 24 shots, Couture also had an assist and Timo Meier had two, but San Jose was still swept by Washington in the season series in unlikely fashion.

Kane’s three goals — all in the second period — gave him a team- leading 18 for the Sharks, who fell to 2-2 on their last five-game trip of the season.

Couture’s insurance tally looked like it would be enough for victory. But Vrana answered only 13 seconds later, assisted by Eller and Radko Gudas. Then Oshie leveled the game from in close on Evgeny Kuznetsov's feed.

“We were the better team I thought for most of the game,” Kane said. “We’ve got to look at the positives. It’s easy to look at the negatives.”

NOTES: Kane scored all three goals in one period — the first — in his other hat trick this season, which came in a 5-2 win over the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 16. ... Sunday marked the 10-year anniversary of Alex Ovechkin being named Washington's captain. He's the second-longest- tenured captain in team history behind Rod Langway (Oct. 5, 1982 to Feb. 9, 1993.) ... Ovechkin saw his points streak end at five games. ... San Jose's Barclay Goodrow had an apparent opening goal disallowed 1:14 into the second period. He was ruled to have touched the puck with a high stick.

UP NEXT

Sharks: Finish their trip at St. Louis on Tuesday. 1169642 San Jose Sharks Oshie’s shot that tied the game with 15 seconds to go looked much more stoppable, but it beat Jones high over his near-side shoulder.

In overtime, the Sharks had multiple chances to win. Kane was stopped Despite improvements, the Sharks are now finding historic ways to lose on a 2-on-1, though, while Holtby denied Brent Burns on a breakaway.

Eller’s winner came on a 2-on-1, as Jones looked off of his angle on the shot from below the faceoff dot. By Kevin Kurz Jan 5, 2020 Asked about his performance, Jones said: “I thought it was OK. Just need a save at the end there.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Evander Kane is scoring again. The Sharks Did the ultimate outcome simply boil down to the team needing a save winger posted his second hat trick of the season on Sunday and now has that it never got? four goals in his last two games after getting just two goals in his previous 22 games. “I’m not going to put Jonesy on the spot because I think there were some breakdowns around him. But Holtby made some big saves when they The power play is coming out of hibernation, as two of Kane’s scores needed it at the end,” Boughner said. “It is what it is. We win and lose as came with a man advantage. It marked the first time the Sharks scored a team. We’ll just watch the game again and take the positives out of it, multiple power-play goals in a game since Nov. 7. like I said.”

The penalty kill remains strong. The top-ranked Sharks PK denied the There are positives to be taken. Capitals’ power play twice on Sunday, including an important kill midway through the third period while clinging to a 3-2 lead. The Sharks desperately need Kane to get going, as he’s one of the few forwards on the roster who can have an impact on a nightly basis. The Sharks’ 5-on-5 play, their biggest weakness under Pete DeBoer before the Dec. 11 coaching change, is also improving. The Sharks and Kane’s streakiness is nothing new. Last season, Kane scored 15 goals in league-leading Capitals each had 26 even-strength shots on net, while a 16-game stretch from Jan. 2 to Feb. 11, but he also endured a terrible the Sharks protected their defensive slot area with enthusiasm once dry spell in the playoffs, with just one goal in the final 18 games. He had again, allowing just two goals through 59 minutes. 12 goals this season in his first 17 games, including seven power-play goals, before going cold. But it was the last minute of play at Capital One Arena that encapsulated what this Sharks season really is all about — finding different ways to Kane got in position and shoveled in a Joe Thornton feed to open the lose. This one, a 5-4 overtime defeat, was even historic, as goals by scoring 6:25 into the second period on the power play, fired a wrist shot Jakub Vrana and T.J. Oshie with goalie Braden Holtby pulled for an extra through traffic later in the middle frame to give the Sharks a 2-1 lead then attacker forced overtime before Lars Eller won it during the 3-on-3. found an Erik Karlsson rebound with about three minutes left in the According to NHL public relations, it was just the seventh time in history a second to increase that lead to 3-1 with Radko Gudas in the penalty box team has overcome a multi-goal deficit in the final minute of regulation to for slashing. claim victory. “That was probably the biggest positive of the night is getting off the THE @CAPITALS ARE THE SEVENTH DIFFERENT TEAM IN NHL schneid on the power play and scoring a couple,” Kane said. HISTORY TO WIN AFTER OVERCOMING A MULTI-GOAL DEFICIT IN Boughner said: “Nice to see him going. He went on a drought, obviously. THE FINAL MINUTE OF REGULATION. #NHLSTATS That line (with Goodrow and Timo Meier), they just are finding ways. That PIC.TWITTER.COM/KEBL5OHF5H line is a big strong line and they’re giving teams trouble down low. They — NHL PUBLIC RELATIONS (@PR_NHL) JANUARY 5, 2020 all can skate, they’ve all got some speed. I really like the way he’s playing. There’s a bunch of guys that are bringing their A-game lately.” “It sure feels like we’ve lost every single way you can possibly lose a game in the sport this year: blowouts, close games — like this,” said Still, the chance was right in front of the Sharks to win their third straight Logan Couture, whose empty-net goal at the 19-minute mark of the third game for the first time since Nov. 21-25. Beating the league’s best team period gave the Sharks what should have been an insurmountable a 4-2 would have been quite a statement after securing wins over the Penguins lead. “Now that we’ve got this one done, hopefully we’ll never have to do and Blue Jackets in their previous two road games. Even with the loss, this again. they’ve gotten points in five of their last six (3-1-2).

“You’ve got to take positives. It’s tough right now to sit here and only get But the game was just another example of this Sharks team falling short, one point, but we got one in a tough building, and (against) a team that’s something that’s happened far too often since early October. pretty good.” Couture said: “We were playing well. The power play was good. We Couture is correct. Just forcing overtime is an accomplishment against defended pretty good and didn’t give them much. Scored the empty- the Capitals, who improved to 29-9-5 and 12-4-4 at home. Until that final, netter with less than a minute left. disastrous minute of the final frame, the Sharks had played what might “Got to win that game.” have been their best game of the season. The Athletic LOADED: 01.06.2020 “It’s tough to let that one get away, 4-2 with a minute to go,” interim coach Bob Boughner said. “Third period we didn’t really allow a lot, 5-on- 5. Defensively we were pretty tight. You can take a million great things out of this game for us, but that’s why they’re leading the league and have the most points, because they find a way to win games.”

Kane said: “We were the better team, I thought, for most of the game. We obviously weren’t able to close it out. That’s the bottom line.”

The Sharks also could have used a save in that final minute and overtime from Martin Jones, who can now only be considered the Sharks’ No. 2 goalie after failing to shut the door. His counterpart, Aaron Dell, will surely be back between the pipes on Tuesday in St. Louis in what will be his third start in four games in the finale of the Sharks’ five-game trip (2- 1-1).

Washington’s third goal was not an easy save, as Vrana was left alone in the slot before wheeling around to whip it through. Had Barclay Goodrow gotten the puck out along the wall moments earlier, then the play wouldn’t have happened, either. 1169643 St Louis Blues “He was fine,” Berube said. “He didn’t get a lot of minutes. But I didn’t think he was . . . under pressure that much. I thought he did a pretty good job. He made some plays with the puck and used his feet like he should.”

Perron lashes out at Reaves after ex-Blue roughs up Pietrangelo St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 01.06.2020

Jim Thomas 22 hrs ago

LAS VEGAS — David Perron was a member of the Vegas Golden Knights during their inaugural season, an improbable run to the Stanley Cup Final in which they lost to the Washington Capitals.

He loved his time in Vegas and holds his former teammates and organization in high regard.

“I really appreciate a lot of stuff they do,” Perron said. “I like their coaches, the organization, everything. But I didn’t like that (stuff on Alex Pietrangelo).”

Perron, who had a goal and two assists for the Blues, was referring to a sequence late in the second period Saturday in which he thought roughed up Pietrangelo.

“We know what to expect,” Perron said. “We’ve played them enough already. I see a lot of games with them.

“You don’t like to see some of that extra stuff they do. One to our captain, I thought that was bull-(bleep) to be honest with you. That’s how I see it.”

Asked to expound on what he saw happening with Reaves and Pietrangelo, Perron said: “There’s no more comment on that. I think it’s pretty obvious. Just look at it.”

Near the end of a play in the St. Louis zone, Reaves shoved Pietrangelo a couple of times. Pietrangelo responded with a stick to Reaves’ leg knocking the Vegas defenseman off balance. Then came pushing and shoving, with both players down to the ice — and Reaves on top.

Reaves was in no hurry getting off Pietrangelo and shoved Pietrangelo’s head down to the ice before getting up with Pietrangelo’s helmet coming off. Pietrangelo had a cut under his eye after he got up.

A few minutes after Perron’s remarks, Blues coach was asked about the sequence.

“It’s the game, it’s hockey sometimes,” Berube said. “(Reaves) plays a hard game. He’s gonna do things like that sometimes, I guess. I don’t know what you want me to say. That’s part of his game and he tries to get guys off their game. He plays a heavy game.”

Keep in mind, Berube was upset that the Blues weren’t physical enough against Vegas, especially in several net-front sequences that led to Vegas goals in its come-from-behind, 5-4 victory in overtime.

Perron and Reaves were teammates both with Vegas and in St. Louis.

Parayko out, Walman in

For only the seventh time in 4½ seasons with the Blues, defenseman Colton Parayko was out of the lineup Saturday. He was replaced by Jake Walman, who made his NHL debut.

“He’s always missed,” Berube said. “He’s a very good defenseman for us, one of the best in the league. So yeah, we missed him.

“But saying that, we got a 3-0 lead. We had a chance to make it 4-0. We had some good opportunities. And early in that second period, we don’t make it 4-0. If we do, we probably have two points.”

Parayko and Walman skated during pregame warmup. According to Walman, Parayko told him with about five minutes left in warmup that he couldn’t play.

After practice on Friday, Berube said Parayko had some soreness. There was some talk before the game that Parayko was ill, but Berube told the Post-Dispatch again after the game that Parayko’s absence was injury- related.

Paired with Robert Bortuzzo, Walman played 11 minutes, 4 seconds. He was plus-1, with one shot on goal and one blocked shot. 1169644 St Louis Blues weren’t making good, strong plays and just supporting each other. When that happens, it obviously gives them momentum.

“We go into the third, we’re still up a goal and in a good position on the Blues lose their poise — and a three-goal lead — in OT loss to Vegas road. We needed a better start (in the third). That kind of killed us there.”

As the crowd of 18,334 got into it, the Blues struggled to stay composed — something you rarely see from them. Just ask David Perron. Jim Thomas 22 hrs ago “When the building gets going, we gotta find a way to stay poised through those situations,” Perron said. “It was a good crowd also in Colorado, and same thing. We gotta find a way through the storm. We’ve done it so LAS VEGAS — The Blues still haven’t lost to Vegas in regulation since much over the last year and a half with St. Louis.” the Golden Knights came into existence in 2017. They are 5-0-3. But they didn’t Saturday. What they did lose Saturday afternoon, somewhat astonishingly, was their poise, a three-goal lead and ultimately a point with a 5-4 overtime “It’s surprising that we didn’t react the right way, but it’s going to happen loss at T-Mobile Arena. sometimes,” Perron said. “We got a big point and it would’ve been nice to get the other one for sure.” Chandler Stephenson’s breakaway goal at the 3:01 mark of OT made it a crash-and-burn trip for the Blues out West. They went 0-2-1 and were They got the point, compliments of Perron. He scored his 17th goal of the outscored 15-8 in the process, including 12 goals allowed against season, on a power play, with 7:10 to play in regulation to tie the game 4- Colorado and Vegas. 4. It was Perron’s first goal against his former team, the Knights, and his first goal against Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. (Perron also had two True, defensive stalwart Colton Parayko didn’t play Saturday because of assists.) injury. But the Blues gave up seven goals with Parayko in the lineup Thursday, in Denver, so no excuses there. But mistakes before and after the Perron goal were killers for the Blues. Midway through the third period, Vince Dunn sent an ill-advised stretch For as good as the Blues played in the first half of the season, the pass across the rink. Stephenson swooped in near center ice and poked Central Division never sleeps. Colorado and Dallas are creeping ever the puck away into the St. Louis zone. closer to St. Louis in the standings — and there’s a lot of hockey between now and the playoffs. Pietrangelo seemed to be in perfect position to secure the puck, but didn’t get there. Instead, Reilly Smith did and his goal beat Jake Allen to With a victory Saturday against New Jersey, Colorado (25-13-4, for 54 make it a 4-3 game. points) pulled to within five points of St. Louis (26-10-7, 59 points). Dallas (24-14-4, 52 points) is just seven points back. In addition, Colorado and “You gotta make a better play with the puck,” Berube said of the Dunn Dallas have a game in hand on the Blues. pass. “That’s it. Make a better play.”

“The concern’s always there,” Blues coach Craig Berube said. “The Then came a game-ending mistake. During three-on-three overtime play, league’s so tight. We gotta keep winning. We gotta find a way to get Thomas had the puck near the sideboards and spun in an attempt to points. We got a point today. It’s a big point.” elude Stephenson. But Stephenson stole the puck and then stole the game with his breakaway backhander past Allen. But after first-period goals from Alex Pietrangelo, Jaden Schwartz and Oskar Sundqvist — this one looked like two points in the bank for the “It’s a tough play,” Berube said, referring to Thomas. “I would’ve liked him Blues. to take it back (toward the blueline). It’s kind of a quick play — could’ve took it back and protected it more, maybe.” “We come out in the second period, had three real good chances to score and we don’t,” Berube said. “A couple (pucks) on the (goal) line.” But like a lot of things for the Blues on this trip, that didn’t happen.

That’s how close they were to 4-0. Or more. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 01.06.2020 For sure, the Blues had all kinds of chances at the start of the second period — from , Robert Thomas and Brayden Schenn on a mini-breakaway, to name three. As the second period was winding down, the Blues had an 11-2 edge in shots on goal.

And then Ryan Reaves got involved. Remember him?

The former Blue emerged from a scrum in front of the St. Louis net to break the shutout with 6:50 to play in the second, with his fifth goal of the season. Then another former Blue — Paul Stastny — scored 2½ minutes later in another net-front scramble.

So a trend was developing. Former Blues, of course. But also, goals scored on scrambles in front of the net — on sequences where the Blues couldn’t get a stick on the puck or muscle a Vegas player out of harm’s way.

That happened in varying degrees on each of the first three Vegas goals, with Nicolas Roy’s goal early in the third period tying things at 3-3.

Those three goals came from a combined 31 feet away according to the official play-by-play, and none from further than 12 feet. Not surprisingly it was something Berube didn’t like.

“We let ‘em score a couple goals around our net in tight,” Berube said. “It’s gotta be better there. ... Everybody was involved in it. That’s all. That’s everybody. I’m not letting anybody off the hook. That’s it. No need to explain anything. We gotta be harder. Everybody. Goalie. Everybody. Gotta be harder there. It doesn’t need to happen.”

Everybody.

After Reaves’ goal, the Blues just couldn’t regain the momentum.

“We just didn’t respond the right way in the sense that we didn’t stay tight enough,” said Blues forward Ryan O’Reilly, who had three assists. “We 1169645 St Louis Blues The Blues scored three times in the first period to take a 3-0 lead on the Golden Knights. Alex Pietrangelo, Jaden Schwartz and Oskar Sundqvist scored for the Blues,

Blues get a point, but their losing streak lives on Allen, who started the Arizona game, made the start instead of Jordan Binnington, who gave up seven goals to Colorado on Thursday.

Pietrangelo started the scoring with a power-play goal, firing the puck Tom Timmermann Jan 4, 2020 Fleury from the slot. It's the 12th goal of the season for Pietrangelo and his fifth on the power play.

Schwartz followed with his 14th goal of the season on a play that started Apromising start turned into another frustrating finish, as the Blues blew a with Jake Allen playing the puck out to Ryan O'Reilly, who got it to David 3-0 lead, scored late to get even but then lost in overtime, 5-4, to Vegas Perron, who set up Schwartz on an odd-man rush and he beat Fleury. on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Sundqvist made it 3-0 when he got to a loose puck in front of the net and The loss is the third in a row for the Blues on the heels of their eight- swatted it in. Sundqvist has 10 goals this season. game win streak and they came away with just one point in the three games on their trip west. In the three games, the Blues allowed 15 goals. Berube broke up Schwartz and Brayden Schenn, one of the foundational They now come back to St. Louis for a five-game homestand that starts pairs on the team, putting Schwartz with O'Reilly and Perron and Schenn on Tuesday against San Jose. with Robert Thomas and Tyler Bozak. He also reunited the line of Sundqvist, and Alexander Steen which excelled last "We sat back too much and it killed us," center Ryan O'Reilly said. "They season. came at us in waves. ... To get a point from where we were is good, but from where we started, that's one point we let slip. Want to be better with St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 01.06.2020 that.”

“We made mistakes," said David Perron. "They’re a pressure team and they put on the pressure... we got a big point, it would have been nice to get the second one.”

Chandler Stephenson scored on a breakaway 3:01 into overtime, stealing the puck from Robert Thomas and beating Jake Allen. It was the first three-goal comeback win in Vegas history and the first time the Blues had blown a three-goal lead this season.

"Would have liked him to take it back out," coach Craig Berube said. "It’s kind of a quick play. He could have taken it back and protected it maybe."

The Blues fell behind 4-3 midway through the third on a goal by Reilly Smith after the Blues were slow to get to a puck in their own end. Perron scored his 17th goal of the season, on a power play with 7:10 to play in the third, to tie the game. The Blues had to kill a late penalty on Thomas that spilled over into overtime.

The Blues played without defenseman Colton Parayko, who didn't practice yesterday and who took pregame warmups, but then it was decided he couldn't go. Jake Walman, the team's third-round pick in the 2014 drat, made his NHL debut in Parayko's place and played 11:04 with one shot on goal.

Two former Blues, Ryan Reaves and Paul Stastny, scored less than 2 1/2 minutes apart for Vegas in the second period to cut the Blues lead from 3-0 to 3-2 after two periods.

The Blues had been dominating the game at the time, holding Vegas to only shot on goal in the first 11 minutes of the period and the Blues almost had two more goals, with Marc-Andre Fleury stopping excellent chances for Vince Dunn and Jaden Schwartz.

Then Reaves and Stastny scored, both from in close to the net, to make it a one-goal game. The game-tying goal from Nicolas Roy also came from in front of the net.

"I’m not letting anybody off the hook," Berube said. "You’ve got to be harder, the goalie, everybody. You've got to be harder. It doesn’t need to happen.

"I think that they got that (first) goal and that gave them momentum. We come out in the second period, have three real good chances, and don’t, had a couple on the line. That’s probably the game. We let them score a couple goals around our net in tight. It’s got to be better. We came up on the short end but we got a point."

"It wasn't too much of a statement the first 28 minutes," Vegas coach Gerard Gallant said, "but after that we played real good hockey. It was a battle back. You never say never in this league."

Four minutes before Reaves got Vegas on the board, the Blues had a power play after a scrum behind Fleury, but they couldn't generate much in the way of chances.

After two unimpressive losses, Berube gave his lineup a shake and, in the first period, it looked like he found a winner. 1169646 Tampa Bay Lightning “We wanted to lay it out on the line early,” Stamkos said. “We had a great start, and that was part of the game plan. Then we weathered the storm the rest of the way, led by our goaltender and our penalty kill.”

Lightning top Carolina Hurricanes to extend win streak to seven games The Lightning followed that with a strong second period, one of their best periods of the season. They outshot the Hurricanes 17-5, did not take a penalty and controlled play throughout.

By Diana C. Nearhos Brayden Point added to the lead 5:19 into the second. He got the puck from Kucherov at the bottom of the left circle and made a nice move Published Earlier today before lifting it over Mrazek’s pads. Updated Earlier today That was enough offense to sustain the Lightning when the long weekend began to show its effects in the third period. Andrei Vasilevskiy stood strong in net, giving up only one goal, on a well-placed shot by RALEIGH, N.C. — For the first couple of months this season, the Andrei Svechnikov, of 29 shots he faced. Lightning had trouble stringing together wins. They didn’t have long losing streaks, but nor did they have winning streaks. Now the Lightning, who a month ago were struggling to get out of sixth in the division, are right back in the mix at the top. On Sunday, Tampa Bay won its seventh in a row with a 3-2 victory over the Hurricanes and moved within one point of second in the Atlantic Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 01.06.2020 Division. Oh, the difference a bunch of wins in a row makes.

“We’ve found different ways (to win),” said Steven Stamkos, who had a goal and an assist. “We’ve come from behind; we’ve played with the lead. We had some tight ones down the stretch. It feels like we’re more comfortable now in those situations than we were in the beginning of the year.”

How do the Lightning decide which goalie to start in a back-to-back?

Not that anyone in the Lightning’s dressing room is surprised by this winning streak, which ties the Canucks for the longest active one in the league. They’ve liked the way they’ve been playing for the past month and a half. They just weren’t getting the results they wanted.

Now they have put that final piece in place: completing a well-played game to earn a win.

“We’re starting to get confident that we can put goals in the net,” Kevin Shattenkirk said the night before, when the Lightning had to come from behind to beat the Senators. “It’s just a matter of keeping them out of (our) net. We’re sticking to those principles in our (defensive) zone that makes us tougher to play against.”

The first part of that comment is important. When the Lightning were playing well but not winning, players and coaches made comments after games to the effect of, “That’s just how things are going,” with bad bounces against them and small mistakes turning into goals.

Now they have a sense that they can win every game, and it’s showing in the results.

The Lightning are playing better with the lead as well. Stamkos likes the way they keep attacking after going ahead, even when they aren’t reaching for that next goal.

On Sunday, they gave up a third-period goal to Carolina as their energy started to lag, but they made sure that was the only one the Hurricanes got.

The situation was stacked against the Lightning on Sunday. Not only were they in the second half of back-to-back games while Carolina had been at home waiting for them, but they had traveled 824 miles overnight from Ottawa.

Carolina is known for its fast starts, and that can be lethal against a tired team. But it was the Lightning who struck early.

They were outshot 13-5 in the first period but scored on two of those shots 2:08 apart for a 2-0 lead.

Mitchell Stephens scored his second career goal 2:36 into the game. Nikita Kucherov tried to set up Carter Verhaeghe at the goal mouth, but Verhaeghe couldn’t quite get his stick on the puck. He tracked it down, though, and threw it over to Stephens, who crashed the net for a one- timer.

Kucherov set up the next goal also, though he wasn’t credited with an assist on it. He forced a turnover in front of the Carolina net, possibly getting away with hooking in the process. The puck popped out to the left circle for Stamkos. The captain settled the puck and put a wrist shot on goalie Petr Mrazek. 1169647 Tampa Bay Lightning tournament in save percentage at .924 and tied for second in goals- against average at 2.12. Lightning goalie coach Frantz Jean said he was impressed with Alnefelt’s play.

How do Lightning decide goalie starts in back-to-back games? Throughout the tournament, games were often on in the background during Lightning team meals and while players worked out.

Cooper watched for the team’s prospects, a group that also included By Diana C. Nearhos wing Maxim Cajkovic of Slovakia, which didn’t make the knockout round. But he also just enjoys the tournament overall. He has never been Published Earlier today directly involved with it, but many of his players have. He enjoys how Updated Earlier today highly players speak of their experiences and how exact their recall is.

Cooper asked Steven Stamkos and Kevin Shattenkirk in the hallway before Saturday’s game about their experiences with Canada and the RALEIGH, N.C. — It used to be easy. The No. 1 goalie played the first United States, respectively, and both could recite just how their games game of a back-to-back set, and the backup took the second. went. (Though they’re better memories for Stamkos than for Shattenkirk, who lost in the 2009 quarterfinals in Ottawa’s Scotiabank Place. Stamkos The Lightning stick to that equation most of the time, but they’ve mixed it won gold in 2008 in the Czech Republic.) up a couple of times this season. Other teams are doing the same. Follow his lead Backup Curtis McElhinney got the start at the Senators on Saturday. Andrei Vasilevskiy minded the net in Sunday’s 3-1 win against the No one has played against the Lightning more than Hurricanes coach Hurricanes. It was the second time the Lightning flipped the script this Rod Brind’Amour. season, which has seven sets of back-to-back games. In his 20-year playing career, Brind’Amour played a whole season’s Coach Jon Cooper said the Lightning’s decisions are more about the worth of games against Tampa Bay: 82. No one else, active or retired, rotation and how much each goalie has played than it is about matchups. has played more, according to hockey-reference.com. Jaromir Jagr is With four back-to-backs in 21 days between the end of the Christmas second with 80 games over 24 seasons, and Boston’s Zdeno Chara break and the end of January, the coaches are paying attention to how leads active players with 75 games in his 22 seasons. they space out the games goalies are assigned. Brind’Amour totaled 65 points against the Lightning, tied for fifth most, 28 The division of labor right before Christmas wasn’t based on back-to- goals (ninth) and 11 power-play goals (third). backs but used the same logic. McElhinney started against the Capitals on Dec. 21 to manage the break. By giving Vasilevskiy the Dec. 23 game Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 01.06.2020 against the Panthers, he went only four days between games instead of five.

“The goalies just like to be told beforehand,” Cooper said. “Other than that, I don’t think they really care what game they’re playing.”

McElhinney expects to find himself in the second game of a back-to-back more often than not. He has been an NHL backup for 12 years. He knows the drill.

“Sometimes it’s interesting how it plays out,” he said. “I find the second game, obviously you’ll have to weather a storm early on, but then you ease your way into it, and it almost becomes an easier game, at times.”

Goalies don’t necessarily do anything different playing in the first game versus the second. Starting the second game, they usually expect to see more off the rush and maybe more quality scoring chances early.

Tired legs usually translate to that early storm from the opponent. Though the Lightning had a 2-0 lead after Sunday’s first period, they had been outshot 13-5. Vasilevskiy came up with some big saves to keep Carolina off the board.

McDonagh misses game

Defenseman Ryan McDonagh did not play Sunday after leaving Saturday’s game in the first period with an upper-body injury.

Cooper did not have an update on him. Asked if the injury looked day-to- day or week-to-week, he said he did not have an answer. After Saturday’s game, Cooper declined to say whether McDonagh had gone through concussion protocol. McDonagh took an inadvertent elbow to the head on the play before he left the game in the first period.

The Lightning have enough defensemen to weather an absence, but McDonagh has been one of their most reliable players on the defensive end.

Medals for prospects

Two Lightning prospects earned medals at the World Junior Championship, which ended Sunday in the Czech Republic.

Forward Nolan Foote, Tampa Bay’s 2019 first-round draft pick, and Canada won the gold-medal game over Russia 4-3 (giving the Lightning’s 11 Canadians bragging rights over their three Russians). Goalie Hugo Alnefelt, a 2019 third-round draft pick, and Sweden won the bronze-medal game over Finland 3-2.

Foote finished the tournament with five points (three goals) in seven games. Alnefelt allowed 13 goals in six starts and was second in the 1169648 Toronto Maple Leafs “Anytime you play against someone like them or Sidney Crosby or Alex Ovechkin, you want to do your best to keep them off the score sheet because you know not many people are able to,” said Tyson Barrie, the Toronto defenceman. “There is a reason they are considered the best The Maple Leafs and Oilers clash as their playoff hunts continue players in the world."

The Maple Leafs will counter with Matthews, who notched his 28th goal of the season against the Islanders. He leads Toronto in a handful of MARTY KLINKENBERG offensive categories and has nine goals and eight assists over his past PUBLISHED JANUARY 5, 2020 nine games.

UPDATED JANUARY 5, 2020 “We’ve shown we can score goals and have players with unique talent,” Maple Leafs forward Zach Hyman said. “This should be a pretty exciting game for fans. You always want to get a chance to see elite players, and each of us has them.” It has been a long time – decades, perhaps – since an encounter between the Maple Leafs and the Oilers has looked so enticing. Andersen is 21-8-4 and sits in the middle of the pack with a .916 save percentage. He took a breather on Saturday and his backup, Michael Both teams are in the NHL playoff hunt as they enter Monday’s Hutchinson, had 33 saves and shut out the Islanders. proceedings at Scotiabank Arena. Toronto is 10-1-1 over its past dozen outings, including a shutout win over the Islanders on Saturday night. A Oilers starting goalie Mikko Koskinen enters the skirmish 14-8-2 with a few hours earlier, Edmonton laid a licking on Boston in Beantown. They .912 save percentage. He should be feeling fresh after Smith filled in for won more faceoffs, had more hits and got better goaltending than those him on Saturday. thorny Bruins that Torontonians have grown to love so dearly. It has been a while since these teams have played with as much at For fireworks and intrigue, there is so much more. stake. It is past the midway point in the season. Wins and losses matter more. In another month or two, a few points will separate teams that are The Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid are tied for first in the playoff-bound from the ones that only wish they were. NHL in scoring with 65 points each. Toronto’s Auston Matthews is second in goals. Frederik Andersen leads the league’s netminders with Maple Leafs and Oilers on Monday night in Toronto. It hasn’t been better 21 wins. than this for a long time.

It promises to be the kind of wildly entertaining game that Sheldon Keefe Globe And Mail LOADED: 01.06.2020 would love to watch if he weren’t busy building a moat around Andersen and supervising troop movements.

“This is a great chance for our fans,” the Maple Leafs coach said Sunday afternoon after the team skated at the Ford Performance Centre in suburban Toronto. “These are the most exciting players you’d ever want to watch.”

A victory over the Islanders on Saturday improved Toronto’s record to 15-4-1 since Keefe replaced Mike Babcock. The team was 9-10-4 and seemingly mired in quicksand when he took over. Just to reach the playoffs seemed doubtful, let alone to become a high seed.

They are on that path, but Keefe said he has not thought about it.

“Every day brings a new challenge and, I said it before and I still believe, we’re still not close to where I think we can get to,” Keefe said. "I think we’ve got a lot of room to grow as a team. That’s exciting and that’s what keeps us working.

"I’ve had a lot of experience with coaching teams that go on stretches and runs like this. You recognize that you’re not going to be satisfied.”

As a result of its rapid turnaround, Toronto enters the first full week in January second in the Atlantic Division and fifth in the Eastern Conference. After a strong start, the Oilers scuffled a bit recently, but have earned three of a possible four points on a trip that began with an overtime defeat in Buffalo. They are 2-0-1 since the Christmas break and seem to be regaining their early form.

“We have made some strides in the last few games,” Dave Tippett, Edmonton’s first-year coach, said after the Oilers practised at the Leafs’ facility on Sunday. “Hopefully, it will continue. People are in better spirits."

They won in Boston behind backup goalie Mike Smith.

“Boston is good and especially good at home,” said Ryan Nugent- Hopkins, the Oilers forward. “Winning the way we did should be a confidence boost for us. It shows what we can do.”

Draisaitl and McDavid each scored in Saturday’s 4-1 victory. The goal was Draisaitl’s 24th and the Oilers captain has only one fewer. McDavid was raised just north of Toronto in suburban Newmarket and would love to put on a show.

“When you come for a game in Toronto, you don’t need any more incentive than that,” he said.

The Maple Leafs shut down the Oilers’ superstar sidekicks during a 4-1 victory in Edmonton on Dec. 14. Accomplishing that a second time will likely prove difficult. 1169649 Toronto Maple Leafs “Every day brings a new challenge and, I said it before and I still believe it, we’re still not close to where I think we can get to,” Keefe told the media after Saturday’s game. “I think we’ve got a lot of room to grow as a team. That’s exciting and that’s what keeps us working.” Coach Dave Tippett, directing traffic while captain Connor McDavid takes the ice, As for what keeps driving Toronto’s hot streak — well, that’ll be answered in time. Is this the temporary new-coach bump, or is this the new normal? Certainly the Islanders made the point after Saturday’s game — in which they outshot the Leafs 33-22 — that Toronto had dodged a bullet. By Dave Feschuk “I’ll take that game almost every night,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. Sun., Jan. 5, 2020 “We just didn’t bury our chances.”

Still, let’s not forget that Toronto got the win with backup Michael What does a 20-game sample under a new coach actually tell you about Hutchinson manning the crease, registering his third straight win and first a team? shutout of the season while giving Frederik Andersen a much-needed breather. And let’s not overlook the fact that the Leafs have been without If you spoke to the Edmonton Oilers in mid-November, 20 games into a small handful of regulars, among them blue-line horse Jake Muzzin and their first season under Dave Tippett, they would have told you things forwards Andreas Johnsson and Trevor Moore. were going just fine, and certainly better than any reasonable prognostication of a wayward franchise that’s made the playoffs once in “We’ve been resilient as a group, even though we’ve lost players to the past 13 years. After 20 games under Tippett, the Oilers were leading injury,” Keefe said. the Western Conference in wins. They sat third in the league points YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN... standings. With Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid running first and second in the NHL scoring race, suddenly we were presented with the To repeat the question: What does a 20-game sample under Keefe exciting possibility that we might see Edmonton’s undeniably elite one- actually tell you about the Leafs? Is this a team that was so obviously two punch playing meaningful games in April. held back by Babcock’s counter-productive mind games and dated tactics that it’s forever superior simply based on a coach’s subtraction? Is But sports history is littered with coaching honeymoons that lasted about that not giving enough credit to the new system envisioned by Dubas and as long as a reality-TV marriage. And in the 24 games since that 20- installed by Keefe, and the newly positive feeling instilled by both? game moment of season-opening bliss, the Oilers have looked a lot more like the franchise the hockey world has become accustomed to Or is this just the honeymoon, with the ups and downs of a long-term lamenting. You know, the hopelessly lost skeleton of a once-great coupling inevitably to come? organization that’s threatening to squander the prime of McDavid’s sublime career by surrounding him with a paper-thin depth chart of “As a coach at various levels, I’ve had a lot of experience with coaching inadequates. teams that go on stretches and runs like this,” Keefe said Saturday. “You recognize that you’re not going to be satisfied. You’ve got to continue to In their most recent 24 contests, the Oilers have been the worst work and continue to get better and find the things that you can improve defensive team in the league not named the Red Wings as measured by upon, and I think that’s what we come to work every day to do.” goals allowed per game, which won’t win you a lot of games when your top-heavy offence ranks 21st in goals scored per game. It doesn’t help In other words, new coaches can find success anywhere, even that various sins of their transactional past have them carrying around Edmonton. That Keefe is confident enough to suggest he’s not one of the league’s least imposing goaltending duos. In the past 24 particularly surprised with his out-of-the-gate hot streak — certainly that games, Mikko Koskinen and Mike Smith have only combined for the says he’s expecting the effects of his overhaul to endure beyond a mere worst five-on-five save percentage in the NHL, which would be difficult for quarter of a season. any coach to overcome. Even considering Saturday afternoon’s 4-1 win Toronto Star LOADED: 01.06.2020 in Boston, a rare recent high point in which Smith registered his first win since mid-November, the Oilers have followed up their 20-game flirtation with Tippett-led excellence by playing at a 78-point pace since Nov. 14.

Things can happen, fortunes can change, delusional hope springs eternal in every Canadian market. But the balance of probability suggests the Oilers are more likely than not en route to missing the playoffs for the fourth time in McDavid’s five NHL seasons.

“December wasn’t very good for us,” Tippett told reporters in Boston on Saturday. “Hopefully those (early-season) fortunes can be attained again.”

With the Oilers making their only annual stop in Toronto on Monday night, it’d only be fair play for an Oilers fan to glimpse the recent form of the Maple Leafs and raise a skeptical eye. Precisely 20 games into the coaching honeymoon currently being enjoyed by Toronto’s Sheldon Keefe, there isn’t a coupling of roster and bench boss in hockey that, to use a phrase favoured by general manager Kyle Dubas, appears more simpatico. Toronto’s not only the hottest team in the league since Mike Babcock was excised from an ill-fitting organizational marriage with Dubas. They’re not only playing at a 118-point pace that has vaulted them from outside the playoff picture into second place in the Atlantic Division as measured by points achieved in the wake of Saturday night’s 3-0 win over the Islanders.

The Leafs are also the highest-scoring team in the league under Keefe, averaging precisely four goals a game, this while surrendering a relatively stingy 2.76 goals on average, the seventh-best defensive mark over that span. Toronto is in the midst of a 10-game span in which they’ve procured at least a point in every game — a 9-0-1 run that amounts to their longest such points streak since 2005-06, when Mats Sundin was still a Maple Leaf. Their most recent regulation loss came in Calgary more than three weeks ago. And Keefe, hardly short of assuredness, is far from ready to declare his reinvention of the club complete. 1169650 Toronto Maple Leafs fought contest that didn’t produce a goal until almost the halfway point of the game.

Russia led 2-1 after two periods, and at 8:46 of the third pulled ahead by Why Canadian passion for world junior hockey is at an all-time high two goals when winger Maxim Sorkin converted a centring pass high over the right shoulder of Canadian goalie Joel Hofer. Just 34 seconds later, however, Canadian defenceman Calen Addison’s point shot glanced off the leg of London Knights forward Connor McMichael and By Damien CoxContributing Columnist past Miftakhov to make it a 3-2 game. Sun., Jan. 5, 2020 With Canada on a power play two minutes later, Hayton’s wrist shot from the right circle beat Miftakhov high to create a 3-3 tie as the estimated 3,000 Canadian fans in Ostrava went wild. With that, all the confidence, Canadians fell in love with the world junior hockey championship for two swagger and composure the Russians had shown in building their two- reasons. goal lead evaporated.

First, it’s played during the holiday season, which helped it evolve into a Thomas scored his winner at 16:02 to complete the Canadian comeback. national tradition over the past quarter-century. Second, Canada used to Miftakhov, who had shut out the Canadians earlier in the tournament and win the tournament most of the time. So it was an annual opportunity for was outstanding for two periods in the gold-medal game, froze on the Canadians to puff out our chests and be proud of the sport we call our play and his pokecheck attempt was too little, too late. own. “I saw the loose puck and just kind of reacted,” said Thomas. These days the tradition lives on, with the world juniors having equalled the Grey Cup as must-watch viewing in many Canadian homes. But the Canadian winger Alexis Lafrenière was named tournament MVP, while days of Canada virtually owning the competition appear to be gone Leafs blue line prospect Rasmus Sandin — who finished with 10 points in forever. seven games, including a goal in Sweden’s 3-2 win over Finland for bronze — was named top defenceman. Sandin, who played six games That means when Canada does win gold, it should taste even sweeter for the Leafs at the beginning of the season before being sent to the than ever. American Hockey League, could rejoin the NHL club upon his return to North America with Jake Muzzin still out of the lineup with an injury. That was certainly the feeling in the Czech Republic on Sunday evening when Team Canada won its 18th world junior title, the first captured in It was an unusual tournament, with the host Czechs and Team USA Europe in more than a decade. A stirring comeback from a two-goal eliminated early, and with the shocking Russian victory over Canada in deficit in the third period powered Canada to a 4-3 triumph over Russia in the round robin. Many believed the tournament would showcase the the latest instalment of international hockey’s greatest rivalry. battle between Lafrenière and Canadian forward Quinton Byfield for the top position in next summer’s NHL draft, but it never materialized as The winning goal was supplied by little-used fourth-line forward Akil Lafrenière played a starring role for Canada while Byfield was rarely a Thomas of Toronto with 3:57 left in the third period. factor. “I was being patient,” said Thomas, a Los Angeles Kings prospect who Next year, the world juniors moves back to Canada, with Edmonton and grew up playing in the Greater Toronto Hockey League, “and my time Red Deer, Alta. hosting the tournament. Parity means defending this title came.” won’t be easy for Canada. It also means this event is worth watching Thomas, whose father Kahlil played briefly for the Maple Leafs’ minor- more than ever. league affiliate in St. John’s back in the 2003-04 season, beat a hesitant Toronto Star LOADED: 01.06.2020 Russian goalie Amir Miftakhov to a loose puck and swept it home for his only goal of the tournament. The victory was sweet revenge for Canada, which had suffered an embarrassing 6-0 defeat at the hands of the Russians earlier.

“The chemistry with this group is unbelievable,” said captain Barrett Hayton, who played with a separated shoulder and scored one of the four Canadian goals.

It’s Canada’s second gold medal at the world juniors in three years, and third in the past six. Five different countries have now won gold in the past 10 years.

At a time when the NHL has pulled out of the Winter Olympics and failed to establish a regular timetable for the , the world juniors stands as the sport’s most meaningful international competition. The gold medal game on Sunday proved to be worthy of that stage by delivering a thrilling result.

As has often been the case in international hockey, the game was not without its controversial moments. Specifically, the Russians appeared to have a legitimate gripe for a non-call in the dying minutes as they pressed to tie the game.

With Canada already killing a minor penalty, Aidan Dudas of Parry Sound, Ont. inadvertently lifted a puck over the glass in the Canadian zone, with only 1:45 remaining in regulation. In the NHL and most leagues, that would have been an automatic two-minute penalty. The puck struck a Canadian television camera just over the glass.

One of the two linesmen immediately signalled a penalty, which would have given the Russians a two-man advantage. But after a brief conference, the referees decided not to make that call, possibly because the puck hit the camera. There was no official replay review.

Whether or not that was the appropriate call, the Russians could only blame themselves for being unable to hold a 3-1 lead with less than 11 minutes to play. Until that point, they had been the better team in a hard- 1169651 Toronto Maple Leafs

The Swedish world junior team strikes the pose after winning Sunday’s bronze-medal game against Finland.

By The Canadian Press

Sun., Jan. 5, 2020

OSTRAVA, CZECH REPUBLIC—Linus Oberg scored the go-ahead goal midway through the second period, and Sweden held on to beat Finland 3-2 for the bronze medal at the world junior hockey championship on Sunday.

Maple Leafs prospect Rasmus Sandin also scored for Sweden, and tournament scoring-leader Samuel Fagemo supplied the other goal. Fagemo, a second-round pick by the Los Angeles Kings last year, finished the tournament with eight goals and 13 points. He and Oberg scored less than three minutes apart to give Sweden a 3-2 lead heading into the third period.

Sweden wound up in the bronze-medal game after losing its semifinal to Russia in overtime a day earlier. Finland lost to Canada in the semis.

“It feels a lot better than Saturday,” said Sandin. “We were very disappointed after (the Russia) loss. We came together pretty quick. It was great to win this one.”

Patrik Puistola and Matias Maccelli scored first-period goals for Finland, which won the tournament last year.

“Losing in sudden death to the Russians was tough, but to come back strong and win the bronze medal, it’s been fun,” said Swedish centre and Dallas Stars prospect Oskar Beck. “It’s tough. In the first period we didn’t play good. We came out as Sweden in the second period.”

Swedish goaltender Hugo Alnefelt made 21 stops, including a huge glove save on Finnish captain Lassi Thomson with six seconds left to preserve the victory. Finland, which pulled goalie Justus Annunen for the extra attacker with about a minute to go, had a flurry of late opportunities but couldn’t beat Alnefelt.

“I’m so disappointed. I expect more from us,” said Thomson, an Ottawa Senators first-round pick.

Annunen finished with 18 saves.

The Swedish team, which won three silver medals since 2013, earned bronze at the 2010 tournament before losing four straight third-place games. Sweden’s lone world junior gold came in 2011.

Finland had won three gold medals at the tournament since 2014 and last won bronze in 2006.

Sampo Ranta was named Finland’s player of the game, while Fagemo took that honour for Sweden.

Earlier Sunday, Germany avoided relegation by beating Kazakhstan 6-0 in the third game of a best-of-three series.

Dominik Bonk scored twice for the Germans, who had a four-goal second period to help secure a spot in next year’s tournament in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alta. Austria has been promoted to the 2021 event.

Germany won the first game of the series earlier this week before Kazakhstan bounced back, claiming its first victory of the tournament on Saturday to set up Sunday’s clash.

Toronto Star LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169652 Toronto Maple Leafs Michael Hutchinson SICK BAY

D Jake Muzzin (foot) Leafs - Oilers Game Day LW Andreas Johnsson (leg)

LW Trevor Moore (concussion) Lance Hornby RW/LW Ilya Mikheyev (wrist) Published:January 5, 2020 OILERS GAME DAY LINES Updated:January 5, 2020 6:02 PM EST LW CR W

James Neal Connor McDavid Zack Kassian OILERS at MAPLE LEAFS Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Leon Draisaitl Kailer Yamamoto 7 P.M., Scotiabank Arena Joakim Nygard Gaetan Haas Alex Chiasson TV: TSN RADIO: TSN 1050 Jujhar Khaira Riley Sheahan Josh Archibald THE BIG MATCHUP Defence pairings C Connor McDavid vs. G Frederik Andersen Oscar Klefbom Ethan Bear It’s not often Andersen has to follow the act of his back-up, but it will be tough to emulate Michael Hutchinson’s 33-save shutout on Saturday with Darnell Nurse Adam Larsson McDavid in his GTA home. The league’s leading scorer had 11 points in eight career games versus and was blanked by the Leafs last month in Caleb Jones Kris Russell Edmonton so yeah, he’s overdue. Andersen has a league high 21 wins, Goalies but his goals-against has gone up lately. Mikko Koskinen KEYS TO THE GAME Mike Smith 1. Home run Sick Bay Auston Matthews leads the NHL with 21 home goals, tipping his latest in Saturday against New York . With five more dates on this homestand he None can do a lot to make that 50-goal chase a reality. SPECIAL TEAMS 2. Well Oiled Power Play The Oilers don’t need much runway for their league-leading power play to operate, spending an average of 4:42 with the man advantage, one of Toronto 24.4% (6th) the lowest in the league. But the Leafs can be dangerous on the PK, too. Edmonton 29.6% (1st)

3. Leo The Lion PENALTY KILLING

The Leafs can’t forget about McDavid’s running mate, Leon Draisaitl, Toronto 75.6% (26th) who had a very active game Saturday in Boston. It included an elbowing penalty an empty-net goal and 22:54 of ice. His plus 2 was his first such Edmonton 83.2% (4th) showing in 20 games. Toronto Sun LOADED: 01.06.2020 4. Standing on guard

Though allowing 81 shots the past two games, Leafs are learning how to shut down teams in the third period, giving up no goals in the past five games in the final frame. Prior to that, it was at least one in 11 of 12 third periods, a tribute to their improved possession numbers.

5. Smitten with Smith

Edmonton netminder Mike Smith has had a resurgence the past few days with Mikko Koskinen under the weather. The 6-foot-5 Smith has been known to foil the Leafs a few times in his long career.

MAPLE LEAFS GAME DAY LINES

LW C RW

Zach Hyman Auston Matthews Mitch Marner

William Nylander John Tavares Alex Kerfoot

Pierre Engvall Jason Spezza

Mason Marchment Frederik Gauthier Timashov/Brooks

Defence pairings

Morgan Rielly Tyson Barrie

Martin Marincin Justin Holl

Travis Dermott Cody Ceci

Goalies

Frederik Andersen 1169653 Toronto Maple Leafs as a 20-goal man last year seeking his place on a team stacked in its top six.

“We have to play some good defence to absorb minutes for the other Pulling McDavid's welcome mat guys, but also have to create in close games,” Spezza said.

FARM FRESH

Lance Hornby Tavares knew next to nothing about the Leafs farm system when he arrived last year from the Islanders; now he’s surrounded by Keefe’s Published:January 5, 2020 Marlies grads.

Updated:January 5, 2020 5:49 PM EST “That’s a big part of having success throughout a long season,” the Leafs captain said. “The Marlies have been very good, very strong for a long

time. I really think the development model and the coaching staff down Sheldon Keefe has created some feel-good moments for his Maple there has done so many good things. You see that now with the Leafs, featuring individuals at various home and road venues where they opportunities these guys are getting, how ready they are now and the have a special connection. impact they’re making.

But he doesn’t want his team to be window dressing for a Connor “For the guys (who’ve moved in) our core, we encourage them to be McDavid family holiday photo shoot when the NHL’s leading scorer themselves, play their game and make the impact they can.” makes his only Toronto appearance of the season Monday night. Having LOOSE LEAFS shut out McDavid last month in Edmonton, a 4-1 Toronto win, that won’t be easy a second time with all eyes on No. 97. The Leafs marked equipment man Brian Papineau’s 2,500th NHL game on Saturday with scoreboard recognition and a trip to the 2020 MLB all- “Anytime you play Toronto it’s exciting, being a hometown kid,” McDavid star game in Los Angeles … At the club’s annual Easter Seals Skate on said Sunday at Oilers practice in Toronto. “You don’t really need to look Sunday, Jake Muzzin and Andreas Johnsson couldn’t risk their leg for any more added incentive than that.” injuries, but came to the boards to sign autographs and pose for pictures A generation of Leafs fans grew up with Oilers great Wayne Gretzky … Frederik Andersen needs a win Monday to tie Mike Palmateer for fifth torching Toronto every time he came through town, right up to the 1999 place in franchise wins by a goalie (129). Conference final when he was an L.A. King. Toronto Sun LOADED: 01.06.2020 Coach Keefe, with last line change, can go at McDavid with John Tavares’ line or McDavid’s young-gun counterpart, Auston Matthews.

“McDavid’s an elite players, it’s a great chance for our fans to watch him up close,” Keefe said. “But we hope we can do a good job against him.

“From what I recall, we had the puck a lot (in the road win), which really helped us. Like every team in the league, we want to get the puck out of his hands early and not let either of them (McDavid and the equally potent Leon Draisaitl) get the puck with speed.”

Matthews, picked first overall the year after McDavid, was also empty- handed last month at Rogers Place. Alex Kerfoot, Pierre Engvall and Frederik Gauthier dotted the score sheet with Mitch Marner held to an empty-net goal.

“(McDavid) is too good not to get his looks and chances,” Matthews warned. “When he sees an inch of space, he takes it and makes the most of it.”

SHARPENED KNIVES

The first thing Keefe did during Sunday’s brief Toronto practice was send out his special teams, and not just because Edmonton leads the league in power-play goals (a shade under 30% success) or is top five on the penalty kill.

“We were working on the power play because we didn’t get a chance yesterday,” Keefe said of the near penalty-free game against the visiting New York Islanders (Just one minor was assessed, to Leaf Cody Ceci. “We’re not going to skate (Monday) morning, so it was a chance to get them some reps. It’s an easy way to get them involved because everyone likes practising the power play — except the penalty killers.”

That clean sheet on power plays broke a seven-game streak for the Leafs with at least one man-advantage goal, though they’re 3-0 this season when no calls are made against the opposition.

THIRD TIME LUCKY

The composition of the Leafs’ current third line is an interesting one, three scoring forwards who have all been asked to embrace a more defensive role. Yet Jason Spezza, Kasperi Kapanen and Engvall were on for the winning goal against the Islanders, Kapanen roaring up the left wing, skirting defenceman Noah Dobson with a great move to set up Engvall.

Keefe was praising Engvall earlier in the day for accepting a two-way role when he came over from Sweden to join the Marlies in 2017-18, while the aging Spezza realized his place with the hometown Leafs would have to be as fourth-line centre. Kapanen has had the harder route of the trio 1169654 Vegas Golden Knights How good has Chandler Stephenson been since being acquired by the Knights on Dec. 2?

His overtime goal against the Blues on Saturday was Stephenson’s fifth Golden Knights’ William Carrier shows surprising scoring touch in 16 games. His career high prior to this season was six goals.

Stephenson has eight goals and 13 points in 40 games with the Knights and Washington. He surpassed his point total (11) from all of last season By David Schoen and is closing in on his career high of 18 points set in 2017-18.

January 5, 2020 - 3:14 PM Goals in bunches

Updated January 5, 2020 - 3:38 PM The Knights have won four straight, matching their season high, and scored five goals in each of their last three outings.

It’s the second time the Knights have scored at least five goals in three William Carrier averaged more than a point per game during his final straight contests (including shootout-deciding goals). They also three seasons playing major-junior and was a second-round pick in 2013. accomplished the feat from March 17 to 21 last season. He showed scoring touch during his second season in the American LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 01.06.2020 Hockey League with 30 points in 56 games.

But the scouting report on the Golden Knights’ left wing has long been that he’s a swift-skating, ham-fisted, fourth-liner who plays a physical game.

“That’s what I used to think of him. Seriously,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “But this year he looks more confident. He looks talented.”

Thanks to his offensive development, Carrier has become an important piece for Gallant, able to slot into a variety of roles in the Knights’ bottom six.

He moved up to the third line Saturday against the Western Conference- leading St. Louis Blues and danced through the defense to set up Paul Stastny for the second goal in the Knights’ 5-4 overtime victory.

“I got the call to play on the third line, so I think they were trying to maybe get a little more offense out of me,” Carrier said. “I’m just trying to do what they want me to do. It was good. We played well.”

Carrier has a career-high 13 points in 45 games, and his eight assists are two more than the total from his first three seasons combined.

But it shouldn’t come as a surprise. Carrier was a playmaker during his junior career and in the minors, consistently posting more assists than goals.

“I got to the NHL playing that tough way,” Carrier said. “But we’ve got skill.”

The 25-year-old ranks fifth among the team’s regular forwards with a 53.9 shot attempts percentage at 5-on-5 and has adjusted his playing style to remain healthy.

Carrier was first in the NHL in hits per 60 minutes (30.94) among qualifying players last season but is down to 18.94. He ranks 10th overall with 131 hits.

“We like what he’s doing. He’s working hard, and he’s got a lot of speed,” Gallant said. “I don’t think he’s hitting as much as he did in the past, but he’s playing great hockey.”

Perron not pleased

St. Louis’ David Perron was involved in a wrestling match with Max Pacioretty late in regulation Saturday, but was more angry at the second- period scrum between Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo and the Knights’ Ryan Reaves.

“I thought that was (expletive), to be honest with you,” Perron said. “That’s how I see it.”

Pietrangelo and Reaves started shoving in front of Blues goalie Jake Allen and eventually fell to the ice. Video showed Reaves shoving his former teammate’s face in the ice, and he knocked off Pietrangelo’s helmet at the end of the dust-up.

Perron, who played for the Knights during their inaugural season, took exception to his former team’s heavy tactics.

“We know what to expect. We play them enough already,” Perron said. “I see a lot of games with them. I appreciate a lot of stuff they do, like their coaches, obviously, the organization, everything. But I didn’t like that play in particular.”

Splendid Stephenson 1169655 Vegas Golden Knights Perron is the Blues’ leading scorer this season with 43 points (17 goals, 26 assists) in 43 games. He is eligible to be added to the Central Division All-Star Game roster via the “Last Men In” fan vote.

Fourth line wills Golden Knights to historic comeback LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 01.06.2020

By Ben Gotz

January 5, 2020 - 7:00 am

The greatest comeback in Golden Knights history started in the most unlikely of places.

It was the fourth line that willed the Knights back to life after they faced a 3-0 deficit against the defending Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena. They outworked, outfought and outscrapped their counterparts and breathed hope into a desperate situation.

When it was over, the Knights had won their fourth straight game, this one a 5-4 victory.

Right wing Ryan Reaves got the Knights on the board with 6:50 left in the second period, and rookie center Nic Roy tied the game at 3 3:02 into the third.

“When our line especially chips in, it’s nice to help out and ease the pressure off those top guys,” Reaves said. “They’re trying to shut down top lines, too, while they’re trying to score. It’s nice when that bottom six can chip in.”

The trio of Roy, Reaves and left wing Tomas Nosek was the only one coach Gerard Gallant left untouched after a dismal first period. He mixed up his other three forward lines. He said the fourth line played “fine” in its opening shifts and he just wanted to mix up his top groups.

That decision paid dividends.

Reaves sparked the Knights with his fifth goal — and his first against the team he played for from 2010 to 2017. After rookie defenseman Nic Hague threw a shot from the point on net, Reaves simply muscled his way past several Blues players for the rebound.

“I do,” Reaves said when asked if he enjoys scoring against his former team. “A lot. Sick of those guys winning against us, so that was nice.”

Roy’s goal was similarly gritty. Again, the play started with a Hague shot — this one featuring a nice toe drag — and ended with a Knights player bullying his way to a rebound. This time it was Roy, who scored his second goal.

Neither goal was pretty. But both simply came down to the Knights wanting the puck more in front of the net.

It was enough to make one coach happy and one furious after the game.

“It’s great to have skill and talent on your hockey team, but when you don’t compete and battle in the tough areas well, that’s the difference in games most nights,” Gallant said. “When you watch teams around the league and you see teams that win, it’s usually teams that win the blue paint battles and the board battles, and we did a much better job the second half of the game.”

Said Blues coach Craig Berube: “Got to be harder, everybody. Goalie, everybody. Got to be harder. It doesn’t need to happen.”

Because it did happen, the Knights erased a three-goal deficit and won for the first time in franchise history. And it happened because the unsung players on the fourth line willed it so.

Perron shines in T-Mobile

The Blues still took a point out of Saturday’s game largely because of former Knight David Perron.

The right wing, who played for Vegas during the franchise’s inaugural season, had a goal and two assists. His power-play goal with 7:10 remaining tied the score at 4 after the Blues lost their lead.

“Well, it was special to score that fourth (goal), for sure,” Perron said. “I’ve never scored on (goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury). Never scored against Vegas, obviously, being with St. Louis.” 1169656 Washington Capitals opportunities. I know we’re better than that. Sometimes your goalie’s just got to come up with something ­extraordinary, and I think he did today.”

Even after the wild comeback, the Capitals’ issues with discipline Capitals stun Sharks, 5-4, after scoring twice in final minute to force continued. San Jose finished 2 for 4 on the power play; Washington has overtime yielded two power-play goals in back-to-back games and in three of its past six.

The Capitals’ Richard Panik was called for high sticking, the first penalty Samantha Pell of the game, at 5:13 of the second period, and the Sharks took advantage. Joe Thornton sent a slick feed to Kane, who beat Holtby from January 5, 2020 at 3:37 PM EST the slot at 6:25.

Washington responded 64 seconds later: The fourth line contributed a As Washington Capitals center Lars Eller came barreling down the ice spark when Nic Dowd notched his fifth goal of the season. Brendan with defenseman John Carlson on a two-on-one break in overtime, he Leipsic and Garnet Hathaway had the assists; it was the ninth goal the saw San Jose Sharks goaltender Martin Jones slide over to cover the trio have produced at five-on-five. short side. “They helped change that game, for certain. . . . They’re workers,” With the crowd at Capital One Arena buzzing, Eller gathered a pass from Reirden said. “They brought the rest of our team into the fight this Carlson, aimed for the far side and zipped the puck past Jones for the afternoon.” game-winning tally and an improbable 5-4 •victory Sunday afternoon. But Kane’s second and third goals put the momentum back in San Jose’s Eller’s 10th goal of the season, at 2:01 of overtime, capped an incredible hands. After Hathaway drew a slashing penalty on Kane but Washington comeback by the NHL-leading Capitals (29-9-5), who scored twice in the was unable to do anything on the power play, Kane exited the box and final minute of regulation to tie it at 4. T.J. Oshie got the equalizer with fired a wrister past Holtby’s blocker to give San Jose a 2-1 lead at 10:06. 14.2 seconds left, just 32 seconds after Jakub Vrana scored his second Then, after defenseman Radko Gudas was called for slashing, Kane goal of the game; both of the last-minute goals came with goaltender completed his hat trick when he snapped a rebound off a shin pad and Braden Holtby on the bench for an extra attacker. past Holtby at 16:49.

The Capitals became the seventh team in NHL history to win after Vrana got the Capitals back in it before the period ended, giving him overcoming a multigoal deficit in the final minute of regulation; the feat goals in back-to-back games following a 10-game drought. Oshie has occurred nine times overall, most recently by the Detroit Red Wings intercepted Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic’s pass behind the on Dec. 23, 2005. net, circled and made a nice cross-crease pass onto Vrana’s tape, and he made no mistake at 18:42. “We know we can score goals,” Eller said. “Things weren’t ­coming easy for us, and we were struggling a little bit, but we always had a winning That set up the third-period drama — and helped the Capitals complete a mentality, no-quit mentality.” season sweep of San Jose.

Alex Ovechkin reminisces on 10 years as the Capitals’ captain “Today it just worked out in the end,” Eller said, “even though it wasn’t looking good for big parts of the game.” San Jose seemed to seal the game with an empty-netter by Logan Couture to make it 4-2 with a minute remaining, but Vrana, Oshie and Washington Post LOADED: 01.06.2020 Eller had other ideas.

“I think you have to be willing to still stay in it,” Capitals Coach Todd Reirden said. “A lot of teams, they won’t even bother pulling their goalie then. It’s a minute left, whatever; we just gave up an empty-netter. That’s not my philosophy or our philosophy as a team. We’ll take the goal against to never quit in a game.”

The Capitals prevailed despite a hat trick by San Jose’s Evander Kane, who tallied all three goals in a little more than 10 minutes of the second period. Kane’s third goal — and his second on the power play — gave the Sharks a 3-1 advantage, but Vrana answered less than two minutes later to keep Washington close.

The Capitals’ Evgeny Kuznetsov, who was a game-time decision because of an illness, nearly scored the equalizer on a breakaway in the waning moments of the period, but he lost the puck while trying to move it between his legs as he skated toward Jones.

“I would have preferred probably a different move — one that ends up with the goalie having to make a save,” Reirden said.

After neither team found the net for most of the third period, the late- game dramatics finally arrived.

Holtby, who made two stellar saves in overtime and was credited with the secondary assist on Eller’s goal, made 25 saves to improve to 18-7-4.

Entering Sunday, Holtby had given up 13 goals over his previous three starts — all regulation losses. That includes getting pulled from a 7-3 defeat at Boston on Dec. 23 after 20 minutes; he had given up four goals on the Bruins’ first 11 shots. Meanwhile, rookie backup Ilya Samsonov has won his past six starts, is 8-0-0 on the road and has a 11-2-1 record overall.

Last time out: Ilya Samsonov stands out as Capitals hold off Hurricanes, 4-3

Whether Holtby saw it as such, Sunday’s matinee was a chance to reset.

“Key saves at key moments, especially in overtime where we actually didn’t make it very easy on ourselves,” Eller said. “We gave up some big 1169657 Washington Capitals Oshie then blasted a shot from the right face-off circle past Jones. When the winger scored, John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” blared over the speakers, the song that plays after every Oshie goal.

Capitals pull off comeback win over Sharks But the song was drowned out by the eruption of the crowd.

“The boys just kept on going,” Oshie said. “There really wasn’t one of their goals that really got us down. … We had everyone tugging the rope By Matthew Paras - The Washington Times - Sunday, January 5, 2020 and when you have that, it’s fun.”

Washington Times LOADED: 01.06.2020 When an empty-netter with just over a minute left in Sunday’s matinee gave the San Jose Sharks a two-goal lead, a lot of Washington Capitals fans figured that was it and started to trickle out of the arena.

They should have known better.

“It’s too bad for them,” Capitals winger T.J. Oshie said. “Pretty fun show … at the end there.”

The Capitals forced overtime with two goals in the last minute of regulation on their way to a stunning 5-4 comeback victory.

Even by the Capitals‘ standards, this win was unexpected.

Both late third-period goals happened when Washington pulled goalie Braden Holtby — with Jakub Vrana sniping in the first with 47 seconds left and then Oshie drilling the second with 15 seconds remaining.

In overtime, Lars Eller broke free on a 2-on-1 and defenseman John Carlson skipped a perfect pass to the center, who went high-glove side to knock it in past Sharks goaltender Martin Jones.

“That was one of the wildest games I’ve played,” Eller said.

The Capitals have now won nine of their 14 overtime games this season — an NHL best. Washington also leads the league with seven 6-on-5 goals, two of which happened against the Sharks. They’ve also won six of their 15 games in which they’ve trailed after two periods.

On this particular afternoon, the Capitals even overcame a hat trick from Shark winger Evander Kane, whose three goals in the second period put Washington into a 3-2 deficit.

Sunday’s comeback was a “character win” for his team, said Capitals coach Todd Reirden.

“You have to be willing to still stay in it,” Reirden said. “A lot of teams they won’t even bother pulling their goalie then. It’s a minute left, whatever, we just gave up an empty netter. That’s not my philosophy or our philosophy as a team. We’ll take the goal against to never quit in a game.”

Like many Capitals highlights in the Alex Ovechkin era, the win seemed unlikely — until it wasn’t.

Sunday marked the 10-year anniversary of Ovechkin becoming Washington’s 14th captain in franchise history. Back then, he was 24 years old and the third-youngest player in the league to earn the honor. Inside the Capitals, it was an easy choice to make Ovechkin their leader, teammates said, but it was still a surprise when Ovechkin emerged from the tunnel that evening against the Montreal Canadiens with the “C” on stitched onto his chest. Washington announced the move shortly after.

Much has changed for Ovechkin and the Capitals since. Now 34, Ovechkin has been with Washington long enough to shed narratives of whether he’d be able to win it all. In 2018, of course, Ovechkin finally hoisted the Stanley Cup trophy over his head.

“Lots of people said, ‘This organization and this guy is never going to win,’” Ovechkin said Saturday. “So how I say? Suck it. We did it.”

The Capitals honored Ovechkin’s anniversary with a tribute video featuring the Russian’s biggest moments over the last 10 years. When the clip concluded, cameras cut back to Ovechkin, who pounded his fist on his chest and nodded to the cheering crowd to thank them.

Kane scored all three of his goals in the second period, taking advantage of the Capitals‘ mistakes on the penalty kill on two. On the other, he caught Holtby off guard as he emerged from the penalty box and fired a shot from the top of the right circle to make it 3-1.

Still, the Capitals hung on and forced their way back in. Down 4-2 with 46.9 seconds left, Vrana scored his second goal of the game by burying one deep in the net. That woke up the crowd, those who opted to stay. 1169658 Washington Capitals

For Capitals, anything seems possible

By Brian McNally January 05, 2020 5:44 PM

WASHINGTON — Maybe when you have won a Stanley Cup, when your best players have been through the crucible and come out with the trophy, nothing seems impossible.

Down two goals on Sunday to the San Jose Sharks, who had just fired a shot into Washington’s empty net with a minute to go, the Capitals should have just taken their loss. They didn’t play particularly well. They were down 4-2. Large swaths of the crowd began filtering out into the winter afternoon. But, for some reason, they weren’t done.

“Because I think we've seen it before,” center Lars Eller said.

First, Jakub Vrana scored on a twisting shot in from of Sharks goalie Martin Jones with 46 seconds to go. Radko Gudas made a great play to keep the puck in the offensive zone – though San Jose’s coaches thought it was a hand pass. The group on the ice for that goal: Vrana, Eller, Gudas, Dmitry Orlov, Richard Panik and . The big boys were sitting on the bench.

Defenseman John Carlson was on the bench stewing over a bad pass to Alex Ovechkin when 3-2 moments earlier. He didn’t read Timo Meier shading toward Ovechkin. The puck was knocked out of the zone and, after another off-kilter pass by Carlson, in the back of the net.

“So John doesn’t make a play that he loves. And that takes us down,” coach Todd Reirden said. “Okay. We score. Do you put John back out there or do you not? Of course you put your guys out there that are leaders and guys that are your team’s top players. You put them on the ice to have the chance again and then they do it.”

Carlson was on the ice for T.J. Oshie’s game-tying goal with 15 seconds to go. Yes, that’s two empty-net goals in 31 seconds. Most teams probably would have left their goalie in down 4-2 with a minute to go. Washington never thinks it’s out of a game. Carlson then had the primary assist in overtime on Eller’s game-winning shot.

Down two goals with a minute left, the Capitals escaped Capital One Arena like the Hamburglar with two points they stole. That’s fine. When you need a miracle in the Stanley Cup playoffs – and at some point you definitely will - it’s nice to call on games like this.

“We had everyone tugging the rope and when you have that, it's fun,” Oshie said. “And sometimes you got to get wins where maybe you shouldn't win or you are out of it. But when everyone is working and everyone is contributing, you can find ways to win."

The Capitals have trailed after two periods 15 times this season. They have rallied to win six of those games. There should be no time the rest of this season where a game – even a Stanley Cup playoff game – is out of reach.

Of course, you’d rather not actually play a mediocre game like Sunday’s. Washington gave up a hat trick to Evander Kane and had long stretches of ragged play in the first and third periods. You don’t want to rely on games like these. It’s nice to know they’re in the arsenal.

“I don't think we've scored two with one minute left. But now we just raised the bar for that,” Eller joked. “But we know we can score goals. Things weren't coming easy for us and we were struggling a little bit, but we always had a winning mentality, a no-quit mentality. It just worked out in the end even though it wasn't looking good for big parts of the game.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169659 Washington Capitals I enjoy seeing creativity in the game, like Andrei Svechnikov's behind the net goal lacrosse goal. The difference there, to me, is that behind the net is no guarantee of getting a high-quality opportunity. You're not just giving up the puck to try a fancy play. In Kuznetsov's case, he is on a An epic comeback, a confident Vrana and another clutch Eller goal breakaway. He is giving up a high-quality opportunity and a chance to tie the game to try a much harder play for no reason. That's why you can't

do that there. By J.J. Regan January 05, 2020 5:30 PM 3-on-3 is awesome

Please, please make overtime 10 minutes. I want more 3-on-3 hockey A two-goal deficit with only a minute to play? No problem for the Caps and fewer shootouts. This was awesome to watch. who battled back for a 5-4 against the San Jose Sharks on Sunday. Turning point Check out a recap of the game here. It looked like the game was over when Couture scored with a minute left, Observations from the win but Vrana put the Caps right back in it just 13 seconds later. Still, Washington had to complete the comeback and force the tie which they An epic comeback did thanks to this goal from Oshie.

What can you even say about this one? This was an incredible game. Play of the game

Logan Couture scored an empty-netter with one minute to go in Eller has a knack for scoring big goals. regulation. That put San Jose up 4-2. To me, to the writers, to many of the fans who began streaming to the exits, the game was over. Not to the Oh, what a day… What a lovely day! pic.twitter.com/zxsvYltH8S Caps, however. — NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) January 5, 2020 Jakub Vrana scored just 13 seconds later and T.J. Oshie scored 32 Stat of the game seconds after that to complete the two-goal comeback in the final minute. Lars Eller finished off an incredible overtime with the game-winner. Overcoming a two-goal deficit in the final minute of play for the win is a first for the Caps. That's why you keep pulling the goalie Quote of the game When a team pulls the goalie and the opponent scores on the empty net, it seems to be standard operating procedure to return the goalie to the Reirden was happy about a lot of things after the game. Kuznetsov's net and just take the loss at that point. Why? Why not keep pulling him? breakaway shot was not one of them.

Goal differential matters very little in the NHL. At the end of the season it "I would have preferred probably a different move, one that ends up and is the 5th tie-breaker after regulation wins, ROW, total wins and points the goalie having to make a save. I've seen him score on a lot of other earned in games between two teams. Basically, there is very little moves that I know work. I'd prefer a different move in that situation at a difference in the standings between a 4-2 loss and a 5-2 or 6-2 loss. Now time when we could have changed the momentum of the game." yes, if you're down 7-1 and there are five seconds left, you can put a bow on that one, but you have to applaud Todd Reirden for pulling Braden Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.06.2020 Holtby again after Couture's empty-netter made it 4-2. A lot of coaches would have packed it in. Reirden didn't and the Caps won because of it.

The Caps now lead the league in goals scored with the goalie pulled with seven.

Unsung hero

Jakub Vrana has 18 goals this season. That is second on the team. All 18 of his goals are at even strength. That ranks tied for 3rd in the entire NHL. He is tied with Patrick Kane.

Unsung heroes

Down 1-0 in the second period, the fourth line put together a brilliant few minutes. Nic Dowd tied the game just 64 seconds after Evander Kane's goal, then Reirden elected to keep that line on the ice for the faceoff and they delivered with a 2-on-1 opportunity to nearly score again and drew a penalty. That is a huge swing and shows you the kind of impact the fourth line is having for them this season.

Not the right time, Kuzy

At the end of the second period with the Caps trailing 3-2, Evgeny Kuznetsov had the game-tying goal on his stick with a breakaway opportunity. As he approached Martin Jones, he attempted the between- the-legs shot and failed miserably. He missed the puck and did not even get a shot on goal.

That was not the time to attempt a shot like that. The team was losing and you had a breakaway, you have to at least get the shot on net.

The reaction was immediate. Most people hated the attempt, but there was no real consensus on when it is acceptable to try a shot like that.

Do you do it when the game is tied? Do you do it when team has a narrow lead? Some said it is OK only when the game is already well in hand. OK, but if you are up 6-0 and Kuznetsov tries a between-the-legs shot, you all know he would be skewered by everyone for being a showboat.

Do you do it ever? 1169660 Washington Capitals

Capitals pull off remarkable comeback to stun Sharks in overtime

By J.J. Regan January 05, 2020 3:24 PM

WASHINGTON -- Logan Couture put the San Jose Sharks up by two with one minute remaining, but the Capitals battled back to tie the game and Lars Eller scored the overtime winner to cap off the incredible 5-4 win.

Here is how the Caps pulled it off.

Quick responses

Evander Kane opened the scoring in the second period and Nic Dowd scored 64 seconds later. Kane gave the team a two-goal lead late in the third with his hat trick goal, but Jakub Vrana scored his first of two goals less than two minutes later to pull the Caps back to within one.

The game looked over when Logan Couture scored an empty-netter with one minute left to go in regulation and Vrana scored his second goal just 13 seconds later to again pull Washington to within one.

Jakub Vrana

Sometimes all you need is that one goal to break a streak and all your confidence returns. After going 10 straight games without a goal, Jakub Vrana scored on Friday to snap the streak. He followed that up with two goals on Sunday to help the team battle back. He now has 18 goals on the season, all of them at even strength.

6-on-5

Have you ever wondered if pulling the goalie works? It does for Washington. No team in the NHL has scored more goals at 6-on-5 than the Caps, who now have seven this season. Logan Couture scored an empty netter to make it 4-2 with exactly one minute remaining in regulation. Vrana and T.J. Oshie would both score in the final minute with Braden Holtby pulled to tie the game in dramatic fashion.

Dramatic overtime

Three-on-three overtime is just the best. Both teams traded incredible chances back and forth. Holtby was called upon to stop a breakaway from Brent Burns and a 2-on-1 bid by Kane for his fourth goal. The Caps responded with an odd-man break of their own with John Carlson setting up Eller for the winner. It happened on the 10-year anniversary of Carlson scoring the overtime winning goal against Martin Jones to win the gold for USA over Canada in the World Juniors.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169661 Winnipeg Jets The other area where the Jets sorely missed Copp was on the penalty kill.

The nosedive began just before Copp was injured and it hasn’t recovered Sorely missed Copp on cusp of return yet. Since Dec. 12, the PK has been atrocious, allowing 13 goals on 30 penalty kills during that span, an NHL-low 56.7% success rate.

Copp should assume his position next to Lowry on the penalty kill if he Scott Billeck draws back into the lineup tomorrow.

Published:January 5, 2020 The moral of this story is the Jets are a better team with Copp in all situations, they’ve missed him dearly in the lineup, and his return will be Updated:January 5, 2020 5:30 PM CST a sight for sore eyes.

LOAD MANAGEMENT Andrew Copp’s wish is to play on Monday night at the Bell Centre in Connor Hellebuyck is on pace to eclipse the 64 starts he saw during his Montreal. Vezina runner-up season two years ago. The Winnipeg Jets will visit the Montreal Canadiens in La Belle Province Hellebuyck has started 33 of Winnipeg’s 42 games this far, putting him to begin a stretch of three games in four nights this week. And after on pace for 65 starts, which would be one more than his 64 during the practicing in full ahead of Monday’s tilt, Copp is hoping he can don his 2017-18 campaign. familiar No. 9 jersey for the first time in nine games after an extended stint on the sidelines. Much has been made of managing Hellebuyck’s load to keep him fresh throughout the season and playoffs if the Jets make it there. “I feel good about where I’m at right now and ready to go for tomorrow,” Copp told media members in Montreal on Sunday. “It was good to get out “We’re in a really good routine,” Hellebuyck said. “Practicing a lot, which of the non-contact and take some bumps and feel good.” helps me get better, and taking the mornings off, which helps me rest. I’m able to manage my energy very well and I’m feeding off the momentum. Copp was injured in Winnipeg’s 6-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes back Once we get on a little winning streak, it becomes really easy. It’s just a on Dec. 17. He attempted to throw a big hit on ‘Canes forward Jordan matter of the time in between, making sure you’re getting the right rest Staal and caught some of him and some of the boards behind Carolina’s and doing the right things.” big centre. Both Hellebuyck and Maurice acknowledged that Winnipeg’s No. 1 is a The awkwardness of the hit sent Copp to the room for further evaluation. rhythm goaltender, and once he’s in on, he likes to stay in it. He’d return to the game, take a shift and then disappear right back down the tunnel. His night was done with an upper-body injury and a potential “He will always fight for me,” Maurice said. “He wants to go in and he four-week timeline for his return was handed down a couple days later. wants to play. We got just a stretch of games where he feels like he’s right. He’s also trying to find the right rhythm for himself and we’re If Copp is to play on Monday, he’ll be a day shy of three weeks since the working with him mentally becoming a dominant No. 1 guy.” injury. And it couldn’t come at a better time for a Jets team that’s won just three of its last 11 games. Maurice said the Jets have three games to go before they come home, three that come in the next four nights. Hellebuyck won’t be getting all of But first, Copp has to clear one final hurdle. them, so expect Laurent Brossoit to start in either Toronto on Wednesday “He has to come to the rink tomorrow feeling as good as he’s leaving or in Boston in the second half of the back to back on Thursday. today,” Maurice said. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 01.06.2020 Copp said he was skated hard on Saturday morning in Minnesota prior to Winnipeg’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Wild. On Sunday, he reported feeling good in practice and it was a chance for him to get back up to speed, including playing at his familiar spot to the left of Adam Lowry.

“The way I was playing, in particular, and the way our line was playing, we thought we were getting a lot of o-zone time and getting a lot of chances and producing to a good extent,” said Copp. “We want to try and pick up right where we left off.”

Picking up right where he left off would be a godsend for the floundering Jets at the moment.

Copp left as the third-best player on the team in terms of shot share and the second-ranked on the team in expected goals. Individually, and not including Nick Shore’s four games with the team up to that point, Copp had the best CA/60 on the team at 49.62% and he, along with Lowry, were in the top three forwards on the team in terms of lowest xGA/60.

In layman’s terms, the Jets could use Copp’s ability to help drive possession and help limit goal scoring against. And having him back with Lowry gives the Jets a dominant duo that does exactly that — and against the other team’s best.

“You have to be a four-line hockey team,” Maurice said. “I think Adam Lowry is so much more effective with Andrew Copp and I think that’s true with Andrew.”

And Copp, being the versatile player that he is, gives Maurice an array of options if need be.

“We have some young forwards that sometimes need to come out of bigger minutes and you can move Andrew Copp up, you can move him to the middle,” Maurice said. “Having him back, I just like him with Lowry so much, but it also gives me the option to not play those two guys together.” 1169662 Winnipeg Jets season, scoring three goals and adding six assists. He was made a healthy scratch for several games before his contract was terminated on Dec. 17 after clearing unconditional waivers.

Game Day: Jets at Canadiens GAME DAY LINEUPS

Winnipeg Jets

Scott Billeck Forwards

Published:January 5, 2020 Kyle Connor-Mark Scheifele-Patrik Laine

Updated:January 5, 2020 8:03 PM CST Nikolaj Ehlers-Blake Wheeler-Jack Roslovic

Andrew Copp-Adam Lowry-Mathieu Perreault

WINNIPEG JETS (22-16-4) at MONTREAL CANADIENS (18-17-7) Gabriel Bourque-Nick Shore-Mason Appleton

Monday, 6 p.m., Bell Centre Defence

TV: TSN3; Radio: TSN 1290 Josh Morrissey-Tucker Poolman

THE BIG MATCHUP Luca Sbisa-Neal Pionk

Mark Scheifele hot streak vs. Habs Anthony Bitetto-Sami Niku

There was a time during the first month or so of the season where people Goalies were starting to wonder about Mark Scheifele and when he would take Connor Hellebuyck off this season. There’s no such concern these days — Scheifele has been unstoppable as of late. Scheifele has multiple points in three Laurent Brossoit straight games, including three goals and eight points during that span. Entering play Sunday, he was 12th in NHL scoring with 48 points (20 Montreal Canadiens goals and 28 assists) after becoming the second Jet after Kyle Connor to Forwards hit the 20-goal plateau in Winnipeg’s 3-2 overtime loss against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. One more note: Since Dec. 3, Scheifele is Tomas Tatar-Phillip Danault-Nick Cousins second in the NHL with 24 points. Artturi Lehkonen-Max Domi-Nick Suzuki FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME Ryan Poehling-Jesperi Kotkaniemi-Jordan Weal 1. Helle-back? Lukas Vejdemo-Nate Thompson-Dale Weise On Saturday against the Minnesota Wild, Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck posted a save percentage above .920 for the first time since Defence a 31-save shutout on Dec. 21. It’s just the fourth time in 12 appearances Ben Chiarot-Shea Weber (11 starts) that he has posted a save percentage above .900. Hellebuyck looked as if he was back to his big and boring style that saved Victor Mete-Jeff Petry Winnipeg’s behinds more times than not during the first half of the season. If the Jets are to make the playoffs this season, he’s going to Marco Scandella-Cale Fleury have to keep churning out more performances like his 41-save effort on Goalies Saturday. Carey Price 2. Power-play prowess Charlie Lindgren The heat has been turned up on the power play. The Jets have a goal with the man-advantage in six of their past seven games and are 7-for-21 SICK BAY during that stretch, a conversion percentage of 33.3%. They’re now Jets: F Bryan Little, D Dmitry Kulikov, F Mark Letestu, D Nathan sitting just outside the top 10, having climbed from the bottom third since Beaulieu, D Dustin Byfuglien (suspended) Dec. 8 after going 13-for-40 (32.5%). It’s a reliable weapon for the Jets once again, and they had two goals in five chances on Saturday. Canadiens: F Brendan Gallagher, F Paul Byron, F Joel Armia, F Jonathan Drouin, F Matthew Peca 3. #FreeNiku? SPECIAL TEAMS It’s about time that Sami Niku gets his chance to show what he can do on Winnipeg’s less-than-stellar blue line. Will Monday be the night where he Power play makes his debut? Sure, questions remain of his defensive abilities, but inserting Niku into the lineup would add a dynamic presence on the back Jets: 20.5% (12th) end, and one that has the ability to produce offensively. Perhaps a good Canadiens: 22.1% (10th) omen, the Bell Centre was the setting for Niku’s first NHL goal. The stars are aligned. Penalty kill

4. Pionk production Jets: 71.6% (31st)

Jets defenceman Neal Pionk has set a career high in points, and it took Canadiens: 76.8% (25th) him only 42 games to do so. An assist on Saturday gave him his 24th helper on the year and his 27th point, besting his previous career high of Winnipeg Sun LOADED 01.06.2020 26 points set last season in 73 games with the New York Rangers. Just under half of Pionk’s production (13 points) this season have come on the power play, where he anchors the point on the top unit.

5. Kovalchuk debut?

Montreal Canadiens head coach Claude Julien wouldn’t tip his hand when it came to whether Ilya Kovalchuk would make his Canadiens debut on Monday. The Russian took part in Montreal’s optional skate on Sunday, just 48 hours after signing as a free agent with the club. Kovalchuk played 17 games with the Los Angeles Kings this 1169663 Winnipeg Jets The returns of Bryan Little and Andrew Copp — both have resumed skating and Copp was not wearing a non-contact jersey at practice on Sunday in Montreal, which means he likely will play Monday — should make big difference. Getting veteran Dmitry Kulikov back on defence, Jets need lineup changes to stop rough ride despite some shortcomings, could provide a boost as well. Kulikov is on the road trip but was still in a non-contact jersey on Sunday.

Anything will help right now. Ted Wyman It’s remarkable the Jets have done as well as they have with a lineup that Published:January 5, 2020 includes seven players who could be playing in the AHL this year. Updated:January 5, 2020 1:07 PM CST Coach Paul Maurice and his assistants, and people like Wheeler, Scheifele, Connor, Morrissey, Pionk and Hellebuyck deserve credit for that. Game Day: Jets at Canadiens But as the Jets continue a road trip that will take them to Montreal on Forget about controversial overtime goals and perceived missed penalty Monday, Toronto on Wednesday and Boston on Thursday, you are left to calls. wonder just how they are going to turn things around after going 3-5-2 in the last 10 games. The bottom line for the Winnipeg Jets is they gave up 44 shots against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday and lost in overtime to continue a slide These are fast teams and two of them — Toronto and Montreal — have down the Western Conference standings. already crushed the Jets in Winnipeg this season.

Had goalie Connor Hellebuyck not had an outstanding game, the Jets Can this defensive group keep up? would have been soundly beaten long before the game got to overtime. Can the forwards score enough to make sure it doesn’t matter? The Jets looked like the better team for most of the second period and even took a 2-1 lead early in the third, but then they sat back while the Can Hellebuyck build on Saturday’s 41-save performance to steal a Wild took it to them for the final 19 minutes of regulation, eventually tying game or two and help the Jets get back on track? the game with 5:30 left and winning it in the extra frame. All remain to be seen, but all are tall orders as things stand with the team While the Jets had less defensive breakdowns and better goaltending today. than they did in a 6-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday, the As they sit precariously in the final wild card playoff position in the struggles that began in mid-December clearly continue to be a problem. Western Conference, just one point ahead of the Calgary Flames, who Most notable is the fact that this team’s patchwork defence is not playing play in Minnesota Sunday night, there seems to be no room for error for at an NHL level. the Jets.

As it’s currently configured, the Jets defence includes two above average Third-period rope-a-dope a killer for Jets NHLers in Josh Morrissey and Neal Pionk and four players who could You could see it coming from a mile away on Saturday. best be described as third-pairing types to fringe players. After Blake Wheeler scored to give the Winnipeg Jets a 2-1 lead early in There’s no doubt Tucker Poolman, Luca Sbisa, Anthony Bitetto and Carl the third period against the host Minnesota Wild, the visiting team Dahlstrom are gamers and are giving it everything they’ve got, but they decided to play a little rope-a-dope. aren’t miracle workers. Poolman was in the AHL last year, Bitetto was a seventh defenceman and Sbisa and Dahlstrom were both claimed off Does that ever work? waivers this year. The Jets sat back while the Wild took it to them for 19 minutes and the It’s not like the Jets had a lot of choice — the Jacob Trouba trade, free- result was predictable — Minnesota outshot Winnipeg 16-4 in the third agency departures of Tyler Myers and Ben Chiarot and the Dustin period, tied the game with 5:30 left and then won 3-2 in overtime. Byfuglien suspension left them decimated — but this defence corps is getting exposed for its flaws on a nightly basis. “They were playing hard, we got off our game,” Jets winger Kyle Connor said. Somehow this group (with Nathan Beaulieu mixed in) managed to have the Jets in solid playoff contention through the first 30-some games of the “We stopped making the plays that made us successful and and were year but now they’re looking much more like a lottery team. kind of on our heels. That’s not how you play with a lead.

Perhaps it was never that good and it was just Hellebuyck bailing the “We know that from experience … if a team’s doing that, you’re going to Jets out game after game. take advantage sooner or later.”

He hasn’t played as well lately and the Jets record reflects it. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 01.06.2020

But he also needs help and right now he’s not getting it.

Perhaps the addition of a strong skating, puck-moving, offensively- minded Sami Niku will help, although we don’t know if or when that might happen or what it will do to make the Jets better in their own zone.

Meanwhile, up front, the Jets are being absolutely carried by their top five forwards.

Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler did the scoring on Saturday, Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Patrik Laine on Thursday.

Those players, plus winger Nikolaj Ehlers, have combined to score 86 of the Jets’ 130 goals, or 66%.

The rest of the team has combined to score 44 goals and 11 of them have come from the defence. Jack Roslovic, who has played most of the season on the second line with Wheeler and Ehlers, has seven goals.

That means all the other forwards have combined for 26 goals in 42 games. Granted they don’t get the same playing time, don’t play on the power play and get more defensive zone starts than offensive ones, but the Jets have to get a little something more from their bottom-six. 1169664 Vancouver Canucks included A.J. Brown, Metcalf’s teammate at Ole Miss, who was taken 13 spots ahead of Metcalf by Tennessee.

It’s true what they say about drafting being an inexact science. Willes' Musings: Signing Markstrom to a new deal should be Canucks' • And finally, in his 30-years as commissioner, David Stern transformed top priority the NBA from a niche sport with a public-image problem to a global juggernaut. Stern, along with Marvin Miller, Mark McCormack and Pete Rozelle belongs on the Mount Rushmore of the 20th century’s most ED WILLES influential figures on the business of sports but it was one of his few failures that he’ll be remembered for in this province. Published:January 5, 2020 Stern was a champion of the Vancouver Grizzlies. He awarded Arthur Updated:January 5, 2020 5:40 PM PST Griffiths the franchise over the protests of others in the basketball community because he loved the idea of securing the Pacific Rim as a gateway to the Asian market. We usher in an exciting new year with the same old Monday morning musings and meditations on the world of sports. Griffiths, of course, didn’t have the wherewithal to finance the construction of Rogers Arena as well as operate NHL and NBA • Want to give the MVP of the Vancouver Canucks’ first half to J.T. Miller franchises and John McCaw, who eventually bought the properties from who helped changed the team’s identify with his sturdy, two-way game, Griffiths, had no desire to run a sports empire in Vancouver. but you just can’t get around Jacob Markstrom. When no one stepped up locally, McCaw sold to Chicago businessman After a Dec. 17 loss to Montreal, the Canucks were one game over .500, Michael Heisley who moved the Grizzlies to Memphis. and had lost four of five while going 7-12-1 over their previous 20 games. That, at least, is the condensed version of the events. We have neither At that point, their season was hanging in the balance and the discontent the time nor the inclination to revisit the entire story of Stu Jackson, among the masses was palpable. Markstrom then responded with four Benoit Benjamin, Big Country, Doug West, Steve Francis and, lest we straight wins in games where the Canucks were outshot 152 to 102 on forget, Heisley’s henchman Dick “Six Tankers” Versace. aggregate. At any rate, 18 years ago I attended the Grizzlies first game in Memphis The story, of course, is incomplete and it can still go a couple of different and managed to get a brief audience with Stern, who spoke about the ways. But you can easily make the case Markstrom’s performance over Grizzlies’ demise. that four-game stretch saved the Canucks’ season and might have saved some jobs. It was an interesting conversation. Stern expressed sadness over the events which led to the Grizzlies’ departure. He wanted the franchise to He was the difference again on Saturday night against the Rangers. This succeed. He wanted the Vancouver market and he took it personally season he’s established himself as a top-10 goalie and signing him to a when it failed. new deal has become the organization’s top priority. There weren’t a lot of blights on Stern’s record and this one is barely If that means losing someone else, that’s the price you pay for securing noticed outside of British Columbia. But the Grizzlies meant something to the most important position on the team. him, even if they didn’t mean much to the rest of the NBA.

• Epic final at the WJC which consistently delivers excruciating levels of Vancouver Province: LOADED: 01.06.2020 drama in the gold-medal game. Good for Barrett Hayton, good for Akil Thomas and good for Hockey Canada.

Just one thing. What would the reaction be in Canada if a delay-of-game penalty was overturned in the final two minutes, costing the Canadians a six-on-three power play in a one-goal game, because the puck hit a TV camera on its way out of play.

Asking for a friend.

• Vasili Podkolzin, the Canucks first-rounder from this summer, has another season on his deal in Russia but Jim Benning has a pretty good idea of where he’ll be playing the year after that.

“We’ll sign him and he’ll step right in and play,” the Canucks’ GM said. “He could play right now.”

Podkolzin played a feature rule for Russia at the WJC, finishing with a goal and five points in seven games. The best part? He’s still only 18.

And here’s Benning on Nils Hoglander, the 19-year-old who led Sweden with 11 points in seven games at the WJC: “He’s ahead of schedule.”

• I find it more than a little ironic that I could retire before Tom Brady.

• Wouldn’t exactly bet the farm on the Seattle Seahawks making it to the Super Bowl but the NFC’s playoff picture has changed following the wild- card round.

The ‘Hawks, a good bad-weather team, travel to Green Bay next week which is a far more favourable matchup than San Francisco.

The 49ers, meanwhile, get the Vikings at home who look like a nasty piece of business after their win in New Orleans. It would help, of course, if the Seahawks can knock Aaron Rodgers out of the game and face the immortal Tim Boyle for 3 1/2 quarters but this is a resourceful team which has an X-factor in Russell Wilson.

They have a chance, maybe not a great chance but a chance.

• In the 2019 NFL draft, there were eight wide receivers selected before Seattle took D.K. Metcalf with the last pick of the second round. They 1169665 Vancouver Canucks shushing the hometown crowd after a goal in the quarters while destroying his Russian opponent with the questionably high hit in the semis.

Canucks prospects tracker, WJC edition: Podkolzin settles for silver, All-in-all, Hoglander showed why Canucks fans were so excited to get Hoglander helps win bronze him in the second round last summer — and why he should have been a first-round pick to begin with.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 01.06.2020 MIKE RAPTIS

Published:January 5, 2020

Updated:January 5, 2020 5:17 PM PST

It’s the gold medal edition of the World Juniors tracker, where we tally up the efforts of the Vancouver Canucks prospects playing in the tournament:

Vasili Podkolzin

Everything was fine until it wasn’t.

Podkolzin and his Russian teammates were cruising in the gold medal game against Canada, up 3-1 in the third period with momentum on their side. Then the Canadians struck — and struck again — and one amazing solo effort later by Akil Thomas capped off an impressive comeback and queued the questions directed towards the play of the Canucks’ 2019 first-rounder.

Where were the goals? Where was the first-round pedigree?

Podkolzin finished the game without a point and with a minus-one rating in 17:26 of ice time. It wasn’t his best showing of the tournament. He wasn’t as noticeable as he was in other games, primarily the tournament opener against the Czechs and the semifinal win against Sweden, in which the 18-year-old had two assists, including setting up the overtime winner.

On Sunday, his line was shut down by the Canadians. Podkolzin was heavily utilized on special teams and still brought his power game of retrieving pucks and making plays. He even drew a late penalty on a rush to the net, though it amounted to nothing in the end.

That being said, the Russian teenager still showed the hockey world he’s ready for the big stage when the time comes. TSN Hockey guru Bob McKenzie was impressed, saying last week that Podkolzin’s game is NHL-ready. So was Canucks brass, with GM Jim Benning telling Postmedia’s Ed Willes that Podkolzin “could play right now.”

“We’ll sign him (after next season) and he’ll step in and play right away,” Benning said.

Canucks fans would have liked to see Podkolzin score a little more in the tournament (he had one goal and four assists in seven games), but the intangibles he brought to Team Russia were on full display in their run to a silver medal.

He’s not happy, as was apparent when accepting his medal, but he’ll be eligible to play at next year’s world juniors and top this good, not great, performance.

Nils Hoglander

Hoglander finished the world juniors on a high note after being ejected for a high hit in the semifinals.

The Canucks’ 2019 second-rounder had an assist in Sweden’s 3-2 win over rival Finland in the bronze medal match. With his team down 2-1 in the second period, Hoglander fired a hot shot off the Finnish goaltender on a 2-on-1 and linemate Samuel Fagemo potted the rebound.

Nils Hoglander with a quick release on the rush and Samuel Fagemo is there to pot the rebound. 2-2

The assist was Hoglander’s sixth of the tournament, cementing him into third place in world juniors scoring with 11 points in seven games. The dynamic Swede also finished the tournament with a plus-six rating. Fagemo, a Los Angeles Kings 2019 second-rounder, topped the scoring charts with 13 points.

The tournament served as Hoglander’s coming out party. He wowed the world with his lacrosse-style goal, he blew people away with his slick moves and exceptional offensive play also showed his salty side, 1169666 Vancouver Canucks Miller was deemed expendable by Tampa Bay due to salary cap-crunch concerns in a highly-scrutinized trade to the Canucks on June 22 that involved parting with goalie Marek Mazanec, a 2019 third-round pick and a 2020 conditional selection. If the Canucks are in another draft lottery at Ben Kuzma: Stick slams spotlight Miller's relentless Canucks drive the end of this season, that conditional pick becomes a first-rounder in 2021.

What were the Canucks thinking? BEN KUZMA They needed to bolster their top-six mix and rolled the dice on Miller Published:January 5, 2020 returning to at least the 22-goal form he had with the Rangers. And if the Updated:January 5, 2020 5:16 PM PST winger, who was a first-round pick by New York in 2011, played like one with the Canucks, maybe it would quiet the critics.

“I like that he’s gone through some things as a young player who thought For the old-school J.T. Miller, there are no new-age analytics to measure he knew a lot,” said Travis Green. “Offensive players tend to have that — his intangibles. a little bit of swagger or cockiness. Sometimes, they get knocked down a peg or two. After all, how do you explain all those stick slams when the driven Vancouver Canucks winger doesn’t meet his sky-high standards for “He’s aggressive and he doesn’t like to lose. There’s a lot to like.” relentless effort? That was evident Saturday. Miss an open net? Stick slam on the ice. Miss an offensive or defensive assignment? Stick slam on the sideboards. You could create a ‘Sticks Miller’s seven shot attempts against the Rangers included a pair that Per 60’ category to measure the equipment cost of being wired to be a were blocked and four that missed the mark. He also hit the post with complete player. another release during a 2-1 victory that pushed the Canucks’ win streak to seven games. “He leads our team for sure in broken sticks — that’s for sure,” laughed captain Bo Horvat. “He’s just passionate. He wants to win and he puts a Missed chances bug him more than heading back to Tampa. lot of pressure on himself.” Last season, he had 47 points (13-34) and was often a third-liner. And Poor performances — both individually and collectively — bring brief and with the Lightning just US$1.7 million under the cap and 93-point curt post-game summations. It has helped take his game to another restricted free-agent centre Brayden Point needing a rich extension, level. Miller not only has 40 points (15-25) in 42 games to sit second in there was simply no room for Miller’s contract that has three more team scoring, he’s on pace for 29 goals, 47 assists and 76 points to seasons at a US$5.25 million annual cap hit. surpass career highs for goals (22), assists (34) and points (56). For the Bolts, it was reality. For Miller, it was incentive. He leads the club with seven power-play goals and has taken pressure “It’s part of the game and I’m happy it did happen — it’s a good fit here,” off linemate Elias Pettersson by mentoring the slick centre and taking said Miller. “I have nothing but great things to say about Tampa, but I’m draws. Miller is second in the NHL with a 60.5 per cent success rate and looking forward to seeing what we can do.” the first to focus on the bigger picture. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 01.06.2020 NEXT GAME

Tuesday

Vancouver Canucks vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

4 p.m., Amalie Arena, TV: SNETP, Radio: SNET 650 AM

Miller prefers the “we” and not “me” process. It comes from a place of tough love and a mantra to be what many thought the 26-year-old couldn’t be with his third NHL club — that consistent 200-foot player that coaches crave and few actually achieve.

It also comes from Game 7 heartache in Eastern Conference finals with the New York Rangers in 2015 and the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2018. And it comes from being a kid who needed an attitude adjustment from Alain Vigneault to become a veteran who has seen the brutal business side of the sport.

Miller knows how hard it is to get to the post-season dance and hopefully be the last one standing when the music stops. That’s invaluable to a Canucks roster dotted with impressionable, inexperienced and elite younger players. Especially if the club advances to the post-season for the first time in five years.

“It teaches you a lot about yourself and what the game is like and it’s important to be a sponge — and that’s hard to be,” stressed Miller. “You have to care a lot about each play and every play matters. And you have to have a little bit of amnesia and move on win or lose, good play or bad play.

“And that’s something I’ve grown with over the years in the playoffs. I’m a fiery guy and you can’t let a period get away from you in the playoffs. We’ve proved when we stick our plan and our identity, we’re a really tough team.

“We’re breaking the seal on some things and coming together as a group. We’re coming into the crunch time of the season and it’s really exciting. We feel good.”

So does the coach. So does the general manager.

When the Canucks open a five-game trip Tuesday against the resurgent Lightning, the spotlight will be on a guy who doesn’t want it. 1169667 Websites “I didn’t know that it would go so good, but it’s a long season to go, we need to settle down a little bit, and then we will see. My coach wants me to play creative, I play 15-19 minutes every game, I’m playing power play, I get my opportunities, and that’s why I love Mannheim,” Stützle The Athletic / Top 2020 NHL draft prospect Tim Stützle leads Germany’s said. “It’s a great program, and the coaches want to make me better.” next generation with ‘superstar’ upside Asked about his league’s best young player, Adler assistant coach Mike Pellegrims can’t even put it into the proper context. None exists. He just laughs. By Scott Wheeler Jan 5, 2020 “The thing is, you never know coming in with a young guy like that that he

will have the transformation from youth hockey to the pros. But he’s a OSTRAVA, Czech Republic — Tim Stützle is doing things that have smart kid and he adapts really quick. He’s got a great set of tools. He’s a never been done before. good skater, he’s got great vision, and he’s got impressive hockey IQ. That has made him successful,” Pellegrims said after a moment. He wants to be Germany’s second-ever NHL superstar. He wants to challenge Leon Draisaitl (third overall) as the highest-drafted German Pellegrims and Mannheim head coach Pavel Gross had tracked Stützle’s hockey player ever. play at Germany’s junior level and they knew that if they were going to keep him, they had to surround him with linemates who could take care But he’s doing it on his own terms. of him. That needed to be true on the ice. And it needed to be true off it, where his linemates would be tasked with supporting him. A year after the Detroit Red Wings selected countryman Moritz Seider sixth overall, Stützle’s following in his footsteps — and taking them one Smith and Huhtala go through all of the team’s workouts side-by-side step further. with Stützle. Because he can’t get his driving permit until he’s 18, they also drive him almost everywhere, including school. The team set him up They both could have followed the path Draisaitl paved. Draisaitl left in an apartment complex where some other players live so that he Mannheim at 16 to play in the WHL with the Prince Albert Raiders. They always has people he knows nearby. His parents live three hours away, could have followed Carolina Hurricanes prospect Dominik Bokk’s near his hometown of Viersen, which sits just east of Dusseldorf near the example, too. Bokk left Germany to pursue Sweden’s more prominent Dutch border. junior ranks in his draft year. Life on his own has been an adjustment. He admits he still can’t cook, so Seider and Stützle were selected in the CHL import draft, too. The Owen he spends a lot of time eating out at restaurants when teammate Phil Sound Attack have Seider’s rights, while the Seattle Thunderbirds took Hungerecker — who lives above him — isn’t around to make meals for their swing on Stützle with the 19th overall pick. So did the USHL’s Sioux him. City Musketeers in their future’s draft. Going through the same process with Seider last year helped Mannheim But they didn’t. In a lot of ways, Stützle’s choice was less of a risk than staff prepare for Stützle’s arrival. Seider’s, because Seider was the guinea pig. “It helped us to have a high-end young player like Moritz, preparing for But it took Seider a full season to find his role. It wasn’t until the final Tim. It teaches you about the daily work you have to do in practice with stretch — and into Mannheim’s championship run — that Seider really them. And every time they take the next step, you make the drills harder settled in. Stützle is different. He was one of the league’s stars on Day 1, and harder, especially after practice,” Pellegrims said. playing on Mannheim’s top line with former NHLer Ben Smith and Finnish veteran Tommi Huhtala. “Mortiz began with six minutes of ice-time and at the end, he finished with 16 so that showed a lot of him and what we did with him during the His 23 points in 25 games is unheard of in the history of the Deutsche season. With Tim, it was a little bit different because he was a power-play Eishockey Liga (DEL) because, well, the list of German teenagers guy, and we put him right away with really good players on a good line. who’ve been good enough to play in the league is a small one, and And now he has adjusted really good. He’s on track, he has done really Draisaitl either never fully trusted them to develop him, wanted more well. The NHL is going to love him.” exposure in North America, or both. They also learned how to navigate the pressures that come with the Though Marcel Goc, who was selected 20th overall by the San Jose draft, that come with talking to scouts after every game, or the constant, Sharks in 2001, played a prominent role in the league in his draft year, seemingly neverending media requests. those involved in German hockey will tell you things have changed a lot in the two decades since, and that Stützle is up against much stronger “You have to keep him grounded. We just work with him every day. You competition, while also playing at a higher point-per-game rate (0.92 to don’t want to keep him away from the draft stuff, it’s a part of it. If he has 0.71 at the same age). The only other German player to take a similar to do it, he has to do it. When he does things good, we let him know. And path was Marco Sturm (0.62 points per game), who was selected 21st when he needs to improve or he makes mistakes, we show him too,” overall by the Sharks five years before Goc. Pellegrims said.

Still, when Stützle saw Seider selected sixth overall, he knew that things “He’s pretty mature. He’s always talking to the guys and trying to learn had changed in Germany hockey — that a shift was happening and that from them. The guys take care of him. They take him to the rink and to the DEL was a legitimate inroad to stardom. school. He’s well taken care of.”

“At the beginning, it was a little bit tough for me, the decision to stay in Along the way, Stützle’s learning too. Though he admitted juggling school Mannheim, but I have two great guys with me in Ben Smith and Tommi with a career in pro hockey has been challenging, he said he was Huhtala and it’s awesome to play with them. They’re great guys, they dedicated to both, that this was his last year of schooling, and that he want to help me out every day, they want to make me better every day, was thankful for the one-on-one lessons he receives. and I think that’s the reason the season is going so well for me in Germany,” Stützle said. This would have been Stützle’s second world juniors (the Germans wanted him to play in last year’s event as a 16-year-old) were it not for “I knew Mannheim was a great organization before but (Seider) became injury. the go-to guy for a lot of young players, he showed everybody that you can stay in Germany. But I’m my own person and another reason to stay He has always played above his age group — and he has always acted in Germany was to finish my school. (Plus) I want to play against pro older than he looks. players and develop.” “I think it’s unbelievable how he’s dealing with that kind of going on Nobody, not even the Mannheim staff, expected him to have this kind of around him. He’s a very good character guy, he knows what’s important, an impact though. and it seems like it doesn’t affect him. At this kind of age, that’s very impressive,” German head coach Tobias Abstreiter said. Though he worked hard in the gym last summer, Stützle didn’t even expect it. Were it not for the long leash he’s been afforded, he thinks his When Seider is asked about Stützle, he starts by pointing to how humble season could have played out differently. he is before talking about his talent. “He knows where he comes from, and he knows where he wants to go. “It means a lot. No one was expecting it, but now we’re here,” Peterka He’s getting huge trust from Mannheim, he’s playing a lot of minutes, said. “We know how good we are and that we can beat them. I think he’s leading the power play and he’s a great kid. He’s a smart kid. I’m today you saw that. I think if we play like that, we can beat anybody here. pretty confident that he will learn and he will adjust pretty quickly. He’s No one expected us to be here in the tournament so good. We earned it.” going to be a phenomenal superstar,” Seider said. They played Canada to a tight 4-1 game that went to the wire and “I think his brain stands out. His brain is phenomenal, he has great required an empty-netter. hockey sense, he can anticipate plays before anyone else, and he’s a phenomenal skater too. I think he brings everything. And during the “Germany is playing unbelievable in this tournament. I didn’t know that summer he got way stronger than last season. He’s pretty stable on his they were going to be this good,” Canadian defenceman Kevin Bahl said. feet. All in all, he’s already a great hockey player.” “It was really an eye-opener for me. They’ve got some young, phenomenal players.” When Stützle was asked about the draft pressure, or the attention he has received at the world juniors, he tried to downplay it. Stützle finished the tournament with five points (all assists) in five games across an average ice time of 18:43, which put him among the “It’s an honour for me, but we need to settle down (with the draft hype) a tournament’s most-used forwards. little bit. It’s a long season to go and I don’t want to be up high. I’m not there, where I want to be. We’ll see,” he said. Peterka finished with four goals and six points in seven games. He’s the straight-line goal scorer of the bunch, everyone will say. He likes to shoot That goes for the comparisons to Draisaitl. and go to the net.

“It’s great for me, but I’m my own player and my own guy. I want to be my “I didn’t expect it but it’s running good for me so I’ll try to keep it going,” own,” he said. Peterka said. “I’ve been playing simple and playing hard and playing the body.” He plays differently than Draisaitl, too. Draisaitl became one of the best players in the NHL because he blended world-class scoring ability with a Reichel finished with five points in seven games. He’s the playmaker who 6-foot-2, 200-plus-pound frame. has become a scorer with his club team (a role he doesn’t know how he ended up in, but he’ll take), they all agree. Stützle, who is 6-foot and 187 pounds, plays a game defined by finesse, a playmaking touch, and, above all else, speed. “Peterka and Reichel are a little different than Tim. JJ is more of a finisher, and he can score goals and that’s what we need. We don’t care “His skating is his biggest strength,” Pellegrims said. “He can accelerate, about age, we need great players who can score goals and he’s one of he’s got a great set of hands, and his quickness with the way he thinks them, and he’s doing it in Munich too. And Lukas is a great playmaker. are all great too. It’s a combination of things. But his skating is a big, big He’s so smart,” Seider said. asset.” That first game against Team USA gave them the belief that their top Though Abstreiter said Stützle will need to continue to learn to make players matched up against anyone else’s. good decisions without the puck, Abstreiter spent the world juniors glowing about his underage star’s unique talents. “We know we are a good team, and we have the same skill as Canada and all the other teams. We are a young team, but we keep going,” “We always say it again and again but his game with the puck is very Reichel said, adding that Seider’s role can’t be understated — and that good. He’s a threat on the ice when he has the puck and you can tell that he’s the best captain he’s ever had. he wants to win. He wants to win so bad that sometimes he tries to do too much. But he has to learn. That’s normal,” Abstreiter said. “From the beginning against USA, we knew we could win,” Stützle added. “He has great speed with the puck and he can do a lot of things well to create scoring chances. When he has the puck, that’s his strength. And When Abstreiter was informed of the bravado some of his players had, of there’s still some potential for him.” the belief that they could beat anyone, he smiled.

(Soerli Binder / ) “They said that? That’s good. You see what a win can do, but you still have to be realistic, that’s the most important thing in sport. But you have Part of what makes Stützle’s story different is also that he’s not alone. to believe. A win like this can mean a lot of positive stuff for the team,” he While all eyes were on him in Ostrava, he also had Seider, and Bokk, said. “Sometimes, Davids can beat the Goliath. When you really believe, and the best German draft class ever, to help carry the load. some crazy things can happen. This team believed in themselves and then it started to grow.” “Everyone can learn from him,” Stützle said of Bokk. “It’s an honour to play with such a good player, who was drafted in the first round.” Seider insisted German hockey is headed in only one direction: up.

This year, three Germans will be drafted in the same class for the first “We need those young guys, and they’re getting more and more trust time. And they all stayed in Germany. from managers and coaches. Just check a couple teams. Every team has a lot of young kids, and they’re all performing here and they’re doing Winger John-Jason Peterka, who was taken 71st overall by the Barrie well so I think that says a lot about the DEL and German hockey,” Seider Colts in the 2019 CHL import draft, stayed home to play for first-place said. “The last couple of years we were so close in the B Division, and EHC Red Bull Munchen. Lukas Reichel, the nephew of former NHLer now we’re here. Robert, plays on the fourth-place Eisbaren Berlin. But it always came back to Stützle. After the Germans defeated the All three are regulars on top teams. And while most of that is a testament Kazakhs 4-0 in the first game of their best-of-three relegation series, they to their talent, it also speaks to a changing league and a changing dropped the second game 4-1 when Stützle was absent due to an illness. approach to development in a country that is now producing that talent more consistently than ever before. “(Missing Stützle) was the fact. I won’t say anything about ‘we missed this and that.’ There are no excuses,” Abstreiter said after the loss. “Sometimes there’s a time when you have extraordinary players and when extraordinary players get trust and confidence from their teams, Peterka and Reichel grew up playing with him on the under-16 team and they can improve and perform at a higher level quick,” Abstreiter said. are quick to admit he’s on a different level. “Our players now in the German hockey league, when they get a lot of This year has proven Stützle — and German hockey — right in his important ice time, you see the results and they always play big.” decision to stay.

In Ostrava, they all did just that. “You can tell that he’s developing and that he’s always improving, and The Germans, all told, were the story of the tournament. Midway through there’s no reason right now why he should go and play somewhere else the second period of their first game of the event, they had a 3-2 lead because he gets a lot of ice-time, a lot of important ice time, at the over the Americans. They defeated the host Czechs 4-3 for their first win highest level in Germany. It’s high value to get an opportunity like Tim since 2014 at the world juniors’ top level. gets in a league like that,” Abstreiter said. “They all have good offensive skill. They all have the capability to make “For us, he was good. Offensively, you can see with the puck that he’s a plays with the puck. It’s very important for our program. It’s a good threat. It’s too bad that he’s sick now. We hope that he’ll be healthy as feeling, and the players feel what’s necessary to win at this level.” soon as possible,” Abstreiter said.

Ultimately, though, this leap forward for German hockey hasn’t been the “We are very proud. This was our goal, to stay in the A pool. And we mandated kind. They didn’t take home silver at the 2018 Olympics accomplished it. Most of the games we had a chance to win it. You because of any one change to federation structure, or approach to always have to enjoy the moment.” development. And they didn’t create this unique talent pool through any one major decision, either. The Athletic LOADED: 01.06.2020

“Organizations have their program and when they build in some young players, this is the result. We push that, of course, but we cannot tell them what to do,” Abstreiter said.

“Those players have to get the support from the team and it’s not always the names, you have to feel good from the team too. And some players are more the focus, but when they get good support from other experienced players, they can perform at a good level.”

Stützle’s teammates marveled at him. Peterka, who is one day older than Stützle, joked that they complement each other so well they might as well be brothers. Reichel pointed, in particular, to Stützle’s “amazing” talent on the power play.

“He’s a crazy player,” Peterka said. “Crazy vision and crazy playmaker. I’m really happy to play with him. I just go to the net and play simple. We don’t play the same but we play perfect together. It just works.”

Though Draisaitl and Stützle have never met, the Oilers star knows full well how far German hockey has come. Draisaitl pointed specifically to the increased roles and minutes young players are now being afforded in the DEL.

“It’s growing. It’s great for us. It shows that we’re producing players out of our own country,” Draisaitl said. “It’s getting better and getting in the right direction I think. We still have a lot of work to do, but it’s definitely getting better.”

Stützle came into the tournament wanting to make an impact everyone believed he could, and then he did.

“I think Tim has shown the world that there’s good development in Germany with the younger players – but also with older players. You can see Dominik Kahun playing in the NHL now, we had Draisaitl, last year we had Moritz Seider. Now Tim is the next guy in line,” Pellegrims said shortly before Boxing Day.

“If he plays like he’s playing right now, he’s going to be a key player for Germany and he has the talent to be a dominant player in the tournament at 17.”

By the time the tournament was over, Stützle had drawn so many penalties (almost double digits) that he was a little frustrated he’d become such a target. He was trying his best to embrace it, though.

“I know it’s a lot of what people are talking about. I shut it down,” Stützle said. “It helps the team so I’m going into every battle and then we’re getting power plays and we’re scoring. It hurts a little bit, but it’s alright.”

But he doesn’t want to be compared to Draisaitl, and he’s quick to point out that Connor McDavid, with that speed he tries to emulate, is his favourite player.

“I want to be one of the leaders, but I need to play good hockey and play with confidence too. We have a very young team. I think we can be the next generation, but we need to keep working hard. If we do, I think we can be very, very good in German hockey,” Stützle said.

“I think we have great young players who want to work hard and that’s the reason why Germany is so good today. We played USA good. That’s not normal with the under-20 national team.”

After a 6-0 win in the decisive third relegation game, Seider wanted to make sure, if he was going to pass the torch to Stutzle, that the next generation set its sights even higher. Next year, in Edmonton and Red Deer, he wanted them — with or without him — to push for the quarters.

“It’s important to give the opportunity to the guys next year to play in the top division. I wish them all the best in the draft and they will have a bright future,” he said. “I’m proud for sure. Leading the team almost into the quarterfinal was an amazing thing for me. It was really close. A little bit more luck, one more point, and we’re in.”

In his final address, Abstreiter paused to wish Stützle, who had to watch his second straight game from the hotel due to a fever, well. 1169668 Websites Adds Pettersson with a grin: “They made the right choice not to continue it.”

The Danielyans’ early experience finding stability and a better life in the Sportsnet.ca / How a deportation taught Elias Pettersson to take nothing country wasn’t an unusual one. As of late 2018, 19.1 per cent of the for granted country’s population was foreign born, according to Statistics Sweden. By comparison, the latest census data pegs 21.9 per cent of the Canadian population as foreign born. Jacob Markstrom, Pettersson’s countryman and teammate on the Canucks, hails from Gavle, and estimates his by Iain MacIntyre middle school was comprised of 50 per cent immigrants. “It’s a very open country. I’ve got a lot of friends who are not originally, or their parents are not originally, from Sweden,” Markstrom says. “I think that helps us as a Elias Pettersson senses something is wrong. He can feel it in the pit of country in Sweden to widen our views. You learn so much from those his stomach. It’s Dec. 13, 2011 and he’s in the gymnasium at people and their stories of where they grew up.” Minervaskolan, a middle school in Ange, Sweden. There’s a floorball tournament taking place this morning and students were supposed to The elder Danielyans also built connections in Ange. Susanna found arrive by 8 a.m. That deadline passed 30 minutes ago and Pettersson work at a grocery store and the family eventually moved into an has begun to worry. apartment they rented from Pettersson’s father, next door to the police station. Things were going smoothly nearly a decade into their life in Two of his best friends, Valerik and Davit Danielyan, have not shown up. Sweden. That’s more than strange, because Pettersson knows the brothers were looking forward to this tournament just as much as him. The 13-year-old LOOK BACK AND LAUGH pulls out his phone and tries calling his friends, but there’s no answer. It’s hard for the Danielyans to decipher what exactly woke them up at 6 Stressed and on the verge of tears, he rings his father and asks him to a.m. on Dec. 13, 2011. It could have been the loud banging on the front check out the Danielyan family’s apartment. The knot in his stomach is door; it could have been the yelling through the mail slot. Regardless, tightening. “I was just thinking the worst,” he will later explain. they were immediately in a state of panic and confusion. “Mom opened When Torbjörn Pettersson calls his son back, he explains that he has just the door,” remembers Davit. “And then five or six policemen [rushed in]. spoken with the Danielyans’ neighbour. At 6 a.m. that morning, police They were like, ‘Oh, hi. You have 15 minutes to pack. You’re going back reported to the residence and gave his friends’ family 15 minutes to pack home.’” their belongings. Valerik, Davit, their older brother, Hayk, and parents, Outside the building, there were five police cars and two trucks — Tshakan and Susanna, were being deported back to Armenia. roughly a vehicle for each door and window of their apartment, the boys As the rest of the class catches wind that something is up, the nervous recall. The police separated each member of the family and initially took energy spreads. When Pettersson gets off the phone, he relays to their phones. They were then divided between three police cars and students in the hallway what happened to their mates and the news is driven more than an hour to the airport in Sundsvall. A private plane was met with complete silence. Then everybody begins to cry. waiting to take the Danielyans and another family of four to Armenia. The panic and confusion they’d woken up with hadn’t dissipated, and to it “I remember it like it was yesterday,” says Pettersson, leaning forward in they’d added a healthy dose of fear. his seat and pausing a moment to gather himself. He’s wearing a black toque and matching CELINE hoodie, along with crisp, light blue jeans After Torbjörn Pettersson relayed the news to Elias, he rang his older and unlaced cream Yeezys. The Vancouver Canucks star has just son, Emil, who was living 100 km away in Timra, where he attended high wrapped up a mid-December practice and is sitting on a leather couch in school and played elite hockey. Emil’s classes started late that morning, a suite at Rogers Arena. Retelling the story is difficult, even eight years so the unexpected phone call woke him. After hanging up with his father, later, but it doesn’t seem as hard for him as it might be on other days. he frantically dialled Hayk, trying several times before finally reaching his That’s because he’s flanked by Valerik, Davit and Hayk. The brothers are friend and learning the startling details. “You have a million thoughts,” visiting Canada for the first time and Pettersson is their gracious host. Emil says. “Like what are you going to do? You have to do something. But at that time, for me, I was 17. I can’t really do anything. How are you It took a long time to get to this happy reunion, though. The deportation going to make a difference? You felt powerless. It was a horrible feeling. experience in 2011 rocked the Danielyans. It also shook their small Swedish town and impacted a young Pettersson, forcing him to confront “Just hearing the panic in his voice and then me trying to say something realities that most young hockey players never have to face and helping to make him feel better,” adds Emil, who was drafted by the Nashville to shape who the cornerstone of the Canucks franchise is today — how Predators in 2013 and currently plays in Sweden. “Trying to make him he treats people and views life. feel a bit more calm. That was impossible. When I got off the phone with him, I cried.” RARE BREED Ange is a tiny place. It had a population of less than 3,000 in 2010, just Pettersson won the Calder Trophy in 2019 with 66 points in 71 games. before the Danielyans were forced from their home, and many in the This season, he's averaging more than a point per game. town were left reeling. The family was well-liked and very much a part of the community. After the initial shock, the response from Ange residents The Danielyan brothers don’t know why their father chose Sweden of all was swift. A ‘Get the Danileyans back’ Facebook page was started and countries, but they prefer to describe the decision in hockey terms. people began collecting donations for the family. Large groups made the Tshakan arrived in 2000 to “scout” the Scandinavian nation and, two drive to protest outside of the Migration Agency in Sundsvall. Pettersson years later, his wife and three young children followed. The boys were and a few friends were interviewed for an article in a local newspaper, born in Armenia, near the capital Yerevan, and say simply that their while a TV news station sent a reporter to his school a week or so after parents moved to Sweden seeking a better future for the family. the deportation. Pettersson doesn’t recall his exact words in what was his After two years in the northern town of Boliden, the Danielyans moved first on-camera interview, but instead offers the gist: “‘Why are you doing 500 km south to Ange. They became entrenched in that small community this? This family was living here for [nearly 10 years],’” he says. “But I and the kids forged their relationship with Pettersson and his older didn’t understand much then. I just wanted my best friends back.” brother, Emil, on a gravel soccer pitch where they spent many hours The brothers say they never received a reason for their deportation. It together. The match was almost perfect: Emil and Hayk are the same has been reported in Aftonbladet, a daily translated for age, as are Elias and the youngest Danielyan, Valerik. The boys went to Sportsnet by Tino Sanandaji, that the family’s application for asylum was grade school together at Björkbackaskolan. Additionally, the fact that denied after multiple appeals and that they lacked legal permission to live they lived just a three-minute bike ride apart helped foster the friendship. in the country. “The cause is that there [was] no war in Armenia by then, The brothers assimilated well, eventually learned the language and even so the migration authority did not judge the family had cause for dabbled in hockey with the local team. At one point in their childhood, protection as asylum seekers and denied their applications,” says Valerik and Davit found themselves linemates with Pettersson. “It was Sanandaji, a researcher at the Institute for Economic and Business quite an experience,” says Valerik, who recalls the time he tripped History Research in Stockholm who has written on immigration issues coming over the boards and accidentally slide tackled the future NHLer. and himself immigrated to Sweden from Iran when he was nine. “This is “There was always something wrong with my stick. There was a hole in common, and regardless of the legal cause, the experience of being it, I think.” uprooted is traumatizing for children, in particular if they had lived there Danielyans back home and Pettersson is doing his part to make sure his for several years.” friendship with them remains strong.

The ordeal was indeed harrowing for the Danielyans, who slept at the Home games and work schedules aside, the brothers picked a great time Yerevan airport on their first night in Armenia, before finding a place to to visit Vancouver. Their stay allowed them to enjoy the Canucks Family stay. They didn’t have any family left in the country and were essentially Skate, which transforms the Rogers Arena rink into a Christmas dropped there, as if they were residents. “We didn’t know the language,” wonderland. The frames between the glass on the boards are lit up like says Hayk, speaking for himself and his brothers. “So, it was like, ‘What candy canes, while the image of a fireplace is displayed on the video are you going to do now?’ We can’t understand it or write it. We never screen above centre ice, complete with Canucks-coloured stockings. went to school there, so it was very terrifying.” They were also genuinely Jose Feliciano’s “Feliz Navidad” is among the tunes blasting over the afraid, he adds, that they would never return to Sweden. sound system and there’s a sled with Santa’s giant bag of gifts making its way around, as different team personnel and players — Pettersson NEW YEAR, SAME YOU included — take turns pushing it.

Pettersson scored twice against Vegas in front of his friends on Dec. 19. After Pettersson hands off the sled, he notices a little girl in a pink helmet He'd start 2020 hot as well, notching a goal and two assists in a Jan. 2 skating with her older sister. The girl, in a frilled white dress, is wobbling win over Chicago. around and falls before her sister can catch her. Pettersson spots the Elias Pettersson could feel the excitement in the pit of his stomach. It wipeout and helps the little one to her feet, steadying her for a few was early March 2012, during the third period of a travel game, and he’d seconds as she gathers her bearings, and then guides her off the ice. lost his ability to focus. He knew the Danielyans were returning to If you chat with teammates in the Canucks locker room about Pettersson Sweden that afternoon after 81 days in limbo in Armenia. Susanna had the person, what you hear is remarkably consistent: He’s a quiet guy, secured a work visa, paving the way for the family’s reentry. very mature, very humble, very respectful. What you also learn is that he Pettersson wanted to be at the airport in Stockholm to greet them, but he cares a great deal about people. “He understands that there’s a bigger had a game in Sundsvall. His squad lost 5–0, but any disappointment picture outside of hockey,” says Brock Boeser, Pettersson’s best friend about the result was soon forgotten. On the way home, the team’s driver on the team. Boeser went through a trying 2019 while his father faced a pulled into a gas station and announced that something was wrong with recurrence of cancer. He says Pettersson checks in frequently to see the bus. When a minivan pulled up and parked alongside them, the driver how his friend is faring. “He always makes sure I’m doing well,” says then announced, “Hey, look who’s here.” The Danielyans stepped out of Boeser. “He really cares.” their ride and were immediately rushed by Pettersson and his Canucks head coach Travis Green is well aware of the empathy that his teammates. “I hugged them and didn’t let go of them,” Pettersson says. star player possesses. He was touched when Pettersson mentioned The brothers maintain that the efforts of the people of Ange had a direct Jason Botchford in his Calder Trophy acceptance speech at the NHL influence in reversing the deportation. The story gained widespread Awards in June. The popular Vancouver sportswriter died in late April at attention, notes Pettersson. “It’s unbelievable that they care so much. I age 48. When Green invited Botchford’s widow, Kathryn, and her three feel like they are my family,” Hayk says of the townsfolk’s relentless work. children to a game, the coach watched Pettersson embrace them during “Without them, it would never be possible.” a locker-room tour.

The brothers each have jobs in Sweden now — Valerik works in a “I knew that Jason had a real fondness of Petey, and Petey really supermarket, Davit for a transit company, and Hayk builds electrical respected and appreciated that,” Green says. “He was touched that they cabinets — and spend plenty of time with the Petterssons during the off- were there. I know it affected him. He cares about life and people that are season. They recently received their visas and were allowed to travel affected by hardship. Obviously, [Jason’s] wife and his kids are really outside of the country for the first time since their deportation. They affected by what happened. It was just touching, for me, to see how celebrated that with a surprise visit to Pettersson at the World Petey reacted when he saw them. Championship in Slovakia last May. Emil and his girlfriend, Fanny, “You can tell when someone is genuinely sad or understanding how planned the trip and asked Pettersson to stand on the blue line during affected their family would have been,” Green adds. “I’ve seen players in warmups before the quarterfinal against Finland. They wanted him to the heat of games and after games who are sometimes indulged in their pose for a picture, which he found strange, but when he obliged, he own [thoughts and] what they’ve got going on. [Pettersson wasn’t].” looked up and saw the brothers waving and yelling to him from the stands. “I was getting really emotional because that was the moment I REUNITED knew they had their Swedish passports and they could travel the world and we don’t have to worry about the thing that happened back in 2011,” "I appreciate my time so much more with them now," Pettersson says of he says. his friends. From left to right: Hayk, Valerik, Pettersson, Davit and Robert Eriksson. Since then, Pettersson, Valerik and Davit have travelled to Spain together and the hope is that Hayk can join them on a trip to Croatia next Pettersson is completely drenched, his blonde hair dripping with sweat as summer. Their Canadian trip was planned with careful consideration of if he’d been submerged in water. He quickly peels off his jersey and gear the Canucks schedule — Pettersson wanted a week with several home then braces for the lights, cameras and microphones that descend on games and, in accordance with the Danielyans’ work schedules, they him in the Canucks dressing room following a 5–4 overtime victory settled on the brothers staying in Vancouver from Dec. 16 to 24. The plan against the Vegas Golden Knights. Chris Tanev scored the winner in was for them to, of course, take in their first NHL games, dine at a few of what was a needed triumph for a club that had dropped three in a row. the city’s popular restaurants, visit some sights and maybe even Pettersson’s two goals, including a nifty third-period marker that beat Whistler. Marc-Andre Fleury short side, proved instrumental. But they also carried The brothers, travelling with another friend Robert Eriksson, all stayed in significance in that he was finally able to put on a show for his friends in Pettersson’s condo, and the 21-year-old is proud to show off their setup. the stands. No. 40 hadn’t lit the lamp two nights prior against the He pulls out his phone in the Rogers Arena suite and opens a video of Canadiens during the Danielyans’ first-ever NHL game, but at least he him moving room-to-room, each one boasting someone fast asleep on an made up for it here. On this evening, they were sitting two sections down air mattress. It concludes in the living room, where Hayk is awake, from where they were earlier in the week and Pettersson tried to spot headphones on, fully engrossed in a video game. them. “The game against Montreal, I could see them,” he says. “I was looking today and I couldn’t find them.” SMALL TOWN, BIG HEART Even though he couldn’t delight in the smiles on their faces, the Ange rallied around the Danielyans after the deportation. Pettersson and experience of playing in front of the brothers was no less special for the brothers believe the community's campaign was crucial in the family's Pettersson. There was a time when he genuinely thought he would never return to Sweden. see them again. The anguish of their deportation stays with him and he’ll often use it as sort of an internal compass. Ask Pettersson about the long-term impact of that confusing and fearful morning eight years ago and he’ll tell you it taught him an important “I appreciate my time so much more with them now, because I always lesson: Never take anything for granted. “Life isn’t how you want it all the think back to that and know how good we have it now,” Pettersson says. time,” he says. “And this for sure showed it. But good things happen if “It was tough for me, but they are the victims of this. Life can happen and you put in the effort.” The people of Ange banded together to help get the life can be tough. You don’t think it can happen to you, but I think it just teaches you to appreciate what you have in life.”

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169669 Websites QUICK HITS • The Calgary Flames power play had gone scoreless (0-for-11) in the

team’s last five games before Lucic scored in the first period with the Sportsnet.ca / Flames get away with chasing lead again in improbable man advantage. win over Wild • The Wild held a pre-game ceremony celebrating Devan Dubnyk’s 500th NHL game. The 33-year-old, who played minor hockey in Calgary, was given a silver stick and trip by the team, a watch from his teammates and Eric Francis January 5, 2020, 11:20 PM a series of warm ovations from a fan base that has seen Dubnyk shine the last six seasons. Dubnyk then watched from the bench as Stalock got

the start. The chase continues for the Calgary Flames. • Giordano left the first period just before its conclusion after taking a shot Not just in the Western Conference playoff race, but in-games, with far on the side of his knee. He returned in the second period, showing no ill too much regularity. effects. He’d later snap a 25-game goal drought with his late marker on a night he was his old Norris self. The Flames are in desperate need of finding a way to stop spending so much time trailing matchups. • The Flames had lost nine straight shootout games entering this season, but have rebounded to win their first four this year. On Sunday, it mattered not, as the Flames stole two points in Minnesota despite failing to lead at all in an improbable 5-4 shootout win over the • The Flames allowed a power-play goal for the fourth straight game. Wild. • David Rittich celebrated his 100th NHL game by winning in front of his The Flames managed to bounce back four separate times to tie the father, David Sr., who travelled from the Czech Republic to be part of the game, sending it into overtime thanks to a Mark Giordano goal with six father/son trip. After allowing the first three goals in each of his last two minutes remaining. starts, Rittich battled hard down the stretch during a game in which he allowed two goals on his first three shots. The bad news is that the team fell even closer to the bottom of the league in terms of minutes spent chasing the opposition. From that point on, he was spectacular, making several huge stops in overtime and the shootout, where he stopped six of seven shooters for The Flames entered the game against the Wild with one of the league’s his 18th win. highest percentages of time trailing this season at 39.7 per cent. • Credit Derek Ryan for his role in grabbing the extra point, as he needed Only three teams – the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and to score to prolong the shootout after Ryan Donato scored with the Wild’s Ottawa Senators – had spent more time in such deficits. fourth shot.

Following Sunday’s game of tag, the Flames actually dropped below Ryan calmly skated in and placed his shot high glove side to set the table lowly Ottawa on that list, to rank third in the dubious category. for Dube’s winner.

In three of their last four games, the Flames have dug early holes, Unsuccessful Flames shooters included Sean Monahan, Matthew including Sunday’s early setback when Kevin Fiala scored five minutes Tkachuk, Johnny Gaudreau, Andrew Mangiapane and Elias Lindholm. in. UP NEXT It kicked off an entertaining, see-saw battle, and the Flames deserve plenty of credit for persevering through to the end. The Flames play in Chicago against the Blackhawks on Tuesday, with their dads/mentors still in tow. Milan Lucic kick-started the uphill climb back from four different deficits with a fluky power-play goal off his foot that tied it 1-1. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 01.06.2020

A mere 34 seconds later, the Wild went up 2-1.

Still in the first, Travis Hamonic tied it, only to have Marcus Foligno respond four minutes later.

Michael Stone leveled things early in the third, before Jordan Greenway upped the ante a fourth time, just 42 seconds later.

See the pattern?

Cue Giordano’s late goal, which was another lucky break for the Flames as his centering pass went in past Alex Stalock after bouncing off the stick of Wild veteran Ryan Suter.

After the Flames valiantly killed off a Giordano penalty in overtime, Dillon Dube played the hero seven shooters into the skills competition.

His nifty backhand roof-job over Stalock’s glove sent his brother, Jake, and all the Flames players’ dads and mentors on the two-game trip into a frenzy.

“You dig a little deeper when they’re watching,” said Dube of the familial entourage that accompanied the players to Chicago after the game.

“We did a good job staying even keel. It’s a good win for us with the ups and downs of that game.”

Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what they think about it.

Interim coach Geoff Ward has spoken plenty about how exhausting it is for the lads to constantly chase games, forcing them to take extra chances while the coach shortens the bench.

Although the Flames were lucky to get away with it on this night, the players all know it’s not a recipe for success. 1169670 Websites Engvall’s blend of athleticism and speed, strength and length (dude is six-foot-five), combined with his extended neck and rather unique skating posture, has prompted some not-so-human comparables. His first Marlies captain, Ben Smith, called him “a horse.” Saturday, Mason Sportsnet.ca / Why Pierre Engvall deserves to stick with Maple Leafs Marchment grinning while dubbing him “a gazelle.”

The metaphor fits.

Luke Fox | January 5, 2020, 4:07 PM “He was a guy that took on a lot of responsibility in the American League defensively but still found a way to be right at the top of our team in terms

of 5-on-5 production. So he’s got a history of being able to do that,” Pierre Engvall had one simple thought Saturday night as his speedy Keefe says. linemate, Kasperi Kapanen, danced New York Islanders defenceman “When a guy with that physical package arrives, you’re pretty excited Noah Dobson one-handed off the rush and handed him a beautiful feed about him.” for the deciding goal. Oh, he’s arrived. “Sick play,” Engvall beamed, following his third game-winner, sixth goal and 10th point in just his 21st NHL game. One-Timers

Whenever the rookie has scored, the Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t lost in Injured forwards Johnsson and Moore both participated in Sunday’s regulation. And since Ilya Mikheyev’s devasting wrist injury, Engvall has practice, albeit in non-contact sweaters…. The club held its annual Skate become Exhibit A in the organization’s case for routinely grooming the for Easter Seals Kids fundraiser Sunday at their practice facility…. Ahead greatest winger depth in the league. of Monday’s game, the Oilers practised with titans Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl centring separate lines. When the superstars were paired “Every time I see Kappy go to the net with the puck with that speed, I just on the same unit against the Leafs on Dec. 14, they were shut out at try to catch up and be ready to shoot the puck,” said Engvall, matter-of- even-strength in a 4-1 Toronto win…. The Maple Leafs paid tribute to factly. Quickly, he spreads the love to the remaining cog of Sheldon long-serving equipment manager Brian Papineau Saturday. In Keefe’s accidentally effective third line. celebration of his 2,500th game, the club gifted “Pappy,” a baseball fan, “[Jason] Spezza is a huge part of it too, because he knows what to say to with a trip to the 2020 MLB All-Star weekend at Dodger Stadium in L.A. us to get us going and he’s helping us where to be,” Engvall said. “He’s Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 01.06.2020 just a really positive guy. If you do a bad shift, he’s like, ‘Try to do this.’ And we figure it out almost every time.”

The Swede with the French name has been figuring it out in both his transition to an English-speaking country and in his transition from the farm to the spotlight.

Since a rash of winger injuries prompted Engvall’s call-up, the seventh- round jewel out of Ljungby, Sweden, has looked surprisingly comfortable in the big leagues — killing penalties, not committing them, working his way up from the fourth line, and earning enough trust to be occasionally used at centre.

“He’s a heck of an athlete, a heck of a player. He can skate,” says Auston Matthews. “He’s got all the tools. You see him out there. He’s really good player. So, I think he’s fit in really well with us.”

When Engvall first arrived in North America — leaving his life as a power- play, point-producing threat with HV71 Jonkoping — he was only on a Marlies tryout. Before long, he’d earned a contract and a spot alongside Frederik Gauthier and Colin Greening on Keefe’s Marlies “miserable” shutdown line — an essential ingredient to the 2018 championship.

“The experience of playing in the Calder Cup really gave him a great sense of how he can use his skill-set to be very hard to play against,” Keefe explains. “We just wanted to have a better foundation defensively for him, to set him up for opportunities such as his recall up to the NHL here — and I think you see the benefit of that.”

That role required patience and defensive buy-in from a talented power forward enthralled by Marian Gaborik and Evgeni Malkin highlight packs. Each step of the 23-year-old’s Canadian development has started with own-zone responsibility and a role on the PK.

“He’s been an offensive producer most of his life. Coming into pro hockey caught him off-guard a little bit when we tried to put him in defensive situations and penalty kill and checking against other teams’ best players. He’s always felt he had more to give offensively, and we agreed with that,” Keefe goes on.

“He’s got a really good shot, and because of the way he skates and his strength, he puts himself in good spots to get shots off — and he has the ability to beat goalies.”

Heads up: Demotions are coming to the bottom six.

Yet even with friend and countryman Andreas Johnsson (leg) as well as Trevor Moore (concussion) nearing a return to the lineup, Engvall’s versatility and performance should make him a lock. A prime example of milking the most of your ice time.

If he’s sent down, the meritocracy will be questioned. 1169671 Websites J.T. Miller celebrate Edler’s goal against the Colorado Avalanche. (Darryl Dyck/CP)

Forwards Sportsnet.ca / Canucks mid-season report: Young group continues to The Canucks have enjoyed primary and secondary scoring (see above), learn as they go although the torrid pace of the power play has skewed offensive totals on a team that has been average at even strength.

Iain MacIntyre | January 5, 2020, 10:55 AM But when healthy, the Canucks have an excellent mix of skill, speed and power. Like the Vegas Golden Knights and St. Louis Blues, Vancouver is a heavy team that can wear opponents down when the puck is kept in the offensive zone. With Sutter and fourth-line centre Jay Beagle taking VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Canucks are not only like Forrest turns on the injured list, the Canucks have leaned heavily on centres Gump’s box of chocolates, but they also play like they’re jacked up on Pettersson and Bo Horvat, who hit the midway mark with 12 goals and 33 chocolate. points despite starting 58 per cent of his shifts in the defensive zone. They’re all over the place, skating and attacking, making beautiful plays Vancouver is second in the league with a faceoff win rate of 53.4 per with the puck when they’re not turning it over and chasing back, scoring cent. and getting scored against, blowing leads and demolishing deficits. Grade: B-plus Lately, they’ve also been winning and reached the 42-game mark with the fourth-best goal differential (+15) in the Western Conference. Edmonton Oilers centre Connor McDavid (97) fights for control of the puck with Vancouver Canucks defenceman Quinn Hughes (43). There might be no team in the National Hockey League as fun to watch (Jonathan Hayward/CP) than the Canucks, who have enough brilliant young, inexperienced talent that games are an adventure. This whole winning thing takes practice, Defence and the Canucks are learning as they go. The blue-line group is stronger than it was last season with the summer In the meantime, hold on. With 21-year-old Elias Pettersson driving the acquisitions of Tyler Myers, Jordie Benn and Oscar Fantenberg. But the attack and 20-year-old Quinn Hughes leading the defence, who knows defence still yields a lot of quality scoring chances and struggles what the Canucks might do in the second half of the regular season. physically at times against the cycle. The absence for 10 games of top defenceman Alex Edler, whose health is always a barometer for Home of the Canucks Canucks’ success, also hurt the team. Stream all 82 Canucks games this season with Sportsnet NOW. Get over But Hughes has been a game-changer offensively as a rookie, 500 NHL games, blackout-free, including Hockey Night in Canada, all contributing 29 points and making Vancouver’s power play one of the outdoor games, the All-Star Game, 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs and more. league’s best. He has somehow exceeded the hype that had him Team Record: 23-15-4, (6th in the Western Conference) regarded before this season as the most dynamic d-man in team history. He’ll be a rookie-of-the-year finalist if he stays healthy. Don’t take your Goals for: 3.32 per game, (9th in NHL) eyes off him when Hughes is skating with the puck.

Goals against: 2.95 per game, (21st in NHL) Grade: C-plus

Power play: 26.1 per cent, (4th in NHL) Vancouver Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom, of Sweden, makes a glove save during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Carolina Penalty kill: 81.0 per cent, (15th in NHL) Hurricanes in Vancouver, on Thursday December 12, 2019. (Darryl Best surprise: Team’s offensive breakout Dyck/CP)

No team in the NHL scored fewer goals over the last four seasons than Goaltending the Canucks, who averaged just 2.44 goals per game while finishing Last year was starter Jacob Markstrom’s breakthrough season, and there 25th, 26th, 29th and 29th in offence. With the maturation of Pettersson, was a question about whether he could match it in 2019-20 as the Brock Boeser and Bo Horvat, and the additions of Hughes and Canucks became more competitive. But the Swede has been even experienced wingers J.T. Miller and , the Canucks were better, posting a .917 save rate despite facing high-quality scoring going to score more this season. But nobody expected them to be a top- chances on a risk-taking team. Markstrom’s performances have included 10 offensive team already. Their power play alone pumped in 40 goals in a 43-save, 1-0 shutout against the Carolina Hurricanes and 49-save, 3-2 the 41 games after scoring only 43 all of last season. win against the Los Angeles Kings. What makes his play even more Not only is Vancouver’s “Lotto Line” of Boeser, Pettersson and Miller – impressive is that he coped throughout the fall with the terminal illness Nos. 6-40-9 – one of the best in the NHL, but the Canucks have also had and subsequent death of his father, and twice took short personal leaves surprisingly strong and deep secondary scoring. Tanner Pearson and to fly home to Sweden. have 12 goals apiece, Josh Leivo had 19 points in 36 Rookie , one of the Canucks’ best prospects, had an games before suffering a serious knee injury, and rookie outstanding October, cooled in November and then suffered a 18 points in 31 games. Antoine Roussel, who missed the first 28 games concussion in December that kept him out for two weeks. But he is 8-4-1 due to major knee surgery last season, had four goals in 13 games and in 13 starts and his .907 save percentage is just a smidge below league should make an impact in the second half. In 41 games, the Canucks average. It looks like he could be a star one day, but his second have scored five or more goals 16 times. concussion is as many seasons is a concern. Biggest disappointment: Injuries to Ferland, Sutter Grade: B-plus Ferland signed as a free agent to play in the top six and potentially NHL-Canucks-Green-stands-behind-bench-during-game contribute 20-plus goals, was restricted by a concussion to just 14 first- half games. He has one goal. Another important player, third-line centre Coaching Brandon Sutter, got off to a strong start with five goals in 14 games before chronic groin-abdominal problems returned. After missing 56 In his third NHL season, Canucks coach Travis Green has pressure to games last season, Sutter missed another 19 in the first half and remains win for the first time. He has a clear vision for the players he likes and the out of the lineup. direct, heavy style he wants his team to play, and has empowered his young stars to play freely and with confidence. The drawback has been a At one stage in November, Vancouver was without five of their bottom-six lot of high-risk hockey that has led to quality scoring chances for the forwards, which made the Canucks a lighter, easier team to play against opposition and a pile of blown leads. But Green’s players like him, the and contributed to a 3-7-1 slide. young guys are getting better, and the coaching staff deserves credit for a fourth-ranked power play and penalty killing that was much better than Vancouver Canucks’ Alexander Edler, of Sweden, from left to right, Bo its current ranking of 15th when it had its full arsenal of penalty-killing Horvat, Elias Pettersson, of Sweden, Brock Boeser, Quinn Hughes and forwards. Grade: B-minus

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169672 Websites "We’re certainly hoping to not make it as warm a welcome as we would like for our own guys [in their hometowns],” Keefe joked. “But he's an elite player; it's a great chance for our fans to watch him up close. But we hope that we can do a good job against him and that's going to be a TSN.CA / Toronto Maple Leafs look to shut down Connor McDavid, challenge as we know.” Edmonton Oilers in second meeting Toronto was up to the task in Edmonton last month, holding McDavid and Draisaitl to a combined one assist. Keefe admitted he doesn’t remember all the details of how the Leafs excelled in that 4-1 victory – that’s what Kristen Shilton Sunday afternoon’s review session was for – but one detail in particular stuck out.

The Maple Leafs held a noon practice at Ford Performance Centre. “We had the puck a lot, which really helped us,” he said. “So that's going to be an important factor and just as every team in the league does, try to Maple Leafs’ head coach Sheldon Keefe knows that many of the get it out of [their] hands early and try not to let them get the puck with accolades his team has garnered on its current 10-game point streak fall speed. So those are the challenges and I thought we did a pretty good on top players like William Nylander, Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and job of that, from what I recall.” John Tavares. But the real story of Toronto’s success goes beyond its first two forward lines. Tavares remembers a similar formula for success, and is confident the Leafs can execute it well a second time. “A lot of attention gets put on our guys who produce a lot and at a high rate, and we certainly need those guys to produce,” said Keefe after the “The neutral zone is a key part of the game, especially with McDavid and Leafs’ practice on Sunday. “But you also need balance; you need the Draisaitl and some of the other shooters that they have,” Tavares said. other guys to contribute at different times. Even our fourth line. “So you don't want to give them anything easy. Have a good gap, don’t Sometimes they don't get to produce in terms of the puck going in the give them space to generate the speed they can and then obviously they net…but they’ve kept the puck in the offensive zone and allowed some of can make plays at a very high speed and very quickly and create our best guys to come over the boards fresh to get scoring chances so opportunities out of nothing, so being able to control the neutral zone [is that's part of the balance too is just getting those types of contributions key] and obviously, when we have the puck it best suits us.” that assist the difference-makers to do their thing.” No matter what the plan is, though, when McDavid is out for a shift, It would be hard to decipher, based on the last 10 games, which of Toronto knows he’s fully capable of surprising, and they’ll have to be Toronto’s units is truly its top one anyway, setting up a 1A-1B situation prepared for that, too. between Matthews’ and Tavares’ groups. “He’s too good not to get his looks in, get his chances,” explained The Leafs don’t mind that though and appreciate how it enhances their Matthews. “And when he sees an inch of space, he’ll take it and make attack, while giving everyone plenty of chances to rack up points. Over the most of it, so just try to limit his time and space and try to know where the last 10 games, Matthews has produced 17 points (nine goals, eight he is at all times when he’s on the ice.” assists), Marner has 16 (six goals, 10 assists), Nylander has 15 (eight Now 20 games into his coaching tenure with the Leafs, Keefe can see a goals, seven assists) and Tavares has 11 (three goals, eight assists). noticeable difference between the team he took over in those first 10 “I think it’s been great,” Matthews said of the offence coming together. “I games, compared to where the group is at today. feel like all four lines are contributing and obviously depending on the "Where we've really seen the growth is just in our ability to play with night, one line is maybe contributing more than others, but when we’re purpose,” Keefe said. “Whether it's playing from behind, or finding a way balanced and everyone is involved, it’s pretty hard to contain.” to come back and figuring out what works for us to be able to do that. Recently the Leafs have also benefited from timely secondary scoring, Playing with the lead and closing out third periods, finding your way from a go-ahead goal by in Winnipeg on Thursday to a through times where we gave up a lot of scoring chances and a lot of sensational set-up from Kasperi Kapanen to Pierre Engvall against the people getting behind us to believing that’s not so much an issue and New York Islanders on Saturday. Knowing that offence can come from making those adjustments. I just find that we've established a pretty good anywhere these days takes some of the pressure off the Leafs top point- foundation of who we are, while being able to on the fly make getters, allowing them to play the game more freely. adjustments and tweaks that are helping us play a more purposeful and complete game.” “When you’ve got all four lines that can create offence, you just become that much harder to defend,” Tavares said. “You’re very confident that There’s also the matter of how much Toronto has been winning over the you're going to find your opportunities and find ways to break through so last month, a salve that can make any bumps in the road more you're able to stay patient. You’re able to control the game and have manageable. good possession and defend well, knowing you don't have to press or “When you're getting good results and our game is coming together count on one or two lines.” [things are easier],” Tavares said. “I think the identity of the team and the That’s the problem that Toronto’s opponent on Monday, the Edmonton way we're playing is continuing to get stronger. I think there's a good Oilers, have had this season. While Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl resolve and good resiliency that way, a good composure to understand are tied for the NHL lead in points with 65 apiece, the Oilers have our game plan and what we have to do and just be able to stay with it struggled to get secondary support for their output, particularly at 5-on-5. and trust that it's going to come, which we did and with the team we have, more often than not that it will.” Edmonton is tied for the third-fewest goals scored at even strength (23) in the NHL since Dec. 1, while Toronto has scored the second-most Maple Leafs lines at practice: goals at 5-on-5 in that stretch (43). But Edmonton does have the best Hyman-Matthews-Marner power play in the NHL (29.6 per cent), accounting for nearly a third of the total goals they’ve produced this season. Kerfoot-Tavares-Nylander

"That's kind of the way we're built right now,” said Oilers’ head coach Engvall-Spezza-Kapanen Dave Tippett. “Those two guys are key cogs of the offence. They're high- end players; they play on the power play together all the time. They get Marchment-Gauthier-Timashov lots of opportunity to get those points but they get those opportunities Moore (concussion), Johnsson (leg), Brooks because they're guys that can make a difference with those opportunities. So that's where we are.” Rielly-Barrie

Keefe is a big believer in spotlighting his players at important moments, Marincin-Holl like by putting Adam Brooks and Justin Holl in the starting lineup against their hometown Winnipeg Jets and Minnesota Wild respectively. But Dermott-Ceci Keefe hopes when McDavid makes a once-yearly appearance at his own Andersen hometown Leafs, it’s a decidedly less enjoyable experience. Hutchinson TSN.CA LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169673 Websites “Game is 60 minutes. Russia played 55,” said Russian defenceman Yegor Zamula.

Maybe in some ways, Sunday played out exactly as it had to for this TSN.CA / Canada storms back to beat Russia, win World Junior Team Canada. Because there were no easy roads in Ostrava. Championship This was a heavyweight title fight between two world hockey powers and old school, bitter rivals. Canada killed off four penalties in the first period alone, then trailed by two goals early in the third period. Frank Seravalli “It didn’t look good when it was 3-1,” Mark Hunter said. “This team never died.”

OSTRAVA, Czech Republic — Go ahead and etch the name ‘Barrett Any one of the five or six incidents that Canada went through - physically Hayton’ into Team Canada lore. or mentally - at this 12-day grind of a tournament might have broken a lesser group. Because Hayton authored one of the most incredible chapters in Canada’s rich history at the World Junior Championship on Sunday. Forget the Dream Team, this was Canada’s Redeem Team.

Less than 24 hours earlier, Hayton writhed in pain on the ice with an They were embarrassed in a 6-0 blowout to Russia, 18-year-old star audible ‘yelp’ so loud that you could hear it across Ostravar Arena. Alexis Lafreniere left with what appeared to be a serious injury, their captain Hayton nearly caused an international incident at centre ice when The initial prognosis from team doctors on Saturday night was not he failed to remove his helmet, and Veleno earned a one-game positive. His Grade I shoulder separation almost surely would’ve put him suspension for headbutting … and that was just Day 3. on the shelf for a couple weeks if he was back playing for the Arizona Coyotes. “To face that much adversity and always respond is something special,” said Lafreniere, who was named the tournament MVP. “No words can Team Canada’s brass went to bed thinking Hayton would be a longshot really describe that. It’s the best moment of my life, for sure.” to play. Coach Dale Hunter switched netminders from Nico Daws to Joel Hofer. “We didn’t know what was going to happen,” GM Mark Hunter said. “We He shuffled the lines when sniper Nolan Foote was ejected 53 seconds just didn’t know.” into the quarterfinal against Slovakia. Then Canada leaned on 17-year- But this was Canada-Russia. For all the marbles. old defenceman Jamie Drysdale in the quarterfinal when top pair blueliner Bowen Byram fell ill. “I had hoped,” Hayton said. “I knew the training staff was going to do everything they could.” Through it all, Canada kept climbing. All the way to the top.

The process was arduous on Sunday. Hayton went through strength and “We talked the whole time about meeting at centre ice at the end of the mobility testing. Then the Coyotes had to sign off on Hayton’s clearance, tournament,” Ty Dellandrea said. “We just did it. That’s unbelievable.” along with his own family. “Believe in yourself and good things happen,” Hofer said. After untold hours of manipulation, therapy, and who-knows-what kind of Even the tough-as-nails former NHL player-turned coach Dale Hunter cocktail to provide pain relief, Hayton gave Mark Hunter a smile during was in tears on the bench as the boys celebrated on the ice. warmups. The GM was watching from the bench, unusual for him, “just to double check” to make sure Hayton was good to go. “You can’t put words to it,” Dale Hunter said. “It’s so hard to get there. The competition is extreme. It’s tough. But the kids dug deep. We didn’t “He wasn’t going to be denied,” Mark Hunter said. “We were going to give up, we were down. It was one of those games that we really had to have to use handcuffs to handcuff him to the dressing room, that’s how battle.” much he wanted to play.” With the result was a realization from the Hunter brothers, the pride of Hayton didn’t just suit up for Team Canada. He scored to bring them Petrolia, Ont., who finally said ‘yes’ to Hockey Canada and teamed up to back from the brink. take on the World Juniors. The captain who could barely lift the puck during warmups somehow “It’s a special moment for us, because it was a long road here,” Mark blasted a snapshot off the post and in to erase a 3-1 deficit and make Hunter said. “God, you get in this tournament and you don’t know how Canada whole again. tough it is to win until you’re involved in it. You all sit there from the Believe it. outside, ‘Oh, it’s OK,’ but then you get involved in it, she’s a tough tournament.” “I just let it fly,” Hayton said. “And the rest is history.” That toughness and battle was on full display, embodied by the captain Fourth liner Akil Thomas finished the job minutes later, scoring his only when Hayton stepped onto the ice in the gold medal game. goal of the tournament, to crown Canada as the 2020 World Junior champion with a 4-3 win that won’t soon be forgotten. “He’s a true warrior,” Veleno said.

For the 18th time, Canada reigned supreme at the World Juniors and the “What a captain, what a leader,” Lafreniere said. “He fought the pain.” first time Canada brought home gold from an overseas tournament since The shot even surprised Mark Hunter: “I didn’t think he had that shot. He 2008. Canada failed to hit the podium at all in their last three lost some strength in it, of course.” Hayton said: “I definitely didn’t hold tournaments played on bigger European ice. back on that one.” “This better be going into TSN’s Top 10 World Junior moments,” Joe “It takes a lot of guts,” Dellandrea said. “To be injured like he was, most Veleno said. people wouldn’t play. The will, the heart to go win it for Canada - he’s a Sunday marked the fifth time Canada (5-4) topped Mother Russia in the special kid.” final since the gold medal game was first introduced in 1996. Hayton just as easily could have been the goat in Ostrava. His helmet And man did this one feel sweet, especially after the Big Red Machine kerfuffle didn’t register as much of a ripple in the Czech Republic, partly dealt Canada the country’s most lopsided loss in its sterling, 43-year run because Russian coach Igor Larionov diffused the situation. But back at the World Juniors. This flipped the script on 2011, Russia’s last gold home, some fans were calling for the ‘C’ to be ripped off his sweater. medal, when Canada blew a three-goal lead in the third period in Buffalo. Instead, as the kid with the bum shoulder lifted the trophy overhead, “Storybook ending,” said Joel Hofer, who was named the top goaltender Hayton showed what it means to be Canadian. He said sorry, admitted with a perfect 5-0 record and .939 save percentage. All nine times his mistake and asked for forgiveness. He played through immense pain, Canada has won gold overseas, their netminder was named the best leading Canada to gold on adrenaline. goaltender. And as ‘O, Canada’ played with the red Maple Leaf flying high, it produced an ecstasy and memory for Hayton and Team Canada that drowned out all the pain.

“I was definitely sore,” Hayton said. “But right now, I don’t feel a thing.”

TSN.CA LOADED: 01.06.2020 1169674 Websites With Bowen Byram out with the flu, 17-year-old Jamie Drysdale moved up in the lineup and made an immediate impact with a goal. The World Junior panel has more on that, Barrett Hayton's injury, and what happened the last time Canada and Russia met in the gold medal game. TSN.CA / Barrett Hayton a game-time decision as Canada's 'resilient group' faces more adversity Canada's first real bout with adversity came when Russia handed them a 6-0 loss on Dec. 28, the most lopsided defeat in the country's history at the World Juniors.

Mark Masters "That was an eye-opener for us," said Love, "and we’ll try and use that tonight to will ourselves to the win."

Both teams are expecting a much tighter affair than the preliminary Team Canada held a limited media availability at Ostravar Arena on round. Sunday. Team Russia held a full morning skate. Mark Masters has more. "Well, it happened last year," said Larionov. "It happened last year, 2019. Team Canada captain Barrett Hayton is officially listed as a game-time So, now, we're in the new year, 2020, we're starting to rewrite the books decision for the gold-medal game. in January so it will be a new game. For us, no overconfidence, we know "He's working with our medical staff in there right now and doing his things happen like that, 6-0, but it's all behind us, in the distance." treatment and trying to get himself ready," said assistant coach Mitch However, that painful loss remains a fresh memory for many Canadian Love. "We got a lot of hours here before puck drop so we'll see where players, who are determined not to repeat the sins of the past. he's at." "Last game they wanted to get under our skin," said Veleno, "they were The Arizona Coyotes centre, who is tied for the tournament scoring lead giving us some cross-checks, hitting us a little late and passing by our with 11 points, crashed into the boards in the third period of Saturday bench and giving us some smirks, but we can't let that get to us. It's night's semifinal win over Finland. Hayton could be heard yelling in pain aggravating when that happens, but we have to stay composed. No before leaving the ice favouring his left arm. matter what, we have to believe in ourselves and trust our teammates "He's been getting treatment," said teammate Joe Veleno. "We saw him and I think we'll be fine ... We have to be disciplined tonight and not get this morning, he's got nothing on his shoulder really so, you know, he sucked up in their game plan." seems fine right now." SC Express: Canada/Russia WJC moments That may be wishful thinking. TSN's Frank Seravalli reported the initial With Canada and Russia facing off for the gold medal on Sunday, outlook for Hayton wasn't positive and while the 19-year-old hasn't been SportsCentre looks back at some memorable World Junior moments officially ruled out, he's a long-shot to play. between the two nations in this edition of the SC Express. Dealing with the absence of a star player is nothing new for this If Hayton can't play, Veleno will be leaned on even more. After Canadian team. They won twice without Alexis Lafreniere and Veleno prematurely celebrating a couple close calls that didn't go in during the missed one of those games due to suspension. Nolan Foote was ejected last two games, the Grand Rapids centre hopes he's saving his goals for less than one minute into the quarterfinal win over Slovakia and then in the gold-medal game. the semifinal game top-pair defenceman Bowen Byram was a late scratch due to illness. "That's what everyone’s telling me," he said with a chuckle. "I hope the hockey Gods will reward me. I mean, I don't know what else I can do. "It's a resilient group," said Love. "We've dealt with a lot of adversity in The guys have been chirping me a little bit and so have the coaches so I this event so far and here we are again today with a chance to play the got to make sure I bury those." Russians for a gold medal." Veleno scored against the Czechs on New Year's Eve, but that's his only "You know what, sometimes it’s tricky," said Russian assistant coach Igor goal in the tournament. He pinged one off the post against Finland last Larionov, "when you got the best players out, sometimes the guys who night. play do some extra effort. We have to be prepared. We got some people also who are injured and playing through the pain." Veleno, who didn't score in five games at last year's World Juniors, tossed and turned on Saturday night, but not because of his lack of finish Seravalli: Hayton seems like a longshot to play in gold-medal game against the Finns. Barrett Hayton’s painful looking injury doesn't seem to bode well for his "It took me a while before heading to bed. I was just thinking about status in Sunday's final against Russia but there is still a chance he may today's game," he said with a smile. be healthy enough to play. Mark Masters is joined by Frank Seravalli to discuss the latest on his injury and comment on the confidence exuding Veleno was imagining a different kind of celebration. Not a goal, but a from Canada as it prepares for some revenge against Russia. championship.

Byram is likely to play tonight. "Throwing the gloves in the air, I guess, that’s probably the first thing I thought about," he said, "getting the Cup and getting to do a lap with that. "He's doing better," said Love. "He was at breakfast this morning, which At the same time, we all have a role to play. We can't all score big goals. is a good sign. He'll be a game-time decision as well." We all have to contribute in our own ways." Byram isn't the only Canadian player who's been dealing with a nasty flu Veleno on premature celebrations: 'hope the hockey gods reward me' bug. Calen Addison missed practice on Wednesday and others have been impacted as well. Joe Veleno has been facing harsh chirps from fellow teammates for celebrating prematurely on goals that aren't making it to the back of the "It was going around a little bit, but guys seem to be all good this net. Veleno says he's saving his jubilation for the gold medal game where morning," said Veleno. "We saw everyone this morning at breakfast so he hopes 'the hockey gods reward' him. it’s a good sign. It’s the gold-medal game so whether you're sick or not I think all the guys will be ready to go." Connor McMichael brings a swagger to Team Canada. He started the tournament on the fourth line, but still scored the team's first goal "There's been a little bit of an illness," said defenceman Ty Smith, "but sparking a comeback against the United States on Boxing Day. And the that’s kind of caused guys to step up like (Jamie Drysdale) did last night London Knight enters the gold-medal game having scored in three and that helps build a stronger team because guys get more touches and straight. more confidence." On Saturday night, the Capitals first rounder channeled his inner Babe Love confirmed that Hayton and Byram are the only two question marks Ruth against the Finns. for Team Canada Sunday. "Right before we went out for our first shift he said, 'Just get me the puck Depth delivers for Canada in dominant win in the high slot and I'm going to introduce myself to the back bar,' and that’s what he did," said linemate Ty Dellandrea. "So, he called it." Apparently, McMichael has done this before.

"Usually when he says he's going to score he does it," Dellandrea said. "He's a goal scorer."

McMichael has 25 goals in 27 games in London this season. He now has four at the World Juniors, one off the Team Canada lead (Hayton).

"He's got a great shot," observed Dale Hunter, who also coaches McMichael in the OHL, "that’s his strength and when he shoots it it comes off his stick hard and different and goalies have a hard time picking it up."

McMichael's goal was the beginning of a Canadian deluge. Dellandrea could sense how locked in the group was in the dressing room.

"We were ready to go," the Flint centre said. "We were excited for this game. There was a calmness getting ready for the game. Usually, we're talking a bit, but it was silence, a calm before the storm."

McMichel has done his damage early in games with all his goals coming within the first 23:31 of play.

Dellandrea: McMichael called his shot on first goal

Following Canada's dominant performance against Finland in the semifinal game, forward Ty Dellandrea said his fellow line-mate Connor McMichael asked for the puck so he could 'introduce himself to the back bar'. Within the first couple minutes of the period McMichael did just that to open the scoring for Canada.

When the Canadian anthem plays after wins in Ostrava some red-clad fans have taken to shouting "True North" during that part of O Canada. It's a tradition at Jets games and one that Winnipeg native Joel Hofer is well aware of.

"I heard that, actually," he said with a wide grin after posting a semifinal shutout. "I heard that the first couple games so it's definitely cool that they're getting here. It's getting pretty cold here so maybe they brought over the cold."

Hofer may have ice in his veins. The Portland goalie has appeared unflappable backstopping Canada to four straight wins. Hofer admitted to being nervous in his first start against the Germans. Have those nerves dissipated?

"No, they're still there," he said. "I mean, they're obviously going to be there. How can you not have nerves, I mean, it's the World Championship. Everyone has nerves, you just have to accept them and it's just a feeling. It's good."

A fourth-round pick of the Blues in 2018, Hofer has gone from never being invited to a Hockey Canada camp to starting in the gold-medal game at the World Juniors.

"It's pretty crazy," he said. "I wasn't invited to the (summer World Junior) Showcase or anything and was off the radar for a bit. So, I kind of just went about my business, game by game, and it's been showing off."

Frank Seravalli has more on how Hofer is aiming to follow in the footsteps of Jordan Binnington, who he met at training camp, here.

After replacing Yaroslav Askarov in the semifinal win over Sweden, Amir Miftakhov is expected to start for Russia, Larionov said. Miftakhov shutout Canada in the preliminary round.

Blues prospect Joel Hofer says he is inspired by Stanley Cup champion and St. Louis starter Jordan Binnington, as they are both calm guys. Teammate Joe Veleno jokes that he had no idea who Hofer was, but is happy with the way he has taken control.

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