SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 1/12/2020 Chicago Blackhawks 1170601 Column: NHL observations: Ducks might just be ready for 1170637 Dominik Kubalik scores twice and Patrick Kane reaches a teardown 995 career points in the Blackhawks’ 4-2 victory over th 1170602 Ducks coach Dallas Eakins upset with lackluster play in 1170638 Blackhawks veteran Duncan Keith is mentoring rookie loss to Blackhawks Adam Boqvist, 19, on and off the ice: ‘Trying to be the ey 1170603 Ducks’ Troy Terry starts AHL assignment with 2 assists 1170639 Dominik Kubalik’s surge continues as Blackhawks top 1170604 Ducks’ latest loss has coach Dallas Eakins revealing a Ducks different emotion: anger 1170640 Blackhawks goalie Robin Lehner wants contract extension, but what will he cost? 1170641 Rookie Kubalik scores twice, Blackhawks beat Ducks 4-2 1170605 Amid injuries, Arizona Coyotes seeing just how much 1170642 Hawks beat Ducks, need to keep fire going they've relied on goaltending 1170643 Colliton switches things up with Chicago Blackhawks 1170606 Coyotes get shut out by Hurricanes; Raanta leaves with morning skate lower-body injury 1170644 Is Blackhawks rookie Dominik Kubalik scoring his way into 1170607 Coyotes’ Raanta leaves with lower-body injury vs. Canes, Calder Trophy discussion? doesn’t return 1170645 4 Takeaways: Kubalik, Toews and Lehner lead 1170608 Coyotes goalie Antti Raanta starts; Ivan Prosvetov sent to Blackhawks past Ducks Tucson 1170646 Robin Lehner to start last game of homestand 1170609 New freeway, ownership and more: A Q&A with Coyotes 1170647 Blackhawks fighting through mental challenges of drastic CEO Ahron Cohen ups and downs 1170648 10 Blackhawks predictions for 2020: Erik Gustafsson’s status, Brent Seabrook’s return and more 1170610 Bergeron, Bruins prevail in overtime 1170611 Observations from Bruins’ overtime win over Islanders Colorado Avalanche 1170612 Bruins’ Torey Krug proves to be a true gamer 1170649 Sam Girard keeps Avalanche assist streak rolling in 200th 1170613 Former Bruins coach is not done yet career NHL game 1170614 Brad Marchand’s Mom knows best 1170615 Bulletin: Bruins win in OT, top Islanders Columbus Blue Jackets 1170616 Bruins looking for good follow-up from Brett Ritchie 1170650 Blue Jackets 3, Golden Knights 0 | Elvis Merzlikins gets 1170617 Matt Grzelcyk (lower body) knocked out of Bruins' OT win hot in Vegas, recording first NHL shutout over Islanders 1170651 Columbus Blue Jackets determined to get off to better 1170618 Talking Points: Charlie McAvoy played like a No. 1 starts defenseman in Bruins' 3-2 OT win 1170619 NHL Highlights: Patrice Bergeron delivers overtime winner to lead Bruins over Islanders 1170652 ‘It was pretty special’: Sharks honor Stars Joe Pavelski in 1170620 Bruins' Torey Krug readies for 500th NHL game, meaning his return to San Jose with a tribute video, lengt he wasn't 'a smaller guy that had been a flash in the p 1170653 Stars defenseman Stephen Johns plays first game in 22 1170621 Ritchie returns to Bruins lineup after encouraging signs vs. months with AHL affiliate Texas Nashville 1170654 Stars blow early lead against San Jose, ending a six-game 1170622 Brett Ritchie vs. the world: The right wing fights to stay in win streak the league 1170655 Will Stars’ impressive goaltending be short-lived or are Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin really this good? Buffalo Sabres 1170656 Stephen Johns plays first game in 22 months and 1170623 Amerks lose three- lead, fall to Crunch dominates in AHL conditioning stint 1170624 Power play finally generates momentum in Sabres' 6-3 loss 1170625 Sabres gave Carter Hutton no help, and he didn't help 1170657 Dylan Larkin on All-Star Game comments: I disrespected himself the Detroit Red Wings 1170626 Three-goalie mix can only serve as a temporary fix 1170658 The Detroit Red Wings can't say enough about Filip 1170627 Sabres searching for answers after 'very painful, Hronek. Here's why unacceptable finish' 1170659 Red Wings' Jonathan Bernier thriving with increased 1170628 The Wraparound: Canucks 6, Sabres 3 workload 1170629 Sabres will start Carter Hutton in goal today vs. Canucks 1170660 Moritz Seider and Joe Veleno return to Griffins brimming 1170630 Mike Harrington's NHL Power Rankings with confidence 1170631 Carter Hutton’s season was already a mess, and it’s even 1170661 Red Wings’ Filip Hronek flourishing with added worse now responsibility 1170632 Tall tales and short stories: Sabres’ 50th anniversary brings the best out of alumni 1170662 outlast Edmonton Oilers in a spirited Calgary Flames Battle of Alberta 1170633 Flames prevail in see-saw Battle of Alberta 1170663 Milan Lucic has an idea of McDavid and Drasaitl 1170634 Former teammates of McDavid marvel at his scoring leadership in the room ability 1170664 Zack Kassian calls Matthew Tkachuk a ‘p****,’ says he’d 1170635 ‘If he doesn’t want to get hit, then stay off the tracks’ — go after him again despite Oilers’ loss Provincial feud heats up 1170665 Lowetide: Projecting William Lagesson’s future with the Edmonton Oilers Carolina Hurricanes 1170636 Whale of a night: James Reimer has 41 saves as Canes shut out Kings 2-0 Los Angeles Kings Philadelphia Flyers 1170666 Hurricanes shut out Kings behind James Reimer’s 41 1170706 Flyers fans give Oskar Lindblom lots of love and a saves standing ovation 1170667 ‘It stings’: Early woes prove costly — again — for Kings in 1170707 Flyers sputter in 1-0 loss to red-hot Tampa Bay 2-0 loss to Hurricanes 1170708 Flyers struggling to find answers for feeble power play 1170668 FINAL – SAN DIEGO 6, ONTARIO 1 1170709 To a coach who would know, Flyers on right road with 1170669 JANUARY 11 POSTGAME QUOTES: TODD MCLELLAN Carter Hart 1170670 A “MATTER OF TIME” BEFORE ANDERSON-DOLAN 1170710 Flyers Notebook: Power-play slump has Jake Voracek at a GOT THE CALL; BRIND’AMOUR AUDIO loss for words 1170671 PREVIEW – ONTARIO @ SAN DIEGO, 1/11 1170711 Flyers shut out for 1st time in 2019-20 season, fall to 1170672 KINGS-WHALERS LINES, PAIRINGS; WHO Lightning at home ENCOURAGED KEMPE TO SHOOT OFF THE DRAW? 1170712 Oskar Lindblom receives standing ovation during Flyers- Lightning game at Wells Fargo Center Minnesota Wild 1170713 2019-20 Flyers have been defined by how they've 1170673 Vancouver visits Minnesota after Boeser's 2-goal game responded to adversity 1170674 Wild vs. Vancouver gameday 1170675 Jason Zucker has strong practice, could return to Wild Pittsburgh Penguins lineup Sunday 1170714 Pittsburgh sports teams hope 2020 won’t be another injury 1170676 Wild’s Jason Zucker back at practice, game status unclear filled year 1170677 Will Jason Zucker return Sunday from broken leg? Wild 1170715 Minor league report: DeSmith helps Penguins snap losing have mixed messages streak 1170716 Bryan Rust doing more than simply contributing to Montreal Canadiens Penguins’ success 1170678 In the Habs' Room: Ilya Kovalchuk cements his place on 1170717 Sidney Crosby’s status remains uncertain for Penguins the team with OT winner 1170719 Could Sidney Crosby return Sunday in Arizona? 'We're not 1170679 Canadiens squeak past lowly Senators 2-1 in overtime ruling out anything' 1170680 Montreal Canadiens' Gallagher won't play in Ottawa 1170720 Bryan Rust isn’t an All-Star, so the Penguins will have to 1170681 Canadiens at Senators: Five things you should know settle for him being one of the NHL’s best scorers 1170682 A big Canadiens win marked the low-key return of one of 1170721 Yohe: What to expect when Sidney Crosby returns their important young players 1170683 Video Review: Ilya Kovalchuk plays the hero as the San Jose Sharks Canadiens put an end to their losing streak 1170722 On Joe Pavelski’s return, Patrick Marleau, Aaron Dell steal the show New Jersey Devils 1170723 Sharks’ Brent Burns leaves game vs. Dallas Stars, then 1170684 Nico Hischier’s 2 goals power Devils in road win vs. returns Capitals 1170724 Joe Pavelski on tribute, reception: “It was just a 1170685 Devils injury updates on Mackenzie Blackwood, Jack tremendous night, they did it right” Hughes, Jesper Bratt 1170725 On emotional return, Joe Pavelski to get Patrick 1170686 Devils’ lines, pairings vs. Capitals (1/11/20) | Mackenzie Marleau-type tribute by Sharks Blackwood out with injury; Jesper Bratt returns 1170726 Sharks’ Tomas Hertl on NHL All-Star nod: “I will be 1170687 Nico Hischier, Devils blow out Capitals to end losing enjoying every moment” streak 1170727 Burns, Marleau lead Sharks to 2-1 win over Stars 1170688 Nico Hischier leads last-place Devils past NHL-leading 1170728 Sharks takeaways: What we learned in memorable 2-1 Capitals win over Stars 1170729 Watch Joe Pavelski receive standing ovation ahead of New York Islanders Sharks-Stars game 1170689 Islanders fall to Bruins on overtime power play 1170730 How Sharks have missed Joe Pavelski's presence both on 1170690 A familiar Islanders problem rears its ugly head and off the ice 1170691 Islanders fall to Bruins in overtime 1170731 Joe Pavelski admits playing Sharks for first time will be 1170692 Isles stop Pastrnak, but Bruins win in OT 'awkward' 1170693 Islanders get a chance to see where they stand against 1170732 Aaron Dell providing the foundation as Sharks showing one of Eastern Conference's best in Bruins some signs of life 1170694 Barry Trotz has no timetable for Cal Clutterbuck's return St Louis Blues 1170733 Just like an All-Star: Perron scores again as Blues beat 1170695 Rangers pounded by streaking Blues Rangers 5-2 1170696 Rangers’ Libor Hajek has uneven night in return from knee 1170734 Kyrou out, de la Rose in for Blues against Rangers injury 1170735 Steen finally scores, but he's been making his mark before 1170697 Rangers take step backward in loss to Blues that 1170698 Postgame analysis: NY Rangers fall flat in loss to 1170736 Offside adventures: Replay catches Kyrou a second time defending Stanley Cup champs in as many games 1170699 NY Rangers projected lineup: Henrik Lundqvist will be the 1170737 Preview: Blues vs. New York Rangers starting goalie in St. Louis 1170738 Blues’ Perron, Capitals’ Oshie among final All-Star picks 1170700 Rangers lose to defending Cup champion Blues in St. 1170739 Perron scores 20th goal in Blues 5-2 win over Rangers Louis 1170701 Rookie Libor Hajek returns to Rangers' lineup, replaces Tampa Bay Lightning injured Marc Staal 1170740 Lightning extend winning streak to 10 with shutout of 1170702 David Quinn praises defenseman Brady Skjei for his Philadelphia Flyers improved play of late 1170741 Lightning give Alex Volkov another look, and Pat Maroon 1170703 For Rangers, carrying three goalies raises lots of gets hurt again questions 1170704 Something smelled in St. Louis, but it wasn’t the Rangers’ Diaper Line 1170705 WARREN GAME REPORT: Kovalchuk scores in OT, extending Senators' losing streak Toronto Maple Leafs Winnipeg Jets 1170742 Toronto Marlies assistant coach Rob Davison released 1170765 Jets want to raise a ruckus from hospital 1170766 GAME DAY: Nashville Predators at Winnipeg Jets 1170743 Hey Mitch Marner, you’re an all-star 1170767 HIGH DANGER: Jets giving more than they get 1170744 Matthews plus Marner — the Leafs are reaping the 1170768 How Winnipeg’s top penalty killers excel despite playing in rewards of a switch that seemed so obvious all along the system that ranks last in the NHL 1170745 Marlies assistant coach Rob Davison out of hospital after ‘prolonged grand mal seizure’ in Texas dressing room 1170746 Matthews possessed to have possession is paying off for SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 Leafs; Marner to all-star game 1170747 Leafs relieved that Marlies' assistant coach Davison on the road to recovery 1170748 FANTASY FARE: Tavares' recent Sundin role is costing him points 1170749 For the Leafs’ William Nylander, only the results have changed Vancouver Canucks 1170769 Quinn Hughes is going to the All-Star game 1170770 Canucks Extra: Buffalo Wildin' 1170771 Ed Willes: No longer a man of steel, Odjick says his Canuck family has been super 1170772 Canucks 6, Sabres 3: Horvat helps visitors crank up the intensity in satisfying road win 1170773 The Armies: Illusion confusion, Jacob Markstrom’s honesty and Brock Boeser, the big tipper Vegas Golden Knights 1170750 Golden Knights lose first period again, then third straight game 1170751 Golden Knights close homestand with loss to Blue Jackets 1170752 Penguins remain contenders despite being decimated by injuries 1170753 Golden Knights’ Keegan Kolesar makes NHL debut vs. Columbus 1170754 Golden Knights waste another opportunity at home; won’t be back until Feb. 8 1170755 Golden Knights suffer second shutout loss of season, 3-0 to Blue Jackets 1170756 Golden Knights hoping to add a defenseman before the trade deadline 1170757 Elvis and Columbus Shut Out Golden Knights In Final Game Of Long Homestand Before Announced 18,400 Saturday Washington Capitals 1170758 Capitals come out flat again, show little life in 5-1 loss to last-place Devils 1170759 Capitals’ T.J. Oshie voted into first NHL All-Star Game 1170760 Nico Hischier scores twice, Devils rout Capitals 1170761 T.J. Oshie headed back to St. Louis as a first-time NHL All Star 1170762 Caps stunned by lowly Devils in blowout loss at home 1170763 All-Star bound: Oshie voted to first All-Star Game 1170764 Caps vs. Devils: Will Vrana be the key to the Caps' power play? Websites 1170774 Sportsnet.ca / Battle of Alberta re-ignited with Kassian, Tkachuk post-game shots 1170775 Sportsnet.ca / Flames' Tkachuk gets last laugh after polarizing battle with Kassian 1170776 Sportsnet.ca / Kovalchuk's skid-snapping OT winner the feel-good goal of Canadiens' season 1170777 Sportsnet.ca / Flames' Lucic played unique role in development of now-rival Oilers 1170778 Sportsnet.ca / Quick Shifts: 'Heart and soul' Rielly pushes through pain for Maple Leafs 1170779 TSN.CA / Five Takeaways: Vancouver Canucks @ Buffalo Sabres 1170780 TSN.CA / More minutes early in games gives Auston Matthews momentum 1170781 TSN.CA / Canucks vs Sabres Game Day Preview 1170782 USA TODAY / NBC Sports hockey analyst Jeremy Roenick apologizes for inappropriate comments 1170601 Anaheim Ducks new voice” to recover from a weak first half and make the playoffs. “We’ve totally been unable to meet expectations,” he said at a news conference.

Column: NHL observations: Ducks might just be ready for a teardown It’s difficult for any coach to be effective for long — Laviolette started with Nashville in 2014-15 — but the Predators’ woes extend beyond the coach’s voice. Their window to win the Cup might have closed after their By HELENE ELLIOTT 2017 loss to the Penguins, and they’ve been unusually shaky defensively this season. JAN. 11, 2020 4:10 PM “My message to the players was that I’m responsible for this, but you as

players have to share in responsibility of what’s taking place,” Poile said. Ducks executives approached this season believing they didn’t have to Rinne does it all completely rebuild their roster because they had collected enough young talent to make a strong start toward being a playoff team again and, Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne gave his team’s offense a surprise lift eventually, a Stanley Cup contender. on Thursday when he scored an empty-net goal in their 5-2 victory over the Blackhawks. He was next to his net and behind the goal line when he There wasn’t a franchise player among those kids but projections were launched a perfect shot down ice, becoming the 12th NHL goalie to be they’d gradually begin to contribute and they’d invigorate a team that had credited with a goal. become slow and stale. Of the 15 goals scored by that group, eight resulted from a shot into an No one expected this to be easy. But no one expected the Ducks to be empty net and seven from the goalie being the last player on his team to sitting last in the Western Conference through Friday’s games. touch the puck before an opponent accidentally put it into his own net. “To be honest, I’m not sure where we were going to be,” coach Dallas Few goalies handle the puck as well as they think they do, but Rinne’s Eakins said last week. “I think when I look at our record right now I do shot was accurate. “It was pretty cool. I just threw my hands up in the air believe it should be better. I’m not going to say that we should be sitting and tried to act as cool as I could,” he told NHL.com. in a playoff spot but I certainly think we should have five or six more wins.” Who’s on the coaching hot seat?

General manager Bob Murray hoped his team would be “a little higher in Laviolette’s dismissal was the sixth in-season coaching change. That’s a the standings and fighting for a wild-card spot” at the halfway mark of the lot, but there might be more in store. season. But they’re struggling to score — they ranked next-to-last in goals per game before they played the Blackhawks at Chicago on Montreal’s Claude Julien appears most likely to be fired next, due to a Saturday — and their power play ranked 29th. winless streak that hit eight before the Canadiens faced Ottawa on Saturday. Last week, they lost to Detroit and blew a two-goal lead over Team captain Ryan Getzlaf, 34, is having a solid season and is a good Edmonton at home. Julien might escape only because so many forwards influence on his young teammates and winger Jakob Silfverberg (15 have been hurt that it’s impossible to blame him for all that has gone goals) has been invaluable, but not enough of the established, 25- to 30- wrong. year-olds are stepping up. Chicago’s Jeremy Colliton also has injuries as an excuse but he hasn’t Shaking things up by bringing coaching consultant Darryl Sutter, a two- done anything to make a mediocre team any better. He could be gone time Cup winner with the Kings, down from the press box to join Eakins well before the Blackhawks finish their rebuild. behind the bench is not an option. “I’d love him to be around a lot more because I think he’s really good for Dallas and he’s got that fatherly way Mr. Game 7 returns of dealing with things,” Murray said of Sutter, who spends stretches of a There are clutch scorers and then there’s former King and 2014 playoff week to 10 days around the team in Anaheim and on the road. MVP Justin Williams, who is 8-1 in Game 7 playoff contests with a record “People don’t understand that fatherly side of Darryl Sutter, but he has 15 points in those situations. it. From Day 1 he said to me, ‘Murph, I’m not going behind the bench.’ I Williams felt burned out and stepped away from hockey after the Carolina don’t think he wants to go back to that. But I wish he was around a little Hurricanes lost to Boston in the Eastern Conference finals last spring, but bit more.” he returned this week for a one-year deal worth $700,000 in salary and The best-case scenario at this is that a sense of urgency kicks in for up to $1.3 million in bonuses based on individual and team everyone and that the kids grow into the responsibilities they’ve been performances. getting and gain experience they can rely on in years to come. Worst- Williams, 38, had been watching his old team and began to realize what case scenario is this becomes a wasted season, essentially, and Murray he was missing. “Coming to games, it brings you back a little bit. You see becomes a seller at the Feb. 24 trade deadline. the guys competing,” he said at a news conference. “It was just growing “It’s getting to the point where I have no choice. We’re getting there,” he and growing and growing to the fact that a little while ago I was like, ‘You said. “I told this group, first meeting of the year, that they would dictate know what? I think I want to do this.’” what I did about this time of the year. I reminded a few of them that about Williams, who has 312 goals and 786 points in 1,244 NHL games, a month ago. They are definitely showing me where they want me to go. practiced with the team on Thursday but probably won’t play for a little They’re making it loud and clear as far as I’m concerned. while. He’s a familiar commodity at a good price and an ideal boost for “I didn’t think we had to do a total teardown. I still do not think we do. But the intriguing Hurricanes, who held an East wild-card spot through I may have to go a little farther with some things than I thought we had Friday’s games. to.”

Coaching carousel spins again Helene Elliott

Predators coach Peter Laviolette walks past his team as they celebrate a victory over the Canadiens on Feb. 10, 2018. LA Times: LOADED: 01.12.2020 Nashville Predators general manager David Poile doesn’t make impulsive decisions. In 38 seasons as a GM, first with the Washington Capitals and then with the Predators since 1997, he had employed only five coaches before he fired Peter Laviolette last week and hired former New Jersey coach John Hynes as a replacement.

Poile’s statement about Laviolette and associate coach Kevin McCarthy sounded more like a tribute than a farewell, praising the leadership and passion they showed in guiding the Predators to the 2017 Stanley Cup Final and two Central Division titles. But Poile said the team “needed a 1170602 Anaheim Ducks

Ducks coach Dallas Eakins upset with lackluster play in loss to Blackhawks

By ELLIOTT TEAFORD

PUBLISHED: January 11, 2020 at 8:30 pm

UPDATED: January 11, 2020 at 9:12 PM

CHICAGO — The second period was only seconds old when Ryan Carpenter of the Chicago Blackhawks trudged to the penalty box, whistled for handling the puck on a faceoff. The Ducks had a power play and an opportunity to break a tie and move ahead of the Blackhawks.

The ice was fresh, the Ducks were well rested after an 18-minute intermission, and then they misfired for the next two minutes. They didn’t break the tie, they didn’t take the lead and, soon enough, everything went sideways during the pivotal middle period.

“The second period was just plain disappointing,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said after a 4-2 loss Saturday to the Blackhawks at United Center. “It’s a true privilege to be able to compete in this league and we didn’t compete in the second period.

“We just went out there and took up time on our shifts and that was the end of it. We woke up a little bit in the third. We can’t do that. We’re just not good enough yet to go out there and have one-off shifts. We have to be competitive — compete, compete, compete, every single shift, to a man.”

Dominik Kubalik scored twice for the Blackhawks in the second period, breaking a 1-1 tie at 4:20 and extending their lead to 3-1 at 12:21. Kubalik was left unmarked on each goal, free to swat rebounds past Ducks goaltender John Gibson.

“Untouched,” Eakins said. “That can’t happen. It can’t.”

Whatever else the Ducks accomplished, and it wasn’t much, it was overshadowed by their lifeless play in the middle period. They were outshot 17-9, outhustled to loose pucks and outworked in front of the net and along the boards, raising Eakins’ ire higher than it’s been all season.

The Ducks didn’t exactly dominate the opening period, but they more than held their own by taking a 1-0 lead on Max Jones’ goal only 3:37 into the game. Jones skated hard to the net and scored after accepting a pass from Ondrej Kase, who had won a battle for a loose puck behind the net.

Jonathan Toews then tied it 1-1 for the Blackhawks at 8;13 of the first.

“The first period, it was fine,” Eakins said. “To come out like that in second period and not be ready to compete for every inch on the ice and give up an inch on almost every shift, that’s what you’re going to get. That’s what you get. You give an inch in this league and they’re going to shove it where the sun doesn’t shine.”

The Ducks cut their deficit to 3-2 on Rickard Rakell’s goal 2:29 into the third period, but the Blackhawks restored their two-goal lead only 90 seconds later, when defenseman Olli Maatta beat Gibson with a shot from near the left point.

Chicago goalie Robin Lehner blanked the Ducks the rest of the way, turning them away repeatedly despite a late push. Lehner made 17 saves in the final period, none better than a lunging denial of defenseman Erik Gudbranson’s close-range shot, and 35 overall.

“The second period wasn’t very good,” Rakell said after scoring his first goal since Dec. 17. “We kind of stopped pushing back a little bit and we were giving them too much room. We didn’t play with confidence. So, yeah, that wasn’t a good period for us.”

Elliott Teaford

Orange County Register: LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170603 Anaheim Ducks

Ducks’ Troy Terry starts AHL assignment with 2 assists

By ELLIOTT TEAFORD

PUBLISHED: January 11, 2020 at 1:25 pm

UPDATED: January 11, 2020 at 1:25 PM

CHICAGO — Right wing Troy Terry joined the Ducks’ AHL team, the San Diego Gulls, for a conditioning assignment Friday. If his first game with the Gulls was any indication, he might not be there for long, after he assisted on two goals, including the overtime winner, in a 4-3 victory over the Iowa Wild.

“Any time you don’t play hockey for a while, you start to really miss it,” Terry told reporters in San Diego. “It’s going to take a little bit to work back into it, but I felt better as the night went on. It was fun to play down here (San Diego) again and get a win.”

Terry set up goals by center Sam Carrick and defenseman Josh Mahura in his first game since suffering a small leg fracture just below his knee Dec. 17 against the Philadelphia Flyers. Terry’s outlet pass freed Mahura for a breakaway and the winning goal only 46 seconds into OT.

Overall, Terry was on the ice for three of the Gulls’ four goals.

It wasn’t certain how long Terry might remain with the Gulls, who played host to the Ontario Reign on Saturday. Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said he didn’t give Terry a specific number of games before sending him packing to San Diego, and with good reason.

“Go, invest in that team immediately, and play very well, and there will be a reward for that,” Eakins said of giving Terry his marching orders. “I think sending a guy down with a timeline is sometimes a dangerous thing. If you tell a guy, ‘You’re just going to play two games,’ well, his mindset could be, ‘I’m just going to play my two games and I’m going to be back.’”

Terry was originally expected to be sidelined for up to 10 weeks after his second leg fracture in less than a year. But he returned to the Ducks after the Christmas break and said his leg felt fine. After subsequent tests, he was cleared to practice and then to play.

Terry had three goals and five assists in 33 games before he was injured on a knee-on-knee hit from the Flyers’ Nicolas Aube-Kubel, modest numbers to be sure. But he started to play a more assertive and confident game in the week or so before he was hurt.

“With Troy, he’s hungry, he’s hard working,” Eakins said. “In that game (Friday) night, he got better as it went along. Obviously, the points always help with him. He is a kid who values production. It gives him a real good mindset. That was a good start for him.”

DEFENSIVE ROTATION

Michael Del Zotto sat out for three games, played three games and then sat out the Ducks’ loss Thursday to the Dallas Stars. Korbinian Holzer played six in a row, then sat out three because of an injury before returning to the lineup to face the Stars.

Del Zotto got the call to play Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks and Hozler sat out. Eakins made it clear beforehand that the two veteran defensemen will be in and out of the lineup as the situation warrants for the foreseeable future.

“It’s sometimes who we’re playing and sometimes off play,” Eakins said of determining whether Del Zotto or Holzer would play. “We want that competition with all our ‘D.’ … They’re both going to be in and out of the lineup a lot, the way things sit right now.”

Elliott Teaford

Orange County Register: LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170604 Anaheim Ducks The feeling was shared.

“It’s plain and simple,” Josh Manson said. “That’s how we felt. That’s what Dallas saw and that’s what we saw. I thought we responded well in Ducks’ latest loss has coach Dallas Eakins revealing a different emotion: the third, though.” anger But it wasn’t enough and it’s not enough for the Ducks. Rickard Rakell pulled his team within a goal by putting in his own rebound after some By Eric Stephens nice work from Max Comtois and Isac Lundestrom created the quality scoring chances. And that good feeling lasted all of 90 seconds after Chicago defenseman Olli Maatta took a drop pass from Alex DeBrincat and got to rip an unblocked point shot past Gibson. CHICAGO — It began as a slow burn and ended as a controlled tirade. The difficulty with not being as talented in some areas and experienced For just over six minutes Saturday night, Dallas Eakins had to talk about as others compared to other teams is that the Ducks almost need to play another Ducks loss as he stood against a wall outside the visiting the perfect game, as there have been plenty of contests where one area dressing room at United Center. Lately and not so lately, the first-year of their game has failed them and it proved costly. coach has had more than a few to discuss. He has expressed disappointment and even some frustration but usually found a way to To the assertion of whether it feels like they must be perfect just to get a point out his team’s positive traits. Or try to. win, Eakins candidly said, “Some days, I guess.”

Another emotion rose to the surface after the Ducks took a 4-2 defeat at “I’m not sure that was the case tonight,” he continued. “I thought we were the hands of the Chicago Blackhawks. OK and maybe as expected with the travel coming in. But the second period was just plain disappointing. Anger. “It is a true privilege to be able to compete in this league. We didn’t As he spoke, Eakins didn’t raise his voice much beyond his normal compete in the second period. We just went out there and took up time conversation level. But the emphasis in which he made his points said on our shifts and that was the end of it. I thought we woke up a little bit in everything. Beneath his cool exterior was plenty of steam. the third. But we can’t do that.” “We’re just not good enough yet to go out there and have one-off shift,” It overtook any other facet of the game that Eakins could point to if he Eakins said. “We have to be competitive. Compete, compete, compete wished. The positive sign of the youngsters that have struggled to every single shift to a man if we’re going to have any kind of success or produce offense factoring directly in both their goals didn’t matter. “I’m in be in the game.” a shitty mood right now,” the coach said. “I don’t see much positive.” The Ducks are to the point where they’re circling the drain. Losses have What irritates Eakins is the Ducks must battle for everything they can get. piled up for a long while. Three straight and six in seven games. One win There are few gifted scorers on this roster and the kids are still finding in regulation over their last 17. No stretch of back-to-back wins since their way through the NHL forest, tripping and stumbling and picking Nov. 1, a remarkably bad span of 30 contests. themselves up as they go. Their goalies have been penetrable. Their residence is the bottom of the Western Conference. There is a lot But they must battle as this is clearly a rebuild they’re in. Otherwise … to hash over when it comes to the place they have arrived at. One is they’re plainly not good enough to overcome their mistakes, even in the “You might as well settle in,” Eakins said. “We might not have that luxury games where they’ve made fewer than others. for some time until this is up and running. We’re an organization in transition and transition takes time. You think it’s just going to happen Amid the losses, the one thing Eakins does not want these Ducks to lose one day and just wait for next month or six months from now. It doesn’t is the will to compete. Two goals by the Blackhawks in the second period work that way. would put them in another hole they couldn’t dig out from. Both were scored by Chicago rookie Dominik Kubalik, a 24-year-old one-time Kings “I don’t care if you’re an elite team in this league. You have to compete. draft pick who matured in the Czech and Swiss pro leagues and now has You have to compete. And those elite teams do it every shift and that’s 16 goals. why they’re elite teams. We certainly can’t take shifts off with us being in transition.” That’s fine. What wasn’t fine with Eakins was that Kubalik scored twice on rebounds against goalie John Gibson and wasn’t touched by another As for the game, Eakins correctly noted that it wasn’t close despite the Ducks player on either. The fuse was lit. shot attempts and power play opportunities and faceoff wins being virtually even. All the talk about creating chances and controlling play for “That can’t happen,” Eakins said. “It can’t. We talk about how hard it is to minutes at a time or even entire periods becomes empty noise when go to that area offensively. We certainly can’t let it be an easy one in our wins aren’t the endpoint. end.” “Losing sucks, man,” Manson said. “Losing sucks. You look at some These were two teams that have seen far better days. Almost five years things that we do and it’s good. But you can’t hang your hat on it. Those ago, Anaheim and Chicago battled for seven games in a memorable aren’t equating to wins right now. Is it lapses that we’re having in games Western Conference final. Now, neither is headed for the playoffs for a where we’re giving up one or two goals and we’re just not finding ways to second consecutive season. score goals to overcome the little mistakes that we’re making? We’re not But the Blackhawks still have Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. Toews fortunate (enough) for that. put a shot through Gibson’s pads in the first period and the two combined “Who knows? I don’t know.” to set up Kubalik’s first from in close. Still, the Ducks played a competitive first period to open their trip and were square at 1-1 after 20 Asked if he senses the players are as fed up as he is, Eakins said, “I’m minutes thanks to an early Max Jones conversion after Sam Steel hopeful that they all are. For sure, I know that there are a number of applied pressure to Chicago defenseman Connor Murphy and Ondrej them.” Kase forced him to turn the puck over and fed his linemate heading the net. “You get fed up with losing,” Manson said. “There’s only one way out of it. You can’t just sit there and feel bad for yourself. There’s only one way And then the second period occurred. Their offensive ineptitude remains. out of it and that’s the way it goes. It’s part of being a professional.” But their failure to defend properly is eating away at Eakins. Too often, the Ducks were collectively focused on the puck carrier and not keeping Thinking about whether a simple mistake or those that compound on track of Chicago players skating and finding open spaces away from the each other lead to how they break down in games, Rakell surmised that puck. Like Kubalik. when opposing teams have extended shifts within their zone, “instead of helping each other, you’re just trying to hide instead of doing something “To come out like that in the second period and not be ready to compete and try to be a difference-maker.” for every inch on the ice and give up an inch almost on every shift, that’s what you’re going to get,” Eakins said. “That’s what you get. You give an Elaborating on that theme, the Ducks’ winger said, “You want to be part inch in this league, they will shove it where the sun doesn’t shine. That’s of being a difference-maker if your strong assets are defensive play or just the way it goes.” offensive play. You just want to have to be a game-changer. Kind of felt that in the third period. Everybody did everything they could to tie the game or create scoring chances.

“We need more of that. Play fearless.”

Got to compete first. Every minute.

Eric Stephens

The Athletic LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170605 Arizona Coyotes Kuemper, who was on track to contend for the Vezina trophy before his lower-body injury, has no timetable for return and it is unclear if he'll be available for any of the Coyotes' four games before the All-Star break.

Amid injuries, Arizona Coyotes seeing just how much they've relied on And the jury is out on Raanta, who just can't seem to catch a break in goaltending Arizona.

As soon as the Coyotes wrapped up play on Friday, a mere 1 point Richard Morin, separated the top four teams in the Pacific Division standings, and the fifth place team was just 4 points out of first place. The Coyotes, currently Published 8:00 a.m. MT Jan. 11, 2020 occupying second place, will face two of those teams in the next week.

Updated 8:23 p.m. MT Jan. 11, 2020 Assuming the absence of both Kuemper and Raanta, can Hill (or Prosvetov) man the fort in these next four games, three of which come

against divisional opponents, that will almost certainly have a major It was no secret that the Coyotes' strength was their goaltending tandem. impact on the Coyotes' playoff chances? Between Darcy Kuemper and Antti Raanta, the Coyotes had a one-two To do so, they'll need some help — and the last thing the Coyotes need punch in net that could rival any team in the NHL. is a goal-scoring drought. These skaters went half a season on the backs But what happens when you take that away? And not just one of their their goaltenders. goaltender, but two? Now, it's time for them to return the favor. The Coyotes are answering that very question right now. Up next Thus far, to the ire of Coyotes fans, the results have not been positive. Coyotes vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, 4 p.m., Sunday: The Coyotes (25-18-4) Third-stringer Adin Hill played well in a 5-2 road win over the Florida return home after a three-game road trip to host a surging Penguins team Panthers, but he didn't have it against the red-hot Tampa Bay Lightning that has won two straight ... This is the second and final meeting between in a 4-0 loss. the teams this season; the Penguins (27-12-5) picked up a 2-0 win over Raanta, who has been ravaged by injuries since joining the Coyotes in the Coyotes on Dec. 6 in Pittsburgh. ... Penguins captain Sidney Crosby 2017-18, returned from a lower-body ailment to start on Friday against is expected to be a game-time decision for Sunday. the Carolina Hurricanes. But he couldn't even make it through 60 Richard Morin minutes, removed from the game during the second intermission with — you guessed it — a lower-body injury.

The Coyotes lost that one, 3-0, on Friday in Raleigh, N.C. Arizona Republic LOADED: 01.12.2020 With both Kuemper (2.17 goals allowed average, .929 save percentage) and Raanta (2.66 GAA, .921 SV%) on the shelf, the Coyotes are now seeing just how much they have relied on elite goaltending this season.

"We're getting a little adversity with the goaltending," Coyotes head coach Rick Tocchet told reporters after Friday's loss. "That doesn't mean we're going to rush (Kuemper) back, but (Raanta) has to be healthy. (Hill) is going to have to come in here ... and we'll go from there."

It is impossible to say whether Raanta was fully healthy heading into Friday's game. Per team policy, injured players are not made available to the media until they have played a full game after returning from said injury.

"After the second period he said he didn't feel good," Tocchet said of Raanta. "So we put (Hill) in."

Hill did not allow a goal in the third period against the Hurricanes, but it was essentially garbage time after the Coyotes sleepwalked through most of the game. Even more concerning than their seven goals against in the last two games is their goose egg in the goals-for column.

Perhaps the Coyotes have been overcompensating defensively with the goaltending situation in flux. They have been spending too much time in the defensive zone and not enough time generating quality chances on offense.

Still, concerned as you may be about the offense, it's become clear the Coyotes won't get very far without their goaltending duo.

Entering play Jan. 4, the game in which Raanta first became injured, the Coyotes were second in the Western Conference and third in the NHL with just 2.50 goals allowed per game. Since then, the Coyotes have allowed 11 goals in their last four games (2.75 GA/G) and seven in their last two games (3.5).

Meanwhile, the Coyotes' offense — which recently scored 15 goals in a three-game stretch from Jan. 2-7 — is still in the bottom third of the league (2.73 GF/G). Perhaps Taylor Hall can help yield some results, but the Coyotes are still very much a budget team in terms of scoring, one that routinely relies on its defense and goaltending as difference-makers.

It remains to be seen who will start in net for the Coyotes when they return home on Sunday to host the Pittsburgh Penguins — who, by the way, have a very good chance of getting Sidney Crosby back in their lineup — but if Raanta is still down it's a good bet that goaltending prospect Ivan Prosvetov will be recalled again for insurance. 1170606 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes get shut out by Hurricanes; Raanta leaves with lower-body injury

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

JANUARY 10, 2020 AT 8:42 PM

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Petr Mrazek stopped 32 shots for his third shutout of the season, and Lucas Wallmark and Martin Necas scored within 63 seconds of each other near the end of the second period to help the Carolina Hurricanes defeat the Arizona Coyotes 3-0 on Friday night.

It was the second straight night the Coyotes were shut out after they lost 4-0 at Tampa Bay on Thursday.

The Hurricanes were leading 1-0 when Wallmark’s tip of ’s shot went off Antti Raanta’s glove and head before landing in the goal 1:13 before the second intermission.

Necas increased the lead to 3-0 when he curled behind the net and lifted a backhander into the goal with 9.6 seconds remaining in the period.

Warren Foegele also scored for the Hurricanes, who won their second in a row and improved to 4-2-0 on their seven-game homestand.

Raanta, who had been 3-0-0 in his last three decisions, gave up three goals on 28 shots before he was replaced for the third period by Adin Hill, who faced just one shot over the final 20 minutes.

Arizona averaged 4.5 goals per game over four straight wins from Dec. 31 through Jan. 7, but failed to score for the second game in a row as Mrazek was sharp and the Hurricanes’ penalty-killing unit was effective. Arizona was 0 for 3 on the power play.

Mrazek’s best save came on a backhander by Lawson Crouse early in the third period after Crouse got behind Carolina’s defense for a short- handed scoring opportunity.

Foegele scored 14:20 into the first period after Andrei Svechnikov dug the puck out of the corner and fired a perfect pass into the slot in front of Raanta.

NOTES

Arizona’s consecutive road losses were an anomaly for the team this season. Before the defeats at Tampa Bay and Carolina, the Coyotes had been 12-4-2 in their last 18 games away from home.

UP NEXT

The Coyotes play host to Pittsburgh on Sunday.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170607 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes’ Raanta leaves with lower-body injury vs. Canes, doesn’t return

BY JAKE ANDERSON

JANUARY 10, 2020 AT 7:58 PM

UPDATED: JANUARY 10, 2020 AT 8:57 PM

Arizona Coyotes goaltender Antti Raanta left Friday night’s 3-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes and did not return.

The team announced that Raanta sustained a lower-body injury.

After the second [period], he said he didn’t feel good, so we put [Adin] Hill in,” head coach Rick Tocchet told Fox Sports Arizona postgame.

Raanta, 30, came out after the end of the second period with the Coyotes trailing the Canes, 3-0.

The goaltender saved 25 of 28 shots on the night (.893 save percentage) before Adin Hill took over between the pipes.

Raanta was making his first appearance since sustaining a lower-body injury that caused him to exit Arizona’s 6-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 4.

The 30-year-old came into Friday night with a .921 save percentage and a 9-8-2 record on the 2019-20 campaign.

Coyotes’ goaltenders continue to get bit by the injury bug, as starting G Darcy Kuemper remains sidelined with a lower-body injury as well.

“We’re hitting a little adversity with the goaltending,” Tocchet said.

“That doesn’t mean we’re going to rush [Darcy] Kuemper back and Raanta has to get healthy, so Hill is going to have to come in there and we’ll get [Ivan Prosvetov] back up if we need him and we’ll go from there.”

Arizona Sports LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170608 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes goalie Antti Raanta starts; Ivan Prosvetov sent to Tucson

BY MATT LAYMAN

JANUARY 10, 2020 AT 4:10 PM

The Arizona Coyotes sent goaltender Ivan Prosvetov back to the Tucson Roadrunners (AHL) on Friday, coinciding with the welcome news that Antti Raanta would return to game action.

Raanta was expected to start in net for the Coyotes on Friday at the Carolina Hurricanes, a game that marked the second half of a back-to- back. Adin Hill started in net on Thursday at Tampa Bay.

Hill and Prosvetov served as the Coyotes’ two goaltenders while Raanta and Darcy Kuemper, both of whom had lower-body injuries, were sidelined. Kuemper remains on injured reserve, meaning Raanta and Hill are now Arizona’s two active netminders.

Prosvetov did not appear in game action during the time he was with the Coyotes. He only made his pro hockey debut this year, splitting time between the AHL and ECHL. Prior to that, Prosvetov was with the Saginaw Spirit.

The Coyotes drafted Prosvetov in the fourth round (114th overall) in 2018.

Raanta, 30, owns a .921 save percentage this season with a 9-8-2 record. His last outing was on Jan. 4 against the Philadelphia Flyers, but he didn’t came back out for the third period. That was the start of his absence from the lineup due to injury.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170609 Arizona Coyotes teams. And that’s important, and that’s something that I really don’t think we’ve had over the years here, but we’re starting to develop. And that really goes a long way and encourage all the fans to continue to play a New freeway, ownership and more: A Q&A with Coyotes CEO Ahron part and help make Gila River Arena a tough place for opponents to Cohen play.”

The above answer was trimmed down for brevity.

BY MATT LAYMAN How happy were you to see the new 202 freeway extension get done?

JANUARY 10, 2020 AT 3:16 PM “We were very happy. As I mentioned, we have so many fans in the southeast Valley. Certainly, this reduces the travel time coming from the UPDATED: JANUARY 11, 2020 AT 8:39 AM southeast Valley. It makes it easier to get out to games.

“The other thing that I think that it does it eases some of the congestion on the [Interstate] 10, so it’s not just people from the southeast Valley PHOENIX — Arizona Coyotes president and CEO Ahron Cohen was at that are going to be benefited by this, but it’s really anybody from the an event in Washington, D.C. last spring when he found himself in a East Valley, even if they’re coming on the 10, it makes it easier for them conversation with the mayor of Gilbert, Ariz., Jenn Daniels. to get out, especially on a weeknight game. All this time later, this week, Cohen and Daniels partnered to have Jan. “Anything that makes it easier for you to come to a game should help 11 be Arizona Coyotes Day in Gilbert. incentivize people to come out to more games. We have so many great How fitting. fans in the East Valley and we’re hopeful that this will improve things and make things easier. And I think time will ultimately tell as to the impact of It just so happens that the occasion coincides with another significant this, but I think it’s a huge thing and we’re incredibly excited, and we development: The recently-opened extension of the Loop 202 freeway even came up with a ticket offer as a result: the Freeway Fast Pass. Just connects the southeast Valley to west Phoenix, making it easier for fans so we can capitalize on getting people to jump on board now and buy in Chandler or Gilbert or beyond to get out to Glendale for Coyotes some Weekender ticket packages.” games. How has [new owner] Alex Meruelo changed the Coyotes as a business? Cohen pointed out that in-person attendance isn’t the only thing that We hear about his spending on the roster, but just from the business matters for the Coyotes’ business metrics. He also noted a 23% TV side, how has he affected things, if at all? ratings increase from last season; a 104% increase in December 2019, specifically, compared to the previous December; and a 29% ratings “I think it all goes together. You talk about stability, I think it makes it increase since the Coyotes acquired Taylor Hall. easier for us to message to the marketplace when we have stable ownership and committed ownership. “The TV ratings are a very good barometer for us, of where we’re at in terms of engaging with the entire community and really, the entire state,” “And I think what’s so important in sports is, it’s really a social contract Cohen said. that a team is entering into with a fanbase. And when you’re basically telling the fans, ‘Look, we’re not trying to win,’ or, ‘We’re just trying to Cohen spent some time discussing other Coyotes-related topics, survive,’ or things like that, how do we expect fans to say, ‘Look, I want to specifically on the business side, in an interview with 98.7 FM Arizona’s spend my hard-earned money and support this team and go out to Sports Station on Wednesday. Here’s what he said: games.’?

It seems like attendance has been really good the last handful of games, “But conversely, if you demonstrate that you’re committed to winning and since Christmas, I would say. Why is that? you’re doing things to win now, and we’ve seen that with bringing on Phil Kessel and bringing on Taylor Hall, these are incremental expenditures. “I think it’s a lot of different factors. I mean first off, winning really helps. I These are investments that John [Chayka] and Alex and I talk about and think everybody’s seen this team and flirting with first place in the Pacific go, ‘OK, what are these expenditures going to do and how do they affect over the last little bit. I think there’s a lot of excitement and buzz in the the entire organization?’ marketplace, certainly getting No. 91 Taylor Hall into a Coyotes uniform is helping matters, as well. And to be honest, during my five years with “And I think it really, really helps from a fan and sponsor perspective, the team, I’ve never seen local buzz quite what it is right now with this because it lets people know that we’re investing, we’re making the team. I can’t go a single day without somebody in the community investment so it makes it easier for them to commit and invest with us. reaching out to me saying, ‘You guys are doing so many great things.’ And I think that’s incredibly important.” You’re seeing that paying off and people coming out to the arena. Has Meruelo been able to drive things forward at all yet in the search for “Another thing I think is just kind of naturally, with this community, there’s a new arena, and do the Coyotes still have the same position on that so many different things going on earlier in the season. A lot of football. front? Is that still the team’s position that they would want to find a new It’s just a busy time for a lot of people. So now that we’re getting kind of home? through the holidays and into January, there’s a lot more opportunity to get out to our games and spend some time here. “Look, there’s so many things that go into making a successful organization. I’ve been pretty consistent with what our core pillars are, “And then you look at the season as a whole, we really built a strong and Alex is fully committed to these core pillars as well: And it’s winning foundation over the summer. It started with making sure that we had a hockey games, it’s building fans throughout the state, and that’s very high renewal rate of our existing season ticket holders, and we positively impacting the community. And with Alex Meruelo’s support for actually set the record since we’ve been in Glendale this past year with a myself and John, we’re doing everything we can to enhance those pillars. 94% renewal rate. So it shows that the people that we had as long-time season ticket holders like the direction that we’re on, and they wanted to “Like I’ve said before, we could be playing on Main Street and Main — stay involved. So rather than losing a bunch of season ticket holders and you could do geographic studies and say what’s the optimal location, having to play a lot of catch-up just to get back to even, we started very what’s ground zero for the best location in terms of making it easy for the close to neutral just from then, so then everything else was just building fans to come out to — and if we’re not winning games, we’re not building upon that foundation. fans, we’re not engaging in the community, it all doesn’t matter.

“And one thing that I’ll say is, obviously we’re looking at this and it “So for right now, that’s what we’re talking about and that’s where our certainly helps financially when we’re getting more people in the building. focus is. And certainly, people should know that Alex and myself and But what’s most important for me, the reason we’re all doing this, is we John and our entire organization and staff, we’re doing everything we can want to win hockey games. And it really does matter and you hear from to make us successful here for the very, very long term, and for decades the players and a number of players I think said this after the last game, to come.” where they thrive off of that packed house. How important is making the playoffs this year — not letting this “From a fan’s perspective, that’s really fun, because now you know that opportunity go to waste — for this organization’s success, going forward? you’re actually playing a role in helping this team succeed and make this team better and create that really hostile atmosphere for the visiting “Going to the playoffs, I don’t care what sport you’re in, what team you’re on, it’s a special thing. For our organization, it hasn’t happened in a little while. Really for most of the teams in Phoenix, it hasn’t happened in a little while. What’s so special about the playoffs and going through something like that is you talk about the value of sports and the community-building that sports brings — it ties the entire community together and they all rally around this team and support for this team. And you see that across the country, no matter the sport.

“So from our perspective, if we’re able to make the playoffs — and that’s certainly our goal this year, and hopefully make a run in the playoffs — I think that obviously helps with numbers, it’s added income for us, it’s the opportunity to build and recruit new fans and get more fans supporting this team. That’s incredibly positive and I think the upside is pretty significant if that happens.

“That’s what we’re focused on and hopefully things will all come together.”

Arizona Sports LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170610 Boston Bruins Boston, which continues a three-game road set at Philadelphia (Monday) and finishes in Columbus (Tuesday), left Brooklyn with a few bumps and bruises.

Bergeron, Bruins prevail in overtime Saturday, the Islanders blocked 19 shots, the Bruins 18. Johnny Boychuk, the jovial former Bruins defenseman nicknamed “Johnny Rocket,” dropped McAvoy and Joakim Nordstrom with slappers. By Matt Porter “Undercover bad guy,” Marchand cracked. Neither felled Bruin missed a shift. January 11, 2020, 11:57 p.m. Others weren’t as lucky. Matt Grzelcyk’s night ended 5:25 in, when the

defenseman took an uncalled slash to the back of the leg from New NEW YORK — Charlie McAvoy unwrapped the ice bag on his leg, York’s Derick Brassard. Grzelcyk, who appeared to have lower body showered, changed into a suit and met with reporters. He was due for issues even before that slash, went for X-rays Saturday. more ice, and some rest. Before the Bergeron winner, unfortunate Islanders penalty killer Casey “I’ve felt better,” said McAvoy. “You’ve got to take care of your body. I’ll Cizikas deflected a David Pastrnak slapper into his own groin. Cizikas left start that right now, and get ready for the next game.” under his own power.

In a meat grinder of a date with the Islanders, McAvoy and the Bruins New York outshot Boston, 37-33. The Islanders (27-12-4), fourth in the emerged with a 3-2 overtime win at Barclays Center on Saturday, erasing league in goals against (2.56 per game), don’t typically allow quality or the memories of a tilted first period and a lost third-period lead. quantity. Neither do the Bruins (second; 2.46). Natural Stat Trick recorded the scoring chances at 37-29, Islanders. With 3:27 left in OT, Patrice Bergeron had time to collect the puck in the slot, rear back, and fire past Semyon Varlamov, giving Boston (27-8-11) “I thought it was a great game tonight,” Bergeron said. “It was fun to be its third straight win to open a three-game road trip. a part of it. Even though it was a low-scoring game, there were a lot of things happening. I thought both teams were skating well, creating, but “We won an overtime game,” McAvoy noted with a smile. It was the first also tight checking, not much space out there. That’s what we’re going to time the Bruins won in extras since Nov. 29, when they beat the Rangers see down the road.” at home. They improved to 3-5 in overtime. They remain 0-6 in shootouts. That’s a problem for another day. He was referring to the playoffs, where the bruises and ice bags pile up, and these teams could meet again. “That thing kind of takes on a life of its own,” defenseman John Moore said. “But if you battle, you work hard, things seem to go your way in this Matt Porter league. We got rewarded and we got a power play. Our power play is what it is.” Boston Globe LOADED: 01.12.2020 Which is to say it is capable, efficient and talented. Brad Marchand drew a tripping call 40 seconds into overtime, causing Islander Brock Nelson to stick out his foot as he performed a spin-o-rama past him.

Torey Krug carried into the zone, drew a pair of Islanders toward him, and sent a centering feed to Bergeron, who scored his 19th of the year. The Bruins (1 for 2) produced a power-play goal for a club-record 13th game in a row (15 for 48, 31.3 percent).

Moore and Jake DeBrusk also scored for the Bruins, who were fortunate to escape the first period down, 1-0, on a goal from Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield at 4:36. The visitors were outshot, 14-5, and Tuukka Rask (35 saves) faced a firing squad.

“We were kind of crummy early on,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. “Then we got going.”

A late-period penalty kill helped, a stint in which the Bruins (1 for 1 on the PK) allowed zero shots. Clear-headed after intermission, DeBrusk tied the game at 8:33 of the second, pouncing on a sharp-angle rebound that clanked off Mayfield and eluded Varlamov (30 saves). It was the third in two games for DeBrusk (14 goals), who factored in the final four goals of Thursday’s win over Winnipeg.

McAvoy, still without a goal on the year, made the goal happen by activating from his own blue line, taking a feathery cross-ice pass from David Krejci, and taking the open ice in front of him. He cut into the slot and put a shot on goal through traffic. McAvoy (0-16—16 in 43 games) played nearly half the game (28 minutes, 53 seconds), landed five hits and blocked four shots. He also stabbed the puck out of midair on a 2 on 1 against in the second period, which was a relief for him.

“I worked on that in practice,” said McAvoy, beat for the winning goal in Boston’s most recent overtime loss, Jan. 2 against the Blue Jackets. “I got backdoored good in that Columbus game.”

Moore gave the Bruins a 2-1 lead at 5:48 of the third, firing an icebound shot through a screen set by Brett Ritchie.

John Moore celebrates his third-period goal.

The Bruins lost the lead on Mathew Barzal’s goal at 9:33 of the third. Barzal escaped from David Krejci in the slot, and Josh Bailey found him with a centering pass.

“They played heavy, we responded, there were momentum swings both ways,” Moore said. “If not for Tuukka in that first 20, you wonder where we’d be. You don’t want to stick with that recipe.” 1170611 Boston Bruins ■ The Bruins were lucky to be down one goal after 20 minutes. They were outshot, 14-5, in the opening period. They did hold the Islanders to zero shots in the final 8:11, including two minutes a penalty kill, which Observations from Bruins’ overtime win over Islanders could have been a turning point.

■ Anders Bjork, trying to stick as a second-line right wing, did not play the final 8:30 of period one. Bjork, who stumbled, fell and gave away the By Matt Porter puck on his final puck touch, was replaced by DeBrusk. Nordstrom, the fourth-liner, moved into DeBrusk’s slot. But Bjork was back on the January 11, 2020, 9:37 p.m. second line to start the middle frame, and had jump.

■ The Bruins responded at 8:33 of the period, DeBrusk tying the score. NEW YORK — In a game with more defensive breakdowns and mistakes He pounced on a sharp-angle rebound that clanked off Mayfield and than these two teams typically allow, the Bruins came back once, and eluded Varlamov. It was DeBrusk’s third goal in two games, and came again. after he factored in the final four goals of Thursday’s win over Winnipeg. With 14 goals, DeBrusk is heating up. Patrice Bergeron’s overtime winner gave the visitors a 3-2 win at Barclays Center on Saturday night, the Bruins erasing the bad memory of ■ McAvoy, still without a goal on the year, made the goal happen by a lost third-period lead. activating from his own blue line, taking a feathery cross-ice pass from David Krejci, and taking the open ice in front of him. He cut into the slot With 3:27 left in OT, Patrice Bergeron had time to collect the puck in the and put a shot on goal through traffic. McAvoy (0-16—16 in 43 games) is slot, rear back, and fire past Semyon Varlamov, giving Boston (27-8-11) creating plenty of offense. its third straight ‘W’ to open a three-game road trip. ■ He also broke up a 2-on-1 on his next shift after partner Zdeno Chara Bergeron (19 goals) had space because Brad Marchand drew a tripping fell at the opposing blue line. Brock Nelson tried to feed Anders Lee call 40 seconds into overtime, causing Brock Nelson to stick out his foot cross-ice, but McAvoy stabbed the pass out of the air. More strong play as he performed a spin-o-rama toward the net. from young Bruins defensemen in the second: after Barzal blocked a shot and went the other way, Brandon Carlo stayed with Barzal and The Bruins finished 1 for 2 on the power play, and improved to 3-5 in disrupted him with his long reach before he shot. overtime. They remain 0-6 in shootouts. That’s a problem for another day. ■ Varlamov was under some heat as the second wore on, the Bruins finishing the second with 17 shots. When Mayfield was sent off for The Bruins, flying high after winning two with their moms around, didn’t roughing Charlie Coyle at 14:07, the Islanders netminder dove to deny score six or five goals, as they did in their last two games against Pastrnak on a wraparound, and snared a Marchand snapper off the rush Western Conference teams. The Islanders, having allowed an Eastern when Torey Krug sent him in with a long, banked outlet. The Bruins’ Conference-low 108 goals coming in, don’t typically surrender that kind of power play couldn’t grab the lead, and Mayfield had a break-in out of the heat. But the pucks were flying (New York led in shots, 37-30, in box. He scooped a backhand over the net. regulation) and the penalties were low (one each; neither team scored on the power play). Matt Porter

Sign Up

Defenseman John Moore put the Bruins up, 2-1, at 5:48 of the third Boston Globe LOADED: 01.12.2020 period. It was the first lead for Boston, which saw the ice badly tilted in the first period (shots: 14-5, Islanders). They spent the final 40 minutes climbing back and looked to be in control when Moore’s slapper from the point, which never got more an an inch or two off the ice, snuck past a screened Varlamov (30 saves on 33 shots).

Moore’s second goal of the year happened after burly Bruin Brett Ritchie arrived just in time to set a screen with defenseman Johnny Boychuk. Varlamov may not have seen it.

The Bruins, who erased a second-period deficit on Jake DeBrusk’s goal, lost the lead on Mathew Barzal’s goal at 9:33 of the third. Barzal escaped from David Krejci in the slot, and Josh Bailey found him with a centering pass. Barzal chipped it past Tuukka Rask (35 saves on 37 shots), who was otherwise stellar.

Obvervations from the game:

■ The Bruins had trouble containing Barzal on the opening goal. The Islanders’ leading scorer (16-19—35 coming in) rushed the zone and circled the net, and while Anthony Beauvillier and Josh Bailey set a screen, Barzal found Scott Mayfield out high. The defenseman fired through traffic for his fifth goal of the year.

■ The Islanders kept pushing the Bruins early. In three minutes that followed, they out-attempted the visitors, 9-1. Rask calmly denied a Ryan Pulock slapper from the slot, and stayed in front of a Leo Komarov tip. Beauvillier’s short-side deflection rattled through Rask’s pads, but the keeper covered it. Rask stopped 24 of 25 shots through two periods.

■ Ex-Bruins defenseman Johnny Boychuck, who played a lighthearted game of catch with Torey Krug in the neutral zone during warmups, wasn’t as nice during the game. Johnny Rocket felled two Bruins with his heavy slapper, taking out Joakim Nordstrom in the first and Charlie McAvoy in the second. Both didn’t miss a shift.

■ Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk wasn’t as lucky. His night ended on his second shift of the game, some 5:25 in. Grzelcyk appeared to have a lower-body issue before the end of his shift, when New York’s Derick Brassard slashed him on the back of the leg. 1170612 Boston Bruins “My opinion is changing almost on the day,” Friedman said of the Boxford, Mass.-bred Kreider (14-15—29 in 43 games). “I’ve had guys tell me that they think the Rangers are starting to think more and more Bruins’ Torey Krug proves to be a true gamer about, do they keep him?”

Friedman explained that Kreider, a speedy, 6-3 forward who plays with an edge, would be “hard to replace” for the Rangers, who are “starting to By Matt Porter get some things going offensively. Their top couple of lines have some chemistry.” January 11, 2020, 3:04 p.m. “I do think Boston, if they wanted to, could do a deal for Toffoli almost at

any time. I think they know they’ve got that in their hip pocket,” Friedman Bruins defenseman Torey Krug at work during his 500th career game on added. “So the question is, do you do that or do you wait for Kreider?” Saturday night at Barclays Center. Ritchie back in Patrice Bergeron finished the Islanders, but Torey Krug made it happen, Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy sounded apologetic Thursday when as he so often does. explaining why he sat Brett Ritchie for David Backes in that night’s game To set up Bergeron’s power play winner Saturday, the Bruins against the Jets. As Cassidy further explained Saturday, it was not quarterback carried into the Islanders’ zone and drifted toward the left because Backes’s play forced his hand. half-wall, drawing forward Josh Bailey and defenseman Johnny Boychuk “The mothers were here,” Cassidy said. “Our plan was to use everybody, well outside the faceoff dot. for obvious reasons. It’s a good team-building exercise. It’s good for They overcommitted. Krug made them pay. everybody. We try to use our whole roster anyway, so it was as good a time as any. [Ritchie] just happened to come out following one of his “It was an amazing play by Torey,” said Bergeron, who read Krug and better games.” held his ground in the slot. After taking Krug’s feed, he had a one-two count to beat Semyon Varlamov with a wrister. “I figured if I stayed in that In his most recent game, Tuesday in Nashville, the 6-4, 220-pound pocket and the puck would come, I’d have plenty of time. Great play by Ritchie put an encouraging game on film. He created trouble for the him.” Predators with smart forechecking, got to the net and occupied a defender on Danton Heinen’s snap shot goal, and even set up a late It gave the Bruins a power play goal in 13 straight games, a club record. Charlie Coyle goal with a slick pass to the far post.

Meanwhile, Krug is still waiting for his future to come into focus. The Cassidy has good puck protectors in Heinen and Coyle, and each has pending unrestricted free agent understands he will almost certainly be a some offensive polish. Ritchie’s size makes him an intriguing project, but Bruin through the end of the season, but he doesn’t know when — if — in the last two months he hasn’t played more than four games in a row. his camp and the club will agree on a long-term deal. If he keeps playing like he did on Tuesday, he might earn a few more. Krug had a bit of reflecting to do before puck drop. It was the 500th game “Hopefully that line in general can create some offense for us, because for the undrafted, undersized blue liner. we’re starting to see a better, balanced attack now every night,” Cassidy said. “If we get that I think we’re going to be tough to beat.” “Especially from where my career started, it seemed like a long shot,” said the 5-foot-9 Krug, signed as free agent out of Michigan State in Keeping tabs March 2012. “I’ve enjoyed every step along the way. A lot of good memories. Hopefully a lot to come.” Chris Wagner said he’s well aware of pal Noel Acciari’s breakout season for Florida, which has seen him score 17 goals in 41 games (entering Krug leads all defensemen in power play assists (18), and is third among Saturday tied for 34th in the league with such luminaries as Steven all players, behind Edmonton’s Connor McDavid (22) and Leon Draisaitl Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov). (21). “I tell him to stop,” Wagner joked. “It’s kind of funny. Good for him. He’s With five goals and 26 assists, he was tied for 11th in scoring among got a couple tips and tap-ins, but when you’re hot, you’re hot.” defensemen, and had played in eight fewer games than league-leader John Carlson (13-42—55 in 46 games). Wagner did feel his regular linemates, Joakim Nordstrom and Sean Kuraly, were finding their groove. As one of six defensemen in the league listed shorter than 5-10, Krug has done that while absorbing his share of punishment. In his first five full “I think we’re getting our swagger back,” Wagner said. “Just can’t get seasons, beginning in 2013-14, he played in at least 76 games a year. discouraged looking at the box score. Noelie’s scoring and we’re minus- That dipped to 64 last season, largely because of a pair of ankle injuries. 2. What’s going on here?” A pair of upper-body injuries, one against the Flyers Nov. 10 and another Beneath the surface against the Capitals Dec. 23, cost him eight games this season. At Saturday’s morning skate, the ice at Barclays Center was in rough In the last 40 years, only six defensemen listed at 5-9 or shorter have shape. reached 500 games, according to league records: Curt Giles (895), former Bruins player and general manager Mike O’Connell (860), Francis “A little scruffy out there,” Cassidy confirmed. “I wasn’t flying like I Bouillon (776), Gerry Hart (730), Colin Campbell (636), and Risto typically am.” Siltanen (562). The Bruins placed a bucket at the blue line to cover one of two divots. “There’s smaller guys that have been a flash in the pan before,” Krug Jake DeBrusk estimated the larger of the two was the size of a brick. said. “They haven’t been able to survive the day-in, day-out toll that it takes to be an NHL player. Five hundred games is a big deal, for sure. “I stayed away from it,” DeBrusk said. “I don’t trust myself near potholes.” “I’ll tell you what, longevity is still a question in my career. I’m seeing how The Islanders, who play half their home games at old Nassau Coliseum, long this thing goes. I’ve enjoyed every step of the way. All the bumps had not seen their Brooklyn digs since Nov. 30. and bruises have been worth it.” In the six weeks since, Barclays had hosted 13 basketball events Looking for help (including nine Brooklyn Nets games), seven concerts, a WWE wrestling With the Feb. 24 trade deadline fast approaching, the Bruins remain on show, and a boxing fight night. The ice sheet sat underneath all of that. the hunt for scoring help. Sportsnet NHL insider Elliotte Friedman offered Adding to the problems for the ice crew: It was 64 degrees here on a few interesting tidbits on his 31 Thoughts podcast this past week. Saturday morning.

Friedman believes the Bruins could snatch a right wing from the Chara good to go rebuilding Kings: 27-year-old Tyler Toffoli, who has a 12-15—27 line in 45 games. However, they may also be interested in another rental: 28- Zdeno Chara (jaw) returned to the lineup after he was talked out of year-old Rangers left winger Chris Kreider. playing Thursday by Cassidy and general manager Don Sweeney . . . Kuraly played his 200th game . . . Patrice Bergeron, the Bruins’ representative for the NHL’s “Last Man In” fan vote, was free to go elsewhere during the All-Star break: Toronto’s Mitch Marner was named the Atlantic team. The others: Washington’s T.J. Oshie (Metropolitan), St. Louis’s David Perron (Central), Vancouver’s Quinn Hughes (Pacific).

Wagner, a noted Patriots fan, on the Tom Brady situation: “I just think it’s funny how everyone has their opinion, but nobody’s probably really talked to him about it. I don’t even think he knows what he’s doing. It was a good 20-year run if it ends, but hopefully it keeps going. I want him to stay. Sentimentally, and probably best for the team, too. It’s not like you’re going to pick up a Tom Brady in free agency or the draft.”

Boston Globe LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170613 Boston Bruins The Bruins offered to keep Bowness aboard in a management/scouting position, but he turned it down, adamant about remaining a coach. In a matter of weeks, he was named the first head coach of the expansion Former Bruins coach Rick Bowness is not done yet Ottawa Senators.

“I remember Harry said there was something missing,” said Bowness, recalling what explanation he received for his quick dismissal. “And I By Kevin Paul never did ask him what it was.”

January 11, 2020, 1:19 p.m. Any guesses?

“The way I was,” Bowness said, no sign of lingering hurt in his voice as he chuckled. “My personality, probably.” Starts are interesting and almost always vital learning experiences, but it’s the journey and finish that matter most. It’s the pursuit of the Stanley The Stars had won seven of their last eight and had overcome their Cup that keeps Rick Bowness going, longer than any coach in NHL October pratfall when GM Jim Nill came to work the morning of Dec. 10 history, and he’s not done yet. and fired second-year coach Jim Montgomery and promoted Bowness as interim coach. Nill played in Winnipeg in the late ’80s when one of the Even if it might have briefly felt that way long ago here in Boston. Jets assistant coaches was . . . yep, Bowness. “Still one of my favorite years of coaching,” recalled Bowness this past “Total shock, not a clue it was happening,” said Bowness, who signed on week, some 30 years after being abruptly dismissed following only one as an assistant in Dallas prior to last season, eager to rejoin Nill and work season behind the Bruins’ bench. “Disappointing that it lasted only the alongside Montgomery, a first-time NHL head coach. “Sometimes you one year. I grew up a Bruins fan, and to work for the Boston Bruins was a see those moves coming, right? This was a move no one saw coming.” big thrill. One of the biggest highlights of my career. I loved the Bruins. Still do.” Nill commented little about the firing, other than to say Montgomery, the former University of Maine scoring star, was dismissed because of The 1991-92 Bruins, 36-32-12 under the then-37-year-old Bowness, unprofessional conduct. Last weekend, Montgomery commented publicly made it all the way to the Cup semis, ultimately erased in four straight by for the first time, issuing a statement in which he disclosed he was the powerful Penguins (eventual Cup winners) after first rubbing out the entering rehab for alcohol abuse. Sabres (4-3) and Canadiens (4-0). “A different scenario to take over a team,” said Bowness. “But I give the A trip to the NHL’s Final Four is typically a work permit in the coaching guys credit. They’ve worked very hard. They’re coming together. An fraternity, but not in Boston, where then-general manager Harry Sinden interesting scenario, but it is a good team.” had a penchant to change bench bosses on the fly. The ice had barely melted in the old building on Causeway Street when Sinden canned With Thursday’s 3-0 blanking of the Ducks, the Stars improved their Bowness and hired the crustier Brian Sutter soon after the ex-Blues record to 9-3-1 under Bowness’s direction. Entering the weekend they winger was dismissed following his four-year run as St. Louis coach. stood second to St. Louis in the Central Division with 26 wins, tied with the Bruins, Penguins, and Lightning for the fourth-most in the league. “The first time I’d ever been fired — and it hurt, a lot,” recalled Bowness. “So, OK, when it happens to you the first time it really does hurt. At that Fact is, this is the best club Bowness has commanded since his brief point you decide, ‘OK, that’s really an awful feeling, do I want to continue Boston run. Other than his three-plus seasons in Ottawa — and only 39 coaching?’ I said then, and I’ve always said, yes.” wins in 235 games — his turns as bench boss have been mainly on cleanup duty. He took over the 1988-89 Jets for 28 games. He took over And yes. And yes again. And yes again and again . . . and again. Now Milbury’s 1996-97 Islanders for 37 games, only to get terminated the next the Dallas Stars’ interim head coach, Bowness, 64, on Thursday night season after going 23-32-9. His last interim job was in Phoenix, where he was behind the bench for his 2,400th NHL game — his total as head handled the Coyotes’ bench for the final 20 games after Bobby Francis coach, associate or assistant. In February 2017, he blew by Scotty was turfed. Bowman’s league record of upward of 2,200 games. “If you look at some of the times I have taken over,” said Bowness, “it “You adapt with the generations,” said Bowness, pondering the key to his was a fire sale. As most teams do when they are out of the playoffs, they longevity. “When I first got into this [as a player-coach in AHL trade their assets for next year. So we mopped a couple of teams. But Sherbrooke], I was 28 years old in 1983, I was younger than some of the through all that, it’s always a learning experience and you make the most players I coached. Well, now I’m old enough to be Miro’s grandfather.” of it when you are given the opportunity.” Miro Heiskanen, Dallas’s stellar second-year defenseman, is only 20 WHO’S RIGHT FOR THE JOB? years old. He’d be within his rights to refer to his coach as Gramps. Bruins still need winger for Krejci “It’s true!” said an animated Bowness. “He’s 20. I’m 64. So it’s completely gone the other way. But I think one of the things I’ve been able to do is No surprise that Justin Williams ended up back where he left off, the just adapt to the generations, adapt to the players, and adapt to their productive 38-year-old right winger hitching on for a second-half-and- personalities and their needs and how to deal with them. The way we beyond run with the Hurricanes. dealt with players when I first started, and the way we deal with them today . . . just completely different ends of the spectrum.” It was widely speculated around the league that the Bruins kicked the tires on Williams, who signed on for the league minimum $700,000, a In that sense, Bowness was ahead of his time in Boston, promoted to the price the Bruins obviously would have been happy to embrace. job in the wake of the Bruins being coached by Terry O’Reilly and then Mike Milbury. Both were successful, and both were old school, highly Let’s keep in mind, however, that the much-loved Williams was part of caffeinated ex-Bruins, their approach to the game and player personnel the Hurricanes lot that looked painfully out of place in last year’s Eastern direct, hard, and confrontational, very much in keeping with the day’s Conference finals when the Bruins swept them in four. He looked tired, standard. without his telltale savvy and jump. His challenge now will be to reenter the NHL autobahn at midseason from a standing start. A tough ask for If O’Reilly and Milbury were the whip hand, Bowness was the velvet someone even half his age. glove, very similar, in fact, to the approach we’ve seen the last three years under Bruce Cassidy. Meanwhile, the Bruins still don’t have a complete answer for their second line, despite Jake DeBrusk’s two goals Thursday in a new configuration “They had Terry, a longtime Bruin favorite and tough guy,” noted with Anders Bjork at his opposite wing. For the moment, and always Bowness, speaking by telephone from his office in Dallas. “Then they subject to change, Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy has returned Charlie had Mike. And then they bring an unknown like me in, and I was Coyle to his more comfy No. 3 center spot, where he has played best determined from the outset, well, I am going to coach my way, not like during his brief Boston tenure — particularly when paired in the Mike and Terry. Yeah, they were great coaches, very successful, but I postseason with Marcus Johansson (now doing business in Buffalo). knew I wanted to coach my way and be me. The Feb. 24 trade deadline will have GM Don Sweeney mulling such “So . . . it probably cost me my job there. But that’s OK. Because it’s also potential options as Chris Kreider (Rangers), Tyler Toffoli (Kings), Kyle kept me alive.” Palmieri (Devils), and perhaps Wayne Simmonds (Devils) as fits for Meanwhile, Julien has two years left on his deal, paying him $5 million a David Krejci’s right side. season.

All, save for Palmieri, are on track to be unrestricted free agents July 1. Of the six coaches to be canned thus far, only John Hynes, ex-of New Palmieri has next year on his contract, at a $4.65 million cap hit, placing Jersey has found work, taking over in Nashville for Laviolette. Hynes and the ex-Notre Dame standout in the same circumstances where Coyle Predators assistant GM Jeff Kealty were roommates in their days playing stood with the Wild this time a year ago. for the Boston University Terriers.

Despite his production slump of late, Coyle now looks like a steal, the Yet to land work: Mike Babcock (fired in Toronto Nov. 20), Bill Peters Bruins yielding only prospect Ryan Donato, who has yet to find his (Calgary, Nov. 29), Jim Montgomery (Dallas, Dec 10), Peter DeBoer footing (8-5—13 in 41 games) with the Wild this season. The Bruins (San Jose, Dec. 11), and Laviolette. brought in Johansson last season from the Devils, ostensibly to be with Krejci, only to find his best fit was a line deeper in the order with Coyle. Loose pucks

One sleeper here for consideration: Joe Thornton. The Sharks all but As of Friday morning, the Bruins still owned the NHL’s best home record packed up bags this past week when learning that top scorer Logan with a 15-2-9 mark, an impressive .750 points percentage (39 out of 52). Couture (36 points) will miss six weeks or more with a small fracture in However, the Penguins had the most home victories (16), and the Blues his left ankle. He should be ready to go by the trade deadline. Way too and Stars also had 15 wins. In fact, headed into weekend play, nine late for the Sharks to salvage their season. teams had a better home-ice win percentage than the Bruins (.576). The top three: Flyers, .700 (14 of 20), Islanders, .667 (14 of 21), and Thornton has a no-movement clause in the one-year deal ($2 million) he Penguins, .667 (16 of 24) . . . All three of Rick Bowness’s children work, signed in September. So he’s not going anywhere without his OK. He is or have worked, for NHL clubs. Ryan is director of pro scouting for the also 40, still without a Cup title, and certainly can’t be thinking that he has Penguins. Kristen, who went to the University of Southern New a shot at one in the next 2-3 years with the Sharks. Hampshire, works in the Lightning’s communications department as the community hockey manager, which includes some coaching. Ricky, who Thornton, 6 feet 4 inches and 220 pounds, wouldn’t be that second-line was in the Red Wings and Blue Jackets media relations departments, fix at right wing. But for a short price (middle-round pick?), he would offer now works in communications for a non-hockey company in Denver. His insurance for all four center spots, and give Cassidy the flexibility to shift wife is vice president of ticket sales for the Avalanche. “Dinners at my Coyle back to the second line. house include four NHL organizations,” said Bowness . . . Kovalchuk was The return of Jumbo Joe for a Cup run, nearly 15 years after he was able to don his trademark No. 17 with the Canadiens, thanks to Brett hustled out of Boston for Wayne Primeau, Brad Stuart, and Marco Sturm. Kulak, who happily surrendered it and switched to No. 77 for the bleu, Not a likely scenario. But Sweeney has come up with deadline surprises, blanc et rouge. Kovalchuk always has worn No. 17, because his dad none bigger than two years ago when he landed Rick Nash from the grew up as a huge fan of Russian great Valeri Kharlamov. Kovalchuk Rangers. A Thornton deal would be of far lesser scale, but intriguing, gifted Kulak with a Rolex watch for making the swap. Meanwhile, particularly for a fan base that embraced him from Day 1 as the No. 1 Kovalchuk, 36, dismissed criticism in the Montreal media that he’s too old pick in the 1997 draft. for the job. “Come on,” he said, referencing the Bruins’ Zdeno Chara, soon to be 43, as his comparison. “Big Z is way older than me. He’s ETC. enjoying his time, so I’ve got a few more years.” Kovalchuk is about seven years and a million workouts short of Chara. Injured Guentzel will miss points Kevin Paul Dupont The Bruins will see the Penguins twice this coming week, first in Boston on Thursday night, and then a Sunday matinee in Pittsburgh.

The Penguins recently lost the services of Jake Guentzel (shoulder Boston Globe LOADED: 01.12.2020 surgery), but he was still their leading scorer (20-23—43) headed into weekend play, with a slight lead on Evgeni Malkin (12-28—40).

Guentzel, out for the season, had a chance to be first Penguin other than Sidney Crosby and Malkin to lead them in scoring since 2003-04.

The last player not named Crosby or Malkin to finish first: defenseman Dick Tarnstrom, who posted a 16-36—52 line in the season that led to the lockout, which ultimately led the Penguins to winning the post-lockout lottery that landed Crosby.

Is Julien the next to go?

Peter Laviolette became the sixth coaching casualty of the NHL season this past week, dismissed by the Predators after 5½ seasons and one Cup Final in Tune Town — his longest stay (451 games) in any of the four cities where he’s coached.

Next to go? Based on the noise up north, it sounds like Claude Julien, whose Canadiens entered weekend play 18-20-7, a beefy 9 points short of a wild-card berth in the East.

It would be a third straight playoff DNQ for the Habs under Julien, who took over there only days after he was dismissed in Boston in February 2017 and was able to coax Les Glorieux into the playoffs — for what was a first-round knockout.

The Habs this past week were without four of their top nine forwards, including Brendan Gallagher, Joel Armia, Jonathan Drouin, and Paul Byron. Quibble with Julien’s style and his X’s and O’s all you want, but few teams, if any, in today’s NHL cap system can overcome that kind of offensive gutting. Which is why the Habs were desperate enough to bring in Ilya Kovalchuk (0-3—3 in his first three games) for a last kick at the can.

Headed into weekend play, Julien’s Habs were 1-8-1 in their last 10 games and six of those eight regulation losses were by one goal. They were outscored, 36-29, in those 10 games. 1170614 Boston Bruins “Patrice has been a wonderful influence and mentor for Bradley,” said Lynn. “I think long after hockey is over, they will remain close friends, buddies. Patrice is just a top individual, all-around player, all-around Brad Marchand’s Mom knows best person and he’s been great for Brad, calming him down and working with him to become a world-class player. He’s been a great influence on Brad. How can he not be? He’s a wonderful guy and wonderful player. Brad’s been very blessed to be his teammate through these years and to By STEVE CONROY develop such a great friendship with such a great mentor.” January 12, 2020 at 12:01 am Williams is a ‘Cane

While the Bruins’ were linked to Justin Williams in some media reports — If you travel around with a team, then one of the the veteran would fit an obvious need at right wing — it was hard to highlights of the season is the parents trips. It doesn’t matter if it’s the imagine the veteran coming back to the game for any team but the mothers or fathers coming along for the ride (though the Bruins’ moms Carolina Hurricanes, which he did officially on Tuesday. Williams, who proved to be a far more boisterous crew; you’re on notice, men), it’s great stepped away from the game to start the season but did not officially to see a different side of the players as they interact with their folks. retire, signed a deal for the rest of the season for a base salary of $700,000 plus bonuses. The trips serves as a nice little payback to the parents who knew nothing of sleeping in on the weekends for much of their adult lives, quite willingly Williams could be just the piece that lifts Canes from the precarious world packing up the family car with hockey gear and their little ones to drive of wild card hopefuls to a legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference. He God knows how far to the next youth tournament. was a pivotal contributor to the Canes’ return to the playoffs last season when he scored 23 goals (and before some of Marchand’s more benign And the pride the parents have for what their sons have become is agitations drove him bananas in the conference finals). It may take him palpable. During the Bruins’ moms’ trip to Nashville early last week, that some time to get up to speed, but skipping the first half of the season seemed especially true for Lynn Marchand, whose son Brad is now being should be a benefit to Williams’ 38-year-old body and mind. widely recognized as one of the best players in the league (pay no attention to the All-Star snub) as opposed to what he’d been known for Colorful commentary most of his career, which was, quite frankly, a rat. Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice has always been a media favorite for his “We’re really proud of how far he’s come and that he’s really developed thoughtful answers and accommodating nature. But after the thrilling into a star player in the league,” said Lynn Marchand. “That’s what we overtime between the Jets and Maple Leafs on Wednesday, Maurice want him to hang on to and really strive for, to be his best and really showed he could have a future as an ink-stained wretch himself if he contribute to the team and being a team player and not putting his team wanted it. in a situation of disadvantage because of crossing that line, just to focus To describe the end-to-end action of the 3-on-3 period, Maurice called it on being the best that he can be, go out there, play hard, play with a lot a “a free-for-all of fecal matter.” In other words, a $#%@ show. Perfect… of heart, have fun and then good things will happen. The last few years we’ve been moving away more from that edginess somewhat and This week’s B’s timeline producing more for the team, which has been a highlight for him and highlight for us. When he’s proud of how he’s playing and he knows that Monday at Philadelphia, 7 — The Wells Fargo Center has not been kind he’s making us proud, it feels really good for all of us. It’s just wonderful to visitors this season. Going into the weekend, the Flyers owned a 14-2- to see him develop further into more of a producer than a penalty player.” 4 record on Broad Street. The Flyers are also one of the six teams to have beaten the B’s in a shootout earlier this season. It’s a reputation that won’t completely die, of course, and many observers won’t let it go. The overreaction to his short punch the back of Columbus’ Tuesday at Columbus, 7 — This will be the B’s first visit back to Scott Harrington in last spring’s playoffs was indicative of that. He does Nationwide Arena since closing out the Blue Jackets there in Game 6 last still play with a healthy heaping of emotion, and even Marchand himself spring. Thanks to John Tortorella’s boys getting in front of Bruin shots, will jokingly knock on wood when you bring up his relative good the Jackets took a 2-1 overtime win in Boston a couple of weeks ago. citizenship of late, but he has consciously moved away from some of the They lost a lot of talent in the offseason, but they remain a tough out. more dangerous provocations that have earned him suspensions in the They were hovering near a wild card spot going into the weekend. past. Thursday vs. Pittsburgh, 7 — With his team decimated by injuries, coach Lynn has put in her share of the work to get him to this spot. Mike Sullivan is a strong candidate for the Jack Adams. Despite being without Sidney Crosby for an extended period and now with Jake “I’m always the one on his case. ‘Brad, don’t do that. Think about things Guentzel out for the season, the Penguins were still in the top three in before you act.’ I’m usually the one on his case saying ‘Settle down the Metropolitan Division. The first meeting between these two teams Brad.’ He’s the one saying ‘Mom, calm down.’” she said. “He’s always was a wild one, with the B’s blowing a three-goal lead before coming been a mischievous little character and he’s always been one that kind of back to win it. It’s the first half of a home-and-home, with the return liked to push the limit a little bit, which has worked in his favor most of the match Sunday in Pitt. time. But we’re really happy to see he’s moving more toward goal-scoring and producing rather than the stuff that gets him into trouble.” Steve Conroy

While he earned his share of penalty minutes in junior hockey, Lynn Marchand said he upped his sandpaper game once he turned pro mostly Boston Herald LOADED: 01.12.2020 because of his 5-foot-9 stature.

“When he was in his earlier years before he came to Providence and the Bruins, he was known more for his goalscoring and he really didn’t get into a lot of that edginess until he got more into the pro level and trying to establish himself in saying, ‘I can work just as hard as the bigger fellas.’ He wanted to prove himself as a smaller player,” said Lynn. “He did that and he moved from the fourth line to the second and first line. And he’s done that with pure heart. Sometimes his emotions get the better of him and he’s crossed that line a bit but if he didn’t play with that edge, he probably wouldn’t be where he is today.”

Since the midway point of the Stanley Cup season of 2010-2011, Marchand has shared his success with the same centerman, Patrice Bergeron. While their personalities could not seem more different, Bergeron has helped Marchand grow into the team leader and professional he is today. 1170615 Boston Bruins The B’s were starting to get chances of their own in the second and tied the game at 8:33. McAvoy, more cognizant of looking for his offense in the last couple of games, carried the puck into the offensive zone on his Bulletin: Bruins win in OT, top Islanders off side, cut to the middle on his forehand and fired a shot that was blocked. The puck, however, went to Jake DeBrusk, who somehow got it past the discombobulated Varlamov. It was DeBrusk’s 14th of the season and third in two games. By STEVE CONROY The game went into the third deadlocked at 1-1. PUBLISHED: January 11, 2020 at 9:46 pm

UPDATED: January 11, 2020 at 10:37 PM Steve Conroy

BROOKLYN — The Bruins finally figured out how to win in overtime: Just go on the power play. Boston Herald LOADED: 01.12.2020 After Brad Marchand drew a tripping penalty on Brock Nelson in OT, Patrice Bergeron scored the winner at 1:33 of overtime to lift the B’s to a 3-2 victory over the Islanders at Barclays Center.

The B’s, now with a PP goal in 13 straight games, had lost six straight in extra sessions (OT and shootout). On the winner, Bergeron snapped a wrister from the left side of the slot that beat Semyon Varlamov for his 19th of the year.

“We didn’t have a great first, but we bounced back and it was a pretty even game after that,” said Marchand. “But it’s good to get a win here in overtime. It hasn’t been good to us this year so far. So it was good to get the win. They’re a good team, they compete hard and they’re a tough opponent.”

Charlie McAvoy had one of his more dominant games of the season. He wasn’t able to toss that zero from his goal column, but he played 28:43, threw five hits, blocked four shots, fired five of his own (landing one) and assisted on a goal. Tuukka Rask, meanwhile, was outstanding, stopping 35 shots, including 13 in a lopsided first period.

“Yeah, we were kind of crummy early on. They were much better than us,” said coach Bruce Cassidy. “They were well rested, it showed. They played behind us. We weren’t ready for their pressure and didn’t support pucks on the breakout. Then we got going. Listen, he did his job and on the road, you’re going to need that if you expect to win.Maybe you go in down a goal without your best period and you can survive that. If you’re down two or three, then that’s a tough road. But we stayed patient, he did his job and it’s a full value for the win.”

John Moore had snapped a 1-1 tied 5:48 of the third period. The defenseman’s second of the year came off a slapper from the left point that skipped along the ice and beat Semyon Varlamov to the far side.

But the Isles evened it up at 9:33. Zdeno Chara tried to glove a puck down at the defensive blue line, but it went Josh Bailey. The Islanders went on the quick counter-attack with Bailey feeding Mathew Barzal in slot for a redirection between the Tuukka Rask’s pads.

The Bruins began the night as if they were loaded down with their mothers’ home cooking. The Islanders were all over them from the start and, with the exception of a couple of good shifts from the B’s top line, they could get barely anything going in the first period.

At one point, the Islanders were outshooting the B’s 14-2 and, if not for Rask, the visitors would have been looking at a large deficit. But Rask couldn’t keep everything out. New York defenseman Scott Mayfield left with plenty of room to roam out high, floated from his right point position toward the middle of the high slot and snapped a wrist shot that beat Rask high to the glove side. The goalie might have been screened by Chris Wagner.

At 12:31, McAvoy took a hooking penalty and, oddly enough, that seemed to stem the Islanders’ momentum. The Isles have not scored a power-play goal in their previous eight games (0-for-12) and, on this PP, they didn’t even get a shot on net.

Once the penalty was up, the B’s started to spend a little more time in the Islanders’ zone and forced Varlamov to make a couple of saves, but the B’s went into the first break down by a goal.

It didn’t help the B’s cause that they lost defenseman Matt Grzelcyk early in the game to a lower body injury, forcing them to play almost the entire game with five D. Grzelcyk had gotten slashed in the leg from behind. There were no results from the x-rays taken yet, but it wasn’t a good sign that he didn’t come back. 1170616 Boston Bruins “I thought he was light,” said Cassidy. “He was light in this type of game and you want to play playoff hockey, these are measuring stick games for you. He’s going to have to recognize that, that these are men. You Bruins looking for good follow-up from Brett Ritchie have to be heavier on your stick, better on the walls, all stuff that young wingers have to learn in these type of games. It’s just not going to be a freewheeling, open ice type of game. So a little bit of a learning curve for him tonight. We like Anders, we like his effort. He’s a good student of the By STEVE CONROY game and let’s hope he learns from it and continues to get better in those PUBLISHED: January 11, 2020 at 4:50 pm areas.”

UPDATED: January 11, 2020 at 10:31 PM Rough ice

There was a hole in the Barclays Center ice for the Bruins’ morning skate that the team covered up with a bucket. BROOKLYN — With time running out to secure a regular spot in the Bruins’ lineup, Brett Ritchie was set to be back in uniform Saturday night, “Yeah, it was a little scruffy out there. I wasn’t flying around out there like hoping to build off his solid performance in the B’s win in Nashville on I usually do,” joked Cassidy. Tuesday. The Islanders, who split home games between Barclays and the Nassau With the B’s mothers still in town for Thursday’s game against Winnipeg, Coliseum on Long Island, had not played in Brooklyn since Nov. 30 win Ritchie was scratched so that everyone was able to play in front of their over Columbus. mothers. Otherwise, he certainly would have earned a spot in the lineup. Coming together “Our plan was to use everybody, for obvious reasons. I think it’s a good Though Chris Wagner is a team-low minus-7 and had a tough luck team-building exercise. I think it’s good for everybody. We try to use our minus-2 in the B’s win over Winnipeg, Wagner and the fourth line with whole roster anyway, so it was as good a time as any,” said coach Bruce Sean Kuraly and Joakim Nordstrom have been coming on. Part of it is Cassidy on Saturday morning. “He just happened to come out following the fact that they’ve simply been playing together more recently. one of his better games. He’s been fighting for consistency but that’s the way it worked out. I told him he’d go back in and he is.” “Yeah, we’d kind of been scrapping it together,” said Wagner, who pumped seven shots on net in 10:58 of ice time on Thursday. “Nordy’s What Cassidy liked about Ritchie’s game in Nashville was that, though had some tough luck this year and guys have been in and out. But when physical, he didn’t just throw his 6-foot-4 frame around willy-nilly. Ritchie called upon, we want to be the reliable, trustworthy guys that have to also provided a screen on John Moore’s goal in the third period of the B’s come 200 feet. We know that’s our job, usually taking D-zone faceoffs. 3-2 overtime win over the Islanders on Saturday. But once we get in the O-zone, we want to hold on to the puck and take it “He was good at creating separation,” said Cassidy. “It’s not just going in, to the net.” banging the glass and getting your hit and then they break out. It’s getting in there at the right time, separate the man from the puck as well. Then it’s up to his linemates to get in there in a hurry, win their races and Steve Conroy their pucks. So he was good at that. Listen, if there’s a good hit to be made during the game, take it. But it’s more about efficiency on the forecheck as well. I thought he held on to some pucks better. He’s a big Boston Herald LOADED: 01.12.2020 man and he has to learn how to separate and not expose the puck, then move it when he does get flooded. Teams will do that. I don’t think he’s been doing a good enough job of that on some nights and that’s just part of the job description, no matter what size you are.”

With GM Don Sweeney undoubtedly doing his due diligence on the trade market right now, it may already be an uphill climb for Ritchie to convince management he can be an effective consistent presence in the lineup at this point. But in the Nashville game, his line with 6-foot-3 Charlie Coyle and Danton Heinen gave the B’s a physical element up front that they haven’t had this year.

“There’s two big bodies with Ritch and Coyle. Heinen’s not small. He doesn’t play this big man’s game, but if he’s protecting pucks and finishing some plays then, yes, I think it’s a good third line in terms of what they each bring,” said Cassidy. “Heinen gets to play on the power play, Coyle’s on both (the PP and PK) so they’re always going to get their minutes. Ritchie’s got to build some of that into his game and see if he can push for a power-play spot.”

500 & 1,000

Torey Krug was playing his 500th NHL game on Saturday against the Islanders.

“There are smaller guys who’ve been a flash in the pan before and haven’t been able to survive the day in, day out till that it takes to be an NHL player. Yeah, 500 games is a big deal, for sure. And I’ll tell you what, longevity is still a question in my career and seeing how long this goes. I’ve enjoyed every step of the way. All the bumps and bruises have been worth it and hopefully I’ll continue to make great memories,” said Krug.

Meanwhile, barring any complications from the abscess in his surgically- repaired jaw, Zdeno Chara will play his 1,000th game as a Bruin on Monday in Philadelphia. After missing Thursday’s game against Winnipeg, Chara was back in the lineup against the Islanders on Saturday…

Anders Bjork found some pine time in the first after Cassidy wasn’t wild about his game. 1170617 Boston Bruins

Matt Grzelcyk (lower body) knocked out of Bruins' OT win over Islanders

By Joe Haggerty

January 11, 2020 11:56 PM

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — The Bruins welcomed back Zdeno Chara to the lineup this weekend. But they lost another key member of their defensemen corps on that very same night.

Matt Grzelcyk exited the Bruins' 3-2 overtime win over the New York Islanders early in the first period with a lower body injury Saturday night, after getting slashed in the back of the knee by Derick Brassard. There was no penalty called on the play.

Grzelcyk finished with just 1:27 of ice time on two shifts before leaving the ice. Head coach Bruce Cassidy confirmed that Grzelcyk had X-rays taken.

“He got slashed somewhere in the back of the leg or knee,” said Cassidy. “He went for X-rays and I don’t have any update beyond that, except hoping that they were negative and it’s just one of those ones that really stung. We’ll probably give [more information] tomorrow.”

If Grzelcyk isn't a go for Monday night in Philadelphia, Steve Kampfer is ready to jump into the lineup. The veteran played in Thursday's win over Winnipeg.

The B’s also managed to get through Saturday’s win with Charlie McAvoy (28:43), Torey Krug (26:22) and Brandon Carlo (26:03) all doing Yeoman’s work of ice time in Grzelcyk's absence.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170618 Boston Bruins

Talking Points: Charlie McAvoy played like a No. 1 defenseman in Bruins' 3-2 OT win

By Joe Haggerty

January 11, 2020 11:21 PM

Here are my talking points from the Bruins’ overtime thriller in Brooklyn:

GOLD STAR: Charlie McAvoy only had an assist in the win, but it wasn’t about the offense for him. It was about the all-around game where the young defenseman played like a true No. 1 defenseman in every aspect of the game. He pushed pucks in the offensive zone to create scoring chances, including Jake DeBrusk's equalizer in the second period. He played like a defensive warrior in his own zone. McAvoy finished with a game-high 28:43 of ice time. He blocked four shots, including a couple Johnny Boychuk rockets that hobbled him. He added five hits and generated five shot attempts in an incredibly active game. With Matt Grzelcyk injured in the first period and Zdeno Chara in pain, it was up to McAvoy to step up if the B’s were going to win. That’s exactly what he did on Saturday night.

Highlights: Bergeron delivers OT winner for Bruins in 3-2 win

BLACK EYE: Not only was Derick Brassard totally ineffective centering one of the Isles' middle forward lines. He also took out Grzelcyk with a slash to the back of his knee that went uncalled in the first period. Brassard finished with no shots on net, a minus-1 rating and just 4-for-8 on face-offs in 10:43 of ice time, so the numbers and the performance were forgettable. But it was that cheap play on Grzelcyk that took things from merely “meh” to the most negative factor for either team in an otherwise very well-played, playoff-style hockey game.

TURNING POINT: The Bruins haven't had a lot of luck in overtime this season. But they played very well this time around. Brad Marchand drew a tripping penalty on Brock Nelson that gave the Bruins a 4-on-3 power play advantage, and they went to work against the Islanders' penalty kill. Patrice Bergeron potted the game-winner, but credit Marchand’s aggressive drive to the net to set the play in motion. Boston outshot New York 3-0 in the extra frame.

Grzelyck (lower body) exits early with injury

HONORABLE MENTION: Certainly Tuukka Rask could earn this, after standing on his head in the first period while the Bruins came out flat. But give it to Mat Barzal, who was the best player on the ice for the Islanders and set up multiple scores around the net. He set up Scott Mayfield for the Isles' first goal, then redirected a point shot in the third period to tie the game and send it to overtime. The center finished with a goal, two points and a plus-1 in 18:32 of ice time to go with a game-high nine shots on net and 11 shot attempts. He was all over the place.

BY THE NUMBERS: 37 – The combined number of blocked shots for both teams.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “We obviously worked really hard to get those extra points and it was needed. We’ll take it and move on.” –Patrice Bergeron, proud of his team’s work ethic in the overtime victory.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170619 Boston Bruins

NHL Highlights: Patrice Bergeron delivers overtime winner to lead Bruins over Islanders

By NBC Sports

January 11, 2020 9:24 PM

FINAL SCORE: Bruins 3, Islanders 2 (OT)

IN BRIEF: The Bruins went ahead 2-1 early in the third period on a John Moore screamer from the blue line, but a miscue at their own blue line a few minutes later allowed Matthew Barzal to net the equalizer for New York. All was well, however, as Patrice Bergeron netted the overtime winner on a power play snipe, beating Robin Lehner from the high slot. That set a Bruins franchise record for most consecutive games with a power play goal (13).

BOX SCORE

BRUINS RECORD: 27-8-11 (65 points, 1st in Atlantic Division)

HIGHLIGHTS

GRZELCYK LEAVES THE GAME

Matt Grzelcyk is hurting after getting a stick to the leg/foot from Derick Brassard. He heads to the bench. pic.twitter.com/ljTL2fDa24

— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) January 12, 2020

SAVE BY RASK

TUUUUUK #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/akenZvdRlX

— Boston Bruins on CLNS (@BruinsCLNS) January 12, 2020

DEBRUSK TIES IT AT 1-1

Now DeBrusk does tie it up!#NHLBruins-1 #Isles- 1 pic.twitter.com/bZzq7r4Nzn

— Boston Bruins on CLNS (@BruinsCLNS) January 12, 2020

MOORE FROM THE BLUE LINE, 2-1

John Moore blasts home a rocket from the point!#NHLBruins- 2#Isles- 1 pic.twitter.com/kNrmO01Uui

— Boston Bruins on CLNS (@BruinsCLNS) January 12, 2020

BERGY NETS THE WINNER IN OT

They did it, They did it!! The Bruins have won an OT game thanks to this Bergeron snipe!#NHLBruins- 3#Isles- 2 pic.twitter.com/Z4UhAF4ECW

— Boston Bruins on CLNS (@BruinsCLNS) January 12, 2020

UP NEXT:

At Philadelphia, Monday, 7 p.m., NESN

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170620 Boston Bruins

Bruins' Torey Krug readies for 500th NHL game, meaning he wasn't 'a smaller guy that had been a flash in the pan'

By Joe Haggerty

January 11, 2020 4:27 PM

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – There were plenty of times in Torey Krug’s life when he was doubted as a hockey player simply because of his size.

The 5-foot-8, 186-pounder wasn’t highly recruited as a college player and wasn’t drafted by any of the then-30 NHL teams even after a standout collegiate career at Michigan State. It took a long time for USA Hockey to come calling for his services in international play after he established himself as one of the best offensive defensemen in the league after signing with the Bruins.

So it’s a noteworthy accomplishment that the 28-year-old Krug will play in his 500th NHL game on Saturday night against the New York Islanders after many doubted his durability and longevity as an undersized defenseman.

LIVE stream the Celtics all season and get the latest news and analysis on all of your teams from NBC Sports Boston by downloading the My Teams App.

“It’s pretty special from where my career started. It seemed like a longshot, but obviously I’ve enjoyed every step along the way. A lot of good memories and hopefully memory more to come,” said Krug, who has five goals and 30 points in 37 games while averaging 20:34 of ice time as a top-4 defenseman for the B’s again this season. “There are smaller guys that have been flashes in the pan before and haven’t been able to survive the day-in, day-out toll that it takes to be an NHL player. 500 games is a big deal for sure.

“But I’ll tell you what, longevity is still a question in my career seeing how long this thing goes. I’ve enjoyed it every step of the way and all the bumps and bruises have been worth it. Hopefully, I just continue to create great memories.”

Haggerty: Pastrnak's swagger is back and Bruins reap the benefits

At this point, there’s no reason to believe that Krug won’t get to the gold standard for NHL players at 1,000 games after reaching halfway there in the prime of his career. Still, even to get to the 500-game mark is noteworthy for a determined player who's already proven many of the scouts and talent evaluators wrong and underestimated the heart and intelligence that Krug brings to the table every night as a key, core member of a Bruins team perennially in the playoffs.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170621 Boston Bruins Grzelcyk-Clifton

Rask

Ritchie returns to Bruins lineup after encouraging signs vs. Nashville

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.12.2020

By Joe Haggerty

January 11, 2020 1:25 PM

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – With the moms' visit is over for the Bruins, they'll look to continue to win with a lineup at the Barclays Center on Saturday night against the New York Islanders that will be exactly the same as the one that played so well in Nashville on Tuesday.

That means Zdeno Chara (jaw infection) will return after a one-game absence against the Winnipeg Jets and Brett Ritchie will replace David Backes. Backes was slotted back in against Winnipeg ostensibly to get some ice time while the entire roster’s moms were with the team the past few days, but his most recent games against the Devils and Jets (zero points, two shots on net and about eight minutes of ice time in each game) have not screamed out for more opportunities.

LIVE stream the Celtics all season and get the latest news and analysis on all of your teams from NBC Sports Boston by downloading the My Teams App.

“The mothers were here and our plan was to use everybody for obvious reasons. I think it’s a good team-building exercise and we try to use everybody on our roster anyway, so it was as good a time as any,” said Bruce Cassidy. “[Brett Ritchie] just happened to come after one of his better games [against Nashville]. He’s fighting for consistency, but that’s the way it worked out. I told him he would go back in and that’s what he’s doing [against Brooklyn].”

For Ritchie, in particular, it’s a key period of time in his stint with the Black and Gold as he showed something in a physical, engaged effort against Nashville while other forwards are on the mend that might challenge him for a roster spot such as Karson Kuhlman.

It’s important for Ritchie to show more after a quiet, lack-of-impact first half that included two goals, six points and a minus-3 in 24 games to this point in the year.

“I think he was good at creating separation. It’s not just going in and banging the glass and getting your hit and then they break out. It’s getting in there at the right time and separating the man from the puck. He was good at that,” said Cassidy. “I thought he held onto some pucks better.

“He’s a big man and he needs to learn how to separate without exposing the puck and move it when he does get flooded [with defenders]. I don’t think he’s done a good enough job of that on some nights, and that’s just part of the job description no matter what size you are. He got there [to the net] to create some anxiety for the goalie and forced the D to occupy him. It’s very simple. Create some looks pucks on the fore-check, go to the net or [be] the shooter or [be] the playmaker. Whatever your part is play it on your line and he did a good job of it.”

Haggerty: Bruins reap benefits as Pastrnak's swagger returns

The third line of Danton Heinen, Charlie Coyle and Ritchie definitely has a different look with the size and strength of two out of the three players. They focused on that and helped turn it into offense against the Predators. Now, they will look to build on that against the Isles and continue to create secondary scoring that’s finally reappeared in the past couple of wins for the Black and Gold.

In addition to the changes up front, Tuukka Rask will be back between the pipes at the most lacking current arena among the NHL's 31:

Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak

DeBrusk-Krejci-Bjork

Heinen-Coyle-Ritchie

Nordstrom-Kuraly-Wagner

Chara-McAvoy

Krug-Carlo 1170622 Boston Bruins The Bruins took a one-year, $1 million dice roll on Ritchie. Despite the low-cost, low-term investment, Ritchie has fallen short of expectations. Ritchie’s last goal was on Oct. 22. Since then, he’s been out twice Brett Ritchie vs. the world: The right wing fights to stay in the league because of an elbow infection and scratched seven times because of unfulfilling play.

“I thought he held onto some pucks better,” Cassidy said of Ritchie’s By Fluto Shinzawa down-low play against Nashville. “He’s a big man. He has to learn to separate and not expose the puck, then move it when he does get Jan 11, 2020 flooded. A lot of teams do that. They’re going to try to jump you. You figure that part out. I don’t think he’s been doing a good enough job with that some nights. That’s just part of the job description no matter what NEW YORK — The Bruins are carrying two extra forwards. They will not size you are.” add a third wheel to the mix. The question is whether Ritchie can extend a one-game spike — So when the Bruins declare Karson Kuhlman (one goal and no assists in interrupted by the sitdown against Winnipeg — into a more consistent three AHL games) ready to return north to the varsity, Brett Ritchie or band of performance. During Saturday’s win over the Islanders, Ritchie David Backes is most at risk of being shuttled in the other direction. did not have a shot. Coyle, Ritchie’s center, had an assist and one shot in 13:55 but was quiet otherwise. For Ritchie, cut loose by Dallas after 2018-19, job security is an oxymoron. Ritchie’s fight to remain with the Bruins, then, is just his reality In the third period, Ritchie engaged with Johnny Boychuk in front of the of professional life. net when John Moore ripped a shot on goal. Moore’s shot appeared to deflect off Boychuk’s skate and past Semyon Varlamov, giving the Bruins “If you play good, you’ll get what you deserve,” Ritchie said. “If you don’t a 2-1 lead. deserve to be in the lineup, you won’t be in the lineup. Every team has 12 capable forwards and a few extras too, right? There’s always So far, Ritchie has not submitted a long string of good, hard, clean competition. Things change. Injuries happen. You’re always going with performances. As such, Ritchie is the most likely candidate to come out different guys. The moment you try and relax and be like, ‘Oh, when Kuhlman earns his promotion. everything’s good,’ then everything changes on you. So no, I don’t really worry about too much. Because you’re so used to it.” The next question, then, is who stays as the No. 14 forward. Lindholm is safe because of his ability to play center and wing, kill penalties and The Bruins are carrying 23 players, the league maximum. At some point, defend. they want to evaluate Kuhlman to determine whether the 24-year-old could play No. 2 or No. 3 right wing. It’s not so clear-cut with Ritchie and Backes. For now, it’s Ritchie’s job to lose. Ritchie, Backes and Par Lindholm currently occupy the roster’s perimeter. On Saturday, Backes was out of uniform for the eighth time in Stars come through the past 10 games. Lindholm was a healthy scratch for the second In overtime, Torey Krug initiated the winning sequence by carrying the consecutive game. Ritchie was back in for 11:48 of ice time in the Bruins’ puck through the neutral zone, crossing the blue line and drawing Josh 3-2 overtime win against the Islanders on Saturday after being scratched Bailey and Johnny Boychuk toward him. Because the Bruins were on a against Winnipeg on Thursday, the third time in a four-game stretch he four-on-three advantage, the two-man Islanders’ misplay was enough to sat out. grant Patrice Bergeron a soft spot high in the slot. An unusual circumstance put Ritchie in a suit and tie Thursday against Once Krug gave Bergeron the puck, the No. 1 center took care of the rest the Jets. by snapping the winner past Semyon Varlamov’s blocker. The Bruins’ mothers were at TD Garden after traveling to Nashville to “It was an amazing play by Torey,” Bergeron said. “I was reading there attend the previous game. The organization planned to play everybody in was two guys going at him. So I figured if I’d stay in that pocket and the the two-game set. puck would come, I’d have a little bit of time. And I did. Great play by Backes didn’t dress in Nashville. So with mother Karen still in town, him.” Backes got the nod at Ritchie’s expense, even if the latter didn’t deserve Brad Marchand drew the power play by attacking Brock Nelson. When to sit after a relatively robust performance (one assist and two shots in Marchand spun off Nelson, the Islanders forward was called for tripping. 8:10 of ice time) against the Predators. But the game would have been far out of hand if not for Tuukka Rask in “The mothers were here. Our plan was to use everybody for obvious the first period. When the late-arriving Bruins couldn’t keep up with the reasons,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “I think it’s a good team-building Islanders’ fresh legs and physical play, Rask punched out 13 of 14 first- exercise. It’s good for everybody. We try to use our whole roster anyway, period pucks to keep it 1-0. so it was as good a time as any. (Ritchie) just happened to come out following one of his better games. He’s been fighting for consistency. But “We were kind of crummy early on,” Cassidy said. “They were much that’s the way it worked out. I told him he’d go back in.” better than us. Well rested. It showed. They played behind us. We weren’t ready for their pressure. Didn’t support pucks well on the Ritchie understood. It was the third moms’ trip for mother Tammy — once breakout. Then we got going. Listen, (Rask) did his job on the road. You last season with Brett in Dallas, another time with Anaheim with younger kind of need that if you expect to win. Maybe you go in down only a goal son Nick. It was still a delight for Ritchie to play with his mother, an without your best period. You can survive that. If you’re down two or eighth-grade teacher, present. three, that’s a tough road.” “I love when the moms are there,” said Ritchie. “It’s really fun.” Black and blue The unfortunate part was that Ritchie’s latest scratch followed one of his Matt Grzelcyk played only 1:27. On his second shift, Grzelcyk took a more productive nights. Ritchie played No. 3 right wing next to Danton whack from Derick Brassard on the back of his left leg. Cassidy did not Heinen and Charlie Coyle. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Ritchie made his have any clarity on Grzelcyk’s status. … Charlie McAvoy (knee) and mark physically because of how crisply he skated. Joakim Nordstrom (ankle) walked out of the room with ice bags taped to He didn’t arrive late, as he has done in previous games. Ritchie did not their tender parts. Both were casualties of Boychuk slappers. … Anders give the Predators much room to breathe. Bjork (zero shot attempts in 11:35 of play) did not make a good case for being the No. 2 right wing. Joakim Nordstrom and Chris Wagner skated “I think he was good at creating separation,” Cassidy said. “It’s not just some of Bjork’s shifts because of the youngster’s erratic puck play. “I going in and banging the glass, getting your hit and they break out. It’s, thought he was light,” Cassidy said. “He was light in this type of game. get in there at the right time and separate the man from the puck as well. You want to play playoff hockey, these are measuring-stick games for Then it’s up to his linemates to get in there in a hurry, win their races, win you. He’s going to have to recognize that. These are men. Heavier on their pucks. He was good at that. Listen, if there’s a big hit to be made in your stick, better on the walls — all stuff young wingers have to learn in the game, take it. But it’s more about efficiency on the forecheck as well.” these types of games. It’s not going to be a freewheeling, open-ice type of game. Little bit of a learning curve for him tonight. We like Anders. We like his effort. He’s a good student of the game. Hopefully, he learns from it and continues to get better in those areas.” … Bergeron was spared a trip to St. Louis as part of the Last Men In fan voting for the All-Star Game. Mitch Marner was the fans’ vote as the final Atlantic Division representative.

Fluto Shinzawa

The Athletic LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170623 Buffalo Sabres

Amerks lose three-goal lead, fall to Crunch

By Staff

Published Sun, Jan 12, 2020

The Syracuse Crunch scored four times in the third period, and overcame a three-goal deficit to defeat the Rochester Americans, 5-4, on Saturday night at the Onondaga War Memorial in Syracuse.

After a short-handed goal by Jean-Sebastien Dea had given the Amerks a 4-1 lead at 4:14 of the third, the Crunch scored three straight even- strength goals against Rochester goalie Andrew Hammond to win it.

Boris Katchouk, Patrick Sieloff and Daniel Walcott scored for Syracuse. Walcott’s game-winner came with 2:28 left in regulation. Former Canisius College forward Cory Conacher assisted on the last two Crunch goals.

Tyler Randell and John Gilmour scored in the first period to give Rochester a 2-0 lead. Ross Colton of the Crunch made it 2-1 at 9:25 of the second before Brett Murray scored for a 3-1 Rochester lead with Casey Mittelstadt assisting.

Taylor Raddysh made it 3-2 with a Syracuse goal at 2:47 of the third. Dea’s goal appeared to stave off any Crunch comeback, but it didn’t.

Syracuse put 16 shots at Hammond in the third period while Rochester managed only seven shots on Spencer Martin of the Crunch.

The Crunch outshot Rochester, 33-24 overall.

It was the fifth regulation loss and sixth defeat in the last seven games for Rochester. The Amerks’ losing streak is at four including a shootout loss at home against Binghamton on Wednesday. Their lone win in 2020 was an overtime triumph at Belleville on Jan. 3.

The Amerks will be off until a home game against the Cleveland Monsters on Friday night.

Buffalo News LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170624 Buffalo Sabres Rodrigues' best opportunity came in the third period when his shot from the slot missed the net. He has zero goals with three assists in 25 games this season. Asplund, meanwhile, played fewer than 10 minutes for the Power play finally generates momentum in Sabres' 6-3 loss first time in four games.

Scratches

By Lance Lysowski Defenseman Colin Miller was a healthy scratch Saturday after playing three consecutive games. Miller, who was acquired from Vegas for two Published Sat, Jan 11, 2020 draft picks in June, has been scratched 13 times in 28 games since Nov. 14. He has one goal among six points and a minus-5 rating in 32 games

this season. The power play finally created some momentum for the Buffalo Sabres. Defenseman Zach Bogosian and forward Scott Wilson were also After maintaining possession in the offensive zone for almost three scratched against the Canucks. Vladimir Sobotka (knee), Tage minutes, the Sabres broke through when scored off a Thompson (upper body), Jeff Skinner (upper body) and Olofsson (lower cross-ice from Rasmus Dahlin at 8:44 into the first period Saturday in body) were out because of injury. KeyBank Center. Former Sabres Tyler Myers and Tim Schaller were in the Canucks' The goal occurred 39 seconds after the power play and became an lineup. afterthought in a 6-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks. However, special Hawerchuk update teams were one of the few bright spots during a game in which the Sabres allowed three unanswered third-period goals. Eric Hawerchuk, the son of former Sabres forward Dale Hawerchuk, tweeted Friday night that his father underwent a successful gastrectomy Sam Reinhart broke Buffalo's 1-for-21 power-play slump with his one- to treat stomach cancer. Dale Hawerchuk, 56, was coach of the Ontario timer in the second period, and the Sabres went 2-for-2 on the penalty Hockey League's Barrie Colts at the time of his diagnosis this past kill. summer. "I thought the power play was moving the puck well," coach Ralph Hawerchuk played parts of five seasons with the Sabres from 1990-95. Krueger said afterward. "I thought the presence of (Rasmus) Ristolainen He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001. net-front changes the game and opens up the opportunities to shoot and also seems to increase the hunger for shooting. Let’s continue to build on that for sure and again, the penalty kill did well tonight and can take some confidence moving forward." Lance Lysowski

The Sabres' power play entered Saturday ranked 22nd in the National Hockey League, and it was without Victor Olofsson, who has a team-high Buffalo News LOADED: 01.12.2020 nine goals on the man advantage this season. Additionally, the Canucks' penalty kill on the road ranked eighth in the league.

A strategical adjustment made a difference. With Olofsson out, Krueger has shifted Reinhart into the left circle, while Marcus Johansson is in the right circle and Jack Eichel hovers in the high slot.

Meanwhile, Ristolainen is in front of the net to screen the goalie, and Rasmus Dahlin quarterbacks the top unit from the blue line. With and without Olofsson, the Sabres have been plagued by over-passing and missed shots.

Krueger saw Dahlin as the potential solution. The 19-year-old defenseman delivered with his play-making ability against Vancouver, though. Dahlin helped the Sabres maintain possession on their first failed opportunity.

Dahlin sent a cross-ice pass to Montour, whose shot from the left circle went over Jacob Markstrom's glove only 39 seconds after the power play ended.

"It was just the momentum," Montour, who had not scored in 23 games, said. "Some good chances there, and I hopped out there and got a nice feed from Dahls. Good to find the net there."

Reinhart needed only 18 seconds following Jay Beagle's holding penalty to score a second power-play goal in three games. Jack Eichel skated into the right circle and passed back to Dahlin, who sent the puck over to Reinhart.

The ensuring shot went over Markstrom's shoulder to tie the score, 2-2, with 13:35 left in the second period. Rather than using two units during Buffalo's three opportunities, Krueger gave most of the power-play time to his first group. The only exception was Jimmy Vesey, who received 29 seconds on the man advantage.

"I think guys getting to open areas and wanting the puck, creating some offense off some movement," Reinhart said of why the power play was effective.

Rodrigues returns

Forward Evan Rodrigues played his first game since reportedly expressing a desire to be traded by the Sabres. Rodrigues, who was scratched in four consecutive games, had one shot on goal in 10 minutes while playing mostly with Rasmus Asplund and Curtis Lazar. 1170625 Buffalo Sabres soft on numerous possessions. He needs to be in the Detroit press box Sunday or maybe even back in Rochester.

This defense corps has simply endured too much shuffling. Six men in, Sabres gave Carter Hutton no help, and he didn't help himself seven men in, injuries, now the trade of Marco Scandella. Other than McCabe with Rasmus Ristolainen, there's rarely any consistent partners.

By Mike Harrington "It's obviously difficult but you make do with what you have here,' Montour said. "You play 7, you play 6, you get traded, it is what it is. Published Sat, Jan 11, 2020 We're all NHL players. You can play on the left side, you can play on the right side. D partners may switch." Updated Sat, Jan 11, 2020 Montour was being very diplomatic. This isn't working. Krueger needs to

pick six D and stick with them. Zach Bogosian wants a trade, so he Carter Hutton hasn't won a game since October. Didn't win one Saturday shouldn't play anymore. Put Colin Miller on the ice. Forget about Pilut for either. He wasn't bad in the Sabres' sickly loss to the Vancouver now. Canucks. He wasn't good either. He was just there. Krueger admitted cohesion is an issue he's going to ponder on the flight There were major problems in front of him during what coach Ralph to Detroit and again in the morning. He needs to create some. That might Krueger aptly deemed a "very painful unacceptable finish". help the defense.

Giving up four goals at home in the third period when a 2-2 game is up No idea what can help Hutton. Mike Bales is supposed to be a savant as for grabs certainly merits that description. The 6-3 loss sent the Sabres' a goalie coach but like Botterill, his Stanley Cup rings from Pittsburgh season deeper down the drain. Hutton still has no answers and he's far aren't proving to be worth a whole lot here. from alone. Hutton looked sharp early, when the Canucks had the game's first eight "I don't know what to tell you. You guys watch it. I watch it. It's shots. He actually stopped the first 11 he faced -- then let in five goals on frustrating," said an understandably grim Hutton. "I just try to battle. I the next 23 shots. don't know what to say. I think on all accounts everyone is frustrated." "I felt fine. It's just frustrating. It's a pretty good hockey team up front," Hutton gave up three goals on six shots to open the third and he was Hutton said. "When they get the buzz like that in the offensive zone and most disturbed by J.T. Miller's goal at 1:17, when the Vancouver winger move pucks around you it's hard to compete. We battled but obviously took advantage of a fat rebound. it's not good enough."

Most of the other plays were odd-man rushes and flat-out breakdowns in Nope. it's not. Right now, nothing is for the Sabres. front of him. Goalies have to deal with those obviously and make saves to bail out their team. Right now, the mistakes are just too grievous and Hutton is simply unable to overcome them. Mike Harrington

"It's just little things," said defenseman Brandon Montour. "The first one was a rebound right off the start of the period there. A breakdown, odd- man rush, 2-on-1, 3-on-1 back door. Those things can't happen." Buffalo News LOADED: 01.12.2020

But they keep happening. Especially with Hutton in net. It's weird how the Sabres have regular brainlocks when he's in the crease.

Hutton is 0-7-4 in his last 11 starts, the Sabres' longest winless streak since Jhonas Enroth went 16 in row in 2011-2012 and the 2013 lockout season. In that span, Hutton has a 4.27 goals-against average and .866 save percentage -- the worst figures in the NHL among goalies who have played at least 10 games since Oct. 24.

"He's been battling. He's obviously been riding with Linus playing a lot of games here but he's a good professional," Montour said. "He know what it's all about and he's a positive guy whenever you see him. You want to play in front of him when he's in there."

Since Hutton won his last game, there are 25 goalies in the NHL who entered Saturday with at least 10 wins in that time. St. Louis' Jordan Binnington has won 18. A dozen guys have won at least 13.

GM Jason Botterill signed Hutton, a guy with no major record as a starter, to a three-year, $8.25 million contract in the summer of 2018 to become the team's starter. And now the Sabres are stuck.

Largely because of the bye week and All-Star break, the Sabres don't have another back to back until Feb. 6-7 (Detroit at home, New York Rangers on the road). Hard to imagine Hutton gets used again until then. Barring injury, Linus Ullmark can play the next eight games since they would overlap the bye week and All-Star break.

Krueger played a fair hunch Saturday. Hutton has been much better at home (4-2-2 vs. 2-5-2) and Ullmark has been lights-out in his career against Detroit, where the Sabres will be Sunday. Didn't work.

"This definitely doesn't go on Carter Hutton," Krueger said. "This is a team loss and needs to be dealt with that way."

Fair enough. The Sabres simply couldn't handle the Canucks in their own zone most of the game, particuarly in the third period.

Montour scored Buffalo's first goal and Rasmus Dahlin had two assists but neither seemed in control defensively. Jake McCabe, coming off an upper-body injury, was limited to 16 minutes and that was probably a good thing. Lawrence Pilut was on the ice for two goals and was ultra- 1170626 Buffalo Sabres Islanders chose to pay Semyon Varlamov coming off his first year of alcohol sobriety.

"It's a different summer than last summer," Lehner told Chicago Three-goalie mix can only serve as a temporary fix reporters. "Me personally, another year under my belt in my new journey. The market, it's quite a lot. Lots of teams that need goalies and there's not that many goalies that are available this season. By Mike Harrington "We'll see what happens. All I know is that I really like it here. I've learned Published Sat, Jan 11, 2020 enough that this is a business and no matter how good things are going, sometimes it's not up to you and it's not under your control. I know where

I stand and I really like this team and I still really believe in this team and The goaltending drama with the New York Rangers is going to be the pieces this team has. I'd like to be part of the turnaround. fascinating to watch. Both for its ultimate result and for the what-ifs and "I've taken discounts my whole life. I'm not a guy to want to be overpaid what-might-bes it brings about when you ponder the Buffalo Sabres. either. I want to gain some respect that I think I deserve and we'll see if The Rangers brought up top prospect Igor Shesterkin and he made his that happens or not." NHL debut in Tuesday's 5-3 win over Colorado, then posted a 6-3 win Sullivan keeping Pens afloat Thursday over New Jersey. Shesterkin, 24, rang up a .926 save percentage over the two games after giving up goals on two of the first Mike Sullivan has two Stanley Cups on his resume with the Penguins but three shots he faced against the Avalanche. He then stopped 73 of the this has to rate as his best coaching job yet. Through all of his team's next 78. injuries, it's just stunning to see them enter Saturday 27-12-5 and second in the Metropolitan Division. You want to talk about a winning culture, Longtime No. 1 man Henrik Lundqvist has been the backup in both Pittsburgh is the first place you should look. games and current backup Alexandar Georgiev (3.17/.909) has been the healthy scratch. Saturday in St. Louis, Lundqvist was scheduled to get It's now 27 games without Sidney Crosby, 25 without Nick Bjugstad, 17 the start with Georgiev backing up and Shesterkin sitting in the press without Brian Dumoulin, 10 without Justin Schultz and five without Jake box. Guentzel, whose severe shoulder injury almost certainly is going to cost him the rest of the regular season. And Patric Hornqvist (18 games), “It’s an unusual situation right now,” said Lundqvist, who is 5-5-2 in his Evgeni Malkin (14) and Kris Letang (9) are all back from their injuries. last 12 games but has started just one of the previous six. “But you can Amazing. only control so much. You don’t want to put too much thinking into this. When you get the opportunity to play, you want to do your best. It’s quite Blues' Berube lauds Eichel a challenge.” In both meetings with the Sabres this year, the St. Louis Blues were The Rangers entered the weekend 28th in the league in goals-against guilty of giving Jack Eichel far too much ice to work with and the Buffalo average (3.28) and looking for a spark from their back end. Shesterkin captain scored goals without anyone laying a glove on him down low. certainly represents that. The Blues, of course, aren't alone in getting burned by Eichel this year. Lundqivst has a no-traade clause and has repeatedly said he wants to stay in New York. Shesterkin, a fourth-round choice in 2014, played three Said coach Craig Berube on Eichel after Thursday's 5-1 St. Louis win: monster years in the KHL and was so good this year in Hartford (15-4-3, "He’s one of the best in the league for sure. He’s hard to handle. He’s as 1.93/.932) that he forced the Rangers' hand. Georgiev could become a every bit as hard to handle as (Nathan) MacKinnon and (Connor) chip at the trade deadline (Memo to Toronto). McDavid I think. That’s my opinion. He’s a great player."

So how does this all equate to the Sabres? No matter the result A year later for Binnington Saturday, you wonder how much the struggles of Carter Hutton have had The Blues' win Tuesday night over San Jose marked exactly one year to the Sabres pondering a three-goalie setup for a spell, with either AHL All- the callup of Jordan Binnington from San Antonio for a game in Star Jonas Johansson or veteran Andrew Hammond joining Hutton and Philadelphia that ended Jake Allen's run of 14 starts in a row. Linus Ullmark. Binnington beat the Flyers the night after the players heard "Gloria" in a It doesn't seem like a trip through waivers to Rochester would be in the Philadelphia bar and the Stanley Cup run was on. cards for Hutton. He entered Saturday 0-6-4 in his previous 10 games, with no wins since October and just two starts in the last 16 games. Binnington went a remarkable 43-11-5 in the 2019 calendar year with a Wouldn't the Sabres have already done that by now? 2.10 goals-against average, .925 save percentage and six shutouts. He led the league in wins, was second in GAA and sixth in save percentage. And just allow yourself to daydream a little. Imagine if top prospect Ukko- And all that, remember, was just for the regular season. Pekka Luukkonen had been healthy and not needed his double hip surgery in the spring. What if the 20-year-old Luukkonen had been "It went by pretty fast, a lot accomplished," Binnington said. "I think we're tearing up the AHL like Shesterkin or the way Philadelphia's Carter Hart in a good spot, so that's important. A year ago today, I was listening to did last year? Rocky Balboa on the way to the rink with the anthem."

You could have certainly seen a scenario where the Sabres would have All-Star shenanigans reached out to UPL to try to kick-start their team. Instead, they've had to take the very slow approach with him and it's the right call for a player The one-game suspension doesn't seem to be enough of a deterrent to coming off such a serious injury. get some players to not skip the All-Star Game and you can expect the league to try to up the ante on the truants. Players will be told this is an Luukkonen is 12-5-3, 2.12/.917 in Cincinnati and it's probably time to get important league venture they're expected to attend. Alex Ovechkin and him to Rochester but there's quite a jam in the Sabres' organizational Marc-Andre Fleury have already begged off and taken the suspension. chain. Three goalies up top is never a great solution. My sense is that the Rangers are going to quickly find out. And there shouldn't be the kind of negative chatter from the likes of Detroit's Dylan Larkin -- who has accomplished little of note in his career No hometown discounts from Lehner to date. The 23-year-old said, "Please don't vote. I like the days off more" when asked about having a spot in the Last Man In vote. Speaking of goaltending, a situation everyone in the league is watching approaching the trade deadline is in Chicago. The Blackhawks Around the boards essentially have two No. 1s in Corey Crawford and old friend Robin Lehner and both are pending unrestricted free agents. Crawford, 35, has * It's hard to remember but the Red Wings started the season 3-1. Losing two Stanley Cups on his resume and is making $6 million this year while streaks of seven, 10 and six games -- all in regulation -- put that opening Lehner is only 28 and making $5 million. deep in the rear-view mirror but the Wings are finally looking a little better. They're 3-2 in the last five and will host the Sabres Sunday For his part, Lehner said on Friday his two seasons with the New York looking for just their second three-game winning streak of the season. Islanders and the Blackhawks shows he should get paid. Lehner, remember, was coming off his fine season in Long Island but the * Dumb Scheduling Dept: The Rangers and Islanders haven't played this season. Then they meet three times in nine days starting Monday in Madison Square Garden, once again on Feb. 25 and not a single time in March or April.

* The Blackhawks promoted Former Canisius College star Dylan McLaughlin from Indianapolis of the ECHL to Rockford for the second time this season and he scored his first two career AHL goals last week. The Lancaster native, who had 19 goals and 40 points for the Griffs last year as a senior, was 13-9-22 this year in 18 games for Indy. He's at 2-1- 3 thus far in Rockford in 10 games.

Story topics: Buffalo Sabres/ Canisius College hockey/ Chicago Blackhawks/ Dylan McLaughlin/ Igor Shesterkin/ New York Rangers/ NHL All-Star Game/ Robin Lehner/ Toronto Maple Leafs/ Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Mike Harrington

Buffalo News LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170627 Buffalo Sabres The mistakes weren't limited to the third period, either. Boeser's first goal at 15:33 into the first period came on a tipped shot when the Sabres were unable to move him from in front of the net.

Sabres searching for answers after 'very painful, unacceptable finish' Bo Horvat then gave the Canucks a 2-1 lead at 3:44 into the second period by scoring on a 2 on 1 that began with Henri Jokiharju getting caught near Buffalo's blue line. Though Pilut managed to get his stick on By Lance Lysowski Horvat's cross-ice pass, the puck went directly back to the Vancouver center. Published Sat, Jan 11, 2020 Reinhart tied the score with his one-timer from the left-wing circle, Updated Sat, Jan 11, 2020 however, the Sabres failed to bring any momentum into the third period. Jake McCabe turned the puck over to give Vancouver a possession that ended with Miller retrieving his own rebound and surprising Hutton with a Even Ralph Krueger couldn't come up with a positive anecdote from the shot over the glove. final 14 minutes of the third period Saturday in KeyBank Center. "I think just little things," Montour said of what went wrong in the third The manner in which Buffalo allowed three unanswered goals in a 6-3 period. "The first one, rebound, kind of right off the start of the period loss to the Vancouver Canucks was particularly maddening for the ultra- there. ... Those things can't happen. it's the time of year here where we positive coach. Rather than following the structure that earned back-to- need points no matter how to win them. We need those points. And 2-2 back wins without Jeff Skinner and Victor Olofsson, the Sabres tried to going into the third, we've got to bear down and find ways to win those match the Canucks' run-and-gun style. games."

"That’s definitely something we can’t accept." Krueger lamented. "It was During his postgame news conference, Krueger admitted he was still a hell of a hockey game until 14 minutes to go, and we turned it into a "processing" the loss. He planned to analyze video with his coaching very painful, unacceptable finish." staff and go over their findings with the players Sunday morning ahead of a 5 p.m. game in Detroit. There is a heightened sense of urgency in the Sabres' dressing room. Although Krueger has stressed the importance of focusing on the A lack of continuity may be partially to blame. Injuries, performance and present, they're faced with the harsh reality of falling further out of the the Marco Scandella trade have prevented the Sabres' defensemen from playoff race. having consistent partners. Krueger was more interested in potential solutions, though. The Sabres (19-19-7) are 3-8-1 over their last 12 games and remain nine points back of the Atlantic Division's third-place Toronto Maple Leafs. "It was a good game going on, but just too many individual breakdowns Buffalo is struggling to stick to its identity, and its running out of time to today through the game, from beginning to end," Krueger said."We need find a solution. to look hard at this – like I said – quick. No time. Five o’clock game tomorrow against Detroit, but those final 14 minutes we really, really "This is the time of year where you can learn and get those experiences, need to put a mirror in front of our faces and figure out why we gave up I guess, but in the end here, we have a tough division," defenseman on what is our game. There’s just no sign of it." Brandon Montour said. "We’re points behind now. You've gotta collect points. It’s one of those things where you obviously need to get as many wins as you can before bye week and if you’re close in the mix there you have to sprint to the end, so every point matters. Mistakes cost you and Lance Lysowski we have to correct those and fix them."

The final 14 minutes spoiled an otherwise promising performance for the Buffalo News LOADED: 01.12.2020 Sabres. Montour ignited the offense -- which had a total of 37 shots in its previous two games -- with a goal at 8:44 into the first period to break the scoreless tie.

Sam Reinhart scored his 15th goal of the season to break a 1-for-21 power-play slump for Buffalo, tying the game, 2-2, with 13:35 remaining in the second period. The Sabres tied the game again when Zemgus Girgensons tipped Kyle Okposo's shot with 13:32 left in regulation.

The collapse started moments later.

With Lawrence Pilut playing too loose in coverage, Brock Boeser scored his second of two goals with a one-timer off a pass from Christopher Tanev for a 4-3 lead.

Seventy-four seconds later, and with the Sabres having a delayed penalty, Jake Virtanen capitalized during a 3 on 1 by one-timing Tyler Motte's backhanded cross-ice pass into the net. Carter Hutton allowed three goals on his first six shots faced in the third period.

"It’s a tough one to let slide, for sure," Reinhart said. "I think we just lose a little bit of structure and that’s a team we can’t do that against."

The breakdowns were uncharacteristic for the Sabres. Entering Saturday, they had allowed the seventh-fewest high-danger scoring chances at 5 on 5 in the National Hockey League, according to NaturalStatTrick.com.

Krueger's defensive-zone structure brought the stability the Sabres lacked during Phil Housley's two seasons as coach. They entered the game Saturday with a plus-3 goal differential at 5 on 5, compared to negative-31 in 2018-19.

When the Sabres lost Skinner and Olofsson to injury in a span of six days, Krueger emphasized the importance of playing sound defensively. They've been outscored 11-4 over their past two games, including a 5-1 loss at St. Louis on Thursday. 1170628 Buffalo Sabres Call stands: Girgensons tied the score, 3-3, by tipping Kyle Okposo's shot from the left circle with 16:32 remaining in the third period. The play was reviewed, however, the call on the ice stood since Girgensons' stick The Wraparound: Canucks 6, Sabres 3 was not raised above the crossbar.

Collapse: Boeser scored his second of the game on a centering pass from Christopher Tanev for a 4-3 lead with 13:36 left in the third period. By Lance Lysowski The Canucks then pushed the lead to two goals when Virtanen scored during a 2 on 1. Published Sat, Jan 11, 2020 300: Sheary, who was acquired by the Sabres in June 2018, played his

300th career NHL game. Zemgus Girgensons gave the Buffalo Sabres an opportunity to complete Goalie change: Hutton started his first game for the Sabres since Dec. 19 a comeback by scoring the tying goal on a tip in front of the Vancouver and had not been in the team's lineup at KeyBank Center since Nov. 14. Canucks' net in the third period Saturday afternoon. Linus Ullmark started the Sabres' previous eight games and 13 of their The Sabres proceeded to unravel in front of goalie Carter Hutton and previous 14. never recovered. Brock Boeser and Jake Virtanen scored in a span of Next: The Sabres will play the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday at 5 p.m. in 1:14 to help the Canucks defeat the Sabres, 6-3, in KeyBank Center. Little Caesars Arena. The team is scheduled to be off Monday and hosts Buffalo (19-19-7) has lost two in a row and is 3-8-1 in its last 12 games. the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday. The Sabres also received goals from Brandon Montour and Sam

Reinhart, while Hutton made 26 saves in his first start in almost a month. Lance Lysowski The Canucks (24-17-4), whose seven-game winning streak was snapped Tuesday against Tampa Bay, also received goals from Bo Horvat, J.T. Miller and Loui Eriksson. Boeser's two goals give him 19 points in his last 18 games. Buffalo News LOADED: 01.12.2020

Sluggish start: The Sabres were out-shot, 8-0, over the game's first five minutes. Hutton was forced to make four saves on the Canucks' first power play. Buffalo did not have a shot on goal until Conor Sheary's one- timer off an Evan Rodrigues pass at 5:41 into the first period.

The Sabres have a negative-14 goal differential in the first period this season, compared to the Canucks' mark of plus-16.

Momentum: Buffalo had only two shots on goal, including a Marcus Johansson one-timer, during its power play in the first period. Though the Sabres did not score on the man advantage, they maintained possession for almost three minutes and scored 39 seconds after the power play ended on Montour's shot from the left circle with 11:16 remaining in the first period.

Rasmus Dahlin has an assist in each of his last three games, and Jack Eichel extended his point streak to six games. It was Montour's first point in 12 games and his first goal since Nov. 21.

Response: After failing to record a shot on goal for almost six minutes, the Sabres had a 7-1 advantage over a span of nearly 10 minutes when Boeser tipped Troy Stecher shot from the right circle to tie the score, 1-1, with 4:27 remaining in the first period.

Tough luck: Sabres defenseman Lawrence Pilut broke up a 2-on-1 pass, only to have the puck go right back to Horvat, whose shot beat Hutton for a 2-1 Vancouver lead with 16:16 remaining in the second period. The odd-man rush began when Henri Jokiharju skated forward to challenge a Canucks forward at the blue line.

Hometown success: Reinhart, a Vancouver native whose father, Paul, played for the Canucks, scored on the power play with 13:35 remaining in the second period on a one-timer from the left circle to tie the score, 2- 2.

Reinhart has three goals in his last four games, and he has scored in each of his last five games against the Canucks. Eichel's secondary assist on the goal gave him his 16th multi-point game of the season, and this was Dahlin's first multi-point game since Nov. 17.

Additionally, the Sabres' power play was amid a 1-for-21 slump, and Buffalo entered Saturday 3-2-5 when tied after two periods.

Close call: Canucks winger Tyler Motte hit the crossbar after he poked the puck off Dahlin's stick with 9:15 left in the second. The Sabres and Canucks each had nine shots on goal in the period.

Second look: The league office in Toronto took several minutes to review a sequence in which one camera angle showed Horvat's shot possibly going through the Sabres' net. However, another angle revealed that the shot sailed a few feet over Hutton's head, resulting in no goal.

Turnover: Jake McCabe's turnover near the Sabres' blue line resulted in Miller gaining possession and scoring on his own rebound for a 3-2 Vancouver lead at 1:17 into the third period. 1170629 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres will start Carter Hutton in goal today vs. Canucks

By Mike Harrington

Published Sat, Jan 11, 2020

Updated Sat, Jan 11, 2020

For the first time in nearly a month, Carter Hutton will get a chance to break his 10-game winless streak.

About 90 minutes before faceoff, Sabres coach Ralph Krueger announced Hutton will be in goal for the team's 1:05 faceoff against the Vancouver Canucks in KeyBank Center.

Hutton is 0-6-4 in his last 10 starts and has not won since improving to 6- 0 with an overtime win over San Jose on Oct. 22. Linus Ullmark has started eight in a row and 14 of the last 16 games.

The Sabres are on a back-to-back this weekend and the prevailing thought might have been to start Hutton Sunday at last-place Detroit. The Sabres clearly weighed home-road performance.

Hutton at home is 4-1-2, 2.38/.912. On the road he's 2-5-2, 3.91/.883

"It just stomach-wise felt like Carter here gets an opportunity at home and has been feeling comfortable here and we want to put him in his best possible chance for success, " Krueger said. "And we feel that's today."

Hutton is 6-6-4 on the season with a 3.23/.894. In his last 10 games, the numbers are ugly: 4.19 and .867. Those are both the worst numbers in the NHL for goalies who have played at least 10 games since Oct. 24.

Hutton's last game was the 6-1 loss Dec. 19 in Philadelphia. Prior to that was the 6-5 overtime loss Dec. 7 in Vancouver.

"He's been working so hard. Often when you're a not starting, you often see more pucks and have more work than the one starting," said Krueger. "In the goalie position, I've never seen that as an issue. [Goaltending coach Mike Bales] has been doing a lot of work with him to give him confidence and solidify what we need to see from him so we're optimistic he's ready for this one."

Ullmark, meanwhile, has owned the Red Wings. He posted a 41-save shutout in Little Caesars Arena on Oct. 25 and is 4-0-2, 2.10/.938 in his career against Detroit.

Krueger said the Sabres will dress 12 forwards and six defensemen, with Jake McCabe returning to the lineup after sitting out Thursday's loss in St. Louis. Colin Miller and Zach Bogosian will sit on defense and Scott Wilson will be a scratch up front, which means Evan Rodrigues will get in the lineup for the first time since his trade request.

Mike Harrington

Buffalo News LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170630 Buffalo Sabres 27. Los Angeles Kings. Iafallo moves into tie for third on team with 26 points. (27)

28. Anaheim Ducks. Huge welcome back for suspended Perry during Mike Harrington's NHL Power Rankings Stars visit. (29)

29. Ottawa Senators. Went 0-4-2 after beating Sabres two days before By Mike Harrington Christmas. (26)

Published Sat, Jan 11, 2020 30. New Jersey Devils. Hughes (upper body) has missed five straight. (30) Updated Sat, Jan 11, 2020 31. Detroit Red Wings. How desperately do they need to win draft lottery? (31)

Through Friday's games. Last week's rankings in parentheses.

1. Washington Capitals. Vrana (19) and Oshie (18) about to join Mike Harrington Ovechkin as 20-goal men. (1)

2. St. Louis Blues. Sabres schooled by their depth at forward, defense and in goal. (3) Buffalo News LOADED: 01.12.2020

3. Boston Bruins. Open home and home with Penguins on Thursday. (2)

4. Pittsburgh Penguins. Survived last-minute tying goal to pull out OT win in Denver. (4)

5. Tampa Bay Lightning. Nine-game streak was a matter of time. Too much talent. (13)

6. Dallas Stars. At .757 (25-7-3), have best points percentage in NHL since 1-7-1 start. (12)

7. New York Islanders. Passed by surging Penguins in Metro. (5)

8. Toronto Maple Leafs. Matthews hits 30-goal plateau for fourth straight year. (8)

9. Carolina Hurricanes. Atop wild-card race with impressive plus-25 goal differential. (11)

10. Colorado Avalanche. Lost touch with Blues in Central by winning just three of last 10. (6)

11. Vegas Golden Knights. Should be better at home than 14-9-3. (7)

12. Edmonton Oilers. McDavid's solo act in Toronto will be on his Hall of Fame video in 20 years. (18)

13. Philadelphia Flyers. Edged Caps to improve home record to 14-2-4. (9)

14. Arizona Coyotes. Hall is at 3-5-8 in first 12 games since trade. (10)

15. Calgary Flames. Frolik's time was up and Sabres might be a stopover to UFA. (16)

16. Winnipeg Jets. Went 2-1-1 on tough roadie that included shootout win in Toronto. (14)

17. Vancouver Canucks. Brutal schedule to be in Buffalo Saturday and have back-to-back in Minnesota on Sunday. (15)

18. Florida Panthers. Huberdeau hit weekend with 59 points, three ahead of Eichel. (21)

19. Columbus Blue Jackets. Props to them for staying in thick of wild- card race. (17)

20. Nashville Predators. Rinne is first goalie to score since 2013. (20)

21. Minnesota Wild. Just 10 goals in going 1-3-1 over last five games. (19)

22. New York Rangers. In five-point night, DeAngelo posts team's first blueline hat trick since 1992. (24)

23. Buffalo Sabres. With playoff race slip slidin' away, what is the destination here? (22)

24. Chicago Blackhawks. That United Center magic is gone: Just 10-11-3 at home. (25)

25. San Jose Sharks. Rough week for Bills fanatic Couture: Choke in Houston on gridiron, fractured ankle on ice. (28)

26. Montreal Canadiens. Dropped eight straight after holiday break. (23) 1170631 Buffalo Sabres Maybe there’s more magic in his pads and mask.

• Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Regardless of any goaltending numbers in the organization, Luukkonen is the Sabres’ top goalie prospect. Selected in Carter Hutton’s season was already a mess, and it’s even worse now the second round in 2017, he’s expected to become the No. 1 netminder one day.

By John Vogl That day shouldn’t be today, but Luukkonen is again proving he’s a winner. The 20-year-old was named Most Outstanding Player of the Jan 11, 2020 Ontario Hockey League last season, leading the league with 38 wins, six shutouts and a .920 save percentage. This year, he’s going to the ECHL

All-Star Classic with a 12-5-3 record and a .917 save percentage. BUFFALO, N.Y. — In the ECHL, the Sabres have a goalie going to the It’s a long way from the ECHL to the NHL — especially with viable All-Star Classic. candidates already in the AHL — so it’s unlikely Luukkonen is next in In the AHL, the Sabres have a goalie going to the All-Star Game. line. But he’s definitely in line.

In the NHL, the Sabres have a goalie going nowhere. The way things are going for Hutton, someone else will get the call.

Before diving in, here’s a caveat: “I’ve been doing this for a while,” the 34-year-old said. “I just try to stick to it. It’s obviously frustrating, but I try to be a good teammate and a good “This definitely doesn’t go on Carter Hutton,” coach Ralph Krueger said backup or starter in whatever situation I’m in and support everybody. after Buffalo disintegrated and lost 6-3 to Vancouver on Saturday. “This a Whether it’s Linus playing or I’m playing, I try to be the same person team loss and needs to be dealt with.” every day. Moving forward, it’s not going to change.”

Hutton was not the Sabres’ biggest problem in KeyBank Center. The Something’s going to change. The Sabres could put three goalies on the score was tied 3-3 with 16 minutes left when Buffalo decided defensive roster. They could also send Hutton to Rochester with little fear of effort was optional. anyone claiming him and his $2.75 million contract. Both options make more sense than sticking with the status quo. “I don’t know what to tell you,” Hutton said. “You guys watch it. I watch it. I don’t know. It’s frustrating.” “It’s tough to see what he’s going through,” Sabres right wing Sam Reinhart said, “but a lot of it’s on us.” That’s one game, however. Hutton hasn’t won any of his past 11. The goalie is 0-7-4 with an .866 save percentage and a 4.27 goals-against That was certainly the case Saturday. But it’s been a long three months average since Oct. 24. for Hutton. The rest of the season could feel even longer.

Of the 78 goalies to appear in a game during that time, Hutton ranks 71st in GAA and save percentage. For the season, his .892 save percentage ranks 52nd and his 3.34 goals-against average is 65th. During Hutton’s John Vogl past eight starts, he’s allowed five goals or more six times. The Athletic LOADED: 01.12.2020 That’s … not good. Hutton knows it. Everyone knows it.

“I just try to battle,” the goalie said. “I don’t know what to say right now. It’s frustrating. I think on all accounts everybody’s frustrated, so I don’t really know what to tell you right now.”

What can the Sabres do? Hutton is already an afterthought. Because of the struggles, he’s started just twice in the past 15 games and appeared in five of 25.

Linus Ullmark has become the No. 1 guy in Buffalo, but his .909 save percentage is 32nd in the NHL. The 26-year-old is a restricted free agent after the season, and the Sabres need to discover what he can do with a full workload.

But it’s reached the point where Buffalo also needs to discover someone else. The Sabres have their bye week coming and are off Jan. 19-27. Afterward, it wouldn’t be a shock to see a new face or two in the crease.

Here are the other goalies in the Sabres’ pipeline:

• Jonas Johansson. The 24-year-old is having a breakout season in Rochester. He’s 11-3-3 with a .924 save percentage that ranks seventh in the . It earned him an invitation to the All- Star Game.

The numbers and honor are part of a solid development curve. Taken in the third round of the 2014 NHL Draft, Johansson spent three more seasons in Sweden. After bouncing between Rochester and Cincinnati of the ECHL in 2017-18, the goalie learned how to win last season in Cincinnati. He went 18-5-1, setting the stage for this season’s success.

The rapid development could mean it’s time for a look in Buffalo. The goalie’s entry-level contract expires this summer. The Sabres should want to see what he can do before his next deal.

• Andrew Hammond. The Amerks have a nice tandem as “The Hamburglar” shares the crease with Johansson. Hammond is 10-7-2 with a .905 save percentage.

As the hockey world knows, Hammond can make a midseason splash. The struggling Senators summoned him in February 2015, and he carried them into the playoffs by going 20-1-2 with a .941 save percentage. 1170632 Buffalo Sabres “Whenever you were on the ice with them, you made sure you looked around and you got them the puck right away,” Ledyard said. “It was just magical to watch from the backside, so it was a fun time – very fun.”

Tall tales and short stories: Sabres’ 50th anniversary brings the best out When Andreychuk walked into KeyBank Center, it had been transformed of alumni to look like the Aud through a T-shirt giveaway.

One memory of the old arena rushed back for Andreychuk, but it didn’t By John Vogl involve playing.

Jan 11, 2020 “I was there when I was 8 years old,” he said. “I came to watch the Washington Capitals with my dad. I sat actually in the second row, which was a very cool experience. That was my first time there.”

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Matthew Barnaby rarely passed up the chance to hit. Andreychuk is from Hamilton, Ontario, about an hour north of Buffalo, so He sure wasn’t going to let this blast pass. it was easy for his family to head back to the Aud after he joined the Sabres in 1982. Brad May called Barnaby over and asked his old teammate about the Sabres’ line that featured Pat LaFontaine, Alexander Mogilny and May. “It brings back memories for me of skating in warm-ups and watching for my dad in the Golds and then praying that my mother wouldn’t get hit (by “You ever see the flashing boxes on ‘Sesame Street’ where one thing a puck) in the Reds,” said Andreychuk, noting how close the seats were doesn’t belong?” Barnaby said with a wide smile. “That’s it.” to the ice. May laughed alongside his buddy, relishing their time together again. As When the Sabres win at home, an old recording of Perreault singing Elvis the Sabres celebrate their 50th anniversary, they’ve hosted themed Presley’s “The Wonder of You” blares through the arena speakers. The nights to honor the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s, captains and Memorial song choice would be a lot different if the organization taped Perreault Auditorium. The events have been a hit with the fans, but they’ve meant today. even more to the former players. “No Elvis, not anymore,” Perreault said. “I’m Tom Jones now.” “I haven’t felt like this, so full, in a long time,” May said in KeyBank Center. “I’ve played in eight different cities, but I get it in Buffalo. It makes Goalie Gerry Desjardins, who went 66-30 with 18 ties during parts of four me whole.” seasons with Buffalo, joined the Sabres late in 1974-75. That was only because general manager Punch Imlach did his homework. The longtime winger isn’t alone. From Gilbert Perreault to Dave Andreychuk to Michael Peca, the alumni have had a buoyancy about “I was probably with the worst hockey team in the world, the Michigan them while pulling on old jerseys and talking about good times. Stags,” Desjardins said of the Detroit-based team in the World Hockey Association. “I had a clause in my contract that if the team moved out of “To me,” retired defenseman Jay McKee said, “I’ll always be a Buffalo town – which they did, they moved to Baltimore – then I was a free agent. Sabre.” Punch somehow got word of that and I got a call from Punch one day Here are stories and one-liners told by the returnees. and he says, ‘So, would you be interested in signing with the Sabres?’

McKee, drafted 14th overall in 1995, joined the Sabres the following year “I almost dropped the phone. I couldn’t believe what he was asking me. I at age 19. Maybe more than anyone, he’s glad Buffalo had Hall of Famer said, ‘Are you kidding me?’” Dominik Hasek in goal. Desjardins signed, played in nine regular-season games and made 15 “My first year was a great experience,” McKee said. “Having a guy like playoff appearances as the Sabres lost the Cup in six games to Dominik Hasek in net allowed me to start at a young age as a Philadelphia. defenseman. It’s fun watching Dom’s highlights because I get to see a lot “It was fun coming to a great team,” he said. “Everybody thought I was of myself making mistakes in front of him.” the ticket to the Stanley Cup, I think, back then. I had highs and lows. The list of infamous Sabres opponents is long and inglorious, and Brett There was a lot of pressure going down the stretch. Beating Montreal in Hull might be at the top. It’s going on 21 years since the Dallas forward the semis, that was probably the highlight of my career, beating Montreal scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal with his foot in Buffalo’s crease. right on their home ice. The low point, of course, is getting beat out by Philly.” Things would have been different if Peca had the ability to see into the future. When Rob Ray joined the Sabres in 1989, he lived with Ledyard. The defenseman quickly learned of Ray’s interesting diet. “The only time I ever saw Brett Hull was my rookie year when I was with Vancouver in a bar in St. Louis,” Peca said. “I would have taken him out “He put ketchup on everything,” Ledyard said. then knowing what was going to happen in the future.” Bill Hajt is in the Sabres Hall of Fame after skating in 854 games, the fifth Alas, the former Buffalo captain is stuck with the memory of losing the most in team history. But the defenseman from the 1970s and ’80s isn’t 1999 final. He also has a memory of Hull admitting he skirted the rules. sure he could play even one game in this era.

“After that game I was walking down the hallway,” Peca said. “He was “It’s all about speed and skill,” Hajt said. “I wasn’t real fast. I was an doing an interview as I was walking down the hallway and I heard him. average skater. My reach would help because nowadays a lot of the Basically, he said, ‘It’s a bad rule anyway.’ physical play is gone and I wasn’t a real physical player. You’ve got to be smart and that would work to my benefit because that’s one of the “So, the whole premise is he acknowledged that the goal shouldn’t have reasons I was able to play as long as I did. counted, but it was a bad rule so it doesn’t matter anyway. Frustrating, to say the least.” “But I’m not sure I could play because there’s so much speed involved, so much skill. Although giving us more credit, a lot of us players if we During Mogilny’s first seasons in the early ’90s, the Soviet defector was would have had the coaching and the training that these guys have, camera shy. He’d see reporters coming and say, “No English, no maybe we could have been better, too. But, truthfully, I’m not sure I could English,” recalls teammate Grant Ledyard. Then at night, Mogilny would have played.” head to Ledyard’s house and become the biggest chatterbox in the place. Regardless, Hajt remains one of the best defensive defensemen Buffalo ever had. He gives credit to blueline partner Richie Dunn and defensive- “He had a lot of fun with it,” Ledyard said. “He kind of tested the waters minded forwards Don Luce and Craig Ramsay. around him and found out that not only was he comfortable playing, but off the ice it got a lot easier for him.” “We were usually matched up against the best line on the other team, so you had to be good defensively otherwise you were going to get The easiest thing for Mogilny in 1992-93 was to score. He piled up a embarrassed,” Hajt said. “You were going to get embarrassed, so that’s franchise-record 76 goals while LaFontaine set team marks with 95 something we took pride in, for sure.” assists and 148 points. During McKee’s first training camp, the Sabres boasted Ray, May and Barnaby. They combined for 73 fights and 917 penalty minutes during that 1995-96 season.

“I remember my first intersquad game,” McKee said. “I was probably still 18. The first intersquad game, I went into a corner. Pat LaFontaine went for the puck and I kind of pushed him from behind. He went into the boards hard and all I could think of was, ‘Who’s on the other team right now? Is it May? Ray? Barnaby? Someone’s coming.’

“I kind of helped him back up to let everyone know I didn’t mean to do what I did. It was intimidating. But as soon as we got into games, I knew that those guys had my back and it allowed me to play a physical, kind of in-your-face game. If I didn’t have those players on the team with me, I wouldn’t have had the career I had or be able to be the type of player I was at that age.”

The Sabres traded for Ledyard and goalie Clint Malarchuk on March 6, 1989. Just two weeks later, Malarchuk nearly died on the Aud ice when a skate sliced his jugular vein.

Yet rather than avoid Buffalo, Malarchuk regularly returns to tip his cowboy hat and sign his book, “A Matter of Inches,” and Ledyard settled down in Western New York.

“What I learned right away was the community pulled together, especially on something like that,” Ledyard said. “It showed us that people around here cared and loved their athletes.”

In January 1976, the Sabres hosted the Soviet Union Wings. With the Cold War raging and the Soviets believing they were the supreme hockey country, Buffalo whacked the visitors, 12-6.

The next night, the Sabres got a standing ovation from fans in Montreal.

“We used to have battles with Montreal always,” forward Danny Gare said, “but the fans appreciated the fact of how well we played against the Russians and how we really kicked their butt. It was a big night.”

The 50th anniversary theme nights are on game days, when team meetings and pregame routines take precedence, so there’s not much interaction between the visiting alums and this year’s Sabres. But coach Ralph Krueger found time to talk with Uwe Krupp. The former Sabres defenseman was a teammate of Krueger on the German national team and later coached Krueger’s son, Justin.

Krupp and the coach had a long chat when Krueger was interviewing for the Buffalo job.

“I said, ‘You’re going to love, obviously, the hockey aspect of it. You’re going to go to a great setup and everything’s going to be on a high level,’” Krupp said. “But I think the part for Ralph that was important for me to tell him – because knowing him he’s a real people-oriented person – is that he’s going to love the people.

“Western New Yorkers are a special brand. They are open and very down to earth. They love their hockey, love their Sabres. I think for him, he’s come to agree.”

Krueger has indeed fallen for Western New York. The visitors from the past have given the coach a goal for the future.

“You can just feel the passion for the Sabres and the time they had here,” Krueger said. “The memories are so nice to listen to and to speak to the guys about.

“But we’re trying to build our own history here and our own story. It would be wonderful if we do things so that the players who are here now come back with that kind of enthusiasm in a decade or two.”

John Vogl

The Athletic LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170633 Calgary Flames The game kicked off with a frenetic pace, with the Flames dictating the play although the Oilers, road-weary after four games and a 3-0-1 record in that span, soon caught up.

Flames prevail in see-saw Battle of Alberta Lindholm had put the Flames on the board with 4:04 elapsed in the first period but Ryan Nugent-Hopkins replied 1:03 later off the rush.

Kristen Anderson Then, Connor McDavid does what Connor McDavid does: gaining speed at the drop of the hat (Sportsnet’s statistics crew clocked him at 44.2 January 11, 2020 11:11 PM MST kilometres an hour) and creating a breakaway off a Milan Lucic, then Noah Hanifin turnover and roofing one on Talbot. With ease.

Johnny Gaudreau tied it before the first period. The stakes were high. Sense a pattern? Really high. Back and forth it went, continuing into the second period when Nugent- And the storylines? Hopkins opened the middle frame on a sequence that saw a back- Endless. A duel to see who’d claim first in the Pacific Division, the latest checking Gaudreau blew a tire in the defensive zone and Kailer Battle of Alberta bragging rights, both clubs trying to maintain their Yamamoto pounced. He fed Nugent-Hopkins with the gimme and he winning streaks, evenly matched clubs, former players playing their caught an unsuspecting Talbot. former teams — all of it. But back-to-back goals from the Flames did the trick as Dube knotted the It lived up to the billing, too. End-to-end action from the puck drop, score 3-3 at the 11:34 mark of the second and Lindholm did the rest. highlight-reel goals, mistakes, old school hits; the late game on Hockey “There are a lot of storylines, no doubt about it,” interim head coach Night in Canada was certainly one worth staying up for and the kind of Geoff Ward had said earlier in the day. “But for us, it’s nice the Battle (of game that fans walked away from feeling satisfied. Alberta) is relevant again. It obviously means something in terms of Calgary Flames fans, specifically, as the home team managed the game standings and placing and all of that stuff. It’ll be fun. I mean, the biggest when it mattered and captured a 4-3 win — and the first spot in the thing for us is we’ve gotta prepare to play our game. It’s one game out of division, improving to 25-17-5 and winning their second straight game 82. against the Oilers after a 5-1 victory on Dec. 27 at Rogers Place. “It’s got a bit of extra juice to it because it is a rivalry game.” They also won their fifth straight win, period, and are still undefeated in And the next one is coming right up after the NHL all-star break in 2020. Edmonton on Jan. 29. There was lots to be fired up about on this night, including one particular sequence at the end of the second period which saw Zack Kassian being sent into the boards by Matthew Tkachuk, which infuriated the Oilers Calgary Sun: LOADED: 01.12.2020 forward. (The two have some, ahem, history.) After Tkachuk had received a quick shot from Connor McDavid, he turned around to find Kassian tugging on his jersey and trying to get a rise out of the Flames winger.

When he wouldn’t take the bait, the livid Kassian began unleashing blows.

The officials let the two plays go and only tagged Kassian with a 10- minute misconduct and a double minor for roughing.

On the ensuing powerplay, the Flames wound up scoring what looked like the game-winning goal only 39 seconds into the third period when Elias Lindholm tucked his second strike of the night past Mikko Koskinen.

“If he doesn’t want to be hit, stay off the tracks,” Tkachuk said of the back-and-forth with Kassian. “I caught him three times there, you’d think he’d learn after the first one.

“And if he wants to react like that, we’ll take the powerplay.”

Kassian felt differently.

“I grew up with the mentality, the game within the game, he got me a little earlier,” Kassian said. “But, the second time, I just grew up you don’t let people take advantage of you. Whatever the situation is, I think they were targeted hits. You’re behind the net and it’s like Raffi Torres style, in a way. But I’m a bigger guy and I don’t get the biggest impact.

“If you’re going to hit like that you have to answer the bell once in a while. I’m not the first person to say that … when he got me in the third, he followed me in the corner … we lost the game, it sucks. But all in all, he’s just a young punk that has to figure that aspect out in the game. It’s sad, because he’s a pretty good player. He’s a p—-, to be honest. Straight up. That’s the definition of it. He wouldn’t fight me two years ago and said I was a third liner.

“I have 13 goals, what’s his excuse now?”

At that point, there was still lots of time for the tides to turn.

They didn’t.

Instead, playing against his former team, Cam Talbot made 29 of 32 saves while Tkachuk delivered hit on Kassian in the final minutes for good measure. (Kassian also had a chance for redemption, on a partial breakaway and unleashing a shot on Talbot’s blocker side.) 1170634 Calgary Flames

Former teammates of McDavid marvel at his scoring ability

Kristen Anderson,

January 11, 2020 8:16 PM MST

Midway through their steak dinners in Chicago on the Calgary Flames’ dad’s and mentors trip, they dropped their forks.

“And had to watch the replay, like, seven times because they just kept playing it,” Cam Talbot explained with a chuckle.

Because watching Connor McDavid’s incredible mastery on Monday of, first, Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly and, secondly, netminder Michael Hutchinson was worth seeing again and again.

“At that point, you just kind of become a fan,” said the 32-year-old Calgary Flames goalie who started Saturday’s game against the Oilers. “You know how good he is. I saw him do it in practice for four years. He has that ability to just flip a switch and go. He wasn’t even looking at the net until he made his cross-overs, that’s what sets him apart from everyone else.”

The goal went viral and for good reason, given its timely nature (to put the Oilers up 6-3 and help secure an eventual 6-4 win on Monday), the location (in Toronto in front of McDavid’s family and friends), and the fact that it displayed McDavid’s next-level ability (again).

Milan Lucic, who also played with McDavid for three seasons, is used to it.

And, in this case, being McDavid’s former teammate does not give him any advantage or intel that he was able to pass on to the Flames before facing the Oilers on Saturday night.

“I’ve seen guys shadow him and he finds a way to score,” Lucic said. “I’ve seen defencemen try to skate forwards with him and he still finds a way to score. It’s funny. Everyone talked about the goal he scored in Toronto. I mean, when I saw it, I wasn’t even surprised that he pulled it of because he did exactly what he was trying to do.

“He was baiting (Rielly) and as soon as he crossed his feet over, boom, he goes the other way and it’s in the net.”

It’s why, according to Lucic, McDavid is a generational player.

“You asked me what I learned (playing with McDavid) and I learned what I’m not capable of doing myself because you see what he’s able to do,” Lucic said with a chuckle.

Versatility is also his claim to fame which can give goaltenders a headache or to overthink and analyze his new move.

Talbot saw it at practice and in games with the Oilers from 2015 to 2019.

“You can’t imagine anything because as soon as you start thinking he’s going one way, he’s going the other way,” he said. “You try to stay as patient as possible and make him make a good move to beat you.

“It’s all you can do.”

Heading into Saturday’s game, McDavid’s 24 goals, 46 assists and 70 points in 46 games were tops in the league. There’s a good chance he could scoop up the Art Ross Trophy at the end of this season if things keep going this way.

It’s easy to see why.

“When he comes in from the outside, he can go short-side,” Talbot explained. “Or, he’s so fast, he can beat you to the far post. Or, he can open you up and go five-hole. He can do so many different moves from there and has the ability to make all of them. So, he’s the kind of guy that you just have to stay patient on as much as possible and make him make a good move. Which he’s obviously capable of.

“Not many players in the world can make those plays. But he can.”

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170635 Calgary Flames me into the corner, right? He’s clearly trying to target me, which I like. I’m standing here. I love that stuff. I wish we could play them in a day-and-a- half in a playoff series. It was fun for me. We lost the game. It sucks. But, ‘If he doesn’t want to get hit, then stay off the tracks’ — Provincial feud all in all, he’s just a young punk that has to figure that aspect out in the heats up game.

“It’s sad because he’s a pretty good player, but he’s a pussy. He’s the definition of it. He wouldn’t fight me two years ago, said I was a fourth- By Scott Cruickshank liner. Now I have 13 goals. What’s the excuse now? You know what I mean?” Jan 12, 2020 Well, wouldn’t you know it? In a couple of weeks, the Flames travel to Standing in front of the microphones, Geoff Ward looked out at the Edmonton. It’s hard to imagine there won’t be fireworks of some sort on morning’s gathering of reporters. Jan. 29. What the Calgary Flames coach saw was a bigger than normal group, “Just going to be one of those games where I know he’s not going to and everyone was loaded (professionally speaking). For there had been fight,” said Kassian, “but maybe it’s my turn to deliver something, follow much to mull, many angles to consider, heading into Saturday’s contest him around a little and wait until he gets in a bad situation.” at the Saddledome. Saturday, Tkachuk recorded a game-high six checks. “Yeah, a lot of storylines,” said Ward, grinning, “no doubt about it.” Regardless of Kassian’s criticism, he’s unlikely to modify his approach. For instance: “That is part of my game,” said Tkachuk. “If I don’t do that, I’m not the Battle of Alberta — Regular Season Instalment 240 same player. Right now maybe the puck’s not going in like it was at the Pacific Division squabble — first place up for grabs beginning of the year for me, but you’ve got to be that type of player who can provide stuff other than that to the table. Cam Talbot versus Mike Smith “I needed to play like that tonight. I needed to be physical and not pass Milan Lucic versus James Neal up on a hit. I thought our whole team did that.”

Calgary versus the planet’s finest player There were a number of other tiffs scattered around the arena, including some real oddball pairings — Dillon Dube and James Neal, Derek Ryan Sure, one thread barely lasted till lunchtime. and Kris Russell, Sean Monahan and Leon Draisaitl, Rasmus Andersson Dave Tippett, coach of the Edmonton Oilers, confirmed that Mikka and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Koskinen — not the hot-handed Smith (darn it) — would be tending the But, no surprise, the postgame buzz was about the main event, Kassian travellers’ nets. and Tkachuk. No worries — this was one example of the whole shebang living up to the “Yeah, he was good tonight, really good,” Ward said of Tkachuk. “He was hype. involved. He was physical. He did an awful lot of good things tonight. You Lots of bad blood, lots of great hockey, lots of jam, lots on the line. see what kind of impact he can have on the game.

Did we mention bad blood? Lots of bad blood. “Not much (more) you can say — he was a beast out there for us. I thought he was an influential player in the game for us.” Battle of Alberta As far as the second-period altercation, “That’s boys being boys, right?” Singlehandedly, it appears Matthew Tkachuk and Zack Kassian will said Ward. “That’s two guys competing. That’s why you play the game.” shove the provincial feud into the new decade. The Flames coach did mention that he would have appreciated one of Colleague Darren Haynes recently combed the archives, dusting off a the linesmen restraining Kassian a little sooner. dozen doozies. Better make room for more chapters. “But that’s what it is.” Because Tkachuk and Kassian are ratcheting up the hate. Pacific Division squabble First period, Tkachuk cranked Kassian, knocking off his hat. The Oilers veteran returned fire a few shifts later, taking a long run at No. 19. What a superb contest the clubs served up.

Second period, Tkachuk repeated the move — dropping the visitor and Tied in the standings with 24-17-5 records. again jolting loose his headwear. This time, Kassian flung off his gloves Tied 2-2 after one period. Tied 3-3 after two periods. and started swinging wildly. The Flames winger refused to engage. “Obviously, the implications of the game were big … with the two teams On the resulting power play — Kassian had been tagged with a double- being as even as they are,” said Ward. “I thought it was a good example roughing minor and a 10-minute misconduct — the Flames scored the of two teams playing hard. It was a good hockey game. A lot of good winning goal, with Tkachuk providing the screen. things, probably, on both sides of the table, but we’re happy with the way For good measure, Tkachuk starched his foe again in the third. we played tonight.”

“Well, if he doesn’t want to get hit, then stay off the tracks,” said Tkachuk. A single goal after the second intermission — with the architects shifting “I caught him three times there, so you think he’d learn after the first one. directly to first place in the Pacific Division.

“If he wants to react like that? We’ll take the power play, we’ll take the “That was a good game,” said Elias Lindholm, who, on the power play in game-winner, and we’ll move on to first place.” the first minute of the third period, whizzed home his 20th goal — and the winning strike in the Flames’ 4-3 decision. “A lot of emotions, more like a Postgame, Kassian was a little longer-winded than his counterpart in the playoff game. A fun game to play in and a huge win for us. home dressing room. “Now we’ve got to keep building.” “(The way I) grew up, you don’t let people take advantage of you no matter what the situation is,” Kassian said. “I think they were targeted Winners of five straight, the Calgarians have assumed the division’s top hits. You’re behind the net and he comes down … it’s like Raffi Torres spot and are deadlocked for third in the Western Conference with 55 style in a way, but I’m a bigger guy and I don’t get the biggest impact. If points. The Oilers, to their credit, had been 4-0-1 in their previous five. you’re going to hit like that you have to answer the bell once in a while. “A lot of fun — high-paced,” said Johnny Gaudreau. “Two good teams. I’m not the first guy to say that.” Some really skilled players on the ice. I’m sure it was entertaining for the Asked about the code, Kassian continued: “One hundred percent. If fans. It was fun to be out there.” you’re going to hit like that, you have to answer the bell every once in a while, especially one, two, three in the game … in the third he followed With the teams still relevant in the standings on this side of the holiday break, the meeting created a terrific display — 65 shots, 49 hits and somehow only three minor penalties (included the two to Kassian).

“In a game like that you have to be emotionally engaged,” said Ward, “but you need to be emotionally in control as well. I thought our guys did a real good job with it.”

Calgary versus the planet’s finest player

Connor McDavid, who turns 23 on Monday, was in the house.

And, well, whoosh.

In the first period when No. 97 collected a loose puck at his blue line — he chipped it past an incoming Noah Hanifin — he blew into Calgary territory and, cheekily, just chipped it over Cam Talbot’s trapper. A thing of beauty.

“Yeah, I’ve seen him do it a hundred times already in practices and games, and you see it all over the highlight reel,” said Talbot, the former Oilers goalie. “I mean, he can beat you so many different ways.”

Added Ward: “You saw what happened on the goal he scored? Holy, man. He took off like …”

But, as someone said later in the press room, it wasn’t even the best goal McDavid scored this week.

Milan Lucic, in the morning, weighed in on McDavid’s tally in Toronto. Yes, that goal.

“When I saw it, I wasn’t even surprised that he pulled that off because he did exactly what he was trying to do — baiting the guy, as soon as (Morgan) Rielly crossed his feet over, boom, he goes the other way and it’s in the net,” said Lucic. “That’s what makes him such a great player, that’s what makes him a generational player.”

The Flames, however, did manage to limit McDavid’s damage Saturday — only the one point.

“I thought the guys did a good job of making sure that he was going to have to come through more than one player in order to make something happen on the inside of the ice,” said Ward. “I thought that line (Lindholm with Tkachuk and Andrew Mangiapane) did a real good job being aware of where he was on the ice and making sure we tracked back through the middle.”

Scott Cruickshank

The Athletic LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170636 Carolina Hurricanes “It definitely helps a lot,” Niederreiter said. “When you’re struggling to find the net you’re always second-guessing yourself.”

A year ago, in the first Whalers Night at PNC Arena, the Canes and Whale of a night: James Reimer has 41 saves as Canes shut out Kings Boston Bruins raced up and down the ice, the Canes winning 5-3. 2-0 Saturday’s game was more of a grind, with both goalies under pressure forced to make hustling, active saves

BY CHIP ALEXANDER Campbell had one slip-up. Reimer didn’t.

JANUARY 11, 2020 09:38 PM “We survived,” Brind’Amour said. “The first period was fine, We had good jump. We just took the foot off the gas a little and ... (the Kings) kind of dictated play. But it was a great way to finish (the homestand) off.”

The Carolina Hurricanes honored their franchise past Saturday on Whalers Night. So why not make some franchise history in doing it? News Observer LOADED: 01.12.2020 Wearing the distinctive green Hartford Whalers jerseys, the Canes outlasted the Los Angeles Kings 2-0 at PNC Arena behind goalie James Reimer.

A night after goalie Petr Mrazek blanked the Arizona Coyotes 3-0 with 32 saves, Reimer had 41 stops — the first time in franchise history that two goalies have posted shutouts in back-to-back games. Mrazek and Reimer each have three shutouts this season, another franchise first.

On Friday, Canes fans were loudly chanting Mrazek’s name. On Whalers Night, Reimer had Canes fans shouting “Rei-mer! Rei-mer!” during and after the game and, like Mrazek, was named the game’s first star.

“He was obviously the difference,” Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said after the Canes (26-17-2) closed out a seven-game homestand. “It’s nice to have a couple of games like that now where our goalies have been that solid. Especially tonight. He’s the reason we got the win.”

Reimer didn’t get much run support, so to speak. Nino Niederreiter scored 4:52 into the game and Reimer then had to protect the 1-0 lead until Teuvo Teravainen’s empty-net goal with 3.9 seconds remaining in the game.

Kings goalie Jack Campbell was unyielding after the Niederreiter goal, making his share of sparkling saves. Reimer had to match that and did, denying Kings forward Adrian Kempe several times during the game and facing 31 shots in the final two periods as the Kings (18-25-4) made a hard push.

“He was awesome,” Teravainen said. “He kept (making) great saves and he was pretty confident out there. It was pretty nice to hear the crowd yell his name, too.”

The sellout crowd was hushed with 29 seconds left in regulation. Reimer was briefly bent over in pain in the crease after taking a whack from the Kings’ Jeff Carter, and trainer Doug Bennett raced out to check on him.

But Reimer wasn’t coming out of this game, later saying he was dehydrated and had a slight cramp. The Kings continued to swarm around the net, looking to tie the score, but Teravainen’s goal eased the tension level and gave the Canes their fifth win in their longest homestand of the season.

Reimer was happy to get the starting nod and joked after the game that he liked wearing the Whalers jerseys on throwback 80’s night.

“I’m a hockey nerd,” he said. “I think this Whalers jersey is one of the best in the league. When I found out I was playing this game I was pretty stoked.”

For Neiderreiter, it has been a mostly disappointing season. The veteran winger was traded to the Canes almost a year ago by the Minnesota Wild, his steady point production and heavy play a big factor in the Canes’ surge into the playoffs.

Before Saturday, Niederreiter had five goals and 15 assists in 44 games this season. His confidence level was low, and with forward Justin Williams now signed and back with the team, Niederreiter could be one of the players whose ice time might be taken.

Niederreiter was around the puck a lot Saturday. He scored. He had other offensive chances. He painfully blocked a Kings shot and was involved in several puck battles.

His goal came after Sebastian Aho raced into the zone off a stretch pass from Dougie Hamilton and got the puck to Teuvo Teravainen. The wingers traded passes before Niederreiter punched it past Campbell. 1170637 Chicago Blackhawks

Dominik Kubalik scores twice and Patrick Kane reaches 995 career points in the Blackhawks’ 4-2 victory over the Ducks

By JIMMY GREENFIELD

JAN 11, 2020 | 10:18 PM

Rookie Dominik Kubalik scored for the fourth straight game and the his first multi-goal game to lead the Blackhawks back from an early deficit for a 4-2 victory over the Ducks on Saturday night at the United Center.

Kubalik’s 16 goals rank second on the Hawks behind Patrick Kane’s 24 and move him into a tie for the league lead among rookies with the Sabres’ Victor Olofsson, who will miss at least the next month because of a lower-body injury.

Hawks goaltender Robin Lehner stopped 35 shots in his first start since suffering a knee injury on Jan. 2 against the Canucks.

The Hawks (20-20-6) ended their four-game homestand with a 2-2 record. They begin a three-game road trip Tuesday against the Senators.

The Ducks took a 1-0 lead less than four minutes into the game after Connor Murphy turned over the puck behind the Hawks net. Ondrej Kase grabbed the puck and backhanded a pass to Max Jones, who one-timed it from the slot past Lehner.

Less than a minute after Jonathan Toews hit the post for the Hawks, he picked up a loose puck at center ice to start a two-on-one with John Quenneville. Toews held on to the puck and beat goalie John Gibson through the five hole for his 11th goal to make it 1-1.

Kubalik gave the Hawks their first lead with 15:40 left in the second period when he backhanded in a rebound off a Patrick Kane shot to make it 2-1. The assist by Kane moved him within five of 1,000 career points.

Kubalik also scored his second goal on a rebound, this time slamming it home to give the Hawks a 3-1 lead after Gibson stopped Murphy’s shot.

The Ducks pulled within one early in the third on Rickard Rakell’s 11th goal of the season, but less than two minutes later, Olli Maatta fired home a slap shot from the point for his third of the season to restore the Hawks’ two-goal lead.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170638 Chicago Blackhawks While the 17-year age gap seems big, it’s not as large when you understand what an overgrown kid Keith can be. Nobody in the NHL takes his job more seriously than Keith, but he has a lot of fun, such as Blackhawks veteran Duncan Keith is mentoring rookie Adam Boqvist, 19, during a recent practice when he, Boqvist and Dennis Gilbert erupted on and off the ice: ‘Trying to be the eyes in the back of his head’ with mock hugs and celebrations after an inconsequential triumph.

Keith remembers being around veterans Adrian Aucoin, Jim Dowd and Martin Lapointe when he was a rookie and how much that benefited him. By JIMMY GREENFIELD Being a good teammate — not just to rookies but everyone — is part of what he expects from himself. JAN 11, 2020 | 6:00 PM But nothing is more important to Keith than teaching by doing.

“The biggest thing is being as good as I can be out on the ice,” Keith The time Blackhawks defensemen Duncan Keith and Adam Boqvist said. "That helps his game, makes it easier on him. Some of those things spend talking about hockey can be divided into three categories. would be communicating a lot out on the ice, in the game while we’re on 1. During games. the ice. Trying to be the eyes in the back of his head.

2. Between periods. "Being in good position to give him an outlet pass so he's not caught in a spot where nobody's available for him and then somebody's on him. Just 3. All other instances. making his game easier."

They talk about hockey a lot, which makes sense because it’s their A daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning livelihood, they’re defensive partners and Boqvist, the 19-year-old rookie, commute. views Keith, the 36-year-old three-time Stanley Cup champion and two- time Norris Trophy winner, as his mentor. Keith isn’t the only one in Boqvist’s ear. After Thursday’s loss to the Predators, during which Boqvist had a turnover that led to a goal and was [Most read in Sports] Are the Bears closer to a Super Bowl or starting undressed by Roman Josi in front of the Hawks net immediately before over at quarterback? An honest assessment — not an emotional one — another, coach Jeremy Colltion made sure the mistakes were addressed. is needed ahead of the 2020 season. » "He had a conversation with a few of us," Colliton said. "It's not surprising But sometimes they both just shut up and play. That's when the real that that happens from time to time. He's been playing really well, and I learning takes place. thought his last two periods (against the Predators) were better. And we need him — we need him to play well, we need him to be consistent, and “Do you want to get talking about something after every shift?” Keith said. that's part of his growth as a player." “At some point you’ve got to just play. For me when I was young, I didn’t want to hear about everything I could have done better every single time. The Hawks don’t play Boqvist and Keith together just because they want Sometimes you got to play.” to accelerate the rookie’s development. The pairing has been working. Over the last 10 games entering Saturday, they were on the ice for 121 If Keith’s longtime teammate and frequent defensive partner Brent shots for at even strength and 105 against for a strong 53.54 Corsi Seabrook hadn’t required season-ending surgery to both hips and his percentage. Boqvist even had the first three-game point streak of his right shoulder, there’s a good chance Boqvist would still be developing in career that ended against the Predators. Rockford instead of with the Hawks. The mentoring part of their relationship is important to both players. But But once Seabrook was ruled done — and after the Hawks determined with Boqvist just starting his career and Keith under contract through the Calvin de Haan also would require season-ending right shoulder surgery 2022-23 season, they have a chance to move beyond being teacher- — a permanent spot in the lineup opened for Boqvist, and school was pupil and simply known as teammates. immediately in session. “It’s important to be a good teammate, first and foremost,” Keith said. "I’m “It’s really good for me,” Boqvist said. “I think every young player in the one of the older guys, if not the oldest, and he’s one of the youngest. league needs a mentor, and Duncs has been mine.” Maybe it gets looked at like (a mentorship), but I try to be a good The conversations that take place on the ice between the two are a sharp teammate to all my teammates. Certainly a special spot because he’s a contrast to when Boqvist was playing in the Ontario Hockey League last defenseman, he’s a young guy and I like the way he plays. (He) thinks season with the London Knights. It was a learning experience for the game, and I enjoy playing with him. everyone with London, and there wasn’t a lot of chatter. “(I) just want him to keep getting better. And me too.” Keith isn’t the most talkative player, but with 14½ seasons and 1,1113

NHL games under his belt, he understands that Boqvist — who played in his 21st career game Saturday night against the Ducks at the United Chicago Tribune LOADED: 01.12.2020 Center — needs some direction.

"Sometimes when you’re under pressure and you have to chip (the puck), up he’s like, ‘Glass! Glass! Glass!’ Boqvist said. "And if I have time (to make a play), he’s like, ‘Time! Time! Time!’ But sometimes it’s going so quick out there you don’t even know what he’s going to do. You just have to get open and do something.

"You just can't stand there with your stick in two hands. You always have to be open."

At 19, Keith was beginning his sophomore season at Michigan State and still three years from making his NHL debut. He sympathizes with Boqvist and has tried his best to help the rookie acclimate to the locker room.

“I think that adds to it,” Keith said. "You look at how young they are and you can see some things that happen just with mannerisms ... where you can realize this is a pretty young guy to be playing in the NHL. You see where their mindset is from talking to them and realize just how young they are.

“You can feel for that situation and know to make things easier and make them more comfortable any way I can.” 1170639 Chicago Blackhawks “From my perspective, we shouldn’t go out there if we’re not going to be ready to work and compete,” Colliton said Saturday. “Guys [who] don’t want to go on, want to stay fresh — perfect, come ready to play. And if Dominik Kubalik’s surge continues as Blackhawks top Ducks you feel you need to go on, then we need to do things right.”

So far, ‘doing things right’ has materialized in the form of more intense mini-scrimmages and one-on-one puck battles, rather than the By Ben Pope lighthearted passing and shooting drills the Hawks used to enjoy.

Jan 11, 2020, 10:02pm CST Saturday, it meant full forward line rushes, something the Hawks have almost never done in morning skates this season.

“Just like anything else you do, it evolves over time, and you check your The Blackhawks’ four-game homestand was a mixed bag of results, and work after and see how it turned out,” he said. “But for now, I’ve the Hawks will wish they came out of it with more wins than they actually liked...the response.” did.

But for Dominik Kubalik, it was fantastic. Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 01.12.2020 The Czech rookie, seemingly magnetized with the net, scored in all four games — including twice in Saturday’s finale as the Hawks won 4-2 against the Ducks, finishing 2-2-0 on the homestand.

“If you look at his goals, you’d be surprised how many he scores from just being at the net, just standing there, being in front,” coach Jeremy Colliton said. “You can get a rebound or it goes off you. That’s one thing that’s really helped him this season.”

Kubalik is now tied with Buffalo’s Victor Olofsson for the NHL rookie scoring lead with 16 goals. Olofsson was well in the lead when he suffered an injury Jan. 2 that is expected to keep him out until mid- February; now, his lead is gone.

The 24-year-old wing had a few looks at an empty net that could’ve completed his hat trick, but couldn’t get a shot off and later joked “shaking nervous.” He didn’t seem to have any problem depositing his rebound attempts on Ducks goalie John Gibson earlier on, though.

“I’m just trying to work on it every practice,” he said. “Guys call them greasy, but I think they’re [the] nicest. When you’re standing there and the puck just drops in front of you, just put it home. I don’t know, but I like it.”

Colliton gave even more time to the Kubalik-Jonathan Toews-Patrick Kane superline that he briefly deployed Thursday as well, actually playing that trio more often than he played Kubalik and Toews with supposed linemate John Quenneville (who was sent down to the AHL after the game).

But the coach said after the game he’s not trending towards making that the permanent first line moving forward.

“I’m not going to commit to playing them together all the time,” Colliton said. “When we don’t spread it out, it’s problematic for playing a four-line game, and we can’t expect them to out-score the other team by two or three every night. But we can spot them in.”

Robin Lehner returned from a three-game injury absence and made 35 saves on 37 shots despite feeling “a little weird” while seeking to regain his rhythm.

Overall, the win over the last-place Ducks won’t move the needle for the Hawks much, but Colliton nonetheless pointed to the second period in particular — in which the Hawks out-attempted their visitors 29-14, out- chanced them 14-8 and out-scored them 2-0 — as a positive indicator moving forward.

“We did a lot of things [in that period] that could make it a lot easier on us,” he said. “We could generate more offensively [and] in transition. Thought we held it in the offensive zone for long stretches and were rewarded for it.”

Colliton changes morning skates

Colliton has reimagined the Blackhawks’ morning skate routine in hopes of generating faster starts.

Since the holiday break, Colliton has made all morning skates optional. That means veterans like Duncan Keith aren’t forced to expend valuable energy early on a game day.

But for those who do attend — and most players have continued to — the skates have functioned more like full practices than glorified warmups. 1170640 Chicago Blackhawks Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 01.12.2020

Blackhawks goalie Robin Lehner wants contract extension, but what will he cost?

By Ben Pope

Jan 11, 2020, 6:55am CST

By NHL rules, Blackhawks goalie Robin Lehner became eligible for a contract extension Jan. 1.

There’s no sign negotiations between general manager Stan Bowman and Lehner’s agent, Craig Oster, have begun yet. But the always-honest Lehner still spoke his mind about the scenario Friday.

‘‘We’ll see what happens,’’ he said. ‘‘All I know is that I really like it here. I’ve learned [this]: This is a business, and no matter how good things are going, sometimes it’s not up to you and it’s not under your control.

‘‘I know where I stand and I really like this team and I still really believe in this team and pieces this team has. I’d like to be part of the turnaround.’’

The Hawks signed Lehner to a one-year, $5 million contract July 1 after his negotiations with the Islanders fell apart, to Lehner’s dismay. The Islanders instead signed Semyon Varlamov to a four-year contract with the same $5 million cap hit per season.

Lehner, 28, has since become a key member of the Hawks. He ranks 11th in the NHL with a .922 save percentage and sixth in goals saved above average per minute, which takes into account the high-quality chances the Hawks’ defense allows.

Lehner has been adamant about his natural fit in Chicago from the early weeks of the season, but he has been equally insistent that he’s ready for a team to make a long-term commitment to him, trusting his consistently elite statistics and pardoning him for his prior substance- abuse and mental-health struggles.

He seems confident that will happen in 2020.

‘‘It’s a different summer this summer than last summer,’’ he said. ‘‘The market, it’s quite a lot . . . of teams that need goalies. And there’s not that many goalies that are available this season.’’

Lehner might be the top goalie who will be an unrestricted free agent. Braden Holtby has had a down season, and Jacob Markstrom doesn’t have the same recognition. Thomas Greiss, Cam Talbot, Jaroslav Halak and Anton Khudobin have had good years, but all are 32 or older and are doing so as backups. Craig Anderson, Jimmy Howard and Hawks teammate Corey Crawford are all 35 or older.

So what will Lehner, with a .918 save percentage in his career and a .919 save percentage in the last three seasons, be seeking in a new deal?

Sergei Bobrovsky (.919 career/.922 last three seasons) earned a seven- year contract with a $10 million cap hit last summer from the Panthers with barely better numbers. But he had won two Vezina Trophies with the Blue Jackets, had a much larger sample size and had much higher name recognition.

Better comparisons might be the Ducks’ John Gibson and the Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck, who signed extensions in 2018 at age 25.

At the time, Gibson had a .923/.924 split and earned an eight-year contract worth $6.4 million annually. Hellebuyck had a .917 save percentage through his first three seasons and earned a six-year contract worth $6.2 million annually.

Bowman will have difficulty affording a mega-contract like that in this upcoming cap-crunch offseason. But he might need to find a way because Lehner has proved himself to be an elite goalie this season, and the Hawks don’t have any other viable alternatives.

Lehner said he’ll be asking for fair value.

‘‘I’ve taken discounts my whole life,’’ he said. ‘‘I’m not a guy to want to be overpaid, either. I want to gain some respect that I think I deserve, and we’ll see if that happens or not.’’

1170641 Chicago Blackhawks NOTES: Jones left with an upper-body injury in the second period after being struck by a puck and didn't return. '» Ducks RW and leading scorer Jakob Silfverberg missed his second game with an upper-body injury. Rookie Kubalik scores twice, Blackhawks beat Ducks 4-2 Silfverberg, named the Ducks lone All-Star, was excused by the NHL from the game in St. Louis on Jan. 25 to be with his wife for the anticipated birth of the couple's second child. '» Chicago C Dylan Strome (right ankle) sat out his second game. '» After the game, the Blackhawks By MATT CARLSON assigned F John Quenneville to Rockford of the AHL. ... Anaheim 1/12/2020 7:00 AM recalled C Chase De Leo from San Diego of the AHL and assigned RW Troy Terry to the farm team. De Leo didn't dress for Saturday's game. He's from La Mirada, California, a few miles from the Honda Center.

CHICAGO -- Dominik Kubalik is enjoying his first hot streak in the NHL, UP NEXT and the rookie was a difference-maker for the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday night. Ducks: At St. Louis on Monday.

Kubalik scored two goals, Jonathan Toews had a goal and an assist and Blackhawks: At Ottawa on Tuesday, the first game of a three-game trip. the Blackhawks beat the Anaheim Ducks 4-2.

Kubalik has goals in four straight games and 16 for the season, tying him Daily Herald Times LOADED: 01.12.2020 with Buffalo's Victor Olofsson for the NHL rookie lead. The first two-goal game of his career gave the Chicago forward eight points in his last five games.

'œVery happy with Kubalik's progression,'• coach Jeremy Colliton said. 'œDoes a lot of good things away from the puck that allow him to be in a situation to score. He's going to the net, being a shooter. Good to see.'•

In his last 11 games, Kubalik has eight goals and five assists. And in this one, it didn't hurt that that the 24-year-old forward eventually skated on a line with marquee stars Toews and Patrick Kane.

'œWe get lots of positive shifts, lots of shots at the net,'• Kubalik said. 'œThat's the biggest thing.

'œFor me, it's huge to play with those guys, so I'm just enjoying the time on the ice with them. You always want to make the most of it, but I'm just trying to do my job. I'm trying to do things that bring us success.'•

Olli Maatta also scored for the Blackhawks, who rebounded after two losses to finish a four-game homestand 2-2-0.

Robin Lehner made 35 saves in his first game since hurting his right knee at Vancouver on Jan. 2.

Kane assisted on Kubalik's first goal and extended his point streak to six games, with four goals and six assists in the stretch. He's five points short of 1,000 for his career.

Max Jones and Rickard Rakell scored for last-place Anaheim, which has lost six of seven (1-5-1). John Gibson blocked 29 shots.

Ducks coach Dallas Eakins was upset with his team's effort, especially in the second period, when Kubalik was left open near the net and connected twice on rebounds to give Chicago a 3-1 lead.

'œThe second period was just plain disappointing,' Eakins said. 'œIt is a true privilege to be able to compete in this league and we didn't compete in the second period. We just went out there and took up time on our shifts and that was the end of it.'•

The game was tied 1-all after the first period.

Jones opened the scoring 3:37 in after Chicago defenseman Connor Murphy lost the puck behind his net. Ondrej Kase backhanded a quick pass in front to Jones, who beat Lehner with one-timer on the stick side.

About 30 seconds after clanking the puck off the right post, Toews skated down the left side and tied it at 8:13 with his 11th goal. The Chicago captain's shot from the circle slipped between Gibson's pads.

Kubalik put Chicago ahead 3-1 in the second.

He made it 2-1 at 4:20 when he backhanded in a rebound. Gibson stopped Kane's point-blank backhand shot, but Kubalik shoveled in the loose puck.

The rookie backhanded in another rebound with 7:39 left in the second. This time, Gibson stopped Murphy's drive from the top of the slot, but the puck popped out to Kubalik at the left side of the net.

Rakell cut it to 3-2 at 2:29 of the third, when he stuffed a rebound of Isac Lundestrom's quick shot under Lehner's left pad. Maatta restored Chicago's two-goal lead 90 seconds later on a high shot from the left point that sailed past Gibson on the stick side. 1170642 Chicago Blackhawks "You have a good period, you're up 3-0. Can you stick with it?" Colliton said. "Can you mentally maintain the sharpness that you need to close out a game?

Hawks beat Ducks, need to keep fire going "We struggle with that at times. That's why we are where we are. So keep working at it."

John Dietz It worked against the lowly Ducks (17-23-5).

1/11/2020 11:11 PM The key now is to turn this one-alarm fire into a five-alarm blaze.

Do that, and maybe those fire trucks will return to the United Center in mid-April to put out a sizzling bunch of hockey players. Two fire trucks -- their sirens wailing -- pulled up to the United Center on Saturday night in response to an alarm that went off somewhere in the building. Daily Herald Times LOADED: 01.12.2020 It was an appropriate scene for the Blackhawks, a team that absolutely must play scorching-hot hockey over the next three months to have any prayer of reaching the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Some might say that kind of thinking is utter nonsense -- that there's no way these Hawks will be playing past April 4.

And, honestly, who's to argue?

It does seem far-fetched to think coach Jeremy Colliton's banged-up, inconsistent squad could rack up 46-50 points in the next 36 games.

But COULD it happen? Sure.

As long as:

• Everyone steps up their games three or four notches.

• Brandon Saad and Dylan Strome return from injury soon.

• Robin Lehner and Corey Crawford steal multiple games in net.

• The Hawks understand that they must be in desperation mode every night. Every period. Every shift.

Those feats are easier said than done, although the last one is possible if Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Saad, Lehner and Crawford lead the way.

"Yeah, it's a challenge to keep that level every game," Colliton said after practice Friday, "but the best teams find a way to do it more often than not. And the situation we're in -- we need every single point."

Well, they got 2 of them against Anaheim after a 4-2 victory in which Dominik Kubalik scored a pair of goals, Jonathan Toews notched his 11th of the season and Lehner made 35 saves. Olli Maatta also scored as the Hawks (20-20-6) went 2-2-0 on their four-game homestand and moved within 6 points of a wild-card spot.

"I do think we're not far away," Colliton said after the win. "We met (Friday) and discussed where we're at and the opportunity that's still there for us. We're there. We're close. Not in the standings and I understand that. But the way you get where you want to go in the standings is you play hard, you play the right way, you're patient.

"Our game over a long stretch of time is improved. It doesn't mean we're the finished product, but if we keep getting better and the young players continue to develop, we can be in the race. ... We've got to have a little push here."

The upcoming schedule isn't all that daunting, so it's absolutely imperative that the Hawks rattle off some victories against Ottawa (16- 22-6), Montreal (19-20-7), Toronto (24-15-6), Winnipeg (24-17-4), Florida (23-16-5), Arizona (25-18-4) and Minnesota (20-18-6).

The roller-coaster ride the Hawks have been on all season hasn't been easy for coaches or players. That's why it's so important for them to put together a steady string of performances that allows them to consistently climb the standings.

"Every team goes through ups and downs throughout the year, and how do you bounce back quicker?" Colliton said. "The down period in your game, how do you turn it around; and when you're playing well, how do you ride the wave longer?"

Against the Ducks, the Hawks rattled off 3 straight goals after allowing Anaheim to open the scoring 3:37 into the game. The Ducks managed to trim the lead to 3-2, but Maatta's third goal of the season with 16:01 remaining restored the 2-goal lead. 1170643 Chicago Blackhawks

Colliton switches things up with Chicago Blackhawks morning skate

John Dietz

1/11/2020 11:20 PM

The Blackhawks made a fairly drastic change to their game-day routine by making all morning skates optional for the rest of the season.

Coach Jeremy Colliton said he hasn't been happy with how the Hawks have started their home games, so the staff decided to make an adjustment.

"From my perspective, we shouldn't go out there if we're not ready to work and compete," Colliton said before the Hawks hosted Anaheim on Saturday. "So since Christmas, the morning skates have looked a little different, and I think we've started better because of it. ...

"Guys that don't want to go on and want to stay fresh, perfect. Come ready to play. And if you feel you need to go on then let's do things right."

For those who do participate, they can expect more intensity, more battles and some "smallish games" to take place. For example, the Hawks spent about 10 minutes doing 3-on-2 rushes Saturday.

Goalie Robin Lehner, one of only three Hawks who practiced Friday, was the only healthy player not to participate Saturday.

So close!

Dominik Kubalik missed notching his first NHL hat trick in the waning moments of the Hawks' 4-2 victory Saturday when his long attempt sailed just wide of the far post.

"I was shaking. Nervous. I was like, 'Whatever,' " said Kubalik, who then added with a chuckle: "When I missed the first one, I was looking to pass the (next) one because my confidence was gone. Didn't believe (in) myself."

Kubalik's goals came in the second period and gave the Hawks 2-1 and 3-1 leads. Both came on rebounds in front of the net, a phase of the game the rookie has been working on all season.

"Guys call them greasy, but I think they're nicest," said Kubalik, who is tied for the rookie lead with 16 goals. "When you're standing there and the puck just drops in front of you, you just put it home."

Slap shots:

The Hawks re-assigned forward John Quenneville to Rockford after their 4-2 victory over Anaheim on Saturday. He played in nine games since being recalled Dec. 22. ... Duncan Keith played in his 1,114th game, tying him with Brent Seabrook for second in Blackhawks history. Stan Mikita holds the record at 1,394. ... Brandon Saad has been skating as he rehabs from an ankle injury, but there is still no timetable for his return. ... Jonathan Toews has seven multi-point games in the last 17 contests. He had a goal and an assist against Anaheim. ... Dylan Sikura and defenseman Dennis Gilbert both sat for a second straight game.

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170644 Chicago Blackhawks

Is Blackhawks rookie Dominik Kubalik scoring his way into Calder Trophy discussion?

By Charlie Roumeliotis

January 11, 2020 11:20 PM

Dominik Kubalik’s goal out of training camp was to make the Blackhawks’ 23-man roster. He did that.

Then it was about making an impact on the scoresheet. He did that, scoring his first career NHL goal in just his second game.

Now the goal has shifted to solidifying a spot in the top-six. It took him a while, but he's done that and there isn't a hotter rookie in the NHL right now than Kubalik.

After extending his goal streak to four games by scoring twice in Saturday's 4-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks, Kubalik pulled into a tie with Buffalo Sabres forward Victor Olofsson for first among all rookies with 16 goals this season. Fourteen of those goals have come at even-strength, which is double the amount of the three rookies (Ilya Mikheyev, Martin Necas, and Olofsson) who are tied for second.

While it will be difficult to leapfrog Vancouver's Quinn Hughes and Colorado's Cale Maker in the Calder Trophy discussion, Kubalik will play his way into the finalist conversation if he continues to produce at this rate.

"I think so," Kubalik said when asked whether he's playing his best hockey of the season. "Especially after the first two games when I scored, the confidence going high. Obviously you’re trying to do more and more and especially the confidence, you’re able to make it. I’m really enjoying the time right now."

Kubalik was incredibly close to putting a stamp on Saturday's win with his first career NHL hat trick. He had two opportunities to score an empty- netter and was inches away on his first attempt. The second one got blocked after his nerves kicked in.

"I was shaking," Kubalik said smiling. "Nervous. Whatever. Then when I missed the first one I was looking to pass that one because my confidence was gone. I didn’t believe in myself."

Kubalik may have lost his confidence at that moment, but his confidence overall is at an all-time high. He's been one of the most productive Blackhawks lately, scoring eight goals and five assists for 13 points over his last 11 games.

"Very happy with Kubalik's progression," head coach Jeremy Colliton said. "Does a lot of things away from the puck that allows him to be put in a situation to score. He's going to the net, he's being a shooter and it's great to see."

Only five other players in franchise history have scored 30 or more goals in their rookie season: Artemi Panarin (30), Eric Daze (31), Jeremy Roenick (35), Darryl Sutter (42) and Steve Larmer (43). Kubalik is on pace for 29 and he was a healthy scratch for two games.

For reference, Elias Pettersson won the Calder Trophy last season by leading all rookies with 28 goals. Kubalik's emergence isn't something to gloss over.

"My first goal was to make the team," Kubalik said. "I was saying to myself, we’re going to start there, and we’ll see what happens. Now it’s like ... I just can’t believe it, it’s great."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170645 Chicago Blackhawks

4 Takeaways: Kubalik, Toews and Lehner lead Blackhawks past Ducks

By Scott King

January 11, 2020 6:37 PM

Dominik Kubalik and Jonathan Toews stayed hot to help the Blackhawks beat the Anaheim Ducks 4-2 on Saturday. Here are four takeaways:

Kubalik ties rookie lead

Hawks rookie forward Dominik Kubalik extended his goal streak to four games, scoring from the left of the crease off a Patrick Kane rebound at 4:20 of the second period to give Chicago a 2-1 lead.

He scored a second goal against the Ducks to put the Hawks up 3-1 at 12:21 of the second, hitting a rebound from Connor Murphy through John Gibson's five-hole.

Kubalik's 16 goals tie Buffalo Sabres forward Victor Olofsson for the rookie lead in scoring. Kubalik has 26 points (16 goals, 10 assists) in 44 games with the Blackhawks this season.

"The biggest part is that we’re playing pretty well as a line," Kubalik said. "Lots of o-zone shifts, lots of shots to the net. I think that’s the biggest thing. For example, me and Tazer, we both scored in the last two-three games, so that’ s pretty good."

Toews under the radar

Hidden behind the injury, goalie tandem, Kane and rookie sensation Kubalik storylines have been Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews heating up.

With a goal and an assist on Saturday vs. the Ducks, Toews has seven points (two goals, five assists) in his past five games. He's already having a solid season overall with 35 points in 46 games.

Kane 1K watch

With his primary assist on Kubalik's first goal against the Ducks, Kane has 995 career points. Kane could hit 1,000 on the road with the Hawks ending a four-game homestand Saturday. They play in Ottawa on Tuesday, followed by Montreal Wednesday and Toronto Saturday before returning to the United Center next Sunday against Winnipeg.

Lehner back

Blackhawks goalie Robin Lehner returned to the net after missing the past three games with a right-knee injury and saved 35 of 37 shots. He was out of the lineup for two and backed up Corey Crawford vs. the Predators on Thursday.

"It didn't feel great at the start, I think as the game went on I felt better and better," Lehner said. "Kind of felt a little weird at first. The first period I didn't feel quite right, the second period was a little weird, didn't have much to do until the last five minutes pretty much, pretty much had one chance that first 10 minutes, I think they had a 2-on-1. We knew they were going to have a push in the third and felt better there."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170646 Chicago Blackhawks

Robin Lehner to start last game of homestand

By Scott King

January 11, 2020 11:39 AM

Blackhawks goalie Robin Lehner will return to the net against the Anaheim Ducks in the final contest of the Blackhawks' four-game homestand.

Lehner, 12-7-4 with a 2.92 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage, suffered a right-knee injury in Jan. 2's 7-5 loss at Vancouver. After participating in some of Tuesday's morning skate, Wednesday's full practice and Friday's optional skate, he's good to go.

Lehner remained in the game in Vancouver after Canucks forward Tanner Pearson crashed the net and fell onto his right knee in the third period. The goalie didn't think the injury would have him sidelined immediately after, but he's glad it was short-term.

"I think that's the reality of it for everyone, you don't want to be injured," Lehner said earlier in the week. "This is our job and our livelihood, you want to be out there and help the team."

The Hawks beat the Red Wings 4-2 on Sunday, lost to the Flames 2-1 on Tuesday and lost to the Predators 5-2 on Thursday. Being eight points out of a Wild Card spot, the Blackhawks could use some momentum and confidence heading to Canada for three games next week against the Senators, Canadiens and Maple Leafs.

"1-2 right now on this four-game homestand, so it'd be cool to get a win tonight, feel good about ourselves," Patrick Kane said. "We have six games before the All-Star break and bye week and it'd be a good time to get hot and feel good about ourselves going into it."

Blackhawks head coach Jeremy Colliton wants the team to have a better start than Thursday when they finished the first period down 3-0 to the Predators.

"They found a different gear earlier than us, so that's something that of course we want to be aware of," Colliton said. "But I don't foresee that being a problem. I think we'll be ready."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170647 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks fighting through mental challenges of drastic ups and downs

By Charlie Roumeliotis

January 11, 2020 11:15 AM

Hockey is a mental and physical grind. Every sport is. But sometimes the mental part can take a larger toll on you than the physical aspect.

While they’ve been decimated by injuries this season, the Blackhawks are also trying to fight through the mental challenges of the drastic ups and downs. The second they start making up some ground in the Western Conference playoff race, the Blackhawks lose a few in a row and get knocked back down.

And it can be exhausting.

"It’s a challenge," head coach Jeremy Colliton said. "We want to be in the race, we want to play important games, we want to have a chance to play further. Every team goes through it, every team goes through ups and downs throughout the year, and how do you bounce back quicker? The down period in your game, how do you turn it around and when you’re playing well, how do you ride the wave longer? How do you avoid complacency coming into your game?

"It could be over a stretch of weeks, it could be even in a game. You have a good period, you’re up 3-0. Can you stick with it? Can you mentally maintain the sharpness that you need to close out a game? We struggle with that at times. That’s why we are where we are. So keep working at it."

Every team goes through its fair share of challenges. The Blackhawks aren’t any different.

But this is the second consecutive season they’ve been just outside the playoff picture but not good enough to get above the line. That’s why the Blackhawks have been stressing the importance of stringing together a big run, so they can not only make up ground but build a cushion too.

The Blackhawks didn’t do themselves any favors this past week. They lost to Calgary and Nashville, two teams ahead of them in the standings, and are eight points behind Winnipeg for the final wildcard spot.

At this point, the Blackhawks are closer to the basement of the West than they are the playoffs. Five points separate them and Anaheim Ducks from the bottom.

There’s a lot of hockey left in the season, but the Blackhawks don’t have any margin for error. They have to get hot. And they have to get hot quick.

"Of course, it's tough," Robin Lehner said. "That's kind of the league right now. You look around the league, for the most part, everyone can beat each other. Everyone, for the most part, can beat any team but the teams that makes the playoffs, they're the ones that can do that consistently and that's not just go on runs and long winning streaks. It's not lose two in a row. Just show up consistently and work ethic and structure every night and that translates to wins because even when you have an off night, work ethic and structure gets you points no matter what. Because you're not going to have your best nights every night.

“So that's obviously, we're trying to learn and it's frustrating. Still, nothing — as you guys are well aware — how many times we've been written off this year and then climb back in? Hopefully, the next time we climb back in we keep it going. It's all we can try to do."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170648 Chicago Blackhawks Haan, Seabrook, Olli Maatta, Boqvist and Dennis Gilbert returning next season and will also likely add Ian Mitchell to the defenseman pool. Between the financial and roster considerations, there probably isn’t 10 Blackhawks predictions for 2020: Erik Gustafsson’s status, Brent room for Gustafsson. Seabrook’s return and more If the Blackhawks are out of the playoff race and don’t plan on re-signing Gustafsson, it would be in Bowman’s best interest to see what he can get for him at the trade deadline. Considering Gustafsson’s ups and downs, By Scott Powers and Mark Lazerus he might not fetch a first-rounder, but he could still be a desired player on the trade market. — Powers Jan 11, 2020 4. The Blackhawks will sign Robin Lehner to a four-year contract

extension and let Corey Crawford walk. New year, new decade, new Blackhawks? That’s assuming Crawford isn’t traded at the deadline, which is another As good as most of the past decade was for the Blackhawks, it did end possibility with the same result: Lehner’s the man around here now. It’s on a sour note. They missed the Stanley Cup playoffs in two consecutive always difficult to picture a member of the Blackhawks’ glory years seasons and are teetering on the precipice of a third consecutive wearing a different jersey, but Patrick Sharp and Johnny Oduya were absence. Stars, Niklas Hjalmarsson is a Coyote, and Crawford — who has proven this season that he can still be a solid goaltender in this league — will The Blackhawks will obviously want to get back on track in 2020 and set follow suit. the course for another winning decade. Can they? What’s in store for this calendar year? These are our 10 bold predictions for 2020. Lehner wants to be paid based on his statistics like any other goalie would. And his statistics say he’s one of the best goalies in the league. If 1. Stan Bowman will make a trade over the next month to take a shot at he gets, say, four years at $32 million, there simply won’t be room for the playoffs. Crawford. The Blackhawks have $11 million tied up in their goalies this season, but they can’t do it again next year, not with Alex DeBrincat’s It’d be surprising if Bowman didn’t do so. If the Blackhawks’ goal is really new deal kicking in, and Dylan Strome due a big raise, too. Kevin to make the playoffs, it’s probably going to take him tapping into the $10- Lankinen and Collin Delia will battle it out for the right to back up Lehner plus million of cap space he got when shutting down Brent Seabrook and in the fall. — Lazerus Calvin de Haan for the season, and making a deal or two. If he doesn’t, it’s going to be a major roll of the dice for their playoff hopes. 5. Patrick Kane will finish with 50 goals this season.

The Blackhawks probably need to reach about 95 points to get into the Kane might be playing the best offensive hockey of his career. He started playoffs. That may already be a long shot considering the Blackhawks the season off slow with three goals and six assists in his first 11 games, have 44 points through 45 games. but has since picked up the pace.

For Bowman to assume this roster can play that consistently over the Kane is slightly off a 50-goal pace with 24 goals through 44 games, but final three months is a bit of a leap of faith. The Blackhawks have shown he should be near that if he continues to play as he has since the start of some life in recent weeks, but they could certainly use an upgrade or two November. There aren’t many games where Kane isn’t scoring a goal or to assist. They could certainly use another depth defenseman to fill a coming close. third-pairing spot and another top-9, two-way forward. Kane scored a career-best 46 goals during the 2015-16 season (16.0 What’s best for the future of the organization may still be either sitting on shooting percentage) and scored 44 last season (12.9). He’s at a 14.5 that space or trying to acquire a bad contract or two in exchange for draft percentage right now. — Powers picks or prospects, but it really depends on what the Blackhawks’ real goal of the season is. There are team veterans who would be upset if 6. Brent Seabrook will play for the Blackhawks again in 2020. Bowman didn’t utilize that space to make a run at the playoffs. The days after the Blackhawks announced that Seabrook — the most Even so, that wouldn’t guarantee a playoff appearance for the indestructible piece of the Blackhawks’ core, the lion in winter — would Blackhawks. It’s still improbable. It would just be surprising for Bowman undergo season-ending surgeries to his shoulder and both hips felt not to pursue any additions to improve this roster given the cap space he downright funereal. Players spoke about him in the past tense, local has. — Powers media outlets all but eulogized him, fans shared their favorite Seabrook moments and GIFs. 2. Erik Gustafsson will not be traded at the trade deadline. But I think he’ll be back. Even if it’s not for opening night, he’ll be back by The Blackhawks’ frustrating flirtation with playoff contention will continue the end of the calendar year. And not just because he has four years left over the next six weeks — a few wins here to get within sniffing distance, on his contract after this season. Seabrook will be 35 in the fall, and he a gut-punch loss there to drop them back in the pack. The promise of a showed enough in the first half of this season — sacrificing some of his postseason after a nearly three-year wait will prove too tantalizing for offense for more defensive stability — to make me think there’s some life Bowman to go into full-blown seller’s mode. And with the Blackhawks so left in him. And he’s far too proud to go out like this. At the very least, thin on the blue line after season-ending injuries to Seabrook and de he’s going to try to come back. I don’t know what his long-term fate will Haan, he won’t be able to part with one of his primary power-play be, whether he can re-establish himself as an everyday player once he quarterbacks (even if Adam Boqvist has ascended to the top unit ahead gets these long-lingering injuries repaired, but I do know he’ll damn sure of Gustafsson). try. — Lazerus

Gustafsson should be a great trade chip. He comes super cheap, so 7. Ian Mitchell will sign with the Blackhawks and make his NHL debut this most teams can fit him in, he’s in the last year of his contract, and he’s season. coming off a 60-point season. If the Blackhawks were able to get a first- round pick and a prospect for Ryan Hartman, they should be able to do All indications are Mitchell still plans to sign with the Blackhawks after he even better for Gustafsson. But the 27-year-old offensive defenseman is completes his season at Denver. Whether he does that and jumps into having a down season — on pace for about 35 points — and selling low the Blackhawks’ lineup immediately will depend on how far Denver goes will be less appealing to Bowman than hanging on to him for the final in the NCAA tournament. stretch run. — Lazerus The Pioneers were the No. 1 team in the country for a stretch of the 3. Erik Gustafsson will be traded at the trade deadline. season, but they’ve fallen slightly in recent weeks. They’re No. 5 in the latest USCHO.com. So, they are close to being among the best teams in Unless something changes soon, the Blackhawks are going to miss the the country. But in a perfect world, if the rankings held true, they’d be the playoffs for a third consecutive year. That means they’ll be looking at the first team on the outside looking in for the Frozen Four. If Denver future, and the future doesn’t likely include Gustafsson. reached the Frozen Four, it would play beyond the NHL regular season. If it doesn’t and loses in the regional, Mitchell will still have time to sign The Blackhawks still need to figure out how to pay Robin Lehner, Dylan and play an NHL game or two. — Powers Strome and Dominik Kubalik with little money coming off their books this offseason. Plus, they already have Duncan Keith, Connor Murphy, de When Ian Mitchell signs will depend on how far Denver goes in their If the Blackhawks reach the playoffs, all will be well. If not, it’s hard to postseason. (Scott Powers / The Athletic) believe McDonough and Rocky Wirtz won’t shake the ship. — Powers

8. The Blackhawks will buy out either Olli Maatta or Zack Smith’s 10. Marian Hossa will be elected and inducted into the Hockey Hall of contract. Fame.

Both of these acquisitions made sense at the time — Maatta brought Hossa is still a contracted player for the Arizona Coyotes through the some veteran defensive stability before the de Haan trade rendered him 2020-21 season. But because his career is so clearly over, the Hall of a bit redundant, and Smith saved the Blackhawks $1.3 million a year by Fame committee has deemed him eligible for induction this season. Not allowing them to shed Artem Anisimov’s contract. But neither fits the too long ago, I remember the hockey community was fiercely divided on Blackhawks’ long-term plans, and with the DeBrincat, Strome and Lehner Hossa’s worthiness for the Hall of Fame. Which, of course, is laughable. raises looming, the easiest way to free up some cap space is to buy out He scored 525 goals, had 1,134 points and won three Stanley Cups. He one (or both) of them. spent the first half of his career as one of the most dominant offensive forces in the game, posting three 40-goal seasons. He spent the second If it’s Maatta, the Blackhawks will save $3.4 million in cap space the next half of his career as one of the very best two-way forwards in the game, two seasons, while carrying an extra $680,567 the following two years. If the perfect blend of power, speed, offense and defense, power play and it’s Smith, the Blackhawks will save $2.1 million next season, and will penalty-killing. He was a superb teammate, and a physical specimen — carry an extra $1.083 million the following season. With Mitchell entering “a Greek God,” in Kris Versteeg’s words. the picture later this season and Nicolas Beaudin on the horizon, Maatta probably makes the most sense. Both players are well-liked teammates There are other worthy candidates — Jarome Iginla’s a no-brainer, and who are doing what is asked of them, but the cap shows no mercy. Daniel Alfredsson and Alexander Mogilny have been waiting for years. Somebody’s got to go. — Lazerus But if there’s no room for Hossa in the Hall of Fame, there’s no point in having a Hall of Fame. Of course, this being hockey, get your pitchforks 9. Major changes are coming if the Blackhawks don’t make the playoffs. and torches ready, just in case. — Lazerus

When the Blackhawks were swept by the Nashville Predators in the first round in 2017, anger and disappointment were voiced up and down the organization. I think back to Bowman’s opening statement after that The Athletic LOADED: 01.12.2020 season.

“I’ll start off here by saying I’m completely, completely disappointed,” Bowman said. “It’s unacceptable to be where we are today. I’m frustrated, I’m angry. This was a tough, tough loss for us all to take. Standing here April 22 is not the way we expected our season to end. And it’s a complete failure when you measure it against the expectations that we have of ourselves. We did not come even close to reaching the standard we have set over the years here. And that’s unacceptable. Any successes that we did experience this year are completely overshadowed by the abrupt ending to our season. It’s not close to good enough for anybody. And I think it’s time right now to take a look in the mirror and face facts. And when you do that, you look at accountability, and that starts with me. I need to be better. There’s no doubt about it.

“I’m going to take a look at all things. I can promise you I will be better. Top to bottom, we need more. This is unacceptable to be where we are today. There will be change moving forward; change comes in many different ways. So the specifics of how we’re going to change things into next year are not really meant for this forum. But I can promise you we need to be better.”

Bowman made significant roster changes after that season, but the Blackhawks still missed the playoffs in 2018.

When the Blackhawks began the following season with a 6-6-3 record, Joel Quenneville was fired. The Blackhawks briefly held a playoff spot that season after Jeremy Colliton took over, but they ultimately fell short again.

This past offseason was again full of many roster changes. Between that and Colliton having a full training camp, the organization was optimistic the playoffs were an attainable goal.

Blackhawks president John McDonough knew fans were displeased, but he believed they were heading in the right direction.

“We talk about our process and our system every day, and I’m a real big believer that if you do have a good process and a good decision-making system, the wins are going to come, the results are going to come,” McDonough said in July. “They have not the last two years, and that’s disappointing. I could sit here, and I can say some of it has been circumstantial. There have been some circumstances which I could point to, but our fans don’t want any excuses. They don’t want any excuses. They want results. They are accustomed to the bar being very high. They’re accustomed to summer celebrations. They really like parades. And anything short of that to our fanbase is a disappointment. I get that. So we’ve ratcheted that up sky high. Now we have to live up to those standards or try to live up to those standards.”

Now if the Blackhawks don’t meet those standards for another season, what then? There will be only one acceptable answer to fans: major changes within hockey operations from Bowman on down. Something will need to change, and that’s the element that hasn’t changed much since the Blackhawks began their slide. 1170649 Colorado Avalanche

Sam Girard keeps Avalanche assist streak rolling in 200th career NHL game

By KYLE FREDRICKSON

PUBLISHED: January 11, 2020 at 6:00 am

UPDATED: January 11, 2020 at 9:50 am

An honest review of defenseman Sam Girard’s first two Avalanche seasons from coach Jared Bednar did not sugarcoat areas for improvement.

“I would have wanted to see him produce a little bit more offensively,” Bednar said. “Join the rush a little bit more and be more dangerous in the offensive zone.”

Ask and you shall receive.

Lately, Girard’s potential as an offensive savant quarterbacking Colorado’s top power-play unit, and supplanting rookie sensation Cale Makar, has been fulfilled. Friday night marked Girard’s 200th career NHL game and he responded with a pair of assists in the Avs’ 4-3 overtime loss.

Girard’s hot streak continued. He now boasts a remarkable 11 assists over his past six games.

“The games before those points, I wasn’t moving my feet and I wasn’t shooting the puck a lot,” Girard said. “That’s what I did in the last few games.”

Added Bednar: “His passing has had great timing to it and good execution. … He’s done a real good job of becoming a top defender and being able to play against other teams’ top guys on a nightly basis. You see the talent and skating ability that he has.”

Girard, acquired from Nashville in the 2017 trade that dealt Matt Duchene, has always relied on advanced offensive skills with a slight 5- foot-10, 170-pound build. Invaluable mentorship from veteran defenseman Erik Johnson aided in Girard’s ongoing development into a more well-rounded talent. Girard also knocked on the wood of his locker stall to keep his streak of no significant injuries intact.

Kiszla: As goalie Philipp Grubauer loses grip on starting job, should Avs explore trade for Carey Price?

Avalanche teammates lobby for Cale Makar’s All-Star selection: “He’s earned it”

It’s been 500 games and Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon still doesn’t think he’s famous

Avs Mailbag: Nathan MacKinnon MVP talk heating up, prospect Justus Annunen, Altitude Sports dispute and more

“(Girard) has gotten more and more comfortable every year,” Johnson said. “Guys go through a lot of ups and downs as defensemen, and he hasn’t had too many downs. He hasn’t had a lot of gaps in his game. He’s been pretty consistent, which is the hardest thing to establish as a defenseman.”

Girard has reached a new personal-best for assists in a season (25) with 37 Avs games still remaining before the playoffs begin.

Girard is quick to credit teammates for that success.

“We’ve got a good group of guys here,” Girard said. “They help me a lot to be a better player on the ice and a better person off the ice.”

Denver Post: LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170650 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets 3, Golden Knights 0 | Elvis Merzlikins gets hot in Vegas, recording first NHL shutout

Brian Hedger

Jan 12, 2020 at 12:37 AM

LAS VEGAS — Elvis made a triumphant appearance on The Strip, but the “Big E” wasn’t the only star of the show.

Elvis Merzlikins got the first shutout of his NHL career Saturday night in the Blue Jackets’ 3-0 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena but got plenty of welcome help from the band.

Accompanying Merzlikins’ 27 saves, the Blue Jackets (22-16-8) blocked 13 shots and got goals from rookie Emil Bemstrom, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Alexander Wennberg. Marc-Andre Fleury made 19 saves for the Golden Knights (24-18-6), who head on a long trip sandwiched around the all-star break and won’t return to their hockey palace until Feb. 8.

Once the puck dropped, a recurring storyline unfolded for the Blue Jackets. They were outskated, outplayed and overwhelmed for the first eight minutes, getting outshot 5-0 and trailing 14-1 in attempts. Where they didn’t trail was goals thanks to more strong defensive play in their own zone and Merzlikins making five of his seven first-period saves.

The Blue Jackets didn’t get their first shot until 8:57 in, when Nathan Gerbe just flipped a shot on goal from the left wing that Fleury scooped up with no problem. The period took a sudden shift from there, as the Blue Jackets outshot the Golden Knights 12-2 in the final 11:03 and took a 1-0 lead on Bemstrom’s rocket of a one-timer at 16:38 to cap a power play.

It was Bemstrom’s fourth goal of the season and first in four games since returning from a rib injury that kept him out almost a full month (13 games). It was also the first 1-0 lead the Blue Jackets have held since the calendar flipped to 2020, ending a string of five straight games allowing the first goal.

The second period wasn’t nearly as productive for the Jackets in terms of scoring chances, but they still added a goal without allowing one. Dubois tipped a shot by Scott Harrington past Fleury at 2:06.

The Golden Knights outshot the Blue Jackets 11-2 in the second, aided by two power plays, but Merzlikins didn’t let a one past, including one immediately after the second man-advantage that he covered up with a snow angel in the crease.

Fleury countered in the third with a jaw-dropping stop on Seth Jones at 6:08, making a diving glove save to prevent the Blue Jackets from taking a 3-0 lead.

The Golden Knights, however, couldn’t steal the momentum. Wennberg made it 3-0 just 2:18 later, beating Fleury clean with a wrist shot from the left-wing circle for his third goal of the season and first since Oct. 21 against Toronto.

The goalie named “Elvis” and the defenders in front of him took it from there, polishing off the second straight season the Jackets pulled off a victorious caper in “Sin City.”

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170651 Columbus Blue Jackets Not just defensively, either. Gavrikov had four goals and four assists in 44 games entering the Vegas game.

“The thing that surprised me, just because I didn’t know much about him, Columbus Blue Jackets determined to get off to better starts is I think he has a really good sense of when to jump into the offense,” Tortorella said. “I think he reads the ice very well offensively.”

Brian Hedger Familiar face

Jan 11, 2020 at 7:45 PM Keegan Kolesar made his NHL debut for the Golden Knights, who acquired his rights from the Blue Jackets at the 2017 NHL draft. The Jackets, who selected Kolesar in the third round (No. 69) in 2015, used Vegas’ pick to take forward Alexandre Texier in the second round (No. 45 LAS VEGAS — It wasn’t just an annoying little trend any longer. overall). The Blue Jackets had struggled starting games and periods in their previous four games, so it was time to address it before playing the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in the finale Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 01.12.2020 of a four-game West Coast trip.

“We have some thoughts, yes,” coach John Tortorella said at the morning skate. “It’s epidemic. It’s not just the start of a game, but periods. So it has been addressed, it will be addressed again (before the game) and we’ll try to figure out different ways there.”

They had to do something.

The Blue Jackets went into the game having trailed 1-0 in their previous five games. They figured out ways to win three of the five but also lost twice to the San Jose Sharks in that span, including a frustrating 3-1 defeat Thursday.

Rather than dipping their toes in the water, Tortorella and his coaching staff want to see more of a cannonball approach. Vegas coach Gerard Gallant preached the same message to his team, so the environment was prime for a fast-paced start.

“It’s readiness,” Tortorella said. “One of the biggest pluses of our competing and finding a way to play the right way is dictating a game and not waiting to see how the game is going to be played. So, to me, it’s just a mindset change.”

Nutivaara adjusting

This hasn’t been an easy season for Markus Nutivaara in any aspect.

The defenseman got off to a slow start, was a healthy scratch as an early message from Tortorella, and then injuries hit. A lower-body injury cost him a couple of games to start November, and then he was struck in the right ear by a puck in a 2-1 loss to Vegas on Nov. 5 at Nationwide Arena.

That one caused a concussion that cost him 13 games, and then a separate undisclosed health issue tacked on 14 more before he eventually returned Monday against Los Angeles.

“It’s a really tough spot for him,” Tortorella said of Nutivaara, who played against the Golden Knights in his fourth straight game. “He just hasn’t played a lot of hockey in a position that you need to play. But in watching his tape, you can see that he’s beginning to make more plays. I think he’s beginning to see the ice.”

Nutivaara confirmed it, which surprised even him.

Despite missing 27 games over nearly eight weeks, his mind was still pretty sharp in assessing situations and making plays.

His legs and other muscles were a different story.

“I thought it would be what’s going on inside the head, but I think the toughest part were the legs,” said Nutivaara, who has skated on the right side of a third defense pairing with Scott Harrington since his return. “Just keeping them moving and playing the speed of what they’re playing on the ice, I think that was the toughest part.”

Gavrikov still impressing

Tortorella didn’t know a whole bunch about rookie Vladislav Gavrikov before assessing the beefy Russian defenseman firsthand. What he’s seen this season has backed up the reports put together by the Jackets’ scouting department.

“He’s very similar to (David Savard) in just the way he plays,” Tortorella said. “He’s in the way, finishes his checks, I think he has really improved this year — as the year has gone on — with his stick-on-puck (defense). He’s a good defenseman.” 1170652 Dallas Stars

‘It was pretty special’: Sharks honor Stars Joe Pavelski in his return to San Jose with a tribute video, lengthy ovation

By Matthew DeFranks

7:58 AM on Jan 12, 2020

SAN JOSE, Calif. — For 90 seconds, Joe Pavelski drifted from the Stars bench towards the ice and back. Back and forth, with his signature white stick raised, waves to the crowd and taps on his heart.

It was Pavelski’s homecoming during Saturday night’s 2-1 Stars loss to the Sharks, his first game back in San Jose since he departed for Dallas during free agency over the summer, leaving behind 13 years of memories in the only franchise he’d ever known. Before the game, the Sharks honored Pavelski with a tribute video, followed by the minute and a half ovation from the San Jose crowd for the 35-year-old former captain.

“I wanted to get on with the anthem, and they wouldn’t let me,” Pavelski said. “It was pretty special. I’ve always had, I believe, a pretty special bond with these fans and those guys over there. It was just a tremendous night. They did it right. Big thanks to everyone involved out there and everyone that showed up tonight. Would have liked to win for sure, but, you know what, it was pretty special.”

The tribute began during warmup for Pavelski. When he stepped on the ice, there was a roar from the SAP Center and when he skated past the boards, there was a buzz in the crowd. Whenever he was shown on the video board, fans cheered. Whenever a Pavelski sign was shown, fans cheered.

“I’ve never seen so many people here excited for a warmup,” Stars interim head coach Rick Bowness said. “There were so many down around the glass.”

Pavelski played 18:17 on Saturday night, with two shots on goal, three hits and three blocked shots.

For the first time, he saw the Sharks logo and the familiar teal on the opposite side of him. He heard Brent Burns and Joe Thornton on the ice. They weren’t communicating with him, but it still took Pavelski back.

“It was weird a few times when you heard, whether it was 88 or Joe Thornton, when you heard that, my mind kind of went back,” Pavelski said. “You were waiting for your name to be called. It was kind of weird how it just came. All the noises, all the sounds, smells, everything brought back a lot of good memories.”

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170653 Dallas Stars

Stars defenseman Stephen Johns plays first game in 22 months with AHL affiliate Texas

By Matthew DeFranks

2:48 AM on Jan 12, 2020

SAN JOSE, Calif. — While the Stars were in San Jose, a major development was ongoing in Cedar Park, when defenseman Stephen Johns played his first game in 22 months with AHL affiliate Texas. He dominated the game with one goal, three assists and seven shots on goal in a 5-3 Texas win over Toronto.

“He just killed it out there,” Texas goaltender Landon Bow told reporters in Cedar Park. “He couldn’t make a bad play. He was throwing guys around. He was shooting the puck hard. You couldn’t tell that that guy had any time off at all.”

Johns has not played since the 2017-18 season due to post-traumatic headaches, and his conditioning loan to Texas is the biggest step forward in his progress to date. He played on both the power play and the penalty kill and uncorked a searing slap shot for his first professional goal in almost two years.

If Johns can return to form — Saturday night was another promising sign — the Stars would add another top-four defenseman to its group that already includes John Klingberg, Esa Lindell and Miro Heiskanen.

Past performance

The Stars coaching staff (interim head coach Rick Bowness and goaltending coach Jeff Reese) has been generally quiet about how they decide which goaltender plays which games, but has said that numbers against certain opponents were a factor in determining the starter.

Saturday night was the latest example of the goalie’s history coming into play, with Khudobin carrying sparkling numbers against the Sharks.

Here’s Bishop and Khudobin’s numbers entering the games they started, assuming Bishop finishes the trip in Colorado:

Khudobin in five games against Los Angeles: 3-1-0, .941, 1.72

Bishop in 13 games against Anaheim: 9-2-2, .940, 1.64

Khudobin in seven games against San Jose: 5-2-0, .950, 1.57

Bishop in 16 games against Colorado: 8-7-0, .926, 2.18

Here’s if the Stars chose differently:

Bishop in 12 games against Los Angeles: 5-4-0, .925, 2.30

Khudobin in four games against Anaheim: 1-2-1, .872, 3.54

Bishop in 10 games against San Jose: 4-5-1, .907, 3.09

Khudobin in seven games against Colorado: 2-3-0, .908, 2.82

Nearly Kiviranta

Forward Joel Kiviranta almost scored his first career NHL goal on Saturday night, but was denied the game-tying goal on a sprawling save by Aaron Dell with 2:41 left in the third period.

Kiviranta was skating in his fourth NHL game in place of Corey Perry (serving a five-game suspension), and slapped a pass from Mattias Janmark through Radim Simek’s legs before meeting Dell’s left pad.

The shift underscored Bowness’ faith in his fourth line, playing them with three minutes to go needing an equalizer.

“They’ve got good speed and I’ve got a lot of confidence in that line,” Bowness said. “I thought they were solid tonight, so why not put them out there? Give them a chance.”

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170654 Dallas Stars Briefly: Sharks forward Patrick Marleau scored the game-winning goal just after a San Jose power play expired, pouncing on a loose puck in the crease and depositing it in the back of the net. Marleau was playing his Stars blow early lead against San Jose, ending a six-game win streak 1,700th career NHL game and is just 67 from tying Gordie Howe for the most in league history.

By Matthew DeFranks Dallas Morning News LOADED: 01.12.2020 7:39 AM on Jan 12, 2020

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The record will have to wait.

With a chance to tie the franchise record for the longest win streak, the Stars lost 2-1 in San Jose on Saturday night, snapping the streak at six. The loss was Dallas’ first in three weeks, since a Dec. 22 loss to Calgary before Christmas break.

“I think we weren’t our best today,” Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen said. “We weren’t moving our legs in the first period. Second and third was a little bit better, but I think we need to be a lot better to win the game.”

Dallas took an early lead in the first period on Jamie Benn’s power play goal, but Brent Burns tied the game on a faceoff play where he slipped to the back door and the puck deflected off his skate. Patrick Marleau scored the game-winning goal 2:56 into the second period.

Sharks goaltender Aaron Dell made 27 saves, including 11 in the third period to secure the win for San Jose.

“I think we played well enough to get a point at least,” Stars interim coach Rick Bowness said. “We had some good looks late and didn’t score. Difference in the game is the puck goes off their skate and in the net. We just didn’t capitalize on some of the looks we had.”

The win streak was the second this season of at least six games and the Stars remained one point up on Colorado for second place in the Central Division.

“I think there were too many moments in the game that we weren’t going and we were giving up a lot of zone time and we just staying on the inside and not pressuring like we normally do,” Stars forward Jason Dickinson said. “We didn’t give our best tonight and we were still in the game. We still had chances to tie it up late. We can’t be too upset with the result, but we need to learn from it and expect a lot from ourselves and a lot better from our opponent in Colorado.”

The Stars play in Colorado on Tuesday night.

More power to you

The Stars power play scored again, this time when Jamie Benn deflected a Tyler Seguin pass to the slot for his 11th goal of the season.

Dallas’ power play has now scored a goal in five straight games, the longest streak since a six-game streak last season from Dec. 29-Jan. 8. The Stars power play is up to a season-high 20.2%, ranking 14th in the league.

Tyler Seguin has primary assists on three of the last four Stars power- play goals.

Noesen’s reach

Sharks forward Stefan Noesen put a puck in the back of the net — but with an illegal high stick. Noesen deflected Melker Karlsson’s flip from the point by holding his entire stick up and tapping it with his blade past Khudobin.

This should count just based on how impressive it is  pic.twitter.com/4Ozh2WQWgj

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) January 12, 2020

Noesen — a Plano native — is familiar with the Stars after he was invited to training camp on a professional tryout in September. He was part of the third-to-last round of cuts in Dallas and signed an AHL contract with Pittsburgh affiliate Wilkes Barre-Scranton. The Penguins later signed him to an NHL deal and waived him, and the Sharks claimed him.

On the season, he has two goals in 16 NHL games. 1170655 Dallas Stars “Right now, there is no wrong answer,” Bowness said. “They’re both playing exceptionally well. They both deserve to play. … When they’re on a roll like they both are, it’s important that they both play so no one’s Will Stars’ impressive goaltending be short-lived or are Ben Bishop and sitting.” Anton Khudobin really this good? Including Khudobin’s start in San Jose on Saturday night, the goalies are on pace for what the Stars laid out at the start of the season: 53 starts for Bishop and 29 starts for Khudobin, keeping both fresh enough for a By Matthew DeFranks postseason run.

9:01 PM on Jan 11, 2020 The Stars goalies are not simply making the saves expected from them. They’re making more — and in different ways.

“Complete opposite,” Reese said. “They’re opposite in size, they’re SAN JOSE, Calif. — Across the last two seasons, a familiar question has opposite in personality, they’re opposite in how they prepare. You followed the Stars: How are the goaltenders doing this? couldn’t get any two guys more opposite. The one thing they both do Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin have formed the league’s best have in common is they’re both competitors. They both want to play.” goaltending duo the last two years, a pair that has carried the Stars at Bishop wants a lot of information from Reese before games. Khudobin times, masked inconsistencies in scoring, erased defensive mistakes and wants none. Bishop is at his best when he’s quiet and controlled in the backstopped the team into the playoffs (or a playoff position so far this crease. Khudobin is at his best when he’s aggressive at the top of the season). Entering Saturday night’s game in San Jose, the Stars had not crease. Bishop is 6-7. Khudobin is 5-11. allowed more than two goals in six straight games, all wins. How does Reese coach the differing styles? In the last two seasons, Bishop owns a .932 save percentage and 2.08 goals against average, both the best in the league. Khudobin’s .926 save “For me, it’s easy,” Reese said. “I get the pompoms out and sit up top percentage (fourth) and 2.43 GAA (eighth) are not far behind. and cheer as hard as I can.”

Has it been remarkable play that should eventually ease back to career Briefly: Defenseman John Klingberg participated during morning skate on norms? Has it been a stretch driven by the Stars’ defense-first approach? Saturday, but was not ready to return to the lineup against the Sharks. Has it been luck? Has it just been some goaltending voodoo? Are Bishop Including Saturday, Klingberg has missed the last four games due to a and Khudobin simply this good? lower-body injury suffered in the Winter Classic. Bowness said Klingberg would practice Monday in Colorado and the team would reassess after “Are we surprised by the numbers? No, not really,” Stars interim head that. ... Blues forward David Perron won the Central Division’s “Last Men coach Rick Bowness said. “The team plays hard in front of both of them. In” vote for the All-Star Game, beating Stars forward Jamie Benn, among When we play our team game, we don’t give up a lot. When we do, others. Tyler Seguin will be the team’s lone representative. Toronto’s they’re there to make the save. The numbers are reflective of everything Mitch Marner (Atlantic), Washington’s T.J. Oshie (Metropolitan) and they bring individually and also some team play in there as well.” Vancouver’s Quinn Hughes (Pacific) won the vote in their respective After the 1-7-1 start when the Stars were giving up too many odd-man divisions. rushes, the team has reverted to the form that resembled last season, cracking down on plays in transition and limiting the Grade-A chances Bishop and Khudobin have faced. Dallas Morning News LOADED: 01.12.2020 For Bishop, the system in front of him is not new, having played behind Bowness’ defense in six of the last seven seasons (four in Tampa Bay and the last two in Dallas).

“You don’t see the D getting out of position too much, getting caught up in a play,” Bishop said. “I don’t know if it’s much different from other teams because it’s really all I know. I’ve only had one year the last [seven] years without him. It’s kind of just what I’m used to.”

Bishop’s two-year stretch is (although incomplete) among the best since the NHL began tracking save percentage in 1955. Only five players have a save percentage better than Bishop’s .932 in at least 70 games: Jacques Plante, 1969-71; Ken Dryden, 1970-72; Bernie Parent, 1972- 74;Dominik Hasek, 1997-99; and Carey Price, 2014-16. Four are in the Hall of Fame.

“Since I came in the league, I expect to be up there at the top of the league,” Bishop said. “You expect to be there. I think it’s something you’re not used to, but you want to keep it there, you like where it is.”

According to SportLogiq (the analytics company used by the Stars), Dallas has allowed just 5.5 inner slot shots per game, the lowest figure in the league. So between the limited odd-man rushes and the protection of the inner slot, the Stars have played solid defense in front of their goaltenders.

But the goaltenders have amplified that with strong play of their own. Last season, Bishop was second in the league in save percentage above expected; this season, Khudobin is first. (Save percentage above expected is a metric from MoneyPuck that measures how well goalies have performed given the volume and difficulty of shots they face.)

The tandem leaves goaltending coach Jeff Reese with an enviable position: whether to go with his backup who has the league’s second- best save percentage this season (Khudobin at .933) or his starter who has the league’s fourth-best save percentage (Bishop at .928).

Reese said he’ll pencil in the starting goaltenders a few days in advance based on opponent and arena, among other factors he declined to disclose. From there, Bowness just listens to Reese’s decision. 1170656 Dallas Stars first time in almost two years and was then told at 7:20 p.m. by GM Scott White that Texas wouldn’t be playing.

So it was understandable when Johns came flying out for warmups Stephen Johns plays first game in 22 months and dominates in AHL behind Bow and was the last player on the ice at the end. He then started conditioning stint every period and was the last player on the ice at the end of the night when he received an ovation as the first star of the game.

By Sean Shapiro Here’s what happened between the warmup and the final ovation in Johns’ first game since March 29, 2018, with video from select shifts. Jan 11, 2020 Note that Johns is wearing No. 2 for the Texas Stars in this game.

Shift 2: 18:48 to 18:14, first period

CEDAR PARK, Texas — Stephen Johns cracked a wide grin as he Johns was an immediate fixture on the Texas power play and it paid off walked down the tunnel toward the Texas Stars locker room. with his first point since he had an assist on March 23, 2018, against the Boston Bruins. “You know I’ve never had a three-point night,” Johns offered unsolicited before turning the corner. Johns was used early and often as a cannon for the Texas power play, and his second shot of the shift created a rebound that eventually found You had four points in the Texas Stars 5-3 win, Stephen. the back of the net thanks to Tanner Kero. “Yeah, that’s never happened either.” Shift 5: 12:50 to 12:12, first period After not playing a game in more than 22 months and battling post- Jumping into the play and shooting was a frequent occurrence for Johns, traumatic headaches, just playing in the first game of his AHL who helped keep the puck in the offensive zone on this shift and fired a conditioning stint Saturday would have been a success in itself for Johns. wrist shot through toward the net. But he did more than that and looked out of place: Stephen Johns Shift 6: 9:50 to 8:59, first period doesn’t belong in the AHL; he’s an NHLer and he showed off why in a dominant performance against the Toronto Marlies. This might have been one of the most important shifts of the game for Johns, who threw his first hit in 22 months riding Giovanni Fiore into the Johns had a goal and three assists, two of them primary markers, and boards inside the Texas defensive zone. had 28 shifts for 20 minutes, 23 seconds of ice time as tracked by The Athletic — time on ice isn’t an official stat in the AHL made available to It was also the first shift that Johns spent more time in the Texas media members. defensive zone than the offensive one and acquitted himself well in coverage before a save and cover by Bow. He was busy on the penalty kill and logged 2:51 while Texas was short- handed. He had two points on the power play in 1:55 in that realm and Shift 14: 14:49 to 14:26, second period led Texas with a game-high seven shots. This shift was at the end of a Texas penalty kill, and Johns ended up in Johns wasn’t available to the media in a formal capacity, a factor of his the box on the play for tripping Kenny Agostino on an attempted hit. conditioning stint as the Stars try to give him his space, so his AHL teammates offered their glowing reviews after the game. Johns threw back-to-back hits on the play, first checking Garrett Wilson in the corner and then getting dinged for the trip on Agostino. “From the moment he stepped on the ice he didn’t belong here,” Texas goalie Landon Bow said. “He was dominating in every facet of the game. Shift 18: 4:53 to 4:12, second period He was throwing guys around. He was making plays, he was so poised. This was Johns’ second power-play shift of the game and he ended the Yeah, I can’t wait to see him get back up to Dallas and go from there.” power play after eight seconds on a slap shot when he seemed to take Texas Stars assistant coach Travis Morin is a former teammate of Johns’ out 22 months of frustration on the puck. and now runs the defense on the AHL bench since the mid-December It was his first goal in 694 days. His last goal was Feb. 16, 2018, against coaching shuffle. the St. Louis Blues.

“He looked like the old Johnsy I know from when I played with him,” Shift 20: 0:12 to 0:00, second period Morin said. “He was physical, skating well, moving pucks. He was doing all the things you could want out of him.” Texas drew a penalty with 12 seconds remaining in the second period and went with Johns at the point on the play. It’s only one game, and with the nature of post-traumatic headaches, the Stars truly won’t know how Saturday went until Johns wakes up Sunday Toronto played his shot more this time, prompting a shot fake and pass morning without any issues. But based on Saturday, Johns doesn’t look to Joel L’Esperance for a one-timer that was saved by Marlies goalie like he’s going to need more than a couple of games to be ready for NHL Kasimir Kaskisuo. action. Shift 22: 15:14 to 14:21, third period And it was a conditioning stint that started a day later than expected. This was a shift that embodied Johns’ overall impact in the game. He had Johns was supposed to make his AHL debut Friday, but that game was the big shot attempt in the offensive zone and then cleaned out a play on forfeited by the Marlies after assistant coach Rob Davison suffered a the other end. prolonged grand mal seizure in the locker room. Davison, who has been placed on medical leave, was discharged from the hospital Saturday Shift 25: 8:03 to 7:14, third period morning and was set to return to Toronto. Johns didn’t have an assist on the game-tying goal by Jason Robertson, According to multiple sources, the Marlies players were willing to play the but he did help set up the breakaway rush for the rookie with a hit in the game and the Stars also wanted the game to go on as scheduled. The defensive zone. decision was ultimately made by Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Shift 27: 3:50 to 3:25, third period Dubas to forfeit, which officially goes into the record book as a 1-0 Texas victory. Johns was good in transition and moving the puck through the neutral zone throughout the game. As stated earlier, he was also a heavy Dubas issued the following statement about the decision. shooter in the win.

As of Saturday, Texas was continuing to work on solutions for fans who Those things combined to set up Tye Felhaber for the game-winning goal had tickets to Friday’s game. in the third period.

Multiple Texas players said they felt for Johns when it came to that delay. Johns added his fourth point of the night on Michael Mersch’s empty net Consider he’d been amped up and building toward a game Friday for the goal when he made a short pass to the forward in the defensive zone.

The Athletic LOADED: 01.12.2020

1170657 Detroit Red Wings “When you lose, it’s hard,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “When you lose as much as we have, it’s really hard. If you’re a super competitor that wants to win every night, and he is certainly as competitive as anybody I’ve been around, so certainly that’s been part of it. But that’s part of the Dylan Larkin on All-Star Game comments: I disrespected the Detroit Red mental toughness you develop as you go through hard times. I’m a big Wings believer that hard times can really build you up and prepare you for later challenges and I know the stuff Dylan is going through now will prepare

him for later challenges.” Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press

Published 5:23 p.m. ET Jan. 11, 2020 | Updated 7:08 p.m. ET Jan. 11, Detroit Free Press LOADED: 01.12.2020 2020

Dylan Larkin wishes he had said things differently.

With fan voting on the 2020 NHL All-Star Game closed, Larkin addressed comments he made that caused a stir in social media and hockey circles. In retrospect, Larkin would have said things differently than he did on Dec. 31, when he asked fans not to vote him to the Jan. 24-26 event in St. Louis because“I like the days off more.” The event conjoins with the winter break, giving players a week off.

“In the moment, I said what I said but I really do regret that,” Larkin said Saturday. “I didn’t mean to disrespect the league. I feel I did that, and disrespected the Red Wings. My main goal as a hockey player in the state of Michigan is to represent myself and the Red Wings and be a good example for kids growing up playing the game. I felt I wasn’t that, so I’m sorry about that.”

Voting for the “Last Man In,” in which fans could vote to have one player from each division added to the ASG rosters, closed Friday. Forward Mitchell Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs was the top vote-getter to represent the Atlantic Division.

Each team has at least one representative, and NHL officials chose Tyler Bertuzzi. At the time, he led the Wings with 30 points in 40 games, and since then has reached 34 points in 45 games.

Fan voting ran Jan. 1-10. Larkin made the point – rightfully so – that there were worthier candidates on the “Last Man In” ballots than him, but his comment about liking days off better drew the ire of Hockey Night in Canada analyst Brian Burke.

"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,” Burke said last weekend. “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.”

Larkin regretted his comment.

“I have to own up to them,” he said. “I didn’t mean for them to become that big of a thing. I saw what Brian Burke said and I have a lot of respect for Brian. He was in the right to say that. I have to represent this team and this franchise and my teammates better than that.”

Former captain Henrik Zetterberg managed not to attend the two times he was selected to the All-Star Game, but he did not make his desire for days off publicly known. Former captain Nicklas Lidstrom was forced to sit out a game by the NHL for not attending the 2009 event.

Other than dealing with the aftermath of his All-Star comments, Larkin has looked noticeably better since New Year’s Eve. He is on a five-game point streak, most recently scoring in regulation and the shootout Friday to lift the Wings past the Senators, 3-2. It’s part being inspired by Bertuzzi and Filip Hronek, who sandwich Larkin’s 29 points, and part the benefit of five days of at the holidays.

“The season Tyler is having and the season Fil is having, they are having career years so far,” Larkin said. “I don’t think anyone can be satisfied, really. I take it hard on myself with the losses, but since Christmas, there has been that breather there. It kind of hit a reset button for me and I just try to come to the rink every day and enjoy being here and playing the game. I think it has helped my game on the ice and it’s helped our team, I feel.

“I’m hoping to have a good second half here.”

The Wings are mired at the bottom of the NHL standings with just 12 victories through 45 games, and have the worst goal differential at minus- 71. Larkin has been front and center in front of reporters after most games, and has looked and sounded frustrated at times. 1170658 Detroit Red Wings The plan wasn’t to rely this heavily on Hronek. His development has been fast-tracked because of injuries to veterans, but it’s stayed on track because Hronek hasn’t crumbled.

The Detroit Red Wings can't say enough about Filip Hronek. Here's why “I think he plays to his strengths,” Blashill said. “I think he knows what he is. He’s done a really good job of trying to create offense without taking unneeded risk. The one thing he’s done a good job of is being mentally tough. If you weren’t really mentally tough right now, it could be some Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press hard times, but he’s really mentally tough.” Published 7:27 a.m. ET Jan. 11, 2020 | Updated 1:32 p.m. ET Jan. 11, Hronek has made himself a home with the Wings, establishing himself as 2020 part of their top-four core. As the rebuild moves forward that is expected to include Moritz Seider and hopefully Dennis Cholowski, but this season, it’s Hronek who is impressing. As the Detroit Red Wings advance into their rebuild, one guy who looks like he will play a significant role is Filip Hronek. “He’s a pretty simple guy,” Larkin said. “I’ve found that most Czech guys are great guys. He’s one of the nicest guys I’ve met in the game. Loves He is a big reason why the Wings take a two-game winning streak into his teammates, loves being around the rink. He just loves playing their Sunday matinee against the Buffalo Sabres at Little Caesars Arena. hockey. There’s not much to him. I think he’s one of the most beloved Cast into a role bigger than desired when defenseman Danny DeKeyser guys in this room, and I think it’s because he plays hard, he plays the was lost to injury eight games into the season, Hronek has stood his right way, and he’s just a great teammate off the ice.” ground even as the Wings have plummeted to the bottom of the NHL standings.

“He’s been thrown in there playing big minutes, a lot of responsibility and Detroit Free Press LOADED: 01.12.2020 he’s done a great job,” Dylan Larkin said. “Every part of his game has matured — he’s got a great shot, he’s got a great first pass. When he is out there he is a guy that will get the puck on your stick and if you find him for his big one-timer, it’s always a dangerous place. He’s been a big plus for us back there.

“I can’t say enough good things about him. I can’t say how important he is to this hockey team. He’s a warrior and he’s someone we need on the ice.”

Hronek set up Tyler Bertuzzi and Larkin as the Wings defeated the Ottawa Senators, 3-2, in a shootout Friday at home. It's the first time since mid-December the Wings have won two games in a row, but with team in 31st place, what matters more than victories and losses is how the young players are performing. Hronek leads the team with an average ice time of 23:34 minutes, and is third on the team with 25 points in 43 games.

“What I would say about Fil Hronek is, he’s a winner,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “And winners do lots of things to help you win games and I think as this organization moves forward and we keep finding ways to get better over the long term, he’s certainly a guy who you’d want on your team to win important games, no doubt about it.”

Hronek plays bigger than his 6 feet, 183 pounds. He seems to relish getting into it with opponents — he jostled with Ottawa’s Brady Thachuk at one point — and doesn’t shy from the physical aspect of the game.

“For a little guy he plays hard.,” Bertuzzi said. “He hits. He blocks shots and does all the little things right and he gets rewarded. He’s playing confidently and he’s been unreal for us this year.”

Last season Hronek was sent to the minors to work on his penalty killing skills. This season he plays in all key situations, including the entire two minutes it took to kill off a penalty to Valtteri Filppula in overtime Friday. That’s a heady responsibility for a 22-year-old, but Hronek has shown he’s up for any challenge.

“He’s earned it,” Blashill said. “We started him as the second option on the PK lots this year, and as we kept looking at it, he was the guy that didn’t seem to get scored on as much. He’s had to learn on the fly a little bit. He spent some time learning last year, but he’s had to learn in the NHL, too.

“He’s really, really strong on the puck so when he gets a chance to clear the puck, he clears it. I think he’s got really good instincts. To me, his best qualities are his competitiveness and his instincts, and those two things come out, and certainly on a penalty kill.”

[Steve Yzerman on Detroit Red Wings, rebuild & trade deadline: I won't be passive]

Hronek dates to the 2016 draft, where the Wings used the second-round pick from the Pavel Datsyuk trade to select him at 53rd overall. Entering Saturday’s games, Hronek ranked fifth among 2016 draft-class defensemen with 48 career points in 89 games. 1170659 Detroit Red Wings “You have to pick and choose your time, and it’s really hard,” Blashill said. “When you start winding up, people get in your way. The thing Dylan has learned over time is to not just rely on his legs and his speed, and to buy space and use others and do those kind of things. Red Wings' Jonathan Bernier thriving with increased workload “That’s (Friday’s goal) one of the things where he happened to get the right opportunity, and ice was available in front of him and he took it.

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News “But it’s not something, necessarily, that you can do on a regular basis because people will just take angles on you and end the play.” Published 4:55 p.m. ET Jan. 11, 2020 | Updated 5:08 p.m. ET Jan. 11, 2020 Ice chips

Friday’s home victory extended the Wings’ home win streak at LCA to a season-high three games. Detroit — This holds true with most NHL goalies, and apparently it certainly does with Jonathan Bernier. …It was also the Wings’ first game that required overtime since Nov. 16 in San Jose. Many goalies tend to play better when they’re in net more and used consistently and often. …With two assists Friday, defenseman Filip Hronek has 25 points (8 goals, 17 assists) in 43 games. That surpasses the 23 points in 46 Rare is the goalie who plays infrequently and can still post impressive games Hronek had last season. statistics. ...Frans Nielsen, who has been fighting an illness, didn't skate Saturday If you examine Bernier’s statistics, the more he plays — the better he but is expected to play Sunday against Buffalo. plays. ...With a goal and assist Friday, Tyler Bertuzzi had his seventh multipoint It’s certainly holding true this season, as Bernier continues to rebound game of the season and leads the Wings in goals (16) and points (34) from his less-than-stellar year with the Wings’ last season (9-18-5, 3.16 and shares the team lead in assists (18) with Larkin. GAA, .904 save percentage).

Bernier stopped 29 shots Friday – and all three shots in the shootout – as the Red Wings defeated Ottawa 3-2 (1-0 in the shootout). Detroit News LOADED: 01.12.2020 The victory was Bernier’s 10th of the season (10-12-2), as he continues to lay claim to the No. 1 job on the Wings.

“He’s done a great job, we’ve just built from him out confidence in our team,” said forward Dylan Larkin, who scored the lone goal in the shootout. “He’s really been a calming factor back there and made the saves he’s had to.”

Bernier has started five of the last six games, and saw the bulk of the work most of December as Jimmy Howard was recovering from an undisclosed injury.

With Howard (2-14-1, .884 save percentage) either hurt or struggling most of the season, Bernier has gradually taken on the greater workload.

“It’s just confidence, the more I play the more I feel confident,” Bernier said. “The better I see the puck. You try to reproduce that in practice but it’s hard to do when you don’t play for weeks.

“I feel pretty good right now.”

Blashill alternated both goalies the first month of the season, but went to Bernier a bit more in November as he outplayed Howard.

Lately, Bernier’s workload has increased as his play has continued to give Wings opportunities for victories.

Over his last nine appearances, Bernier has a 5-3 record (one relief appearance), with a 2.09 goals-against average and .937 save percentage.

“The numbers say he is a better goalie when he plays more,” Blashill said. “That’s just the history of it. I would say that’s probably true of a lot of guys. It’s easier to get in a groove, easier to kind of keep rolling with it, and he’s done a good job.

“He had a tough start to his time here in Detroit last season, and at the beginning of this season. Neither one was probably what he wanted. But the thing about him is he keeps a positive attitude and keeps digging in and he works.

“That work is paying off.”

Pick your spot

Larkin’s end-to-end rush, resulting in his 11th goal, gave the Wings a 2-0 lead and excited the crowd at Little Caesars Arena.

It’s a play Larkin — the goal happened to be the 99th of his career — is capable of because of his speed and stickhandling ability.

But though most fans would love to see Larkin try it more often, Blashill talked about how playmakers can’t execute that kind of rush consistently. 1170660 Detroit Red Wings

Moritz Seider and Joe Veleno return to Griffins brimming with confidence

Updated Jan 11, 2020;Posted Jan 11, 2020

By Peter J. Wallner | [email protected]

GRAND RAPIDS - Defenseman Moritz Seider and center Joe Veleno returned from the IIHF World Junior Championship full of confidence, something that could help the Grand Rapids Griffins - and perhaps even the Detroit Red Wings - the rest of the season.

The two, playing Friday with the Griffins for the first time since December 17, provided a much-needed lift in a 1-0 win against Manitoba to start the second half of the season.

Both had positive takeaways in their time in the Czech Republic. Seider was steady as he captained Germany, which went 3-4 and just missed advancing out of relegation, while Veleno was part of the Canada’s gold medal team that defeated Russia, 4-3, for the gold medal.

Seider had six assists, a zero plus/minus and six penalty minutes in seven games and averaged five minutes more ice time than any of his teammates at 25 minutes, 30 seconds.

Veleno had a goal (on the power play) and six points, a plus-3 rating and eight PIM in seven games. He also led the team in ice time at 19:13 a game.

“Winning a gold medal, there’s no better feeling,” Veleno said. “It’s something you dream about as a kid, for sure. So, when it actually happened, you don’t know what you’re thinking but there’s just so much excitement that you just want to jump around and scream with the guys, and so it was nice.”

"At the tournament we were just having fun. We had a great team, great tournament," Seider said. "A little bit more luck and we would have actually achieved the quarterfinals. But, all in all, I was very happy with my performance and thought I did a really good job."

Seider drew attention for one of the bigger hits, too.

Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill was impressed with Seider.

"Boy, I thought Moritz was really good in the games that I watched,"he said. "I think his development is right on cue. I don’t want to even speak of the timeline but development-wise, he’s doing a great job of keep getting better, keep getting better. Obviously, I think he has more power play time there and it did look like he knew what he was doing up top, so I was really impressed with him."

That said, Blashill did not discount Seider being in Detroit at some point.

"We’ll see as we go along," he said. "It’s not something that we’ve discussed here in the immediate future."

In 29 games with the Griffins, Seider, 18, has one goal and 12 points with a minus-9 plus/minus and 14 PIM. Veleno, who turns 20 on Monday, has 12 points (5-7-12) in 30 games with a minus-22 plus/minus and 10 PIM.

Griffins coach Ben Simon hopes the confidence will carry over into the second half for the Griffins (16-19-2-2), who host Manitoba again Saturday.

“Hopefully, both those guys take what they learned from that tournament, apply what they learned here the first half, apply the success from over there (at the World Juniors) and take that success and confidence and bring it back here and push for the second half,” he said.

On a lighter note, the pair were also recognized during a break in Friday’s game - with an extra nod from teammate Evgeny Svechnikov.

Michigan Live LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170661 Detroit Red Wings Michigan Live LOADED: 01.12.2020

Red Wings’ Filip Hronek flourishing with added responsibility

Posted Jan 11, 2020

By Ansar Khan | [email protected]

DETROIT – Dylan Larkin called Filip Hronek one of the nicest guys he’s met in the game, and someone he wouldn’t want to play against because of his ornery disposition.

“I can’t say enough good things about him, and I can’t say how important he is to this hockey team,” Larkin said.

Larkin said several good things about Hronek and talked about how important he is to the Detroit Red Wings.

“He’s a warrior and he’s someone that we need on the ice,” Larkin said.

The Red Wings needed Larkin Friday. He scored on a brilliant end-to-end rush in regulation and tallied the lone goal of the shootout in a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators at Little Caesars Arena.

They needed Tyler Bertuzzi, who picked up a goal and an assist.

They needed Jonathan Bernier, who continued his strong play of late with 29 saves.

And they needed Hronek, who logged a team-high 25:03, including extensive time on the power play and penalty kill, and assisted on both goals, including a nice pass to Bertuzzi for a goal on a redirection in the first period.

The 22-year-old defenseman has come a long way from the first half of last season, which he spent mostly with the Grand Rapids Griffins because he wasn’t ready for the NHL.

“He’s been thrown in there and playing big minutes and a lot of responsibility and he’s done a great job,” Larkin said. “I think every part of his game has matured. He’s got a great shot; he’s got a great first pass. He’s a guy that’ll get the puck on your stick. If you find him for his big one-timer, it’s always a dangerous play.”

Hronek (eight goals, 17 assists) is third on the team in scoring (25 points). At minus-17, his defense remains a work in progress but he’s trending in the right direction.

“He’s done a really good job of trying to create offense without taking unneeded risk,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “He’s making mistakes, but he’s learning as he goes, and he’s done a good job of being mentally tough.

“He’s got a weapon of a shot. We’ve played with our power play a little bit to try to get him on that flank where he can shoot that one-timer. I think that’s where he’s most dangerous. We worked him back to the top at times but he’s a guy who does have that shooting mentality.”

Coaches started Hronek as a secondary option on the penalty kill and then saw he wasn’t getting scored on as much, so his role increased.

“He spent some time learning it last year, but he’s had to learn in the NHL, too,” Blashill said. “Really, really strong on the puck, so when he gets a chance to clear the puck, he clears it. I think he’s got really good instincts. For me, his best qualities are his competitiveness and his instincts. Those two things come out certainly on the penalty kill.”

Hronek isn’t intimidated. He will agitate opponents. He received a double minor for roughing in an exchange with Brady Tkachuk in the second period.

“He’s a guy that just wants to make plays and get the puck on the other guys’ sticks and make the players around him better,” Larkin said. “He does play physical. He’s in your face.

“I think he’s one of the most loved guys in this room. I think it’s because he plays hard, he plays the right way.”

Said Bertuzzi: “He plays hard for a little guy. He hits, blocks shots and does all the little things right. He gets rewarded.”

1170662 Edmonton Oilers “These are games where I needed to play like that (Saturday). I needed to be physical and not pass up on a hit.”

Oilers coach Dave Tippett thought Tkachuk’s hit was “a dangerous play,” Calgary Flames outlast Edmonton Oilers in a spirited Battle of Alberta but at the time, “maybe you take a number” and get him later.

But, this was the race before the game, with a shortage of oxygen for the top five teams: Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal Vegas 54 points, Arizona 54 points, Edmonton 53, Calgary 53, January 12, 2020 12:49 AM MST Vancouver 52.

“I’m one of those people who does look at the standings before he goes to bed at night and again when I get up the next morning,” said former CALGARY — Saturday’s Battle of Alberta was game 700 exactly on the Oiler winger Milan Lucic. “The mindset used to be you could take a few 2019-2020 NHL schedule, not just a big game but an extra big game nights off and get ready for the playoffs, but this feels like we’re in them because of the standings in the suffocating Pacific Division. already. Man, this is crazy with five teams battling and it’s going to like For the first time in almost 30 years, back to Feb. 25, 1990, where the this for the last 35 games or so.” Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary were truly linked geographically and On the last game of five-game, 10-day trip, the Oilers were a thousand statistically, the teams both relevant, tied in points with the winner moving per cent better than their desultory 5-1 loss to Calgary Dec. 27, when into first-place in the division. both Koskinen and Smith were sick but dressed, but they were one shot When it was over, the Flames had outlasted the Oilers 4-3 to move to short as the Flames moved to 55 points ahead of Vegas who lost to No. 1 in the Pacific with the game turning late in the second when Columbus. The Oilers had a power play with eight and-a-half minutes left Matthew Tkachuk took a backside run at Zack Kassian on the end- but couldn’t tie it. boards, the raging Kassian came up swinging and wound up with a “The effort was there, emotional game from both sides,” said McDavid. double-minor rather than a major for fighting and Tkachuk got off scot- “They capitalized on their power play and we didn’t and that was the free when he should have received a charging minor. game.” In the first minute of the third, Elias Lindholm got his second of the night SCORCHING AN OLD FRIEND on the power play with Tkachuk screening Mikko Koskinen, which was sticking the knife in and twisting as Calgary also got goals from Johnny McDavid’s dazzling breakaway goal to make it 2-1 in the first where he Gaudreau and Dillon Dube. casually flipped it over Talbot as he cut across the crease was his 443rd point before his 23rd birthday, fifth best with Wayne Gretzky (861), Dale Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had two for the Oilers on Cam Talbot and Connor Hawerchuk (529). Mario Lemieux (516) and Sidney Crosby (506) ahead McDavid the other on a breathtaking solo rush up the ice in the opening of him. McDavid turns 23 on Monday. period in a game that resembled the emotional pitch of a playoff game, especially the run-in with Tkachuk and Kassian which started earlier with “Who has the advantage, the goalie or the shooters when you play your Tkachuk walloping Kassian and knocking the winger and his helmet former team? Good question,” Talbot said in the morning. “Lots of skill on flying in the first frame. that side and they can make you look silly”

Kassian wanted his pound of flesh and got it in the fight but the Flames h3>TWO-BALL CORNER POCKET got the two points. This was old-style Battle of Alberta stuff, a war of words from Kassian and Tkachuk. Bodies flying, 64 shots on goal, seven Nugent-Hopkins, who ripped a shot over Talbot’s shoulder in the first off goals, lots of angry invective. a terrific feed from Kailer Yamamoto, shrugged his shoulders when a second shot skipped by the Flames goalie in the second. His 30-foot shot “I wouldn’t have done anything differently. I grew up with the mentality was going 15 feet wide of the net but hit the left skate of Gaudreau and that there’s a game within the game. He got me earlier and the second skipped past Talbot, whose shoulders slumped. It was Nugent-Hopkins’ time you can’t let people take advantage of you no matter the situation,” third two-goal game, first since Nov. 14 against Colorado. said Kassian, who got the penalties when it was a 3-3 game. SENDING A MESSAGE “He targets me behind the net, Raffi Torres style in a way and if you’re going to hit like that you have to answer the bell once in a while. I’m not In big-boy game in Calgary, Tippett didn’t play winger Jujhar Khaira and the first person to say that.” inserted Sam Gagner, playing the smaller but more creative Gagner. Not a good sign for Khaira, who was also a healthy scratch Dec. 21 vs Kassian believes there’s still a code in the game where you have to back Montreal and Dec. 23 in Vancouver. His leash is growing shorter with the up a hellacious hit. coaching staff. He could be in play at the trade deadline Feb. 24.

“I love that stuff, I wish we could play him in a day and half like a playoff “We wanted to give Sam a try, we’re looking for more playmaking ability series. Losing the game sucks but all in all he’s just a young punk and on that line,” said Tippett. who has to figure that aspect out. He’s a pretty good player but he’s a p—y, straight-up,” said Kassian. ON THE BENCH: Nugent-Hopkins lost out to Vancouver defenceman Quinn Hughes in the Last Man Standing fan vote to see who was added “He wouldn’t fight me two years ago because I was a fourth liner. Now for the Pacific Division all-star team for the weekend in St. Louis. I’ve got 13 goals, so what’s the excuse? I was kind of grateful the linesman didn’t come in because I got a couple (how about 10 punches?) in on him. Obviously, I wished we could have killed the penalty. It sucks Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 01.12.2020 that we lost the game. His first hit was a good one but I thought the second one. I thought those hits were out of the game,” said Kassian.

Tkachuk said he was just playing his game and wasn’t going to drop the mitts with Kassian.

“Oh yeah, I’m not fighting there. It’s a tough little trade-off there,” he said. “Well if he doesn’t want to get hit, then stay off the tracks. I caught him three times there. You’d think he’d learn after the first one. If he wants to react like that, we’ll take the power play, take the game-winner and we’ll move on to first place.

“That is part of my game. If I don’t do that, I’m not the same player. Right now, maybe the puck’s not going in like it was at the beginning of the year for me but you’ve got to be that type of player where you can provide stuff other than that to the table. 1170663 Edmonton Oilers “I was only here for a year but I felt pretty comfortable on the ice (for the morning skate). I’ve played lots in this building as a visiting player (Nashville, Vegas). It wasn’t too weird for me,” he said.

Milan Lucic has an idea of McDavid and Drasaitl leadership in the room Neal, who went into the Flames game with 19 goals, feels last year’s seven goals as a Flames winger was an aberration, a one-off for the 32- year-old forward.

Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal “I’ve scored 20 every year I’ve been in the league but that one. I was expecting to get 20 again last season but it didn’t happen. All year long I January 11, 2020 10:54 PM MST was thinking ‘OK, what’s wrong, what’s going on?’ It was tough to say, but this summer I put my work in and I came back to be myself. It’s been enjoyable,” he said. CALGARY — When he was in Edmonton, Milan Lucic was the defacto captain in the dressing room. This ’n that: Calgary Flames’ assistant GM Chris Snow, a former sportswriter who covered the Red Sox for the Boston Globe and the Wild What he said went a long way because he’s won and because he’s, well, for the Minneapolis Tribune before getting into management, was on Milan Lucic. After Hours with Scott Oake with his wife Kelsie talking about his battle with ALS. Snow, one of the great guys in our hockey business, was But, the Calgary Flames winger has all the time in the world for Connor diagnosed with the motor neuron disease in June and is in a gene McDavid and Leon Draisaitl for what they brought and what they had to therapy clinical trial at University of Miami. His dad died of the disease, say, too, after being part of the Oilers leadership group for three years. along with two paternal uncles and his 28-year-old cousin. Snow, 38, has He’s an unabashed fan of both players, now on the other side of the been feeling great and was on the ice at a community rink for playing rivalry. hockey with his boy over Christmas. “I was out there for three hours and “Connor when he spoke was more of a positive guy. He wants to lead the could have stayed for six,” he said. Right now his right hand and forearm way and wants guys to kind of go with him in that sense,” said Lucic. have been affected and he has a special hockey glove but that’s it. “He’s not a guy who comes in and tells a player you need to be better.

Obviously everybody’s personality is different and you need a balance. He’s a positive, everybody come along type of guy.” Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 01.12.2020 What did McDavid learn from Lucic?

“We’re different guys, he’s more vocal, he’s a veteran guy who’s been around a long time. He would tell you how it is when he talked,” said McDavid. “He was a bit more vocal when he first came in, he had a bunch of ideas like breaking the season into segments, which I thought was really cool. It definitely helped a lot to have him around.”

And Draisaitl?

“To be honest, Leon’s probably more direct. He’s harder on guys than Connor is but they’re both positive in their own way. I had a lot of fun playing with both of them,” said Lucic.

“Milan described Leon as being direct in what he says,” a reporter told Oscar Klefbom.

“Direct? Yeah, that’s a good way to put it,” said the Oilers defenceman.

LUCIC AS MCDAVID FAN:

What did he learn from playing with McDavid off and on in Edmonton?

“I learned what I’m not capable of doing myself,” laughed Lucic, who feels the sky’s the limit with the Oilers captain, aware that McDavid’s only scratched the surface as a scorer.

“I think if he decides to not pass one year, how many goals can he score? Seventy, 75. I don’t know if he would get to 100 but I could easily see Connor get to 70 because he can go end-to-end and do the type of things like he did in Toronto,” said Lucic.

What Lucic said harkens back to Wayne Gretzky in his third Oiler season (1981-82) where he scored 50 in the first 39 games and 92 in all after two 50-goal seasons. In that epic ’81-82 season, Gretzky had 370 shots after just 261 the year before. Over a four-year span he had 370, 348, 326 and 354 shots and he scored 92, 71, 87 and 73 goals.

“Everybody talks about the goal Connor scored in Toronto. When I saw it … it was the dad’s trip and we were at Ditka’s (restaurant) in Chicago, in the Hall of Fame room with all these TVs on because it was on NBC because of the (Austin) Matthews-McDavid showdown and I wasn’t even surprised by what Connor did,” said Lucic. “The dads and the players were all going ‘Holy crap, did you see that?’ But Connor did exactly what he wanted to do. He was baiting the guy (Morgan Rielly) and as soon as Rielly crossed his feet over it was like, boom, he goes the other way and the puck’s in the net/ That’s what makes him a generational player.”

BACK TO THE SCENE OF THE CRIME

Oilers winger James Neal played his first league game at the Saddledome after last July’s trade for Lucic and it’s admittedly a different feeling than playing the Flames at Rogers Place Dec. 27. 1170664 Edmonton Oilers That wasn’t all Kassian said. He added that he was “grateful the ref didn’t come in right away” since it allowed him to get in more punches. He further hinted that the next time Calgary and Edmonton play, he will handle things differently. Zack Kassian calls Matthew Tkachuk a ‘p****,’ says he’d go after him again despite Oilers’ loss “It’s going to be one of those games where I know he’s not going to fight, but maybe it’s my turn to deliver something, to follow him around a little and wait until he gets in a bad situation. Simple.”

By Jonathan Willis That might be a comment he ultimately regrets. The NHL’s standard of player discipline isn’t a model of consistency, but the league is fully Jan 11, 2020 aware of the kind of attention it gets when it allows these situations to escalate rather than ending in the game in which they originally occurred.

CALGARY — It was a four-point game, decided by a four-minute penalty. Even without those comments, it’s possible Kassian could face supplemental discipline. Although the referees saw Kassian’s penalty as Twice in the first two periods of Saturday’s contest between the Oilers worthy of just a double-minor, the league has not always limited itself to and Flames, Matthew Tkachuk, agitator extraordinaire, lined up Zack settling for the on-ice calls in these situations. Oilers fans will recall that Kassian for hard hits. In both cases, the referees deemed the contact Darnell Nurse was suspended for three games a few years back under legal, in keeping with an officiating standard that saw precious little evil the NHL’s aggressor rule for fighting an unwilling Roman Polak. Nurse on either side. The second time it happened, Kassian lost his temper, got a five-minute major in the game, along with a two-minute minor for throwing his gloves off and attacking Tkachuk. roughing, despite clearly being deserving of an instigator. Despite his lack of history with player safety, the league came down relatively hard. Tkachuk refused to fight, limiting his actions to self-defence. It was reasonable to think Kassian would get a major penalty for fighting, along The Oilers next face Calgary exactly three games from now. with an instigating minor and perhaps a misconduct for good measure. Instead, he got a double-minor and 10-minute misconduct, a remarkably Leaving that aside, the results in the present are bad enough for lenient penalty under the circumstances. It was painful enough, though: Edmonton. The Pacific Division is tight, and the win moves Calgary into The Flames took a 4-3 lead on the ensuing power play and held on to first place. The regulation loss leaves Edmonton just a single point up on win the game by the same score. Vancouver and Winnipeg, currently tied for the final wild-card slot. Both teams have two games in hand on the Oilers. Asked immediately after the game if he’d do anything differently, Kassian was defiant. Asked afterward whether Kassian needed to handle the situation differently, coach Dave Tippett paused before answering. The dilemma “No, I don’t think so,” he said. “The game within the game, he got me a facing him was clear: either condone a play that resulted in the game- little earlier, but then the second time, I just grew up that you don’t let winning goal against or fail to support a player in an emotionally charged people take advantage of you, no matter what the situation is. I think they situation. He played it down the middle. were targeted hits. You look — (I’m) behind the net, it’s like Raffi Torres- style in a way, but I’m a bigger guy and I don’t get the biggest impact “It’s a dangerous hit, coming down from there,” he said. “Kass, I’d like to (from the hit). If you’re going to throw hits like that, you’ve got to answer see him, for lack of a (better term), get a number. Right? You’re in a tight the bell once in a while. I’m not the first guy to say that.” game, it’s 3-3, get a number and deal with it later. Deal with winning the game. Torres, who played for seven NHL teams, was suspended by the league five times for hits to the head. Early in his career, he straddled the line of “Those things happen; it’s an emotional game, it’s a battle. And like I say, what was then considered legal. His first suspension didn’t come until his I wish we could’ve killed the penalty for him.” ninth season in the league, after which he received four in short order, starting with a blow to the head of then-Oiler Jordan Eberle. In some respects, the escalating discipline was the result of changing attitudes The Athletic LOADED: 01.12.2020 toward hits to the head; in others, it was a response to a growing reputation for cheap shots.

Kassian felt he was targeted by Tkachuk and sharply criticized the Flames winger for his refusal to fight.

“He got me in the third. He followed me in the corner, right?” Kassian said. “He’s clearly trying to target me, which I like. I’m standing here — I love that stuff. I wish I could play him in a day and a half in a playoff series. It was fun for me.

“We lost the game, it sucks, but all in all he’s just a young punk who has to figure that aspect out. He’s a pretty good player, but he’s a pussy. He’s the definition of it. He wouldn’t fight me two years ago, said I was a fourth-liner. Now I have 13 goals. What’s the excuse now?”

For his part, Tkachuk was not offering excuses. He was unapologetic. In fact, he mocked Kassian for not doing more to protect himself from the hits.

“If he doesn’t want to get hit, then stay off the tracks,” Tkachuk said, per TSN’s Jermaine Franklin. “… Caught him three times there, so you think he’d learn after the first one, but if he wants to react like that, we’ll take the PP, we’ll take the game-winner and we’ll move on to first place.”

Kassian hadn’t heard those comments when he spoke to reporters, but he might as well have, as he addressed both points.

“The third one … the first one was a good hit. The second, he comes down; that’s a weird play. I could sit there as a winger, and when anyone comes around the net, I could headhunt them when the D’s ragging them and they have their head down and I could smoke them. I thought those hits were out of the game. If they aren’t, hey, I’m popping up; I like that stuff. I was engaged in the game. I took myself out of the game, which sucks, but what is it, Game 45? That’s not going to make or break us.” 1170665 Edmonton Oilers The first-round picks were one thing, but the other selections took time to develop. From 2008 to 2017, a prospect could be drafted by one general manager, sign an NHL contract before turning pro, then play his first pro games under a new regime. It happened this way for Jujhar Khaira, Lowetide: Projecting William Lagesson’s future with the Edmonton Oilers Lagesson and others.

It set up a strange tradition. One of the ramifications saw young players exit years before they normally would because of a brand-new plan. By Allan Mitchell A good example can be seen in the 2013 offseason, an especially Jan 11, 2020 turbulent period in team history. In mid-April, MacTavish replaced Tambellini as general manager. As is the case with any new management team, changes were made. Teemu Hartikainen signed with One of my favourite things in sports is a good scouting report. It should a KHL team, with his entry deal exhausted and the Oilers’ new general inform you of the player as an introduction while also serving as a manager unwilling to commit. MacTavish said of Hartikainen, “In today’s guideline for the future. In the case of William Lagesson, who arrived in NHL, even marginally, you have to be a threat to score.” Instead, the club the NHL on Dec. 31, that scouting report would have to cover over five signed Jesse Joensuu, who was more expensive and had some NHL years of development. Someone who can provide a thumbnail sketch of experience and major back issues. the now and project 2,000 days into the future is a gifted observer and writer. Fair? Magnus Paajarvi, also at the end of his entry deal, was sent away with the pick that would become Ivan Barbashev in exchange for David Corey Pronman, May 2014: “He’s a guy I had rated around 60. I’ve seen Perron. Chris VandeVelde, a giant centre who played in some NHL him play well many times; he’s a player I really like. At the U-18 level, in games in each of his entry years, didn’t get a second contract and signed the tournament in February and in April, he was a top player for Sweden with the Philadelphia Flyers. Toni Rajala, a small skill winger, decided to U-18s. He’s a physical defenseman; he skates well and defends well. I sign in Europe. The Oilers could have retained his rights but bought him don’t think he’s a sterling offensive player, but he has average puck- out instead. moving ability.” None of these moves was earth-shattering but, when added to changes There’s not a word out of place in this scouting report. In five sentences, made by each previous general manager, effectively activated a restart Pronman tells us who Lagesson is and who he isn’t while also being button in the development system. The 2010 and 2011 drafts were likely specific about his limitations. Five years later, I don’t believe you can the biggest hits, with names like Tobias Rieder (who didn’t sign with the change a word to make it better. team), Tyler Pitlick, Brandon Davidson and Martin Marincin destined to play elsewhere. Lagesson is an interesting young player for the Oilers, and his adjustment into the NHL is going to be tricky for the organization. He will These are support, complementary players, but that’s what the Oilers are be waiver-eligible in the fall, so he must be kept on the roster. His style of looking for right now and were looking for in the fall of 2017 and 2018. play, while important, doesn’t populate the majority of the defensive roster spots for a modern NHL team. MacTavish’s first summer featured several players graduating from entry- level to second contracts. He sent away Paajarvi, VandeVelde, A shutdown defenceman, Lagesson isn’t applying for the same job as, Hartikainen and Rajala. He added graduating juniors (Oscar Klefbom, say, Evan Bouchard or even Caleb Jones. His competition for playing David Musil, Travis Ewanyk) and signed college players like Andrew time? Kris Russell and, to a lesser extent (due to handedness), Adam Miller and Jordan Oesterle. Will Acton replaced Anton Lander in the Larsson. preseason.

AHL success Many of MacT’s moves (the trade for Perron, the Oesterle signing) worked out, but the reset of the roster meant starting all over. The Oilers’ Lagesson was one of three young defencemen who emerged as bona plodding development timeline for players like Pitlick and Marincin also fide NHL options in 2018-19. Using even-strength goal differential from contributed to an organization that wasn’t getting enough out of the draft that season, we see that the Oilers had three quality players in entry- and development system. Oesterle turned into a better player than level deals: Marincin, but Marincin was NHL-ready in 2013 and Oesterle didn’t arrive 2018-19 Condors GP EV GF EV GA Diff. as an NHL regular until 2017-18 with the Chicago Blackhawks.

William Lagesson 67 57 35 +22 Holland’s approach

Caleb Jones 50 48 30 +18 That’s why Ken Holland’s approach to players like Lagesson is an important aspect of team building in Edmonton. He was fortunate in that Ethan Bear 52 43 29 +14 his restricted-free-agent decisions last summer (Edmonton retained only A year later, Ethan Bear is playing big minutes in the NHL, while Jones Khaira and Shane Starrett) were not difficult. He sent away Tobias and Lagesson are working on establishing themselves as NHL options Rieder, Tyler Vesel, Colin Larkin, Ty Rattie and Robin Norell and retained with the Oilers. the rights to Jesse Puljujarvi.

This is a difficult time for the organization and for the players. Lagesson This offseason will be a little different. Bear, Jones and Lagesson need and Jones need to break through as regulars who can play every night, contracts and a roster spot opening night if they are to be retained. exceed the performances of veterans like Russell and build confidence Bouchard, too, likely has a roster spot in the fall, meaning a massive with coach Dave Tippett. The Oilers have to make sure one or both are amount of youth on defence. There’s every chance someone is going. ready, then make room, if possible. It’s a sticky wicket, especially with More on that in a minute. waivers waiting in October. RFAs

Traditionally, the Oilers are poor at getting this difficult minors-to-majors The big player in restricted free agency for Edmonton this summer is adjustment right. In the past, the club would have multiple options and Darnell Nurse. Bear will also be a priority, and Matt Benning needs to be settle on the wrong one or, worse, set loose an entire prospect cluster signed, plus Bear and Jones. Joel Persson needs a contract (RFA) if he’s and start over. It’s one of the reasons depth and a lack of balance have in the plans. Edmonton has Klefbom, Larsson and Russell under been issues for most of the century. contract, with Bouchard also signed and pushing.

Edmonton’s prospect-cluster problems can best be understood by A reasonable estimate has the club retaining Nurse and Bear as a placing general manager history over the top of a prospect’s draft day. relative certainty. That makes six and may, in fact, represent the Kevin Lowe’s final draft (2008) produced Jordan Eberle, and Steve opening-night lineup: Tambellini’s last draft (2012) delivered . The final Craig MacTavish (2014) selection was Leon Draisaitl, and the final Peter Oscar Klefbom-Adam Larsson Chiarelli draft has Evan Bouchard (2018) as the most likely to secure an Darnell Nurse-Ethan Bear NHL career. Kris Russell-Evan Bouchard Benning, Jones and Lagesson, all restricted, would be looking for a spot. Holland could trade Russell or Larsson, but it’s unlikely both will be dealt. There’s a logjam, with waivers rising, and the squeeze is on.

The Oilers want to find out about Lagesson, but time is running short. Jones is in the same situation, although he’s slightly ahead and possesses a wider range of skills. My guess is both will play quite a bit in the coming days. Benning isn’t back until after the All-Star break, which gives Edmonton more track to audition Lagesson and Jones.

These are not Holland’s prospects, but he must maximize the return and make sure Edmonton continues to build a roster that is balanced and has depth at the NHL and AHL levels. It’s been a long time coming.

Having watched these things for a long time, I suspect the Oilers and Holland have their plans already laid out and are now looking for confirmation. If Lagesson is here in the fall, it’s third pair, left side. Same for Jones. Games played for Edmonton will be an opportunity to evaluate the player who gets the work. For all 31 NHL teams. We wait.

The Athletic LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170666 Los Angeles Kings

Hurricanes shut out Kings behind James Reimer’s 41 saves

Staff Report

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS |

PUBLISHED: January 11, 2020 at 7:18 pm | UPDATED: January 11, 2020 at 7:20 PM

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) >> James Reimer made 41 saves as the Carolina Hurricanes posted a shutout for the second consecutive game with a 2-0 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night.

Nino Niederreiter scored the opening goal 4:52 into the first period and Reimer took care of the rest to help Carolina earn its third consecutive win and finish a seven game homestand with a 5-2-0 record. Teuvo Terravainen added an empty-net goal with four seconds remaining.

Los Angeles goalie Jack Campbell was nearly as brilliant as Reimer as he stopped 28 of the 29 shots. The Kings lost for the fourth time in five games.

One night earlier, Petr Mrazek stopped 32 shots as the Hurricanes won 3-0 over Arizona. Reimer’s performance provided a bit of redemption after he struggled in Tuesday night’s 5-4 overtime win over Philadelphia.

Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said after that game Reimer, who has had a solid season as the team’s No. 2 goalie, would have liked to have a couple of the Philadelphia goals back. There were no such concerns after his latest game.

In the first period, Reimer used his left pad to stop an Adrian Kempe backhander on a 2-on-1 rush and used his right arm to stop Austin Wagner 15 seconds before the first intermission. In the second period, Reimer made a pad save on Kempe again directly in front of the net. In the third period, he stopped an Alex Iafallo shot from the slot with his body on a Los Angeles power play.

And with 15 seconds remaining in a 1-all game, Drew Doughty fired a shot past Reimer that caromed off the post to the goalie’s left to preserve Reimer’s third shutout of the season.

Campbell also was outstanding for the Kings for a second straight outing. On Thursday, he made a season-high 44 saves to help Los Angeles win 5-2 at Las Vegas. In the third period at Carolina, he kept the Kings within a goal by stopping Jordan Staal when he broke in alone on net at the conclusion of a Los Angeles power play.

Orange County Register: LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170667 Los Angeles Kings “I thought we battled really hard and played really well,” he said. “It stings a lot, like you said. It almost stings more when you play that well.”

It was a one-goal game until the final seconds when Teravainen’s empty- ‘It stings’: Early woes prove costly — again — for Kings in 2-0 loss to netter made it 2-0. The Hurricanes also beat the Kings 2-0 in Los Hurricanes Angeles on Oct. 15, with goaltender Petr Mrazek shutting them out.

It’s easy to forget that Adrian Kempe was made an early season example by the new coaching regime: a healthy scratch on Nov. 12 against By Lisa Dillman Minnesota.

Jan 11, 2020 Kempe did come back and score a goal in his next game following the demotion, but his real surge has been in the last month or so.

In his past 16 games, he has seven goals and 10 points, and he has RALEIGH, N.C. — There really should be more throwback nights for settled in and found a good home at left wing on a line with Michael transplanted major-league sports teams, quite honestly. Amadio and Austin Wagner. Maybe the Carolina Hurricanes and a nod to their Hartford past with “There was a phase at the beginning of the year where we wondered if Whalers Night — more like a fuzzy embrace, in fact — will spark an NHL he would fit, what he was doing,” McLellan said. “Now you can’t get trend. Of course, the Arizona Coyotes better not do it against the enough of him. Credit to him for sticking with it. Winnipeg Jets, because who wouldn’t be utterly discombobulated by the end of the night? “His tenacity, his speed, his skill set is coming out night after night. We’re lucky to have him right now. He seems comfortable on the wing, And let’s not even get started with the wanderlusting NFL Raiders. comfortable on that line. I really think he’s an alpha on that line and takes The Los Angeles Kings happened to be the visitors on this special night charge. Maybe that’s what he needed.” at PNC Arena, as Whalers Night turned into James Reimer Night. The Anderson-Dolan makes season debut 31-year-old goaltender made 41 saves in Carolina’s 2-0 victory against the Kings on Saturday. It’s been more than a year since Jaret Anderson-Dolan was in the Kings’ lineup. He made the team to start last season and appeared in five “If I’m a fan, I’m happy I came to the game tonight, because you saw a games before the Kings decided to send him back to his junior team in hell of a game both ways,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said. Spokane. And with that, a few additional takes and observations from Game No. 47 The high point was his first NHL point, an assist, at Montreal that his for the Kings, a loss putting them at 18-25-4 and 1-1 on this five-game mother, Fran Anderson-Dolan, was able to witness in person, hastily trip. making her way from Calgary in the morning to Montreal at night. I was talking the other day with one of the Kings’ scouts about one of With center Blake Lizotte injured on Wednesday night against Dallas, their prospects, Aidan Dudas, after the World Junior Championships. He Anderson-Dolan got the word from Ontario coach Mike Stothers that he pointed out that Dudas had a certain swagger — the good kind, not the was being called up. That was the same night after the Reign lost 9-0 to bad. the San Jose Barracuda and Anderson-Dolan was a -5. Defenseman So does defenseman Alec Martinez. Kale Clague was a -6.

We heard Kings TV analyst Jim Fox use that word in the wind tunnel of a “Pretty low of lows to high of highs, honestly,” Anderson-Dolan said. “It corridor at the arena in his postgame analysis. Martinez has been back was a tough loss, but being on the bus (coming back from San Jose) and for five games after being out since Nov. 25 because of a lacerated wrist having (Stothers) tell me I’m going up is obviously exciting. It’s kind of a that required surgery. roller coaster.”

“Tough injury. You just get up and running with a new coaching staff and Against the Hurricanes, Anderson-Dolan centered Nikolai Prokhorkin and a new system and you go down with an injury like that,” McLellan said. Trevor Lewis on the fourth line, playing 10:27. “And people don’t understand how important your hands and your wrists Anderson-Dolan said he has been working on different aspects of his are for feel of the puck. You can see a play. You can see it evolve, but if game. you don’t have a good feel with your hands, you don’t often make it. “I’ve gotten a lot better on draws as the season went on (in Ontario),” he “You can really see it starting to come back in his situation. So we’re said. “That was a big change for me — how good guys are on faceoffs happy for him.” and having puck possession is huge. So that was a big thing to work on.” Goals, of course, get more attention. There was this goal by Martinez against Vegas on Thursday: The Athletic LOADED: 01.12.2020 “He’s just so good at knowing what he does well, and he brings that every game,” Kings goaltender Jack Campbell said recently. “He has a calmness about his game that I think rubs off on the group in a positive way. I think he blocks more shots than anybody, so that’s awesome.

“He has a looseness on the ice but also knows when to turn it on, being serious and bearing down.”

The Kings gave up a goal less than five minutes into the game (4:52), by Nino Niederreiter, and were lucky to come out of the first period down by only one.

“You can’t say he’s selfish, that’s for sure,” Campbell said of Niederreiter’s goal. “That’s about as good a look as you can have, and he gave it back to (Teuvo Teravainen). They’re all really good players. They’ve been doing that all season. I thought we did a really good job on their skill tonight. It’s not easy to do.

“It’s crazy how fast they come out. Vegas is a good starting team, but this team might be the best I’ve played against, personally.”

Campbell, who was exceptional Thursday with the win at Vegas, was making starts in consecutive games for the first time since Nov. 30 against Winnipeg and Dec. 2 at Anaheim. 1170668 Los Angeles Kings LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 01.12.2020

FINAL – SAN DIEGO 6, ONTARIO 1

ZACH DOOLEY

JANUARY 11, 2020

The Ontario Reign fell for the third time in three games, as they dropped a 6-1 decision in San Diego to cap off a three-game week.

The Reign got an early goal, which came from forward Martin Frk on a penalty shot, but were unable to beat Kevin Boyle during the run of play, despite throwing 43 shots on goal over the course of the game.

The Gulls scored twice in each period, as they were the more clinical team in capitalizing on their opportunities, while Ontario, despite having more chances, couldn’t convert more than Frk’s penalty shot 1:27 into the game. Mikey Eyssimont had six shots on goal, including some Grade-A chances, while three Reign defensemen (Paul LaDue, Mikey Anderson and Austin Strand) each had at least four shots on goal.

Ontario will regroup next week, in the first non-holiday week without a midweek game since late-November. The Reign are back in action with three divisional games in four days, all on home ice, beginning on Friday against Stockton.

Brett Sutter on what he felt went wrong tonight

I thought we played better, again that’s not enough right now. These last two games were playoff games for us and we didn’t find a way to win. We’re giving up too many goals and we’re not capitalizing on important chances to swing the momentum for us. It starts with us older guys, we’ve got to set the tone in the room and we can all be better, that’s for sure.

On correcting individual, or situational mistakes

This league is learning every day. We’ve got a lot of moving parts, a lot of young guys, there’s a lot of teaching involved and we can get better as a team, but that’s partially due to pushing each other, and expecting more out of each other. Like I said, I thought we were better tonight, controlling the play, creating chances, we had a good amount of shots, but we’ve got to start finding ways to capitalize and create momentum for us.

On finding positives to take away from this weekend, despite the two losses

I think you’re always looking for positives. Right now, I think it’s good for us to be pissed off about the loss. We’re in a bit of a hole right now, and we’ve got to put a good week of work in here and we’ve got to come hungry and, like I said, motivated and ready to push each other, because it’s going to be a hard push and a good push down the stretch here.

Mike Stothers on another game with 40+ shots, but situational breakdowns winding up in the back of the net

We had some turnovers that they capitalized on. Let’s just say that the opportunities that [the Gulls] did have, they took full advantage of and they scored. We had some chances and we didn’t.

Well, we can’t give them up to anybody. It’s pro hockey, you can’t, but the other side of it is we’ve got to bear down and find a way to score some goals ourselves. We had numerous good chances, and numerous good looks, and we didn’t. If you’re not getting chances that’s one thing, but when you are, you’ve got to find the back of the net.

On how to make corrections, and finish more of those opportunities

Some guys are just naturals, like Frkster – he gets a penalty shot, he scores. That’s what he does. Other guys, that are wanting more minutes, wanting to play in certain situations, they’ve got to find a way to do it. We’ll preach on it in practice, hit the net, stop in front, look for rebounds, go to the dirty areas. Just keep preaching the same thing, and hopefully sooner or later it will sink in.

Well, you would think so. You also think that about the Powerball. You buy 50 tickets and you think you’re going to win, so then if you buy 70 tickets, you think you’re going to win. One of these days we’re going to win a Powerball, the puck’s going to go in. 1170669 Los Angeles Kings

JANUARY 11 POSTGAME QUOTES: TODD MCLELLAN

JON ROSEN

JANUARY 11, 2020

Todd McLellan, on what he liked about the loss, and whether that sounds odd:

It doesn’t sound odd at all. A lot of years in the league right now. It’s probably one of the better-played losses that I’ve experienced. The team really played well. We played against a team that doesn’t give up much. Plays at a very fast pace and I thought we played right there with them the whole night. A little puck luck around the net and it could’ve been a different story, but there’s no need to hang our heads as we walk out of this building tonight. Reload, get some rest, we’re going to play a pretty good team on Tuesday.

McLellan, on whether this was the type of result when both teams execute and play well:

If I’m a fan, I’m happy that I came to the game tonight because you played a hell of a game both ways. Both teams played with a lot of detail, a lot of pace. There were plays being made, but plays offensively and defensively. Some good goaltending, of course, at both ends. Certainly, they’re a very good team. I can speak for ours, but we were happy with our game. It’s just not finishing – and it wasn’t because we didn’t create chances. We had our share. A few posts that didn’t go in. Sometimes those go off the post and in. They went off the post and out tonight. But there’s nothing to whine or bitch about tonight.

McLellan, on whether he’s seeing the linear progress and consistency desired from Adrian Kempe:

The progress is definitely going there. There was a phase at the beginning of the year where we wondered if he would fit, what he was doing, and now you can’t get enough of him. Credit to him for sticking with it. His tenacity, his speed, his pace, his skill set is coming out night after night. We’re lucky to have him right now. He seems comfortable on the wing. He seems comfortable on that line. I really think he’s an alpha on that line and takes charge, and maybe that’s what he needed. But whatever it was, he certainly for the last 30 games or so has been a tremendous player for us.

McLellan, on Alec Martinez returning with confidence:

Tough injury. He’d just really got up and running with a new coaching staff and a new system, and you go down with an injury like that, people don’t understand how important your hands and wrist are for feel of the puck. You can see a play, you can see it evolve, but if you don’t have a good feel with your hands, you don’t often make it, and you can really see it starting to come back in his situation, so we’re happy for him.

McLellan, on the confidence to stick with the same players over the final two minutes:

Well, they were getting the job done. There’s no need to change. We got enough whistles, had a time out banked, the other team was a little bit tired, so there was no need to make changes. Again, they did everything but score. It’s a tough night. It’s tough to play so well and not get rewarded, but we’ll try and bottle that and play well in Tampa and find a way to win one.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170670 Los Angeles Kings but I thunk just a big thing coming into pros was working on my defensive game. I’ve gotten a lot better on draws as the season went on. That was a big change for me, just how good guys were on faceoffs, and having puck possession is huge, so that was a big thing to work on. A “MATTER OF TIME” BEFORE ANDERSON-DOLAN GOT THE CALL; BRIND’AMOUR AUDIO

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 01.12.2020

JON ROSEN

JANUARY 11, 2020

Jaret Anderson-Dolan hasn’t played in the NHL for over a year, though much of what you recall greatly applies. His maturity and Hockey IQ mesh well with his motor, ensuring that it was only a “matter of time” before he was recalled this season. “He’s a solid pro even though he’s only 20 years old,” LA Kings Director of Player Personnel Nelsom Emerson said.

For the last six weeks, Anderson-Dolan forced the Kings’ hand. He’s netted a goal and 10 points in his last 15 games in Ontario, drawing the observation from the development staff that his game has been rounding together and that his comfort and confidence are freeing up his playmaking ability.

“JAD’s a responsible player,” Todd McLellan said. “He’s got a little bit of size, he’s good along the boards, he can skate, so we’ll be looking for those things. Keep in mind he has played in the league before, but it’s been a while. I’m sure he’ll be anxious and a little bit nervous again. Getting back into the NHL has been a goal of his. I think he’s been disappointed he didn’t stick with the team right out of camp, but the best thing for him was to go down and play a lot of games. Now we’ll see where his game’s evolved and what he can do on a nightly basis.”

Jaret Anderson-Dolan, on his first full three months of pro hockey:

It’s been good, just a learning experience more than anything. Just trying to round out my game, and it’s completely different than junior, obviously. So, I’m just trying to get better every day. That was kind of the big thing, and having a coach like Stothers down there definitely helps with that.

Anderson-Dolan, on the differences from junior hockey:

It’s just being consistent. You can’t take any nights off. Just getting your game to form your identity for what you’re going to be for the rest of your career – that’s kind of the big thing, especially when you’re young. Kind of just molding that, and I think when you first come in you want to make an impression as a pro, so that’s kind of the big thing for me.

Anderson-Dolan, on keys to his growth this season:

Just maturing overall. When you come in, you want to make an impact but you just kind of want to be quiet and let your actions speak louder than your words, and I’m still like that, but like I said before, just the experience, so a lot more comfortable with my game and playing against men for the past three months has helped. Hopefully that’ll translate into a little bit better experience this time up.

Anderson-Dolan, on whether his personality meshes well with the group’s:

Yeah, for sure. I’m not really a loud guy to begin with. For sure. All the guys here are great. They all make you feel welcome, and we’re here to make an impact. That’s why you get called up, because you make an impact and you want to stay up here, so that’s the goal for me. The older guys that are here make you feel comfortable, and a great group of younger guys that are going to be the future of this team.

Anderson-Dolan, on whether added familiarity with pro hockey has opened up his playmaking:

Just being more familiar with the league and I think just confidence, as well. Having touches, getting touches on the power play and at even strength, having the confidence to make plays and trusting your abilities. For me, that comes with skating and trying to push the pace and make the defenders turn. It’s been coming a little bit more lately, so hopefully keep that going.

Anderson-Dolan, on his skill set:

Just overall, a 200-foot player, a responsible centerman who can create offense. The offense has been coming a little bit more for me recently, 1170671 Los Angeles Kings

PREVIEW – ONTARIO @ SAN DIEGO, 1/11

ZACH DOOLEY

JANUARY 11, 2020

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP: The Ontario Reign are back in action to close out the week, as they visit San Diego to battle the Gulls. Ontario dropped its second consecutive game yesterday, a 5-3 defeat against the Bakersfield Condors.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: The Ontario Reign held an optional, or partial, morning skate today and are expected to make one lineup change this evening, with Sean Durzi looking like returning to the lineup and defenseman Chaz Reddekopp expected to be out. In net, goaltender Matthew Villalta was off first, and could make his fifth start of the season this evening in San Diego. Tonight’s lineup is expected to be another 11- 7 alignment for Ontario, as was done last night in Ontario.

CLOSER TO THE MART: Forward Martin Frk led Ontario last night with two points (1-1-2), as he skated on both the first and third lines in the 11- 7 alignment. Head Coach Mike Stothers said that Frk played around 28 minutes yesterday evening, with the game plan to play him every other shift throughout the game. With the goal and the assist, Frk leads all Reign skaters with 15 goals and 25 points this season.

TIME STRAND STILL: Reign blueliner Austin Strand scored his seventh goal of the season in yesterday’s defeat. With the marker, Strand now has sole possession of the Ontario lead in goals from the blueline, and is tied for third in the American Hockey League in goals by a defenseman this season. Strand has already tied his goal-output from last season, in 11 fewer games, and has 14 points in total on the season.

NUMBER 21 – 12: Ontario’s number 21, Mikey Eyssimont, also scored in yesterday’s game. The second-year forward now has four goals over his last six games and his nine goals on the season are second most on the Reign, trailing just Frk. With 18 points this season, Eyssimont ranks second amongst active skaters, and third overall in scoring, and is just one goal and one assist shy of matching last season’s totals, in 27 fewer games to date.

I WILL CHOOSE FREE VILL: Reign netminder Matthew Villalta made 30 saves on 31 shots in Saturday’s win over Stockton, as he improved to 3- 2-0 this season. Villalta has now won three consecutive starts for the Reign and in games in which he has started, the first-year netminder has posted a .933 save percentage and a 2.23 goals against average. Villalta has also posted a 4-3-1 record with the ECHL’s from eight games played this season.

EXIT, THE WARRIOR: Ontario forward Jaret Anderson-Dolan earned his first recall to the NHL this season and, per LAKingsInsider.com, he is expected to make his season debut with the Kings tonight in Carolina. Anderson-Dolan still leads the Reign in assists (14) and ranks second in points (19) this season. The 20-year-old forward made his NHL debut with Los Angeles in October 2018, and amassed one assist from five games played, before he was reassigned to Spokane (WHL).

SCOUTING THE GULLS: In the daily carousel that is San Diego roster moves, forward Troy Terry was assigned to the Gulls, from the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks, and collected two assists in his season debut yesterday evening. Terry, who missed more than a month of action due to injury, collected 41 points (16-25-41) from 41 games played with the Gulls last season and represented his team at the 2019 AHL All-Star Classic in Springfield.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170672 Los Angeles Kings — Whalers Night! Brass Bonanza. Ray Ferraro. Mike Liut. Our lives have lived up to this very moment.

That’s not meant to be sarcastic. The Whalers appreciation and nostalgia KINGS-WHALERS LINES, PAIRINGS; WHO ENCOURAGED KEMPE lives on long past the exodus from the Hartford Civic Center, the logo TO SHOOT OFF THE DRAW? vogue well beyond Connecticut. Carolina’s willingness to dig in and honor that legacy has fanned the interest across the league.

Is that interest limited to aging fans and appreciators of one of hockey’s JON ROSEN most vintage logos? Most coaches grew up in the era of the Original Six, so “it was Toronto, Montreal, the odd Bruin jersey,” McLellan would see JANUARY 11, 2020 most often while growing up in .

“Hartford as a whole, it was a unique spot, it was something a little bit INSIDERS. A fine afternoon to you from North Carolina. In advance of different. They had some really good players go through there. I don’t tonight’s game against the Hurricanes Whalers (4:00 p.m. PT / FOX know if the hockey world realizes, but when you look at their roster and Sports West / FOX Sports GO / LA Kings Audio Network), the LA Kings the type of players, Ron Francis, those type of players that went through skated at PNC Arena and aligned thusly: that team, they had some good teams and good players. They happened to be playing against Montreal and Quebec in a division that was very, Iafallo-Kopitar-Toffoli very strong back then. It was no different than Winnipeg with Edmonton and Calgary playing in there all the time. But it’ll be fun to see them in Clifford-Carter-Brown their uniforms, but more importantly we’ll be worrying about what the Kempe-Amadio-Wagner whites do and not the green.

Prokhorkin-JAD-Lewis The last Kings-Whalers game was a 5-3 L.A. win at the Forum on January 30, 1997, a game in which Vladimir Tsyplakov (x2), Ray Ferraro, Martinez-Doughty Barry Potomski and Vitali Yachmenev scored for the Kings and Geoff Forbort-Walker Sanderson, Kent Mandeville and Paul Ranheim scored for the Whalers.

Hutton-Roy — More to come from Jaret Anderson-Dolan, who doesn’t turn 21 until September 21 and therefore was not of age to legally accompany his Notes! teammates after Thursday’s win at T-Mobile Arena. “Just hung out in my room pretty much,” he joked. Tonight’s officials are referees Brad Meier — The vitals: Jack Campbell was first off and is expected to draw the and Peter McDougall and linesmen Scott Driscoll and Darren Gibbs. Talk start. He’s stopped 35 of 36 Hurricanes shots over 77:44 of his career, soon. going 0-1-0 over that span. Matt Luff, Kurtis MacDermid and Joakim Ryan (IR/lower-body) remained on the ice for extra work and aren’t expected to play tonight, while Blake Lizotte remains in Los Angeles. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 01.12.2020 — Their vitals: Justin Williams and Haydn Fleury got onto the ice this morning for the Whalers; neither is expected to play tonight. Petr Mrazek stopped all 32 Coyotes shots in a 3-0 home win last night and pitched a shutout at Staples Center in the teams’ prior meeting. I don’t know what the traffic was like on I-40 after the game, but I’m guessing the nonexistent post-game travel would keep him as a candidate to play tonight. If it’s him, he’s 3-1-0 / 1.00 / .968 against L.A. If it’s James Reimer, he’s 3-2-1 / 2.29 / .930. Overall, the Hurricanes’ 5×5 team save percentage is .914, which ranks 21st in the league. Mrazek, 4-1-1 against the Pacific Division with a 1.45 GAA and a .950 Sv% this season, is 10-3- 3 against the Pacific since the start of 2018-19.

“They pressure off the hop and then they continue on for the next 45 minutes, if you will,” Todd McLellan said. “They’re a fast team, they get on top of you, there’s no backing off in their game. They have the ability to finish when they create chances, and a lot of it’s done in volume so they get a lot of momentum shifts that are put together. We know that. We know that there’s not going to be a perfect game where we’re not in our end for a little while, but we’ll have to defend properly and get good goaltending and take care of the puck. They can’t just have our zone for free, and in our game against Vegas the other night, I thought we did that in the first and second and got away from it and started to put it back together in the third, but we’ve got to find a consistent 60 minutes rather than a roller coaster 60.”

— Adrian Kempe’s faceoff goal in Vegas – the 19th time in NHL history and the first time in LA Kings history a player scored one second into a power play – was the result of some unexpected inspiration.

“Todd told me to try it on the faceoff and I said I’ll give it a shot,” said Kempe, who said he’d shared that he’d try to shoot off the draw with Michael Amadio, as well. “Obviously you’ve got to put your stick down and then you’ve got to be a little lucky with the timing. You’ve got to hit the puck as soon as it hits the ice or even before. It touched the circle and then I just tried to snap it as hard as I could. The other guy didn’t get a piece of it, so I got pretty good heat on it.”

Historical context was scant, but it was the first time Kempe had genuinely attempted to shoot off a draw.

“I’ll try to [push it] forward or shoot it in the D-zone or something like that, but I’ve never actually tried to score on a faceoff like that. I was surprised it went in.” 1170673 Minnesota Wild

Vancouver visits Minnesota after Boeser's 2-goal game

Staff Report

By The Associated Press Associated Press

JANUARY 12, 2020 — 2:25AM

Vancouver Canucks (24-17-4, fifth in the Pacific Division) vs. Minnesota Wild (20-18-6, sixth in the Central Division)

St. Paul, Minnesota; Sunday, 4 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Vancouver visits the Minnesota Wild after Brock Boeser scored two goals in the Canucks' 6-3 win against the Sabres.

The Wild are 12-12-3 in Western Conference games. Minnesota has scored 25 power-play goals, converting on 18.1% of chances.

The Canucks are 12-9-3 in Western Conference play. Vancouver ranks sixth in the league averaging 5.8 assists per game, led by Quinn Hughes with 0.6.

The teams meet Sunday for the first time this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Ryan Suter leads the Wild with 24 assists and has recorded 30 points this season. Eric Staal has recorded four goals and three assists over the last 10 games for Minnesota.

Elias Pettersson leads the Canucks with 20 goals and has 47 points. Tanner Pearson has totaled four goals and eight assists over the last 10 games for Vancouver.

LAST 10 GAMES: Canucks: 8-2-0, averaging four goals, 6.8 assists, 3.9 penalties and 9.1 penalty minutes while allowing 3.4 goals per game with a .906 save percentage.

Wild: 4-5-1, averaging 2.9 goals, 5.2 assists, 3.2 penalties and 7.1 penalty minutes while giving up 3.2 goals per game with a .899 save percentage.

Star Tribune LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170674 Minnesota Wild

Wild vs. Vancouver gameday

Staff Report

JANUARY 11, 2020 — 5:27PM

Healthier Wild team to suit up

Preview: The Wild returns home to take on the Canucks, and it could have a few lineup changes. LW Jason Zucker (fractured right fibula) is a game-time decision, and D Greg Pateryn is an option after missing the entire season following core muscle surgery in October. G Devan Dubnyk returned to practice Saturday after being away from the team earlier in the week while his wife continued to deal with a medical situation. Coach Bruce Boudreau said he hadn’t decided which goalie will start.

Numbers: The 43 shots the Wild registered on Thursday are the second- most it’s had in a game this season. The Wild has scored three-plus goals in 15 of its 19 home games, including a shootout goal. … Vancouver has won eight out of its past 10. The Canucks used a four- goal third period Saturday to get by the Sabres 6-3.

Star Tribune LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170675 Minnesota Wild When Zucker also receives clearance to return — and defenseman Nick Seeler rejoins the group from his conditioning stint in the minors — the Wild will have a full complement of players to choose from for the first time this season. Jason Zucker has strong practice, could return to Wild lineup Sunday And the lineup decisions that ensue will be decided by the play on the ice.

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune “It’s going to be performance-based,” Boudreau said. “I was honest with them and I said, ‘Let’s be honest. There’s some guys you’re not going to JANUARY 11, 2020 — 5:29PM sit. But at the same time, you need to get in the lineup. It’s a winning situation. We need the best players at the right times.’ ”

Jason Zucker’s first practice with the Wild since he broke his leg last month looked similar to the sessions he participated in before he got hurt. Star Tribune LOADED: 01.12.2020 He worked on the left side of the top line, took reps on the power play and was a threat to score in the drills that planted him in front of the net — all signs Saturday morning at TRIA Rink in St. Paul that Zucker is nearing a return from the fractured right fibula he suffered Dec. 15.

That injury was supposed to sideline Zucker for four to six weeks, but despite having surgery barely three weeks ago, Zucker is considered a game-time decision for the Wild’s next game Sunday afternoon against the Canucks at Xcel Energy Center.

“It was a good step today being out there with the team,” Zucker said after Saturday’s workout. “I haven’t been able to do that, obviously, so that was great. It felt good. It was good to get some battling in a little bit, get some gamelike drills.”

Zucker just recently resumed skating, logging four or five days before rejoining the Wild for practice.

After getting off the ice Saturday, Zucker said he hadn’t been cleared to play but felt satisfied with how the session went and called his involvement “a good step” even if the setup is different from what he’ll experience in a game.

“Unless he has something pop up that we don’t know about,” coach Bruce Boudreau said, “I would assume he would be ready to play.”

A return Sunday would come almost a week ahead of the minimum timeline forecast, but Boudreau isn’t surprised by Zucker’s progress.

“He wants to play,” Boudreau said. “He’s a tough kid, and hopefully he’s ready to play tomorrow.”

Although he was injured during the Wild’s visit to Chicago last month when he was struck with a Brent Seabrook dump-in, Zucker actually finished out that game — getting back to the action after briefly disappearing from the bench.

“I just wanted to play,” Zucker said. “Every guy in this room would say the same thing. If your team is playing, you want to be out there playing with them. It hurt. But honestly, I didn’t think it was broken.”

By the next morning, though, Zucker knew his leg wasn’t right, based on the swelling and the way he was walking.

Still, he was hopeful he could play the following day in Vegas, where he grew up, but the team sent him home and he had surgery on Dec. 20 — embarking on a recovery that’s been focused on strengthening his leg and making sure the incision heals correctly.

“Any time you get injured, it’s never fun and watching is always tough,” Zucker said. “… I’m looking forward to getting back, whenever that is, and try to help the team anyway I can.”

Without Zucker, the Wild is 4-5-1 — an up-and-down stretch in which its offense has been hot and cold. That is an issue Zucker could help resolve when he’s healthy.

Through 34 games, Zucker has 12 goals and 24 points. A chunk of that production came in the lead-up to his injury when he, center Eric Staal and winger Mats Zuccarello were rolling as one of the Wild’s most dynamic lines.

“He’s got the speed,” Zuccarello said. “I try to stay back and make some plays, and he goes and he scores the goals — him and Eric.”

Aside from potentially welcoming back Zucker on Sunday, the Wild defense also could add Greg Pateryn to its blue line. Pateryn has missed the entire season after having core muscle surgery. 1170676 Minnesota Wild

Wild’s Jason Zucker back at practice, game status unclear

By JOHN SHIPLEY | [email protected] | Pioneer Press

PUBLISHED: January 11, 2020 at 11:28 am | UPDATED: January 11, 2020 at 5:21 PM

Jason Zucker practiced with the Wild’s top line Saturday at TRIA Rink, his first practice since fracturing the fibula in his right leg less than a month ago.

Coach Bruce Boudreau sounded confident Zucker, on a roll before being injured and missing the Wild’s past 10 games, will be available to play in Sunday’s 3 p.m. puck drop against the Vancouver Canucks at Xcel Energy Center.

Zucker wasn’t making any predictions. He called Saturday’s practice “a good first step.”

“I have not heard that I’m cleared to play,” he said, “I’ve not heard any of that yet. Game-time decision would probably be realistic, but I can’t guarantee that by any means.”

Zucker, 27, skated on the top line with center Eric Staal and right winger Mats Zuccarello on Saturday. He had surgery to insert screws into his fibula after blocking a shot early in a 5-3 loss at Chicago on Dec. 15 and has been skating along the past several days, he said. But the winger said he hadn’t been cleared to play and would be meeting again with team doctors.

He had seven goals and five assists in the 14 games before his injury; the Wild were 9-2-3 in those games and had crawled back into the Western Conference playoff race. Since then, they’re 4-5-1 and have dropped to 11th in the conference standings.

“I was happy with (the practice), for sure,” Zucker said. “A game is obviously very different than what we did out there today, but I thought it was a good step forward. … Asking trainers that and asking players that is a very different story. For me, I want to get back and play as quick as I can.”

DUBNYK BACK

Goaltender Devan Dubnyk seems in line to start Sunday after staying home with his ailing wife during the Wild’s one-game trip to Calgary this week. Alex Stalock stopped 37 of 39 shots in a 2-1 loss at the Saddledome.

Dubnyk got the bulk of action during an hour-long practice that ended with a three-on-two battle drill.

“That’s why we played that game at the end; I wanted him to be up and down and see how he felt,” Boudreau said.

BRIEFLY

Defenseman Ryan Sutter left practice early for the second straight time but is expected to play Sunday. “I’m sure he will,” Boudreau said. … Defenseman Greg Pateryn, waiting to make his season debut after battling a back injury that required surgery, could play Sunday. “Pateryn’s ready to play, he’s cleared to play — that’s why he took the pregame skate (at Calgary),” Boudreau said. “It just depends on whether we decide to play him.”

Pioneer Press LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170677 Minnesota Wild Seabrook, who coincidentally played his final game of his season that night in Chicago, drilled Zucker in the bottom part of the right leg late in the first period. Zucker went down in a heap, then needed help into the locker room. Will Jason Zucker return Sunday from broken leg? Wild have mixed messages But he would be back in three real-time minutes, played 22 shifts in all and logged 16 minutes, 33 seconds.

“It felt like a blocked shot,” Zucker said. “Your foot kind of goes numb, it By Michael Russo hurts. I walked it off in the locker room for a minute and it felt like I could go play. … I just wanted to play. Every guy in this room would say the Jan 11, 2020 same thing. If your team is playing, you want to be out there playing with them. It hurt, but, honestly, I didn’t think it was broken. I knew it hurt, but for everyone who blocks a shot, it hurts. Desperate times sometimes call for desperate measures. But the next morning, as much as Zucker wanted to play in his But even though the Wild have dropped nine of their past 15 games (6-7- hometown, Zucker’s leg swelled and he could barely get his foot in his 2), four of their past five (1-3-1) and are suddenly six points out of a shoe. playoff spot, it was a little surprising that minutes after Jason Zucker practiced for the first time since undergoing surgery to repair a broken Zucker is looking forward to ultimately getting back in the lineup and right fibula only three weeks and one day ago that coach Bruce trying to help the Wild rediscover their winning ways. The Wild’s first line Boudreau said, “I would assume he would be ready to play” Sunday hasn’t been nearly as productive since Zucker’s absence. afternoon against the Vancouver Canucks. “But,” Zucker said, “It’s going to be me catching up to them, not the other The original timeline for Zucker’s return was four to six weeks and Zucker way around. I’m far from a savior.” indicated after practicing for more than an hour Saturday that, as good as Still, the Wild need to win and win a lot, and quickly. he felt, playing Sunday may be pushing it. “I don’t like to use the word, ‘run,’ or say, ‘Hey, you’ve got to win five in a He still needed to talk to the doctors and trainers because he wasn’t yet row or six in row,’ because that seems really difficult when you just talk medically cleared to return and understood that there still would need to about it, so let’s win (Sunday),” Boudreau said. “And if you win (Sunday) be a couple hoops to jump through. and have success (Sunday), maybe it’ll roll into Pittsburgh and you go in “I’ve got to talk to the docs and see what they’re thinking,” said Zucker, (Tuesday) and surprise them and all of a sudden you’re feeling good who ranks fourth in Wild history with 130 goals and 10th with 238 points. about yourself and then you come back. “I have not heard that I’m cleared to play. I’ve not heard any of that yet. “But you take it one at a time, it adds up just as quickly as saying five or Game-time decision would probably be realistic, but I can’t guarantee six in a row.” that by any means.” Pateryn to make his season debut Sunday? Zucker said he began skating alone with skating and skills instructor Andy Ness four or five days ago. Even though Boudreau said he hadn’t decided if defenseman Greg Pateryn would make his season debut against the Canucks, Brad Hunt “I’ve been mainly focusing on the rehab side of it and making sure that didn’t practice on the power play. That would seem a likely indicator it’s strong, and that the incision heals up the way it’s supposed to,” said Pateryn, who underwent abdominal surgery in training camp, will play. Zucker, who underwent surgery Dec. 20 after being nailed by a Brent Seabrook dump-in in Chicago five days earlier. “That was our main The Wild’s penalty kill is 43 for its last 64 (67.1 percent in the past 23 focus.” games), so playing the physical, stay-at-home Pateryn makes sense.

Still, the way the Wild practiced Saturday gave the impression that at “I think just play,” said Pateryn, who knows there will be the inevitable least Boudreau expected Zucker to return against the Canucks. rust to scrape off. “Don’t think, just go play. I know what I need to do and any time you’re out there thinking, you’re hesitating. I’ve been telling Zucker reassumed his top-line left wing spot next to Eric Staal and Mats myself when I get back in, just go play, don’t think.” … Zuccarello and also played with his two linemates on one of the power- play units. Jordan Greenway, Ryan Donato, Victor Rask and Ryan Defenseman Ryan Suter has left three consecutive practices early with Hartman rotated spots on the fourth line. Donato played on the second an apparent injury, but Boudreau expects him to play. … power-play unit, which may mean Rask would be scratched if Zucker returns even though he’s coming off a strong game in Calgary, or maybe Goalie Devan Dubnyk, away from the team all week because his wife Boudreau would be willing to sit Greenway — who has struggled for an underwent surgery Tuesday, returned to practice. extended period — or Hartman.

“I told (the players) this morning we’re pretty well getting a full lineup and The Athletic LOADED: 01.12.2020 I will venture to guess (defenseman Nick) Seeler will be back (from a conditioning stint in Iowa) pretty soon, too, so, it’s going be performance- based,” Boudreau said of choosing which players play and won’t play. “I was honest with them and I said, ‘Let’s be honest, there’s some guys you’re not going to sit,’ but at the same time … it’s a winning situation, and we need the best players at the best times.”

Whether it ends up being Sunday or later in the week, the Wild badly could use Zucker.

At the time of his injury, he was the Wild’s second-leading scorer and had scored seven goals and 12 points from Nov. 19 to the time of injury Dec. 15. In that stretch, the Wild were 9-2-3. Since, they’re 4-5-1 (4-6-1 if you count the game in Chicago where he played two periods on the broken bone).

“I think when he was here our power play was at 20 percent or above and it’s sort of taken a little bit of a nosedive since then,” Boudreau said of a power play that’s 6 for its past 46 over a 17-game stretch.

Zucker didn’t realize the severity of the injury until the morning of Dec. 16 when he woke up in Vegas. 1170678 MontrealCanadiens

In the Habs' Room: Ilya Kovalchuk cements his place on the team with OT winner

PAT HICKEY, MONTREAL GAZETTE

Updated: January 11, 2020

OTTAWA — Ilya Kovalchuk picked the perfect time to score his first goal as a Canadien.

He scored on a breakaway with 51.9 seconds remaining in overtime Saturday to give the Canadiens a 2-1 win over the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre.

The winning goal came after Kovalchuk was stopped by Marcus Hogberg on an earlier breakaway in the overtime.

“I really wanted to get out there one more time and the coach put us out there,” Kovalchuk said. “There was kind of a broken play when their (defenceman) took a step back and I took off. Phil (Danault) was coming with me to make it a 2-on-1, but I said in my head I’m going to shoot this one.”

As the media waited to go into the dressing room, you could hear his teammates chanting Kovalchuk’s name.

“I came in here and the guys were so welcoming,” Kovalchuk said. “I felt like I’ve been here for a long time, but I’ve only been here for a week. I feel better on the ice, too. It’s good to get my first goal as a Hab, especially in OT, but the win is way more important.”

The victory ended an eight-game losing streak for the Canadiens while extending Ottawa’s losing streak to six games.

This was not an easy win for the Canadiens, who took a 1-0 lead when Nick Suzuki used Danault as a screen to score a power-play goal in the first period. The Canadiens, who have blown a few leads in the third period during their recent skid, were totally outplayed in the third period with Ottawa holding an 18-2 edge in shots and tying the score on a goal by Drake Batherson.

“I thought we played 35 minutes of good hockey and in the last five minutes of the second period they had some good chances,” Kovalchuk said. “In the third period, we took too many penalties. The coach talked about it between the second and third and he said we had to make sure we didn’t give up a goal and that bounce cost us.”

“We were moving the puck, we were killing plays and we had lot of scoring chances,” Claude Julien said. “The only thing I can say is that we should have been up by more than a goal, and this is where we struggled at times and gave teams the opportunity to stay in the game and give them some hope.

“In the last five minutes of the second period, they started coming on and we got on our heels,” Julien added. “In the third period, it was hard to say we were on our heels because we had to kill (three) penalties and, without a doubt, that gives a team momentum. At one point, I ended up shortening my bench because there were guys who sat for a long time because we were killing penalties. But finding a way to win our first one after that many losses in never easy. But we’ll take it and hope to build from that.”

The Canadiens still have a long way to go if they’re still harbouring hopes of a playoff berth. They finished the night nine points behind idle Toronto in the battle for third place in the Atlantic Division and they are seven points behind Philadelphia, which holds the final wild-card spot.

Lost in the excitement over Kovachuk’s goal was the fine play of Carey Price, who looked like the Carey Price of years past. While he deflected praise and talked about his teammates keeping the shots to the outside, he made 41 saves in one of his best showings this season.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170679 MontrealCanadiens

Canadiens squeak past lowly Senators 2-1 in overtime

PAT HICKEY, MONTREAL GAZETTE

Updated: January 11, 2020

OTTAWA — The Canadiens’ eight-game losing streak came to an end Saturday, but it took an overtime goal by Ilya Kovalchuk to give Montreal a 2-1 win over the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre.

Carey Price spent most of the game protecting a 1-0 lead, but the Senators defied logic as they came on strong over the final two periods after playing Friday in Detroit. They were outshooting Montreal 9-2 in the third period when Drake Batherson scored his first goal of the season at 13:32. He picked up a loose puck in the slot after the Canadiens stopped a rush by Anthony Duclair.

The Montreal power play has been in the doldrums during the losing streak and the Canadians had scored only one power-play goal in 19 opportunities in their six previous games. But Nick Suzuki opened the scoring in the first period with a shot from the right faceoff circle. It was the ninth goal this season for Suzuki, who is fourth in the rookie scoring race with 27 points.

The shots were 8-8 in the first period, but the Canadiens had two excellent scoring chances, only to be foiled by rookie goaltender Marcus Hogberg, who was making his third consecutive start. Kovalchuk slipped a pass to Phil Danault in front, but Hogberg smothered the shot. And the goaltender moved across the crease to stop Artturi Lehkonen after he took a pass from Jesperi Kotkaniemi.

Following the morning skate, coach Claude Julien was asked how the Canadiens would deal with Brady Tkachuk, who has a reputation for being agitator. Julien said the key was to protect Price and he hoped the referees would do their part in curbing Tkachuk.

The refs did just that midway through the second period after Tkachuk knocked Victor Mete into Price with both Montreal players going down like dominos. Tkachuk was sent off for interference. Montreal was unable to take advantage of the extra man and Price was forced to make a save on a shorthanded breakaway by Chris Tierney.

Ottawa picked up its game as the second period progressed. The Senators had a Grade A scoring chance when Thomas Chabot teed up a shot from the left faceoff circle with a little more than a minute to play. Price dove to cover the hole on the near side of the net and Montreal got a break when Chabot’s shot hit the side of the net.

The Canadiens got a break early in the third period when an interference penalty to Marco Scandella was nullified by a diving penalty to Tierney.

There was a large number of vocal fans cheering for the Canadiens and they might have thought they were playing at home, which isn’t necessarily a good thing because this is a team that has a better record on the road.

Matthew Peca, who has been sidelined with a knee injury, played for the first time since Dec. 10. Jordan Weal was a healthy scratch, while Ben Chiarot (lower-body injury) and Brendan Gallagher (concussion) weren’t available.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170680 MontrealCanadiens

Montreal Canadiens' Gallagher won't play in Ottawa

PAT HICKEY, MONTREAL GAZETTE

Updated: January 11, 2020

OTTAWA — To no one’s surprise, Brendan Gallagher will not be in the Montreal Canadiens lineup for Saturday’s game against the Ottawa Senators (7 p.m., CBC, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio).

“He’s still being examined by doctors,” coach Claude Julien said following an optional morning skate on Saturday.

Gallagher suffered a concussion on New Year’s Eve in Carolina. He missed four games but returned for Thursday’s home game against Edmonton. He played with a tinted visor — usually a sign that a player is having problems with light — and while he logged more than 17 minutes, he complained of a headache after the game.

The Canadiens suggested Gallagher’s problems might be the result of a virus, but the best guess is that he’s suffering from post-concussion syndrome.

The Canadiens will also play a second game without defenceman Ben Chiarot, who is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury

Gallagher’s absence forces Julien to juggle his lines for the Ottawa game. Ilya Kovalchuk will move back onto the top line with Phil Danault and Tomas Tatar while Artturi Lehkonen will play with Max Domi and Nick Suzuki on the second line.

Matthew Peca will play for the first time since Dec. 10 when he suffered a knee injury in a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170681 MontrealCanadiens

Canadiens at Senators: Five things you should know

PAT HICKEY, MONTREAL GAZETTE

Updated: January 11, 2020

Here are five things you should know about the Canadiens-Senators game at Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday (7 p.m., SN, SN360, SN1, CITY, CBC, TVA Sports, TSN-690 Radio).

The matchup: If the Canadiens are going to break out of their current eight-game losing streak, this is the game to do it. For starters, the Senators have a worse record than the Canadiens and they might be a tad weary after they went to Detroit on Friday night and lost 3-2 in a shootout in a battle between the two worst teams in the Eastern Conference. The loss extended the Senators’ losing streak to six games (0-4-2). The Canadiens can also take comfort in being on the road, where they play better than they do at home.

On the other hand: Playing the Canadiens tends to bring out the best in the Senators. These teams have already met twice this season at the Bell Centre and both games went to overtime. Brady Tkachuk scored on a breakaway to give the Senators a 2-1 win on Nov. 20 in the third game of Montreal’s previous eight-game losing streak. The Canadiens won 3-2 on Dec. 11 as Ben Chiarot scored the winning goal and Cayden Primeau picked up his first NHL win. Neither player will be in Ottawa.

Setback for Gallagher? Brendan Gallagher returned to the lineup Thursday night after missing four games with a concussion, but he experienced headaches after the game and did not practise Friday. Claude Julien hasn’t ruled him out for the Ottawa game, but it would be foolish to let him play if there’s any question about his health. Chiarot will miss a second game with a lower-body injury. Jonathan Drouin (wrist) and Joel Armia are both skating, but Julien said neither one will play before the all-star break at the end of the month.

Price continues to struggle: Carey Price has been a part of the Canadiens’ struggles. His personal losing streak is up to six games with an 0-5-1 record. He has allowed at least three goals in five of those games, has given up 22 goals over that stretch and his save percentage has been under .900 in four games. This is shaping up as one of the worst seasons of his career. He is currently 16-16-4 with a 3.01 goals- against average and a .901 save percentage.

The other guys: Ottawa doesn’t do anything well. The Senators rank 23rd in offence with 2.74 goals a game, but give up 3.42 goals a game, which ranks 29th in the NHL. Their power play has a success rate of only 11.3 per cent, which is last. Pointe-Claire native Anthony Duclair is having a breakout season and will represent Ottawa at the All-Star Game. He has 21 goals and leads the Senators with 32 points. Jean-Gabriel Pageau is next with 19 goals and 30 points. Other double-digit goal scorers are 20- year-old Brady Tkachuk with 14 and Tyler Ennis with 11.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170682 MontrealCanadiens It seemed almost like a step back, and he was finding it difficult. He was told of something Jordan Weal said last season when he first joined the Canadiens, how he found the hardest thing to do in hockey is to play three or four shifts a period and still find a way to be effective. A big Canadiens win marked the low-key return of one of their important young players “It’s true because you have so much going through your mind too so you have to keep yourself in the game, whereas if you’re going then all you’re thinking about is ‘I’m up next’ kind of thing and you’re focused,” Mete said. “When you’re playing four shifts, you’re just going, ‘Ahh I’m not By Arpon Basu going this shift, I’m not going that shift.’ Then penalties and power plays Jan 11, 2020 come and you go, ‘I’m not killing penalties or power plays, so I’m going to be sitting here.'”

Mete didn’t know at the time to what extent that was going to change a OTTAWA — The Canadiens won a game Saturday night. few hours later. He was reunited with Shea Weber against the Senators, played nearly 18 minutes and shined at both ends of the ice. This is important news, and the screams of joy coming out of the Canadiens’ room afterward were the only explanation as to why it is “I thought Mete played well tonight, I thought he skated well,” Claude important. Professional athletes need to win once in a while, need to feel Julien said. “We just thought for tonight that was a good pairing and we that joy, to do their jobs properly. wanted to kind of roll our four lines as much as we could there and have all six D’s go out there and play versus cutting down the bench that way. In the big picture, the 2-1 overtime win on an Ilya Kovalchuk goal was somewhat inconsequential unless the Canadiens are able to string “For the most part I think Meat played a good game. He’s so good at together many, many more of them. That’s reality. skating the puck up the ice. Other parts of his game he’s working on and we’re helping him work on, but I thought he played a pretty solid game.” What is of the utmost importance for the Canadiens right now is the proper development of their young players, and that’s another reason When Mete is into the game, as he puts it, some of those other parts of why wins like this one are significant. his game suddenly look a lot better. Such as these two one-on-one situations with Anthony Duclair, one in each of the first two periods. Nick Suzuki scored his ninth goal of the season and did so by confidently Duclair is a tremendous skater and it took an equally tremendous skater quarterbacking a first-period power play from the right wall. He is now on to be able to defend him like Mete did in both situations. pace to register 48 points this season, putting him within striking distance of 50, something no Canadiens rookie has done since Michael Ryder had Here’s the one in the second period. 63 points as a 23-year-old rookie in 2003-04, when Claude Julien was in his first tenure as coach. And here’s the one in the first.

Ryan Poehling made a great play to set up Nate Thompson for what “I saw him kind of bobble the puck and I didn’t really want to go at him could — and should — have been the winning goal with just under three just because I know he has good speed,” Mete said of the first one-on- minutes remaining in regulation. It would have been Poehling’s first point one confrontation with Duclair. “He kind of turned his back to me, it of the season, but what’s important is the confidence he is gaining, the almost seemed like he wanted to do a 360 spin or something. So, I was confidence he displayed in making the play to Thompson late in a tie just trying to contain him and kind of let him do whatever he wanted, but game. not getting to the net. It worked out.”

Jesperi Kotkaniemi had a pretty quiet game, except for one incredible The whole night worked out for Mete. It can get lost in the shuffle of a big shift at the end of the first period when he set up Artturi Lehkonen for a Canadiens win in which Mete did not necessarily play a determining role, one-timer that forced Ottawa Senators goalie Marcus Hogberg to make a but if he is an important part of the team’s future, then nights like this are difficult save. important for that reason as well.

All that is important, perhaps more so than this first Canadiens win in “I felt really good tonight,” Mete said. “I kind of felt like my old self again, nine games. kind of like before I got injured. Hopefully I can keep playing some big minutes and keep rushing the puck and stuff like that.” But somewhat lost in the season-long conversation on the Canadiens’ young players is Victor Mete, probably because he is playing his third Mete feeling like his old self — at age 21 — is an important development NHL season. But Mete is still only 21, and since he returned from an for the Canadiens, both in the afterglow of a long-awaited victory and the ankle injury Dec. 23, he hasn’t quite looked like himself. big picture of a team looking toward the future.

He’s looked tentative. Unsure of himself. Everything he hasn’t been since entering the NHL. The Athletic LOADED: 01.12.2020 Part of the reason might have been that he had been playing so little since his return. It is perfectly normal to ease a young defenceman back from injury, but Mete had gone nine consecutive games without hitting the 16-minute mark in ice time, something that had only happened five times in six weeks this season prior to his injury.

And considering his age and position, it’s not something that has happened all that often in his entire career to date.

The acquisition of Marco Scandella on Jan. 3 made minutes more difficult for Mete to come by, and for a player whose primary asset is his skating and who needs to keep his engine revving between shifts to use that asset to its full potential, this was an issue.

“Being in the game means you’re so focused on playing,” Mete said Saturday morning. “But when you’re kind of sitting there (on the bench), you’re more waiting for your turn. You’re almost overthinking. Instead of when you’re playing, you’re just going out there and making plays, coming back and you already know you’re going out next shift, so you better be ready, go back, make plays.

“But when you’re playing less, you’re more watching the game than playing the game.”

This was frustrating Mete because it was something he hadn’t experienced for an extended period of time since his rookie NHL season. 1170683 MontrealCanadiens Kovalchuk was held off the scoresheet for a second time, but he still provided a few key passes that led to high-danger scoring chances.

His vision and ability to freeze defenders were on full display when he set Video Review: Ilya Kovalchuk plays the hero as the Canadiens put an up Phillip Danault with a perfect pass. He’ll have to pull the trigger a little end to their losing streak more often if he wants to score, but for now, Kovalchuk is providing surprisingly good value for the Canadiens.

Wait, did I mention something about Kovalchuk not scoring? Turns out By Marc Dumont I’m a liar, thanks to his excellent overtime snipe.

Jan 11, 2020 ‘Limelight’

A lot of ink has been spilled in regards to Jesperi Kotkaniemi’s struggles this season. Age aside, you can’t expect a defence-oriented player to The Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators are very different teams in produce much offence when he’s playing with offensively challenged different stages of their rebuilds, and yet their results this season are linemates. quite similar. But there was a point during the Senators game that gave us a glimpse The Canadiens have much better underlying numbers, but going into of what he can do with a higher echelon of wingers. Given the season is their matchup Saturday night at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, just all but over, perhaps it’s time to remove the anchors and give him a little five points separated the clubs, with the Senators owning a game in more talent to work with. It could lead to very encouraging things, such hand. What’s more, though they haven’t quite matched the Canadiens’ as we saw when he played a shift with Suzuki and Artturi Lehkonen. eight-game losing streak, the Senators were working on an extended losing streak of their own, a six-game skid. ‘Xanadu’

Both teams are likely to draft in the top 10 this summer in Montreal, It’s been a rough ride for Carey Price this season, but once in a while, he which should bolster two prospect pools that are overflowing with talent, reminds us that he still has what it takes to keep the Canadiens in a but in the meantime, there’s hockey to be played and the Rush to the game when they need it most. His “beyond frustration” comment has bottom is on. been over-dissected by many, but he was simply saying that words mean very little now. What matters is results. Despite both teams doing their best to avoid scoring, the Canadiens won the battle of the belch 2-1 in overtime. The Senators didn’t take many high-danger shots, but for the most part, Price was there to shut the door. ‘YYZ’ ‘The Enemy Within’ Even though Shea Weber is having a great season statistically, it’s unlikely he’s a happy camper. He’ll never pour his heart out to the media If the Canadiens didn’t have bad luck, well, they’d still somehow manage after games, but he’s a proud captain who is surely disappointed by the to find a way to help opposing teams score. results this season. As has been the case endless times in the NHL, the Canadiens went You’ll notice he’s hitting a little more often, something that slowly from almost scoring to giving up a key lead late in the third period. It was disappeared from his game since he joined the team. technically Michael Peca’s first goal of the season, but Drake Batherson was given credit. And while he can’t single-handedly will his team to victory, he can continue to provide the scoring threat in the offensive zone that has Realistically speaking, the overtime win did not help the Canadiens’ draft characterized his play in recent years. Keep in mind, Weber is not a lottery odds, and that’s what matters most in the long term. defensive defenceman, as he’s often labelled. He’s most definitely an offensive defenceman. In a vacuum, it’s the type of win they desperately needed because, when it comes down to it, almost half of the season remains. Against the Senators, he did a very good job mixing up his shots and passes so as to create doubt in the mind of Marcus Hogberg and the Playing for the draft this early isn’t an enjoyable process, particularly for defenders. fans but even more so for the players.

But if there was one thing that really hurt the Canadiens on Saturday Now, with their most recent eight-game skid behind them, the players night, it was their inability to hit the net despite taking an abundance of and coaching staff can rest easy for the first time since Christmas. shots. Even though there’s not much to celebrate in the grand scheme of things, At five-on-five, just one of Weber’s five shots hit the net, which aligned no one can fault the players for giving it their all. They don’t care about perfectly with the rest of the roster’s lack of accuracy. the draft, nor should they.

‘Tom Sawyer’ Inevitably, we’ll look back at this season as an exercise in frustration, with a rather significant payoff at the end, due to the influx of prospects at It’s rather difficult to stay in the moment when you’re watching young the draft. Nick Suzuki play. He delivers spectacular passes and scores clutch goals, and that’s what everyone expected, but not necessarily this early Losing might help that cause, but it also leaves an empty feeling inside. A in his NHL career. feeling no player wants to face, as evidenced by the reaction to Kovalchuk’s winning goal. Many, including myself, assumed he’d start the season in Laval, and the idea that he’s on pace to finish with the second-most points in franchise history for a player under 21, trailing just Guy Lafleur, who had 64 points The Athletic LOADED: 01.12.2020 in 1971-72, is fairly astonishing. But the silver lining to the Canadiens’ season is doing just that: delivering offence at a pace we haven’t seen in decades.

‘Fly By Night’

Victor Mete is not strong enough to physically displace opposing forwards, but he can mitigate the damage off the rush by using his speed to match opposing forwards and keep them to the outside, as he did several times against the Senators. It’s the type of smart defending that’s necessary to play in the top four, especially when you’re a lot smaller than most opponents.

‘Time Stand Still’ 1170684 New Jersey Devils

Nico Hischier’s 2 goals power Devils in road win vs. Capitals

Today 9:38 PM

By Chris Ryan

WASHINGTON -- Less than an hour before the game, Devils forward Nico Hischier learned he wouldn’t be heading to the 2020 NHL All-Star Game in St. Louis. Washington Capitals forward T.J. Oshie, sitting a couple hundred feet away in the other locker room, won the Last Man Vote for the Metropolitan Division.

No matter. Hischier put together an All-Star performance on Saturday at Capital One Arena.

The center scored two goals, pacing a surprising and convincing 5-1 victory over the Capitals. Washington, which entered the night atop the NHL standings, appeared to be chasing the Devils for most of the night.

Hischier’s first goal opened the scoring 5:27 into the first period, where he took advantage of a defensive breakdown by the Capitals. Devils defenseman Will Butcher banked a puck off the boards in the neutral zone, freeing Hischier for a rush down the left side. He fought off a defender near the crease and beat Caps goalie Braden Holtby with a five-hole shot.

Introducing Devils Insider: Sign up for exclusive news, behind-the-scenes observations and the ability to text message directly with beat writers

Hischier’s second of the game pushed the Devils’ lead to 4-1 at 3:28 of the second period. Devils defenseman Damon Severson saved a possession by holding the puck in the offensive zone at the blue line, allowing Jesper Bratt to take it and drive toward the middle. It found Kyle Palmieri in the left circle, and Palmieri hit Hischier as he raced off the bench and to the right circle, where he connected on a one-timer.

The third-year forward now has six goals and 10 points in his last eight games.

The Devils never trailed, and scoring the first three goals of the put them in control early.

Nikita Gusev put the Devils up 2-0 when he popped in a Butcher rebound in the left circle 3:28 into the second period.

A Mile Wood double minor for high sticking presented the Capitals with a golden chance to get back in the game, but Blake Coleman turned the tables. He scored on a shorthanded rush, converting a give-and-go with Travis Zajac for a 3-0 advantage at 6:48 of the second.

Buy Devils gear: Fanatics, NHL.com, Lids, Dick's Sporting Goods

The Capitals converted later on that power play, with Jakub Vrana scoring off a rebound following a Louis Domingue save to pull within 3-1 before Hischier pushed the lead back to three goals.

Miles Wood hit an empty net with 4:56 left in regulation to cap off the scoring.

Domingue, making his first start since Dec. 13 with Mackenzie Blackwood out with an upper body injury, stopped 32 shots.

Star Ledger LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170685 New Jersey Devils

Devils injury updates on Mackenzie Blackwood, Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt

Posted Jan 11, 2020

By Chris Ryan

WASHINGTON -- Mackenzie Blackwood’s run of consecutive starts was going to end at some point during the weekend with the Devils’ playing a back-to-back.

It came with an unexpected twist when the Devils announced the goalie would miss Saturday’s game against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena due to an upper body injury.

Blackwood made the trip with the team but did not skate Saturday morning. Louis Domingue will start in his place, and Evan Cormier was recalled to serve as the backup.

However, Devils interim coach Alain Nasreddine said the injury doesn’t appear to be severe.

“We don’t have a concern that it will be long term,” Nasreddine said. “So it’s just precautionary and is getting evaluated.”

Nasreddine didn’t rule Blackwood out of Sunday’s home game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, but he said the team would have a better idea of his availability on Sunday morning. He said the injury was suffered in the Rangers loss on Thursday. Blackwood was pulled from that game, but it was due to the five goals he allowed, not a health issue.

Jack Hughes did not travel with the team for Saturday’s game, remaining in New Jersey to continue his rehab of an upper body injury that will cost him his fifth straight game.

Buy Devils gear: Fanatics, NHL.com, Lids, Dick's Sporting Goods

Hughes has been skating consistently over the past few days, and Nasreddine sounded encouraged by the progress made by the rookie.

“He’s doing a lot better," Nasreddine said. "He’s in Jersey, rehab program’s going real well. Inching closer and closer.”

The Devils will get forward Jesper Bratt back in the lineup on Saturday after the winger missed the past three games after blocking a shot with his foot on Jan. 2.

Bratt didn’t need to wear a brace or boot, but he struggled to put weight on the foot after that game, and his rehab came down to managing the pain and skating without it.

The third-year winger will slot right back onto the top line with Nico Hischier and Kyle Palmieri, despite not logging any practice time aside from Saturday’s morning skate.

“I had three days of pretty good skating now and I feel 100% ready to go," Bratt said. “It’s hard when you feel like you have something really good going on, especially with the whole team, we had a really good couple of games there in a row, so it’s always hard being out and missing those games.”

Star Ledger LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170686 New Jersey Devils (.889 SV%). Braden Holtby is a career17-3-3 against the Devils, posting a 1.94 GAA in 1389:34 TOI.

The Devils are 1-7-0 at Capital One Arena and 3-12-2 overall against the Devils’ lines, pairings vs. Capitals (1/11/20) | Mackenzie Blackwood out Capitals since the 2015-16 season. The clubs last win at Capital One with injury; Jesper Bratt returns Arena was Dec. 29, 2016 (2-1 WSH). New Jersey will face-off against the Washington for the third time this season, January 16 at Capital One Arena.

Updated Jan 11, 2020;Posted Jan 11, 2020

By Chris Ryan Star Ledger LOADED: 01.12.2020

WASHINGTON -- Goalie Mackenzie Blackwood will be out with an upper body injury, while Jesper Bratt will return to the lineup when the Devils visit the Washington Capitals at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Capital One Arena.

Blackwood made the past eight starts for the Devils, and his status beyond Saturday is not yet known. The Devils recalled Evan Cormier to back up Louis Domingue, who will start in Blackwood’s place.

Bratt missed the past three games with a foot injury after blocking a shot on Jan. 2. Forward Jack Hughes remains out with an upper body injury.

Here’s how the Devils will line up against the Capitals:

FORWARDS

Jesper Bratt - Nico Hischier - Kyle Palmieri

Blake Coleman - Travis Zajac - Nikita Gusev

Miles Wood - Pavel Zacha - Wayne Simmonds

Jesper Boqvist - Kevin Rooney - John Hayden

DEFENSEMEN

Andy Greene - P.K. Subban

Damon Severson - Sami Vatanen

Will Butcher - Connor Carrick

GOALIES

Starter: Louis Domingue

Backup: Evan Cormier

SCRATCHES

F: Jack Hughes (upper body, day-to-day)

D: Mirco Mueller

G: Mackenzie Blackwood (upper body)

On IR: F Ben Street

Here are game notes via the Devils:

Tonight’s contest marks the second of four between New Jersey and Washington in the 2019-20 regular season series. The Caps defeated the Devils in the first matchup at Prudential Center on Dec. 20, 6-3.

New Jersey is 1-1 on the penalty kill, and 1-3 on the power play through one contest. The Capitals are outshooting the Devils, 29-27. New Jersey is 24-45 (52%) in the face-off circle through one game played.

Nikita Gusev (2A) leads the Devils in scoring, tallying two helpers on the December matchup. Blake Coleman, Kyle Palmieri and Miles Wood all tallied one tuck against Washington in the first contest. Coleman leads New Jersey in shots, tallying six in 17:10 minutes of action.

Mackenzie Blackwood saw 48:25 minutes of action in the first contest. Blackwood allowed five goals on 26 shots against. The Thunder Bay, ONT. CAN native is a career 0-3-0 against the Capitals with a 3.94 GAA. Blackwood looks to improve his 4-4-2 record against Metropolitan Division rivals this season (.899 SV%). Louis Domingue is a career 1-1-0 against Washington, allowing six goals on 82 shots against (.927 SV%)

Nicklas Backstrom (2G-2A) leads the Capitals in scoring and in goals against the Devils. Backstrom tallied four points, and two goals against New Jersey in 17:35 TOI. Ilya Samsonov played the full 60 minutes against the Devils in the first contest, stopping 24 of 27 shots against 1170687 New Jersey Devils

Nico Hischier, Devils blow out Capitals to end losing streak

By STEPHEN WHYNO

ASSOCIATED PRESS

JAN 12, 2020 | 12:54 AM

WASHINGTON — On a night that looked primed for Alex Ovechkin to fill the net, another first overall pick took over instead.

Nico Hischier scored twice and was part of a strong defensive effort to end the last-place New Jersey Devils' three-game skid with a 5-1 rout of the NHL-leading Washington Capitals on Saturday. Hischier's 11th and 12th goals of the season came on the same day the 2017 top pick missed out on a last-chance All-Star invite because fans voted in Washington's T.J. Oshie instead.

Hischier played like an All-Star in handing Washington its second consecutive loss.

"Right now I'm playing with a little bit more confidence, but I think the whole team is playing with more confidence,” Hischier said. “It's just simple. For me and for the team, we know what kind of team we are, I know what kind of player I am, so I've just got to try to keep skating and some things will open up.”

Devils backup goaltender Louis Domingue made 33 saves on 34 shots in just his sixth start of the season. He was helped by a major improvement in the defensive zone but was up to the challenge against a stacked opponent.

“I felt great from the start, and I thought we played really hard in front of me,” Domingue said. “Teams don't like the checking game, so if we can get that on our side, we're going to be tough to play against.”

Blake Coleman scored a short-handed goal, and Nikita Gusev added one moments after a power play ended for the Devils, who were committed to playing a more responsible game after losing 6-3 to the rival New York Rangers on Thursday.

Washington lost back-to-back games in regulation for the second time this season and has dropped four of seven. Defensive-zone miscues continue to haunt the Capitals, who largely hung All-Star goalie Braden Holtby out to dry as he allowed four goals on 21 shots.

“Execution wasn’t there today," said Capitals winger Jakub Vrana, who scored his 20th goal of the season. “Lots of bobbled pucks. Lots of missed passes. We weren’t really sharp as we normally (are).”

Despite Vrana's goal in his first game since a promotion to the first unit, the Capitals' power-play struggles continued. They allowed a short- handed goal for the second consecutive game and went 1 for 5 on the power play — including a botched 5-on-3 chance in the third period.

“Obviously you can't give up a short-handed goal and a breakaway right after it,” coach Todd Reirden said. “It's definitely a work in progress. The execution has got to improve all over the ice for us in all situation if we want to be the type of team we expect to be.”

Hoping to get more out of his team during this skid after winning three in a row, Devils interim coach Alain Nasreddine held a meeting Saturday morning reminding players about defensive responsibility. The message seemed to get through.

“Guys were committed to playing good defense,” Nasreddine said. "In this league, you can score goals, but you have to defend and I thought we did a really good job tonight. We did a good job not only in our end but also 200 feet away from our net where we tracked pucks and hunted pucks and used our speed."

New York Daily News LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170688 New Jersey Devils

Nico Hischier leads last-place Devils past NHL-leading Capitals

Staff Report

By Associated Press

January 11, 2020 | 10:04PM

WASHINGTON — Nico Hischier scored twice, Louis Domingue made 33 saves and the last-place New Jersey Devils routed the NHL-leading Washington Capitals 5-1 Saturday night to snap their losing streak at three.

Hischier’s 11th and 12th goals of the season came on the same night the 2017 top pick missed out on a last-chance All-Star invite. Fans voted in Washington’s T.J. Oshie instead.

Blake Coleman scored a short-handed goal, and Nikita Gusev added one moments after a power play ended for the Devils. Hischier and Coleman were the two best skaters on the ice, and behind them Domingue had a strong performance facing a ton of shots in his sixth start of the season.

Washington lost back-to-back games in regulation for the second time this season and has dropped four of seven. Defensive-zone miscues continue to haunt the Capitals, who largely hung All-Star goalie Braden Holtby out to dry as he allowed four goals on 21 shots.

Despite Jakub Vrana’s goal in his first game since a promotion to the first unit, the Capitals’ power-play struggles continued. They allowed a short- handed goal for the second consecutive game and went 1 for 5 on the power play — including a botched 5-on-3 chance in the third period.

Nico Hischier celebrates after scoring one of his two goals in the Devils’ 5-1 win over the Capitals on Saturday night.UPI

Devils interim coach Alain Nasreddine wanted to see how his team would respond to this skid after winning three in a row. He held a meeting Saturday morning reminding players about defensive responsibility, and the message seemed to get through.

“We’ve had success, now, how are we going to respond to some adversity?” Nasreddine said. “We felt good about our game. It’s a matter of finding (it and) going back to playing the right way.”

New Jersey bounced back from a lousy 6-3 loss at the rival New York Rangers by cleaning up a lot of what went wrong Thursday. The Devils withstood an initial push from the Capitals in the game’s first minutes and appeared to catch the league’s top team sleepwalking through long stretches.

New York Post LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170689 New York Islanders right slot with a pass from the left corner, and the defenseman fired a long shot past Rask for his career-high fifth goal.

Rask had to make several nice saves to keep it a one-goal game. Islanders fall to Bruins on overtime power play “If not for Tuukka in that first 20 (minutes), you wonder where we'd be,” Moore said. “You don't want to stick with that recipe. We want to learn from it and improve.” By VIN A. CHERWOO

ASSOCIATED PRESS New York Daily News LOADED: 01.12.2020 JAN 12, 2020 | 12:31 AM

Patrice Bergeron scored a power-play goal 1:33 into the extra period to lift the Boston Bruins to a 3-2 victory over the New York Islanders on Saturday night.

New York, which snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Bruins in a 3-2 shootout win at Boston on Dec. 19, has now lost nine straight meetings at home against Boston.

Mathew Barzal had a goal and an assist, and Scott Mayfield also scored for the Islanders. Semyon Varlamov had 30 saves.

“The chances were there,” Barzal said. “That’s a heck of a hockey team over there. The whole lineup. That was two top teams going at it, I think it was what we expected it to be, a chess match.”

Bergeron knew if he was in the right place, he’d get the puck with a chance to get the winning goal in overtime.

With the Islanders’ Brock Nelson off for tripping and Boston with its second man advantage of the game, Bergeron got a pass from Torey Krug in the left circle, settled the puck and beat Varlamov on the blocker side.

“It was an amazing play by Torey,” Bergeron said. “I was reading that there was two guys going at him, so I figured if I was to stay in that pocket the puck would come and I’d have a little bit of time, and I did.”

It gave the Bruins a goal with the man advantage for a club-record 13th straight game.

Jake DeBrusk and John Moore also scored, and Tuukka Rask stopped 35 shots to help the Bruins win their third straight. Boston also improved to 7-1-5 in its last 13 games.

Moore gave the Bruins a 2-1 lead as he fired a slap shot from the left point just inside the blue line that went between Varlamov's skates and in for his second at 5:48 of the third.

"I had a little bit of space and a lane," the defenseman said. “They did a really good job at fronting shots, so I just wound up and tried to hit it as hard as I could and it found its way to the back of the net.”

Barzal tied it for the Islanders less than four minutes later. Josh Bailey picked up a loose puck, skated up the left side and found Barzal streaking to the net, and the star center tipped his teammate's pass past Rask for his 17th at 9:33.

“We had lots of net presence, we had chaos around their net,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. "I thought we showed good resiliency when they they took the lead and we tied it up.”

With the Islanders leading 1-0, Beauvillier had a chance to add to the lead off a pass from Barzal, but Rask made a nice right pad save a little more than five minutes into the second period.

DeBrusk tied it off the rebound of a shot by Charlie McAvoy with the puck deflecting off Mayfield's skate and over Varlamov at 8:33 of the middle period. It was Debrusk's 14th and came on Boston's 10th shot of the game.

With the Bruins on a power play, Varlamov made a diving save to his right to deny David Pastrnak's wraparound try with 5:13 left, drawing chants of “Var-ly! Var-ly!” from the home crowd. Varlamov had another nice save on a try by Brad Marchand 24 seconds later.

The Islanders controlled play for much of the first period, outshooting the Bruins 14-5 over the first 20 minutes.

Mayfield got the Islanders on the scoreboard 4;36 into the game. Barzal brought the puck around the back of the net, and found Mayfield in the 1170690 New York Islanders Avenue not a home? When the game there on Saturday was the Islanders’ first at Barclays since Nov. 30 and just the sixth of the season.

Split schedule, but singular personality. A familiar Islanders problem rears its ugly head The Islanders have played 14 overtimes, winning seven in the three-on- three and another three in the shootout. Of their 27 victories, just 17 have come in regulation, Entering Saturday, they were tied for 16th in the NHL By Larry Brooks in that category.

January 12, 2020 | 12:36am You know who is ahead of them? You know who has won more?

The Rangers, that’s who.

Both teams played to their respective structures. Both teams funneled the puck toward the net while getting bodies to the paint. Both were tight in their coverage and yielded little time or space to the opposition. New York Post LOADED: 01.12.2020

And if it wasn’t quite good enough for the Islanders, who lost 3-2 on Patrice Bergeron’s power-play snipe from the slot that beat Semyon Varlamov blocker side at 1:33 of overtime, the performance was measured and disciplined against one of the league’s acknowledged powers.

“I think we know where we stand [within the league],” said Mat Barzal, who had special jump in his step throughout while setting up Scott Mayfield’s opening goal at 4:36 of the first period and scoring the 2-2 goal at 9:33 of the third, just under four minutes after the B’s had taken the lead. “I don’t think we need to play the Boston Bruins to know we’re a good team.

“They’re very similar to us in their structure. Not too many blunders out there.”

So what will it be like when the Islanders face the Rangers, Team Anti- Structure, on Monday at the Garden in the first of three matches in nine days between the clubs who have yet to meet through the season’s first three months?

“It will be good,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. “The Battle of New York.”

Well, it will be different.

Trotz of course praised the Rangers, cited Artemi Panarin and the “three- headed monster in goal.” But these matches are likely to be more wide- open than most the Islanders play and to present more scoring opportunities, as well.

Much more and many more.

And how much do you want to wager that an Islanders team that somehow has been awarded a grand total of 13 power-play advantages over the past nine games and three in the past four contests — including one in this one — gets more than its share in these incestuous matchups?

The Islanders controlled the first period against the Bruins, holding a 14-2 advantage in shots through the opening 17:40 while preventing Boston from putting a puck on Varlamov for 11:25 following the 6:16 mark. But the home team could not build the lead by adding another goal. Tuukka Rask was sharp, but not unduly challenged. If the Islanders let the game get away, that’s when it happened.

“We’ve had to rely on our five-on-five,” Trotz said. “[Scoring] is coming up a little hard for us, we had lots of chances [to build the lead] but couldn’t get the second one.”

Trotz matched the Anders Lee-Brock Nelson-Jordan Eberle line and the Nick Leddy-Ryan Pulock defense tandem against Boston’s Marchand- Bergeron-David Pastrnak power unit. The Islanders did just fine in limiting perhaps the most dangerous line in the league. They are built to stop people, but not necessarily to outscore people.

They couldn’t in this one, falling after Nelson took down Marchand on a spin move that was correctly called a trip at 0:40 of overtime. Boston cashed in.

“When it gets to overtime, that’s the way it can go,” said Josh Bailey, who set up Barzal for the tying goal. “All in all, we played a pretty good game. I like the way we competed.”

The Islanders are fifth overall in the league, but third in the Atlantic Division. That connotes opening the first round of the playoffs on the road. Which raises the question: When is the ice house on Atlantic 1170691 New York Islanders

Islanders fall to Bruins in overtime

Staff Report

By Associated Press

January 11, 2020 | 10:33pm | Updated

Patrice Bergeron scored a power-play goal 1:33 into overtime to lift the Boston Bruins to a 3-2 victory over the New York Islanders on Saturday night at Barclays Center.

Jake DeBrusk and John Moore scored, and Tuukka Rask stopped 35 shots to help the Bruins win their third straight. Boston also improved to 7-1-5 in its last 13 games.

Mathew Barzal had a goal and an assist, and Scott Mayfield also scored for the Islanders. Semyon Varlamov had 30 saves.

With the Islanders’ Brock Nelson off for tripping in the extra period and Boston on its second power play of the game, Bergeron got a pass from Torey Krug in the left circle and beat Varlamov on the blocker side. It gave the Bruins a goal with the man advantage for the 13th straight game.

New York, which snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Bruins in a 3-2 shootout win at Boston on Dec. 19, has now lost nine straight meetings at home.

Moore gave the Bruins a 2-1 lead as he fired a slap shot from the left point just inside the blue line that went between Varlamov’s skates and in for his second at 5:48 of the third.

Barzal tied it for the Islanders less than four minutes later. Josh Bailey picked up a loose puck, skated up the left side and found Barzal streaking to the net, and the star center tipped his teammate’s pass past Rask for his 17th at 9:33.

“We had lots of net presence, we had chaos around their net,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. “I thought we showed good resiliency when they they took the lead and we tied it up.”

With the Islanders’ Brock Nelson off for tripping and Boston with its second man advantage of the game, Bergeron got a pass from Torey Krug in the left circle, settled the puck and beat Semyon Varlamov on the blocker side.

“It was an amazing play by Torey,” Bergeron said “I was reading that there was two guys going at him, so I figured if I was to stay in that pocket the puck would come and I’d have a little bit of time, and I did.”

DeBrusk tied it off the rebound of a shot by Charlie McAvoy with the puck deflecting off Mayfield’s skate and over Varlamov at 8:33 of the middle period. It was Debrusk’s 14th and came on Boston’s 10th shot of the game.

With the Bruins on a power play, Varlamov made a diving save to his right to deny David Pastrnak’s wraparound try with 5:13 left, drawing chants of “Var-ly! Var-ly!” from the home crowd. Varlamov had another nice save on a try by Brad Marchand 24 seconds later.

The Islanders controlled play for much of the first period, outshooting the Bruins 14-5 over the first 20 minutes.

Mayfield got the Islanders on the scoreboard 4;36 into the game. Barzal brought the puck around the back of the net, and found Mayfield in the right slot with a pass from the left corner, and the defenseman fired a long shot past Rask for his career-high fifth goal.

Rask had to make several nice saves to keep it a one-goal game.

“If not for Tuukka in that first 20 (minutes), you wonder where we’d be,” Moore said. “You don’t want to stick with that recipe. We want to learn from it and improve.”

New York Post LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170692 New York Islanders

Isles stop Pastrnak, but Bruins win in OT

By Andrew Gross [email protected] @AGrossNewsday

Updated January 12, 2020 2:27 AM

The Islanders kept David Pastrnak, one of the NHL’s hottest players and part of one of the league’s top lines, off the scoresheet. But they still couldn’t beat the Bruins at home.

“The chances were there,” Mathew Barzal said. “That’s a heck of a hockey team over there. Two top teams going at it. I think that’s kind of what we expected the game was going to be, kind of a chess match.”

The Islanders got a point but lost their ninth straight to the Bruins in New York, 3-2, on Patrice Bergeron’s power-play goal at 1:33 of overtime at Barclays Center on Saturday night.

Brock Nelson was called for tripping Brad Marchand 40 seconds into the three-on-three period, just the game’s third penalty.

“I’ll have to look but I didn’t think I extended out my leg or anything like that,” Nelson said. “The ref saw it as a trip.”

“It was a penalty,” coach Barry Trotz said. “[Marchand] spun off and the angle looked like a penalty. Marchy is good at pulling those off.”

The Islanders’ last win over the Bruins in New York was a 3-1 victory on Nov. 2, 2013, with Kevin Poulin in net.

Semyon Varlamov made 30 saves for the Islanders (27-12-4), who had their winning streak snapped at two games as they started a stretch of seven games in 11 days heading into their All-Star break/bye week. His best save came as he scrambled to cover the left post to deny Pastrnak’s power-play wraparound at 14:47 of the second period.

Tuukka Rask stopped 35 shots for the Bruins (27-8-11), who won their third straight. They had lost to the Islanders, 3-2, in a shootout in Boston on Dec. 19.

Pastrnak had his point streak, which had been tied with the Predators’ Roman Josi for the current longest in the NHL, snapped at 12 games. He had nine goals and 10 assists during his streak. Pastrnak leads the NHL with 35 goals and 16 power-play goals.

Trotz matched Nelson’s line with Anders Lee and Jordan Eberle, along with defensemen Nick Leddy and Ryan Pulock, against the Bruins’ top line of Bergeron centering Pastrnak and Marchand as much as possible.

“They did a real good job tonight,” Trotz said. “Nellie’s line had good jump. I thought our team had good jump all night. If we play like that, with the detail and the energy, we’ll win our share of games.”

John Moore connected from the left point on a shot underneath Varlamov’s pad to give the Bruins a 2-1 lead at 5:48 of the third period.

Barzal, with his team-leading 17th goal and first in eight games, got to the crease to knock the puck through Rask’s pads at 9:33 of the third period to tie it at 2. Josh Bailey grabbed the puck on the left off defenseman Zdeno Chara’s turnover and fed Barzal for his first point in seven games.

The Islanders started with a strong push, taking 14 of the game’s first 16 shots, and went ahead 1-0 at 4:36 of the first period. Barzal swung behind Rask’s net and found Scott Mayfield near the blue line. The defenseman’s shot snaked through a screen set by Anthony Beauvillier and Bailey for his career-high fifth goal.

The Bruins tied the score at 1 at 8:33 of the second period when Jake DeBrusk beat a sprawling Varlamov from the left on a shot that deflected off Mayfield’s skate. Anders Bjork made contact with Varlamov, but Trotz opted not to challenge for goalie interference after reviewing the sequence on the bench.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170693 New York Islanders There is work to be done. Though the Islanders’ balance is admirable, their lack of elite scoring punch was a concern entering the season, and it remains one.

Islanders get a chance to see where they stand against one of Eastern They have about three regular-season months to play before the games Conference's best in Bruins that really count.

Teams such as the Bruins will be waiting for them. All they can do for now is measure themselves and try to give some of those future By Neil Best opponents something to remember come spring.

@sportswatch

Updated January 12, 2020 2:31 AM Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 01.12.2020

We cannot yet assume that the Islanders will make the Stanley Cup playoffs, but we can assume this: If they do, and if they are to make a deep run, the Bruins are the sort of elite team they will have to get past.

That is why regular-season games such as the one at Barclays Center on Saturday night mean a little more than mere standings points, and what made the Islanders’ 3-2 overtime loss on a power-play goal by Patrice Bergeron a little extra-deflating for the team and its fans.

Boston entered the game with 63 points — second in the NHL and good for first place in the Atlantic Division — and started one of the best forward lines in the league in Brad Marchand, Bergeron and David Pastrnak.

As things stand now, the Islanders would not have to deal with the Bruins until the Eastern Conference finals, but if they happen to fall into a wild- card spot, it could happen sooner than that.

That was not the point Saturday, though; Jan. 11 is too soon for such matchmaking. But it is not too soon to assess where the team stands.

Some Islanders bought the premise that the game was a measuring stick. Mathew Barzal, the team’s lone All-Star and a factor all night with a goal and an assist, did not.

“Um, I don’t think so,” he said. “I think we know where we stand. We played Colorado the other night. We’ve played some top teams as of late, Washington, and had some good games. It didn’t take us playing the Boston Bruins to know we’re a good team. Just two good teams going at it.”

Fair enough. That is exactly what Islanders fans would want players to say and think.

But it is OK for the rest of us to be taking notes.

Entering Saturday night, the Islanders had done well against the league’s top teams. They had won their most recent game against each of the five division leaders (including those tied for first place). Last Monday, as Barzal referenced, they beat the high-scoring Avalanche, 1-0.

Before Saturday’s game, coach Barry Trotz was asked about the Islanders seeming to bear down against high-powered teams in general and top offenses in particular.

“I think we’re more diligent, obviously, against [the top offenses],” Trotz said. “I think we understand what they’re trying to do and we commit to what we have to do. I think sometimes it’s a respect factor for what those high-powered teams can do, so we’re probably a little more diligent.”

The flip side is what Trotz called a “looser” approach against lesser opponents.

Trotz said there is a tendency toward “thinking we can be more powerful than them, if you will, offensively, and it just works against us.”

Defenseman Scott Mayfield, who scored the first Islanders goal, said: “We’ve played some really good games against teams that are in the playoffs . . . I think we like rising to play a line like that [the top Bruins line], guys with that many points. We have to make sure we do it every night now.”

At one point in the first period, the Islanders were outshooting the Bruins 14-2, and overall they handled their top line well. So the evening was not a total loss, beyond the fact that the Islanders salvaged a point. Trotz said that if his team plays with that level of detail and energy, it will win its share of games. 1170694 New York Islanders

Barry Trotz has no timetable for Cal Clutterbuck's return

By Andrew Gross [email protected] @AGrossNewsday

Updated January 12, 2020 2:40 AM

Patrice Bergeron’s skate blade sliced through a tendon in Cal Clutterbuck’s left wrist the previous time the Islanders faced the Bruins, a 3-2 shootout win at Boston on Dec. 19.

The Islanders still are adjusting to Clutterbuck’s indefinite absence, with Leo Komarov trying to fill his spot at center on Casey Cizikas’ invaluable identity line with left wing Matt Martin. That revamped trio was together for the seventh straight game as the Islanders lost, 3-2, in overtime to the Bruins on Saturday night at Barclays Center.

For now, coach Barry Trotz does not have a timetable on Clutterbuck’s return. Clutterbuck is working out off ice but has yet to resume skating.

“He’s progressing well,” Trotz said. “He’s doing some stuff with biking, exercising, that type of thing. He hasn’t hit the ice yet and, when he does, it will be a while before he can do what he needs to do.

“Honestly, I don’t have a timeline on that. He’s going to progress from working on the stationary bike to being on the ice. He’ll do that without a stick for a while. The stick will come, strengthen it, shooting it. Stickhandling will be the next component. But he’s not at that point yet.”

Trotz has used Komarov to take some of Clutterbuck’s penalty-killing minutes.

Komarov’s diving feed set up Martin’s winner in a 3-1 victory in Minnesota on Dec. 29 and the line generated two goals from Cizikas in a 4-3 win in Washington on Dec. 31. Martin and Komarov set up another goal by Cizikas in Tuesday’s 4-3 overtime win in New Jersey.

“I think the line has got a little bit of identity,” Trotz said. “Cal is probably a little bit more physical than Leo. But the same component and they’re hard to play against.”

Cizikas remained on the ice for more than a minute and still was visibly in pain in the postgame dressing room after blocking David Pastrnak’s power-play shot 57 seconds into overtime. The shot rose up and hit Cizikas in the groin area.

“He’s pretty painful,” Trotz said. “It hit him in a tough area. A little ice and just resting tomorrow and hopefully he’ll be ready to go [Monday against the Rangers].”

Isles files

The Capitals’ T.J. Oshie was voted via fan balloting onto the Metropolitan Division All-Star squad as the last man in. Brock Nelson was the Islanders’ candidate. Mathew Barzal remains the team’s lone All-Star . . . The Islanders are 4-0-2 at Barclays Center this season . . . The attendance was 14,962 . . . Defenseman Sebastian Aho was recalled from the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport, skated in pregame warmups as a healthy scratch and then was returned for the Sound Tigers’ game on Sunday afternoon . . . Left wing Ross Johnston remained a healthy scratch . . . Right wing Tom Kuhnhackl played after missing Friday’s practice because of a strain . . . The game was the Islanders’ first in Brooklyn since a 2-0 win over the Blue Jackets on Nov. 30. They don’t play at Barclays again until they face the Canucks on Feb. 1.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170695 New York Rangers “We tried to bounce back from that right away and obviously it’s something you don’t want to happen, but you have to move past it and focus on that next shift,” Skjei said.

Rangers pounded by streaking Blues Dunn scored off a pass from Ivan Barbashev for a 2-1 lead with 1:19 left in the opening period to send the Blues off and running.

St. Louis, Boston, Washington all have 65 points after play Saturday. By STEVE OVERBEY NOTES: St. Louis D Colton Parayko missed his fourth straight game with ASSOCIATED PRESS an upper-body injury..The . ... Rangers have earned at least one point in eight of their last 11 against St. Louis, dating to the start of the 2014-15 JAN 12, 2020 | 12:43 AM season. ... New York D Libor Hajek returned to the lineup after missing the last 16 games with a knee injury. ... NHL Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky watched the game from the stands. ST. LOUIS — The Rangers had a two-game winning streak snapped in a 5-2 loss to the defending Stanley Cup champions. Filip Chytil and Brett Howden scored for the Rangers, who fell to 1-5-1 in their last seven on New York Daily News LOADED: 01.12.2020 the road.

New York jumped in front on Chytil's goal just 94 seconds into the game.

The Blues responded with three scores. Robert Bortuzzo converted on a breakway after coming out of the penalty box to tie game 1-all. It was his first goal of the season and his first regular-season tally since Feb. 14, 2019.

The Blues won their eighth straight home game, their longest such streak since winning 10 in a row from April 16-Oct. 12, 2013.

Vince Dunn, Zach Sanford and Jaden Schwartz also scored for the Blues, who are 11-2-1 in their last 14.

New York has dropped four in a row on the road.

“We felt the last couple games we were playing good hockey. We want to bring the same energy, the same mentality home and away," New York defenseman Brady Skjei said.

St. Louis winger David Perron received a call from the team’s president of hockey operations late Friday.

“I was hoping I wasn't getting traded," Perron said.

The news from Doug Armstrong was good.

Armstrong informed Perron that he had been selected to the All-Star game via a vote from the fans as the Last Men In.

Less than 24 hours later, Perron celebrated by scoring in his fourth straight contest, helping the Blues to a 5-2 win over the New York Rangers.

Jordan Binnington made 21 saves for his ninth win in the last 10 starts. He is tied with Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy for the most wins, with 22.

Perron, who has spent parts of nine of his 13 seasons in St. Louis, said being voted in by the fans throughout the league was extra special.

“You hope you can go at least one time in your life," Perron said. “It's really cool,”

Perron blasted a one-timer past Henrik Lundqvist early in the second period for a 3-1 lead. It was his 20th goal of the season and his NHL- leading eighth game-winning goal.

His selection to the All-Star game, which will be played later this month in St. Louis, was not a surprise to his teammates.

“He's been doing this for a long time,” Bortuzzo said. “He deserves it. He's been great all year. He's huge for us and everybody knows that."

The rare goal — his 15th in 362 career games — sent the St. Louis bench into a frenzy.

“It was all spur of the moment,” Bortuzzo said. “I just shot it — it found a way home.”

Bortuzzo says it was the first breakaway goal of his NHL career.

“I want it to be on record that I'm not happy with my teammates how surprised they act every time I do score,” Bortuzzo joked. “There was some laughter on the bench.

The goal seemed to ignite the Blues attack. 1170696 New York Rangers

Rangers’ Libor Hajek has uneven night in return from knee injury

By Greg Joyce

January 12, 2020 | 2:01am

ST. LOUIS — When Libor Hajek injured his right knee during a game on Dec. 5 in Columbus, the Rangers’ 21-year-old defenseman feared he could be out for a while.

“I was kind of afraid,” Hajek said. “The first week was pretty painful.”

But the injury was diagnosed as a sprain, and just over a month later, Hajek returned to the lineup Saturday night in time for the Blueshirts’ 5-2 loss to the Blues at Enterprise Center.

Hajek, who was taking the spot of Marc Staal (upper-body injury), and partner Tony DeAngelo had a tough night as they were on the ice for two of the Blues’ four even-strength goals.

“I thought [Hajek] had some good moments and some moments he’d like to have back, which is probably natural when you put him in this situation when he’s been out for so long,” coach David Quinn said. “Putting him in an NHL game with this caliber [of an opponent] is not an easy situation. He did some good things.”

Hajek missed 16 games with the injury, but said Saturday his knee was feeling strong and he was getting used to wearing a brace on it. He played 15:05 and blocked a pair of shots.

Quinn said Staal’s injury would be a short-term deal.

After coming into the night with just two goals and two assists in his past 19 games, Filip Chytil tallied a goal and an assist. Quinn commended the Rangers’ kids line — the 20-year-old Chytil, Brett Howden (21) and Kaapo Kakko (18) — as being at their best on the night.

Chytil said before the game he was trying to focus on more than just offensive production.

“We feel good when we score goals and when we produce points,” Chytil said. “But what Coach is saying is we have to feel good about the details of small things that will help the team.”

Ryan Lindgren remained in the lineup after leaving Thursday’s game early with a leg injury from blocking a shot by the Devils’ P.K. Subban.

“I could barely bend my knee,” Lindgren said. “But now it’s fine.”

New York Post LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170697 New York Rangers New York Post LOADED: 01.12.2020

Rangers take step backward in loss to Blues

By Greg Joyce

January 11, 2020 | 10:46pm | Updated

ST. LOUIS — The Rangers arrived at Enterprise Center on Saturday feeling good about their play over the past week.

The reigning Stanley Cup champs quickly put an end to that.

The Rangers had a few costly mistakes that led to quality chances and the Blues pounced, running away with a 5-2 victory Saturday night.

Coach David Quinn had called facing a team like the Blues (29-10-7) a “benchmark game,” especially after the Rangers came in encouraged by back-to-back wins and a strong performance in a loss to the Canucks before that. But the Rangers (21-19-4) failed to back up those efforts.

“It’s frustrating. We can’t get anything going,” Mika Zibanejad said. “We get max two wins in a row and then we get back to losing. Obviously it’s frustrating. It’s simply not good enough.”

The Rangers have won three straight games just once all season, missing another chance to do so Saturday night.

Getting his first action in nine days, Henrik Lundqvist made 24 saves, but did not get much help in front of him. He faced just 29 shots — compared to some of the high-volume onslaughts the Rangers have allowed this season — but got hung out to dry on multiple occasions.

“A couple chances there where we make mistakes,” Lundqvist said. “At the end of the day, as a goalie, you need to come up with a save there to make a difference.”

FIlip Chytil had a strong effort with a goal, which gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead in the first period, and an assist.

They had a chance to build on it with a four-minute power play a few minutes later, but instead let it backfire. The Blues gave them nothing and killed it off before quickly tying the game. Robert Bortuzzo jumped out of the box and took a pass from Ivan Barbashev for a breakaway and scored to make it 1-1, just six seconds after the penalty expired.

“I really thought that four-minute power play really put us back a bit,” Quinn said. “They seemed to get energy off of that, we got a little bit demoralized.”

Vince Dunn gave the Blues the 2-1 lead with 1:19 left in the first period on a clear shot from the left circle. Lundqvist got a piece of his glove on the puck, but not enough of it.

Pavel Buchnevich took an early second-period hooking penalty and it quickly came back to hurt the Rangers. David Perron was left open in the left circle for a one-timer and ripped it past Lundqvist to make it 3-1 at 1:26.

Chytil set up Brett Howden for a goal that made it 3-2 midway through the period, but the Blues answered less than two minutes later, slamming the door shut. Zach Sanford beat Libor Hajek for a puck in the neutral zone and opened up a two-on-one with Barbashev against Tony DeAngelo. Sanford finished off a one-timer for the 4-2 lead.

“We were doing some good things,” Quinn said. “We make a bad mistake in the neutral zone and give up a two-on-one. We had people in the right place, it was just some big individual mistakes that cost you where they [the Blues] don’t seem to make those. We made them in a dangerous area.”

Jaden Schwartz made it 5-2 before the second period was over after deflecting a pass on another Blues rush, the kind the Rangers gave up too many of and didn’t get enough of for themselves.

“That’s frustrating,” defenseman Brady Skjei said. “Getting off to a 1-0 start and we kind of — not fall apart, but definitely stop managing the puck like we used to, like we had done in the past. It just got away from us.” 1170698 New York Rangers After allowing 49 shots on goal to the New Jersey Devils in Thursday's 6- 3 win, the Rangers held the Blues to 29. But they were plagued by turnovers and defensive miscues at some of the most inopportune times.

Postgame analysis: NY Rangers fall flat in loss to defending Stanley Cup "(We had) some individual big individual mistakes that cost (us), where champs they don't seem to make those," Quinn said. "We made them in a dangerous area."

The breakaway goal from Bortuzzo was a shining example, but there Vincent Z. Mercogliano, NHL writer were a handful of instances in which the Rangers were either sloppy with the puck or caught out of position. Published 10:27 p.m. ET Jan. 11, 2020 | Updated 12:48 a.m. ET Jan. 12, 2020 Veteran defenseman Marc Staal sat out with an upper-body injury, with the Rangers reinserting rookie Libor Hájek after he missed more than a

month with a knee injury. ST. LOUIS - A matchup with the defending Stanley Cup champions could "Putting him in an NHL game of this caliber is not an easy situation," have been a defining moment for the New York Rangers. Quinn said of Hájek. "He had some good moments and some moments The Blueshirts had won two in a row and were entering a difficult stretch he’d probably like to have back, which is probably natural when you put — a stretch which could either propel them into the playoff hunt or him in this situation when you know he's been off for so long." drastically decrease their odds. The 21-year-old hadn't played since Dec. 5 in Columbus, with his first full "It's important," coach David Quinn said before Saturday's road game practice coming Friday. He filled Staal's spot on a defensive pair with against the St. Louis Blues. "We're past the halfway point (of the Tony DeAngelo, with both having a rough night. season). We obviously aspire to make the playoffs. We're hanging Hájek and DeAngelo combined for a minus-five rating, with Hájek around. We’re putting ourselves in a position where it's a possibility, and showing his rust and DeAngelo struggling after notching his first career we've got to take advantage of that." hat trick Thursday. At this same point last season, the Blues were in worse shape than the But they were far from the only culprits. Veteran goalie Henrik Lundqvist Rangers are now — under .500 and even more desperate for wins. (24 saves) did not look sharp while making his first start in nine games, "Our guys are certainly aware of that," Quinn said. "There's a lot of and there were very few bright spots in the Rangers' lineup besides hockey to be played and we're going to be playing the teams we need to Chytil. play to give ourselves a chance." "You go out there and try to battle it with a couple of tough looks and But any hopes for a signature win were dashed. open chances," Lundqvist said. "As the game moved on, you start to feel a bit better. It’s just at that point, we're down a few goals." St. Louis, which has been the best team in the Western Conference all season, broke the Rangers down and handed them a discouraging 5-2 Quinn was actually fairly positive after this one. He hasn't been afraid to loss. come down hard on his team after some of their bad losses this season, and while he pointed out making too many mistakes, he gave a lot of "We can’t get anything going," Mika Zibanejad said. "We get max two credit to St. Louis and didn't seem to think this was an especially bad wins in a row, and we get back to losing. Obviously, it’s frustrating. It’s performance. "I thought our defensive play was actually pretty good simply not good enough." against a team that’s big," he said. "They hemmed us in a few times because they can do it — just because when you’ve got the size It started in promising fashion, with Filip Chytil netting a coast-to-coast disadvantage and they establish their offensive zone, you’ve got to be goal just 1:34 into the first period. patient. On the flip side of it, they've got that huge 'D' corps. When you The Rangers (21-19-4) had a chance to add to their 1-0 lead on a four- get in the offensive zone, they can end plays quickly. You’ve got to minute power play following a double-minor penalty on Robert Bortuzzo. create some chances off the rush against them because of that. But as I But not only was the power play woefully ineffective, it ended with stand here right now without watching the film, obviously we need to be Bortuzzo flying out of the box and converting a Rangers' turnover into a better, but against the team that won the Stanley Cup last year, I think breakaway goal. we've made progress. We just got to keep building on it. We’ve got to shake this off and be ready Monday." "I really thought that four-minute power play really put us back a little bit," Quinn said. "They seem to get energy off of that and we got a little bit Zibanejad, on the other hand, was as disappointed after a loss as I've demoralized." seen him this season. He seems very discouraged by the Rangers' inability to string wins together. I asked him what he thinks the biggest It was all Blues (29-10-7) from there. issues are. "Right now, it’s frustration," he said. "I’ll need some time to Vince Dunn ended the first period with a close-range wrist shot for the kind of gather my thoughts about how this game went and what was second goal, and David Perron increased the lead to 3-1 on a power-play wrong and what was not. I honestly don’t have a good answer." goal early in the second period. It clearly wasn't a great night for Lundqvist, but this was far from an easy The Rangers had a brief moment of hope following an assist from Chytil situation. He's always seemed to thrived when he's able to get into a to Brett Howden at the 8:49 mark in the second period, but less than two rhythm, but his playing time has been sporadic lately. He was thrown into minutes later, St. Louis pushed the lead back to two. the fire after a long layoff and got hung out to dry on some odd-man rushes off turnovers. When he's on his game, he'll usually stop some of A neutral-zone turnover from Micheal Haley led to a two-on-one chance those difficult chances. But he wasn't there Saturday. "Obviously, you’ll for Zach Sanford, who scored to make it 4-2. look at video and analyze a little bit," he said. "There’s probably a few things you can do better, but a lot of things I thought were good. A couple Finally, Jaden Schwartz got behind the Rangers' defense to tap in a pass chances there where we make mistakes. On a good day, as a goalie, you from Brayden Schenn for the fifth goal late in the second period. need to come up with a save there and make a difference."

"It just got away from us," Brady Skjei said. "They wait for you to make I had a feeling Quinn was going to go to Lundqvist for this game, but I'm mistakes and they’ve got plenty of skill to take advantage of those." really curious about who will start Monday against the Islanders. It has to Quinn described the Blues as a "team that plays heavy" and "don't beat be tempting to go back to Igor Shesterkin and there's a case to be made themselves." that Lundqvist would benefit from a second start in three days. But honestly, I think my best guess is that it'll be Alexandar Georgiev. He's They used their size and physicality to push the Rangers around with had the short end of the stick since Shesterkin was called up, so this their forecheck. And while St. Louis effectively limited their own mistakes, could be a good time to go back to him and prop up his confidence a bit. the Blueshirts made too many of their own. Plus, he's been awesome in three career starts against the Isles with a .967 save percentage and a 0.87 goals against average. Chytil was the biggest bright spot for the Rangers — by far. He had a goal, an assist and was active all night. Quinn said he was pleased with that entire line, which includes Howden and Kaapo Kakko, and also pointed out his young D pairing of Adam Fox and Ryan Lindgren. "He was visible every time he was out there," Quinn said of Chytil. "He really played at a pace. I thought Kaapo was good; I thought Howden was good. I thought that line was our best line."

This loss certainly didn't end the Rangers' chances of making a playoff run, but they're getting slimmer by the day. This month is crucial if they're serious about making a push. I think Zibanejad's postgame comments spoke to the feeling that it could be slipping away. Quinn tried to remain somewhat positive, but this quote probably sums it up. "Time’s a ticking," he said. "We can’t keep hanging our hat on progress."

Bergen Record LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170699 New York Rangers One would be moving Brendan Smith to defense and inserting Micheal Haley at forward. The other would be keeping Smith at forward and playing rookie defenseman Libor Hájek, who has been out since sustaining a knee injury Dec. 5. NY Rangers projected lineup: Henrik Lundqvist will be the starting goalie in St. Louis Quinn said Hájek will make the trip to St. Louis and deemed him "ready," but also acknowledged they could hold him out and send him to AHL Hartford when they return.

Vincent Z. Mercogliano, NHL writer The top three lines should remain unchanged, with Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad and Pavel Buchnevich on one; Artemi Panarin, Ryan Strome Published 8:00 a.m. ET Jan. 11, 2020 and Jesper Fast on another; and Brett Howden, Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko on the third.

TARRYTOWN - By this point, Henrik Lundqvist is probably tired of answering questions about his reduced ice time. Bergen Record LOADED: 01.12.2020 The veteran goaltender just wants to play.

“I've been trying to work really hard in practice and keep the intensity high that way,” he said following Friday’s practice at the MSG Training Center. “It’s a unique situation right now, so you just have to what you can to stay sharp.”

He’ll get his chance Saturday night in St. Louis.

For the first time in nine days, Lundqvist will be the starting goalie for the New York Rangers.

He'd already been ceding time to Alexandar Georgiev, with Lundqvist starting 22 games and Georgiev 19 in the first half of the season. But the arrival of top prospect Igor Shesterkin has only further complicated the situation.

The 24-year-old rookie started each of the last two games for the Rangers — both wins — allowing three goals in each while posting a .926 save percentage.

Shesterkin stopped 46 of the 49 shots he faced in Thursday’s 6-3 win over the New Jersey Devils.

“I knew what type of talent he had, and he’s done a really good job,” Rangers coach David Quinn said of the rookie. “He’s square to pucks, he’s athletic, he absorbs pucks, he’s got a great glove, and obviously his puck-handling ability is unique. He’s been a big factor in these wins.”

The forgotten man in all of this has been Georgiev. He’s been a healthy scratch in each of the last two games, but will backup Lundqvist against the Blues on Saturday with Shesterkin sitting out.

“We’d like to get him some games, too,” Quinn said. “We’ve got 38 more games, so he’ll be playing. I’m just not sure which ones.”

Lundqvist has posted a .929 save percentage with a 2.14 goals against average in 12 career games against St. Louis, which Quinn said was a factor in the decision to start him Saturday.

“There’s a lot that goes into these decisions when you have three goalies,” said Quinn, adding they’ll reevaluate before each game.

For now, the attention shifts from the Prince back to the King.

“When you get an opportunity to play, try to enjoy it and make the most of it,” Lundqvist said. “That's all you can do. You don't want to put too much thinking into it. It's another game; it's another test for us as a group — and personally, I get an opportunity to play, so I’m happy about that.”

Jan 7, 2020; New York, New York, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri (91) and New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren (55) are restrained by referees after fighting during the first period at Madison Square Garden.

The rest of the Rangers' lineup is "uncertain," according to Quinn, because the Rangers have a couple of defensemen who are banged up.

One game after a fight caused him to get stitches under his right eye, rookie Ryan Lindgren sustained a lower-body injury blocking a shot against the Devils.

He didn't practice Friday, with Quinn calling him, "day-to-day."

Veteran Marc Staal also sat out of practice.

"We’ll see how he feels tomorrow," Quinn said.

If either Lindgren or Staal can't play against the Blues, Quinn said he'll consider two options. 1170700 New York Rangers Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 01.12.2020

Rangers lose to defending Cup champion Blues in St. Louis

By Colin Stephenson [email protected] @ColinSNewsday

Updated January 12, 2020 2:36 AM

ST. LOUIS — Playing the reigning Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues provided both an inspiration to the Rangers and a true measuring stick as to where they are in relation to the NHL’s elite.

After all, the Blues famously were the last-place team in the league just after New Year’s Day last season before rallying to win it all.

And what the Blueshirts learned Saturday night is that there’s a long way to go for them to measure up to the Blues.

A four-minute penalty kill early in the first period that was followed almost immediately by Robert Bortuzzo’s goal appeared to energize the home team, and the Rangers were outclassed by the Blues, 5-2, at Enterprise Center. That snapped their winning streak at two games.

“I really thought that four-minute power play really put us back a little bit,’’ coach David Quinn said. “They seemed to get energy off of that and we got a little bit demoralized.’’

The Rangers (21-19-4 overall, 9-11-2 on the road) failed to pick up ground in the wild-card playoff chase. The Flyers, who hold the second wild-card spot, lost at home to Tampa Bay, 1-0. The Rangers remain six points out of a playoff spot.

Filip Chytil got the Rangers off to a flying start when he broke up the left wing and fired a wrist shot off the rush that beat Jordan Binnington’s glove hand at 1:34 of the first period.

The Blueshirts then had a golden opportunity to extend their lead when Bortuzzo was given a double-minor for high- sticking Micheal Haley at 5:32. But the Rangers’ power play accomplished nothing in its four- minute opportunity. In fact, they were lucky not to give up a shorthanded goal as the Blues had a couple of good chances against Henrik Lundqvist (24 saves).

As the power play was expiring, Alex Pietrangelo (two assists) blocked a shot by Artemi Panarin and got the puck over to Ivan Barbashev (two assists), who sent a pass to Bortuzzo just out of the penalty box, springing him for a breakaway. Bortuzzo’s first goal of the season tied it at 1 at 9:38.

The Blues scored the go-ahead goal late in the first period when defenseman Vince Dunn beat Lundqvist at 18:41 on a shot from the left faceoff dot.

Just 21 seconds into the second period, Pavel Buchnevich was sent off for hooking, and it didn’t take the Blues long to capitalize. David Perron, who found out earlier in the day that he had been voted to the All-Star Game by fans, scored his 20th goal to make it 3-1.

“I thought their power-play goal was a little bit of a killer for us early in the second,’’ Lundqvist said. “We just couldn’t clear it, and then they came right back at us. But they’re a good team. No question.’’

The Rangers moved within 3-2 on a goal by Brett Howden at 8:49 of the second period. Chytil sent a pass from behind the net to Howden in the low slot, and although Howden couldn’t control the puck, it appeared to bounce off his stick blade before getting past Binnington.

But the Blues got that goal right back. Zach Sanford stole the puck from Libor Hajek (who returned to the lineup after missing 16 games with a knee injury) in the neutral zone, creating a two-on-one for the Blues. Sanford passed to Barbashev, took a return pass and finished past a helpless Lundqvist to make it 4-2 at 10:34.

St. Louis tacked on another goal with 5:10 left in the second period. Jaden Schwartz broke out of the Blues’ zone, sent a pass to Brayden Schenn on the right boards, drove to the net and deflected a perfect pass from Schenn past Lundqvist. 1170701 New York Rangers

Rookie Libor Hajek returns to Rangers' lineup, replaces injured Marc Staal

By Colin Stephenson [email protected] @ColinSNewsday

Updated January 11, 2020 7:56 PM

ST. LOUIS — Marc Staal was out of Saturday's lineup with what the team announced via Twitter was an upper-body injury. He was replaced by rookie Libor Hajek, who had missed 16 games with a sprained right knee but who had been skating with the team for the past two weeks.

“He's ready,’’ coach David Quinn said of Hajek, who was injured in a game in Columbus Dec. 5. “He was ready to play. I thought after the first full practice he had he was ready.’’

Hajek went with the team on its trip to Toronto and Western Canada and first skated with the team in a red, no-contact jersey, then eventually began wearing a regular jersey, signifying he was ready for contact. Initially, Quinn had thought it likely that Hajek might need to play a few minor league games for Hartford first, before he could return to action with the Rangers. But Staal’s injury affected that plan.

After the optional morning skate, Hajek — who is wearing a brace on his knee — had declared himself ready to go.

“I feel really good,’’ Hajek said. “The knee brace also feels really good. I’ve gotten used to it, and I think the knee feels strong again.’’

Hajek played in 27 games, registering five assists and 12 penalty minutes and a plus/minus rating of minus-2 before he was injured. At the time he was injured, he might have been on the verge of exiting the lineup, as Staal, who had been out after ankle surgery, was ready to return. Staal stepped in to play the game after Hajek was injured.

“I liked his game,’’ Quinn said of Hajek. “He's a guy that skates well, (and) when he's on his game, he gets us out of our end, closes the gap, defends well. We're confident.’’

Blue notes

LW Micheal Haley also returned to the lineup, replacing Steven Fogarty, who was scratched for the first time since he was called up Dec. 28 to replace the injured Brendan Lemieux.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170702 New York Rangers

David Quinn praises defenseman Brady Skjei for his improved play of late

By Colin Stephenson [email protected] @ColinSNewsday

Updated January 11, 2020 10:51 PM

ST. LOUIS — It’s been an up and down year for Brady Skjei, but going into Saturday’s game, the fourth-year defenseman was on an upswing.

“I think his last two games have been arguably his best games of the year,’’ Rangers coach David Quinn said of Skjei at Thursday’s morning skate, before the 6-3 win over the Devils. “I really like the way he's defended. And look at the way he's moved pucks.’’

The strong play has come after Skjei had quite a struggle in the Jan. 2 game in Calgary against the Flames. The 6-3, 210-pounder committed a bad giveaway in that game that led directly to a goal by the Flames’ Derek Ryan, and he was so shaky overall that Quinn benched him late in the third period. Quinn, who was so disheartened after that 4-3 loss, threatened to make changes after the game, but ultimately, the coach changed his mind.

“I came very close to changing the ‘D’ pairs before the Vancouver game (last Saturday), and then after long thought, and deliberation, decided to give it one more crack,’’ Quinn said.

That meant Skjei got to stay partnered with his longtime friend, Jacob Trouba, while Marc Staal, who took Skjei’s spot next to Trouba late in that Calgary game, stayed with his regular partner, Tony DeAngelo. The Rangers, as a team, responded with a strong effort in a 2-1 loss to the Canucks, and Skjei responded with a strong game against Vancouver, and followed that with another strong game in a 5-3 win against the high- flying Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday.

“I think I’ve just been focusing on playing defense,’’ Skjei said Friday, when asked what changed for him between the Calgary game and Vancouver game. “I think that’s probably the biggest thing. Obviously, the Calgary game, I coughed one puck up and it ended up in the back of the net. But I’ve been focusing on playing D — I thought me and ‘Troubs’ (Trouba) have done a good job the last few games. Coming into Vancouver, I think we did a good job against that top line, and Colorado, and (Thursday, against the Devils), too. I thought we’ve played good the last three games. It’s something we’ve taken a lot of pride in, shutting down those (top opposing scoring) guys.’’

Skjei, 25, has struggled at times, and actually was scratched by Quinn for a game in early November because of poor play. He might have been held out more than that one game, had Staal not been forced out of the lineup due to surgery on his ankle, but overall, Skjei has been a relative reflection of the Rangers’ defense as a whole — good some games, bad others, but overall, mostly good enough. Entering Saturday, he had scored six goals and added 12 assists (18 points) in 42 games, doing all that without getting any power play time.

Injuries to Ryan Lindgren in both the Colorado and New Jersey games opened up extra ice time for the other defensemen and Quinn wasn’t shy about giving some of that ice time to Skjei, who played over 27 minutes against Colorado (he scored a goal in that game) and over 26 minutes against New Jersey.

“I think he's been inconsistent, but I think I can say that about a lot of guys this year,’’ Quinn said. “I think that's why we're [21-18-4, entering Saturday]. I think we have been that type of team so far, but I think, hopefully, we’re creating more of our identity and understanding how we're going to have to play. And I think (Skjei)'s also doing that as well. I think that I think he's still relatively young, and he's finding a way to be the consistent really good player that we know he's capable of being.’’

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170703 New York Rangers Lundqvist, who turns 38 on March 2, is under contract for one more season after this one, and it would be amazing if the Rangers could keep both Georgiev and Shesterkin and have them going forward after Lundqvist is gone. But that seems like a pipe dream. More likely, the For Rangers, carrying three goalies raises lots of questions Rangers are going to have to move one of their two young goalies — and then watch them develop and play for someone else over the next 10-

plus years. By Colin Stephenson Kaapo Kakko still has so much to learn about the NHL game. And Quinn @ColinSNewsday is determined to teach him.

Updated January 11, 2020 5:31 PM Kakko had an assist and scored a goal against the Calgary Flames on the Rangers’ Western Canada trip, but Quinn benched the 18-year-old rookie at the end of that game after he took a penalty midway through the third period. ST. LOUIS — About this three-goalie thing . . . “I think I played well, but… yeah, it was a stupid penalty,’’ Kakko said of Things were going to come to a head sooner or later with the Rangers’ the benching. “I think (the call) was a little bit soft, but, yeah, it was a goaltender situation. And with the recall this week of Igor Shesterkin from penalty in the offensive zone. You can’t take penalties there.’’ the minor leagues, it appears the time is now for the club to figure out what it is going to do about it. Kakko was asked if he was confused by, upset with, or OK with his benching. Essentially, the Rangers have three goaltenders they believe in: Henrik Lundqvist, the face of the franchise for the last 15 years; Shesterkin, the “Of course, I didn’t like that at the time, just sitting and watch when 24-year-old Russian they drafted in 2014 to be the heir apparent to everyone else is on the ice,’’ he said. “Of course, it’s not fun. But that’s Lundqvist, and Alexandar Georgiev, the 23-year-old Russian (who was hockey.’’ born in Bulgaria) who signed with the team after a tryout in 2017 and who has played well enough in his three years in the organization to force himself into the picture. Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 01.12.2020 Carrying three goalies creates an uncomfortable situation for everyone (except for Shesterkin, who would certainly rather be with the Rangers than in the minors). Not only does it complicate the decision of who should start each game, but there is the matter of making sure each goalie gets enough work in practice — where there are only two nets on the ice – and enough games to stay sharp. It’s a challenge for coach David Quinn to find the right balance between doing what’s best for the team and what’s best for each goaltender.

“We’ve got three really good goalies,’’ Quinn said at Friday’s practice. “That’s a better problem to have than having no good goalies.’’

Shesterkin has forced the Rangers’ hand. After putting up eye-popping numbers in Russia’s KHL, Shesterkin came over to North America this season, and the Rangers stashed him with their AHL Hartford team to start the season. But Shesterkin adapted to the smaller North American rinks and the faster game quickly, and he was spectacular in Hartford, earning AHL Goaltender of the Month honors in October and a spot in the AHL All-Star game this month.

As with many European players, Shesterkin has a European Assignment Clause in his contract, meaning he could opt to go back to Russia if the Rangers didn’t have him in New York. So, after 41 games — the exact midpoint of their season — the Rangers called him up from Hartford for a look-see.

So far, he looks pretty good, having started two games during the week, winning them both, and stopping 75 of 81 shots (.926 save percentage), including 46 of 49 in Thursday’s 6-3 win over the Devils.

He got the night off Saturday, as Lundqvist started against the Stanley Cup champion Blues in St. Louis, with Georgiev backing him up.

Quinn has said how the goaltenders are rotated will be a day-to-day decision, but how long can the Rangers realistically go with three goaltenders? Can they do it up until the Feb. 24 trade deadline?

Georgiev has played well (10-9-1, with a 3.17 goals-against average, .909 save percentage and two shutouts), but Lundqvist (9-9-3, 3.10, .910) is not going anywhere, so if the Rangers decide to subtract one goalie from the equation, it will be one of the two Russians.

Georgiev is the more likely to be moved. Having played more than 60 career NHL games (he’s played 63), he cannot be sent to the minor leagues without clearing waivers, and there’s no way the Rangers would ever expose him to waivers. That means he’s here for the forseeable future, at least unless and until the Rangers are able to trade him. There are teams around the league that could use a goaltender, but with the Rangers in the situation they’re in, teams might play hardball in what they would offer for Georgiev. Shesterkin could be returned to Hartford, but that would be a short-term solution, and wouldn’t address the conundrum in the long term. 1170704 New York Rangers 2. Then, at 1:34, Adam Fox, Filip Chytil and Artemi Panarin ganged up to win a corner battle in the D-zone, and Ryan Lindgren got it up the ice to Chytil, who beat Jordan Binnington. 1-0. That’s 11 for Chytil (in just 35 games), one fewer than the No. 1 pick in his draft year, Nico Hirschier, Something smelled in St. Louis, but it wasn’t the Rangers’ Diaper Line who scored twice Saturday night.

3. Shortly before the Chytil goal, by the way, was yet another big hit by Lindgren, who has had to leave the previous two games with injuries. By Rick Carpiniello This time he squished Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo at the defensive Jan 11, 2020 blue line. Tough as a three-dollar steak.

4. Good Tony, Bad Tony: This is where the tide turned … and the Rangers got swallowed up in the undertow. Micheal Haley, just out of the The three-goalie conundrum in which the Rangers put themselves — and Quinn Bin, drew a double-minor to Robert Bortuzzo, but the power play really, they didn’t have another choice — is going to look worse on nights nearly coughed up a shorty to Alex Steen off a Tony DeAngelo turnover. like this. At the end of the four minutes that came up empty and ugly, it turned into a disaster for the Rangers. Another DeAngelo turnover, and Bortuzzo — It’s more like a three-card monte. Or picking from three straws. Which who hadn’t scored since last February — had himself a Jack in the Box goalie is going to draw the short straw and have the pleasure of being the goal, leaping out of the bin to take a pass from Ivan Barbashev and choice on a night like the Rangers had in St. Louis? ripping a breakaway shot past Lundqvist. 1-1. I mean, a 5-2 loss to the Blues is not a shocking outcome under any 5. Here came the fire drill. Jacob Trouba turned it over with a weak circumstances. With a loss that is self-inflicted to the degree this one clearing attempt up the boards. The Blues got the Rangers scrambling, was, well, pity the poor choice in goal. and Panarin and Kaapo Kakko got stuck on the same side of the ice. You can say what you want about Henrik Lundqvist, the goalie who Zach Sanford found Vince Dunn all by himself on the other side, above figures to suffer the most from the arrival of Igor Shesterkin — although the left circle, for a snap past Lundqvist with 1:19 left in the period. 2-1. Alexandar Georgiev is probably going to have his season and career Take away a couple of horrific turnovers and it’s not a bad period against affected more, ultimately. You can say Lundqvist looked rusty, having not the champs. But you can’t take away the turnovers, especially when they played since Jan. 2 in Calgary, and making only his second start since end up being fished out of your own net. Dec. 27. You can say he was more uncomfortable than usual in handling 6. Twenty-one seconds into the second, Pavel Buchnevich was forced to the puck. foul Jay Bouwmeester from behind on the rush against the Trouba-Skjei Say whatever you want. You can’t convince me that Shesterkin or pair. On the Blues power play, Zibanejad blocked a shot and broke his Georgiev wins this game, or that Lundqvist from earlier in the season, stick, making it almost a five-on-three, and after a turnover (I think it was when he was flat-out stealing games, wins this game. by Lindgren), David Perron one-timed a rocket inside the near post on Lundqvist’s stick side. 3-1. Tough shot, but I think Lundqvist has to stop The Rangers are what they are, which is an inconsistent young team that it. often beats itself and sometimes is just overmatched, or, in the case of Saturday night, both. 7. Middle second, with St. Louis in charge — it was looking like “game over” already — and the Rangers without a shot on goal in the period. This is what they are as often as not … and if you think this was their Chytil chased down a puck behind the icing line, spun and sent a hard worst game or worst period of the season, you have a short memory. I pass through the crease for Howden. In fact, the pass was too hard for mean, Edmonton was just New Year’s Eve. That was worse than this, Howden to handle, but it hit his stick blade and caromed into the net. 3-2. and that wasn’t the worst of the season. 8. My Great Aunt Tillie Could Have Scored: Haley lost the puck inside the But this one stunk. P.U. offensive blue line, and Hajek stepped up for a center-ice pinch. It was a You cannot play this way against any team. You especially cannot play risky play that backfired, resulting in a two-on-one against DeAngelo. this way against that team. The veterans stunk as much, if not more, than Barbashev played give-and-go with Sanford, who had the entire right the kids. Actually, some of the kids were quite good, and the Diaper Line side of the net and nobody near him to make it 4-2. Awfully tough for had both of the goals. Hajek coming off 16 games missed with a knee injury — originally they were thinking of sending him to Hartford to get some games — to leap But you play against a team like the Blues, the Stanley Cup champs, onto a moving train against the defending champs. He had to replace especially a team that’s so good at home and so fundamentally sound, Marc Staal, who sat out with an upper-body injury suffered Thursday. so patient, you’d better take care of the puck. The Rangers, far too often this season, have handled it as if it were a porcupine. 9. Daily Bread: You have to cut him some slack when he has nights like this because, first of all, he doesn’t have many, but also because of all Count the turnovers. Every single goal was preceded by a turnover, most the positives he brings, not to mention the offense. But at that point, of them within a few feet of one of the blue lines. Most of those resulted Panarin was -2 and his center, Ryan Strome — who was Quinn Binned in odd-man rushes, in one case a Jack in the Box breakaway goal. for part of Thursday’s game — was -3. Panarin actually should have been -1, because he assisted on the Chytil goal but had gone to the How much time did the Rangers spend with the puck below the bench by the time Chytil scored so he didn’t get a plus. hashmarks? Total of four minutes? Less? Any? 10. The hot hand (well, hot lately), DeAngelo, fired one off the crossbar Again, much of the credit for that is the Blues’ skill and ability, their size behind Binnington with a chance to get the Rangers back to within one. and the way they’ve been playing since Craig Berube went behind the Soon after that (and a TV timeout), Zibanejad had another great chance bench around midseason and marched them to the Cup last year. against Binnington. Skjei lost a battle and the puck inside the offensive So, yeah, Lundqvist has been better, and maybe the situation didn’t help blue line — the Blues broke two-on-one, and Zibanejad couldn’t get back him. Do you really think Shesterkin or Georgiev wins that game? I sure in time to prevent Jayden Schwartz’s goal, from Schenn. Poor Henrik. 5- as hell do not. 2.

But I sure as hell don’t expect much good to come from having three 11. So now it’s on to yet another odd portion of the schedule — the goalies, either. Rangers play the Islanders three times in nine days starting Monday at the Garden, then head back to Nassau Coliseum (any chance I can Thoughts remember how to get there?) on Thursday. After that, nine consecutive days without a game. Then they pay the piper again with 15 games in 28 1. Opening seconds of the game, a great chance for Mika Zibanejad off days in February and four in the first seven days of March. Just absurd. the opening draw, and a hectic moment for Lundqvist after he coughed up a puck in front of the net, on an attempted short pass to Brady Skjei, 12. The good news is the official stats had the Rangers for five total who broke the other way. Lundqvist had to stop Oskar Sundqvist … and turnovers. Two of those by Lundqvist. One for Trouba, one for Chris lost his stick. Kreider, one for DeAngelo. Sounds accurate.

Shayna Goldman’s analytical notes • It was a rough night for the New York Rangers. At five-on-five, they lost every period of play, as they trailed in shots and expected goals after each. Ultimately, they conceded 63 percent of the shot share and, when factoring in quality, almost 65 percent of the xG share.

• By the numbers, it was their worst performance in terms of controlling the shot share since their 5-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Dec. 27 (when they took just 36.80 percent of the shots), and in terms of expected goals since their 6-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Dec. 20 (when they generated just 36.11 percent of the xG share). The positive is the Rangers have generally been trending up in expected goals since early December outside of this performance, so it’s something to watch for moving forward.

• At even strength, the Rangers’ best offensive performer was Artemi Panarin with five shot attempts and an individual xG of 0.1. To compare, the best offensive performer on the Blues by the same metrics was Oskar Sundqvist with six attempts and an individual xG of 0.69; he created two of the top four highest-danger attempts of the night.

• But with the Rangers, we have to talk about the other end of the ice as well. The Blues took the most even strength attempts (26) and quality chances (1.55 xG against) with Tony DeAngelo on the ice, followed by Libor Hajek in his first game back (25 attempts against, 1.3 xGA). However, the team did create some offense with them on the ice. Overall at even strength, they took the lowest percentage of the shot share with Brady Skjei on the ice (28 percent) and expected goal share with Jesper Fast on (17.49 percent).

• It was Henrik Lundqvist’s first start since Jan. 2, and it wasn’t his best night in net. While he didn’t have much support, with the Blues taking a number of shots from right in front of the crease, he also wasn’t his sharpest. His -2.35 Goals Saved Above Expectation (five goals against minus a 2.65 expected goals against) shows that he performed below how the average goaltender would have in his place.

• The best player according to game score (which you can read about more here) for the Blues and Rangers was Zach Sanford (3.52), who netted one goal and assist. The leading player for the Rangers, and second overall for both teams, was Filip Chytil (2.98). Rounding out the top five were Vince Dunn (2.90), Alex Pietrangelo (2.76) and Ivan Barbashev (2.64). The next-best Ranger ranked sixth overall: Ryan Lindgren (2.45).

The Athletic LOADED: 01.12.2020

1170705 Ottawa Senators That was largely because of Price, who stopped Chris Tierney on a shorthanded breakaway, then stopped Dylan DeMelo, Colin White and Jean-Gabriel Pageau in close late in a second period in which the Senators outshot the Canadiens 16-7. WARREN GAME REPORT: Kovalchuk scores in OT, extending Senators' losing streak While the countdown toward the trade deadline is on for the rebuilding Senators, the Canadiens had high hopes of being a playoff team.

They arrived at Canadian Tire Centre winless since a 6-2 victory over the Ken Warren Winnipeg Jets on Dec. 23, having picked up only a single point in their ensuing eight games. January 11, 2020 11:55 PM EST In losses to Detroit and the Edmonton Oilers earlier in the week, the

Canadiens blew third-period leads. For Ottawa Senators winger Drake Batherson Saturday night, there was As the puck dropped, the Canadiens led only New Jersey, Ottawa and a little bit of good, a little bit of bad and a whole lot of bizarre. Detroit in the Eastern Conference standings. Montreal was nine points Called up from Belleville of the American Hockey League last week, and five teams out of a wild-card playoff spot. Batherson found himself smack dab in the middle of all the crucial They may have been on the road, but it looked and sounded like the moments of the Montreal Canadiens’ 2-1 overtime victory in front of a Canadiens were at home Saturday. Using the energy inside the packed Canadiens-friendly crowd of 18,088 at Canadian Tire Centre. CTC — the crowd was largely decked out in Canadiens colours — the The victory, which ended when Ilya Kovachuk beat Senators goaltender visitors gave their fans something to cheer about when Suzuki got his Marcus Hogberg in overtime for his first goal in a Montreal uniform, finally goal at 8:24 of the first period. Suzuki, who now has nine goals and 27 stopped the misery of what had been an eight-game losing streak. points, has been a bright light in a dark season for Montreal.

The Senators, who sent the game into overtime on Batherson’s weird A TALE OF TWO GOALIES goal with 6:28 left in the third period, have now lost a season-high seven A mere five points separated the Canadiens and Senators before the games. puck dropped Saturday, but you only needed to look in the respective On the final play of the game, Batherson found himself caught in- creases to see just how differently the organizations were treating their between, playing defence on a 2-on-1 break against Kovalchuk, a player extended losing streaks. he grew up idolizing because of his offensive gifts. The Canadiens, still hoping — praying to the hockey gods? — to “It was kind of a 50-50 puck and I kind of second-guessed myself,” somehow work their way back into the fight for a playoff spot, went with Batherson said of his thought process on the loose puck before the odd- Price. Like the team in front of him, Price has struggled throughout the man break developed. “I’ve watched him for a long time in the NHL. It season, carrying a 16-16-4 record, 3.01 goals-against average and .901 was a nice shot by him, but I was unlucky.” save percentage into Saturday’s contest.

Batherson says he was well aware that he was defending against Maybe, just maybe, the 32-year-old with a wealth of experience and a Kovalchuk with the game on the line, but it was an unusual position to Hart Trophy to his name can regain his magic touch and carry the team find himself in. for a while, extending the faint dreams of a post-season berth.

“It was cool, I’ve got to play against some cool players the last couple of At the other end of the ice stood Hogberg, who entered the game with all weeks,” he said. “That’s probably the first time as a pro that I’ve been of 12 NHL starts. playing a 2-on-1 defensively. I didn’t really know what to do … hopefully I It was a mild surprise, given that he also played in Friday’s 3-2 shootout don’t get a 2-on-1 on me again.” loss to the Detroit Red Wings. Craig Anderson, the 38-year-old who has As strange as he felt playing defence, he also acknowledged that his 600 NHL starts to his name, dressed as a backup both Friday and goal — a puck that sat in the slot before being kicked in off the skate of a Saturday. Canadiens defencemen — was odd. He had no clue he had received Clearly, the road to tomorrow — Hogberg owns a guaranteed NHL credit for the goal until his teammates told him so. contract for the 2020-21 season and the pending unrestricted free agent “I’ll take it, for sure,” Batherson said of his first NHL goal of the season Anderson could be on the move before the Feb. 24 trade deadline — is and fourth of his career. “Looking back at the last three years, I haven’t already well underway. scored a goal like that. I just wish for those every night and before every “This process, this rebuild, with these young kids, we want to get as game, and (Saturday) I guess I was lucky enough to get one.” many looks as possible,” Smith said of the goaltending decision. “With Before the odd goal, Canadiens goaltender Carey Price appeared well on (Anders Nilsson) being hurt, this is an opportunity to see Hogberg. I his way to his second shutout of the season, 46th blanking of his career thought he was very good (against Detroit), so we wanted to reward him and fourth zero versus the Senators. He was outstanding in stopping the with another one.” other 41 shots he faced. SPEAKING OF REBUILDING Hogberg, playing on back-to-back nights for the first time in his NHL Smith was also full of compliments for Batherson and fellow Belleville career, was also sharp, stopping 23 of 25 shots. Before Kovalchuk’s call-up Filip Chlapik. In the case of Chlapik, he’s no longer strictly being game-winner, he also stopped Kovalchuk on a breakaway in the extra used as a fourth-liner like he was in his earlier call-ups this season. session. “(Chlapik) does what he does,” said Smith. “He’s a north-south guy that “Hogberg was outstanding for us,” Senators coach D.J. Smith said. “It smacks you. He had a couple of scoring chances that got blocked was a good hockey game. Unfortunately we don’t win, but there were a (against Detroit).” … On the topic of prospects, Alex Formenton lot of good things.” registered a hat trick Friday as Belleville opened its eight-game road trip When the puck dropped, something had to give in the battle of the almost with a 5-1 win over Rochester. … The continued use of Chlapik and basement dwellers in the Eastern Conference. Batherson means that Scott Sabourin has been scratched in four consecutive games. He had played in three games following his eight- The Senators arrived home in the wee hours following Friday’s 3-2 week injury absence. “Right now, we’re trying to play as many young shootout loss to the last-place Detroit Red Wings. guys as possible and give these guys a look,” Smith said. “(Sabourin) will get his games on certain nights. It’s nothing he did wrong. He was just The Canadiens, meanwhile, had dropped their eighth in a row to the out for a long period of time and the pace, when you’re out a long period Edmonton Oilers on Thursday, a stretch that effectively eliminated them of time in the NHL, it’s hard to keep that pace.” from serious contention for a post-season spot. FLU SEASON HITS HOME The Senators fell behind early Saturday night on Nick Suzuki’s first- period power-play goal and the Canadiens’ 1-0 lead held up through two Defenceman Mark Borowiecki missed his second consecutive game periods. Saturday while nursing the flu. Meanwhile, Smith says Nikita Zaitsev, out with a deep bone bruise since Dec. 16, is making progress while skating on his own. “He’s way closer. He will practise with us this week and hopefully we can get him back before the (bye week and all-star) break.”

GALLAGHER INJURY WEIGHS ON CANADIENS

If Brady Tkachuk is the agitating pest who helps draw his Senators teammates into games, Brendan Gallagher often carries that role with Montreal. Unfortunately, concussion concerns kept him out of the lineup Saturday. Canadiens coach Claude Julien didn’t provide much of an update — “He’s still being examined by doctors,” he said — but his absence was noticeable. “It’s better that he takes his time,” said defenceman Victor Mete, who talked with Gallagher on Friday. “It’s a concussion. It’s your brain, so you’ve got to be extra cautious. You have to trust the doctors and medical people. Hopefully, he gets back soon.”

THE TKACHUK FACTOR

It was intriguing to hear the respect Julien holds for the Senators’ edgy 20-year-old winger. “He’s a hard-nosed player and he’s disruptive, that’s just his game,” the Canadiens coach said. “It’s what I see in every game he plays. It’s in his DNA.” But then Julien threw out a comment that he might have wanted referees Chris Schlenker and Steve Kozari to hear. “For us, we need to protect our goalie. We can’t let him get in there. At the same time, the referees have to do their jobs, if that’s the case.” … When Tkachuk was thrown off stride during a drive toward the net Friday in Detroit, he was in no rush to find his footing as he slid into Red Wings goaltender Jonathan Bernier. … Interestingly, Tkachuk was flagged for a second-period penalty when he pushed Mete into Price, who performed an Oscar-worthy dive to draw the attention of the men in stripes.

It seems a long way off now, but the prospect of a Tkachuk-Gallagher head-to-head matchup makes one wish for another Senators-Canadiens playoff series as soon as possible.

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170706 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers fans give Oskar Lindblom lots of love and a standing ovation

by Ed Barkowitz

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

Flyers left winger Oskar Lindblom, who is undergoing treatments at Penn for a rare type of bone cancer, attended the Flyers game Saturday night at the Wells Fargo Center and received a standing ovation when he was shown on the video screen.

The tribute came during a first period stoppage of play, and Lindblom did well to hold it together. Fans held handmade #OskarStrong signs and players from both teams saluted the Flyers’ forward with reverent taps of the sticks along the ice and boards.

Lindblom, 23, was tied for the Flyers’ lead with 11 goals when his Ewing’s sarcoma was diagnosed. He played in 30 games and will miss the rest of the season. He gave his teammates and coaches an emotional lift when he met with them after their practice Friday in Voorhees.

“Best part of my day so far!” coach Alain Vigneault said on Friday. “He’s doing real well; he’s in good spirits."

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170707 Philadelphia Flyers Laughton off the wing to fourth-line center between Kase and Joel Farabee. ... Justin Braun (groin), Nolan Patrick (migraines), and Chris Stewart (flu) skated on Saturday morning. Braun is out until after the All- Star break. Patrick remains out indefinitely, and Stewart did not play Flyers sputter in 1-0 loss to red-hot Tampa Bay Saturday.

by Ed Barkowitz Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 01.12.2020

The Flyers stood toe-to-toe with the hottest team in the NHL on Saturday night, but a rare bit of bad luck at home was the difference in a 1-0 loss to Tampa Bay.

Pat Maroon jammed a bouncing puck passed Matt Niskanen and Carter Harter for the game’s only goal. For all the firepower on the Lightning, it was Maroon, a rugged forward who scored his first goal in 24 games, who accounted for all of the offense.

Hart made 27 saves but lost at home in regulation (12-2-2) for the first time in three months.

Niskanen took the blame for the play, in which he was unable to bat the floating puck out of harm’s way.

“I should’ve stopped it too,” Hart said. “I’m pretty sure it went along the ice. It was a weird bounce, kind of a broken goal. Sometimes it just happens."

The cosmetics aside, Tampa Bay created its luck. The Flyers could not.

“It was one of those games there wasn’t a whole lot of room on the ice,” Flyers coach Alain Vigneault said. “You look at the goal that they got, a bounce. We needed to get one of those greasy-type goals tonight. There was no room to execute a lot of plays."

The Flyers had 23 shots on goal but no sustained pressure. They also failed to capitalize on three power-play chances and are 0-for-11 in the last four games.

“We don’t score much. ... We got to start scoring,” Jake Voracek said afterward, visibly frustrated. “I’m not going to make any comments about the power play, sorry. Sorry about that.”

“It’s a high flip and I’m trying to glove it to my partner and it got caught in my glove. That happens 50 times a year where I just bat it out of danger and that one happened to get caught in my glove. It’s my fault but tough play. Next time I’ll probably try to do the same thing and I’ll probably execute it.”

Their last sterling chance was a two-minute advantage with less than six minutes left on a questionable high-sticking call on Tampa Bay defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk against Travis Konecny. Shattenkirk was following through on a clearing pass.

But Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped a pair of shots as the Flyers were shut out for the first time all season.

Vasilevskiy, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, made his best save on Michael Raffl in the first period while the Flyers were shorthanded.

Tampa Bay won its team-record 10th straight game.

The Flyers killed all four penalties against them, including a four-minute minor on Konecny. They have killed 12 in a row, including five against high-powered Washington on Wednesday.

Konecny was whistled for a double minor when his stick got loose and raked Victor Hedman in the face. Tampa Bay went into the night second for the season at 29% on the power play. In their previous nine wins, the Lightning clicked at 33.3%.

That was little consolation to Sean Couturier. The Flyers had a chance to follow up the win against Washington, the league’s best team, with another statement victory against the league’s hottest club.

“We’re not finishing [on the power play]. I think we’re one-and-done a lot of times,” said Couturier, who played nearly 22 minutes, most among all forwards. “We’re getting a little more control in the zone, something to build on. But we’ve got to find a way to score some goals.”

Ice chips

Flyers’ players have Sunday off and will host Boston on Monday. ... The demotion of Misha Vorobyev in favor of David Kase moved Scott 1170708 Philadelphia Flyers front of the net and we had bodies there, tried to jam it in. A few too many times we didn’t have clean entries or couldn’t get possession back after they pressured and caused a turnover.”

Flyers struggling to find answers for feeble power play While the Flyers did muster five shots on Andrei Vasilevskiy while on the power play in six minutes, three more than the Lightning had in eight minutes of power play time, they haven’t been nearly dangerous enough on the man advantage. Dave Isaac, NHL writer If they’re going to be a playoff team, they’ll need to find a way to be good Published 10:48 p.m. ET Jan. 11, 2020 on both sides of special teams.

“PK played great, 5-on-5, we were above average,” Kevin Hayes said. PHILADELPHIA — At the height of the Flyers’ power play success, which “Power play needs to contribute.” was a good portion of the last decade, PECO was getting some great advertising. Delaware County Times LOADED: 01.12.2020 Every time the energy company’s name was bellowed into the public address system at Wells Fargo Center by announcer Lou Nolan, there was a good chance something big was going to happen. That’s not so true anymore and it sure could have helped if it were Saturday night as the Flyers were shut out for the first time all season, 1-0, by the Tampa Bay Lightning.

“We’re not finishing. I think we’re one-and-done a lot of time,” Sean Couturier said of the power play. “We’re getting a little more control in the o-zone, something to build on, but we gotta find a way to score some goals.”

It would have been especially clutch late in the third period, when Kevin Shattenkirk got his stick up in Travis Konecny’s face and chipped the Flyer’s front tooth. Tampa’s explosive offense averaged 4.6 goals per game in the first nine games of their win streak and the Flyers held them to only one in their franchise-tying 10th.

All they needed was one to get on the board and take the league’s hottest team to overtime, but the aspect that had made the Flyers so dangerous for so long is lacking an identity altogether.

Back in the day it was Shayne Gostisbehere patrolling the blue line, Jake Voracek and Claude Giroux zipping passes across the ice and someone at net front, be it Wayne Simmonds or Scott Hartnell or Brayden Schenn, tipping in goals. These days the Flyers have Voracek in front of the net, the biggest body on the roster, and it’s not working. He’s there because James van Riemsdyk, who made a living doing it, has only one power- play goal in his last 35 games.

“We don’t score much. We gotta score,” Voracek said. “We gotta start scoring. I’m not gonna make any comments on the power play, guys. Sorry. Sorry about that.”

One theory why the usually chatty forward was frustrated: net-front isn’t the role best suited for him and he didn’t want to make a public stink about it.

Having him there takes away one of his best assets, which is his vision to find open teammates. Voracek leads the Flyers with 26 assists on the season.

“Size,” coach Alain Vigneault said when asked why he made the move. “A lot like JvR, that’s an important part of where the goals are scored from. I figure with his hands and his size, it should be a challenge for the opposite goaltender. (van Riemsdyk), who has been one of the best net- front guys in the league for quite some years, for whatever reason this year he’s not finding it. I thought by trying Jake there it might give us another look. Didn’t capitalize tonight. We’ll try to figure something out for next game.”

Vigneault said he thought the Flyers’ power play had been going well and said he thought they had scored in four or five straight games. That was the case at the end of last month, but no more.

In the last four games the Flyers are 0-for-11 on the man advantage and they’ve dropped to 19th in the league at 18.7 percent efficiency. They’re also third in the NHL in power-play ice time with 246 minutes and 24 seconds, so they’ve had plenty of time to work on it.

Vigneault entrusted his longtime friend Michel Therrien, whom he brought on his staff when he got the Flyers job this spring, to run the power play. They’ve tried several different setups and schemes trying to be unpredictable to opponents, but it hasn’t produced results.

“The couple times we did have possession we tried that low jam play and that’s a good strategy,” Matt Niskanen said. “That can create chaos in 1170709 Philadelphia Flyers he is. He's a good kid. You see him helping his teammates, doing the right things, not just here in the hockey environment but everywhere else. He is a good kid. So if I was a betting man. I'd bet on him.”

To a coach who would know, Flyers on right road with Carter Hart The question, and the numbers make it a reasonable one, is whether a team with that good kid in net would be a solid wager on a rough night on the road in May, in a hot building with hotter fans. Hart's pedigree and talent say so. But professional sports are about results. And Hart's home- By Jack McCaffery [email protected] @JackMcCaffery road differential is trending toward concerning. on Twitter 11 hrs ago Then again, that 12-1-2 home record Hart had fashioned would yield a

certain appeal. VOORHEES, N.J. — Whenever the final story is written about his NHL ““There is no doubt in my mind that a big part of our home success has coaching career, a good one bordering on great, Alain Vigneault will be also been the play of Carter Hart,” Vigneault said. “Carter has played aware of one hidden secret. most of the games and he has played extremely well. He's got total “I have been lucky,” he will admit. control of his play. He's a young goaltender with so much potential. Every time we put him in a game, he improves. That's what the Flyers' coach was saying early Saturday morning at the Skate Zone, a voluntary Flyers' run-through over, a meeting about to start “He's 21 years old. That's a tough position to play at such a young age. and a handful of a night ahead against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He was There is no doubt that right now he's found his groove at home.” thinking about his career, about his two visits to Stanley Cup Finals, and In a few hours, the Flyers would be entertaining the Lightning, high about what he is trying to do this season with the Flyers. And he was among the NHL's deepest, most dangerous teams. With that, Vigneault admitting that, for the first time, it's different. was asked if Hart would be his starter. As he turned toward a locker room Where is that decorated goaltender he has been so used to coaching? exit, a coach who'd been blessed with some of the best, confidently Where is that Hall of Fame candidate he can scrawl onto his lineup sheet jabbed his right thumb to the sky. every night and expect to watch blunt shots with acrobatic regularity?

Hey? Where did Henrik Lundqvist disappear to, anyway? Delaware County Times LOADED: 01.12.2020 Then, he thought something else: Maybe, just maybe, he is seeing greatness, only this time from the other side of a goaltender's career.

“I started in Montreal,” Vigneault said. “I had Andy Moog, a veteran goaltender that was sort of preparing Jocelyn Thibault and Jose Theodore. I got there, and then I went to Vancouver and had (Roberto) Luongo, who was right in the prime of his career. Then I went to New York and 'The King' was at the prime of his career.”

As he considered his history with goaltenders, and he had been blessed with some of the best ever to play the sport, Vigneault was thinking, too, about Carter Hart. He was thinking that the Flyers' goaltender has looked spectacular at times, usually in home games, but has been found wobbly, if not insecure, during rough periods on the road.

To his eye, so trained, the talent is there, if not to be another Lundqvist, for that is a ridiculously high standard to establish, then at least to be a star-level goalie. It's just that it was a whole lot less stressful working with finished products than has been to savor developing hockey excellence.

“This is the first one that I have seen grow before my eyes,” Vigneault said. “And I'm really enjoying it, and not just the good times, but also with the struggles and seeing what a professional athlete has to put himself through to be the best he can be.

“It's not easy. If it was easy, everybody would do it. It's a battle. There's a grind that goes into it. And there is no doubt that Carter is doing that work.”

The Flyers' season, Vigneault's first in charge, is more than half over. It has been good, but not great, a description that would snugly fit Hart. At 21 and yet to have played a complete NHL season, Hart has been splendid at times, able to read a play three passes in advance, to remain calm in his stance and quick with his hands. Yet his record was 12-1-2 at home 2-9-1 on the road. Even so early in a career, those numbers are too unbalanced to be dismissed as typical hockey life.

“You know, I think he's going to find ways to win everywhere,” Vigneault said. “I'm sure he's done that in the past, in junior and midget and wherever he played growing up. I think it's just a matter of time and having a little more experience. Him and Dilly (Flyers goaltending coach Kim Dillabaugh) have a great relationship. They are going to keep working on that, and there is no doubt that we have a real solid goaltender there.”

If the Flyers are to become the third Vigneault-coached team to play for a Stanley Cup, that will be a necessity. Brian Elliott has been a solid pro. But Hart has the capacity to change the direction of a franchise. Could he even be Vigneault's next legendary goaltender, in the Luongo, Lundqvist class?

“I can't say if he will get to that,” the Flyers' coach said. “You are talking about two Hall of Famers there. But I can say I like what I've seen so far, the attitude, the time he puts into being the best, and the quality of the kid 1170710 Philadelphia Flyers we talked quickly and that's the option we have in front of us right now as far as who can best help us on that line.”

Vorobyev had one goal and two assists in 20 games. Flyers Notebook: Power-play slump has Jake Voracek at a loss for words With a spot open at center, Vigneault's first move was to shift Scott Laughton over from left wing.

By Jack McCaffery [email protected] @JackMcCaffery “Then we will re-evaluate,” he said. “We've had a lot of moving parts this on Twitter 6 hrs ago year, and I think there are going to be moving parts right now until the end.”

Among the options Vigneault rejected was to return Giroux to the middle. PHILADELPHIA — In a 1-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning Saturday, the Flyers were 0-for-3 on the power play. “If I could keep Claude on the wing, I would,” Vigneault said. “Obviously, I like Scotty a little bit better on the wing, but against this team, this is the Cause? best lineup we have and gives us the best chance to win.”

Effect? Laughton played 11:36 Saturday and did not attempt a shot.

“I'm not going to make any comments about the power play,” Jake Voracek said. “Sorry. Sorry about that.” Delaware County Times LOADED: 01.12.2020 And a sorry power play it was, even with Voracek having been used in front of the net, as has been the recent approach. Over their last four games, the Flyers are 0-for-11 on the power play, not that Alain Vigneault is prepared to recognize that as a trend.

“The power-play had been pretty good,” the head coach said. “I thought prior to this, we were on a little roll there getting chances. I think we scored in four of five straight games.”

Prior to the four-game man-advantage drought, the Flyers had scored power-play goals in six of their previous seven games. But in what was considered an opportunity to make a statement against a team on a nine- game winning streak Saturday, the Flyers did not generate enough chances.

“It was that kind of game,” Vigneault said. “Both penalty-kills were good. Both goaltenders were good. Not a lot of room. You need your skill players to make a play for you or you need to get a dirty, greasy goal by getting people in front of the net. We tried, but we weren't able to.”

Voracek did offer one helpful power-play suggestion.

“We don't score much,” he said. “We have to start scoring.”

Even with a mild two-game winning streak stopped, the Flyers are 15-3-4 in the Wells Fargo Center.

“I don't know why at home we are playing very well and on the road we are not playing as well,” Claude Giroux said. “It is something we have to look into. We don't want to be a team that only wins at home. But at the same time we don't want to overlook it. If we're playing well at home, let's keep playing well at home. And when we go on the road, we will have to find ways to win.”

Giroux, who has been the Flyers' captain for seven years, knows a little something about hockey leadership.

And he knows that Sean Couturier has been showing plenty.

“For sure,” Giroux said Saturday. “He is not just a leader off the ice, but on the ice. You can see when games get tighter and physical his game just gets better.”

Couturier leads the Flyers with 36 points, continuing his ascent toward the NHL elite.

“When you think of an elite player, you think, 'If he weren't in your lineup, how would your team look?'” Giroux said. “He plays in many situations. He is huge for us offensively. He's always been huge for us defensively, and the last three years his game really is elite. He brings it every night.”

With that, said Giroux, Couturier has become a leader, particularly to the younger Flyers.

“For sure,” the captain said. “He's always on. He's always trying to find ways to get better. Just in practice, he goes pretty hard. He's doing all the right things and it shows on the ice.”

Vigneault is nothing if not blunt when it comes to hockey analysis. So when Mikhail Vorobyev was dispatched to the minors to make way for David Kase, the Flyers' coach remained in character.

“I think Chuck (Fletcher) was obviously disappointed in his progression,” Vigneault said. “The last game he didn't execute. He didn't play well. So 1170711 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers shut out for 1st time in 2019-20 season, fall to Lightning at home

By Jordan Hall

January 11, 2020 9:36 PM

The NHL's hottest team prevailed in Philadelphia.

The Flyers, who have become awfully tough to beat at the Wells Fargo Center, were blanked by the Lightning, 1-0, Saturday night.

For the first time this season, the Flyers (23-16-6) were shut out. And for just the third time in 21 home games (14-3-4), the Flyers did not earn at least one point.

Alain Vigneault's team came in boasting the NHL's best points percentage at home (.800) but Tampa Bay got the best of it in a somewhat surprising low-scoring game.

The Lightning (27-13-4) have ripped off 10 straight wins, a stretch in which they've outscored the opposition 43-17.

• The Flyers held 40-point scorers Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman and Brayden Point scoreless.

Still not enough, which is hard to believe.

• Entering Saturday's action, no goalie had a better goals-against average (1.52) or save percentage (.945) at home than Carter Hart.

The 21-year-old was strong yet again in front of his fans with 27 saves. The lone goal allowed was a weird one as Matt Niskanen failed to bat down a puck in midair, allowing Pat Maroon to jump on it with momentum and beat Hart (see highlights).

Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy improved to 8-0-0 over his last eight games. The Flyers went on a power play with 5:35 remaining but couldn't convert.

• A game after scoring a goal and going 5 for 5 against the Capitals' power play, the Flyers' penalty kill went 4 for 4. It turned away a four- minute power play in the opening frame when Travis Konecny was whistled for a high-sticking double minor.

• During its winning streak, Tampa Bay has gone to another gear in the middle frame. The Lightning have scored 21 second-period goals in this 10-game run.

Maroon provided the game's only goal in the second and while the Flyers held Tampa Bay to just that during the period, they generated very little scoring chances as the Lightning dictated possession.

"They’re a very talented team, you go up and down their lineup, there’s a reason they are where they are in the standings but the way we checked tonight was outstanding."

• Oskar Lindblom was in the house and received a heartwarming standing ovation (see story). The 23-year-old forward has begun treatment for Ewing's sarcoma.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170712 Philadelphia Flyers

Oskar Lindblom receives standing ovation during Flyers-Lightning game at Wells Fargo Center

By Jordan Hall

January 11, 2020 7:54 PM

Oskar Lindblom brought joy to his team Friday at Flyers Skate Zone.

He had a full house at the Wells Fargo Center standing and smiling Saturday night.

The 23-year-old forward who has begun treatment for Ewing's sarcoma was shown on the Jumbotron during the first period of the Flyers- Lightning game.

He received a lengthy and loud standing ovation.

A beautiful moment.

On Friday, Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault wore an "Oskar Strong" shirt with a big smile.

Ahead of Saturday night's game, Lauren Hart, a cancer survivor herself, rocked an "Oskar Strong" shirt as she sung the national anthem.

The "Oskar Strong" movement continues to grow, thanks to Biscuit Tees and tremendous support.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170713 Philadelphia Flyers

2019-20 Flyers have been defined by how they've responded to adversity

By Katie Emmer

January 11, 2020 2:50 PM

VOORHEES, N.J. — Like many teams in the NHL, the Flyers have positives and negatives.

We know one of those negatives is their record on the road, among other things, but through the ups and downs of the season, one of the biggest positives gathered from this team can be described in one word — response.

The way this team has been able to respond to adversity in game situations, schedule situations, shorthanded situations, etc. has relieved some of the stress and frustrations of the season.

The Flyers struggled in the first 20 minutes of several games on the road. They allowed a combined 11 goals in the first period during a three-game stretch from Dec. 31 to Jan. 4. The players will tell you, it wasn’t ideal to be in situations in which they were chasing the game, but in two of those three games, the Flyers had the chance to take control in the final minutes.

The Flyers have had three four-game losing streaks this season and while it isn’t a good sign to see a team drop four in a row, they have never let it go any further. The most notable game was their 3-2 statement win over the best team in the league, the Washington Capitals, this past Wednesday.

“There was a lot to build on in our last two games," head coach Alain Vigneault said Saturday. "We’re obviously missing a couple key components but all teams go through that. You have to continue to find ways to compete and to win and that’s what we’re trying to do.

"Our schedule is a challenging one, tough opponent tonight (Tampa Bay Lightning), tough opponents coming in … so it’s important that we stay in the present, stay in the moment, focus on what we we’ve got to do tonight against Tampa Bay.”

The Flyers' success on home ice has certainly helped the way they’ve been able to respond to different situations, specifically after the tough six-game road trip in which they went 1-5.

They returned home Wednesday, where they are currently riding a five- game winning streak and have the fourth-highest goals per game average in the NHL (3.75).

“I think our confidence wasn’t really great but obviously coming back home, our record has been pretty good this year," Claude Giroux said. "Washington is a pretty good team and for us to be able to get the win, I think it’s good for everybody in this room right now.”

The Flyers are 14-2-4 at Wells Fargo Center this season and will look to continue their home ice success against the Lightning, who haven't lost since Dec. 21.

The team still has much to prove and will need to continue to battle through adversity with injuries to two of its key defensemen, Justin Braun and Shayne Gostisbehere.

A positive response in the remainder of this three-game game homestand is exactly what the Flyers will need.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170714 Pittsburgh Penguins Championship Game in Oakland, Franco (Harris) and Rocky (Bleier) were both hurt in the same week and missed that game.”

The Raiders ended up winning the conference championship and the Pittsburgh sports teams hope 2020 won’t be another injury filled year Super Bowl.

But while losing star players for long stretches of time has been something the Steelers have largely been able to avoid, it’s nothing new PAUL GUGGENHEIMER for the Penguins.

Sunday, January 12, 2020 12:01 a.m. “The Penguins are a franchise where Mario (Lemieux) and Sid have had to deal with so many injuries,” Oxenreiter said. “Mario played in 64% of

his (eligible) games and Sid has played, I think, in 81% of the games. So As the calendar flipped to 2020, the happiest people in Pittsburgh were when you’re dealing with the two top players of all time missing that likely the players, coaches and fans of the Steel City’s professional much play because of injuries, injuries are always a concern.” sports teams. And the Penguins have had plenty to be concerned about halfway A spate of injuries to high-profile athletes across all sports in 2019, through the 2019-20 season. including some of the most recognizable names in pro football, baseball The biggest worry, of course, has been the injury to Crosby. The and hockey, derailed the Pirates’ and Steelers’ seasons and created Penguins’ superstar captain has been out since Nov. 9 with a core huge challenges for the Penguins. muscle injury, but is close to returning and could play as soon as Sunday The list includes a who’s who of current Pittsburgh sports stars: Ben at Arizona. Roethlisberger, James Conner, Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel and Josh The excitement over Crosby’s imminent return has been tempered by the Bell, to name a few. recent loss of leading scorer Guentzel. A 40-goal scorer last year, “I don’t recall anything at all like this,” said veteran sportscaster Stan Guentzel saw his season come to an abrupt end when he slammed into Savran, whose career in Pittsburgh spans more than four decades. “Of the boards Dec. 30 in a game against Ottawa. course, Sidney Crosby’s extended absences because of concussions Considering the Penguins lost star forward Evgeni Malkin for most of certainly comes to mind. But that didn’t happen in conjunction with major October and all-star defenseman Kris Letang for most of November with injuries of the other major league sports franchises as well.” lower-body injuries — and are also without two of their top defensemen, It’s not just the number of injuries — it’s injuries to athletes who play an Brian Dumoulin and Justin Schultz — it’s amazing they entered the integral role for their teams. weekend tied for second in the Metropolitan Division.

“Injuries have been a part of sports forever, and it’s hard to prevent them. “No one would have predicted that the Penguins would do as well as they They can happen anytime, anywhere,” said longtime WPXI-TV Sports have without Sidney Crosby for such a significant amount of time,” Director Alby Oxenreiter. “But when you see so many injuries, it’s tough Savran said. when the injury is to the best players on the team.” “When you see so many injuries for the Pirates, and then when the First came the Pirates Steelers’ season starts and actually overlaps with all the injuries they had to deal with. And then (the Steelers’) season overlaps with the Penguins’ It began with the Pirates losing three of their five starting pitchers for and their injuries, it’s remarkable,” said Oxenreiter, who attributes the significant stretches of time. In the first half of their season, they were just onslaught of injuries to bad luck. a game below .500 and in contention for the playoffs. But then they crumbled. The Bucs couldn’t overcome the injuries, including the right At least one expert said he has a good medical explanation. elbow flexor strain suffered by ace pitcher Jameson Taillon. He ended up Dr. David Chao, a former team doctor for the San Diego Chargers, has having his second Tommy John surgery. become a social media force by using game video to offer opinions on In September, Bell, who was having an all-star year with 37 home runs, injuries in real time. He said evolution can’t keep up with today’s finely 116 RBIs and .936 OPS, sustained a season-ending groin injury. The tuned athletes. Pirates finished with a 69-93 record, the second worst in the National “Why are we seeing so many Achilles’ ruptures or ACL tears? As players League. get bigger, faster and stronger, your ACL doesn’t get any thicker. Your Around the same time, the Steelers learned quarterback Ben Achilles’ doesn’t get any bigger. As you have more and more force and Roethlisberger, a two-time Super Bowl champion, would be lost for the torque, because people are working out, you’re putting more stress on year because of an elbow injury requiring season-ending surgery. your body and there’s more failure,” Chao said.

“The Steelers had never lost their star quarterback (for nearly an entire “It’s sort of like, if you build the engine bigger, the suspension doesn’t season) before,” Savran said. “The one injury you can’t overcome is to hold up. And if you make the car go faster and do more things, more the quarterback.” things break. And that’s where we’re at.”

Unlike the Pirates, however, the Steelers were able to make a late- Chao said there is information about injuries that wasn’t available until season run and stay in playoff contention despite a litany of injuries. They recently. fell short at the end, however, missing the postseason for the second “Even 10 years ago, if a guy had a headache, his teammates would have consecutive year. looked at him and said, ‘So … talk to me after the game. Let’s go,’ ” Chao Other key Steelers who were injured included backup quarterback Mason said. “Nowadays, if you see momentary stars and you report it, people Rudolph, who sustained a concussion and season-ending left shoulder say, ‘OK, let’s be safe.’ And that also happens with knee injuries and injury; defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt, who suffered a season-ending muscle injuries.” pectoral injury after just six games; wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, Whatever the cause, Savran said the rash of injuries suffered by the who missed a significant amount of time with concussion and knee Penguins can’t get any worse. problems; and Conner, with knee and shoulder problems. “I probably shouldn’t say that. They have endured about as much as they Oxenreiter said the Steelers haven’t experienced anything like this in can possibly endure and they have not only survived, they have thrived. more than 40 years. They’re playing some of their best hockey of the year without Sid,” “The thing that sticks out in my mind from having grown up here is 1976, Savran said. when the Steelers were going for their third straight Super Bowl after It’s probably not unreasonable to think that the worst is behind the winning Super Bowls IX and X,” Oxenreiter said. Penguins, if not the Steelers and Pirates, when it comes to injuries. After “The Steelers had to deal with a chunk of the season without (Hall of all, it’s a new year. Famer quarterback) Terry Bradshaw, who missed six games for a variety of reasons including a neck injury. And then after they made it to the AFC Tribune Review LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170715 Pittsburgh Penguins

Minor league report: DeSmith helps Penguins snap losing streak

SETH RORABAUGH

Saturday, January 11, 2020 10:43 p.m.

Goaltender Casey DeSmith made 25 saves for the Wilkes- Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 3-0 shutout of the Hartford Wolf Pack at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday.

The victory snapped a five-game losing streak for the Penguins (18-15-3- 3). Forwards Anthony Angello, Kevin Roy and defenseman David Warsofsky each scored goals.

Highlights:

The Penguins will open a six-game road trip against the Texas Stars at the H-E-B in Cedar Park, Texas on Wednesday, 8 p.m.

—-

Goaltender Alex D’Orio made 28 saves for the Wheeling Nailers in a 6-1 loss to the Fort Wayne Komets at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling.

Forward Yushiroh Hirano scored the only goal for the Nailers (16-16-4-0) who have lost four consecutive games.

Tribune Review LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170716 Pittsburgh Penguins With Guentzel, Sidney Crosby and Malkin having missed ample time this season because of injury, Rust has done more than simply contribute to the Penguins’ success.

Bryan Rust doing more than simply contributing to Penguins’ success “Obviously, there are those guys in the league that are going to control the play who are stars and can make things kind of happen on the ice,” Rust said. “Then there are guys that contribute and help those guys.”

SETH RORABAUGH Has Rust crossed that threshold?

Saturday, January 11, 2020 7:47 p.m. “I don’t know,” he said. “I haven’t really thought about it. I’m just trying to take this year day by day.”

Rust’s teammates aren’t so hesitant to evaluate if he’s transformed from SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Bryan Rust almost was repulsed by the question. contributor to something more profound. At least that’s what his body language suggested. “Oh yeah,” forward Jared McCann said. “He’s been one of our best A day before his first game of the season Oct. 26 at Dallas, the penalty-killers. He blocks shots. He not only contributes offensively, but Pittsburgh Penguins’ forward was asked if he still would utilize the his defensive game is one of the best. He’s a guy coaches rely on every unusual method he employed to block a shot in the final game of the night. It’s good to have him.” preseason Sept. 28. Rust is one good game away from breaking through that mystical barrier During a penalty kill against the Buffalo Sabres, Rust leaned low and of 20 goals, which can can serve as a “graduation” in being regarded as forward with each of his arms down to block a slapper from Sabres a “goal-scorer” instead of a “contributor.” defenseman Colin Miller. The puck struck his left hand, and Rust missed Does he have an eye on that figure? the first 11 games of the regular season. “No,” Rust said, before walking that back. “I try not to.” Would he do that again in a meaningless preseason game? “But it’s obviously something that creeps up in the back of your mind. I’m “Yeah,” Rust said somewhat defiantly. “Get low. Block the shot. Got to just trying to continue to help this team win.” cover as much as surface area as I could. I blocked it, didn’t I? I’ve just got to add a few more pads to my gloves.”

That modus operandi has become Rust’s defining trait. If there’s a need, Tribune Review LOADED: 01.12.2020 he fills it.

Penalty kill? He is third on the team with an average 1 minute, 28 seconds of short-handed ice time this season.

Power play? He has manned the slot for the better part of a month and figures to stay there with forward Jake Guentzel sidelined.

First-line winger? Skating with Evgeni Malkin and Dominik Kahun, Rust arguably is the team’s top winger after Guentzel’s injury.

In that role, he already has tied his career high in goals with 18 in 30 games.

But not only is he scoring more goals, he is scoring important goals.

His latest, during Friday’s 4-3 overtime win in Colorado, was evidence of that.

At the 18:20 mark of the second period, the Avalanche took a 2-1 lead on a fluky goal by forward Gabriel Landeksog. He flipped the puck up from outside the blue line, then it took a strange hop over the glove hand of goaltender Matt Murray and the Avalanche finished the period with momentum.

Rust quickly reclaimed it at the start of the third period.

Collecting a rebound in the high slot, he whipped a wrister through goaltender Pavel Francouz legs to tie the score only 1:14 into the third.

It wasn’t just a timely goal for the Penguins. It was a goal the Penguins needed.

“Anytime a team gets a late goal late in the second, and the nature that it was, can be a little deflating,” Rust said. “It was important to come out (for the third period) quickly, and to be able to get that goal on the second shift of the period, I think was big.”

The notion of Rust scoring big goals isn’t anything new. Long ago, he established his reputation as “Big Game Bryan Rust” by scoring game- winning and series-clinching goals during the team’s Stanley Cup runs of 2016 and ’17, although it has waned a bit with inert performances in the ’18 and ’19 playoffs.

But he was primarily a bottom-six forward during those championship seasons. Now, he’s a first-liner helping carry a team besieged by injuries.

Three of his goals have been winning scores this season, and 13 of his goals have tied games.

“There are a number of goals this year that have come at pretty good times,” Rust said. “Anytime you score more goals, your chances of scoring important ones go up.” 1170717 Pittsburgh Penguins “When we use our speed, we’re dangerous,” McCann said. “I feel like that’s something that I feel like we have similiarities. Obivously, I like to shoot the puck and he does a good job of shooting the puck.”

Sidney Crosby’s status remains uncertain for Penguins

Tribune Review LOADED: 01.12.2020

SETH RORABAUGH

Saturday, January 11, 2020 4:58 p.m.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – The status of Penguins captain Sidney Crosby remains uncertain as the team concludes its three-game road trip throughout the American west.

Crosby wore typical jersey which indicated full contact during the team’s practice at the Scottsdale Ice Den, the Arizona Coyotes’ practice facility. In addition to working without any limitations with regards to contact, Crosby took part in line rushes working with Jared McCann or Dominik Simon on the left wing and Patric Hornqvist on the right wing.

Additionally, Crosby skated with the team’s top power-play unit along with Hornqvist, forwards Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust and defenseman Kris Letang.

One of the final players to leave the ice, Crosby displayed little in the way of any hindrances from his core muscle injury which has sidelined him since Nov. 9.

Crosby’s offered little insight if he would play Sunday against the Coyotes at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Ariz.

“I haven’t ruled out anything,” Crosby said. “But I haven’t really discussed it that much. I just got off the ice here.”

Coach Mike Sullivan didn’t shed much light on Crosby’s status for Sunday either.

“Well, he obviously had another strong day today so we’re encouraged by his progress,” Sullivan said. “We’ll take each day as it comes, we’ll see how he responds and we’ll make decisions accordingly.”

Crosby did not practice on Thursday in Denver as the team had a scheduled day off then missed a skating session in Denver on Friday due to an illness.

“I’m trying to get as much contact as I can,” Crosby said. “It’s pretty difficult with the practices. It’s too bad I missed that one the other day. It’s just the way it goes. So, yeah, I’m trying to get a little bit of that in when I can.”

“Our schedule – we’re playing so many games – it’s not ideal for trying to get back into the lineup. Getting practices in and the guys who are playing, I think their focus is to get out there, skate and get off and use the rest while you can. So I’m just trying to make the most of the practices with the group.”

There was a brief scare for Crosby during practice when a shot by Hornqvist deflected off a cross bar and struck Crosby’s visor. Crosby was not injured.

“Yeah, hockey gods don’t want me in the lineup right now, I guess,” Crosby quipped. “I’m just glad it didn’t get me in the head. I can look at it two different ways, right? It didn’t hit me in the face and I’m here to talk about it and laugh about it. Yeah, just another bit of adversity in the whole getting back.”

A potential line with McCann would offer a reunion of sorts for Crosby from last season.

After joining the Penguins via trade in February, he found himself on the left wing of a line with Crosby as well as Jake Guentzel and scored 11 goals in 32 games with the Penguins.

“Just his speed stood out immediately,” Crosby said when asked why they clicked as well as they did last season. “And I think once we got to play together and once you start to see his shot. He’s got a great shot. I didn’t realize playing against him then seeing it every day. He shoots the puck a lot and with a shot like that he should. I think his speed opens up a lot but then he’s able to finish.” 1170718 Pittsburgh Penguins “When we use our speed, we’re dangerous,” McCann said. “I feel like that’s something that I feel like we have similiarities. Obivously, I like to shoot the puck and he does a good job of shooting the puck.”

Sidney Crosby’s status remains uncertain for Penguins Notes:

-Forward Nick Bjugstad (core muscle) and Justin Schultz (undisclosed) skated after the rest of the team practiced. SETH RORABAUGH

Saturday, January 11, 2020 4:58 p.m. Tribune Review LOADED: 01.12.2020

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – The status of Penguins captain Sidney Crosby remains uncertain as the team concludes its three-game road trip throughout the American west.

Crosby wore typical jersey which indicated full contact during the team’s practice at the Scottsdale Ice Den, the Arizona Coyotes’ practice facility. In addition to working without any limitations with regards to contact, Crosby took part in line rushes working with Jared McCann or Dominik Simon on the left wing and Patric Hornqvist on the right wing.

Additionally, Crosby skated with the team’s top power-play unit along with Hornqvist, forwards Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust and defenseman Kris Letang.

One of the final players to leave the ice, Crosby displayed little in the way of any hindrances from his core muscle injury which has sidelined him since Nov. 9.

Crosby’s offered little insight if he would play Sunday against the Coyotes at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Ariz.

“I haven’t ruled out anything,” Crosby said. “But I haven’t really discussed it that much. I just got off the ice here.”

Coach Mike Sullivan didn’t shed much light on Crosby’s status for Sunday either.

“Well, he obviously had another strong day today so we’re encouraged by his progress,” Sullivan said. “We’ll take each day as it comes, we’ll see how he responds and we’ll make decisions accordingly.”

Crosby did not practice on Thursday in Denver as the team had a scheduled day off then missed a skating session in Denver on Friday due to an illness.

“I’m trying to get as much contact as I can,” Crosby said. “It’s pretty difficult with the practices. It’s too bad I missed that one the other day. It’s just the way it goes. So, yeah, I’m trying to get a little bit of that in when I can.”

“Our schedule – we’re playing so many games – it’s not ideal for trying to get back into the lineup. Getting practices in and the guys who are playing, I think their focus is to get out there, skate and get off and use the rest while you can. So I’m just trying to make the most of the practices with the group.”

There was a brief scare for Crosby during practice when a shot by Hornqvist deflected off a cross bar and struck Crosby’s visor. Crosby was not injured.

“Yeah, hockey gods don’t want me in the lineup right now, I guess,” Crosby quipped. “I’m just glad it didn’t get me in the head. I can look at it two different ways, right? It didn’t hit me in the face and I’m here to talk about it and laugh about it. Yeah, just another bit of adversity in the whole getting back.”

A potential line with McCann would offer a reunion of sorts for Crosby from last season.

After joining the Penguins via trade in February, he found himself on the left wing of a line with Crosby as well as Jake Guentzel and scored 11 goals in 32 games with the Penguins.

“Just his speed stood out immediately,” Crosby said when asked why they clicked as well as they did last season. “And I think once we got to play together and once you start to see his shot. He’s got a great shot. I didn’t realize playing against him then seeing it every day. He shoots the puck a lot and with a shot like that he should. I think his speed opens up a lot but then he’s able to finish.” 1170719 Pittsburgh Penguins Crosby didn’t feel well Friday in Denver and didn’t skate for a second straight day. It sounds like everyone wished he would have practiced Thursday.

Could Sidney Crosby return Sunday in Arizona? 'We're not ruling out “Our schedule – we're playing so many games – it's not ideal for trying to anything' get back into the lineup,” he said. “Getting practices in and the guys who are playing, I think their focus is to get out there, skate and get off and use the rest while you can. So I’m just trying to make the most of the practices with the group.” MATT VENSEL Crosby, who has 17 points in 17 games, is still trying to get his timing Pittsburgh Post-Gazette back. JAN 11, 2020 11:01 PM “When you’re playing games, the game seems to slow down a little bit,” he said. “But if you miss an extended period of time, it’s just your timing [that’s off] and plays tend to develop a little quicker. That just comes from SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. – Sidney Crosby took another stride in his playing games.” recovery Saturday when the Penguins skated at the Ice Den, a community rink outside Phoenix. He appeared to be all-systems go in a Crosby has not played since Nov. 9. Five days later, he had sports hernia team practice, took part in line rushes and wore a look of satisfaction surgery in Philadelphia. The team announced he would miss at least six while lingering on the ice afterward. weeks. He has been skating for a few weeks now and joined team practices Jan. 1. The captain first had to dodge a bullet, though. More accurately, a stray puck. The Penguins rallied in his absence, going 17-6-4. That includes two wins in this week-long road trip. With Crosby looking in from the press During the practice, linemate Patric Hornqvist fired a shot off the crossbar box, Pittsburgh beat two of the Western Conference’s top teams in that nearly cracked Crosby in the face. Thankfully, it just grazed his Vegas and Colorado. helmet. Crosby was asked if the Penguins playing so well is allowing him to take “Hockey gods don’t want me in the lineup right now, I guess,” Crosby his time coming back from a tricky injury without the risk a serious joked. setback.

Sidney Crosby beats Colorado goalie Phillipp Grubaueron with a “I don’t think I’ll ever take my time,” he said. “But as far as the team backhand shot Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2019, at PPG Paints Arena. playing well, it’s been pretty great to watch, just the different ways that we've won, different guys stepping up. … It’s been a team effort each Sidney Crosby does not practice in Denver after 'some really strong days' and every night.” There is a chance those deities will be disappointed Sunday in Glendale, He will soon be a part of that, whether it’s Sunday or the days that follow. Ariz. Well, unless those hockey gods have something else to say about it. But Crosby, dripping with sweat after skating for about an hour, would not Crosby, after a close call Saturday in Arizona, can chuckle about the rule out returning to the lineup Sunday against the Arizona Coyotes. He injury luck. chatted with the media before huddling up with the medical staff, which surely will have some say in the matter. But Crosby is pleased with the “It didn’t hit me in the face and I’m here to talk about it and laugh about progress he has made. it,” Crosby said. “Yeah, just another bit of adversity in the whole getting back.” “I’m sure they'll see how I felt today. That will be the first question then we’ll go from there,” he said. “Just getting back out there and feeling good and feeling better every day is the most important thing. And that’s how it's gone.” Post Gazette LOADED: 01.12.2020

Mike Sullivan also passed on a chance to declare Crosby out for Sunday, saying, “We’re not ruling out anything. We’re just taking each day as it comes.”

The coach added: “When he practices, it’s amazing the influence he has on our team. The pace of the practice just elevates significantly. ... I know our guys are excited when he's out there with us. It improves our team morale. Our energy was great today. We really liked the pace. And Sid had a strong practice.”

Crosby, in his first full-squad practice since Jan. 3, was the first skater on the ice. He wore a regular jersey, signifying that he is cleared for contact, though he later danced around a question about that. He was between Jared McCann and Hornqvist during line rushes. He also worked with the top power play.

“I’m trying to get as much contact as I can. It’s pretty difficult with the practices,” the 32-year-old said. “It’s too bad I missed that one the other day. It’s just the way it goes. So, yeah, I’m trying to get a little bit of that in when I can.”

Marcus Pettersson, Brandon Tanev and Teddy Blueger celebrate with Zach Aston-Reese after his goal against Winnipeg on Oct. 13, 2019.

The team’s busy schedule, plus a minor illness, has presented a challenge.

He pushed himself Tuesday while skating with Nick Bjugstad and Justin Schultz, who are also on the trip rehabbing injuries. Wednesday’s practice in Las Vegas was extremely optional and most players, visions of roulette wheels spinning their heads, skipped it. Thursday was a scheduled day off for Crosby. 1170720 Pittsburgh Penguins The most recent one involves winger Patric Hornqvist staying on the bench after the second period ended and flat refusing to allow teammates to get too down after a long-range shot bounced past goalie Matt Murray late in a second period the Penguins otherwise dominated. It Bryan Rust isn’t an All-Star, so the Penguins will have to settle for him was a goal for which Murray was not at fault, but it was also a goal an being one of the NHL’s best scorers undermanned Penguins team conceivably could ill-afford against a skilled Avalanche opponent.

Conceivably hasn’t fared too well against these Penguins. By Rob Rossi Defenseman Kris Letang said after this win that he liked his club’s Jan 11, 2020 “resiliency,” and the Penguins did rally from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits before shaking off the Avalanche forcing overtime with a final-minute goal in regulation. Letang also had to love Murray’s response to the late goals in DENVER — A hot debate around the NHL is how to keep players the second and third, neither of which stemmed from a shot he saw interested in the All-Star Game. clearly.

A suggestion: designate as All-Stars deserving players who would arrive “I can’t really read that bounce,” Murray said of the second-period goal in the All-Star city with stars in their eyes. that bounced weirdly on him. “I think it was (defenseman Juuso Riikola) who was trying to make a play, and it just bounded, like, straight Like, say, Bryan Rust. sideways. So, you just brush it off.” He would be a perfect fit for those end-of-month festivities in St. Louis. Or Murray, who said after this win he “felt really good” in terms of his maybe it’s better for Rust — and for the Penguins — that he spend the performance, is showing signs of brushing off a bruising couple of All-Star break somewhere away from hockey. months. In fact, he is perhaps making a case to be ready for the No. 1 Not because Rust could use the rest. goalie gig that Tristan Jarry has essentially assumed since late November. Rather, because it would certainly strike those outside of Pittsburgh as curious if another Penguins representative won the All-Star Game MVP a This is not to suggest Jarry is in danger of giving up the crease. year after Sidney Crosby claimed it for the first time. And Rust, if he were However, a case could be made that Murray might make a goaltender an All-Star, would have to be a leading candidate for MVP of that game. controversy a basis for questions asked of Sullivan once Crosby does get He does tend to score goals in big games. back to playing for the Penguins. Since the NHL’s Christmas break, Murray and Jarry are a lot closer in terms of performance than perhaps Also, all he does this season is score goals. He did it again Friday night people have noticed. at Pepsi Center, pulling the Penguins even early in the third period of what became a 4-3 overtime win over the Colorado Avalanche. “I really like how he responded to it,” Sullivan said of Murray after “that fluke goal” by Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog. “He didn’t let that It was Rust’s 18th goal in only 30 games. His goal scoring at five-on- get him down. He just sort of stayed in the moment.” five/per 60 minutes is at 1.46, which ranks eighth among all skaters in the league. Sullivan could just as well have been speaking about Murray’s last few weeks instead of his latest start. Or he could have been talking about the Not too shabby, eh? entire season for these Penguins.

Thing is, Rust is one of only five players at or above 3.00 in points at five- Don’t get down. on-five/per 60 minutes. What sounded like a split crowd in Denver watched a game involving three of those players: Rust and centers Stay in the moment. Evgeni Malkin and Nathan MacKinnon. And, obviously, avoid the trap of watching a guy like Rust do his thing They all scored goals. during a career-best season. It would be tempting.

But it was forward Jared McCann’s overtime goal — set up neatly by It just wouldn’t be consistent with the way the Penguins have gone about center Teddy Blueger, who also added his sixth goal to complement business. winning 10 of 15 faceoffs — that propelled the Penguins to a second win They show up. They work hard. They win a lot. on a three-game trip, not to mention their 17th victory in 27 consecutive games without Crosby. They do it without their best player, too.

Crosby remains with the Penguins on this trip. Coach Mike Sullivan said They do have other good players, though. There’s a two-time Cup- Crosby missed an on-ice workout Friday due to “not feeling well.” Aside winning goalie in Murray, a two-time scoring champion and MVP of the from a morning skate in Las Vegas on Tuesday, Crosby has not regular season and playoffs in Malkin, All-Stars in Letang and Jarry, and participated in a practice with the Penguins on this trip. this guy with a surname — and a style of play — that recalls Pittsburgh’s blue-collar past. “We’re hopeful that we will,” Sullivan said of Crosby joining the Penguins in a practice. Their last one on this trip is scheduled for Saturday Rust would be a perfect representative of his team and city in St. Louis. afternoon in Arizona. The NHL might want to think about finding a way to get him to the All- Star Game. The Penguins play the Coyotes on Sunday afternoon. It is the start of six games in 10 days before the All-Star break. They have three practices scheduled during that stretch, but they’ll also be traveling after each game. The Athletic LOADED: 01.12.2020

None of the above seems ideal for Crosby to play again before the All- Star break. Of course, the dynamic would likely change if Crosby was a full participant in practice on Saturday.

The Penguins could be forgiven for tiring of the Crosby’s Return plot. Sullivan and players certainly appreciate that Crosby, the face of the NHL since he arrived in the league, drives narratives as well as he does possession. That does not mean daily questions — What’s the latest on Crosby? What will it be like when Crosby comes back? — don’t wear on everybody.

There are a lot of other compelling stories being authored by these Penguins. 1170721 Pittsburgh Penguins Games missed: 40 Injury: Concussion

Crosby returned for a second time that season and, once again, his Yohe: What to expect when Sidney Crosby returns return was a successful one. He set up two goals in a 5-2 victory against the Rangers and this time Crosby was back in the lineup for good, his concussion symptoms finally subsided. By Josh Yohe What we learned: Crosby, like during the returns earlier in his career, Jan 9, 2020 was something of a binge scorer during this stretch. His goal-scoring touch took a while to surface as he didn’t score a goal in his first five

games which, combined with his seven-goal drought earlier in the LAS VEGAS — In Sidney Crosby’s 15 seasons with the Penguins, he season, gave him 12 straight games without scoring a goal. Producing has treated Pittsburgh to championships, scoring titles, MVPs and too points was no issue, though. Crosby racked up nine assists in his first many magical moments to count. four games back. He produced three goals and 16 assists in his first 11 games back, his playmaking once again returning to its customary level Unfortunately for Crosby, much like his former landlord a generation before his goal scoring. earlier, he’s missed significant chunks of time over the years because of injuries. Return: May 3, 2013

Crosby will make his return from sports hernia surgery soon — it wouldn’t Games missed: 13 be surprising if he were to play on Friday night in Colorado — and the Injury: Broken jaw Penguins are eagerly awaiting their captain’s presence in the lineup. They’ve played exceedingly well without him, but the Penguins are Crosby was having one of his most dominant seasons when he missed displaying signs of fatigue and, quite obviously, are a better team with the final 12 games of the regular season and the playoff opener against him in the lineup. the Islanders because of a broken jaw. A wayward Brooks Orpik shot ended Crosby’s regular season prematurely. “He’s the best player in the world,” Patric Hornqvist said. “He’s going to help this team to move forward. We are all looking forward to the day He returned to the lineup in Game 2 against the Islanders. This stretch he’s back in the lineup. It’s coming up here soon.” was Crosby’s most impressive after returning from injury. He scored two goals in his first game back, then set up three goals in Game 3 of the It has been a while since Crosby has missed this much time — today series, including Chris Kunitz’s overtime winner. In five games against marks two months since he last played — and it’s impossible to gauge the Islanders, Crosby scored three goals and added six assists. what form he’ll be in upon his return. But history does teach us what we can expect. What we learned: Crosby was generally terrific in the spring of 2013, but some trends did again surface. In particular, his goal-scoring always has Here’s a look back at Crosby’s returns from notable injuries. been a bit streaky after missing significant amounts of time to injury. He Return: March 4, 2008, at Tampa Bay was held without a goal in 10 of the 14 postseason games in which he participated that spring. Yet he managed two goals in his return against Games missed: 21 the Islanders and a hat trick in Game 2 against Ottawa.

Injury: High ankle sprain This is a pretty central theme in all of Crosby’s comebacks.

In Crosby’s return from the first major injury of his career, the Penguins So what does it all mean? broke a scoreless tie with three minutes remaining in the third period as Crosby set up Max Talbot for the game-winning tally. I’ve taken a look at Crosby’s four worst injuries and his play in the remaining games of the season after his return. Crosby recorded two goals and two assists in three games back from the injury before missing another couple of weeks. He then managed two Crosby has participated in 69 games in the four seasons following his goals and five points when he returned for the final four games of the worst injuries. He has failed to score a goal in 49 of those 69 games, season. which is a pretty high number for him. This suggests that it takes Crosby’s goal-scoring some time to surface to its normal capability. What we learned: In the seven games mentioned, Crosby was held without a goal in five of them but scored two each in the other two Of course, he did register seven multi-goal performances in those 69 games. This is significant. When Crosby has returned from injuries, his games, so there has been evidence of some binge scoring. goal-scoring has been a little streaky. Also, in those 69 games, Crosby produced 86 points, which is good for Return: Nov. 21, 2011 1.25 points per game. Crosby averages 1.28 points per game in his career and, given that many of the games included in this list were Games missed: 68 playoff games, where offense is harder to come by, the conclusion would be that Crosby hasn’t really been negatively impacted by these droughts. Injury: Concussion History says to expect Crosby to be a little streaky upon his return and Crosby returned to action for the first time in almost 11 months after that his goal-scoring might require some time. dealing with a career-threatening concussion. His performance that night against the Islanders was the stuff of legend. He roofed a backhand on But history also tells us Crosby is the rare athlete who can still work his his second shift and finished the evening with two goals and two assists magic even when he’s rusty. He has been skating for weeks and, given in a 5-0 win. This marked one of the most important and joyous evenings how good he looked during a couple of skates in Las Vegas this week, in PPG Paints Arena history. It was short-lived, however. it’s safe to assume his return is near.

Crosby played only eight games before missing another three months It’s likely that his dominance won’t be far behind. because of more concussion symptoms.

What we learned: Crosby was an interesting study in those eight games. He didn’t score a goal in the next seven games, yet he did produce 12 The Athletic LOADED: 01.12.2020 points in those eight games, 10 of them on assists. This is noteworthy. When Crosby has missed lengthy portions of time, he typically relies more on the facets of the game which come most naturally to him. He’s a playmaker before he is a goal-scorer, and Crosby was visibly more of a pass-first player during this particular stretch. He also used his backhand — shooting and passing — more than usual because, again, that’s a part of his arsenal that is utterly natural.

Return: March 15, 2012 1170722 San Jose Sharks

On Joe Pavelski’s return, Patrick Marleau, Aaron Dell steal the show

By CURTIS PASHELKA | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group

January 11, 2020 at 10:04 PM

SAN JOSE — Patrick Marleau and Aaron Dell spoiled Joe Pavelski’s return to SAP Center on Saturday night.

Marleau’s goal at the 2:56 mark of the second period proved to be the winner, as the Sharks held on to beat the Dallas Stars 2-1, their fourth victory in six games and their second straight without injured captain Logan Couture.

Brent Burns assisted on Marleau’s goal and also scored in the first period, as the Sharks erased an early Stars lead.

On Marleau’s goal, Burns fired a shot on net that was stopped by Stars goalie Anton Khudobin. After Timo Meier took a whack at the puck, Marleau jumped on the rebound and tapped it in for his eighth goal of the season.

Marleau was playing his 1,700th NHL game Saturday, becoming only the fifth player in the history of the NHL to reach that milestone, joining Gordie Howe (1,767), Mark Messier (1,756), Jaromir Jagr (1,733) and Ron Francis (1,731). Marleau is the only player in that group to score in his 1,700th game.

The Sharks killed a third period penalty to Brenden Dillon and got 27 saves from goalie Aaron Dell to improve their record to 5-2-2 since the Christmas break. The Sharks’ begin a three-game road trip Tuesday against the Arizona Coyotes.

The Sharks honored their former captain with a three minute tribute video before the start of their game with the Stars. Pavelski stayed near the Stars bench as he watched the presentation, a montage of his more memorable moments in a Sharks uniform.

Pavelski played 963 games for the Sharks over 13 seasons and ended his career in teal with 761 points. Pavelski signed a three-year contract with the Stars on July 1, 2019.

The Stars made themselves feel at home, too, in the game’s opening minutes. With Evander Kane serving a high-sticking penalty, Jamie Benn redirected a Tyler Seguin pass past Dell to give Dallas a 1-0 lead just 1:32 into the first period.

Burns left Saturday’s game midway through the second period after he took a hit from Stars forward Roope Hintz, but later returned early in the third.

Burns had just taken the puck from defense partner Brenden Dillon in the neutral zone and fired it toward Timo Meier when Hintz closed on him. Hintz’s leg then appeared to hit Burns’ leg on the play.

Burns then went to the Sharks’ dressing room did not play the rest of the second period. Burns did not return to the bench for the start of the third period, but came out of the dressing room roughly four minutes after the period started. His first shift back came at the 4:13 mark of the third.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170723 San Jose Sharks

Sharks’ Brent Burns leaves game vs. Dallas Stars, then returns

By CURTIS PASHELKA | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group

PUBLISHED: January 11, 2020 at 9:31 pm | UPDATED: January 11, 2020 at 10:50 PM

SAN JOSE — Sharks’ defenseman Brent Burns had to leave Saturday’s game with the Dallas Stars midway through the second period, but later returned early in the third.

Burns left the game with 10:22 left in the second period shortly after he took a hit from Stars forward Roope Hintz.

Burns had just taken the puck from defense partner Brenden Dillon in the neutral zone and fired it toward Timo Meier when Hintz closed on him. Hintz’s leg then appeared to hit Burns’ leg on the play, but Sharks interim coach Bob Boughner said Burns was dealing with an upper body injury.

Burns then went to the Sharks’ dressing room did not play the rest of the second period. Burns did not return to the bench for the start of the third period, but came out of the dressing room roughly four minutes after the period started. His first shift back came at the 4:13 mark of the third.

“He tried to come back in the third and he played through it, so I don’t think it’s anything major,” Boughner said. “We’ll have a better idea (Sunday), but I don’t think it’s anything too crazy.”

Burns and Patrick Marleau both scored for the Sharks on Saturday as they took a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes. Burns’ goal came at the 15:33 mark of the first period, as he redirected a pass from Meier past Dallas goalie Anton Khudobin for his ninth goal of the season.

Burns, the 2017 Norris Trophy winner, also assisted on Marleau’s second period goal, and now has 32 points in 47 games, including three goals and three assists in his last six.

Burns came into Saturday averaging 24 minutes and 59 seconds of ice time per game. He finished Saturday with 19:27 of ice time.

The Sharks’ next game is Tuesday in Arizona, kicking off a three game road trip that continues with games in Colorado on Thursday and Vancouver on Saturday.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170724 San Jose Sharks

Joe Pavelski on tribute, reception: “It was just a tremendous night, they did it right”

By CURTIS PASHELKA | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group

PUBLISHED: January 11, 2020 at 8:06 pm | UPDATED: January 11, 2020 at 11:54 PM

SAN JOSE — The Sharks gave Joe Pavelski a warm welcome back to SAP Center on Saturday.

The Sharks honored their former captain with a three minute tribute video before the start of their game with the Dallas Stars. Pavelski stayed near the Stars bench as he watched the presentation, a montage of his more memorable moments in a Sharks uniform.

Pavelski most definitely felt the love.

“It was pretty cool,” Pavelski said after the Sharks’ 2-1 win over the Stars. “It’s a special place to myself and my family. To be out there when the building’s full like that. I wanted them to get on with the anthem, and then they wouldn’t let me. It was pretty special.

“I’ve always had, I believe, a pretty special bond with these fans and those guys over there. It was just a tremendous night. They did it right. Thanks to everyone involved out there and everyone that showed up tonight.”

Pavelski played 963 regular season games for the Sharks over 13 seasons and ended his career in teal with 761 points. Pavelski signed a three-year contract with the Stars on July 1, 2019.

The Stars made themselves feel at home, too, in the game’s opening minutes. With Evander Kane serving a high-sticking penalty, Jamie Benn redirected a Tyler Seguin pass past goalie Aaron Dell to give Dallas a 1-0 lead just 1:32 into the first period.

After that, though, the Sharks, and in particular Dell, closed the door. Pavelski had two shots on goal, three blocked shots and won seven of 11 faceoffs in 18 minutes and 17 seconds of ice time, but Dell finished with 27 saves, including 11 in the third period.

A short while after Benn’s goal, the Sharks recognized Patrick Marleau for playing in his 1,700th NHL game. Only four players have played in more games in the history of the league — Gordie Howe (1,767), Mark Messier (1,756), Jaromir Jagr (1,733) and Ron Francis (1,731).

Brent Burns tied the game 1-1 at the 15:33 mark of the first period, taking a pass from Timo Meier and redirecting it past Stars goalie Anton Khudobin for his ninth goal of the season.

Marleau had the game-winner, collecting a loose puck in front of the Stars’ net and chipping it past goalie Anton Khudobin at the 2:56 mark of the second period.

Two seasons ago, Marleau got the same reception from the Sharks in his first game back at the Tank after he signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

“It’s great,” Marleau said. “To see how great the Sharks fans are and how supportive they are to their players that are here and obviously, that have gone on, to give him him that much of an ovation means a lot.”

Marleau, the only player to score a goal in his 1,700th game, was named the number one star. As he did his television postgame interview from the Sharks’ bench, fans that remained inside the arena chanted, “Patty, Patty.”

“It’s one of those milestone games where you get a little extra energy, a little extra jump,” Marleau said. “It’s nice getting that one on the board tonight and help the team offensively.”

Patrick Marleau is the fifth player in NHL *history* to reach the 1,700 games mark.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170725 San Jose Sharks In 42 games with the Sharks this season, Marleau, who signed Oct. 9, has 15 points and is averaging 15 minutes and 30 seconds of ice time per game. He’s played in a top nine forward role throughout his return, even spending time on the Sharks’ top line. On emotional return, Joe Pavelski to get Patrick Marleau-type tribute by Sharks “The way he skates, he can still play those 15, 16 minutes a night, and he’s been playing against top lines a lot lately,” interm coach Bob Boughner said. “It’s amazing that you can play that long. As a former player, I thought I had a long career and how I felt after (630) games, I By CURTIS PASHELKA | [email protected] | Bay couldn’t imagine after 1,700 he’s still going,” Area News Group

PUBLISHED: January 11, 2020 at 1:21 pm | UPDATED: January 11, 2020 at 3:05 PM San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 01.12.2020

SAN JOSE — Perhaps it’s somewhat fitting that Patrick Marleau will reach another milestone and play in his 1,700th NHL game on the same night that Joe Pavelski makes his initial return to SAP Center on Saturday as a member of the Dallas Stars.

After all, Marleau was in Pavelski’s position a little more than two years ago when he returned to San Jose as an opposing player for the first time after a long career with the Sharks.

After he signed a three-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 2, 2017, Marleau, who played his first 19 NHL seasons with the Sharks, first returned to San Jose in October of that year. Pavelski spent his first 13 NHL seasons with the Sharks before he signed with the Stars on July 1 of last year.

Marleau still remembers the extended ovation he received from the fans and the special pregame introduction the Sharks gave him on his return to the Tank.

“It was incredible. The fans were incredible,” Marleau said. “I’ll never forget that for sure. It was a great moment.

“It was pretty weird all game, but you try and do your best to get through it and just play.”

Pavelski will get the same extended pregame recognition Saturday night, and said he’ll likely feel the same emotions.

“That’s one of the most exciting parts about (Saturday), is just getting out there in front of the fans,” Pavelski said. “It was an awesome run. Always loved skating out of the Shark head. You loved scoring goals in the playoffs. Every year, those are some of the best games you can play in as a player.”

Pavelski talked with Marleau about what it might be like to leave the Sharks organization before he signed with the Stars. Without the contract offer he was looking for from the Sharks, Pavelski began to talk with other teams a week before free agency began before signing with Dallas.

“He was someone that told me it’s going to take you a little bit longer that you think to get adjusted,” Pavelski said of Marleau. “But it didn’t make it easier for me, one way or the other, any advice. It was just the way it happened at the end of the year.

“You think it’s gong to be easy, but this is a place where you know tendencies of teammates and the comfort levels. I think we’re starting to get that in Dallas as well.”

Pavelski said the hockey part of the transition has been easy. The more challenging part at first for he and his wife, Sarah, and their young son, Nate, has been getting used to a different part of the country.

“It was just a change,” Pavelski said. “There’s still moments where Nate would want to be here. But he’s found some awesome friends and I’m pretty excited for him. It’s been fun to watch him grow. He loves his hockey team there and he’s in a good school. We’re really adjusting well. It takes time.”

Marleau, of course, was in the same position with his wife, Christina, and their four young sons not too long ago.

“Especially when you’ve been in one spot for a long time, it makes it that much harder,” Marleau said. “Just visually out there, when you see certain guys that you played with for a long time, it’s really different.”

Saturday will mark Marleau’s 831st consecutive game, an ironman streak that dates back to April 2009. 1170726 San Jose Sharks

Sharks’ Tomas Hertl on NHL All-Star nod: “I will be enjoying every moment”

By CURTIS PASHELKA | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group

PUBLISHED: January 11, 2020 at 11:38 am | UPDATED: January 11, 2020 at 2:45 PM

SAN JOSE — Tomas Hertl is still dealing with the lower body issue that caused him to miss four games in late November, so he might have been able to use the extra days off over the NHL’s All-Star weekend.

Still, Hertl said, it’ll be an honor for him to play in the event for the first time when the game is held in St. Louis later this month. Hertl was chosen Friday to represent the Sharks after Logan Couture, who was initially selected for the game, suffered a broken bone is left ankle Jan. 7 in a game against the St. Louis Blues.

Hertl, in his seventh NHL season, enters Saturday’s game with the Dallas Stars with 15 goals and 34 points, as he has taken over the No. 1 center role with Couture expected to miss roughly six weeks.

“It’s still a big honor for me. I’m really happy about it,” Hertl said. “I’m kind of sad for (Couture) because he deserved it. I think he was skipped (over) the last couple years when he was always great (in) playoff runs, an underrated player in the NHL. So I was excited for him

“It’s tough but now that they picked me, I’m really happy about it. It’s a big honor for my first appearance.”

Hertl, 26, was initially injured in the Sharks’ Nov. 19 game against the Edmonton Oilers and had to miss the next four games.

The Sharks tried to take it easy with Hertl when he first returned to the lineup Nov. 29 for a game with the Los Angeles Kings. In that game and in the Sharks’ Dec. 3 game with the Washington Capitals, Hertl sat for large parts of the third period with the score out of hand on both dates.

In the last 17 games before Saturday, though, Hertl averaged just over 19 minutes of ice time per game and had 11 points, tied for second most on the Sharks with Timo Meier and one behind Erik Karlsson.

“He hasn’t been 100 percent healthy,” Sharks interim coach Bob Boughner said of Hertl, “and he’s still a go-to guy almost every night in a lot of situations. Penalty kill, faceoffs, power play, now he’s shutting down other team’s top lines. That’s his job.

“He’s got one of the most important roles on our team and to get rewarded for that, I think all of the guys are very happy for him and proud of him.”

After the Sharks’ three-game road trip that concludes Jan. 18 in Vancouver, the Sharks are off as a team from Jan. 19-25, so Hertl will get a chance to rest.

“I feel every day better. I don’t know, maybe take all season,” Hertl said. “It’s tough when you’re in skates every day. But before All Star Week, I still have five days off, so I can have a good rest for that.”

All-Star weekend starts Jan. 24 with the skills competition and concludes the following day with the 3-on-3 tournament. Hertl is part of Pacific Division team that includes Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers.

“I will be enjoying every moment,” Hertl said. “I don’t know what to expect. I will be looking for other guys, what they do. I don’t want to be the guy trying too much or doing nothing. It’s not like a ‘game’ game, so it’s not like I can get hurt more.”

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170727 San Jose Sharks

Burns, Marleau lead Sharks to 2-1 win over Stars

Gideon Rubin, Associated Press

Updated 11:40 pm PST, Saturday, January 11, 2020

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Patrick Marleau felt reaching a milestone gave him a little extra energy, and he put it to good use.

Marleau scored a key goal in his 1,700th NHL game, Brent Burns had a goal and an assist, and the San Jose Sharks spoiled the return of former star Joe Pavelski, beating the Dallas Stars 2-1 on Saturday night.

Aaron Dell had 27 saves for the Sharks, who are 5-2-2 over their last nine games after going 1-8-1 in their previous 10.

Jamie Benn scored for the Stars, who had a six-game winning streak halted.

Marleau became the fifth NHL player to reach the 1,700-game plateau and the youngest to do so (40 years, 118 days).

“You get a little extra energy, some extra jump and it’s nice getting that one on the board tonight,” Marleau said.

Marleau extended his ironman streak for games played under contract to 831, the second-longest among active streak behind Florida Panthers defenseman Keith Yandle (841) and the sixth longest all-time.

The Sharks broke a 1-1 tie early in the second when Marleau rebounded a shot by Burns from the blue line and poked it past Anton Khudobin for his eighth goal.

Pavelski was playing his former team for the first time since signing a $21 million, three-year deal with Dallas during the offseason. A video tribute to Pavelski followed the player introductions. The former Sharks captain skated across the ice and waved to fans who gave him a long ovation just before the start of the game.

Pavelski played 963 games in 13 seasons in San Jose and is the franchise’s second all-time leading goal scorer (355) and ranks third in assists (406) and points (761).

“All the noises, all the sounds, almost everything brought back a lot of good memories,” Pavelski said.

“I don’t know what I expected exactly but it was a special night, it was fun. I enjoyed it. It was just fun to share it with everybody.”

Benn scored from the slot on a redirect of Tyler Seguin’s pass. His 11th goal gave the Stars a quick lead at 1:32 of the first period on a power play.

The Sharks tied it with 4:27 left in the first on Burns’ ninth goal and second in as many games. Burns scored when a pass from Timo Meier ricocheted off his skate and through Khudobin’s pads.

Burns left the game in the second period after taking a hard hit from Roope Hintz, but returned in the third.

Khudobin had 24 saves.

“I think we played well enough to get a point, at least,” interim Stars coach Rick Bowness said.

“We had some good looks late, we didn’t score. Difference in the game was the puck was off their skate in the net. We just didn’t capitalize on some of the looks we had. They played very, very, well tonight.”

Dell made several key saves for San Jose down the stretch.

“At least two, if not three, game-changing saves he made,” interim Sharks coach Boughner said. “You need those saves throughout the 60 minutes and it really energized our team.”

San Francisco Chronicle LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170728 San Jose Sharks

Sharks takeaways: What we learned in memorable 2-1 win over Stars

By Brian Witt

January 11, 2020 10:25 PM

SAN JOSE -- Facing the Dallas Stars for the first time this season on Saturday night, the Sharks posted their second straight win at SAP Center, this time by a score of 2-1. San Jose fell behind early, as the Stars scored within first two minutes of the game, but goalie Aaron Dell didn't let anything past him for the remainder of the contest while the Sharks stormed back.

It was a memorable night for Sharks fans, as not one but two former captains hit milestones. One was facing his former team for the very first time, while the other played in his 1,700th career game.

With the win, San Jose achieved the maximum four possible points on this brief two-game homestand.

Here are the takeaways from a tightly-fought, entertaining game:

Even before he took the ice Saturday night, all eyes were on Joe Pavelski. The Stars' forward returned to the only arena he had ever called home prior to the current season, and conceded that it would be a tad "awkward" to face the teal sweaters rather than be wearing one. There was no awkwardness whatsover, though, when a video tribute covering memories from Pavelski's 13 seasons with the Sharks was played on the jumbotron before puck drop. The SAP Center crowd responded with a very long, very loud standing ovation, and gave him several loud cheers at different points of the game.

Once the game started, however, Pavelski was all business -- as you'd expect. He played over 18 minutes of ice time, won nearly two-thirds of his face-offs, recorded two shots on goal and blocked three. San Jose managed to keep him off the scoresheet, but there definitely were plays he made that looked awfully familiar.

Fitting with the theme of the night, Sharks forward Stefan Noesen appeared to score a very Pavelski-like goal in the first period with a tip-in deflection, but it was immediately waved off due to a high touch.

The spotlight was on Pavelski, but Patrick Marleau stole some of it.

He became just the fifth player in NHL history to play in 1,700 career games, but Marleau wasn't some uninvolved bystander. Quite the opposite, actually. He was flying around the ice all night, and was rewarded for his efforts when he punched in a rebound in the second period to give the Sharks a 2-1 lead. Of the players to appear in 1,700 games, Marleau is the only one to score in the milestone game.

He might not move quite like he used to, but Marleau can still absolutely fly. Not bad for a 40-year-old.

The alternate captain

The Sharks got a big scare when defenseman Brent Burns went to the locker room in the second period following a collision with Dallas winger Roope Hintz. Burns did not return to the ice for the remainder of the period, nor was he there for the start of the third period. He did return, however, midway through the third, and managed to come up with a couple big stops to keep San Jose in front.

After seeing the current captain Logan Couture suffer a fractured ankle a couple games ago, the Sharks can ill afford to lose another major contributor for any period of time.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170729 San Jose Sharks

Watch Joe Pavelski receive standing ovation ahead of Sharks-Stars game

By Brian Witt

January 11, 2020 7:57 PM

SAN JOSE -- Well, that was emotional -- as expected.

Former Sharks captain Joe Pavelski received a very loud, very long standing ovation from the entire SAP Center crowd ahead of San Jose's game against the Dallas Stars on Saturday night.

Facing the Sharks as an opposing player for the very first time, Pavelski received several cheers throughout pregame warmups, with each one louder than the last. It culminated with a video tribute on the jumbotron in which memorable moments from Pavelski's 13-season tenure with the franchise were on display. Following the tribute, Pavelski skated out into the middle of the ice as cheers rained down from the stands.

Pavelski acknowledged it would be "awkward" to play against the only franchise he had ever been a part of prior to this season, and surely he had some goosebumps. He seemed to thoroughly appreciate the acknowledgment from the fans, and clearly, they appreciated all Pavelski has done for the team over the years.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170730 San Jose Sharks

How Sharks have missed Joe Pavelski's presence both on and off the ice

By Brian Witt

January 11, 2020 11:32 AM

SAN JOSE -- Thursday was the rehearsal. Saturday is the real thing.

The Sharks welcomed back a former player in their win over the Blue Jackets on Thursday night, but no offense to Gus Nyquist -- it was just another game for San Jose.

The same cannot be said for Saturday night's bout against Joe Pavelski and the visiting Dallas Stars.

After playing 963 games in a Sharks uniform, Pavelski returns to SAP Center on Saturday night as a visiting player for the very first time. Arguably the most beloved captain in franchise history, Pavelski was signed by Dallas in free agency after he and the Sharks failed to reach a contract agreement. No ill will is harbored on either side -- quite the opposite, actually -- and his absence has been felt throughout what has been an atypically down season in San Jose.

Throughout Pavelski's 13 seasons with the Sharks, the team failed to qualify for the postseason only once and never posted a points percentage lower than 54.3 percent. Currently, San Jose is well off the pace to qualify for the playoffs and has totaled only 47.8 percent of its maximum possible points thus far. Part of the problem has been the offense, as the Sharks are scoring nearly one fewer goal per game this season (2.65) than they did last year (3.52). That might be the area where Pavelski's absence has been most evident, but the Sharks certainly have missed their former captain's presence off the ice, as well.

"A guy like that is very, very tough to replace," Sharks interim head coach Bob Boughner said of Pavelski following San Jose's morning skate Saturday. "I think more than anything, it's the friendships and the bonds he had in the dressing room. And listening to some of the player's comments the last couple days about how hard he worked and how he prepared and how he kept guys accountable, you can never have enough guys like that.

"The guys that are doing it now have done a good job, but Pavs was a guy that everybody looked up to and had a lot of respect for."

It's not as if there's a leadership vacuum in San Jose's locker room this season. There's an ample number of veterans ready and willing to carry the torch, but with the Sharks in somewhat of a transitional phase, Pavelski remains a model for which some of the next wave of team leaders can still learn from.

"Being around [Joe Thornton] and [Patrick] Marleau, the guys have a couple great examples there," Boughner added. "More than anything, it's [Pavelski's] leadership. It's how he handles himself in the dressing room, in the community and things like that. I think guys like [Logan Couture] and [Tomas] Hertl and Timo Meier and [Kevin Labanc] -- those are the guys that could really try to emulate what kind of guy he was off the ice."

Right now, "off the ice" describes all that Couture is able to do. A fractured ankle suffered in Tuesday's loss to the St. Louis Blues will keep him out for several weeks, further exacerbating the Sharks' lack of offense, as he ranks fourth on the team in goals (14) and is tied for second in assists (22). Similar to Pavelski, the impact of Couture's absence is likely to be readily apparent before long, but as Boughner explained, it's no coincidence that San Jose's current captain took over the 'C' from the previous one.

"They're their own individuals when it comes to their games," Boughner said, "but [Couture] is probably the guy that you could say is responsible in all three zones and plays the right way and plays a lot like Pavs."

Neither Couture nor Pavelski will be wearing a Sharks sweater when San Jose takes the ice Saturday night. For everyone involved, that's going to take some getting used to.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170731 San Jose Sharks

Joe Pavelski admits playing Sharks for first time will be 'awkward'

By Ali Thanawalla

January 11, 2020 7:00 AM

Something very strange will happen Saturday night in San Jose.

Joe Pavelski will take the ice at SAP Center in a sweater other than the Sharks.

After 13 seasons with the Sharks and four as the captain, Pavelski signed a three-year, $21 million contract with the Dallas Stars last offseason. On Saturday, he will face his former team for the first time and he knows the whole situation will be ... different.

"I think it'll be weird," Pavelski said, according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. "Probably seeing the jersey will be the hardest part. It'll be awkward in a lot of ways."

It was hard for the Sharks to part with Pavelski, but the numbers weren't going to work for general manager Doug Wilson considering all the other contracts the Sharks had on the books.

Still, Pavelski didn't expect to leave the only team he had ever known.

"I always had a feeling that something would probably work out," Pavelski said. "Until it didn't, I didn't have any reason to think it wouldn't."

The two sides weren't able to keep their marriage going and Pavelski moved on to a new team.

After years of trying to help the Sharks win games, Pavelski returns to The Tank trying to hand his former team a loss.

That certainly will be weird.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170732 San Jose Sharks Patrick Marleau, who scored the game-winner in the second period in what was his 1,700th career game, said: “He’s been great for us. That game would have been a lot different had he not made three or four of those huge saves for us tonight. He’s been key for us.” Aaron Dell providing the foundation as Sharks showing some signs of life Perhaps because of the way Dell has been playing lately, it’s allowed the Sharks to stick more to their game plan, in that they don’t have to worry about a softie getting through. By Kevin Kurz “A few weeks ago when the (coaching change happened), I think we Jan 12, 2020 would get rattled if the other team went up one or we had a situation like we were in tonight — 2-1 in the third period — and we’d start to not play within ourselves,” Boughner said. “It’s more of a mature game and a real The Sharks say they aren’t looking at the standings at the moment, and solid commitment to defense and taking care of the high-danger areas in that’s probably a good idea. Despite a 5-2-2 mark in their past nine our zone.” games, including four wins in their past six, they’ll still wake up Sunday morning in 13th place overall in the Western Conference. Regarding Dell’s performance, Boughner said: “Amazing. You see at least two or three, that I can think of, game-changing saves that he made That’s exactly one spot closer than they were when that streak began on tonight. You hear the crowd, and you hear the excitement in the building Dec. 27 and a prime example of how difficult it is to make up ground in a and enthusiasm and stuff. The players definitely feed off that. There’s league that still hands out points in the standings for losses. going to be breakdowns in a game — their guy made a few big stops as well. You need those saves throughout the 60 minutes, and it really But there has been enough evidence in the last little while that the energizes our team.” Sharks might be turning a corner of sorts from their awful first half. It’s still too early to suggest they’re going to get back into the playoff race, There was plenty of energy in the building all night, beginning with the but their game is noticeably better than it was when coach Peter DeBoer pregame recognition of Joe Pavelski in his first game back in San Jose was fired Dec. 11 and replaced on an interim basis by Bob Boughner. after departing as a free agent in the offseason. After a highlight video played on the JumboTron, there was a spotlight on Pavelski in front of It starts in net with Aaron Dell. the Stars’ bench, and he raised his stick and patted his heart in The 30-year-old pending free agent has grabbed the starting job from appreciation of the sellout crowd that was whipped up into a frenzy. Martin Jones, and his 27-save performance against the Dallas Stars on “I don’t know what I expected exactly, but it was a special night. It was Saturday night at SAP Center in the Sharks’ 2-1 win was probably his fun,” an emotional Pavelski told reporters after the game. “I enjoyed it. It best game of the season. Dell allowed a redirection by Jamie Benn on a was just fun to share it with everybody.” Stars power play to beat him just 1:32 into the first period on a goal he could do nothing about, but he shut the door the rest of the way, helping While the memories of the former captain were top of mind when the to end Dallas’ six-game winning streak. game began, Saturday was the second straight game without their current captain, Logan Couture, who will miss approximately six weeks Since the coaching change, Dell is 5-3-0 with a 2.23 goals-against with a fractured ankle. average and .928 save percentage. Saturday’s game was his fifth start in the previous six games, and in that span, he’s allowed just nine goals on Many in the hockey world wrote off the Sharks when Couture, the team’s 147 shots for a .939 save percentage. Dell will almost certainly be in net leading scorer, suffered the serious injury on Tuesday in a loss to St. Tuesday against the Coyotes in what will be an important divisional Louis. But instead of folding, the Sharks have played responsibly and matchup for the Sharks against a team they might have to catch if they stayed within themselves to capture the first two games without him. That want to get back into the playoff conversation. includes a 3-1 win over Columbus at home on Thursday.

The Sharks led 2-1 after two periods against Dallas before Dell was The Sharks know they lack offensive firepower and that the only way relied upon to preserve that slim lead until the final horn. He denied they can make a run is by keeping the game a low-scoring one, Andrew Cogliano on a rebound try midway through the third, held the particularly against a team like Dallas that entered with the league’s best post to smother a Tyler Seguin shot from just outside the crease with a goals-against average. little more than five minutes to go, then, with 2:43 on the clock, made his best stop of the night on rookie Joel Kiviranta, moving from his right to his “We know we don’t score many goals, but if we play like that in (the left to get his pad on the dangerous attempt from the slot. defensive) zone, we know we can win the games against anybody,” Hertl said. A little more than a week ago, on Jan. 3 in Columbus, Boughner commented on how much he liked Dell’s competitiveness in net and how On Saturday morning, Boughner theorized that his club saw how many that can be infectious to the rest of the team. It’s a contrast to the staid difficult games it had on the horizon after a lifeless 2-0 defeat to awful Jones, who always seems like the calmest player on the ice. (That’s a Detroit on New Year’s Eve and that there was “a little bit of a fear-to-lose” positive trait when things are going well but maybe not so good when mentality that perhaps snapped them all to attention. they aren’t.) The injury to Couture probably brought that out even more. “The one thing I like about (Dell’s) game is his compete (level). He “I think so. I think everybody knows that obviously (Couture is) a huge battles,” Boughner said. “When you’re down and out and you think it’s an part of our team,” Marleau said. “You’ve got to do that little extra — easy go, he finds a way to reach back. That’s the kind of goalie he is. everybody has to pull that much harder. I think I saw that tonight and last He’s a fighter. He’s a battler. I think that the guys play that way in front of game. Guys are buying in and playing the right way, and we’re getting him a little bit.” the results now.” Of course, it also helps when that goalie is making the routine saves he’s Hertl said: “It wasn’t a great start of the season, and if you miss one of supposed to make, something Jones has failed to do for the better part of the best players on the team — everybody, like, kind of turned their back the past season and a half and something Dell didn’t do much of, either, and (said our) season (was) over. … We know (every) player has to be until Boughner announced to the world that the Sharks’ goalie situation extra better if you’re missing a player like that. I think the last two games was an open competition shortly after he took over behind the bench. was awesome for our team. Everybody did exactly what we’re supposed On Saturday, the Sharks didn’t let Benn’s early goal get them down; they to do: forecheck, backcheck, details.” continued to play a strong first period until Brent Burns’ goal tied it at 1-1 And they got the saves, too. with 4:27 to go before the intermission. “I feel like I’m getting better every outing,” Dell said. “I think we’re getting Third periods have been a problem all season, but Dell made sure they more confidence as a team. We’re starting to do the little things more weren’t against the Stars, with 11 saves in the final frame. consistently throughout the game, and those are the ones you have to “He was awesome,” Tomas Hertl said. “The saves he made the last few close out to be a contender in this league. I think that was one of our best minutes was amazing. He’s for us there; it’s really a comfortable feel all-around games all year.” because we know he’s making the saves for us. Last couple games he was a big reason we won the games.” The Athletic LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170733 St Louis Blues "I had a tough stretch there," Sanford said, "and the last couple games I’ve been trying to build my game and get back to what makes me successful and I thought tonight I did a pretty good job of those things. O’Ry and Perron are a huge help and they’ve been playing great. It was Just like an All-Star: Perron scores again as Blues beat Rangers 5-2 good for me to help them out tonight a little bit."

With 5:10 to go in the period, Schwartz got his 15th goal as he extended his stick to tip in a pass from Schenn, who had nowhere else to put it as Tom Timmermann he slipped it through traffic on a break.

Bortuzzo – yes, Robert Bortuzzo – scored on a breakaway in the first David Perron knew on Friday night that he was going to the All-Star period and Dunn scored later to give the Blues a 2-1 lead after one Game for the first time, in advance of the league's announcement on period. Saturday evening, when he got a phone call from general manager Doug Bortuzzo had just a finished serving a four-minute high sticking penalty Armstrong. that had produced far better scoring chances for the Blues then for the "I was hoping I wasn’t getting traded," Perron joked. Rangers. Alex Pietrangelo stole the puck just as the penalty ended and Ivan Barbashev had it in the neutral zone as the penalty ended, as That's the last thing that is going to happen, the way Perron and the Bortuzzo got behind the Rangers, got the puck at the blueline and was Blues are playing. Perron kept the good times rolling with a goal in his off to the races, sliding the puck between the legs of Rangers’ goalie fourth straight game as the Blues won for the eighth straight time at Henrik Lundqvist. home, beating the New York Rangers 5-2 on Saturday night at Enterprise Center. It was the 15th career goal for Bortuzzo, whose last regular-season goal was Feb. 14 at Arizona, 50 games ago. He also had a goal in Game 2 of The eight-game home win streak is the longest in the NHL this season the Western Conference finals vs. San Jose last season. Bortuzzo was and the Blues have won three in a row as they've bounced back after a the last skater from the Blues opening day lineup to get a goal, following three-game losing streak. Alexander Steen by one period.

Perron led an eclectic cast of goalscorers for the Blues, which included Bortuzzo doesn't mess around. Among the goalies he has scored on in defenseman Robert Bortuzzo, who last scored in the regular season on his career: Martin Brodeur, Marc-Andre Fleury, Tuukka Rask, Jonathan Valentine's Day, defenseman Vince Dunn, forward Zach Sanford, who Quick and John Gibson. Three of them have won the Vezina Trophy. last scored the day before Thanksgiing, and Jaden Schwartz. "It's sad that I can remember every goalie," Bortuzzo said, "but yeah, a Perron will be making his first trip to the All-Star Game after being lot of those guys are going to end up in the Hall of Fame. Call it selected in the NHL's Last Men In voting, giving the Blues four players coincidence, call it whatever you want, but happy to chip in." and one coach at the game coming up here. That was announced about an hour before the game began and then 1:26 into the period got his 20th The PK was the key. The Rangers had a chance to go up 2-0 but the goal of the season and his eighth on the power play, one-timing a pass Blues had the better of the chances. After Bortuzzo's goal, the tide of the from Brayden Schenn for the goal. Perron has 46 points on the season to game had changed totally in the Blues' favor. match his total for last season. The most recent Blue to get to 20 goals Dunn put the Blues ahead with his seventh goal of the season as this fast was Vladimir Tarasenko in the 2016-17 season, when he got his Sanford nicely held the puck in traffic and fed Dunn, who fired it in. 20th on Jan. 7. The Blues had fallen behind 1:34 into the game when Filip Chytil took the "It’s really exciting," Perron said of his selection. "Thanks to all the people puck in his own and skated the length of the ice, beating Jordan obviously in St. Louis that helped me get here, and also probably other Binnington from the top of the left circle. cities, but I’m sure most of the votes came from here in town, and the team helped me out too. They reached I’m sure to different platforms. The game ended with Dunn and New York's Jacob Trouba slugging it The Cards helped me out. So it’s really cool." out. Trouba repeatedly whacked at Dunn as he skated with the puck in a Blues power play that covered the final 37 seconds of the game. Trouba The Blues launched a large social media campaign to get out the vote, was going to get a slashing penalty but the clock ran out before play and it helped that Blues fans were a bit up in arms about Perron not stopped. With the final horn, Dunn and Trouba then went at it, with Dunn being one of the initial selections. landing a solid punch. Trouba got a five-minute slashing major and a "It’s nice," Perron said. "It almost seemed like the Instagram was all game misconduct. Dunn got two for roughing. about David Perron and not the Blues anymore, so I’m glad it’s kind of The sides were starting at each other long after the game had ended and over that way. But it’s definitely really exciting. I was disappointed the Blues waited on the ice for the Rangers to leave. definitely when it came out, I wasn’t there, but right now, with the wait and obviously knowing which guys are going, Chief is going, our trainers "It got a little chippy," Sanford said. "They had their fourth line guys will be here, I wouldn’t want it any other way at the end. It’s going to be running around out there, taking some liberties. You see the hacks really fun to bring my family and the kids, and we’re really going to enjoy Trouba was giving Dunner at the end, I don’t know what that was all that part." about. Obviously they were a frustrated team and it was awesome to see Dunner hit him with that left there. It’s pretty cool to see the whole team "He deserves it," Sanford said. "He’s been great all year and I think it staring them down, seeing them off the ice at the end there." even started last year, he’s been huge for us and I think everybody knows that it’s been awesome to see the support from the fans and especially the guys in the room, everyone voting for him and getting him there. I don’t think any of us could be happier for him." St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 01.12.2020

The Rangers cut the lead to 3-2 on a goal by Brett Howden, left alone in the crease, with 11:11 to go in the second. But that was as close as the Rangers would get and the Blues took control of the game. In the third period, it seemed the Blues were always able to gain control of the puck.

"I thought we did a good job," Berube said. "I thought we were pretty dialed in from the getgo. It was a pretty solid game all around. That’s a talented team over there and they can score goals and we did a great job killing that four-minute power play of theirs. That changed the game for me."

The Blues took the lead back to two goals on a bit of back-and-forth passing between Ivan Barbashev and Sanford, with Sanford finishing it off for his fourth goal of the season and first since the day before Thanksgiving. 1170734 St Louis Blues That was a reference to Colton Parayko (upper-body), who will miss his fourth consecutive game, and Carl Gunnarsson, who Berube has now deemed healthy from an arm injury but who hasn’t played since Dec. 12.

Kyrou out, de la Rose in for Blues against Rangers THE BREAD MAN

The Rangers swept the season series from the Blues last season, winning 2-1 on New Year’s Eve 2018 in St. Louis in a game in which the Jim Thomas Blues sent a season-high 79 attempts — including 40 shots on goal — at veteran goalie Henrik Lundqvist. Not surprisingly, Lundqvist is starting

against the Blues tonight. Jordan Kyrou is a healthy scratch tonight, and it has nothing to do with In the other Blues-Rangers meeting last season, the New Yorkers won 4- the offsides that cost the Blues a goal — one scored by Kyrou — in 2 on March 29 at Madison Square Garden. successive games against San Jose and Buffalo earlier this week. This year’s Rangers team has even more offensive punch with the Against a high-scoring New York Rangers team Saturday at Enterprise offseason addition of Artemi Panarin, aka the Bread Man, in free agency Center, it’s all about puck possession and defense, which explains why from Columbus. Kyrou is out and Jacob de la Rose is back in the lineup. “He's leading the league in 5-on-5 points, so he's a high-end offense “Any young player, the NHL’s a tough league,” coach Craig Berube said. player with a lot of skill,” Berube said. “Been a good player for quite some “(Kyrou) needs to become a harder player. That’s the best way I can put time on three different teams. Highly skilled and competitive.” it. Like in battles and wall battles. Little things here and there. Panarin has 24 goals and 37 assists, but there are other scoring threats “He’s a dynamic player, great speed and skill in open ice. But you don’t on the Rangers, including forward Mika Zibanejad (17 goals) and get that much open ice a lot of times. So I want to see him battle harder defenseman Tony DeAngelo (11 goals), who scored a hat trick Thursday and be more competitive in those areas.” against New Jersey. Berube said it’s not uncommon for younger, skilled players trying to “They've got a lot of skill, especially up front,” Ryan O’Reilly said. “We establish themselves in the NHL to need work in such areas. have to do a good job of taking care of the puck and tracking, make sure “He’s a good kid and he’s gonna learn from it. That’s just the we're not giving those rush chances. progression you gotta go through with these guys.” “We really need a big start coming out here. For us, we've got to be real Kyrou declined comment following Saturday’s morning skate. After physical on these guys. We've got to slow them down, find ways to make playing 10 consecutive games following his Dec. 9 callup from San it real tough on them.” Antonio, Kyrou was a healthy scratch for games against Colorado and The Rangers (21-18-4) are ninth in the NHL in scoring, averaging 3.35 Vegas during the Blues three-game western trip, then returned to the goals per game and have scored 11 goals in their past two games — lineup against the Sharks and Sabres. both victories. DE LA ROSE BACK

After sitting out two games, de la Rose returns to the lineup, back in his St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 01.12.2020 usual spot on the fourth line. Against the Rangers, he will be flanked by Mackenzie MacEachern and Ivan Barbashev on the wings. Oskar Sundqvist played on that line in Thursday’s 5-1 win over Buffalo but with Kyrou scratched he has moved up to the Jaden Schwartz-Brayden Schenn line.

“We have a lot of depth on this team, so you've got to be playing good every night to stay in the lineup,” de la Rose said. “I feel like my game slipped a little bit the last few games, too, so excited to be back and I'm excited to show that I should be in every night.”

Berube mentioned a few days ago that de la Rose — acquired Nov. 6 in the Robby Fabbri trade — had lost some of his aggressiveness in recent games.

“I'm kind of self-aware of my game and what I need to do better,” de la Rose said. “So I knew that I needed to play better.”

In 24 games with the Blues since the trade, de la Rose has one goal, three assists and is even in plus-minus differential. He’s averaging 10:16 of ice time per game.

“We need a big centerman down low tonight in our own end and a penalty killer,” Berube said. “He does a good job that way. Yeah, his game's slipped a bit for a few games on that road trip.

“There's a lot more there with him I believe than we're seeing. He's a big guy. He's got good skill. Strong skater. His hands are fine. And he's got a good shot. He needs to use those assets more. I think he can help us offensively, too.”

MIKKOLA AGAIN

For the third consecutive game since being called up from San Antonio, rookie defenseman Niko Mikkola is in the lineup for the Blues — once again paired with Robert Bortuzzo.

“He's done a good job for a couple games so we're gonna keep going with him right now,” Berube said. “We got two good defensemen not playing tonight.” 1170735 St Louis Blues Thomas, of late, and has turned that line into a dependable group. He’s become a role player, but he can fill any number of roles.

Part of Steen’s job now has been to help Thomas develop as a player, Steen finally scores, but he's been making his mark before that and the 20-year-old – he was six when Steen made his NHL debut – has seen his game flourish. Thomas has come into his own this season, having safely navigated the move from wing to center and helping everywhere. Thomas has eight points in the past seven games and as Tom Timmermann Steen said Thursday night, "the last three games or so, he's been Jan 11, 2020 incredible."

Steen has impressed too.

That Blues forward Alexander Steen went into play Thursday night “He’s been a good player for a long time in this league,” Berube said. “He without a goal seemed surprising to his teammates. That he would finally knows how to play the game. He’s intelligent. He’s got a different role get one seemed inevitable. than he had before, but the accepting of the role is huge. He does that, he accepted his role last year and helped us win a Cup. He does the “I had no idea he hadn’t scored yet,” linemate Tyler Bozak said. “I was same thing this year. Whatever we ask of him, he does it.” just expecting that he had with all the good little things he does out there on the ice.” “It’s incredible,” Bozak said. “He goes to the dirty areas, plays a physical style, an old-school style of hockey that a lot of people don’t love playing "Me and Bozie didn’t know until a couple of days ago that he hadn’t against him but we love him and I know me and Thomas love playing scored one yet," his other linemate, Robert Thomas, said, "and going into with him.” the third (Thursday) we really wanted to get him one." Thomas is the future of the Blues. He’s 15 years younger than Steen, but They needed some help from Buffalo — had Curtis Lazar not blocked is paying close attention to what he does. Bozak's chance at what looked to be an open net, the play would have been over before Thomas fed Steen for his second-chance goal — but “He loves getting in there and always having stick battles and that’s just Steen got it and then he added an empty-netter to finish the night with with how smart he is," Thomas said. "He’s so easy to play with." two after the Blues’ 5-1 win over Buffalo.

It was, by almost any definition, a long wait for Steen. Only one other St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 01.12.2020 skater from the opening night roster, defenseman Robert Bortuzzo, had yet to score a goal. Players who had cups of coffee with the Blues — Nathan Walker in five games, Klim Kostin in four games — had scored goals but Steen’s zero persisted. His efforts were stalled by the 16 games he missed with a high ankle sprain, but calendar aside, Steen got his goal in his 29th game. Never before had he carried a zero in the goal column past his 11th game of the season.

Was he wondering when it was going to come?

“Yeah, a little bit,” he said.

There were, as Bozak had noted, no worries about Steen because he was doing so many other things that the team needed him to do and a lot of other players were putting up hefty goal totals. Only a few days before, coach Craig Berbue had expressed his belief that the goal would come because of the way Steen was playing on the ice.

“He skates and works,” Berube said Friday. “He’s a great defensive player, he goes to the net. On Bozak’s goal, (Steen made) a great screen on the goal. He goes to the net and does all the dirty work.”

That’s part of the consistency of Steen’s game. He’s not the goal scorer he once was – he had 33 goals in the 2013-14 season – but he’s going to the net and making his presence felt just like he always has. On the Bozak goal, that’s where he was, getting shoved into the goalie and keeping multiple Sabres occupied to give Bozak a big hole to aim at.

“Nothing's really changed,” Steen said. “I've tried to do that for the most part. It especially helps my linemates trying to get some more space for them and create space for them. Just try and create that little bit of extra space for (Bozak and Thomas) to get their shots off and open passing lanes."

Steen was doing fairly well at the start of the season, but in the 17th game of the season, he suffered his high ankle sprain and was out four weeks. In the 12 games since he returned, he’s plus-11, which has given him a team-high plus-13 this season. He was plus-4 against Buffalo and the team is 9-3 since his return.

“I was pretty happy with how I was going before that (injury),” Steen said, “and that was a little unfortunate bounce. But that's what happens in this game. Over the years you get that experience. Things like that happen, but to some extent, that kind of slows you down mentally as well and you're able to analyze where you were and how it was going and what you want to do when you come back. I think first little stretch there was decent, but the last six or seven games or so (have been good).”

A year ago, Berube put Steen on the fourth line and Steen helped turn that unit into a group that played a key role in the team winning the Stanley Cup. This year, he’s been on the third line, with Bozak and 1170736 St Louis Blues

Offside adventures: Replay catches Kyrou a second time in as many games

Tom Timmermann

Jan 11, 2020

In each of the past two games, the Blues have looked to have scored a goal, only to have it come down on an offside challenge by the other team. In both cases, the player who was offside was rookie forward Jordan Kyrou.

“It’s pretty frustrating, but what can I do now?” Kyrou said Friday. “I just have to be onside next time. Just got to be extra sure.”

Against San Jose, Kyrou cost himself a goal. Against Buffalo, it was a goal by Jaden Schwartz that came down. In both cases, the goals would have been significant. Against San Jose, it would have made the score 4- 1, which would have prevented the angst that came when San Jose scored with 3:10 to play to make it 3-2. Against Buffalo, it also would have made it 4-1 and put that game on much firmer footing.

“I probably just have to drag my foot a little bit more,” he said. “It’s an in- the-moment kind of play.”

THE GOALIE UNION Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne scored a goal on Thursday night, becoming just the 12th goalie in NHL history to score (for a total of 15 goals) and the first to do it since Mike Smith with the Coyotes in 2013 and when one goalie scores, all goalies are happy.

“It’s pretty sweet,” Blues goalie Jake Allen said. “I think it’s sweet. I think it’s awesome. It’s entertainment. It’s just got to be the perfect time and situation. He had it perfect: he had time behind the net to turn, to look up ice and actually get good wood on it. It’s awesome for him.”

“Everyone wants it,” Jordan Binnington said. “That’s cool.”

Neither Allen nor Binnington have come particularly close, they said, but each would love to have one.

“I’ve shot a couple times,” Allen said. “It’s tough. I’d love to be able to score, but there’s a time and place. The game’s so fast nowadays. By the end of the game, the ice is so bad, you can’t trust anything that’s out there half the time anyways. That would be a cherry on top of my whole hockey career. You’ve got to have the perfect bounce. You hit one wrong rut, it’s going to the corner.”

“We’re working on it,” Binnington said.

PROBABLY NOT PARAYKOCoach Craig Berube made it sound unlikely that Colton Parayko would be back in the lineup on Saturday, making it the fourth game he’s missed with an upper body injury. That would be the most games Parayko has missed in any of his five seasons in the NHL.

“He doesn’t miss games,” Berube said, “but it is what it is and he’s working through it. I’d rather him be 100 percent and healthy.”

The Blues had an optional practice on Friday populated mostly by injured players or healthy scratches. (Kyrou and Niko Mikkola were the only players from Thursday that took the ice.) Sammy Blais, who has started to be a regular on the ice as he comes back from wrist surgery, wasn’t out there. Berube said he was taking the day off because of soreness but should be back on Saturday. Blais is still two to three weeks away from returning to action.

Berube said Vladimir Tarasenko was making “normal progress” as he came back from his shoulder injury. “I’m not sure of the timeline when he can go on the ice but everything’s fine,” Berube said.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170737 St Louis Blues

Preview: Blues vs. New York Rangers

Jim Thomas

Jan 11, 2020

About the Rangers: After missing the playoffs the past two seasons, the Rangers have been around .500 all season — never more than two games below .500 and never more the four games above. In the NHL, that won’t get you to the postseason. At 21-18-4, New York is in seventh place in the Metropolitan Division and 11th overall in the Eastern Conference.

The Rangers have won their last two games — 5-3 over Colorado and 6- 3 over New Jersey — with highly-regarded rookie goalie Igor Shesterkin making his first two NHL starts. But veteran Henrik Lundqvist, 37, is scheduled to start against the Blues. He’s 5-6-0 against them over his career, with a 2.14 goals-against average and .929 save percentage.

The Rangers score a lot of goals — 3.35 per game to rank eighth in the NHL. But they also give up a lot — 3.30 per game to rank 28th. Artemi Panarin entered the weekend sixth in the league in points (61) on 24 goals and 37 assists.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170738 St Louis Blues

Blues’ Perron, Capitals’ Oshie among final All-Star picks

BY STEPHEN WHYNO AP HOCKEY WRITER

JANUARY 11, 2020 11:03 PM

WASHINGTON

St. Louis Blues winger David Perron and former teammate T.J. Oshie were voted by fans as two of the final representatives for NHL All-Star Weekend in St. Louis.

After helping the Blues win the Stanley Cup last spring in his third stint with them, Perron is having one of the best seasons of his career. The 31-year-old Perron has 19 goals and 26 assists and is a first-time All- Star.

“It's real exciting,” Perron said. “Thanks to all the people in St. Louis that helped me get here. I was disappointed, definitely when (it first) came out and I wasn't there. But I wouldn't want it any other way in the end.”

Perron is set to be one of four Blues players at All-Star Weekend, joining goaltender Jordan Binnington, reigning playoff MVP Ryan O'Reilly and captain Alex Pietrangelo. The host team launched a significant campaign to help get Perron selected, including billboards around St. Louis, and even Blues fan Jenna Fischer got in on it.

“I saw a couple tweets out there,” Oshie said. “Did Perry get in there? Awesome. Yeah, that’s great. Obviously, really great fans there.”

Oshie has 18 goals and 15 assists for the Washington Capitals. The 33- year-old spent his first seven NHL seasons with the Blues and won the Cup with Washington in 2018.

“Always had a lot of really great support throughout my career here, and in St. Louis, especially,” Oshie said. "So to be going back to St. Louis there is a pretty cool story.”

Capitals players said Oshie deserved his first All-Star honor, particularly in St. Louis.

“We all know he wants to go,” Capitals teammate Nicklas Backstrom said Friday. “Especially it's his former hometown too, St. Louis. That would be something special for him.”

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner and Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes were also voted in by fans. The league announced its final All-Stars Saturday night — when Perron scored twice in the Blues' third consecutive win to tie them for first overall.

“He's been great all year,” Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo said. “It started even last year. He's been huge for us — everybody knows that.”

Oshie joins fellow Capitals players Braden Holtby and John Carlson and coach Todd Reirden for the Metropolitan Division at All-Star Weekend. Captain Alex Ovechkin opted not to participate and will serve a one- game suspension.

Boston's David Pastrnak was voted captain for the Atlantic Division, Colorado's Nathan Mackinnon for the Central and Edmonton's Connor McDavid for the Pacific. NHL All-Star Weekend is Jan. 24-25.

Belleville News-Democrat LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170739 St Louis Blues St. Louis, Boston, Washington all have 65 points after play Saturday. New York has dropped four in a row on the road.

“We felt the last couple games we were playing good hockey. We want to Perron scores 20th goal in Blues 5-2 win over Rangers bring the same energy, the same mentality home and away," Skjei said.

BY STEVE OVERBEY ASSOCIATED PRESS Belleville News-Democrat LOADED: 01.12.2020 JANUARY 11, 2020 10:50 PM

ST. LOUIS

St. Louis winger David Perron received a call from the team's president of hockey operations late Friday.

“I was hoping I wasn't getting traded," Perron said.

The news from Doug Armstrong was good.

Armstrong informed Perron that he had been selected to the All-Star game via a vote from the fans as the Last Men In.

Less than 24 hours later, Perron celebrated by scoring in his fourth straight contest, helping the Blues to a 5-2 win over the New York Rangers..

Robert Bortuzzo, Vince Dunn, Zach Sanford and Jaden Schwartz also scored for the defending Stanley Cup champions, who are 11-2-1 in their last 14.

The Blues won their eighth straight home game, their longest such streak since winning 10 in a row from April 16-Oct. 12, 2013.

Filip Chytil and Brett Howden scored for the Rangers, who fell to 1-5-1 in their last seven on the road. The Rangers had a two-game winning streak snapped.

Jordan Binnington made 21 saves for his ninth win in the last 10 starts. He is tied with Tampa Bay's Andrei Vasilevskiy for the most wins, with 22.

Perron, who has spent parts of nine of his 13 seasons in St. Louis, said being voted in by the fans throughout the league was extra special.

“You hope you can go at least one time in your life," Perron said. “It's really cool,”

Perron blasted a one-timer past Henrik Lundqvist early in the second period for a 3-1 lead. It was his 20th goal of the season and his NHL- leading eighth game-winning goal.

His selection to the All-Star game, which will be played later this month in St. Louis, was not a surprise to his teammates.

“He's been doing this for a long time,” Bortuzzo said. “He deserves it. He's been great all year. He's huge for us and everybody knows that."

New York jumped in front on Chytil's goal just 94 seconds into the game.

The Blues responded with three scores. Bortuzzo converted on a breakway after coming out of the penalty box to tie game 1-all. It was his first goal of the season and his first regular-season tally since Feb. 14, 2019.

The rare goal — his 15th in 362 career games — sent the St. Louis bench into a frenzy.

“It was all spur of the moment,” Bortuzzo said. “I just shot it — it found a way home.,”

Bortuzzo says it was the first breakaway goal of his NHL career.

“I want it to be on record that I'm not happy with my teammates how surprised they act every time I do score,” Bortuzzo joked. “There was some laughter on the bench.

The goal seemed to ignite the Blues attack.

"We tried to bounce back from that right away and obviously it's something you don't want to happen, but you have to move past it and focus on that next shift.," New York defenseman Brady Skjei said.

Dunn scored off a pass from Ivan Barbashev for a 2-1 lead with 1:19 left in the opening period to send the Blues off and running. 1170740 Tampa Bay Lightning Canucks on Tuesday and then was happy with a one-goal game Saturday; both games started with the defensive effort.

“We knew what we had to do to get back into this (playoff) race, so now Lightning extend winning streak to 10 with shutout of Philadelphia Flyers we’re back in it,” Cooper said, referring to the Lightning’s climb from sixth in the Atlantic Division to second. “We want to keep this roll going, and it starts with your own end, and the boys are committed right now, and it’s been fun to watch.” By Diana C. Nearhos

Published Earlier today Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 01.12.2020 Updated 6 hours ago

PHILADELPHIA — Sometimes, it’s not all about the goals.

The Lightning needed only one as they recorded their second straight shutout Saturday, 1-0 against the Flyers, for their 10th straight win, tying the franchise record set last season in February.

This game was more about the shots the Flyers didn’t take. For the third game in a row, the Lightning (27-13-4) kept the shots against to 25 or fewer.

“It’s all five guys on the ice really clogging the ice and allowing (Andrei Vasilevskiy) to see more of the pucks,” defenseman Victor Hedman said. “It’s just really being cognizant of your own end.”

The Flyers put only 23 shots on net in the game (interestingly, they were credited with that many blocks on the other end). And of those 23 shots, Vasilevskiy didn’t have to make many big saves in what was also his second straight shutout, the only two the Lightning have this season.

The score wasn’t typical of some Flyers-Lightning games of the past. Last year, twice the Flyers overcame three-goal deficits only for the Lightning to come back and win in overtime. Hedman remembers an 8-7 game from 2010.

The only goal in this game was a fluky one by Pat Maroon. He exited the penalty box and went straight for the net. Behind him, Anthony Cirelli chipped the puck into the Philadelphia zone. Maroon and Flyers defenseman Matt Niskanen reached up to bat the puck down. It landed between them, and Maroon popped it in.

Coach Jon Cooper called it funny that that was the goal that was scored in a game with better chances than that. He credited Maroon with awareness to go to the net and being the only player to know exactly where the puck was.

If this game wasn’t a typical one between the teams, this Lightning team isn’t the kind the Flyers are used to seeing. Forward Jakub Voracek said the Lightning played differently defensively than they had in the past few years. He described a team that was patient in the neutral zone and didn’t allow the Flyers much room.

“They were waiting for us, and they have a lot of puck-movement defensemen that are mobile with the puck,” Voracek said. “Every time we were dumping (the puck) in or we chipped it in, they just turned around and made the play, and then we had to backcheck.”

That turns into offensive-zone time for the Lightning, which further limits chances against.

The fourth line of Yanni Gourde, Mitchell Stephens and Carter Verhaeghe spent most of their about 11 minutes of ice time in the offensive zone. They attempted a total of 10 shots, five of which were on net. That pressure comes from what Gourde called a relentless attitude in the defensive zone.

“We’re always in their face, and they probably feel like we’re six guys on the ice all the time,” he said of the Lightning’s play.

Nothing the Lightning are doing is groundbreaking. It’s all the things they said they needed to do when their season started inconsistently, the things they were mostly doing but without the lapses that were becoming goals against.

“Sometimes it’s easy to say, but we have to do it all the time,” Gourde said. “If that one time our forwards aren’t tracking while our (defensemen) are gapping, then they might bypass our (defensemen) and have an odd- man rush.”

Cooper called it a commitment from the team and attention to detail in the defensive zone. This is a team that scored nine goals against the 1170741 Tampa Bay Lightning Stamkos will miss his first All-Star Game since his rookie season, 2008- 09, other than the 2016-17 season, when he was injured and played only 17 games.

Lightning give Alex Volkov another look, and Pat Maroon gets hurt again This will be the first year the Lightning has sent only one player since 2012, when Stamkos was the lone representative.

In the category of honors that don’t mean anything … EA Sports named By Diana C. Nearhos a 2019 NHL team of the year. Nikita Kucherov was voted its right wing.

Published Earlier today The video game company named nominees and opened the voting to the public. Kucherov is joined by Connor McDavid, Alex Ovechkin, Brent Updated 5 hours ago Burns, John Carlson and Jordan Binnington.

Kucherov was presented with a pair of gold-trimmed skates (color, not PHILADELPHIA — Alex Volkov earned another look in the NHL. The metal), for the honor. forward was recalled Friday for Saturday’s 1-0 win against the Flyers in case Ondřej Palát was unable to play. Palat, whose status has been called day-to-day, didn’t play, so Volkov was in. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 01.12.2020 The Lightning have a few forward options in Syracuse. Mathieu Joseph has been there for a couple of weeks. Alex Barre-Boulet entered Saturday leading the Crunch with 31 points and 14 goals.

Volkov played four games on his first callup, which led into the trip to Sweden in November, then went back to AHL Syracuse. What was it about him that he got another look this time?

Part of it is about fit — where a player will play in the lineup. Coach Jon Cooper likes Volkov for a third-line role with Cedric Paquette and Pat Maroon. (Palat’s injury moved Alex Killorn back to the second line with Anthony Cirelli.)

“We think he can help us win,” Cooper said before the game. “He came up the last time and performed well when he was with us. He has size (6 feet 1, 191 pounds); he can skate. He did all the things we asked, and then he went back to Syracuse and worked on his game.”

Volkov has been playing well with the Crunch. He has 12 points in 22 games since returning to the AHL and is playing with confidence.

The second recall is a natural progression. Volkov, 22 and a 2017 draft pick, didn’t get a taste of the NHL in his first two seasons in Syracuse, got one early this season and earned another.

“The first callup, the kid’s just hoping to survive,” Cooper said. “The second one, you’re hoping there’s a little bit of progress. You don’t want to put pressure on them; they put enough pressure on themselves.”

Volkov had a couple of good looks early in Saturday’s game. He didn’t have a point. He did have two shots, one hit and one block.

Volkov’s first-period shot, with two teammates right with him, was an example of his progress. A young player will often pass in that situation, and maybe Volkov could have, but taking the shot is a sign of confidence.

Pat Maroon left the game early in the third period. He was hooked by Kevin Hayes and slid into the boards awkwardly, right shoulder first.

By ducking his head, Maroon avoided a probably worse head-first collision, but the shoulder bore the brunt of the contact. He held the shoulder, hopped up and quickly skated to the bench.

Head athletic trainer Tom Mulligan checked Maroon out on the bench before the forward headed down the tunnel toward the dressing room.

Cooper did not have an update after the game, saying Maroon was wearing too many ice bags to see what was going on.

Maroon also left Thursday’s game against the Coyotes early. He took an elbow to the face in the second period and did not return.

In other injury news, Palat could be available Sunday at the Devils. Ryan McDonagh, who has missed four games since taking an elbow to the head in Ottawa on Jan. 4, did not make the two-game trip. The plan was for him to skate in Tampa and for his status to be upgraded to day-to-day upon the team’s return.

Defenseman Victor Hedman will be going to the All-Star Game as the lone Lightning representative.

The NHL announced the winners of the “last man in” fan vote, and the Maple Leafs’ Mitch Marner will represent the Atlantic Division. Steven Stamkos was the Lightning’s nominee. 1170742 Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto Marlies assistant coach Rob Davison released from hospital

MARTY KLINKENBERG

PUBLISHED 17 HOURS AGO

UPDATED JANUARY 11, 2020

Toronto Marlies assistant coach Rob Davison has been released from a Texas hospital following an overnight stay.

The 39-year-old suffered a prolonged grand mal seizure in the dressing room prior to a game scheduled Friday night between the American Hockey League’s Marlies and the Texas Stars at HEC Center in Cedar Park, Texas.

The coach was taken to the hospital immediately and received urgent care and treatment, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team’s parent club, said Saturday. His condition has now stabilized enough to where he could be released.

A grand mal seizure causes a loss of consciousness and violent muscle contractions. Also known as a generalized tonic-clonic seizure, they are caused by abnormal electrical activity throughout the brain.

Davison will return to Toronto today along with a member of the Marlies medical staff and will be away from the team indefinitely on medical leave.

The seizure occurred in front of players and staff and so troubled them that the organization decided not to play against the Stars. The AHL awarded the Texas team a 1-0 forfeit victory.

Globe And Mail LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170743 Toronto Maple Leafs

Hey Mitch Marner, you’re an all-star

Staff Report

By Star wire services

Sat., Jan. 11, 2020

WASHINGTON—Mitch Marner will be joining Leafs teammates Auston Matthews and Frederik Andersen for NHL all-star weekend.

Marner, Blues winger David Perron, Capitals centre T.J. Oshie and Canucks defenceman Quinn Hughes made the team in last-chance fan voting, the NHL announced Saturday night.

St. Louis will host all-star weekend on Jan. 24 and 25.

After helping the Blues win the Stanley Cup last spring in his third stint with them, Perron is having one of the best seasons of his career. The 31-year-old Perron has 19 goals and 26 assists and is a first-time all-star.

Oshie has 18 goals and 15 assists for the Washington Capitals. The 33- year-old spent his first seven NHL seasons with the Blues and won the Cup with Washington in 2018.

Toronto Star LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170744 Toronto Maple Leafs no less than the most potent offensive machine on the planet over the past seven-plus weeks.

Tyson Barrie has gone from struggling to find his place in the lineup to Matthews plus Marner — the Leafs are reaping the rewards of a switch the first power-play unit; he has 16 points in 22 games under Keefe — that seemed so obvious all along the most among Leafs defencemen and fifth-most on the team over that span. Justin Holl’s gone from a perpetual suspect to a new contract. Backup Michael Hutchinson, his role slightly reframed, has been given an appealingly fresh coat of paint. By Dave Feschuk Sports Columnist Matthews’s name comes up, too. But as fractious as No. 34’s relationship Sat., Jan. 11, 2020 with the old coach might have been, Toronto’s wrist-shot savant was on a 49-goal pace playing for Babcock. He’s on a 63-goal pace playing for Keefe. So he’s enjoyed a lift, but not exactly a seismic one. Peanut butter without jelly. Cake without ice cream. Saturday without a Maple Leafs game. Marner, on the other hand, has positively exploded in Keefe’s atmosphere of positivity. After averaging exactly a point a game under If those scenarios aren’t your idea of outright sacrileges — and all due Babcock, No. 16 — who will be joining Matthews for NHL all-star respect to proponents of a peanut-free, non-dairy lifestyle who’ll consider weekend after a top-four finish in last-chance fan voting — is averaging a Sunday’s Leafs-Panthers game in South Florida a sufficient substitute for team-best 1.5 points a game in 16 outings since Babcock’s ouster. That’s hockey night — let’s just agree that some of us would consider them 24 points in 16 games — McDavid-like production, albeit over a relatively suboptimal. short snippet of the calendar.

Maybe there’ll come a moment when it seems unsatisfying to see Auston Marner is going over the boards more often under Keefe, for sure, Matthews on an NHL ice surface without Mitch Marner. averaging about three more minutes a game than he did under Babcock. Marner’s average ice time of 22:22 since Keefe took over is more than As intuitive combinations go, the latest incarnation of the Matthews- any Toronto skater not named Morgan Rielly. It’s hard to blame the new Marner pairing is certainly running hot, even if it’s far too new to be coach for throwing Marner out there so often. He’s an all-purpose gem considered timeless. Ex-Leafs coach Mike Babcock never much liked the who’s proven his ability to make his teammates better. idea of combining the two, perhaps because combining the team’s best shooter with its best playmaker was too obvious for a mastermind who Two seasons ago he often shared a line with James van Riemsdyk, and always seemed to feel the need to confirm his status as the smartest guy it was van Riemsdyk who led the team in goals with 36. A year ago he in the room. And maybe, too, Babcock’s vision of defence-first mostly played alongside Tavares, and it was Tavares who led the team in conservatism didn’t mesh with the mentalities of his two best young goals with 47. And now that he’s regularly being deployed with Matthews forwards. — well, let’s just say it’s not difficult to fathom a scenario in which Matthews breaks Rick Vaive’s single-season franchise record for goals. But since Babcock’s successor Sheldon Keefe regularly brought Vaive scored 54 in 1981-82. Matthews is currently on pace for 56. Matthews and Marner together eight games ago — this in the throes of a rare Monday afternoon game with the Carolina Hurricanes a couple of If you take into account the jump in production since Matthews started days before Christmas that concluded in a wild 8-6 Maple Leafs win — going to work flanked by Marner at even strength, the pace is even more the results have been beyond promising. Over that stretch, Matthews and impressive. Peanut butter without jelly. Saturday night without a Leafs Marner have combined for 25 points, 17 of them at even strength. It game. The way it’s been going, it’s not hard to imagine a moment when hasn’t hurt the club’s cause, of course, that the resultant duo of William Toronto’s best goal scorer will seem something less than whole without Nylander and John Tavares — the go-to dance partners for Matthews Toronto’s best playmaker at his side. and Marner, respectively, in the Babcock era — have combined for 21 points over that stretch.

One twosome Babcock didn’t think much of, another nobody in town had Toronto Star LOADED: 01.12.2020 even much thought about. And voila — both newish combos have produced a considerable bit of magic, at least momentarily. It’s a truism of science and ought to be of sports, and one Babcock never showed a modicum of curious respect: There’s no innovation without experimentation.

“It makes sense to me in terms of the way (Marner) sees the ice and passes and the way that (Matthews) finishes,” Keefe told reporters last month. “But we also know Mitch and (Zach Hyman) were successful with (Tavares) there as well. We have to weigh that, and again, it’s a lot to do with just how things fall into place underneath them as well. I think if I’ve shown anything in the early going here, it’s that I’m not one to maybe stick with anything for too long.”

If we know anything about hockey history, it’s that goal scorers get more attention than playmakers. So it only makes sense that Matthews has been commanding the bulk of the spotlight of late, and rightly so. The ability to put pucks into nets is the rarest of NHL skills. And it’s been widely noted that Matthews — tied with Boston’s David Pastrnak (heading into Saturday) for the most goals by anyone not named Alex Ovechkin since arriving in the league in 2016 — has potted 12 goals in his most recent 11 games. Less widely noted: Marner has assisted on nine of those 12 goals.

If you made a list of those who’ve benefitted most from the Leafs’ November coaching change, let’s just say it’d be long. The effects of the change have been obvious and stark. In the 22 games since Babcock got the axe, the Leafs have been an NHL buzzsaw. The stagnating power play, 18th in efficiency under the old coach, has ranked first since the new guy took over. The dumbfoundingly poor penalty kill, 27th under Keefe’s predecessor, has rebounded to a more respectable 12th under Keefe’s guidance.

Under the highest-paid tactician in the history of the sport the Leafs were the 13th-highest scoring team to the league. With Keefe, they’re No. 1 — 1170745 Toronto Maple Leafs

Marlies assistant coach Rob Davison out of hospital after ‘prolonged grand mal seizure’ in Texas dressing room

Staff Report

By The Canadian Press

Sat., Jan. 11, 2020

Toronto Marlies assistant coach Rob Davison was discharged from a Texas hospital after suffering a “prolonged grand mal seizure” in the dressing room Friday night.

In a statement, the Maple Leafs said the 39-year-old Davison’s condition had stabilized and that he would return to Toronto with members of the AHL team’s medical staff. Davison, a former NHL defenceman, will be on indefinite medical leave.

Davison suffered the seizure in front of players and team staff before the Marlies’ scheduled road game against the Texas Stars at HEB Center in Cedar Park, Texas. The Leafs’ farm team chose to forfeit the game.

Toronto Star LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170746 Toronto Maple Leafs In 34 games, Marner has 42 points (11 goals and 31 assists). LEAFS THANKFUL

A sigh of relief came from the Leafs dressing room with the news that Matthews possessed to have possession is paying off for Leafs; Marner Toronto Marlies assistant coach Rob Davison has been released from to all-star game hospital.

The 39-year-old Davison, the Leafs confirmed on Saturday, suffered a Terry Koshan prolonged grand mal seizure, witnessed by players and staff, in the dressing room at the HEB Center in Cedar Park, Tex., prior to a January 11, 2020 10:55 PM EST scheduled game between the Marlies and Texas Stars on Friday night.

Davison was kept overnight in a local hospital, and once his condition stabilized on Saturday, he was discharged. Davison was returning to SUNRISE, Fla. — All this speculation about whether Auston Matthews is Toronto and will be away from the Marlies, who forfeited the game to going to get 50 and he has already gone and done it. Texas on Friday night, from the team indefinitely on medical leave. There’s no questioning the desire of Matthews and Maple Leafs linemate “It was tough news (last night) for sure, but it does seem like he’s doing Mitch Marner to possess the puck, and when they don’t have it, they’re well,” said Keefe, who had Davison on his staff with the Marlies. “I’m getting it back. happy with how things worked out and in terms of how the organization Prior to National Hockey League games on Saturday, Matthews and handled it. Marner had 50 takeaways each, second-most in the NHL after leader “Seemed like the players, having experienced that, it put them in a tough Mark Stone of the Vegas Golden Knights, who had 63. place. The good news is that they were able to deal with it and he’s doing “I’m trying to step in the defensive area of the game,” Matthews said after better.” the Leafs practised at the BB&T Center. “Both of us have pretty good Leafs defenceman Travis Dermott, in his final season with the Marlies in hand-eye coordination and can try to anticipate where the puck is going 2017-18, learned under Davison. and where the play is going. “Reading that news (Saturday) morning when I woke up was pretty “I’m happy with (the growth on the defensive side). I would like to tough, shocking, because you don’t expect anything like that,” Dermott continue to get better in that area and continue to be responsible in my said. “You take a step back. I talked to our doc when I came in and he let own end. So far, we have showed that for the most part.” me know that everything was good. Robbie is a guy who everybody The willingness of Matthews and Marner to hound the puck is one reason loves. He always brings good energy.” why they have earned the trust of coach Sheldon Keefe to not only put The Leafs — who signed Marincin on Friday to a one-year, $700,000 US them together, but keep them on a line with Zach Hyman. contract for 2020-21 — and Marincin’s teammates have a different view. “They’re really recognizing the correlation between effort to get the puck “We love Marv and we know what he brings to the table,” Leafs captain back quickly and generating offence,” Keefe said. “That’s something we John Tavares said. “The circumstances aren’t always easy for him. When talk about a lot here, and I don’t think that’s new for them to hear that you don’t play for a long time, that’s a hard thing to do, to come in and be message here. expected to pick up where everyone else has been going and is in a “The more confident they get with the puck, and the more they’re feeling rhythm. it offensively, then I think you also get a little more passion toward getting “He has a good understanding in his game and how he can be effective. it back quickly because you’re feeling it and you want to get back on Everyone contributes to the team. It’s great to see him get that (contract) offence quick. That’s what they’ve been doing really well. and we’re happy that he’s going to be here for another year.” “We’ve got a number of other guys, William Nylander has been excellent Marincin has played in the past six games as Jake Muzzin, who is on this in that, John Tavares, these guys are really good at doing that, have brief trip but remains in a cast, nurses a broken right foot. really strong sticks and win the puck back to keep us going on offence.” “I’m feeling good about it, that I will be a Leaf for one more year,” As for the other 50, as in goals, it’s difficult to envision how it does not Marincin said. “It’s good motivation for me. Playing now, I’m feeling good happen for Matthews unless he has to miss games because of an injury. on the ice. My confidence is way better.” Going into the match on Sunday night against the Florida Panthers, The work of the 6-foot-5, 217-pound Marincin on the Leafs penalty kill is Matthews, whose ice time at even-strength has increased to 18 minutes among the attributes Keefe likes. under Keefe (from 16 minutes 24 seconds under Mike Babcock), has 17 goals in 22 games since Keefe took over. “He’s a valuable depth player for the organization,” Keefe said. “He has come in and has been really solid on the penalty kill, as he has been With 31 goals in 45 games, Matthews is on pace for 56. throughout his time in the NHL. He also has given us good minutes For 50? Matthews has to score 19 goals in the Leafs’ final 37 games. against good players.

Teams haven’t devised a way to shut Matthews down — his 169 shots “It’s important to have those types of players that can be there for you at on goal were fifth-most before Saturday. times when you need them. He’s a low-maintenance guy who is popular around his teammates.” Count on that 50 to happen, especially when considering Matthews has proven he has the desire and ability to pick the pockets of opponents to Frederik Andersen watched the replay of Pekka Rinne’s goal against the retrieve the puck. Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night and thought about how he would love to emulate the Nashville Predators goaltender. MARNER AN ALL-STAR “Amazing,” Andersen said. “Every goalie wants to score one, but you Marner will be joining Matthews and goaltender Frederik Andersen at the have to make sure you don’t screw it up. If you have a chance, why not?” NHL all-star game in St. Louis later this month, the NHL announced on Saturday night. Fact is, Andersen has scored, hitting the open net in a 2010 playoff game in Denmark while playing for Frederikshavn. Scoring a goal in the NHL Marner was voted into the game by fans as the winner in the Atlantic would be something else entirely. Division in the Last Man In contest. It’s going to be Marner’s first NHL all- star game, and we imagine there will be several all-star weekends in the Both Andersen and backup Michael Hutchinson were impressed with future where he won’t have the luxury of sitting on a beach somewhere. how Rinne was able to stop the puck with his skate before getting set behind the goal line and lifting it over the Blackhawks, bouncing a shot Marner’s skills will suit the weekend well, and if the NHL is serious about into the open net. marketing its young stars, it can’t go wrong with the 22-year-old Leafs winger. “Pretty sweet,” Hutchinson said. “It was exciting. Every goalie has that dream of getting a chance to score a goal. The thought has crossed my mind when the net is empty.

“That’s a tough play. He made an incredible play, taking it off his skate like that. Everything has to fall into place.”

Hutchinson has tried it twice, both times coming during stints in the ECHL, but was not successful.

The other point Andersen and Hutchinson agreed on: They would only do what Rinne did, attempt the shot with a two-goal lead. No way either netminder would want to try it with the Leafs up one goal and have it backfire to the extent that it winds up in the Toronto net.

Not surprisingly, Matthews, who gets paid to fill the net, loved the Rinne goal as well.

“I think it’s awesome,” Matthews said. “If you’re up two goals, any time the goalie gets it, he should go for it, for sure. Those moments, they’re awesome.”

LOOSE LEAFS

Winger Andreas Johnsson, who has missed the past 15 games with a leg injury, was a regular participant in practice, taking turns in rushes on the fourth line with Dmytro Timashov. While Johnsson is eager to return, Keefe had this to say: “Not sure exactly where that’s at. He is day to day, so we’ll make a decision with the medical team and with (Johnsson) and whether it makes sense to play (Sunday) or give him a little more time.” … Wingers Mason Marchment and Trevor Moore, coming back from a concussion, wore defenceman-black at practice and did not take part in line rushes.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170747 Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs relieved that Marlies' assistant coach Davison on the road to recovery

Terry Koshan

January 11, 2020 2:57 PM EST

SUNRISE, Fla. — A sigh of relief came from the Maple Leafs dressing room on Saturday with the news that Toronto Marlies assistant coach Rob Davison has been released from hospital.

The 39-year-old Davison, the Leafs confirmed on Saturday, suffered a prolonged grand mal seizure, witnessed by players and staff, in the dressing room at the HEB Center in Cedar Park, Texas prior to a scheduled game between the Marlies and Texas Stars on Friday night.

Davison was kept overnight in a local hospital, and once his condition stabilized on Saturday, he was discharged. Davison is returning to Toronto and will be away from the Marlies, who forfeited the game to Texas on Friday night, from the team indefinitely.

“It was tough news (last night) for sure, but it does seem like he’s doing well,” said Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe, who had Davison on his staff with the Marlies. “I’m happy with how things worked out and in terms of how the organization handled it.

“Seemed like the players, having experienced that, it put them in a tough place. The good news is that they were able to deal with it and he’s doing better today.”

Leafs defenceman Travis Dermott, in his final season with the Marlies, learned under Davison.

“Reading that news this morning when I woke up was pretty tough, shocking, because you don’t expect anything like that,” Dermott said. “You take a step back. I talked to our doc when I came in and he let me know that everything was good. Robbie is a guy who everybody loves. Always brings good energy.”

After travelling to Florida on Friday and enjoying a day off the ice, the Leafs practised on Saturday at the BB&T Center ahead of their game against the Florida Panthers on Sunday night.

Winger Andreas Johnsson is nearly back after missing the past 15 games with a leg injury, and took turns with Dmytro Timashov on the fourth line on Saturday.

When Johnsson returns to the lineup, though, is to be determined.

“Not sure exactly where that’s at,” Keefe said. “He is day to day, so we’ll make a decision with the medical team and with (Johnsson) and whether it makes sense to play tomorrow or give him a little more time.”

Said Johnsson: “They (told me) that the pain is probably not going to go away for a while, but it feels good on the ice.”

The Leafs have lost their past two games, but have been excellent on the road under Keefe, going 10-3 in 13 games.

The Panthers are 3-3 in their past six games.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170748 Toronto Maple Leafs will be out at least another month after falling and appearing to twist his knee on Jan. 2.

♦ After missing a couple of games with a lower-body issue, Stars D-man FANTASY FARE: Tavares' recent Sundin role is costing him points John Klingberg is expected back for Saturday’s game versus the Sharks.

Igor Shesterkin

Joel Colomby G, Rangers

January 11, 2020 8:58 AM EST Savvy fantasy owners already knew that the 2014 draft pick (and not Alex Georgiev) was Henrik Lundqvist’s likely heir apparent and, his 3.01 GAA aside, he’s done nothing to dispel that notion with wins on back-to- back nights and a .926 SV% since making his Rangers debut this week. John Tavares took ownership of a rough outing on Wednesday against Could he be this year’s version of Jordan Binnington? the Jets, but it’s been a dull homestand overall for both the Maple Leafs captain and his linemates, William Nylander and Alexander Kerfoot, with Justin Williams nary a point between them. RW, Hurricanes The problem here is not a new one for the Leafs. Like Mats Sundin two decades or so ago, Tavares — with the most-reliable 20-foot game on Game 7 heroics aside, the freshly unretired winger was a consistent 50- the team — is being used as a shutdown centre against the opposition’s point guy the past four regular seasons which makes him a reasonably best line during home games. In the most recent three-game stay at safe, though low-ceiling, pickup depending on his role and how quickly Scotiabank Arena, his line was on the ice regularly against the Oilers’ the 38-year-old can regain mid-season form. Connor McDavid, Jets’ Mark Scheifele and Islanders’ Mathew Barzal. Mike Smith The reasoning, we imagine, is that he is the best equipped Leafs forward G, Oilers to help neutralize the opposition superstars while providing a threat of his own offensively. Unfortunately, the second part of that equation didn’t Veteran started three in a row — all Edmonton wins — heading into pan out. That trio had a combined 17 shots on goal (10 by Tavares) with Saturday, while stopping 102 of 109 shots (.936 SV%) and clearly has several of those, no doubt, coming on the power-play. the hot hand going over Mikko Koskinen. Ride him while you can.

Overall, this season, Tavares’ points-per-game figure at home sits at a Carter Verhaeghe disappointing 0.72. On the road, however, it’s a different story at 1.15 points per game as opposing coaches have generally kept their top lines LW, Lightning away from Tavares, allowing he and his linemates to be a little more Fourth-liner popped his first career hat trick (on seven shots) in Monday’s attack-oriented. pasting of the Canucks, giving him a three-game point streak (4-0-1). Auston Matthews, meanwhile, is 1.64 at home (with 24 goals in 22 Unfortunately, with less than 10 minutes of ice time in 19 of his 29 games games) and 0.78 on the road. this season, the outburst is best filed alongside the 9-2 Tampa win as a one-off. ♦ While, in any sport, players usually won’t be stripped of their roles while recovering from an injury, Avs’ Mikko Rantanen was a case to the contrary. The first-line all-star RW, who lost his job to Joonas Donskoi Toronto Sun LOADED: 01.12.2020 when he returned from IR late-November and wound up on the second line, found himself right out of of the top six earlier in January, skating on the third unit with J.T. Compher and Matt Nieto. How ironic then that it’s Donskoi now who finds himself on the shelf — in concussion protocol after taking a hard hit against the Rangers on Tuesday — putting Rantanen back on the top line for Thursday night’s game. Let’s see if he stays there once Donskoi returns.

♦ Logan Couture is out until late-February with a foot fracture. Patrick Marleau has moved up to replace him in the Sharks’ top six.

♦ Ilya Kovalchuk had two assists in his Canadiens debut on Tuesday against the lowly Red Wings while taking the concussed Brendan Gallagher’s spot on the No. 1 line with Phillip Danault and Tomas Tatar. He also had the most ice time of any Habs forward at a season-high 21:22, including 6:01 on the power play, but mustered just one shot on goal and was a minus-1. When Gallagher returned on Thursday against Edmonton, Kovy was bumped back to the second line with Max Domi and Nick Suzuki — which is still pretty good — and remained on the top PP unit, though he went pointless with another minus-1 rating. But Gallagher reported a return of his headaches following the game and missed Friday’s practice, putting Kovalchuk back in line for first-line duty.

♦ Sidney Crosby’s anticipated return this coming week from core muscle surgery in early November may be pushed back after the Pens superstar was forced to miss a couple of practices with an apparent illness.

♦ No, that wasn’t a typo in last week’s Hot And Not section. Leon Draisaitl’s plus-minus over the previous month was THAT bad. Updated, to include the final five weeks of 2019, the Oilers superstar, despite scoring 15 points in 17 games, was a ghastly minus-27. Draisaitl was a minus in 16 of those 17 games, including a minus-13 rating over the last five outings of the year. The good news is that the rough stretch has abated and Draisaitl has avoided the minus tag for four consecutive games and is a plus-4 overall in that span while going 2-5-7.

♦ Rasmus Asplund is taking the place of fellow rookie winger Victor Olofsson on the Sabres’ top line, but despite a hefty increase in ice time, does not have a point, or even a shot on goal in three games. Olofsson 1170749 Toronto Maple Leafs Nylander said he’s always gotten dressed late but never gets stressed about missing the deadline to walk on the ice.

“I usually don’t like to sit in my gear and wait,” said Nylander. “So I just For the Leafs’ William Nylander, only the results have changed wait until the last minute to get ready.”

OK, but it would still be fair to assume that because Nylander’s offensive production has improved, there must be some sort of change in his By Joshua Kloke approach, right?

Jan 11, 2020 Take Auston Matthews, for example, who’s currently playing some of the best hockey of his life, and his acknowledgment that putting his hand a

little lower on his stick when shooting one-timers has generated more Frederik Andersen couldn’t help but grin. power. It’s simple, but to Matthews, it’s made a difference.

It was the kind of grin that poked out of the corner of his mouth, often Or consider Michael Hutchinson, who sought advice from Dr. Meg employed when someone is being asked about something secretive. Popovic, the Leafs’ director of athlete well-being and performance, to turn his fortunes around on the ice. And that’s the kind of question Andersen was asked: With William Nylander having scored 14 points in his past 10 games and becoming Over to you, William. one of the team’s more prolific players of late, what’s something people “No,” he said, smiling. “I don’t think anything has changed.” might not know about Nylander? And it’s hard not to smile back because, really, what could you expect? “He …” Andersen said, pausing to properly phrase his answer, “walks to the beat of his own drum in life.” Even if Nylander can sometimes appear reserved, perhaps that’s helped him drown out the noise around him. Perhaps this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Nylander can be brief, but never rude, in his media scrums. His name always seems to pop up in “I always knew what I was capable of doing,” he said. “Last year was just trade rumours, even after GM Kyle Dubas said after Nylander signed his a weird year for me. Now that’s behind me.” new contract with the Leafs in December 2018 that he wouldn’t be traded. Nylander has become an important, if not vital, element in the Leafs’ ability to win high-scoring games. In a 6-3 win over the New York That kind of constant chatter, uttered by seemingly constant doubters, Rangers on Dec. 20, Nylander had his first three-point game since Jan. could cause distractions for some. But not for Nylander. 23, 2019. He followed that up with two three-point games in his next three and has 14 points in his past 10. If you go looking for what’s changed for Nylander, even off the ice, to fuel the season he’s having, you won’t find much. Questions around the Leafs He’s on pace for 35 goals this season. dressing room for insight into what’s changed for Nylander elicit a lot of shrugs in return. And despite getting more power-play time — his 2:50 of power-play time per game is the most of his career, save for the 2:52 per game he earned What you do hear again and again is how consistent he’s remained. A over 21 games in his rookie season — Nylander is also second on the four-game pointless drought in October was the longest of his season. If Leafs in five-on-five scoring, with 25 points in 45 games. His 13 goals at there were doubts about the player Nylander could become, his five-on-five are as many as Alex Ovechkin and Connor McDavid, among production of late has answered them. others, have scored.

“Just as a player, to watch him, the things he can do with the puck, He’s seeing much more ice, and his production is the reason. there’s not many players that can do that,” forward Pierre Engvall said. His 24 minutes of ice time in the Leafs’ 4-3 shootout loss Wednesday So while the conversation around Nylander might have changed, his against the Jets were the most in a single game of his NHL career, approach has not. bringing his average time on ice to 17:57 a game this season, also a career high. It speaks to head coach Sheldon Keefe’s increased The patience he’s shown after a disappointing 2018-19 season — just 27 confidence in Nylander and how, yet again, when players are given more points in 54 games — and the fact he didn’t feel compelled to make any opportunities to perform, they will often reward those who dole out the drastic changes to his game have been the key to a breakout campaign chances. for the 23-year-old. Early this season and last season, Nylander was a fixture on Matthews’ “He kind of just glides along,” Andersen said. wing. But with Keefe’s desire to move pieces around in the Leafs lineup, Take his pregame routine. Nylander has now found himself playing alongside John Tavares.

“He’s never late, but he always just gets there at the right time,” said He’s benefitted because Tavares can, in Nylander’s estimation, “create Andersen. space for me.”

Nylander, Andersen said, is rarely one of the first to arrive at the arena “He’s just doing a really good job getting to the middle of the ice, having before a game. He understands every player has his own routine, but he good timing to be open around the net and finishing plays off in the marvels at Nylander’s ability to get ready promptly. middle of the ice and being around the net, and doing a really good job of finding ways to score — not just always when you’ve got open looks but “I know he definitely likes to push it sometimes,” Andersen said. “He’s when you’ve gotta find second and third (opportunities) or ugly ones extremely fast at getting dressed for the ice.” around there,” Tavares told The Athletic in December.

A clock in the Leafs dressing room counts down to 16:00, when the Leafs So why does being patient matter for Nylander? His shooting percentage take the ice for warmups. It’s a countdown that Andersen has said his stands at 16 percent, by far the highest mark of his career. He’s been a “whole life revolves around.” The same is evidently not true for his young 10.9 percent shooter throughout his NHL career. Perhaps regression is teammate. inevitable. He’s in a three-game pointless streak, but you wouldn’t know it to speak to him. Nylander’s ability to stay even-keeled could keep any Andersen estimates he starts putting on his own gear anywhere between dips in production short. the 30-minute mark and with 27 minutes to go as the clock counts down. He generally sees Nylander start getting dressed in the “low 20s, even Avoiding sweeping changes is the trademark of many veterans. In 19s.” November, Mitch Marner noted Jason Spezza’s patience and calmness as he was bounced in and out of the lineup. In just his fifth NHL season, “It’s crazy,” said Andersen. “He literally takes two or three minutes to get Nylander is showing that trait as he continues to dominate on the ice. dressed. He’s got it down to a science with all his little straps and stuff he needs to take care of.” After Nylander scored the team’s winning goal in a 5-4 overtime win over the New Jersey Devils on Dec. 27, the travelling media assembled near Patience, even in the quiet moments when few are looking, is part of the Leafs dressing room to wait for him. Dubas walked by the scrum. Nylander’s approach. “I’ve waited for him before, too,” said Dubas. “He’s worth it.”

Keefe agrees. “I’ve believed in his abilities,” said the Leafs coach, adding that Nylander has shown he’s a great player in the league. “When he’s really on his game and he’s really engaged, he’s hard to stop. That’s not new — that’s always been the case.”

The more you try to find out what’s changed with Nylander, the more you realize just how much things are the same. That seems to suit him.

“Game by game,” said Nylander, grinning. “I’m just trying to take steps in my game so I can take it to another level.”

And he is.

“He’s been really good for some time now,” Keefe said.

Perhaps the only change lies not with Nylander but with those inclined to doubt him. It’s becoming harder to deny what he’s doing and what he’s becoming.

The Athletic LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170750 Vegas Golden Knights How solemn did things become and continue as the Knights skated off down 1-0?

Usually, the arena announcer will begin a fan interaction by bellowing, Golden Knights lose first period again, then third straight game “May I have you attention please!” to get folks riled up. It always occurs during the third period.

On Saturday, they ran it with 9:55 left in the second. By Ed Graney ‘Soft’ game January 11, 2020 - 11:11 PM “I thought we had a good start,” forward Mark Stone said. “We had a Updated January 11, 2020 - 11:22 PM power play (at 4:33 of the first) and got a few good looks. But we couldn’t kill off their second penalty, and they got a little momentum and it went

from there.” So, this is what Gerard Gallant means by skating in sand. You know how bad things have been when multiple players laud a first Gallant identified a lack of his hockey team moving its feet when period that saw them outshot and outscored. explaining forgettable starts lately, something the Golden Knights tried Gallant agreed. To a point. like anything to avoid against Columbus on Saturday night. “I thought we came out good those first five, six minutes,” Gallant said. It wasn’t a disastrous beginning. It just wasn’t very good, an opening 20 “But (Columbus) worked their tails off tonight, and we didn’t play hard minutes that was eventually followed by a 3-0 loss to end a seven-game enough. I didn’t like the way there was no contact. I think the crowd homestand. sarcastically cheered when Shea Theodore threw a hit with six minutes How what has become a pivotal time on ice transpired in the final game left, and I don’t blame them. It was a soft game, and we’ve got to play Vegas will play here until Feb. 8: harder than that.”

It wasn’t 3-0 after one period — or, hello, last-place Kings — a ridiculous They still have to play much better to start games, whether it’s against 4-0, but the Knights still found themselves trailing again at T-Mobile someone as good as St. Louis or as bad as the Kings or as simple as the Arena. Blue Jackets.

“It felt like it was going to come (early),” Knights defenseman Nate Be it 4-0 or 3-0 or 2-0 or 1-0, a beginning remains the most important Schmidt said. “We had some chances in (the first period). I thought we part of one’s work. were moving pretty well. But you have to keep battling through.” And right now, the Knights are failing at it. Look at it this way — the Knights have been outscored 10-0 in the first period of their past four games, when they have done more chasing than investors do the market. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 01.12.2020 But this also wasn’t St. Louis or Pittsburgh, so a 1-0 deficit had as much to do with the Blue Jackets as anything else.

(Yeah, I know, that still doesn’t explain being boat-raced by the Kings early.)

Columbus assumes the personality of its coach about as well as any NHL team, and given John Tortorella is a few quarters short of a buck, its grinding, defensive-minded, lock-things-down, don’t-give-an-inch persona is ideal for how the team competes.

The Blue Jackets are simple. They keep forwards to the outside. They don’t allow inside chances. They block shots.

They’re an airport security line, frustrating as all heck to face.

They also have 52 points this season.

Tortorella is coaching his brains out.

Shoddy play in net was a primary reason for the Knights playing so poorly in the first period the previous three games. Marc-Andre Fleury and Malcolm Subban left their A games at home and barely settled for Cs.

Not this time.

Fleury stopped all but one of 13 shots in the first, and that was a power- play one-timer from Emil Bemstrom at 16:38.

But nothing like taking penalties can mess with flow. The Knights outshot Columbus 6-1 to start. They just couldn’t solve Columbus goalie Elvis Merzlikins, but were certainly the aggressors once the puck dropped.

And then Paul Stastny went off for slashing at 11:45, and solid play from Fleury kept it scoreless.

And then Jon Merrill went off for interference at 14:57, and Fleury never saw Bemstrom’s rocket from the left circle.

The two penalties on Vegas shifted things, and Columbus outshot the Knights 13-1 in the final 12 minutes.

The place also went dead, as the league’s best atmosphere for fans suddenly resembled the Summerlin Library for hushed tones. I suppose you can’t boo when you’re asleep. 1170751 Vegas Golden Knights He made two key stops in the second period on Stastny and Nate Schmidt, respectively, and celebrated his victory by strumming an air guitar before leaping into Nick Foligno’s arms.

Golden Knights close homestand with loss to Blue Jackets “I had to do it because we are in Vegas and really I had to,” Merzlikins said. “It was my toughest three minutes of my life, I think, because I was already seeing the movie in my eyes that I’m doing the celebration.”

By David Schoen Fleury made a fantastic diving glove save on Seth Jones in the third period, but also misplayed the puck behind his net, leading to the Blue January 11, 2020 - 9:27 PM Jackets’ second goal. Updated January 11, 2020 - 11:16 PM

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 01.12.2020 The Golden Knights bid farewell Saturday to T-Mobile Arena for the next 28 days. And the timing of their departure couldn’t be better.

Columbus’ Elvis Merzlikins made 27 saves for his first career shutout, and the Golden Knights were booed at the end of their 3-0 loss by the remainder of the announced crowd of 18,400.

“We looked like we were skating in sand tonight,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “I think the crowd sarcastically cheered when there was six minutes left when Shea Theodore threw a hit, and I don’t blame them. It was a soft game, and we’ve got to play harder than that.”

The Knights, who lost their third straight, fell into third place in the Pacific Division. They play nine of their next 10 on the road starting Tuesday in Buffalo and don’t return home again until Feb. 8.

The Knights were unable to convert on an early power play and finished 0-for-3 with the man advantage.

Reilly Smith had a chance to bring the Knights within a goal early in the third period when he streaked in from the right wing, but his shot went off the crossbar.

Marc-Andre Fleury finished with 19 stops.

Emil Bemstrom, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Alexander Wennberg had the Blue Jackets’ goals.

“It’s Elvis, he has a shutout in Vegas,” Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said. “That should be your headline.”

Here’s what stood out from the Knights’ loss:

1. Limping across the finish line

The season-long, seven-game homestand started out promising with four straight wins, including a historic comeback against Western Conference- leading St. Louis.

But it finished with a thud.

The Knights fell to 14-10-3 at home and lost three in a row after winning seven of their previous eight at T-Mobile Arena.

They were outscored 10-0 in the first period of their past four home games.

“Basically a great start and not a great finish,” right wing Mark Stone said. “Seven games at home is tough. I think if you look around the league, seven-game homestands I don’t think teams do. We’re in a position where we like where we’re at, we just need to find our game again.”

2. Rinse, repeat

Keegan Kolesar’s NHL debut and Chandler Stephenson’s return to the pivot between Max Pacioretty and Stone wasn’t enough to prevent another slow start by the Knights.

After holding Columbus without a shot on goal for almost nine minutes to open the game, the Knights took a pair of penalties and lost the momentum as they allowed the first goal for the sixth straight game.

Columbus’ Emil Bemstrom scored a power play goal with 3:22 left, and the Knights mustered four shot attempts in the final 12 minutes.

“Tonight we played better to start the game, but they scored that first one and when you play a team like that that doesn’t give up much, that plays good defensively, sometimes that’s all they need,” Paul Stastny said.

3. Don’t be cruel

The last performance in Las Vegas by Elvis was Dec. 12, 1976, but Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins had the Knights all shook up. 1170752 Vegas Golden Knights He better hope his goalies start stopping the puck.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 01.12.2020 Penguins remain contenders despite being decimated by injuries

By Ben Gotz

January 11, 2020 - 3:54 PM

Updated January 11, 2020 - 6:45 PM

The Pittsburgh Penguins have been kicked, punched, smashed and smacked in every way possible this season.

No NHL team arguably has had worse injury luck. Some nights the skaters not dressing are more impressive than the ones who are.

Yet somehow, the Penguins are right where they always are: in Stanley Cup contention. They’ve been knocked around every which way, but they’re still in line to extend their playoff streak to 14 years.

“For the most part, our guys have played pretty competitive hockey and have deserved a lot of the points we’ve accumulated,” said coach Mike Sullivan, a contender for the . “I give our players a lot of credit. We’re fighting. We’re competing hard. It’s never from a lack of effort with this group.”

The Penguins have lost a league-high 174 man games because of injury or illness as of Thursday, according to the website Man-Games Lost. That number still doesn’t sum up how impactful those absences have been.

Superstar Sidney Crosby has missed 27 games. Fellow Hart Trophy winner Evgeni Malkin has missed 13. Leading scorer Jake Guentzel, named an All-Star for the first time, is out four to six months after undergoing right shoulder surgery Dec. 31.

Other core players who have missed time include defenseman Kris Letang (eight games), right wing Bryan Rust (14) and right wing Patric Hornqvist (17).

Through it all, the Penguins have endured. They’ve played smart, disciplined hockey (they rank 26th in penalty minutes) and kept finding ways to win games. They have the third-best goal differential in the NHL at plus-31.

“We’ve talked a lot about managing games and making good decisions and paying attention to details like line changes and decisions late in shifts and things of that nature so that we don’t put ourselves in tough spots,” Sullivan said.

Of course, there’s more to it than that. Guentzel was spectacular before getting hurt. Malkin, Rust and Letang have been great when healthy.

The Penguins also are getting surprising production where it matters most: in net. Goaltender Tristan Jarry has been a revelation.

The 24-year-old has a .934 save percentage and 2.04 goals-against average in 21 games. He was named to the Metropolitan Division All-Star team on Tuesday.

“It surprised me,” Jarry said. “It’s exciting. It’s something that every kid dreams of. You watch it every year, and you always think it would be cool to be a part of it. It’s something that I’ll take in stride.”

Jarry’s attitude reflects what the Penguins have been doing all season: rolling with the punches. So far, it’s working.

Firing trend

Peter Laviolette learned a painful lesson when he was fired as the Nashville Predators’ coach Monday: It pays to have goaltending. The three other coaches fired for on-ice performance this season can say the same thing.

The Predators ranked 28th in team save percentage when Laviolette was fired. Mike Babcock’s Toronto Maple Leafs were 23rd when he was canned, Peter DeBoer’s San Jose Sharks were 28th and John Hynes’ New Jersey Devils were 30th.

Hynes at least landed on his feet. He took Laviolette’s job with the Predators on Tuesday. 1170753 Vegas Golden Knights Marchessault still out Left wing Jonathan Marchessault participated in the Knights’ optional

morning skate Saturday, but missed his fifth straight game with a Golden Knights’ Keegan Kolesar makes NHL debut vs. Columbus lingering lower-body injury.

Marchessault missed five games in his first two seasons with the Knights.

By Ben Gotz

January 11, 2020 - 1:40 PM LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 01.12.2020

Updated January 11, 2020 - 10:15 PM

Keegan Kolesar wrapped up his best game of the season Friday, then saw he missed a text from Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon.

He then made a phone call he will never forget.

Kolesar, who had just scored two goals for the American Hockey League’s Chicago Wolves against the San Antonio Rampage, was told he was being called up to the Knights. He hopped on a plane Saturday morning and made his NHL debut against the Columbus Blue Jackets — the team that drafted him in 2015 — in the evening at T-Mobile Arena.

Welcome to the @NHL, Keegan Kolesar. Here’s your solo lap. #VegasBorn pic.twitter.com/cClvDDvVxc

— Ben Gotz (@BenSGotz) January 12, 2020

“It’s hard to put into words, really,” Kolesar said before the game. “I’m so excited, and everyone here has been so nice to me since being here, since day one with the organization. To finally get my chance now, it’s very exciting.”

Kolesar got a customary solo lap at the beginning of warmups and played on the third line. It had to feel good for the 22-year-old right wing after he was teased earlier in the Knights’ season-long seven-game homestand.

Kolesar was called up for precautionary reasons before the team’s Dec. 28 game against the Arizona Coyotes. He warmed up, didn’t play and was sent back to the AHL after the game.

Saturday was different, and his mother and father were there to see it. His father came from San Antonio after watching him Friday, and his mother flew in from Florida.

“To have them here for this moment with me, it’s special,” Kolesar said. “(My) mom (reacted) probably the same as any mom. Just crying and through the roof. My dad gave me a big old hug and just congratulated me.”

Knights coach Gerard Gallant said Kolesar earned his shot. He was one of the final cuts in training camp and has 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in 24 games with the Wolves.

He had 20 goals with the Wolves last season and helped the team reach the Finals.

“He worked hard down there,” Gallant said. “He’s a big, strong guy that can skate and put the puck in the net, so (we’ll) give him an opportunity.”

Whether Kolesar will get more chances to play remains to be seen. But Saturday was special, a moment he had thought about his entire life.

“(I’ll be) speechless after probably,” Kolesar said. “Same as right now. Just asking myself, ‘Wow, you just played your first NHL game, how does it feel?’ I’ll probably be asking myself that later tonight with my parents.”

Kolesar was sent back to the AHL after the game.

Merrill returns

Defenseman Jonathan Merrill played in his first game since Jan. 2 on Saturday and his first game at his natural position since Dec. 31.

Merrill was a healthy scratch the previous three games after filling in as a fourth-line forward against the Philadelphia Flyers. He seemed excited to return to the blue line, even though he scored his first goal against the Flyers.

“Definitely (back to my comfort zone),” Merrill said before the game. “I’m looking forward to getting back out there and playing some defense.” 1170754 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights waste another opportunity at home; won’t be back until Feb. 8

By Justin Emerson

Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020 | 11:03 p.m.

Blue Jackets Shut Out Golden Knights, 3-0

The seven straight games at T-Mobile Arena was supposed to be a godsend for a Vegas team looking to create separation in a tight race for the Pacific Division.

A loss to the Penguins on Tuesday, sure, it happens. But then, the Golden Knights fell behind by four goals Thursday after a period in a defeat to the Kings, and on Saturday they didn’t score against Columbus in a 3-0 loss.

The end result: The Golden Knights only earned eight of a possible 14 points during the seven games.

Vegas started the night in sole possession of first place in the division, but was hanging on by virtue of a tiebreaker. There are five teams within three points of the division lead, and the loss Saturday dropped Vegas to third place, and fifth by points percentage.

The closest the Golden Knights came to a goal on Saturday was when Reilly Smith appeared to go top shelf in the first minute of the third period. It brought the crowd to its feet when the goal horn and celebratory smoke went off, but the problem is the puck didn’t go in the net.

It caromed off the crossbar and play continued as usual. Seven minutes later Alexander Wennberg potted the third Columbus goal.

The would-be goal from Smith one of the only times to home crowd could rejoice on Saturday. They threw up a cheer when Shea Theodore put a big hit on Kevin Stenlund with 7:14 to play, but even coach Gerard Gallant thought that was sarcastic applause.

There were boos in the last minute of the game, which could have been for Columbus running out the clock behind its own net, but if it was to voice displeasure in the outcome of the game, no one would have blamed them.

“We looked like we were skating in sand tonight,” Gallant said. “You have those nights and tonight’s a bad night to have it.”

The Golden Knights will now embark on the longest road trip in the team’s three-year history and won’t return home for four weeks. First is a four-game swing through the Northeast, which will be followed by the All- Star break, a bye week and four games through the Southeast. Vegas won’t play another home game until Feb. 8.

The Pacific is so tight that there isn’t much margin for error on that trip. Nine days ago the Golden Knights had the best points percentage in the division and that sent Gallant to the All-Star Game as the division’s representative.

They beat St. Louis in their next game, then fell flat in a trifecta of games. A losing streak much longer than the current three-game skid could put Vegas in a precarious position when it comes to clawing for the division.

The silver lining is that the trip starts with games against Buffalo, Ottawa and Montreal, the respective Nos. 25, 29 and 26-ranked teams in the NHL by points. It’s an opportunity to erase the sour taste in their mouths.

“It will say a lot about our group when we sit back in this room after these next eight games about what we’re going to be like,” defenseman Nate Schmidt said. “When things are going really well for you it’s easy to find things to give you confidence, and when things aren’t going well for you, it’s really hard to find things that give you confidence. And as a group, sometimes a road trip is one of those things.”

LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170755 Vegas Golden Knights Columbus settled the puck down they played catch in the offensive before Emil Bemstrom ripped a one-timer from the left circle into the net at 16:38 for a 1-0 lead.

Golden Knights suffer second shutout loss of season, 3-0 to Blue Jackets It was the sixth game in a row, all at home, that the Golden Knights allowed the first goal of the game. They came back to win two of those, but are 8-13-5 when the opponent scores first and 5-11-1 when trailing after one period. By Justin Emerson Columbus led in shots on goal 13-7. Published Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020 | 4 p.m. Keegan Kolesar to make NHL debut when Golden Knights host Blue Updated Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020 | 9:27 p.m. Jackets

Keegan Kolesar scored two goals last night for AHL Chicago and came The Golden Knights allowed on goal in each period Saturday, and off the ice to a text, followed by a phone call. He needed to get on a suffered their second shutout defeat of the year, a 3-0 decision to the plane to Las Vegas, because the Golden Knights were calling him up. Columbus Blue Jackets at T-Mobile Arena. The Golden Knights' 22-year-old forward arrived early this morning and They lost 5-0 to the New York Rangers on Dec. 8, the only other time did not participate in the team's optional morning skate at City National they have failed to score this season. Arena. But he'll be in the lineup tonight against the Columbus Blue Jackets ready to make his NHL debut. Puck drops at T-Mobile Arena at 7 Down 2-0, Vegas had a great look in the first minute of the third period, p.m. as Reilly Smith picked up an Alex Tuch redirect pass and streaked down the right wing. He shot high and the goal horn went off, but the shot hit "Maybe in that first lap when I go out and take warmups knowing that I'm the crossbar and play continued. No goal. going to be playing my first game, but after that it's just hockey," Kolesar said of his nerves. " The first time the lamp was lit in the period came on the other end of the ice. Moments after a terrific glove save by Marc-Andre Fleury to help Kolesar will be the fourth Golden Knight to make his NHL debut this keep Vegas in it, Alexander Wennberg wristed one by him to make it 3-0 season, joining forward Cody Glass and defensemen Nicolas Hague and at 8:26. It was the fourth game in a row that Vegas carried a 3-0 deficit in Jake Bischoff. Adding to the excitement of the night, it's against the team the game. that drafted him — Columbus in 2015 selected Kolesar in the third round. The Golden Knights acquired him for a second-round pick in 2015. This compounded a 2-0 deficit after two periods for the Golden Knights. Kolesar was recalled on Dec. 28 and warmed up before that night's Columbus jumped on the board courtesy of an Emil Bemstrom power- game, but did not play. play rocket at 16:38 of the first. That put Vegas in a one-goal hole going to the second, where Columbus was held to just two shots on goal. One Kolesar had a strong season at AHL Chicago last season with 20 goals of those shots went in though, as Pierre-Luc Dubois tipped the puck by and 36 points, but has struggled to get on the board this year. His two Fleury at 2:06. goals last night were his first two of the season, though he says points aren't the best way to define his game. The Golden Knights started the seven-game home stand with four wins in a row, including a thriller come-from-behind victory over the defending "Whenever I'm playing good I'm playing a fast, heavy game and I think I Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues. They the lost the next three to have the offensive skill to back that up as well," Kolesar said. "Last night finish 4-3 before heading on the road for eight in a row. it finally went my way. I was confident before the game and I'm still confident now in my play." The Golden Knights led in total shots on goal 27-22. The Golden Knights have struggled recently, falling behind 3-0 in each of Golden Knights head to third chasing 2 vs. Blue Jackets their last three games. Kolesar hasn't bee here for those of course, and Vegas is hoping his arrival could be a spark that helps bust its slump. The Golden Knights not only allowed the first goal of the game, but the second as well. A home stand that started with four wins in a row is in "It's his first game in the NHL and he deserves it," Gallant said. "He danger of ending with a three-game losing streak after the Golden worked hard down there, big strong guy that can skate and put the puck Knights fell behind the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-0 after two periods at T- in the net. He's getting an opportunity." Mobile Arena on Saturday. Outside of Kolesar, Jon Merrill is expected to draw back into the lineup Vegas entered the second period trailing 1-0 and at 2:06 Columbus on defense in place of Nicolas Hague. Marc-Andre Fleury will return to extended its lead. Scott Harrington had the initial shot, aiming low at the the net after Malcolm Subban started on Thursday. net. Pierre-Luc Dubois was there for the redirect, sneaking it around Marc-Andre Fleury's pad to make it 2-0. TV: AT&T Sports Net (DirecTV 684, Cox 1313, CenturyLink 1760)

And the Golden Knights didn't do much offensively. Their best chance Radio: Fox Sports 1340 AM and 98.9 FM came at the end of a power play, but Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins Betting line: Golden Knights minus-240, Blue Jackets plus-190; went full starfish to deny Cody Eakin and keep the puck out of the net. over/under: 5.5 (minus-115, minus-105) The Golden Knights had one more power play near the end of the period, Golden Knights (24-17-6, 54 points) (14-9-3 home), first place, Pacific and aside from a good look from Paul Stastny, they couldn't generate Division much offense. Coach: Gerard Gallant (third season) Vegas held Columbus to two shots in the period, but one of them was a goal. The Golden Knights led 18-15 in shots on goal after two periods. Points leader: Max Pacioretty (45)

Golden Knights fall behind Blue Jackets after 1 period Goals leader: Max Pacioretty (20)

The Golden Knights' sluggish starts continued again Saturday night, Assists leader: Mark Stone (27) coughing up the first period's only goal and trailing the Columbus Blue Jackets 1-0 after 20 minutes. Expected goalie: Marc-Andre Fleury (2.84 GAA, .908 save percentage)

The Golden Knights played most of the period in the Columbus zone, not Blue Jackets (21-16-8, 50 points) (9-7-6 road), sixth place, Metropolitan allowing the Blue Jackets to get their second shot on goal until past the Division; fourth place, Wild Card midpoint of the first. Vegas had a two-shot power play of its own, but no Coach: John Tortorella (fifth season) grade-A chances. Points leader: OPierre-Luc Dubois (33) Two Vegas penalties flipped the momentum to the other side of the ice. The Blue Jackets moved the puck around well on the first one, which set Goals leader: Zach Werenski (15) up the fireworks for the second. It took about 75 seconds, but once Assists leader: Gustav Nyquist (21) Expected goalie: Elvis Merzlikins (2.89 GAA, .910 save percentage)

Golden Knights projected lineup

Forwards

Chandler Stephenson—William Karlsson—Reilly Smith

Max Pacioretty—Paul Stastny—Mark Stone

William Carrier—Cody Eakin—Alex Tuch

Keegan Kolesar—Tomas Nosek—Ryan Reaves

Defensemen

Brayden McNabb—Nate Schmidt

Nick Holden—Shea Theodore

Jon Merrill—Deryk Engelland

Goalies

Marc-Andre Fleury, Malcolm Subban

LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170756 Vegas Golden Knights expensive, so the Golden Knights would need to be willing to part with some major picks and/or prospects to bring DeAngelo in.

It could be worth it, though. DeAngelo has excellent skating and puck Golden Knights hoping to add a defenseman before the trade deadline handling skills, allowing him to single-handedly clear the zone similar to the way Theodore regularly does for Vegas. Adding DeAngelo would give Vegas three smooth-skating defensemen in its top-four and another power play quarterback to improve the already solid special teams. One By Jesse Granger of the Golden Knights’ biggest deficiencies on the back end isn’t Jan 11, 2020 necessarily the ability to defend (the switch to a zone scheme on Nov. 27 helped that aspect tremendously) but instead the ability to exit their own zone after defending.

The Golden Knights are shopping around and would like to add a DeAngelo has his own issues in his own end (hence why he’s available defenseman before the trade deadline, league sources tell The Athletic. to begin with) but he would instantly make Vegas more mobile in its defensive zone, and improve breakouts and transitions tremendously. It doesn’t come as much of a surprise as the Golden Knights entered the season thin on the blue line and have struggled in their own end Another offensively-skilled blueliner who is expected to be on the market throughout the first half of the season. resides on the other side of the Hudson River. New Jersey’s Sami Vatanen isn’t quite as dynamic as DeAngelo offensively, but is more For a team that doesn’t spend a whole lot of time in its own zone, the responsible in his own end. Vatanen has five goals and 17 assists on the Golden Knights give up a remarkable amount of high danger chances. season, marking his sixth season with at least 20 points in the last seven The players and coaches have mentioned it from time to time, and the years. analytics back that up. Despite allowing the ninth-fewest shot attempts this season at even strength (53.22 per 60 minutes) Vegas ranks 18th in Vatanen carries a cap hit of $4.875 million, and is an unrestricted free high danger chances allowed (10.59 per 60 minutes) and 22nd in goals agent this summer. Both GM Kelly McCrimmon and president of hockey allowed (2.66 per 60 minutes). operations George McPhee have remained steadfast that they aren’t interested in rental players, which would rule Vatanen out, but I think if The defensive problems have been magnified lately, where the Golden the price is right they would still entertain the option. Knights have allowed at least four goals in four straight games, and an average of 3.88 over their last eight. Vatanen plays on a Devils team that has given up the fifth-most even strength goals in the NHL, so his numbers are expectedly sub-par. But in One of the biggest issues has been the drop in play of the Golden comparison to his teammates, Vatanen has limited offensive Knights’ best shutdown defenseman, Nate Schmidt. The 28-year-old opportunities better than any other Devil. He ranks first on the team in missed 12 games early in the season with a knee injury and since shots against (30.87), second in goals against (2.67) and first in expected returning hasn’t been his usual dynamic self. goals against (1.99) per 60 minutes. This season Schmidt has been on the ice for 2.95 goals against per 60 “I think (New Jersey) would move just about anybody at this point,” an minutes at even strength. That’s up from only 2.49 last season and 2.17 executive told Custance. “They’re going to be sellers.” in 2017-18. Adding another top-four defenseman would take some pressure off Schmidt and help Shea Theodore, who has taken a major Vatanen is there for the taking and would be an instant upgrade to step forward this season. It’s certainly possible (if not likely) Schmidt Vegas’ top two pairings. But are McCrimmon and McPhee willing to pay returns to form over the last half of the season, but adding another strong the price for a future UFA? piece to the defensive corps could be key to a long playoff run for Vegas. Of the handful of defensemen expected to be available around the The trade deadline is still 44 days away, so the Golden Knights have league, two of them happen to play for Vegas’ biggest division rivals — plenty of time to maneuver. However, the moment a defenseman they San Jose and Los Angeles. like becomes available – for a price they’re willing to pay, of course – there’s no reason for Vegas not to make the move. Both Alec Martinez (Kings) and Brenden Dillon (Sharks) are expected to draw interest from contending teams looking to add to their blue line. Earlier in the season, prior to the recent stretch of injuries, the Golden Martinez, 32, still has two years remaining on his contract at only $4 Knights were slowly accruing cap space by the day. However, due to million per year. He’s not much of an offensive threat with only one goal Jonathan Marchessault, Cody Eakin and Cody Glass all missing and five assists, but he’s solid in the defensive zone and would bring a stretches of games, that has all but dried up. According to CapFriendly, steadying presence to Vegas’ top four. Vegas currently has only $109,629 in available cap space, and that won’t change much in the next month and a half. On the surface Martinez’s on-ice numbers can be ugly. He’s been out there for 3.33 goals against per 60 minutes, which is the highest on the That means whatever salary the Golden Knights take on in a possible Kings. However, that’s more to due to shoddy goaltending than it is his trade, they’d have to send out an equal amount in order to remain cap play, because Martinez’s expected goals against per 60 is only 2.21 compliant. Because of this scenario it no longer benefits the team to wait (better than Drew Doughty and Sean Walker). until the deadline, meaning a deal could happen any time between now and Feb. 24. Vegas has a few contracts big enough to open up Dillon is a big-bodied, physical presence that Vegas lacks on the back significant space, without dismantling their potent forward units. Cody end. His numbers are pedestrian, but compared to his Sharks teammates Eakin ($3.85 million), Ryan Reaves ($2.775) and Nick Holden ($2.2 he’s been the best in his own end by a pretty wide margin. He leads all million) all make above the expected salary for their current roles on the San Jose defensemen in shots against (26.72), goals against (2.77), team. expected goals against (2.15) and scoring chances allowed (25.06) per 60 minutes. The biggest question here is, would Doug Wilson help the The Athletic’s Craig Custance spoke with a handful of general managers Golden Knights? for his first NHL Trade Big Board of the season, one of which said he expects the trade market to pick up significantly next week. According to And then there’s Chicago’s Erik Gustaffson, who I detailed in a previous multiple sources the Golden Knights are expected to be involved in some post about defensemen Vegas could be targeting. The 27-year-old is all discussions, looking to add a defenseman if they find the right fit. but out of Chicago, destined for unrestricted free agency this summer. Gustaffson is fresh off a spectacular 60-point season in 2018-19, but has One of the most attractive defensemen that could possibly be on the seen his production dip to only 18 points through 44 games this season. market is New York Rangers youngster Anthony DeAngelo. The 24-year- He also carries a ton of question marks in his own end; and for a Golden old defenseman’s price is rising by the day, especially after his five-point, Knights team that has struggled with defensive miscues, he may not be hat trick performance on Thursday. DeAngelo already has 11 goals and the answer. The positives of Gustaffson are his extremely low cap hit of 25 assists on the season, which would make him Vegas’ highest-scoring only $1.2 million and his fantastic skating would allow him to flourish in defenseman immediately. What makes him such a perfect fit for Vegas is Vegas’ transition offense. the fact that his cap hit is only $925,000, meaning almost no salary would need to be moved to bring him in, and he’s a restricted free agent this Finally, the defenseman who could be available with the longest term summer, so not a true rental. Both of those factors also make him remaining in his contract is Carolina Hurricanes’ Jake Gardiner. The 29- year-old just inked a four-year, $16.2 million contract with Carolina last summer but hasn’t been the fit that GM Don Waddell expected. After averaging 35 points over the previous six seasons in Toronto, Gardiner has only 11 points and a brutal minus-20 through 43 games in Carolina. From a schematic standpoint, Gardiner hasn’t fit into the Hurricanes at all.

“If you put him in a team that plays a more structured D, a more traditional style of play, he’ll be fine,” said one NHL source told Custance.

That sounds an awful lot like the Golden Knights, who have used an organized system to maximize one of the lowest-paid defensive groups in the NHL. Gardiner checks all the boxes for what Vegas could be looking to add: Scoring ability, defensively sound and long-term contract in place. Perhaps McCrimmon and McPhee could take advantage of a crowded blue line in Carolina.

The options are plentiful, with tons of variety in terms of style, cap hit and contract certainty. Whether Vegas makes a big splash at the deadline for the third-straight season or makes a minor move to supplement its blue line, expect a new defenseman in steel gray and gold by Feb. 24.

The Athletic LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170757 Vegas Golden Knights

Elvis and Columbus Shut Out Golden Knights In Final Game Of Long Homestand Before Announced 18,400 Saturday

January 11, 2020

By Alan Snel

The Golden Knights’ lengthy seven-game homestand ended with a whimper as the Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Knights, 3-0, before an announced crowd of 18,4000 Saturday night.

The Knights won the first four games of the homestand, but then lost the last three games to Pittsburgh, Los Angeles and Columbus tonight.

The Knights were shut out with 27 shots on goal against Blue Jackets netminder Elvis Merzlikins.

In his postgame comments, VGK coach Gerard Gallant mentioned he thought the Knights were skating in sand and lacked a spark against a tough team like the Blue Jackets. Some key Gallant quotes are highlighted here:

They Golden Knights have been stuck on 54 points this week with the three consecutive losses. Check out the standings — five teams separated by a mere three points.

The next home game for the Knights is Feb. 8 when the Carolina Hurricanes come to Las Vegas. That’s 28 days away. The Knights hit the road and also have a week off during the next month.

There are few fans quite like Flagman Matt Helfst who is known for his twin Golden Knights flags on the 17-foot-long flagpole he carries to VGK games and practices. He also has a few Raiders flags up his sleeve and even was contacted by the Las Vegas Lights FC soccer team to wave a flag at Lights games where they truly adore flag waving.

Here, Matt swapped out a VGK flag for an Irish one to honor Irishman UFC fighter Conor “Mr Shenanigans” McGregor who fights Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone at UFC 246 next Saturday at T-Mobile Arena. Not only is the Flagman quite dedicated, Matt’s also quite versatile in his flags.

There’s no usher at T-Mobile Arena quite like Arnold, who was assigned at the top of the steps and escalator on the main concourse to greet VGK fans who came up from the venue’s main lobby. Everyone who roots for the Knights gets a high five and verbal greeting.

LVSportsBiz.com LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170758 Washington Capitals execution has got to improve all over the ice for us in all situations if we want to be the type of team we expect to be.”

Washington went 0 for 5 on the power play against the Flyers, continuing Capitals come out flat again, show little life in 5-1 loss to last-place Devils a slump that has dogged the unit since Dec. 1 and leading Reirden to change his personnel before Saturday’s game. The Capitals entered converting 13.7 percent of their power plays in that span, ranking 30th in the league. Samantha Pell Reirden’s tweak was to put Vrana on the first power-play unit in place of January 11, 2020 at 10:19 PM EST center Evgeny Kuznetsov. The first power-play unit was able to get three shots on goal on its first attempt late in the first period but was unable to convert until Vrana’s goal in the second period. The Capitals finished 1 Washington Capitals Coach Todd Reirden saw just about enough for 5 on the night. Saturday night at Capital One Arena. Standing behind the bench as his team faced a three-goal deficit with a horde of disgruntled red-clad fans “We created some chances,” Vrana said. “We had some [offensive] zone vocalizing their displeasure, Reirden ripped into his players as he pointed time. Obviously, there was that goal we got scored on. . . . So now it’s just •toward the scoreboard. a matter of time when it’s going to go in again.”

The Capitals dug themselves a second-period hole too big to overcome Meanwhile, the Capitals’ first-period struggles continued. •Hischier en route to a 5-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils. The defeat, the Capitals’ converted a two-on-one at 5:27, putting the Capitals into an early hole for second straight, dropped them to 30-11-5, their 65 points tied with the eighth time in nine games and the 12th in their past 15. Boston and St. Louis for tops in the NHL. The Devils improved to 16-21- The Devils doubled their lead early in the second period when Nikita 7, still last in the Metropolitan Division. Gusev scored on a rebound only seven seconds after New Jersey’s “I just think we’re going through a time in the season right now where power play had expired. Holtby had made a blocker save on Will we’re not executing and we’re not outworking the opponent,” Reirden Butcher’s shot from the right circle before Gusev swooped in to convert said. “If you’re not going to do those things, then you’re not going to have the rebound on Holtby’s right side. success in this league. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing the best team in the league, the worst team in the league, anywhere in between — that’s not our identity.” Washington Post LOADED: 01.12.2020 Capitals’ T.J. Oshie voted into first All-Star Game

The Capitals’ futility was best represented by a 43-second span of a five- on-three in the third period. They didn’t muster a shot on goal and had only one on the overlapping power play chances. Miles Wood scored a late empty-netter for the Devils’ final tally with 4:56 left.

Reirden’s second-period tirade during a Capitals timeout was sparked by Nico Hischier’s second goal of the night — a one-timer that ripped past goaltender Braden Holtby’s right shoulder at 12:11. The tally gave the Devils a 4-1 lead less than four minutes after Jakub Vrana had scored the Capitals’ lone goal.

“Clearly, I wasn’t pleased,” Reirden said of his message to the team during the timeout. “I’m not pleased; neither are our players with how we played the game. That was a time that as a coaching strategy you try to stop the momentum and, okay, can we get a goal before the break here? Along with the execution is we did get some really prime chances and we didn’t put it in the back of the net.”

Trailing 3-0, the Capitals briefly showed a pulse when, on the power play, Vrana found a loose puck off an initial shot from Nicklas Backstrom and scored from outside the left post on the Devils’ Louis Domingue. Domingue made 33 saves Saturday night.

“I thought he was tracking the puck really well,” Devils Coach Alain Nasreddine said. “Washington, they like those east-west plays a lot, and he was tracking it all night. He was there in position.”

Scoring is up in the NHL. Here’s why.

It was Vrana’s 20th goal of the season and the first coming on the man advantage. It also marked the second straight season he reached the 20- goal mark.

The goal salvaged a four-minute power-play chance, coming after Wood was called for high-sticking Richard Panik at 6:17 of the second period. Wood was assessed a double minor; Panik headed to the dressing room for repairs and did not take another shift. Reirden said after the game that he got a “pretty bad cut” so they were hoping he would come back in the third but couldn’t. Panik is not expected to miss the team’s next game Monday against Carolina.

The power play got worse for the Capitals before it got better — Blake Coleman scored shorthanded, cashing in on a three-on-one rush at 6:48 to put New Jersey up 3-0. It was the sixth shorthanded goal allowed by the Capitals, tied for sixth most in the league. They have allowed one in each of the past two games, including what turned out to be the game- winner Wednesday night from the Flyers’ Kevin Hayes in Philadelphia.

“Obviously you can’t give up a shorthanded goal and a breakaway right after it,” Reirden said. “It’s definitely a work in progress. Again, the 1170759 Washington Capitals

Capitals’ T.J. Oshie voted into first NHL All-Star Game

Samantha Pell

January 11, 2020 at 7:35 PM EST

Washington Capitals winger T.J. Oshie is headed to his first NHL All-Star Game, the league announced Saturday night.

Oshie was Washington’s candidate on the ballot for the “Last Men In” fan vote for the game, which will be played Jan. 25 in St. Louis. Oshie got in along with Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner, St. Louis Blues winger David Perron and Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes.

Oshie, 33, has 18 goals this season, third most for the Capitals. He also has 15 assists. Oshie has a connection to St. Louis: He was drafted by the Blues and spent the first seven seasons of his career there.

Oshie will join Capitals defenseman John Carlson and goaltender Braden Holtby at the All-Star Game.This will be Carlson’s second time participating in the event and Holtby’s fifth straight.

Alex Ovechkin was voted the Metropolitan Division captain by fans, but he decided he would not attend, citing his desire to rest and stay ready for the second half of the season and the playoffs. As mandated by league rules, Ovechkin will be suspended for one game preceding or following the all-star break for skipping the contest.

Capitals Coach Todd Reirden will join his three players at the game. Reirden, who was announced this month as the coach of the Metropolitan Division, coached in last year’s contest in San Jose and will be the first Capitals coach to be behind the bench for multiple All-Star Games.

Washington Post LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170760 Washington Capitals upper-body injury, Evan Cormier was called up to back up Domingue. … Washington sent D Christian Djoos back to AHL Hershey after he healed up from an upper-body injury.

Nico Hischier scores twice, Devils rout Capitals

Washington Times LOADED: 01.12.2020

By Stephen Whyno

Saturday, January 11, 2020

On a night that looked primed for Alex Ovechkin to fill the net, another first overall pick took over instead.

Nico Hischier scored twice and was part of a strong defensive effort to end the last-place New Jersey Devils’ three-game skid with a 5-1 rout of the NHL-leading Washington Capitals on Saturday. Hischier’s 11th and 12th goals of the season came on the same day the 2017 top pick missed out on a last-chance All-Star invite because fans voted in Washington’s T.J. Oshie instead.

Hischier played like an All-Star in handing Washington its second consecutive loss.

“Right now I’m playing with a little bit more confidence, but I think the whole team is playing with more confidence,” Hischier said. “It’s just simple. For me and for the team, we know what kind of team we are, I know what kind of player I am, so I’ve just got to try to keep skating and some things will open up.”

Devils backup goaltender Louis Domingue made 33 saves on 34 shots in just his sixth start of the season. He was helped by a major improvement in the defensive zone but was up to the challenge against a stacked opponent.

“I felt great from the start, and I thought we played really hard in front of me,” Domingue said. “Teams don’t like the checking game, so if we can get that on our side, we’re going to be tough to play against.”

Blake Coleman scored a short-handed goal, and Nikita Gusev added one moments after a power play ended for the Devils, who were committed to playing a more responsible game after losing 6-3 to the rival New York Rangers on Thursday.

Washington lost back-to-back games in regulation for the second time this season and has dropped four of seven. Defensive-zone miscues continue to haunt the Capitals, who largely hung All-Star goalie Braden Holtby out to dry as he allowed four goals on 21 shots.

“Execution wasn’t there today,” said Capitals winger Jakub Vrana, who scored his 20th goal of the season. “Lots of bobbled pucks. Lots of missed passes. We weren’t really sharp as we normally (are).”

Despite Vrana’s goal in his first game since a promotion to the first unit, the Capitals’ power-play struggles continued. They allowed a short- handed goal for the second consecutive game and went 1 for 5 on the power play - including a botched 5-on-3 chance in the third period.

“Obviously you can’t give up a short-handed goal and a breakaway right after it,” coach Todd Reirden said. “It’s definitely a work in progress. The execution has got to improve all over the ice for us in all situation if we want to be the type of team we expect to be.”

Hoping to get more out of his team during this skid after winning three in a row, Devils interim coach Alain Nasreddine held a meeting Saturday morning reminding players about defensive responsibility. The message seemed to get through.

“Guys were committed to playing good defense,” Nasreddine said. “In this league, you can score goals, but you have to defend and I thought we did a really good job tonight. We did a good job not only in our end but also 200 feet away from our net where we tracked pucks and hunted pucks and used our speed.”

Up next, the Capitals host the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday.

NOTES: Miles Wood scored an empty-netter with five minutes left to seal it. … F Jesper Bratt returned to the Devils lineup after missing three games with a lower-body injury. … F Jack Hughes didn’t travel to D.C. but skated on his own back in New Jersey, according to Nasreddine, who said the first overall pick is “inching closer” to returning from an upper- body injury. … With goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood out because of an 1170761 Washington Capitals

T.J. Oshie headed back to St. Louis as a first-time NHL All Star

By Brian McNally

January 11, 2020 10:50 PM

WASHINGTON — T.J. Oshie began his career in St. Louis, spending seven seasons with the Blues before a trade in the summer of 2015 rejuvenated his career in Washington.

Oshie is headed back to his old home. Capitals and Blues fans on Saturday combined to make him one of the last four players voted to the NHL All-Star game, which will be in St. Louis on Jan. 25. He returns as a Stanley Cup champion. And the fans he left behind saw their team win the Cup, too, when it dethroned Washington by winning the title last spring.

“It makes it a little bit more special that it’s voted on by the fans,” said Oshie, who has 18 goals and 15 assists through 46 games to earn the final spot on the Metropolitan Division team. “Always had a lot of really great support throughout my career here and in St. Louis especially. So to be going back to St. Louis there is a pretty cool story.”

Oshie is joined by ex-Blues teammates David Perron, who was also voted to the All-Star game in the NHL’s Last Man In contest as a representative of the Central Division. Oshie was chosen in the first round of the 2005 NHL Draft by St. Louis. He played seven seasons with the Blues.

Perron was their first-round pick in 2007. He left the franchise for the first time in 2013 after a trade to Edmonton, re-signed with the Blues as a free agent in 2016, but was taken by Vegas in the expansion draft the next year. Perron was actually on the Golden Knights team that lost to Oshie and the Capitals in the Stanley Cup Final in 2018. Perron then re-signed with St. Louis a third time. He and Oshie were teammates for five seasons, but the Blues won just one playoff series during that era.

Oshie hadn’t heard yet after the Capitals lost 5-1 to the New Jersey Devils at Capital One Arena on Saturday night. But he was thrilled Perron would be joining him.

“I saw a couple tweets out there. I haven’t heard. Did Perry get in there?” Oshie asked. “Awesome. Yeah, that’s great. Obviously, really great fans there…It feels really good. It’s special for me and my family to be named, especially when it’s voted by the fans.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170762 Washington Capitals

Caps stunned by lowly Devils in blowout loss at home

By J.J. Regan

January 11, 2020 9:44 PM

WASHINGTON -- The first-place Capitals and lowly New Jersey Devils reversed roles for a night as New Jersey handed Washington an ugly 5-1 loss. The Caps had a lackluster start to the game and never recovered as New Jersey kept adding to its lead. Washington had no answer on offense, defense or special teams for the Devils in a game in which they never truly looked like the better team.

Here is how the Caps lost.

A neutral zone gaffe

Nick Jensen gave up a horrendous turnover Wednesday in Philadelphia. On Saturday, he got caught too high in the neutral zone leading to New Jersey's first goal of the game.

Nico Hischier won a faceoff at center ice. Will Butcher passed up the wall looking for Jesper Bratt. Nick Jensen stepped up in the neutral zone to cut off the puck, but it got by him suddenly catching up way too far up the ice sparking a 2-on-1. Hischier had the puck and took it in on net himself to get New Jersey on the board.

A sleepy start

This was the 12th time in 15 games the Caps gave up the first goal. Washington simply was not firing on all cylinders when the game started. Often they have been able to recover from those type of starts, but they were not in this one as New Jersey took the 1-0 lead into the locker room and continued to play with momentum and confidence as the second period began.

A big rebound

Already up 1-0, Nikita Gusev took advantage of a Braden Holtby rebound to make it 2-0.

Will Butcher fired from the faceoff circle and Holtby was able to get his blocker to it. The shot came from Holtby's left and the rebound went to his right leaving a wide-open net for Gusev who happened to be in the right place at the right time. The rebound bounced right to him and he potted it home.

The power play

The Caps' woeful power play has been a major talking point of late, especially in the wake of allowing a shorthanded goal to Philadelphia on Wednesday which proved to be the game-winner.

Trailing 2-0, Washington was handed a golden opportunity to get back into the game as Miles Wood was given a double-minor for high-sticking Richard Panik. The Caps did manage to score...but only after Blake Coleman scored a shorthanded goal to make it 3-0.

Fast-forward to the third period with Washington down 4-1, Hischier was called for an elbow and P.K. Subban was nailed for delay of game 77 seconds later. That gave Washington 43 seconds of a two-man advantage to work with to spark the comeback, but no dice. The Caps did not score on either power play and finished 1-of-5 on the power play on the night.

Nico Hischier

Hischier was, by far, the best player in this game. Not only did he score the first goal after Jensen was caught too far up in the neutral zone, he added a second goal in the second period. The Devils hopped on a defensive zone turnover for Washington and Kyle Palmieri fed Hischier cross-ice. Hischier fired a one-timer far-side to beat Holtby.

Holtby was watching Palmieri on his right, slid left for the pass, then the shot came to the far-side to his right.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170763 Washington Capitals

All-Star bound: Oshie voted to first All-Star Game

By J.J. Regan

January 11, 2020 7:15 PM

The NHL All-Star Game will have a very familiar feel to it for Capitals fans as T.J. Oshie has been added to the Metropolitan Division roster after being voted in by fans as one of the “Last Men In.” This is Oshie’s first- ever all-star selection. He will join John Carlson, Braden Holtby and head coach Todd Reirden.

T.J. Oshie has been named to the 2020 NHL All-Star Game in St. Louis, the first time in his career he's received the honor. pic.twitter.com/lIENcT4lg1

— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) January 11, 2020

The All-Star Game will be held in the city in which Oshie began his NHL career, St. Louis. Oshie spent his first seven seasons playing for the Blues before he was traded to Washington. Now he will return to St. Louis an all-star for the first time.

Oshie is third on the Caps in goals this season with 18. His skills will no doubt be coveted in the skills competition as he is dominant on the shootout with a 51.8 career shootout percentage.

Also among the players voted in as Last Men In are Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner, St. Louis Blues forward David Perron and Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes. The game will be played on Jan. 25 with the skill competition on Jan. 24.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170764 Washington Capitals Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.12.2020

Caps vs. Devils: Will Vrana be the key to the Caps' power play?

By J.J. Regan

January 11, 2020 11:35 AM

After a disappointing loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday, the Capitals (30-10-5) return home looking to rebound against the New Jersey Devils (15-21-7). Catch all the action on NBC Sports Washington. Pregame coverage begins at 6 p.m. with Caps Faceoff Live followed by Caps Pregame Live at 6:30 p.m. bringing you up to the 7 p.m. puck drop. Stick with NBC Sports Washington after the game for postgame coverage with Caps Postgame Live and Caps Overtime Live.

Here’s what you need to know for Saturday’s game.

No changes

Based on the morning skate, it looks like there will be no changes to the regular lineup:

Alex Ovechkin - Nicklas Backstrom - Tom Wilson

Jakub Vrana - Evgeny Kuznetsov - T.J. Oshie

Carl Hagelin - Lars Eller - Richard Panik

Brendan Leipsic - Nic Dowd - Garnet Hathaway

Michal Kempny - John Carlson

Dmitry Orlov - Nick Jensen

Jonas Siegenthaler - Radko Gudas

Holtby back in net

Todd Reirden confirmed on Friday that Braden Holtby would get the start against the Devils. He started in Wednesday’s loss to the Flyers, but two of the three goals he allowed came on breakaways. Still, in his last five starts, Holtby has failed to register a save percentage of over .900 which has led to calls for rookie Ilya Samsonov to get more playing time. That seems unlikely to happen in the wake of general manager Brian MacLellan declaring on a recent interview that “Holtby’s our guy. He has the Cup, he’s got a history, he’s been a huge part of our organization. He’s our No. 1 guy.”

Powerless

The big talking point from Wednesday was the power play going 0-for-5 in a tight game. Washington had every opportunity to take control in Philadelphia, but the power play was unable to score. The team even gave up the game-winner on a power play, allowing Kevin Hayes a shorthanded breakaway goal.

It wasn’t just one bad night. Since Dec. 1, the Caps rank 30th in the NHL on the power play at 13.7-percent.

On Friday at practice Todd Reirden tweaked his power play personnel moving Vrana to the top unit and Kuznetsov to the second. You can read more about the change here.

New Jersey ranks 19th on the penalty kill this season at 79.9-percent.

When last we met

The Caps and Devils last played on Dec. 20, a 6-3 win for Washington in New Jersey. The game was in the wake of the Taylor Hall trade thus making a bad Devils team even worse.

In the 900th game with Ovechkin and Backstrom together, Backstrom stole the show with two goals and four points. His fourth point was the 900th point of his career.

What would you say you do here?

New Jersey ranks 30th in the NHL in points, 29th in goals for per game, 30th in goals against per game, 30th on the power play and 19th on the penalty kill. Heck, they are even 29th on the faceoff.

The Devils aren’t just bad, they’re bad at practically everything. 1170765 Winnipeg Jets 'It's not exactly like we're giving fans a lot to cheer about' — Josh Morrissey, on the subdued atmosphere at Jets home games

"I think because maybe it was right before the holiday season. There’s Jets want to raise a ruckus maybe some more red in the stands, but even then, you talk to the guys on those teams and it’s the same everywhere. You watch them play in other cities, Calgary, Vancouver, Edmonton, whatever it is, there’s plenty Taylor Allen of blue and red jerseys in those stands," said Morrissey, who has 25 points in 43 games

"To be honest, those games end up being really exciting because you Head coach Paul Maurice and his players haven’t given their fans a have a group of fans cheering for one team and a group of fans cheering whole lot of reason to get worked up at Bell MTS Place so far this for the other. In the Leafs game, there was a competitive chant for Leafs season. versus Jets and I think that makes it an exciting, fun game that To the dismay of the Winnipeg Jets and their fan base, Bell MTS Place everybody has marked on the calendar." has been far too kind to visitors lately. Luckily for the Jets, they have some time to settle in at home in the near There was a time Winnipeg’s downtown rink was a nightmare for the future. Between Jan. 31 and Feb. 18, the Jets will play nine out of 10 opposition, but lately, the Jets have been sending teams off to the airport games at Bell MTS Place. But before they tackle that stretch, they have with a nice parting gift of two points. an important trio of tilts coming up. They square off against the Nashville Predators today at 1 p.m. The Vancouver Canucks are currently tied with The Jets haven’t won on home ice since they thumped the Philadelphia the Jets and they come to town on Tuesday. To cap the home stretch off, Flyers 7-3 on Dec. 15. They’ve lost their past five games in Winnipeg and the red-hot Tampa Bay Lightning, winners of nine straight, make their own a 9-9-2 record when playing in their own building. The Jets have the lone visit on Friday. worst home record in the Western Conference. "The schedule’s not getting any easier for us," said Jets sniper Patrik "I think obviously, we’ve had a dominant home record over the last few Laine. "(We’re) playing against tough teams in the next couple weeks. years," said Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey after Saturday morning’s We got to try to play our own game, try to play the type of game we’ve practice. played lately and we’ll be fine."

Jets D-man Josh Morrissey would like to score a few today and get the Perhaps a meeting with their old rivals from Nashville will help the team crowd pumped up. get back to their winning ways. The Jets have won four consecutive games against Nashville and five of their past six meetings. In the "That’s something we want to continue to do, you know, making here a previous four, the Jets have outscored the Predators 17-5. Playing in the tough place to play and somewhere where we have success. But if you afternoon might do Winnipeg some favours as well. The Jets boast a 6-1- look at our home versus road games so far this year, we’ve played 21 1 record in afternoon games this season, including a 3-0 mark at home. games at home and 24 on the road and one of those home games was the Heritage Classic (in Regina). So, we’ve been home for 20, versus 25 "We can expect their best effort tomorrow," Morrissey said. "We’re gonna on the road realistically. As most guys have talked about, it feels like have to come out, ready to go and match that intensity right off the bat." we’ve been on the road a lot this year and when we do come home, we’re coming off a California swing or a tough trip, so you never get in that home mind set." Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 01.12.2020 Morrissey raises some valid points about the schedule. But has the fact the atmosphere, or lack thereof, inside Bell MTS Place played a role? It’s been a while since there’s been a deafening "Go Jets Go!" It feels like the days when Winnipeg fans come up with clever chants targeted at visiting players is long gone. Free Press sports columnist Mike McIntyre put it best in a recent column where he said "Bell MTS Place could be mistaken for the nearby Millennium Library many nights this year." However, you won’t find the players complaining. In fact, they said it makes sense as to why the crowd noise has taken a bit of a dive.

"When you go to the playoffs and you make a deep run, the building was so electric then, you know what it can be so it doesn’t feel as electric (now), maybe," said forward Andrew Copp. "We go to other buildings in the regular season and playoffs are just such a different atmosphere and a different animal. I’d say yeah, it’s not the same, but I think that’s just a product of us going deep into the playoffs and having that genuine excitement and electricity that we’re able to have in the playoffs."

Morrissey had a near-identical response but also pointed to the recent performance of the team.

"I think because of the playoff atmospheres that we’ve had over the last few years, that’s obviously going to be the immediate comparable. In my opinion, there’s no building in the league that’s the same in the regular season that it is in the playoffs... So, we’re comparing the regular season atmosphere to the playoffs. You know, we get great support every night. The building is always full. But to your point before, we have lost five in a row at home. It’s not exactly like we’re giving fans a lot to cheer about in those games," Morrissey said.

While Jets fans haven’t been leaving the arena with a smile on their face lately, that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been a bunch of happy customers. On Dec. 23, there was a sea of red in the crowd who saw the Montreal Canadiens take down the Jets 6-2. Then on Jan 3., there was a lot of blue in the stands, it just happened to be a different shade, as the Toronto Maples Leafs left Winnipeg with a 6-3 victory. There have been some diehard Jets fans who have voiced their frustrations on social media about the arena being taken over by the opposition, but Morrissey said it isn’t a big deal. 1170766 Winnipeg Jets Nik Ehlers-Blake Wheeler-Jack Roslovic Andrew Copp-Adam Lowry-Mathieu Perreault

Jansen Harkins-Nick Shore-Mason Appleton GAME DAY: Nashville Predators at Winnipeg Jets Defence

Josh Morrissey-Tucker Poolman Scott Billeck Dmitry Kulikov-Neal Pionk January 11, 2020 5:47 PM CST Anthony Bitetto-Luca Sbisa

Goalies Nashville Predators (20-16-7) at Winnipeg Jets (24-17-4) Connor Hellebuyck SUNDAY, 1 P.M., BELL MTS PLACE Laurent Brossoit TV: TSN-3, RADIO: TSN-1290 Nashville Predators THE BIG MATCHUP Forwards Scheifele’s dominance Filip Forsberg-Ryan Johansen-Viktor Arvidsson Stopping Mark Scheifele since the beginning of December has been something few have been able to figure out. It’s Nashville’s turn to find Calle Jarnkrok-Matt Duchene-Mikael Granlund the antidote. Scheifele has 27 points in 18 games since Dec. 3, placing him third behind Artemi Panarin and Jonathan Huberdeau, both of whom Rocco Grimaldi-Nick Bonino-Craig Smith are on 28. Scheifele’s 13 goals during that span are second-most after Yakov Trenin-Kyle Turris-Austin Watson Auston Matthews’ 15. And Scheifele’s 12 power-play points are a league- high during that time. The Jets have a lot of lethal options, and the Defence Predators need to hone in on all of them, but Scheifele and his line especially. Roman Josi-Yannick Weber

FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME Dan Hamhuis-Mattias Ekholm

Connor Hellebuyck Jarred Tinordi-Matt Irwin

Cut and pasted from nearly every game this season, but the Jets need Goalies Hellebuyck playing at his best. He’s gone 2-0-1 over this past three starts Pekka Rinne after going through a tough patch in what’s otherwise been a very good season from Winnipeg’s No. 1. Hellebuyck has a 9-5-1 record with a .923 Juuse Saros save percentage across 16 career games against the Preds. INJURIES Special teams Predators: D Ryan Ellis, D Dante Fabbro, F Colton Sissons As of Saturday, the Predators and the Jets sat 30th and 31st in terms of their respective penalty kills. Both are very bad, so one of the differences Jets: F Bryan Little, D Nathan Beaulieu, F Mark Letestu, D Dustin in tomorrow’s game could be either team figuring it when down a man, or Byfuglien (suspended) the power play when up a man. And the Jets have the Predators in that SPECIAL TEAMS category. Winnipeg’s power play has been No. 1 in the NHL since Dec. 15, when their current heater began. Since then, they’ve gone 13-for-35 POWER PLAY (37.1%), including five different players scoring on each of their past five Predators: 17.1%% (23rd) power-play goals. Jets: 21.2% (11th) Home cooking PENALTY KILLING It’s been Brussel sprouts, peas, and dry chicken lately. The Jets haven’t won a game at Bell MTS Place since mid-December, having gone 0-4-1 Predators: 73.7 (30th) and outscored 27-13 inside their home barn every since. Home hasn’t been a point of strength for the Jets this season with their 10-9-0 record. Jets: 73% (31st) They’ve preferred the road. But they have 22 home games remaining, including a home-heavy next two months where they need all the points they can muster. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 01.12.2020 Afternoon delight

Perhaps a good omen to the last point is Winnipeg’s 6-1-1 record this season in matinee games, which includes a perfect 3-0-0 record at home. Hellebuyck gets the start once again, having played each of the eight afternoon games so far this season. He’s got a .937 save percentage in those games.

Limit the danger

The Jets gave up a massive 54 high-danger chances while producing just 13 of their own during their four-game road trip last week. That’s not good, despite going 2-1-1 on the road. You can only play with fire so many times before it burns you.

GAME DAY LINEUPS

Winnipeg Jets

Forwards

Kyle Connor-Mark Scheifele-Patrik Laine 1170767 Winnipeg Jets Third, you can only play with fire so long before you get burned. While the Detroits and the New Jerseys of the world are in the basement,

too, they simply don’t have the goaltending or the special teams to make HIGH DANGER: Jets giving more than they get up for their shortcomings elsewhere. And so they rot in a lost season while an even worse team (judging by the metrics) fights for a playoff spot.

Scott Billeck Praise be to Connor Hellebuyck then, who if not for him, the Jets would likely be in Alex Lafreniere territory. January 11, 2020 9:01 PM CST Small aside: Hellebuyck has seen the most rebound chances against in

the NHL this season at 125. When the final buzzer sounded in a 5-4 loss to the Boston Bruins on When asked if that’s too high, Maurice needed three words. Thursday evening, it wasn’t the score that was most staggering. “Yeah. They are,” he said. A one-goal loss in the second half of a back-to-back after playing in Toronto the night before seems understandable. Sprinkle in that it was Is that on Hellebuyck, the five skaters in front of him, or both? Winnipeg’s third game in four nights and, in the end, they managed to take five of a possible eight points on a four-game road trip. Sure, they “You deserve to ask every one of these questions,” he said. “I love every squandered a lead on more than one occasion, including relinquishing it guy in that room. They’re all doing the best that they can. That’s my in the third period and never being able to recover. analytics.”

Bu the alarm bells had nothing to do with that game at all. The Jets He’s not throwing anyone under the bus. He rarely has and rarely will. fought hard and ran out of gas. They stayed in the fight longer than most And praise be, also, to a much-improved power play, which is purring people may have thought coming into the game. along at 37.5% (13-for-35) since Dec. 15. Hellebuyck’s numbers have Instead, it was a number that loomed large over the entirety of the road dipped, but the return of that potent power play has helped soften the trip that began gaining some traction. (slight) fall.

Despite going 2-1-1, the Jets recorded just 13 high-danger chances But back to high-danger chances and away from what Maurice has to across those four games and allowed a whopping 54, according to say. Natural Stat Trick (NST). Five was the most they created in any single Often, when wisdom from the dressing room is needed on any given game on their Eastern swing. In each game, their opponents registered subject, reporters will flock in the direction of Adam Lowry’s stall. 11 or more. “You don’t want to give up home-plate shots,” Lowry said, using baseball Naturally, this is a cause for concern. to illustrate a high-danger shot. “We want to improve that area, that part “I’m going to say two things about that: First of all, you’re right. But if you of our game. Sometimes I think, too, on the flip side, if we have the puck had them plot those high-danger chances and then went and checked and we can get to their slot, instead of passing around the outside, it each one of those shots, you’d be amazed at how absolutely wrong they bodes well for us. I think in the long-term, yeah, it’s something we want to are,” head coach Paul Maurice said as the Jets returned to the practice clean up. But I think that’s more just a focus of how we play as a team, ice on Saturday. “So my number is different. Still don’t like it. The high- not necessarily coming in here talking about the home plate, we’re talking danger chances were not in our favour during this trip. But in saying that, about making sure guys in different areas are checked off and we’re it was a lot closer than you think because the block (of games) before making sure we’re making those quick reads so that they’re not able to that was even worse, three games before Christmas and three games go, maybe, behind the net and to the slot or up to the point, third-man coming after, there’s a lot of red there. We didn’t like that. We’ve actually high walks down the slot. improved quite a bit in this last road trip. “I think it’s a byproduct of us trying to improve different areas of our d- “But your original point is, can we survive giving up more than we’re zone that we want to improve. You don’t want to give up the highest getting. You can. There’s just a threshold to all things. Where we don’t quality shots, they’re bound to go in. It’s definitely a number you want to generate a lot is close to the net-front. We don’t spend a lot of time make up.” banging around the front of the net. We don’t have a lot of guys built to If you polled every player, they’d like to see fewer slot shots against. be there. So there not going to spend a lot of time there. But we’re a pretty dynamic team off the rush. We’re trying to become back to where The limited number of chances for and the bevy of chances against most we were, a better offensive zone time team, a better grinding team. And nights —the Jets have produced more high-danger shots than they given the rush is going to be there for our group. That’s what we’re working on.” up just seven times in 45 games this season, per NST — has led to a lopsided number in the expected goals department. There are a few things to touch on here. Winnipeg’s xGF% (expected goals percentage) is an NHL-low 42.34% First, the publicly available numbers from NST suggest the Jets weren’t and has been for most of the season. Their xGF/60 (expected goals for worse in the lead-in to the Christmas Break and in the three games that per 60 minutes 5-on-5) is 31st at 1.88. Their xGA/60 (expected goals followed it. Without the benefit of being privy to those privately tracked against per 60 minutes 5-on-5) isn’t far off in 29th at 2.55. numbers by the team, there’s no way to know if what Maurice is saying is, indeed, true. Without getting bogged down in numbers and decimals, the Jets are expected to score less than their opponents because they don’t produce Are the Jets better than worst, which the publicly available numbers enough quality shots and give up a lot of quality shots the other way. suggest? That should correlate in more losses than wins. The Jets, however, are Or are they still the worst but the severity of being worst is diminished? bucking that trend (or Buycking, if you like puns), at least for now.

It’s a mystery without seeing the team’s analytics and what they value. A guy like Lowry, who’s knowledge of the game is second-to-none, takes And they’re not about to release that information, which is some issue with his team’s dreary expected goals stats. understandable from a competitive perspective. If they’re not using those “Does it take into account who shoots the puck?” Lowry asked. public numbers then they likely don’t care what those public numbers tell us. The answer is no.

Secondly, regardless of what the difference is between public and private “For example, you look at Montreal, you look at L.A., they shoot the puck numbers, Maurice said he doesn’t like it. While his numbers may lessen from everywhere, so they’re bound to get six or seven shots from the how many they give up and inflate how many they create, it’s hard to see side of the net with the goalie down and they’re going to get three or four them moving too far out of the basement of the league in either. They’ve rebounds and their expected goals is going to go way through the roof created a league-low 294 high-danger chances and have given up a because they’re three feet from the net,” Lowry said. “But you tell me, are league-high 473. they more likely to score than when (Patrik Laine) has the puck at the top of the circle and we get one shot? That’s kind of my argument against those ones.

“Sure, you look at the expected goals, but look at who has the puck on their stick? We have (Mark) Scheifele, we have (Kyle Connor), we’ve got Patty, we’ve got (Blake Wheeler), we’ve got (Nikolaj Ehlers). We’ve got capable finishers that we may not necessarily need the high volume to get the same results. It’s like, I get 10 shots in the slot, Patty gets 10 shots in the slot. Who’s more likely to score? But our expected goals value is going to be the same. Sometimes when I look at those things, you need more to tell the story.”

But it’s not the context that is lacking, Lowry said. He agrees the team needs to get more pucks to the net, penetrate the slot more and up the volume.

“But at the same time, it can’t just be our first thought: just throw the puck to the net,” he said. “We talked about being a shot first team, but that’s not necessarily the system and the style. It’s not shooting the puck from the corner, because you might get first touch back but you’re giving up possession for a very low, low chance to get the puck in the net. There’s one thing where you get guys going to the net and you throw it into their feet and you got guys there. If you’re just spinning and throwing it and you got a guy jamming on the side of the net, the odds of that are so low.”

Maurice has mentioned his team’s expected goals model, which he said differs from the publicly available one. Asked if his model shows the same atrocity on Saturday, he said it wouldn’t.

“We’re not sitting here after 45 games and you’ve played well in three and the rest… that’s not the case,” Maurice said. “But in the games that we have an higher expected goals than the other team, it’s not nearly as extreme. It’s a far narrower band with all of it. We would like to think that what we do (with our model) is get rid of all of the noise out of the analytics and get it down to valuable points.”

Whatever those are.

In the end, the most valuable points are the two they can earn each night and the 52 that they’ve amassed up until now. And at the moment, 52 aren’t enough for them to occupy a playoff spot.

NIKU TO SIT AGAIN?

#FreeNiku looks set to be the hashtag of choice among Jets fans again on Sunday.

Sami Niku spent Saturday’s practice on a pairing with Carl Dahlstrom, also a scratch, suggesting that Niku will take a seat for the second straight game.

Niku has become a victim of a healthy defensive core and the return of Dmitry Kulikov to the lineup (and, depending on who you ask, poor decision making).

That’s not to say that he won’t get back into the lineup any time soon. For now, it seems that either an injury or poor play will have to take place first before he dresses again.

WHEELER FINE

Jets captain Blake Wheeler was the only member of the Jets not to take the ice on Saturday morning.

Jansen Harkins took line rushes in Wheeler’s stead, but Maurice noted that Wheeler is fine after the skate and should be in the lineup in time for Sunday’s 1 p.m. puck drop against the Nashville Predators.

Meanwhile, Jack Roslovic was back up on Wheeler’s line for practice while Andrew Copp was placed back on Lowry’s line. The two had been swapped against both Toronto and Boston, which Maurice filed under a matchup change on the road rather than a promotion/demotion.

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 01.12.2020 1170768 Winnipeg Jets Connor, Patrik Laine, or most members of Winnipeg’s power play in a dangerous area, and good things are going to happen. Throw a barrage of dangerous shots at Hellebuyck and, for most of the season, there hasn’t been much to worry about. How Winnipeg’s top penalty killers excel despite playing in the system that ranks last in the NHL That penalty kill, though. Winnipeg’s 73.0 percent PK is the second- worst, of 453 team seasons, of the salary cap era NHL.

So how does Winnipeg improve it? By Murat Ates Copp and Adam Lowry are both among the NHL’s very best penalty Jan 11, 2020 killers — at least, according to Evolving Hockey’s “short-handed defence” WAR metric, where Copp is second best in the league and Lowry is 16th.

Compared to other Jets forward pairs, Copp and Lowry have given up “We were about 10 minutes away from it being a great road trip,” Andrew only two-thirds of the shots and half of the goals against per minute of Copp told reporters after Winnipeg’s 5-4 loss to Boston on Thursday. “A their peers. little bit of a sour taste right now.” The Copp-Lowry pairing has been Maurice’s first choice to go over the Winnipeg took a 4-3 lead in the third period on a clever Mark Scheifele boards far more often than any other duo, they’ve been genuinely backhand from behind the goal line that followed a scorching Kyle effective, and Copp’s return to the lineup bodes well for a penalty kill Connor spin move on the wall and centring pass through the slot. As uptick. Jaroslav Halak moved post-to-post to track Connor’s pass, Scheifele They’re genuinely good and the rest of the PK is uniquely bad. A little corralled it on his backhand and banked it off Halak’s blocker and in. investigation into Copp and Lowry’s success couldn’t hurt. There could Even on the second half of a back-to-back, Copp’s disappointment is be clues in their success — season-saving clues, given Winnipeg’s justified: With 12:10 left to play, Winnipeg was on pace to win. precarious hold on a playoff spot. You are already well aware that Winnipeg did not win but, in this case, With that in mind, let’s consider three distinct portions of a penalty kill that’s not the point. where Copp and Lowry have had success that have nothing to do with The point is there are lots of different ways to win a hockey game — and the Jets’ in-zone system. Winnipeg is only good at some of them. For the Jets to take a wild-card Before the puck gets into Winnipeg’s zone spot and turn it into a playoff appearance this spring, they will need to get better at at least one more. Kill the entry, kill 20 seconds off the clock.

Goaltending? Check. Zone entry prevention is an area of penalty killing where forwards have a disproportionately important job to do. As difficult as it is for a penalty- Finishing ability? Check. killing unit to shut down a zone entry while outnumbered, by far the most Power play? Check! (Check it out — they’re up to 11th.) effective way to knock time off the clock is to stop the opposition from gaining the zone with control. Five-on-five is where the problems begin and the penalty kill is where they turn into a potential season killer. For every bit of ink I spill harping Copp and Lowry aren’t necessarily faster skaters than other penalty on five-on-five sustainability, I haven’t spent much time on the penalty kill killers but they do have success shutting down entries. this season. While it is rare for teams who get outshot and outchanced as Here are back-to-back stops against Boston from Thursday’s game: thoroughly as Winnipeg does to win more than they lose (and Hellebuyck has my Vezina vote as a result), it is equally rare for teams to win while Copp is the man in the middle, trying to force Boston’s puck carrier running the league’s worst penalty kill. (David Krejci) to pick a side of the ice. The goal is to kill the advantage in numbers — Copp and Krejci are one-on-one but, if the puck goes to the Sure, Winnipeg carries the NHL’s worst five-on-five expected goals right wing wall where Krejci has extra help, Boston can isolate Lowry on percentage this season, according to Natural Stat Trick (42.3 percent), a two-on-one. MoneyPuck.com (42.0 percent) and Evolving Hockey (41.7 percent). And no, in the 12 seasons that shot location data has been publicly tracked — It doesn’t happen because Krejci chooses the left-wing lane, makes a and thus expected goals models apply — no team with a five-on-five bad pass and Winnipeg goes the other way. expected goals percentage below 45 percent has ever made the playoffs. The thing is, even if the pass was perfect, Tucker Poolman’s lane has But perhaps more controllable for the Jets, given some of their players even numbers on it — he’s not outmanned as Lowry is on the other side are truly excelling while short-handed: the penalty kill. Winnipeg carries of the ice. Whether you credit Copp for Krejci’s decision — Copp does the NHL’s worst penalty-killing percentage, at 73.0 percent. The worst cheat a half-step toward Krejci’s backhand side where Boston has penalty-killing percentage on a playoff team in the salary cap era? The numbers — simply accuse Krejci of making a mistake, the pass goes to a 2017-18 Philadelphia Flyers, at 75.8 percent. one-on-one lane and Poolman cleans it up.

With those penalty killing woes added to Winnipeg’s other struggles, the In this second instance, Boston is running out of time on the power play Jets’ hold on a wild card spot is beyond noteworthy — it’s astonishing. In and pushes up the right wing with even numbers before its fifth man can a world where wins are part creating scoring chances, part finishing become a factor. There is no numbers advantage anywhere unless the them, part goaltending, part special teams, part coaching and part Bruins can beat a man one-on-one or with a pass. There is no such pass blind/beautiful/chaotic luck, everything about Winnipeg this season is an and Copp guides the puck to the right faceoff dot where Scheifele plays extreme. clean up.

That’s why I’m so impressed by the team’s consistency of attitude, by its Any time a clip is used, the evidence is anecdotal: Here are a couple of commitment to being “connected,” and by the disposition of the times where this play went well. There are obviously many more than two leadership. The Jets are pushing a boulder up a mountain, against the entry attempts in a hockey game and Copp obviously doesn’t shut down wind (uphill both ways!) — and they’re succeeding. all of them.

Mostly. Still, it’s my belief that part of the reason Copp and Lowry face the fewest shot attempts per minute of all Jets forward pairs is Copp’s ability to read After Winnipeg’s loss to Boston, Copp went on to put the Jets’ recent run and guide plays through the neutral zone. in context. In Winnipeg’s zone, on scrambles “There’s some things that we did well that we want to take moving forward and then there’s some things that we need to clean up for sure if Every team and every group of players will have rules for when to attack we’re going to be a contender.” a loose puck. There are precious few seconds (or less) between a team getting possession of the puck and a team truly being in control of it. I think it’s safe to say that, in a 24-17-4 season that’s been so uniquely Often, that’s when the puck is the most vulnerable. good in some areas and uniquely bad in others, we have the Jets’ strengths and weaknesses surrounded. Give the puck to Scheifele, This clip starts with Auston Matthews setting up a William Nylander shot that bounces into the corner. From the moment the puck hits the boards, Winnipeg is in attack mode.

Anthony Bitetto pressures Matthews, who makes a pass that Mitch Marner can’t corral on his backhand. In the half-second it takes for Marner to juggle the puck, Lowry and Poolman each have a stick on him and Copp is over their shoulder in the lane. Collectively, they converge upon John Tavares and force the Maple Leafs back to the wall where the pressure continues until Marner’s pass is picked off by Copp and Lowry makes the clear.

Winnipeg battles off scrambles clearly takes more than just the forwards — defensemen play an important role — but it’s my belief that Copp and Lowry are more effective on the walls than Connor, Appleton, and many of Winnipeg’s other penalty-killing forwards.

Faceoffs

Interestingly enough, Lowry is not uniquely good at faceoffs while short- handed — in fact, his 42.7 win percentage is only slightly ahead of Scheifele’s 40.0 percent, while Blake Wheeler is a perfectly even 50.0 percent in 24 short-handed draws.

But not all faceoffs have to be won — even a faceoff loss is a moment when a penalty-killing team can apply pressure. Watch how fast Copp chases down his lost draw on this play:

Copp is on Matt Grzelcyk so fast on this play that Bitetto knows he can help the contested puck, the Jets win the battle, and off they go. (This clearance is actually the play that leads to both zone entry shutdowns shown above.)

Of course, not all faceoffs are won or even contested. There are only 14 players who have taken at least 50 short-handed faceoffs this season above 50 percent (Claude Giroux, by the way, is a freak: he’s won 64.6 percent of his short-handed draws. Philadelphia also has Sean Couturier at 56.4 percent.)

When faceoffs are lost cleanly:

Perhaps Bitetto could do more to tie up Brad Marchand off Patrice Bergeron’s draw and perhaps Copp could get into more of the shooting lane than he does but, to me, this play happens too fast — and David Pastrnak shoots too well. Goal: Bruins.

While I tend to think of faceoffs as just one of several puck battles on each shift, they’re particularly valuable on the penalty kill where a win can lead to a clearance and time taken off the clock. Trivia wise: the Jets are the 12th best faceoff team at even strength but drop to 22nd while killing penalties. It isn’t a wild swing but it may be an area where improvement leads to results.

When Copp was talking to reporters in Boston, he finished his thought about Winnipeg’s strengths and weaknesses by looking ahead.

“These next six games going into the break are going to be huge,” he said.

A quick look at those six games:

On Sunday, Winnipeg plays the first of three home games versus Nashville, Vancouver and Tampa Bay before heading out on the road to play Chicago, Carolina and Columbus. Three of those teams — the Lightning, Canucks and Hurricanes — have a top-10 power play. Two of them — the Canucks and Predators — are within striking distance of Winnipeg’s wild-card spot.

The story of Winnipeg’s remarkably good and remarkably bad season is yet to be written. If the Jets hold onto their wild-card spot with their current penalty kill, it will be a historic achievement.

Ideally, they take cues from Lowry and Copp, cure what’s ailing their PK, and leave history out of their accomplishments altogether.

The Athletic LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170769 Vancouver Canucks

Quinn Hughes is going to the All-Star game

Patrick Johnston

January 11, 2020 4:55 PM PST

Canucks 6, Sabres 3: Horvat helps visitors crank up the intensity in satisfying road win

For a third year in a row, the Canucks are sending a rookie to the All-Star Game.

STEVENSVILLE, Ont. — For the first time since 2012, the Vancouver Canucks are sending three players to the NHL All-Star Game.

The NHL announced on Saturday afternoon that rookie defenceman Quinn Hughes had won the Pacific Division’s Last Man In fan vote.

Hughes joins Elias Pettersson, who was selected as the team’s initial representative at the end of December, and Jacob Markstrom, who was selected last week as a replacement for Vegas Golden Knights’ starter Marc-Andre Fleury. The game will be played Jan. 25 in St. Louis.

“Really exciting. To be with Marky and Petey, it’s going to be really cool and something special,” Hughes told Canucks TV about the all-star news. “It wasn’t one of the things when I came into the year, one of the things I thought I could do or wanted to do. I was just thinking day by day. Obviously a lot of kids dream about doing that. It’s pretty cool.”

“I just want to thank the fans for voting me in. I’m looking forward to it,” Hughes added. “It’s pretty cool when you have people voting you in. There’s a lot of good players in a lot of good hockey markets so I didn’t know how good my chances were. I just went into it thinking whatever happens happens.”

It’s the second All-Star Game selection for Pettersson, the first for Markstrom. It marks the third consecutive year the Canucks have sent a rookie to the all-star classic, following Brock Boeser in 2018 — where he was named the game’s MVP — and Pettersson last year.

Hughes’ selection means he’s now earned his second Schedule A bonus, which adds another $212,500 to his cap hit.

Henrik and Daniel Sedin and Alex Edler represented the Canucks at the 2012 NHL All-Star Game in Ottawa.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170770 Vancouver Canucks Jim Benning and a couple other front office execs travelled to Utica — a three-hour drive — on Friday afternoon to take in the Utica Comets.

The Canucks’ AHL squad put on a show for him, winning 5-2 on the back Canucks Extra: Buffalo Wildin' of a Justin Bailey hat trick.

Benning, spotted pre-game Saturday in Buffalo, smiled when asked about how the trip went. Patrick Johnston He was impressed by the play of the defence corps. January 11, 2020 5:08 PM PST Kole Lind’s game also stood out to him.

Good and proper Wins make a room happy. Bailey on handshake with Goldobin: “It is just one of those things that I’m sure this shocks you. happens. … We keep it nice and proper with a good, firm handshake.” https://t.co/2jcYPc1GsD— Ben Birnell (@OD_Birnell) January 11, 2020 But after a couple tough losses in Florida, the upbeat mood in the Vancouver Canucks’ room on Saturday in Buffalo was palpable. Playoff push

Chris Tanev summed it up best. Your Western Conference playoffs race continues to be wild and wacky.

“Last two games obviously we were terrible in both games. The second By winning on Saturday, the Canucks kept themselves right in the thick half of Tampa, Florida the whole game we sucked. It was only two games of things. They’re back in striking distance of second place in the division, but it felt like 10. Two weeks that we’d been losing — when you lose like but they’re also in range of the Nashville Predators’ hunt for a wild card that, it doesn’t go over well. It’s huge that we got the win today … now we spot. can go to Minnesota with a little energy and a little pep in our step.” And yes, there are teams in between. Hughesian effort Best wishes to an ex-Canuck Quinn Hughes played 19:28 on Saturday at even strength. The Canucks had 24 shot attempts on the Buffalo net in that time, against just 11 on Rob Davison played 23 games in 2008-09 as the Canucks’s seventh their own. defenceman.

The kid can play. The news Friday night he’d collapsed before the Toronto Marlies versus Texas Stars game was difficult to hear. He’d suffered a grand mal The breakdance that will live forever seizure, the Leafs have since reported.

Travis Green laughed about whether he’d seen the clip of him expressing Here’s hoping his road back to full health is short and simple shock and amazement that the reviewed goal hadn’t counted as a goal.

He knew that it would become a gif, but he had a dream that maybe it wouldn’t. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 01.12.2020

Sorry, Travis, this gif will be all-timer, I told him.

When McDonalds' soft serve machine is broken pic.twitter.com/Q4VA9iYUbI— Vanessa Jang (@vanessajang) January 11, 2020

“As you can tell by my reaction, I was kind of shocked,” Green said to laughter. “As soon as I did the little breakdance, I was praying that no one caught it but obviously they did.”

Like everyone else in the building, it wasn’t until later that he saw the replay from the side that made it clear that Boeser’s shot had gone over the net by several feet.

In the end, there are worse ways to go into the meme hall of fame.

Flowing praise

Canucks social media guru Derek Jory does a lot of things. I’ve come to realize one of his favourite things is writing the short, usually one-word headlines for the Canucks’ Instagram account post-game post.

Saturday, with Brock The Flow Boeser scoring twice, he knew what he had to do.

Strong work there, DJ.

E. Crow

Former Canucks scout Eric Crawford now works for the Montreal Canadiens as a pro scout. He watched the Canucks in Florida. He watched the Canucks in Buffalo.

He was in Utica earlier this season.

Habs AGM Scott Mellanby watched the Canucks several times during their California road trip around Hallowe’en.

With Montreal in a true funk and their playoff dreams slipping away, could Marc Bergevin, a man who loves to trade, be looking to make a deal with the Canucks?

Benning’s trip 1170771 Vancouver Canucks “The core group was together for five, six years and it was a different era,” says former netminder Kirk McLean. “Guys did everything together. The days of the team’s lunches carrying over to team dinners are over but that went a long way toward team building.” Ed Willes: No longer a man of steel, Odjick says his Canuck family has been super And that bond was strongest when the men of the ’90s rallied around Odjick.

In the summer of 2014 a ghostly Odjick needed an oxygen tank to help Ed Willes him breathe and a walker to get him around the halls of VGH. Doctors were telling him he “might” have a year left. A heart transplant was ruled January 11, 2020 2:28 PM PST out. So was a bone-marrow transplant. A round of chemo was ordered as a last desperate measure.

Canucks 6, Sabres 3: Horvat helps visitors crank up the intensity in “You don’t think when you’re 43 years old they’re going to tell you you satisfying road win have one year to live,” Odjick said at the time. “It was the last thing on my mind. There’s been a lot of soul searching.” OPINION: “You don’t think when you’re 43 years old they’re going to tell you you have one year to live. It was the last thing on my mind. There’s But he wasn’t alone. Quinn, as always, was a rock, encouraging his been a lot of soul searching.” former player to listen to the doctors and keep fighting. In the middle of it, the old coach went 10 days without touching base with Odjick and it was Gino Odjick sat in the bowels of Rogers Arena and was about to hear the just assumed he was out of town. cheers again. Quinn, in fact, was in VGH being treated for cancer and left strict For the first time in eight years he was wearing the uniform he’d worn as instructions Odjick was not to be informed of his condition. Quinn died a young man, the uniform he wore when he owned this town. He was that fall. surrounded by friends and his brothers from that era, men who’d seen him through his darkest days and were now there to help him celebrate. Still, something lived on in the team he assembled. McLean talks about It all seemed so perfect; the moment, the night. visiting Odjick with Jyrki Lumme at VGH, seeing him sleeping and unresponsive. There was just one problem. Odjick, who was never afraid of anything on the ice, couldn’t stop his knees from shaking. “We got news things weren’t the greatest,” McLean said.

“I can’t do this,” he confided to longtime friend Peter Leech. Later, some 15 members of that team met with Odjick in the hospital.

“Try to relax and breathe,” Leech offered as Cliff Ronning was instructed “We thought that would be last time we saw him,” McLean said. “Next to keep an eye on his former teammate. thing you know — we’re grateful.”

Then the spotlight hit the Zamboni entrance. Then Odjick shuffled on the There have been others along the way. Ron Delorme, the Canucks’ lifer ice and the chant started, filling the arena, filling a heart that has been who shares Odjick’s First Nation’s ancestry, has been a source of damaged but not broken. strength and support. Leech, as always, has been beside his friend. Odjick also turned to the traditions and beliefs of his people. “He loves that,” said Leech. “It picks him up. It’s like medicine for him. Never in his wildest dreams did he think he’d be putting on a uniform and “He’s a believer,” Leech said, before adding, “He fought. Without a doubt being with those guys again.” he fought. But he was scared. When they shipped him to Ottawa (after the chemo treatment at VGH) he thought it was the end. He thought he “It’s amazing,” Odjick said. “It started 30 years ago in my first game.” was going home to pass away.”

That was Nov. 21, 1990 when Odjick fought Dave Manson and Stu But The Creator had other plans. Grimson in a 4-1 Canucks’ win at the Pacific Coliseum. Odjick is asked what else he remembers about that night. “He hadn’t seen Gus (Greg Adams) in a couple of years,” Leech said. “Just to see him (at ’90s night) picked him up.” “I was in the NHL,” he says. “I didn’t like playing for 30 grand in the minors.” “We told all the stories,” Odjick said. “We were laughing our asses off.”

Five-plus years after the fact, it’s difficult to reconcile the Odjick of last He pauses. Saturday night with the shrunken man who was given a terminal “I used to think I was Superman. If a plane crashed, I thought I’d be the sentence because of a chronic heart condition. But Odjick, as always, only who survived. You think differently when something like this has fought back. Back then plans were made to put the former Canuck happens.” enforcer in palliative care. Maybe. But you also think about your friends, the good times you had Now? Well his biggest health problem concerns a certain girth issue that and the good times that lie ahead. was evident during ’90s Night at The Rog.

“He’s put on a few pounds but he’s back in the gym,” Leech says. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 01.12.2020 All things considered that’s a better problem than a heart only working at 25 per cent capacity.

“Everything’s in remission,” Odjick says. “They said it (amyloidosis, the condition that produces protein deposits in the heart) will come back. Hopefully it will be 20 years from now.

“I never thought I was going to die but everyone else thought it would happen. The doctors told me to make plans. I certainly don’t take things for granted anymore.”

This is Odjick’s story and it’s an uplifting tale. But it’s also the story of the Canucks’ team of the early- and mid-’90s, an unconventional confederacy of filberts and nonconformists who came together under Pat Quinn and remain tight to this day.

It’s been an utter joy to explore their shared history as part of this paper’s Canucks at 50 series but here’s the best part: That story is still being written. Just ask those involved. 1170772 Vancouver Canucks Horvat is playing some of the best hockey of the season. Since Christmas he has three goals and six assists, while playing tough

minutes. Canucks 6, Sabres 3: Horvat helps visitors crank up the intensity in The third goal Saturday early in the second period was the go-ahead satisfying road win marker as Horvat took a rebound off his initial pass attempt to Quinn Hughes off the wing and willed it home past Sabres’ goalie Carter Hutton.

Patrick Johnston “It’s nice to finally get the bounces coming our way,” Horvat said of the goal. “I was talking before the game that it would be nice to shoot a puck January 11, 2020 3:45 PM PST in the net for once. And thankfully we got a couple here tonight.”

Stout defence

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Canucks have played plenty of warm-weather After four straight games giving up more than 30 shots — and five out of hockey this week with bad results. six games since Christmas — the Canucks limited the Sabres to a tidy 28 shots against. Turns out what they really needed was for the hockey to be played in the afternoon, and in Buffalo. “That was our best game since that win in Calgary, I think,” coach Travis Green said. The temperature on the shores of Lake Erie hit 17 C, not far off the fine weather the Canucks experienced in Florida. Holy post

The Canucks put together a much-improved performance against the Was there a hole in the post to the right of Sabres’ goalie Hutton? The Sabres, winning 6-3 at the KeyBank Center. officials took a long time to review a potential goal that turned out not to be. The Sabres scored at 8:44 of the first period, but the Canucks continued their habit of strong first periods and tied the NHL contest with 4½ All that was shown in the building was an overhead view that made it minutes left in the period. seem as if a Boeser wrist shot had picked the corner of the net.

But unlike their previous two games — when they lost 9-2 to Tampa Bay It wasn’t until the Sabres’ broadcast showed a side view that it was clear (Tuesday) and 5-2 to Florida (Thursday) — they kept things rolling in the the shot had soared well over the net. second and into the third, outscoring their hosts 4-2 in the process. It was all a bit baffling as to why the review lasted so long. And why an NEXT GAME official was seen working on the corner of the Sabres’ net during the review. Sunday “They showed us the overhead view and, you know, it kind of looks like it Vancouver Canucks vs. Minnesota Wild went in there but then there’s that one view where you could see I 1 p.m., Xcel Energy Center, TV: SNETP; Radio: SNET 650 AM missed by a couple feet,” Boeser said with a grin.

Captain Bo Horvat was delighted with his team’s performance. Skid marks

“We wanted to come out hard and I thought we did that. I think we played Coming into Saturday’s game, Hutton hadn’t won in 10 straight starts. a full 60 minutes. We haven’t done that in a little bit and we stepped it up Make it 11. even harder in the third,” Horvat said.

The Canucks got two goals from Brock Boeser, plus singles by J.T. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 01.12.2020 Miller, Jake Virtanen and Horvat, plus an empty-netter from Loui Eriksson. The Sabres got goals from Brandon Montour, Sam Reinhart and Zemgus Girgensons.

Here’s what else we learned in Buffalo:

Slick mitts

Boeser has scored two goals in two straight games now off deft tips in front.

His first-period tally saw him deflect a Troy Stecher shot off the side boards essentially behind his back.

“I think the puck went off the D’s skate after, so you know sometimes you get lucky,” he said. “The main thing is getting good position on their defence because if they box you out, you’re not going to be able to get that tip so you know it’s something I’ve been working on.”

His second goal was a patented wrist shot, fired after an unconventional give-and-go with Chris Tanev.

He’s up to 16 goals this season and has recorded points in six consecutive road games. He has four goals and four assists in that span.

“He’s not looking to shoot often, so you have to expect to get the puck back,” Boeser said, with a grin, of the sequence with Tanev. The veteran defenceman admitted he initially thought about taking a shot on the play.

“I was. I sort of had to reach for it a bit so I mean I didn’t think I could get much on it and (Boeser) sort of slid into that open area and I think both their guys thought I was going to shoot it,” Tanev said.

Tyler Motte also showed some crafty work with the puck when he set up Virtanen for the game’s fifth goal, a cross-crease backhanded pass right on the tape for Virtanen, who made no mistake with the finish.

Captain’s call 1170773 Vancouver Canucks For Boeser, adding that dirty goal to his repertoire isn’t a fluke or a coincidence. It’s the product of deliberate thought and hard work.

“When they shut you down in one aspect, you’ve got to find different The Armies: Illusion confusion, Jacob Markstrom’s honesty and Brock ways to score and produce for your team,” Boeser said of having less Boeser, the big tipper space and time this season than in years past. “That’s something I’ve really focused on the last couple of years, getting in front and battling to stay in front.”

By Thomas Drance Boeser’s hockey intelligence shouldn’t be underrated. Not by Canucks fans or by the Canucks themselves. Jan 11, 2020 After all, it looked like the team would bump Boeser to the third line

ahead of the Florida Panthers game earlier this week. He was also On Saturday afternoon, the Canucks dominated proceedings at five-on- momentarily used at the net front on the first power-play unit for a few five, they held an opponent to under 30 shots on goal and most games before that. importantly: They won. Now, with a couple of strong outings against the Panthers and the Clearly, we’re not in Florida anymore. Sabres, Boeser has three goals in two games and is back on pace for just about 30. Considering we can still expect some favourable In defeating the Buffalo Sabres 6-3, the Canucks turned the page. They regression for the flow, he’s going to hit 30 for sure (health permitting). put a nightmare trip through Florida behind them. The Max Power jersey “Nope, four points,” Canucks goaltender Jacob Markstrom joked when a question about those two losses feeling like more than just two losses The fans in Buffalo brought their strange Canucks jerseys this afternoon. was put to him after the game. “We lost four points, that’s it. This was the perfect jersey to wear to a Sabres vs. Canucks game, “It doesn’t matter if it feels like more or not, we lost four points, and now though I wish we’d found a Canucks Mike Peca jersey for the matching we have to finish this road trip really strong and make it a good one.” set:

To actually make this road trip a good one, the Canucks will need points This, on the other hand, well, it can’t possibly be being worn by a out of both of their remaining games against Western Conference foes, Canucks fan, can it? The toque seems to be a Chicago Bulls toque, so the Minnesota Wild and the Winnipeg Jets. It’s a tall order, but if their top I’m wondering if it’s a trolling Chicago fan with a long memory (in which players can work and grind and perform the way they did Saturday — case, kudos): when Canucks captain Bo Horvat and his linemates handily outdueled “Max Power 69” is as nice as it gets, even if I have no idea what Jack Eichel, when Quinn Hughes controlled play, when the Lotto line material is being used in the lettering. dominated — they should have a real chance. As good as the Tanev-Boeser give and go was, the entire sequence Of course, a bounce-back performance like Saturday’s doesn’t just leading up to Boeser’s insurance marker was phenomenal: happen. I especially like the extra little hit that Elias Pettersson gives Jack Eichel In fact, the response and the start and the work rate the Canucks put in after their board battle. was the product — to hear them tell it — of some tough conversations and some soul searching over the past couple of days. “We had a good shift, we were in there for 20 or 30 seconds,” Tanev summarized. “Brock just picked up the puck off the wall, saw a little “We had a good meeting with our group yesterday and again before the opening and made a good little feather pass. He found the opening game — a little more direct than in the Tampa Bay game,” Canucks head where I could get the puck back.” coach Travis Green said. “Probably was a bit softer after a game like that, the 9-2 game, and probably a bit more brutally honest. That’s the The feather pass was key, for a couple of reasons. Not only was it good thing about our group, we can be honest with our team. And you expertly weighted and landed perfectly flat on the ice, but it also was just have to be at certain times throughout the year — not just when you’re out of Tanev’s reach. The pass caused two things: 1. It made Tanev playing bad, but when you’re playing good as well.” stretch for the puck to settle it down, which made it look like he was about to shoot it, and 2. it stopped him from actually shooting it. Chris Tanev noted that the team had a “pep in their step,” while Horvat was just pleased to see the team show their mettle. “I was thinking about shooting, but I sort of had to reach for it a bit,” Tanev said. “I didn’t think I could get much on it, and he sort of slid into “I think we played a full 60 minutes, which I don’t think we’ve done in a that open area and I think both their guys thought I was going to shoot it. little bit,” Horvat said self-critically. “For us to show that pushback today, He made a good play to get open.” that definitely builds our confidence.” Boeser, like most longtime Canucks viewers, suspected he would get the The Big Tipper: Brock Boeser puck back. Brock Boeser’s tips have been bigger and more on point this week than “Just playing with Chris over the years, he can make some good plays Francesco’s at Oceans. and he sees the ice really well,” Boeser said. “You have to expect to get For a second consecutive game the Canucks winger — who has rounded the puck back. He’s not looking to shoot often. He’s a really good out his game and produced consistently even amid a constant passer.” cacophony of concerns about his shot velocity and form — deftly One guy who didn’t expect Tanev to pass it back to the middle: Carter deflected a puck past a goaltender for a key Canucks tally late in the first Hutton, the Sabres goaltender who last won a game in late October … period Saturday: It’s worth checking out the Tanev and Boeser give and go from a different (Courtesy of MSG) angle, because the play really was that good: “That tip went in off their D’s skate after, sometimes you get lucky,” Not since the blue dress-gold dress fiasco has social media been so demurred Boeser, when asked about the sequence. obsessed and confused by an optical illusion. Boeser’s deft tip shouldn’t be downplayed, though. He was at the net And then Boeser sky’d a shot at the side of the net, and an NHL-initiated front constantly against Buffalo, doing his best Joe Pavelski review — which was unexplained in the building — lasted for a long, long impersonation. time. At issue, there was an overhead angle on Boeser’s shot that made “You can go after practice and work on it here and there,” Boeser said of it look definitively like Boeser had put the shot past Hutton and right improving his deflections game. “The main thing is getting body position through the Sabres net: on their defenseman, though. If you let them box you out, you’re not That angle looked definitive to us in the press box and to the Canucks on going to be able to get that tip. It’s something I’ve been working on, when the bench. Unfortunately, optical illusions are tricky, as Tom Holland’s we go low to high there, to maintain that really good body position.” Spider-Man learned when he met Jake Gyllenhaal. As it turns out, from an angle with some vertical depth, you can see that “It was the lineup we went with when we were winning, and I’ll probably Boeser missed: go back with it again tomorrow,” Green said after the game, “but I certainly wouldn’t have if we didn’t respond today.” The confusion on the Canucks bench was probably aided by the fact Boeser himself didn’t see where his shot went. Vancouver played some of their best team hockey Saturday, but the fourth line continues to struggle. “Honestly, I didn’t see, I wasn’t sure if it went straight out or where it went,” Boeser said. “Then they showed us the overhead view and it kind Take the Canucks’ excellent start, for example. They outshot the Sabres of looked like it had gone in there, but there’s that one view where you out of the gate 8-0. Everyone seemed to be going. And then the fourth can see I missed by a couple of feet, I think.” line all get caught deep and the Sabres manage this chance at a chance the other way, which would’ve given Buffalo an early lead if Michael Boeser gave a hearty laugh while he thought about missing by “a couple Frolik hadn’t whiffed: of feet.” Of course, Vancouver’s excellent start ultimately was sabotaged by a “It was a good try,” he added. Beagle penalty — one of two he took in the game. The Sabres didn’t The good thing about optical illusions is that they’re absolutely cash in a goal (though they did on Beagle’s second minor penalty), but fascinating. At a gut level, they make you feel tricked and intrigued and they never relinquished possession before opening the scoring shortly upset all at once. It’s why, when it happened, the blue or gold dress was after the penalty expired. the biggest viral sensation since Rebecca Black’s “Friday.” That dress For the game, the Canucks outshot Buffalo 27-14, or by a nearly 2-1 put BuzzFeed on the map, right beside North Haverbrook. margin, with Pettersson, Horvat and Adam Gaudette on the ice at five- Well, this one was one hell of an illusion: on-five.

And so it was that Saturday’s Boeser non-goal resulted in some of the Unfortunately, with Beagle on the ice at five-on-five, Vancouver was highest-quality, dankest memes the internet can provide. outshot 2-9, which makes the overall five-on-five matchup totals 29-23. 29-23 is still good, but it’s significantly less impressive than 27-14. The winner, of course, was Travis Green’s confused reaction to the no- goal judgment. The reaction was quality, but Vanessa Jang’s caption was Unfortunately, this is something of a trend. Vancouver’s fourth line has *chef’s kiss* (or *chef’s fingers*, as boy genius might say): been out-attempted by nearly 70 shot attempts over its past nine games, outshot by nearly 40 shots, outchanced by a similar margin and “I think you can tell by my reaction that I was kind of shocked,” Green outscored by five over the team’s past nine games. said. “After I did that little breakdance I was praying that no one caught it. Obviously, they did.” “I thought they had a stretch there for a while when they were struggling,” Green said. “We’ve talked to them. I think they’ve slowly crawled out of it, Even before we asked him about it in the scrum, the Vancouver pool had I haven’t seen the numbers yet tonight, but I felt like it was better. an opportunity to chat with Green about whether he’d seen the GIF. He had, and he had a good sense of humour about it. “They’re not a line, when they’re on, they’re not necessarily producing goals, but they’re producing O-zone time and making life hard on other Unfortunately, his prayers weren’t answered. And this is a reaction GIF teams,” Green said. “When they’re not, they end up defending a little bit we’ll probably be seeing a lot of on various online Canucks fan more than they like.” communities — from Reddit to HFBoards to Twitter — over the balance of the season (and beyond). I asked Beagle how he rated his line’s performance Saturday. He knows they’ve struggled of late, he’s spoken about it at length, but he thought The memes didn’t stop there, though. The players themselves were they were generally OK against the Sabres. caught gathered around an iPad, watching the play: “We had a pretty good game,” Beagle said. “Obviously we stayed with it “We weren’t sure,” Horvat said of huddling up. “The overhead looked … I think tonight is another step forward, and I think it kind of started, I liked it was in, but all the other angles showed it didn’t go in. It is what it don’t know, it’s been coming for the last four to five games where it is, just glad we got the win.” seemed like every little thing just ended up in the back of our net — especially in Tampa, where I think it felt like that for everyone — and in Meanwhile, TSN’s Ray Ferraro, a friend of the Armies, made a Florida, too. One mistake, it’s in the back of our net.” delightfully foul typo: There’s obviously some essential context we should add here. Saturday, That resulted in this brilliant Wags joke, which didn’t get nearly the the Beagle line played over seven minutes against top-six-quality Twitter love it deserved: competition, which is about as much as Pettersson’s line did and a And all the while JPat, who is flying out to Minnesota — by way of North couple of minutes more than Gaudette’s line did. The Beagle line also Carolina — on Saturday evening, so he can get his Game 82 badge and starts four times as many shifts in the defensive end as in the offensive cover the second leg of a brutal, January back-to-back through some of end and takes more defensive zone draws than anyone other than the more difficult climates in North America, was sitting there Horvat and his linemates. cantankerously refreshing his flight status on FlightAware while checking Still, to stem the tide of its atrophying five-on-five form, Vancouver needs the time every 20 seconds: to work out something for its fourth line. Perhaps it’s hunting top-six Just brilliant all around. What a day. matchups less frequently with them (and there are some signs Green did just that Saturday). Perhaps it’s giving them a few more offensive zone The Fourth Line thing starts. Perhaps it’s shuffling in some different personnel.

I think it’s fair to say that I have a higher opinion of Vancouver’s fourth Whatever it is, something has to give. After playing some sterling two- line than just about anyone, except those fourth-liners themselves, their way hockey as a trio over 11 games or so through Christmas, of late the agents and their families, and probably Travis Green. Beagle, Tim Schaller, Tyler Motte trio is significantly underwater in a way that compromises the entire team’s game at five-on-five. I predicted they’d get 30 goals (they won’t). I’ve documented their good games at length. I’ve suggested that Jay Beagle’s injury crucially hurt the Loui’s 36th club’s form at five-on-five. Yes, it was an empty-net goal. Yes, he’s no Josh Leivo. Over the past few games, though, they’ve been struggling. Still, Loui Eriksson has genuinely been a godsend for the Canucks’ They know it. Green knows it. You and I know it. second line.

It’s really at the point where they’re hurting the Canucks. Like, their form It’s hard to believe, but look at the positive two-way impact Eriksson has has been borderline unplayable. seemed to have on the shot-attempt differential of Pearson and Horvat — who were trending in the wrong direction for a spell immediately before I was legitimately stunned that Green gave them another shot Saturday Christmas: in Buffalo, to be honest. After the Florida trip, though, the Canucks coach explained that he wanted to give his preferred forward group one more (Courtesy of MoneyPuck.com) chance. I wouldn’t go as far as Wags, but Eriksson has provided the Canucks with some genuine utility. He even has three goals and five points in nine games since joining Vancouver’s top-six forward group.

The two-way work is legitimate, the production probably isn’t. Forget the PDO that’s over 104 and just look at the captions on Eriksson’s goal highlights on NHL.com:

Still, you’ve got to give it to the much-maligned, overpaid Canucks winger. He’s been legitimately helpful in the wake of Leivo’s injury, and he’s stepped up when the Canucks needed a body. Yes, we’re all surprised:

Honest Marky

It wasn’t Jacob Markstrom’s best game by any means — he’s set a pretty high bar for that over the past 12 months — but it was a solid bounce- back performance after his nightmare outing against Tampa Bay earlier this week.

And Markstrom was pretty affable afterward. He was certainly honest.

I asked him whether he didn’t start Thursday against the Panthers because the Canucks were giving him a “reset” and he suggested that it was a simple coach’s decision.

“When they want me to play, I play,” Markstrom said. “You guys know me, you know I want to play a lot of hockey. They went with Demmer (Thatcher Demko) and I have to just work hard in practice and get ready for when they want me to play, and that was tonight.”

He also acknowledged that on Buffalo’s second goal, which he complained about in real time, he had a sense that it wasn’t really a high stick.

You can see him skate with the official around his net following that goal:

“No,” Markstrom deadpanned, laughing.

“Maybe,” he continued, being a bit reflective. “I mean, it’s tough, too, because I’m going down, so I think the stick is over my head, but I’m kind of crunched down a little bit to get my elbow up. So I think the puck is going to miss the net, go over the net and the stick is obviously a bit in front of me.

“The ref looked at it, made a good call.”

The Minnesota return

It was suggested to Boeser that he was heating up just in time to return to his hometown in Minnesota.

He laughed heartily, then reached back and knocked on the wooden locker room stall behind him.

“I hope so,” he said.

To laughs, Boeser suggested that he had “no idea” how many friends and family he has coming to the game against the Minnesota Wild on Sunday afternoon.

He then proceeded to call out one person who he knows for sure will be there.

“It’s exciting to be there, to have my whole family and my dad there to watch,” Boeser said, smiling widely.

Some things in life just matter more.

Have a game, Brock.

The Athletic LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170774 Websites The hit that caused Kassian to come up swinging is sneaky dirty — which we are fine with, because it didn’t injure anyone. But when you track a player coming around the net, who is engaged with a checker, and you meet him on the other side with a huge hit, well, that is a hit the league Sportsnet.ca / Battle of Alberta re-ignited with Kassian, Tkachuk post- has actively tried to remove from the game. game shots “It’s like Raffi Torres-style,” Kassian said. “If you’re going to hit like that you have to answer the bell once and a while. I’m not the first guy to say that.” Mark Spector Personally? I’m fine with the hit, despite the league’s wishes. It wasn’t a January 12, 2020, 2:23 AM head shot and Tkachuk didn’t leave his feet.

But if you’re going to throw the hit, and continually label the biggest man CALGARY — Oh boy, how we’ve missed you, Battle of Alberta. on opposition, one should engage that player when he comes up fighting.

Fast, crisp, 4-3 hockey. If you want any respect from your fellow players, that is.

Big, edgy hits, with great quotes post-game. Home of the Oilers

And a hell of a fight… Oh, wait. Stream all 82 Oilers games this season with Sportsnet NOW. Get over 500 NHL games, blackout-free, including Hockey Night in Canada, all “He’s just a young punk that has to figure that aspect out in the game,” outdoor games, the All-Star Game, 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs and more. Edmonton’s Zack Kassian said of Calgary’s Matthew Tkachuk, after another Flames-Oilers game where Tkachuk played uber-physical yet Or the referees, who declined to throw Kassian out of the game because refused an invitation to fight. “It’s sad because he’s a pretty good player they know the game within the game. Or the linesmen, who allowed but he’s a (expletive).” Kassian to rag-doll Tkachuk, raining 10 unanswered punches on the Flames winger while he tried to protect his head, gloves cemented on. FANTASY POOL ALERT! “I’d have liked to have seen the linesmen get in there a little earlier,” said Play the Sportsnet Fantasy Hockey Pool presented by RAM for your Flames interim head coach Geoff Ward. chance to drive away with a 2020 RAM 1500 Sport or win cash prizes! It's FREE and easy to play! He’d never say it, but we’re betting he wouldn’t mind seeing his young gun show a little more honour. But whatever — the Battle of Alberta has The truth is, Tkachuk is exactly what this latent rivalry has lacked for so always been at its best when no one cares about honour or codes, or long — a skating, hitting, turtling stick of dynamite that ignited the Battle what anyone on the other team thinks about them. of Alberta once again on Saturday. He tracked down Kassian in the first period and labelled him, sending Kassian’s helmet flying. The offshoot of all this was the most emotional Edmonton-Calgary game in ages, or since the last time Tkachuk stirred things up and turtled. Then Tkachuk took a long, hard run at the Oilers winger in the second period, as Kassian came around the net and was engaged with a Flames Now, the run-up to a pair of games on Jan. 28 and Feb. 1 will be pure defenceman. Kassian insisted he had no problem with being hit hard — “I gold. love that stuff!” — but frowned on the fact Tkachuk would not engage him It’s back, baby. The Battle is back. in a fight after the second hit.

“If you’re going to hit like that you have to answer the bell every once in a while. Especially one, two, three in the game,” said Kassian. “In the third Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 01.12.2020 he followed me into the corner, right? He’s clearly trying to target me, which I like. I’m standing here. I love that stuff.”

Kassian likes Tkachuk’s game — who doesn’t? He doesn’t approve of Tkachuk’s unwillingness to fight, questioning Tkachuk’s courage with a euphemism that has replaced the word “chicken” in the hockey vocabulary.

“It’s sad because he’s a pretty good player but he’s a (expletive), to be honest. Straight up. That’s the definition of it. Wouldn’t fight me two years ago. Said I was a fourth-liner. Now I have 13 goals.

“What’s the excuse now?”

The worst part for Edmonton? Kassian received a double-minor, the Flames made it 4-3 with a power-play goal 39 seconds into the third period, and the Oilers couldn’t muster another goal.

So, Dave Tippett, should Kassian have come up swinging after that hit?

Sign up for NHL newsletters

Get the best of our NHL coverage and exclusives delivered directly to your inbox!

“I’d like to see him get a number,” the Oilers head coach said. “You’re in a tight game, it’s 3-3, get a number and deal with it later. Deal with winning the game.”

Then he added. “I wish we could have killed the penalty for him.”

There won’t be a player on this Oilers team who will speak ill of Kassian, a player who protects all of them on the few occasions such actions are required in today’s game. Now, as Tkachuk shows us, pretty much everything we’ve come to know about honour among big men is nonexistent in today’s NHL.

What are our thoughts? Glad you asked. 1170775 Websites 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.

Sportsnet.ca / Flames' Tkachuk gets last laugh after polarizing battle with Oilers fans can’t comprehend how Tkachuk wasn’t penalized for the hit, Kassian or how he can continue playing the way he does without repercussion.

The debate, finger-pointing, and provincial mudslinging will rage on for weeks. Eric Francis Kassian’s antics came with two minutes left in the second period of a 3-3 January 12, 2020, 2:35 AM game that had a little bit of everything…except the fireworks the provincial battle was once known for.

Enter Tkachuk, with a hit so hard on a prone, engaged Kassian that it CALGARY – Even after the final whistle blew, Matthew Tkachuk chose knocked his helmet off. not to hold back on Zack Kassian. Lindholm’s second of the game came on the ensuing power play, 39 “If he doesn’t want to get hit, then stay off the tracks,” said the Calgary seconds into the third period, setting the stage for all four Flames lines Flames winger of his second-favourite NHL target. and goalie Cam Talbot to shut the door on the Oilers two lines. “I caught him three times there – you think he’d learn after the first one. If Kassian’s return to the ice halfway through the final frame included a he wants to react that way we’ll take the power play, we’ll take the game- third hellacious hit on him by Tkachuk, followed minutes later by a brief winner, and we’ll move on to first place.” discussion with Milan Lucic which likely included a warning to avoid Home of the Flames Tkachuk.

Stream all 82 Flames games this season with Sportsnet NOW. Get over Or else. 500 NHL games, blackout-free, including Hockey Night in Canada, all Now that would be a fight no one would disagree on. outdoor games, the All-Star Game, 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs and more. Senior Writer Ryan Dixon and NHL Editor Rory Boylen always give it As the dust settled on one of the most entertaining, hard-hitting and 110%, but never rely on clichés when it comes to podcasting. Instead, intense Battles of Alberta in decades, Tkachuk’s summation was bang they use a mix of facts, fun and a varied group of hockey voices to cover on. Canada’s most beloved game. Kassian’s double-minor and misconduct penalties for rag dolling Tkachuk It could happen as early as Jan. 29 when the lads will reconvene in following the second of three hellacious hits on the rugged Oilers forward Edmonton before a bounce-back meeting in Calgary on Feb. 1. set up Elias Lindholm’s game-winning goal in a 4-3 Calgary win. Maybe the schedule-makers got this right after all. Just like Nov. 2018, when Kassian received a triple-minor (baby-steps) for failing to entice Tkachuk into engaging, the Flames agitator had Oilers “Chucky was great for us tonight,” said Johnny Gaudreau, whose 13th of nation in a tizzy for refusing to drop his mitts. Again. the year was an answer to Connor McDavid’s latest Picasso ten minutes earlier. The debate raged on after the game over whether its incumbent on Tkachuk to eventually “answer” for his physicality by agreeing to get “He was laying the body on him. I guess that’s all I’m going to say about pummeled by a trained assassin who got a half-dozen lefts in on that.” Tkachuk as he threw the Flame around. Few others bit their tongues, including Oilers coach Dave Tippett, who “I’m not fighting him,” smirked Tkachuk, who punctuated the scene by understood Kassian’s rage, but agreed it essentially cost them first place flexing his left arm as he skated past the Oilers bench. in the Pacific division.

“Tough little trade-off there.” “It was a hit and a reaction and we had to kill the penalty and we didn’t, said Tippett, whose club entered the game tied with Calgary thanks to a At the same time as Tkachuk rubbed salt in the wound, Kassian’s three game winning string that preceded the showdown. trademarked over-exuberance was on display in the Oilers locker room where he had a string of choice words for Tkachuk, saying he wished it “Kass, I would like to see him get a number. It’s a tight game, 3-3, get a was a playoff series so he could return the favor in a couple of days. number and deal with it later.”

“There was a lot up for grabs tonight so you have to do whatever it takes Oh, he will. to win,” shrugged Tkachuk, who rocked Kassian three times with the type of targeted, yet clean hits, he generally reserves for Drew Doughty. Well, at least, he’ll try.

“That is part of my game. If I don’t do that I’m not the same player. Right now the puck isn’t going in the way it was at the beginning of the year, Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 01.12.2020 but you’ve got to be that type of player where you can provide stuff other than that. I think these are games I needed to play like that tonight. I needed to be physical and not pass up on a hit.”

Several Flames players clearly delighted in seeing Tkachuk at his familial best, but perhaps none more than Rasmus Andersson who took to the Fan 960 afterward to roast Kassian and stoke the fire.

“They’ve got a lot of pretenders out there – it’s really nice to beat those guys,” he said.

“That’s one of the biggest coward moves I’ve ever seen from Kassian. We make guys like that pay. That was a coward move…that’s the kind of player he is.”

Beatdowns are apparently all in the eye of the beholder.

To demonstrate just how polarizing the battle and its latest hijinks are, Flames fans are puzzled how Kassian was able to remain in the game for gooning it up. 1170776 Websites And then there’s this, which says much about this group: Kovalchuk seemed quite touched as he talked about how openly he’s been embraced since touching down midway through this epic storm.

Sportsnet.ca / Kovalchuk's skid-snapping OT winner the feel-good goal of “It’s a great atmosphere in this locker room,” the Russian said. “I said that Canadiens' season from the first minute I came in. The guys (were) unbelievable (with me).

“They were warm to welcome me, so open, and I felt like I’ve been here for so much time (but) I’ve just been here for a week.” Eric Engels GM Bergevin felt Kovalchuk might be able to make a difference and January 12, 2020, 12:05 AM called his acquisition a “no-risk” move back on Jan. 3.

We thought it couldn’t hurt, given the absence of top-nine forwards Jonathan Drouin, Brendan Gallagher, Joel Armia and Paul Byron, but we OTTAWA — Ilya Kovalchuk was waiting to hit the airwaves with TVA never imagined Kovalchuk would come in and be given a top-line role, be Sports’ Renaud Lavoie following his overtime goal to break an eight- depended on for 20 minutes per game and be capable of producing game winless streak for the Montreal Canadiens when he locked eyes much of anything. with Marc Bergevin. You can’t help but smile about the fact that he’s got three assists — and The smiles on their faces could light up the sky. possibly the most important goal the team has scored all season — to his Two minutes later, Kovalchuk walked by Hockey Night in Canada’s setup name in his four games in uniform. outside the visiting locker room at Canadian Tire Centre, opened up the And if it wasn’t the most important goal (because most people around door, and the Canadiens just erupted. “Kovy! Kovy! Kovy!” they chanted, town feel the Canadiens might be better-served losing games and slamming the benches to amplify their clapping. increasing their draft-lottery odds than winning and doing the opposite Techno music blared, laughs were audible on top of it, and the first win in when it seems hopeless they’ll make the playoffs), it was the feel-good 18 days was relished and savoured for just a few precious minutes goal of the season. before the room opened to the media. “I think, for everybody, it was kind of a big-time relief,” said Montreal “It definitely feels good, it’s been a long time,” said Canadiens captain coach Claude Julien. “If (he doesn’t score) it just keeps getting heavier Shea Weber before offering this sobering thought: “Now we’re going to and heavier. have to keep it rolling, otherwise it can go back the other way.” “So there’s a huge relief. There’s no doubt about that. That’s why the The Canadiens aren’t under any illusions that this win meant anything guys are so happy…” more than any of the others they’ve notched this season. When Never mind that the Canadiens are still seven points out of the Eastern goaltender Carey Price said afterwards that “winning solves all Conference’s second wild-card position, forget that they rank sixth in the problems,” he was referring to the mood in the room—and certainly not Atlantic Division and remain nine points back of the third-place Toronto suggesting that Montreal’s current standing in the Eastern Conference Maple Leafs. suddenly appears palatable after a 2-1 win over an Ottawa Senators team that came into the game four points behind Montreal and having A win is a win, and these guys deserved to enjoy it. lost six straight times.

But yeah, if the Canadiens seemed overjoyed when Kovalchuk — the 36- year-old whose NHL career was hanging by spider’s silk before he inked Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 01.12.2020 a two-way deal worth pennies on the dollar with a desperate, injury- plagued Montreal team — came down the left side of the ice, cut to the middle and wired a wrist shot by Marcus Hogberg‘s glove, it’s because they were.

“It’s a lot better than losing,” said Price, who made 41 saves and was only beat on a play that bounced off teammate Matthew Peca’s stick and into his net.

About that: Peca one-timed a shot for a quality scoring chance Hogberg shut down, and then he booked it back to his end of the rink to stop Drake Batherson from cutting to the middle of the ice and getting off a shot that could potentially tie the game with less than seven minutes to go in the third period.

Can you imagine how it felt for him — playing in his first game since suffering a knee injury on Dec. 10 — to make a good play and still have it cost his team a pivotal goal? His team, which had blown third period leads in consecutive games and essentially lost each of its last eight by a goal (in two of Montreal’s losses over their skid, their opponents scored empty-netters)?

“I think that just kind of describes how the last few games have been going,” said Canadiens forward Ryan Poehling, who played a big hand in shutting down Ottawa’s power play on three separate occasions in the third period.

“But I think it was different in how we reacted about it,” Poehling continued. “It’s not about what happens to you, it’s about how you respond to it.”

When you think about the last three weeks in Montreal — the misery that comes with losing so often, and the outright dejection that comes with an unimpeachable effort going repeatedly unrewarded — you can’t say the Canadiens weren’t responding well.

They stood up and took responsibility, they never let down and they stuck together. 1170777 Websites "Looch, he had that balance of when to step up and say something in a direct way, or maybe a not so direct way."

Lucic and the Flames were enjoying a dinner at Ditka’s Restaurant in Sportsnet.ca / Flames' Lucic played unique role in development of now- Chicago on a Flames dads trip earlier this week when they all saw rival Oilers McDavid score that wicked goal in Toronto. Lucic simply shrugged.

"When I saw that, I wasn’t even surprised that he pulled it off," Lucic chuckled. "He did exactly what he was trying to do. He was baiting the Mark Spector guy, and as soon as (Morgan) Rielly crossed his feet over, boom. He goes the other way and it was in the net." January 11, 2020, 4:47 PM Playing against McDavid Saturday night will be cool, though Lucic’s

advice ended there. CALGARY — Milan Lucic leaned comfortably against a table in the "I’ve seen guys shadow him, and he finds a way to score. I’ve seen Calgary Flames dressing room, talking about his time on the other end of defencemen try to skate forward with him, and he still finds a way to the Battle of Alberta, when someone asked if a front-row seat watching score," he said. Connor McDavid for three seasons had taught him anything. "That’s what makes him a generational player." "I learned what I’m not capable of doing myself," he said, before joining the rest of the scrum in a self-deprecating laugh.

While McDavid wears the captain’s ‘C’ in Edmonton, and Leon Draisaitl Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 01.12.2020 an ‘A’, it was widely known that Lucic helped both develop their leadership skills. That wasn’t supposed to be the legacy Lucic left in Edmonton, but, as it turns out, it’s likely worth more than you’d think.

With a Hockey Night in Canada battle set for Saturday night — McDavid’s first return to the building where he suffered that major knee injury in Game 82 last season — the Oilers captain looked back at his time with Lucic, who sat next to him in the dressing room, more often as counsel than as his left-winger.

"We’re different guys," McDavid said. "He’s a little bit more vocal, and he’s been around a long time. He can say some things, he’ll tell you how it is.

"He’s just a pro who knows how to carry himself each and every day. That’s something I learned from him."

Lucic learned early on that he wasn’t going to teach McDavid much about playing the game. Running a National Hockey League dressing room, however, that’s a different story.

"I kind of just let him do his thing, trying to support him from the leadership standpoint when I was there more than anything. I didn’t really give him too much advice as far as what he should do with the puck or without the puck or on the PP," Lucic said.

How would Lucic define McDavid’s leadership style?

"He was more of a positive type of guy. He wants to lead the way and wants guys to go with him," Lucic said. "He’s not the guy that comes in and says, ‘You need to be better, you need to be better…’ He’s the type that’s more of the positive, everyone-come-along type of guy."

Today and for the foreseeable future, McDavid and Draisaitl will be the core of the leadership group in Edmonton. That means there will always be a little piece of Lucic inside that Oilers room.

"He’s won," said Draisaitl. "His preparation, his passion for the game… He just loved it so much. He’s had a great career, and you learn from guys like that. He was awesome with all of us."

Sign up for NHL newsletters

Get the best of our NHL coverage and exclusives delivered directly to your inbox!

Lucic watched as the two young Oilers found their way as letter-wearing players. They both came a long way, though we would submit that neither McDavid, who turns 23 on Monday, nor the 24-year-old Draisaitl have reached the point in their career where they are a Mark Messier-like presence inside the room.

"To be honest, I would say Leon is probably more direct and harder on guys than Connor is," Lucic said, "but they’re both positive in their own ways."

Draisaitl chuckled at that assessment.

"It’s not Connor’s personality to yell at someone — to yell at anyone, in any way," said Draisaitl. "Sometimes something needs to be said, and sometimes it needs to be said in a more direct way. And sometimes it has to be said in a not so direct way. 1170778 Websites is about the team, but also recognizing, as I explained to him, that so many other things that he does are important for us, that lessening his load on the power-play may serve the greater good, and he recognizes that.” Sportsnet.ca / Quick Shifts: 'Heart and soul' Rielly pushes through pain for Maple Leafs 2. The Frederik Andersen that smashed his helmet on the bench and got curt with a reporter following what he felt was a premature pull in the Leafs’ 6-4 loss to the Edmonton Oilers Monday night barely resembled the Andersen we saw at practice Tuesday morning. Chatty and happy, Luke Fox he held court with a few reporters for a good long stretch. January 11, 2020, 8:30 AM He’s a competitive man that hates to abandon the fight — but he flushed it fast.

A quick mix of the things we gleaned from the week of hockey, serious Keefe typically allows goalie coach Steve Briere to do the bulk of and less so, and rolling four lines deep. This week’s column was written communication. Keefe spoke to Andersen on the bench immediately after while looking right and dekeing left. pulling him but understood that wasn’t enough.

1. Morgan Rielly has never played so many minutes. So, the coach brought his No. 1 into his office prior to Tuesday’s practice to explain his decision: he didn’t like watching the players giving up the And it’s never been more difficult for Rielly to play those minutes. Grade-A chances that wear Andersen down, he wanted to grab the skaters’ attention and the club is trying to pick spots for backup Michael As the Toronto Maple Leafs’ most-used and most-loyal defenceman told Hutchinson to pick up some slack and gain traction of his own. Jonas Siegel of The Athletic, he has battled “a pretty significant amount of pain” in his lower body while averaging a career- and team-high 23:53 “I just wanted to make sure I spent some time to elaborate on my brief every night for the Maple Leafs. conversation with him (on the bench). He was really good about it and understood it, recognizes it,” Keefe said. “If we’re going to talk about He’s had an MRI. He hasn’t skipped a game. managing Freddy’s workload, I don’t see any reason why he should’ve He’s taken multiple practices off, most recently an easy go during been in the net anymore in that game. Thursday’s outdoor 3-on-3 exhibition at Nathan Phillips Square. “We’re trying to trying to get Freddy at a manageable number (of games And he hasn’t grumbled once, at least publicly, as he’s watched friend played).” and current partner Tyson Barrie take over his spot on the club’s lethal Mitchell Marner was asked if he chooses to let his friend cool after an top power-play unit. emotional loss like that or if he tries talking to him right away. “Mo is a special guy, special player. He’s the heart and soul of this team. “I texted him (that) night asking if he wanted to play video games. But I Guys love him in the room, and he’s battling some things, but he never think you kind of just let him calm down. We let him out to dry,” Marner complains about it,” Barrie said. “I love the guy, and I think everybody replied. “It’s unfair to Freddy, the amount of times he saved us this year, feels that way.” to do that to him.” Kasperi Kapanen echoes the sentiment. The natural follow-up: Which video game? “It just says he’s a pretty big warrior, and he’s just a really big part of our “Nothing really one game. I got a couple. I’m not saying anymore group,” Kapanen said. “That’s reason why he hasn’t been really skipping because everyone just keeps messaging me asking me to play with any games, and it’s huge for us. We need a guy like that on our team, them, so I’m keeping it dark now,” Marner said. and he’s a big presence in the locker room too. So, hats off to him.” “He was actually playing a different game. I ain’t saying any games or For months, Rielly, now the longest-tenured Leaf, has played his cards anything.” close to the chest — which is not a bad strategy under the Toronto microscope. 3. For 48 hours, the only thing hockey fans around Toronto wanted to talk about was Connor McDavid’s goal. You know the one. Hockey culture tells players not to make excuses. To suck it up when you’re not at your best, or — this week — when the best player on the With his tour de force performance Wednesday, I couldn’t help but planet posterizes you on national TV. wonder if Auston Matthews almost took it a little personally that another superstar strolled into his building and ran the show. But for the first time in seven NHL seasons, Rielly has seen his personal results plummet. Beast-mode Matthews is something to behold, and naturally his dying- seconds one-timer gained praise. But he nearly scored on a between- It’s a result of a crazy-low shooting percentage (2.5); the aforementioned the-legs shot at speed. injury; the high standard he set in 2018-19’s breakout (which resulted in a high number of Norris, NHL All-Star and Lady Byng votes); the removal This is a guy who has already twice attempted “The Svech” this season. of a security-blanket partner in Ron Hainsey; and, now, decreased He craves highlights, thrives off creativity. power-play time. Matthews also back-checked like a hound and had a game-high three “It says just how committed he is to the team. That’s a big one. It speaks takeaways in that game. to his character and just the leadership,” head coach Sheldon Keefe said. For all the scrutiny Matthews receives for his defensive game, the 22- For all the justified press Keefe has received for boosting the non-Mike year-old now has 50 takeaways. Only Selke finalist Mark Stone has more Babcock guys like Jason Spezza and Barrie, it’s worth noting that Rielly (63). was a Babcock guy. 4. Some weeks I just feel extra lucky to have the job I do. This was one The former coach would never have demoted him to PP2. of them.

“He’s a team-first guy and he’s out there doing everything he can for us, Seeing the McDavid goal unfold in real time Monday at Scotiabank and we’re happy he’s feeling a little bit better these days. He’s an Arena, then that exhilarating 3-on-3 exhibition between the Leafs and the important guy for our team,” said Keefe, the one who had to tell Rielly to Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday was a blessing. sacrifice his own assists for the sake of Barrie’s mojo. As glowingly a review was made of that 3-on-3 OT, the ensuing shootout “Right from my very first discussion with him, he’s recognized the wasn’t too shabby. importance of it in terms of getting Barrie more involved in what was happening and accepted that very well. And since then, his attitude Blake Wheeler’s chin-strap-snapping, helmet-tipping celebration after towards it has been very good. foiling Andersen with a change of gears for the fourth-round winner was beautifully arrogant. I loved it: “He and Barrie have taken really good steps, with more consistency. Most importantly, Morgan with his attitude, has really shown that he really Following the victory, Wheeler gave a nice, detailed account of his Lundqvist starts Saturday versus the St. Louis Blues, Georgiev backs up shootout strategy on that particular snipe: and Shesterkin wears the civvies.

“I saw with the first few guys, (Andersen) was playing pretty deep in the The Rangers are a step below the Metropolitan powers and should be net, so I tried to show him a little bit of speed and back him off, and then sellers. It’ll be fascinating to watch GM Jeff Gorton’s next move. slow down on him. Our goalies tell us all the time, ‘It’s so hard when you’re stopped on the goal line and you’re trying to read what’s coming 9. The Svech is having a trickle-down effect, folks. Here’s betting we’re next.’ going to see two of these a season throughout the 2020s.

“So, from there, I think the goalies are just trying to get big and take away 10. When the Jets cruised through Madison Square Garden last season, the bottom part of the net, and you know that five-hole will get open. So I Maurice threw three of his most dangerous weapons — Scheifele, was able to sneak it through just quick enough.” Wheeler and Kyle Connor — over the boards for puck drop.

5. A nice touch by Wheeler ahead of Wednesday’s ceremonial puck Rangers coach David Quinn countered with Marc Staal… “and some kid drop. named Pionk,” Maurice recalls. “And I’m thinking, ‘This is going to be really good for us,’ and we’re down 3-0 after two. Who is this kid? We With eight members of Team Canada’s golden world junior squad had a look at him up close there. walking the blue carpet to drop a ceremonial puck at the Jets-Leafs one- anthem game, Winnipeg’s American captain suggested Kitchener, Ont.– “You’re walking off the bench thinking, ‘Who the hell is Neal Pionk? And born Mark Scheifele glide to centre ice in his stead. why’s he shutting down our No. 1 line?’ ”

“I was pretty happy to do that,” said Scheifele, who was glued to Since trading cap-crunching Jacob Trouba for Pionk in the off-season, Sunday’s final. “It was pretty cool to see. It’s always awesome when the Jets have been “exceptionally pleased” with their unsung return. Canada wins and pretty gutsy when by them.” Despite getting thrown together with a mixture of D partners and having So you get a photo op with Akil Thomas & Co. plus Scheifele and Leafs his fitness tested by a career-high usage (23:18), the consistent Pionk is captain John Tavares, who have four world junior tournaments and three posting personal bests in points (29), plus/minus (+5) and Corsi (51 per medals between them. cent).

6. It’s interesting that only five days prior to Peter Laviolette’s firing, he Maurice uses the name Joshua Morrissey when describing Pionk’s puck- took time to explain his key to growing as a coach. moving style. Anytime you’re being compared to the club’s best defenceman, it’s a pretty good look. “If you’re passionate about what you do as far as being a coach, like if you love what you do and you’re passionate about what you do, that’s 11. We’re past the halfway mark, and potential Hall of Famer Phil Kessel probably the best influence that you can have on your team,” Laviolette has nine goals, 18 assists and is a team-worst (by a mile) minus-18 for said. the Arizona Coyotes. Only three of his goals have arrived at even strength, and he’s on track for his worst stat line in 12 years. “I’ve learned that players want to go out on the ice, and they want to work hard, and they want to have fun. I think your job as a coach is to let them Sure, an 8.7 shooting percentage explains some of the drop-off, but do that. So that’s always been kind of a mindset for me: to do the best yikes. that you can to, to bring passion to the game to inspire people, to 12. The Maple Leafs held a skills-only session Tuesday, splitting their motivate people, and then let them go on the ice and have some fun.” forwards and defencemen onto two separate pads.

Maurice, the best dry wit in the biz, considered the list of respected At one point, six coaches were working with the six Maple Leafs coaches who’ve all lost employment this season, specifically lifers like defenders on breakouts and puck retrievals — a student-to-teacher ratio Laviolette, Peter DeBoer and Mike Babcock. that would embarrass the Toronto District School Board.

“I’m concerned about the trend. They’re coming for you one day, right? “The more the better, especially when working with smaller groups like All of us, no matter what, you’re going to get fired,” Maurice said. that,” Keefe said of his posse of helper elves. “We’re very fortunate to “All three of those guys are coming back. The difference is now they’ve have development coaches with very good expertise and experience, all got huge contracts that they’re sitting on at home and enjoying some beyond what we focus on as coaches every single day. So it’s a Christmas — and when they come back, they’re probably making more.” different voice and, in some cases, a more specialized voice in terms of what they what they’re working on.” 7. Great final question by Jeff Marek to Maurice, wondering if there has ever been a ruling worth losing $20,000 over. In the slog that is 82-game grind, Keefe believes skills development can give his group both a mental and physical break from the constant talk of Better answer by the coach (watch below), who once bought a diamond systems. Plus, when all the drills are 5-on-5, individuals don’t get as for his wife with fine money he wanted to spend on blasting an official. many puck touches. Instead he bit his lip and named the diamond after the referee. Marner describes it as an energizing reset. “True story,” he said. “It’ll show up in games and make a big difference,” Justin Holl added. 8. Wild week for Igor Shesterkin, the highly anticipated New York “Even though we’re at highest level, there’s things we need to improve Rangers goaltending prospect and presumed heir to The King’s throne. upon, so there’s no reason we shouldn’t be doing it.” The Russian celebrated his 24th birthday, was named to the AHL all-star game and was victorious in his NHL debut (he won his second start, too). There is a benefit to introducing new skills as well as refining and reinforcing basic ones, like making quick pulls off the boards for a fast The day he was called up from the AHL, Shesterkin ranked first in goals- first pass. against average (1.93), second in save percentage (.932), second in wins (15) and third in shutouts (3). “Those details get lost over the course of the season,” Keefe said. “(When) you’re always working at big-picture things and structural things, He could no longer be denied, and the Rangers must see what they have always working with five players together, you lose the detail. in the 24-year-old ahead of the trade deadline. “It’s a time to really identify certain areas of the game that important or As a result, we have ourselves an intriguing crowded-crease dilemma. it’s just about getting the players a lot of feel, a lot of touches in a short amount of time.” Henrik Lundqvist won’t be going anywhere, and 23-year-old backup Alexandar Georgiev (career .913 save percentage) is no longer waivers exempt. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 01.12.2020 Georgiev is the final season of a cap-friendly deal ($792,500) and surely would get scooped if he hit the wire.

This is a spicy one. 1170779 Websites Saturday, the Canucks had the better goaltending and earned themselves a much-needed two points.

5) I liked the Canucks third period on Saturday. They pushed the pace TSN.CA / Five Takeaways: Vancouver Canucks @ Buffalo Sabres and forced the issue. J.T. Miller's goal was the result of solid forechecking and back-pressure that forced Sabres defenceman Jake McCabe into an ill-advised turnover early in the period. Boeser and Chris Tanev worked a pretty give and go for the eventual game winner and Jeff Paterson Tyler Motte set-up a streaking Jake Virtanen with a nifty backhand pass through the slot as the Canucks turned up the heat on Buffalo and the Sabres wilted. The Canucks held a 13-10 shot advantage in the third TAKEAWAYS which correctly suggests they carried the play despite an expected Buffalo push that never really materialized. According to Natural Stat 1) Greetings from Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Sure, it's an Trick, the even-strength scoring chances favoured the visitors 8-3 in the odd place to be writing a recap of the Canucks 6-3 win in Buffalo on third period. And a solid final frame in which the Canucks pulled away Saturday afternoon. But despite unseasonably mid-January weather in from their opponent and locked down the win should provide a little northern New York State (it was 17 degrees celsius outside in Buffalo at momentum for Sunday's game in St. Paul. the 1:00 p.m. local time puck drop) Mother Nature made it impossible to fly from Buffalo through Chicago and on to Minnesota where the Canucks face the Wild on Sunday afternoon. My flight through the Windy City was cancelled late Friday night and I was re-booked through Charlotte -- TSN.CA LOADED: 01.12.2020 which if you look on a map is in no way en route to Minneapolis. But there were few flight options out of Buffalo on a Saturday night and with the potential of more weather issues playing havoc with travel on gameday Sunday, I opted for what I hope is the best Plan B possible. So it was a race from KeyBank Center to the airport to catch a flight four and half hours after the opening face-off. I made it with a few minutes to spare and my Saturday night adventure began. After a two-hour layover in Charlotte, I am scheduled to catch a 10:00 p.m. direct flight to Minneapolis and with the time zone change granting me an hour, I should be on the ground in Minnesota moments before midnight. It's far from ideal -- Chicago would have been a considerably more user friendly route -- but these things are out of the traveller's control. Moving about North America during the winter months is part of the job description and you have to be able to adapt and roll with the punches. And that's what today has been all about. Okay, on to hockey...

2) The Canucks were full value for their victory against the Sabres. With a pair of goals from Brock Boeser and singles from Bo Horvat and J.T. Miller, the Canucks best offensive players came to play and left their fingerprints all over the win. That's not to discount the contributions of others, but the Canucks needed a response after their two losses in Florida and they got it from their top end producers. While Boeser, Horvat and Miller have all found the back of the net with regularity this season, today was the first time since Nov. 21 in Nashville that those three had scored in the same game. The Canucks beat the Preds that night in Music City and they certainly didn't want the combined efforts of their top players to go to waste today.

3) The Canucks found a way to break a close game wide open after having that done to them by both the Lightning and Panthers. On Tuesday in Tampa, it was a 2-2 game late in the second before the Bolts jolted the Canucks with seven unanswered goals. On Thursday, after a tough start that saw them fall behind 2-0 on the first two shots of the hockey game, the Canucks answered and pulled within a goal at 2-1. Then the Panthers pulled away en route to a 5-2 victory. Saturday in Buffalo, the Canucks spotted the Sabres a 1-0 lead, but then had leads of 2-1 and 3-2 before the Sabres tied the game 3-3 early in the third. But there was resolve in the Canucks game on Saturday that wasn't there in either game in Florida. Now part of that was the fact the Sabres are reeling with just three wins now in their last dozen games. But Buffalo had answers earlier in the game, but the Canucks pulled away when Brock Boeser scored his second of the game at 6:24 of the third and Jake Virtanen extended the lead a minute and 14 seconds later. Boeser had two goals on the day and now has three in his last two outings. With plenty of talk in the market about what's wrong with the Canucks forward, I'd suggest with 16 goals and 43 points in 45 games the answer is absolutely nothing.

4) Let's be honest, the Canucks caught a break when Sabres head coach Ralph Krueger tabbed back-up Carter Hutton to start on Saturday. Hutton had not won any of his previous 10 starts (0-6-4) and carried an 89.4 save percentage into the game. The Canucks lit Hutton up for six the last time the teams met on Dec. 7 at Rogers Arena. On Saturday afternoon, they pumped five past the 34-year-old who looks like he's playing his way right out of the league. The Canucks don't need to apologize for the fact they saw a shaky Sabres netminder. They took full advantage and made the most of the opportunity. The Canucks believe goaltending is one of their team strengths regardless who they run with in a give game. On 1170780 Websites early, get out and about on the beach, walk around and just get away from it.

More minutes early in games helping Matthews get his mojo going TSN.CA / More minutes early in games gives Auston Matthews Since Sheldon Keefe took over as head coach, Auston Matthews' ice momentum time has steadily increased. Not only is he on the ice more, he's also on the ice earlier in the game, which has put him on pace for career-highs in goals and points. Mark Masters reports. Mark Masters Out since Dec. 4 with a leg injury, Andreas Johnsson skated on the fourth line in practice splitting reps with Dmytro Timashov.

TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in daily with news and notes "They (told) me that the pain is probably not going to go away for a on the Maple Leafs, who practiced at BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida on while," Johnsson revealed, "but it feels good on the ice and we did a Saturday. correction to the skate and some extra protection so everything's been feeling good out there." Auston Matthews is playing more under Sheldon Keefe, but it's when the new coach is feeding the star centre additional minutes that is helping Will Johnsson play tomorrow against the Panthers? generate momentum in his game. "I don't know," the left winger said with a smile. "Maybe." "It helps a lot especially early in the game when you're feeling it," Matthews said, "you get the puck, get a couple chances and you kind of Johnsson is officially listed as day-to-day. get your mojo going and you're just all over the ice. It helps. You want to "Not sure exactly where that's at," Keefe said. "We're going to talk to the get out there more and more." medical staff and see how he is tomorrow." During an interview on TSN 1050's OverDrive program on Friday, Keefe Winger Trevor Moore also participated in practice, but isn't ready to said he's comfortable with his top players logging between seven and return while defenceman Jake Muzzin (broken foot) is also on the trip, eight minutes in the opening period. but did not hit the ice. "It gives them a chance to really establish themselves in the game," the Leafs Ice Chips: Soaking up the sun as Johnsson gets close to return coach explained, "that's been important to me, get those guys on the ice early and get them feeling it and give them a chance to put our team in a Andreas Johnsson traveled with the Maple Leafs to Florida, but there's good spot." no guarantee that he'll return to action against the Panthers. The winger was mum on his status following Saturday's skate, while head coach Toronto has scored first in 13 of 22 games since Keefe took over for Mike Sheldon Keefe said he'd have to consult the medical staff before making Babcock. Matthews, meanwhile, has seen his average ice time increase a decision. from 19:50 per outing to 20:42 since the change behind the bench. His top four ice-time games have all come under Keefe, including a career The Marlies forfeited last night’s AHL game in Texas after assistant high 25:41 on Wednesday against the Winnipeg Jets. coach Rob Davison suffered a prolonged grand mal seizure in the locker room. The 39-year-old spent the night in hospital before travelling home Babcock often expressed desire to preserve the energy of top players so on Saturday. they have more to give later in games and later in the season. But Matthews points out that the way the Leafs are currently playing is "It was tough news yesterday," said Keefe, who served as Marlies coach allowing him to stay fresh. before being promoted to the Leafs job in November. "It does seem like he's doing well (now). I was able to communicate with his wife last night. "I've been playing more than I typically have in the past, but I feel like Tough circumstances. Happy with how things worked out in terms of how we're not really forechecking as much," the 22-year-old said, "so we're the organization handled that. The players, having to experience that, put not really skating up and down the ice quite as much and a lot of times them in a tough place and they didn't feel comfortable playing, but the it's more controlled entries so kind of conserving energy in that way. So good news is they were able to deal with it and he's doing better today." far I'm playing a little more and I feel great." Davison will be away from the team indefinitely on medical leave. Matthews has 17 goals in 22 games under Keefe and is certainly full value for the increased playing time. Toronto's first goal on Wednesday Keefe relieved Marlies assistant coach Davison 'doing better' after was a sign of the well-rounded game the fourth-year NHLer has brought seizure during this hot stretch. After Toronto lost possession in the offensive zone, Matthews back-checked hard, intercepting a Jack Roslovic pass in Following Friday's medical emergency concerning Marlies assistant the neutral zone and allowing the Leafs to attack in transition. coach Rob Davison, Sheldon Keefe discussed how he's already reached out to Davison's family, and that he's happy with how the organization "He's responded well to having more minutes," Keefe said, "that's come handled the situation. off the fact that he's just working consistently and we haven't seen any dips in his effort or habits so that's been a nice thing." Morgan Rielly was featured as part of a clue during an airing of the game show Jeopardy! last night. Matthews and linemate Mitch Marner entered Saturday tied for second in the league in takeaways with 50 each. "It's pretty cool," said the Leafs defenceman. "I like Jeopardy! I got some texts and it was kind of funny." "Just trying to take a step in the defensive area of the game," Matthews said. "I think both of us have pretty good hand-eye co-ordination and can The category was, "Skating into the NHL," and the clue was, "With 20, in try to anticipate where the puck's going and where the play's going and 2018-19 Morgan Rielly led the NHL in goals by a player at this position he's a little bit smaller so he's not as physical, but I don't really throw too where scoring isn't the first job." many hits either, I just try and get the puck most of the time." The first contestant to buzz in answered incorrectly guessing that Rielly "The more they're feeling it offensively then you also get a little more was a goalie. passion towards getting it back quickly," Keefe noted, "because you're Which Leaf would do well as a contestant on the trivia game show? feeling it ... you want to get back on offence quick." "Probably (Jason) Spezza," said Rielly also naming John Tavares. The other factor allowing Keefe to ride his top players more is the schedule. Toronto doesn’t play on consecutive nights again until the Zach Hyman was quick to point out that Harvard product Alexander second week of February. Also, there's only one road game before the Kerfoot would likely be the team's ace in the hole in Final Jeopardy! all-star break and bye week and it happens to be in sunny Florida where the Leafs have been camped out since Friday afternoon. Who is Morgan Rielly? Answer: Leafs player mentioned on Jeopardy!

“It's nice," said the California-born, Arizona-raised Matthews. "We're over Morgan Rielly became the latest NHLer to be featured as an answer on the halfway part of the season so it starts to really get in a grind and we Jeopardy! on Friday night, drawing some envy from a few of his haven’t had too much nice weather so it's nice to get down here a day teammates. When pressed on who would be the best choice from the team to actually compete though, most deferred to Toronto's veterans.

Lines at Saturday’s practice:

Hyman - Matthews - Marner

Kerfoot - Tavares - Nylander

Engvall - Spezza - Kapanen

Timashov / Johnsson - Brooks - Gauthier

Moore, Marchment

Rielly - Barrie

Dermott - Holl

Marincin - Ceci

Andersen

Hutchinson

Power play units at Saturday's practice:

Barrie

Matthews - Nylander - Marner

Tavares

Rielly

Kapanen - Kerfoot - Spezza

Hyman

TSN.CA LOADED: 01.12.2020 1170781 Websites Schaller-Beagle-Motte Hughes-Tanev

Edler-Myers TSN.CA / Canucks vs Sabres Game Day Preview Benn-Stecher

Markstrom Jeff Paterson POSSIBLE SABRES LINE-UP

Vesey-Eichel-Reinhart BUFFALO –After a forgettable few days in Florida, the Vancouver Canucks (23-17-4) shuffle into Buffalo looking to get back on track when Frolik-Johansson-Sheary they face the Sabres (19-18-7) this afternoon at KeyBank Center. Girgensons-Larsson-Okposo The Canucks return to action following a 5-2 loss to the Florida Panthers in Sunrise on Thursday. Brock Boeser and Tyler Motte scored the Wilson-Lazar-Rodrigues Vancouver goals while Thatcher Demko faced a career-high 49 shots Dahlin-Montour and made a career-best 44 saves. It was Demko’s first loss since November 27th. McCabe-Ristolainen

With the early 1pm local start time there will be no morning skate today. Pilut-Jokiharju As a result, it will be much closer to game time until any line-up decisions are revealed. Ullmark

The Canucks have been outscored 14-4 and outshot 86-55 in the first two games of their five game road trip. Since December 1st, no team in TSN.CA LOADED: 01.12.2020 the league has surrendered more shots than the Canucks (35.5/game).

The games against the Lightning and Panthers mark the first time this season the Canucks have allowed five or more goals in consecutive games. At the same time, those games made it three straight contests in which the Canucks have managed to score just two goals.

On Thursday, the Canucks went 0 for 3 on the power play. The team is 0 for its last 10 opportunities over the past three games. It’s just the second time this season the club has gone three straight games without converting with the man-advantage. Since December 1st, Jake Virtanen leads the Canucks with three power play goals.

The team is 2-6 in its last eight road games giving up 38 goals over that span (4.75/game). That includes a 9-2 loss in Tampa, an 8-6 defeat in Pittsburgh, a 6-3 setback in Vegas and Thursday’s 5-2 loss in Florida.

The Sabres are coming off a 5-1 loss in St. Louis on Thursday. Captain Jack Eichel had Buffalo’s lone goal netting his 27th goal of the season. He sits tied with Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon for third in the league in goals. He has scored at least 24 goals in each of his five seasons in the NHL and his next goal will match his career-high of 28 set last season. Eichel carries a five-game point streak into action this afternoon recording 3+2=5 during that span.

The Sabres managed just 19 shots on goal in St. Louis on Tuesday and with the loss, Buffalo dropped to 3-7-1 in its last 11 outings.

While the Sabres are well below the playoff bar in the Eastern Conference, they have a stellar home ice record going 13-5-3 in 21 games at Key Bank Center. Jack Eichel has 19+15=34 in 21 home games so far this season.

Injuries have taken a toll on the hockey club which is without two of its top six scorers. Victor Olofsson, who leads all NHL rookies, with 16+19=35 is out for another month with a lower body injury while veteran Jeff Skinner, who has 11+8=19, is out with an upper body injury.

Newcomer Michael Frolik is expected to make his Sabres home debut today. He was acquired from Calgary on January 2nd and logged 16:44 in his first game with Buffalo on Thursday in St. Louis.

Buffalo is 31st and last in the NHL in face-off percentage winning just 45.3% of its draws.

The Canucks defeated the Sabres 6-5 in overtime when the teams met on December 7th in Vancouver. Antoine Roussel and Josh Leivo each scored twice and JT Miller pulled the trigger on the power play in OT with a one-timer from the right face-off circle.

POSSIBLE CANUCKS LINE-UP

Miller-Pettersson-Boeser

Pearson-Horvat-Eriksson

Roussel-Gaudette-Virtanen 1170782 Websites

USA TODAY / NBC Sports hockey analyst Jeremy Roenick apologizes for inappropriate comments

Mike Brehm

NBC Sports hockey analyst Jeremy Roenick, who was suspended last month for inappropriate comments he made about co-workers during a podcast, issued a public apology Saturday.

"I never meant to offend anyone and I definitely went too far, and for that, I deeply regret it," he said in a video posted on his Twitter account.

Roenick was suspended by the network after appearing on the Spittin' Chiclets podcast and discussing colleagues Kathryn Tappen, Patrick Sharp and Anson Carter.

He complimented Tappen's work but also discussed a vacation to Portugal with his wife and Tappen, where he made repeated references to the NBC Sports anchor’s appearance. He also made inappropriate comments about Sharp and Carter.

After the suspension, Tappen said in a statement that while she and Roenick remained friends, his comments were "unacceptable" and she did not condone them.

Roenick said in his apology Saturday that he had talked to everyone involved.

"I always tried to act professional," he said. "I always tried to entertain and this time, I went too far. And I will make sure in the future that I’m mindful of people’s feelings, the sensitivities of my co-workers and of all you, my loving fans.

"I hope to see you on air soon. I hope you can accept my apologies."

USA TODAY LOADED: 01.12.2020