SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 12/29/18 Chicago Blackhawks cont'd 1123122 Ducks goalie John Gibson doesn’t skate, but defenseman 1123156 Dollars and sense presents the year in sports media: Is Cam Fowler does the score settled at The Score? 1123123 Injury to John Gibson shows why the Ducks need him 1123157 A pair of Blackhawks prospects steal the show in more than ever Vancouver at world juniors 1123124 Inconsistent Coyotes face streaking Ducks 1123158 Avs prospects update, Vol. 2: The new and improved Nick 1123125 Arizona Coyotes trade to Ducks for Henry 1123159 Nathan MacKinnon to Central Division for 2019 NHL All-Star Game Boston Bruins 1123160 Five takeaways from the Avs’ third-consecutive loss 1123126 Bruins head to Buffalo in need of health, and a victory 1123161 Struggling Avs make changes on every lineAdrian Dater 1123127 Bruins’ suspended for three games 1123128 A guide to the 2019 Winter Classic: Bruins vs. Blackhawks Columbus Blue Jackets at Notre Dame Stadium 1123162 Scott Harrington sets milestone 1123129 Tuukka Rask had a special helmet made for the Winter 1123163 Maple Leafs 4, Blue Jackets 2 | Toronto, vocal fans enjoy Classic visit with victory 1123130 One of the NHL’s worst teams looked pretty good against 1123164 Blue Jackets 4, Rangers 3, OT | Five takeaways the Bruins 1123165 G38: Blue Jackets don’t have an answer for high-flying 1123131 Bruins notebook: David Backes suspended three games Maple Leafs 1123132 Sabres’ Jack Eichel enjoys Bruins memories 1123166 G37: Pierre-Luc Dubois’ overtime winner caps wild win by 1123133 David Backes receives three-game suspension for hit on Blue Jackets over Rangers in Garden Blake Coleman 1123134 Bruins' David Backes may face suspension for hit on Devils' Blake Coleman 1123167 Stars CEO Jim Lites planned a calculated attack on Tyler 1123135 McAvoy back on IR; Marchand out Saturday vs. Sabres Seguin and Jamie Benn with his comments on Friday 1123136 Chara, DeBrusk, Miller come through return to the Bruins 1123168 Montgomery resists playing the hot hand in , back to lineup okay Bishop for 1123169 Stars juggle roster, Carrick hoping to return to lineup Buffalo Sabres 1123170 Stars CEO Jim Lites rips into Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin: 1123137 Amerks knock off defending AHL champ Toronto 'It's pissed me off ... We are getting terrible play f 1123138 Sabres frustrated by struggles since winning streak, 1123171 Stars ownership, management go on expletive-laden readying for difficult road ahead tirade over poor performance from Jamie Benn and Tyler 1123139 Rick Jeanneret heading back to the broadcast booth for Segui Saturday's Sabres game 1123172 Ranking the Dallas Stars’ top 20 prospects at the end of 1123140 Ryan O'Reilly leads the way as Blues get last word in solid 2018 win over Sabres 1123173 Stars prospect rankings, No. 1: Struggles behind him, 1123141 2018 Buffalo Sports Year in Review: It took trips to Dallas, Denis Gurianov showing he’s NHL ready of all places, to finally get some hope 1123142 How to cure a case of the zips: Sabres players will try just Detroit Red Wings about anything to end a goal drought 1123174 Detroit Red Wings: 'This hurts' as losses pile up, confidence ebbs Calgary Flames 1123175 Reeling Red Wings say they have enough confidence, not 1123143 MR. PERSONALITY: Flames goalie continues to have fun enough wins 1123144 No, Dougie Hamilton’s on-ice shot numbers aren’t being cheaply inflated Edmonton Oilers 1123176 Coach Hitchcock's post game interview following Oilers loss to Canucks 1123145 Canes relying even more on ‘Wally’ with Staal out 1123177 Oilers Notes: Khaira and Yamamoto make their return, 1123146 No, Dougie Hamilton’s on-ice shot numbers aren’t being Chiasson is out cheaply inflated 1123178 Edmonton Oilers heading into make or break stretch of the season Chicago Blackhawks 1123179 Koskinen looks mortal after so many other-worldly games 1123147 'He can do even more': Erik Gustafsson is having a 1123180 In a ‘Hail Mary’ roster shuffle, Oilers recall Kailer breakout season but still hasn't reached his potential Yamamoto, waive Valentin Zykov and place Alex 1123148 Jeremy Colliton is a great communicator, but he's still Chiasson o getting to know this Blackhawks group 1123149 Blackhawks expect Brent Seabrook, Marcus Kruger to play at Colorado 1123182 Tatar’s two goals too much for Panthers to overcome 1123150 Blackhawks goalie Collin Delia stays steady in pursuit of 1123183 Panthers surrender three third-period goals, fall to starting job Canadiens; Ekblad fights with Danault 1123151 Blackhawks have no timetable for goalie Corey Crawford's 1123184 Preview: Flyers at Panthers, 7 p.m., Saturday return from concussion 1123185 Panthers play ‘dumb hockey,’ see chance to gain ground 1123152 Colliton: 'There is no time frame' on Crawford's recovery on Canadiens disappear after concussion 1123153 In Gustafsson, Kane has offensively gifted D-man to partner with 1123154 Blackhawks linemates Patrick Kane and Dylan Strome building chemistry through passion for hockey 1123155 Can the Blackhawks climb back into the playoff race? Los Angeles Kings Ottawa Senators 1123186 Oscar Fantenberg always looks forward to seeing Vegas 1123221 Ottawa newsmakers 2018: A lifetime of news in one year Golden Knights on the schedule for the Ottawa Senators 1123187 Win to get in? 'Lose for Hughes' is really the Kings' best 1123222 Game Day: Capitals at Senators option for their future 1123223 No Anderson, no Chabot. What next for the Senators as 1123188 What we learned from the Kings' 2-1 win over the Coyotes Washington comes to town? 1123189 The Kings’ mood is lighter, but they know there is still 1123224 Three-goal third period leads 67's to win over IceDogs plenty of work to do 1123225 The wait was worth it for Cameron Tolnai 1123190 FINAL – SAN ANTONIO 3, ONTARIO 2 1123226 Thomas Chabot, the player and person, starting to thrive 1123191 SATURDAY: HOCKEY DAY SOCAL; ANDY LASSNER both on and off the ice GUESTS ON HNILA 1123192 BRICKLEY ASSIGNED; LEIPSIC ON STRUCTURE, VEGAS; PHANEUF/MARTINEZ UPDATES; QUOTES 1123227 With Nolan Patrick injured, Jordan Weal gets another 1123193 PREVIEW – ONTARIO @ SAN ANTONIO, 12/28 opportunity 1123194 WAKING UP WITH THE KINGS: DECEMBER 28 1123228 Flyers needed a new voice, and they're getting an earful from Scott Gordon Minnesota Wild 1123229 Nolan Patrick could miss time with injury; Carter Hart back 1123195 Wild stuck in a scoring funk, aims to avoid similar path in net vs. Panthers from last season 1123230 Flyers playing with never say die attitude under Scott 1123196 Wild-Winnipeg game preview Gordon 1123197 Reeling Wild start tough stretch Saturday in Winnipeg 1123231 Flyers audition continues for Carter Hart, facing first road game Montreal Canadiens 1123232 Lightning 6, Flyers 5: 10 things we learned from a 1123198 In the Habs' Room: Bring on the Lightning, Niemi says, stolen, a point lost shaking off rust in Florida 1123199 About last night ... Canadiens play excellent road game to Pittsburgh Penguins beat Florida 5-3 1123233 Penguins' Jim Rutherford: No reason to wait to re-sign 1123200 Canadiens ride hot start, strong third period to victory over Jake Guentzel the Panthers 1123234 Penguins' Sidney Crosby happy to have Jake Guentzel as 1123201 Liveblog: Canadiens beat Florida 5-3 his left-hand man 1123202 Canadiens Game Day: Julien hopes rest will cure Price's 1123235 Brian Dumoulin might be 'overlooked,' but he's making a 'irritation' major impact for the Penguins 1123203 Canadiens' Carey Price and wife Angela welcome second 1123236 Patric Hornqvist took a puck to the chin in practice, but the child Penguins think he’ll be fine 1123204 Canadiens at Florida Panthers: Five things you should 1123237 Jake Guentzel and the Penguins are thrilled to avoid know negotiating fuss 1123205 Panthers play ‘dumb hockey,’ see chance to gain ground 1123238 Marshall: Where do the Penguins stand heading into the on Canadiens disappear new year? 1123206 Cracking the win: Forechecking their opponent to death was a winning formula for the Canadiens San Jose Sharks 1123207 The domino effect of Shea Weber’s ridiculously strong 1123239 Tomas Hertl hopes to thrive in current role: “I want to shut play has elevated the Canadiens to another level down these big lines” 1123240 Sharks will have their hands full with Edmonton’s Connor McDavid 1123208 What Predators' PK Subban, Viktor Arvidsson said about 1123241 Sharks' Tim Heed, Joakim Ryan fill in nicely in Erik another loss despite their return Karlsson's absence 1123242 Brent Burns a bright spot in Sharks' winning return from Devils holiday break 1123209 David Backes suspended three games for hit on Blake 1123243 Sharks takeaways: What we learned in skid-snapping 4-2 Coleman in Devils vs. Bruins win over Ducks 1123210 A closer look at NJ Devils' goalie Mackenzie Blackwood 1123244 Joe Thornton ‘finally feeling stronger’ as Sharks shake up 1123211 3 Takeaways from NJ Devils' win over Bruins: Wood their lines post-Christmas shines in hometown 1123212 Goaltending, Taylor Hall and John Hynes: 5 NJ Devils' St Louis Blues storylines to watch in 2019 1123245 Fabbri exits injured list; Pietrangelo might follow 1123246 Preview: Blues vs. Penguins 1123247 Blues' third line is coming together 1123213 Islanders rally past Senators behind Barzal and goalie 1123248 Blues activate Fabbri from injured reserve; others may not switch be far behind 1123214 For Islanders' Leo Komarov, it's a return to Toronto, too 1123215 Mathew Barzal scores twice in four-goal third period as Islanders rally to beat Senators 1123249 Lightning fans, rejoice! Stammer the Hammer is back 1123250 Lightning-Flyers: Rewinding Tampa Bay’s win 1123251 What sparked highest-scoring month in Steven Stamkos’ 1123216 Kevin Shattenkirk needs power-play time for trade career showcase 1123217 Lias Andersson to get more ice time — just not with Rangers 1123218 Three Rangers are ‘very close’ to returning 1123219 Kevin Shattenkirk, out with separated shoulder, ready to return to Rangers 1123220 With negotiations about to begin, Kevin Hayes leaves contract (or trade) decision up to the Rangers Winnipeg Jets 1123252 Tavares scores two as Leafs snap Jackets’ streak 1123276 Scheifele makes case for being selected as league MVP 1123253 Game Centre: Leafs stretch win streak to five in Columbus 1123277 Hellebuyck wants to see crackdown on crease crashers 1123254 Saturday NHL preview: New York Islanders at Toronto 1123278 Several Jets among mid-season contenders for NHL Maple Leafs hardware 1123255 Auston Matthews, Mike Bossy and the joy of flex 1123279 Ehlers taking it to another level 1123256 Aggressive trade strategy could push Leafs over the top 1123280 Maurice preaches defence: Jets head coach shows no 1123257 Leafs’ Tavares in comfort zone for first date with Islanders concern for dry spell 1123258 Game Day: Islanders at Maple Leafs 1123281 Byfuglien hit in wallet: Jets fined for slash 1123259 Leafs silence Columbus guns, win fifth straight 1123282 Jets’ Hellebuyck says it’s open season on goalies 1123260 SIMMONS: Leafs GM Kyle Dubas named George Gross 1123283 Gameday: Five keys to Jets vs Wild Sportsperson of the Year SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1123261 Eventful 48 hours ahead for Maple Leafs 1123262 Leafs Report Cards: Game 38 at Columbus 1123263 Wheeler: How John Tavares’ ability to ‘know where to stand’ has propelled him to new heights Vancouver Canucks 1123284 Ben Kuzma: Stecher, Baertschi return but blindside hits to head still a concern 1123285 The Athletties: Elias Pettersson defeats Top 5 player Connor McDavid Vegas Golden Knights 1123264 Golden Knights’ first year is the top story of 2018 in Las Vegas 1123265 Golden Knights and Las Vegas forge a strong bond out of tragedy 1123266 Golden Knights owner Bill Foley on NHL team’s debut, loss of son 1123267 Golden Knights bump continues for merchandise, at Las Vegas bars 1123268 2018 a big year for Vegas Golden Knights-branded food and drink 1123269 ‘Golden Knight’ discusses love for team, shooting tribute on armor 1123270 Golden Knights feel impact from Nate Schmidt’s return 1123271 Golden Knights draw on Paul Stastny’s skill in faceoff dot 1123272 Knights’ Ryan Reaves finds golden reception for his new beer 1123273 Knights get defensive in shutting down NHL’s best line Washington Capitals 1123274 Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen is day-to-day after headfirst crash into boards 1123275 Capitals breathe sigh of relief after defenseman Matt Niskanen only 'day-to-day' from scary injury Websites 1123286 The Athletic / DGB Grab Bag: GM power rankings and the 2018 Three Stars of Comedy Hall of Fame class 1123287 .ca / Sparks' strong outing helping Leafs push ahead with goaltending plans 1123288 Sportsnet.ca / Canadiens skate Panthers into ground in first game without Price 1123289 Sportsnet.ca / From MacKinnon to Scheifele: Seven of the NHL's best value contracts 1123290 Sportsnet.ca / 9 bold NHL predictions for 2019 1123291 Sportsnet.ca / Leafs' Matthews: 'Very deserving' players won't make NHL All-Star Game 1123292 Sportsnet.ca / Stars CEO rips Seguin, Benn: 'These guys are not good enough' 1123293 Sportsnet.ca / Why Jason Arnott chose hockey over every other sport he was great at 1123294 TSN.CA / Lafrenière lands in Hunter’s doghouse 1123295 TSN.CA / Hunter auditioning for NHL job as Team coach 1123297 TSN.CA / High-risk Gardiner quietly excelling for Leafs 1123298 USA TODAY / Dallas Stars management blasts Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin in expletive-filled tirade 1123122 Anaheim Ducks Under the rules, Carlyle couldn’t challenge the play, as he could if he believed the opposition interfered with the goalie or was offside. Also, he said the NHL’s video war room cannot review the play, as it could to Ducks goalie John Gibson doesn’t skate, but defenseman Cam Fowler determine whether a puck crossed the goal line or was kicked into the does net.

Orange County Register: LOADED: 12.29.2018

By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | PUBLISHED: December 28, 2018 at 3:32 pm | UPDATED: December 28, 2018 at 3:32 PM

ANAHEIM — John Gibson didn’t join the Ducks for their practice Friday at Honda Center, but defenseman Cam Fowler resumed skating with his teammates. When either or both returns to the lineup wasn’t immediately clear, but it could be sooner rather than later.

Gibson suffered an unspecified upper-body injury while making a diving stop of Joe Thornton’s one-timed shot in the first period of the Ducks’ 4-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Thursday. Chad Johnson replaced him for the final two periods of the Ducks’ fourth consecutive defeat.

The Ducks termed Gibson day-to-day and recalled Kevin Boyle from the of the AHL to possibly serve as Johnson’s backup in Saturday’s game against the Arizona Coyotes. Coach Randy Carlyle said the team expected to know more about Gibson’s condition Saturday.

“Vast improvement (Friday),” Carlyle said.

In 17 games this season with the Gulls, Boyle is 9-5-0 with a 3.13 goals- against average and a .900 save percentage. He has a 38-23-6 with a 2.66 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage in 71 games since signing with San Diego as a free agent March 30, 2016.

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Meanwhile, Fowler skated with his teammates for the first time since suffering fractured orbital, cheek and jaw bones during the Ducks’ Nov. 12 victory over the Nashville Predators. Surgery was performed and he was expected to be sidelined for up to eight weeks.

However, Fowler participated in only the first three drills of Friday’s practice before departing, as planned, for the dressing room. He was unavailable for comment, leaving before reporters were granted entry to the dressing room. Carlyle said he hoped to have a timetable for Fowler’s return soon.

“We’ll have probable (return) dates within the next week or so after he joins us to skate,” Carlyle said. “It will all be dependent on him and our medical people. He’s come a long way in a short period of time, but he’s worked extremely hard in the gym.”

Right wing Rickard Rakell continues to work out on a slide board and Carlyle said he would be the next injured Duck to resume skating with his teammates. Carlyle couldn’t say when it would be but indicated it could be soon. Rakell has been out since spraining his ankle on Dec. 5.

JOHNSON STEPS UP

Carlyle didn’t fault Johnson for either of the goals he gave up against the Sharks on Thursday, and praised his play in his Ducks debut last week, a 3-1 loss to the New York Rangers. In two appearances with the Ducks, Johnson is 0-2-0 with a 2.42 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage.

“He’s held up his end of the bargain in both instances,” Carlyle said. “He was called upon to make some key saves for us in the hockey game. Just look at the breakaway by Evander Kane, short-handed. Big stop. Kept us close, kept us with our foot in the water.”

The Ducks claimed Johnson off waivers from the St. Louis Blues on Dec. 11, after Ryan Miller sprained his knee during a victory over the on Dec. 9. Johnson was 2-6-0 with a 3.54 goals-against average and an .884 save percentage in 10 games with the Blues.

NO CHALLENGE, REVIEW

The Ducks’ broadcasting crew could not find video evidence of the puck hitting the protective netting in the moments before the Sharks’ Brent Burns scored the go-ahead goal in the third period Thursday. Carlyle was adamant that the puck hit the netting and the on-ice officials missed it. 1123123 Anaheim Ducks goaltender to stay healthy an entire season could be risky. Even missing one or two games could be the difference between making the playoffs and missing them.

Injury to John Gibson shows why the Ducks need him more than ever Anaheim’s goaltending was supposed to be its strength this season and when that’s negated, it changes the team dynamic. In this case, it basically leaves journeyman backup Chad Johnson, who the team picked By Josh Cooper Dec 28, 2018 up off waivers, to pull them out of this stretch.

Johnson, to his credit, performed well in stopping 20 of 22 Sharks shots on goal. He’s 0-2-0 in his time with the Ducks, but has a 2.42 goals- SAN JOSE, Calif. – A team in the middle of a losing streak can seldom against average and .911 save percentage. This comes after going 2-6-0 afford to be without its best player – let alone one whose importance with a 3.54 goals-against average and .884 save percentage with the St. pushed him into the Hart Trophy conversation. Louis Blues. Yet there the Ducks were Thursday night in San Jose, trying to end a “I think for myself you want to go in there and look confident right off the three-game losing stretch without John Gibson, who suffered an upper- bat and make some saves. I know there’s nothing worse when a guy body injury in the first period and did not return when the game resumed goes in and he’s shaky and whatnot,” Johnson said. in the second. The Ducks didn’t play differently in front of Johnson, which is a good How it happened wasn’t made public, except that it occurred in-game, sign. Though he did allow the Sharks’ initial go-ahead goal that put the and his status isn’t clear. game at 2-1 and then the game-winner, Anaheim’s players made the Coach Randy Carlyle said, “We’ll have more of an assessment when we push to tie the game in the third period with a Kiefer Sherwood goal at get home in the days to come.” the 3:55 mark. Furthermore, Anaheim held an 18-16 5-on-5 chances for advantage in the third period. For those looking for optimistic signs, Gibson walked out of the dressing room area at SAP Center after the game and didn’t seem inhibited, at If anything it showed that nothing bothers this team – it just keeps least in that brief moment in time. trudging forward no matter which high-end player is out at whatever position. Regardless, after falling 4-2 to the Sharks, the Ducks have lost four in a row, finishing this six-game road-trip 2-4-0, and while they currently hold “During the game I don’t think that has much effect on our guys. Because one of two Western Conference wild-card spots – thanks in part to lack of it happens all the time,” Carlyle said of how Gibson’s injury impacted his depth in both the Pacific Division and Central Division – that grip could group. “When you’re in team sports you lose a player for a period of time easily loosen if the losses pile up. through injury and then you just kind of move on because we have a job to do and a task at hand. I don’t think it has much of an effect mentally on Anaheim played better against San Jose than in its three previous the players in the situation. So we have two capable goalies and I losses, but it still lost. It was also another game where the Ducks scored thought (Johnson) went in and gave us a chance and was good for us.” the first goal and still couldn’t come away with a win. Surveying the Ice “I think we’re a pretty tight group and we know what we can bring to the games here. We try not to be too negative but obviously we know we can • The Ducks were not exactly happy about the Sharks’ game-winning play a little bit better,” forward Jakob Silfverberg said. “I think tonight was goal. Anaheim believed the puck hit the mesh netting above the glass, a step in the right direction if you look to the three previous games and which would have meant an automatic stoppage. The Ducks said their take some positives out of this, have a good practice tomorrow and be players slowed down, thinking a whistle would be blown. It wasn’t and the good to go again.” Sharks scored on a blast from Brent Burns from the point.

Though the Ducks have been winning they’ve been doing so in “I haven’t seen a replay of it but I was almost positive that the puck went precarious fashion. In eight of their past 10 victories, they trailed. Four of up in the netting and came back down in play again,” said the usually those wins came in games where they were down multiple goals. mild-mannered Silfverberg who received an unsportsmanlike conduct for venting his frustration. “I think a few of our guys stopped In a lot of ways, the comebacks were good for entertainment and team playing and all of a sudden the puck is in the back of the net. My morale – that no game is out of reach. But they also show a team that emotions got the best of me there but it happens.” gets behind and has to fight its way back. Normally that’s not a winning formula. Carlyle said the play was not reviewable and thought his team ended up on the wrong end of a missed call. Only three teams in the NHL have a winning percentage above. .500 in games in which they allowed the first goal. The Ducks are at .381 in “Obviously we have a different take than the 20,000 (fans) and the four those games. guys that were wearing stripes tonight than what actually happened, but it doesn’t do us any good, right?” he said, later adding “You can plainly “We played better and we had a chance in the game and we fought back see there’s five players on our hockey club stop playing. But that’s just and our power play gave us some life early, scores the first goal and we what happens.” were much better on it tonight,” Carlyle said. When a season can come down to a point or two, that could be all the Still, there’s some uneasiness that can creep in when a team doesn’t win difference. in a while. Carlyle pointed out that the urgency does get ramped up and the Ducks may be feeling it to a degree now. • The Ducks met at Honda Center on Thursday morning, bussed to the airport at around 7:30 a.m., landed in San Jose and were on the ice at “What it does is it puts pressure on everybody. Simple as that,” Carlyle SAP Center shortly before their scheduled morning skate time of 11:30 said of the losing streak. “That’s the way sports are. You’re in the game a.m. to win and when you’re not winning you want to nip it in the bud and we didn’t do that tonight and now we have another chance at it at home on They then stayed at a local hotel for pregame naps, meals and other Saturday.” routines before leaving the city after the loss. The ‘day-of-game’ travel was because the NHL’s holiday break didn’t end until Thursday, so the While injuries have been a constant issue for the Ducks, nobody who team could not travel the day before, as usual. This generally makes for previously went out was arguably as important as Gibson – maybe a long, long day for the visiting team. captain Ryan Getzlaf who missed five games earlier in the season with a groin injury, but that’s it. What makes a potential Gibson injury worse is Some players met the group in San Jose after flying in on their own the the fact that regular backup Ryan Miller is also out after spraining his day before from non-local locations. Part of the reason why they were MCL in mid-December. able to do this was because the Ducks finished their pre-holiday schedule on Dec. 22 in Buffalo and guys who had family on the East When Anaheim signed Gibson to his eight-year contract extension last Coast could stay there and visit. summer, his past struggles to stay healthy, before last season, were a concern. Especially as he became the organization’s most vital cog. “I flew in yesterday, so I’m good. Handled it like a professional,” forward Considering how tight the league is now, putting faith in a franchise Adam Henrique joked before the game. “I don’t know. It’s one of those games. You have to find a way. You have to find a way to prepare for it. It is different flying in the morning of the games. It doesn’t make a lot of sense.

“You’re close. You’re not too far away, so it’s not like you’re flying far. It’s just one of those ones where you have to find a way to deal with it and that’s it. That’s really the bottom line.”

Silfverberg said his routine the day before the game didn’t change much. He has an 8-month-old child, so he’s used to going to bed early anyway.

“I try to go to bed at 10:30 p.m. I was up at 6:15 a.m. and played with him a little bit before I left, so it wasn’t anything unusual. A regular day kind of,” he said.

Silfverberg said he didn’t nap on the flight up to San Jose and opted to watch some television.

“I watched an episode of ‘Vikings’ and then we landed and now we’re here,” he said. “I’m sure some guys fell asleep for a little bit but I’m a pretty heavy afternoon napper and that’s something you do every day now because you have to kind of sleep when you can when you have a little guy, so I try to save it for this afternoon.”

• Carlyle said injured forward Rickard Rakell (ankle) is close to skating and defenseman Cam Fowler (facial surgery) resumed skating. Carlyle didn’t have much of a timetable on either player’s return. Rakell started working on a “slideboard,” per Carlyle.

The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123124 Arizona Coyotes

Inconsistent Coyotes face streaking Ducks

Arizona Republic Published 9:09 p.m. MT Dec. 28, 2018

Saturday’s game

Coyotes at Ducks

When: 8 p.m.

Where: Honda Center, Anaheim, Calif.

TV/Radio: FSAZ/KTAR-AM (620).

Outlook: The Arizona Coyotes (16-19-2) wrap up a brief, two-game tour through Southern California when they visit the Anaheim Ducks (19-15-5) on Saturday at Honda Center. … The Coyotes have won two of their last three games but have lost four of their last six overall. … Meanwhile, the Ducks have won four straight but suffered through a four-game losing streak before that. … The Ducks are led in scoring by center Ryan Getzlaf with 29 points (nine goals, 20 assists) and Adam Henrique with 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists). Ducks goaltender John Gibson missed Thursday’s practice with an upper-body injury and his status for Saturday is unknown. … Coyotes forward Vinnie Hinostroza could return from injury Saturday.

Arizona Republic LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123125 Arizona Coyotes

Arizona Coyotes trade Trevor Murphy to Ducks for Giovanni Fiore

BY MATT LAYMAN | DECEMBER 28, 2018 AT 10:20 AM

UPDATED: DECEMBER 28, 2018 AT 10:21 AM

The Arizona Coyotes announced Friday the team traded defenseman Trevor Murphy to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for forward Giovanni Fiore.

The two players have combined for one NHL game this season, spending their time in the AHL almost exclusively. Fiore skated 7:53 in one NHL game this year with the Ducks but played 23 games with six goals and five assists for the San Diego Gulls. Murphy hadn’t played for the Coyotes yet this year but skated in 27 games for the and scored five goals with eight assists.

Murphy played eight games with the Coyotes last year and scored a goal with two assists and was a plus-5, averaging 14:14 of ice time per game in the wake of injuries to other defensemen.

According to CapFriendly, the salary cap hits for the two players is nearly equal should either be recalled to the NHL with their respective new teams. Fiore’s cap hit is $701,667, while Murphy’s is $715,000.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123126 Boston Bruins was off. That’s sometimes the way it goes — other times we just need to bear down and focus.

“Today the focus was more on let’s be crisp and let’s be competing for Bruins head to Buffalo in need of health, and a victory pucks, so whether they got that message or not, I don’t know. Hopefully, [Saturday in Buffalo] we’re going to be a harder team.”

By Frank Dell’Apa Boston Globe LOADED: 12.29.2018

The Bruins started December with a three-game losing streak. Now, they are hoping to avoid concluding the month with another three-game pointless streak as they visit the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night.

“This is a big game for two reasons – the standings, and we haven’t played well the last two games,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said after practice Friday at . “We can’t allow it to snowball. That’s kind of where my mind-set’s at right now.

“We tried to rectify some of that by being a little more detail-oriented in practice. First things first. Let’s play well [Saturday] and start that process again, because it seemed last week we were getting over a hump. I thought, ‘OK, maybe we’re going to get healthy and get on a roll.’ But the health kind of left town [Thursday].”

Brad Marchand (illness), who missed part of the Bruins’ 5-2 home loss to the Devils on Thursday, did not practice Friday and is doubtful for Saturday’s game. Marchand and defenseman Charlie McAvoy (lower body) will travel with the team and could perform Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks in South Bend, Ind.

Cassidy said Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson could fill in for Marchand, but not likely in a wing position.

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“[Marchand] was not feeling good going into the game [Thursday] and then late in the game he left with about a minute to go,” Cassidy said. “So, he wasn’t feeling well again today. We’ll have a much better idea on him [Saturday]. Doesn’t look likely for tomorrow, would be my guess. He’s traveling with us so that could change.

“I don’t know if he ate something lousy. I can’t imagine he was nervous for Game 39, so I’m going to guess something didn’t sit well with him. Whether there’s a flu bug going around in his household, I don’t think there’s one in our room, that I’m aware of.”

First things first

The Bruins attempted to avoid talk of the Winter Classic.

“Buffalo came in here and beat us last time,” Jake DeBrusk said. “Obviously, we’re fighting with them right now. So it’s a 4-point game and it’s very important, so we’re going to have to have a good start.

“So, we focused on what we were lacking [Thursday vs. the Devils] and, hopefully, that translates [into Saturday’s game against the Sabres]. Because they’re going to be ready to play. We came in their home opener and shut them out, so they’re going to want to respond, as well, back home.”

DeBrusk (concussion) returned to action after a nine-game absence, putting the Bruins nearly at full strength. Zdeno Chara (left MCL) came back after missing 19 games and Kevan Miller (larynx) returned following a 13-game absence.

But the Bruins surrendered the opening two goals in falling to the Devils, their second successive defeat. The Bruins lost at home to the Sabres, 4- 2, on Dec. 16, then went on a three-game winning streak.

“It’s a team we’re chasing right now,” defenseman Torey Krug said of the Sabres. “We’ve had a lot of tough games against them, close games. I think they’ve been on the winning side of a few more of them than us, lately, so it’s a big match. Obviously, we’ve got to focus on the task at hand. At some point we’ve got to start feeling more confident about our game so that we can just focus on ourselves, focus on what’s in front of us.”

Cassidy upped the intensity at practice.

“They generally have an idea what our practice will entail after a game and they know there was a little more battling today,” Cassidy said. “We didn’t battle nearly enough [Thursday], what was required. Our execution 1123127 Boston Bruins

Bruins’ David Backes suspended for three games

By Kevin Paul Dupont

BUFFALO — Veteran Bruins forward David Backes, penalized for an illegal hit to the head late in Thursday’s 5-2 loss to New Jersey, on Friday paid a steeper price for the smack when he was suspended for three games by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety.

The suspension, his second three-game sit-down in nine months, likely will leave Backes on the sideline, and out of uniform, Tuesday at Notre Dame when the Bruins face the Blackhawks in the league’s annual outdoor Winter Classic.

According to a league official, Backes has the right to appeal the suspension. Such appeals are rare, but they do occur.

Backes, contacted here by the Globe Friday night, said he was aware of his ability to appeal but had not made up his mind yet.

Capitals winger Tom Wilson, tagged with a 20-game suspension earlier this season, ultimately had his sentence reduced to 14 games, albeit after NHL commissioner Bettman first upheld the 20-game suspension issued by DPS. Neutral arbitrator Shyam Das, Wilson’s second and final recourse for appeal, was the one who cut the suspension back by 30 percent.

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In all likelihood, based on league-wide history regarding similarly short suspensions, Backes will accept the supplemental discipline and not play in Buffalo Saturday, South Bend on Tuesday, and then again Thursday night when the Calgary Flames make their only visit this season to the Garden. Of the three opponents, the Blackhawks are the weakest, in theory making the Winter Classic the easiest/best for Backes to miss from a team perspective.

The latest suspension for Backes came after he drove his left shoulder into Blake Coleman’s head late in the third period Thursday, moments after the Devils forward shot the puck down ice from the slot in New Jersey’s end of the ice.

According to DPS, Backes could have and should have avoided the hit, but opted otherwise, then followed through with what the league has clearly defined as illegal contact to the head. An underlying irony, of course, is that Backes has suffered multiple concussions in his career, including one earlier this season that again kept him out of action.

Previously never suspended over a career that he began with the Blues in 2006, Backes was assessed a three-game suspension last March for a drive-by smack of Detroit’s Frans Nielsen — a hit that was not nearly as egregious as the one he dealt Coleman.

Provided he serves all three games of the suspension, Backes will forfeit more than three percent of his $6 million salary, exactly $219,512.19, to be applied to the NHL Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Boston Globe LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123128 Boston Bruins ■ The docuseries “Road to the NHL Winter Classic” is airing for three weeks on NBCSN. The show provides an inside look at the dressing rooms and the homes of the teams as they prepare to for the game. The A guide to the 2019 Winter Classic: Bruins vs. Blackhawks at Notre weekly show will conclude with a special one-hour episode on Sunday, Dame Stadium Jan. 6. Full episodes will later air on NHL Network and will be available on NHL.com.

Watch the rink construction By Andrew Mahoney NBC posted a time-lapse of the rink being built inside Notre Dame Stadium.

The Bruins will take on the Chicago Blackhawks in the Winter Classic at Additional details Notre Dame Stadium on New Year’s Day. The rink construction began in mid-December. ■ The Bruins and Blackhawks’ Original Six legacies will be recognized in the field décor inside Notre Dame Stadium, with eight Boston and Here’s a guide to the event: Chicago players showcased on individual shamrocks surrounding the NHL regulation rink. Ray Bourque, Johnny Bucyk, Tony Esposito, Bobby Game details Hull and Denis Savard, as well as a representative for the family of Stan Time: 1 p.m. (Eastern) Mikita, will be in attendance for a special pregame ceremony.

Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend Ind. ■ When Boston and Chicago make their way into the stadium for the first time, they also will be greeted by several Fighting Irish football greats, TV: NBC including 1987 Heisman Trophy winner Tim Brown.

The most recent sports headlines delivered to your inbox every morning. ■ When the Blackhawks arrive at approximately 10 a.m., the team will be escorted into the stadium by the Pipes & Drums of the Chicago Police Winter Classic history Department. Weather permitting, Chicago will uphold Notre Dame’s ■ This will be the fourth Winter Classic for the Blackhawks, and their sixth game day tradition of greeting fans outside the Hesburgh Library Mall on time playing outdoors. The Bruins will be playing in their third Winter the Notre Dame campus. Blackhawks fans are welcome to greet the Classic, and first as the road team. team upon arrival.

■ The first Bruins appearance was in 2010, when they defeated the ■ The Jacks, a Southern California four-piece rock ’n’ roll band, will Philadelphia Flyers, 2-1, in overtime at . The second was in entertain fans inside Notre Dame during the Blackhawks’ and Bruins’ 2016, when they lost to the Montreal Canadiens, 5-1, at . pregame skates.

■ The Winter Classic dates to 2008, when the Pittsburgh Penguins ■ The pregame festivities will begin with the introduction of the two edged the Buffalo Sabres, 2-1, at the home of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills, teams, set to the Notre Dame fight song performed by the South Bend which was then known as Ralph Wilson Stadium. Symphony Orchestra. The teams will be escorted by members of Notre Dame’s men’s hockey team as well as The Notre Dame Leprechaun The game also has been played at iconic venues such as Michigan mascot. Stadium, Yankee Stadium, and Wrigley Field. The Blackhawks have the most previous appearances with three, and have yet to win. ■ The national anthem then will be performed by the South Bend Symphony Orchestra. The pregame festivities will conclude with a flyover Notre Dame Stadium during the construction of the ice rink in December. featuring four A-10 Thunderbolt II planes flown by Blacksnakes of the 163rd Fighter Squadron from the Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station. Robert Franklin/South Bend Tribune ■ Grammy Award-winning band Weezer will headline the entertainment, Notre Dame Stadium during the construction of the ice rink in December. performing during the first intermission, a portion of which will be What they’re wearing broadcast live on NBC. Judah & the Lion, a band out of Nashville, will entertain fans in attendance during the second intermission. ■ The Bruins will wear brown and gold jerseys that pay homage to the team’s 1930s-era uniform. Highlighting the throwback look, the jersey ■ The game pucks will feature thermochromic coatings that change from features the classic “B” logo. purple to clear when a puck’s temperature is above freezing, providing a visual indication to officials that the puck should be replaced. The coated Additional design details include a list of the years that the team has won pucks will be tested at NHL events during the 2018-19 season and will be the (1929, 1939, 1941, 1970, 1972, 2011). further evaluated for broader use in the future.

Each championship year has been set within a shamrock as a nod to ■ The Boston College hockey team will play Notre Dame on New Year’s Notre Dame Stadium and is emblazoned onto the interior neckline. Eve at the Compton Family Ice Arena at 5 p.m. The Eagles are 6-1-2 in The jersey the Bruins will wear in the 2019 Winter Classic is on sale at their last nine games, while Notre Dame is 11-5-1 overall and ranked No. their pro shop at TD Garden. 6 nationally.

David L Ryan/ ■ There will be a free fan festival Dec. 29-31 at Chicago’s Jay Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park. The festival will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Globe Staff Central time, and will include autograph sessions featuring former Blackhawks and Bruins players Brian Campbell, Bryan Bickell, Tony The jersey the Bruins will wear in the 2019 Winter Classic is on sale at Esposito, Denis Savard, and Johnny Bucyk; hockey attractions, including their pro shop at TD Garden. the Stanley Cup; live music; and more. Here’s the schedule:

■ The Blackhawks will sport black and white uniforms as an homage to Saturday, Dec. 29 the 1933-34 team, which won the organization’s first Stanley Cup. 12-1 p.m. — Brian Campbell autograph session The Blackhawks’ crest features a combination of felt letters and chain stitching. To complete the theme, player names and numbers feature 2-3 p.m. — Bryan Bickell autograph session single-layer felt materials. 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. — Musical performances by Red Carpet Riot Design details include the years the Blackhawks have won the Stanley Cup (1934, 1938, 1961, 2010, 2013, 2015) emblazoned onto the interior Sunday, Dec. 30 neckline, paired with the classic hashmarks of Notre Dame Stadium as a 1:30– 2:15 p.m. — Denis Savard autograph session nod to the end zone pattern. 2:30-3:30 p.m. — Q&A with Ray Bourque and Denis Savard Behind the scenes 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. — Musical performances by Stache Monday, Dec. 31

12-1 p.m. — Tony Esposito autograph session

2-3 p.m. — Johnny Bucyk autograph session

11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. — Musical performances by 97Nine

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Tuukka Rask had a special helmet made for the Winter Classic

By Andrew Mahoney

Tuukka Rask will be sporting a unique helmet for the Winter Classic at Notre Dame. Whether or not he will play in the game is another matter.

The Bruins shared a picture on of the goalie from Friday’s practice, in which Rask is wearing a helmet that has a leprechaun, the mascot of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, on the front, just above the cage.

An additional photo showed the back of the helmet that has image of a sign that reads “Play Like A Champion Today,” a reference to a sign in the stairwell of the home locker room that leads to the tunnel of the field at Notre Dame Stadium.

After Friday’s practice, coach Bruce Cassidy announced Rask as the starter against Buffalo on Saturday. The starter for the Winter Classic against the Chicago Blackhawks Tuesday has not been announced – Rask has started 17 games this season and Jaroslav Halak has started 21.

Rask also had a mask designed for the Winter Classic three years ago, which was held at Gillette Stadium.

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Four Patriots players are depicted: , tight end Rob Gronkowski, receiver Julian Edelman, and kicker Stephen Gostkowski. It also featured Pat Patriot in Bruins colors and the old Boston Garden.

Boston Globe LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123130 Boston Bruins Wagner bumped into New Jersey forward Brett Seney as he celebrated, knocking him into the net.

The Bruins had 1:49 of power-play time to start the third, but did nothing One of the NHL’s worst teams looked pretty good against the Bruins of note. They finished 0 for 2 on the man-up, while Jersey was 2 for 4.

The Devils scored a backbreaker 4:15 into the final frame. Torey Krug’s By Matt Porter blast from the point caromed off Blake Coleman’s shin pads. Turning on the turbos, Coleman beat Krug and Carlo down the ice. Halak hesitated to challenge, and might have had it if he did. But Coleman arrived at the loose puck, deked Halak, and scored. Maybe the Bruins were in a Christmas spirit of giving. Maybe they had too much holiday ham in their bellies. The 4-1 goal came at 12:43, after Ryan Donato took an elbow from to the mouth and fell. On a rush the other way, Nico Coach Bruce Cassidy had other reasons for a 5-2 loss Thursday to the Hischier snapped one high over Halak. lowly Devils at TD Garden. Bergeron potted his 12th of the season, at 17:05 of the third, when he It was their first game back from the three-day break and their first game tipped home DeBrusk’s feed from the side boards. The Bruins, down 4-2, with Zdeno Chara, Jake DeBrusk, and Kevan Miller in the lineup after hoped to get Halak off the ice for a six on five, but David Backes hit multiweek layoffs. Those Bruins were rusty, but overall, they played like Coleman with an illegal check to the head and made it five on five with they expected to scoop a win onto their plates like a second helping of au the home net empty. gratin potatoes. Coleman, quickly recovered, scored his second of the game with 47.5 “You’re getting guys back, you think, ‘OK, here we go, it’s going to seconds left. happen for us,’ ” Cassidy said. “I think that certainly, probably was in some guys’ minds. Look, ‘Jersey’s struggling a bit, OK, we’re going to go “They certainly were more prepared, so give them credit,” Cassidy said. out and show up.’ ” “That’s on us as a staff to get our guys ready, and we failed there tonight, obviously. We weren’t their match early on.” The Devils (13-16-7), who entered the night tied with Los Angeles (31 points) for last place in the league, arrived and put their feet up on And for a club that hasn’t had many comebacks this season, it was too Boston’s couch. late.

The most recent sports headlines delivered to your inbox every morning. Boston Globe LOADED: 12.29.2018 Sparked by two first-period goals, New Jersey earned 22-year-old netminder Mackenzie Blackwood, who made his second NHL start, his first win (1-1-0). Entering Thursday, he had faced 57 shots in his three- game career. He stopped 40 of 42 Bruins shots for the victory.

The Bruins (20-14-4) attempted 72 shots (to New Jersey’s 50), though too many were of the one-and-done variety. Goals from Chris Wagner and Patrice Bergeron were the only dents the Bruins put on the scoreboard, in a game in which several bad bounces went against them: a DeBrusk crossbar, a few noncalls.

“We certainly generated enough to get more than a goal,” Cassidy said, discounting the Bergeron tally with 2:55 left. “We probably deserved a better fate offensively, but it’s not happening right now . . . When doubt creeps into their minds, it’s our job as coaches to erase it.”

The Bruins fell behind, 1-0, just 25 seconds into the game, when Damon Severson finished a pass from defenseman Andy Greene at the right circle. It was a D-to-D pass inside the line, the Bruins all out of sorts in their zone.

The culprit: a noncall and a slow change. On a draw in the offensive zone, Brad Marchand took a stick to the chest, went down, and couldn’t get off the ice in time as the Devils went the other way. Replacing a laboring Marchand, Danton Heinen was so late to the play he wasn’t saddled with a minus on the official scoresheet.

That was part of the static between Marchand and Severson. The Bruins winger later dumped the Devils defenseman along the boards, an apparent trip that went uncalled.

Tough luck made it 2-0 by the end of the first period. After ex-Devil John Moore was called for tripping former teammate Kyle Palmieri, the Devils’ leading goal scorer (19) blasted one off Jaroslav Halak’s left pad, but it caromed off Brandon Carlo’s shin pad in front, then off Halak’s mask and across the goal line at 15:25 of the period.

“A break here or there, the game probably evens out, but who knows where it goes from there?” Cassidy said, noting the goal put “a lot of juice” in the Devils’ systems. “But we’re chasing it the whole night. When you chase it, you usually end up not catching it.”

The Bruins finished with 10 giveaways in the first period, and landed 10 of their 22 shot attempts. The sharpshooting Devils put 12 of 16 attempts on net, and were careful with the puck (four giveaways). Those trends continued.

The Bruins halved the deficit near the end of the second on Wagner’s fourth of the season. It was a trademark goal for the hard-nosed Walpole native. After a quick cashiering of a John Moore feed at 15:07 — the defenseman sneaked below the circle and waited for a lane to open — 1123131 Boston Bruins Cassidy switched up the defense pairs, moving Brandon Carlo with Zdeno Chara, Matt Grzelcyk with Kevan Miller and Torey Krug with John Moore, who was playing the off side.

Bruins notebook: David Backes suspended three games Boston Herald LOADED: 12.29.2018

By STEVE CONROY | PUBLISHED: December 28, 2018 at 7:53 pm | UPDATED: December 28, 2018 at 7:54 PM

So much for the Bruins getting back to full strength.

As they prepared to travel to Buffalo for an important divisional game against the Sabres and then on to the Winter Classic at Notre Dame, they practiced without two important players. Then they learned Friday night they would be without David Backes for the next three games.

Backes received a three-game suspension from the NHL for his hit to the head of the Devils’ Blake Coleman late in the B’s 5-2 loss to New Jersey on Thursday. The fact Coleman’s head was the “main point of contact” and Backes’ history (he was suspended three games last March for a head hit on Detroit’s Frans Nielsen) were cited in the league’s video explaining the punishment. The head contact also was deemed avoidable.

Backes will miss Saturday’s big game in Buffalo, the Winter Classic at Notre Dame and Thursday’s game at the Garden against Calgary. He will be docked $219,512.19.

On the injury front, Brad Marchand did not practice Friday, and coach Bruce Cassidy said he was unlikely to play against the Sabres. Marchand took a couple of high hits, one early from Coleman and a late one from Travis Zajac, causing him to leave the game for good. Cassidy also said Marchand wasn’t feeling well going into the game.

“We’ll have a much better idea on him (Saturday),” Cassidy said. “Doesn’t look likely for him (Saturday), would be my guess. But he’s traveling with us, so that could change.”

Charlie McAvoy, who missed Thursday’s loss to the Devils with a lower- body injury (he took a puck off the ankle against Montreal on Dec. 17 and played three games after that), was placed on injured reserve, so he’s ineligible to play against the Sabres. Cassidy did not rule him out for the Winter Classic. McAvoy is traveling with the team.

“There is ice at Notre Dame both indoors and outdoors, so he could have a chance to get back on skates there,” Cassidy said.

With that extra bit of uncertainty, Cassidy was running through some contingency line combos. He moved Danton Heinen up to the first line in Marchand’s spot in practice, Noel Acciari centered the fourth line between Sean Kuraly and Chris Wagner, and Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson is a possibility for the line with Ryan Donato and Colby Cave.

Cassidy did not rule out the call-up of Anders Bjork, the Notre Dame product who is playing at Providence.

“It’s an interesting story, playing there (at ND). He’s played well in Providence. He hasn’t scored as much as we’d like, but he’s putting up points, so clearly he’s generating offense,” Cassidy said. “He’d be one of the guys in the mix. We’re getting ahead of ourselves. It would have to be a conversation and who would be the best fit for us, who’s playing the best down there.”

TURN IT UP

After his team’s supbar performance on Thursday, Cassidy turned up the intensity in practice, finishing it off with one-on-one battle drills that began at one net followed by a sprint down the ice for a second one-on-one.

“Our execution was off (on Thursday). That’s sometimes the way it goes. Other times, you just need to bear down and focus,” Cassidy said. “I think there was a little bit of both. They got scruffy at times, too, New Jersey, so today the focus more was on being crisp and let’s be competing for pucks. Whether they got that message of or not, I don’t know. Hopefully it shows (Saturday) that we’re going to be a harder team.”

TUUKKA’S TURN

Cassidy said Tuukka Rask will get the start in Buffalo, and he’ll decide after that who gets the nod for the Winter Classic. Rask was sporting his new Notre Dame-themed mask with “Play Like a Champion” on the back and the pugnacious leprechaun mascot on top. … 1123132 Boston Bruins

Sabres’ Jack Eichel enjoys Bruins memories

By MARISA INGEMI | PUBLISHED: December 28, 2018 at 7:31 pm | UPDATED: December 28, 2018 at 7:35 PM

BUFFALO — Feb. 9, 2011 was a key date in the Bruins’ run to the Stanley Cup. Fans probably don’t remember the score of the game, but if you mention the goalie fight between Tim Thomas and Carey Price, memories are jogged.

The Bruins won more important games on the way to their first championship in 39 years, but that night against the Montreal Canadiens was one of the season’s defining moments. Eight goals in the second period, 182 total penalty minutes and a win against their biggest rivals.

Buffalo Sabres star Jack Eichel remembers. Myths grow in time, so he chooses to exaggerate a little, but the impact of the game is the same.

“I used to go to a lot of games with my dad,” Eichel said. “I went to a game when they played the Canadiens and it was like 8-6, the Bruins won, there were 300 minutes of penalties and 5-on-5 brawls. Tim Thomas fought Carey Price. That was pretty wild.”

The Sabres captain was 13 at the time and on his way to becoming one of the most highly touted local hockey prospects in recent memory. Growing up a fan of all four major sports teams in Boston, he had a special affinity for the B’s.

When they won the Cup that season, it was the first hockey title of many Bruins fans’ lives. The team had been consistently competing at a high level for the first time in more than a decade, and the championship created a new generation of local hockey fanatics.

“I grew up in (North Chelmsford), so when I was in middle school was when they were making the playoffs every year,” Eichel said. “They had a really good team. I think the city all became big fans of them.”

Eichel was just four years away from winning the Hobey Baker Award as a freshman at Boston University and being selected by the Sabres with the second overall pick of the 2015 draft. He wasn’t fully committed to hockey quite yet, still playing a variety of sports in North Chelmsford before he shifted focus with the national development program.

“I played soccer when I was young, played ,” he said. “I played a lot, in the summer. I played a lot of different stuff growing up

“I was better at baseball. I stuck with that.”

Eichel, 22, is the Sabres’ leading scorer with 49 points (15 goals). He’s on pace to shatter his career high of 64 points from last season. His skills really began to flourish right around the time the Bruins jumped back on the radar for Boston sports fans.

The Sabres host the Bruins on Saturday night. Eichel said playing against Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and Zdeno Chara — all guys he he grew up watching — is just another game. He scored twice when the teams met at the Garden on Dec. 16, part of a four-point night that gave him 11 career points against the B’s.

Playing in front of the same crowd to which he belonged is old hat at this point, but he hasn’t forgotten many details from those days.

“Growing up watching them, I always want to play good against them and beat them,” he said. “No extra motivation needed.”

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David Backes receives three-game suspension for hit on Blake Coleman

By NBC Sports Boston Report December 28, 2018 7:22 PM

We thought it might happened, and now it has.

The NHL has announced that Bruins center David Backes has been suspended three games for a high hit on Devils forward Blake Coleman on Thursday night.

Backes will consequentially miss the Winter Classic, where the Bruins will face off against the Blackhawks at Notre Dame in the NHL's yearly outdoors game.

Backes has racked up 10 points this season, and while those aren't astounding numbers, his absence will leave the Bruins light on wings, again.

If Brad Marchand is out for an extended period of time with the injury he sustained on Thursday night, then the Bruins may have to dip into their AHL talent pool to keep the ship afloat.

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Bruins' David Backes may face suspension for hit on Devils' Blake Coleman

By Joe Haggerty December 28, 2018 3:55 PM

BRIGHTON -- David Backes had never been suspended in his entire 700-plus game NHL career headed into his time with the Boston Bruins, but he might be facing his second bit of supplemental discipline in as many years.

Backes will be having a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety after a hit on Blake Coleman late in Thursday night’s 5-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils at TD Garden. He was whistled for a two-minute minor for an illegal check to the head after throwing a shoulder at Coleman up high late in the third period. Backes kept his elbow tucked and didn't lift it when he made the hit, but was also coming a bit from the blindside and arrived after Coleman had shot the puck out of the Jersey defensive zone.

The fact that he was suspended for three games for interference on a late, high hit on Detroit’s Frans Nielsen last year might be a factor working againsthis getting away without any supplemental discipline.

“It was all shoulder. Unfortunately there was enough contact to the head that they’re going to review it,” said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy. “Obviously [a past discipline history] doesn’t help matters when they’re reviewing [a hit], but it’s one of those things where you never really know how it’s going to play out.”

Another factor going against Backes could be the idea that the hit on Coleman specifically was retribution for Coleman talking a run at Brad Marchand on the very first play of the game. Marchand had to leave the bench prior to the end of Thursday night’s loss to the Devils, and isn’t likely to play on Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres due to an “upper body injury” after getting hit a of times by New Jersey players.

If Backes is indeed suspended he could be in danger of missing out on next week’s Winter Classic against the Chicago Blackhawks at Notre Dame, and that would leave the Bruins in need of another winger for the next few games. Perhaps it would be time to recall Notre Dame alum Anders Bjork from the AHL ahead of the return to his alma mater for next week's Winter Classic?

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McAvoy back on IR; Marchand out Saturday vs. Sabres

By Joe Haggerty December 28, 2018 12:32 PM

BRIGHTON, Mass – After getting three players back from injury Thursday night, the hits keep on coming for the Bruins. Charlie McAvoy is back on injured reserve with a lower-body injury and Brad Marchand won't play in Buffalo Saturday night after taking some hard hits in a 5-2 loss to the Devils.

Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said Marchand, who didn't practice Friday, will travel to Notre Dame, where the B's play the Chicago Blackhawks in the Winter Classic on New Year's Day.

“It’s upper body. [Marchand] was not feeling good going into the game yesterday, and then with about a minute to go in the game he left [the bench]," said Cassidy. "He wasn’t feeling well again today. We’ll have a much better idea on him tomorrow. He doesn’t look likely for tomorrow, but he is traveling with us so that could change. We’ll have a better idea tomorrow morning.”

McAvoy, who missed 20 games earlier this season with a concussion and only returned to the lineup Dec. 9, was injured when he blocked a shot in a loss to the Hurricanes in Carolina on Sunday.

On Thursday night, Marchand took a hit behind the play from Blake Coleman on the very first shift of the game and was never able to get back into the play as the Devils eventually scored to take an early lead. Marchand actually left the ice after he was slowing getting up following the contact behind the play and it was his replacement, Danton Heinen, who couldn't catch up to the goal-scorer in Damon Severson trailing the play.

Marchand played the entire game and finished with 20:20 of ice time to go along with four shots on net and a couple of hits, but it was also clear that the Devils were planning on making him a target every time they got the chance.

Perhaps it was a bit of payback for last season’s elbow to the head of Marcus Johansson that earned Marchand a five-game suspension with the NHL or maybe it was New Jersey just playing hard on Boston’s skill guys. But it was another example of Boston’s best players getting targeted for added abuse without the Bruins doing much in the way of defending their teammate or finding some kind of deterrent to keep it from happening.

Here are the projected line combos and D-pairings based on Friday’s practice:

Heinen-Bergeron-Pastrnak

Nordstrom-Krejci-DeBrusk

Donato-Cave-Backes

Kuraly-Acciari-Wagner

JFK

Chara-Carlo

Krug-Moore

Grzelcyk-Miller

Kampfer

Rask

Halak

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Chara, DeBrusk, Miller come through return to the Bruins lineup okay

By Joe Haggerty December 28, 2018 11:51 AM

BOSTON – Obviously, the bad news for the Bruins was that they lost Thursday night to the New Jersey Devils and didn’t look very good doing it.

The good news is that the Bruins welcomed Zdeno Chara, Kevan Miller and Jake DeBrusk back and all three made it through the 5-2 loss looking a little rusty, but healthy. It was to be expected for all three players, particularly for the Chara, 41, after he missed the past six weeks (19 games) following his collision with Carl Soderberg on Nov. 14.

Chara seemed to get better as the game went along while showing some signs of rust, but most important, he was healthy while racking up nearly 20 minutes of ice time and bringing some surliness back into the defensive zone.

“Not bad. One thing we can’t really practice is timing, that’s one thing you really miss the most," Chara said.

"Conditioning-wise, strength was fine, everything was good. Just to be in the right spot, that was kind of one thing that was kind of getting stuck in between. Other than that, I felt pretty good, to be honest with you for the first game in a long time.

“I thought as the game went on, I started feeling better being in those spots.”

Clearly, it was a bit of a challenge to introduce three players back into the lineup all at once, but all three showed signs of their familiar games. Whether it was Chara playing big and strong in the defensive zone, Miller laying the lumber on some big hits or DeBrusk attempting to attack the net with his combination of speed, power and skill.

DeBrusk, in particular, knows that he's got even more to give than he did in Thursday's loss.

“[I was] a little rusty to be honest. Decent starting off, I think I hit a crossbar but as it went along, there were a couple little detail things that I definitely need to clean up,” said DeBrusk, who had an assist, four shot attempts and a couple of hits in 17 minutes of ice time along with a rung crossbar that could have made a difference in the game early on. “It was obviously nice to get back out there but not the result we wanted by any means. You’ll get more reps and when you do that, you’ll feel better.”

MORE B'S - Five bold Bruins predictions for 2019

Now that they’re healthy, it’s about getting into the flow as a cohesive unit and seeing exactly how good this Bruins team can be.

“It’s a good problem to have. You want your best players in there. They’re going to have to play sooner or later once they’re cleared to play, so it does change some of the D-pairs a little bit. We had to move Grizz [Matt Grzelcyk] now that Charlie [McAvoy] injury, put Grizz back to the right,” said Bruce Cassidy. “That’s an adjustment for Grizz. He was there with Zee a little bit when Zee got hurt, took him a while to get used to being over there even though they’re NHL players.

“They’re playing against the other team’s good players. He’s on his off side, took a while. So, I guess there are a few minor things. But at the end of the day, they’re all good players going back in, so you’d hope it would make you better. That’s obviously going to be our goal for Saturday [against Buffalo].”

The even better news for the Bruins: No one got hurt Thursday night, so it will all about the full Black and Gold lineup jelling for the foreseeable future.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123137 Buffalo Sabres

Amerks knock off defending AHL champ Toronto

Staff | Published Fri, Dec 28, 2018

After a quiet first period, the Rochester Americans erupted for four goals in the second en route to a 5-1 victory over defending AHL champion Toronto on Friday night.

Wayne Simpson, Zach Redmond, Brendan Guhle, Danny O’Regan and Justin Bailey each scored a goal for the Amerks.

Simpson and O’Regan each recorded an assist to lead the team with two points. Victor Olofsson dished out two assists for two points.

Chris Mueller scored the lone goal for the Marlies (14-12-3). He entered the game ninth in the league with 31 points.

Toronto was missing star forward Trevor Moore, who was called up to the Maple Leafs on Dec. 27 on an “emergency basis.”

Moore ranks fourth in the AHL with 17 goals in 27 games, which also leads the Marlies. He made his NHL debut on Dec. 23 in Toronto’s game against the Detroit Red Wings. He is ranked fifth in the AHL in power- play goals with seven. Without him, the Marlies capitalized on only one of eight power play opportunities against Rochester.

The Amerks’ first score came shorthanded, courtesy of Simpson.

A power play five minutes later presented a golden opportunity to extend the lead, and Redmond capitalized. Guhle’s goal two minutes later made it 3-0 and put the game out of reach for Toronto.

The victory gives Rochester four straight over the Marlies dating back to last season.

Now 20-10-2, the Amerks will travel to Utica today for a 7 p.m. game against the Comets.

Utica last played in a 1-0 loss to the Binghamton Devils on Dec. 27 and is on a two-game skid.

Buffalo News LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123138 Buffalo Sabres After all, they lost by one goal in Washington on Dec. 21 before beating Anaheim, 3-0, last Saturday. Buffalo also had to travel Thursday morning to St. Louis because of the collective bargaining agreement-mandated Sabres frustrated by struggles since winning streak, readying for difficult holiday break, which Housley said contributed to some of their struggles road ahead against the Blues.

The Sabres hold a three-point lead over the Bruins in the division and have one of the most potent top lines in the NHL. Eichel is playing the Lance Lysowski | Published Fri, Dec 28, 2018 | Updated Fri, Dec 28, best hockey of his career, Jeff Skinner has 26 goals and Reinhart is 2018 having an exceptional season with 37 points in 38 games.

Okposo, who was reunited on a line with Casey Mittelstadt and Conor Sheary during Friday's practice, has not scored a goal in 20 straight Rasmus Dahlin swung his stick not once, but twice at the boards games. Sheary's only goal in 18 games was an empty-netter. The drop in following an intense practice drill in HarborCenter. That powerful display production is in stark contrast to when 17 different players scored during of raw emotion was the culmination of a trying one-hour on-ice session the win streak. for the Buffalo Sabres' rookie defenseman. The Sabres' forwards are receiving less time and space to generate "That was a pretty stupid move, but sometimes you get angry," Dahlin chances. Simply put, they are no longer surprising anyone in the NHL lamented Friday afternoon. "It’s a way to get the frustration away." and Housley wants them to respond. That also illustrated how he and his teammates felt following a 4-1 loss in “It’s just going to get harder, but we’re up to the challenge," Okposo said. St. Louis one night earlier. The Sabres, 21-12-5 with 47 points for third "You just have to make sure that you’re doing the right things every day.” place in the Atlantic Division, have only four wins in 13 games since their 10-game win streak was halted Nov. 29, and again had a letdown against Buffalo News LOADED: 12.29.2018 a struggling opponent.

While the improvement from a 25-win season in 2017-18 is still remarkable, the standard has changed in Buffalo. All involved arrived Friday morning intent on fixing the problems in time for a Saturday prime- time game against the Boston Bruins in KeyBank Center.

"Our next handful of games are against teams that are right there with us," Jason Pominville, who could return from injury Saturday, said. "You want to make sure you push them back. But the biggest thing for us is worrying about our game and getting back to playing the way we know we’re capable of and playing the way that led to us having success. We’ve slipped away a little bit from it."

Pominville watched as his teammates allowed three second-period goals against the Blues, who are sixth in the Central Division and own a negative-15 goal differential. St. Louis had 19 of the game's 23 shot attempts during the first 11 minutes of the second period.

Again, the Sabres allowed too many scoring chances and did not generate enough, particularly their bottom three lines. Since the win streak ended one month ago, the Sabres are 4-6-3 with a negative-7 goal differential and negative-29 shot differential.

While there are concerns about secondary scoring – the top line has accounted for 16 of the team's 22 5-on-5 goals since the streak ended – several Sabres said the team's play away from the puck is to blame for the struggles.

Since Nov. 29, an inability to forecheck and backcheck have contributed to Buffalo having the NHL's sixth-worst Corsi-for percentage, which measures the percentage of shots attempted by a team during 5-on-5 play.

"We just have to stick to our game and make sure that we’re working away from the puck," winger Kyle Okposo said. "I know that’s a really big thing for our team. When we’re playing well, everybody’s working away from the puck, hunting guys down and getting back, being good defensively.”

The Sabres also are giving opponents too much time and space in the defensive zone, as displayed Thursday when Sam Reinhart allowed St. Louis defenseman Jay Bouwmeester to skate forward for an uncontested slap shot on Carter Hutton. Such breakdowns were pointed out by coach Phil Housley and his staff during a film session Friday morning. All involved came to a consensus the Sabres failed to respond when the Blues played desperate for the final 40 minutes.

"We’ve done a great job up to this point," Housley said. "We’ve put ourselves in a great position, but it is going to get harder. It’s going to get tougher. Time and space, there’s not going to be a lot of it, so we need to continue to focus and stay the course and not break at times."

As a result, the Sabres' ramped up the intensity in practice Friday. There were 3-on-1 and 2-on-2 drills to start. Housley tweaked his lines, except Jack Eichel's first line, and made his players practice forechecking and backchecking. Still, he did not appear to be overly concerned about his team's play. 1123139 Buffalo Sabres

Rick Jeanneret heading back to the broadcast booth for Saturday's Sabres game

Staff | Published Fri, Dec 28, 2018 | Updated Fri, Dec 28, 2018

Legendary Sabres broadcaster Rick Jeanneret says he will be back in the booth for Saturday's home game against the Boston Bruins.

"I will be doing the game Saturday and all the remaining games on my contract," Jeanneret texted News' television critic Alan Pergament on Friday. "I'm looking forward to dipping my toe in the playoff pool for the first time in seven years."

Jeanneret put quite a scare into Sabres fans and the hockey world during the third period of the team’s 3-0 win over Anaheim on Saturday night when his voice became low and he went silent before analyst Rob Ray and then game host Brian Duff took over the play-by-play duties. Jeanneret was taken from the arena on a stretcher. He was released from Buffalo General Medical Center on Sunday.

He was not scheduled to work Thursday's game in St. Louis, so he will be back to work without missing a game.

In an interview Sunday, Jeanneret thanked the fans for their support.

“I continue to be amazed so many people really care about me,” he said. “God bless them. They got me through cancer and getting a pacemaker, and they are getting me through this. I’ll be fine.”

Buffalo News LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123140 Buffalo Sabres putting them away, especially against them too. Finding a way to get a big goal like that to seal the deal, it felt really good."

O'Reilly got the last word on his matchup with Eichel's line, which still Ryan O'Reilly leads the way as Blues get last word in solid win over managed to get nine shots on goal. O'Reilly was at 61 percent in the Sabres faceoff circle (11-7) while Eichel only went 5-8.

"I thought our line generated a lot to be honest," Eichel said. "Obviously Mike Harrington | Published Thu, Dec 27, 2018 | Updated Fri, Dec 28, it's tough in the faceoff dot. He makes it hard on you to win. I was trying 2018 to change up on him a little bit, do different things to throw him off a bit. But give him credit. They checked well even though we had chances."

Buffalo News LOADED: 12.29.2018 ST. LOUIS -- You can't accuse the Buffalo Sabres of too much holiday cheer. Not the way they played in the first period Thursday night.

The Sabres were skating well, hard on the puck and dominating play in the St. Louis Blues' zone. But they went to the locker room in a scoreless tie and any momentum they had was gone.

St. Louis, the underachieving 13th-place team in the Western Conference, blitzed Buffalo with three goals in the second period and old friend Ryan O'Reilly capped the night's indignity with the clinching goal in the third as the Sabres suffered a 4-1 loss in Enterprise Center.

The Sabres had 31 shots on goal in the game but didn't have a whole lot of quality scoring chances against Jake Allen, especially in the final 40 minutes after they outshot the Blues, 10-6, in the first. Jack Eichel scored their only goal in the second period and no one else connected as secondary scoring remains a crisis.

"We've got to find a way," said coach Phil Housley. "And I'll continue to say it: If you want to score in this league, you're going to have to get dirty once in a while and you're going to have to go to the net. It's going to get harder as we move forward here. That's a challenge for us."

The Wraparound: Blues 4, Sabres 1

"I just didn't think stuff was clean tonight," Eichel said. "We were sloppy, chasing things a bit. We really never established our game after the first. You just move on. We have to learn from this game and we will."

Goalie Carter Hutton, returning to meet his old teammates, was fretting goals by Robert Thomas and Patrick Maroon that went into the net off his body as St. Louis had 19 of the game's 23 shot attempts in the first 11 minutes of the second period.

But in the bigger picture, Hutton is growing increasingly frustrated. He's just 1-4-1 in December with a 2.67 goals-against average and .911 save percentage. He has lost three straight, with the Sabres totaling just four goals in that trio of games.

"You try to battle to keep it there but when you're not getting run support, you try to do a little too much," Hutton said. "I've just got to get back to doing my thing. I can't control what we do at the other end but I need to be better. Four goals is unacceptable."

There wasn't much Hutton could do on O'Reilly's clincher at 13:47 of third, his team-high 14th goal of the season. O'Reilly neatly chipped the puck around Zemgus Girgensons and got in alone on Hutton, beating the goalie clean to the blocker side.

O'Reilly had four shots on goal and was plus-2 in the game. And did the goal have extra meaning?

"Oh, absolutely," he said. "It's a big game for us in general, coming off the break and trying to get back into the hunt here. Especially against a team like that being traded from, it always means a bit more. It feels really good to win that one."

All Ryan O'Reilly wanted for a Christmas was a goal against his former club.

He got it. #stlblues pic.twitter.com/Z6YZWqxZv2

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) December 28, 2018

The Sabres flew here in the morning after the holiday break, and the compressed gameday schedule left O'Reilly no time for catchup with his ex-mates aside from a few on-ice chit-chats during warmup. After that, it was all business.

"It was kind of nice to put the nail in the coffin," O'Reilly said. "Having that two-goal lead and kind of getting late there, it didn't solidify the win, but it just kind of as a team, we were like, 'OK, we got this here.' We were 1123141 Buffalo Sabres for the program's first NCAA win and the first in a main-draw victory by a local school since the days of Bob Lanier in Olean.

Wes Clark scored 25 points for the Bulls, whose season would end two 2018 Buffalo Sports Year in Review: It took trips to Dallas, of all places, days later with a loss to Kentucky, 95-75. But the momentum has never to finally get some hope stopped for coach Nate Oats' crew. The '18-19 campaign opened with UB in the top 15 while earning the Big 4's first national ranking since '70, and off to its best start in 90 years. Mike Harrington | Published Fri, Dec 28, 2018 The UB women joined the 2012 St. Bonaventure team as the only area women's teams to make the Sweet 16, losing to South Carolina, 79-63, in the regional semifinal before a blue-and-white-clad crowd in Albany to After too many years of losing and drudgery, the Buffalo sports scene complete a record-setting 29-6 season. Coach Felisha Legette-Jack's was marked by two overriding themes in 2018. Bulls were an at-large team after losing the MAC Tournament final to One was hope. Strangely enough, the other was historic trips to Dallas, a Central Michigan, but drubbed South Florida (102-79) and Florida State place that broke the city's collective hearts three major times during the (86-65) in the first two rounds of the NCAAs in Tallahassee. In the 1990s. process, they turned guards Cierra Dillard and Stephanie Reid into two of the biggest female names on the local sports scene in many years. Cynics might chuckle on the first point. The Bills and Sabres, in particular, have had nothing to sell but their hope tanks in recent years. 4. After summer moves, Sabres hang 10 for record streak But this time, the gauge started inching up. For three weeks in November, NHL hockey was revived in Buffalo to a The Bills actually played in a playoff game for the first time in 18 years level not seen in these parts since the Sabres' back-to-back runs to the (though connected to the 2017 season, we'll point out the 10-3 loss at Eastern Conference final in 2006 and 2007. The Sabres tied the Jacksonville was played on Jan. 7, 2018). Both the Bills and Sabres franchise record with 10 consecutive victories, the most to date in the drafted franchise rocks, and who's unhappy with what they've seen so far NHL this season. Drama was a nightly accompaniment. Nine of the wins from Josh Allen and Rasmus Dahlin? were by one goal. Seven were in overtime or shootout. The team trailed in six of the games, notably when it wiped out a three-goal deficit and got As for Dallas, it's where St. Bonaventure's best basketball season since an overtime goal from Jack Eichel to post a 5-4 win in Pittsburgh. The run the 1970 Final Four ended after it became the first Big 4 team to win an shot the Sabres to No. 1 in the NHL's overall standing and set them up NCAA Tournament game since 2007. The University at Buffalo would for their first playoff berth since 2011 before ending with a 5-4 loss Nov. follow with a victory two nights later in Boise, Idaho. It's where the Bills 30 at Tampa Bay. drafted Allen and where cancer-stricken super fan Ezra "Pancho Billa" Castro was called on stage by Andre Reed and Fred Jackson to The Sabres' streak and their rise up the standings have been heavily announce a pick. And where the Sabres drafted Dahlin. All that came in a connected to GM Jason Botterill, who traded Evander Kane and Ryan span of just more than three months, forever giving Big D and the 716 O'Reilly, didn't re-sign goalie Robin Lehner, signed goalie Carter Hutton some connections other than a certain pair of Super Bowls or a as a free agent July 1 and made a stealth move Aug. 2 by getting high- controversial finish to a Stanley Cup final. scoring winger Jeff Skinner from the Carolina Hurricanes. By only giving up prospect Cliff Pu and draft picks, the Skinner deal looks like one of the Here's a look back at our choices for the top 10 stories of 2018 in Buffalo great heists in franchise history, evoking memories of Stéphane sports: Beauregard for Dominik Hasek and Chris Gratton for Daniel Briere.

1. Bills trade Tyrod Taylor/draft Josh Allen 5. Vladdy Jr. comes to head of the Herd

Finding a replacement for Jim Kelly has taken more than two decades, After starting the season at Double-A New Hampshire and then sitting and even though Taylor led the Bills to the end of the drought — thank out a few weeks with a knee injury, baseball's top prospect hit town on you, Andy Dalton — it was clear that the team wanted to move in another July 31. Third baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. arrived a couple of days direction. The Bills traded Taylor to Cleveland on March 10 where he was after his namesake father was inducted into the Hall of Fame. The quickly supplanted as the Browns starting quarterback by No. 1 overall younger Guerrero showed remarkable plate discipline, power to all fields draft pick Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma. and even a better-than-expected at third base to pump some life into an otherwise moribund Bisons season. Nine of the last 10 games, in After weeks of speculation by fans and media among the likes of fact, saw the Herd sell more than 10,000 tickets as Blue Jays fans Mayfield, Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen, the Bills took Allen at the draft poured across the border to get a look at their future. Vladdy Jr. didn't April 26 in AT&T Stadium. They traded up with Tampa Bay to get to the disappoint: In 30 games with the Bisons, he batted .336 with six homers No. 7 spot and select the University of Wyoming gunslinger. Allen's and 16 RBIs, striking out just 10 times in 110 at-bats and drawing 15 rookie year has been an up-and-down one, highlighted by his meme-of- walks. a-hurdle over a defender in a victory at Minnesota, concern over an elbow injury that left him on the sideline for multiple weeks and then 6. Brandon deposed, Kim Pegula takes over as president showing dynamic play with his arm and legs. There was change at the top of Pegula Sports and Entertainment on May 2. Sabres draft Rasmus Dahlin 2 as Russ Brandon abruptly resigned his role as president of Pegula Sports and Entertainment, the Bills and Sabres and other holdings After a miserable last-place season, the Sabres finally got some good following an investigation into workplace behavior and allegations of fortune when they won the NHL's draft lottery in April in Toronto. The personal misconduct. The move ended a nearly 21-year association with prize: The right to take 18-year-old Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin the Bills that included a controversial stint as the team's general with the No. 1 pick of the draft June 22 in American Airlines Center. manager. Co-owner Kim Pegula was installed to fill the president's spot Dahlin was the center of attention at the NHL Scouting Combine in for the two franchises, becoming the first woman to serve in that role in HarborCenter the last week of May and then came the big moment: Less the NFL and the first in the NHL since the 1950s. than two months after Allen donned his Bills jersey in Big D, Dahlin did likewise with his first Sabres sweater, becoming the club's first No. 1 7. Bonnies beat UCLA in First Four overall since Pierre Turgeon in 1987 Just like at UB, there was also March Madness in Olean. Behind Atlantic While the Bills hope Allen can develop into a solid NFL quarterback, 10 co-player of the year Jaylen Adams, St. Bonaventure got its first Dahlin has already developed into a mainstay on the Buffalo defense and NCAA at-large bid since 2000 and was sent to the First Four in Dayton. will give the Sabres a long-missing presence in the NHL and even on the As a No. 11 seed, the Bonnies dumped UCLA, 65-58, as Courtney international hockey scene. Stockard poured in 26 points in their first NCAA win in 48 years. It was a measure of revenge for Bona oldtimers, who have forever rued not 3. Bullish on Buffalo basketball getting a chance at UCLA in '70 in the wake of Lanier's injury and then Not since St. Bonaventure in 1970 has a Big 4 school been on such a roll endured a 111-59 beating to the Bill Walton-led Bruins in 1973. The on the hardwood as what we've seen in Amherst. In March, the Bonnies' season ended at 26-8 with a loss to Florida two nights later. University at Buffalo men's basketball team stunned fourth-seeded 8. Pfalzer strikes gold, rejoins Beauts' Olympian-filled roster Arizona, 89-68, in a first-round NCAA Tournament game in Boise, Idaho, Getzville native Emily Pfalzer had already been a member of the Buffalo Sahlen Field. The first game under the new name will be Opening Day, Beauts of the National Women's Hockey League, but her profile in her April 4, against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. hometown exploded as she was a member of the defense corps for the U.S. women's hockey team that defeated Canada in a shootout to win • Buffalo Baseball Hall of Famer Dave Roberts managed the Los Angeles the gold medal at the Pyeongchang Olympics in South Korea. Pfalzer, Dodgers to the World Series for the second straight year but lost to the like all of her teammates, came home a hero and received a standing Red Sox of first-year manager Alex Cora, who played three rehab games ovation at KeyBank Center before dropping the puck for a ceremonial for the Herd in 2009. faceoff between Jack Eichel and South Buffalo native Patrick Kane of the • Newfane native and former Canisius coach John Beilein led Michigan to Chicago Blackhawks. The Beauts finished their season 12-4 but could the NCAA basketball final for the second time in six years but the not defend their title, falling to the Metropolitan Riveters in the Wolverines fell to Villanova, 79-62, in the championship game of the league championship. Final Four in San Antonio. The loss prevented Beilein from winning his After being added to the Pegula Sports umbrella on Dec. 21, 2017, and 800th career game, a milestone he reached in a season-opening win becoming the first women's team owned by its market's NHL club, the seven months later over Norfolk State. Beauts have created plenty of buzz in recent months off the ice. There • The Sweet Home hockey team beat West Seneca West, 7-5 to win its was the summer signing of Canadian Olympic goalie Shannon first state title in a dramatic showdown at HarborCenter. The victory Szabados, best known for playing in the men's Southern League, and the avenged a loss to West two weeks earlier in the Section VI finals in return of Pfalzer as four Olympians dotted the roster. And most recently, KeyBank Center. the December firings of coaches and former Sabres Ric Seiling and Craig Muni, who were replaced by fellow ex-Sabre Cody McCormick. On • The combined girls hockey team from Frontier-Lake Shore-Orchard tap for Dec. 29: The Beauts' first-ever home game in KeyBank Center, Park completed the rare tripleheader by winning the WNY Girls Varsity against Minnesota. Federation title, the Section VI title and the state public school title. 9. Run in the Park • The Portville girls volleyball team won its fourth state title in five years The Park School boys basketball team finished 25-5 and won the State with a three-set sweep of Milbrook at the final in Glens Falls. Class A Federation championship as Noah Hutchins' buzzer-beating layup secured a 59-57 win against Albany Academy in the title game at • The St. Francis football team ended Canisius' two-year reign as Msgr. Glens Falls. Park won the Class B title in 2015, but had limited Martin Association champions and advanced to the state Catholic final postseason success before breaking Canisius' three-year hold on the for the second time in school history. Manhattan Cup. • The Chautauqua Lake softball team was the only area scholastic team The Pioneers finished the season on a 10-game winning streak and won to win a state championship during the spring, winning the Class C title. 17 of their final 18 games. The lone loss in that span was at Canisius in A team that had just one senior came together to capture its first state February. title.

10. Horns up for UB football • St. Joe's product Jaylen Morris, an undrafted player from Division II Molloy, made his NBA debut with the Atlanta Hawks and moved on to A program that went 0-11 during its 1999 debut at the NCAA's top level play for the Milwaukee Bucks. posted its first 10-win season ever and earned its third postseason trip with a Dollar General Bowl matchup against Troy in Mobile, Ala. Coach • Canisius College hockey player Dylan McLaughlin, a Lancaster native, Lance Leipold's turnaround was sparked by a duo that has an NFL look earned Atlantic Hockey Player of the Year honors and was a top ten in quarterback Tyree Jackson and wide receiver Anthony Johnson. The finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, given to the nation's top player. Bulls were the class of the Mid-American Conference all year but McLaughlin also attended the New York Rangers' development camp. endured bitter disappointment at the MAC championship game in Detroit, Buffalo News LOADED: 12.29.2018 where UB blew a 29-10 third-quarter lead and suffered a heartbreaking 30-29 loss to Northern Illinois.

Honorable mention

• West Seneca East and Clymer/Sherman/Panama both advanced to the New York State Public High School Athletic finals at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, with East losing a heartbreaker to Cornwall, 21-14, while the Chautauqua County team that combined three schools drubbed Moriah, 26-6. CSP's Ty Harper earned the Western New York coach of the year award while East's Shaun Dolac was named the Buffalo News Player of the Year. East celebrated the 50th anniversary of its program with its first sectional title since 1981, ending rival West Seneca West's 24-game winning streak with a win at New Era Field that quashed West's hopes of a repeat state title.

• The Bandits named team legends John Tavares and Rich Kilgour as co-head coaches.

• Bills safety Vontae Davis infuriated fans and teammates when he retired at halftime of the team's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in New Era Field.

• The Sabres opened the year on Jan. 1 by returning to the NHL Winter Classic for the first time since the 2008 inaugural game in then-Ralph Wilson Stadium. Playing in frigid conditions at Citi Field, the home of the , they suffered a 3-2 overtime loss to the New York Rangers.

• The Canisius and Niagara men's basketball teams combined for 40 wins and trips to lower-level postseason tournaments. Canisius earned a share of the MAAC regular-season title for the first time since 1994 before an upset loss to Quinnipiac in the first round of the MAAC Tournament.

• The downtown ballpark got its fifth sponsored name in its 31 seasons when the Bisons announced a 10-year-deal to turn Coca-Cola Field into 1123142 Buffalo Sabres It’s not just other guys around the league changing their tape up to fix their mojo; it’s the guys in the Sabres’ room, too, and a lot of thought can go into it.

How to cure a case of the zips: Sabres players will try just about anything “I (changed tape) twice this year. I went to black and scored and went to to end a goal drought white and scored, both in my first game (with the new tape). So actually, it might be coming,” Casey Mittelstadt said with a laugh. “I feel like I like the white tape better, so I’ll stick with it. It’s been that way my whole life. I By Joe Yerdon Dec 28, 2018 used black for a little bit, but, yeah, stick with it and make a few plays.”

Equipment switches aren’t for everyone, but there’s a method to everyone’s madness in the NHL. BUFFALO, N.Y. — Falling into a goal-scoring funk is no fun for any player. More than a few Buffalo Sabres forwards know this feeling all too “Sometimes I’ll change the way I tape my stick, but I’m usually keeping it well these days. Going about trying to fix that is a balancing act of sorts. the same all the time,” Tage Thompson said. “I don’t usually change much; I know a lot of guys do. A lot of superstitions. They’ll tape their You always hear the clichés about a player “squeezing his stick” when stick a different color. They’ll wear their socks different. I don’t know; the goals dry up and pressing hard to get one. Heck, the relief we saw everyone has their own thing, right? I’m not too superstitious; I just stick when Conor Sheary scored an empty-net goal against Anaheim last with the same stuff.” week that ended a 16-game goal drought is enough to show that any goal will do in such a situation. For guys like Mittelstadt and Thompson, going through a goal drought can be more difficult because of the pressure it puts on them day by day But outside of Jeff Skinner, Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart (though to get off the schneid. Mittelstadt has gone through a stretches without a Reinhart hasn’t had a goal in nine games himself), the goals have been goal this season, and Thompson has gone 12 straight without one. With hard to come by for a while for more than a few forwards. So, what does the middle six hurting for offense and the focus pointing at them more a player do when the pucks aren’t going in and he’s more than well often than not, the pressure can be a lot to handle. aware of how long it’s been? “I think the biggest thing is not thinking about it. The more you think about “You just talk to some people and figure out more ways to get more it, the more it gets in your head and then you start getting frustrated,” touches, to get more opportunities. If you get positive touches, it’s going Thompson said. “The biggest thing is just staying positive. As long as to lead to more offense and more opportunities,” said right wing Kyle you’re getting scoring chances, that’s all that matters. If you’re getting Okposo, who has gone 20 games without a goal. scoring chances, you’re doing things right and you know eventually one Okposo has been through goal droughts before, but nothing like the one of them is going to go in. Once that happens, you start feeling confident he’s in now. In 2009-10 and again in the lockout-shortened 2013 and you keep going. The biggest thing is just staying positive and making season, he went 18 straight without a goal. During 2011-12, he didn’t sure you’re getting chances every night.” score until his 16th game of the season. In 2014-15, he had a stretch of A positive mindset goes a long way. And, as Skinner said, so does 16 goal-less games. Last season in Buffalo, he had two 10-game confidence. Keeping that confidence up when the goals aren’t coming as stretches without finding the back of the net. If there’s a guy in the often can be difficult, but that’s when a routine comes in handy. Sabres’ room who knows how to get out of a funk, it’s Okposo. “I think it’s important to stick with what got you here and what made you a “I just grind harder. You have to stick with it, and you talk to different good player,” Mittelstadt said. “It’s been a pretty tough stretch for us. But people,” Okposo said. “I’ve got some people that basically watch every at the same time, stick to what you’ve been doing. For me, there’s a lot of game I’ve played the last five years, and I talk to them. We talk about things I’ve done ritually, so I’ll stick to my rituals. They’ve gotten me to some different things and trying to do different things to get more puck this point. There’s some things you can work on in practice: getting a few touches and feeling good, and that’s going to create more offense for me more touches, shooting the puck a little more. Rituals-wise, you just stick and create more opportunities. You have to trust that it’s going to go in to what you’re doing. And usually, once you get one or two, it starts and I keep playing my game, keep getting better, and just working. I think coming and then all of a sudden you start playing better. You start that’s the main thing is focus on myself a little more and make sure that scoring more.” I’m doing everything on and off the ice I can to get out of it. You just put your nose to the grindstone and go.” The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018 Even guys like Skinner and Eichel will go through spells where the puck isn’t going in. For them, the message isn’t too different from how Okposo handles things.

“I just try to focus on getting opportunities and getting that confidence back because a lot of it is confidence,” Skinner said. “If it’s not going in, sometimes you think that the confidence is a little low. And when you get back on track, it starts to come back and that’s when you start burying it.”

“I know if I’m going through something, I’ll try to change something,” Eichel said. “I’ve changed my tape a few times this year, different things. It’s just about keeping it simple. If you’re getting chances, it’s one thing. But if you’re not getting chances, that’s when you start to worry. If you’re getting opportunities, and I can only speak for myself and how I prepare for it, the best way to score is to get to the net. Goalies are so good it’s tough to score from the outside without a screen. So I think if you’re struggling, just try to get to the net. Try to find the soft areas. If you’re getting chances, you’re getting chances. If you’re not, you have to simplify it and get pucks to the net. Something could go in off somebody, and it could spark you.”

Wait, what was that about changing the tape?

“I like to use white tape, then I went to black tape, but now I’m back to white tape,” Eichel said. “I just bounced it around for a little, just change it up. I see a few guys do it in the league. And if you get a good stretch going with one thing, I usually try to stick with it. Just bounce it around and see if it works and what doesn’t.” 1123143 Calgary Flames the net, to make saves,” Rittich said. “It doesn’t matter what kind of shot, I want to stop every single shot.”

He’ll likely get a chance for the foreseeable future, as the Flames try to MR. PERSONALITY: Flames goalie continues to have fun gain ground in the Pacific Division standings. With a 23-12-3 record, they’re two points ahead of the San Jose Sharks (20-12-7) for the division lead and still a point behind the Jets (24-11-2) for the Western Kristen Anderson, Conference lead.

But as for Rittich’s roller skate guards, post-smooches, and other hilarious idiosyncrasies, Peters chuckles. From kissing posts to Salt Bae impersonations to his early goal celebrations (at least, when Johnny Gaudreau enters the offensive zone) “I try not to notice a lot of things Dave does,” he said with a grin. “I and pucks to the head before practice, the list of David Rittich’s quirks usually find out the next day when someone sends me something on an continue to add up. Instagram or a Tweet.

On Friday, the Calgary Flames netminder added another one to the list. “But he’s got some personality to him, and good for him.”

With the moving into the Scotiabank HOLIDAY RUST Saddledome and the artificial turf taking over the ice surface, the team skated at the Stampede Corral. The Flames were able to put together a 4-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday, but head coach Peters felt his team gave up too many Meaning that the players pile on their equipment in their regular dressing chances, a potential result of having four days off for the holiday break. room and walk across Olympic Way for practice, minor-hockey style. “Guys were trying to do the right thing but it’s a tough ask for a guy to go Meaning that they’ll either put on their skates at the Corral or throw on out after four days off, travel, and get in there and try and be at his peak skate guards to walk over. performance,” Peters said. “Now the trick is to get back to that level as quick as we can and we want to get it done by tomorrow.” Or, if you’re Rittich, you strap on a pair of “roller” skate guards and cruise over. The Flames (23-12-3) have a two-game homestand against two Pacific Division opponents — the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday (8 p.m. MT, “I just bought them at Sport Chek because I saw them at the world Sportsnet/CBC, Sportsnet 960 The Fan) and the San Jose Sharks on championships on (Pavel) Datsyuk,” the 26-year-old said with chuckle. “It New Year’s Eve (7 p.m. MT, , Sportsnet 960 The Fan). was pretty funny that’s why I bought it.” Only two points separate the Flames and Sharks, while the Flames are a The laughs with the good-natured Czech goalie — the Most Interesting point behind the Jets (24-11-2) for the Western Conference lead. Man in the Flames’ dressing room — continue. “It doesn’t look like there’s going to be any (separation) throughout the And so do the saves. year,” Peters said. “There wasn’t last year, there doesn’t look like there’s ‘Big Save Dave’ was the star, again, in Thursday’s 35-save performance going to be any this year. What you have to make sure you do is keep in Calgary’s 4-1 road win over the Winnipeg Jets. Again, he was the talk pace … what you can’t do is go on a prolonged losing streak.” of the Corral, Saddledome and town. ICE CHIPS “I thought his rebound control was good and his lateral movement, those After absorbing a slash from on Thursday night, LW were the two biggest things,” explained Flames head coach Bill Peters. Johnny Gaudreau appeared to be no worse for wear as a full participant “They made a lot of east/west plays and he was able get across and in Friday’s skate … Travis Hamonic was the only player absent for the make big saves. I would think everything’s slowed down for him a bit. He practice at the Stampede Corral but Peters expects the defenceman to knows the league, he knows the players in the league a little bit. He be in the lineup Saturday against the Canucks … D Michael Stone (blood knows the tendencies and does a good job with video and preparing clot) and LW Andrew Mangiapane (undisclosed) both skated before himself as a true pro would.” Friday’s practice. It’s paid off as Rittich’s numbers continue to improve. Heading into Calgary Sun: LOADED: 12.29.2018 Friday’s NHL action, he’s sitting No. 2 with a 2.22 goals-against average and is tied for No. 3 with Pittsburgh’s Casey DeSmith with a .926 save percentage among who have played 20 or more games this season. Only Pekka Rinne’s GAA is tidier (2.15), while Jaroslav Halak (.928) and John Gibson (.927) have higher save percentages.

Rittich has only allowed 41 goals, a league-low among goalies who have played 20 or more games this season.

“He’s got a real bright future,” Peters said. “He’s still at a young age and the right age to continue to get better and he’s getting better as he goes. Credit to the work that he’s put in the summer and the work he’s put in with Siggy (Flames goaltending coach Jordan Sigalet) here. Just the confidence and the ability to now be in his second year and have a little more belief in what’s going on around him and confidence in his own play.”

Peters wouldn’t tip his hand to their starting goaltender for Saturday’s clash against the visiting Vancouver Canucks (8 p.m., CBC/Sportsnet, Sportsnet 960 The Fan) but it’s hard to imagine a scenario that doesn’t include Rittich as their No. 1.

Thursday was Calgary’s first clash back after a four-day holiday hiatus and they were able to snap a three-game winless skid which included a 2-0 loss at the Dallas Stars on Dec. 18, a 5-4 shootout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Dec. 20 and a 3-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Dec. 22.

They got the job done, but Rittich admitted feeling uneasy.

“I felt weird in the game, because it was the first game after the break and it was weird to be back. But we did a great job … that’s why I’m in 1123144 Calgary Flames Of course, Carolina’s forwards have struggled to score, Calgary’s haven’t and here we are.

So what we’re seeing this year isn’t really all that different than what we No, Dougie Hamilton’s on-ice shot numbers aren’t being cheaply inflated saw last year from Hamilton. In fact, you might have had a better argument about Calgary’s defence shooting too much last year, when both he and Giordano were on the ice together, consuming 44 percent of By Tyler Dellow Dec 28, 2018 Calgary’s shot attempts. Separated, they’re at 38 percent (Hamilton) and 36 percent (Giordano). The league norm is a little bit under 36 percent,

so they’re both well in the normal range. The league average team gets Writing about Dougie Hamilton last week, I pointed out that his new team, 36.6 shot attempts per 60 minutes from their forwards though, which is a the Carolina Hurricanes, is generating a ton of shots when he’s on the little below where Giordano (38.5) is at and miles below where Hamilton ice. Meanwhile, the rate at which Calgary generates shots with Mark (49.2) is at. Even allowing for Carolina’s tendency to generate a lot of Giordano on the ice has fallen off dramatically from last year, when he shot attempts, that’s a wild number — Carolina’s forwards generate just was partnered with Dougie Hamilton. Many, many commenters smelled a 40.6 shot attempts per 60 minutes when he’s not on the ice. rat. Their theory was simple: Hamilton inflates the shot totals when he’s There’s probably an argument to be made that all high shot volume on the ice with cheap shots from the point, which is why his shot defencemen shoot too much but that argument is hardly unique to volume’s so good but the Hurricanes can’t score. Hamilton. Moreover, unlike a lot of other high shot volume (“volume” in So, I looked. Hamilton’s not driving his on-ice shot numbers with piles of the sense of being responsible for a high percentage of their team’s attempts. If you think he is, you’re wrong. Lets start with last year, in attempts) defencemen, Hamilton is somewhat unusual in that the recognition of the fact that a lot of people who closely follow the Flames forwards with whom he shares the ice see an appreciable bump in their aren’t as plugged into the 2018-19 Carolina Hurricanes. Hamilton was shot volume. second in individual 5-on-5 shots and attempts among NHL defencemen There are undoubtedly criticisms that you can make of Hamilton’s game. who played at least 500 minutes. The top eleven in attempts (weird That sort of thing gets turned way up when you leave a high profile media number chosen for reason that will become obvious) were Brent Burns, market where you were playing with an excellent partner and move to a Hamilton, Johnny Boychuk, Ryan Pulock, Seth Jones, Roman Josi, smaller one and your old team excels while your new team struggles. Victor Hedman, Oscar Klefbom, Mikhail Sergachev, Jacob Trouba That said, if the data doesn’t fit the theory, it’s probably not what’s and…wait for it…Mark Giordano. happening. Beyond the simple fact that Hamilton shoots a lot, which can So, on a basic level, yes Hamilton shot the puck a lot. That’s not really be explained by the fact that his teams seem to shoot a ton when he’s on what we’re interested in though. What we’re really interested in is the ice — suggesting he’s in the offensive zone a lot — there’s simply not whether his prolific shooting was somehow distorting his possession a lot to suggest that he’s goosing his on-ice numbers with his own shot numbers with tons of shots that register on the shot counts but don’t volume. If anything, the evidence this year seems to suggest the really trouble the goalie. Among the leaders, the answer seems to be “not opposite: compared to other defencemen who take a lot of shots, really” — Hamilton’s numbers aren’t really out of line with that group. Hamilton’s forwards seem to get a lot of opportunities. Burns is a gunner and took 33 percent of his team’s 5-on-5 attempts The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018 when he’s on the ice in 2017-18. After that comes Boychuk (28 percent), Pulock (26 percent), Hamilton (24 percent), Hedman (24 percent), Jones (23 percent), Trouba (23 percent), Klefbom (23 percent), Sergachev (22 percent), Josi (22 percent) and Giordano (20 percent). He’s basically in a clump in the middle of all of the other guys who shoot the puck a lot.

Hamilton did use a lot of his team’s shot attempts — he was fifth in the NHL among defencemen last year — but his team also attempted a lot of shots when he was on the ice. The easiest way to show this is to probably just look at the list of defencemen whose forwards attempted the most shots per 60 when they were on the ice in 2017-18. Hamilton slots in at 34th with defencemen who played at least 500 minutes on a single team, with Flames’ forwards attempting 39.9 shots per 60 minutes when he’s on the ice. He was right below Giordano, which makes sense given that they played together all year.

Now, there’s an interesting little wrinkle here. Giordano and Hamilton are both shooters. Unsurprisingly, they were first (Hamilton) and second (Giordano) in terms of attempts by the defence per 60 minutes when they were on the ice. (Amusingly, Burns, whose defence partners were 190th out of 208 qualifying defencemen is third on this list. That man is a shooter.) This does bring a question to mind about efficiently assembling defensive pairs. Does it make sense to pair two shooters together? I don’t profess to know the answer to that question but it’d be interesting to look into.

Moving forward to this year, Hamilton is again shooting the puck a lot. He’s third in the NHL in 5-on-5 attempts per 60 minutes among defencemen, with only Burns and Erik Karlsson in front of him among defencemen who’ve played a minimum of 250 minutes. He still eats up a big percentage of his team’s shot attempts — he’s sixth there. Giordano is still a shooter as well — he’s 18th. Hamilton is taking 24 percent of Carolina’s shot attempts when he’s on the ice; Giordano is attempting 23 percent of Calgary’s.

As was the case last year, no defenceman is on the ice for more attempts per 60 by his team than Hamilton. His number has actually spiked — he’s on the ice for 79.2 CF/60. Giordano has fallen off this year sitting at just 60.5 shot attempts per 60 minutes. Most devastatingly for the argument that Hamilton inflates his on-ice numbers with muffins is that no defenceman has seen the forwards take more shots per 60 minutes when he’s on the ice than Hamilton — Carolina’s forwards attempt 49.2 shots per 60 with him. For Giordano, that number is at 38.5. 1123145 Carolina Hurricanes Despite doing so many things well, Wallmark has scored two goals in 36 games -- one on the power play. He has 78 shots on net, so he’s getting looks. Like many of his teammates, he’s not finishing. Canes relying even more on ‘Wally’ with Staal out “Hit the posts, unbelievable saves, something,” he said, shaking his head. “But I’m still creating the chances. Sooner or later, hopefully it’s going to come for me.” BY CHIP ALEXANDER Wallmark, a former fourth-round draft pick by Carolina, had 24 goals in DECEMBER 28, 2018 01:16 PM 67 games for the Charlotte Checkers in the AHL during the 2016-17 season, when he made his NHL debut and was in eight games for the Canes. He had 17 goals and 38 assists in 45 games last season with the Checkers in being named the team’s MVP. The Washington Capitals sent out a starting lineup Thursday that had Nicklas Backstrom at center with Alex Ovechkin and T.J. Oshie on the But his NHL totals remain: three goals, 12 assists in 55 games. wings. “Right now I’m trying to stay positive and stay with it and do what I’ve The Carolina Hurricanes had Lucas Wallmark stepping in to the center- been doing to create the chances,” Wallmark said. “Sooner or later ...” ice faceoff circle against Backstrom for the opening draw, with Jordan Martinook and Warren Foegele on the wings. Carolina Hurricanes at New Jersey Devils Normally, that would have been Jordan Staal taking the faceoff. It would Saturday, 1 p.m., , Newark, NJ have been Staal centering the Canes’ top checking line and matched up as much as possible on the road against one of the most dangerous lines TV: Fox Sports Carolinas in the league. News Observer LOADED: 12.29.2018 But Staal is out, again. Concussion symptoms continue to linger and his return, to practice or games, is unknown. “That’s a huge piece missing, for sure,” Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said Thursday before the game. Asked who his best checking center was with Staal out, Brind’Amour quickly mentioned “Wally” -- that is, Wallmark. “It’s a lot to ask,” Brind’Amour said. Well, yes. Staal, 30, is a 6-foot-4, 220-pound forward with a Stanley Cup ring and more than 900 games of regular-season and playoff experience. Wallmark, 23, is listed at 6-0 and 178 pounds, having now played 55 NHL games. “Everyone knows how good Jordan is and how important he is to our team,” Wallmark said Thursday. “Hopefully he’ll be back soon. Everyone has to pick it up a little bit more and show they want to play.” The Canes’ centers Thursday in the 3-1 loss to the Caps were Sebastian Aho, Wallmark, Clark Bishop and Victor Rask. By the third period, Brind’Amour had Rask and winger Janne Kuokkanen on the bench, relying even more on his top three centermen. It was another full night for Wallmark. The Swede had more than three minutes of penalty-kill time, almost two minutes of power-play time and was used on a team-high 21 faceoffs, winning 11. Special teams play was decisive in the game. The Caps picked up a power-play goal from T.J. Oshie while the Canes were 0-for-4 on the power play. Chandler Stephenson had an even-strength goal for the Caps and defenseman John Carlson an empty-net score late as Canes goalie Petr Mrazek and the Caps’ Braden Holtby matched saves most of the night. Aho had the goal for the Canes (15-16-5), eight points out of playoff position in the Eastern Conference after Thursday’s games. With Staal sidelined, Wallmark has averaged about 18 minutes of ice time per game. That’s more than he could have imagined at the start of training camp, when he was just trying to lock down a roster spot. But Rask, one of Wallmark’s best friends on the team and a fellow Swede, cut two fingers in a kitchen accident before camp began. Come opening night, Wallmark was on the team. Jim Mone AP “It’s my first (full) year in the league and I felt at the beginning it was a process and I was just trying to learn,” Wallmark said. “After that, I felt I was getting better and better and getting more confidence. Just trying to do all the small things right and get better each game.” Martinook said Wallmark might be the most underrated player on the team, saying, “He’s so responsible-minded defensively.” Wallmark, who has quick hands and good instincts, has won more than 53 percent of his faceoffs. Despite a lack of size, he’s wiry tough along the walls. He’s usually in the right spots in hte defensive zone, earning Brind’Amour’s trust. “Wally’s doing the job and has been doing a great job all year,” Brind’Amour said. What’s missing? Goals, mainly. Puck luck. 1123146 Carolina Hurricanes Calgary’s shot attempts. Separated, they’re at 38 percent (Hamilton) and 36 percent (Giordano). The league norm is a little bit under 36 percent, so they’re both well in the normal range. The league average team gets No, Dougie Hamilton’s on-ice shot numbers aren’t being cheaply inflated 36.6 shot attempts per 60 minutes from their forwards though, which is a little below where Giordano (38.5) is at and miles below where Hamilton (49.2) is at. Even allowing for Carolina’s tendency to generate a lot of shot attempts, that’s a wild number — Carolina’s forwards generate just By Tyler Dellow Dec 28, 2018 40.6 shot attempts per 60 minutes when he’s not on the ice. There’s probably an argument to be made that all high shot volume defencemen shoot too much but that argument is hardly unique to Writing about Dougie Hamilton last week, I pointed out that his new team, Hamilton. Moreover, unlike a lot of other high shot volume (“volume” in the Carolina Hurricanes, is generating a ton of shots when he’s on the the sense of being responsible for a high percentage of their team’s ice. Meanwhile, the rate at which Calgary generates shots with Mark attempts) defencemen, Hamilton is somewhat unusual in that the Giordano on the ice has fallen off dramatically from last year, when he forwards with whom he shares the ice see an appreciable bump in their was partnered with Dougie Hamilton. Many, many commenters smelled a shot volume. rat. Their theory was simple: Hamilton inflates the shot totals when he’s on the ice with cheap shots from the point, which is why his shot There are undoubtedly criticisms that you can make of Hamilton’s game. volume’s so good but the Hurricanes can’t score. That sort of thing gets turned way up when you leave a high profile media market where you were playing with an excellent partner and move to a So, I looked. Hamilton’s not driving his on-ice shot numbers with piles of smaller one and your old team excels while your new team struggles. attempts. If you think he is, you’re wrong. Lets start with last year, in That said, if the data doesn’t fit the theory, it’s probably not what’s recognition of the fact that a lot of people who closely follow the Flames happening. Beyond the simple fact that Hamilton shoots a lot, which can aren’t as plugged into the 2018-19 Carolina Hurricanes. Hamilton was be explained by the fact that his teams seem to shoot a ton when he’s on second in individual 5-on-5 shots and attempts among NHL defencemen the ice — suggesting he’s in the offensive zone a lot — there’s simply not who played at least 500 minutes. The top eleven in attempts (weird a lot to suggest that he’s goosing his on-ice numbers with his own shot number chosen for reason that will become obvious) were Brent Burns, volume. If anything, the evidence this year seems to suggest the Hamilton, Johnny Boychuk, Ryan Pulock, Seth Jones, Roman Josi, opposite: compared to other defencemen who take a lot of shots, Victor Hedman, Oscar Klefbom, Mikhail Sergachev, Jacob Trouba Hamilton’s forwards seem to get a lot of opportunities. and…wait for it…Mark Giordano. The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018 So, on a basic level, yes Hamilton shot the puck a lot. That’s not really what we’re interested in though. What we’re really interested in is whether his prolific shooting was somehow distorting his possession numbers with tons of shots that register on the shot counts but don’t really trouble the goalie. Among the leaders, the answer seems to be “not really” — Hamilton’s numbers aren’t really out of line with that group. Burns is a gunner and took 33 percent of his team’s 5-on-5 attempts when he’s on the ice in 2017-18. After that comes Boychuk (28 percent), Pulock (26 percent), Hamilton (24 percent), Hedman (24 percent), Jones (23 percent), Trouba (23 percent), Klefbom (23 percent), Sergachev (22 percent), Josi (22 percent) and Giordano (20 percent). He’s basically in a clump in the middle of all of the other guys who shoot the puck a lot. Hamilton did use a lot of his team’s shot attempts — he was fifth in the NHL among defencemen last year — but his team also attempted a lot of shots when he was on the ice. The easiest way to show this is to probably just look at the list of defencemen whose forwards attempted the most shots per 60 when they were on the ice in 2017-18. Hamilton slots in at 34th with defencemen who played at least 500 minutes on a single team, with Flames’ forwards attempting 39.9 shots per 60 minutes when he’s on the ice. He was right below Giordano, which makes sense given that they played together all year. Now, there’s an interesting little wrinkle here. Giordano and Hamilton are both shooters. Unsurprisingly, they were first (Hamilton) and second (Giordano) in terms of attempts by the defence per 60 minutes when they were on the ice. (Amusingly, Burns, whose defence partners were 190th out of 208 qualifying defencemen is third on this list. That man is a shooter.) This does bring a question to mind about efficiently assembling defensive pairs. Does it make sense to pair two shooters together? I don’t profess to know the answer to that question but it’d be interesting to look into. Moving forward to this year, Hamilton is again shooting the puck a lot. He’s third in the NHL in 5-on-5 attempts per 60 minutes among defencemen, with only Burns and Erik Karlsson in front of him among defencemen who’ve played a minimum of 250 minutes. He still eats up a big percentage of his team’s shot attempts — he’s sixth there. Giordano is still a shooter as well — he’s 18th. Hamilton is taking 24 percent of Carolina’s shot attempts when he’s on the ice; Giordano is attempting 23 percent of Calgary’s. As was the case last year, no defenceman is on the ice for more attempts per 60 by his team than Hamilton. His number has actually spiked — he’s on the ice for 79.2 CF/60. Giordano has fallen off this year sitting at just 60.5 shot attempts per 60 minutes. Most devastatingly for the argument that Hamilton inflates his on-ice numbers with muffins is that no defenceman has seen the forwards take more shots per 60 minutes when he’s on the ice than Hamilton — Carolina’s forwards attempt 49.2 shots per 60 with him. For Giordano, that number is at 38.5. Of course, Carolina’s forwards have struggled to score, Calgary’s haven’t and here we are. So what we’re seeing this year isn’t really all that different than what we saw last year from Hamilton. In fact, you might have had a better argument about Calgary’s defence shooting too much last year, when both he and Giordano were on the ice together, consuming 44 percent of 1123147 Chicago Blackhawks

'He can do even more': Erik Gustafsson is having a breakout season but still hasn't reached his potential

Jimmy Greenfield

The word is out about Erik Gustafsson and there’s no turning back, at least not as far as Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton is concerned. Gustafsson’s ceiling is so high that even after he contributed two beautiful assists Thursday in a 5-2 victory over the Wild, Colliton kind of shrugged. “That’s a normal level for him offensively,” Colliton said. “I think he can do even more.” Gustafsson’s offensive ability never has been questioned, which is why the Hawks so desperately want him — and need him — to improve his defensive game. “We push him because we know he can do it,” Colliton said. “At times he does do it, as far as his gap and being aggressive to get pucks back and being physical at times and even better around his own net. He can do it. “It’s not a question of ability. It’s a question of committing to it. So it’s an easy decision to try to hold him accountable because he can give us so much.” Gustafsson leads Hawks defensemen with 20 points, and his eight goals are tied for fourth among NHL blue liners. So the offense is there. The defense need to catch up. “(Defense has been) a little slow but it’s coming there,” Gustafsson said. “Man-on-man is a little new for me but … it feels good right now (and) hopefully keeps going.” Patrick Kane has developed special chemistry with several defensemen over the years, including Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Brian Campbell. Add Gustafsson to that list. “He’s always been a guy as a forward you love to play with,” Kane said. “Because he’s going to make flat passes. He’s going to put you in a position to be able to create something or get some open space. He’s so deceptive with his shot and even when he can fake a shot and make a pass. It’s pretty fun to play with a guy like that.” Kane and Gustafsson hooked up on a pair of goals Thursday against the Wild that perfectly illustrated the connection they have developed. On the first goal, Gustafsson faked a shot and whipped a cross-ice pass through the slot, where a waiting Kane grabbed and scored for a 1-0 lead. The second came on a power play. Gustafsson froze the defense with a quick fake shot before sending a pass to Kane for a one-timer from 20 feet out. “Ever since he’s been up there on the point on the power play he’s been moving really well, he’s mobile up there,” Kane said. “He can walk the (blue) line, he can make passes. He can get his shot through. He’s been scoring a lot for us. He’s had a great season so far.” There’s a good reason Gustafsson has assisted on five of Kane’s 20 goals. “He’s open all the time,” Gustafsson said. “He screams for the puck too. … He wants the puck and I’m always trying to give it to him. “Hopefully he can give it back to me a couple times too.” Chicago Tribune LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123148 Chicago Blackhawks

Jeremy Colliton is a great communicator, but he's still getting to know this Blackhawks group

Jimmy Greenfield

Jeremy Colliton’s former players have praised the Blackhawks coach repeatedly for his outstanding communication skills, which is one of the attributes Stan Bowman pointed out when he hired Colliton. Whenever there’s uncertainty, Colliton doesn’let his players leave the rink without telling them where they stand. He operated that way in Sweden and with Rockford, but it's taking time to establish that with the Hawks. “It’s just because every group is different,” Colliton said. “Every player is different. And that’s part of what my learning curve is: learning the group, learning of them individually. “But the new guys, just getting to know each other in a short time, that’s the adjustment.” No time frame for Crawford: Colliton said Friday that he texted Corey Crawford but hasn’t spoken with him since the goalie suffered a concussion Dec. 16 against the Sharks. Colliton doesn’t plan to check in with him to see if Crawford is closer to returning. “That’s part of what my experience going through this,” said Colliton, whose playing career ended because of a series of concussions. “There is no time frame. You get better when you get better, and putting pressure or me asking him every day how he’s feeling, that serves no purpose. When he feels better, I'll know. And then we’ll proceed accordingly.” Winter Classic festival: Millennium Park will host a three-day hockey festival in conjunction with Tuesday’s Winter Classic game between the Blackhawks and Bruins at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend. The festival, set for Saturday through Monday at Pritzker Pavilion, will feature autograph sessions with former Blackhawks and Bruins players, hockey interactive activities, live music and viewings of the Stanley Cup. The event will be free and open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. One-timers: The Hawks activated Marcus Kruger (concussion) on Friday and returned forward Jacob Nilsson to Rockford. Nilsson didn’t register a point while averaging 7 minutes, 52 seconds of ice time in two games with the Hawks. … Brent Seabrook sat out practice Friday with an illness but traveled with the team to Denver for Saturday night’s game against the Avalanche. … Colliton said he hasn’t decided which goalie will start the Winter Classic. “We have to try to win the game,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing. We need the points.” Chicago Tribune LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123149 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks expect Brent Seabrook, Marcus Kruger to play at Colorado

ByJason Lieser

The Blackhawks should have two rotation players in the lineup for their final road trip of 2018. They activated center Marcus Kruger from Injured Reserve today and believe Brent Seabrook will be able to play Saturday at Colorado despite missing practice because of an illness. Kruger has been out since sustaining a concussion Dec. 18 when he took an inadvertent elbow to the head from Nashville’s Ryan Hartman. He went through morning skate Thursday, and coach Jeremy Colliton said the staff would evaluate him throughout the rest of the day. He was a full participant in Friday morning’s practice. Kruger had four goals and one assist while averaging 10:46 ice time per game before getting hurt. Seabrook hasn’t missed a game all season and played 18:04 on Thursday against Minnesota. Colliton indicated the staff held him out of practice as a precaution and expected him to be fine for the Avalanche game. Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123150 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks goalie Collin Delia stays steady in pursuit of starting job

ByJason Lieser

It was an epic milestone for Collin Delia. Someone should’ve told him. The Blackhawks called him up from Rockford last week and quickly threw him in net for a tough game against the Avalanche, the same team that buried him in his last NHL appearance, and he responded brilliantly. Delia stopped 35 of 36 shots Dec. 21 in his season debut to earn the first victory of his young career, and he barely reacted to it. He unleashed a roar when time expired, but his mind was already on the next task before he skated off the ice. “Ultimately, I know there’s more work to do,” he said. “There’s more at stake for me. There’s a higher goal for me. I want to be an every-day player, and I know that one performance doesn’t dictate who you’re going to be. “I was happy leaving the rink that night, but at the same time, I wasn’t completely satisfied with a few facets of my game. I was probably over it by the time I went to bed.” Maybe even before that. Delia settled his euphoria enough to fall asleep on the flight home from Denver, resuming the balance that keeps him stable in the volatile environment of hockey. Emotions are just clutter. It’s how he handles everything, and it’s probably how he has gotten this far. Delia was back in net Thursday against the Wild and looked just as good. He made 46 saves on 48 shots as the Hawks sailed to a 5-2 victory and continued their hot streak. With coach Jeremy Colliton making it an open competition between Delia and Cam Ward — “He’ll get what he earns,” he said of Delia’s playing time — while Corey Crawford recovers from a concussion, Delia seems like the obvious choice to start Saturday at Colorado because of how he played against the Wild. He didn’t celebrate much after either game, turning urgently from the win over Minnesota to Friday’s practice. “His mentality seems to not be too affected by results, one way or the other,” Colliton said. “But he’s built that over time. I think last year was a really good experience for him to go through. “It was hard at times. He’s in the ECHL, and even there, the results weren’t that good. But he battled through and ended up taking over in Rockford, and I think that built some mental toughness.” Delia, 24, mostly split time between the affiliates in Indianapolis and Rockford before a late-season call-up. He gave up seven goals on 63 shots in two games with the Hawks. Colliton, who coached him with the IceHogs before replacing Joel Quenneville on Nov. 6, sees him making significant strides. Delia moves well in the crease and has become more consistent on routine saves that aren’t always routine for young goalies. Merging that improvement with an already-strong mental game has Delia off to a great start in his return to the Hawks. “I’ve come a long way since last year, but the one consistent thing I have is my ability to have some instant closure with myself,” he said Friday. “I’ve gotta be ready to go the next day. Even like last night, it was obviously a big win, but we have practice today, so you’ve gotta earn it all over again.” He tries to keep that steadiness from play to play, too, not wanting to get pulled into the intensity. He’s more likely to shrug than be demonstrative, and that’s part personality, part strategy. “You stop their attempt, and they’re getting worked up, then they see that you’re not getting worked up,” Delia said. “You’re not putting off the same energy that they are. It really kills a lot of people’s momentum. So when I receive that energy and channel it and use it for my benefit, in the long run, it really takes a toll on the opponents.” Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123151 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks have no timetable for goalie Corey Crawford's return from concussion

ByJason Lieser

The Blackhawks are optimistic about goalie Corey Crawford returning from a concussion, but there’s no expectation of when that will be. He’s been around the team at times, but hasn’t taken the ice for practices or morning skates. Hawks coach Jeremy Colliton has been quiet on Crawford’s situation other than saying this week he anticipates he’ll play once he’s medically cleared. He’s eligible to come off Injured Reserve at any time. Colliton and Crawford have texted occasionally, but Colliton’s history with concussions — they ended his career at 28 — taught him that it’s best to give his player space. “There’s no timeframe,” Colliton said after this morning’s practice at MB Ice Arena. “You get better when you get better. And putting pressure, or me asking him every day how he’s feeling, that serves no purpose. “When he feels better, I’ll know. Then we’ll proceed accordingly.” Crawford went on IR after a collision at the net Dec. 16. The crash knocked him back and he hit the back of his head on a goalpost. A year earlier, a concussion shut him down for the remainder of the season and he missed 47 games. The Hawks are playing Cam Ward and Collin Delia while they wait on Crawford. Delia stopped 46 of 48 shots in Thursday’s win over Minnesota, making him the favorite to start Saturday at Colorado. Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123152 Chicago Blackhawks

Colliton: 'There is no time frame' on Crawford's recovery after concussion

John Dietz Updated 12/28/2018 6:10 PM

It's been almost two weeks since Corey Crawford suffered a concussion and was placed on injured reserve by the Blackhawks. Over that time, the team hasn't given much -- if any -- of an update on their No. 1 goaltender's condition. Coach Jeremy Colliton has reached out to Crawford via texts, but is not pushing for an answer as to when Crawford might be able to return. "That's part of what my experience (is) going through this," said Colliton, who retired at age 28 due to multiple concussions. "There is no time frame. You get better when you get better, and putting pressure or me asking him every day how he's feeling, that serves no purpose. "When he feels better, I'll know. And then we'll proceed accordingly." In the meantime, Collin Delia has likely taken over the No. 1 job thanks to impressive performances in victories over Colorado and Minnesota. Delia has stopped 81 of 84 shots and should get the net again when the Hawks play at Colorado on Saturday. Colliton also said he will give no preferential treatment to veteran Cam Ward when the Hawks play Boston at South Bend in the Winter Classic on Jan. 1. "We have to try to win the game," Colliton said. "That's the biggest thing. We need the points." Power up: The Hawks (2-for-4) scored multiple goals on the power play for the first time this season during their 5-2 win over Minnesota on Thursday. The power play is also 6-for-22 (27.3 percent) over the last eight games. "I thought we were trending in the right way; puck just wasn't going in the net (before)," said coach Jeremy Colliton. "You look back at that Montreal game (when the Hawks went 1-for-8 on Dec. 9), probably could have scored two or three that game. And then (Thursday), we made some plays and we had our chances." Despite the recent run of success, though, the Hawks still rank 27th on the power play at 14.3 percent. Slap shots: Marcus Kruger (concussion) was activated off injured reserve, and Jacob Nilsson was assigned to Rockford. Defenseman Brandon Davidson (knee) said he should be able to come off IR by the time the Hawks play at the Islanders on Jan. 3. ... Brent Seabrook sat out Friday's practice with an illness, but he traveled to Colorado. … Jonathan Toews recorded his 400th assist during the Hawks' victory over Minnesota on Thursday, tying him with Pierre Pilote for eighth in franchise history. … Dylan Strome has 5 points (G, 4A) in his last two games. He has 6 goals and 5 assists in 16 games since the Hawks acquired him from Arizona in the Nick Schmaltz trade. Strome had 3 goals and 3 assists in 20 games with the Coyotes. Daily Herald Times LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123153 Chicago Blackhawks

In Gustafsson, Kane has offensively gifted D-man to partner with

John Dietz

Over the course of Patrick Kane's illustrious career, he's enjoyed some pretty dynamic chemistry with forwards like Artemi Panarin, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Sharp. But what about defensemen? Especially offensively gifted D-men like Erik Gustafsson, who has been setting up Kane with prime scoring chances with more and more regularity over the past two seasons? Kane thought about that question for a second after practice Friday and rattled off three big-time names: Duncan Keith, Brian Campbell and Brent Seabrook. "I've always had that chemistry with Duncs," Kane said. "Those years he was winning the Norris (Trophy), he was always jumping in the play and it seemed like we always had that success where I would pull up and hit him late and wide on the off side. "Brian Campbell was always a fun guy to play with where he would skate up the ice, draw a couple defenders to him, give it to you with a couple guys behind you and you had some time and space to make plays. "Seabrook as well. He had that year (2015-16) where he had (14) goals when our power play was really hot. He was bombing 'em from the point." What has been transpiring with Gustafsson the past couple of years is awfully special as well, though. Gustafsson assisted on 2 of Kane's 3 goals in a 5-2 win over Minnesota on Thursday, and 8 of the D-man's 23 assists the last two seasons have come on Kane tallies. Said a smiling Gustafsson: "I'm not trying to look for him, but he's open all the time. He screams for the puck too." Gustafsson's lethal shot -- he has 7 goals in the last 16 games -- is making him even more of a dual threat than last season. A perfect example took place in the first period against the Wild when he exploded into the offensive zone, faked a shot, wheeled around Luke Kunin and zipped a pass to Kane across ice. Kane stopped the puck with his right skate, kicked it to his blade and buried the shot to put the Hawks up 1-0. "He's got a lot of mobility, and then when he's deceptive like that, he can really throw off the goaltender and defenders," Kane said. "(It) makes it fun for forwards to play with him." Then, early in the second period with the Hawks on the power play and nursing a 2-1 lead, Gustafsson fed Kane with a perfect, flat pass, and Kane's one-timer beat Devan Dubnyk to the short side. This chemistry has worked both ways, too, as Kane has assisted on 5 of Gustafsson's 13 goals over the past two seasons. Gustafsson, though, said he's not quite ready to start screaming for the puck when Kane has it. "No. Not yet," he chuckled. One reason Kane and Gustafsson have been able to work better together lately is because Gustafsson's defensive game is slowly getting better. "When the coaches feel like you're doing a good job defensively, you get on the ice more," said coach Jeremy Colliton. "Then you have more opportunity to show your skill and help the team offensively, so he's done that." Colliton has worked with Gustafsson since last season and hasn't been afraid to demand a whole lot from the 26-year-old Swede. "We push him because we know he can do it," Colliton said. "At times, he does do it, as far as his gap and being aggressive to get pucks back and being physical and even better around his own net. "It's not a question of ability. It's a question of committing to it. So it's an easy decision to try to hold him accountable because he can give us so much." Daily Herald Times LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123154 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks linemates Patrick Kane and Dylan Strome building chemistry through passion for hockey

By Charlie Roumeliotis December 28, 2018 9:20 PM

When Dylan Strome got traded to the Blackhawks, nobody knew exactly what to expect from him. They knew what kind of player he was after getting drafted third overall in 2015, but didn't know what kind of player he'd become in the NHL. That's still to be determined. If there's one thing that wasn't unknown prior to the trade is how much he loves the game of hockey. He lives and breathes it. And it works perfectly with his new linemate Patrick Kane. "We talk about hockey pretty much every time we come to the rink, and even away from the rink at dinner and stuff," Strome said. "He loves to watch games and, as a guy that's been around as long as he has, it's pretty cool to see that he loves the game that much. It's why he's so successful, because he's, like you said, a hockey nut. We both talk about everything that happened the night before in hockey or he'll throw out random stats. He knows his stuff, I'm very impressed on how much he knows. It's cool to see." Kane and Strome have spent 183:01 minutes together at even strength since the trade and are controlling only 43.6 of the shot attempts when they're both on the ice, according to naturalstattrick.com. But they have an on-ice shooting percentage of 15.7, which shows they're converting on their scoring chances. It's not hard to notice that the two of them think the game the same and are on the same wavelength when they're on the ice together. They're always looking for ways to get better, both as individuals and as a line, and it helps that Kane and Strome are such students of the game because it allows them to bounce ideas off each other by watching other players. Plus, there's a mutual understanding. "He's a guy that's been around hockey his whole life," Kane said. "He's really into the game, so it's fun talking to him about the game and also fun discussing how we can be better and create even more. He's been kind of a pleasant surprise. I know he was taken as a high draft pick for a reason. Really hadn't seen much of him in the NHL and then when he came here, you know that he really wants to do well and be a good player. He's been fun to play with." Kane and Strome have combined for nine points (four goals, five assists) in their past two games, and have a plus-4 goal differential over that mini span. They'll look to continue their hot streak in Colorado on Saturday, and you can bet they'll be staying up to date on what's happening around the league when they reconvene at the rink the next morning. That is, if they haven’t already done so the night before. "We got the iPads and stuff going at night in the hotel room or when we're at dinner," Strome said. "We'll watch it all the time. I think that's how you build your game, see what other guys do. It's good that we stay freshened up on hockey and know what's going on and know who you're playing against. That's just the way I like to be and he does too." Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123155 Chicago Blackhawks

Can the Blackhawks climb back into the playoff race?

By Charlie Roumeliotis December 28, 2018 9:45 AM

After a much-needed three-day Christmas break, the Blackhawks returned to action on Thursday and knocked off the Minnesota Wild 5-2 thanks to a 46-save performance by Collin Delia and hat trick by Patrick Kane. It wasn’t their best effort by any means — they were outshot 48-20 — but a win is a win, and the Blackhawks are starting to string together some points. Since losing eight in a row, they’ve picked up at least a point in six of their last eight games, accumulating 11 out of a possible 16 points over that span. “We’ve been playing a lot better the last 15 games or so, to be honest with you,” Kane said. “I know the results weren’t there some nights, and even though some games we don’t play our best, we’re finding ways to hang in the game and come up with some points. That’s a show of a good team when you can do that stuff, so maybe we’re starting to learn some things in here and figure out the way we need to play. But I still think we can be better.” So, is it possible for the Blackhawks to climb back into the playoff race? Going into Friday, the Blackhawks are seven points out of the final wild card spot in the Western Conference. It doesn’t seem too far away. But when you consider the Blackhawks have played the most games of any NHL team to this point (40) and would have to jump six teams — four of whom have at least three games in hand — to get there, you realize the steep uphill battle that requires major help. Mathematically, the Blackhawks have a 2.3 percent chance of doing so, according to hockeyreference.com. It’s clearly a long shot, not necessarily because they can’t put together a run. That’s one part of the equation. The other part is something they can’t control, which is how other teams finish down the stretch. The Blackhawks are at 34 points through 40 games. Last season, the Colorado Avalanche secured the final seed by finishing with 95 points. If that’s the benchmark, the Blackhawks would have to finish the season with at least 61 points through the final 42 games. And that’s just to do their part. While the playoffs may be a pipe dream, the most important thing is that the Blackhawks are starting to get back that winning feeling around the room and seeing progress results-wise as they continue to grow under Jeremy Colliton. "You could argue we were playing better back then when we were losing games," Kane said. "Jeremy’s been around for a little bit now and he wanted to instill some things in the way we played. We’re still learning his system and the way we need to play to win hockey games. Some nights it might not be pretty, other nights it might be a little bit better. It seems like we’re hunting down some pucks. If we’re winning those races, we’re gonna have a good night. We have good players in here that can make good plays. Hopefully we keep improving.” Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123156 Chicago Blackhawks The Athletic Chicago’s short history. The biggest injustice of that fact is that my Les Grobstein feature from last January didn’t do as well. Not because I wrote it so well — like a Grobstein conversation with a caller, Dollars and sense presents the year in sports media: Is the score settled it’s too long — but because the Grobber is a legend. at The Score? Les Grobstein keeps on trucking in the overnight slot for The Score. (Jon Greenberg/The Athletic) By Jon Greenberg Dec 28, 2018 I always enjoyed reading Teddy Greenstein and Ed Sherman’s old media column in the Trib, not to mention the glorious wordplay in the last iteration of Jim O’Donnell’s media column in the Sun-Times (a few of us still call David Kaplan’s SportsTalk Live TV show “an afternoon moo Dollars and sense is a regular column on Chicago sports business and wagon,” as O’Donnell did once, even if we’re not quite sure what that media. means). But the best education you can get on how things used to be in Chicago were the stories that Michael Miner used to do in the Chicago “I’ve never been afraid of this business. I’ve always loved this business. Reader. (If you can still find them online, that is.) Too many times you learn that you can continue to love it, but there’s going to be some times where this business doesn’t love you back.” — Check out this one about the famous 2003 press box squabble with Jay Jason Goff Mariotti and Rick Telander. Or this one about the time a sports editor removed the TV from the Tribune sports desk. These are stories about March 14, 2018 was a red-letter day in Chicago sports. how the sports media world works. That’s what we try to do here at The The Bears signed three receivers for young quarterback Mitch Trubisky Athletic, as you can see from our sports media stories we’ve ran across and his new offensively minded head coach Matt Nagy in Allen our various sites this week. Robinson, Taylor Gabriel and Trey Burton. Their signings were a I try not to focus on ratings when it comes to sports radio stories, harbinger for the massive sea change that was about to happen for the because I think it’s a little misleading to use those numbers like we use Bears, who would go from worst to first this year. The Bears were the statistics in regular sports reporting. When you’re in traffic on the story of the year. Kennedy and you flip between The Score and ESPN 1000, you’re not But March 14 wasn’t just an important day for the Bears. It was also the thinking, “Is what Dan Bernstein’s saying going to produce a 4.3 in the day the Chicago sports radio landscape was ripped up. fall book? Will Silvy’s GarPax rant bump this show to a 4.5?” But sometimes you do wonder which show does better, right? Who will win Matt Spiegel and Jason Goff would’ve loved to talk about the Bears’ haul their time slot? on their station, 670 The Score. Goff had been at the station, save one trip to Atlanta for salsa and a little Falcons talk, since he left Southern A good chunk of Chicago sports radio listeners listen to stations and Illinois early to pursue his vocation. Spiegel was deep in his second tour shows based on guests, conversation and commercials. As bosses at of duty with the station. They went way back with the dedicated listeners both stations tell me, they know that’s the case. But they still like to win of Chicago’s first sports talk station. the books. Both would have killed to be on the air every day this fall for a Bears Even if they know the methodology is questionable and misses the vital playoff run. streaming element of the medium, John Jurkovic once said to me, something along the lines of “It’s bullshit. But I’d rather it be bullshit in my But The Score was turned upside down thanks to longtime radio favor.” Everyone wants to keep score, including advertisers who use impresario Jimmy deCastro, who is now in charge of Entercom, the sports radio to peddle beer, mortgage services, chewable erectile Office Space-sounding radio conglomerate that swallowed CBS Radio. dysfunction pills, testosterone shots, fancy sheets and expensive pillows. And deCastro wanted to see some changes. But a lot of the big advertising dollars are spent because of relationships. Both stations have them, so no one is going hungry. Still, I’m sure the In came Dan McNeil, Chicago sports talk radio legend and Spiegel’s old people involved sleep better on their MyPillows when they’re up in the partner, and Connor McKnight, an erudite, one-time Score talent contest ratings book. winner who had just lost his gig hosting pre- and post-games for the White Sox radio broadcasts. And right now, The Score is running up the score, so to speak. Dan Bernstein was somewhat demoted to mid-days, joining McKnight to In the recently released fall book, from September through the beginning form the smartest father-son radio show in town. Taking Bernstein’s of December, The Score crushed WMVP, 5.2 to 2.8 from 6 a.m. to primo drive time slot was the new show of McNeil and Danny Parkins, a midnight in the coveted men age 25-54 bracket. I checked the Nielsen father-son show for the kind of family that gambles away junior’s college numbers after the Cubs’ season unceremoniously ended in early fund and the family truckster. October, and while ESPN’s share did grow, it was nothing crazy. In the summer, it’s a different story, as The Score gets a big summer boost for And there was one more change to come. running Cubs games. But by September, it’s already Bears season. It took until July for the next shoe to drop: the dissolution of the popular After Cubs season ended, Tom Waddle and Marc Silverman still trailed morning show of Mike Mulligan and Brian Hanley. While anyone can twist Parkins and McNeil from October through the first week of December, ratings to make a point — and don’t get me started on the flawed Nielsen 4.8 to 4.3 according to the numbers I saw, but that wasn’t always the ratings system — Mully & Hanley had been a ratings powerhouse for case when you took out Cubs games during the season. Waddle & Silvy, more than a decade. It was the only local sports morning show in town, in my mind, is still the top show in town. as ESPN airs the national show until 9 a.m. Hanley, a longtime newspaperman at the Sun-Times, was the quick-witted partner for the (I would love to see a comparison of streaming numbers or podcast garrulous Mulligan, another Sun-Times alum. Those two jumped ship downloads.) before the newspaper industry really tanked and enjoyed rare continuity and success. Some show battles are less competitive than others, and ratings fluctuate, but The Score is a clear winner right now when you go by that Hanley was replaced by Tribune columnist David Haugh, the show’s metric. Did the changes there help? Hurt? Have no effect whatsoever? I regular fill-in host and a former co-host on DeCastro’s sports radio wonder if the chaos at The Score helped as listeners wondered what experiment with WGN, The Game. would happen next. I also think the new shows found their grooves, particularly the afternoon show once McNeil’s voice problems cleared up. The upheaval at The Score was the biggest sports media story of the year in Chicago. People picked sides. Tweets were sent. Behind-the- Of the three hosts who were bounced from The Score, Hanley was the scenes gossip was dished out. only one who got to talk about it on the air right away. The story broke while he was doing his show in July, but it took a couple days for it to be Like most people in any line of work, I enjoy reading about what I do. addressed until Sun-Times writer Joe Cowley brought it up on the show. Sports journalists are suckers for stories about sports journalists. But Hanley, not exactly a self-promoting type, described the experience as guess what, so are readers. I think, at least in terms of sports radio, fans living through his wake. He stuck around until the end of the month and have a more intimate relationship with sports talk hosts than they do with had a teary goodbye on the air. athletes. They become familiar with McNeil’s peccadillos, Marc Silverman’s quirks, John Jurkovic’s jokes. So they want to read more. I wouldn’t be surprised if the bosses at ESPN 1000, which is known for its continuity and long-term approach to its product, tinker a little more I spent 2018 writing a lot about sports media, for features and columns. with the daily schedule, if not the lineup itself, in 2019. By one metric, the searingly honest interview Goff gave me and the oral history I wrote about The Afternoon Saloon are not only two of the most While the rotating hosts of Pat Boyle, Eddie Olcyzk and Jordan Cornette popular stories we ran in 2018, but also the two most popular stories in are more than capable, they might want to give David Kaplan a full-time partner. His show, according to the Nielsen numbers I saw, could use a “I felt like I was finally the one, especially with timing, because Jiggs (Dan ratings boost, if they care about those figures. Jiggetts, the former Score host) and Tommy (Williams, another former host) and Hood and Laurence, those are the guys who came before me,” Or they might want to re-insert a third man or woman in with Carmen Goff told me. “But I was the first hip-hop baby. I was the first baby who DeFalco and Jurkovic and give them their extra hour back and cut Kap to was like, ‘Yo, this is what it is. This is how I feel about things, this is the two hours. Hey, how about Harry Teinowitz? shit I don’t align myself with.’ I feel like a lot of people are cause hustlers Or, I guess, ESPN’s leadership team could try and find some new voices. who just jump on some shit for the moment. I’ve never been that dude. I’m quick to call out bullshit, I don’t care if you’re black or white. If you Kaplan’s deal expires in September 2019, just as his TV deal ends with rock with me, you rock with me. If you don’t, I don’t need it. I feel like I NBC Sports Chicago, so he could head to The Score, the Cubs’ radio had finally gotten to the point where I proved so many people right who flagship, and the Cubs’ new TV network at the same time. That would believed in me and proven so many people wrong who didn’t believe in likely mean another of the station’s holdovers is looking for new work. me, it was time for me to be myself.” If ESPN really wanted to shake it up, they could add either Hanley or Being yourself is the way to succeed in sports talk radio, unless the guy Goff (who has done shows for the national radio network), or even try in charge doesn’t like you, of course. Then, be someone else. and see if The Score would let Spiegel out of his current deal. So what else happened in the local sports media space in 2018? I know Or what about Joe Cowley? I’ve always thought The Score should’ve I’m going to leave some things out, so correct me in the mentions. made him full-time when he used to be a regular fill-in host, as well as a guest. Cowley was born to be a sports radio host. (Maybe not at ESPN, My dude Nick Friedell left us for the Bay Area, where he seems to have though.) brought the Bulls’ virus to the Warriors. He was replaced as ESPN’s Bulls/Midwest writer by Malika Andrews, a young, talented reporter who As for the moves that did happen, on one hand, it was good to see came to Chicago to work for the Tribune in the summer. She brought McNeil return to the bright lights of a daily show. It’s nice to see some much-needed diversity to the paper for the few months she was McKnight, a smart dude, get a shot at a daytime show and Haugh get a there before leaving for a better job. full-time radio job. Parkins and his producer Nick Shepkowski showed up to Guaranteed On the other hand, Spiegel, Goff and Hanley got extremely raw deals for Rate Field this season with a sign for Manny Machado. The picture got no reason other than one guy’s desire to flex his authority. Given the picked up by all three local papers and nationally, and very few realized instability of sports journalism jobs, who wouldn’t feel bad for them? Who this was a wacky sports radio prank. I loved it. More wacky sports radio roots for bosses? hijinks please. Spiegel never left The Score, staying on as a guest host, putting out his The Hawk finally flew away from the nest. After a seemingly decade-long patented “good vibes” and making the best of it. He signed a new deal goodbye tour, Hawk Harrelson broadcasted his final games as the voice just before the Entercom merger, which they honored. He spent most of of the White Sox. He gone, and Jason Benetti now has a full-time the holiday week filling in for hosts and now he’s doing Saturday shifts schedule, along with the 100 other games he broadcasts a year. with Bruce “Lemme tell you about Max & Benny’s” Levine and Steve Rosenbloom. Haugh left the Tribune as a full-time writer and now writes regularly there as a special contributor, while also writing for The Score’s website. My It was hinted when the move went down that Goff could have a similar old boss at ESPN Chicago Keith Sgariglia, who was very undervalued by role, but instead upper management pushed him and his pricey deal out the folks in Bristol, Conn., took over the Entercom websites and if The and canceled his contract. Goff, who worked without an agent, Score’s site succeeds in 2019, he’ll be a big reason why. rebounded and is now hosting on Sirius along with some guest work on ESPN radio. He is still doing TV locally on Fox. Steve Rosenbloom also left the Trib as columnist, just recently, in fact, as he took a buyout along with several other behind-the-scenes mainstays Jason Goff was introspective, but resolute in our September conversation there. He still hosts weekend shifts on The Score. about his rise and fall at The Score. (Jon Greenberg/The Athletic) Rosenbloom’s acerbic wit was still popular on the Trib’s website, but I As for Hanley, he is laying low while he waits on what’s next. His contract was never sure it was marketed the right way in today’s media was up when he was canned. Mitch Rosen, the operations director at ecosystem where sarcasm or negativity were written off as “trolling.” The Score, said Hanley would be a first-ballot inductee to The Score Hall Rosenbloom’s jabs weren’t cartoonish enough to be parody like PFT of Fame, whenever that opens. Commenter. Earlier in his tenure, Cubs GM Jed Hoyer pulled me aside to ask me if Rosenbloom was indeed a real person. Did he come to games? Goff’s exodus means there aren’t any full-time black hosts on the radio What was his deal? Heck, I’m as media literate as anyone, and there during the day. Cornette, a former Notre Dame basketball player, is one were times I rolled my eyes when his columns popped up on Twitter. of the rotating co-hosts on Kaplan’s Kap & Co. show and that’s it. (Back in 2002, Miner wrote about Rosenbloom’s evolution as a wise-guy columnist.) Laurence Holmes has his night show (and is branching out with an interview podcast). Jonathan Hood continues to hold down his night While the loss of commentary from Haugh and Rosenbloom is bad for show on ESPN 1000, along with a national show schedule. Kenneth readers and for competition, the Tribune, under orders to cut, cut, cut and Davis and Demonze Spruiel have been getting some shifts on The Score do more with less or whatever, also fired their White Sox beat writer at night, and listening to them banter with Grobber’s usual callers is a fun Chris Kuc and their Blackhawks beat guy Paul Skrbina in late March. Kuc treat. had actually just returned to Arizona for spring training when he got the news. Instead of going out and drinking away his sorrows with the beat Chicago isn’t alone with a white male-centric lineup during the day parts. writers, he booked a flight home. It got delayed for hours. What a Most markets have a similar makeup, save an ex-football player here or metaphor. there. The good news, though, is Kuc started freelancing for us, along with the As usual, there aren’t a lot of female voices on the radio. On The Score, Sun-Times, and eventually got hired to cover the Washington Capitals for Julie DiCaro hosts an evening show during the week and pairs with The Athletic. Skrbina wound up getting a job covering the Predators for Maggie Hendricks on the weekends, while Sarah Spain co-hosts her The Tennessean, a job that opened up after we hired their beat writer to ESPN national show from her Chicago house. cover the Preds. We hired Mark Lazerus to write columns and help Scott THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO LISTENS! Powers cover the Blackhawks, and the Sun-Times just filled his spot with PIC.TWITTER.COM/TMXWOIRYSA Jason Lieser, a Chicago-area native who was covering sports in South Florida. — JULIE DICARO (@JULIEDICARO) DECEMBER 26, 2018 As of this writing, the Tribune still doesn’t have a full-time beat writer for I enjoyed listening to Shae Peppler, the Fox TV reporter, who co-hosted the White Sox, while longtime sports writer and editor Jimmy Greenfield Kap & Co. with her fiancé Cornette during the holiday week. Michelle has taken over the Blackhawks beat. In a sad sign of the times, the McMahon, who covers the Blackhawks for NBC Sports Chicago and Tribune only sent one writer, Cubs beat man Mark Gonzales, to the works at Big Ten Network, should get a shot, as should NBC Sports’ winter meetings. The Tribune had a smaller traveling party than The Leila Rahimi and Fox 32’s Siera Santos. (Hell, why doesn’t anyone call Athletic, NBC Sports Chicago and the Sun-Times. How do you leave Peggy Kusinski?) Paul Sullivan at home? Chicago needs more diverse voices in this space. It felt like Goff was As one Tribune writer said recently when I asked if they hired a Sox canned, in part, because he was willing to talk about race as it pertains to writer yet: “We don’t even have a sports editor.” Yes, sports editor Joe sports. As he should, especially considering the conversations we’re Knowles took a buyout as well. Here’s hoping my friends at the Trib get a having about that on a daily basis. rebound in 2019. (Editor’s note: When I initially published this article, I forgot to add that the team of Fred Huebner and Steve “Mongo” McMichael remained my go-to Bears pregame show when driving to Soldier Field. Despite the Bears actually being good this year, Mongo still found plenty of people who needed to “man up.”) NBC Sports Chicago mystifyingly got rid of their Cubs and Sox writers Patrick Mooney and Dan Hayes in 2017, but their mistake was our gain as both started full-time with The Athletic in 2018. NBC also lost Hawks reporter Tracey Myers, who left for NHL.com. NBC Sports Chicago, which is likely on the verge of losing the Cubs, also said farewell to Santos and Vince Goodwill this year. Meanwhile, Kelly Crull had to go straight from the Cubs to the Bulls to serve as the reporter for both teams. The station got rid of a lot of its night-time programming in 2018, as it tries to figure out what the heck it’s doing besides showing games. The big news in that area is that the Cubs are breaking off from its partners and going at it alone after the 2019 season with its own channel, Marquee. The Rocky Wirtz and Jerry Reinsdorf teams will stick with NBC Sports Chicago on a five-year deal that, according to Athletic sources, could be paying the teams a significant upgrade in subscriber fees. That’s important, because without some improvements, their ratings will be garbage without the Cubs. While NBC Chicago has mostly been about cutting costs to get ready for the split, they did add a fun post-game show with Matt Forte, Lance Briggs, Alex Brown and Holmes. The station and the Bears had a content relationship, but it ended before the season and the Bears went to Fox 32. The Bears can’t be happy that the station’s unofficial post-game show (they can’t use Bears in the title) is better than the official one. The station is also adding a weekly show during the playoffs, appropriately titled “Da Playoff Show.” Marquee is going to have to do some hiring in the coming year. While the Cubs have been building up an in-house video team, they will have to raid the current NBC staff to fill the gaps. Kaplan is a no-brainer hire, which would hurt NBC Chicago, where he serves as the de facto face of the network and host of the daily SportsTalk Live gabfest. I’ve heard Ryan Dempster, Cubs special assistant and MLB Network talking head, is expected to have a role with the network, and Doug Glanville should get one as well. Crull’s agent should have some leverage for her next deal, given her excellent work with the Cubs and Bulls. The station should also hire Spiegel to do some kind of Chris Russo show, perhaps with Barry Rozner, the longtime Daily Herald columnist. While the hirings and firings at The Score dominated Chicago sports media coverage in 2018, the rise of Marquee will be the story to watch in 2019. The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123157 Chicago Blackhawks Moments later, Entwistle was available for a Bowers pass in the slot and made no mistake putting it past Swiss goalie Akira Schmid to regain the Canadian lead almost six minutes into the second period. It was A pair of Blackhawks prospects steal the show in Vancouver at world Entwistle’s second goal of the tournament; a number most would be juniors happy to see him finish with, much less owe to with just a pair of games played.

MACKENZIE ENTWISTLE PUTS CANADA UP 2-1. By JD Burke Dec 28, 2018 PIC.TWITTER.COM/DVPX0FDUCL — PELLETIER, JAKOB (@DRAFTLOOK) DECEMBER 28, 2018 VANCOUVER — There were barely 15 seconds left in the round-robin “It’s always nice when you can capitalize on a chance,” Entwistle said. game between the host Canadians and the underdogs from Switzerland “Shane (Bowers) had a nice turnover there and made a nice pass to me when MacKenzie Entwistle (whom the Blackhawks acquired in the on the dot, and I just kind of shot it, and I was fortunate enough to have it summer) hopped over the boards to take a crucial faceoff and help go in. I’ve just got to stick with it.” defend a one-goal lead. Being a 13th-forward for Team Canada doesn’t mean quite the same It took place on the left side of the ice, which meant that Canadian head thing as it would for the Swiss. Mr. Irrelevant for last year’s team was coach Tim Hunter needed two righties out for the draw. Shane Bowers, Tyler Steenbergen, and he scored the goal that won Canada the gold. who assisted on Entwistle’s goal just a period prior, was there as an Entwistle doesn’t have the same offensive pedigree that Steenbergen insurance policy. brought to the table, but he’s got the humility and work ethic that will earn a coach’s trust all the same. A pair of Philipp Kurashev goals had Switzerland within one of tying the game at three, but capping off the hat-trick seemed an unlikely “You look at it at the Olympic level, and there are guys like Sidney proposition after the referees called him to account for a questionable Crosby, NHL stars that are playing fewer minutes,” Entwistle said. “I think cross-check call behind the Canadian net with 1:33 remaining in the third the biggest thing is just coming in and playing for the logo, playing for the period. country. Accepting whatever role you’ve got, whether it’s being a checker, power play or penalty kill guy. That’s what I’m going to do. Switzerland pressed, but Entwistle tied up his opponent(s) in consecutive Playing my game and just working with the role I’ve been given and attempts at the faceoff circle and the clock slowly — each second felt like accepting it. a minute on the ice, I am sure — reached zero. Canada won 3-2. “Having guys that were flexible and willing to embrace different roles than That moment was emblematic of the entire game. Kurashev had done they normally play on their club team, because some guys aren’t going to everything in his power to keep the Swiss in the fight but was ultimately be on the power play, some guys are going to be centremen that will play helpless to stop the Canadian hockey machine; Entwistle emerged on the wing,” Hunter added. battered and bruised, but made the most of his precious opportunities. There’s one player on the Swiss team to have crossed the podium at the “He’s gritty, can win some faceoffs,” Hunter said of his decision to put NHL draft compared to a Canadian team with two players who haven’t. Entwistle out in the final moments of the game. “I had him out there, in the end, taking big faceoffs. It’s rewarding guys that are showing that “Canada (has) eight first-rounders and the two second-rounders; we they’re playing hard and digging in. That they’re focused in the right have one fourth-rounder this year,” said Swiss head coach Christian moments.” Wohlwend. “When you have so many players — 400,000 juniors (for Canada) compared to 16,000 (for Switzerland). And they’re all playing on In retrospect, Entwistle seems like just the type of player that would shine the small ice. For this, you have to beat our team every time. What if we in a game like this. The Swiss — with last year as an exception — had 400,000 compared to 16,000 Canadians? And played on the small generally seem to give Canada a run for their money. What the tiny ice rink? That I want to see.” European nation of just over 8-million citizens lacks in star power or even quantity they more than make up for with structure. Like David up against Goliath, it was Kurashev, the Blackhawks fourth- round pick in last year’s draft, who came out of the crowd in the second Players like Maxime Comtois (four goals against the Danes a day prior) period. He put the puck past Canadian netminder Ian Scott to tie the and Morgan Frost (three goals in that same game) often find themselves game at one. It didn’t bring the Canadians to their knees, but it left one bogged down, with little space or time to operate. It’s moments like these hell of a mark. where having a player like Entwistle who can not only operate in the thick of it, but excel, has added value. PHILIPP KURASHEV (@QUEBEC_REMPARTS) SCORES ON THE POWER PLAY, AND THE SWISS HAVE TIED THINGS UP AT 1-1 “They’re like any team — they compete. They have pride, and they care,” AGAINST CANADA!#WORLDJUNIORS #REPRESENT Hunter said of the Swiss. “Their goaltending was pretty good tonight. PIC.TWITTER.COM/HWY2XTQ5OS Their penalty killing was good. (There wasn’t) a lot of offence because of how they play; they try to stretch things out and create foot races. We — TSN (@TSN_SPORTS) DECEMBER 28, 2018 stubbed our toes a few times and turned pucks over. They’re like all the teams here. They compete. They’re well-coached.” “He is great. He has exceptional skills,” Wohlwend said of Kurashev. “That’s why he’s drafted. We have one forward that has been drafted for PHILIPP KURASHEV (@QUEBEC_REMPARTS) SCORES ON THE the whole team, and that’s why. He can make a difference for us.” POWER PLAY, AND THE SWISS HAVE TIED THINGS UP AT 1-1 AGAINST CANADA!#WORLDJUNIORS #REPRESENT It was going to be tough to top that, but Kurashev found a way. With the PIC.TWITTER.COM/HWY2XTQ5OS Swiss down a pair on the scoreboard, hope was starting to wane. The veneer of the little team that could was starting to crack. Kurashev was — TSN (@TSN_SPORTS) DECEMBER 28, 2018 fighting to keep it together. One such toe-stubbing came mere seconds in the middle frame. With less than two minutes on the clock and the Swiss on the power play, Switzerland regrouped in the first intermission and made the most of an Kurashev found the open ice to on the right side of the 1-3-1 formation. early power play to jump out to a 1-0 lead. Hardly content with playing for Nicolas Muller needled a pass across the slot that barely found the tie, the Swiss kept on pressing, too. The Canadian lead on the shot- Kurashev’s stick, but the Swiss sniper found the back of the net again to clock started to shrink. get the Swiss within one. Then Entwistle brought his teammates back to life with a thunderous Kurashev gave his team a chance. It’s about all that anyone could have body check on a Swiss defenceman that one could feel all the way in the ever asked from the fourth-round pick out of the Quebec Major Junior press box. Hockey League. “We expect those big guys to be physical,” Hunter said. “We wanted to “Very proud. Very proud,” Wohlwend said of his team’s effort. “Today we be a little more physical today, and we’ve got to get more physical still. had a big chance to get two points out of this game. At 5-on-5 we created (Entwistle) is a guy who has to lead in that way. He’s a big-bodied guy.” some scoring chances. But a little bit of bad luck, two times with cross- checking (penalties) hurt us.” “We were just going in hard on the forecheck,” Entwistle said. “The guy kind of made a backhand pass behind the net to his partner and I just “I think we played really well,” Kurashev added. “At the end, we had a finished my check. It’s nice to get the guys going, and I think that’s my little bit of bad luck, but I think we were right there. Just a couple… if role on the team.” sometimes the puck had bounced for us; we could have won the game. So that’s a really big positive for us.” Times are tough on the home front. After years of unparalleled success, the Chicago Blackhawks find themselves near the bottom of the league standings for the first time in what feels like forever. Tournaments like the world juniors where prospects like Entwistle, Kurashev and Evan Barratt, among others, are starring in now carry additional importance. Scouts will often caution against placing too much stock in the tournament, and with good reason. It’s easy to get carried away in small samples. Still, it’s nice to imagine a scenario where performances like the ones Entwistle and Kurashev put together in front of a packed Rogers Arena audience are a taste of what the future might hold. Each has a long way to go but moments like these leave them better prepared if they reach the peak. That has to count for something. The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123158 Colorado Avalanche alternate captain while Leschyshyn, an alternate last year, was named a captain before the start of this season.

They were both respected figures. But with the Pats organization Avs prospects update, Vol. 2: The new and improved Nick Henry undergoing a rebuild, Henry said he knew there was a chance they were going to be traded. By Ryan S. Clark Dec 28, 2018 “I honestly still don’t have words for it yet. They’ve given me everything I’ve ever needed,” Henry said. “The staff there was just unbelievable for me, and I turned into a better person there. They sculpted me into who I am now, and I am proud to say I played two-and-a-half years in Regina.” Nick Henry is back to being one of the more highly productive players throughout the Western Hockey League. That said, there’s more to his Lethbridge general manager Peter Anholt said the team was in a good game than just being seventh in the league in assists and points while place but they wanted to insulate some of their younger players with starring for a playoff contender. older, experienced figures in the dressing room. Step back from the Avalanche prospect winger’s numbers. What will be The trade has benefited both the player and the organization. Henry has uncovered are the details of a 19-year-old whose life has become a nine points in as many games since he arrived from Regina. As for the series of significant adjustments. There’s the progress he has made as a Hurricanes, they are 7-1-1 in those contests. skater, which is further enhanced by the idea he is fully healthy for the first time in more than a year. For the season, Henry has 16 goals and 33 assists for 49 points. He’s on pace to finish with 98 points, which would be the most in his WHL career. Plus, there’s his personal growth and development. Henry spent two- and-a-half seasons with the Regina Pats before he was traded in “He’s got a high compete level for a skilled player that can score, and November to the Lethbridge Hurricanes. While openly grateful to the Pats that’s a great attitude to have, too,” Anholt said. “I like that side of him. organization, his new start affords him a chance to experience something He’s willing to learn, and you can tell he’s always thinking about the different. game and how he can better not only himself but the team. I didn’t know him personally before we traded for him but heard nothing but good “To look at it, it’s been a very good year up till now,” said Henry, who was things about his character.” the team’s fourth-round pick in 2017. “There was the stuff I had to work on, and I did. It’s paid off for me in the first 30 games, and it’s really Anholt said developing Henry remains a priority as the team continues its exciting to show that stuff off.” path as a WHL contender. The goal for Henry, or any 19-year-old player on their roster, is to see them sign a professional contract. Henry’s offseason workouts are a starting point. He got an opportunity to train alongside NHL players such as Wild forward and experienced Henry said he is in constant communication with the Avalanche’s Brian veteran Eric Fehr. Being around Fehr, a fellow Manitoban, allowed Henry Willsie, who is part of the organization’s development staff after a 10-year a chance to see the small details that separate them from those trying to NHL career. Henry added that the Avs are really good about keeping reach the NHL. tabs on prospects but they also take an approach of letting players be themselves and play their own game. Much of his summer was used to improve his skating. Henry is rather open when discussing how skating was his biggest weakness as a “We like to see him get signed and turn pro,” Anholt said. “Now, if the player. That’s why he went through a number of different drills that Colorado Avalanche wanted to send him back as an overage player, we helped him enhance his foot speed and explosiveness. have a spot for him. There’s no doubt about that.” Situational plays and sequences are the areas where Henry has noticed Forwards the most change. He’s more adept at battling in the corners for Jean-Christophe Beaudin, C, Colorado (AHL): Beaudin was a highly possession. The intensified technical work has allowed him to win more productive player in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and some foot races against skaters in a chase for the puck. of those skills are translating in the AHL. He has five goals and six “I think that’s something I have had to improve on my whole life,” Henry assists for 11 points over 27 games with the Eagles. That’s already more said. “The way hockey is going, it’s fast, it’s quick and my hockey sense than what Beaudin had last season, when he finished with seven points and my mind and that kind of stuff keeps up to it. Every time, my goal is in 34 games for San Antonio. that I can get a half-step or a quarter-step better.” Shane Bowers, C, Boston University (Canada): The Athletic‘s Corey There is also the progress Henry is making to become a better two-way Pronman recently wrote that he expects Bowers to serve in a bottom-six player. General manager Joe Sakic, coach Jared Bednar and the role while also being used a penalty killer. Colorado’s front office already Avalanche’s front office have made a priority of either drafting, finding or stated over the summer that it is looking for “big things” from Bowers, trading for prospect forwards with a defensive element in their game. who could sign a professional contract at season’s end. The speedy two- way center is expected to be under a bit of a microscope during and after Henry is becoming more of a 200-foot player this season. That’s the World Junior Championship with his Major Junior rights being traded evidenced by the fact he’s receiving time on the penalty kill, which allows to the . Bowers, who has two assists in two him to amplify and refine his awareness on the defensive end. WJC games, has five goals and eight points in 15 contest with BU this season after finishing with 17 goals and 32 points as a true freshman last As for his offense? That’s clearly still a consistent part of his profile as a season. skater. Henry burst onto the scene by scoring 35 goals while also notching 46 assists during the 2016-17 season. He scored 12 points in A.J. Greer, LW, Colorado (AHL): Injuries have led to Greer going back 22 playoff games, but his postseason was marred by a torn labrum. and forth between the Avalanche and the Eagles throughout December. Greer has 21 points in 21 games with the Eagles and recently discussed Shortly after being drafted by the Avalanche, Henry underwent offseason how the last few years have played a role in his strong AHL campaign. surgery. His recovery was why he was limited to 14 goals and 15 assists over 53 games last season. Martin Kaut, RW, Colorado Eagles (): Eagles coach Greg Cronin recently told The Athletic in a profile of Kaut that the 19-year-old is “You have to be mentally strong, and I learned a lot through that,” he receiving first-line minutes and is playing on the team’s top power-play said. “I did not have the offensive numbers I would have liked, and I think unit. The team is developing Kaut to play at a faster pace to prepare him I contributed in a positive way. And I learned a different position on the for the NHL. Kaut, the Avalanche’s first-round pick in 2018, has 12 points power play, and I feel like that will help me down the road.” in 26 games as he continues his adjustment to the North American game. Pronman also wrote that he expects Kaut, who had seven points Regina used Henry as one of the primary shooters on the power play. in seven games at last year’s WJC, to have another strong showing for Upon his return, he was deployed in a net-front role, which took some the Czechs this year. He opened the WJC by scoring a goal and setting adjusting. up another in the Czechs’ 2-1 overtime win against Switzerland. “It was a learning curve,” he said. “But by the end, I felt like I was doing a Nikolai Kovalenko, RW, (Russia): Colorado’s 2018 good job.” sixth-round pick has also gone through a transformative season. He An ability to score coupled with a willingness to do what’s best for the primarily played last season in the MHL, which is Russia’s premier junior team are some of the reasons why Henry was so alluring for the circuit, while also getting two games in the KHL. This season has seen Hurricanes. the 19-year-old become a full-time member of Lokomotiv’s KHL setup. He has scored four goals and has five points over 24 games. Kovalenko Both Henry and Golden Knights prospect center Jake Leschyshyn were was named to the Russian WJC team that opened the tournament with a traded from the Pats to the Hurricanes in late November. Henry was an 4-0 win against Denmark. Cameron Morrison, LW, Notre Dame (NCAA): This is shaping up to be an interesting season for Colorado’s second-round pick from the 2016 draft. Morrison has 12 points in 14 games. Should he play 40 times for a third consecutive season, he’s on pace to finish with 34 points. That would be nine more than his previous best of 24, which he set as a freshman. He also was named the Big Ten’s third star of the week in early December. Defensemen Nate Clurman, RD, Notre Dame (NCAA): Ignore that Clurman only has one point this season. There are other metrics and numbers that illustrate how the Boulder native is adapting to his first collegiate campaign. Clurman has played in 17 games, among the highest for a freshman defenseman in the nation. Furthermore, he has blocked 11 shots but he has also shown responsibility by only recording one penalty. Cale Makar, RD, Massachusetts (NCAA): Colorado’s No. 1 prospect continues to show why he’s the organization’s top skater. The tour de force who is Makar has the college hockey world talking about the Minutemen as a potential national title favorite. UMass is second in the USCHO.com rankings, and Makar is an early Hobey Baker contender. He has six goals and 13 assists for 19 points. That ranks third among collegiate defensemen this season. Nicolas Meloche, RD, Colorado (AHL): Mounting injuries have opened the door for Mark Alt, Ryan Graves and Anton Lindholm to play for the Avalanche this season. Some have wondered how long it will take for Meloche to get that chance. Meloche used the 2017-18 campaign as an adjustment into professional hockey after spending four years in the QMJHL. He finished with 17 points in 58 games last season. This season, he’s at nine points through 25 games. Conor Timmins, RD, Colorado (NHL): Timmins’ recovery from concussion-like symptoms continues to be one of the more important stories regarding the Avalanche’s prospects. As for his rehab, he continues to work with skills coach Shawn Allard on a daily basis. The biggest sign of growth came last week, when Timmins was an active participant in the Avalanche’s practices. He’s still wearing a non-contact jersey, but it is the most time he has seen with Bednar and the team since the season began. Goaltenders Justus Annunen, L, Hermes (Mestis-Finland): He made the preliminary roster for Finland’s WJC team but was cut because of the nation’s goaltending depth. It’s likely Annunen, who does not turn 19 until March, would be under strong consideration to make Finland’s roster next season. He’s currently on loan from Karpat and is playing for Hermes in the Finnish second division. Annunen has won his last three starts, including his first shutout of the season. Pavel Francouz, R, Colorado (AHL): Francouz made his NHL debut but didn’t play as Philipp Grubauer’s backup in a 6-4 loss against the Coyotes. He was called up after Semyon Varlamov became sick and the Avalanche needed cover for Grubauer. Francouz was immediately returned to the AHL, where he is 13-5-2 with a 2.61 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage as he looks to continue his adjustment to the North American game. Shamil Shmakov, L, Sibirskie Snaipery Novosibirsk (MHL): Shmakov is a backup on a team that appears to play three goaltenders but has had as many as four see time this season. Shmakov, who won 36 games last season, has six victories this year with a 2.20 GAA and a .928 save percentage. The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123159 Colorado Avalanche

Nathan MacKinnon to captain Central Division for 2019 NHL All-Star Game

By Rich Kurtzman - December 28, 2018

Nathan MacKinnon is a shooting star. And now, he’s representing the Colorado Avalanche as the Central Division captain in the 2019 NHL All-Star Game, being voted into the position by the fans of the league. It’s the third straight All-Star Game appearance for MacKinnon, who’s only 23 years old and he’s the first Avalanche player to act as a captain since Joe Sakic did so way back in 2007, in Dallas. This season’s game takes place on Sunday, Jan. 26 at 6 p.m. MT, in San Jose, CA at the SAP Center. On Saturday, Jan. 25 (7 p.m. MT), MacKinnon will also take place in the All-Star Skills event, and this third straight All-Star appearance makes him the first Avs player to do so since Rob Blake (2001-04). What makes MacKinnon so exciting is the fact that he’s a scoring machine. With 57 points already this year, he’s third in that category, with 22 goals and 34 assists. His 18 multi-point games are also in a tie for the lead in the NHL. An astounding 23 of those points came in the month of November alone, tying for the league lead there, which also tied Peter Forsberg for the best-ever month of November by a Colorado player. That came in 1995- 96, the Avs’ inaugural season, for Peter the Great. Not only is he out there tying Forsberg and Sakic, MacKinnon set a new Colorado team record by scoring a goal in each of the first six games this season. Last year, MacKinnon scored 97 points in 74 games, which was a career- high, and he’s on pace to shatter that personal mark this season. Going back to 2013-14, the Avalanche star won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s Rookie of the Year. Once again, this year’s All-Star Game will feature 3-on-3 play made up of four teams of 11 players each. milehighsports.com LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123160 Colorado Avalanche

Five takeaways from the Avs’ third-consecutive loss

By Evan Rawal - December 28, 2018

The Avs went into a very tough building in Las Vegas and managed to keep it close, mainly behind their goaltender, but were not able to overcome their poor play in the second and third period, losing to the Golden Knights by a score of 2-1. What did we learn? The Avs re-united the “Frat Line” with Tyson Jost, Alexander Kerfoot, and J.T. Compher, and they took a beating at even strength. The Avs are trying to find the right combination of players with the second line, but anytime they’ve put this line together for full games, they haven’t created a whole lot. Jost is in another huge rut right now. He has no goals in 14 games and has only one assist in that same span. His play was so poor that he was removed completely from the second line in the third period. It’s very difficult to get a read on his potential but right now, he’s on pace for a nearly identical season to his rookie year. Philipp Grubauer seems to be getting a shot at taking over the starting role, and he was the best player on the Avs Thursday, stopping 41 shots on the night and giving the Avs every chance to win. I would guess Semyon Varlamov will get back in the net soon, but I’m not sure it will be for long. The Avs started the game with Samuel Girard on the top power-play unit, and finished with Tyson Barrie on it. Girard helped ignite it a little bit in Arizona, and was on the ice for the Avs early power-play goal (although he didn’t touch the puck), so the switch back didn’t make a ton of sense. The Avs had two late power plays, but were unable to tie the game up. At what point does it become time to worry about Erik Johnson? Overall, he looks a step behind and is making very poor decisions with the puck. Eventually the leg injuries were going to catch up to him, but the hope was that he would hold that off for at least another year or two. The Avs are depending on him to be a top-pairing defenseman for them and I don’t think he’s been that this year. The Avs head home on Saturday to take on the Chicago Blackhawks. The game starts at 7 PM MST. milehighsports.com LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123161 Colorado Avalanche Semyon Varlamov will start in goal against the Blackhawks. Defenseman Ryan Graves, who made his NHL debut in Vegas, suffered a cut left wrist during the game and is wearing a bandage, but he said Struggling Avs make changes on every lineAdrian Dater things are fine, that it gives him no problem. He is expected to play again Saturday. ByAdrian DaterPosted on December 28, 2018 Bednar said he had no new update on defenseman Nikita Zadorov (lower body), other than he won’t play Saturday.

Defenseman Conor Timmins skated for the full practice, in a non-contact Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, meet your new top linemate – sweater.; Bednar said he almost certainly would start with the Colorado Matt Nieto. Eagles when his status is upgraded to active, which remains unknown but seems to be on the right path. Alexander Kerfoot and J.T. Compher, say hello to your new second linemate – Gabe Landeskog. Defenseman Mark Barberio skated on his own. He remains out to injury. Carl Soderberg, your new linemates are Sheldon Dries and Matt Calvert, BSN DENVER LOADED: 12.29.2018 and Tyson Jost, Sven Andrighetto and Gabriel Bourque – you’re the new fourth line. Those were the sizable changes made to the Avalanche forward lines by coach Jared Bednar at what was a lengthy practice Friday at Family Sports Center. “We’ve lost three in a row, so we’ve gotta change something up,” said Landeskog, when asked if he was surprised by the moves. “Obviously, we had some chemistry with me, Mikko and Nate, but I’ve excited to play with Comph and Kerf, and I think Nietsy’s gonna do great with Nate and Mikko. It’s very rare that a line stays together for 82 games, but I kinda figured you guys would come in and get excited over this, but for us it’s just a part of the business. For me, it doesn’t really matter who I’m playing with. I’m just excited to get back out and get back on the winning side.” The Avs are 2-6-1 in the last nine, and many of the losses have been close games that got away in the third period. A struggling power play, too many turnovers in the neutral zone and some bad penalties and resultant poor penalty killing have been the prime culprits as to what’s gone wrong. A power play that was leading the league two weeks ago has slipped to 10th overall, at 23.3 percent. A PK unit that once was in the top five has free-fallen all the way down to 28th, at 74 percent – although it has been better the last three games. Rantanen is no longer the league’s leading scorer (Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov is) and counted-upon forwards such as Tyson Jost have fallen out of favor with Bednar at the moment. Jost hasn’t scored a goal in 14 straight games. His last goal was Nov. 27, at Nashville. Just how concerned is Bednar, entering Saturday’s game with the suddenly-surging Chicago Blackhawks? “For us right now, especially with what we’re going through, we’ve gotta take it one game at a time, one shift at a time. I know that’s cliche, but that’s the truth. That’s where we’re at,” Bednar said. “We’ve got to dig in and concern ourselves with tomorrow night’s game. We can’t look any more past that.” Nieto might seem an odd choice by many to be a top-line replacement for Landeskog. In 35 games, he has four goals and 13 points. But Bednar said he thinks Nieto’s speed will be a good asset on the line. For his part, Nieto calls the promotion a “great opportunity” for himself. “I got some shifts with them in Arizona. I’m not the most skilled guy, but I think I have the ability to make plays and I can think the game at a high pace, so I’m just going to try and make the most of it,” Nieto told BSN Denver. “Tomorrow’s a new game. We’re going to focus on the start of the game and try to work our way to the finish there.” Jost, who hasn’t scored a goal in 14 straight games, has to dig his way out of the fourth line again and the shorter minutes such a role entails. “(He got) an opportunity on the second line last night, and things just aren’t working for him right now,” Bednar said. “He looks like he’s thinking too much, and not freeing himself up to go play. He’s not playing at the pace that I think he can. I know his heart is in the right place, and we’re still trying to give him opportunities. He’s still playing on the power play. I’d like to see him simplify his game, play more of a straight-line game, get a little more physical and hopefully things will go his way. We saw this kind of happen to him at the start of the year, then he was out of the lineup for a bit and he came back and it looked like a weight was lifted off his shoulders. I think he had points in five or six straight and now he’s cooled off again. It’s something he’s just got to work through and we’re here to help him, but certainly I’d like to see him make more of an impact on a nightly basis.” NOTEBOOK 1123162 Columbus Blue Jackets

Scott Harrington sets milestone

Adam Jardy Dec 28, 2018 at 10:03 PM Dec 28, 2018 at 10:03 PM

The passing of a career milestone for Scott Harrington came and went with little fanfare Thursday against the New York Rangers. When the 25- year-old defenseman hit the ice for the Blue Jackets that night, it marked his 33rd game of the season — a career high. Now in his fifth NHL season and third with the Jackets, Harrington has cemented himself as a member of coach John Tortorella’s third defensive pairing. He celebrated the milestone by recording an assist, adding to his career-high mark of 10 so far this season. >>Join our Columbus Blue Jackets Fans Facebook group for the latest news, updates and to join in on the conversation. “I think I’ve just tried to play my game,” he said Friday night before a game against Toronto at Nationwide Arena. “I haven’t tried to change too much. I’ve just tried to play with confidence and show the coaches the player that I am.” Although Tortorella has changed pairings more this season than he did last year, Harrington has primarily remained in the lineup while seeing time occasionally paired with Zach Werenski, David Savard and Markus Nutivaara. He’s stayed there for a key reason. “He’s a competitor,” Tortorella said. “That’s what we love about him. (He) continues to work on his positioning, continues to work on his puck skills. That’s what’s going to keep him in the lineup. … Just how hard he competes. He’s outstanding there.” Harrington also has a career-best plus-8 rating this season while averaging 11:12 of ice time per game. “The last couple years whenever I wasn’t playing I just tried to keep a positive mindset,” he said. “I’ve just had confidence in myself that I knew if I did put work in the right way and kept putting in work in all aspects of my game that it would hopefully pay off. That’s all you can do.” Bjorkstrand streaking Barely a month ago, forward Oliver Bjorkstrand was a healthy scratch as Tortorella tried to get more overall game from the goal-scorer. Now in his last 11 games entering Friday, Bjorkstrand had three goals and four assists and had scored in consecutive games. “I’m getting a few bounces here and there, getting a few points and a few goals,” he said. “It all adds together. I battle harder. I’m winning battles, and that helps the overall game. I’d still like to score more. I need to keep finding a way to put pucks on net and putting them in the net.” Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123163 Columbus Blue Jackets

Maple Leafs 4, Blue Jackets 2 | Toronto, vocal fans enjoy visit with victory

Adam Jardy Posted Dec 28, 2018 at 10:01 PM Updated Dec 28, 2018 at 10:01 PM

John Tortorella tried to downplay it before the game began. A sold-out crowd awaited Friday night’s showdown between two of the league’s hottest teams, and Toronto’s visiting fans descended en masse on Nationwide Arena in full voice. They clearly felt differently than the Blue Jackets coach, who said that he “doesn’t get involved in what the crowd is going to be” and was focused only on keeping his team’s season-best five-game winning streak rolling. >>Join our Columbus Blue Jackets Fans Facebook group for the latest news, updates and to join in on the conversation. The Maple Leafs instead played Grinch to the Blue Jackets, scoring first and never trailing in a 4-2 win Friday night in a showdown of two of the top four teams in the Eastern Conference. John Tavares provided Toronto’s first two goals, Mitchell Marner pushed it out of reach midway through the second and Frederik Gauthier finished a centering pass from Par Lindholm to give the Maple Leafs their own five-game winning streak. As bagpipes provided by the Columbus Police and Fire Pipes and Drums group added to the pregame festivities, more than a dozen Toronto signs dotted the glass during warmups. Many advertised the distance traveled to get to the game, and they didn’t have to wait long for a payoff. Barely two minutes in, and only 32 seconds into an early power play, the Maple Leafs took the lead at 2:22 when Tavares deflected a shot by Nazem Kadri past Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. It marked a rare recent blemish for the Jackets, who had killed off 20 of 22 power-play chances (90.9 percent) during their last 10 games entering the night. It also marked the first time they hadn’t scored first in seven games, but Nick Foligno answered at 4:47 when he beat Toronto backup goaltender Garret Sparks from the right face-off dot to tie the game at 1. Tavares then scored his second goal of the night when he beat Bobrovsky from the left face-off circle on a shot that looked to catch the goalie in between as it flew over his left shoulder at 18:04. With both teams playing 4-on-4 after a scrum broke out in the corner and sent Scott Harrington and Kasperi Kapanen to the penalty boxes, Toronto’s Auston Matthews led a 2-on-1 charge into the zone and fed Marner to Bobrovsky’s left. His goal at 9:46 made it a 3-1 Maple Leafs lead, and although the Jackets would have their chances, it proved to be insurmountable. Artemi Panarin’s 100th career goal came at 18:32 of the third to set the final score. Toronto had been off since last Sunday and had actually been in Columbus longer than the Blue Jackets, who played Thursday night at the New York Rangers. Aside from Bobrovsky replacing Joonas Korpisalo in net, the Jackets made no lineup changes from the Rangers game. Even the Maple Leafs fans got the last word. Every time a “Let’s Go Jackets!” chant started up, a “Go Leafs Go!′ one punctuated the off beats and eventually drowned out the cheers of the home crowd. Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123164 Columbus Blue Jackets Werenski’s game-tying goal with 2:20 left in regulation was scored directly off a face-off won straight back to him by Boone Jenner and Dubois’ winner happened 31 seconds after Brandon Dubinsky won the Blue Jackets 4, Rangers 3, OT | Five takeaways only overtime face-off. All four players who took more than one face-off for Columbus finished with win percentages of at least 50 percent. Dubinsky was 6 for 9 (67 Brian Hedger percent), Alexander Wennberg was 9 for 14 (64 percent), Pierre-Luc Dubois was 7 for 12 (58 percent) and Jenner was 9 for 18 (50 percent.)

3) Tough turnaround NEW YORK – They’ve dominated and won by slim margins, they’ve won when they were “just OK,” by coach John Tortorella’s assessment and The NHL schedulers didn’t do Columbus any holiday favors, handing the the Blue Jackets have also won games they were outplayed. Blue Jackets a tough back-to-back coming out of the Christmas break that includes a taller order in the finale Friday against the rested Toronto The common thread, of course - following a 4-3 comeback win in Maple Leafs. overtime Thursday at the New York Rangers - is the Jackets keep winning. They have now won five straight games and six of the past The Blue Jackets flew home Thursday night to conclude their long one- seven since dropping the first two of a season-long, six-game homestand day excursion to New York/New Jersey, which began with a morning earlier this month. flight to Newark, N.J. for a morning skate at Prudential Center. Columbus (47 points) has also earned 13 out of a possible 14 points in “It’s going to be a challenge, but I think we’re up for it,” Werenski said. that stretch to remain just ahead of the surging Pittsburgh Penguins (44 “It’s part of our jobs to deal with stuff like this. These are huge points, and points) and just behind the first-place Washington Capitals (49 points) in if we can come away with four points this week that would be huge the Metropolitan Division. coming back from break.” Would Tortorella like them to be better than they were the past three 4) Top line redemption games? No question, but all three games were victories and they’ll take them all. The Jackets’ first line of Artemi Panarin, Dubois and Cam Atkinson struggled by turning pucks over and letting puck-carriers Waltz largely “Everybody else is winning too in our division,” Tortorella said Thursday uncontested up and down the ice. night, after watching his team get a boost from a video review to overturn a late goal by the Rangers. “We found a way to win.” They had good moments, though, including Atkinson’s assist on a goal by Oliver Bjorkstrand and then Dubois’ goal in overtime. After Dubinsky The path to victory this time included successfully challenging Ryan won the face-off to start OT, he went off for Panarin – who got the Strome’s goal with 4:36 left in the third – which prevented New York from primary assist with a setup feed to spring Dubois to the net. extending its 3-2 lead. It also included Zach Werenski’s game-tying goal about two minutes later and the winning goal scored 31 seconds into “Their third goal, I thought it was my fault, that goal,” Dubois said, overtime by Pierre-Luc Dubois. referring to Chris Kreider’s second goal of the game to put the Rangers up 3-2 midway through the third. “I did a lot of bad things tonight. It felt Just that quickly, the Blue Jackets (22-12-3) were off to Columbus for the good to get that one.” conclusion of a tough back-to-back Friday against the Toronto Maple Leafs (25-10-2) - happily taking two more points back with them. Tortorella concurred. “I’m not trying to criticize the team,” Tortorella said. “I don’t want to be too “I thought (Dubois’) line was god-awful all night long, but then they end hard on it, because this is a big part of the . It up scoring a goal to win it,” Tortorella said. “That’s the way it works.” happens every night that teams don’t play their best but they find ways to 5) Defense to offense win.” Werenski’s goal wasn’t the only big offensive contribution by a Blue The Blue Jackets are making a habit out of it, though, along with cleaning Jackets defenseman. David Savard also scored to make it 2-1 with 3:52 up against Metro opponents. They’re now 7-2-1 in their past 10 games left in the first period and two defensemen – Seth Jones and Scott against division foes and 8-4-1 this season. Harrington – assisted on goals. Here are five takeaways from the Blue Jackets and Rangers: Jones gave the puck to Panarin for the feed to Dubois in overtime and 1) Another Singleton Special Harrington got the second assist on Savard’s goal – scored with a wrist shot to the far side of the net against star goalie Henrik Lundqvist. It didn’t take long for video coach Dan Singleton to contact the Blue Jackets’ bench and recommend challenging Strome’s goal for a missed Werenski has points in three straight games, including goals in two offsides. games, while Harrington’s assist was his 10th of the season. It was also his 11th point in 33 games. Last season, Harrington had two goals, three “It’s a big call by Danny, finding it right away, but he radioed it to us right assists and five points in 32 games. away – and once we looked at it, we knew we were going to get that back,” Tortorella said. Columbus Dispatch LOADED: That’s because it was an obvious call on replay. Strome’s right skate entered the offensive zone before the puck was carried across the blue line by Vladislav Namestnikov across the ice. Instead of the Rangers taking a commanding 4-2 lead with 4:36 left, the goal was overturned and the Jackets drew some hope from it. “It keeps us in the game,” Tortorella said. “I’m not sure how much momentum (we get). It gives us a life ... to just keep banging away and try to tie the game up.” Singleton has an eagle eye for offsides violations, which can be costly to challenge. The challenging team gets a two-minute minor for delay of game if it’s determined the play isn’t offside, which is why video and head coaches must be absolutely sure of what they see. Singleton and Tortorella had no doubts and it paid off big. 2) Dominating the dots The Blue Jackets have struggled on face-offs in a number of games, but this time they got the better of it at the dots. Columbus finished with a decisive edge, winning 58 percent of the game’s 55 draws and scored goals off two of them. 1123165 Columbus Blue Jackets Tortorella was convinced the Blue Jackets played better Friday than they had their previous four games, even though they won all four of those games. G38: Blue Jackets don’t have an answer for high-flying Maple Leafs Notebook • The loss snapped the Blue Jackets’ season-long five-game winning By Aaron Portzline Dec 28, 2018 streak. It also snapped their seven-game point streak (6-0-1), which matched their longest of the season.

• Right winger Anthony Duclair lost his feet and slammed hard into the COLUMBUS, Ohio — The 2018-19 season is nearly half in the books, end boards in the early moments of the third period. He was slow to get but the Blue Jackets still seem to be fighting their identity. up, and skated directly to the room, holding his left arm. It did not look good initially, but Duclair returned to the game several minutes later. It’s not like the old days, when the Blue Jackets were a collection of misfit toys, when they lacked the high-end talent or a building approach that • Boone Jenner went 11 of 15 in the faceoff circle for the Blue Jackets, could define their path to victory. but he’s the only guy who was getting it done. The rest of the club went a combined 15 of 47 (31.9 percent). These Blue Jackets know who they are, or at least how they need to play. These Jackets have more skill than previous teams, certainly, but • The regular-season series is over with the Blue Jackets and Leafs. not enough skill to play without an attention to detail defensively or a Toronto takes two of the three, and all three had the same score: 4-2. driven, purposeful style offensively. • Panarin’s goal was the 100th of his career. In a 4-2 loss to the Maple Leafs on Friday, the Blue Jackets made clutch mistakes defensively, played without a meaningful contribution from their • The Blue Jackets are off Saturday, then return to practice Sunday in No. 1 line, and seemed to never establish themselves against one of the advance of the New Year’s Eve game versus Ottawa. Eastern Conference’s most dynamic teams. Analytically speaking “That was kind of the game plan, to not allow them to get into that The Athletic’s hockey data dynamo Alison Lukan provided these insights transition game,” Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno said. “It cost us a into the Blue Jackets’ loss: couple of goals tonight. • Did the Jackets deserve a better fate? Probably not. Although they “It’s hard when you allow that team to get going. We started chasing owned the five-on-five high-danger shot share (55.81 percent) they were them a little bit, but once we got underneath the hashmarks against that below the bar in shot attempts (48.71 percent) and scoring chances team, we gave them fits. They didn’t have much. They do not like (48.58 percent). And while we always talk about all shot attempts, there defending down there at all. We have to find a way against a team like was a large portion of those tonight (16 of 60) that were blocked and that to play down there more. Keep it as simple as possible through the another 18 that were missed altogether. That’s a lot of pucks that don’t neutral zone, get down there and make it as hard as we can on those see the net, don’t challenge the goaltender, and rarely create a follow-up guys. When we did, we had glorious chances.” opportunity of the rebound or follow-up play. As a result, the expected In just the last three weeks of play, the Blue Jackets have swung wildly goal total wasn’t as stark as the actual final, but it still favored the Leafs: from a club that was bleeding scoring chances to a team that was playing 2.33 to 2.22. much better defensively but couldn’t score. Then, over the previous four • Leafs goaltender Garret Sparks played well. But, for many of the games (all wins) the Jackets didn’t like their play on either end of the ice. reasons above, he wasn’t a huge difference-maker. His save percentage They know how Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella wants them to play was exactly as expected based on the shots he faced. According to consistently, and they’ve tasted success playing that way. But, just as Corsica.hockey, he saved only .01 goals above average. they did last season, Columbus has struggled to stick to it. • Acknowledging some late line jumbling by John Tortorella, there was On Friday, the Blue Jackets were lamenting the 19 shots they took that only one Jackets line that earned the advantage over Toronto in their missed the goal entirely, either by misfire or deflection. They also primary matchup tonight and that was the line of Alexander Wennberg, mourned the 17 shots that Toronto blocked. That’s more shot attempts Nick Foligno and Anthony Duclair. These three had the best shot that didn’t go on net (36) than did (29), and some of the chances they differentials of all Jackets, and what’s even more interesting is that they failed to convert were glorious. played primarily against the talented combination of Patrick Marleau, Auston Matthews and Kasperi Kapanen. In the approximately eight Artemi Panarin was the poster child. He had one shot on goal, five shots minutes these two trios faced off, the group of Jackets held a plus-10 blocked and one shot that sailed off the mark. shot attempt advantage and a plus-6 scoring chance advantage. And that’s even with Wennberg taking not one shot attempt tonight. Foligno scored the 1-1 goal only 2:25 after Toronto took the lead, but the Jackets could not keep pace. • That Jackets line also dominated their primarily defensive opponents of Morgan Rielly and Ron Hainsey. “We missed the net a lot, especially early on,” Tortorella said. Then he repeated his line for effect: “Missed the net a lot.” • On the power play, the Jackets generated four attempts, two shots and no scoring chances in four minutes of time. For comparison, the Leafs The Leafs went up 1-0 on a deflected goal by John Tavares. They had just more than half as much time at five-on-four (2:32) and generated pushed the lead to 2-1 late in the first when Tavares came through the just as many shots and two scoring chances. Each team allowed one left circle with Mitch Marner. shorthanded scoring chance against. Marner touched the puck over to Tavares off the rush, and Tavares didn’t The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018 break stride or slow the play. When the puck reached his wheelhouse, he one-timed it to the far corner as Bobrovsky flailed awkwardly to deny it. The Blue Jackets could only dream of scoring goals like that regularly. If the Blue Jackets are to fight fire with fire in any way against the Leafs, their No. 1 line has to be a force. Asked what he thought of their performance after Friday’s game, Tortorella said: “Not much.” The only time Panarin hit the net was with 1:28 to play when he scored his 12th goal of the season on a one-timer from the left circle. But he was noticeable earlier in the game, and not for a good reason. Panarin blew a four-on-four assignment that allowed the Leafs to get a two-on-one rush midway through the second. Mitch Marner finished to give Toronto a 3-1 lead. “No backcheck,” Tortorella said. “It’s man-to-man. (Pierre-Luc) gets beat up the wall … I think it’s Matthews that beats him, so it’s a two-on-one. “Bread is standing in the middle of the ice and doesn’t backcheck.” 1123166 Columbus Blue Jackets Tortorella wasn’t pleased with the play of Dubois’ line — Panarin to his left and Cam Atkinson to his right — but he still turned to those players in OT. G37: Pierre-Luc Dubois’ overtime winner caps wild win by Blue Jackets Dubois was out with Brandon Dubinsky and Jones to start the three-on- over Rangers in Garden three, but as soon as Dubinsky won the faceoff back to Jones he skated off in favor of Panarin. By Aaron Portzline Dec 28, 2018 It was wise of Dubois to play the puck back to Jones to settle it down after Panarin sailed a shot wide of the net just 10 seconds into the OT. As the Blue Jackets started back up the ice, Panarin passed to Dubois along the left wall where he was picking up speed. NEW YORK — With 4:36 remaining, New York Rangers forward Ryan Strome slipped behind Blue Jackets forward Artemi Panarin at the blue Dubois simply skated around Rangers forward Kevin Hayes for a clean line and was set free for a breakaway goal thanks to a timely pass from look at Lundqvist, scoring his 14th goal of the season. Vladislav Namestnikov. “Well, I think he sees that it’s Hayes that he’s attacking and he licked his The goal would have made it 4-2, and it would have been “kind of a chops, as far as trying to take it to a forward like,” Tortorella said. “When dagger,” said Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski. you get a forward trying to play defense and trying to skate backward … you’ve got an advantage.” But Blue Jackets video coach Dan Singleton immediately signaled to the bench that he believed the Rangers — Strome specifically — were Notebook offside on the play. The Blue Jackets, watching replays via tablets on the bench, said it was a clear call. • Tortorella hasn’t liked the way the Blue Jackets have played since a 1-0 win over Vegas. They went 4-0 versus Metro opponents, grabbing all “From what it sounded like, everybody was certain that it was offside,” eight points to put some separation between the clubs. But all is not well. Werenski said. “We kind of knew right away.” • Here’s Tortorella: “The biggest key is, the second half of the second Score (another) one for Singleton, who helped pave the way for a huge period I thought we played our best hockey (of the night) when we made comeback by the Blue Jackets in Madison Square Garden. This is four or simple plays and played straight ahead and made the (Rangers) go 200 five times now in the past several years he’s had an impact on an feet. A lot of the game, though … Bread turns it over … I thought Luc’s outcome. line was god-awful all night long, but then they end up scoring a goal to win it. That’s the way it works. We have some work to do.” Werenski’s goal with 2:20 to play — a one-time whipper off a Boone Jenner faceoff win — allowed the Blue Jackets to force overtime in a • Dubois’ OT game-winner was the second of his career. He ended a game that seemed a lost cause. game last April 3 versus Detroit, the 80th game of the season. Pierre-Luc Dubois’ OT winner, only 31 seconds into the three-on-three • As he closed in on Lundqvist, Dubois went backhand to forehand and play, gave the Jackets a 4-3 win over a Metro rival. tried to beat the veteran goaltender to the near post. Lundqvist got his stick on the shot initially. But … well, we’ll let Dubois take the play-by- “It keeps us in the game,” Tortorella said of the overturned goal by play from there: “It was kind of like in slow motion. I saw him stop it and I Strome. “I’m not sure how much momentum, but it gives us life with like was like, ‘great.’ But then it kept moving. I was like, ‘Come on, come on!’ … I think we had four-plus minutes left in the game to just keep banging And it went in. My heart kind of dropped there (at first).” away and try to tie the game up. • Ultimately, though, Dubois agreed with Tortorella’s assessment. “Their “It’s a big call by Danny, finding it right away. But he radioed it to us right third goal, I thought was my fault on that goal. To get a goal back in away, and once we looked at it, we knew we were going to get that back. overtime and help the team win … I did a lot of bad things tonight. It felt We were OK. We found a way to win.” good to get that one.” The Blue Jackets have won five in a row and have earned points in • Scary moment for the Blue Jackets early in the third, when Cam seven consecutive games (6-0-1). The last game they lost in regulation Atkinson lost an edge just as he started to cut and skate behind the was Joonas Korpisalo’s last start, a 3-2 decision to Vancouver. Rangers’ net. Atkinson went down and slammed hard, knees-first, into the near post to Lundqvist’s right. He was down for a second, but quickly On this night Korpisalo needed to make only 19 saves — 11 of them in rose and gathered himself. When he reached the bench, assistant the second period — for his first win since Nov. 15. equipment guru Tim Leroy could be seen checking Atkinson’s skates. Not bad for having gone three full days without a practice because of the • Werenski on the Rangers’ apparent goal being disallowed: “When they NHL’s holiday break, then flying to Newark, New Jersey, on Thursday scored that fourth goal, it’s kind of deflated on the bench a little bit. It’s morning, busing over to Manhattan for the day and playing the Rangers kind of a dagger. Once it’s overturned we have new life. We’re right back in the Garden at night. in the game. One shot can tie it up, and, fortunately for us, it was a lucky “I was really pissed (after the Vancouver game),” Korpisalo said. “It’s bounce, and we end up winning in overtime, so it’s a good night.” pretty hard when you don’t play too much. (A game like that) kind of • Sight of the night: Blue Jackets defenseman David Savard, very much stays in you. the stay-at-home type, wandering way off the front porch to score the 2-1 “This was huge for the team. Huge. And I’m happy I could contribute to goal at 16:08 of the first. Savard kept skating and kept finding more room it.” before he let loose a wrister from the top of the right circle and beat Lundqvist to the far post. Yowza. Werenski’s goal, his seventh of the season, could not have been timed better. It involved a little bit of luck, too. • RW Oliver Bjorkstrand had 1-1-2 and a plus-3 rating, and Boone Jenner had two assists and a plus-3. Jenner had the pass of the game, throwing No matter how Jenner won the faceoff, Werenski said, the plan was for the puck off his backhand and against his momentum as he skated from Werenski to put a shot on net immediately. He was settled back beyond the left circle to the right across the high slot. The pass was right on the faceoff dot alongside playing partner Seth Jones. Bjorkstrand’s stick for the 1-0 goal at 9:17 of the first. “Me and Jonesy were lined up for the one-timer,” Werenski said. “So if • The Blue Jackets had just one power play Thursday, but it was enough (Jenner) won it that way, Jones was going to bump it to me. (But) he won to show a new look. Apparently, they unfurled this new look in New it straight back and I just walked into one and got a lucky bounce.” Jersey just before the break. An old-school 2-3 format on the power play, with Werenski and Jones playing the points (two points!!!) and the top Werenski said Rangers forward Mats Zuccarello skated into his shot line configured across the circle. The second unit was still a 1-3-1 format, lane, so he altered slightly and ended up shooting the puck wide of the with Ryan Murray the single point. net. • Tortorella went back to pairing Jones with Werenski on the top Until it glanced off the left shin pad of Rangers defenseman Marc Staal, defensive pair. Murray and Markus Nutivaara were the second pair, that is. followed by Scott Harrington and David Savard. “That’s why you put pucks on net,” Werenski said with a smile. • Savard’s goal snapped a 27-game drought. He took matters into his The Blue Jackets are not entirely thrilled with the way they’ve played of own hands, too, leading a rush up ice and firing a wrister at the top of the late — more on that below — but they have enough individual talent now right circle. Lundqvist appeared surprised, the puck rattling home off the to patch some of the mistakes. far post. Analytically speaking The Athletic’s hockey data dynamo Alison Lukan provided these insights into the Blue Jackets’ overtime win: • It took more time than probably anyone in a Blue Jackets sweater wanted, but the team earned a win over the Rangers at the Garden. The Jackets held the advantage in five-on-five shot share (55.17 percent), scoring chances (60.87 percent) and high-danger chances (61.54 percent). They also won in expected goal totals by a score of 1.91 to 1.54. The only weakness Columbus showed was in the third period when they gave the lion’s share of scoring chances to New York. The Rangers held a 7-5 advantage in that period. • Goaltending was a struggle in both nets tonight. Two of Korpisalo’s goals against came at a disadvantage — first, off a three-on-one rush against, and then with the Rangers on the power play — but Korpisalo ended the night with 1.46 goals saved below expectations based on the shots he faced, according to evolving-hockey.com. Lundqvist gave up 2.09 goals more than expected. • Wennberg drew attention tonight with four shot attempts, including two on target. That’s the fifth time this season he’s had that many looks on his own. Wennberg also performed well against a jumbled Rangers lineup. In terms of whom the center saw the most time against, Wennberg held an advantage in shots (plus-7) and scoring chances (plus-4) over Pavel Buchnevich and bested the Brady Skjei-Adam McQuaid pairing as well as forwards Filip Chytil and Mika Zibanejad. • Defensively, a reunited Ryan Murray and Markus Nutivaara stole the show. Playing a little more than 20 minutes, the pairing led the Blue Jackets in five-on-five shot share, (67.86 percent and 62.96 percent respectively). Murray was plus-8 in scoring chances while Nutivaara was close behind at plus-5. • Also, on the defensive side of the ice, a credit to Savard and Werenski for scoring. According to moneypuck.com, Savard’s shot had a 1.4 percent chance of getting in the net, and Werenski’s late game-tying goal was scored at just 1.8 percent in terms of becoming a goal. The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123167 Dallas Stars team owner. And if that's the case, are these players even remotely tradable while having subpar seasons after being decimated by their own management? Stars CEO Jim Lites planned a calculated attack on Tyler Seguin and Once Seguin's new contract kicks in next season, each will make nearly Jamie Benn with his comments on Friday $10 million per season. Benn is under contract through 2025, and Seguin's runs through 2027. And any trade value just fell through the floor. Tim Cowlishaw Welcome to the new hockey landscape of Dallas, gentlemen. It's where -- at least for a while -- poor and soft play has been deemed unacceptable by the only folks that matter. Jim Lites' rant directed at Stars forwards Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin was so over the top that I don't know where to begin, other than to say Dallas Morning News LOADED: 12.29.2018 this feels a lot like the end. We read between the lines of every Jerry Jones postgame remark and radio comment, trying to dissect hidden criticism. With the Stars CEO Friday morning, speaking to local beat writers, there was absolutely none of that. Having covered sports in the Dallas market for 33 years, I have never, ever heard anything quite like this. For starters he called the two highest-paid players and featured attractions on the Stars "bleeping horse-bleep." That's a rather strong start, one you don't step away from easily. He went on (and on and on) to call both players soft. That generally doesn't play well in the National Hockey League. On Seguin: “A weak forechecker, slow to the action and not getting it done.’’ On Benn: “He makes plays in the neutral zone that if my kid had done it in squirts, he’d be benched.’’ There are many more quotes of this nature in beat writer Matthew DeFranks' story. Suffice it to say Lites spoke with team owner Tom Gaglardi beforehand, and the team actually reached out to writers to make Lites available for these interviews. This was a calculated attack on the two players who have generally ranked among the top scorers in the league the last five seasons even while the team missed the playoffs more often than it qualified. Beyond the play of Seguin and Benn -- certainly down from a year ago but not drastically down in a statistical sense (we'll get to that in a moment) -- what Lites is really railing against is ... me. Or us. The media that covers the Stars that gives them a pass on poor play is essentially the same media that pronounces the sky to be officially falling (sort of like looked last night) after every Cowboys' defeat. It's easy to be a hockey player in Dallas. That has been Lites' issue, and it remains Lites' issue. Come up short or play soft in Toronto or Edmonton or Detroit or Boston, and there will be hell to pay. Come up short or play soft in Dallas, then head for the golf course because the media either didn't notice or doesn't care. As a former hockey beat writer, I rarely write about the team. Most of what I write and talk about is the Cowboys. The Rangers and Mavericks are next on the list, but it's quite a fall to get to their level. The Stars are well below that and, in all honesty, there's probably as much interest in FC Dallas as the Stars. I just haven't taken it upon myself to explore that because I love hockey and mostly don't understand soccer. That's what Gaglardi and Lites contend with. There is something worse than getting ripped in professional sports. It's being ignored. When you look at the Stars’ record, they are currently on the fringe of being a playoff team. Sort of where it feels like they have been for a decade. Seguin and Benn find themselves outside the top 40 in scoring, and there’s no question that’s awful. But Seguin has 32 points after 38 games and could easily end up somewhere close to last year's point total (78) although he will fall short of last year's goals (40). Coach Ken Hitchcock last season had Seguin playing hard on the penalty kill, in the faceoff circle and elsewhere. GM Jim Nill got his wish after the season -- no more Hitch -- and this is the consequence of that. For me, Benn is the player who fell off years ago. He's a captain who spouts the same cliches after every defeat (that doesn't make him unique in the NHL, it just calls into question whether he takes the "C" seriously) and has never returned to the style or level of play he displayed in 2014 and 2015. "What nobody says is what's completely obvious to me," Lites said. "We are getting terrible play from our top two players. They are consistently out-efforted and outperformed by the other team's best players." The question, of course, is where do Benn and Seguin go from here? Do they fire back? Do they take it and roll over? It's strange that this comes from Lites, because the players know that means it also comes from the 1123168 Dallas Stars

Montgomery resists playing the hot hand in goal, back to Bishop for Detroit

Gerry Fraley

FRISCO -- A 49-save shutout by back-up goalie Anton Khudobin will earn him a spot on the Dallas Stars' bench for Saturday's home game against Detroit. Coach Jim Montgomery said he will go with front-liner Ben Bishop against the Red Wings. Montgomery kiddingly said Khudobin probably needed a break after his yeoman performance in the win at Nashville on Thursday. Khudobin, who participated in practice, said he accepts whatever decision Montgomery makes. "I'm ready to play every game, but it's not my decision,'' Khudobin said. "If I don't play, I'll prepare and be ready to do my job.'' Dallas Morning News LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123169 Dallas Stars

Stars juggle roster, Carrick hoping to return to lineup

Gerry Fraley

FRISCO -- The Dallas Stars on Friday shuffled the roster, putting forwards Martin Hanzil and Jason Dickinson on injured reserve. The Stars backdated the Hanzal move to Monday. He would be eligible to return for the New Year's Eve home game against Montreal. Stars coach Jim Montgomery said Dickinson will be out long, up to four weeks. That suggest a vertebra injury. Defenseman Connor Carrick came off the IR after missing 28 games because of a foot injury. The Stars also brought in forward Roope Hintz from Texas of the AHL for his third stay of the season with the club. Montgomery was uncertain after practice if Carrick will be in the lineup against Detroit at home on Saturday. "Team was on the road for a long time, and there were a lot of days when I came to the rink by myself,'' Carrick said of his lengthy rehabilitation. "Being a team sport, you thrive on the energy of the guys. ... When you're out there now, you're measuring up against the best hockey players in the world.'' Dallas Morning News LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123170 Dallas Stars As for Benn, six of his 15 goals have come on the power play and he's twice gone seven straight games without a goal. Lites mentioned that Benn is a power forward who's a strong forechecker with great hands but Stars CEO Jim Lites rips into Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin: 'It's pissed me just hasn't been getting the job done. off ... We are getting terrible play from our top two players' "Jamie Benn hasn't scored a goal from longer than 5 feet all year," Lites said. "He makes plays in the neutral zone that if my kid had done it in squirts, he'd be benched. Am I wrong? He turned the puck over three Matthew DeFranks times yesterday on plays if [Stars rookie] Denis Gurianov had done that, he wouldn't have seen the light of day."

League-wide, the duo sinks down the scoring leaderboard. The Stars are a fringe playoff team right now, and ownership and management are not happy. Seguin is tied for 57th in the league with players such as Alex DeBrincat, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Kevin Hayes and Gustav Nyquist. Benn is tied for Stars CEO Jim Lites said the team has been frustrated by this season so 67th in the league with players such as Zach Parise, Tomas Hertl and far and, on Friday morning, directed his anger toward franchise Jonathan Drouin. cornerstones Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin. Lites pointed around the league to some of the best players as "It's pissed me off," Lites said. "What nobody says is what is completely comparables for Benn and Seguin. Nathan MacKinnon has anchored obvious to me: We are getting terrible play from our top two players." Colorado's top line. Johnny Gaudreau has led Calgary to prominence in the Pacific Division. Blake Wheeler has been the play-maker to Mark Benn and Seguin are two of the NHL's premier players and the horses Scheifele's scorer in Winnipeg. that will carry Dallas should Stanley Cup aspirations become reality. In the past, they've helped make up some of the best lines in the league, "The owner and I see this the same way," Lites said. "We expect our best boosting a soaring Stars offense. But this season has left the franchise players to perform like other team's best players, to be accountable, to wanting more from its two players under contract for the longest: Benn have attention to detail, to have responsibility on the ice and off and get through 2024-25 and Seguin through 2026-27. the job done for us. And it's not getting done. Game in, game out, the best players on other teams are outplaying the best players on our team." The franchise has invested more than $150 million in long-term contracts to Benn and Seguin in the last two-plus years. Benn signed an eight- It is unusual for Lites to speak publically like this about the Stars, let year, $76 million contract in July 2016. Seguin inked an eight-year, $78.8 alone the team's two best players. But he felt a need to hold the players million contract this September; his salary increase kicks in next season. accountable, nearly halfway through the season. "We pay these players to be the best players on our team," Lites said, "The coach has to, the GM has to, the owner has to, the CEO has to," "and they are consistently out-efforted and outperformed by everybody Lites said. "I have to fricken hold these guys [accountable] and be part of else's best players." the process of getting these guys to play to their best. ... We don't question their desire to win, but they think it's easy, and that's what Seguin leads the Stars with 32 points on 11 goals and 21 assists this bothers me. There's just too much complacency in their games. Lack of season. Benn, the Stars' captain since 2013, is closely behind him with attention to detail, and that's what we need. Accountability and attention 30 points on 15 goals and 15 assists this season. Benn's 15 goals lead to detail and hard work." the team, as do Seguin's 21 assists. The biggest concern for the Stars entering the season was secondary "If 14 and 91 don't lead, we will not be successful," said Lites, who scoring. Who would score outside of Benn, Seguin, Alexander Radulov reached out to media members Friday morning to talk. "I think this is the and John Klingberg? most talented and deep team we've had in years here. "The frustration I have is there were times where I think 'Geez, we're not "Certainly, this is the best team that we've put together from a talent getting any secondary scoring.'" Lites said. "But we're not getting any perspective since Tom Gaglardi's owned the franchise [2011]. Tom has primary scoring." allowed us to do everything we needed to do to be successful. Whatever it's taken, he's done. And I am tired of getting emails from him saying This season, the Stars are 19-16-3 and loosely gripping the eighth and 'What the hell is going on with our best players?'" final playoff spot in the Western Conference. They've taken on the conference's best teams. But they've lost to some lesser ones. Lites' comments came the day after the Stars beat Nashville 2-0 on the road, to improve to 6-1-1 against the Western Conference's top four "This team shouldn't even be thinking about missing the playoffs," Lites teams. said. It shouldn't even be an issue. We are too talented, too good, too strong to be performing this poorly." Benn and Seguin were not immediately available for comment. Messages left for both Benn's and Seguin's agents were not immediately Lites said this Stars team is one of the best ones he's overseen in Dallas, returned. A message for general manager Jim Nill was not returned. noting that he's won both a Stanley Cup (1999) and a President's Trophy (2000) with the team. The talent on the team excites him, but the results Since Seguin was traded to Dallas in the summer of 2013-14, Seguin have not. and Benn have been two of the league's best players. The Stars have weathered a rash of injuries on the back end -- including From then through 2017-18, Benn was third in the league with 403 points to Norris Trophy candidate Klingberg -- to allow the third fewest goals per and Seguin was tied for sixth with 384 points. Only Alex Ovechkin had game in the league at 2.68. Dallas has leaned on superb goaltending more than Seguin's 173 goals. Only Sidney Crosby separated Seguin's from Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin, breakout seasons from Miro 173 goals from Jamie Benn's 172. Heiskanen and Esa Lindell, and surprise contributions from AHL recalls Lites picked through both Seguin and Benn's performance this season. to become an elite defensive team. The Stars, however, are averaging just 2.66 goals per game, fifth-worst in the league. Seguin has been snakebit, hitting either posts or crossbars 11 times to lead the league. His 7.5 shooting percent is the lowest in his career, The Stars are entering a critical stretch of their schedule, with 10 of the although his scoring chance numbers have been consistent with those next 13 games at home, where Dallas plays much better. They'll spend from earlier in his career. just five days on the road in the next month. They are finally healthy with the recent return of Klingberg. Montgomery's system should take more But Stars coach Jim Montgomery previously and Lites on Friday said hold within the team. Seguin isn't getting to the right areas on the ice. Lites said the next 30 games will define the Stars. "He's playing on the periphery," Lites said. "I've been in the business forever. I've been with [Hall of Famer] Steve Yzerman in bad seasons, "We're either in it, or we're out of it," Lites said. and what you'll find is goal-scoring is a dirty business. You've got to go to Dallas Morning News LOADED: 12.29.2018 hard places. And Tyler, last year, I saw him really perform and get into the difficult spots. This year, I've seen him as a weak forechecker, slow to the action and not getting it done. "And he's hit a lot of posts. He's had some bad puck luck. But he's not getting dirty. I don't know what it is. I'm not accusing him of being without character, but we're not getting it done." 1123171 Dallas Stars our possession time up in the offensive zone and we take care of our own end first we are a lot better.”

Lites also gave some insight as to what he and Gaglardi would like to see Stars ownership, management go on expletive-laden tirade over poor more of from the Stars’ top players. performance from Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin “(Benn) the leader of the team, he stirs the drink, but he’s not doing it,” Lites said. “He’s got to get it done.” By Sean Shapiro Dec 28, 2018 Seguin has hit more posts and crossbars combined than any other player in the NHL, but that’s not an acceptable excuse, according to Lites. “WTF” “He’s hitting posts, ‘wah-wah.” That’s what I say about hitting posts,” Lites said. “Get a little bit closer to the action, actually go to the spot That’s the text that Dallas Stars CEO Jim Lites says he gets five times where you score goals. He doesn’t do that, he never does that anymore. per game from team owner Tom Gaglardi. He used to be a pest to play against, people hated playing against Tyler Seguin, they don’t anymore. It happened again on Thursday night when he was watching the Stars’ 2- 0 win against the Nashville Predators. “These guys have been great players, but we are 40 games into this season and they aren’t getting it done. We are going to sleepwalk to “He’s pissed,” Lites said on Friday afternoon. “And you know what it’s another 14th place from the bottom and miss the playoffs.” about.” Before his interview Lites prefaced this whole conversation in two ways. “They are fucking horse-shit, I don’t know how else to put it,” Lites said. First off, this was all on the record. Second, he said that throughout his “The team was ok. But (Tyler) Seguin and (Jamie) Benn were terrible.” career he’s never publicly commented on player performance, but with how bad Benn and Seguin have been this season, he couldn’t sit by and The public frustration began during Thursday’s morning skate, when watch the franchise get short-changed by two players. Stars coach Jim Montgomery told the team he was “fucking embarrassed” with the team’s practice and where they were in the “I take a lesson from Bob Gainey here. He said you’d be really successful standings. in this league if you never gave a shit about being invited to players’ daughters’ weddings, and that’s what I think,” Lites said. “I don’t give a For those in the Stars’ offices, that starts with the captain and the player fuck. I’m a year-to-year guy and I’ll be damned if a guy who has been as with more job security than anyone else in the franchise. good to me as Tom Gaglardi — as good to this franchise — isn’t getting “I don’t get it,” Lites said. “The good news is the coach got everyone else results, and those players aren’t getting it done. I’m telling you, we are to go and we found a way and we were able to make up for their lack of gonna run through a GM who does everything he can to make the team playing.” better because we aren’t getting results.” Frustration has arisen throughout the organization about Benn and The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018 Seguin’s play this season. The two are currently ranked 57th and 67th in league scoring, while the Stars are currently clawing for their life in the Western Conference playoff race. Annoyance about the two players’ uncharacteristic scoring issues bubbled to the surface, and Lites requested an interview with a couple of media members on Friday to make the concerns public. “We are a stars-driven league, and our stars aren’t getting it done,” Lites said. “It’s embarrassing, and no one writes it. Write it! “These guys are not good enough. They’re not good enough for me, they’re not good enough for the owner, and they’re certainly not good enough for the general manager, who I can’t speak for, but it’s not good enough for the job he’s done,” Lites added. “But we’ve had meeting after meeting after meeting. The accountability on the ice is not there. These guys were signed to big contracts because they were the third- and sixth- leading scorers in the National Hockey League over the past five years. They get their money, we expect them to not be outplayed every game we play in. And if they were as good as they’ve been in the past we wouldn’t be having this conversation.” Benn is making $13 million this season ($9.5 million against the cap), the third-highest salary in the NHL this season. He has 30 points in 38 games. Seguin signed an eight-year contract extension that kicks in next season worth $78.8 million over the life of the deal. He has 32 points in 38 games. “It’s not about how much money. I don’t resent the money,” Lites said. “It’s about what we expect the money to be. You just can’t win if your best players aren’t your best players. And they aren’t best players. “I am sick and tired and listening to bloggers and others talking about Brett Ritchie, Julius Honka, or Gavin Bayreuther, or Taylor Fedun, pick a guy,” Lites said. “We’re just too good. The fans deserve more and the owner deserves more. And I share that opinion with the owner, the fans deserve better and Benn and Seguin aren’t getting it done. Until they do we aren’t going to be good enough.” Benn and Seguin both admitted after practice on Friday that they need to be better. “Not good enough,” Seguin said. “I’ve got to play better. I’m trying to do a job, and I haven’t had the right results.” “I think it’s pretty self-explanatory; if this team wants to get to the next level that starts with myself,” Benn said. “And that’s exactly what needs to happen, we need to get better. “It starts with the compete in our game and when we are possessing the puck, I think that’s when we are at our best. I think we can definitely get 1123172 Dallas Stars that he wasn’t a strong enough skater to reach the NHL. In the United States’ first game, Robertson was his team’s best offensive threat and did what he’s done all season in the OHL — got to the net and created Ranking the Dallas Stars’ top 20 prospects at the end of 2018 opportunities. His shot is a big-time weapon, and if he’s able to find the space to use it he’ll live up to lofty expectations.

4. Ty Dellandrea, center, Flint Firebird (OHL) By Sean Shapiro Dec 28, 2018 Selected: First round (13th overall) in 2018

Ceiling: Top-line center Ranking prospects is like picking the Academy Award for Best Picture based off of previews and short snippets of film entries. Realistic projection: Middle-six center Until a player reaches the NHL, we have no idea how well they’ll actually The Stars have compared Ty Dellandrea to long-time Ottawa Senators perform compared to our past expectations. and Nashville Predators center Mike Fisher, and it’s a comparison that makes sense. He’s a good skater, strong on the puck, and shows flashes Making matters even worse, each entry comes with a different timeline. of high-end skill — even when playing for a terrible team in Flint. He’s So rather than just picking this year’s Best Picture, we’re trying to judge also a coach’s dream when it comes to versatility and his willingness to the various entries from a three- or four-year period… again, using only work in the defensive zone. Whether he’s an elite talent is still to be seen, previews. but he looks like a pretty safe bet to play in the NHL sooner rather than later. We’ll certainly discuss the flaws of this list in the near future. No doubt, someone will be criminally overrated or underrated. Such is the benefit of 5. Riley Tufte, left wing, Minnesota Duluth (NCHC) hindsight. Selected: First round (25th overall) in 2016 So, why do we do this? Ceiling: Top-six power forward Just like movies, sports are intended for entertainment. Hockey is supposed to be fun, so let’s have some fun with this and take a look at Realistic projection: Middle-six winger the top 20 prospects in the Dallas Stars system. Riley Tufte could have turned pro this past spring, but decided to return Please keep the following in mind before politely telling me how wrong I to Duluth to work on his game and defend a national championship. Tufte am in the comments. led Duluth in goals last season with 16 but has struggled to put the puck in the net this season, with just four in 16 games. His overall game has 1. I define a prospect as a player with a legitimate NHL future, but one improved and he is better at using his size in all situations now. How well who has yet to graduate to full-time NHL duty. Based on his age and he adjusts to the pro game, potentially this spring after the collegiate inexperience, Miro Heiskanen could theoretically be referred to as a season ends, will be a telling factor of what type of player the Stars have. prospect, but we know he’s not one anymore. 6. Jake Oettinger, goalie, Boston University (Hockey East) 2. This ranking is based on both the prospect’s ceiling and his odds of realistically reach that ceiling. It is not a ranking of who is closest to the Selected: First round (26th overall) in 2017 NHL at this very moment. I evaluated players on my own as well as Ceiling: NHL starting goaltender talking to sources around the league. Realistic projection: NHL goaltender 3. There were quite a few close calls and this list changed several times in the process. At one point, each of the players in the top four was on Projecting goalies is difficult and can be risky, but the hope within the the top of my list, and I could easily see the order shuffling. organization is that Jake Oettinger is the next starting goalie in Dallas once Ben Bishop’s tenure ends. Oettinger’s progress at Boston Let’s dive in! University, and how he’s rebounded from a slight dip in play last season, 1. Denis Gurianov, Texas Stars (AHL)/Dallas Stars (NHL) has indicated he should at least become an NHL goalie. Whether he gains that starting job or not is up in the air due to the nature of the Selected: First round (12th overall) in 2015 position. Ceiling: Top-six winger 7. Colton Point, goalie, Texas Stars (AHL) Realistic projection: Top-six winger Selected: Fifth round (128th overall) in 2016 With Miro Heiskanen having graduated from prospect status, Denis Ceiling: NHL starting goaltender Gurianov has turned into the biggest success story for the Stars prospect pool after a rough start to 2018. When Texas reached last season’s Realistic projection: NHL goaltender Calder Cup Final, Gurianov was a healthy scratch in key games and Colton Point’s season has been a lesson in patience and adjustment. struggled with his overall game. It was a lesson that Gurianov took to He’s only played 10 total games this season and has yet to find really heart, and he’s made major strides early this season. If the Stars are any success at the AHL level, where he’s currently one of the backup trying to put together their best possible lineup he shouldn’t return to the goalies behind Landon Bow. There is hope, though, that Point is just AHL. going through an adjustment period and as he learns the pro game, he’ll 2. Roope Hintz, center, Texas Stars (AHL) find the form he had in college that made him a selection for Team Canada at the World Junior Championships. Selected: Second round (49th overall) in 2015 8. Joel L’Esperance, center, Texas Stars (AHL) Ceiling: Top-line center Signed as a college free agent in July Realistic projection: Middle-six center Ceiling: NHL third-line center Like Gurianov, Roope Hintz should probably be on the NHL roster right now. His speed is an asset, but it’s his ability to play creatively with Realistic Projection: NHL bottom-six center speed that makes him a potential top-line player. Right now Hintz is at One thing the Stars have done well is identifying and signing undrafted the point where he needs to break through the confidence barrier in the players to boost their overall prospect pool. In some cases, those players NHL — there are certain games where he’s slunk into the background have reached the NHL, including one that got away in Sheldon Dries. and he needs to eliminate those from his NHL showings. Others have just provided nice boosts for the AHL team. L’Esperance, 3. Jason Robertson, left wing, Niagara IceDogs (OHL) who Texas Stars coach Derek Laxdal likes to compare to Jay Beagle, looks like a player who will reach the NHL. How long he’ll stick depends Selected: Second round (39th overall) in 2017 on whether he can grow more comfortable playing both center and wing. Ceiling: Top-six scorer 9. Oskar Back, center, Bofors IK (Allsvenskan) Realistic Projection: Top-six scorer Selected: Third round (75th overall) in 2018 If his opening-night performance at the World Junior Championships is Ceiling: NHL top-six center any indication, Jason Robertson is going to get over the initial narrative Realistic Projection: NHL bottom-six center potential to become a key impact player. Bayreuther is proving right now he’s an NHL defenseman, but he’s already 24 and what we’re seeing Oskar Back is the other Stars forward playing in the 2019 World Junior right now is probably what he’s going to be in the long run. Championships, and in early games, he’s shown many of the qualities that the Stars valued when they drafted him. He plays well defensively 16. Jakob Stenqvist, defenseman, IF Björklöven (Allsvenskan) and is strong in the faceoff circle, but needs to work on his skating. Selected: Sixth round (176th overall) in 2016 10. Ben Gleason, defenseman, Texas Stars (AHL) Ceiling: Top-four NHL defender Signed as an undrafted free agent in September Realistic projection: Bottom-four NHL defender Ceiling: Top-four NHL defenseman Jakob Stenqvist is a tremendous skater and because of his skating Realistic projection: NHL power-play specialist ability, he’s going to have a chance to amount to something, potentially in the NHL. Stenqvist has a lot of skill, can make plays, and reads the game Ben Gleason is a great story, a young defenseman who went from a well. His lack of a track record against tougher competition makes it tryout invite in Traverse City to playing NHL games this season. Gleason harder to rank him higher at this point in his career. isn’t the greatest skater, but he moves the puck well and is particularly dynamic when navigating the offensive zone on the power play. He could 17. Albin Eriksson, right wing, Skelleftea AIK (SHL) turn into a nice piece of the long-term defense as a third-pairing, shot- producing defender. Selected: Second round (44th overall) in 2018 11. Adam Mascherin, left wing, Texas Stars (AHL) Ceiling: Top-six NHL winger Selected: Fourth round (100th overall) in 2018 Realistic projection: NHL depth scorer Ceiling: Top-six NHL winger Albin Eriksson has a strong shot with some high-end talent that shows up in flashes. He’s not great at creating for teammates but does enough to Realistic projection: Bottom-six NHL forward help open up some space with how he moves for his size. He’s the type of player who could shoot up these rankings in the future if certain trends Adam Mascherin is a scorer and is starting to show that he can do so in continue. the AHL. He has an elite shot and he frequently makes positive plays in the offensive zone. He’s not a big player, but he’s strong on his feet and 18. Jacob Peterson, center, IF Björklöven (Allsvenskan) can move the puck well. He needs to improve his play away from the puck and in his overall game. Whether he makes the NHL or not will Selected: Fifth round (132nd overall) in 2017 depend on whether he can get the time and space to use his dangerous Ceiling: Bottom-six NHL center shot. Realistic projection: Bottom six NHL forward 12. Nick Caamano, left/right wing, Texas Stars (AHL) Jacob Peterson does everything right in his own end and is really Selected: Fifth round (146th overall) in 2016 progressing in the offensive zone as well. Peterson often gets tough Ceiling: Top-six NHL winger assignments and is rather proficient on faceoffs. The Stars are willing to be patient with the fifth-round pick and see what he turns into. Realistic projection: Bottom-six winger 19.Landon Bow, goalie, Texas Stars (AHL) Nick Caamano is going through an adjustment period in the AHL. During his time in the OHL, he was able to impact the game and could contribute Signed as a free agent in 2016 more offensively. He hasn’t been able to do so yet this season with the Ceiling: NHL starter Texas Stars. Caamano’s game, if it rounds out in the NHL, is that of a depth scorer who can also play on the wing with a line that draws tough Realistic projection: NHL backup goalie assignments. Landon Bow is the goalie prospect that few expected to actually emerge 13. Joseph Cecconi, defenseman, University of Michigan (Big 10) as the Texas Stars’ starter, but after going undrafted the goalie has made the most of each opportunity. The technical aspects of his game have Selected: Fifth round (133rd overall) in 2015 taken a nice step forward and he made his NHL debut in relief earlier this Ceiling: Second-pairing NHL defenseman season against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The question isn’t whether Bow reaches the NHL, but whether he can become anything more than a Realistic projection: Third-pairing NHL defenseman backup option. Whether Joseph Cecconi signs with the Stars or not is a big question that 20. Dillon Heatherington, defenseman, Texas Stars (AHL) we still don’t have many answers to. When Cecconi returned to Michigan for this senior season, his mother quote-tweeted an announcement of his Acquired via trade with Columbus Blue Jackets in 2017 captaincy with the hashtag #freeagent. That tweet has since been Ceiling: Top-four defender deleted and the Stars maintain they’ve had good conversations with the defenseman. If he’s not signed soon after the end of his collegiate Realistic projection: NHL/AHL tweener season he could be signing elsewhere on Aug. 15 as a free agent. This has been a rough season for Dillon Heatherington, who was a likely 14. Fredrik Karlström, center, Linköping HC (SHL) contributor to the NHL roster when injuries occurred in training camp. He has since fallen deeper and deeper on the depth chart. He can play in Selected: Third round (90th overall) in 2016 the NHL and he’s done so, but he’s not really going to be anything more Ceiling: Third-line NHL center than an occasional callup. Realistic projection: Bottom-six NHL center The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018 Fredrik Karlström’s numbers don’t really stand out, but he plays a strong overall game and has good hockey sense. He can play on both the power play and penalty kill, but is more effective when killing penalties than trying to score on them. His adjustment to North America will be interesting to watch when it happens. 15. Gavin Bayreuther, defenseman, Texas Stars (AHL)/Dallas Stars (NHL) Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2017 Ceiling: Second-pairing NHL defender Realistic projection: Second-pairing NHL defender Seeing Gavin Bayreuther ranked 15th might seem confusing at first, but we have to remember this list takes into account room for growth and 1123173 Dallas Stars internally has taken an approach of focusing on what he needs to do each game.

“I just do what I can to show I can stay here,” Gurianov said earlier this Stars prospect rankings, No. 1: Struggles behind him, Denis Gurianov week. “That’s what I can do. Why worry about everything else?” showing he’s NHL ready The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018

By Sean Shapiro Dec 28, 2018

When the Dallas Stars began their NHL training camp in Boise, Idaho back in September, Denis Gurianov had a clear goal in mind. “I’m going to play in the NHL this season,” Gurianov said. “I want to show I’m ready.” At the time, it seemed like a stretch that Gurianov would actually be ready. The prospect was on a downward trajectory after a sour ending to his sophomore AHL season. While Gurianov had been good throughout the regular season with the Texas Stars, he faded into the background and was ultimately a healthy scratch in some of the team’s biggest games during a Calder Cup run. The decision to scratch Gurianov came from Texas coach Derek Laxdal, but it was an organizational choice. Scratching a first-round pick in big games comes with oversight and understanding from management. The Stars front office decided Gurianov wasn’t cutting it during the spring. That could have been a demoralizing end to Gurianov’s tenure in Dallas. Consider the worst possible situation here; it’s not far-fetched. After getting scratched in a championship series Gurianov starts to see a murky path to his future in Dallas, his attitude takes a hit, and all of a sudden the Stars have a first-rounder who’s quitting on them. Gurianov went in the opposite direction. Yes, he was upset about the scratch. But he learned from it and entered training camp as a different player. He still had the physical tools that made him a top-level prospect and first-round pick, but he wasn’t overthinking things anymore. In the past Gurianov would get overloaded and struggled to grasp things right away. He would have lengthy video sessions with the Texas Stars coaches and would pay attention, then he’d try and apply those things to his game, but would somehow forget about what he had done well before. Whether it was a matter of growth and maturity or a switch going off, Gurianov “gets it” now. He can learn from coaching and eagerly seeks it out, but doesn’t allow corrections to overload him and make him forget about the things that have helped him reach this point in the first place. “I think I play a better game now,” Gurianov said. “I know what the coach wants and I can do that. I’m better at helping the team now.” At this point, the Stars really need Gurianov to help the NHL team. He’s on the roster now but has yet to win a permanent spot in Dallas. Gurianov brings a combination of speed and skill that the Stars have struggled to develop internally. Dallas has a high-number of hard-working players in their prospect pool that could help fill out an NHL roster, but very few who are potential game-breakers like Gurianov. It’s why Gurianov is being vaulted into the Stars’ top-six right now. As the team is seeking and searching for offense, Gurianov is seen as one of the bright spots that can deliver. “He shouldn’t go back to the AHL, they need him,” an NHL Western Conference scout said. “I really like what he brings to a line now. He makes people think about his speed and when he has players that know how to play with him, watch out.” Because of his draft standing and the players selected after him, Gurianov is always going to get beaten up on social media or on message boards. Within the comments of this very story, someone will likely bring up the fact that he isn’t Matt Barzal or Kyle Connor. If you want to be critical of the Stars’ draft selections, that’s fine. They’ve earned the skepticism. But you also have to live within the current reality, and while he took some time to develop, Gurianov is starting to look like a viable piece of the future in Dallas. “Sometimes you have to get knocked down to find your game. I think he could be a player like that,” another scout said. “He’s a guy that I like where he is now and I really didn’t like him in the past. He’s got a chance to really make it, especially if he keeps trusting his game.” Gurianov has made that a point in his own performance recently. The 21- year-old is being slightly more selfish; he’s still an ideal teammate, but 1123174 Detroit Red Wings “We’ve played good enough to win, certainly in our last three, and we haven’t,” Blashill said. “So what you have to do is you have to find a way to be mentally tough and grind it out. In this league, you can go on runs Detroit Red Wings: 'This hurts' as losses pile up, confidence ebbs quick, one way or the other. So we have to find a way to learn from this, and then put it behind us and go play a great game in Dallas.”

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 12.29.2018 Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press Published 8:35 a.m. ET Dec. 28, 2018 | Updated 5:08 p.m. ET Dec. 28, 2018

PITTSBURGH — Dylan Larkin likened the situation to one in October, when the Detroit Red Wings pushed back against a miserable stretch and made themselves feel better.

They’re low on confidence again after a 5-2 loss in Pittsburgh on Thursday extended their losing skid to three, leaving them 2-6-2 in their last 10 games. It’s their toughest stretch since they started the season 0- 5-2 before earning a victory against the Florida Panthers.

“We need to come together like we did in Florida when we were in that tough stretch,” Larkin said after the loss at PPG Paints Arena. “We need two points to get us out of this and get our confidence back in ourselves.

“Our goaltending has been great. We need our special teams to be a little bit better and we need to score more to win. We just need to find a way to get two points and then get on a roll.”

Red Wings mailbag: What has impacted Larkin's season?

While sinking in the standings improves their draft-lottery odds, it’s tough on team personnel. Especially the last two games, because the Wings carried play the first period against the Penguins, and they carried play most of last Sunday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Both opponents, though, featured high-powered offenses led by superstars who can grab momentum with one shift.

That’s what the Penguins did when Phil Kessel scored on a power play at 7:12 in the second period. A minute later it was 2-1, and by the end of the period it was 3-1.

“It’s a disappointing finish,” Larkin said. “This one hurts a little more after the start we had. After the first, we just let them come in and we stopped forechecking, we stopped our O-zone grind that was so good in the first period.

“We did hit posts and we had some chances, but that’s not good enough in this league. We have to find a way to grind it out and play our game and come away with two points. We need two points desperately here.”

More: Die Hard and a dog: Wings share Christmas memories

The Wings desperately need defenseman Mike Green back; they’ve won 13 games with him in the lineup, two without him. Until he returns from a lower-body injury – the early expectation is some time in January – they will have to do a better job grinding.

“We have to play with more desperation,” Jimmy Howard said, after making 35 saves. “We have to win games 3-2, 2-1. We have to get back to playing well defensively like we were when we had things going.

“We have to stick together in here. We can’t get down. We have to continue to strive to get better.”

Getting Andreas Athanasiou back after a two-game absence helped, as he used his speed to score on a breakaway that made it 3-2 in the third period. But it was leaving the first period only up 1-0 on a goal from Larkin (whose point streak now stands at 12 games) that lingered, along with allowing two power-play goals.

“When we have starts like that, you’d like to walk out with a bigger lead than that,” Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. “You have to make sure you find ways to kill those critical penalties. They didn’t have a chance until Kessel scored, they had nothing going even in the second there. They are a momentum team. We have to make sure we do a better job of finding ways to grab that momentum back.”

The Wings could look at games in October, other than the routs in Boston and Montreal, and say they played well. They played well in Pittsburgh. They played well in Toronto before the Christmas break. But the points aren’t coming, and so the Wings face another challenge to boost their confidence. 1123175 Detroit Red Wings “We’re playing some high-powered offensive teams. It’s hard to eliminate all their offense but you got to make sure you’re not giving up anything easy. You have to make sure they’re earning everything. You certainly Reeling Red Wings say they have enough confidence, not enough wins can’t give up as many goals as we’ve given up and have a chance to win.”

Special teams blues Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News Published 4:36 p.m. ET Dec. 28, 2018 The Wings allowed two Pittsburgh power-play goals, which turned the game around in the second period, and failed to score on their only power-play attempt. Dallas – The losses are beginning to pile up again and the Detroit Red Wings are moving in the wrong direction in the standings. “We’ve been making it too easy,” said Larkin of the recent penalty killing. “We have to stick together and we’ve got to manage the puck like I Is confidence becoming an issue for a young roster that is generally should have on the (first Phil) Kessel (power-play) goal.” playing well, but not good enough to earn victories? Line moves The Wings insist it’s not an issue. Blashill changed some lines in practice, putting Larkin between Andreas But considering the Wings have lost three consecutive games, have only Athanasiou and Justin Abdelkader, while Frans Nielsen centered one win in their last eight (1-5-2) and three over their last 12 (3-6-3), the Thomas Vanek and Gustav Nyquist. numbers suggest otherwise. Defensively, Jonathan Ericsson and Trevor Daley were reunited, while If they don’t stop this slide soon, with a difficult and busy schedule ahead, the rookies, Dennis Cholowski and Filip Hronek, were paired. this season could get out of control. Red Wings at Stars Which is fine with everyone who wants the Wings to get a better draft position, but not for everyone else. Faceoff: 8 p.m. Saturday, American Airlines Arena, Dallas

“We need two points to get out of this,” said forward Dylan Larkin, who TV/radio: FSD/97.1 FM has been excellent this losing stretch, with a career-high 12-game point streak. “Our goaltending has been great. We need our special teams to Outlook: The Stars (19-16-3, 41 points) are coming off an impressive 2-0 be a little bit better and we need to score more goals to win. We just shutout over Nashville. … C Tyler Seguin (21 assists, 32 points), LW need to find a way to get two points and get on a roll.” Jamie Benn (15 goals, 30 points) and RW Alex Radulov (11 goals) lead a tough offensive attack. The Wings began the season in dismal fashion, going winless in their first seven games. But an emotional victory in Florida turned them around, Detroit News LOADED: 12.29.2018 and they went 10-4-1 before slumping again in December as key injuries have piled up.

Coach Jeff Blashill regularly states how confidence is a delicate and important matter for any NHL team.

Given the way the Wings have played against some of the top teams in the NHL in recent weeks, Blashill thinks the Wings have given themselves enough confidence.

“We can’t let that slip,” Blashill said. “We have to make sure we focus on the fact when we play good hockey, we’ve been good against everybody. Let’s make sure we’re playing our best hockey.

“We just have to do it as consistently as possible.”

In the last two games, against Stanley Cup contenders Toronto and Pittsburgh, the Wings held leads and control of the game – only to watch the offensively-explosive Leafs and Penguins strike quickly to take over momentum, and ultimately the game.

Blasill believes being mentally stronger and overcoming this stretch will benefit the Wings in the long run.

“We’ve played good enough to win in our last three (games) and we haven’t,” Blashill said. “So what you have to do is you have to find a way to be mentally tough and grind it out.

“In this league, you can go on runs quick, one way or another. We have to find a way to learn from this and put it behind us and go play a great game (Saturday against Dallas).”

Too loose

The Wings have allowed four or more goals in four of the last eight games, including five each to Toronto and Pittsburgh.

They’ve been too loose defensively, and they’re not equipped to win most run-and-gun offensive shootouts.

So, being tighter defensively is a must.

“We have to win games 3-2, 2-1,” goaltender Jimmy Howard said. “We have to get back to playing well defensively like we were when we had things going.”

Said Blashill: “You can’t give up the number of goals we’ve given up and be happy with it. We have to make sure we cut down on the number of goals against. 1123176 Edmonton Oilers

WATCH: Coach Hitchcock's post game interview following Oilers loss to Canucks

DAVID BLOOM

Updated: December 28, 2018

The Edmonton Oilers lost their fourth straight game Thursday, dropping a game 4-2 to the Vancouver Canucks.

The Canucks scored four goals on their first six shots of game against starter Mikko Koskinen.

The Oilers’ record under Hitchcock has now dropped to 9-6-2 and the Canucks have moved past (40-39) the Oilers in the scramble for a wild- card spot in the West.

The Canucks scored on their first two shots by fourth-liner Tyler Motte and first-line winger in the first 6 1/2 minutes and two on the last two of the opening frame by Elias Pettersson and fourth-liner Antoine Roussel, who also set up Motte.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored a first period power play goal for the Oilers and Leon Draisaitl scored the only goal of the second period.

Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123177 Edmonton Oilers SEKERA ISN’T CLOSE

Any thought that Andrej Sekera might be able to help sometime soon was put to rest Friday. Hitchcock says he is still another five or so weeks Oilers Notes: Khaira and Yamamoto make their return, Chiasson is out away from being ready.

He isn’t scheduled to even begin his rehab stint in Bakersfield for another Robert Tychkowski three weeks.

Published:December 28, 2018 “His goal is to return to play six weeks post Christmas,” said Hitchcock. “Meaning he’s available to us right after the (late January bye) break. Updated:December 28, 2018 7:41 PM MST “To me, he still has steps here before he even gets to the AHL. His endurance does not allow him to sustain past 20 seconds on the ice. He’s going to have to get up another level before we can even think of Now that he has Jujhar Khaira back in a lineup that needs a big winger moving him to the .” who can produce, Ken Hitchcock is moving him to centre. GAME ON The original plan was to play Khaira on the second line left wing with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jesse Puljujarvi, but after sleeping on it The Oilers will have their hands full Saturday afternoon against a San Hitchcock now has him between Milan Lucic and Ryan Spooner. Jose Sharks team that, as usual, is gaining momentum as the season progresses. “It’s where we need him and where he belongs,” said Hitchcock, admitting this is a case of the former. “We all feel like he’s a winger who’s They didn’t have a great start, but they are feeling it now (8-2-2 in their doing us a favour by playing centre. last 12).

“He’s played mostly wing as a pro and he’s been very good for us, but we “They know how to play the right game at the right time,” said Hitchcock. need a third centre right now. So we’re going to have to use him as a “They always get better as the season goes on and that’s exactly what third centre and he’s going to have to learn on the fly. they’re doing now.

“There’s going to be an adjustment phase, but we need to build a third “They have a lot of people that if you make a little error can make you line here that’s confident and can contribute at both ends of the rink. pay for it in a big way. They’re a top team, especially adding (Erik) Right now he’s the one player who can hold that spot.” Karlsson. They’ll test us again.”

Khaira, who served a two-game suspension for crosschecking St. Louis Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 12.29.2018 defenceman Vince Dunn, hasn’t played a game since Dec. 18. He had eight points in 10 games before the break and hopes the layoff hasn’t derailed his momentum.

The last couple of days I’ve been going hard, trying to get my timing back,” he said. “We’ll see how Saturday goes.”

The offensive side of his game isn’t something Kharia has really been asked to explore much in his time as an Oiler, but on a team where nobody else is stepping up in a support role, the opportunity is there for the taking.

And Hitchcock does have a weakness for big, physical players who work hard.

“I want to grow every part of my game,” said Khaira, the 63rd overall pick in 2012. “I want my game to get better throughout the whole season. I’ve showed offence before (43 points in 59 WHL games in 2013-14) and I think slowly, with confidence, it will come.”

YAMAMOTO RECALLED

Help is also on the way from Bakersfield, where the Oilers put in a call for winger Kailer Yamamoto. The hope is that he can add some punch to the 25th-ranked offence in the NHL.

Yamamoto, 20, put up four goals and four assists in eight games with Bakersfield after being sent down in November. The five-foot-eight, 153 pounder played 12 games with the Oilers earlier this year, posting two points. He has five points in 21 career NHL games.

The news coincides with Edmonton putting Alex Chiasson and his 16 goals on injured reserve after he was hit on the side of the knee with a slap shot.

The Oilers also placed Valentin Zykov (zero points in five games and four healthy scratches) on waivers.

RUSSELL MANIA

The Oilers would love to get Kris Russell back on their blue line as quickly as possible, but with a groin injury they have to be especially careful or he’ll be right back on the shelf.

Russell skated full out in practice Friday and looks good to go, but it will depend on how everything feels overnight.

“He’s extremely close, whether it’s Saturday or the 31st, we’ll see,” said Hitchcock, who needs another veteran presence on defence. “He eats up huge minutes five on five and PK. He’s a 20-plus minute guy. When you start lopping those guys out of your lineup, and we’ve had two or three go missing here, you’re in a big hole.” 1123178 Edmonton Oilers “It’s helped us see what Caleb Jones is about and to try and get Darnell Nurse to another level. There’s been some adversity and we’ve suffered some pains for that, but it’s helped us.”

Edmonton Oilers heading into make or break stretch of the season The coach doesn’t see a team on the ropes, wondering where the KO punch is coming from, but rather a team that is committed to grinding its way out of this. Robert Tychkowski “I like our attitude, I like how we work, I like where we’re going. I know it Published:December 28, 2018 doesn’t show up on the scoreboard, but man, I’ve seen it way worse than this. This is a pretty damn resilient group that wants to get better. As long Updated:December 28, 2018 6:31 PM MST as they want to get better, we’re going to get better.

“The minute they start losing hope or become fragile, that’s when you’re Don’t look now, but with the Edmonton Oilers at their weakest and most really in trouble.” vulnerable, here comes the do-or-die part of the schedule. They haven’t given up hope, but if they don’t get back on track soon, they On a four-game losing streak, minus their best defenceman and sitting will be staring trouble in the face. 10th in their conference, the Oilers are in a stretch of seven straight “I told the players today, we’re not where we want to be but we’re getting games against the West: Vancouver, San Jose, Winnipeg, Arizona, Los there,” said Hitchcock. “We just have to keep on task. If we keep playing Angeles, Anaheim and San Jose. with enthusiasm and keep becoming good students we’re going to end They are 0-1 so far after that 4-2 loss to Vancouver on Thursday and up in a good spot.” need to find their stride in a hurry or risk watching the teams ahead of Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 12.29.2018 them pull away for good.

“We’re playing within our own division now, so these games are huge,” said defenceman Darnell Nurse. “We didn’t have many of them early on in the season, but when you start to get into them they for sure have a little more importance because the points within your division and your conference matter that much more.

“We have to be ready because these are huge games for us.”

Post Christmas has not been kind to the Oilers in recent years. This is where the season got away from them last winter. They were 17-17-2 and still very much in the mix at Christmas, then went 1-6-1 after the break and that was it.

Forward Jujhar Khaira, back from his two-game suspension, doesn’t have any concern that another holiday crash is right around the corner. He sees them pulling out of this rather quickly and turning this make or break stretch into a proving ground.

“If we stick to our game plan, if we believe in each other and have each other’s back out there, it’s going to be a good seven games for us,” he said.

This is a team that does tend to ride waves of momentum, both good and bad. They went 8-2 1 under Todd McLellan, followed by a 1-6 slide. Then they went 8-1-1 under Hitchcock and are now on an 0-4 slide.

So the ability to get hot is definitely in their arsenal, but so is the ability to make it look like the sky is falling.

“We have find ways to not turn one bad game into another,” said forward Caggiula, who’s back in the lineup Saturday after a bout with the flu. “We have to find a way to forget about it and move on.”

Asked after practice Friday if he has to do as much emotional coaching as tactical coaching given that this has been a fragile group in the past, Hitchcock said they are not the least bit fragile now, then began some emotional coaching.

“I hate the word fragile,” he said. “It means weak to me. To me, it means you can’t go the distance. We’re anything but that. Our starts are our problem, it’s not that we can’t go the distance. To me fragile is a bad word because it means you’re not competitive.”

The mood in town might be somewhere between fear and gloom, but despite four straight losses and 24 goals against in the last six games, the coaches’ room remains upbeat.

Hitchcock still believes this is still that same 8-1-1 team that simply isn’t deep enough to withstand a couple of well placed injuries.

“I know this is a very tough time for people, but I’m excited,” he said. “I’m excited by the response and the improvement. We won games before where we needed our goalie to completely stand on his head. We’re approaching a different stage now as a group.

“But we got smacked right in the face by injuries, injuries to the wrong spot in our group (Oscar Klefbom and Kris Russell) where we couldn’t absorb it and now we’re trying to fight out of it. 1123179 Edmonton Oilers Talbot did what he could, making three late third-period blue-plate stops. He certainly played well enough to get the Saturday afternoon start against San Jose, unless Hitchcock feels this was a one-off by Koskinen.

Koskinen looks mortal after so many other-worldly games “The first three goals they got…there were three guys walking down the middle of the ice (Motte, 25-footer, Brock Boeser tap-in off an Elias Pettersson feed as he was falling, and Pettersson with a laser over Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal Koskinen’s shoulder.) He may have gone down a little late or given him too much net on that one. Published:December 28, 2018 “First one’s a great shot, second is a pass across the crease. Sometimes Updated:December 28, 2018 7:53 AM MST you have games like this. I’m sure he’ll rebound just fine,” said Talbot, who didn’t see a shot for nine minutes in the second period with no warm-up to start the period. OK, goalie Mikko Koskinen isn’t an extra-terrestrial. Pettersson has scored half a dozen goals on blasts short-side up high on He may have seemed from another planet, playing out of this world at goalies. Rogers Place after a 7-0 start, with a .972 save percentage here but like all of us, even a much bigger human than most of us, he’s mortal. “He’s sneaky and he’s got the speed to get in tight and he gets it up in a hurry,” said Talbot. He isn’t really ET. So, let’s cut him some slack after Vancouver Canucks beat him four times on their first six shots Thursday and held on for their “He’s got a deceptive release and sometimes it looks like he’s going to 4-2 victory, outshot 32-20. pass it.”

“I think Mikko would be the first guy to say he didn’t have a good night. The other forwards work hard, nobody questions that, but the Oilers are He’s a straight-shooter,” said Oilers coach Ken Hitchcock, who started almost at the season mid-point. They have nine forwards with 15 goals Koskinen with his 11-5-1 record, .925 save percentage and 2.34 total. average, but had him sitting on the bench in a ball-cap while Cam Talbot “In this league now you need secondary scoring to help out the big stopped all 14 shots he faced over the last 40 minutes. guys…they’re producing but they’re also getting checked hard every The Oilers, who’ve now lost four in a row and aren’t in the wild-card spot night. They need some help,” said Brodziak, who has three goals. in the West any longer, needed more stops from Koskinen in the first 20 “If we’re going to really grow we need more participation,” said Hitchcock. minutes, and much better defence around him. They also need some major help from GM Peter Chiarelli, who should be The usual suspects—Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Leon Draisaitl, both off talking about where his club is and how they got themselves into a Connor McDavid assists— had the Oiler goals on Jacob Markstrom, situation where they so sorely need some offence in a trade. which is far past the alarming stage. ON THE BENCH: Farm call-up Caleb Jones on defence played 17 We’re almost halfway through the season, and those three guys and Alex minutes of pretty flawless hockey. “He was outstanding,” said Chiasson, who took a shot off his right knee in the first period (x-rays Hitchcock…Darnell Nurse played 42 seconds short of half the game on negative), have 66 of the team’s 90 forward goals. McDavid has figured the back-end and McDavid played 14 seconds short of 28 minutes in a in 54 of the team’s 103 total goals, Draisaitl 45, RNH 34. 60-minute game. Draisaitl played 27 minutes as Hitchcock went to the There are way too many offensive bystanders. well with his best two players..No word on whether farmhand winger Kailer Yamamoto will be coming up from Bakersfield to play Saturday’s Hitchcock chose to accentuate the positive, rather than pile on. game.

“We played 55 minutes of very good hockey…I believe this is the building Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 12.29.2018 block back,” said Hitchcock. “I know we’re in a tough situation injury-wise with a lot of people out (Oscar Klefbom, Kris Russell, Andrej Sekera on defence with Drake Caggiula and Jason Garrison sick for Thursday’s game)but I saw some things to get us to another level.”

“It’s a group that’s wondering and the last thing we need to do is beat them up some more. We can’t do anything about our health. The slide started with the injuries. You get a bit of time where you’ll be OK but everything in the NHL is about slotting, putting people in the right position so you’ll have success,” said Hitchcock. “When you get pushed out of your slot, for a while it’s exciting but we’ve gotten to this spot because we have guys pushed too high up the ladder.”

“Nobody’s feeling sorry for us but I thought we competed. We made some mistakes early …there was one goal where we got beat of the wall (Antoine Roussel) that was disappointing. But we did a number of good things the second and third period.”

This one was lost early with Canucks getting a quick fourth-line goal (Tyler Motte) against the Oilers fourth line of Milan Lucic, Kyle Brodziak and Zack Kassian. The odds of winning games when fourth-liners score is about 75 percent, and it was a harbinger of bad things to come.

“We had a couple of good shifts to start then a mistake turnover by me and it ends up in the net. Seems like every mistake we made in the first period they made it count,” said Lucic (Motte goal).

He didn’t get any argument from Talbot.

“They capitalized on all their chances in the first,” said Talbot. Jay Beagle tried a very hopeful wraparound and Jake Virtanen had the other that wasn’t dangerous.

“Put us behind the eight-ball and we couldn’t climb out of that hole.” 1123180 Edmonton Oilers playing time. As of Friday’s practice, Hitchcock appeared to have made his choice during Chiasson’s absence:

Lines at Oilers practice: In a ‘Hail Mary’ roster shuffle, Oilers recall Kailer Yamamoto, waive Valentin Zykov and place Alex Chiasson on IR Draisaitl-McDavid-Rattie

Caggiula-RNH-Puljujarvi

By Allan Mitchell 6h ago Rieder-Brodziak-Kassian

Lucic-Khaira-Spooner

The Edmonton Oilers shuffled a trio of wingers Friday in the hours after Extra: Zykov the NHL holiday freeze lifted. The club waived Valentin Zykov, placed Alex Chiasson on injured reserve and recalled Kailer Yamamoto from the Absent: Chiasson Bakersfield Condors of the AHL. In a season that has seen a mixture of Nurse-Larsson failure and success, the injured list and Condors recalls are becoming a big part of the overall story. Jones-Benning

Chiasson made the club after signing a professional tryout contract, one Gravel-Wideman of several the Oilers handed out to veteran NHL players in need of a Garrison-Russell training camp. He eventually signed a one-year, $650,000 deal with the team in what is now one of the best value deals in the business. The power play Chiasson didn’t play early in the season, getting into his first game of 2018-19 on Oct. 20, the team’s sixth game. He played just 7:28 but One of the key areas for Edmonton fans to observe Chiasson’s absence scored twice in his next game and moved quickly up the depth chart. He is the power play. The big winger has five power-play goals this season, leaves the lineup as the No. 26 NHL forward in goals per 60 (200 or more matching Draisaitl and just one behind team leader McDavid. Nugent- minutes) and will be badly missed. Chiasson’s absence might have an Hopkins has four, and the only other forward with a goal during a man impact on his free-agent price next summer should he be out long term. advantage this season is Milan Lucic. His 16 goals in 31 games put him in a fabulous position to post a big goal The #Oilers have placed forward Valentin Zykov on waivers for the total in a walk year. purpose of assignment. Although Yamamoto is the recall and Chiasson’s roster replacement, he You could argue (and many have) that Zykov didn’t have a chance to is not assured of a spot on Connor McDavid’s wing. Coach Ken prove himself in an Oilers uniform, but the new coach is having to make Hitchcock has options, including Ty Rattie, Tobias Rieder and others. quick decisions in real time. Zykov has some things to recommend him, Rattie led NHL preseason scoring and began the season on McDavid’s and he could return (waivers doesn’t always result in losing a player) at right wing (with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins port side), getting his first point in some point down the line. the season’s second game by way of a nice pass to the captain, who did the rest. Rattie scored his first goal on the top line in the following game, What does it all mean? going shelf in the big comeback game against the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 16. There’s a massive opportunity in Edmonton, and Oilers wingers are once again fighting for the best hockey job on Planet Earth. It looks like Rattie Rattie was injured in the fifth game of the season against the Boston is first up, with Caggiula, Puljujarvi, Yamamoto and others in the mix. The Bruins. That was the same night Yamamoto scored his first NHL goal, a early-season winner in the McDavid sweepstakes was Chiasson, an gorgeous jailbreak from the blueline in setup via an Adam Larsson long- unlikely option in preseason (he played exactly 33 seconds at 5-on-5 with range missile to send him in alone. With Rattie moving to the injured list, No. 97 during exhibition season). Oilers fans have their favourites, but Yamamoto got the call on the No. 1 line and did strong early work the bottom line is this: One of these men is going to grab this job if (drawing penalties at a rapid clip) while keeping the job through the end Chiasson can’t return quickly. It’s Edmonton’s on-ice 50/50, and of October. Drake Caggiula replaced him in early November, holding on someone is going to cash in. for most of the month, although Rattie, Ryan Spooner and Milan Lucic had some time with McDavid in spurts. The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018

The first time I remember Chiasson spending most of a game 5-on-5 with McDavid was the 1-0 game against the Dallas Stars on Nov. 27. Hitchcock had taken control of the team a week earlier and was looking to extend the offence beyond one line. Chiasson did play with McDavid at times during Todd McLellan’s run, an example being a marker with six skaters by Chiasson on Nov. 3 against the Detroit Red Wings.

McDavid’s 5-on-5 wingers in 2018-19, by numbers

Natural Stat Trick tells us Chiasson was a nice fit for the captain, and Oilers fans hope he will soon be again. Here are the 5-on-5 scoring numbers, by winger when playing alongside McDavid in 2018-19 (ranked by productivity):

Leon Draisaitl: 8-10-18 in 340:00 (3.18 5-on-5 points per 60)

Jesse Puljujarvi: 1-1-2 in 41:15 (2.91 5-on-5 points per 60)

Drake Caggiula: 3-2-5 in 134:07 (2.24 5-on-5 points per 60)

Milan Lucic: 0-1-1 in 35:19 (1.70 5-on-5 points per 60)

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: 2-5-7 in 257:28 (1.63 5-on-5 points per 60)

Alex Chiasson: 2-2-4 in 167:37 (1.43 5-on-5 points per 60)

Ty Rattie: 1-1-2 in 113:18 (1.06 5-on-5 points per 60)

Kailer Yamamoto: 0-0-0 in 71:15 (0.00 5-on-5 points per 60)

The staple pairing of McDavid-Draisaitl shines like a diamond. And after that, Jesse Puljujarvi and Drake Caggiula are attractive options in limited 1123181 Edmonton Oilers year he’ll be talking about how it’s nice that the Oilers have good second line depth in McDavid, and that with more time and effort he might end up on the first line.

The Athletties: Elias Pettersson defeats Top 5 player Connor McDavid BEST SCENES FROM A PHONE

BEST WOLF PAC IS BACK

By Wyatt Arndt Dec 28, 2018 I just want to say for the record that this is some fine internet meme-ing. I love the fact that for as long as Brock and Elias combine to score a goal, people will bust out this three-act play first penned by Boeser earlier in On a night when Pitbull continued to plead with the city of Vancouver to the year. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. never stop the party while running through the world like a running back, the Canucks did their best effort to shut down the loud music and get to I also want to quickly apologize for the NWO music playing in the bed at a reasonable time in Edmonton. background of this goal, I forgot The Athletic HQ asked me to use videos in tonight’s Athletties, and that my recording picks up all the background And that they did, with a 4-2 win over the Oilers, a game that you would sounds. find in the dictionary under “Road hockey 101,” in which it states something about getting a lead and then blocking shooting lanes for the That being said, the music kind of fits as much to my delight EP40, Flow rest of you natural born lives, or at least until the game ends. and Goldy were reunited in what I assume was a Christmas gift to me from Travis Green. Goldobin’s game really fits well with Pettersson and If you want a visual of what this strategy looks like, let’s head over to Boeser, and I want to see this line ride or die for most of the season Natural Stat Trick: because we should be allowed to have pretty things after having survived Coach Willie. It’s the kind of play you’d see from the old West Coast The third period is when the Canucks essentially fell to the ground in the Express days, with the quick North/South dagger to the heart type of fetal position and prayed that no serious blows would get through. It was goal. Just watching EP40 corral that puck, then still hitting off the great basically the Canucks taunting Connor McDavid to try and beat them, pass to Boeser, who then makes sure to patiently wait to get a good shot which to his credit, he put on several dashes of blinding speed and off is a thing of beauty. created great scoring chances. The problem is that in today’s NHL you can’t really beat three to four opposition players with ease like you could Now, in a game like this where the Canucks get four goals on six shots, in the olden days. Back then, defence was a mixture of cigarettes, booze, and basically coasted the rest of the game, it’s hard to dig through the hooking, blindside hits and stern looks. Nowadays, if you’re caught out of possession stats because everyone kind of comes out of it looking like a position or miss a check, not only are you publicly dragged through eighth-grade high school yearbook photo. There is a reason Jay Beagle Twitter, but the coach is probably going to sit you down for a really stern is rocking 20 minutes of ice time tonight, and it’s not because Coach father/son like talk where he tells you he’s not mad at you, he’s just Green likes his puck-handling skills in the offensive zone. The job disappointed. description for most of the night was to eat up the clock and take very few chances, which is what lead to the wild swing in the Oilers favor in Take a look at Wayne Gretzky waltzing down the ice in the ’80s: terms of puck possession. Caleb Jones, playing in just his fifth NHL Look how many one-handed swipes the defenseman are making at game, had an 84% Corsi for the Oilers. That is not something that will Gretzky. Look at the goaltender wearing what looks like thick pants, happen often. wandering from his net like he just remembered he left his wallet on the Honestly, when was the last time you saw Horvat at the bottom of the bench. Obviously using Gretzky to showcase poor defence might be met team in Corsi (27.59%)? It’s because his job wasn’t to look pretty tonight, with a few arched eyebrows, but it does visibly show a different level of his job was to dump the puck and block lanes, which does not lend itself defending then we see in today’s game. well to the ol’ Corsi game. Which yes, your mileage may vary on how Now, that’s not to say you can’t get end-to-end rushes in today’s game, effective you think that strategy is, but my only point is that if one were to of course they still happen. But the ease in which a star player can use only stats for this game you might walk away from it quite confused terrorize another team has lowered considerably, as the skill and as to what happened. It’s like when you lose your keys and you’ve athleticism gap has become much smaller in the current NHL. So when checked everywhere for them, to the point where you start opening the you watch McDavid show off Bure-like speed and rush end to end, trying freezer to see if maybe you tossed them in there. Like at one point you’re to will his team to win, it looks glorious. But you honestly can’t help but reasonably telling yourself, “No no, looking in the freezer is a legitimately wonder “hey it would probably help if he had some better wingers on this good idea at this point.” team to help with their depth issues.” So when you look at the stats and see that the Wolf Pac only had around There will be more video showcasing McDavid’s chances, but even on a 14 minutes of ice time (give or take 3 minutes away from Goldy, as is play like this, yes he beats his check, but then he runs into two pairs of tradition), you might wonder why. Well, the reason why was because sticks waiting to ruin his scoring chance. It was like that most of the they got their two goals and then they peaced out for the night to plan game, where even when McDavid managed to get behind the Canucks, their Fortnite strats on the bench or whatever. Chalk up another two there would be Nazgul Edler watching his every move, always willing to assists for Goldobin, another goal for Brock, and another absolute snipe poke and prod Connor any chance he got. show goal for Pettersson. All in a day’s work for this crew, really. Want another angle of the goal? It’s as if Edmonton management thought getting McDavid was a giant “Win Now!” button and are now confused why they continue to lose This is why at the end of a 14 minute night, Pettersson gets the first star, games. because it doesn’t take much for him to impact and win a game sometimes. But enough about McDavid, who wants to watch Elias Pettersson hit some dingers? BEST QUOTE

BEST CHECKING SOMEONE INTO SMACKDOWN HOTEL On knowing if Brock was there for the pass:

When I found out that John Malkovich was going to save Hercule Poirot “Uh yeah. I knew he was there before I got the puck. And I think I heard from the shallow grave that Kenneth Branagh attempted to bury him in, I him scream, too.” honestly thought nothing would top that news. But then we saw I will now picture Brock screaming at Pettersson every time he is open. Pettersson unleash an innocent pregame sound byte that can be No words, just primal screaming. delightfully used to sound like smack talk: BEST PETTERSSON EFFECT McDavid isn’t number one, but you know, he’s a real solid top five guy for sure. He’s in the mix. Tyler Shipley

Obviously EP40 is just handing out pregame pleasantries to the media, The NHL places water bottles in the net nowadays, robbing of us of the as is his job, but admit it, you want to believe he delivered this with a sly glory that is a bottle popper goal, but that doesn’t stop EP40 from hunting grin. I’d rather live in a world in which Pettersson is playing the long them down. Please note the nice pass from Goldobin, who clearly game at slowly digging away at McDavid’s confidence. By this time next understands his best kind of life is the one where he just gives the puck But this year has seen the arrival of a Tyler Motte the fans can get to Pettersson and lets him do what he wants with it. behind. Playing in a fourth line role, he has brought his lunch bucket every night, oftentimes tasked with playing hard minutes against top Stanley Cups are a hard beast to capture, but it’s easy to imagine players. Tonight, for example, he ended up playing almost 19 minutes, as Pettersson doing everything in his power to drag the Canucks to their first he was paired with Jay Beagle in shutting down the Oilers from getting Stanley Cup one day. dangerous scoring chances. Now remember, I mentioned how the One day. Canucks Corsi looked downright awful tonight, but even sifting through that garbage you see Motte and Beagle near the top of the pile. And yes, BEST COMPARISON maybe you don’t want to get too excited about fourth liners (this year’s Motte is yesterday’s Volpatti), but there is something to be said about Wyatt Arndt setting aside the stats, setting aside the snark, and just enjoying a good Best player in the world sets up 2nd best player in the world. honest effort from a hockey player.

Sure, 34 games is arbitrary, but if we can’t dunk on McDavid, then what Do the goals help his cause? Absolutely. Just look over at poor Tim are we even doing here. Schaller and ask him how his season is going. And that is a fantastic shot right there from Tyler. But it’s not just the goals, it’s the hard work on BEST BACK DOOR the boards, and the zone entries he’s managing to create:

BEST RANKING SYSTEM The foot speed and the zone entry is the kind of things Jake Virtanen was praised for, back when his game was still trying to find itself. If you The numbers don’t like. Elias Pettersson = 1, Connor McDavid = 2. have a fourth line guy who can end a shift with dragging the puck down That’s still a Top 5 player for McDavid, you can’t be mad at that. the ice to back the other team off, and get a scoring chance out of it, that’s the sort of player who adds good depth to an NHL team, and not BEST EAR-MARK OF A GOOD PERFORMANCE just a warm body.

Jacob Markstrom hasn't been good this year but he has been good This play doesn’t highlight anything exceptional, but it just shows the lately.https://public.tableau.com/profile/sean.tierney#!/vizhome/2018- battles Motte was having all night long, to the point where he was getting 19shotsmap--goalies/Dashboard6 … crushed into the boards to try and stop him from doing his job. And give credit to Beagle for this as well, they both had one of their best games in If you’re not a fan of random symbols being tossed at you, just look at the Canucks colors. bottom right graph with the line going higher and higher. This is a good sign for Jacob Markstrom. I just wanted to highlight their play to give them some kudos for basically gutting out the game and doing all those … ahem … little things we know In fact, one of the major stories around the team recently is the great play coaches love. of Markstrom. If it feels like people should be talking this up more, you’re not alone. But to be fair to everyone watching his recent play, hesitating BEST MAD MEN to congratulate him, it’s because we’ve been here before. Markstrom is the boyfriend who promises he’s changed, that he’ll start cleaning up Wyatt Arndt around the house more and that he’ll start dressing nicer again. Then custom goal drinks for each player is so much better than the custom before you know it he’s back on the couch eating Cheetos and telling you goal songs. Rogers should get on board and do different drink specials about his system of using his socks as a personal towel. “If you wipe your for different scorers at home games. hands on your socks, who’s gonna see the cheese marks? Nobody. Well, except you.” Clappin’ for Clams will become a thing. We already saw one man down a Caesar after Motte scored a goal earlier in the season. Think of the liquor It almost feels like the minute you go, “This is the moment Jacob sales you’ll get at Rogers Arena if you have specialty drinks that are a Markstrom became a number one goaltender,” he will revert to his old $1-$2 off every time a player scores. form, the one who lets in soft goals on his glove side, the goals that make you question why he bothers wearing gloves in the first place, and not Or in the case of Markstrom, Milking for Markstrom, where you down a just giant mallets. But he has played great recently, and on a night like glass of milk every time he stops a breakaway. tonight, he could have been named first star and I wouldn’t have blinked an eye. Not only is he cutting the soft goals out of his diet, he is also BEST CAMPAIGNING controlling his rebounds and pushing them to the corner, or simply James R Yan keeping the puck stuck to his body. There haven’t been a lot of mad scrambles in front of him where the entire team turns into a human Nate Stirling centipede as they try and track the loose puck. Markstrom has allowed the Canucks to roll the dice on shutting down after the first period to try As is tradition in the NHL, if you carefully grandstand about a lack of calls and grind out that old “road victory” hockey coaches love injecting into for your team (i.e. don’t name any names, snitches get stitches), the refs their veins. Also, no bad reverse-VH goals!! will do you a solid and give you some calls in the next one. And tonight, there were some questionable calls that went the Oilers way. That’s not Let’s just say it’s easy to imagine a game like this going horribly wrong a to say there is a grand conspiracy at play here, it’s just the way the NHL couple of years ago. But tonight, the Canucks sat back and believed in kind of works, where sometimes penalties aren’t really rules, they’re Markstrom to stop the easy shots, and then he came up huge whenever more like guidelines, really. We all joke about “game management,” but McDavid went into the corner and picked up a turbo boost in his eternal we all know deep down make-up calls are real, you have to almost quest to use Rocket League strats in the NHL commit murder to be down two men short at times, and if a team is down by a couple of goals late in a game, watch out for that whistle. Do we dare say it? The Oilers managed to get three power plays to the Canucks one, and Do we? managed to go 2/3 on it, mostly due to McDavid being really good at This is the night Markstrom became a num … passing the puck, and the Canucks sort of forgetting what the slot is.

OK let’s wait one more game, let’s not jinx it. The Oilers first goal sees the Canucks PK collapse hard to the left of Markstrom, only to have a good pass beat their hastily formed floating- BEST DAVID SUCHET LIKE PERFORMANCE diamond-wedge-wet cardboard box formation. Then Hitchcock’s GoFundMe kicks in again as Hutton gets a penalty for … reasons. A stick Chris Conte is close to a leg is the best I can make of it, it just looks like Hutton cut off Tyler Motte, who arrived when the Vanek clappers left town forever, did the lane of the guy with the puck, but to each their own. not have a great showing in his first season with the Canucks. And let’s It also looks like the Oilers got away with too many men on the ice. This be fair to him, it was a new team, and the Canucks were clearly in their of course leads to … dead-inside phase of the season, slowly bleeding out while their teammate hid behind a rock like the selfish jerk they are. Draisaitl gets the puck with enough of a runway for a plane to take off from, and he moves in and cycles through the 40 shot options he has before finally deciding on one that ends in a goal. At one point Granlund Here, McDavid almost cuts through four Canucks (I told you it can still is lugeing past Draisaitl and all you can do is kind of laugh and move on happen on occasion), but even then, the fourth guy, Gudbranson, with your day. manages to get a stick on McDavid, and Markstrom makes sure to poke the puck away. BEST ANALOGY It was fun to watch, no doubt. Wyatt Arndt BEST ODE TO BIEKSA Getting the one banana peel was always the worst. Nothing said “screw you” more than being in the lead and getting that one lone banana peel Slip-and-slide defence is an all-out kind of maneuver. If it works, you look that you would trail behind you as you waited for the blue shell to catch like a gutsy warrior. If it doesn’t, you’re watching the play on your up to you. stomach in shame. Tonight, it worked for Gudbranson, so he gets a medal of honor. If it fails next game, however, we shall all gather in the BEST COUNTER town hall and laugh at him while throwing tomatoes in his general Paul Almeida direction.

BEST AND WORST OF THE DERRICK BEST SHOTGUN TAKE

Everyone’s favorite online argument was back in the news again, as Harjot Mundi Derrick Pouliot continued to showcase why he gets people so frustrated DON’T TRY AND TELL ME THAT “SHOTGUN TAKE” ISN’T ONE OF with his play. THE BEST HEADINGS IN THIS ARTICLE.

On one hand, you have the good: Anyways, yes, that’s Jake Virtanen watching Adam Larsson with the That’s Pouliot absorbing a hit, but still managing to poke the puck ahead puck before realizing “hey that’s Adam Larsson with the puck” and to Mario Brothers Beagle and Motte (I told you they had a good game), deciding he should just take it. who get the puck out of the zone in a controlled exit. This is a very good One for one. thing, as the Oilers really seemed intent upon forechecking the Canucks defenseman to death early on. Nothing is more amusing than watching BEST NEW TECHNIQUE Kassian and Lucic look around super confused as to why their huge hits on the end boards didn’t result in a lot of goals. Who needs Reverse-VH when you have Reverse-Nets?

Then there is the bad: BEST HEARING

Here, Derrick has a lot of time with that puck, with no real pressure Jason Brough incoming. He has a variety of options to take. He chooses to send the Someone, 100 percent said, “I wanted to shotgun,” which sounds like puck from behind his net toward Jay Beagle, who actually has a check either Hutton or Virtanen (feels like Hutton), and were either sad Virtanen about to cover him. He moved the puck from a position of safety to a didn’t score, or were playing “Call of Duty” and were lamenting their gear. position of a beloved animal stuck inside a burning building. BEST CHECKING IN This is the frustrating nature of Pouliot. You watch him make smart plays with the puck, then turn around and see him make very dangerous plays Svechnikov did not score tonight, alas. with the puck. And for some reason, Derrick really seems to enjoy BEST FYI playing with the puck near the front of his net, which is usually a bad combination for turnovers. That level of inconsistency is probably what Wyatt Arndt marks Derrick as a bottom pairing NHL d-man, but it doesn’t make it any less confusing to watch at times. If you’re wondering why video was used instead of GIFs, it’s because HQ requested I try video to help loading times and to see if it would help Look, we’re not mad, we’re just disappointed. reports of the GIF heavy Athletties crashing a lot of mobile browsers. We are always trying to upgrade the VIP experience so let me know your BEST YOU KNOW HE AIN’T GONNA DIE thoughts on the video version of the Athletties tonight, and any issues Roussel is already one of the most exciting Canucks to watch, not just for that arose from it, if any. the points he occasionally gets, but just for the fact the guy wears his Sadly, none of my videos were done in the jaunty style that Jyrki heart on his sleeve. He truly is in that “hate him on the other team, love provided. him on your team” club that Alex Burrows was a proud member of. It’s quickly becoming one of the best depth signings Jim Benning has made BEST LESSON in his Canucks regime. This is why you wear your mouth guard, and don’t chew it! What if that Even on this goal, watch Roussel check to make sure the puck goes in puck had been in your mouth Goldy?? What then?? How can you the net before celebrating the goal. You know what else he’s good at? Instagram with no teeth!? Taking penalties, sure, but also at making the other team take penalties: BEST PRINCIPE FACTOR If you can make McDavid cut to his left and throw an elbow at your head like you just ate his moist maker, you know you’re doing a good job. Wyatt Arndt

BEST USE OF GREY CELLS BEST EDMONTON UPDATE

As promised, here are the Connor vs. Markstrom highlights. And jokes Jason Botchford aside, Connor is a hell of a lot of fun to watch on the ice. Like, he is so If you’re curious as to what Jason Squared are talking about, it’s in good that defenders are playing him on passes he might make, out of reference to Spector’s latest Sportsnet article, in which once again Kris fear of him making them look bad. Look at the space he gets with not Russell has had words dedicated to how you just don’t get him. There only his speed, but the threat of him passing the puck to his left. You can have been a lot of prime players in the Stats vs. Eyes War over the years see Tanev try and anticipate the pass, only for McDavid to use that slight (never forget Mattias Weinhandl as the answer for playing with the hesitation to give himself even more room to get a backhand off. That’s a Twins), with victories and losses on both sides of the debate. But Top 5 player kind of move to make. Russell, for whatever reason, has been one player who always seems to Here you see Pettersson perhaps feeling pity for Connor, so he gives him be brought up during the wars from the eye test guys as the perfect the puck. Sure, it looks like Pettersson tried to beat three Oilers and example of stats getting it wrong. God knows why Russell is the hill they turned over the puck, but that’s crazy talk. wish to die upon, but it remains the Verdun battlefield for many.

Still, McDavid, or as Edmonton play-by-play called him, “CONNOR So it shouldn’t be that surprising that another article has come out MCDAVIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIID” showcases incredible speed, supporting Russell and what he brings to the team. And you know what, and incredible puck handling, as he gets a breakaway before running into if you enjoy what he brings to the table, good on you, I have no desire to the Markstrom wall. fight you over it. I will say that it was kind of surprising that Edler compared Russell to Ohlund, though. I feel like the bar should be higher for an Ohlund comparison, who was a standout defenseman for the Canucks for many years, one with far more offence than Russell, and much better puck management. It’s hard to imagine asking Russell to go out there and eat up 25 minutes of ice time and look good doing so.

I will also say that Edmonton is a really weird place for articles, one where Matt Hendricks time in Edmonton is declared a victory, and that Chiarelli is a downright genius due to a decent stretch of games from the Oilers, but now tonight are blowing playoff spots, and that Taylor Hall was the problem, and now they’re in year four of McDavid and still don’t really have a solid plan in front of them. Somehow the target seems to miss management when these articles are written, which isn’t to say let’s all get our axes and torches, but it does seem odd to not at least posit the theory that maybe management is kind of the problem.

BEST JERSEY SIGHTING

Justin

I love not just the jersey, but also what looks like two puffy grey jacket bodyguards surrounding it.

BEST CUSTOM JERSEY

This was clearly not a jersey made by Spector.

BEST VIP SERVICE

Wyatt Arndt

OK, that’s a super weird way to spell nephew BJ, but damn it, we’re gonna run it anyways. Shotgun Jake movements are starting earlier and earlier, and we cannot wait to see Jake Wesley Myram crushing back bottles of milk when Virtanen hits his 20th goal of the season.

Also, $20 this kid can already shotgun better than Blake Price.

The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123182 Florida Panthers ▪ Friday marked the first time Canadiens forward Max Domi has played against the Panthers since he was suspended for the rest of the preseason schedule for sucker-punching Florida defenseman Aaron Tatar’s two goals too much for Panthers to overcome Ekblad, breaking his nose and issuing two black eyes

▪ Luongo called Domi’s punch “gutless” and said the act won’t be forgotten. However, there were no incidents in Friday’s game. BY WALTER VILLA MIAMI HERALD WRITER Miami Herald LOADED: 12.29.2018 DECEMBER 28, 2018 10:13 PM

Roberto Luongo buried his mask in the ice.

Tomas Tatar had scored his second goal of the night – the go-ahead tally with 11:06 left in the third period -- as the Panthers lost 5-3 to the Montreal Canadiens on Friday night.

It was a crucial loss for the Panthers, who couldn’t take advantage of the fact that Montreal’s Carey Price, who won the Vezina Trophy in 2015 as the NHL’s best netminder, missed the game due to a lower-body injury.

He was replaced by Antti Niemi, whose credentials this season are not stellar. Still, Niemi made 23 saves and earned the win.

Luongo, a native of Montreal, also made 23 saves and watched his record slip to 8-7-1.

There was an energetic crowd at the BB&T Center as Canadiens fans often drowned out their Panthers counterparts with chants of “Go Habs Go!”

Florida, which is 4-2-0 in its past six games, played its first home game since Dec. 15.

But, with this loss, Florida is nine points behind Montreal with two games in hand. Montreal started the night holding the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference as we approach the halfway point of the season.

Besides Tatar, Nicloas Deslauriers, Artturi Lehkonen and Jonathan Drouin also scored for Montreal.

Florida got early goals from a pair of 21-year-olds, Henrik Borgstrom and Denis Malgin, and a late score from veteran defenseman Keith Yandle.

Montreal led this game 2-0 with less than three minutes played.

Just 35 seconds in, Tatar scored unassisted on a backhander after a turnover by Panthers defenseman Mike Matheson behind his own net.

With 2:51 expired, Montreal caught another break as a shot by Victor Mete went in off the body of Deslauriers. The puck knucled over Luongo’s left shoulder.

Florida, though, fought back to tie the score 2-2 on the first-period goals by Borgstrom and Malgin.

With 8:01 expired, Mike Hoffman dropped a pass to Borgstrom, and the rookie’s wrist shot from the slot beat Niemi stick-side. It was the third goal in 10 career games for Borgstrom, who was Florida’s first-round pick in 2016.

Malgin scored with 13:53 gone in the first, taking a pass from Troy Brouwer. Malgin didn’t get much on his shot but just enough to slide it past Niemi. It was Malgin’s fourth goal in 23 games this season, but it was also the second straight game in which he has scored.

Montreal killed off two penalties in a scoreless second period and then got the goals from Tatar and Lehkonen in the third to lead 4-2.

Yandle scored with 1:16 left, but Drouin’s empty-netter with 23 seconds left gave Montreal the final margin.

THIS AND THAT

▪ Panthers second-line center Vincent Trocheck, who hasn’t played since Nov. 19 due to a fractured right ankle, could return to game action in early February, coach Bob Boughner said. Trocheck could start skating in a week.

▪ Backup goalie James Reimer will likely get the start for the Panthers on Saturday night against the Philadelphia Flyers.

▪ Jonathan Huberdeau’s sister Josiane sang the Canadian national anthem before Friday’s game. 1123183 Florida Panthers

Panthers surrender three third-period goals, fall to Canadiens; Ekblad fights with Danault

Wells Dusenbury

Looking to make up ground in the wild-card hunt, the Panthers came up short against the Candiens.

Trailing Montreal by seven points for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot entering Friday night, Florida fell 5-3 at the BB&T Center.

“Some guys weren’t ready to play when the puck dropped,” Panthers coach Bob Boughner said. “I think a couple of individuals started bad and that screwed the rest of us. We didn’t even get a chance to get our third and fourth line on the ice before it was 2-0.”

Tomas Tatar scored the go-ahead goal 12 minutes into the third period, ripping a power-play goal past Roberto Luongo to break a 2-2 tie. Montreal’s Artturi Lehkonen tacked on an insurance goal with four minutes left to extend the lead. Keith Yandle cut the lead the lead to 4-3 with just over a minute left, but Montreal scored an empty-netter with 22 seconds left, ending the threat.

“As bad as we were — we didn’t play a good game, everybody knows that,” Boughner said. “I think we were still in position, 2-2, with half a period to go and we take a selfish penalty and it explodes. We’re still in the game at that point; we allow the fourth goal…That was a back- breaker.”

With the teams meeting up for the first time in the regular season, there was the big question of whether there’d be any payback or retribution after Max Domi sucker-punched Panthers defenseman in the preseason. While Ekblad cleared concussion protocol, he was left bloodied after the incident. Domi was issued a one-game suspension.

Meeting on the ice once again, Ekblad got into a fight — just not with Domi. With just over two minutes remaining, Ekblad and Phillip Danault got dropped gloves, with Danault body-slamming the Panthers defenseman to the ground.

On Friday night, Montreal lit the lamp just 35 seconds into the contest. Trying to clear the puck from behind the net, Panthers defenseman Mike Matheson sent a listless pass across the middle that was intercepted by Tomas Tatar and easily put away for the finish, giving the Canadiens a 1- 0 lead. For Tatar, it was his 13th goal of the season.

The Panthers’ early-game struggles continued as Montreal jumped out to a 2-0 advantage two minutes later. Nicolas Deslauriers scored off a deflection from Victor Mete, extending the lead for the visitors.

Florida managed to weather the rough beginning, answering with two straight goals of its own. Near the midway point of the first period, Mike Hoffman sent a backhanded pass across the middle to Henrik Borgstrom, who ripped it lefty for the finish. It was the second goal of the season for the highly touted youngster, who was recalled from AHL Springfield on Dec. 15. Borgstrom, 21, was Florida’s first round pick in 2016.

With six minutes to go in the first, it was the Panthers turn to take advantage of a deflection. After the puck ricocheted off a Montreal player, Denis Malgin snuck it past Antti Niemi for his fourth of the season to even the game 2-2.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123184 Florida Panthers

Preview: Flyers at Panthers, 7 p.m., Saturday

Wells Dusenbury

Flyers at Panthers

When/where: 7 p.m./BB&T Center, Sunrise

TV: Fox Sports Florida; Radio: 560-AM; 640-AM (Palm Beach)

Scouting report: The Panthers are playing the second game of their home back-to-back after facing the Canadiens on Friday night. … Florida will hit the road to face the Red Wings on Monday night in the final game of 2018. … The Panthers and Flyers have split their two meetings this season. … Philadelphia won 6-5 in overtime on Oct. 16, while Florida won 2-1 on Nov. 18. … The Flyers are coming off a 6-5 overtime loss to the Lightning. … Claude Giroux leads Philadelphia with 44 points (13 goals, 31 assists).

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123185 Florida Panthers wasn’t ready, but I think it was just a couple of guys weren’t ready to play and it cost us.”

Not that the Panthers didn’t have chances and the game wasn’t exciting. Panthers play ‘dumb hockey,’ see chance to gain ground on Canadiens disappear Tied at 2, the Canadiens got a gift 5-on-3 chance when Frank Vatrano was called for tripping and MacKenzie Weegar got hit with a delay of game. Vatrano was back on the ice just as Montreal made it 3-2 but the By George Richards Dec 28, 2018 damage was done.

“We were tied with half a period to go, take a selfish penalty and it just explodes,” Boughner spat. “We were still in the game at that point. … SUNRISE, Fla. — The Panthers knew their opportunity to get back into That fourth goal was a backbreaker. We had two defensemen caught the playoff race was right in front of them. behind the net. Unaware, dumb hockey.”

The Canadiens, a team holding the last playoff spot and seven points in Montreal made it 4-2 with 4:20 left, but Florida got a six-skater power front of Florida, came to town on Friday night with targets placed firmly play goal from Keith Yandle to make it a one-goal game with 76 seconds on their backs. left.

Or so the Panthers said. Jonathan Huberdeau had a chance to tie it, but he rang the tying goal off the post. “It sucks,” he said. “I thought I had him to where he couldn’t see If the Friday night matchup against Montreal was so important to the it. And it hit the post.” Panthers, one would not have noticed as Florida came out flatfooted and were in danger of getting blown out in the opening minutes. Montreal soon found the back of the empty net for the two-goal victory lap. The Canadiens scored twice in the first three minutes, survived a few stretches in which Florida came with everything it had and bounded out The Panthers have 46 games remaining, including three against these of the BB&T Center with a 5-3 victory and a nine-point lead on the Canadiens. Yet there were no silver linings on this night. Panthers in the playoff race. Making matters worse, Sasha Barkov, Florida’s best player, looked a little The Panthers have plenty of regrets this season but Friday’s gimpy in the locker room after taking a puck off a foot. performance ranks right up there. “Our start was terrible. We had no energy. Both teams had days off, this With the victory, Montreal took the top wild-card position with Florida now was the first game back for both of us,” Huberdeau said. eight points behind Boston for the second and final spot. The Panthers also have two games in hand on the Bruins with three games against “There are no excuses for not being ready to play at home — especially them still to come. in the situation we are in. We have to battle every game and cannot have games like this.” “We were not ready to play and that’s the bottom line,” goalie Roberto Luongo said. “I needed to make big saves in the third and didn’t do so. Ekblad fights — just not Domi That’s the story of the game. Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad had his opportunities to exact revenge “There are no excuses for tonight. We played a terrible game from the on Max Domi for breaking his nose in the preseason. goaltender on out. We all have to take responsibility for it. It’s a As expected, with the score tied for much of the night and the game disappointing result. We didn’t have the urgency tonight and it cost us.’’ being so important, the two did not lock horns.

Florida had won four of five heading into the holiday break and could But Ekblad did fight. have pulled within five of the Canadiens with two games in hand. With 2:21 left, Ekblad and Phillip Danault got together after Ekblad took Instead, the Panthers look to a Saturday night visit from the Flyers to try umbrage at being run down in the corner. and get the awful taste out of their mouth. Both took five for fighting but Danault took an extra two minutes for “Some guys weren’t ready to play when the puck dropped. We were roughing, allowing Florida to pull Luongo and put six skaters out for the down 2-0 before the puck dropped,” coach Bob Boughner said. ensuing power play.

Luongo was besieged from the start and had it not been for a fortunate The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018 shot off the cage, Florida would have been down 3-0 in the early going.

Mike Matheson gave Montreal its first big chance of the night when he misplayed a puck behind Luongo and fed it to Tomas Tatar for an easy 1- 0 lead just 35 seconds into the game.

At the 2:51 mark, it was 2-0 and the Panthers looked like a team on the run — not one on the rise.

Florida made it a game with a pair of first-period goals from Henrik Borgstrom and Denis Malgin against the much-maligned Antti Niemi but never found the lead.

Niemi, who was a short-time member of the Panthers last season before being waived after giving up five goals in two games, finished with 23 saves. Niemi was filling in for the injured Carey Price.

Not enough shots (Florida’s top line accounted for two of the 26 official shots on goal), too many passes and sloppy play doomed the Panthers on this night.

Niemi, claimed off waivers by the Canadiens from Florida last season, came into the night making just 88 percent of his saves this year with a goals-against average over four.

“I would love to say it was a bad team start but a couple of individuals started bad,” Boughner said.

“That screwed the rest of us. We didn’t even have the chance to put out our third and fourth lines and it was 2-0. I would love to say our team 1123186 Los Angeles Kings On the air: TV: FSW; Radio: iHeartRadio (LA Kings Audio Network)

Update: The Kings will try to beat Vegas at home on a Saturday afternoon for the second time in three weeks. They won the first two Oscar Fantenberg always looks forward to seeing Vegas Golden Knights matchups this season by a combined score of 9-4 and have held the top on the schedule line of Karlsson, Jonathan Marchessault, and Reilly Smith to one goal. Max Pacioretty and Erik Haula are on injured reserve.

By CURTIS ZUPKE LA Times: LOADED: 12.29.2018

DEC 28, 2018 | 3:45 PM

Oscar Fantenberg’s NHL career is fewer than 60 games old, but in that small sample size, his most memorable performances have been against one team.

In last season’s playoffs, the Kings defenseman established his credentials with a career-high 41 minutes, 10 seconds of playing time in a Game 2 double-overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. This season, Fantenberg has one point in 26 games, but that was a spot-on pass that sprung Tyler Toffoli for a breakaway overtime goal against Vegas on Dec. 23.

Anomaly or not, Fantenberg takes to Vegas.

“I don’t know why,” he said. “I’ve actually thought about that, too. I feel like I’m playing good against Vegas, but I mean, that can [be because of] Game 2, so I have to be focused every game. But I think their style of hockey fits my game, too. It’s fun to play against those guys.”

Fantenberg and the Kings will get their third look at the Golden Knights in three weeks Saturday. The bigger picture shows that Fantenberg has quietly held down a depth defenseman spot for nearly a month, especially in the absence of injured Dion Phaneuf and Alec Martinez.

A major reason is probably Fantenberg’s versatility. By his count, he’s been partnered with “everybody,” from Drew Doughty and Jake Muzzin to Derek Forbort and lately Paul LaDue.

“He gives us some flexibility … he can move the puck well,” coach Willie Desjardins said. “He can defend well. He gives you a little bit of everything.”

Fantenberg has tried to build his defensive game from his rookie season and he plays on the penalty-killing unit but, at the urging of assistant coach Marco Sturm, has also tried to jump into the play more. He had two quality chances Thursday and finished with six blocked shots at the other end, in just more than 14 minutes of ice time.

The offensive part of his game is expected to evolve more. Fantenberg’s next game will be his 27th this season, which will equal his total from last season, when he transitioned from Europe to the NHL.

This is also a critical evaluation period for the 27-year-old, with the one- year contract extension he signed last May set to expire after this season. It’s understandable he’s trying to make the most of regular playing time, whether it’s against Vegas and Swedish countrymen and friend William Karlsson or another opponent.

“It’s nice to play a lot of games in a row and get that confidence, and play a little bit more minutes, too,” Fantenberg said. “It gets a little bit easier to get into games. You trust yourself a little bit more instead of going in-and- out of the lineup. … I feel confident out there. I feel like I don’t rush into plays as I did before. I try to be responsible everywhere and try to be reliable for coaches, too.”

Etc.

Phaneuf took contact Friday but Desjardins didn’t think Phaneuf would be ready to return from an upper-body injury.

“No, I wouldn’t say [he’d be available Saturday],” Desjardins said.

Martinez isn’t skating yet but is progressing from his upper-body injury, Desjardins said.

Jeff Carter, who missed the game Thursday with an upper-body injury, practiced Friday. Daniel Brickley was re-assigned.

UP NEXT

VS. VEGAS

When: Saturday, 1 p.m. 1123187 Los Angeles Kings and competitive heart of the Cup-winning core. He’d be the gift that keeps on giving if the Kings can get a young scorer and/or prospects from a team seeking a proven winner as the final piece to a Cup-winning Win to get in? 'Lose for Hughes' is really the Kings' best option for their puzzle. The names of Carter and defensemen Alec Martinez and Jake future Muzzin often pop up in trade speculation and there surely will be a market for defensemen as the Feb. 25 trade deadline approaches.

No matter what happens, general manager Rob Blake can’t let sentiment By HELENE ELLIOTT be part of the equation. Lombardi, gifted a get-out-of-jail-free card he should have used to buy out a fading Mike Richards after the 2012-13 DEC 28, 2018 | 3:05 PM lockout, allowed emotion to guide him and kept Richards. After the Kings acrimoniously terminated Richards’ contract, they were left with a salary- cap hit of $1.32 million through next season and Richards’ name on their Leave it to the Kings to mess up a perfectly good opportunity to tank and payroll through 2031-32. increase their odds of landing consensus No. 1 pick Jack Hughes in the draft lottery. Blake declined a request to discuss the Kings’ future, and that’s understandable. There are a lot of moving parts in play, and he probably Just when their season seemed lost, when the gap between them and hasn’t plotted his course yet. He has made some debatable decisions, the final playoff spot in the Western Conference was growing by the among them giving 35-year-old Ilya Kovlchuk a three-year, $18.75-million minute and fans consoled themselves with the slogan “Lose for Hughes,” contract and replacing John Stevens with interim coach Willie Desjardins, the Kings beat three good teams in a row. On Thursday, after the who hasn’t taken full advantage of Kovalchuk’s skills. Blake must get this Christmas break, they extended their winning streak to four by beating one right. In this case, it means focusing on being competitive in the the Arizona Coyotes to stay eight points behind the second Western future, painful though the road leading there will sometimes be. Conference wild-card berth. LA Times: LOADED: 12.29.2018 Their victories over Winnipeg, San Jose and Vegas and their comeback in a sluggish game against Arizona provided glimpses of the best-case scenario they hoped would develop, not the worst-case, last-place team they’ve become. The kids stepped up to score and shouldered significant responsibility. The veterans played well enough to explain why club executives thought they had another Stanley Cup championship in them. Everyone blocked shots and the goaltending was solid, a high point in an otherwise dreary season.

It’s not likely they’ll finish in the top three in the Pacific Division, but the two West wild-card spots are up for grabs. The idea the Kings could snare one isn’t as laughable as it was a couple of weeks ago. It’s certainly not ridiculous, which is ridiculous in itself.

But should the Kings even think about making the playoffs this season?

It’s not worth delaying their rebuilding process to make a brief postseason appearance that would delay their draft turn and give them a later and potentially less talented pick than they could get in the lottery. They don’t have the depth or speed for a long postseason run, and squeaking in as the second wild card only to exit swiftly would set them back.

They’ve won one playoff game since their 2014 Cup title and they need an infusion of prime talent to climb back to the top. The draft is the best way to replenish, especially for a team that’s as close to the salary cap as they are and can’t add impact players through free agency.

Forward Dustin Brown downplayed the playoff implications of their winning streak. “I think we’re trying to just take it one game at a time, quite honestly,” he said Thursday, adding that the surge is most important as a learning tool. “We have a lot of new guys with not a lot of experience of what it takes to win at this level.”

They must prove they can win consistently, a common stumbling block for young players.

The Kings would be better off conceding this season and trading veterans — at least those whose contracts lack a no-trade clause — in order to collect prospects and draft choices. Remember, former general manager Dean Lombardi traded their 2013 first-round pick (for Jeff Carter, a success), their 2015 pick (a bust, for short-timer Milan Lucic), and their 2016 selection (another bust, for 16 games of Andrej Sekera). Players taken in those draft years have become mainstays on other teams. The Kings have nothing to show for Lucic or Sekera, who left as free agents. Their 2017 first-round pick and 11th overall, forward Gabriel Vilardi, has been plagued by injuries that cloud his future. Rasmus Kupari, their first-round pick and 20th overall in 2018, is playing for Finland at the world junior championships.

Their biggest trade chip may be goaltender Jonathan Quick, who has a salary-cap hit of $5.8 million through 2022-23. Jack Campbell and Cal Petersen have developed well enough for the Kings to feel secure about trading Quick if they can get a substantial return. They’ll have to wait for Campbell to fully recover from knee surgery, but he was sent to Ontario of the American Hockey League for a conditioning assignment and is expected back soon. Quick has had enormous value as a feisty leader 1123188 Los Angeles Kings

What we learned from the Kings' 2-1 win over the Coyotes

By CURTIS ZUPKE

DEC 28, 2018 | 8:20 AM

What do four straight wins get the Kings? Not much in the standings.

They’re still in last place in the Western Conference with 33 points, but there are slivers of hope with their fourth straight win, 2-1, against the Arizona Coyotes at Staples Center.

After they scored at least three goals in four previous games, the Kings took a page from their defensive past and eked out a low-scoring contest spiked by animosity.

Here’s what we learned:

Kings won without their best game

That’s often a true sign of a successful team. The Kings were beaten in the face-off circle and committed 10 giveaways. They were outplayed for much of the second period as the game settled into the expected matchup between the low-scoring two teams at the bottom of the Pacific Division.

“Today looked like a game after Christmas,” coach Willie Desjardins said. “It wasn’t our best game and certainly probably wasn’t [Arizona’s], either. You know, I think we can play better. We had a good first period and then we fell off a little bit. If we want to keep sustaining, we’ll have to play better than we did tonight, for sure.”

Quick moved closer to history

Quick recorded his 298th career win and is close to becoming the second American-born goaltender to win 300 games in fewer than 600 appearances, according to the NHL.

It was a typical modern-day Quick game. He allowed one goal he probably shouldn’t have, to Jakob Chychrun, and made up for it with clutch saves late, notably twice on Clayton Keller.

Quick said postgame that he likes what he sees from his perspective during this streak.

“I think we’ve been playing great in our end,” Quick said. “These past few weeks we’ve been doing a good job of taking away their chances and I think it kind of frustrates teams a little bit and makes them make some mistakes, and we can create chances on the other end because of it.”

Oscar Fantenberg quietly filling out defense

Fantenberg logged six blocked shots in more than 14 minutes of playing time and continued to show his versatility by jumping into the play on occasion.

He had two chances early in the game, including a nifty saucer pass setup from Brendan Leipsic. The team would love to see Fantenberg get on the scoresheet more often. He has one assist in 26 games. But Fantenberg has earned his stay in the third pairing, while Alec Martinez and Dion Phaneuf remain injured, which is a good sign for his development.

Said Desjardins of Fantenberg, “He gives us some flexibility … he can move the puck well. He can defend well. He gives you a little bit of everything.”

LA Times: LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123189 Los Angeles Kings Clifford was jokingly reminded that, of course, he is no Wayne Gretzky, so he’ll never catch him. He smiled, and took the bait.

“Well, you never know,” he said, laughing. “I mean, it’s never too late. The Kings’ mood is lighter, but they know there is still plenty of work to do Really turn on the jets here.”

Seriously, though, Clifford admitted a bit of honor comes with this By ROBERT MORALES | PUBLISHED: December 28, 2018 at 4:08 pm | achievement. UPDATED: December 28, 2018 at 6:13 PM “The guys on our team, we take pride in the way we play as individuals because it helps the team out,” he said. “Everybody knows their role and knows what they’ve gotta do out there. EL SEGUNDO — Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin had what can only be called a connect-the-dots goal during the first period of his team’s 2-1 “Whether you’re Drew Doughty, (Anze) Kopitar, (Derek) Forbort or victory over Arizona on Thursday night at Staples Center. myself, you take pride in your game and that helps the team win.”

Muzzin took a shot from just outside the top of the left faceoff circle. The THIS AND THAT puck hit the sticks of first one, then another, Arizona player before Defenseman Dion Phaneuf (upper-body) skated again Friday and is caroming into the net after hitting the visor of Coyotes defenseman Niklas getting close to returning, said Desjardins, who said he didn’t think that Hjalmarsson. return will be Saturday. Phaneuf has missed the past six games. … After Muzzin was asked after practice Friday if he had ever scored a goal playing Vegas, the Kings will hit the road for a New Year’s Eve game at similar to that one. He laughed. Colorado and a New Year’s Day game at Vegas. … The Kings sent defenseman Daniel Brickley to Ontario of the AHL. “No, that was … I was just in shock more than anything that it found its way into the net,” said Muzzin, whose Kings (15-20-3, 33 points) next Orange County Register: LOADED: 12.29.2018 host Vegas (21-15-4, 46 points) on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Staples Center. “But, I mean, sometimes you get those bounces. I’ve never had one like that. I’ve never seen one like that. But I’m going to take it for sure.

“You know, I think we were due for some bounces. We got a few on that shot, so we’ll take it.”

Quite a cheeky goal there, Jake @LAKings | #GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/5SLSI29jmJ

— FOX Sports West (@FoxSportsWest) December 28, 2018

Muzzin was laughing again, having a good time. Winning four consecutive games after going 11-20-3 over the first 34 games can do that.

The team’s mood, in general, is now more uplifting than somber.

“Well, it’s definitely a lot lighter mood when you’re winning,” Muzzin said. “Losing sucks. If guys are having fun when they’re losing, there’s something wrong. And we’ve lost our fair share of games at the start of the season and it hasn’t been that fun.

“So as long as we stay focused, we could enjoy it.”

Muzzin then spoke in cautionary tones.

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“But we still have lots of ground to cover,” said Muzzin, whose team is eight points out of the final Western Conference playoff spot. “Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves.

“We still have to continue working and trying to get better at some things. But, definitely, we could enjoy it as we do it.”

Interim coach Willie Desjardins has noticed the overall vibe of the team has changed.

“You do notice a difference,” he said. “It’s a lot more fun to come to the rink when you’re winning than when you’re losing. But I think saying that, I think that’s the time when we probably have to be harder on our guys.

“It’s easier to be hard on your guys when you’re winning.”

Desjardins knows the team has to continue to improve if it is to realize its goal of making the postseason.

“We know we’ve gotta be better, but it’s sure nice to win some games,” he said.

CLIFFORD MILESTONE

Forward Kyle Clifford had an assist in Thursday’s victory and now has 100 points for his career. He took some pleasure in reaching the milestone in his ninth season. But he is not known as a scorer, so he said neither he nor anyone else is going to make a huge deal out of it.

“It’s not one that I’m going to talk about very much,” he said. “Our mindset is winning games and personal success comes with that.” 1123190 Los Angeles Kings It was a poor pass on a routine play and then a change. You get caught leaning towards the bench and then trying to recover, you know what, it’s momentum for the opposition. We should have been executing and FINAL – SAN ANTONIO 3, ONTARIO 2 converting on that power play. So yeah, it’s another painful lesson.

Kyle Bauman on what went wrong after the Reign jumped out to a 2-0 lead ZACH DOOLEYDECEMBER 28, 2018 Whenever we have a lead, it’s not something we try to do, sit back. We try to keep the foot on the gas and keep playing our game, but the second period, they had two goals and we never plan on that. UNCATEGORIZED On playing with leads and struggling to preserve leads as of late and In the words of the ’s players and coaches, the time for whether it’s a result of inexperience excuses is in the rear-view mirror. Now almost halfway through the season, being a young team is no longer an excuse this group is willing We do have a younger team, but it’s not an excuse anymore. Like you to use. With a 2-0 lead through 20 minutes, the Reign played a strong said, we came from behind for some wins in the first 25 games or so and first period, but gave up three unanswered goals in a 3-2 defeat on now we’ve got the lead and we have to learn how to keep it. We’ve got to Friday evening at AT&T Center in San Antonio. learn how to win games because these points are so important. Right now we’re last in the standings in our division and we need these wins. There were positives – It wasn’t a bad effort, but it also wasn’t a 60- minute effort. On a positive note, the Reign started strong as they jumped On his line with Eyssimont and Herr, which combined for two goals out to a 2-0 lead through 20 minutes, courtesy of goals from forwards tonight Mikey Eyssimont and Kyle Bauman. It’s great playing with those guys, they’re great players and it’s definitely First, just past the halfway mark of the first period, Eyssimont took a been easy playing with them, making plays and I think we’ve got some cross-ice feed from forward Sam Herr, walked down the right wing and chemistry right now. It feels good to contribute and put some goals on the beat San Antonio netminder Evan Fitzpatrick clean on the glove side with board and feel like you’re contributing to the game, but like I said earlier, a wrist shot, for his sixth goal of the season. it’s not enough right now. We need wins.

Bauman doubled his side’s advantage just 40 seconds from the buzzer On what the team can do tomorrow to bounce back against Texas as he knocked home a Brett Sutter feed late in the first period. After Bauman left the puck for Sutter down the right wing, the Ontario captain We’ve got to come out early. Playing tonight, we’ve got to come out early entered the offensive zone on the right side and sent a backhanded pass and get the lead and try to keep the lead unlike tonight. Playing a hard towards the slot, where Bauman split the defensemen and style, getting pucks behind their D and once we get the lead we’ve got to whacked home his third goal of the season, picking up his first career keep it. multi-point game in the AHL in the process. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 12.29.2018 San Antonio rebounded in the middle stanza, however, scoring the next two to tie the game at a pair apiece. San Antonio started with a shorthanded tally, as Austin Poganski moved down the right wing, deked to his backhand and roofed a shot over Reign goaltender Jack Campbell for his fourth tally of the season. Rampage forward Conner Bleackley tied the game at two 7:05 into the second as he cashed in on a rebound in front of Campbell, slotting home his second goal of the season after the Reign were unable to clear the front of the net. Forward Jordan Kyrou collected his team-leading 21st point of the season with the secondary assist.

The Rampage took their first lead of the evening midway through the third period as Samuel Blais moved towards the slot and beat Campbell over the glove hand, giving the hosts a 3-2 lead they would not relinquish. Ontario had a late flurry, with a power play and the extra attacker, but could not find the equalizer.

The REign travel to Cedar Park tonight before a 5:00 PM Pacific time showdown against the Texas Stars tomorrow evening to cap off their weekend back-to-back.

Post-Game Quotes

Mike Stothers on whether he felt his team sat back with a 2-0 lead

We didn’t sit back, we just don’t give ourselves a chance, because we don’t keep playing the way we need to play. We got some good results from getting some pucks deep, in behind their D and making them turn and go back and get it. We stopped doing that, and the turnovers that lead to some defensive zone situations, come back and bite us and it becomes a one-goal game, when we had to just keep playing the way we needed to. It wasn’t a matter of just sitting back, it was way too early to start thinking about that.

On whether being “inexperienced” is no longer an excuse the team can use.

Well yeah. You can say you’re a young team, or an inexperienced team, but we’re halfway through the season or basically, close enough. Growth has to be such that we shouldn’t be going over the same issues that we were in the first half of the season. Turnovers being one of them, or line changes, or any myriad of things that come back and end up costing us.

On the special teams battle and the shorthanded goal against being a turning point in the game 1123191 Los Angeles Kings around STAPLES Center have a different silver-themed feel, including celebrity guests, debate-themed programming and outdoor fan fests featuring live music acts. The Kings also wear their new Silver Jerseys SATURDAY: HOCKEY DAY SOCAL; ANDY LASSNER GUESTS ON for all Saturday home games. HNILA Lassner joined the producing team of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” at its inception in 2003 and was promoted to Executive Producer in July 2005. In addition to having a recurring segment on the talk show called JON ROSENDECEMBER 28, 2018 “Average Andy,” Lassner and his fellow ELLEN executive producers host the behind-the-scenes podcast, “Ellen on the Go.” Lassner has earned

20 Daytime Emmy® Awards, three Genesis Awards, and one GLAAD FOX SPORTS WESTRADIO AND TELEVISION Award for his work on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” In addition, Lassner has won two Johnny Carson Producer of the Year Awards in Variety Insiders. A very happy Friday night to you all. The Ellen DeGeneres Television from the Producers Guild of America. Lassner currently serves Show Executive Producer Andy Lassner is a massive Kings fan and will as Executive Producer for NBC’s fan-favorite game show “Ellen’s Game be the celebrity guest-slash-neurotic Jew on tomorrow’s Hockey Night in of Games,” NBC’s hit series “Little Big Shots,” as well as its spin-off Los Angeles broadcast, part of a busy day of programming as FOX series “Little Big Shots: Forever Young.” He previously executive Sports West celebrates its second Hockey Day SoCal. On the docket are produced the ABC reality show “Repeat After Me” and served as an Kings and Ducks games book-ending a televised game between the Executive Consultant to Ellen DeGeneres at the 86th Academy Awards. 16AAA Junior Kings and Junior Ducks as part of 10 hours of programming that will also include Derek Armstrong’s return to the Lassner joins Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family), Jeff Garlin (Curb Your broadcast as an analyst. The details, in press release-form: Enthusiasm), Kevin Ryder (KROQ) and Willie O’Ree (hockey pioneer / Hockey Hall of Famer) as the Celebrity Guest of Honors to date. On SECOND ‘HOCKEY DAY SOCAL’ TO TAKE PLACE SATURDAY, January 12, the Celebrity Guest of Honor will be Snoop Dogg and other DECEMBER 29 celebrity announcements will be revealed in the coming weeks.

FOX Sports West to Provide 10 Continuous Hours of Hockey The Kings conclude their two-game road trip today, Sunday, in Las Programming, Vegas as the Kings face the Golden Knights at 5 p.m. That game will be broadcast on FOX Sports West, the FOX Sports App and the LA Kings Los Angeles — FOX Sports West, in conjunction with the Anaheim Audio Network on iHeartRadio. Ducks and Los Angeles Kings, announced broadcast plans for the second “Hockey Day SoCal,” set to take place on Saturday, December LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 12.29.2018 29, starting at 12PM. Highlighted by 10 hours of programming, the network will showcase three games, including Las Vegas Golden Knights vs. LA Kings, Arizona Coyotes vs. Anaheim Ducks, and the 16AAA Jr. Kings vs. Jr. Ducks.

The themed day will be anchored by the “Hockey Day SoCal” set location at Anaheim ICE and a special hockey themed telecast launching the day at 12PM; the network will be back with “Hockey Day SoCal” updates at approximately 5:30PM. Mike Pomeranz will host the program alongside Guy Hebert, who will offer analysis as they check-in with the “LA Kings Live” crew at STAPLES Center and “Ducks Live” crew at Honda Center throughout the day.

Beginning at 12:30PM, “LA Kings Live” will preview the Golden Knights vs. LA Kings game from STAPLES Center. Hosted by Patrick O’Neal, Jarret Stoll and Derek Armstrong will deliver analysis before handing it over to; Jim Fox and Alex Faust who will then offer analysis and play-by- play, respectively. The Kings-Vegas broadcast on Saturday is also the next in the Hockey Night in LA series, a special matinee edition featuring Andy Lassner.

For the first time, FOX Sports West will feature the 16AAA Jr. Kings vs Jr. Ducks game. Originating from Anaheim ICE at 4:00PM (tape delay from 9AM), David Gascon will provide play-by-play, Hebert will offer analysis and Taylor Felix will supply reports and interviews.

To round out the day at 6:30PM, “Ducks Live” pre-game will set up the Coyotes vs. Ducks game from Honda Center with Host, Kent French, Analyst, Brian Hayward and Reporter Jill Painter-Lopez. Hayward will then join Play-by-Play Announcer, John Ahlers in the booth. Coverage will conclude with “Ducks Live” post-game, recapping the best of the day from each location.

The hockey community is encouraged to join the celebration by using #HDSoCal and visit foxsportswest.com/hockeyday for a compilation of all “Hockey Day SoCal” content.

ANDY LASSNER, AWARD-WINNING AND LONG-TIME EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF THE ELLEN SHOW, TO BE THE FEATURED CELEBRITY GUEST OF HONOR FOR ‘HOCKEY NIGHT IN LA’ ON DECEMBER 29 DURING SPECIAL MATINEE EDITION

LOS ANGELES – Andy Lassner, Executive Producer of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” will serve as the special Celebrity Guest of Honor for Hockey Night in LA on December 29 when the Los Angeles Kings host the Vegas Golden Knights at STAPLES Center. Game time is 1 p.m.

The special Matinee Edition on December 29 will be the fifth installment of Hockey Night in LA which the Kings, in conjunction with FOX Sports West, launched this past November. Hockey Night in LA is a series of special weekend games in which club broadcasts and activations in and 1123192 Los Angeles Kings “A big thing with them is if they turn the puck over, they’re getting it back, so you know they always have a good F3 and they’re always tracking back, which allows the defense to keep a tight gap and then we can force BRICKLEY ASSIGNED; LEIPSIC ON STRUCTURE, VEGAS; them to turn the puck over and not get it deep, and that can kind of feed PHANEUF/MARTINEZ UPDATES; QUOTES into our transition,” said Brendan Leipsic, who totaled two goals and 13 points in 44 games with Vegas before a trade to Vancouver last season. “You know, we’ve got some good puck movers back there, Dewey and Muzz, they’re good at getting their head up and finding the forwards that JON ROSENDECEMBER 28, 2018 are coming back, so taking care of the puck and then having a backcheck helps feed and create turnovers and get our transition game going.” ADVANCED STATSPRACTICE NOTES Saturday’s matinee will be the third of four games over a 25-day span INSIDERS. A good day to you. A systems and skating-heavy practice between the Pacific Division rivals. This swath of action has come during began at 11:00 a.m. and lasted the better part of an hour. This practice a period in which the Kings have strung together a fairly regular stretch of was mostly geared towards five-on-five structural detail and included systems-heavy practices. Because of breaks in the schedule, Los forechecking and retrieval drills in addition to skating work and rush and Angeles took part in lengthy skates on December 17th, 19th, 21st and flow rotations. The Kings aligned as such, via color coding: 28th, and have been able to work out some kinks in their game through regular repetition. Friday’s forechecking drill is among those to prepare Gray: Iafallo-Kopitar-Brown the team well for what they should face again on Saturday. Blue: Kempe-Carter-Toffoli-Scherbak “You want to put pucks deep in spots where you can get ‘em back where Yellow: Kovalchuk-Thompson-Leipsic you can kind of force them into your other forward, second forward and third forward, so you’re just trying to control the game as much as you Purple: Clifford-Wagner-Amadio-Luff can with where you’re putting the puck,” Leipsic said.

Notes! –Los Angeles has allowed seven goals over their last four games and accentuated their recent lockdown trends by yielding only 34 five-on-five –Daniel Brickley has been assigned to AHL-Ontario. He’s with the Reign shot attempts to Arizona, their opponents’ lowest tally since October. The for a two-game set in San Antonio and Cedar Park this weekend but is Coyotes generated very little from the center of the ice, and as many more likely to play tomorrow against the Stars than tonight against the coaches will tell you, good checking and stout defensive play leads to Rampage. This is aligned more with an actual assignment to create chances at the other end. space for a healed player – more on that shortly – than one of the recent paper transactions in which the Kings wringed out some additional cap “If we play good defense, then we can use that to transition into offense,” flexibility by moving waiver-exempt players between Los Angeles and Desjardins said. “We realize if we play well defensively, it gives us a Ontario between games. Signed last spring to a contract as a free agent chance with our goaltending. It was something we talked about, cleaning out of Minnesota State-Mankato, Brickley has two assists in five career up our D-zone a little bit. But saying that, the team’s a pretty good NHL games and five points (2-3=5) in 21 games this season with the defensive team. Throughout their lineup, they’ve always been pretty good Reign. defensively.”

–The healed: Dion Phaneuf is improving but unlikely to play against Nate Thompson credits the ability to close on players quickly and take Vegas Saturday (1:00 p.m. / FOX Sports West / FOX Sports app / LA away their time and space in limiting the opposition’s chances. Kings Audio Network), per Willie Desjardins. “Dion’s been practicing, so he’s getting closer, for sure. He was in battle drills. I think he’s getting “I think when the first guy is going in, the second guy is there to jump so pretty close,” Desjardins said, noting that he’s still waiting to see how he that second guy doesn’t have time to make plays,” he said. “I think we’re responds to today’s bumps. “I haven’t talked to him yet and kind of see just all connected, you know? It’s kind of one goes we all go, and it limits how he handles it. It’s his first little bit of contact, so we’ve got to see how their chances.” he comes out of it.” Interconnected five-man units moving up and down the ice: the desired –More on the healing. “[Alec] Martinez hasn’t been out skating yet, but result in the marriage of work, detail, practice, structure and execution. he’s progressing well. I think our medical team has done a great job “We’re trying to be smart with the puck, put it behind their D, get our getting guys back earlier than we planned,” Desjardins said. forecheck going, create turnovers and then when they do break out we’re –Prior to their afternoon flight, Vegas lined up with forward groups of trying to get guys back so we can keep things clogged up and hopefully Marchessault-Karlsson-Smith, Pirri-Stastny-Tuch, Carrier-Eakin- turn it up and get it right back on the attack,” Leipsic said. “Spend as Carpenter and Nosek-Bellemare-Reaves. Per David Schoen of the Las much little time in your end as you can.” Vegas Review-Journal, it’s unclear whether defenseman Colin Miller –Not related, but highly recommended reading ($): Stars ownership, (undisclosed), who did not practice Friday, will play in the back-to-back management go on expletive-laden tirade over poor performance from set at Los Angeles and Arizona. The Golden Knights will be without Erik Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin Haula (lower-body) and Max Pacioretty (lower-body), both of whom are on IR. “They’re going to be ready,” Desjardins said. “We beat them a –For the crowd that doesn’t have an Athletic subscription: Stars CEO Jim couple times, so they’re going to have a pretty good focus and they’re Lites rips into Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin: ‘It’s pissed me off … We are going to come in here hungry. We have to make sure we’re on the top of getting terrible play from our top two players’ our game. If we go in there relaxed at all, it’ll show early because they’re going to be hungry.” This two-game set that continues Sunday in Arizona Juan Ocampo/NHLI will serve as the front end of Vegas’ fathers’ trip. Willie Desjardins, on whether he’s noticed a different mood or feeling at –Speaking of Vegas, their go-go-go, jet-powered, turnover-forcing, puck practice: pursuit-driven attack was a major reason why the Golden Knights I think you do notice a difference. It’s a lot more fun to come to the rink finished second in the Western Conference with 272 goals last season. when you’re winning than when you’re losing. But I think saying that, They’ve descended a bit towards earth despite having largely maintained that’s a time we’ll probably have to be harder on our guys. It’s easier to good structure. Their pure, five-on-five possession rates rank fourth in be hard on your guys when you’re winning. It kind of goes opposite – it’s the league, while their 1,990 total shot attempts rank second. But their better to be harder when you’re winning. We know we have to be better, team save percentage has dropped from .911 to .902, and with it a PDO but it’s sure nice to win some games. that has shrunk to .981, the 28th mark in the league. Combined with Desjardins, on Dustin Brown’s play: injuries, Vegas has appeared to fall from Juggernaut into Still Awfully Good status. They’re 3-1-3 in their last seven games and are three points I like the line. I think the line’s carried us for a lot of the year. That was a up on Anaheim for the third overall spot in the division, though the Ducks big goal last night. It was a good shot. He’s had a lot of looks. That line’s have a game in hand. been pretty consistent for us. He’s a real leader on the team. Like, he’s a guy that he went through a stretch a few years back but really found himself and his game. He’s great with the young guys, too. They’re on the road, and Brownie’s a guy that’ll take ‘em out and kind of mentor them and talk to them. His leadership’s big for our club.

Brendan Leipsic, on whether he feels like he’s settling in with the Kings:

Yeah, I think so. I think I would like to create a little more, contribute a little bit more. I’ve been a little snakebitten. Had a good chance last night, but you know, there’s a fine line between making plays and not overdoing it too, so I think as a team we’re finding a good balance between when to make a play and when to put it deep and kind of fight their D and that sort of thing and that’s kind of the thing with me is just trying to find that happy medium of when to make the play, when to not make the play.

Leipsic, on the team’s momentum and morale:

It’s way better coming to the rink every day when you’re winning and you know the last little, couple games, we don’t feel like we’re too out of it if we get too down or a bad bounce or something like that. We feel like we can, you know, we’re still right there, we can push back, so hopefully keep this momentum rolling tomorrow against another good test, Vegas again.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123193 Los Angeles Kings LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 12.29.2018

PREVIEW – ONTARIO @ SAN ANTONIO, 12/28

ZACH DOOLEYDECEMBER 28, 20180

GAME PREVIEWONTARIO REIGN

WHO: Ontario Reign (10-11-3-2) @ San Antonio Rampage (13-17-1-0)

WHAT: AHL REGULAR SEASON GAME

WHEN: Friday, December 28, @ 5:30 PM (Pacific)

WHERE: AT&T Center – San Antonio, TX

HOW TO FOLLOW: Video: AHLTV – AUDIO – iHeart Radio (Away Feed) – TWITTER: @ontarioreign & @reigninsider

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP: The Ontario Reign are back in action for the first time following the holiday break. The Reign entered the five-day lull off of a home victory, a 7-6 shootout win over San Diego last Saturday in Ontario.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: The Reign will take on the San Antonio Rampage for the first time this season and the only meeting in Texas. Ontario and San Antonio square off just twice in total, with the return meeting scheduled for Friday, February 22 at Citizens Business Bank Arena. The two teams split a set of six meetings a season ago, with the Reign posting a 1-2-0 record in the three games in Texas. All-time, Ontario is 3-4-2 in San Antonio, with an 11-4-3 record overall in head-to- head matchups.

I MADE IT OUT OF CLAGUE: Ontario defenseman Kale Clague led his team with four points (0-4-4) in Saturday’s victory. The four helpers set a professional career high for Clague in both assists and points in a game. The first-year blueliner has now amassed eight points (1-7-8) from seven December games played, with his seven assists tied for seventh across the American Hockey League in that timespan.

HAT TRICK HERO: Reign forward Philippe Maillet collected his second hat trick of the month on Saturday, as he found the back of the net three times in the 7-6 victory. Maillet previously collected a hat trick on December 2 against Tucson and is one of two players with multiple hat tricks in the AHL this season. The second-year forward has tallied seven goals in total thus far in December, tied for fourth in the AHL, with his 10 points (7-3-10) leading all Ontario skaters.

POWER POINTS: While the Reign came away with the shootout victory on Saturday, the game extended past 60 minutes, extending Ontario’s winless in regulation streak to eight games, tying a season long, previously set in the season’s first eight games. The Reign are 2-4-2 in that stretch, collecting points in four of eight games, with the six total points one greater than they earned on their previous stretch in October.

SUMMER CAMP-BELL: Goaltender Jack Campbell earned the victory in his first game back with Ontario, which came on Saturday. Campbell, who is on a conditioning stint with the Reign from the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, made 40 saves as Ontario tied a season-high with 46 shots allowed. Campbell also turned aside all three shots he faced in the shootout as he helped lead the Reign to their first shootout victory of the season.

SHOOTOUT SHELDON: Reign forward Sheldon Rempal scored the lone goal in Saturday’s shootout, his second shootout tally of the season. Rempal is the only Ontario player to find the back of the net in the shootout this season and is one of 14 players in the AHL with two-or- more shootout goals. Rempal also collected an assist in the victory, extending his overall scoring streak to three games, and his home point streak to seven games.

THRILLING THIRD: Saturday’s game entered the third period with a 3-2 Ontario advantage, but the Reign and Gulls combined for seven goals and more than 50 penalty minutes in the third period alone, forcing overtime at 6-6. The seven combined goals in a period is the second most for Ontario this season (eight goals, 4-4, on Oct. 6 in Stockton) and the 102 combined PIM’s on the evening is the highest total in a Reign game on the season. 1123194 Los Angeles Kings

WAKING UP WITH THE KINGS: DECEMBER 28

JON ROSENDECEMBER 28, 2018

GAME STORY

The LA Kings headed into the Christmas break having won three straight games against 2018 Western Conference semifinalists, and though they exited it against a low-scoring and banged up team in a nearby standings spot, established their game early and in a completely plausible story won a low-scoring game against Arizona at Staples Center. These two teams had a combined 10 players on injured reserve and were also without Jeff Carter and Brad Richardson, and the on-ice product at times resembled that of two banged-up, scuffled teams coming out of the break. But the Kings were solid and stingy at five-on-five, generated in- zone and rush chances and continued their solid offensive bent by out- chancing and out-playing a team that entered Staples Center having won all three of its prior divisional road games. Unlike several recent seasons, Los Angeles was solid going into and coming out of the break, winning in the first game before and after Christmas for the first time since December, 2010.

Juan Ocampo/NHLI

Los Angeles activated defensemen well on Thursday, with Oscar Fantenberg continuing his recent sturdy play by hopping into several first period rushes and generating a couple of B-type chances. Sean Walker also played his most assertive game since his NHL debut, generating three shots and six shot attempts in 17:37. All defensemen recorded a shot on goal, with Jake Muzzin (seven shot attempts), Drew Doughty (five) and Forbort (three) complementing Walker’s pucks towards the net. With potential departures looming as the Kings head towards the trade deadline with a legitimate scenario in which they’d exchange multiple parts for picks and prospects, Walker, Fantenberg and Paul LaDue will be among those whose play in the second half of the season will draw significant scrutiny as the seeds of future roster construction are planted.

Juan Ocampo/NHLI

Setting aside for a moment the notion that the Kings should not have come out of the Austin Wagner-Lawson Crouse-Nick Cousins web of antagonism shorthanded, it’s still good to see the younger players respond emotionally and demonstratively when teammates aren’t treated honestly. It happened over the weekend when Matt Luff engaged Erik Karlsson after the hit on Wagner, and both that episode and Thursday’s represented a step up from other higher profile muted engagement decisions. There’s good jam in Wagner’s game; he’ll fight, he’s competitive and forechecks physically, which paired with his speed should make him an effective third line forward for a number of years in the league. If there’s some positive to gain from this season – not the SportsClubStats.com algorithm, which has their playoff chances at 0.8% – it’s that the Kings have unearthed a pair of interesting forwards in Luff and Wagner that should play consistently in the future, with Luff, who seemingly generates one high-danger chance a night, solidifying his potential as a forward with top-six appeal. With their salary structure, those young, productive, role-playing forwards are of significant value.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123195 Minnesota Wild “The only guy who’s not here is Dumba,” Zucker said. “So it’s one of those things that we just gotta know that we have the guys who can do it.” Wild stuck in a scoring funk, aims to avoid similar path from last season Tripping over these familiar obstacles is the alternative, a path the Wild spiraled down earlier this year. But where it’s been isn’t necessarily the same as where it’s going. By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune DECEMBER 28, 2018 — 9:08PM And the team has a chance to start reversing course in a situation that’s like the one that previously foiled it. WINNIPEG, Manitoba – There’s a shortage of goals, the defense isn’t at “We know what we’re capable of,” Coyle said. “We had a great start to full strength and it feels like the team is teetering on the brink of a the season. There’s a bunch of teams that have gone through lapses dangerous free fall. here, and every team kind of goes like that. It’s just how quickly you can get out of it and head in the other direction. This is a game that can really This doesn’t just describe the current state of the Wild. do that for us.” These were also the circumstances surrounding the group’s demise last Star Tribune LOADED: 12.29.2018 spring when it was eliminated in five games by the Jets in their playoff matchup. Although the team couldn’t overcome that adversity, it still has time to avoid a similar fate this go-round starting Saturday when the Wild will look to end a season-high five-game losing streak during its first regular- season appearance at Bell MTS Place since its first-round exit. “Of course we can,” center Charlie Coyle said. “It’s up to us to figure that out.” Scoring just five times amid an 0-4-1 slide is grim, especially considering the Wild has unleashed more than enough shots (181) on net to shrug off this offensive funk. It also doesn’t help that the stability that gave the team’s defense its identity early in the season has wavered, with Matt Dumba’s recovery from surgery to fix a ruptured right pectoral muscle shuffling the previous order. Add in a .902 save percentage from its goaltenders during that span, and the Wild has slumped to the uncomfortable no man’s land where it’s just as many points shy of a playoff spot (four) as it is from the basement of the Western Conference. But unlocking better execution and a steadier defensive posture aren’t new challenges for the core of this group. Those were also the boxes the team had to check to persevere in the playoffs last season when injuries shelved defenseman Ryan Suter and eventually winger Zach Parise. By Game 5, when the Wild was steamrollered 5-0, the team was relying on five players who made their postseason debuts in that series — including two on defense. That inexperience combined with a disappearing act from the offense, which finished the season with a scoreless skid of 141 minutes, 37 seconds, were too much for the Wild to overcome, but history doesn’t have to repeat itself. “It obviously leaves a bad taste in your mouth when you have experiences like that,” winger Marcus Foligno said. “You want to change it.” While the pressure of the postseason tends to be unrivaled, urgency can still be channeled in December amid rough patches like this and capturing that vibe was part of coach Bruce Boudreau’s post-holiday break message to the players. “When you lose five games, you can’t be satisfied,” winger Jason Zucker said. “You can’t be OK with it. You gotta look at yourself and figure out what you can do better to score goals.” Optimism is another tactic; five players already have reached double digits in goals, Zucker pointed out, and many have a track record of being able to produce. Not only is that encouraging to the Wild, but so is a statement win against these Jets at home, barely a month ago, when the Wild flipped a two- goal deficit in the third period into a 4-2 advantage; players believe that potential is still intact even though the lineup has changed. The Wild officially assigned center Joel Eriksson Ek to the American Hockey League on Friday, and it’s possible the team ushers up a new reinforcement ahead of Saturday’s afternoon puck drop since defenseman Nick Seeler is sore and took a maintenance day Friday instead of practicing. Goalie Devan Dubnyk is expected to start against the Jets after he was pulled in the 5-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday following three goals on 10 shots. 1123196 Minnesota Wild

Wild-Winnipeg game preview

Sarah McLellan DECEMBER 28, 2018 — 8:52PM

3 p.m. at Winnipeg FSN, 100.3-FM Wild aims to end losing streak Preview: The Wild closes out a brief two-game road trip against the Jets after falling 5-2 to the Blackhawks in Chicago on Thursday. This is the first time the team has dropped five in a row — one in overtime — since March 12-19, 2017. Winnipeg suffered a 4-1 loss to the Calgary Flames in its return from the holiday break. Still, the Jets pace the Central Division with 50 points. Players to WATCH: Winger Patrik Laine has 23 goals and a 17.3 shooting percentage. Center Mark Scheifele has 20 points through 13 games in December. Captain Blake Wheeler has 43 assists. Numbers: Winnipeg is 13-5-2 on home ice. The Jets reached 50 points in three fewer games than last season. They’re 6-0 when allowing 40 or more shots. Injuries: Wild D Matt Dumba (ruptured right pectoralis muscle) is out. Star Tribune LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123197 Minnesota Wild

Reeling Wild start tough stretch Saturday in Winnipeg

By Darrin Bauming | Special to the Pioneer Press PUBLISHED: December 28, 2018 at 6:38 pm | UPDATED: December 28, 2018 at 6:40 PM

WINNIPEG, Manitoba — In the midst of an offensively anemic five-game losing streak, the Minnesota Wild enter the NHL’s toughest building to face their most recent playoff opponent, the Western Conference-leading Winnipeg Jets, in a 3 p.m. puck drop Saturday. “Obviously, things haven’t been going as well as we’d want them to, and this is obviously a huge game for us,” winger Nino Niederreiter said Friday. “We’ve got two find a way to get back on track.” Like many of his teammates, Niederreiter has been held off the scoresheet since the Wild’s last win — a 5-1 victory over Florida on Dec. 13. The Wild have just five goals during their five-game skid, and Winnipeg plays an aggressive, up-ice style of defensive hockey. “They play right in your face and all over the map and all over the ice,” Neiderreiter said. “They play a tight-checking game and it’s definitely very tough to play against them. … There’s a reason they’re on top right now.” The Wild’s division rival is 10-2-0 in December and has accumulated the second-most points on home ice in the NHL, going 13-5-2 at Bell MTS Place this season. The Jets’ 45-12-4 record home record over the past two years is tops in the NHL. The Wild put 48 shots on net Thursday in Chicago but lost 5-2. “We’re hoping you go out and beat the best then maybe things turn right around; that’s what we’re hanging our hat on,” wild coach Bruce Boudreau said after an afternoon practice Friday. “We’re not going in there and saying, ‘Woe is me.’ If you look at this league, a lot of teams are really sort of struggling right now, but then they turn it around and go for seven wins in a row. That’s just … what confidence has to do with this game. “We want to get on that train, and we know we’ve got a tough stretch ahead of us. I mean, if we can do it during the tough stretch, then more power to us.” Following Saturday’s game, the Wild return home for a New Year’s Eve date with the Penguins. They then have two days to prepare for another tough road test on Jan. 3 against the NHL’s current No. 2 club, the Toronto Maple Leafs. “You always are trying to realize where you’re at,” forward Jason Zucker said. “I think when you’re playing a division rival, there’s always a little bit more urgency and a bit more eagerness to that game, and a little bit more of a battle level. So, it’s something that could be good for us.” Goaltender Devan Dubnyk is expected to start Saturday despite being pulled in Chicago for the third time in his past 13 games. “He’s our No. 1 guy,” said Boudreau, who yanked Dubnyk after he allowed three goals on 10 Blackhawks shots Thursday. “Hey, we all have our moments in the sun. If forwards got pulled every time they didn’t gave a good game, or defensemen, boy, you’d see a lot of teams playing with 13 players a lot of nights. “He’s the guy I’ve relied on since the day I got here, and I thought he had a really good practice today, so I’m sure he’s going to come out and play great tomorrow.” BRIEFLY Defenseman Nick Seeler took a maintenance day Friday after getting nicked up in Chicago. “He was sore, but we’ll see,” Boudreau said. “I would venture to guess that, if we make a determination tonight that Seeler can’t go, then we’re going to be bringing somebody up.” Pioneer Press LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123198 Montreal Canadiens Montreal Gazette LOADED: 12.29.2018

In the Habs' Room: Bring on the Lightning, Niemi says, shaking off rust in Florida

PAT HICKEY, Updated: December 28, 2018

SUNRISE — No Carey Price? No problem. The Canadiens are without their No. 1 goaltender for the three-game road trip that opened Friday night against the Florida Panthers and possibly longer. But backup Antti Niemi turned in a solid performance with 23 saves as the Canadiens beat the Panthers in a game in which they started strong and finished stronger. “Nemo looked a little rusty in the first period, but we didn’t help him because they had some good scoring chances from the slot,” coach Claude Julien said. “He played really well in the second and third periods.” Niemi said he didn’t have much difficulty getting into the game. “I had a good practice in the morning and that helped me,” he said. He had to be at his best in the third period when the Panthers put on a push after falling behind 4-2. Florida closed the gap with a power-play goal by Keith Yandle, but Niemi stopped 10 other shots. “There were a lot of bodies in front of the net and the puck was bouncing, but I just tried to keep my eye on the puck,” Niemi said. “Both teams were playing with a lot of desperation,” Julien said. “They were trying to get closer to a playoff spot and we were trying to open the gap on them.” With Price out and backup Michael McNiven having zero NHL experience, Niemi figures to play all three games on this trip and that means a tough challenge Saturday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the team with the best record in the NHL. Niemi said he was prepared for the workload. “I don’t think back-to-back games should be a problem,” he said. “I think more teams are going with the same goaltender in back-to-back games if the goaltender has played well the first night. I’ll try to get some rest and I’ll be ready. “We had the good start we were looking for and then we had a bit of a lull, but we came back in the third period,” Brendan Gallagher said. The turning point was Tomas Tatar’s second goal of the night, scored on a power play. “I think the power play is getting better,” Tatar said. “When we scored that goal, it was huge. We’re starting to find our confidence. We’ve been working with (associate coach Kirk Muller) and we see where we were doing things wrong. I think our breakouts have been a lot better and we’re getting more shots, more chances.” Tatar is a on a roll, with two assists in the come-from-behind win in Las Vegas on Dec. 22 and two goals in this game. The Canadiens did a good job containing Florida’s top offensive threats, Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov. Huberdeau failed to get a shot on goal. He had three shots blocked and three others were off target. Barkov had one shot on goal. “It’s something we talked about before the game,” Julien said. “It’s a little tougher to match up when you’re on the road, but we had guys step up and do the job.” The Panthers have one of the worst defensive records in the NHL, and in the opening minutes it appeared the Canadiens were in a position to take advantage of the Florida weakness. Montreal scored twice in the first three minutes, but the offence then ground to a halt. The Canadiens spent a good portion of their morning skate working on the power play and it provided some tangible results.The Canadiens, who have the worst power-play record in the NHL, went 1-for-3, although their first power play wasn’t very pretty. The Canadiens managed two shots on goal, but neither of those shots was produced by the first unit and the best scoring chance came when Jesperi Kotkaniemi hit a post. 1123199 Montreal Canadiens

About last night ... Canadiens play excellent road game to beat Florida 5- 3

MIKE BOONE Updated: December 28, 2018

Abbreviated ALN tonight, peeps. The Ol’ Blogger is sick as a dog and keeping his Milk Bones dry for the Tampa game. Hands up everyone who thought Antti Niemi would be brilliant against the Panthers. And the team in front of him wasn’t bad, either. With their star goaltender back in Montreal nursing a mysterious injury — and greeting his newborn daughter — the Canadiens played their hearts out. It was a crucial win … and it assured the NHL’s most surprising team of a .500 road trip … with two games to go. And it came against a team that has stirred to life and is making a move toward the Wildcard playoff berths currently occupied by the Canadiens and Boston. I’m watching L’Antichambre and listening to François Gagnon describe the Panthers as underachievers. As usual, he’s not wrong. Florida has a roster studded with high first-round draft choices: Aaron Ekblad, Jonathan Huberdeau, Aleksander Barkov, Michael Matheson. I may have missed a couple — which is easy to do when the Panthers play a game that was not up to the on-paper standards of their roster. The Canadiens took it to them from the opening puck drop. And the home team wilted. Until his empty-netter, Jonathan Drouin played a so-so game. But every other skater excelled. Tomas Tatar: Scored the first and go-ahead goals. And flew all night. Shea Weber: 27 minutes ToI, four hits, an assist, plus-3. His young partner played almost 20 minutes and was plus-2. Max Domi: Brilliant in every aspect of the game … and he didn’t have to fight Ekblad. Phillip Danault did … and won with a sumo move. Jordi Benn: Almost 17 quality minutes. Mike Reilly and Jeff Petrie: Emerging as a superb second pairing. The PK: No longer a weakness. And that goaltender we were all so worried about … Three unexpected Ws in a row. On to Tampa. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123200 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens ride hot start, strong third period to victory over the Panthers

PAT HICKEY, Updated: December 28, 2018

SUNRISE — The Canadiens went into Friday’s game against the Florida Panthers with the worst power-play record in the NHL, but Tomas Tatar scored with Montreal holding the man advantage at 8:54 of the third period to break a 2-2 deadlock and lift the Canadiens to a 5-3 win. Tatar’s second goal of the night — and 14th of the season — came right after a two-man advantage for Montreal had ended. Antti Niemi filled in for the injured Carey Price and he snapped a personal three-game losing streak to post his first win since Nov. 10. Niemi improved to 5-3-1 on the season. Niemi will probably play all three games on this trip because coach Claude Julien has ruled out a return for Price and the alternative is Michael McNiven, who has never played an NHL game. The win enabled the Canadiens to move into the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 45 points. They moved one point ahead of the idle Boston Bruins. The Canadiens had the good start they wanted, jumping to a 2-0 lead before the game was three minutes old. Tatar took advantage of a turnover by Michael Matheson to open the scoring at the 35-second mark. Tatar skated in front of the crease and lifted a backhander over Roberto Luongo’s glove for his 13th goal of the season. Nicolas Deslauriers made it 2-0 when he deflected Victor Mete’s shot from the point at 2:51. The Canadiens could have been up 3-0, because Jesperi Kotkaniemi had a good look between the two goals, but his shot went off the post to the left of Luongo. The Finnish rookie also hit a post during a power play later in the period. But the good start was wasted because the Canadiens went more than 10 minutes without a shot after taking the lead and the Panthers roared back to tie the game. After Henrik Borgstrom scored from the slot, the Panthers got the bounce as Denis Malgin tied the score at 13:53. Niemi redirected a shot through the crease, but the puck bounced off Paul Byron’s skate and set up Malgin in front of the net. Artturi Lehkonen scored what proved to be the winning goal on a beautiful pass from Andrew Shaw. It was Lehkonen’s seventh of the season. Keith Yandle scored a power-play goal with 1:16 to play to make things interesting, but Jonathan Drouin iced the game with an empty- netter for the final count. Price has been placed on the injured reserve list retroactive to Dec. 22. That led to speculation he could rejoin the team in Dallas for the New Year’s Eve game against the Stars. Julien dismissed that possibility after the Canadiens’ morning skate Friday in Sunrise. He said Price would remain in Montreal to be examined by doctors and to rest. Julien said Price has been suffering through a lingering “irritant” for several weeks and that the condition became worse during Thursday’s practice. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123201 Montreal Canadiens

Liveblog: Canadiens beat Florida 5-3

MIKE BOONE Updated: December 28, 2018

What an effort! Third-period goals by Tomas Tatar and Arturri Lehkonen broke open a close one. Then after Keith Yandle made it a one-goal game, Jonathan Drouin bagged an empty-netter. Shut out in their last three games against Florida, the Canadiens scored twice inside the game’s first three minutes. Michael Matheson’s turnover became a Tatar backhand goal 35 seconds into the game. Then at 2:51, Nicolas Deslauriers beat Roberto Luongo from in close. Eight minutes in, Henrik Borgstrom pounced on a turnover and beat Antti Niemi to make it 2-1. The game was tied 14 minutes in when a weird deflection off Paul Byron was steered past Niemi by Dennis Malgin. Jesperi Kotkaniemi hit the post twice in the first period. Prompting tonester14 to Comment: “The kid lives in Mtl., where hitting the bars is a rite of passage.” Shots were 28-26 Canadiens. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123202 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens Game Day: Julien hopes rest will cure Price's 'irritation'

PAT HICKEY, Updated: December 28, 2018

SUNRISE, Fla. — Canadiens head coach Claude Julien said he’s hoping whatever ails Carey Price will turn out to be nothing more than a day-to- day situation. “It’s an irritation that’s been bothering him for a few weeks and it got worse in practice (Thursday),” Julien said after the Canadiens’ morning skate in preparation for Friday’s game against the Florida Panthers (7 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio). Julien said Price’s 8-3 record in December led him to believe the injury isn’t serious, but “he’s seeing doctors to determine what’s wrong and I think these four days off will be good for him.” Price spent extra time in a hospital Thursday night when his wife, Angela, gave birth to their second child, a daughter named Millie. With Price on the injured reserve list, Antti Niemi is expected to play all three games on this road trip with Michael McNiven serving as the backup. Niemi has lost his last three starts and hasn’t won a game since Nov. 10. “(Niemi) has struggled lately, but he’s won some big games for us since he came over last season,” said Julien, who hedged on whether Niemi would play the second game of a back-to-back Saturday in Tampa. “We’ll see how he does tonight. I never like to commit myself.” At the same time, it would be a reach to see McNiven in the net. Two months ago, he was playing in the ECHL and he got the call-up because Charlie Lindgren, the Laval Rocket’s No. 1 goalie, is injured. McNiven said he was excited to get his first call-up to the NHL. He was in Belleville, Ont., with the Rocket on Thursday when he got the word and he took an 8 p.m. commercial flight to Fort Lauderdale, arriving at the team hotel just after midnight. McNiven will get a nice bonus for his weekend work. His AHL salary is US$62,500 and he’ll earn $7,900 for each game with the Canadiens. There was some concern about Brendan Gallagher’s availability after he missed practice Thursday with the flu, but he skated Friday morning and is ready to go. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123203 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens' Carey Price and wife Angela welcome second child

MONTREAL GAZETTE Updated: December 28, 2018

Canadiens goalie Carey Price and his wife, Angela, have welcomed their second child. Angela Price posted a photo to her Instagram account Friday morning showing the couple in a bed at the Jewish General Hospital with their newborn child. “It’s a girl! We welcomed baby Millie into the world last night!” the caption read. The couple announced the pregnancy in June. They have another young daughter, Liv Anniston. Price has been out of action recently with a lower-body injury and is expected to miss the rest of the Canadiens’ Christmas road trip. The Canadiens play the Florida Panthers Friday, the NHL-leading Tampa Bay Lightning Saturday and finish in Dallas on New Year’s Eve. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123204 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens at Florida Panthers: Five things you should know

PAT HICKEYUpdated: December 28, 2018

Here are five things you should know about the Canadiens-Florida Panthers game at BB&T Centre on Friday (7 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio). The matchup: This is the first of four meetings between these Atlantic Division rivals. The Canadiens have gone 8-4 in December and are 2-1 on their six-game holiday road trip that concludes with games Saturday in Tampa Bay and Monday in Dallas. Montreal holds down the second wild- card spot in the Atlantic Division with 43 points on a 19-13-5 record and has won its last two games after rallying to beat Vegas 4-3 in overtime on Dec. 22. Florida, which is coming off a 6-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, is seven points behind the Canadiens, but the Panthers have played two fewer games. Niemi in nets for Habs: With news Friday that Carey Price is sidelined with a lower-body injury and will miss the final three games of the road trip, Antti Niemi will start in goal. Niemi has lost his last three starts and hasn’t won a game since Nov. 10, but the Canadiens need him to contribute. Look for the Panthers to start veteran Roberto Luongo. The Montreal native missed time this season with a knee injury, but he has started four of the past five games and won three of them. Danault breaks through: Phillip Danault took a load off his shoulders when he scored three goals to lead the Canadiens to a 4-3 OT win over Vegas in their final game before the Christmas break. Danault, who ranks sixth in team scoring with five goals and 22 points, had been struck on two goals since Nov. 27. He was under fire in the twittersphere for his lack of goal-scoring as his critics overlooked the fact he was setting up linemates Brendan Gallagher and Tomas Tatar, was winning faceoffs on a consistent basis and was playing a 200-foot game, which makes the coaches happy. Injury update: Besides Price’s injury, Gallagher — the Canadiens’ leading goal-scorer with 15 — was on the team charter Thursday, but his status for this game is uncertain after he missed practice with flu symptoms. Andrew Shaw also missed practice for personal reasons, but is expected to be in the lineup. David Schlemko remained in Montreal after being placed on the injured reserve list with an upper-body injury. Schlemko has missed 55 of 119 games since he signed with the Canadiens prior to last season. Vincent Trocheck is missing from the Panthers’ lineup after surgery to repair a broken ankle, while Nick Bjugstad is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. The other guys: The Panthers rank ninth in the NHL in offence with 3.26 goals a game. Jonathan Huberdeau leads the scoring parade with 42 points, including 33 assists, which ties him with Edmonton’s Connor McDavid for seventh in the NHL. The Panthers’ top goal-scorers are Evgenii Dadonov and Mike Hoffman with 17 each. Aleksander Barkov has 15 goals and 36 points, while Frank Vatrano has 10 goals. The Achilles heel for the Panthers has been a porous defence that has allowed 3.49 goals a game to rank 27th. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123205 Montreal Canadiens Tied at 2, the Canadiens got a gift 5-on-3 chance when Frank Vatrano was called for tripping and MacKenzie Weegar got hit with a delay of game. Vatrano was back on the ice just as Montreal made it 3-2 but the Panthers play ‘dumb hockey,’ see chance to gain ground on Canadiens damage was done. disappear “We were tied with half a period to go, take a selfish penalty and it just explodes,” Boughner spat. “We were still in the game at that point. … That fourth goal was a backbreaker. We had two defensemen caught By George Richards 5h ago behind the net. Unaware, dumb hockey.” Montreal made it 4-2 with 4:20 left, but Florida got a six-skater power play goal from Keith Yandle to make it a one-goal game with 76 seconds SUNRISE, Fla. — The Panthers knew their opportunity to get back into left. the playoff race was right in front of them. Jonathan Huberdeau had a chance to tie it, but he rang the tying goal off The Canadiens, a team holding the last playoff spot and seven points in the post. “It sucks,” he said. “I thought I had him to where he couldn’t see front of Florida, came to town on Friday night with targets placed firmly it. And it hit the post.” on their backs. Montreal soon found the back of the empty net for the two-goal victory Or so the Panthers said. lap. If the Friday night matchup against Montreal was so important to the The Panthers have 46 games remaining, including three against these Panthers, one would not have noticed as Florida came out flatfooted and Canadiens. Yet there were no silver linings on this night. were in danger of getting blown out in the opening minutes. Making matters worse, Sasha Barkov, Florida’s best player, looked a little The Canadiens scored twice in the first three minutes, survived a few gimpy in the locker room after taking a puck off a foot. stretches in which Florida came with everything it had and bounded out of the BB&T Center with a 5-3 victory and a nine-point lead on the “Our start was terrible. We had no energy. Both teams had days off, this Panthers in the playoff race. was the first game back for both of us,” Huberdeau said. The Panthers have plenty of regrets this season but Friday’s “There are no excuses for not being ready to play at home — especially performance ranks right up there. in the situation we are in. We have to battle every game and cannot have games like this.” With the victory, Montreal took the top wild-card position with Florida now eight points behind Boston for the second and final spot. The Panthers Ekblad fights — just not Domi also have two games in hand on the Bruins with three games against them still to come. Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad had his opportunities to exact revenge on Max Domi for breaking his nose in the preseason. “We were not ready to play and that’s the bottom line,” goalie Roberto Luongo said. “I needed to make big saves in the third and didn’t do so. As expected, with the score tied for much of the night and the game That’s the story of the game. being so important, the two did not lock horns. “There are no excuses for tonight. We played a terrible game from the But Ekblad did fight. goaltender on out. We all have to take responsibility for it. It’s a With 2:21 left, Ekblad and Phillip Danault got together after Ekblad took disappointing result. We didn’t have the urgency tonight and it cost us.’’ umbrage at being run down in the corner. Florida had won four of five heading into the holiday break and could Both took five for fighting but Danault took an extra two minutes for have pulled within five of the Canadiens with two games in hand. roughing, allowing Florida to pull Luongo and put six skaters out for the Instead, the Panthers look to a Saturday night visit from the Flyers to try ensuing power play. and get the awful taste out of their mouth. The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018 “Some guys weren’t ready to play when the puck dropped. We were down 2-0 before the puck dropped,” coach Bob Boughner said. Luongo was besieged from the start and had it not been for a fortunate shot off the cage, Florida would have been down 3-0 in the early going. Mike Matheson gave Montreal its first big chance of the night when he misplayed a puck behind Luongo and fed it to Tomas Tatar for an easy 1- 0 lead just 35 seconds into the game. At the 2:51 mark, it was 2-0 and the Panthers looked like a team on the run — not one on the rise. Florida made it a game with a pair of first-period goals from Henrik Borgstrom and Denis Malgin against the much-maligned Antti Niemi but never found the lead. Niemi, who was a short-time member of the Panthers last season before being waived after giving up five goals in two games, finished with 23 saves. Niemi was filling in for the injured Carey Price. Not enough shots (Florida’s top line accounted for two of the 26 official shots on goal), too many passes and sloppy play doomed the Panthers on this night. Niemi, claimed off waivers by the Canadiens from Florida last season, came into the night making just 88 percent of his saves this year with a goals-against average over four. “I would love to say it was a bad team start but a couple of individuals started bad,” Boughner said. “That screwed the rest of us. We didn’t even have the chance to put out our third and fourth lines and it was 2-0. I would love to say our team wasn’t ready, but I think it was just a couple of guys weren’t ready to play and it cost us.” Not that the Panthers didn’t have chances and the game wasn’t exciting. 1123206 Montreal Canadiens many posts they hit. But despite many prolonged shifts in the offensive zone in the first 40 minutes, what stood out the most to me was their play in the third period. The Panthers took almost 70 percent of the shots, but Cracking the win: Forechecking their opponent to death was a winning the blue line held strong, only allowing one high-danger chance on Niemi. formula for the Canadiens There’s a major difference between playing ‘prevent defence’ – which is just code for losing control of the play and hoping your goalie bails you out – and shutting down the neutral zone to slow down opposing By Marc Dumont 6h ago forwards to the point that they can’t generate anything in the offensive zone.

The Canadiens did the latter, and with the help of some timely saves Going into Friday’s matchup against the Florida Panthers, the story from Niemi, now find themselves ahead of the Boston Bruins and just two surrounding the game was whether or not Max Domi and Aaron Ekblad points behind the Buffalo Sabres in the hunt for the playoffs. would renew hostilities following the preseason sucker punch incident that resulted in Domi being suspended for the remainder of the exhibition If they keep this up it’ll be a very happy new year. schedule. Though there were some shenanigans late in the game with the Canadiens leading 4-2, the end result was another frustrating The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018 kerfuffle for Ekblad, as he was body slammed by noted pugilist Phillip Danault. Keith Yandle added a late goal for the Panthers, but Jonathan Drouin responded with an empty-net goal to secure a 5-3 win for the Canadiens. Strong Start It took just 35 seconds for the Canadiens to score in their return from the holidays, setting the tone for the rest of the game by applying pressure on the forecheck and forcing a turnover. Tomas Tatar put an end to a seven game streak without a goal thanks to the Panthers’ generosity. While the rest of us were gorging on Lindt chocolate, the Canadiens seemed to have spent their break focusing on this game. A little over two minutes later, Nicolas Deslauriers added to the lead. The score was tied 2-2 at the end of the first period, but the Canadiens were clearly the better team in the first 20 minutes, controlling over 60 percent of the chances and high-danger shots in the process. The forwards gave the Panthers defence no quarter, which led to a slew of offensive-zone chances. Opportunistic Scoring With the score still tied 2-2 in the third period, the Canadiens were handed a perfect opportunity to take the lead when MacKenzie Weegar shot the puck over the glass, resulting in a 41-second 5-on-3 power play. Tatar made no mistake, scoring his second goal of the game – though it came five seconds after the 5-on-3 ended – on a particularly aggressive strategy by the Canadiens which forced the Panthers players into a very static defensive setup. By doing so, they opened up plenty of passing lanes. Earlier this year a late-game power play wouldn’t generate much interest due to the Canadiens’ inability to create scoring chances with the man advantage. But lately, the team has enjoyed a healthy uptick in quality shot attempts, which, in turn, is leading to more goals. Artturi Lehkonen’s goal, which turned out to be the game-winner, followed the theme of the game as it came off a turnover that was the result of focused pressure by the forechecker. This time it was Andrew Shaw who made up for an earlier giveaway by forcing a turnover deep in the offensive zone. Standout – Antti Niemi The Canadiens, and their goaltender, needed this one. Badly. Niemi hadn’t started a game since the Minnesota debacle on December 11 and hadn’t won a game since way back on November 10 at home against the Vegas Golden Knights. With Carey Price tending to his newborn as he nurses a lower-body injury, there’s nothing more essential to the continued success of the team than Niemi finding his rhythm. He found his rhythm in the second period against the Panthers, and even though he extended his streak of allowing at least three goals to nine games, he made several key saves and held the fort in the third period when some of the skaters had lost their legs. Forget for a minute that his statistics this season would make Peter Sidorkiewicz look like a Hall of Famer. Those stats don’t particularly matter. What does matter is how he performs in the next few games. The game against the Panthers was a good start and the perfect way for Niemi to put his early season woes behind him. Final Word The Canadiens controlled the play for two of the three periods, which is usually good enough to win a game in the NHL, though the score was probably a lot closer than it should have been when we consider how 1123207 Montreal Canadiens The results are impressive. Even if Danault appears to suffer when playing with Petry (who is often paired with a lefty who does not exactly shine defensively), his results playing with Weber are extremely strong. The domino effect of Shea Weber’s ridiculously strong play has elevated Danault’s numbers are even better with the third pairing, but I suspect the Canadiens to another level this is because of a significant drop in the quality of opponents he faces in that context (I am only looking at centres here and Danault takes some shifts with the fourth line and often plays immediately following a Canadiens power play). By Olivier Bouchard Dec 28, 2018 Meanwhile, the Domi line is thriving with Petry behind them. It’s not always pretty defensively, but their massive shot share advantage more than compensates. Authoritative arguments of any kind instantly cause my skepticism sensors to go a little haywire, particularly when that authority is rooted in What is most remarkable to me is Kotkaniemi, the Canadiens centre who legend more so than hard evidence. Suffice it to say, therefore, that the plays the most at 5-on-5 without either Weber or Petry behind him. The vast majority of comments prior to the return of Shea Weber from injury ice time of the youngest player in the NHL is meticulously managed, and had those sensors going bonkers. with good reason. There’s no benefit to exposing him to difficult situations; allowing him to continue facing the bottom end of opposing It was impossible to ignore the difficult realities facing Weber upon his lineups is working out just fine. return to the Canadiens lineup on Nov. 27. At age 33, he had clearly lost a step in terms of both speed and agility when compared to his prime, Just imagine what an opposing coach has to face here. Of the 48 or 49 something that first became clear in his final playoff series in a Nashville minutes his team plays against the Canadiens at 5-on-5, 35 minutes are Predators uniform. David Poile did not trade him to Montreal just so he taken up by Weber and Petry and about seven of the third pairing’s could make the front page of the paper. In addition to that, Weber was minutes played with Kotkaniemi and Danault. That leaves an opposing returning from two major surgeries to a team in the midst of a rebuild or coach anywhere between six and eight minutes to exploit the defensive reset or whatever that had its defence corps as its primary weakness. weaknesses of the fourth line and the Domi line playing in front of the And oh yeah, minor detail here, but that team had made a tactical third defence pairing. With an average shift length of 45 seconds, that change emphasizing quickness and activating the defence to support the leaves about 10 opportunities a game. At the Bell Centre, where Claude attack. Julien has the last change, it is a monumental task aside from Canadiens icings. In this context, it was more than reasonable to expect Weber to go through an adjustment period. But there has been no such adjustment All of this is the result of how remarkably well Weber has played since his period, none whatsoever. What Weber has done since his return is quite return. The pace of play will continue rising so it remains possible we will simply remarkable, which brings me to the other reason those see a dip in his play. But the Canadiens captain has placed the bar so authoritative arguments make me cringe; they normalize what Weber is high that even a slight dip would still mean he is filling his very difficult doing. role admirably and, as a result, allowing his teammates to play the roles they are best suited for. What Weber is doing is anything but normal. The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018 When he returned to the lineup against the Carolina Hurricanes on Nov. 27, the Canadiens were going through a difficult stretch. After a successful month of October, the second pairing of Mike Reilly and Noah Juulsen began slowing down and the Canadiens found themselves with a defence, aside from Jeff Petry, that was just scraping by. Weber changed everything. Since Weber never plays with Petry, his minutes are a net benefit for the Canadiens seeing as he is taking minutes away from an inferior option without diminishing Petry’s impact. If Weber had returned and simply performed the way he did when he was paired with Alexei Emelin two years ago, it would have more than sufficed. But Weber has been better than that, and his presence coupled with that of Petry has elevated the Canadiens to a new level. We can see it clearly by looking at the Canadiens variations in shot share according to the score. In October and November, when the Canadiens were leading (meaning a lead of at least two goals in the first 50 minutes of the game or one goal in the final 10 minutes) they were allowing their opponents to dictate the play. In December they have been far less generous. Petry is probably the one who has benefited the most from Weber’s return, going from a situation where he was clearly being overtaxed to one where he has more liberty to express his talents as an offensive defenceman. The following two graphs demonstrate how Petry’s impact on the flow of the game has been accentuated by Weber’s return. Though his ice time has been reduced, Petry continues to leave a large footprint on a game. Those extra shifts of rest provided by Weber have allowed Petry to employ his dynamic offensive skills on a more regular basis. I feel that on top of not having to face the best opposing players on a regular basis, Petry is benefiting from an expectation that he play an offensive style, regardless of the game state, whereas he was sometimes forced to play a more conservative style when Weber was out of the lineup. That observation is not only drawn from what we see during games, but also from the distribution of shared minutes between the forwards and defence since Weber’s return. We can see that Weber and Phillip Danault spend a lot of time on the ice together, that Max Domi is often playing with Petry and that Jesperi Kotkaniemi spends much of his time on the ice with the third pairing and Petry, but very rarely with Weber. In other words, the roles of the top three forward lines are easily identifiable by these shared minutes; Danault has to face the toughest opposition, Domi has to drive the offence and Kotkaniemi has to do what he can once the grown ups are done. 1123208 Nashville Predators

What Predators' PK Subban, Viktor Arvidsson said about another loss despite their return

Tommy Deas, Nashville Tennessean Published 4:20 p.m. CT Dec. 28, 2018

The moment the Predators had been waiting for finally arrived. The result they were hoping for did not immediately follow. Nashville got star players P.K. Subban and Viktor Arvidsson back from injured reserve for Thursday’s game at Bridgestone Arena against the Dallas Stars. The duo had missed a combined 40 games. And while the Predators got a boost in opportunities — a season-high 49 shots on goal — they came away with a 2-0 defeat. Those 49 shots ended up being the most in franchise history in a shutout loss. Maybe the returnees were a little rusty after so long away from the ice. Or perhaps the lineup chemistry has to be fine-tuned with roles changing due to their return. The Predators carry a five-game losing streak into Saturday's home game against the New York Rangers. Subban, an All-Star defenseman, focused as much on the goals allowed as on the ones not scored. “I think that we’ve got to be just more solid coming back into our zone and trying to keep pucks to the outside,” he said. “I felt decent. Even though I have been out for a while, there are still not any excuses. “I was on for two goals, and in my career I never like to be on the ice for even-strength goals so I’m going to have to look at the tape and get better for the next game.” Arvidsson, who finished second on the team last season with 61 points, had a bottom-line assessment of the offense: “We had a lot of shots. We’ve just got to score goals. That’s what it comes down to.” Coach Peter Laviolette has no doubt that having two top players back makes the Predators a better team. “It adjusts the seats probably to where they should be,” he said. “I mean, Arvie’s been a top-line player for us for a couple of years, P.K.’s been a top-line defenseman for us. So you’re moving things around ... so it brings different challenges, but when you bring these guys back it can certainly benefit your team.” Laviolette knows the Predators need to turn things around. "We've got to get out of it," he said. "I do think when things go south you look for positive signs and things to start showing that they're going to turn, and I saw some of that (in the Dallas loss)." Where some saw a loss that extended a losing streak, Subban saw potential. “Whenever you put (nearly) 50-plus shots on net, not a lot of teams can do that,” he said. “... We’ve got to build off of it. “We know we’re going to get out of this thing. It’s just a matter of keeping our focus where it needs to be, and that’s just on the next game for now.” After the game against the Rangers, seven of the Predators’ next eight games are on the road. Nashville is also riding a 10-game road losing streak. The players aren't hiding from the obvious. "I wouldn't say we ignore it," left wing Zac Rinaldo said. "We address what we're going through and we address the situation and we embrace it. We know what's going on right now. "We're all capable of rising up and and addressing it and taking it with a grain of salt. We're not coming in here moping and sad. You've got to stay positive and work through what we're going through." Said Arvidsson, “We’ve got to find our way back.” Tennessean LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123209 New Jersey Devils

David Backes suspended three games for hit on Blake Coleman in Devils vs. Bruins

NorthJersey.com Digital Desk Published 6:37 p.m. ET Dec. 28, 2018 | Updated 6:39 p.m. ET Dec. 28, 2018

A 5-2 loss is no longer the only blow the Bruins received in their game Thursday against the Devils. The NHL's Department of Player Safety announced Friday that David Backes will be suspended for three games. The decision comes after the Bruins center hit Blake Coleman in the head near the end of the loss. Coleman potted two goals in the win. Per the press release for the department, Backes is considered a repeat offender under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and will be hit with a fine just over $219,000 based on his $6 million AAV on his contract. Backes will be eligible to return for Boston's Jan. 5 matchup against the Sabres. Bergen Record LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123210 New Jersey Devils

A closer look at NJ Devils' goalie Mackenzie Blackwood

Abbey Mastracco, North Jersey Record Published 3:36 p.m. ET Dec. 28, 2018 | Updated 4:47 p.m. ET Dec. 28, 2018

BOSTON -- It’s hard to imagine the same goaltender who coolly beat the Boston Bruins with a 40-save performance on Thursday night is the same one who was playing in the ECHL earlier this year. Mackenzie Blackwood, a second-round draft pick of the Devils in 2015, was struggling through his second season in the American Hockey League when the club loaned him to Adirondack. He played well in five regular season games and even better in the Kelly Cup Playoffs but still… It was Adirondack. It wasn't the level of competition needed to take the next step in his career. Blackwood, then 21, didn’t exactly appear to be on his way to the NHL. But that’s exactly where he’s been for the past few weeks, up with the big club in New Jersey trying to prove he belongs. And so far, he has shown that he belongs. Blackwood boasts a 2.15 GAA and a .939 save percentage through four games (two starts). The sample size is small but beyond the numbers, Blackwood has shown that he has learned from those past experiences and his development is back on track. “The thing we’ve really liked about his game, and not just tonight, but in every game that he’s played for us, is his composure,” coach John Hynes said, following the game in Boston. “So now you have, you know, a big mountain of a man who’s in the net who’s got great athleticism but also plays with poise and is in good position. That’s tough to beat.” At 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, the Bay, Ontario native takes up a lot of cage. But he moves well for a big player and is deceptively athletic. He’s shown quite a bit of deception in the way he plays in practice vs. the way he plays in games. Blackwood gets deep in his net when on the friendly ice of RWJBarnabas Health Hockey House but come game time he’s moving fluidly from post-to-post cut off angles and read plays. “It’s actually interesting,” forward Kyle Palmieri said. “He’s a big guy, one of the most athletically-gifted guys I’ve seen. At the goalie position, you see a lot of gifted athletes. He finds a way to make saves, he doesn’t do anything he’s not.” The Devils entered the season thinking they would have an option A and 1-A in Keith Kinkaid and Cory Schneider. Instead, they have the third- worst team save percentage in the league (it was second entering Thursday’s game but Blackwood bumped it up one spot). Kinkaid has been overplayed and Schneider has been injured and ineffective. Blackwood isn’t a finished product just yet and there are growing pains to be had. But if Blackwood can keep up this type of play it will make things a lot easier on the Devils moving forward. “We haven’t had much of that where we’ve had tandem goaltending,” Hynes said. “So that fact that Mackenzie came in and played well is a good sign and hopefully he can continue to be that type of guy for us.” Back it up Boston’s David Backes had a hearing with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety on Friday for an illegal check to Blake Coleman’s head. The penalty was incurred with two minutes left to play in the Devils’ 5-2 win at TD Garden on Thursday. Coleman was blindsided by Backes while trying to shoot the puck out of the zone from the slot. Backes came flying in and threw his shoulder into Coleman’s head. Coleman was on a knee for a minute but was uninjured and practiced with the team on Friday. Trainer’s room New Jersey used the same lineups from Thursday’s game in practice with Taylor Hall and Marcus Johansson still out of commission. While Johansson remains on injured reserve with an upper-body injury, Hall is still considered day-to-day. Hynes gave no firm timeline on the status of the Hart Trophy winner following practice. Johansson and Schneider (strained abdominal) skated on their own after the team cleared the ice, showing preliminary improvement in their respective rehabs. Bergen Record LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123211 New Jersey Devils

3 Takeaways from NJ Devils' win over Bruins: Miles Wood shines in hometown

Abbey Mastracco, North Jersey Record Published 6:01 a.m. ET Dec. 28, 2018 | Updated 9:17 a.m. ET Dec. 28, 2018

BOSTON – The Devils may as well be the Southern Bruins with all of the Boston connections on the team. Between head coach John Hynes (Rhode Island native, Boston University alum), forwards Brian Boyle (Hingham, Massachusetts, Boston College), Miles Wood (Noble and Greenough School, Boston College) and Brett Seney (Merrimack College) New Jersey had a large contingent present at TD Garden on Thursday night. The Devils didn’t let them down, defeating the Bruins 5-2 in the first game after the Christmas break. Here are three takeaways from the win: Home for the holidays Dec 27, 2018; Boston, MA, USA; New Jersey Devils left wing Miles Wood (44) gets by Boston Bruins defenseman John Moore (27) during the first period at TD Garden. It’s no secret Wood isn’t exactly scoring at the same rate he did last season. He has just three goals and five assists through 35 games and has gone through some lackluster stretches. But he’s picked up his play as of late and was rewarded for it Thursday. Wood didn’t score, though he came close in the third period, but he did set up Nico Hischier for a goal by power skating past Torey Krug to create a 2-on-1 rush and get the puck to the open center. In what may have been his best game of the season, he won puck battles, he came hard on the forecheck, threw pucks on net and drove a second line that created chances. Wood was taken off the power play early in the season but he’s earned back his spot on the second unit. “We talked with him about it, there’s an opening on the power play,” coach John Hynes said. “When he plays an abrasive game and he uses his speed and uses his intensity level to his advantage to disrupt the other team, he’s a real effective player.” Executed within the system Dec 27, 2018; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand (63) and New Jersey Devils defenseman Ben Lovejoy (12) battle for the puck at center ice during the second period at TD Garden. The Devils were forced to make up for the losses of Taylor Hall and Marcus Johansson and they did that by playing a simple game and playing to their strengths. They used their speed to get out on the forecheck, killed penalties and got in the face of Bruins goalie Jaroslav Halak. The Bruins found the Devils difficult to play against when the visitors were protecting a lead. “New Jersey is really stingy in that aspect,” Boston forward Jake DeBrusk said. “They play a fast chip-and-chase kind of game and once they get two goals, it’s kind of hard to generate offense.” Mackenzie Blackwood earning it all Blackwood’s 40-save performance earned him his first NHL win and more playing time. In a league where nothing is given and everything is earned, he’s certainly earned the strong look the Devils are giving him right now. “I wouldn’t say it’s owed to me or it’s coming for me because this league is unforgiving,” he said. “You can play your best 10 games in a row and not get a win, so it was definitely nice to be able to come out on the winning side of that one and have the team play as great as they did for me.” Bergen Record LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123212 New Jersey Devils Extensions for Taylor Hall and Nico Hischier The fanbase has been wondering (angrily so, as of late) why the Devils are banking so much cap space. The answer is, it’s for Taylor Hall and Goaltending, Taylor Hall and John Hynes: 5 NJ Devils' storylines to Nico Hischier. The reigning league MVP and the Devils’ leader in points watch in 2019 and leader in the locker room has one more year remaining and can begin negotiating for a new deal in the offseason. Hischier is also up after next season and he’ll be due for a significant raise. Abbey Mastracco, NHL writer Published 8:21 a.m. ET Dec. 28, 2018 | Updated 8:56 a.m. ET Dec. 28, 2018 John Hynes’ status This isn’t really a storyline but it’s a hot-button issue with the New Jersey faithful these days, especially since his contract is also up after this It seemed as though there was a light at the end of the Devils’ rebuild season. General manager Ray Shero has said he’s pleased with the job tunnel last spring when the team snapped a five-year playoff drought. Hynes has done and sees him as an effective leader and motivator. Not to mention, Hall has publicly said he feels Hynes is one of the best Taylor Hall was named the club’s first-ever Hart Trophy winner and Brian coaches he’s played for and it’s important to keep the MVP happy. Boyle won the Masterton for his remarkable and inspiring 2017-18 campaign. If a team is on the verge of winning it all but it's clear the coach can't get them over the edge, then maybe a change becomes necessary. The But it's become glaringly apparent that the Devils are still deep into that Anaheim Ducks were in that position in 2016 when they fired Bruce rebuild. Maybe further behind than many thought. Goaltending, defensive Boudreau and re-hired Randy Carlyle. But Anaheim was one season structure and player development are only a few of the issues currently removed from Game 7 of a Conference Final with a wide-open plaguing New Jersey right now. championship window, not in the midst of a rebuild. The Devils, on the other hand, are still in the midst of a rebuild. The Devils enter the New Year as one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference but they have some things working in their favor, such as The foundation has been laid but this team is still on the ground floor. cap room space and an improving player development system. Bergen Record LOADED: 12.29.2018 Here are five storylines to watch in 2019: The goaltending situation New Jersey Devils goaltender Cory Schneider (35) reacts after giving up a goal during the second period of the team's NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018, in Tampa, Fla. New Jersey Devils goaltender Cory Schneider (35) reacts after giving up a goal during the second period of the team's NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018, in Tampa, Fla. (Photo: Willie J. Allen Jr., AP) Goaltending was supposed to be an area of strength this season. Instead, the Devils’ save percentage has been among the worst the league this season, Keith Kinkaid is being overplayed, Cory Schneider is injured and will end the year without a regular season win (his last came December 27, 2017). This doesn’t excuse the defensive deficiencies in front of the net but there is no immediate answer to this problem unless Mackenzie Blackwood somehow turns into the next Martin Brodeur. Some of that cap space could be used over the summer to buy out Schneider, who is still owed $6 million in each of the next three seasons. Keith Kinkaid looked like a No. 1 goalie in the second half of last season but hasn’t yet proved he’s capable of handling the workload of a No. 1 netminder. The Devils need to see if he can do that and fast since he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Player development New Jersey Devils left wing John Quenneville (47) celebrates his goal during the first period of their game against the New York Rangers at Prudential Center. This year, the Devils needed some of their prospects to contribute. The problem is that only few are panning out. Part of the problem is that the Devils are still saddled with players from the old regime. Former GM Lou Lamoriello and former scouting director David Conte handled the drafting up through 2015 and left the system nearly devoid of high-end talent. Some in the organization have mused that Conte lost his fastball but the Devils new regime has been determined to salvage the system with an overhauled player development program. It may be time to cut ties with a handful of players in the system. Talent acquisition It’s unclear whether the Devils will be buyers or sellers on the Feb. 25 trade deadline. They don’t have much to sell, though back-end veterans like Ben Lovejoy could net late-round draft picks. They’re not moving Taylor Hall and the goalies aren’t worth much right now. They could be buyers even in a down year with the cap space needed to acquire players on long-term contracts. This isn’t exactly uncommon, but any roster overhaul is still more likely to come over the summer. If the Devils have the same luck they did two years ago, they may be able to acquire a big talent in Jack Hughes, the projected first-overall pick in the 2019 Draft. However, New Jersey has no plans to tank anytime soon. 1123213 New York Islanders the puck in the left circle, passed across to Bailey on the right side and he put it in before McKenna could slide over at 3:11.

Ceci restored the Senators’ two-goal lead exactly 3 minutes later with his Islanders rally past Senators behind Barzal and goalie switch fifth. Lehner replaced Greiss after that and Ottawa didn’t score again. By Associated Press New York Post LOADED: 12.29.2018 December 28, 2018 | 10:04PM

After a sluggish start in their first game out of the Christmas break, the New York Islanders picked up their intensity in the latter part of the second period and then steamrolled the Ottawa Senators in the third. Mathew Barzal had two goals and an assist to help the Islanders rally for a 6-3 win over the Senators on Friday night at Barclays Center for their fifth win in six games. Josh Bailey had a goal and an assist, and Anders Lee, Johnny Boychuk and Casey Cizikas also scored for the Islanders, which came back from a pair of two-goal deficits. “A little bit of that hangover from the break,” Lee said. “You could tell we were weak in some areas, mentally and physically. Once we engaged a little bit and figured it out, we really played a hard game and were able to take it over.” Thomas Greiss gave up three goals on 17 shots before he was pulled 6:11 into the second period. Robin Lehner, who began his career with Ottawa, came on and stopped all 10 shots he faced to improve to 7-0-3 against his former team. “Just a couple of missed assignments,” Barzal said of the Senators’ early goals. “Greisser has been a rock for us all year. … Lehner came in and played great.” The Islanders trailed 2-0 early in the second and 3-1 in the middle period. The Isles then scored the last five goals, including four in the third. Lee started the comeback as he took advantage of a giveaway by the Senators in their own zone. Goalie Mike McKenna got the puck behind his net, passed to Ben Harpur in the left corner, but Harpur’s pass to Nick Paul went off Paul’s stick in the right circle. Lee got the puck and beat McKenna for his 14th with 2:32 to go in the middle period. Boychuk tied the score 3-3 at 2:57 of the third as he fired a slap shot from the right point. It was his second of the season, with both goals coming in his last four games. “Any time you’re down two, try to get one before the end of the period,” Lee said. “We got that. And for Johnny to come out in the third and rifle one home really set the momentum for the rest of the game.” Barzal got his team-leading 25th assist.giving the Islanders their first lead at 4:51. Barzal made it 5-3 after a turnover by the Senators in the neutral zone, beating McKenna from the inside edge of the right circle for his seventh with 7:36 left. Urged to shoot more by coach Barry Trotz, Barzal converted on both of his shots on goal in the game. “I’m trying to look at the net a little more,” he said “I’m just trying to make the right play. If the shot’s there the shot’s there, if it’s not it’s not.” Cizikas added an empty-netter with 54 seconds left for his career-high 10th. Mark Stone, Matt Duchene and Cody Ceci scored for Ottawa, which has lost six of eight (2-5-1). McKenna finished with 33 saves as the Senators fell to 4-13-1 on the road. “We scored three goals,” Ottawa coach Guy Boucher said. “We were solid, had control of game. We gave them two goals — they got life and momentum. … There were some giveaways and they scored two goals.” The game got chippy late with several fights, including pushing and shoving after the final buzzer. Stone got the Senators on the scoreboard late in the first period, taking advantage of a giveaway by the Islanders in their own zone, beating Greiss from the left circle for his 17th with 3:42 left. It gave Stone eight goals and 17 points in his last 15 games. Duchene scored on the power play at 2:47 of the second to make it 2-0. It was Duchene’s third goal in three games since missing six games with an injury. The Islanders scored a little more than 20 seconds later after a giveaway by the Senators. McKenna played the puck behind his goal to the right and tried to send it up along the right side boards, However, Barzal got 1123214 New York Islanders

For Islanders' Leo Komarov, it's a return to Toronto, too

By Andrew Gross Updated December 28, 2018 11:33 PM

Leo Komarov spent five seasons with the Maple Leafs before signing a four-year, $12-mllion deal with the Islanders this past offseason. So while much of the focus Saturday in Toronto will be on the Islanders facing their former captain, John Tavares, for the first time since he signed a seven-year, $77-million deal with his hometown team, the game also will be a special one for Komarov. “When I signed [with the Islanders], I kind of looked up the [Toronto] game and knew when the game was going to be,” he said. “The more I’ve been playing here, the more I’m starting to forget about it, too. It’s going to be a different game, but it’s still going to be the same, one of 82 in the season. But I still have so many friends, it’s going to be exciting to play against them.” Komarov said his wife also is making the trip to see his return. Islanders left wing Matt Martin, who spent the previous two seasons with the Maple Leafs, and president and general manager Lou Lamoriello, the Maple Leafs’ GM the previous three seasons, also are making their first returns to Toronto. Martin fought Senators defenseman Mark Borowiecki at 19:30 of the third period and Ross Johnston dropped the gloves with Senators defenseman Christian Jaros at 19:50. After the final buzzer, a five-on-five scrum developed, with defenseman Scott Mayfield drawing a fighting major and Casey Cizikas being called for roughing. “Matty wasn’t looking for anything,” Barry Trotz said. “I don’t know why their coaches were yelling at us.” Defenseman Thomas Hickey (injured reserve/upper body) missed his fourth straight game and did not travel with the team to Toronto. Right wing Jordan Eberle (stiffness) missed a game for the first time this season, and Trotz said he was not sure if Eberle would accompany the team on the road. Cal Clutterbuck (lower body) was not able to play but traveled with the team. Defenseman Luca Sbisa was the healthy scratch after being in the lineup the past three games. The Islanders re-assigned center John Stevens, 24, an undrafted free agent signed out of Northeastern in 2017, to Bridgeport (AHL). Stevens has yet to play this season because of a lower-body injury after compiling seven goals and 12 assists in 68 games for the Sound Tigers last season. Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123215 New York Islanders

Mathew Barzal scores twice in four-goal third period as Islanders rally to beat Senators

By Andrew Gross Updated December 28, 2018 11:35 PM

The Islanders spent almost two periods playing as if they still were on their three-day Christmas break . . . or looking ahead one night to their first meeting with former captain John Tavares. “At the [first] intermission, we said we’ve got to figure it out and wake up a little bit,” Mathew Barzal said. “Kind of a Christmas slump.” But Barzal, with his first two-goal, three-point game of the season, fueled the Islanders’ four-goal third period in a 6-3 win over the Senators on Friday night before a crowd of 13,434 at Barclays Center, the second largest this season in . When the Islanders open a two-game road trip at Toronto on Saturday night, it will be their first chance to face Tavares since he signed a seven- year deal with his hometown Maple Leafs this past summer. Tavares had two goals in a 4-2 win at Columbus on Friday night. “I know he has got a lot of good friends in our room,” coach Barry Trotz said. “They do have a little bit of hurt. They understand it. But they’d like to have him as a teammate and he decided he didn’t need them as teammates anymore.” Robin Lehner stopped all 10 shots he faced for the Islanders (19-13-4) after relieving Thomas Greiss in the second period. “We should have been there right off the hop, but we weren’t for some reason,” said defenseman Johnny Boychuk, who tied the score at 3 with a slap shot from the right point at 2:57 of the third period. “We usually do a good job for Greisser. Tonight, we didn’t. When Lehner came in, it was just a wake-up call to get our act in gear and start being emotionally invested.” The Islanders went 3-1-0 on their pre-break road trip, which ended with Sunday night’s 3-1 win at Dallas. “Nothing surprises me that first game back after a break, absolutely nothing,” said Trotz, who had to reconfigure his lineup with top-line right wing Jordan Eberle (stiffness) and fourth-line right wing Cal Clutterbuck (lower body) out. Barzal gave the Islanders their first lead with a wrist shot from the right circle that beat Mike McKenna over his glove at 4:51 of the third and made it a two-goal lead off the rush at 12:24. Casey Cizikas clinched it with his career-high 10th goal, an empty-netter with 54 seconds left. “It’s massive,” Cizikas said of the comeback win. “Especially after that road trip. We don’t want to let that fall away. We came to life, but periods like that can’t happen at the start of games.” One mistake cost the Islanders badly in the first period. Defenseman Adam Pelech had his weak backhanded pass from behind the crease intercepted by Mark Stone, who beat Greiss with a high wrist shot for a 1- 0 lead at 16:18. McKenna equaled Pelech’s gaffe with his own in the second period after trying to play the puck behind his crease. Barzal intercepted the puck and fed Josh Bailey for the right wing’s first goal in 14 games to cut the Senators’ lead to 2-1 at 3:11. Matt Duchene’s power-play goal at 2:47 of the second period had given Ottawa a 2-0 lead. Defenseman Cody Ceci ended Greiss’ night with a wrist shot that gave the Senators a 3-1 lead at 6:11 of the second period. Anders Lee brought the Islanders within 3-2 at 17:28 of the second period on another turnover-fed goal as the Senators’ Nick Paul could not control the puck deep in his zone. Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123216 New York Rangers “He doesn’t hide his frustration level well,” Quinn said. “I think that’s part of growing as a player, too, managing your emotions and understanding that there are things you have to do to be a good player and contribute to Kevin Shattenkirk needs power-play time for trade showcase the team if you’re not scoring. “I think Butchie has done some good things. He’s been a little more structurally sound and I’ve liked his effort. I think when you’re away as By Larry Brooks December 29, 2018 | 3:50am long as he was, there’s that burst out of the gate and a little bit of a dip. That’s what you might be seeing.”

4. The Rangers have held third-period leads in 17 games. They have Regarding the Rangers, three points out of last overall, notwithstanding blown eight of them, going 3-3-2 in those contests, all of the victories via games in hand on fellow bottom-feeders, and on the road to get there. shootout. 1. The playoffs are more of a pipe dream than ever following one win in New York Post LOADED: 12.29.2018 the past seven games (1-2-4) and three in the past 14 (3-6-5), so the debate can cease whether it would be good or bad for the franchise to somehow find a way into the tournament as first-round fodder. Rather, it is time for David Quinn to start coaching toward the trade deadline and build the value of his players, even if that might not align with the short- time objective of winning the next game. This applies specifically to Kevin Shattenkirk, who likely will return Monday in St. Louis after missing a seventh straight game Saturday in Nashville, and needs to play a prominent role following this latest setback. Quinn’s sudden love affair with a five-forward power play makes no sense, given that the formation bumps Neal Pionk, the club’s most efficient player on the man-advantage, to the second unit. Replacing Pionk with, in essence, Vladislav Namestnikov, substitutes a half-wall passer for a shooter/passer at the top. Beyond that, if Pionk is bumped to the second unit, what does that mean for Shattenkirk? Would Quinn — or assistant David Oliver, if he is calling the shots here — go with a pair of righty defensemen on the points on the second power-play unit, or does No. 22 drop out altogether? And what sense would that make? It is not about whether Shattenkirk — who had been receiving limited second-unit power-play time even before he suffered his shoulder separation in Tampa on Dec. 10 — merits the time over Pionk (clearly, he does not) or merits the time at all. It is about putting Shattenkirk, who will turn 30 before the end of next month and has two years at an annual $6.65 million cap hit remaining on his contract that includes a limited no- trade clause, in the best possible situation to increase — if not, establish — his value on the market. And if not on the market, then to the Rangers. If Shattenkirk does not get substantial time on the power play — and with the team’s loaded unit that features Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad and Kevin Hayes — then the Rangers have a $6.65 million third-pair defenseman who gets occasional time on the power play even though running the man-advantage unit has been one of his prime assets. It is Keith Yandle on the third pair and second power-play unit. It is Bobby Holik as first-line center. It is Eric Staal at third-line left wing. Shattenkirk failing to get a first unit assignment upon his return is self- defeating. 2. Mats Zuccarello, who is also on that Power Five Unit, has done nothing to increase his value on the market in the six games he has played since returning from his extended groin-related absence. The Rangers should not wait for an unlikely bidding war to develop for the impending free agent. It does no good for a team to keep a veteran who knows he is out the door any longer than necessary. To that end, general manager Jeff Gorton, who is scouting the World Juniors in British Columbia, should be aggressive in attempting to jump the market on Zuccarello. If fortunate, the Rangers might be able to get a package equivalent to the one they got last year from the Devils for Michael Grabner (a second-round pick plus a reasonable prospect). 3. Pavel Buchnevich, who has one goal and one assist over his past six games since returning from his five-week absence (broken thumb) and is pointless in his past four, is frustrated by his lack of production. Buchnevich had a glorious opportunity in the final 1:10 of regulation against the Flyers on Sunday, but missed the net from the slot. Philadelphia won in a shootout. “I can’t find my confidence to get scoring chances,” Buchnevich, who scored on his second shift on Dec. 14 after being sidelined 13 games, told The Post. “I’m trying to play within the system and work hard. I’m trying to figure it out. “I need to find the right place where to get the puck. I think I’m doing the right things without the puck, but who really cares if I don’t get any points?” Well, the coach does, for one. 1123217 New York Rangers

Lias Andersson to get more ice time — just not with Rangers

By Larry Brooks December 28, 2018 | 3:28PM

To what should be the surprise of exactly nobody, the Rangers have sent Lias Andersson back to the Wolf Pack to continue his apprenticeship with 20-minute, center-stage nights in the AHL rather than with single-digit ice time on the wing of an NHL fourth line. “He’s made some great progress and he’s done some good things, but we just need to see more consistency out of him,” David Quinn said. “I know it’s difficult when he plays seven or eight minutes, but that’s just the situation we’re in. It didn’t make sense for him to stay here, especially with the limited practice time we’re going to have over the next three weeks. He needs to go play.” The 20-year-old, seventh-overall selection of the 2017 entry draft recorded four points (1-3) in 21 games, averaging 10:47 per game of mostly fourth-line duty. Indeed, Andersson’s last six games were played on the fourth unit, the final four on left wing to accommodate Boo Nieves. Andersson likely would have been assigned to Hartford a couple of weeks ago, but Jesper Fast suffered an upper body injury Dec. 14. Now, though, both Fast and Cody McLeod, the latter sidelined since Thanksgiving eve with a broken hand, are expected to return for Saturday’s match in Nashville that kicks off a two-game swing that concludes in St. Louis on New Year’s Eve. Hence, the timing of this move a day after the holiday roster freeze lifted. “As I’ve touched on before, it’s not out of the ordinary that a 20-year-old is continuing to learn how to play consistently at this level,” Quinn said. “He’s going to be a really good player, he’s making good strides, and he’s going to get to where we need him to be sooner than later. But we think [Hartford] is the best spot for him.” Andersson has showed good instincts and a competitive engine. He is willing to take a hit and use his body to make a play. But both speed and quickness remain issues in a league where a lack of speed and quickness presents a major hurdle. Maybe constant work will help solve the problem. Regardless, the next time Andersson is summoned to Broadway — which should be only on merit and not because the Rangers will have some holes to fill following the trade deadline — he should play in the middle. That’s the way the Blueshirts will get their best read on No. 50. “It all depends on what our roster looks like next time he comes,” Quinn said. “A lot will be dictated by who we still have. There are things he needs to do regardless of his position, things that a hockey player has to do regardless of his position. “Believe me, I’m certainly not ignorant of the fact that he’s been a center his whole life and that’s part of it. A lot of guys who play center have had to play the wing [in the NHL]. Eventually center will be his position for sure, but you look at the situation we have, the guys we have, and it’ll play out.” While Andersson plays in the AHL. Henrik Lundqvist, who has allowed more questionable goals the past three weeks than he did the season’s first two months, will get the start in Nashville. Lundqvist is 1-2-5 with a 3.48 GAA and .895 save percentage over his past eight starts, with three defeats in overtime and two via shootout. The Blueshirts, 4-10-2 away from the Garden and with all four victories gained in shootouts, have five of the next six and seven of the next nine on the road. New York Post LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123218 New York Rangers

Three Rangers are ‘very close’ to returning

By Brett Cyrgalis December 28, 2018 | 3:52am

The reinforcements are coming, and they’re sorely needed. Before the Rangers’ brutal 4-3 overtime loss to the Blue Jackets on Thursday night at the Garden, coach David Quinn said the team is “very close” to getting back three key pieces — Kevin Shattenkirk, Jesper Fast and Cody McLeod. Quinn said all three could be ready as soon as Saturday night’s game in Nashville. Shattenkirk has been out since he suffered a left-shoulder separation Dec. 10 in Tampa. The righty defenseman was supposed to be out two to four weeks, so this is on the early side for him. He was a full participant for Thursday’s morning skate in Westchester before his team’s Garden match against the Blue Jackets, their first game since returning from the three-day Christmas break. This was the first time Shattenkirk had skated with the team since the injury. Fast has been out since he suffered an upper-body injury late in a game against the Coyotes on Dec. 14, which also was supposed to keep him out two to four weeks. He had practice with a non-contact jersey before the break. McLeod, the slugging fourth-liner, had also practiced in a non-contact jersey since being sidelined with a broken hand, suffered when he was goaded into a fight with the Islanders’ Ross Johnston on Nov. 21. Quinn had said he wasn’t going back to his five-forward power-play unit, but he did — and he got results. Chris Kreider scored just seven seconds into the team’s lone man-advantage, a tip of a Mats Zuccarello shot while joined on the ice by Kevin Hayes, Mika Zibanejad and Vlad Namestnikov. The team came in with just one power-play goal in its previous four games, going 1-for-11 during that stretch. Kevin Hayes had two assists to extend his career-best points streak to eight games. The 26-year-old, set to be an unrestricted free agent after this season, has five goals and 10 assists during this span. Brendan Smith might be the easiest target for Quinn to pull out of the lineup if Shattenkirk is ready or if he wants to get Tony DeAngelo back in after sitting him for three straight. Smith had played some assertive hockey in the three games before the break, but he struggled in this one, exemplified in consecutive shifts of 1:37 and 2:05 midway through the second period — the second shift being when he iced the puck twice. Both Lias Andersson and Boo Nieves got just two shifts in the third period and none in the final 8:59. Quinn, 52, said he enjoyed his three-day break from the rink. “First good night’s sleep in six months,” he said. New York Post LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123219 New York Rangers

Kevin Shattenkirk, out with separated shoulder, ready to return to Rangers

By Laura Amato Updated December 28, 2018 8:00 PM

The defenseman, who has missed six games after separating his left shoulder on Dec. 10, said after Friday’s practice that he feels game- ready and hopes to be part of the lineup when the Rangers face Nashville on Saturday night. “Today was the first time that I was able to really bump some guys around and get knocked around myself,” said Shattenkirk, who also practiced on Thursday morning. “It felt like I kind of checked off some boxes and felt good working through it.” Shattenkirk originally was expected to be out two to four weeks, and while he said he doesn’t want to rush anything, he added that he is anxious to start playing again. “Eventually you’re just going to have to jump into the fire,” he said. “We have a lot of games coming up here in a row. It’s important not to jump in too early, but I feel like it’s not far away.” Rangers coach David Quinn said he’d be “shocked” if Shattenkirk didn’t return to the ice during the team’s upcoming two-game road swing. “[His return] helps for sure because he’s a guy who plays on the power play, moves pucks,” Quinn said. “He helps us get it out of our end, so that’s certainly something we’re going to need going forward.” Forwards Jesper Fast (upper body, five games missed) and Cody McLeod (broken hand, 14 games missed) also are expected to return for the Rangers in Nashville, according to Quinn. Fourth-liner Lias Andersson, who started the season with Hartford, was assigned to the Wolf Pack in order to meet the 23-man roster limit. The return of Shattenkirk, Fast and McLeod could offer a bit of a spark for the Rangers, who have gone 2-3-5 in December. “They all play with a lot of tenacity and it’s very honest hockey,” Chris Kreider said. “You’re going to be injured and you’ve got to find that next- man mentality, but it’s definitely nice to get healthy and have everyone back in the lineup.” Shattenkirk said he simply wants to help re-energize the team and continue bringing pressure late in games. He embraced the physicality during practice, but now he’s ready to get back on the ice, look for a few more hits and, he hopes, help earn a few more wins. “I think our biggest issue is as soon as we grab a one- or two-goal lead, especially with some of the experiences we’ve had this season, we’re playing too safe,” Shattenkirk said. “Even doing the little things right can be a catalyst for the rest of the guys.” Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123220 New York Rangers Hayes insisted that whatever goes on between now and Feb. 25 will not alter, or affect, his play.

“Oh, yeah,” he said. “That’s not going to play at all. When I signed this With negotiations about to begin, Kevin Hayes leaves contract (or trade) summer, a one-year deal, I had no inclination of being trade bait or decision up to the Rangers signing a one-and-done. Gorts called me and said he has no inclination of trading me. Just at that time we couldn’t reach an agreement with both sides. I don’t know how much they’ll talk. I’m not expecting anything.” By Rick Carpiniello Dec 28, 2018 Hayes, who was arguably the most steady and consistent of the Rangers’ forwards last season, has taken his play to another level. While not perfect — he had some turnovers and was beaten for the winning GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Kevin Hayes handles his situation as an goal in overtime against Columbus on Thursday — he stands out with the upcoming unrestricted free agent, and therefore as likely trade bait for puck on almost every shift. the Rangers, the way he handles the puck. That, he said, comes from experience, from dedication, from being There’s a calmness and a patience about Hayes, 26, with less than two comfortable with and trusted by the new coach — and one particular months before the trade deadline when Rangers GM Jeff Gorton will event this past summer. need to make a major decision. Hayes was invited to a pretty exclusive, elite-level, high-tech training “That’s none of my business,” Hayes told The Athletic Friday morning camp in Tampa in August, the Belfry Camp run by performance coach after practice. “That’s my agent and Gorts, to be honest. I have no say in Darryl Belfry. The camp is known for its key players: Auston Matthews, it. It’s Gorts’ decision. Whatever he wants to do. I’m not Claude Giroux, Patrick Kane and, in the past, Sidney Crosby. Also in expecting anything, but we’ll see in a couple of days. That’s why I have attendance were players such as Charlie Coyle, Alex DeBrincat, Kyle an agent. I just play hockey. Palmieri and Nick Schmaltz. “Like I said, I’m not expecting anything to happen. Gorts has a plan that “I was shocked when I got invited,” Hayes said. “But going there and he probably has set in stone here. We’ll find out soon or …” playing with those guys for a week was pretty crazy, like making plays and stuff, just kind of gave me the confidence … I mean, they’re elite Next week brings a new year, and an important new date into the picture. players and I’m not putting myself in that category. But being able to go Hayes signed a one-year, $5.175 million contract as a restricted free out there every day with them kind of gave me a lot of confidence that, agent last July after the two sides failed to agree on a longer-term deal. maybe I’m getting towards these guys. That was big for me. It created By signing then, Hayes and the Rangers are forbidden by NHL rule from just playing with confidence. I’ve been confident my whole career, but negotiating an extension until Tuesday, Jan. 1, right after the Rangers just being able to hold onto pucks and playing a lot of minutes with this finish a two-game road trip through Nashville on Saturday and St. Louis coach — he has a lot of trust in me and that’s kind of nice, in offensive on New Year’s Eve. and defensive situations. By signing the one-year deal, and thus becoming eligible to hit the “I haven’t changed my game in a couple of years, to be honest. It’s pretty unrestricted free agency jackpot on July 1, Hayes became just as likely to much on the surface, what I bring. I just try to work as hard as I can every be traded before the Feb. 25 trade deadline as he is to sign an extension. day, and that’s the biggest thing that I’ve changed as a pro from Year 1 to Year 5. … Early in my career I feel like I wasn’t consistent enough with “I have no idea what the Rangers are going to do at this point,” said my work ethic and that’s something that I’ve tried to change here.” Hayes’ agent Robert Murray. “That’s their decision more than ours. We’ll see what they do after the first.” He’s going to hit a jackpot sometime between Jan. 1 and July 1. If it’s in New York, it’ll come between Tuesday and Feb. 25. Obviously there will be a dialogue then, but none is scheduled, Murray said. Lias Andersson gets demoted From a purely financial standpoint, Hayes — given the way he’s played The Rangers, with forwards Jesper Fast and Cody McLeod set to return the last two seasons, and how eye-opening his improvement has been from injuries this weekend, assigned rookie Lias Andersson to Hartford. this season – stands to hit the jackpot if he gets to July 1 unsigned. The Rangers play pretty much every other day for the next three weeks, and practice time will be limited.Even with his limited minutes in games, But the money is not his end goal, Murray said. Andersson had been getting hands-on teaching from Quinn and his staff. “We haven’t made any decisions on any of that,” Murray said. “If the Now the 20-year-old former first-rounder, whose development as an Rangers have an interest, we will listen. If they don’t, then we go to July NHLer has been slow, will get plenty of ice time in the AHL. 1. “He’s made some great progress, he’s done some good things,” Quinn “We’ll see what happens in the next eight weeks.” said. “We just need more consistency out of him. It’s difficult for him to only play seven or eight minutes, but that’s just the situation we’re in. It The Rangers and Hayes-Murray were unable to get that long-term deal didn’t make sense for him to stay here, especially with the little practice done last summer, with the Rangers believed to have offered in the five- time we’re going to have over the next few weeks. He needs to go play. year range at under $6 million per. But they know it will cost them six years, most likely, and more than $6 million (say, $6.25 million or “There are still things he has to do, and as I’ve touched on before, it’s not upward) to get him to sign an extension. He’ll get that on the open out of the ordinary that a 20-year-old is continuing to learn how to market. consistently play at this level. He’s a really good player and he’s made good strides and he’s going to get to where we need him to be sooner If the Rangers don’t want to go that high, then Gorton is virtually obliged than later. We think this is the best spot for him.” to try to trade Hayes. In return, he’d likely demand a first-round pick at minimum, but possibly a young NHL-ready player or top prospect. The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018 Hayes would become a rental on a contending team, much as Rick Nash was last season when the Rangers traded him to the Boston Bruins for two players (Ryan Spooner and Matt Beleskey), a prospect (Ryan Lindgren) and a first-round pick (which the Rangers used to trade up and select K’Andre Miller). The Rangers also have an eye on using their cap space to lure a top free agent (Artemi Panarin?), and maybe more than one. So if they can’t agree with Hayes nor deal him, they’ll be better positioned to compete in that market. Hayes, on an eight-game point streak (5-10-15 with six multi-point games), has 10 goals and 32 points in 34 games, and has meshed with new coach and Boston buddy David Quinn. “Kevin has been consistent in indicating how he likes playing for the Rangers, how much he likes playing in New York,” Murray said. “It’s obviously the only team he’s played for and in an ideal world he’d like to continue that. But a lot of that is out of his hands.” 1123221 Ottawa Senators against assistant general manager Randy Lee. Lee was attending the NHL’s scouting combine in Buffalo at the time of the allegations. He was suspended by the team and in August and he ultimately resigned from Ottawa newsmakers 2018: A lifetime of news in one year for the Ottawa the organization. Senators A little bright light, however, eventually shone through the darkness. Dorion selected Brady Tkachuk with the fourth overall draft selection. Tkachuk’s skill, commitment and engaging personality has represented a KEN WARREN bright spot for the team to start the 2018-19 season. He has become the face of the rebuilding effort that has acted as a breath of fresh air in the December 28, 2018 opening months of the season and holds promise for the future. The success of the draft and the decent start didn’t erase all the off-ice distractions. This year was one of disasters, tragedy, boondoggles and love. From wild politics to wild winds to a Senators team that couldn’t stay out of the Come November, a disgruntled Uber driver in Phoenix uploaded to news, 2018 was filled with twists and the unexpected. It was also a year YouTube an unflattering video of several Senators criticizing the in which the whole city paused to mourn, after losing its Butterfly Boy. In coaching staff. The embarrassment was followed by apologies across the 2018, some narratives transfixed us, while others dominated our board. conversations — and here, in our annual newsmakers series, we return to examine the year’s biggest stories. Today, the Senators. The general consensus is that it could have been any team at any time – NHL players aren’t immune to human nature of blowing off steam – but In so many ways, it was as unlikely a year as you could imagine for the considering that it was the Senators, it served to underline the laundry list Ottawa Senators, full of a never-ending array of negative news. of other unsettling issues throughout the years. At least there are convenient bookends that neatly sum up the As we head toward the New Year with the cloud of the LeBreton Flats organizational dysfunction. project hanging overhead – including Melnyk’s $700 million lawsuit against partner John Ruddy, followed by Ruddy’s $1 billion counterclaim The year began with a New Year’s hangover: Senators fans fearful and — there must be a silver lining for the Senators as they look ahead to the National Hockey League trying to put out the fire of owner Eugene 2019. Melnyk’s pre-Christmas mutterings about possibly moving the franchise out of Ottawa if attendance didn’t improve. NHL commissioner Gary It has to get better, doesn’t it? Bettman poured cold water on the threats saying any franchise move would need league board of governors approval. Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 12.29.2018 Now, the year is ending with the Senators staying put in Kanata, at least for the foreseeable future. The hopes of a smooth move downtown to LeBreton Flats are long gone. A cold war exists between the National Capital Commission and RendezVous LeBreton, the Melnyk-led development group which was given the first crack at developing the project. “If it turns out this group can’t do it,” NCC CEO Mark Kristmanson said, “we’re going to move on to a new solution and new ideas for how to bring this very important area back to life as a community in the capital.” Melnyk’s counter-move was to launch a $700 million lawsuit against his RendezVous partner, John Ruddy. A mess to start the year. A mess to end it. Indeed, snafu could also be the buzzword for everything that happened in between January and December. In early February, a mixed message came from the front office. On the same day general manager Pierre Dorion received a three-year contract extension, the organization announced that president and CEO Tom Anselmi had “vacated his position.” Ultimately, Melnyk assumed the position of CEO, but fan discontent continued to grow. The trade deadline was agonizing for fans, due to the speculation that captain Erik Karlsson, as big a fan favourite as any player in franchise history, could be traded away. Karlsson stayed – for the time being – and Melnyk issued a letter to season ticket holders, pledging improvements from top to bottom of the franchise. “Enduring a tough year has given us a chance for clear-eyed evaluation,” Melnyk wrote. “This is an ongoing process, but I can tell you one thing: we are not looking to just tweak our lineup nor mortgage our future for stop-gap solutions.” Those words didn’t, however, end the frustration from a portion of the fan base, leading to the #MelnykOut billboards that were financed through a GoFundMe Account. The season, which began with dreams of re-living, and perhaps exceeding, the long run to the Eastern Conference final in 2017, limped to a close, with Karlsson’s future hanging in the air throughout. Once the season ended, the atmosphere became worse when the Melinda-Monika Chronicles became public. Karlsson’s wife, Melinda, accused Monika Caryk, Hoffman’s fiancée of a nasty cyber-bullying campaign. (On this front, it’s unclear how much ownership and/or management could have done to prevent that saga from happening. Hoffman was traded in June, with Dorion saying the move helped repair what had been a “broken dressing room.”) As the Karlsson-Caryk story was providing uncomfortable headlines, along came the harassment charges from a shuttle driver in Buffalo 1123222 Ottawa Senators GOALIES Mike McKenna Game Day: Capitals at Senators Marcus Hogberg Sick Bay Ken Warren Craig Anderson, Justin Falk, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Marian Gaborik December 28, 2018 11:58 PM EST CAPITALS GAME DAY LINES LEFT WING CENTRE RIGHT WING WASHINGTON CAPITALS at OTTAWA SENATORS Alex Ovechkin Nicklas Backstrom T.J. Oshie Saturday, 7 p.m., Canadian Tire Centre, Jakub Vrana Evgeny Kuznetsov Tom Wilson TV: Sportsnet 360, City.Radio: TSN 1200, Unique 94,5-FM Andre Burakovsky Lars Eller Brett Connolly THE BIG MATCHUP Chandler Stephenson Nic Dowd Devante Smith-Pelly Nicklas Backstrom vs. Matt Duchene DEFENCE PAIRINGS It’s a tale of two No. 1 centres. Backstrom continues to be one of the Michal Kempny John Carlson NHL’s most underrated players, serving as the set-up man for Alex Ovechkin, while also taking care of defensive business on the Capitals Dmitry Orlov Matt Niskanen top line. With an average of 20:26 of ice per game, he ranks second to J. Siegenthaler Madison Bowey Ovechkin, among Capitals forwards. Duchene needs to lead the way offensively to give the Senators a chance to compete with the NHL’s best GOALIES squads, but he has had to deal with a revolving door of wingers this season. Braden Holtby FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME Pheonix Copley Ovechkin watch Sick Bay While the Capitals are on a roll, star captain Alex Ovechkin is in a goal- Brooks Orpik, Christian Dioos scoring slump – at least by his lofty standards. Ovechkin has gone four Ottawa Sun LOADED: 12.29.2018 games without a goal. Before the current dry spell, he had seven goals in his previous three games. Revenge on the menu If it seems like it was only last weekend that the Capitals came to Ottawa, it’s not your imagination. Washington skated out of the CTC with a tidy 4- 0 victory. Time for the Senators to answer back by cashing in on the scoring chances they missed last time around. Pride in play The Senators entered Friday’s game against the Islanders only one point out of the league basement, looking for ways to regain consistency. Games on back-to-back nights are never easy, but that’s also life in the NHL. Investing in the future Five and a half years after being drafted by the organization, goaltender Marcus Hogberg could play his first NHL game. If he does get the call to make his debut, it’s a tough assignment, playing against the defending Stanley Cup champions. Keeping it simple The Capitals can strike in a hurry when opportunities present themselves, making it imperative that the Senators do everything possible to clean up their act in their own zone. SPECIAL TEAMS Senators: PP: 21.6 (13th), PK: 74.3 (30th) Capitals: PP: 23.5 (7th), PK: 77.1 (25th) SENATORS GAME DAY LINES LEFT WING CENTRE RIGHT WING Brady Tkachuk Colin White Mark Stone Chris Tierney Matt Duchene Mikkel Boedker Ryan Dzingel Zack Smith Bobby Ryan Magnus Paajarvi Nick Paul DEFENCE Thomas Chabot Dylan DeMelo Max Lajoie Cody Ceci Ben Harpur Christian Jaros Mark Borowiecki 1123223 Ottawa Senators Washington last Saturday — or does he throw caution to the wind and fully give in to the rebuilding effort?

Maybe, just maybe, 24-year-old rookie Marcus Hogberg will make his No Anderson, no Chabot. What next for the Senators as Washington NHL debut, 5 ½ years after originally being drafted by the organization. comes to town? Boucher is in the final year of his contract, but as the losses pile up one on top of the other, the Senators season is going to fast become less Ken Warren about today and more about tomorrow. December 29, 2018 1:30 AM EST And that’s without getting into the deep discussions about whether the trio of pending unrestricted free agents – Mark Stone, Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel – will be re-signed. BROOKLYN – The number one goaltender, who has repeatedly bailed “We’re not decided on (Saturday),” Boucher said about the goaltending out his overmatched team, is out with a concussion. His return date is situation, before Friday’s game.“It just depends on what kind of game we unknown. have (Friday), I don’t want to decide guys for the next game. Today is today.” The number one defenceman, one of the pivotal pieces for the future of the organization, has now joined him on the sidelines with an upper body Today has arrived. Why not give Hogberg a shot? injury. He’s out indefinitely. REMEMBERING WHEN: From a hockey point of view, Barclays Center As a team, the Ottawa Senators have now dropped three games in a isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. It was built to be a basketball/concert venue row, four of their past five, only one small step out of the NHL basement. and when it’s converted to an NHL rink, there are countless seats with terrible sightlines, along with the car that takes up prime real estate. And what’s now staring them in the face? All that said, it will always be special for Chabot. How about a Saturday night date against the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals? They were resting up in Ottawa Friday He scored his first NHL goal here on Dec. 1, 2017, in a 6-5 Senators night, as the Senators collapsed late in the turnover-fest that was a 6-3 victory, and acknowledges he kind of “blacked out” after the puck went in. loss here to the New York Islanders. Chabot also had two assists in the game. Just when it appeared the Senators might have had the Islanders on the “When I first stepped on the ice (Friday) morning, it gave me good ropes, the Barry Trotz-led Islanders were only too happy to pounce on memories,” he said before the game. “I remember Bobby (Ryan) coming mistake after mistake, scoring the final five goals. over the blue line and I went backdoor with a one-timer. It was all fun.”…The next time the Senators visit the Islanders, on March 5, the In the small picture, in the big picture, anyway you want to slice it, it’s not game will be played at the franchise’s old home, the Nassau Veterans a pretty picture as the young Senators continue to display the errors that Memorial Coliseum. come with inexperience. After leaving Friday’s game early, clearly not all the memories are fond The frustrations of it all – including the questionable Matt Martin hit that ones. knocked star defenceman Thomas Chabot out of Friday’s game in the second period – boiled over with three fights in the final minute. CECI HITS MILESTONE: Few NHL players have endured the type of bumpy ride that Cody Ceci has experienced along the way to hitting the “I don’t even think it’s a message to them, it’s a message to us,” said 400-game mark. But as he hit that magic mark against the Islanders, all defenceman Mark Borowiecki, who had words for countless people on he was thinking about is how it only seemed like yesterday he was the ice, including Martin, before dropping the gloves. “We have to send skating for the Ottawa 67’s. “I didn’t even know it was (Friday), but I knew messages to ourselves in here. You have to man-up sometimes and give it was coming up,” Ceci said before the puck dropped. “It seems like it the you-know-what’s a squeeze and you’ve got to make sure we’re there was only yesterday that I was being drafted to the team and now I’m for each other and there for ourselves and show a little bit of pride. It’s playing in my 400th. Everything went by so fast.” not acceptable. We’re not happy about it. We’re not going to roll over and let that stuff happen and redeem ourselves (Saturday).” For awhile, at least, it looked like Ceci’s 400th would also be part of a Senators victory. After Mark Stone and Matt Duchene scored to give the Borowiecki has never lacked for passion, but the Senators are entering Senators a 2-0 lead, Ceci’s goal gave the Senators a 3-1 edge and foreign territory without both Chabot and goaltender Craig Anderson for chased Greiss from the crease in favour of Lehner. the time being. DEFENSIVE STRUGGLES: Like the rest of the defence, Ceci has had Mike McKenna continues to battle the good fight as the well-travelled, his share of struggles – four goals, five assists and a plus/minus of minus well spoken, journeyman in the Senators net, but remember that he was 10 before Friday — and taken as much criticism as any Senators player originally signed to be the emergency back-up to the back-up, based on in recent history. Boucher, however, insists that Ceci’s experience has the assumption that if Anderson was sidelined, Mike Condon could carry been necessary for the rebuilding team. the load. Condon continues to battle hip injuries as he tries to work his way back to the NHL. “He’s one of those older guys for us and he has helped groom some young guys,” said Boucher. “He had to carry a young guy (Max Lajoie) Following Friday’s dispiriting loss, McKenna was kicking himself for since the beginning of the year. Lajoie has had good year for a rookie, giving in to one of the oldest tricks in the hockey book – the Islanders’ partly because of him.” Mathew Barzal pretending he was a friendly voice deep in the Senators end – giving life to an Islanders squad that was uncharacteristically Yes, Ceci, who turned 25 last week, is considered an old man on the sloppy following the Christmas break. The Senators led 2-0 when Senators roster. McKenna gift-wrapped a pass to Barzal, who in turn fed Josh Bailey for what essentially became an empty net goal. There are no guarantees Ceci will stick with the Senators long-term, of course. Once again, he’s a pending restricted free agent, with arbitration “It starts with me,” said McKenna of the dreadful turnover. “That’s on me. rights. I gave them momentum.” MCKENNA’S MUSINGS: After taking in Barclays Centre for the first time That mistake aside, the Senators led 3-1 late in the second period and Friday, McKenna says he is closing in on having played in 100 arenas they had chased Islanders starting goaltender Thomas Greiss. In came during his professional career. “I think it’s the mid 90’s somewhere,” he former Senator Robin Lehner, which served as a turning point. Lehner said. “One day, I would like to go back and track all the junior and college now owns a 7-0-3 record against Ottawa. rinks, too.”…Ever so gradually, Boucher plans on giving rookie defenceman Christian Jaros more time on the power play. “He’s got a A Nick Paul turnover led to an Anders Lee goal that made it 3-2. Barzal bomb,” said Boucher. scored twice in the third period Islanders onslaught that put the game well out of reach. The errors were here, there and everywhere, including WIN SOME, LOSE SOME: The Islanders did lose the highest-profile free general sloppiness at the blue line and an atrocious line change that led agent player last summer, when John Tavares went to the Toronto Maple directly to goals. Leafs. But they made the smartest free agent coaching signing, bringing in Barry Trotz after he won the Stanley Cup with Washington. The The latest loss in the books — the Senators are 4-13-1 on the road this Islanders were three points shy of a playoff a spot before meeting the season — Senators coach Guy Boucher now faces a tough question Senators, but how many experts suggested that the largely no-name about what to do in goal against the Capitals. Does he go back to Islanders would be comfortably above the .500 mark (19-13-4) at this McKenna, now 1-4-1 in the Senators net — including a 4-0 defeat to point? “They’re disciplined, very much the type of team that you would Yes, Ceci, who turned 25 last week, is considered an old man on the expect out that coaching staff, well prepared,” said McKenna. Senators roster. BELL CAPITAL CUP VETERAN LOG: With Washington coming to There are no guarantees Ceci will stick with the Senators long-term, of Canadian Tire Centre Saturday at this time of year, Capitals winger course. Once again, he’s a pending restricted free agent, with arbitration Devante Smith-Pelly will be rehashing his memories of playing in the Bell rights. Capital Cup. Amazingly, all 31 NHL teams have at least one player who participated in the tournament. The Senators lead the way, with Ceci, MCKENNA’S MUSINGS: After taking in Barclays Centre for the first time Mark Borowiecki, Dylan DeMelo, Matt Duchene, Ryan Dzingel and Chris Friday, McKenna says he is closing in on having played in 100 arenas Tierney all having taken part at one point as minor hockey players. during his professional career. “I think it’s the mid 90’s somewhere,” he said. “One day, I would like to go back and track all the junior and college FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED rinks, too.”…Ever so gradually, Boucher plans on giving rookie defenceman Christian Jaros more time on the power play. “He’s got a 1-Stone cold turnover: Adam Pelech should know better. If there’s one bomb,” said Boucher. guy who is going to steal the puck, it’s Mark Stone. WIN SOME, LOSE SOME: The Islanders did lose the highest-profile free 2-Turning the tables: In exactly the same spot of the ice, Mike McKenna agent player last summer, when John Tavares went to the Toronto Maple coughed up the puck to Mathew Barzal, leading directly to Josh Bailey’s Leafs. But they made the smartest free agent coaching signing, bringing goal. Barzal added a pair of third period goals. in Barry Trotz after he won the Stanley Cup with Washington. The 3-Christmas is over: After a no-hitter of a first period, emotions and Islanders were three points shy of a playoff a spot before meeting the nastiness returned in the second. The game closed with three last-minute Senators, but how many experts suggested that the largely no-name fights. Islanders would be comfortable above the .500 mark (18-13-4) at this point? “They’re disciplined, very much the type of team that you would 4-Now you see him…Matt Duchene sidestepped an attempted Johnny expect out that coaching staff, well prepared,” said McKenna. Boychuk hit, then ripped a shot over Greiss’s shoulder for the Senators second goal. BELL CAPITAL CUP VETERAN LOG: With Washington coming to Canadian Tire Centre Saturday at this time of year, Capitals winger 5-Icing on the cake: Cody Ceci celebrated his 400th NHL game by Devante Smith-Pelly will be rehashing his memories of playing in the Bell scoring the Senators third ogal. Capital Cup. Amazingly, all 31 NHL teams have at least one player who participated in the tournament. The Senators lead the way, with Ceci, Chabot suffered upper body injury and won’t play Saturday against Mark Borowiecki, Dylan DeMelo, Matt Duchene, Ryan Dzingel and Chris Washington Tierney all having taken part at one point as minor hockey players. — Ken Warren (@Citizenkwarren) December 29, 2018 FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED When @Matt9Duchene gets going, he's GOING. 1-Stone cold turnover: Adam Pelech should know better. If there’s one pic.twitter.com/R4T2LP2Z7q guy who is going to steal the puck, it’s Mark Stone. — NHL (@NHL) December 29, 2018 2-Turning the tables: In exactly the same spot of the ice, Mike McKenna coughed up the puck to Mathew Barzal, leading directly to Josh Bailey’s TO START OR NOT TO START: Before the Senators left Ottawa on goal. Barzal added a pair of third period goals. Thursday, Boucher said that both McKenna and Hogberg would see game action this weekend. 3-Christmas is over: After a no-hitter of a first period, emotions and nastiness returned in the second. The game closed with three last-minute But before the Senators met the Islanders Friday, the tone had changed fights. somewhat. Saturday’s starter was still up in the air. 4-Now you see him…Matt Duchene sidestepped an attempted Johnny “We’re not decided on (Saturday),” Boucher said. “It just depends on Boychuk hit, then ripped a shot over Greiss’s shoulder for the Senators what kind of game we have (Friday) and sometimes, if you have to pull a second goal. goalie out, then he’s available for the next game. There are too many things that come into play. I don’t want to decide guys for the next game. 5-Icing on the cake: Cody Ceci celebrated his 400th NHL game by Today is today.” scoring the Senators third goal. REMEMBERING WHEN: From a hockey point of view, Barclays Center Ottawa Sun LOADED: 12.29.2018 isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. It was built to be a basketball/concert venue and when it’s converted to an NHL rink, there are countless seats with terrible sightlines, along with the car that takes up prime real estate. All that said, it will always be special for Senators star defenceman Thomas Chabot. He scored his first NHL goal here on Dec. 1, 2017, in a 6-5 Senators victory, and acknowledges he kind of “blacked out” after the puck went in. Chabot also had two assists in the game. “When I first stepped on the ice (Friday) morning, it gave me good memories,” he said. “I remember Bobby (Ryan) coming over the blue line and I went backdoor with a one-timer. It was all fun.”…The next time the Senators visit the Islanders, on March 5, the game will be played at the franchise’s old home, the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. CECI HITS MILESTONE: Few NHL players have endured the type of bumpy ride that Cody Ceci has experienced along the way to hitting the 400-game mark. But as he hit that magic mark against the Islanders, all he was thinking about is how it only seemed like yesterday he was skating for the Ottawa 67’s. “I didn’t even know it was (Friday), but I knew it was coming up,” Ceci said before the puck dropped. “It seems like it was only yesterday that I was being drafted to the team and now I’m playing in my 400th. Everything went by so fast.” DEFENSIVE STRUGGLES: Like the rest of the defence, Ceci has had his share of struggles – four goals, five assists and a plus/minus of minus 10 before Friday — and taken as much criticism as any Senators player in recent history. Boucher, however, insists that Ceci’s experience has been necessary for the rebuilding team. “He’s one of those older guys for us and he has helped groom some young guys,” said Boucher. “He had to carry a young guy (Max Lajoie) since the beginning of the year. Lajoie has had good year for a rookie, partly because of him.” 1123224 Ottawa Senators “I like our guys focus. They focus on what they have to do and they don’t focus much on the score. They believe in themselves,” Tourigny added.

“My son (Felix-Antoine) has played for us two weeks and we were down Three-goal third period leads 67's to win over IceDogs by two or three and my son at Christmas said, ‘Dad, that team is unbelievable. They trail by two or three and they’re in the room saying, ‘We’ve got this.’ That’s the philosophy of our players. They believe in Bruce Garrioch themselves. That’s a strength.” December 28, 2018 7:26 PM EST The 67’s will close out 2018 with back-to-back road games as they face the Generals Sunday at 6:05 p.m. and then take on the IceDogs New Year’s Eve at 6 p.m. Cool, calm and collected. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 12.29.2018 That’s the best way to describe this edition of the Ottawa 67’s. The two best teams in the Eastern Conference went head-to-head in a holiday season matinee Friday at TD Place Arena and the 67’s sent the season-high crowd of 5,421 home with smiles after 4-1 victory over the Niagara IceDogs. Fortunately for the 67’s it’s now about how you start, it’s about how finish and they found their game when it counted by striking for three third period goals in the club’s first game since Ottawa began its holiday break Dec. 17. Tye Felhaber led the charge with a two-point effort while Kody Clark, Noel Hoefenmayer and Cameron Tolnai, who scored his first OHL goal, also beat Niagara’s Stephen Dhillon on the 31 shots he faced. Only Philip Tomasino beat Ottawa’s Cedric Andree on 30 shots. Not long after Tomasino tied it up only 2:01 into the third, the 67’s decided they’d seen enough. From there, Felhaber extended his goal- scoring streak to 10 games with his 15th goal in that stretch then Hoefenmeyer and Clark put it away. Coach Andre Tourigny knew this wouldn’t be easy. “I don’t think you can have an elite game when you’ve been off for 10 days and that’s from both teams,” Tourigny said. “I don’t think that was our ‘A’ game. It was our ‘A’ game under the circumstances, but I think we’ll be better and they’ll be better. “They have a lot of players away, we have a lot of players away and we’ll see down the road when we have a chance to have a real toe-to-toe match. For now, we played a really solid game.” That’s because the IceDogs are without forward Jason Robertson, who at the world juniors with Team USA. He’s the OHL second-leading scorer with 31 goals and 60 points. Meanwhile, the 67’s don’t have forward Sasha Chmelevski, who is with Team USA, and newly-acquired Team Canada Mike DiPietro and injured centre Marco Rossi. While the 67’s weren’t at their best in the second period, they were ahead where it counted with a 1-0 lead. Outshot 18-16 by Niagara through 40 minutes, the 67’s had to battle for every inch of ice because the IceDogs are a formidable foe. Ottawa was outshot 12-7 in the second period. In fact, when Tolnai broke the scoreless tie at 15:43, the 67’s were in a stretch where they were being outplayed by Niagara. Bitten did a good job creating a 2-on-1 by chipping the puck of the boards and then making the pass to Tolnai, who simply pushed it by Dhillon. Make no mistake, the 67’s were fortunate to be in the lead because the IceDogs had been dominating. With 7:54 left in the second, Ottawa was being outshot 10-2 by the IceDogs and the power play squandered two chances by taking penalties. Forced to take a timeout with 12:20 left in the second after the 67’s were pinned in their own zone for a long stretch, Tourigny didn’t look the least bit pleased at the Ottawa bench. He looked animated trying to get his team to play better. “(Tourigny) said puck control three times and then it kind of stayed glued in our heads,” said Felhaber, who has 39 goals and 58 points in 36 games. “He was good to calm us down but also to pick us up and tell us we needed our puck control to be better. “He said, ‘Puck control, puck control, puck control’ and whenever your coach says that, I think you better work on your puck control and I think we did. It’s a huge credit to him because he knew what was going on because he can see the game better than us. Once we fixed that up, we were fine.” Tourigny said he didn’t see enough push from the 67’s and he wanted to see more urgency. This team has poise. 1123225 Ottawa Senators

The wait was worth it for Cameron Tolnai

Bruce Garrioch December 28, 2018 7:02 PM EST

That sigh of relief you heard across town Friday afternoon came from Ottawa 67’s forward Cameron Tolnai. The 16-year-old Tolnai, the club’s top selection in the draft last spring, scored his first OHL goal in the club’s 4-1 victory over the Niagara Ice Dogs and he couldn’t have been happier. Ottawa’s Sam Bitten did a good job setting up the chance and all Tolnai had to do was deposit it home to open the scoring with only 4:17 left in the second to give the 67’s a 1-0 lead. “Finally,” said Tolnai, who scored in his 30th OHL game. “(Bitten) made a great play and I just had to put it in the net.” It also came with the biggest crowd of the season on hand. “It was crazy. Once I scored everybody started yelling and screaming,” Tolnai said. “It was just nice to hear the fans care so much about the team and getting the first goal is really nice.” Of course, the puck is going to get a prominent place at his home. “I’m going to put it in my room and look at it every night,” he said. “It’s good confidence. Going into the break I sort of wanted to get that one off the back to relieve some pressure. It’s nice to get this one out of the way after the break so I can just play my game.” Ottawa Sun LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123226 Ottawa Senators “Not that I didn’t think Chabby is as great as he is, but from last year he’s taken that next step. With Karlsson leaving, people might have put a lot of pressure on his shoulders, ‘you’ve got to fill that role,’” Senators Thomas Chabot, the player and person, starting to thrive both on and off forward Zack Smith said. “For a lot of people that might have been the ice overwhelming and tried to do too much and you get away from your game. It obviously hasn’t affected him. He’s flourished, if anything.”

As I said, it hasn’t been a huge sample size as Chabot played in just his Chris Stevenson 100th NHL game on Friday against the New Jersey Devils. Dec 28, 2018 Since it seems to be what people want to do, let’s carry on the Chabot- Karlsson comparison. Here’s a look at how they fared after their first 100 games in the NHL with the Senators. It wasn’t that long ago that fans of the Ottawa Senators could envision That Chabot has come this far, this fast, is not a surprise to his their team being led into the next few seasons by a Norris Trophy calibre teammates who have watched the way he has gone about his business. defenceman capable of winning a game thanks to a moment of brilliance. Nobody knows better than Duchene, who has spent hours with Chabot Well, it was last Monday, actually. off the ice. It has been a habit of theirs, after each morning skate before a home game, to retire to the Senators “shooting room,” where they work In overtime against the Nashville Predators, Senators defenceman on their games. Thomas Chabot jumped on a turnover created by forward Ryan Dzingel and this happened: “He’s got a passion for the game to be better all the time. We’ve worked on all that stuff together and we enjoy the game together,” Duchene said. It is incredible to think that three months after the angst-ridden departure “He enjoys getting better at it. You can tell. He enjoys talking about it. of Senators captain Erik Karlsson — a two-time Norris Trophy winner — You can tell his passion is there. That’s why he’s got the skill set. He’s that Chabot could come this far, to fill the black-hole sized void that No. developed it. It takes that passion as young kid to develop into that. 65’s departure created on the Senators blueline. Some guys have that naturally, but it’s a very small percentage. He’s a This piece didn’t start out as a Karlsson vs. Chabot piece, but it inevitably guy you can tell has worked on his game all the way up.” went there. It went there because the majority of the people interviewed The other players notice when players arrive at the rink. When they for this piece went there even though the original question didn’t start leave. Who’s doing extra work. Who puts extra time in the gym or with a request to compare the two or relate them. watching video. It’s not fair to Chabot, really, since he’s so early in his career and Chabot is a rink rat. Karlsson has a lengthy personal resume and carried the Senators to within a goal of the Stanley Cup final on one leg in 2017. “He’s a pro,” Smith said. “Nothing against Karlsson, but Chabby, for a young guy, he’s the first one at the rink and he’s one of the last to leave. But it’s a compliment to Chabot that he has done such Karlsson-like He takes care of himself. things, people would speak of them in the same sentence. “He puts in his time which is impressive to see. You learn from the older Perhaps because, for an admittedly small sample size, Chabot’s talent, guys how to take care of your body if you want to have a long career. and perhaps just as importantly, his personality, have both grown quickly You have to do that and he figured that out early, which is good to see. It to start to fill that space created by Karlsson’s departure. makes you think that’s a guy who can play for a lot of years.” The 21-year-old from Sainte-Marie, Que., (about 60 kilometres south- Chabot said he looks at a guy like Duchene, sees the success he’s had east of Quebec City) has become “Chabby,” a game changer on the ice, and wants to know why. “Little T,” a rapper star in the dressing room and Hotsam Batcho, a social media power broker. “When you look at a guy like that, that’s been been successful and has had a pretty great career himself, to see him go out there and shoot extra He has been a key catalyst to help transition the Senators to the pucks and do little extra things, it makes you want to jump in,” Chabot younger, fresher team they have become this season. said. “It makes you look at yourself and be like, ‘if this guy does it, why He’s been able to do that thanks to his natural talent, but also hours in don’t I do it?” the Senators shooting room at Canadian Tire Centre with veteran centre “Same thing on the ice. You make plays. You’re around guys. If one guy Matt Duchene, picking the brain of goaltender Craig Anderson and can help me, I’d like to help another guy. It makes everybody better as a partner Dylan DeMelo, among others, and entertaining teammates like group.” forward Colin White with his rhymes and thousands of fans while singing along to Whitney Houston. Hotsam Batcho — The social media star Here’s a look at the faces of Thomas Chabot. One year ago, Ben Milks, whose alter ego, @brian5or6, has become a social media sensation among the Senators fanbase and has been “Chabby” — The player recruited by the Senators as a social media influencer, was sitting around It is early into Chabot’s tenure as the Senators No. 1 defenceman, a role when he had a moment of inspiration. he was thrust into after Karlsson was traded on the eve of training camp. One year later, the Hotsam Batcho brand has become a phenomenon. But his game has blossomed in that intersection of talent and an Senators play-by-man Dean Brown, who calls the games on TSN 1200, expanded role. has referred to Chabot as Hotsam Batcho during a goal call. Chabot has been referred to as Hotsam Batcho during the three-stars selection in the Through games of Dec. 22, Chabot led NHL defencemen in even- Canadian Tire Centre. strength minutes: The name has been put on the back of T-shirts and has been a hit in the Chabot’s minutes per game have climbed by an average of almost seven on-line store Milks has at Brian5or6.com with half the proceeds going to minutes a game over last season to an average of 24:16. the Senators Foundation and the victims of the tornadoes that ripped through the Ottawa Valley and Western Quebec in September (Milks’ He’s topped 28 minutes in a game three times this season: mom’s house was flattened by one of the tornadoes). “It’s just opportunity,” Duchene said. “He’s a guy who plays a very similar The popularity of the gear took off after Senators social media whiz Craig style and role as Karl. With Karl not being here, he steps in as the Medaglia posted a picture of Chabot with the shirt. Chabot tweeted out a obvious replacement in that role. He’s got all the tools to fit that role and picture of himself wearing the shirt to help the cause. fill that role and excel at it. “I never thought that the name would take off amongst the fans let alone “The opportunity he’s been given, he’s taken full advantage of it. He’s Chabot himself,” Milks told The Athletic. “Some fans really started to been that player that we need back there. With his skill set, it’s not embrace it, so I decided to put it on a shirt. I had already been supporting surprising to see what he’s doing. I’m really happy for him and it’s really the Senators Foundation through my merchandise store, but the Hotsam fun to watch him every night.” Batcho started selling like hot cakes. It was interesting the Senators players brought up comparisons to “I am very proud to be able to help out the Foundation in any way and Karlsson even though the questions were just about Chabot and his him embracing the nickname is a huge part of it. It’s a pretty cool thing to evolution as a player. It’s a natural progression given the circumstances. nickname an NHL superstar.” Chabot, in his usual laid-back way, has observed the success of the lot. Any time I can talk to my teammates who have been around for a campaign. while and get more information, what they see on the ice, what they think of certain plays that sometimes you think personally might be the right “I had no idea what it was, but I was getting tagged on everything on play, but when you talk to someone else he might think something else. Twitter,” Chabot said. “Once I looked into it, I think what Brian has been It’s always good to have a second opinion,” he said. doing is great. Not only has it had success, but people are having fun with it, too. Sometimes I’ll meet some fans and they’ll be calling me You talk to people who are around Chabot and know him and the same Hotsam Batcho. words keep coming up when discussing the foundation of his game, of his approach, of his personality. “All the money he’s raised for the Sens Foundation, we really thank him for that. We’re lucky to have great fans like that who are trying to find a Calmness. way to help the foundation and other people in need. There’s only so much I can do, but whenever I see it on Twitter, I try to help him out with Consistency. a retweet or anything. It’s great to see people enjoying it and having fun “No matter what walk of life you’re in, there are guys who don’t get with it.” rattled,” Senators coach Guy Boucher said. “He’s a guy in regular life, he “Little T” — The personality not a nervous guy. He’s capable of handling the pressure. When you look at the way he plays, his speed, gives him time and space and he’s Senators forward Colin White’s face broke into a big smile when asked conscious of that. He’s calm and it’s a natural calm. about Chabot and his musical tastes. It was actually a question about Chabot’s nickname being “Little T.” “All the times he faces pressure, he performs. What I love about him he has a lot of maturity. Bad game? Flushes it. The next day he comes back “Little T? The rapper? That’s my man, Little T,” laughed White. “He likes recharged. That’s huge for an athlete. a little bit of rap, a little bit of techno. Mostly rap, though.” “Good day, bad day, you win, you lose. He’s so strong mentality to move How are his musical skills? on to the next thing. That’s difficult. If you can’t stay in the moment, it’s impossible to be a top athlete or a coach.” “Singing? Probably an F. Rapping? Maybe I’ll give him a B,” White said. “He likes stuff I don’t even know about.” Anderson said he sees that trait in Chabot’s ability to process what’s going on around him on the ice. “It’s pretty funny. For a white guy from Quebec, he really likes the rap music,” laughed DeMelo. “That’s his personality. He’s a fun-loving guy “He’s a special kind of player. You need those types of players to have who always has a smile on his face. He’s really enjoying playing in the success. When he’s on the ice and he’s got the puck, he doesn’t give it NHL. He’s living out his dream. You’ve got to come in and enjoy it every up. He’s doesn’t throw it away for nothing. He makes that extra play day. He’s doing a great job of living in the moment. A lot of guys young because he’s not afraid to have it taken away from him because he’s got and old can learn from that, for sure.” the ability to make up for it. It’s one of those things where there’s no panic in his game and it’s great to see. He’s the guy we rally around.” Chabot grew up in a household listening to Celine Dion and, as we discovered, Whitney Houston. That speed. He generates it with an efficient, powerful stride. “I came out of the locker room and I just started feeling it,” Chabot said. “He’s got the easy speed, is what I call it,” Boucher said. “It just seems effortless. He’s so young. Can you imagine in two, three, four years when But he found his real musical taste in rap. Meek Mill and Drake make up he’s stronger?” the bulk of his playlists these days. A hundred games into this NHL career, I asked Chabot if the game was “I don’t think I can sing very well,” he said. “It’s just the kind of music I slowing down for him. like.” “A little bit, for sure. When you play a lot of minutes every night, you kind He amuses his teammates with his passion for rappers and impresses of get the feel for it. You get a little more confidence out there and, like them with his personality. He is one of the young players, along with you said, it’s not really that it’s slowing down. You get to make the play White, Brady Tkachuk and Max Lajoie who have help reinvigorate a that is more the player you are. That’s the difference this year. Last year I dressing room that had its well-publicized issues last season. didn’t want to make a mistake. This year I know that if I make a mistake I “He always has a smile on his face. I’ve never seen him in a bad mood. might still be back on the ice and that helps a lot. I’ve never seen him worked up,” Smith said. “He’s pretty even keeled. “I’m still trying to grow my game. I’m still trying to be a good player, a He’s a fun guy to have in the room. It’s a lot of fun this year. We’ve got good player at both ends of the ice.” these young guys who aren’t hesitant to come into the room, they’re not shy. They’re fun. I think that it’s helped that they are all a big part of the The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018 team. They jump right in and play big minutes and are contributing. It’s pretty cool to see.” Anderson said he appreciates the way Chabot has handled his rapid rise. “The best thing about it is he’s humble about it,” Anderson said. “He’s a guy who’s always asking questions, talking to me, wondering what he’s doing right, what he’s doing wrong, whether it’s me, his partner, the coach, it doesn’t matter. His humility is what is kind of taking his game to another level.” “That’s stood out to me, too,” DeMelo said. “He’s had a lot of success and you know what? It can definitely get to your head a little bit, for sure. He’s done a great job of staying grounded. He’s such a great person. That’s what sticks out to me. He’s great on the ice, but off the ice he is very humble, very receptive to feedback, good and bad. I think that’s why he’s excelling and why he’s going to excel. He doesn’t let things get bigger than they are. He stays the course. He stays that even keel no matter what.” Chabot said that’s always been his personality. He knows he is going to have down times, have some struggles and he wants guys he can have on his side when he needs them. “I’ve always been that kind of guy. It’s so easy to get into whenever your season is going well. Whenever it’s not going well, you don’t want to be left alone, right? It’s important for me and it’s always been important to me to be able to talk to my teammates,” he said. He recognizes what kind of a resource his veteran teammates can be. “Guys that have been around for 10 years, for 12 years, whatever it might be, Andy is almost 40 years old. He’s a lot older than I am. He’s seen a 1123227 Philadelphia Flyers

With Nolan Patrick injured, Jordan Weal gets another opportunity

Wayne Fish Dec 28, 2018 at 4:47 PM

SUNRISE, Fla. — In the start-and-stop world of Jordan Weal, another start doesn’t require him to stop and think about what this opportunity means. With third-line center Nolan Patrick expected to miss four or five days due to an upper-body injury he received in Thursday night’s 6-5 overtime loss at Tampa, Weal gets another chance to get back in the lineup. Working in Weal’s favor is the fact he has played for new coach Scott Gordon when the two were together on the two seasons ago. Weal is scheduled to play with Michael Raffl and Oskar Lindblom when the Flyers meet the Florida Panthers at BB&T Center on Saturday night. Since he has played in only two of the Flyers’ last 12 games and none since Dec. 15 at Vancouver, he probably has to shake off some rust. “It’s been awhile. In December, I haven’t been in a lot of games,″ the 26- year-old Weal said. “It (coming back from a layoff) is probably one of the toughest things in hockey. “You know you just have to take it one shift at a time. Simplify things, get pucks in, go to work from there and the rest will take care of itself.″ Weal is on the second year of a two-year contract which pays him $1.75 million annually. He’s never really made an impact on the Flyers since joining them three years ago but there are occasional flashes of brilliance which helps keep him around the NHL. He says he’s familiar with Gordon’s style and perhaps that can work in his favor. Weal hasn’t played since Dave Hakstol was relieved of his coaching duties a couple weeks ago. “Gordo was really good for us down in Allentown,″ Weal said. “We had a really good team when I was there. He keeps everyone accountable, keeps everyone in line. That’s all you can ask from a coach and I think that’s why we had so much success. “I know what he’s like behind the bench and stuff like that, the kind of vibe he gives off. Other than that, you just have to go out and play.″ Gordon wouldn’t confirm that Weal will play with Lindblom and Raffl. Raffl hopes that is the case, though. “He should be fired up,″ Raffl said. “I’m sure he’s going to be excited to be out there.″ Hart gets start vs. Panthers Carter Hart will get back into action against the Panthers. He recorded wins vs. Detroit and Nashville, lost to Columbus, then sat out games vs. the Rangers and Tampa. Gordon acknowledges Hart is getting valuable experience in what amounts to an emergency recall with both Brian Elliott and Anthony Stolarz out long-term. “There’s no downside to it,″ Gordon said. “It’s an opportunity for him to build on what he’s done so far in the three games he’s played. “His confidence ... he should feel pretty good about going into tomorrow’s game. Whatever happens, happens. It’s not something that right now we have to worry about.″ Hart spent much of the Christmas break with captain Claude Giroux. He hopes he can stick around a while longer. “Just come to work and take things one day at a time,″ he said. “I think we have a good group of guys here. It’s a lot of fun playing with these guys. We’ve been playing really hard the last four or five games. “I don’t want to go anywhere — I want to stay here. That’s my goal. I’m going to do everything I can to stay here.″ Burlington County Times LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123228 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers needed a new voice, and they're getting an earful from Scott Gordon

John Boruk December 28, 2018 9:42 PM

Scott Gordon usually has a little something for his players after a shift that Dave Hakstol didn’t. A few choice words. Sometimes positive, sometimes critical, but make no mistake, the most observable difference between the two Flyers head coaches are the verbal cues Gordon provides throughout the course of a game. “That seems definitely noticeable,” James van Riemsdyk said. “He likes to give you some feedback, good or bad sometimes. Certainly, that’s a little bit of a difference.” Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere said last week that Gordon’s input on the bench at times is “a little too much,” but regardless, it’s a clear deviation from what they had grown accustomed to under Hakstol, who had more of a deadpan stare when caught on camera, especially during a stoppage in play. Unlike Gordon, who’s in constant communication with his players during the course of a game, Hakstol was more selective. For those who played with Gordon with the Phantoms, his ongoing feedback is nothing out of the ordinary. But for those who haven’t, it comes as part of the adjustment to a new coach. “There’s a balance there,” Andrew MacDonald said. “You can do it in a way where you tell guys and get the message across, but at the same time, kinda beat them down so to speak, which I think he’s done a real good job of. I think as a player, as long as (the coach) is being fair with it — both ways — I think it’s really healthy.” Gordon’s former player while with the Phantoms, Danick Martel, has mixed reviews regarding Gordon’s techniques. Perhaps some of that is derived from now playing for a Tampa Bay Lightning team that may not need much constructive criticism at all times. “Maybe sometimes he panics," Martel said. "That’s why he talks a lot. You’re trying to figure out everything in one second, instead of calming your team down and now all the players know how to play,” Martel said. “He brings a lot of energy, a lot of character. He’s trying to bring everyone’s best every night. I think he’s good at it.” But Gordon’s message doesn’t just start and stop with the drop of the puck. He firmly believes the postgame analysis is critical in cleaning up problem areas and ensuring they don’t linger, which is why the 12-18 hour period after a game is when mistakes can be corrected. “It’s a lot of video,” Jake Voracek said. “We watch a lot of video, which is good, and with that a lot of learning points. It’s been really good for us. I think we’ve been playing better because we’ve been on the same page.” “I always try to have some postgame review to touch on something," Gordon said, "especially here where you don’t have the practice time, which forces you to work on the little things, the things you talk about. It’s one thing to put it on the board (during intermission), it’s another thing to show video of it.” Friday afternoon was just Gordon’s second full practice with his new team. He spent half of the workout reinforcing neutral zone and defensive zone coverages, including zone breakouts — an area where the Flyers had performed slow and sloppy under Hakstol. “I feel like every drill we’re doing is pretty much the routes he wants us to take,” Radko Gudas said. “He wants us in certain spots. It’s a different look from what we had before and everybody’s trying to get into it as fast as we can. The sooner we get it, the better for the whole group.” The fact that the Flyers are embracing change seems to be a convincing sign that change was long overdue. The team needed a new voice, and now they’re getting an earful for sure. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123229 Philadelphia Flyers

Nolan Patrick could miss time with injury; Carter Hart back in net vs. Panthers

John Boruk December 28, 2018 3:40 PM

Nolan Patrick’s upper-body injury that forced him out of Thursday’s game in Tampa could likely keep the Flyers' second-year center off the ice for the remainder of the road trip. Patrick’s day-to-day injury has a timetable of at least four or five days, according to head coach Scott Gordon. The more pressing concern regarding Patrick has been a complete lack of production. From Oct. 20 to Nov. 10, Patrick played his best hockey of the season, scoring nine points (five goals, four assists) in a 10-game span. Since then, Patrick has produced just two assists in his last 18 games, a dramatic drop-off that Gordon doesn’t seem too concerned about. “I think you got to realize that points for guys that are first- or second- round picks usually go to teams that don’t have the offensive players we have here,” Gordon said. “To me, what I like is the defensive play, which will eventually lead to more offensive opportunities. For me, I like that piece. That piece is going to stay with him.” Now 106 games into his NHL career, Patrick seems to be perfectly suited to a third-line center role, which means ice time in the 13-15 minute range with very little power play time. For Saturday’s game against the Panthers, Jordan Weal will step in to fill Patrick’s role, centering a line with Oskar Lindblom and Michael Raffl. Weal has been idle for the longest stretch of hockey in his Flyers career. He has been a healthy scratch in 10 of the Flyers' previous 12 games. In his last game on Dec. 15, he saw a season-low 7:58 TOI. “It’s probably one of the tougher things in hockey — to take a month there and only play two games and come back in the lineup,” Weal said. Hart to start against Panthers As part of Gordon’s plan to work in both goaltenders, Carter Hart will earn his first start of the Flyers' five-game road trip Saturday in Florida. It will be Hart’s first game action in a week coming off the Christmas break. Gordon considered playing the 20-year-old rookie Sunday at Madison Square Garden, but thought the workload could have been too much with six games (including two in Lehigh Valley) over a ten-day period. Saturday’s game at the BB&T Center will also mark Hart’s first NHL game on the road. Hart said the Christmas break came at the right time with a much needed break. He stayed in Philadelphia, going to Claude Giroux’s house for Christmas Eve and then to Dale Weise’s home on Christmas. “Right now, the group that we have is fun to be a part of,” Hart said. “I don’t want to go anywhere. I want to stay here. Obviously, that’s my goal and I’m going to do everything I can to stay here.” Gordon seems to be comfortable with the tandem of Hart and Michal Neuvirth as he had no definitive timetable regarding the injury to Brian Elliott. “I said to Neuvy after the game, it doesn’t show up on the stat sheet, but that was a pretty good six-goal performance. For me, he gave us a chance to get the two points,” Gordon said. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123230 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers playing with never say die attitude under Scott Gordon

John Boruk December 28, 2018 12:25 AM

TAMPA, Fla. — Flyers assistant Kris Knoublach thought he could contribute to Scott Gordon’s second-intermission pep talk. Knoblauch reminded the interim head coach of the craziness that ensued Nov. 17 at the Wells Fargo Center. That was the game against this same Lightning squad that saw the Flyers erase a four-goal deficit over the final 10 minutes of regulation, just the ninth time such a feat has occurred in NHL history. Gordon, who has penchant for being overly communicative, conveniently worked it into his speech. Gordon preached about the seam passes the Flyers were allowing the Lightning to convert easily on and then, he brought up the comeback. “This was an easy challenge for us,” Gordon said with a grin, referring to the 5-1 deficit the Flyers faced in Philadelphia. All it took was Dale Weise banking a shot inadvertently off his skate and the comeback was indeed on . “As soon as we got the first one, it was like, we can actually do this one more time,” Robert Hagg said. “We knew we could come back because they’re going to be sloppy with a big lead. Somehow, we found a lot of energy.” Hagg snapped off a shot that beat goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy less than three minutes later and then, Ivan Provorov tied the game before the third period was even at the midway point. Three goals in just seven minutes. “This game proves that this team doesn’t quit,” Provorov said, “plays to the end and that’s what happened in the third.” The Flyers are now proving that under Gordon, whereas under Dave Hakstol, that mindset was being highly questioned and scrutinized. “It’s obviously a huge thing when your players believe that they’re never out of a game,” Gordon said. “This is the best team in the league. They lead the league in scoring goals. To be able to score five goals against a team that only has four losses at home and 11-0-1 in their last 12 games.” In five games since the Flyers made the necessary change behind the bench, they’ve played five one-goal games, taking seven out of a possible 10 points. They’re playing competitive hockey, inspired hockey, and for the most part, winning hockey. However, some bad habits still linger. The Flyers have now dropped their last four overtime decisions with three of them coming on the opening shift. As much as Claude Giroux electrified the Flyers with his world-class toe drag through three Lightning defenders, which led to a dazzling goal, the Flyers’ captain also took the loss personally. It was Anthony Cirelli who stripped Giroux in OT that led to the game winner. “I make a careless play, a soft play. That can’t happen,” Giroux said. “When you’re put in a situation like that after a game you got to be sharp and you’ve got to make better plays. We should have had two points and I’m responsible for losing one point.” Still, the game played out not much differently than their mid-November matchup, and these two teams still have one more game to go, Feb. 19th at the Wells Fargo Center. I’m just wondering if the Flyers should just spot the Lightning another 5-2 lead and then, we’ll see if the third time might be the comeback charm. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123231 Philadelphia Flyers the Flyers’ net right before Steven Stamkos’ first goal and he left the game with what the team called an “upper-body injury.”

Gordon said Patrick will likely miss the next four or five days, which is Flyers audition continues for Carter Hart, facing first road game basically the rest of the road trip. Patrick has not produced offensively, but Gordon said that he likes the 2017 second-overall pick’s commitment to defense and that as long as that’s a staple of his game, the offensive Dave Isaac opportunities will present themselves. 4:34 p.m. ET Dec. 28, 2018 Weal figures to have some rust when he takes the ice Saturday, but that’s a situation he’s dealt with before.

“It’s probably one of the tougher things in hockey to take a month there SUNRISE, Fla. — Life on the road as a professional first hit Carter Hart and only play two games and come back in the lineup but just gotta take when he boarded a plane for Boston in preseason. He didn’t expect to be it one shift at a time, simplify things, kind of get pucks low and go to work served dinner on-board the return flight postgame. from there and the rest will start coming,” said Weal, who centered Oskar Lindblom and Michael Raffl in Friday’s practice. “A lot of things during the That kind of thing doesn’t happen in junior hockey or in the American season are so reactionary because you’ve been playing so many games Hockey League, where travel is mostly by bus. Charter service is a perk and you know where everyone is. It’s a matter of getting back into that that the 20-year-old goalie could definitely get used to. The only question vibe and getting to play with some good players. Just have to use them is whether he’ll have enough time to become accustomed or not. and get pucks in and play to our strengths.” Both general manager Chuck Fletcher and interim coach Scott Gordon Courier-Post LOADED: 12.29.2018 seemed unsure when the Flyers called Hart up from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms just how long this will last. Hart knows it will be at least one more game as he gets his first road start in the NHL Saturday against the Florida Panthers. “I don’t want to go anywhere,” Hart said. “I want to stay here. Obviously that’s my goal and I’m gonna do everything I can to make sure that I stay here.” The Flyers seem to want him to, also. Players say that Hart’s addition to the team has given them a boost and newlywed Claude Giroux took the rookie goalie in on Christmas Eve while Dale Weise hosted Hart on Christmas day, both offering a home-cooked meal for the first-year pro who is still living out of a hotel room. “It was really nice for them to have me around Christmas,” Hart said. The reason that Fletcher and Gordon were hesitant at the time was they were unsure how Hart would handle his first NHL call-up, whether it would be too much too quick after only 17 AHL games under his belt and a .901 save percentage. So far he’s been good at the next level, winning two of his first three NHL games with a .904 save percentage. Will it be enough to keep Fletcher from making a move, though? National pundits have said that acquiring a steady goalie was high on Fletcher’s priority list. He couldn’t do that for the last week and a half as the NHL had a roster freeze from Dec. 19 to 12:01 a.m. Friday morning. Brian Elliott is nowhere close to returning to the Flyers’ lineup and Anthony Stolarz is also on the shelf with a “lower-body injury.” Michal Neuvirth has played well in his last two games but has a shaky injury history himself. If the Flyers do end up making a move, the trickle-down effect might be Hart returning to the minors. He’s trying not to think about that and take the games he’s gotten so far as a positive to start what figures to be a long NHL career. “There’s no downside to it,” Gordon said. “It’s an opportunity for him to build on what he’s done so far in the three games that he’s played. I think that his confidence, he should feel pretty good going into (Saturday’s) game. Whatever happens, happens. It’s not something that right now we have to worry about. You just worry about tomorrow and after that you worry about the next day.” That’s the approach Hart has tried to take whether he’s starting in a game or not. When he was with Phantoms, he didn’t watch any Flyers games on TV except for Phil Varone’s debut in orange and black so he doesn’t have much of a book on other NHL teams he’d face. The only Florida Panther he’s familiar with is defenseman Mark Pysyk, who works out at the same gym as Hart during summers in Alberta. “There’s teams you play against and you realize their tendencies, but I think when you prepare for the game you prepare the same,” Hart said. “There’s obviously gonna be different situations where they have different kinds of players on the ice and it’s more so on special teams when you’re facing their power play, looking at their tendencies. For myself, I just focus on my game and worry about what I can control.” Weal in for Patrick Jordan Weal will return to the lineup Saturday after sitting out 10 of the last 12 games because Nolan Patrick got hurt in Thursday night’s 6-5 overtime loss in Tampa. Patrick collided with Ondrej Palat at the side of 1123232 Philadelphia Flyers year — was going to have to deliver a vintage performance. And after something of a quiet first 20 minutes, he found a way to do this.

Ignore for a second that the Flyers captain basically goes 1-on-5 Lightning 6, Flyers 5: 10 things we learned from a point stolen, a point (including Vasilevskiy) and still puts the puck in the net; instead, pay lost attention to what he does to McDonagh, who has been talked up as a sleeper Norris Trophy contender. In full control of the puck and realizing that he needs to clear out the Lightning defenseman to open up a path to Charlie O'Connor the crease area, Giroux quickly lifts up McDonagh’s stick — a play generally reserved for those trying to get the puck back, not someone in Dec 28, 2018 possession of it. When a term like “hockey genius” is thrown around, these are the kind of plays that are being referenced.

He wasn’t too shabby the rest of the way, either, breaking even by 5-on-5 When the Philadelphia Flyers hit the locker room for the second Corsi but winning the scoring-chance battles handily, and also adding a intermission trailing the powerhouse Tampa Bay Lightning by a score of primary assist on Hagg’s third-period goal to lock down his 14th multi- 5-2, it sure seemed like their chances of pulling out a victory were point game of the 2018-19 season. Of course, he had the overtime essentially nonexistent. One spark of hope remained — the Flyers had turnover, which can’t be ignored when evaluating his night as Giroux erased a four-goal deficit in the final stanza against this same club just himself would surely acknowledge. But the Flyers never even get to OT last month. It could, at least in theory, happen again. without his typical stellar work in regulation. As it turns out, the Flyers apparently were dead set on replicating that 3: Provorov with one of his strongest efforts of the season November game, but doing so with 100 percent accuracy also required a heartbreaking overtime loss after racing all the way back to tie the His third-period goal may have been the moment when some became contest. Philadelphia evened the score at 5-5 before permitting the fully convinced that Provorov was looking more like his 2017-18 self game-winner in the extra session after just 18 seconds of play for a 6-5 rather than the diminished version that has appeared all too often in loss. Alex Killorn was the hero, taking advantage of a screen and a games this season. For me, however, it was two first-period plays without Claude Giroux turnover to rip a shot past Michal Neuvirth and send the the puck that told me the Flyers would be receiving the best their No. 1 home fans out the doors happy. defenseman had to offer on this night. Giroux, Michael Raffl, Dale Weise, Robert Hagg and Ivan Provorov all lit It hasn’t just been play with the puck that’s been lacking from Provorov the lamp for the Flyers, who were able to steal a standings point due to this year, though ugly turnovers have been the most obvious issue with their furious third-period comeback. But Tampa Bay’s firepower ultimately his game. He’s also been inconsistent in his defensive zone positioning proved too much to overcome, with Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, and puck recoveries, ending up burned for chances or stuck on the ice Brayden Point, Tyler Johnson and the aforementioned Killorn all putting for extended cycles due to an inability to get to loose pucks and get them goals on the board for the Lightning. Neuvirth took the loss in net, out of his own end. With these two plays, Provorov sure looked like a stopping 31 of 37 shots, while Andrei Vasilevskiy earned the win in a 28- player who wasn’t going to have that issue on Thursday. save performance. And eventually, the offense came around to match the defense. Note: This article will reference advanced hockey stats. If you’re looking Provorov’s third-period snipe of a wrister was straight out of 2017-18, to better understand any of the referenced metrics, please read this when the Flyers’ blueliner tied for the league lead at his position with 17 primer, which explains the concepts behind them. goals. He didn’t stop after the goal, either — from that moment on, Provorov seemed to be showcasing an increased willingness to dive 1: Successful game, even if ending didn’t feel like it deep into the offensive zone to try and create chances, a hallmark of his Tampa Bay holds the best record in hockey for a simple reason: they’re game last year. By the end of regulation, Provorov looked like he was the best team in hockey, period. This isn’t a case of a club riding a goalie firing on all cylinders. playing way over his true-talent level or a forward corps scoring on 18 The numbers backed up the eyes. In over 27 minutes of total ice time percent of their shots. The Lightning have the league’s third-best 5v5 (27:10 was his fourth-highest single-game total this year), Provorov score-adjusted Corsi For Percentage, the best 5v5 high-danger scoring posted a strong 57.50% Corsi For at 5-on-5, and saw the Flyers generate chance percentage, the 11th-best save percentage and the best goal a 9-4 high-danger chance advantage while he skated. Setting aside all differential — it’s a team with no real statistical holes, and that’s before the theories about injuries, stick length and whether we’ve all misjudged you get to the fact that they possess four bona fide superstars (Stamkos, his true talent, Provorov more than anything else has looked to me like a Kucherov, Victor Hedman, Point) and two guys who fit comfortably in the player trying too hard to be perfect at times this season, rather than just next tier down (Vasilevskiy, Ryan McDonagh). They’re stacked. letting the game come to him. Hopefully, this is the kind of performance So when the Flyers fell behind 5-2 despite not playing all that poorly, it that can spark an extended run of undeniably strong work, simply by made sense. The Lightning can overwhelm pretty much any club not functioning as cold hard proof of that fact to the most important person — named the Maple Leafs or Penguins with sheer displays of high-end the player himself. talent, and with players like Shayne Gostisbehere, Provorov and Jakub 4: Slot passes the key to Tampa Bay’s offense Voracek not playing their best all-around hockey right now, it made the top-end disparity between the two teams even greater. Going into Tampa The key flaw of public Expected Goal formulas is that — due to the and nabbing two points was always going to be a very tough task. limitations of current data — they remain largely location-based in nature. A shot from the point is less likely to become a goal than a shot from the Yet Philadelphia persevered. Perhaps emboldened by the knowledge slot, and xG recognizes that in a way that the all-shot-attempts-are- that they had basically played Tampa Bay to a draw over the first 40 created-equal Corsi does not. But what xG can’t measure (yet) is the minutes as far as even-strength shot/chance creation, the Flyers came sequence that leads up to a shot. For example, a shot from the right out in the third and ran all over the imposing Lightning, scoring three faceoff dot let loose from a stationary target who carried the puck there times in a 7:05 span to tie things up. And it was a team effort — sure, himself isn’t as dangerous as a shot from that same spot that came about Provorov potted one of the tallies, but Dale Weise and Robert Hagg? on a 2-on-1 transition rush. Location can only tell so much by itself about Those are the types of players who need to step up in this kind of shot quality. environment in order to overcome the inherent talent disparity. Tampa Bay does well enough solely by location-based metrics; only four Did the game end poorly? Of course. Giroux can’t turn that puck over in teams average more high-danger chances per 60 in all-situations than overtime, and considering the fact that Voracek was basically even with the Lightning. But my guess is that those metrics still underrate the Killorn in the neutral zone as the turnover occurs, ideally Killorn doesn’t quality of Tampa Bay’s chances. By my eye, no team in the NHL enter the offensive zone two strides ahead of him so Voracek can put generates more dangerous passing sequences than the Lightning, sufficient back-pressure on the Tampa Bay trailer. But that doesn’t blot particularly in how their passes directly preceding shots tend to cross out the fact that the Flyers largely got the better of a great Lightning team through the middle of the slot area. A league-wide study completed back over 60 minutes of regulation play (54.65% score-adjusted Corsi, 13-7 in 2016 found that 5-on-5 shots preceded by passes that cross the high-danger chance advantage at 5v5), didn’t pack it in when the results “Royal Road” (a name given to the slot area through the middle of the weren’t going their way, and snatched a key standings point in the offensive zone) result in goals a whopping 15.50 percent of the time — process. which is more than twice as efficient as any other shot. The Lightning 2: Your semi-regular reminder that Giroux is great at hockey generate these shots seemingly at will when they’re clicking offensively. For the Flyers to hang with the Lightning, Giroux — the only elite All five of the Lightning’s regulation goals on Thursday were either offensive talent on the club actually playing like it on a nightly basis this preceded by a pass that crossed through the slot (Goals 1, 4 and 5) or ended up on the tape of a player actually sitting in the slot itself. These aren’t fluky plays — they’re ones that can only be consistently created by assists) in his last 10 games, and more recently, seven points in his last lines and teams with ample high-end skill. Tampa Bay certainly six games — aided by a two-helper showing last night. Suddenly, JvR is possesses that. sitting with a solid 2.17 Points/60 rate at 5-on-5, which is right in the range of a first-line-caliber scorer. In fact, it would be the third-highest 5: Where does Couturier fit in when it comes to high-end offensive skill? rate of his NHL career, and even better than his performance last When I noted on Twitter during the game that due to the relative season. struggles of dynamic offensive players like Gostisbehere, Provorov and So why are the raw full-season numbers still down? The injury obviously Voracek (the latter is scoring but his play-driving game has been lacking plays a big role — missing six of about 12 weeks of 2018-19 will do that in 2018-19), it forced Giroux to essentially match on his own the offensive — and the fact that JvR hasn’t been an every-night staple on the top work of Messrs. Kucherov, Stamkos, Point and Hedman, a follower power play unit hasn’t helped him, either. But in terms of even-strength understandably pointed out that I left Sean Couturier off that mental list. scoring, van Riemsdyk has ridden this recent surge right back to where After all, Couturier did score 31 goals and play at nearly a point-per- he should be, at least by points. A few more goals would certainly be game pace last year — surely he deserved a mention as well. appreciated by his teammates and the fanbase at large. Anyone who regularly reads my work knows my respect for the value that 8: A game where numbers lie for MacDonald? Couturier brings to the table; that said, his omission wasn’t an oversight. Couturier is a fantastic all-around hockey player, a true No. 1 center in With Dave Hakstol no longer around to be the target of fury from Flyers my estimation due to his two-way prowess. But in terms of creating fans on social media, it was fair to wonder where all of that unused offense out of thin air, the way truly dynamic players can? That’s really frustration might land. In reality, it was close to a foregone conclusion not his game. In the offensive zone, he’s more of a support player, who would take the brunt of it — former target Andrew MacDonald, who complementing the work of linemates. He’s not going to be beating had received something of a reprieve over the last two seasons as most anyone 1-on-1 with sheer speed or slick puck handling, or freezing fans seemed to focus their anger on either Brandon Manning (due to the defenders with a highlight-reel pass — at least not often. Asking him to perception that he had taken a lineup spot from the more exciting Travis be dynamic like Kucherov, Stamkos and Point simply isn’t a fair request. Sanheim) and then Hakstol after Manning was not re-signed. Well, Hakstol is now gone as well, so it’s MacDonald — with his oversized What Couturier does do against a team like the Lightning — and it’s an contract and perceived propensity for glaring mistakes — who has invaluable service — is provide a stabilizing force for his line while taking become Public Enemy No. 1 again. on heavy minutes against those superstars. And that’s exactly what he pulled off on Thursday. With Couturier on the ice, the Flyers won the After the first period on Thursday night, Twitter was abuzz again with shot-attempt battle at 5-on-5 by a whopping 20-9 margin, and led in criticism of the 32-year-old, particularly due to his work on Point’s power scoring chances 11-3. They did so despite Couturier receiving a not- play tally, when MacDonald ended up stuck in the crease along with insignificant amount of minutes matched up with Stamkos (5:22) and Neuvirth as the latter tried to recover in time to stop Point’s final shot. For Kucherov (4:31). Philadelphia might not want to rely on Couturier to help some, the narrative was set in stone after that play — another awful them match Tampa Bay goal-for-goal (though he did nab a secondary Andrew MacDonald game. assist on Provorov’s tally). But they’re right to trust Couturier to help the team win the goal-differential battle with him on the ice, which in the end The numbers, however, tell a different tale. No defenseman on the Flyers is more important anyway. posted a higher Corsi For Percentage (65.63%) than MacDonald, and his 10-5 on-ice scoring-chance differential wasn’t bad, either. Nor was 6: Power play finishing issues continue MacDonald getting particularly easy minutes; he and Radko Gudas were largely used as Philadelphia’s second pair by Gordon and assistant It was understandably forgotten in the wake of the Flyers’ three-goal, coach Rick Wilson, and MacDonald’s most frequent opponent was none third-period comeback, but it’s worth noting that after Giroux’s all-world other than Kucherov. By the stats, No. 47 held his own in the matchup. goal, they actually found themselves on the power play due to Tampa And MacDonald even had a few solid straight eye-test plays as the game Bay head coach Jon Cooper’s decision to challenge Giroux’s tally on the progressed, disrupting a potential Hedman scoring chance late in the grounds that the play was offside. He lost the challenge, and per the third period after Couturier turned the puck over, protecting the tie score. rules governing offside oppositions, handed the Flyers a 5-on-4 opportunity, with the score suddenly tied 2-2. It was the perfect time to Interestingly enough, the 47-3 duo actually has performed quite well by break the game open. advanced stats so far. In a little over 91 minutes together, they hold a 58.25% Corsi, giving an early answer to the question of what happens Predictably, however, Philadelphia floundered on the ensuing two-minute when a notorious shot-differential inflator (Gudas) skates next to a PP, an outcome that very likely influenced Cooper’s decision to take the deflator (MacDonald). Mistakes are going to happen with MacDonald, risk. Right now, this Flyers’ power play can’t buy a goal with the man and my view is that the 5-on-5 numbers from last night did miss a few advantage, unless it’s a flat-out slam dunk play. less-than-stellar moments on his part. But most likely, his overall The second unit is irrelevant to this conversation; it’s bad, it’s been bad performance on Thursday was nowhere near as underwhelming as it for years, there’s no reason to believe it won’t stay bad for the remainder may have seemed on first watch. Maybe this pairing could legitimately of the season. But PP1 is a different story. They’re creating chances — work. Wayne Simmonds had two golden opportunities on the first of the two 9: Patrick leaves with injury penalties that the Lightning took — and putting together sequences that really should end up in the back of the net. The players on the unit have In a piece of legitimately concerning news, Nolan Patrick left last night’s long track records of being able to finish on the power play. They’re just game in discomfort near the midpoint of the second period, and did not not doing so this year. return for another shift the rest of the way. He did remain on the bench through the conclusion of the period, but never again hit the ice for a live- Head coach Scott Gordon has rightfully expressed amazement at the action turn, staying in the locker room for the final stanza and overtime. lack of tangible power play production from his top unit when asked Let’s take a look at the sequence where the injury most likely occurred. about their struggles over the last week and change. It make sense — PP1 looks like it’s doing everything right from a process standpoint, and It appears to have stemmed from a netfront collision between Patrick and the Flyers aren’t a team like the Carolina Hurricanes where their top Ondrej Palat. Patrick crushes Palat with his left shoulder, sending the talent up front historically lacks above-average finishing ability. Tampa Bay forward to the ice, but it’s the 20-year-old who appears to get Sometimes, teams just have bad-luck goal-differential years at 5-on-5, the worst of it. He seems clearly hampered as the sequence progresses, expressed by artificially low PDO ratings. Maybe Philadelphia is just and shows obvious signs of pain after play concludes. having the power play equivalent of that in 2018-19. I’m certainly open to competing theories. My guess? It looks like either a left shoulder or arm issue. That was the main point of contact, and at the conclusion of the above clip, Patrick 7: JvR starting to get going? does appear to be clutching his left arm. A bit of good news did come in the way that the Flyers announced the injury in the third period, stating James van Riemsdyk has had himself a strange first season back in the that Patrick was “unlikely” to return rather than simply ruling him out Orange & Black. He lasted just four periods before getting knocked out of entirely — their usual protocol. It left the door open for a return, even if the lineup for the better part of six weeks with a lower-body injury, and there was a much better chance he would stay in the locker room. That with just two more games until the turn of the calendar year, he sits with crack of sunlight in the doorway could be a tell that the injury isn’t a mere five goals — a far cry from the 36 he scored for Toronto in 2017- especially serious, and it was merely a matter of pain tolerance for the 18, and certainly nowhere close to what fans expected from him at this young center. Hopefully it does prove to be relatively minor — we’ll find stage of the season. out in the coming days. Yet peer a little closer, and you might see that JvR seems to be finding 10: Neuvirth over Hart made sense his offensive game. Since breaking out for a goal and an assist against Buffalo back on Dec. 8, van Riemsdyk has nine points (four goals, five If you’ve made it this far and realized that there was no note of rookie goalie Carter Hart in the above nine points, know that it wasn’t an oversight. Neuvirth received the start in goal and stayed in net for the entire game, making Hart the backup for a second straight contest. Obviously, fans want to see Hart play, and he’s shown himself quite well thus far in a Flyers uniform. Nevertheless, I have little problem with the move to turn to Neuvirth on Thursday. The veteran delivered a stellar showing in New York before the break, and had certainly earned another look, per classic hockey lingo. But going with Neuvirth over Hart also felt like the result of the night’s quality of competition. Tampa is arguably the most fearsome offensive club in the league, capable of making any netminder look foolish with their barrage of dangerous passing and shot sequences. Neuvirth, to my eyes, didn’t have an especially poor performance, yet still ended up with an 0.838 save percentage on the evening. That speaks to the difficulty of the matchup. Yes, Hart put in a great showing against the Nashville Predators last week — another elite team. But they were missing some key pieces (Filip Forsberg, Victor Arvidsson, P.K. Subban) and even when fully healthy simply aren’t as electric up front as the Lightning (Nashville’s strength is on the back end). I have no issue with deeming that Hart’s fourth NHL start shouldn’t come in a situation where he’s almost certain to fail. I’d be disappointed if he isn’t given the nod on Saturday against the Florida Panthers, though. The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123233 Pittsburgh Penguins Patric Hornqvist left practice early after taking an errant puck to the chin. Sullivan said he hadn’t checked with team medical personnel to make sure, but he believed Hornqvist was fine. Penguins' Jim Rutherford: No reason to wait to re-sign Jake Guentzel Defenseman Jamie Oleksiak practiced in a full-contact capacity and is close to returning from a concussion. JONATHAN BOMBULIE Tribune Review LOADED: 12.29.2018 Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, 4:12 p.m.

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford doesn’t often sign players to contract extensions in the middle of the season, so there had to be a good reason he got Jake Guentzel’s five-year, $30 million deal done Thursday, right? Was he afraid a frisky general manager from an opposing team would sign Guentzel to an offer sheet when he hit restricted free agency in July? Not really. “We would always have enough cushion if somebody decided to jump in on us,” Rutherford said Friday. Was it to avoid a potentially sticky holdout situation like the one between the Toronto Maple Leafs and forward William Nylander earlier this season? Maybe a little. “You don’t like to see a player hold out,” Rutherford conceded. “You want them in for the start of camp. You want them to be happy and comfortable.” The overwhelming reason Guentzel’s deal got done this week was even simpler. Rutherford identified Guentzel as part of the team’s core. Guentzel wanted to stay in Pittsburgh. All that was left to do was decide on a salary everyone was comfortable with, and that process took place over the past 10 days or so. “He’s been a good player from Day 1,” Rutherford said. “He’s proven himself to be one of our core players. When you have a good young player like that, it’s important that you get him locked up.” With Guentzel’s deal done, the Penguins will have about $74.37 million committed to eight forwards, six defensemen and a goalie for next season. The cap is expected to increase to about $83 million. That looks like a tight fit, but Rutherford said he doesn’t anticipate having to dump salary as he fills his roster next summer. “This doesn’t put us in any cap difficulty for what our projections are and what our vision of the team is,” Rutherford said. The cap situation might force the Penguins to fill the back end of their depth chart with prospects graduating from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, but that’s not unusual, the GM said. “If you’re going to be successful in the cap world, you have to have some guys coming that are going to be at the lower end of the pay scale,” Rutherford said. Steps forward When Rutherford watched his team throughout much of November, he often wondered what he was looking at. Now that the team has stabilized with a 9-3-1 December, he sees a team that is imperfect but is making significant progress. “We’re getting close to where we want to be,” Rutherford said. “I think the biggest thing right now is we’re gaining our team confidence, but to get that at 100 percent where we’re in games and we’re up by three or down by three or whatever the circumstances are, we’re comfortable that we’re going to win that game. We’re starting to get closer to that now.” Conditioning stint The Penguins sent defenseman Chad Ruhwedel to Wilkes- Barre/Scranton for a conditioning stint. Ruhwedel has slipped to eighth on the depth chart and hasn’t played since Nov. 19. “We’re just concerned he hasn’t played games in about a month,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “They’ve got an advantageous schedule where they’ve got a bunch of games coming up, so we just thought we’d get him in some games.” Injury report 1123234 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins' Sidney Crosby happy to have Jake Guentzel as his left-hand man

JONATHAN BOMBULIE Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, 3:45 p.m.

When a pregame announcement letting fans know The Pittsburgh Penguins’ Jake Guentzel had signed a five-year contract extension worth $30 million flashed across the PPG Paints Arena scoreboard Thursday night, the crowd responded with a hearty ovation. Sidney Crosby was in the locker room preparing to take on the Detroit Red Wings at the time, but if he had been in the stands, he probably would have given a round of applause, too. Among all the good reasons to lock up a talented young scorer like Guentzel to a longer-term contract, one stands above the rest: It will give Crosby a suitable partner in crime throughout the rest of his early 30s. Whether it’s on the ice, where Guentzel usually plays on Crosby’s left wing, or in the locker room, where Guentzel sits in the stall to Crosby’s left, the pair will be joined at the hip for the foreseeable future. “Whether he likes it or not,” Crosby joked after practice Friday afternoon. Crosby has clicked with a handful of wingers in the decade-plus since he started out as a fresh-faced 18-year-old with John LeClair and Mark Recchi by his side in 2005. His combination with Chris Kunitz and Pascal Dupuis in the first half of this decade was a cornerstone of the team’s success for long stretches of time. Marian Hossa’s short stay on Crosby’s wing was memorable. By the time his new contract expires, however, it’s not hard to imagine Guentzel will end up being the winger who has the most sustained successful partnership with Crosby in his entire career. “He’s had a lot of success, right from his first shift,” Crosby said. “He came in right away and made an impact, and he’s been consistent since then. He’s won a Stanley Cup. He’s done a lot of really important things for us.” The most important reason Guentzel and Crosby have clicked over the past two-plus seasons is they see the game in a similar way. Guentzel is a coach’s kid. Crosby is the consummate student of the game. They play on the same wavelength. “It’s just being able to anticipate plays,” Crosby said. “He’s reacting a lot of the time out there, not necessarily having to think. A lot of times when you have to think, you’re a step behind or you’re hesitant. He’s just got good hockey sense. He knows where to go to support the puck, where to go to find holes. He can make plays when the puck’s on his stick, too.” Another reason they’ve had success together is Guentzel’s eagerness to sit under Crosby’s learning tree. When the captain pulls out an iPad to review a play on the bench, Guentzel is often looking right over his shoulder. “Just the way he sees things, his point of view on different situations, you would never expect anyone to see plays the way he does,” Guentzel said. “I’m learning stuff every day.” Anytime Crosby is asked about his linemates, he always starts with a caveat. There are plenty of talented forwards on the roster, he’ll say, and they’ve all played together at one point or another. It doesn’t really matter who is slotted with whom. He didn’t stray from that belief when discussing Guentzel’s contract extension Friday, but he did admit the obvious. He’s happy his left-hand man will be sticking around for a while. “It’s been tough the last few years to keep the team together,” Crosby said. “I think a lot of teams deal with that turnover, trying to keep a core group. He’s a younger guy, but to know that we’re going to have him for the next five years, it’s great. You want to build and create chemistry. As forwards, we’ve all played with different guys, but it’ll be great to have him.” Tribune Review LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123235 Pittsburgh Penguins “Nothing is going to blow you away about his game,” he said. “But everything is very sound and really solid. And I think [a complete skill set] is what makes him so good.” Brian Dumoulin might be 'overlooked,' but he's making a major impact for Plus-minus is far from a perfect stat. It is more a team stat than an the Penguins individual one. One can get tagged with a minus on a fluky goal that bounces in from center ice — whether or not a goalie is in the net. And a skater can be rewarded with a plus when the other four guys on the ice MATT VENSEL put one into the net while he’s on the way to the bench for a change. DEC 28, 2018 3:25 PM That said, if you’re a plus-21 in late December, chances are you’re doing a lot right.

“I don’t think it’s a full indicator in how you’re playing. But it’s definitely The numbers paint the picture of one of the most impactful defenders in there for a reason, I think,” Dumoulin said, adding, “It’s always good to be hockey. up there in something.” Entering Friday, he ranked among the NHL’s top five players in plus- Dumoulin said as long as the league keeps track of that stat, players will minus rating. The Penguins generate 31.1 scoring chances per 60 take note of how they stack up. But he said he doesn’t need to look at it minutes of five-on-five play when he is on the ice, tops among the team’s to know how well he played. blue liners. On the flip side, opponents generate just 23.9 chances per 60 minutes, again the best rate among their regulars. Interestingly, he said he doesn’t “think there is a big difference” in his play this season compared to last, when, as a minus-5, he was in the red Oh, and he’s doing all this while routinely going up against the league’s for the first time in his career. top scorers. “If you’re playing well and the team is playing well, that kind of stat will Kris Letang, if he maintains his lofty level of play, should get Norris come,” he said. Trophy consideration after the season. But the numbers above belong to his unheralded defensive partner. But when it does, like it has so far, it shines a light on how someone like Dumoulin, who probably wouldn’t crack the team’s first-half highlight reel, Patric Hornqvist took a puck to the chin in practice, but the Penguins subtly impacts winning. think he’ll be fine Post Gazette LOADED: 12.29.2018 Brian Dumoulin, the mild-mannered Mainer, is quietly in the midst of a career season. The 27-year-old leads the Penguins with a plus-21 rating through 37 games and is on pace, with 10 points, to pass his previous high by St. Patrick’s Day. Plus, his large presence is a primary reason the Penguins have the league’s third-stingiest penalty kill. Letang, who has been excellent this season with eight goals and 29 points already, is understandably getting a lot of attention in this big bounce-back season, leaving little left over for Dumoulin. That, Dumoulin said after Friday’s practice, is totally fine by him. Despite Dumoulin being 6-foot-4 and 207 pounds, he can go long stretches of games without popping out to the untrained eye. That’s usually a sign he is on his game. “Overlooked is definitely an understatement because there is so much star power on this team. He’s kind of a stay-at-home defenseman who is crazy solid,” said Casey DeSmith, who has a good view of Dumoulin from the Penguins’ net. “Everybody cares about who’s scoring points. ... But at the end of the day, wins come from guys like that, too.” While Letang likes to bolt into the offensive zone to play tic-tac-toe with fellow stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, Dumoulin is often found hovering at the blue line. He can do some stuff with the puck, too, but knows his limitations and is comfortable in his role. “I know Tanger’s going to take chances, and I want him to,” Dumoulin said. “Any time I see him jump, then I try to stay back and try to play off his role and try to talk to him as much as I can. He’s playing really well right now, and it’s fun to play with him.” The feeling is mutual for Letang, who knows Dumoulin will usually have his back. Jake Guentzel and the Penguins are thrilled to avoid negotiating fuss “He’s a really reliable guy on both sides of the puck,” Letang said. “Obviously, we all know what he’s capable of doing defensively. But he’s also a good thing for my mind so I can just go play my game and try to create offense. I know he’s always back there.” The Penguins have cut down on odd-man rushes in recent weeks. DeSmith marveled at how well — when they do happen — Dumoulin defends them, using solid positioning and his long reach to prevent back- door passes and discourage shots from between the dots. “He’s a big body with a big stick and if you can figure out how to use your stick, that’s very, very tough to go against,” added Tanner Pearson, the former Los Angeles Kings winger who faced Dumoulin a few times a year while they were in the minor leagues. “He’s always been the same. He played against the top guys [in Wilkes- Barre/Scranton] and then he comes in, breaks though and is doing the same thing up here,” he said. DeSmith said another underrated aspect of Dumoulin’s skill set is his impressive speed given his size, which helps him get back to cleanly dig dump-ins out of the corners. 1123236 Pittsburgh Penguins Although he looks nothing like Johnson’s longtime partner in Columbus, David Savard, Johnson said Savard and Pettersson are actually similar players. Patric Hornqvist took a puck to the chin in practice, but the Penguins “They both handle the puck pretty well,” Johnson said. “They can help think he’ll be fine get you out of trouble when you’re pinned in your own end.” Pettersson has been everything the Penguins could have hoped for and JASON MACKEY more. While Penguins fans were largely unhappy to see Daniel Sprong go, the Penguins have seemingly gotten a legitimate NHL defenseman DEC 28, 2018 3:16 PM who’s young and may even have some more offense to his game. “We think there is,” Sullivan said. “That’s why we’ve gotten him involved on the second power play. He sees the ice pretty well. He has decent The Penguins think they survived an injury scare during Friday’s practice instincts. He can pass the puck. He has a decent shot. We believe when Patric Hornqvist took a puck to the chin at UPMC Lemieux Sports there’s some upside there. Complex. “We’re trying to put him in those positions where he has an opportunity to Hornqvist left immediately for the dressing room and did not return. grow and develop in that regard. We’ve really been impressed with his overall game.” Asked afterward whether Hornqvist was OK, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said, “Yeah, I believe he is. I haven’t checked with our medical Post Gazette LOADED: 12.29.2018 staff, but he obviously got hit with a puck in the chin.” Without Hornqvist, Derek Grant skated on Evgeni Malkin’s right wing, although that combination probably wouldn’t stick if Hornqvist was not OK. As he has in the past, Jake Guentzel took Hornqvist’s spot on the No. 1 power play. Hornqvist has already missed games this season for a concussion (three) and upper-body injury (six). He scored Thursday, his first goal since a hat trick on Dec. 4 against Colorado. Jamie Oleksiak injury update Jamie Oleksiak was a full participant at Friday’s practice and continues to make progress in his return from a concussion. “He was in full contact [Friday],” Sullivan said. “The initial report is that he was fine. He got through [practice] just fine. The next step would be just clearance to play. That’s the last step. We’ll see how he is [Saturday], and then we’ll make decisions.” It certainly looks like Oleksiak will be available for the game against the Blues, although it remains to be seen whether Sullivan will play the big defenseman. The Penguins have basically won four consecutive games with Oleksiak out since he was concussed early last Wednesday in Washington, allowing just four goals during that stretch. “It’s a good problem to have when you have quality guys who are playing well,” Sullivan said. “We’ve had that. Jamie has been one of those guys when he’s been in, too. We’re going to have to make some decisions moving forward.” Chad Ruhwedel to Wilkes-Barre Having been a healthy scratch since Nov. 19, the Penguins on Friday assigned Chad Ruhwedel to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on a conditioning stint. Ruhwedel, who has played in 11 games with the NHL Penguins this season, can remain on the big club’s 23-man active roster for the duration of his assignment. The WBS Penguins play three games in the next four days to close out the 2018 calendar year. “We were concerned he hasn’t played games in about a month,” Sullivan said. “They’ve got an advantageous schedule where they have a bunch of games coming up. We thought we would get him in some games.” ‘He helps me’ Jack Johnson did not have the start to his Penguins tenure that anybody wanted. In his first 25 games, Johnson was on the ice for 27 five-on-five goals- against, last on the Penguins by eight. Over the past 12 games, however, Johnson has been on the ice for just four five-on-five goals-against. Only two regulars have been on for fewer. The difference has been the Penguins’ trade for Marcus Pettersson and how it has stabilized their offseason free-agent acquisition. “I’ve become real comfortable with him,” Johnson said. “He helps me. You can just really focus on your own game because part of having a partnership and stuff is you don’t want to let your partner down. I think we just get along really well on the ice.” 1123237 Pittsburgh Penguins “Probably over the last 10 days it got a lot more serious,” Rutherford said. “Got to a number that made sense for both sides.”

A number, too, that Rutherford said would not seriously impact the Jake Guentzel and the Penguins are thrilled to avoid negotiating fuss Penguins’ salary-cap situation for next season. Jim Rutherford stresses how 'important' it is to get a player like the 24- For one, the salary cap is expected to rise to $83 million from $79.5 year-old locked up long term million, which gives the Penguins some wiggle room. The Penguins also have some restricted free agents in Derick Brassard, JASON MACKEY Chad Ruhwedel, Derek Grant, Matt Cullen (retirement) and maybe even Riley Sheahan, who could easily not be back. DEC 28, 2018 4:24 PM “This doesn’t put us in any cap difficulty for what our projections are and what our vision of the team is,” Rutherford said. Had he wanted to, Jake Guentzel could’ve turned the screws. He and his The key, of course, will be back-filling some of those roles, specifically in agent, Ben Hankinson, could’ve attempted to juice every possible cent the bottom six. out of the Penguins, perhaps sitting out training camp or even the 2019- 20 regular season. That’s where guys such as Teddy Blueger, Adam Johnson and Thomas Di Pauli, forward prospects with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, will need to take Had he wanted to, Guentzel could’ve turned his contract situation into a the next step and work on cheaper contracts. referendum on arbitration rights or how young, talented and productive players deserve to be compensated. “If you’re going to be successful in the cap world, you have to have some guys coming who are going to be at the lower end of the pay scale,” Guentzel had no such interest. Rutherford said. Hankinson talked to Guentzel about the pros and cons about his contract For now, though, this deal was more about Guentzel, a player who has situation, how it might make sense to wait and try to drive up his value as produced in the playoffs and somebody Rutherford really likes. much as possible, but Guentzel wanted nothing of it. Guentzel already has 23 goals and 42 points in 37 playoff games and 53 Patric Hornqvist took a puck to the chin in practice, but the Penguins goals and 114 points in 159 regular-season games. think he’ll be fine This season, Guentzel has been remarkably consistent, with points in 62 Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford, perhaps watching the NHL’s percent (23 of 37) of his games and only once going longer than four trend of restricted free agents pushing to get paid, got more aggressive games (seven from Oct. 27-Nov. 10) without a goal. with his offer over Christmas, and a second push — actually on Christmas Eve — worked. “I don’t even think he’s gotten as good as he’s going to be,” Rutherford said. “As his agent, I wouldn’t have minded,” said Hankinson about making a statement with the five-year, $30 million deal Guentzel signed Thursday. That’s why Rutherford was happy to avoid offer sheets or holdouts or any “But I’m not lacing up the skates. of that sort of stuff and simply get Guentzel under contract for the next five years. “Maybe he could have gotten a little more, but at the same time, Jake is really happy and thankful for this opportunity and commitment.” “He’s been a good player for us from day one,” Rutherford said. “He’s proven himself to be one of our core players. When you have a player Guentzel didn’t want to become the next William Nylander, who signed like that, it’s important that you get them locked up.” an extension will Toronto on Dec. 1, only after a bunch of fuss and back- and-forth. Post Gazette LOADED: 12.29.2018 Stuff that, evidently, didn’t interest Guentzel in the least. “It was all about Jake’s respect for the organization and the team and kind of not wanting to go through that process,” Hankinson said. “He loves it there.” Such talks may soon happen elsewhere, though, as many of the NHL’s brightest young stars — Auston Matthews in Toronto, Winnipeg’s Patrik Laine and Mikko Rantanen in Colorado — are on expiring entry-level deals. Brian Dumoulin might be 'overlooked,' but he's making a major impact for the Penguins Rutherford and Hankinson first broached the idea of an extension back in late September, during the USHL Fall Classic. They met a couple times, and Hankinson said Rutherford made a respectable offer — but not enough to finalize a deal. “Jimmy got more serious, and we got it done,” Hankinson said of contract talks that heated up on Christmas Eve and basically finished on Dec. 26. “You don’t like to see a player hold out,” Rutherford said after practice Friday at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. “You want them in the start of camp. You want them to be happy and comfortable. “I think with this player, getting him done at this point in time, he knows where he’s going to be, he loves it in Pittsburgh, he wants to be with the Penguins. “To know he’s going to be here for the next number of years, it’s important.” Guentzel, 24, has shown that he’s absolutely worthy of this sort of contract extension, whether that’s with his career numbers — his per- game averages nearly match those of Nylander, who after this season will make nearly $7 million — or his postseason performance. But after Nylander has struggled in his return and the RFA/contract rumblings grow louder, Rutherford turned up the intensity and did his best to avoid having that sort of situation on his hands. 1123238 Pittsburgh Penguins The Penguins are close to plus-60 on goals-above-replacement, good for fifth in the league and just a handful of goals behind the division-leading Capitals. What this data tells us is that the Penguins are getting scoring Marshall: Where do the Penguins stand heading into the new year? that exceeds expectation. This statistic doesn’t just get inflated because the Penguins have a Sidney Crosby, it gets inflated because Crosby is performing that well. Jesse Marshall It’s no secret that a quick-strike offense and heavy forecheck is the Penguins’ recipe for success. Seeing them among the league’s elite in Dec 28, 2018 regards to Goals Above Replacement, scoring chance generation, and shot-attempt opportunities bodes well as the team pushes forward into

the second half of the year. If the Penguins get some of their offensive Since their bitter 4-2 loss on Dec. 1 to the cross-state rival Philadelphia pieces generating points at the same time, it will prove problematic for Flyers, the Penguins have gone on a 9-2-1 run, culminating in their the rest of the league. current four-game win streak that has simultaneously given the team a bit It’s important to note that the Penguins offense is not shooting at an of breathing room in the playoff race and situated them within striking unsustainable rate during this winning streak. If you were concerned distance of the division-leading Washington Capitals. about a luck factor inherent in their recent run, don’t be. Consider the state of the Penguins following that listless setback against The Penguins’ current five-game win streak has seen them shoot below the Flyers, one that featured the team’s league-high sixth short-handed average as a team. What can we garner from this insight? Well, to start, goal against. The Penguins were sitting near the bottom of the division, the Penguins aren’t scoring simply because all of the chips are falling firmly out of a playoff spot, and the inevitable questions about the future their way. Their shooting percentage isn’t grossly inflated to the point of of the team began to surface. Their goaltending was only slightly less concern. While the Penguins have gotten their share of above-average unreliable than last year, they boasted virtually no secondary scoring, performances, their five-game winning streak isn’t a result of a statistical and they were hemorrhaging prime scoring chances. anomaly. Twelve games later and the Penguins are suddenly one of the hottest 3. The penalty kill is actually good teams in the National Hockey League. On focal point for the coaching staff through the early portion of the So, what changed? And what can the Penguins capture in a bottle from season was getting the Penguins penalty killing unit situation, especially this run as they prepare to move into the second half of the season? given the fact that Carl Hagelin, one of the team’s staple penalty killers, Let’s take a look at some data to help us paint the picture of what’s going was traded to Los Angeles. In this goal of improving the penalty kill, head on behind the scenes in the Penguins recent run of form. coach Mike Sullivan has taken to employing a cast of unfamiliar 1. Goaltending is back characters in shorthanded opportunities. Crosby, Malkin, and Jake Guentzel have all been granted the opportunity to kill penalties, and the I’ve often argued that the Penguins, for all of their star power and their attention they command in shorthanded situations has changed the firewagon approach to puck-possession, require only league-average dynamic of the penalty kill. Opposing power-play units that get too fancy goaltending to be a championship threat. The issue over the course of and rest on their laurels are at risk to get eaten alive by the Penguins’ the last season and the first third of this one was a lack of even average offensive talent. play between the pipes. The rest has been a penalty-killing unit that has dispatched 45 of the last It’s no surprise that the Penguins 9-2-1 run has featured the best 50 penalties it has faced over the last 20 games of the regular season. I goaltending the team has received throughout the last 14 months. mentioned above that the Penguins have gotten a huge goaltending Between both Casey DeSmith and Matt Murray, what was once a glaring boost over the last month. I feel that it’s important to mention here is that weakness is transforming into reliable and above-average performances. goaltending is not the only reason the Penguins penalty kill has been better. They’re doing a great job of limiting shots and scoring chances in To get a visualization of these performances, check out this rolling save their own right beyond that. percentage visualization by Bill Comeau. You can follow Bill on Twitter as well. The right side of this chart tracks the Penguins expected goals-against and shot-attempts against on the penalty kill. As you can see from the Since bottoming out with repeated below-average performances as the visualization, the Penguins are firmly nestled among the league leaders calendar turned to December, the duo of DeSmith and Murray has been with regards to mitigating both shots and scoring chances in shorthanded churning out above-average performances in net night after night. The situations this season. dotted line across the center of the chart denotes where the league- average save percentage lies. Look at where the Penguins are in relation This is a crucial element when you consider that, for the most part, the to that line over the course of the last month. Penguins end up on the wrong side of the penalty differential equation. Take a look at the visualization below: Above-average is the key here. I mentioned above that the Penguins only need average goaltending to be competitors. What they’re getting in So, on one hand, it’s great to see the Penguins penalty-kill clicking at a this run goes well beyond that. Only the Washington Capitals can boast 90 percent success rate so far this year, but they’ve ended up on the save-percentage data in line with the Penguins over the last month. This wrong side of the penalty-differential more often than not. element to the Penguins resurgence can’t be ignored. For me, it’s the biggest element to their game right now. Getting these above-average This is one area that is a must-fix for the Penguins, especially performances have enabled the Penguins to steal games, points, and considering that they generally draw penalties at a fairly high rate given also flex their muscle against lower opposition, which was something the amount of skating they do and the offensive talent that they boast. they struggled with in the early portion of the year. Getting into the habit of testing their penalty-killing is both unnecessary and an overall cause for concern. 2. The Penguins offense is still among the league’s elite Overall, the arrow is pointing up for the Penguins in a lot of areas. They It might seem like the Penguins offense is too streaky to be elite this generate shots and scoring chances with the top teams in the league. season, but where one element falters, another picks up the steam. Their goaltending has rebounded in a major way, and their offense Consider the start to the season for Evgeni Malkin. As his points-per- continues to produce thorough results. As the calendar flips to 2019, the game paced dropped in November after his strong first month, Sidney Penguins have positioned themselves to make a serious run at the Crosby’s skyrocketed. When the well dried up for Phil Kessel, Bryan Rust division. broke out of his one goal in 29 games slump and went on a scoring spree. The Penguins haven’t clicked at full steam yet this year, and that’s The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018 a scary proposition for the rest of the league. That being said, give credit where credit is due, the Penguins seem to always have one piece of the puzzle clicking at full capacity. For some insight on where the Penguins rank in terms of Goals Above Replacement, check out the handy visualization by Sean Tierney, and for more information about Goals Above Replacement, check out Evolving Hockey for more information. In essence, this measures the goals a player adds to a team versus a replacement level player. The statistic takes everything that player does into account. 1123239 San Jose Sharks “We have confidence in both guys,” DeBoer said. “I want to play Deller, I want to get Jonsey feeling good. So, it’s day-to-day.”

▪ Center Rourke Chartier, officially recalled from the Barracuda on Friday Tomas Hertl hopes to thrive in current role: “I want to shut down these morning, will join the Sharks for the road trip. big lines” San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 12.29.2018 Hertl will start at center for Saturday’s game against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers

CURTIS PASHELKA December 28, 2018 at 7:23 PM

SAN JOSE — Sharks coach Pete DeBoer was willing to forgive a few of the mistakes his team made in its first game back following the Christmas break and not judge his players too harshly after three days away. That included the play of Tomas Hertl, who had an up-and-down game Thursday in centering the Sharks’ third line against the Anaheim Ducks. In what was one of his few starts in the middle over the past season-and- a-half, Hertl won nine of his team-high 18 faceoffs against the Ducks. But the third line — which included Evander Kane and Kevin Labanc, and later Joonas Donskoi — also allowed more scoring chances than they created over 60 minutes. Still, Hertl and Kane combined for seven shots against the Ducks, and Hertl’s empty-net goal in the third period was his seventh point in his last six games and marked his 200th career NHL point. He has 30 points in 34 games this season. “He was like everybody else, kind of getting back into it,” DeBoer said of Hertl. “I think his game was like our entire team game. I thought in the (offensive) zone, we were real good, we really caused them some problems when we got in there, and with coverages. “Through the neutral zone and in our end, we were a little sloppy and we’ve got to clean that up.” It’s fair to say Hertl needs a few more reps to become comfortable in that role again, so he’ll remain as the third line center for at least the start of Saturday’s matinée in Edmonton against the Oilers. The Sharks’ road trip continues through Calgary and Colorado on Monday and Wednesday, respectively. “For sure I can be a little bit better, but sometimes it is a little bit harder after three days off,” Hertl said. “I think I should be fine. Every game that I play more center, I’ll be better and more comfortable. We’ll see how it goes tomorrow.” The Sharks would love to see Hertl thrive as their third line center. Not just to fill a void that’s been with the Sharks for a good part of the regular season and be a harder team to match up against, but to also give wingers like Lukas Radil some more responsibility. Radil will once again start Saturday on a line with Logan Couture and Timo Meier and Marcus Sorensen will remain with Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski. “Everything is subject to change, but I liked the look of that,” DeBoer said. “It’s going to give some guys an opportunity here, and hopefully some of the guys playing on the wing can grab those jobs and run with them.” Hertl played against Ryan Getzlaf’s line for a good portion of Thursday’s game, and he’ll likely see Connor McDavid a fair amount Saturday with the Oilers owning last change. Hertl is second on the Sharks with a 54.6 faceoff percentage, but McDavid is fourth in the NHL with 54 points. “I want to shut down these big lines, but I also want to score against them,” Hertl said. “Because if you score against these lines and play in the o-zone, they get really frustrated, they make mistakes, like every team. We have to be hard on them, especially McDavid. He’s the leader in Edmonton, so if it’s not his night, Edmonton’s in a little bit of trouble. We have to be all over him from the start.” ▪ Martin Jones, who stopped 25 of 27 shots in Thursday’s victory, will start Saturday, but who plays in net for the rest of the road trip is still to be determined. With a day between each of the three games, it’s conceivable one goalie could play all three games. The Sharks first game at home after the trip is Jan. 5 against Tampa Bay. Backup Aaron Dell’s last game was Dec. 23, when he stopped 23 of 26 shots in 65 minutes before the Sharks lost to Arizona 4-3 in a shootout. 1123240 San Jose Sharks

Sharks will have their hands full with Edmonton’s Connor McDavid

Ross McKeon 9:20 pm PST, Friday, December 28, 2018

Imagine heading to the local outdoor rink Christmas morning after Santa delivered hockey skates, and there’s Connor McDavid taking a twirl. That’s what happened to a few surprised families in Newmarket, Ontario, where the Edmonton Oilers’ captain spent the NHL’s holiday break. It got even better when McDavid took time to accommodate pictures and autographs for his adoring hometown fans. The Sharks will run into McDavid at a much larger Canadian rink Saturday — and he’ll be in no mood to pose for selfies or share his John Hancock. The Oilers are stumbling after enjoying a short-lived resurgence in the wake of an early-season coaching change. Edmonton has dropped four straight following a 9-2-2 start under head coach Ken Hitchcock, who replaced the fired Todd McLellan on Nov. 20. And as unfair as it might sound, the team’s fate rests on the shoulders of the game’s most explosive skater. McDavid has six goals and 20 points in 11 December games to again rank among the league’s top scorers. McDavid’s 54 points in 36 games were fourth before Friday’s games and the three players ahead of him — Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov (61) and Colorado’s Mikko Rantanen (60) and Nathan MacKinnon (57) — all have played two more games. The league leader each of the past two seasons with 108 and 100 points, respectively, McDavid is on pace for 122 in a season in which the 21- year-old center has had a hand in 52 percent of Edmonton’s 104 goals. That’s a big reason McDavid last week won the fans’ vote to be the Pacific Division captain for the third straight year at next month’s All-Star Game in San Jose. “I’m very lucky to have the support I do from not only the fans in Edmonton but around the league,” McDavid said. With 310 points in 245 career games, McDavid already has filled his trophy case with five major awards: two Art Ross (leading scorer), two Ted Lindsay (most outstanding player as voted by other players), and the Hart (league MVP in 2016-17). He could be on his way to adding to his collection this season as he’s skating a career-high average of 22:50 per game while flanked by two complementary linemates in Leon Draisaitl (18 goals) and Alex Chiasson (14 goals). The Sharks, meanwhile, hope to gain traction following Thursday’s 4-2 win over Anaheim, the third of five straight against division rivals. McDavid has done against San Jose pretty much what he does to everyone: score. He has six goals and 15 points in 12 games against the Sharks, including a goal and two assists when the Oilers won in overtime in San Jose on Nov. 20. Wookie WATCH: Brent Burns on Thursday became only the third defenseman in league history to score a game-winner in his 1,000th career game, joining Chris Phillips (2012) and Fredrik Olausson (2002). Burns is the sixth player from the 2003 draft to reach 1,000 games, and the third to join the club this season (along with Minnesota’s Ryan Suter and Los Angeles’ Dion Phaneuf). Minor development: Hats off (again) to Roy Sommer, coach of the San Jose Barracuda, the Sharks’ top development affiliate. He’ll be behind the bench for the Pacific Division during the American Hockey League All-Star Game next month in Springfield, Mass., based on the first-place Barracuda’s 18-5-4 record. Sommer, a Skyline-Oakland graduate, has been part of the Sharks’ organization for 23 years — the past 21 as a minor-league coach — and he’s the AHL’s all-time winningest coach. Busy slate: Saturday features 15 games on the NHL schedule — only Columbus is idle — for the second time this season and for the 15th time in league history. The most combined goals during a 15-game day is 99. But that’s short of the all-time mark of 103 goals scored during 12 games on Jan. 23, 1993. For those curious, the second-year Sharks lost 5-1 on that date at expansion Tampa Bay. San Francisco Chronicle LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123241 San Jose Sharks “We’ll take the win,” coach Peter DeBoer said after the win. “I think it was what an after-break game would look like. It was a little sloppy and a little messy. But we found a way. We got saves at the right time and we got Sharks' Tim Heed, Joakim Ryan fill in nicely in Erik Karlsson's absence some timely goals.” The “timely goal” he no doubt was referring to was Brent Burns’ game- winner in the third period. Just shy of seven minutes earlier, Anaheim Chelena Goldman winger Kiefer Sherwood eluded goaltender Martin Jones’ blocker with a wrist shot that dribbled into the back of the net and knotted the score up December 28, 2018 4:20 PM 2-2. From the looks of things, San Jose was headed to overtime for the third straight game – and if you recall, the previous two trips into the free SAN JOSE -- You could see over the Sharks’ last two games they hockey zone didn’t end in the Sharks' favor. But Burns came up big with missed having Erik Karlsson on the ice. The boost the defenseman a lethal slap shot through traffic that Ducks goalie Chad Johnson had no provides on both sides of the ice, and in every phase of the game, was chance of stopping. no doubt missed. Not too shabby for a guy playing in his 1,000th NHL career game. But one thing Karlsson mentioned to the media before he began serving his two-game suspension was that he had every bit of faith his “What a great career,” DeBoer reflected. “Just the way he approaches teammates would rise to the occasion in his absence. the game and what he brings to the rink every day. It’s a great accomplishment for him from where he’s come from, [and] it looks like “I think they’re going to rally around it,” the two-time Norris Trophy winner he’s still got a lot more games left in him.” said Sunday before the Sharks hosted the Arizona Coyotes. “I think we have a great team in there no matter who we’re missing.” Burns has been getting on the scoresheet plenty this season, but he's mostly played the role of the set-up guy. Finding the back of the net on If anybody rallied, it was the two blue-liners who took his place over the his own was a nice touch, especially because it meant he contributed to last two games. a victory. Both Joakim Ryan and Tim Heed had taken turns playing with Brent "It’s just nice to score a goal again, it’s been a while," the defenseman Burns in the early part of the season, but neither had seen any game told the media after the game. "It’s nice to contribute and feel good about action since Czech rookie Radim Simek made his debut against the that." Montreal Canadiens on Dec. 2. Ryan hadn’t played since Dec. 1, and Heed hadn’t since Nov. 23. That’s a significant amount of time where “Obviously a pretty special game for him, and to get the game-winner – both players were practicing with the team and then observing games especially on a goal like that,” Jones added. “He’s so good at doing that. from afar. He’s scored I don’t know how many goals like that. It was great to see.” Ryan told NBC Sports California ahead of San Jose's 4-2 win over the Jones himself came up with some pretty big saves on the evening, Anaheim Ducks he spent that time studying what the Sharks’ defense stopping a few lethal looks from Anaheim that could’ve gone into the was doing, as well as how the opposition played. back of his net. His most impressive was, without a doubt, a glove save on Ducks winger Jakob Silfverberg during 4-on-4 play that easily could’ve “My whole life, when I’m watching hockey, as a defenseman you watch tied the game. your team and you watch the defensemen on the other team,” he explained. “You see if you can pick anything up. Just watching the game At the end of the night, though, the Sharks are happy to start the next and working out the D on both sides.” stretch of games with a couple of points. The victory over the Ducks keeps them in second place in the Pacific ahead of the Vegas Golden The observation paid off when Ryan drew back into the lineup Thursday Knights – who also won on Thursday – and keeps pace with the division- evening against the Ducks. He tallied a secondary assist when his shot leading Calgary Flames. Those same Flames round out this current from the blue line led to Marcus Sorensen’s second-period goal and stretch of games San Jose will play against division rivals, and the ended the evening with a plus-1. Sharks will want to take two points every opportunity they get. Heed also had a positive impact when he returned to the lineup on Dec. Yes, even if it isn’t the best game they’ve ever played. 23 --a whole month since the last time he’d seen any game action. Although the Sharks lost to the Coyotes, Heed lit the lamp by putting the “We’ll take the good from it,” DeBoer concluded. “The real good from it Sharks up 1-0 with a slap shot on the power play. was the two big points.” Sharks coach Peter DeBoer extended Heed's ice time as the contest Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.29.2018 went on, and even paired him back up with Burns for a few shifts. His performance was strong enough there was some brief speculation that another strong performance against the Ducks could earn him a ticket back into the lineup over Simek. But Heed, unfortunately, sustained an injury in that game and was sidelined while Ryan filed into the lineup. He returned to practice on Friday ahead of San Jose’s road trip up to Canada. Which brings us up to speed. With Karlsson returning to game action against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, both Ryan and Heed go back to practicing with the team and then watching from afar. It isn’t readily clear when either skater will play again. After Simek’s strong outing against Anaheim on Thursday, it doesn’t appear he’ll be scratched from the lineup as the Sharks roadie gets underway. For the time being, though, the Sharks can take comfort in knowing they have two ready and willing options to choose from if they need someone to fill in on the blue line. Brent Burns a bright spot in Sharks' winning return from holiday break SAN JOSE – The Sharks knew all too well they needed to start off their post-holiday stretch of games on the right foot. They also knew it would be a challenge. Not just because the rival Anaheim Ducks were in town and they always play San Jose tough, but because Thursday’s game kicked off a string of contests against division rivals the Sharks are sitting ever-so-close to in the standings. San Jose managed to snag two points on the evening with a 4-2 win. While the effort wasn’t the Sharks' cleanest or their most dominant, they found a way to come out on top. 1123242 San Jose Sharks

Brent Burns a bright spot in Sharks' winning return from holiday break

Chelena Goldman December 27, 2018 11:32 PM

SAN JOSE – The Sharks knew all too well they needed to start off their post-holiday stretch of games on the right foot. They also knew it would be a challenge. Not just because the rival Anaheim Ducks were in town and they always play San Jose tough, but because Thursday’s game kicked off a string of contests against division rivals the Sharks are sitting ever-so-close to in the standings. San Jose managed to snag two points on the evening with a 4-2 win. While the effort wasn’t the Sharks' cleanest or their most dominant, they found a way to come out on top. “We’ll take the win,” coach Peter DeBoer said after the win. “I think it was what an after-break game would look like. It was a little sloppy and a little messy. But we found a way. We got saves at the right time and we got some timely goals.” The “timely goal” he no doubt was referring to was Brent Burns’ game- winner in the third period. Just shy of seven minutes earlier, Anaheim winger Kiefer Sherwood eluded goaltender Martin Jones’ blocker with a wrist shot that dribbled into the back of the net and knotted the score up 2-2. From the looks of things, San Jose was headed to overtime for the third straight game – and if you recall, the previous two trips into the free hockey zone didn’t end in the Sharks' favor. But Burns came up big with a lethal slap shot through traffic that Ducks goalie Chad Johnson had no chance of stopping. Not too shabby for a guy playing in his 1,000th NHL career game. “What a great career,” DeBoer reflected. “Just the way he approaches the game and what he brings to the rink every day. It’s a great accomplishment for him from where he’s come from, [and] it looks like he’s still got a lot more games left in him.” Burns has been getting on the scoresheet plenty this season, but he's mostly played the role of the set-up guy. Finding the back of the net on his own was a nice touch, especially because it meant he contributed to a victory. "It’s just nice to score a goal again, it’s been a while," the defenseman told the media after the game. "It’s nice to contribute and feel good about that." “Obviously a pretty special game for him, and to get the game-winner – especially on a goal like that,” Jones added. “He’s so good at doing that. He’s scored I don’t know how many goals like that. It was great to see.” Jones himself came up with some pretty big saves on the evening, stopping a few lethal looks from Anaheim that could’ve gone into the back of his net. His most impressive was, without a doubt, a glove save on Ducks winger Jakob Silfverberg during 4-on-4 play that easily could’ve tied the game. At the end of the night, though, the Sharks are happy to start the next stretch of games with a couple of points. The victory over the Ducks keeps them in second place in the Pacific ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights – who also won on Thursday – and keeps pace with the division- leading Calgary Flames. Those same Flames round out this current stretch of games San Jose will play against division rivals, and the Sharks will want to take two points every opportunity they get. Yes, even if it isn’t the best game they’ve ever played. “We’ll take the good from it,” DeBoer concluded. “The real good from it was the two big points.” Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123243 San Jose Sharks

Sharks takeaways: What we learned in skid-snapping 4-2 win over Ducks

Chelena Goldman December 27, 2018 10:01 PM

BOX SCORE SAN JOSE – There has been many a game where the Sharks and Anaheim Ducks battled right down to the wire. Thursday night’s faceoff was no exception. San Jose was neck-and-neck with the Anaheim into the third period, and it was looking like the rivals were headed for overtime for the third time in a row. Then, defenseman Brent Burns played the hero in his 1,000th career NHL game with a slap shot to the back of the net, and helped lead the Sharks to a 4-2 victory. Here are three takeaways from the game: How did the line shuffle go? Of all the newly-juggled forward lines, the combination of Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, and Marcus Sorensen was the most noticeable. Pavelski fit in seamlessly with the successful Thornton-Sorensen duo, generating some of the Sharks’ best chances on the evening. Sorensen on his own had a little extra growl in his game, to the point where you got the feeling early in the contest he was going to score. Then, with the score knotted up 1-1 in the second stanza, he posted up right in relieving netminder Chad Johnson’s grill -- Ducks starter John Gibson left the game with an injury -- to clean up Pavelski's shot, and give San Jose a 2-1 lead. Radim Simek is a brick wall There’s no mistaking it – defenseman Radim Simek brings a whole new level of physicality to the Sharks’ lineup. That extra dose of toughness was on full display on Thursday as No. 51 made himself a full fledged part of the Sharks-Ducks rivalry. The Czech rookie had a couple of memorable hits in the game, but his best was a hit on Anaheim defenseman Brandon Montour, which led to a light scrum. Just a few shifts later, forward Daniel Sprong checked Simek and Simek upended him onto the ice. What’s up with the power play? The Sharks had a couple opportunities to really create some space for themselves on the scoreboard while on the man advantage. But San Jose couldn’t pull the trigger, going 0-for-3 on the evening. One could argue the Sharks' power play didn’t have its usual firepower because they were missing defenseman Erik Karlsson for the second game in a row, as he served the last of a two-game suspension. Whatever the reason, the Sharks could have benefited from a power-play goal to give them some much-needed cushion and avoid the late battle that ultimately ensued. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123244 San Jose Sharks After Thursday’s game, Thornton said: “I’d pick (Sorensen) over anybody (to play with).”

Pavelski, as strong as his season has been with a team-leading 23 goals, Joe Thornton ‘finally feeling stronger’ as Sharks shake up their lines post- may still be better off as a right wing, which is where he spent nearly all Christmas of his first three seasons with DeBoer when Thornton was healthy. “We understand what we’re trying to do out there,” Pavelski said on Kevin Kurz Thursday morning, of the reunion with Thornton. “It is funny when you get together, how you go to certain spots and you look for certain plays. Dec 28, 2018 We’ve played together a lot.” But whether the Sharks can keep Pavelski on the wing rather than in the middle, where he has spent the majority of this season and the second It’s easy to forget, considering all that’s happened with the Sharks in the half of last season after Thornton got hurt, may depend as much on past calendar year, but at the time of Joe Thornton’s right knee injury last Tomas Hertl as it does on Thornton. The 25-year-old Hertl is going to get Jan. 23 he was among the most important and productive players on the a long look in the middle now, and said on Friday that he expects to roster. remain as a center during the Sharks’ difficult three-game road trip to Edmonton, Calgary and Colorado. He got off to a slow start to the 2017-18 season, arguably coming back too early from his left knee injury the previous April, but Thornton found Hertl’s line with Evander Kane and Kevin Labanc (later replaced by his game right around Christmas. He posted 14 points (8g, 6a) in the 15 Joonas Donskoi) didn’t do much against the Ducks on Thursday, but in games leading up to that unfortunate collision with Mikkel Boedker during the third period of last Sunday’s game against Arizona, Hertl scored twice a game against Winnipeg at SAP Center that ended his season. in the third period of a 4-3 shootout loss. Coming off of his second major knee surgery in 10 months, and even Thursday marked the first time this season that Hertl, projected as a before the Sharks sacrificed some of their center depth in the form of center when he was drafted by the Sharks in the first round of the 2012 Chris Tierney as part of the package to acquire Erik Karlsson, Thornton draft, started a game in the middle. Last season he started just nine knew that his health and his effectiveness were going to be in focus games at center, and never more than four in a row. Even after throughout the 2018-19 campaign. Thornton’s injury last season, Hertl was used almost exclusively as a left wing on Logan Couture’s line. “I do, I know it’s going to be a big thing,” Thornton told The Athletic on Sept. 4, 10 days before training camp opened and prior to the Could now finally be the time that the six-year pro, who has 13 goals and blockbuster trade that brought in the two-time Norris Trophy winner 30 points in 34 games, is able to drive his own line? DeBoer wouldn’t Karlsson. commit to Hertl staying as a center long term, or even the rest of the week, but the coach “liked the look of” that so-called third line despite its Thornton’s nine-game absence with an infection in the surgically repaired unproductive outing against the Ducks. Hertl posted a team-low 25.9 knee after just two games was concerning, but he has been generally shot-attempt percentage. effective since. He has five goals and 11 assists for 16 points in 30 games, including eight points (2g, 6a) in his last 13 games. He’s Hertl said: “Yesterday was kind of like (an) up-and-down game. It wasn’t averaging 15 minutes and 27 seconds a game, down from the 18-and- like, I think, great, for me or the whole team. We (found a way to) win the change he’s averaged in each of the past six seasons. game, but for sure I can be a little bit better. Sometimes it’s a little bit hard, after three days off, getting back. I think I should be fine. And every Nearly halfway through the regular season, Thornton on Friday was game, if I play more center, I think I will be better and more comfortable. asked that all-too-common question he’s heard so much the past two We’ll see (how it goes).” years. DeBoer didn’t put much weight on Thursday’s game, despite the win, How ya feeling? considering both the Sharks and Ducks were coming off of the three-day “I’m feeling better,” he said. “I’m starting to get there. Probably every two- break for Christmas. week increments, I’m starting to feel better, my legs are getting stronger. He, and everyone else, should have a much better idea whether the It’s starting to come, so I’m pleased.” coach has found that center depth that he’s been seeking as the The infection set him back, as he wasn’t able to do a whole lot during an schedule is about to get much more difficult. Two of the Sharks’ next four absence that stretched from Oct. 9-30. Thornton’s spending more time games are against teams currently leading their respective divisions — in these days in the gym with Sharks strength and conditioning guru Mike Calgary on Sunday, and Tampa Bay at home on Jan. 5. Potenza, working on his quad muscles, in particular. “I want to give it a few games here,” DeBoer said on Thursday night of “Really, I was laid (up) for those three weeks with the infection,” Thornton his re-jiggered lines. “I don’t really have an opinion yet on how the lines said. “It takes a while for it to feel stronger, and it’s finally feeling shook out (against the Ducks), I want to give us a couple games to get stronger.” our legs going again.” He didn’t get on the scoresheet Thursday against the Ducks in the That includes the best player in franchise history in Thornton, who Sharks’ 4-2 win, but Thornton might have been the Sharks’ best forward. remains such an important factor in whether the Sharks ultimately have He was on the ice for 13 shots on goal to just five against, the best success. percentage (72.2) among forwards. His line with Joe Pavelski and “I think every week he’s feeling better,” DeBoer said. “If you remember Marcus Sorensen generated seven scoring chances, according to his first knee injury, it was January when he started to really kind of feel Natural Stat Trick, making it the most dangerous line of the evening. normal. I’m anticipating that he’s really going to start to hit his stride That includes the Sharks’ second goal, when Sorensen cleaned up a here.” loose puck that Pavelski brought to the front of the net to give the Sharks The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018 a 2-1 lead. “It felt really good,” Pavelski said of his line. “There was one or two plays where it was about a foot off from tapping something home. It felt good that we were roaming around, kind of close to each other, making a lot of little plays and just playing with the puck. It was fun.” Coach Pete DeBoer has always put a premium on having a team that’s strong down the middle, which is why he shook up the Sharks’ lines in their first game after the Christmas break. Pavelski and Thornton were reunited to start a game for the first time since Nov. 9, and just the third time this season. As for the improving Sorensen on the left wing, Thornton genuinely loves playing with him. On Dec. 7 in Dallas, Thornton said: “I think (Sorensen) sees the ice really, really well. It’s honestly felt like we played together for a long time. He has incredible speed, he has patience with the puck, he knows where to put pucks, he knows where to be. I love playing with him, I really do.” 1123245 St Louis Blues

Fabbri exits injured list; Pietrangelo might follow

Tom Timmermann

The list of Blues on the injured reserve list got shorter by one Friday, and it could be even shorter in the days ahead. The Blues took Robby Fabbri off the list Friday, the first step toward him returning to the lineup, presumably Saturday against Pittsburgh at Enterprise Center. The Blues sent forward Zach Sanford down to San Antonio earlier in the day, though with the team carrying only 22 players, that move wasn’t necessary to activate Fabbri. But Sanford’s departure did leave the team with no spare forwards, so Fabbri’s activation seemed imminent and the forward, out since separating his shoulder Dec. 1, is ready to go. “I’m feeling good,” he said after practice Friday. “More and more comfortable every day.” Interim coach Craig Berube said before the move that while Fabbri was fit enough to play, he was hesitant to rearrange the lineup with the way the team was playing. Berube could be using the least intrusive way possible to get Fabbri back in the lineup: Fabbri practiced on Friday with the fourth line, taking the place alternately of Oskar Sundqvist and Jordan Nolan. That will allow the team’s top three lines, which have been together for the past four games, three of which the Blues have won, to stay intact. Next in line to return appears to be defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, who injured his hand against Colorado the day before Fabbri was hurt and required surgery. He went through practice Friday, skating alongside Jay Bouwmeester and working with both power play units. Pietrangelo was noncommital when it came to his status for the game Saturday, though it seems possible. “I’m not going to say yes or no yet,” he said. “There are still a lot of things that have to be worked out and people I have to talk to before I say yes or no. But I feel pretty good.” “He’s right there,” Berube said. “He had a real good practice today, I thought. Looked really good.” Next in line is defenseman Carl Gunnarsson, who hurt his hand Nov. 14 against Chicago and tried to play Nov. 16 against Vegas but came out after the first period. Gunnarsson had his first practice with the team Friday. “We’ll see how it reacts (Saturday), and all that, but it was good today,” Gunnarsson said. “I was happy. It felt good to be back with the boys.” Gunnarsson has played in only seven games this season after two offseason operations delayed his start. Asked if his return would now be sooner rather than later, Gunnarsson said, “Hopefully. I’ve been waiting long enough. Fingers crossed.” BLUENOTES Jordan Kyrou scored two goals for San Antonio on Thursday, extending his point streak to nine games. In those nine games, he has eight goals and nine asissts. … Also Thursday, goaltender Ville Husso left the game in the third period with an apparent injury and was replaced by Evan Fitzpatrick, making his AHL debut. There was no update on Husso, but Fitzpatrick got the start for San Antonio on Friday night. … Jay Bouwmeester’s goal Thursday was his first of the season and leaves only one player, Jordan Schmaltz, who has been with the club since opening day and has yet to score. Schmaltz has played in 20 games and has been a healthy scratch in the past five and eight of the past 10. Other non-scorers for the Blues this season: Sammy Blais (16 games), Jordan Nolan (10), Gunnarsson (seven), Nikita Soshnikov (five), Jakub Jerabek (one) and Chris Thorburn (one). … When the Blues acquired Jerabek from Edmonton, it was a conditional pick; if he played more than 50 games this season, it would go from being a sixth-round pick in 2020 to a fifth-round pick. The Blues have 47 games to go in their regular season and since Jerabek has appeared in only one game so far, he can’t get to 50 games played. So a sixth-round pick it is. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123246 St Louis Blues

Preview: Blues vs. Penguins

Jim Thomas

When, where • 7 p.m. Saturday, Enterprise Center TV, radio • Fox Sports Midwest, KMOX (1120 AM) About the Penguins • Thursday’s 5-2 win over Detroit made it six wins in seven games for Pittsburgh (19-12-6), which was a .500 team at the start of December. Since returning Dec. 15 from a lower-body injury, goalie Matt Murray is 4-0 with a 1.48 goals-against average and .957 save percentage. A familiar cast of characters fuels the offense: Sidney Crosby (16), Phil Kessel (16), Jake Guentzel (15), Patric Hornqvist (13) and Evgeni Malkin (11) are the leading goal-scorers. The Penguins rank ninth on the power play (23.1 percent) and are even better on killing penalties (No. 3, 84.1 percent). Last season, Pittsburgh lost 5-4 in overtime to the Blues on opening night and won 4-1 in St. Louis on Feb. 11. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123247 St Louis Blues Maroon is regaining his confidence as well after a slow start, and he thrust his arms in the air after his goal, the first of his three this season he could really get into. “The one goal we were down 7-3 and the other goal, Blues' third line is coming together no one knew if it went in or not,” he said. “It’s kind of nice to get a goal you can celebrate with your teammates.”

His goal Thursday extended the Blues’ lead from 2-0 to 3-0, and that’s Tom Timmermann what the Blues are looking for Saturday, extending their winning streak from two games to three games. This is the fourth time this season they’ve had a two-game streak, but a three-game streak, which seems integral to getting back in the playoff chase, remains elusive. Blues forward Robert Thomas grew up in Aurora, Ontario, a town on the outskirts of Toronto. When Tyler Bozak broke into the NHL in 2009, “We’ve got to come out in the first five minutes in that game, back them Thomas was a 10-year-old hockey fan, going to games at what was then up on their heels and find ways to bring that energy,” Maroon said. “We Air Canada Centre, rooting for the home team and hard-pressed to can’t get comfortable in this locker room. We’re a long way from where imagine that one day, the young forward from the University of Denver he we need to be. We still need to focus on some things we need to fix and was watching would not only be his NHL teammate, but a linemate as Saturday is a good test for us. … We’ve got to find ways to back them up well. on their heels, go at them and don’t give them anything.” “I definitely remember him,” Thomas said Friday. “He’s always been St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 12.29.2018 great on the power play. That’s something I remembered, him on the power play, making plays off the half wall. I think that’s the biggest thing. … It’s kind of funny now when you think about it. To be on the same line as him, it’s pretty surreal.” Hockey lines are an ephemeral thing, but the Blues have, for the moment, a third line that has found itself in Thomas, Bozak and Pat Maroon, which had two of the Blues’ four goals Thursday. The three have combined for just 11 goals this season, but five of those goals have come since the line was put together for the game Dec. 11 at Winnipeg. (One of those goals, by Bozak, came without the other two on the ice.) The line was not an immediate success, but given the time by interim coach Craig Berube to come together, they have done that. “I just think we’re starting to build some chemistry, and a little confidence goes a long way in this league,” Maroon said. “I think (Berube) did a good job of sticking with us and believing in us. I know it wasn’t going our way, but I felt we were trending in the right direction as a line and getting some good offensive zone time and even though the puck wasn’t going in, we were getting chances and opportunities. We were hemming teams in, we were bringing energy. For myself, that’s what it’s all about, sticking with a line and trying to mold your game around your linemates.” “I think the last five games,” Thomas said, “it felt like we were playing really well and getting a lot of chances and it was only a matter of time before we started to put some in.” They are the collection of different talents that come together and make a line good. Maroon is the big body down low; Bozak is the experienced center who can make the plays in the middle of the ice; Thomas can move the puck around, as evidenced by Maroon’s goal Thursday, when Thomas skated the puck past two Buffalo players and then passed it to Maroon down low as he got near the goal. “(Thomas) is real elusive,” Berube said. “He makes plays quickly and catches people a lot of times. In the offensive zone, he’ll cut back before the defender gets there, and that’s how he creates space for himself. He’s one step ahead all the time.” The three have exhibited a synergy, with their production exceeding the sum of their parts. When they were put together, Thomas was — as he still is — a developing teenager who was snakebit in front of the goal, with scoring chances seldom coming to fruition. Bozak was in the midst of a 19-game streak without a goal and Maroon, having only recently emerged from being a healthy scratch and then the injured reserve list, was struggling to find his five-on-five game. Put together, they have found success. In the past five games, Maroon has two goals and an assist, Thomas has a goal and two assists and Bozak has two goals and two assists, plus an assist in the game before. Thomas keeps making more and more of an impact as his confidence grows. The play that set up Maroon’s goal was the play a confident player makes, even if Thomas described it as “nothing too special.” (Meanwhile, Ryan O’Reilly described some of Thomas’ plays as “massive.”) “I think it’s just confidence,” Thomas said. “You slowly start to build it. I still have a long way to go with that. It’s game by game; there’s no other way to put it. It just takes some time and you slowly start to feel it.” Another thing that has helped Thomas is the guidance he has gotten from his older linemates. “I’m not going to lie,” Thomas said. “Sometimes when you play with some veterans, it’s intimidating, but with those two guys, it’s been really easy. They’ve been talking to me always, making sure I’m all good. We’re just trying to feed off each other. They know it’s a line that can have a lot of success. I think it’s just communication. They’ve made me feel really good out there.” 1123248 St Louis Blues

Blues activate Fabbri from injured reserve; others may not be far behind

Tom Timmermann

After going about a month without three regulars in the lineup, the Blues could be getting them all back at once, or close to it. Forward Robby Fabbri was activated from injured reserve on Friday afternoon, clearing the way for him to return to the lineup on Saturday. Defensemen Alex Pietrangelo and Carl Gunnarsson also took part in practice on Friday at Enterprise Center and and one or both could play on Saturday against Pittsburgh. The main issues seem to be getting final clearance to play and interim coach Craig Berube's reluctance to break up a lineup that is, for a rare time this season, showing some consistency. "I like the way things are right now and the chemistry and so forth, but we'll see what happens," Berube said. The Blues sent Zach Sanford down to San Antonio on Friday prior to Fabbri being activated, keeping the Blues at 22 players. To activate all Pietrangelo and Gunnarsson, one more player would have to go down. Pietrangelo has been out since injuring his hand on Nov. 30 at Colorado. "He's right there," Berube said. "He had a real good practice today, I thought. Looked really good." Pietrangelo was noncommital on his status for Saturday. "I'm not going to say yes or no yet," he said. "There are still a lot of things that have to be worked out and people I have to talk to before I say yes or no. But I feel pretty good." Pietrangelo worked with both power play units and skated with Jay Bouwmeester in drills. Fabbri, who was hurt on Dec. 1 at Arizona and has been declared ready to go by Berube, skated on the fourth line in practice on Friday, taking either the place of Jordan Nolan or Oskar Sundqvist. Fabbri, returning from two knee surgeries, has two goals and two assists in 15 games this season. "He could be (in), but again, it's hard to break it up right now," Berube said. "We'll see tomorrow." Gunnarsson is the least likely to play. He hurt his hand in Chicago on Nov. 14 and played the next game in Las Vegas before coming out. "This was my first time with a full practice," he said. "We'll see how it reacts tomorrow, and all that, but it was good today. I was happy. It felt good to be back with the boys." Asked if his return would be sooner rather than later, Gunnarsson said, "Hopefully. I've been waiting long enough. Fingers crossed." "I talked to him after practice and he felt the best he's felt too," Berube said. "He's close too." Gunnarsson has played only seven games this season, coming back from two offseason surgeries before hurting his hand. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123249 Tampa Bay Lightning Maybe the biggest factor in the resurgence is that he appears healthy. It looks as if Stamkos is free and clear from the meniscus tear in his right knee that kept him out most of the 2016-17 season, when the Lightning Lightning fans, rejoice! Stammer the Hammer is back failed to make the playoffs. Understand that Stamkos will never be the same as he was when he scored 60 goals as a 22-year-old. But feeling Lightning captain Steven Stamkos is playing as if he's reborn. Maybe he good is good enough for him. is, in the name of a Cup chase. "I talk about the 'new normal' all the time," Stamkos said. "You've had two major injuries I've had with the broken leg (in 2013-14) and the knee, it's never going to feel the same. But you work through it. Physically, I'm Martin Fennelly feeling good right now and things are working." Stamkos cautions all of us about this Lightning breakaway start. TAMPA — If this feels like old times, Lightning fans, roll with it. Take your "We're not even halfway through the season," he said. cue from the captain. Steven Stamkos is enjoying a December to remember. If you frisked him today, three goals would fall out. And all scorers, even a generational scorer like Stamkos, know that goal streaks come and go. That is fine by him. He and his teammates are It will turn out to be his best season if he gets handed that elusive after something more at this point in his career. It should be quite a Stanley Cup at the end of it. His chase is on. chase. But Stammer is the hammer again. Stamkos scored two more goals in Ninety-one looks all in. Stammer is the hammer again. the streaking Lightning's 6-5 overtime win on Thursday, part of a four- point night. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 12.29.2018 Make it 14 Stamkos goals this month, tops in the NHL. Make it goals in five straight games. Make it 22 goals this season. Make it 15 goals in the past 13 games, during which the Lightning, the best team in hockey, is 12-0-1. Stamkos has that old fire and it's burning holes in score sheets. Stamkos turns 29 in February, but he is old in hockey years. He has been doing this for 11 seasons. He has fought injuries that have wreaked havoc on a star who once seemed headed for 600, 700 goals and the Hall of Fame. A lot of us thought Stamkos' career had crested, that 40- goal days were behind him. Now look. As it is, 370 career goals is pretty good. That is where Stamkos is after Thursday. He might make the Hall yet. Again, way down the road. For now, he is growing his game in this, his 11th NHL season, in the name of chasing the elusive Cup, like Alex Ovechkin before him. Ovechkin broke through last June, in his 13th season. Stamkos' journey goes on. He is on such a good team that his current surge can get lost, which is fine by him. The Lightning overflows with talent, more stars than a night sky, led by Nikita Kucherov, who also had a four-point night Thursday, assisting on both Stamkos goals, and vaulted into the NHL scoring lead as part of his burgeoning MVP season. "Kuch is on a hell of a run himself right now," Stamkos said. Yes, Stamkos might not even be the fifth-best player on this team. That is fine by him, too. He came to Tampa Bay from Ontario when he was 18, but he arrived a man. Few athletes have ever graced this community with such a combination of talent and class. He has been everything a team can want in a captain, always available, always accountable. He just hasn't lifted a Cup. It has been a while since we have seen Stamkos on a tear like this. And there's more to it than we think. For one thing, he is shooting more, 112 times this season. His new linemates, Yanni Gourde and Ondrej Palat, are feeding him. When Stamkos played with Kucherov, their chemistry was undeniable, but Stamkos veered away from his shoot-first approach. "You play with a sniper like Kuch, you want to get him the puck," Stamkos said. "Sometimes you're the shooter now. You try to get in areas to shoot the puck. The depth of this team allows us to play with different players and play different roles on different lines." "He's shooting. That's a big thing," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "When he's deferring to the shoot-first mentality, these are the things that happen. And it's happening in December for him." There is also more texture to Stamkos' game. While he can still sometimes be a defensive liability, he has worked at being better. He has become a top faceoff man, even in his own zone, and has won 57 percent of his draws this season. "It's always a work in progress," Stamkos said. "I've been around the league long enough. It's something I've always wanted to be, and now you get the responsibility and you put in the work. That's something I'm definitely proud of. I want to be counted on in those situations, and it's going good so far. It's just the urgency of being counted on in pressure moments." 1123250 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning-Flyers: Rewinding Tampa Bay’s win The Lightning held on for a victory for the second time this season against Philadelphia.

Nick Kelly

TAMPA – Not all Lightning wins can be pretty. Thursday's game vs. the Flyers proved as much. For the second time this season, the Lightning relinquished a third-period lead to the Flyers. And for the second time this season, the Lightning survived and beat Philadelphia 6-5 in overtime. "This is going to be one of those wins where you feel a little more disappointed than you are happy," captain Steven Stamkos said. Some odds and ends from the win: Andrei Vasilevskiy incredible at times but not perfect. The Lightning goaltender made several saves most goaltenders can't make, highlighted by a kick save. But Vasilevskiy gave up five goals, three of which came in the first five minutes of the third period. He stopped 28 of 33 shots faced. Although he started the third period by giving up three goals, Vasilevskiy made several crucial saves in the final minutes of the third period to preserve the tie. The game was not Vasilevskiy's best performance ever, but the game could have become ugly for the Lightning without him. Injuries hit Lightning. Forward J.T. Miller left the game halfway through the second with an upper-body injury. Defenseman Mikhail Sergachev took a hard shot in the final five minutes of the third period, which forced him to leave the game. Lightning coach Jon Cooper didn't have an update on either player after the game and said they would be re- evaluated Friday. Ryan McDonagh puts together rare night, and not in a good way. McDonagh, who is among the NHL's best in plus-minus, finished with the worst plus-minus of any Lightning player against the Flyers with a minus- four. He came in with only four games in which he has finished with a negative plus-minus, none of which dipped below a minus-2. Perhaps the clearest play that contributed to that minus-four came early in the second period when Claude Giroux skated around McDonagh to score on Vasilevskiy. Steven Stamkos continues scoring hot streak. He extended his goal streak to five games on Thursday as he scored two in the second period. He came into the game having led the NHL for goals in the month of December. He has now tallied 14 goals over 11 games this month. With two goals against Edmonton, he locked in his 10th career 20-goal season. Nikita Kucherov dangerous offensively, too. Kucherov broke the franchise record for most points in two consecutive games before the third period even started. He broke Vinny Lecavalier's record of eight points when he picked up the assist on Tyler Johnson's goal at the end of the second period. Kucherov finished the game with one goal and three assists. His 26 points are also a Lightning record for points in one month. Lightning sits one game away from no December regulation losses. If the Lightning does not lose in regulation Saturday against Montreal or Anaheim on Monday, it will mark only the second time in franchise history that Tampa Bay finished any month without a loss in regulation. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123251 Tampa Bay Lightning “For the majority of last year, playing with Kuch, everyone asked, why do you have so many assists?” Stamkos said. “Well, playing with a sniper like Kuch, you want to give him the puck. When you play with different What sparked highest-scoring month in Steven Stamkos’ career guys, you’re the shooter now.

“I just think I’ve always been a guy that’s going to make the right play at the time. Just because things are going in, if I feel I should make a pass, Joe Smith I’m not going to force the shot for the hell of shooting it. I’ve always been taught to make the play you feel is right. And when things are going in, Dec 28, 2018 you’re making the right play and being rewarded for it.

“When you’re on a streak like this, the puck is definitely finding you in TAMPA, Fla. — Not even the Christmas break could cool Steven areas where you feel confident you can score all the time, and that’s the Stamkos’ hot hand. way it is right now.” The Lightning captain said he celebrated a fantasy football championship When St. Louis mentioned Stamkos making the right reads, a good over the holiday, riding Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson to example was the Lightning center’s first goal Thursday night. Kucherov bragging rights over his buddies back home in Toronto. had the puck down low, and Stamkos deceptively circled around and “There was some gloating for sure,” Stamkos said, smiling. found a soft spot in the middle. Stamkos took the pass and ripped a wrist shot bar down. When Stamkos is on a roll, he’s tough to stop. STEVEN STAMKOS HAS SCORED 14 GOALS IN THE MONTH OF Stamkos, 28, picked up where he left off Thursday, racking up two goals DECEMBER AND ESTABLISHED A @TBLIGHTNING FRANCHISE in the Lightning’s 6-5 overtime win over the Flyers at . That RECORD FOR MOST GOALS IN A CALENDAR MONTH. gives Stamkos 14 goals in December, making it the highest-scoring @REALSTAMKOS91 BESTED THE PREVIOUS MARK SET BY month in his career, which is remarkable considering he’s got two Rocket MARTIN ST. LOUIS (13 IN JAN., 2004) AND NIKITA KUCHEROV (13 IN Richard awards and a 60-goal season. And, as Stamkos points out, there OCT., 2017). #NHLSTATS PIC.TWITTER.COM/ZFJT9KZPTP are still two games to go this month, Saturday and Monday (his previous high for goals in a month was 12, done two other times). — NHL PUBLIC RELATIONS (@PR_NHL) DECEMBER 28, 2018

It’s hard to believe we need a reminder that, yes, Stamkos is still an elite Kucherov, coming off his career-high five-point night Saturday in goal scorer. But after a slow start, Stamkos was the fifth Lightning player Edmonton, had another four points Thursday (including his 17th goal). to reach 10 goals, he’s now tied for the team-lead with Brayden Point (22 Kucherov already has 41 assists (61 points), and Stamkos has benefited goals). He has been a big reason why the NHL-leading Lightning is on a from his playmaking ability. 12-0-1 stretch. “I mean, the chemistry is never going to go away,” Stamkos said. “It’s so Hall of Famer Marty St. Louis had a front-row seat to most of Stamkos’ fun playing with him. Anytime he gets the puck in the zone, I just try to best stretches and played a big role as his long-time linemate. And as find a spot. There’s so much depth on this team, whoever you’re playing Stamkos passed St. Louis for second on the Lightning’s all-time goal list, with is going to be a good player. Kuch is on a hell of a run himself right the retired wing has been impressed. now. Anytime he gets the puck, you expect something good to happen. It’s fun to be part of.” “He’s hot,” St. Louis said Friday. “To me, he looks like he’s having fun out there and he’s playing with a ton of confidence. He’s making a lot of good After Stamkos’ career-high 60 goals in 2011-12, he has reached 40 just reads and that’s what it’s all about. The best players are the best once since (43 in 2014-15). A big reason why has been health, as because they read the game better. Of course, his shot is deadly, but it’s Stamkos has had to overcome two significant injuries, a broken leg in not easy to get open like he has the past month.” 2013-14 and a torn lateral meniscus in 2016-17. Don’t forget the blood clot in 2015-16. What has sparked Stamkos’ record run? He’s had to adjust his game. But Stamkos hasn’t lost his shot and said It’s not like Stamkos is re-inventing the wheel, here. If you look at his shot physically he’s feeling great. Fox Sports Sun analyst Brian Engblom said charts, provided by Sean Tierney @ChartingHockey, there’s not much of Stamkos is skating with the puck more, attacking from the neutral zone in a difference in where Stamkos is scoring from, and where he’s shooting, and looks “more relaxed.” from last season, when he had 27 goals. “I talk about the ‘new normal’ all the time,” Stamkos said. “You have two There are still a lot of long-distance shots and a heavy dose of Stamkos major injuries I’ve had with the broken leg and the knee. It’s never going goals from his “office,” the left circle. Tierney notes Stamkos is one of the to feel the same. But you work through it, find a way to get it done. When rare forwards to use the slap shot as much as he does (only Alex you’re on good stretches, people are talking about, ‘You must be feeling Ovechkin does it more). Case in point, Stamkos’ second goal Thursday. great.’ When you’re not in good stretches, you talk about how things are bothering you. That’s the way it goes. Physically I’m feeling good right Stamkos relied heavily on the power play last season, with 15 of his 27 now and things are working.” goals coming with the man advantage (just eight of his 22 goals this year are power play goals). But Stamkos also relied a lot on linemate Nikita Another aspect is that Stamkos has worked hard to evolve his game. He Kucherov last year, the dynamic duo becoming one of the league’s most has significantly improved his faceoffs, his 57 percent clip fifth in the dominant forces. You wondered why Stamkos tallied a career-high 59 NHL, according to faceoffs.net (his career average is 48.8 percent). assists last season? Well, he was feeding the hot hand in Kucherov, who Stamkos has credited work with former teammate and first-year assistant had his first 100-point season (40 goals). Jeff Halpern, a strong force in the dot in his playing days. Stamkos was 9-for-14 against the Flyers Thursday. Now? Stamkos and Kucherov have been separated for a good portion of this season. Instead of often deferring to the hot hand in Kucherov, “It’s something that comes with maturity, too,” Stamkos said. “You start Stamkos has been the primary scoring option on a line with Yanni picking up tendencies, you get a little respect from linesmen in the dot. Gourde and Ondrej Palat. Bringing Halpern has helped a lot. It’s just the urgency of being counted on in big situations, pressure, where you need to get the draw, you tend “As soon as (Stamkos) changed lines and they put him with Palat and to bear down a little more.” Gourde, Stamkos knew he was going to be the shooter,” said Hall of Famer Phil Esposito, the Lightning radio color analyst. “When (Stamkos There’s still some work to do. Stamkos is the only minus-player on the and Kucherov) play together, they’re looking for each other all the time. Lightning (minus-2). He was late to get to Ivan Provorov on the Flyers Looking to pass to each other. I thought it was a brilliant move by the tying goal in the third period. But there’s no doubt Tampa Bay needs coaching staff to put Stamkos on a line with Palat and Gourde. They can Stamkos and Kucherov to play like their best players, the team falling score and get 20 goals maybe. But Stamkos is a shooter and he knows short when they both struggled in the Eastern Conference final loss to it. So that’s what he’s doing now, he’s shooting.” the Capitals.

Stamkos has 34 shots on goal in his last 10 games. “When (Stamkos and Kucherov) went dry, it was game over,’ Esposito said. That’s the bigger picture here. Stamkos’ record-setting December is great. But what matters the most is how he and the Lightning deliver in May and June. And he knows it. The fact Stamkos overcame a slow start (by his standards), seven goals in his first 26 games, is a promising sign.

“As a top player, you always feel like you need to have a good start and just relax and play,” St. Louis said. “Stammer maybe didn’t have the start that he wanted, but he’s going now. It looks like he’s having fun and not so worried about being perfect. You can’t let a couple bad reads make you second-guess yourself. It’s been fun to watch him.”

Did he give Stamkos any advice during his slow start?

“Not really,” St. Louis said. “When we talk it’s all about to make sure he’s having fun and making reads. As a player, I always found that I struggled when I stop making reads … like you get in protective mode instead of being assertive. You get out of it by trusting your reads. Because you don’t forget how to play hockey overnight!”

Medical matters

The Lightning did suffer some losses Thursday.

Forward J.T. Miller left in the middle of the second period with an upper- body injury and didn’t return. And then defenseman Mikhail Sergachev took a big-time shot off his left kneecap and left the game in the third. It didn’t look good, but the team appears to have dodged a bullet as Sergachev was on ice in a regular jersey at Friday’s practice.

Coach Jon Cooper said Miller and Sergachev would be re-evaluated Friday, and it looks like Miller will miss Saturday’s game. The good news for the Lightning is that they have depth. Rookie Mathieu Joseph (lower body) is nearing a return, skating with the team Thursday. “He’s getting closer,” Cooper said.

The Lightning are carrying eight defensemen, so Erik Cernak could step in for Sergachev. The injuries, while disappointing, could help answer the question of what Tampa Bay will do once Joseph is ready to come off IR. They just hope neither Miller nor Sergachev’s injuries are long-term.

Unsung hero

Andrei Vasilevskiy’s stat line won’t look pretty from Thursday, allowing five goals.

But the Lightning don’t win that game without him. He made some highlight-reel stops, including this one on Wayne Simmonds on the power play.

And with the game tied 5-5 in the third, and the Flyers having already erased a three-goal deficit, if Vasilevskiy doesn’t make this glove save on Jakub Voracek with 7:30 left, it’s likely game over.

“The guy you’re really upset for is the goaltender,” Cooper said. “He’s really the unsung hero.”

Cause for concern?

The film session before Friday’s practice was surely a doozy.

The Lightning were sloppy at a lot of moments Thursday, coughing up the three-goal lead. Missed assignments, flat play. The Claude Giroux goal said it all, with five of Tampa Bay’s top defensive players exposed. There’s a reason why Stamkos said they left this win feeling “disappointed” and that the blown lead was “unacceptable.”

The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123252 Toronto Maple Leafs

Tavares scores two as Leafs snap Jackets’ streak

Staff Writer DECEMBER 28, 2018

John Tavares scored two goals, Mitch Marner had a goal and two assists, and the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2 Friday night. Frederik Gauthier also scored for the Maple Leafs, who won their fifth game in a row and stopped the a five-game winning streak by the Blue Jackets. Nick Foligno and Artemi Panarin scored for the Blue Jackets, who were playing their second game in two nights while the Maple Leafs were playing for the first time since Sunday. Garret Sparks, Toronto’s backup goaltender, made 27 saves. Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 25 saves. The teams had split their first two meetings this season. Tavares saw Nazem Kadri’s deflection of Marner’s shot skitter off his skate and between Bobrovsky’s legs on a power play at 2:22 of the first period. Josh Anderson was serving a tripping penalty. Foligno snapped his 10th goal of the season from the right circle through the five-hole at 4:47 of the first to tie the game. Alexander Wennberg and Seth Jones earned the assists. Tavares notched his 26th of the season at 18:04 of the first period on a wrist shot from the left circle to the top right corner after working a give- and-go with Marner. The chance started with a Columbus turnover in the neutral zone. Early in the second period, Zach Werenski hit the post on a two-on-one for Columbus. The Maple Leafs scored the only goal of the second period. Marner finished a two-on-one with Auston Matthews with a shot from the right circle for his 13th goal at 9:46, giving Toronto a 3-1 lead. Jake Gardiner also earned an assist. Toronto’s Kasperi Kapanen and Columbus’s Scott Harrington were serving roughing penalties when the goal was scored. Par Lindholm passed from behind the goal in front to Gauthier, who scored his second goal this season at 13:44 of the third period. Panarin scored his 12th this season and 100th of his NHL career at 18:32 of the third. Werenski got the assist. Globe And Mail LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123253 Toronto Maple Leafs When asked if the plan to reduce Andersen’s workload is set in stone, Babcock said: “Hope is great, but I don’t know how it will go … I will do whatever I have to do to get us in the playoffs.” Game Centre: Leafs stretch win streak to five in Columbus THE FOURTH AWAKENS Fourth-line centre Frederik Gauthier scored his second goal of the MARK ZWOLINSKI season, capping an outstanding night for the Leafs’ fourth line — sent out late in the game to protect a two-goal lead. Gauthier, Par Lindholm and Fri., Dec. 28, 2018 Trevor Moore worked hard all night and spent plenty of time in the offensive zone. Moore, in his second career NHL game, picked up his second assist — on Gauthier’s goal. You can’t talk about the Maple Leafs these days without talking about MARLEAU MOMENT their big four: John Tavares, Morgan Rielly, Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. Patrick Marleau played in his 1,613th game, passing Ray Bourque for 10th on the NHL list. Mitch Marner, who turned in a three-point night, celebrates his second- period goal with Auston Matthews in Columbus on Friday night. Toronto Star LOADED: 12.29.2018 That was the story once again Friday night as they dumped a very good Blue Jackets squad 4-2 in Columbus. The win was Toronto’s fifth in a row and league-leading 14th on the road. The superlatives just keep on rolling, especially for Tavares and Marner. Tavares scored two goals to reach 26 for the season. He now has seven in his last six games, and five games this season where he’s scored at least twice. In a bigger picture, he has 63 goals since the start of the 2017-18 season, third-most in the NHL over that span (Alex Ovechkin is tops with 78, followed by Patrik Laine with 67). As for Marner, he picked up two assists, giving him 41 for the season and making him the first Leaf ever to start his career with three consecutive 40-assist campaigns. Only five other players have done that in NHL history (Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Patrick Kane, Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby). Marner added a goal, his seventh in six games, for his seventh three-point performance of the season. “I’m just trying to play — I’m playing with good players — and be good in all areas and be prepared as best I can to capitalize on opportunities, continue to create, be hard to defend,” Tavares told reporters in Columbus. “When you’re doing the right things without the puck, it allows you to have the puck a lot more. Being in the right spots and playing with the players I’m playing with, you’re going to get a lot of opportunity.” RIELLY SLUMPING (HA, HA) Morgan Rielly was held off the scoresheet for the first time in six games. He entered the night with 11 points in his previous five games, and remains on pace for 97 points. The NHL hasn’t had a 97-point defenceman since Phil Housley 25 years ago. NET RESULTS Backup goalie Garrett Sparks got the nod in goal as the Leafs wanted to extend starter Freddie Andersen’s Christmas break by another day. Sparks had a good, confidence-building game; improving to 6-1-1 on the season. He should see more starts as the Leafs continue to try to reduce Andersen’s workload after back-to-back seasons of 66 starts, in hopes of keeping him fresher for the playoffs. Andersen — who leads all goalies in ice time over the past two seasons — wasn’t sharp at times in the Leafs’ first-round exit against Washington in the spring. Said Leafs coach Mike Babcock: “We just felt that after the (Christmas) break, it was important for Freddie to get some practice in. We’ll probably do it again after the next break.” The Leafs have four days off after Saturday’s home date the Islanders. It was considered a risk for the Leafs to give the backup job to Sparks and cut ties with solid veteran Curtis McElhinney, a move partly motivated by McElhinney’s $1 million-plus salary. But Sparks looks more and more like he has figured out how to stay sharp in the backup role. That was one of his biggest challenges after a championship season with the Marlies in which he played regularly and was voted AHL goalie of the year. “I’m just at a point now where I’m trying to make the next save and focus on shot-by-shot, not get too ahead of myself. If they’re coming with a lot, I’m going to try to make every save and I was fortunate enough to do that in the second period,” Sparks said Friday night. “Yeah, it definitely felt like there was less rust than there had been in the past. It’s just …every opportunity I get to be in there is another opportunity to play in the NHL. You’ve got to do the most you can with it.” 1123254 Toronto Maple Leafs

Saturday NHL preview: New York Islanders at Toronto Maple Leafs

MARK ZWOLINSKI Fri., Dec. 28, 2018

SCOTIABANK ARENA FACEOFF: 7 p.m. Islander Josh Bailey applies the brakes after Leafs goalie Garret Sparks makes a save and controls the rebound when the teams met in 2016. The Leafs host the Islanders on Saturday night. TV: CBC/Sportsnet One RADIO: Sportsnet 590 The FAN KEY PLAYERS Bailey/Tavares Two players who were the best of friends during John Tavares’ nine years with the Islanders will face off for the first time since Tavares signed with the Leafs. Winger Josh Bailey sat second on the Islanders in points with 28 through Thursday, while Tavares led the Leafs in goals with 24 before Friday’s date with the Blue Jackets. NEED TO KNOW The Islanders had won four of their last five games before hosting Ottawa on Friday night. They went 3-1-0 on a recent road trip, outscoring opponents 12-5 … Goaltending was a big reason for the Islanders’ surge. Robin Lehner was on a five-game tear: 2-1-2, 1.37 GAA, .948 save mark … Former Leafs fan faves Leo Komarov and Matt Martin return. Komarov is a third-line winger with Tom Kuhnhackl and Val Filppula, while Martin skates on the fourth line with Casey Cizikas and Ross Johnston … The Islanders have four key regulars on the injured list: Thomas Hickey, Cal Clutterbuck, Jordan Eberle and Andrew Ladd. UP NEXT Wednesday vs. Minnesota Wild, 2 p.m. Toronto Star LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123255 Toronto Maple Leafs wrister, where you sweep the puck, and the snap shot. They’ve developed a different kind of shot than we had back then.”

Stick manufacturers will tell you NHL players have been “flexing down” of Auston Matthews, Mike Bossy and the joy of flex late. While as recently as a few years ago the standard NHL twig was something in the range of a 100-flex model, now it’s much more common for players to use flexes closer to 80 — a nod to the merits of using flex DAVE FESCHUK to create relatively hard shots in minuscule time and space. Fri., Dec. 28, 2018 Wendel Clark, the Maple Leafs alumnus whose legendary wrist shot helped him put up a 46-goal season in the wood-stick era, explained the metamorphosis. It was during a phone conversation with a hockey analyst from Quebec’s “With a wood stick, we put our whole body into the shot, loading from the TVA Sports earlier this season that your correspondent committed — back foot and shifting your weight to the front foot,” Clark said. “With how do you say it in French? — a faux pas. these (whippier, modern) sticks, it isn’t about perfect mechanics. It’s about getting the stick to bend. The sticks are like a golf club: you flex the The topic was the remarkable talent of Auston Matthews, the Maple shaft and they launch it.” Leafs’ goal-scoring wizard who this week was named Atlantic Division captain for next month’s NHL all-star festivities. It was suggested by me To that end, Matthews uses an 82 flex Bauer — this after some macho that Matthews is possessed of a new kind of lightning-quick shot release, experimentation with stiffer sticks as a teenager. William Nylander uses a the likes of which we haven’t quite seen before. 77: “I’ve always liked them whippy,” Nylander said, noting that his father, ex-NHLer Michael Nylander, used a “super-stiff” shaft the son would Mike Bossy and his trusty wooden Titan averaged three goals every four never dream of borrowing. games in the Islanders’ heyday. Proponents of stiff sticks remain, mind you. Sidney Crosby, to name one, “We haven’t seen before — or maybe since me?” came the reply, has been known to favour a 100-plus flex CCM. But even John Tavares, followed by a moment of laughter. a self-confessed creature of habit, said he changed to a whippier stick The analyst was Mike Bossy, the bilingual hall of famer based in this past summer, on the eve of his 10th NHL season. Tavares flexed Montreal. During Bossy’s magical run as the go-to sniper of a 1980s New down from a number in the 100s — possibly a 105, he says — to his York Islanders dynasty that won four straight Stanley Cups, his knack for current 95. Though his stick is still relatively stiff by today’s standards, he finding the net with his rapid-fire snapper was peerless. Even given a thinks the added bend could have something to do with him being on career truncated by a bad back that limited him to 10 NHL seasons, he pace for a career-high goal total. still ranks 22nd on the all-time goals list. Perhaps more impressive, “Maybe. Possibly,” Tavares said. “I think I’m getting a lot of opportunities, Bossy remains the NHL’s all-time leader in goals per game at 0.76. In a lot of shots. It’s definitely been a nice adjustment I made this summer.” other words, Bossy averaged about three goals every four games. For context, fewer than 20 other NHLers in history have put together This generation of players is hardly the first to recognize the benefits of a significant careers in which they’ve averaged more than two goals every high-flex shaft. Brett Hull sits fourth on the all-time goals list on account four games. of his success using aluminum-shafted sticks before the introduction of composites around 2000. Hull, whose 86-goal performance for St. Louis This season, Matthews, who has missed 14 games to injury, is scoring at in 1990-91 still stands as the greatest goal-scoring season adjusted for an exceptionally high rate — 0.83 goals a game heading into Friday’s era in history according to Hockey-Reference.com, recalls his flex date in Columbus, or more than four goals every five games. Still, number being around 62 — to his recollection the whippiest stick of his Matthews, who’s scheduled to face Bossy’s old squad Saturday when the day. Hull likened the way he loaded his stick to pulling back the string Islanders visit Toronto, has done it over a much smaller sample size. So with a bow and arrow. you’ll excuse Bossy if he jabs a Toronto writer suggesting Matthews is doing something heretofore unseen. “I would just lock the (bottom) elbow and let the shaft do the work … You need to be able to pull that bow back for it to release. I could never “I’m just joking,” said Bossy, 61, apologizing for his moment of self- understand how somebody could shoot if the shaft wasn’t flexing,” Hull reference. “One of the things that people always comment on is the quick said. “A lot of good shooters did it (with a stiffer shaft), though. (Leafs release that I had … I always figured the best way to beat a goalie was to president and scorer of 656 NHL goals) comes to get him off balance. And the quicker you release it, the more likely you’re mind. But the stiffer the stick, the weaker and poorer my shot was.” going to get the goalie before he’s set.” Just as flex numbers are estimates that vary from brand to brand, no two Matthews, clearly, has come to a similar realization. shots, no two shooters, are precisely alike. “I’ve noticed his quick release,” Bossy said of Matthews. “A lot of times, “It’s like with baseball pitchers: they all have different deliveries,” said he’s able to be quicker than the goalies.” Frederik Andersen, the Maple Leafs goaltender. “Just like pitchers have a If Bossy and Matthews have a speedy release in common, their methods few favourite pitches in their arsenal, a guy like Auston — he’s got his are as divergent as their eras. The main tool of Bossy’s trade in the favourite shots, but he can shoot other ones, too.” 1980s was a wooden Titan model. He liked his sticks “very stiff,” as did And just like baseball pitchers, part of Matthews’ gift is in the art of Wayne Gretzky, the game’s all-time leading goal scorer and a fellow deception. His trademark curl-and-drag wrister — wherein Matthews proponent of a log-solid Titan in his prime. Though dependably heavy dangles the puck out wide before pulling it in toward his body en route to and inflexible, Bossy said his Titans were notoriously finicky. a wicked blast — comes to mind. Clark said such a shot would have “You could get a dozen sticks back then and maybe three of the dozen been nearly impossible in the wood-stick days. were good — I mean, were good as far as I was concerned,” Bossy said. “You wouldn’t have had the velocity on it,” Clark said. “When he shoots Matthews, who grew up in Arizona using wooden Sher-Woods, said he that shot, he doesn’t change the level of his hands much, which is really switched to a one-piece composite stick — now the sport’s standard hard for a goalie. When I shot the puck hard with a wood stick, I used to implement — around age 13, albeit much to his parents’ chagrin. At the have to drop my hands to get the stick to bend with a wood stick. That time the sticks retailed for about $250 U.S., and he broke them was how you did it. It was tougher to be deceptive.” frequently. While sticks typically carry a 30-day replacement warranty Not that there are legions of NHLers copying Matthews; the greats are against breakage, the warranty can only be claimed once. always difficult to emulate. “That 30-day warranty, they would ship ’em in, get a new one. And then “Nobody else (but Matthews) has the ability to change their angle like I’d break it and (parents Brian and Ema would) be pissed. They had to that and still put that much power and quickness into a release,” said buy another $250 stick,” Matthews said. Garret Sparks, Toronto’s backup goaltender. “A lot of guys, you can tell The day Matthews began getting free sticks as a top prospect “was a big when they’re going to shoot. Not the case with (Matthews). He can shoot sigh of relief for them, for sure.” from anywhere, any time. It is very unique.” Matthews now uses a Bauer model that’s far lighter and whippier than Certainly it’s specific to his chosen tools. Bossy laughed when he thought anything available in Bossy’s era. back to the first time he took to the ice with a state-of-the-art composite stick. “My go-to shot back then was the snap shot,” Bossy said. “Whereas today it looks like they’re using a hybrid of what I’d call an old-time “I couldn’t shoot the puck,’” Bossy said. “I’m sure if I gave (Matthews) the stick that I played with, he wouldn’t have the shot that he has. Everything’s changed.” There are some things that never change, mind you. Sharpshooters with a special gift for beating goaltenders remain rare. Matthews’ stick, put in the hands of anyone else, is just an expensive piece of carbon fibre. Clark, now 52, said he procured one of Matthews’ castoffs from the Maple Leafs training staff a while back and was disappointed when he didn’t immediately light up an oldtimers’ game. “I use his stick. It doesn’t work that good for me. So I can’t say it’s all stick. He must have some talent,” Clark said, chuckling. As Bossy said over the phone from his Montreal-area home: Trends change and technology evolves, but you still can’t buy hall-of-fame- worthy quickness at the sporting goods store. “I don’t care what kind of stick you have in your hand, that doesn’t change your release time,” Bossy said. “The release time goes to (Matthews’) abilities, and the realization that the quicker he gets it away, the more goals he’s going to score.” Toronto Star LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123256 Toronto Maple Leafs After beating perpetually rebuilding Edmonton on Thursday, the much- improved Canucks might say they have no intention of moving the UFA defenceman, and they won’t if they stay in the playoff picture. Otherwise, Aggressive trade strategy could push Leafs over the top Edler doesn’t fit the Vancouver rebuild even if he is playing 23 minutes a night.

Jay Bouwmeester DAMIEN COX Blues, D, 35 Fri., Dec. 28, 2018 Not the force he once was, but still a superb skater with loads of experience, including 31 playoff games the past two years. Like Edler, he’s a pure rental, better than what the Leafs have but not to be signed The building is over and of course the Maple Leafs are going to take a long-term. Think of him as an upgrade on Ron Hainsey. hard run at the Stanley Cup. Mats Zuccarello By next fall, after all, the team that as of Friday morning was second overall and on a 115-point pace will be substantially altered, and quite Rangers, LW/RW, 31 possibly weakened. The true strength of the Leafs at this moment is that they have so many young, world-class athletes playing for (relatively) This is an interesting one. Sometimes the Rangers look like a playoff basic wages, an advantage that will evaporate at the end of this season. team, sometimes they don’t. Zuccarello said earlier this season “maybe I could use a new spark,” which fuelled trade rumours. He’s been injured Flyers veteran Wayne Simmonds might be slowing down, but he still and has only three goals, but he’s also got world-class skill. plays the kind of game the Leafs might need come the post-season. Ryan Dzingel By September, assuming they are signed, Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner could be making a combined $25 million (all dollars U.S.) and Senators, LW, 26 Kasperi Kapanen another $4 million, blowing the Leaf payroll to Another intriguing case. He’s younger than most pending UFAs with the smithereens. Key veterans Patrick Marleau and Jake Gardiner could well speed the Leafs love, plus 13 goals. More attention has been paid to be elsewhere, replaced by affordable options. Maybe other regulars will Ottawa free agents Matt Duchene and Mark Stone, but Dzingel could be move as well. more affordable and a better fit for Toronto’s overall model. There’s no reason to believe the Leafs won’t still be good, but possibly Wayne Simmonds not as good and certainly not as deep. Flyers, RW, 30 So, you worry about all that then and try to win now. You take the enormous amount of available cap room the Leafs will have at the Feb. Simmonds’ name always comes up with the Leafs because those who 25 trade deadline — currently $24.75 million in existing contracts and fantasize about a return to the days when the Leafs represented muscle counting, according to capfriendly.com — and you acquire talent and meanness think the current team is too wimpy. For Simmonds, this aggressively to try and close the gap on the Tampa Bay Lightning, clearly season has been a struggle and he may be slowing. But he’s big, tough the best team in the NHL. and offers a short-term, Tom Wilson-like element the Leafs don’t have. This should be the most ambitious the Leafs have been in the winter Jimmy Howard since 2004, when a team sitting fifth overall at season’s end acquired and Ron Francis before the deadline. Red Wings, D, 34 This year’s Leafs have assets to move, including first-round draft picks, Not that Garret Sparks has proven he can’t do it, but he hasn’t proven he strong goalie prospects Ian Scott and Joseph Woll, up-and-coming blue- can, either. Goaltending insurance behind Freddie Andersen just makes liners Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren, Marlies such as Carl sense, and Howard would be the best you could buy. The hard question Grundstrom and Calle Rosen, and even young NHL regulars including would be how much to pay at the deadline for a player who may not play. Connor Brown and Travis Dermott. No more than a second-round pick. It’s unlikely the Leafs would blow their brains out, but they should be Justin Williams expected to do more than last winter when they cautiously added Tomas Hurricanes, RW, 37 Plekanec for two minor leaguers and a second-rounder. One suspects the well-travelled Williams won’t be available. The Canes So find the midpoint on the spectrum between “blow your brains out” and just made him captain this season and he’s beloved there. But he’s “no risk whatsoever” and that’s where GM Kyle Dubas should land. headed for UFA status, he is Mr. Game 7 and the Leafs have little Cup- The list of possible acquisitions will change as the circumstances of their winning experience. current teams change. Maybe St. Louis climbs back into the playoff Nick Jensen picture. Perhaps Minnesota’s fall won’t be stopped. Which way is Carolina going? Generally, however, where we are at Christmas is pretty Red Wings, D, 28 close to where we’ll be in April, and teams out of the playoff picture are already marketing players set to become unrestricted free agents in July Jensen is mobile and logs 20 minutes a night for the Wings. More as in-season rentals. important for the Leafs, he’s a valuable right-hand shot on the back end, something only Nikita Zaitsev, Igor Ozhiganov and rarely-used Justin Holl Here, in order of appeal, are 10 potential Leaf trade deadline targets: offer. Jensen would come cheap and provide depth, if not an upgrade. Jake Muzzin Toronto Star LOADED: 12.29.2018 Kings, D, 29 Muzzin still has one more season on his contract after this year at a very affordable $4 million, but the Kings are 31st and need to get out of this cycle of long-term deals for older players. Muzzin would be costly, perhaps the only player — because of his talent and contract — that the Leafs could consider sacrificing the talented Dermott to get. Gustav Nyqvist Red Wings, LW/RW, 29 Nyqvist’s no-trade could make this tricky, but he has high-end skill — as he seems to show every time he plays the Leafs — and is having a nice bounce-back season in Motown. He would be a pure rental: here in the winter, gone by the summer. Alexander Edler Canucks, D, 32 1123257 Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs’ Tavares in comfort zone for first date with Islanders

MARK ZWOLINSKI Fri., Dec. 28, 2018

John Tavares has long made peace with the fact that he’ll have to face the New York Islanders, the team he spent the first nine years of his career with before signing a rich free-agent contract with the Maple Leafs over the summer. Tavares, like most superstars who face their old team, has dealt with a range of emotions. After agreeing to that seven-year, $77-million U.S. deal on Canada Day — the biggest move of free-agent season — he was hailed as the piece to put the Leafs over the top in pursuit of the Stanley Cup. Back in Nassau, the reaction was less flattering after the Isles captain chose to leave the only NHL team he’d ever played for. Leafs centre John Tavares added most of his former Islanders teammates to the guest list for his summer wedding. On Saturday night at , Tavares will line up against the Islanders for the first time. “I don’t try to worry about it too much,” Tavares said. “I gave everything I had for nine years there. Being captain there was a very special honour for me, one that I never took for granted. We made the playoffs, but we did not have as much success as we would have liked and I take responsibility for it, being captain. “(But) I came to Toronto because I felt it was the best direction for my career and for myself. I know people want to take what they will from it, and that’s fine, but I came to Toronto and I want to help this team win and do the best I can.” The reception could be different when the Leafs visit the Islanders on Feb. 28. Saturday will also mark the return of former Leafs wingers Matt Martin and Leo Komarov, who both signed with the Islanders in the off-season, and general manager Lou Lamoriello, credited with changing the Leafs’ culture in his three years in Toronto and putting the club on track for success. Lamoriello took over as president of hockey operations with the Islanders last summer and, after Tavares chose to play in his hometown, remarked that the star centre’s impact as an Islander wasn’t as great as it was made out to be, adding the team would be fine without him. Indeed, the Isles are in the mix for a playoff spot in the tough Metropolitan Division. Josh Bailey, who played with Tavares for nine seasons, was made an alternate captain and remains one of Tavares’ closest friends. “When you’re with someone for nine years, it’s obviously important,” Tavares, drafted No. 1 by the Islanders in 2009, said of Bailey. “Both of us were so young at the beginning, breaking into the league together. We were rookies together, and even before that … Now he’s a father — he has two amazing boys, he’s started a family — so to see us as teammates all those years, then as linemates the last couple of years, we’re both from the Toronto area … He’s just a tremendous person. A lot of the young (Islanders) look up to him.” Cal Clutterbuck is another alternate captain on the Islanders and, like Bailey, remains close with Tavares. “We played junior together, and I finished up there with him on the team,” Tavares said of Clutterbuck. “He was one of my groomsmen at my wedding (Tavares invited most of his teammates to the nuptials this past summer), and I remember us playing together as far back as high school. We’ve always been there for one another.” After racking up 272 goals and 349 assists with the Islanders, Tavares has 26 goals and 18 assists in his first 38 games with the Leafs. He’s on pace to surpass his career high of 38 goals, set in the 2014-15 season. When he announced his decision to join the Leafs, he did it with a social media post that showed him as a youngster, sleeping under Toronto Maple Leafs bedsheets. So far, the move has played out like a dream come true. Toronto Star LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123258 Toronto Maple Leafs RW Tyler Ennis (ankle) ISLANDERS GAME DAY LINES Game Day: Islanders at Maple Leafs LEFT WING CENTRE RIGHT WING Anders Lee Brock Nelson Joshua Ho-Sang Lance Hornby Anthony Beauvillier Mathew Barzal Josh Bailey December 29, 2018 12:09 AM EST Tom Kuhnhackl Valtteri Filppula Leo Komarov Matt Martin Casey Cizikas Ross Johnston NEW YORK ISLANDERS at TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS DEFENCE PAIRINGS Saturday, 7 p.m., Scotiabank Arena Nick Leddy Johnny Boychuk TV: CBC, Sportsnet One; RADIO: 590 AM Adam Pelech Ryan Pulock THE BIG MATCHUP Devon Toews Scott Mayfield C Mathew Barzal vs. C John Tavares GOALIES Tavares faces his former team with a new young gun leading them in Thomas Griess scoring. The first few shifts might be disorienting for the Tavares, but he has much more offensive assistance should he falter. Barzal went into Robin Lehner his team’s home game against the Ottawa Senators on Friday with eight Sick Bay points in his past eight games. D Thomas Hickey FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME RW Jordan Eberle Hey, aren’t you … ? RW Cal Clutterbuck There will be a lot of chatter during warm-up and in scrums as John Tavares and the former Leafs, Matt Martin and Leo Komarov, meet SPECIAL TEAMS former friends. Not to mention Mike Babcock and his coaches throwing some barbs out from the bench, too. But it’s going to be business first for POWER PLAY all concerned and the team that can overcome the distractions best will Toronto 23.8% (6th) have the upper hand. NY Islanders 15.7% (23rd) Well-rested Fred PENALTY KILLING Babcock decided that Frederik Andersen should play the home half of this back-to-back, a different wrinkle, but one that coming off the Toronto 79.6 (17th) Christmas break will have given No. 1 Andersen a full week off after a busy first half of the schedule. NY Islanders 78.1% (20th) Back-to-back blues Toronto Sun LOADED: 12.29.2018 Both teams playing the night before could bring down the energy level a tad, but the Leafs have won the second of their recent back to backs and as fate would have it, taken the last two games in Toronto against the Isles in the Tavares era by a combined 8-3 score. Ho-Sang in the house Adding to the long history of Toronto-area NHLers featured in the Leaf- Isles rivalry, Joshua Ho-Sang will be playing his first game in Scotiabank Arena, his NHL career moving in the right direction. Face the music The Leafs, with Tavares helping on the draw, are fifth in the league in faceoff percentage, just under 52%, while the Isles are trying to stay out of last place at 47.4%, just ahead of the Canadiens. LEAFS GAME DAY LINES LEFT WING CENTRE RIGHT WING Andreas Johnsson John Tavares Mitch Marner Patrick Marleau Auston Matthews Kasperi Kapanen Connor Brown Nazem Kadri William Nylander Par Lindholm Frederik Gauthier Trevor Moore DEFENCE PAIRINGS Morgan Rielly Ron Hainsey Jake Gardiner Nikita Zaitsev Travis Dermott Igor Ozhiganov GOALIES Frederik Andersen Garret Sparks Sick Bay LW Zach Hyman (ankle) 1123259 Toronto Maple Leafs leading scorer. Tavares did include the Isles on the short list of teams he spoke to for a new deal during his UFA window, but the Leafs are now captain of his heart. Leafs silence Columbus guns, win fifth straight There might not be a playoff meeting this season, but you can bet Saturday’s game and the next two meetings at Nassau Coliseum in February will be just as big for principals on both sides. Lance Hornby Matt Martin was with Tavares on the Island, came to Toronto for a couple December 28, 2018 11:28 PM EST of years, and is now back there, as is long-time Leaf Leo Komarov who also followed former Toronto general manager Lou Lamoriello to New York in the summer. COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Blue Jackets’ goal cannon can be loud, but it Komarov and Martin will likely get some sort of scoreboard recognition at was John Tavares, Mitch Marner and the Maple Leafs making all the Scotiabank Arena, but the club and the media-shy Lamoriello might not noise here Friday night. feel so comfortable with such a gesture. The 76-year-old clearly did not think his best days were behind him when Leafs president Brendan In the prelude to Saturday’s much-hyped meeting with his old New York Shanahan picked Kyle Dubas as GM before his 33rd birthday, Lou Islanders, Tavares scored the first two goals in an eventual 4-2 win, refusing a senior advisory role to that of hockey operations’ boss with getting the Leafs to five straight wins and halting the hot Blue Jackets at New York. the same number. And upon taking the reins on the Island, Lamoriello said that for all After getting his 26th of the season, putting him just 10 behind last year’s Tavares had brought to the franchise, post-season success was not goal leader on the Leafs, the departed James van Riemsdyk, Tavares prominent enough. said the Islanders matchup has been on his mind the past week or so. At training camp, Tavares didn’t disagree he should have shouldered a “I’ll try and treat it as best I can as any other game, but I’m sure there’ll portion of that responsibility to move the needle as a leader. be a lot of emotions and different feelings,” he said. “Just try and stay in the moment and be ready to play. It will be fun to ply against those guys.” “I wish I could’ve done a better job, but I know I gave it everything I had and looking back I have no regrets in the way I prepared or performed,” As for Friday, the Leafs’ only real hiccup was allowing a Nick Foligno he said at the time. goal on Garret Sparks not long after Tavares’ first on the power play, after which Toronto began draining the life out of Nationwide Arena in FINN FRIENDS FOR LIFE favour of its own travelling fan caravan. For Leafs winger Kapanen, the presence of a fellow Finnish speaker was Tavares finished off a beauty give-and-go with Marner, who had a three- invaluable when he arrived in Toronto and Komarov was already point night, including a goal at 4-on-4 when he and Auston Matthews out- established as a dressing room pillar. legged Columbus pursuers. That shortened situation came after Kasperi Kapanen had come to the aid of village elder Patrick Marleau, who’d “Leo was like a brother to me in Toronto; he’s the one who took me in been rammed hard by Pierre-Luc Dubois. and helped me out,” Kapanen said. “It was hard to see him go (in July), but he got the contract he wanted and gets to play in this league for In the final period, with the game not yet secure, the fourth line of another four years. Frederik Gauthier, Par Lindholm and Trevor Moore had a relentless soul- killing shift exclusively in the Jackets’ end, then scored themselves, “Marty, I played with him a lot, too. Seeing him, it will be a fun night. Lou Lindholm to Gauthier with Columbus checkers hanging off them. was there to push me and help me as a player. Obviously, I had to stay patient for a long time, but when I got that opportunity, I felt he liked my “We started better than I expected,” said coach Mike Babcock, who is style of play. We had a mutual respect. I have good memories of him.” now 4-0 in his first post-Christmas break game as Leafs coach and had feared the rust of a near week off. “Nice to score early, we had all four HAINSEY’S HELPING HAND lines going and the Goat is on a three-game scoring streak, and we had good specialty teams.” Morgan Rielly is having a career year, but both he and coach Babcock would give an assist to defence partner Ron Hainsey. Babcock shook up his goalie rotation, giving the first of the back-to-backs to Sparks and the home start to ace Frederik Andersen. “He’s played a ton (of a role),” Babcock said of the 37-year-old Hainsey. “You have a guy who is talking to you all the time, settling you down, Babcock reasoned his No. 1 needed the extra day of practice coming off telling you where to stand, without a coach nattering in your ear all the the break to make it a full seven days of rest. time. “He’s our guy and we have to make sure he’s healthy,” said Babcock, “These guys are around you: on the bus, on the plane, they can help you. projecting the same thing will happen after the all-star break when the I think it’s very important, the veteran leadership we’ve been able to Leafs have consecutive games. acquire to help our young guys is critical in their growth. Ron’s a huge part of that.” After the cannon fired with frequency here in some recent Leafs visits, it sounded only twice, the last time with a minute and half to go on Artemi FAITH IN JAKE Panarin’s strike. The last game Jake Gardiner played before Christmas was not his best, Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky could not be faulted on the first with two own-zone turnovers that morphed into Detroit goals. Yet he Leafs goal, Marner’s shot that hit Nazem Kadri’s stick and Tavares’ assisted on the late tying marker, reaching the 20-assist mark once skate. Tavares nearly had his second hat trick of the season on another again. man advantage, with a no-look, between the legs backhand. “I just looked today, happened to be scanning through (NHL stats), and For Matthews, his assist was Leafs point No. 167 in his 167th game, he’s 19th in defensive scoring and he’s plus-17,” Babcock countered. passing Alex Mogilny on the franchise list after the latter had 166 in 176. “And on a (second unit) power play that’s been kind of non-existent. So Jake’s a good player, one of those guys who, to me, has an elite brain, JOHNNY COMES MARCHING HOME makes tons of good plays and is way better than people think, defensively.” “No man is an island,” penned English poet John Donne, but Tavares still has a lot of Long Island in him after nearly a decade with New York. Gardiner, meanwhile, says he grows increasingly more comfortable with Nikita Zaitsev as his partner. Those memories will surely come flooding back Saturday, his first encounter with his draft team, where he played nearly 700 games, but “I feel pretty good. It’s easy playing with Nikita, he’s so solid and just significantly just 24 in the playoffs. The ongoing uncertainty of the Isles’ takes time and space away from the other team, makes it easier for me direction, their future arena and the offer of $77 million US over seven to get the puck and bring it out. years from his vastly-improved hometown Maple Leafs prompted his departure. So far, no complaints from him, management, or Toronto fans, “That Russian barrier is tough sometimes (but) he’s really opened up, but he knew the day would come when he’d be looking across the ice at you can see his personality more and more every day, he’s very those blue and orange sweaters and feeling plenty of emotion. sarcastic and just fun to be around.” Tavares was captain on the Island, spent quality years with the likes of LOOSE LEAFS Josh Bailey, Anders Lee, Brock Nelson, Casey Cizikas and a season with rising star Mathew Barzal, who has supplanted him as the team’s Babcock does not want to further burden struggling Swede William Nylander (no goals in nine games before Friday) with too many pep talks, though he revealed the two had chatted Thursday. “You might find this hard to believe, we meet with almost every player every day. Not (formal meetings), there’s a coffee pot, there’s breakfast, you talk to everybody every day. It’s our job to help them be the best they can possibly be. It’s ongoing, it just happened to be Willy yesterday, but it’s someone every day” … When he stepped on the ice Friday, Leafs winger Marleau passed Ray Bourque for 10th in NHL games played with 1,613 … Gardiner’s three-month-old son Henry was a hit when his Minnesota- based family gathered for Christmas. “He didn’t sleep too much just because everybody wanted to hold him and hang out with him.” FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED The Sparks show The scrutiny will continue on Garret Sparks all season, but when he makes timely saves and helps close the door on opposition power plays, critics will have to look at that, plus his record of 6-1-1 before judging him inferior to Curtis McElhinney. Johnny is good Tavares can beat a team in so many ways down low, a net presence with a handy stick for deflections, poking at rebounds and also demonstrating some nifty accuracy off the rush as he showed on Friday’s give-and-go goal with Marner. Tough in the trenches They don’t pay Leafs such as Kasperi Kapanen to retaliate, but he perceived a foul on Patrick Marleau and did something about it. There will be questions in the second half whether the Leafs have the muscle and mental strength to bite back at ‘heavy’ teams such as Columbus come playoff time, but they had a good response on this night. Centres of attention The Leafs have had success on faceoffs recently, with both Tavares and Auston Matthews winning 11 draws on Friday and Frederik Gauthier doing his bit with five out of six. Other than Boone Jenner, the Jackets were in bad shape in that department, contributing to Toronto’s victory. Still killing it Head coach Mike Babcock continues to embrace Ron Hainsey and Nikita Zaitsev as his primary penalty-killing defencemen. They were quite effective in stopping both Columbus power plays, with help from forwards with active sticks. Toronto Sun LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123260 Toronto Maple Leafs For as seamless as the Tavares negotiations appeared to be, the deal was no certainty from the start. When Dubas, Shanahan and coach Mike Babcock left their initial meeting with Tavares and Brisson in Los SIMMONS: Leafs GM Kyle Dubas named George Gross Sportsperson of Angeles, they weren’t really sure how well they had pulled it off. the Year “I thought we had a shot,” said Shanahan. “They had great poker faces. They were interested, but I thought there were other teams they were interested in with impressive people presenting. I thought we were a Steve Simmons good fit for a lot of reasons, but you never know what’s in somebody’s mind. December 28, 2018 5:19 PM EST “What I liked was how prepared we were. Kyle did what he was supposed to do. Mike did what he was supposed to do. It was a team effort.” The signing of the year in Toronto sports — maybe the story of the year — began without any talk of money or term or contract in any way. And what does he think about his rookie GM seven months after hiring him to take the spot of his former mentor, the Hall of Famer Lamoriello? It was almost all hockey talk with John Tavares, hockey talk and talk of coming home. Then questions and more questions. “It’s no surprise what he’s doing,” said Shanahan. “In a short amount of time, he’s doing what I expected of him (when I hired him). I know that And, finally, a phone call from agent Pat Brisson to Leafs rookie general until somebody does a job, you don’t really know what kind of job they’re manager Kyle Dubas, the call basically informing the Maple Leafs that going to do. But every level he’s been at, he’s excelled and shown an Tavares was ready to come home. ability to do the work. “Pat called on the morning of Canada Day, (Brisson said it was Friday “He’s been closely involved in the development of many of our current night) and said, ‘We really haven’t discussed numbers with you guys. We roster, from Zach Hyman and Connor Brown to Kasperi Kapanen and have to do that.’ Our ambition was we were going to abide by the rules. Andreas Johnsson to Travis Dermott. You could say his fingerprints were We couldn’t offer anything before that. all over this roster before he (became GM). The transition has gone as “The actual contract part ($77 million over 11 years) wasn’t difficult to smoothly as possible with Kyle.” come (to). After our initial meeting, John called with more questions for Still, a first year is a first year. It doesn’t matter the job, especially if it’s a Mike (Babcock) and then questions for me. Pat called later that night and public one. If there isn’t learning to be done, there is experiencing in the we answered some more questions.” new position. There is finding your public place. And when you become And with that, the longest, richest, most significant, and unusual signing general manager of one of the few signature franchises in all of sports, in the history of the Maple Leafs was done with almost no complications, much as you like to play it casual and say it’s nothing new, sometimes it completed by the 32-year-old Dubas, on only his 52nd day as general has to be something new. manager of the club. When you’re walking the streets in Fort Lauderdale and you get noticed, “Mike gave me a big hug and I think that’s a pretty rare event,” said that’s new. When you see all the team jerseys on a road game in Dubas. “Mike isn’t your hugging kind of guy. It was a very exciting day for Carolina, and everyone wants to take your picture, that’s new. the franchise because of what it meant and because of the narrative out For some general managers, their jobs are just hockey jobs. there that star players don’t want to come here and it was nice to see that narrative defeated.” For the GM of the Maple Leafs, the job takes on an almost higher significance in terms of attention, expectations, presence. Said team president Brendan Shanahan: “The online photo of Tavares (with his Maple Leafs pillow cases and bed sheets) really hit people. The “You realize the importance it has to the community,” said Dubas. “You signing got to people. I heard a lot of stories from people riding the GO don’t always think that way. But it’s in those moments, in Carolina, in train that day and they announced it on the train and apparently, the Tampa, in Fort Lauderdale, you really feel fortunate to be in the position whole train erupted in applause. you’re in. You realize the importance of the job to a big and passionate fan base.” “You don’t win the Stanley Cup in July, but this signing touched people in a different way. It meant a lot to the city, a lot for sports, that somebody When Dubas began working for the Leafs, he could go most places of their own free choice wanted to come home.” without being recognized. Now, if he goes to a restaurant, a Raptors game, a Toronto FC game, people want a piece of him. An autograph. A If the Tavares signing was the sports story of the year in the city, the photograph. A trade suggestion. The chance to say hello. Raptors trading of DeMar DeRozan for the mystery that is would probably finish second on any list of significance. And in the No. 3 “People are very positive and very nice,” Dubas said. spot might be the lengthy and, at times, annoying, contract negotiations with the restricted free agent William Nylander, which Dubas came to This is still his first year on the job. Learning is a daily part of the position. agreement on in the minutes before the 5 p.m. Dec. 1 deadline was He liked going to the NHL general managers meetings in the past and about to pass. sitting beside Steve Yzerman, then in charge of the Tampa Bay Lightning. He’s also a fan of David Poile’s work in Nashville and of others For his part in the Tavares signing, the eventual Nylander signing, the he hopes to emulate or learn from. reshaping of the Maple Leafs front office and for being general manager and front man for the American Hockey League championship run of the “Having Masai down the hall is a big help, too,” he said. — a hockey championship in Toronto, how rare? — Dubas has been named the 15th winner of the Toronto Sun But in the case of the Nylander negotiations, for as much support as he Sportsperson of the Year Award, named in honour of the late Sun sports had around him, the final decision had to be his. To sign, to not sign, to editor George Gross. trade. His reputation already on the line. Maybe a case could be made for Masai Ujiri and all he did in reshaping “We wish that it had been taken care of well in advance of what it was,” the Raptors, or a case for the calendar year of Mitch Marner’s on-ice said Dubas. “I don’t look at it as a challenge the way you do. We had our excellence, or yet another goodbye for the hugely popular but fired process. They had a different one. I never felt it was a challenge as much basketball and baseball bosses or John Gibbons. as it was a contrast of views. It became a challenge from the outside because of how much consternation it created, how it became a major But what a year this been for Dubas, picked to be general manager by talking point. Shanahan in a first-among-equals competition with Mark Hunter, more than 40 years the junior of Lou Lamoriello, who was pushed out, and with “But that’s done now and we move on.” the Marlies’ emotional seven-game championship series followed by him He moves on. The next business, next calendar year for Dubas begins getting the big job, then the signing of Tavares and most recently the with dealing with the upcoming trade deadline, preparation for a possible near-crisis point of the Nylander affair. playoff run, the negotiations with restricted free agents Auston Matthews, “Dealing with Kyle, everything was first-class,” said Tavares’ agent, Mitch Marner and Kasperi Kapanen, and a longer list of unrestricted free Brisson. “He was very sharp, very prepared, very respectful. He doesn’t agents starting with defenceman Jake Gardiner. come across as someone who’s trying to steal the show. It’s not about The job is never quiet. The Toronto Sun Sportsperson of the year has no him the way it is with some others. I felt pretty comfortable working with intention of slowing down. him from the get-go. I was impressed, to be honest.” PREVIOUS WINNERS 2004: Pinball Clemons, Argos 2005: Toronto Rock, lacrosse 2006: Cassie Campbell, women’s hockey 2007: , Raptors 2008: Roy Halladay, Blue Jays 2009: Daniel Nestor, tennis 2010: Joey Votto, Reds 2011: Jose Bautista, Blue Jays 2012: Chad Owens, Argonauts 2013: Phil Kessel, Maple Leafs 2014: , Raptors 2015: Alex Anthopoulos, Blue Jays 2016: Penny Oleksiak, swimming 2017: Toronto FC, soccer Toronto Sun LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123261 Toronto Maple Leafs

Eventful 48 hours ahead for Maple Leafs

Lance Hornby December 28, 2018 1:10 PM EST

COLUMBUS – The Maple Leafs haven’t played in four days, but they’re about to make up for lost time in the spotlight. They resume the NHL schedule here Friday against the big and mobile Blue Jackets, who always give them fits. Then it’s right back home for a significant match, John Tavares versus his old New York Islanders, who have ex-Leafs Leo Komarov and Matt Martin in the lineup and upstairs, former Toronto general manager Lou Lamoriello, one of the Shanaplan architects. First to Columbus, which ended its Christmas break a day before the Leafs, beat the Rangers in overtime on the road and then slept in Friday. Toronto coach Mike Babcock saw no huge advantage for his team to have had the extra time away from the ice. “(The Jackets) will have their hands and their brain back,” Babcock predicted after an optional Leaf skate at Nationwide Arena. “That first 10 minutes (of the game) when you’re not used to executing at a high pace … we had a practice yesterday and it was very evident we’ve had a few days off. You have to survive the first 10 minutes.” Thursday’s win marked six of the past seven for the Jackets, who are battling for first place in the Metropolitan Division and could be within three of the Leafs in overall standings with a regulation victory. “They have good depth and goaltending (Sergei Bobrovsky starts Friday against Frederik Andersen), but in saying all that, we have a good team. Something will give here,” Babcock said. The hole in a Leaf offence that has produced 25 goals the past five games, with a record of 4-0-1, is William Nylander. The winger will try and avoid a 10th game without a goal since his mega-contract was signed or at least pad his assist total to more than two. Babcock said he has not further burdened the silent Swede with pep talks, though he revealed the two chatted on Thursday. “You might find this hard to believe, we meet with almost every player every day,” Babcock said. “Not (formal meetings), there’s a coffee pot, there’s breakfast, you talk to everybody every day. It’s our job to help them be the best they can possibly be. It’s ongoing, it just happened to be Willy yesterday, but it’s someone every day.” Friday will be NHL game No. 1,613 for winger Patrick Marleau, moving him into sole possession of 10th place in NHL history ahead of Ray Bourque. Toronto Sun LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123262 Toronto Maple Leafs Noted worst goalie in the league is 6-1-1 with a league average save percentage and came up big tonight. It started rough, don’t get me

wrong, that first goal was awful, but Sparks deserves a lot of credit for not Leafs Report Cards: Game 38 at Columbus letting that effect the rest of his game. He was a brick wall for the next 50 or so minutes, keeping the Leafs up with some key saves. Sparks has been unfairly maligned this year, but when the Leafs have needed him, he’s done his job. Dom Luszczyszyn Jake Gardiner – one assist, four blocks Dec 28, 2018 It’s been few and far between this year, but Gardiner was probably the

Leafs best defender tonight. That was a low bar tonight, but his work on Happy holidays everyone! The Leafs won tonight, beating a decent the third goal was exemplary, something that hasn’t been on display Columbus team 4-2 in routine fashion like they’re already bored of the nearly enough this season. First off he defended a partial chance in front regular season. The team is rolling, but they’re still in holiday mode, as with a great stick, then he retrieved the puck, fired a stretch pass up to am I meaning I had some friends over on a Friday night to play some Matthews and it was shortly in the back of the net. He did have one gaffe, Fortnite. Once it was my turn I only had the intro left, so I asked my friend getting burned reaching for a puck that led to a 2-on-1 the other way, but Aljosa to fill in. Let’s see how he did… aside from that he was great tonight.

“Hi folks, I was hoping to get a second treat today after buying my body Nazem Kadri – one assist, two shots weight in sugary cereals but this game just didn’t live up to the hype. That Through the first period Kadri was one of the Leafs most impactful said, there were still some sweet nuggets that really make you appreciate players. Great tip on the opening goal from the high slot, creating what the Leafs could be, so let’s dive in.” chances for his linemates, and doing the little things to get the Leafs Not bad, but let this serve as a reminder that not anybody can do this going, including a defensive clear on a big chance. He gets lost in the Very Important and Serious Gig of “deciding how good all the hockey shuffle with the rest of the Leafs stars, but tonight was a good example of boys were tonight.” Better not quit your day job, Aljosa. how vital he is to the cause in Toronto.

One or two words to describe how the team looked 䈏䈏䈏

Efficient — Bleep, bloop, bop… just another night and another Leafs William Nylander – The big problem tonight with Nylander was getting victory. It didn’t really look like the Leafs were fully on and they didn’t shots through. Time and time again he was in a good spot, but had the have to be – even with their backup in net. Folks, this team is good. shot blocked or missed or it just didn’t go for him. He led all Leafs with seven shot attempts, but had just one shot on net. Aside from that, Gotta hear both sides Nylander was a beast again in transition tonight with five controlled Glass half-full: The Leafs look good, even when they’re not. entries and five controlled exits – both of which led the Leafs. Nylander is getting the Leafs into the right areas of the ice, the process is there, but Glass half-empty: The Leafs still don’t look Good good as consistently as the execution is still lacking. It’s coming, but I’d be lying if it hasn’t been they should. frustrating that it hasn’t arrived yet.

Player Reports Connor Brown – Four shots on net tonight, behind only Tavares, three of them were quality chances – two of them shorthanded. The best was a 2- 䈏䈏䈏䈏䈏 on-0 with Lindholm. He got stopped on all of them. Credit to getting those Best player on the ice: Mitch Marner – 22.4 minutes, one goal, two chances, but you wish he had some finish. assists, one less point to Connor McDavid 䈏䈏 Just a casual best-player-of-the-night kind-of-night for Marner where he Nikita Zaitsev – Had four blocked shots tonight and was the Leaf most put up his seventh three-point (or more) night of the season. The first likely to dump the puck out of the zone: a classic Zaitsev effort. My only was a usual power-play pass from the right half-wall to the slot, the note on the night for him was that he had a smart regroup when the second was a give-and-go to Tavares off the rush, and the third was a Leafs were hemmed in for awhile to get a change, noteworthy because goal where he basically passed it into the net off a 2-on-1. Three point Zaitsev didn’t actually dump it out irresponsibly that time. Although – the night and it was amazing how routine Marner made it look. fact the team was hemmed in in the first place… John Tavares – 19.6 minutes, two goals, five shots, on pace for 56 goals Travis Dermott – I haven’t been particularly enamoured with Dermott’s It’s amazing that Tavares is having the season he’s having and probably game lately (in games I have report card duty at least) and today was no won’t be an All Star. He scored two tonight and they were both classic exception. He was effective in breaking it out at times, but rather quiet Tavares as Leaf goals. The first was an easy tap-in off the power-play, otherwise. He was a step behind Foligno on the Jackets’ opening goal. the reason he came to Toronto. The second was a top-corner snipe, a Igor Ozhiganov – The second goal didn’t really mean much, but it was an goal-scorers goal, the reason Toronto paid him to come here. He’s on indictment of Ozhiganov’s play this year: a giveaway in the defensive pace for a career high in goals and is making it look easy. zone and needing a GPS to find the biggest threat on the ice (who was The Fourth Line – under 10 minutes, one point each, runaway Corsi right beside him) to defend the oncoming onslaught. leaders Morgan Rielly – Rielly was not his normally dynamic self, not getting on This was probably one of the best games I’ve seen the fourth line play all the scoresheet tonight nor influencing offensive play much either. The top year, enough for all three to get five stars tonight. pair was the worst by shot rates and Rielly was outshot by six on the night. On the first goal he lost a race to the puck, and while it turned into Gauthier has a goal in back-to-back games and had three shots tonight, a harmless 2-on-2 that Sparks should’ve stopped, it started off a Rielly a shot that is much heavier than I ever gave him credit for. Moore is slip-up. tenacious on the puck and earned another assist, giving him two points in two games. And then there’s Lindholm, with his best performance as a Auston Matthews – At 5-on-5, the Leafs outshot Columbus 41-37 with Leaf. He had a terrific steal to send Brown in alone shorthanded and then Matthews off the ice and were outshot 16-3 otherwise. It’s as bad and earned an assist on Gauthier’s goal with a hard-nosed effort to win a invisible as Matthews has looked all season. If not for a slick pass to battle (see: GIF of the night) down low before getting the puck to him. Marner for the third goal this would be a rare one-star night for Matthews who’s generally Toronto’s most consistent player. At 5-on-5, the trio lived in the offensive zone with the team’s best shot rate performance across the board. It wasn’t even close either with all 䈏 three north of 75 percent Corsi. No one else was above 60. Worst player on the ice: Patrick Marleau – On for both Leafs goals 䈏䈏䈏䈏 against, minus-14 Corsi, zero shots on net – just a bad, bad night for the top line, but especially for the team Dad. To make matters worse he Garret Sparks – two goals against on 28 shots accidentally sprung Foligno for a shorthanded breakaway with an errant pass. Not his fault, but that kind of night.

Did He Even Play Tonight or am I Blind?

Andreas Johnsson – While Marner and Tavares found magic tonight, Johnsson was left to the wayside a bit. He had a chance early, but I only caught it on the replay so we’ll put that in the “I’m blind” category. Holidays, ya know?

Kasperi Kapanen – If not for defending Patrick Marleau after an egregious hit I might not be able to recall a more anonymous performance this year. The top line was awful tonight.

Ron Hainsey – For some players, being here is a good thing.

Game Score

Most important GIF of the night

What a play from Par Lindholm, damn boy.

FREDERIK GAUTHIER PUTS THE LEAFS UP 4-1 IN THE THIRD PERIOD. WHAT A HARD-WORKING EFFORT AND GREAT PASS BY PAR LINDHOLM TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN PIC.TWITTER.COM/5M50QHCVC8

— JEFF VEILLETTE (@JEFFVEILLETTE) DECEMBER 29, 2018

Bonus GIF, courtesy of my roommate who said “make sure you put this in the recap.”

*DOES BALLET ONCE* PIC.TWITTER.COM/JOQKKF57BG

— NHL GIFS (@NHLGIFS) DECEMBER 28, 2018

Questions and concerns from the game

How amazing is it to watch arguably the best Leafs team ever assembled, 0n a scale from 1-to-10?

10.

How devastating will it be when they inevitably lose to the Lightning in Round 2, on a scale from 1-to-10?

10.

The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123263 Toronto Maple Leafs “I’m just trying to be good in all areas and capitalize on my opportunities. I’m trying to be in the right spots. And playing with the players I’m playing

with, there’s going to be opportunities. The goal tonight, it went off my Wheeler: How John Tavares’ ability to ‘know where to stand’ has skate off of a tip. Sometimes those go in. You just continue to have good propelled him to new heights habits and when things aren’t going your way not getting frustrated or doing too much,” he said.

“Eventually it’s going to pay off, so good to get one today.” Scott Wheeler It’s harder to chalk it up to luck when that player is tied for second in the Dec 28, 2018 league in goals and all of those goals come in nearly identical ways, though. Because at that point, there’s a mystery to the skill — and the

“luck” — that needs to be explored a little deeper. COLUMBUS — A ranking of Mike Babcock’s favorite quotes would place Friday was Tavares’ fifth multi-goal game of the season, and a look back “he knows where to stand” somewhere near the top. It’s Babcock’s go-to at the 19 goals he has scored in his last 25 games (dating back two when he talks about his team’s veterans. months to the start of November) reveals that there are subtle layers to Asked Friday morning about Ron Hainsey’s impact on Morgan Rielly’s his ability to get a stick — or a skate — on pucks in front of the net (and career year? Well, let him explain. to get to that spot to begin with).

“You have a guy who is talking to you all the time, settling you down, The first thing Tavares does is make sure every movement away from helping you out, and telling you where to stand,” Babcock told reporters. the front of the net to the corner or behind the goal line is followed by an elastic movement back to the crease if he fails. Watch, for example, the A few days earlier, when discussing how William Nylander might get way Tavares twice rotates away from the net to pursue the puck before going, Babcock pointed to Patrick Marleau as having a positive impact on sliding back ahead of his split-second tip to tie the score on Dec. 23: the lines he plays on because — wait for it — he knows where to stand. The second skill is the one Babcock mentioned: the heaviness, the And as cliché as it might sound, the Leafs’ head coach isn’t necessarily crowbar. Again, while it sounds like bloviating, there’s some truth to it. A wrong in his identification of on-ice positioning as a real skill. lot of players can go to the net. Not a lot of players are strong enough to For defencemen, like Hainsey, it’s a little tougher to identify (you can see glue their blade to the ice with a 200-pound professional athlete draped it in the routes they take back to pucks and their gap control, but those all over them. are more about mobility than they are about finding spots where you can Tavares is. impact a play while largely stationary). Some defencemen have figured it out. Chris Pronger was always given credit for his efficiency and the way This goal, from an earlier game against Columbus, speaks to that. The he managed the game from small pockets on the ice. But it was also the play by Marner catches your eye, but watch the stick lift from Tavares undoing of Dion Phaneuf in Toronto (and more recently in Ottawa and and then the way he gains the inside lane and leverages his weight to Los Angeles). He was too static. shovel the puck in:

With forwards, it can be a little more pronounced. There are brilliant And then watch the nearly identical play (from the leverage and the lean players who can take over a game with pure skill. Mitch Marner does it to the shovel) play out against the Hurricanes: with offensive zone creativity that requires a lot of movement and often His preference is to lean away from the puck and into the defender putting himself out of position. David Pastrnak, Johnny Gaudreau and instead of into the puck for a hunched-over snapshot. In doing so, he Connor McDavid operate in the same way. sacrifices how hard the impending shot is in order to make sure he gets it But there are others who have spots. They can score from the same off: spot, over and over, and somehow opposing teams can’t seem to stop He’s just strong. them or plan against it effectively anyways. When we think about Elias Pettersson, Alex Ovechkin, Steven Stamkos or Patrik Laine, we think The third thing Tavares does extremely well is one of positioning. This is about those faceoff circle sweet spots. Others, like Sidney Crosby, just where the knowing where to stand, and how to do it, comes in. seem to be open and available for loose pucks in front of the net. And while the former skill sets are flashier and create highlight reels, the latter Tavares does an exceptional job gaining inside positioning on a box-out takes an equally impressive kind of skill. in front. Here, it’s a footwork skill as much as it’s an awareness one. Watch the way Tavares gets low and pivots on his inside edges to keep Because everybody knows they have to go to the net to score. That’s the Florida defender on his back hip rather than his front: Hockey 101. Babcock talks about it every single day. Where are all the goals scored these days? They’re scored in front of the net, Babcock has And then look for that similar little detail on another goal against Florida: insisted more than once in the last month. There’s a choice that’s made on these types of plays, too. Some players But not everybody can score when he get there. Or even get or find the prefer to allow the opposing player to front them. They’re prepared to risk puck. giving the opposition a chance to block the shot in favour of making sure they’re on top of a potential rebound. John Tavares, though, is not one of those people. He’s the guy who plays with one of the flashiest players in the league, scored twice more Tavares is the opposite. He always wants to front the shot because he’s Friday night to push his 82-game pace to 56 goals and 95 points (both confident in his ability to tip the shot — and, if he doesn’t, on his strength would be career highs), probably isn’t going to be an All-Star because to win the fight for the rebound anyways. Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews and Morgan Rielly will be, and does it all It looks like this: by “knowing where to stand.” There, as soon as the faceoff is won, Tavares spins off of his man, finds “He’s got a stick it’s like a crowbar, he’s heavy, heavy on it. I mean, who the defender (because he’s unafraid to engage in that battle) and fronts knows? He’s got elite hockey sense. He finds his way to the net and he the shot for the tip. knows where goals are scored,” Babcock said, simply, after the 4-2 win over the Blue Jackets. It’s clinical.

Often, though, it goes unnoticed. Friday’s game-opening goal might be Sometimes, he’s even sliding into coverage by three or four players: the best example of that. The fourth skill is that Tavares’ net-front tips on the cycle and rush Even the cameraman thought it was Kadri who scored. shovels off the rush aren’t his only tricks.

But the puck was actually redirected once more off Tavares’ skate in When those options aren’t available, he still knows where to stand. front. There’s standing Plan A and standing Plan B.

It would be easy to chalk up plays like that to luck. Plan B is at the back door, and Tavares has a knack for getting there without being marked. Tavares did after the win. Part of that is the Marner Effect. Marner draws a lot of eyeballs. But it’s normally Tavares, and not the line’s other winger, who gravitates towards the backs of all of those players.

Watch, for example, on yet another goal against Florida, the way Tavares tracks Marners and slides to the quartet of defending Panthers’ backsides (you’ll notice all of their numbers face the camera, and that’s exactly where Tavares goes):

It’s the same story on the power play.

Tavares’ first spot is as the net-front guy. But when the puck goes to Marner on the wall and Kadri slides from the slot down to the crease, Tavares does a nice job of bumping out to the far-side post for tap-in goals:

Are there times when he’s going to get stopped in his spot? Sure. Just ask Andrei Vasilevskiy:

“He’s getting to the net,” Marner explained of his linemate after the game.

“He’s making plays. Everyone knew when he got here how good of a one-on-one player he was. It’s just me trying to find open space and let him go to work on the people he’s going to work on. Just from an early age, he has always gone to the net to work on his shot and tipping. He’s playing at an all-time high right now. It wins us a lot of games. You’ve got to be luck to score goals sometimes as well.”

But when Plan A is centimetres from the crease and Plan B is just a couple of feet farther away, there’s more to it than luck or being in the right place at the right time. Otherwise, more people would score goals from that place:

On Saturday, when the Leafs play the Islanders for the first time this season, Tavares gets to do all four of those against a team that knows those skills better than any other.

The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123264 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights’ first year is the top story of 2018 in Las Vegas

By Ed Graney / Las Vegas Review-Journal

J.K. Rowling writes about fantasy, about magical creatures in make- believe lands. She does this because, in the creative mind that gave us Harry Potter and so many other fascinating characters, there’s always room for a story that can transport people to another place. It’s a wonder, then, she didn’t pen the tale of the Golden Knights in 2018. Difference being, there was nothing fictitious about their expansion journey, amazing and inspirational and unforgettable as it was. Yes, even that life-sized chocolate statue of goalie Marc-Andre Fleury was made from the real stuff. The Review-Journal has chosen the Golden Knights and their inaugural season as its Story of the Year, and each section of Sunday’s edition will highlight and chronicle specific instances and plots and achievements of the team, from the opening drop of a puck through a historic and improbable run to the Stanley Cup Final. We will take you from the indelible role the first major league professional sports franchise in Las Vegas played in response to one of the city’s worst tragedies to the story of an owner whose unparalleled joy watching his team come so close to winning it all was suddenly and, tragically, silenced by the death of his son. We will feature such areas as ticketing and merchandise, from where the best watch parties emerged around town and how specific businesses put their own culinary imprints on the team when it wins. Which can only mean free doughnuts and chicken wings. We will describe how T-Mobile Arena more than lived up to what folks might expect from a home sports venue in the Entertainment Capital of the World, how it became ’s very own Hogwarts on game nights, only witchcraft and wizardry were replaced with elaborate pregame shows of on-ice actors flying from the rafters to engage in battle. The best stories really have no beginning or end, but are rather unforeseeable and authentic, defined by random moments that move us. That was the Golden Knights in 2018, and there wasn’t an ounce of fiction to their astonishing season. It just seemed like a fantasy, is all. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123265 Vegas Golden Knights watch the game on a big screen. They filled seats when the arena doors opened for a road game watch party at the team’s home rink.

Heck, they even showed up outside the team’s practice facility to wish Golden Knights and Las Vegas forge a strong bond out of tragedy their favorite players luck before playoff road trips. So of course thousands clamored for a glimpse of their favorite players at By Mike Shoro / Las Vegas Review-Journal two different fan events held at the Fremont Street Experience. The first was a January fanfest that was rescheduled in the wake of the Oct. 1, 2017, mass shooting on the Strip. The second served as a thank-you to the fans about a week after the Knights’ defeat in the Stanley Cup Final. The helmet sticker decals proudly displayed on bumpers and rear windows, the Marc-Andre Fleury jerseys, the gray and gold lanyards, the But even a fledgling fan base is incomplete without sports-inspired dog high-flying flags, you name it. names. The Las Vegas Valley has been infatuated with the Vegas Golden A 10-year-old Jack Russell terrier named Fenway assumed an alter ego Knights since the team established itself as the area’s first professional — Bark-Andre Furry — and gained fame and adoration from fans and his franchise in October 2017. But in 2018 the Golden Knights captured the (nick)namesake during the postseason run. hearts of valley residents with a remarkable run to the Stanley Cup Final, and continuous community outreach that endeared the players and The Metropolitan Police Department debuted a new K-9 service dog coaches to adoring fans, many of whom had never before been named Knight after the Maloof family, part-owners of the team, offered to interested in ice hockey. pay for the dog. “I can’t say enough about how they’ve embraced the city and how the It’s all part of how the Golden Knights became an integral piece of the city’s embraced them,” Metropolitan Police Department spokesman Sgt. Las Vegas community. Jeff Clark said. “We don’t ever want to lose sight of the fact that it’s because of the First responders community that we exist,” said Coogan, “and it’s because of the community that we’re successful.” From the very start, the Golden Knights and local first responders have shared a close bond, and those feelings have intensified over time. The adult team is competing at a national level against other NHL- affiliated teams, Coogan said. On Oct. 1, players visited different police substations in the valley to meet with Metro officers on the anniversary of the 2017 mass shooting. A few “They’re a great example for these younger kids, that you can get out on days later, they met with Clark County Fire Department and Metro to the ice and interact and have fun, even with your disabilities,” he said. thank first responders. Certain Metro employees were allowed to wear Golden Knights apparel But it wasn’t just first responders that the Golden Knights courted. John on playoff game days. Coogan, the president of the team’s charitable branch, the Vegas Golden A few Clark County engines have flown large, gray Golden Knights flags, Knights Foundation, said the whole organization has worked hard to and several firefighters are season-ticket holders, Deputy Fire Chief Jeff connect with the community — visiting schools and hospitals, attending Buchanan said. fan festivals and promoting youth hockey. “A lot of individuals that are just huge, huge, huge fans,” he said. Coogan credited the valley’s embrace of the Knights, in part, to the foundation reaching out to charities and other groups in the team’s Clark, too, has seen the evidence. infancy. “Every time I’m at T-Mobile Arena, it feels like I’m at another area Back then, wearing Knights colors got him recognized as “one of the command or a fire house,” Clark said. Vegas hockey people,” he said. Now, he blends in. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 12.29.2018 “I’m pretty anonymous, which is awesome,” he said. inline-reg Vegas Golden Knights fans celebrates a score during the first period in Game 1 of the NHL hockey second-round playoff series at T-Mobile Arena on April 26, 2018. Erik Verduzco / Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco Among the roughly 800 partnerships the foundation has formed, Coogan singled out the introduction of Knights-affiliated youth and adult sled hockey teams in the Las Vegas Valley this February. In partnership with the Jake Kieb Foundation, which promotes youth hockey in Southern Nevada, the foundation purchased sleds for those living with physical or mental disabilities to use. The efforts help grow the game of hockey in the city, particularly for children who might not view hockey as an option for them, Coogan said. In the schools Knights fever also bled into Clark County School District schools. This year, the Golden Knights organization helped introduce street hockey to about 60 local middle schools by providing teacher manuals, student handbooks, goals, sticks, pennies and other equipment, said Shana Venenga, assistant director of the district’s School-Community Partnership Program. “I think it’s really touched every school individually,” she said. During the Knights’ playoff run, classes teamed up to put together videos of students showing their Golden Knights spirit. Winners received a pep rally at their school featuring the team’s drumline and mascot, Chance. “Of course all the kids were so excited,” Venenga said. Fans also showed up in droves for watch parties throughout the valley, particularly during the spring run to the Stanley Cup Final. They brought their own lawn chairs and blankets to brave the spring heat outside T- Mobile Arena or gathered at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center to 1123266 Vegas Golden Knights “I don’t know the feeling of (losing a child). I just hugged him. What can you say? No parent should have to deal with that. It hurts. We still feel for him every day because he will deal with it the rest of his life. It’s a terrible Golden Knights owner Bill Foley on NHL team’s debut, loss of son burden to carry. “Bill is much more than a business man or a hockey owner to us. He’s the head of our family.” By Ed Graney / Las Vegas Review-Journal Through love in caring for others …

The soldier in Foley embraces that strict mandate about discipline and There is a section in the forward to “Man’s Search for Meaning’’ that self-respect, about having pride in unit and country, about owning a reminds us Viktor Frankl’s mesmerizing work is defined by a person’s sense of duty and obligation. greatest task in life, which is to discover such purpose. About the inherent need to protect one’s family in the worst of times. Frankl, writes the rabbi Harold S. Kushner, saw three possible sources from which to begin this pursuit: through work in accomplishing In an interview with the Review-Journal, Foley spoke extensively for the something significant; through love in caring for others; and through first time about the loss of his son and the circumstances that led to it. courage in the most difficult of times. Patrick Foley was an award-winning winemaker at Foley Johnson in Bill Foley knows this path well, having experienced all of its many tests Rutherford, California, and the freak accident that caused him to hit his and emotions the past year, his journey climbing to an apex of incredible head in August wasn’t thought overly dangerous when, a few nights later, joy and celebration as owner of a Golden Knights team that as an he was out for dinner and seemed fine. expansion franchise advanced to a Stanley Cup Final, only to plummet He wasn’t slurring words. He didn’t seem affected in any way. from the indescribable and excruciating pain of losing a son. At the time, he was in one part of Montana and his parents another. “William Patrick Foley III,” said Foley of his youngest child. “It’s so hard. He was me, more than any of my kids. He always pushed the envelope, The following morning, Carol Foley received a call from her eldest which I have, too. He was the nicest, friendliest guy, a leader people daughter, Lindsay, who had found her brother unresponsive. The head relied on. trauma had killed him at age 31. “I should be gone. Not him. I felt an immediate need to take care of everyone, to make sure everyone was OK. Sure, that’s the (Army) in me. We’ll get through it. “Why not me?” Drive on. Drive on. Never give up. Through work in accomplishing something significant … Bill Foley Should there be a timetable on when a statue of Foley is erected outside “Carol getting that call … that was really bad,” said Bill. “They did an T-Mobile Arena, some arbitrary waiting period before honoring the West autopsy and found no drugs, no alcohol, nothing. It was the Black Swan Point graduate? event of our family, totally unexpected. People who don’t know us well Um, no, actually. Raise it now. don’t understand how close our family is. … It’s beyond terrible. We’re all having a really tough time. Do you know why Ray Guy is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame? It’s not just for his terrific punting, but because he forever changed the way the “I felt an immediate need to take care of everyone, to make sure game was played. everyone was OK. Sure, that’s the (Army) in me. We’ll get through it. Drive on. Drive on. Never give up. The same was true in basketball with the late Jerry Tarkanian, whose hand prints and influences are still noticeable at every level. “And yet I’ve had a lot of moments myself, especially recently. I’ll just be driving down the freeway and completely break down in tears. I can keep The Knights might never win a Stanley Cup, but history will always credit myself busy during the day, but at night, when things calm down, that’s Foley for changing the scope of this city’s sports existence in a manner rough. I might not look like I’m in bad shape, but there are a lot of days no one had before or will going forward. Ever. when I’m in really bad shape.” He’s the mold. It’s broken. There is a crack in his voice and tears in his eyes and yet he goes on about Patrick, because if it’s true there must always be a struggle He can’t talk about the Knights without smiling, not to mention the fact between a father and son, while one aims at power and the other two more sheets of ice will be built in Henderson by 2020 to handle the independence, the Foley men know it well. overnight explosion of local youth hockey, a direct result of his franchise’s success, not get a twinkle in his eye dreaming about kids He talks of how Patrick worked in investment banking before turning to from the east side of Las Vegas and those from Summerlin creating a the wine business, earning a master’s certificate in enology and cross-town rivalry. viticulture at Lincoln University in New Zealand, working harvests at his family’s vineyards, becoming so skilled in the process that one of his Golden Knights Owner Bill Foley Talks About First Season recent vintages was ranked the world’s 100th best wine. Golden Knights Owner Bill Foley talks about the Knights phenomenal first “He would have been upset it wasn’t No. 1,” said Bill, 74. “Pat would season of the NHL and how they hope to continue the momentum this often tell me, ‘Dad, I have done everything you asked of me,’ and he did. season. Just a silly accident and two days later, he’s gone. … Something like this happens, and all you have, all you have built, means nothing. You can He’s the reason for all of it. have it all. He built Fidelity National, countless wineries, golf courses, hotels, ski “I just miss sitting and having a glass of wine and talking with Patrick resorts, steakhouses and auto-parts stores, but there is something about life. I miss him terribly.” different about hockey. Something more personal. Through courage in the most difficult
of times … There is no better example of the support Foley offers his team than defenseman Nate Schmidt, suspended for this season’s first 20 games The family took a trip to Hawaii following Patrick’s death, a way to be for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. together and out of the spotlight under which so many of its ventures place them. The Knights never, not for a second, wavered in their belief of Schmidt, even signing him to a six-year, $35.7 million extension during the time he It is, said Courtney Foley, the first time she can remember her father not was out. focusing at all on work, not being plugged into his many businesses and responsibilities. Such faith began at the top. She wants more of that for him, as does her sister Lindsay and brother “In this day and age, a lot of people would have distanced themselves Robert. More than legacy, they want him focused on living, on moving from my situation,” said Schmidt. “But not Bill. I explained to him what I forward, leaning on those who love him most as they all deal with what is believed happened and he heard me out and from the moment I opened an incredible void in their lives. my mouth, he said he trusted and supported me. I’m getting goose- bumps just thinking about it. That’s why I wanted to be here. This is a “I have never seen him smile as much as when (the Knights) were second family to all of us. winning last season,” said Courtney, now running the family’s Chalk Hill Estate winery in Healdsburg, California. “I’ve never seen him happier than he is with this hockey team. He was always busy when we were younger, very focused and regimented, working all the time. So for our family to be able to share that experience of the (Stanley Cup Final run) was very special. I felt like I was seeing him in his West Point days. He was so happy, and it allowed us as siblings to be together more than we had been in a long time. “Patrick was my best friend and an extremely talented winemaker. He had a striking resemblance to my Dad. I hope more than anything my Dad can simplify things more. I have seen him soften a bit, take more time to interact with people. I want him to enjoy his success, to not work as much, to sit back and take pride in all he has accomplished, to be with my Mom and not get as caught up in the crazy cycle of life.” What is to give light, Frankl wrote, must endure burning. This past year, from the joy of his hockey team making history to the indescribable pain of losing a son, Bill Foley knew both. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123267 Vegas Golden Knights “When a team’s not doing well, you get less viewers,” Holder said. “That first season was just amazing. … In the second year, it’s hard to create that buzz.” Golden Knights bump continues for merchandise, at Las Vegas bars ‘The best ever’ Among the many signs of playoff fervor this past spring: Fans waited in Severiano del Castillo Galvan and Wes Rand lines 100 people deep to get into the retail shop at City National Arena, the team’s practice rink. The day after the Knights defeated the Winnipeg Jets to advance to the Cup Final, the store sold nearly 1,000 Western Conference champion shirts and about 1,000 Western Conference And off the ice, business was booming. champion hats – by noon. Knights merchandise was a hot commodity during the regular season, At sports-apparel chain Lids, which boasts more than 1,000 locations, the and sales accelerated in the playoffs. Across the valley, locals bought Knights’ playoff sales volume was “by far the best ever” among NHL Knights shirts and jerseys, slapped bumper stickers on their cars and teams, Bob Durda, Lids’ vice president of buying and merchandising, gathered for watch parties as the team pushed deeper into the said before the championship round. postseason. The team’s playoff tickets were among the most expensive, if not the priciest, on the resale market in the NHL. “It’s crazy the amount of headwear we’re going through right now,” he said at the time. The Knights aren’t as dominant on the ice this season, but there is still plenty of excitement for desert hockey. Matt Nyman, owner of the USA Hockey Store at Fashion Show mall, said recently that his Knights merchandise sales showed signs of Right around when the playoffs started this past spring, online retailer improvement from September through November this year. But overall, Fanatics said the Knights led the NHL in merchandise sales through its they were down 20 percent from the same period in 2017, he estimated. network. This season, the team’s sales volume is up 20 percent from the same period last year, Fanatics spokesman Brandon Williams said Durda said recently that when the Knights “got off to a slow start, we recently. were a little concerned.” But the team’s apparel still posted sales gains “week after week,” he added. ‘It’s not the same’ “Now that they’re playing well, and going into holiday season, it’s been The atmosphere at Buffalo Wild Wings at Montecito Crossing, a even better,” he said. northwest valley strip mall, transformed into something new during the playoffs. Brian Killingsworth, the Knights’ chief marketing officer, said recently that different leagues and teams have called to learn about the first-year retail “It was extremely loud and fun, and there was a sea of Knights jerseys in bonanza. here,” said David Mousaw, assistant general manager. “I’ve done this 20 years, and those were some of the most fun shifts I’ve worked.” The focus this season, he said, is the “lifestyle brand.” The eatery saw a substantial jump in revenue during the playoffs, he Examples include adult onesies, luggage, bicycle shirts and leopard said, declining to give more information. Back in mid-November, Mousaw pattern faux-fur jackets with matching purses for sale at The Arsenal said overall sales volume increased compared to the last season, but the store at City National Arena. number of people coming to watch the games has dwindled. Ticket craze At one point that month the Knights were among the worst in the NHL. Tickets are still highly coveted. StubHub, a dominant resale ticketing site, “It’s not the same volume of crowds,” Mousaw said in November. “If announced in September that the Knights were the NHL’s “most in- they’re having a rough night, a lot of Knights fans are gone by the second demand team” on its site for the second year in a row. period.” According to Forbes magazine, the Knights rank among the top teams in Now that the Knights’ performance has improved, Mousaw said crowds the NHL for season-ticket holders, with more than 14,000; average are sticking around until the end, fueling themselves with more food and single-game ticket price, $160; and season-ticket waiting list, at 6,000- drink orders. plus. As of Thursday, the Knights were in the top half of the league. Ticket broker Ken Solky, owner of LasVegasTickets.com, said the Knights enjoy a “fantastic combination” of hometown fans and visitors “(The Knights) have had a couple close games, they’ve had a couple who “make a trip out of it.” overtime games,” he said. “People stay for that.” During hockey season, according to Solky, the Knights are the hottest At the southwest valley location of sports bar Born and Raised, smaller attraction in town. crowds have also turned out to watch Knights games compared with the same time last year, general manager Ben Burkhalter said. “It’s not even close,” he said. According to Burkhalter, Las Vegas residents can be fair-weather fans LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 12.29.2018 toward local teams. But he also believes the Golden Knights have given the city a chance to learn how to be a supportive fan base. “Hockey’s still trying to find its niche in the desert,” he said. “It’s still trying to figure out the fans. It’s building and it’s growing.” ‘Just as consistent’ Hockey crowds are by no means shrinking everywhere. Jimmy Wadhams, vice president of tavern operations for Golden Entertainment, said the company’s PT’s locations across the valley have seen bigger Knights crowds this year. “The sport is just as consistent as last year, if not better,” he said. “We’re seeing more support for the Golden Knights. … It’s a product of the success of last season.” At Hop Nuts Brewing in the Las Vegas Arts District, all four TVs tune into the Golden Knights on game days. Owner Kevin Holder said he usually sees a crowd of 15 to 30 people come in for every game, and his brewery serves a Belgian golden strong ale dubbed The Golden Knight. Holder said customer volume has been substantial, but crowds in November and December didn’t compare to those during the playoffs, which often had twice as many fans crammed inside. 1123268 Vegas Golden Knights The highest redemption so far has been about 4,500 dozen. But Spoor says, “I’d love it if everybody came in.”

Chocolate flower power 2018 a big year for Vegas Golden Knights-branded food and drink Sure, Marc-Andre Fleury has three Stanley Cup rings to show for his time in Pittsburgh. But did anyone in the Steel City ever memorialize him in Severiano del Castillo Galvan and Wes Rand chocolate? We didn’t think so! For an honor like that you need a town like Las Vegas and a pastry team like the one at Bellagio. It took the pastry chefs at Bellagio Patisserie approximately five weeks to complete the 5- foot-tall sculpture. They began by covering a Styrofoam core with 20 Knights fever swept through every aspect of Las Vegas life in 2018, pounds of Rice Krispies. From there, they used pounds of white, dark including what, where and how we ate and drank. Whether you were at and milk chocolate, as well as fondant and sugar paper for the lettering of home, a neighborhood watering hole or on the Strip, there was always an his Golden Knights uniform. Chef Yamilet Hillers even painted an exact opportunity to support the team when grabbing a bite or a sip. replica of Fleury’s custom helmet. There’s no way to know how many fans viewed the piece, but Fleury, who first heard about it from a friend in Knights wine Canada, made it a point to check it out. “He stopped by with his whole Vegas Golden Knights cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay were the family and expressed how excited, thankful and flattered he was,” Hillers most popular wines of their varietals throughout the year at Total Wine & says. “It was great and very rewarding.” More in Henderson, said Ken Yepsen, store manager. The cabernet and River on ice chardonnay sell for $15.99 and the VGK sparkling wine for $55.99. Station Casinos also offered the wines to its card-club members. “The If any single restaurant or bar has benefited from the Golden Knights’ Vegas Golden Knights wine bottle giveaways were among our most success, it’s MacKenzie River Pizza in City National Arena. Owned by popular Boarding Pass card promotions we’ve ever done,” said Lori Golden Knights principal Bill Foley’s Glacier Restaurant Group and Nelson, vice president of corporate communications for Station Casinos. located in the team’s practice facility, it has shown every Golden Knights Nelson said Station had cabernet, sauvignon blanc, a red blend, game from Day One. But it faced stiff competition from nearby drinking Chardonnay, pinot noir, merlot, pinot grigio and zinfandel, some before and dining options at Downtown Summerlin, Red Rock Resort and they were available in stores. “We know that many of our guests chose beyond. As fans began taking advantage of the team’s open practice not to open their bottles,” she said, “as they preferred to keep the policy, however, it became popular among those diehards, not only collection as a memento of the inaugural and amazing season.” The during practice, but on game nights. By last New Year, just about every wines were produced by Knights owner Bill Foley’s Foley Family Wines; seat was full whenever the Knights played, and general manager Jason other options are available at foleyfoodandwinesociety.com. Anderson was on the phone with Montana trying to find tables and chairs to accommodate the growing crowds. That excitement, which peaked PT’s does the Stanley Cup during the playoffs, has carried over to this year, although a new Plenty of hockey players are beer drinkers, and PT’s Pubs, which has 60 reservation policy makes it easier to score a table without showing up locations in Nevada, honored the team with a beer-mug promotion. In hours before the puck drops. celebration of the Knights’ participation in the Stanley Cup Final, the LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 12.29.2018 chain sold 24-ounce trophy-replica beer mugs filled with Budweiser or Bud Lite for $15, with refills during hockey games available for $3. Jimmy Wadhams, vice president of tavern operations for Golden Entertainment Inc., said the company sold thousands of the mugs, is offering them now through the regular season and plans to have them during the playoffs. Wanna eat a puck? inline-small A stack of Vegas Golden Knight chocolate/peanut butter hockey pucks at Bouchon Bakery. John Katsilometes / Las Vegas Review-Journal VGK-themed promotions abounded at local restaurants and bars, with puck-shaped items among the most popular — including peanut-butter- and-chocolate pucks at Bouchon Bakery at The Venetian; chocolate puck pastries at Chef Flemming’s Bake Shop in Henderson; sandwiches of double chocolate chip cookies and vanilla ice cream at Cream; and a caramel milkshake with vanilla-frosted rim, black and gold candies, whipped cream and caramel drizzle topped with a hockey puck cake at Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer at The Venetian. Mixologists created cocktails that honored the Knights, including the boozy blueberry McFleury at Born and Raised; smoky cocktail served on a mini ice rink and under a knight’s helmet at the Mandarin Bar at Mandarin Oriental/Skybar at the Waldorf Astoria; Power Play with an edible gold and cocoa VGK logo at Juniper Cocktail Lounge at Park MGM; and Knightcap, served in a gold dust-garnished glass at the Speakeasy at the Mob Museum. Other themed creations included a sushi roll at Zuma in The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas; a special collection of Ethel M Chocolates; nachos at Nacho Daddy; logo latte art at Bruno’s Taco Bar on Fort Apache Road; and the VGK Pizza at Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill at Downtown Summerlin, which Puck himself created with Knights defenseman Nate Schmidt. Doughnuts for shutouts One of the most successful Golden Knights dining promotions has been Krispy Kreme’s offer of a dozen free doughnuts to everyone who attends a home shutout victory. Lincoln Spoor, whose company Feel Good Brands operates six local Krispy Kremes, says he was looking for a sponsorship deal that wouldn’t cost him the “hundreds of thousands, if not a million dollars” the team was talking about for bigger deals. The giveaway, born when a team rep noted that the doughnuts on his trucks looked like zeroes, fit his price range, but had one big drawback. “It’s the promotion you can’t talk about on game day. No one can talk about a shutout because people are superstitious,” he says. After six home shutouts last season, however, word has spread. These days, if a game is entering the final minutes with the opposing team scoreless, you just might hear a chant of “We want doughnuts” erupt through the T-Mobile. 1123269 Vegas Golden Knights

‘Golden Knight’ discusses love for team, shooting tribute on armor

By Christopher Lawrence / Las Vegas Review-Journal

It was the sort of fanfare generally reserved for photo shoots featuring a Kardashian. Or, at the very least, a Jenner. For the photo illustrations that accompany Sunday’s stories looking back at the Vegas Golden Knights’ historic playoff run, Review-Journal graphic artists Severiano Del Castillo Galvan and Wes Rand wanted to eclipse the design of the special section fronts they created for each round of the postseason — the ones that proved so popular, several of you were selling them on eBay. They turned to DJ, emcee and former assistant cruise director Lee Orchard. You know him as The Golden Knight. During the playoffs, their knights were assembled from a variety of existing Images — one of the more elaborate designs required bits and pieces of a couple of hundred photos. So it was actually easier — and far more authentic — to have Orchard come to the RJ photo studio and don the famous armor. No fewer than nine editors and staff members documented the scene as he sweated beneath the roughly 45-pound suit crafted from 18-gauge brass by Rob Valentine, a local armorer and Alice Cooper tribute artist. That’s Vegas for you. Orchard mustered the accompanying poses and expressions in response to directions ranging from “Look up to the gods” to “You’re about to kick the (backside) of Godzilla.” And he did so without once wielding his sword with malice. “I keep saying I’m going to put a Fitbit on. I’m intrigued to know,” the good-humored Orchard said of the workout that comes with wearing all that heavy metal. On a serious note, he proudly showed off the back of this season’s armor, onto which are stamped 58 stars that honor those killed in the Route 91 Harvest festival shooting. As odd as the studio spectacle may have seemed — pretending to menace imaginary forces while trying to avoid staring at the disturbing, half-nude mannequin discarded nearby — it was nothing unusual for Orchard. Especially when you compare it to the team’s elaborate pregame shows in which he performs before 18,000 of the loudest fans the National Hockey League has ever known. (For more on those, see Sunday’s ENT. section.) “This is tame,” Orchard said afterward. “This is like a Monday morning.” His Friday nights must be extraordinary. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123270 Vegas Golden Knights “I didn’t understand what my game was when I first came to the NHL,” Schmidt said. “For me, all of a sudden I kind of fell into my how to play this role of my kind of game. Golden Knights feel impact from Nate Schmidt’s return “I got to play with John Carlson a little bit when I was in Washington and it kind of forced me to be that puck-mover, get it to him, move pucks quicker, play-hard-defensively-otherwise-you-weren’t-going-to-play type By David Schoen / Las Vegas Review-Journal of role. I’ve kind of been morphing that over into what I am now.” LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 12.29.2018 The scouting report on Nate Schmidt throughout college and early in his pro career was that the swift-skating defenseman excelled on offense but struggled with the fundamental responsibility of the position. It’s obvious all these years later they were wrong about Schmidt. “He’s a player that’s built for today’s game,” Golden Knights general manager George McPhee said. “Very quick, and it’s interesting that he’s sort of the opposite of how he was typecast in prior years. SHORT DESCRIPTION (Las Vegas Review-Journal) “Some people thought he was an offensive player who wasn’t very good in his own end, and he’s the opposite. He’s excellent defensively and he does provide some offense.” Schmidt’s latest lockdown effort came in Thursday’s 2-1 victory over Colorado, when he teamed with Brayden McNabb to contain the Avalanche’s dangerous top line. As the Knights hit the midpoint of the schedule with game No. 41 against Los Angeles on Saturday at Staples Center, it’s difficult to overstate Schmidt’s influence since he returned from a 20-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. “He’s huge for us,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “You’ve seen the impact he’s made since he’s been back from the suspension. He’s a big part of our group, but he lets the other guys play in their positions.” Schmidt’s return on Nov. 18 at Edmonton serves as a convenient dividing point for the Knights’ first half. In the first 20 games without Schmidt, the Knights went 8-11-1 and had a minus-8 goal differential (49 for, 57 against). They lacked the tempo from their inaugural season, and pucks were too often stalling on defensemen’s sticks instead of moving up ice. With Schmidt in the lineup, the Knights are 13-4-3 with a plus-14 goal differential (69-55). Their 29 points from Nov. 18 to Dec. 27 are second in the league behind Tampa Bay (31 points in 18 games). Coincidence? “I think I injected some energy into our group — and that’s what I bring — and I want to play as fast as I can,” Schmidt said. “I don’t want pucks in my end. I think it forces other guys, (Shea Theodore), (Colin Miller), to play a certain way. “It all stems from that, I believe. You force guys to play up to what we want to do. That’s how I want to play. That’s how the coaches want us to play. That is our best way of having success is by doing that. We don’t win if we don’t. It’s the straight-up truth.” Schmidt drew praise during the postseason for his defensive play, highlighted by his effort in the Western Conference Final against Winnipeg. He signed a six-year, $35.7 million contract extension in October while serving his suspension. Schmidt, a former University of Minnesota standout, has 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 20 games after posting 36 points in 76 games last season. His previous career high in points was 17. “He’s a huge part of our team obviously,” Theodore said. “He brings that energy, and he brings his game on the ice that really suits our team’s style of play. He’s a great shut-down guy.” Colorado’s Mikko Rantanen, the NHL’s leading scorer entering Thursday, and linemate Nathan MacKinnon each picked up an assist on the Avalanche’s first-period power-play goal. But Schmidt helped hold Rantanen, MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog to eight shots on goal during 5-on-5 play. A day later, Avalanche coach Jared Bednar broke up that unit during practice for the first time in more than a year. Coincidence? 1123271 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights draw on Paul Stastny’s skill in faceoff dot

By Ben Gotz / Las Vegas Review-Journal

Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant matched his top line against the Colorado Avalanche’s top line Thursday for a defensive draw with 12:27 left in a 1-1 game. That is, with one change. Gallant sent center Paul Stastny, who normally skates on the second line, to the faceoff dot across from the Avalanche’s No. 1 center, Nathan MacKinnon. It was the first of two times Gallant substituted Stastny in for a defensive draw without the rest of his linemates in the third period, showing the faith the Knights have in the 33-year-old to get the puck. “Stastny’s a real good faceoff (taker),” Gallant said. “He’s helping our percentage go up for sure.” Stastny, who has won 52.5 percent of his career faceoffs and 58.3 percent of his draws this season, was expecting to spend more time in the circle Thursday with center Pierre-Edouard Bellemare out. He tied a season high by taking 24 faceoffs, including the one with the first line and another defensive draw with the third line with 6:47 left. He won 14, including two short-handed in the defensive zone in the final five minutes. Those wins helped the Knights kill two penalties in the final six minutes and hold on for a 2-1 win at T-Mobile Arena. “I kind of knew going into the game that if I was feeling good on the faceoff dot, I’d be taking a lot of draws,” Stastny said. “That’s easy for me. I’d almost rather do that. I’m more confident in myself. Unless some other guys have a good night, then let them go, but I think when you have a good night, you have to go out there and put it on yourself.” Bellemare, Miller to travel Bellemare practiced Friday after missing his first game of the season Thursday. Gallant called it a “personal decision” by Bellemare not to play. He was not available for comment Friday, according to the team, but Gallant said Bellemare will make the Knights’ two-game trip. Also, Gallant said injured defenseman Colin Miller will travel with the team but did not say whether he will play. Dad’s trip The Knights won’t be alone in their games against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday and Arizona Coyotes on Sunday. Their fathers also are making the trip. “I think it’s great,” Gallant said. “It’s a short trip, it’s back-to-back games, so they won’t get a whole lot of time with their fathers, but I think the fathers being around for lunch and breakfast with the players and just being around the arena, coming to practice, being on the bench today, it means a lot to them.” Fourth-round pick signs The Knights signed 2018 fourth-round pick Paul Cotter to a three-year, entry-level contract Friday. Cotter, a 19-year-old forward from Canton, Michigan, started the season playing for Western Michigan University, but left school to play for the ’s London Knights. Cotter has eight points (two goals, six assists) in his first 12 games with the Knights. Sisolak in attendance Gov.-elect Steve Sisolak attended the Knights’ game Thursday and presented the team with “keys to the Strip” in honor of its community service work. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123272 Vegas Golden Knights

Knights’ Ryan Reaves finds golden reception for his new beer

By Al Mancini / Las Vegas Review-Journal

Before Ryan Reaves even arrived at Thursday night’s release party for his new beer, Training Day golden ale, it was selling better than anyone had expected. “We had to go get more beer from the brewery already, so I think that’s a good sign,” said Adam Coates, Reaves’ partner in 7Five Brewing. Reaves was en route from the Golden Knights’ victory over the Colorado Avalanche at T-Mobile Arena to the festivities at PKWY Tavern on West Flamingo Road. He arrived to a packed house of fans happily enjoying Training Day, which he describes as “a little bit hoppy, but not too much that people are going to be scared of (it).” “It’s got a little bit of kick to it, but nothing that’s going to overpower you. It’s got some crispness at the end. … Some citrus notes to it, but definitely smooth enough that you can have a couple of them.” The Golden Knights forward, who also created his own beer in St. Louis, said he’s a relative newcomer to the craft beer world. “I only got into it probably two, three years ago,” he said. “I used to drink Rolling Rock every day, and one day I … couldn’t drink Rolling Rock anymore. And it was IPAs ever since then, and I’ve kind of got into the stouts and the pale ales and some heavier IPAs. But yeah, I’m definitely a craft guy now.” Coates said 7Five will reflect Reaves’ personal journeys in the worlds of both hockey and beer. “Ryan wasn’t a first round draft pick; he was a fifth-round guy,” Coates said. “He played in the minors, and he worked his way up to the pros. And he did the same thing with beer in a way. He started as a lager drinker and then switched to a pale ale or a golden ale, and then an IPA, and then some of the bigger beers. We really want to try to mirror that with some of the beers we have with 7Five. And Training Day golden ale is kind of that stepping stone. So if you want to follow his hockey career, it’s moving from junior to playing in the minor pros.” To create Training Day, 7Five partnered with local Able Baker Brewing. Together, they created a golden ale for the Golden Knight, with an alcohol by volume of 5.75 percent (which, like the name of the company, is a reference Reaves’ jersey number: 75). But there was one big test before Reaves was ready to put his name on it. “He came over and took a bunch of growlers to the locker room for the team after one of the games,” Able Baker owner James Manos said. “They did a growler tasting two or three nights. He called me back, and said ‘That recipe works,’ and that’s what you’re tasting today.” Training Day is available on tap at all local PKWY locations, and Manos said it will be “widely available” in other valley bars soon. Coates said they’re hoping “to have a packaged can product in 2019 as well as a rollout of a number of other beers.” LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123273 Vegas Golden Knights “The speed and power of that (Colorado line) stands out,” Gallant said. “Just a lot of talent and skill. They’re having an unbelievable year.

“The plan was to have (McNabb and Schmidt) play it. That’s their job. Knights get defensive in shutting down NHL’s best line They were awesome. When you can hold down that line like that, you’ve done a great job.” By Ed Graney / Las Vegas Review-Journal A tone was needed for the Knights after two consecutive overtime losses before the break for Christmas, and McNabb chose to set it. A few minutes into the game, he saw the best player on the NHL’s best line and took aim. Brayden McNabb talked about time and space Thursday morning, about limiting chances, about reading plays and being smart when pinching. “(MacKinnon) is tough to hit,” McNabb said. “I was able to catch him with one. Whenever you can do that against a top player, it’s an added bonus. Then he said this: “If you can get in some hits and be hard on them, I don’t know if it did anything to him or whatever, but it was good to be maybe you can make it tough for them.” physical. A few minutes into the Golden Knights-Colorado game Thursday night, “It’s fun playing against top-end players. It’s a challenge. You don’t want McNabb lined things upon and drove Avalanche star center Nathan to give them much. They all have high hockey IQs on that line, so you MacKinnon into the boards. know they’re going to be creative and make plays.” The best player on hockey’s best line skated off, needing a minute to They didn’t make many that mattered Thursday. catch his breath and check his limbs. If it was about sending an early message, McNabb did his best to deliver one. Credit a collective bunch of Knights for that. The Knights responded with a terrific effort against as dangerous a line LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 12.29.2018 as they will see all season, beating the Avalanche 2-1 before an announced crowd of 18,505 at T-Mobile Arena. You can’t play better at even strength against that Colorado line as the Knights did. You can’t deny it five-on-five like that without being exceptional over three periods. “Everyone defended well in front of me,” Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury said. “All those guys on (Colorado’s top line) can skate well, but we were physical with them and didn’t give them too much room on the ice.” After their 2-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche, Marc-Andre Fleury, Brandon Pirri and Paul Stastny recap the team's performance. Two years ago, Colorado was the NHL’s worst team, a 48-point disaster with a minus-112 in goal differential. I wouldn’t suggest the University of Denver was the state’s best team then but, well, the Pioneers were defending national champions and all … Last season, the Avalanche were a playoff team that gave Nashville far more of a fight in the first round than most expected, and if not for the historic expansion run by the Knights, Colorado would have received countless more headlines nationally. Now, it’s third in the Central Division, two points behind the Predators and six back of Winnipeg, looking very much again like a playoff team. The transformation from awful to competitive was defined in different ways — Colorado eventually got younger and healthier, began killing penalties with some regularity and a top line went from promising to good to great to what is now historically elite. The numbers are staggering. MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog are being compared to the best lines of the modern era, with all the size and speed and skill and statistics such a lofty standing would demand. To see them live is to believe it, and the second-largest regular-season home crowd in Knights history did so Thursday. Rantanen (60) and MacKinnon (57) are second and third in points in the NHL. Landeskog (43) is 16th. Each is headed toward a career high, and they have accounted for 45 percent of the team’s points. All of which tells you how good the Knights were against them. The line managed two points, when Rantanen and MacKinnon picked up assists on J.T. Compher’s power-play goal that gave Colorado a 1-0 lead. In all, the line had 11 shots, seven by MacKinnon. McNabb, Schmidt shine None found their way past Fleury, as Knights coach Gerard Gallant matched his top defensive pairing of McNabb and Nate Schmidt almost exclusively against it, along with fine play from a third line of forwards in Oscar Lindberg, Cody Eakin and Ryan Carpenter. 1123274 Washington Capitals has been our overall team play, so it gives us a chance to emphasize that — the importance of playing together as a team, as a five-man unit.”

Washington Post LOADED: 12.29.2018 Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen is day-to-day after headfirst crash into boards

By Isabelle Khurshudyan December 28 at 3:14 PM

At the sight of defenseman Matt Niskanen writhing in pain on the ice, the players on the Washington Capitals’ bench looked on in fear. Four skaters have already missed time this season with concussions, and given how awkwardly Niskanen was pushed headfirst into the end boards during Thursday night’s 3-1 win against visiting Carolina, it seemed his injury had the potential to be significant. Washington’s infirmary of sorts has been awfully busy as it is. Fellow blue-liner John Carlson checked on Niskanen in the training room shortly after the game, and the only update he passed along to reporters was, “He’s alive.” “It didn't look very good at all, especially to one of our top guys,” Coach Todd Reirden said. Considering how scary Niskanen’s crash into the boards appeared, that he’s being considered day-to-day and will travel with the team to Ottawa — there’s even a slight possibility he could play against the Senators on Saturday night — is a break for the Capitals. But the absence of Niskanen, even if it’s for just a handful of games, is yet another test for a blue line that has been shorthanded most of the season. The Capitals could be without three of their top six defensemen Saturday night. Brooks Orpik has missed 26 games with a right knee injury that required an arthroscopic procedure last month. The 38-year-old won’t play Saturday but is considered questionable for Monday’s home game against Nashville. After so much time away, it could be a bumpy transition for him when he does return. Also, Christian Djoos remains out indefinitely after compartment syndrome forced surgery on his left thigh this month. The Capitals' run to the Stanley Cup last season resulted in extra weeks of physical wear and led to a shorter offseason, and the injury list is starting to show that. Washington entered Friday atop the Metropolitan Division, two points ahead of Columbus, but through 36 games, the Capitals have lost 68 man games to injury. The Capitals lost 81 man games in the entire 2017-18 regular season. The Capitals are already leaning on Jonas Siegenthaler, a 21-year-old who has acquitted himself well in the first 11 games of his NHL career, and Saturday night’s game probably will feature a third pairing of him and fellow rookie Tyler Lewington. Lewington, 24, made his NHL debut against the Senators last week. Madison Bowey, a 23-year-old in his second season, probably will be pressed into a top-four role, skating in Niskanen’s spot on the right side of Dmitry Orlov. “That’s the silver lining in this whole thing without having Brooks,” Reirden said. “We’ve been able to see our young players and how they’re developing. And that’s what it’s all about. You can have them play in the American League and you can have them Watch video and practice and all those type of things, but until they get into NHL game action, there’s nothing that compares to it. … We were able to see Lewington do that. I thought he handled himself real nicely. And Siegenthaler continues to do real well, and Bowey continues to make strides also.” Friday was the first time since his procedure that Orpik went through a full-go practice with the team. Along with Orpik’s leadership, Reirden said his presence has been most missed on the penalty kill, where he typically logs the most minutes among defensemen. "It's a big advantage for us to have him on our team and in our lineup,” Reirden said. “We've been fighting it out, so to speak, and getting through it, but it'd be nice to have him back." Since Nov. 1, when Orpik exited the lineup, the Capitals have allowed the second-fewest goals per game in the NHL — and that includes a stretch when the team was also without top-six forwards Tom Wilson, T.J. Oshie and Evgeny Kuznetsov. Niskanen plays in all situations, skating an average of 22:19 , and is often matched against the opponent’s top forwards. With Washington playing on the road, Ottawa will have greater control over matchups, giving it more of an opportunity to expose the Capitals’ depleted blue line. “It just puts more emphasis on our team game,” Reirden said. “Something that I think has been really strong for us the last 20 games 1123275 Washington Capitals Alex Ovechkin in practice and Evgeny Kuznetsov and others in practice. But unless there’s a real result that comes out of it like a goal against in your own building in front of 18,000 people then it creates a little bit of a Capitals breathe sigh of relief after defenseman Matt Niskanen only 'day- different environment.” to-day' from scary injury Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.29.2018

By Brian McNally December 28, 2018 3:09 PM

Capitals Iceplex — Matt Niskanen took a bump from former Capitals teammate Justin Williams on Thursday, setting off a chain of events that could have easily ended his season. The Capitals drew a sigh of relief when Niskanen was listed as “day-to- day” after meeting with team doctors. He will even travel with the team to Ottawa and coach Todd Reirden didn’t rule out Niskanen playing on Saturday night against the Senators. That seemed unthinkable Thursday in the third period of a 3-1 win against the Carolina Hurricanes. As Niskanen raced for a puck in the defensive zone, Williams nudged him from behind. Nothing dirty there even if the angle was suspect. But it did redirect Niskanen into the path of Hurricanes center Clark Bishop. The two collided – with a slight push from behind by Bishop - and Niskanen lost control. He couldn’t brace himself before slamming into the boards behind the Washington net and to add insult to the injury Bishop couldn’t hold up his momentum and his body slammed Niskanen’s head against the boards again. Niskanen writhed in pain as trainer Jason Serbus came on the ice to tend to him. He eventually skated off under his own power. Capitals forward T.J. Oshie jumped on top of the boards and briefly thought about skating onto the ice. The play was not penalized, but at full speed, the Caps were incensed about Bishop’s hit. Oshie thought better of it knowing that leaving the bench could result in a suspension. “It’s scary,” Oshie said. “When one of your teammates goes into the boards like that you automatically think the worst.” But word filtered out after the game that Niskanen somehow had escaped serious injury. That’s good news for Washington, which is already without veteran Brooks Orpik (right knee surgery). The Capitals did lose Niskanen for 14 games in October and November of 2017 with a left-hand injury. “[Niskanen] plays a lot of minutes and against other teams’ top lines. I think especially on the road it’s an easier set up when we have a guy like Niskanen in there,” Reirden said. “Speaking about Ottawa coming up, the [Matt] Duchenes and [Mark] Stone and those type of players, they’ve got quite a few of them up front there that can do some damage. They can get the matchups they’re looking to get and it makes it a little more difficult on us.” Orpik, meanwhile, has missed 26 games, but practiced in a red contact jersey the past two days and is inching closer to a return. Reirden did say Orpik would fly to Ottawa, too, but will not play. He is “questionable” for Monday’s New Year’s Eve matinee against the Nashville Predators. But to get one of its top penalty killers back would be a boost. Orpik, 38, led the Caps in shorthanded time on ice during last year’s Stanley Cup playoff run (78 minutes). Niskanen was second (74:39). Orpik was not made available to comment after participating fully in a hard practice Friday morning. “You miss that type of a player every day, leadership-wise in our locker room and what he does on the ice -- I thought he was off to a really strong start this season,” Reirden said. “Opponents are often very aware when he's on the ice because of the style of play he plays with.” If Niskanen can’t play, that means all three of second-year pro-Madison Bowey and rookies Jonas Siegenthaler and Tyler Lewington will. Bowey took Niskanen’s spot on the second defensive pair with Dmitry Orlov at practice. Washington has had 68 man games lost to injury this season, including Christian Djoos (compartment syndrome), another second-year defenseman who has now missed six games and isn’t expected back for weeks. For Reirden, that’s the silver lining in Orpik’s absence. The young defenseman are learning on the job. That experience is valuable and could come into play later in the season. “You can have them play in the American League and you can have them Watch video and practice and all those type of things, but until they get into NHL game action there’s nothing that compares to it,” Reirden said. “Sure they get great tests every day when they have to go against 1123276 Winnipeg Jets Andre Fleury currently leads the league in wins, even if his underlying numbers aren’t as strong as others.

Noticeably absent is one of last year’s finalists in Winnipeg’s Connor Scheifele makes case for being selected as league MVP Hellebuyck. Although he sits third-overall in wins (behind Fleury and Andersen), his goals-against-average and save-percentage will need to improve dramatically in the second-half to get back into the conversation. Mike McIntyre MY PICKS: Rinne, Gibson, Andersen. Posted: 12/29/2018 3:00 AM CALDER TROPHY (best rookie)

A one-horse race. And that horse is lapping the field. Elias Pettersson He has taken his game to new heights this season, establishing himself has 18 goals and 20 assists, giving him a 15-point lead on Ottawa’s Colin as one of the premier centremen in the game. White for the rookie scoring race. Senators forward Brady Tkachuk, Carolina winger Andrei Svechnikov and Buffalo defenceman Rasmus The playmaking ability was always evident, but now he’s developed a Dahlin are also in the mix — but strictly for runner-up status as this point., shoot-first mentality that also makes him one of the league’s elite scorers. He’s also earned a reputation as being clutch, with five game- MY PICKS: Pettersson, Dahlin, Tkachuk. winning goals thus far, four of them in December. JACK ADAMS AWARD (best coach) He is Mark Scheifele, a player whose worth to the Jets has never been more apparent. And I’m not just talking about the eight-year contract Best team, best coach? It doesn’t always work that way, but it’s hard to extension he signed in 2016 for US$6.125 million per year, which makes argue with the job being done by Tampa’s Jon Cooper, Toronto’s Mike him one of the best bargains in the business. Babcock and Winnipeg’s Paul Maurice. Of course, all those clubs have plenty of talent at their disposal, which some may argue takes away from If Scheifele stays healthy, 50 goals and 100 points is not out of the their candidacy. question. Nor is consideration for the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player to his team, which in Scheifele’s case, leads both the Calgary’s Bill Peters has done a masterful job in his first year behind the Central Division and Western Conference. bench with a young Calgary squad, while Phil Housley has helped shape a Buffalo team that has had its fill of misery for many years but is finally As the season nears the midway point, it’s time to start thinking about on the rise. And don’t dismiss the work being done by Washington’s first- who may be in the running for various year-end awards. There’s no doubt year coach in Todd Reirden, who has stepped in to lead the Stanley Cup Scheifele is a contender right now for the most coveted individual trophy champs without seemingly missing a beat. in the sport. MY PICKS: Cooper, Housley, Peters. So, let’s gather ’round the crystal ball, shall we, and take a peek at who might be stepping up on stage next June to collect some hardware at the Finally, our thoughts turn to something much more imminent than year- annual gala event in Las Vegas, based on how things have played out so end awards — the upcoming All-Star game, which is being held Jan. 26 far. I’ll keep this limited to the major awards. Sorry, Frank J. Selke. I’m in San Jose. Once again they’re going with the divisional format which sure you’ll be a good sport about it. means every team must have at least one representative. Fan votes have also determined the four captains in Auston Matthews, Alex HART TROPHY (most valuable player to his team) Ovechkin, Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon. You’ll get no argument from me that Connor McDavid is the best player Want more on the Jets? on the planet. But, with his Edmonton Oilers once again outside the playoff bubble, we may be in store for another round of "Can you give the Get all Jets coverage from the Free Press and beyond in your inbox. MVP to someone on a bad team" arguments. He has 19 goals and 35 SUBSCRIBE TO FLIGHT CLUB assists, putting him fourth in the NHL scoring race. With just six forwards, three defencemen and two goalies per division, Nikita Kucherov may be the front-runner right now, as he leads the some quality players are going to be left behind. Focusing on just the league in scoring (17 goals, 44 assists) while playing for the No. 1 team Central Division, here’s how I see things shaking out, with three Jets in Tampa Bay. A player we just saw at Bell MTS Place Thursday night, joining the party. Johnny Gaudreau, has also emerged as a contender. His hat trick against the Jets has him fifth in the scoring race with 19 goals and 32 FORWARDS: MacKinnon (captain), Scheifele, Wheeler, Rantanen, assists, and the Calgary Flames lead the Pacific Division. Kane, O’Reilly Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon sit second and third in NHL DEFENCE: Suter, Josi, Byfuglien scoring, but you wonder if they’ll end up splitting some votes. And then there’s Scheifele, with 22 goals and 27 assists which has him seventh in GOAL: Rinne, Bishop scoring at the moment. IN THE MIX: Laine, Landeskog, Seguin, Benn, Granlund, Parise, Toews, Other contenders include Boston’s David Pastrnak, Washington’s Alex Barrie Ovechkin, Buffalo’s Jack Eichel and Toronto’s Mitch Marner and Auston Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 12.29.2018 Matthews. MY PICKS: Kucherov, Scheifele, Gaudreau. NORRIS TROPHY (best defenceman) Morgan Rielly is having a career season on the blue-line for the Toronto Maple Leafs, with 13 goals and 31 assists. He’s the runaway favourite right now. But don’t sleep on Washington’s John Carlson, Calgary’s Mark Giordano, Pittsburgh’s Kris Letang, San Jose’s Brent Burns, Ottawa’s Thomas Chabot and yes, even Winnipeg’s own Dustin Byfuglien, who is on pace for a career-high in offensive production with four goals and 24 assists in 31 games so far. Any one of these players could challenge Rielly with a big second-half. MY PICKS: Rielly, Giordano, Carlson. VEZINA TROPHY (best goaltender) This category is tough to call at this point, with a number of contenders but no clear front-runner. Toronto’s Frederik Andersen, Nashville’s Pekka Rinne, Anaheim’s John Gibson, Dallas’ Ben Bishop and Boston’s Jaroslav Halak are all having strong seasons so far. Tampa’s Andrei Vasilevskiy battled injury but has been stellar since his return. Marc- 1123277 Winnipeg Jets "I know he's a good goalie, and I see him in the summer all the time. It's phenomenal. We have the same habits, and we have great communication. So we're always on the same page with a lot of things. Hellebuyck wants to see crackdown on crease crashers The way he's thinking, the way his mindset is, he's right," he said. "He's got that fighter mentality right now. He's fun to watch. It's good to see." Mike McIntyre Byfuglien fined — Defenceman Dustin Byfuglien was slapped with a Posted: 12/28/2018 7:55 PM $2,500 fine Friday for slashing Calgary's Johnny Gaudreau in the waning minutes of Thursday's game. Gaudreau completed a hat trick on the play by scoring into an empty-net. Connor Hellebuyck is sick of dealing with crease crashers. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 12.29.2018 The Winnipeg Jets goalie went on the offensive Friday, saying the NHL isn't protecting netminders from players trying to find an edge when it comes to scoring goals. Hellebuyck sounded off after Calgary's Noah Hanifin kneed him in the head during Thursday night's game, knocking his mask off. "I covered the puck and the guy came right across me. My question is why is there no penalty on that. It's not like I dove in front of him. He wasn't pushed in. He just made a dumb route. You see that more coming around this game. People aren't really afraid around the goalies anymore," said Hellebuyck. "You can see in the young guys, like (Matthew) Tkachuk. Tries to push me into the net. It's ridiculous. Something needs to be called or something needs to be changed with the goalies. We're players too." Jets coach Paul Maurice has noticed contact between players and goalies on the rise as the lines get blurred about what constitutes interference, especially regarding goals that come under video review. "As the threshold of contact that’s been allowed has changed slightly — this is just anecdotal from watching the reviewed goals — it seems like they’re allowing a bit more contact," said Maurice. The veteran coach said there's an easy way to fix that. "Well the first thought is you’d let the people who get paid to deal with it deal with it. The officials can clean that up. And for the most part I think you find there’ll be a few goalie interference penalties and they’ll knock it down a little bit," said Maurice. Some wondered why Hellebuyck wasn't briefly pulled out of the game by the independent concussion spotter after taking the blow from Hanifin. According to Hellebuyck, he told his trainer that he was OK and that message was conveyed to the eye in the sky. "I felt fine. I stood right up. I just needed a second to put my mask back on. I absorbed the blow a little bit. And it wasn't like my head smashed on anything. So it was discretionary. It was up to me, and I felt good," said Hellebuyck, who isn't expecting anything to change. "They're really reckless in front of the goalie now. They don't really care, because they know they don't call as many interferences as they should, and not as many penalties – and not as many fights. So the guys just do what they want. I think in the back of everyone's mind (is) 'I can get away with a little more here. I'm going to start taking it,'" said Hellebuyck. "(NHL officials) don't want it to change. They like the goals. They want more goals and want to take more from us." Hellebuyck will get another shot at his 100th career regular-season win when the Jets host the Minnesota Wild on Saturday afternoon at Bell MTS Place. He's a fan of matinee starts. "I get a good sleep in. I wake up at a pretty routine time. Get a good breakfast in me. And then I don't skate in the morning, so I've got energy. I have all this energy built up and then when we get to the game, it's right around that time when your lunch kicks in, your breakfast kicks in. You just feel a lot of energy when you come to the rink," said Hellebuyck, who is 16-10-1 on the year with a 2.91 goals-against average and .909 save percentage. With his team 11-3-0 in their past 14, Hellebuyck feels his game took a big jump in December after a slow start. "I built my game to a good spot. And I was trying to ask so much more out of myself, and I needed to take a step back and rebuild it, and say, 'OK, don't do too much.' And once I finally figured that out, I was able to get comfortable and calm in the net and that's when December happened," said Hellebuyck. Backup Laurent Brossoit has been brilliant in limited duty, with a 8-1-1 record, 2.11 GAA and .939 SV%. Hellebuyck isn't surprised at the success of his friend and off-season training partner. 1123278 Winnipeg Jets 31 games so far. Any one of these players could challenge Rielly with a big second half.

MY PICKS: Rielly, Giordano, Carlson. Several Jets among mid-season contenders for NHL hardware VEZINA TROPHY (best goaltender)

This category is tough to call at this point, with several contenders but no Mike McIntyre clear front-runner. Toronto's Frederik Andersen, Nashville's Pekka Rinne, Posted: 12/28/2018 5:53 PM Anaheim's John Gibson, Dallas' Ben Bishop and Boston's Jaroslav Halak are all having strong seasons. Tampa's Andrei Vasilevskiy battled injury but has been stellar since his return. Marc-Andre Fleury currently leads the league in wins, even if his underlying numbers aren't as strong as He has taken his game to new heights this season, establishing himself others. as one of the premier centremen in the game. The playmaking ability was always evident, but now he's developed a shoot-first mentality that also Noticeably absent is one of last year's finalists in Winnipeg's Connor makes him one of the league's elite scorers. He's also earned a Hellebuyck. Although he sits third-overall in wins (behind Fleury and reputation as being clutch, with five game-winning goals thus far, four of Andersen), his goals-against-average and save-percentage will need to them in December. improve dramatically in the secondhalf to get back into the conversation. He is Mark Scheifele, a player whose worth to the Jets has never been MY PICKS: Rinne, Gibson, Andersen. more apparent. And I'm not just talking about the eight-year contract extension he signed in 2016 which, at $6.125 million annually, makes CALDER TROPHY (best rookie) him one of the best bargains in the business. Rookie of the Year? That's a list that should have only one name: If Scheifele stays healthy, 50 goals and 100 points is not out of the Vancouver Canucks Elias Pettersson. question. Nor is consideration for the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most A one-horse race. And that horse is lapping the field. Elias Pettersson valuable player to his team which, in Scheifele's case, leads both the has 18 goals and 20 assists, giving him a 15-point lead on Ottawa's Colin Central Division and Western Conference. White for the rookie scoring race. Senators forward Brady Tkachuk, As the season nears the midway point, it's time to start thinking about Carolina winger Andrei Svechnikov and Buffalo defenceman Rasmus who may be in the running for various year-end awards. There's no doubt Dahlin are also in the mix, but strictly for runner-up status as this point. Scheifele is a contender right now for the most coveted individual trophy MY PICKS: Pettersson, Dahlin, Tkachuk. in the sport. JACK ADAMS AWARD (best coach) So let's gather 'round the crystal ball, shall we, and take a peek at who might be stepping up on stage next June to collect some hardware at the Does having a good team automatically qualify you for coach of the annual gala event in Las Vegas, based on how things have played out so year? No, but Jon Cooper's work with the Tampa Bay Lightning has been far. I'll keep this limited to the major awards. Sorry, Frank J. Selke. I'm nothing short of spectacular. sure you'll be a good sport about it. Best team, best coach? It doesn't always work that way, but it's hard to HART TROPHY (most valuable player to his team) argue with the job being done by Tampa's Jon Cooper, Toronto's Mike Babcock and Winnipeg's Paul Maurice. Of course, all three have plenty DIRK SHADD / TAMPA BAY TIMES FILES

Right-wing Nikita of talent at their disposal which, some may argue, takes away from their Kucherov is having quite the impact on the Tampa Bay Lightning's candidacy. fortunes, making him a contender for the Hart Trophy.

Calgary's Bill Peters has done a masterful job in his first year behind the DIRK SHADD / TAMPA BAY TIMES FILES bench with a young Calgary squad, while Phil Housley has helped shape Right-wing Nikita Kucherov is having quite the impact on the Tampa Bay a Buffalo team that has had its fill of misery for many years but is finally Lightning's fortunes, making him a contender for the Hart Trophy. on the rise. And don't dismiss the work being done by Washington's first- year coach in Todd Reirden, who has stepped in to lead the Stanley Cup You'll get no argument from me that Connor McDavid is the best hockey champs, seemingly without missing a beat. player on the planet. But with his Edmonton Oilers once again outside the playoff bubble, we may be in store for another round of "Can you give MY PICKS: Cooper, Housley, Peters. the MVP to someone on a bad team?" arguments. He has 19 goals and Finally, our thoughts turn to something much closer than year-end 35 assists, putting him fourth in the NHL scoring race. awards, the upcoming All-Star game Jan. 26 in San Jose. Once again, Nikita Kucherov may be the front-runner right now, as he leads the they're going with the divisional format, which means every team must league in scoring (17 goals, 44 assists) while playing for the No. 1 team have at least one representative. Fan votes have also determined the in Tampa Bay. A player we just saw at Bell MTS Place Thursday night, four captains in Auston Matthews, Alex Ovechkin, Connor McDavid and Johnny Gaudreau, has also emerged as a contender. His hat trick Nathan MacKinnon. against the Jets has him fifth in the scoring race with 19 goals and 32 Colorado Avalanche centre Nathan MacKinnon simply must be in the assists, and the Calgary Flames lead the Pacific Division. conversation for the all-star game. Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon sit second and third in NHL With just six forwards, three defencemen and two goalies per division, scoring, but you wonder if they'll end up splitting some votes. And then some quality players are going to be left behind. Focusing on just the there's Scheifele, with 22 goals and 27 assists, which has him seventh in Central Division, here's how I see things shaking out, with three Jets scoring at the moment. joining the party. Other contenders include Boston's David Pastrnak, Washington's Alex FORWARDS: MacKinnon (captain), Scheifele, Wheeler, Rantanen, Ovechkin, Buffalo's Jack Eichel and Toronto's Mitch Marner and Auston Patrick Kane (Chicago), Ryan O'Reilly (St. Louis) Matthews. DEFENCE: Ryan Suter (Minnesota), Roman Josi (Nashville), Byfuglien MY PICKS: Kucherov, Scheifele, Gaudreau. GOAL: Rinne, Bishop NORRIS TROPHY (best defenceman) IN THE MIX: Laine, Gabriel Landeskog (Colorado), Tyler Seguin (Dallas), Morgan Reilly is having a career year with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Jamie Benn (Dallas), Mikael Granlund (Minnesota), Zach Parise putting him at the top of any list for the Norris Trophy for outstanding (Minnesota), Jonathan Toews (Chicago), Tyson Barrie (Colorado) defenceman. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 12.29.2018 Morgan Rielly is having a career season on the Toronto Maple Leafs' blue line, with 13 goals and 31 assists. He's the runaway favourite right now. But don't sleep on Washington's John Carlson, Calgary's Mark Giordano, Pittsburgh's Kris Letang, San Jose's Brent Burns, Ottawa's Thomas Chabot and yes, even Winnipeg's own Dustin Byfuglien, who is on pace for a career-high in offensive production with four goals and 24 assists in 1123279 Winnipeg Jets

Ehlers taking it to another level

Andrew Berkshire Posted: 12/28/2018 2:04 PM

Nikolaj Ehlers has been on fire of late, seen here celebrating a hat trick against the Chicago Blackhawks Nov. 29, a trick he'd repeat on the road against the San Jose Sharks Dec. 20. During the early stages of the 2018-19 NHL season, it seemed like Winnipeg Jets foward Nikolaj Ehlers was carrying over some of the offensive struggles he endured a year ago. After breaking down his work in October, it’s fair to say I was quite confused as to why nothing was working for him. Puck luck can be a merciless beast but thanks to his persistence Ehlers has broken through, and two months later as the squad nears the mid- point of the season, the talented player from Denmark is on pace for a career-high in goals (33) and as many points as last season (60). The question now is this: Has Ehlers simply stuck to what he was doing before, or has he been playing even better than before? Fortunately, we already have his early-season data recorded, so we can split his season from that point on and directly compare him to himself. In some ways, Ehlers’ performance hasn’t changed much, yet despite great play in the first month of the season he’s absolutely taken it to another level since then. The biggest and most notable change for Ehlers comes when we look at where his shots are coming from. In the first month of the season, only 20.2 per cent of his scoring chances on net were coming from the high- danger area, and since then it’s a whopping 52 per cent, meaning his scoring chances have a much higher expected goal rate, on average. Also greatly improved has been Ehlers’ passing game. Currently, he ranks 31st among all forwards in the NHL in successful passes to the slot, fifth best league-wide in successful east-west passes, and first among all players in the NHL in successful passes off the rush, meaning that if you’re quick enough to keep up with Ehlers on a controlled zone entry, be ready to receive a pass and take a shot because he’s better than anyone at setting players up for it. These improvements in small areas of the game to create goals have Ehlers now out-pacing all Jets forwards in scoring chances generated per 20 minutes of ice time, and his 8.6 scoring chances created per 20 minutes ranks him 24th in the NHL among forwards, close to players like Washington's Evgeny Kuznetsov and Toronto's John Tavares. The move closer to the net for his shots seems to have come at the expense of his chances off the rush to some extent, so it will be interesting to see if Ehlers remains one of the league’s elite in the other area where he stood head and shoulders above the rest of the Jets — scoring chances created off of zone entries. Early in the season, Ehlers was creating the third-most scoring chances off controlled entries in the entire NHL, and the second-most off of a combination of controlled entries and dump-ins. His rank there has fallen slightly — seventh and and sixth in those categories, respectively — but that still puts him in an elite category. While Ehlers’ personal scoring chances off the rush are down, the chances coming off his neutral-zone play and entering the zone remain consistent as the season wears on, with his passing game easily his biggest strength once he gains the offensive zone. A big part of what makes Ehlers so dangerous, aside from the fact that he is one the NHL’s elite transition players, is that he can hurt opponents in multiple ways. Most players who are as skilled as he is with passing the puck don’t shoot very often, and when they do it’s often from the perimeter to create rebounds for teammates to cash in on. Ehlers is a rare combination of passing and shooting skill, and has displayed a willingness to get into the dirty areas to knock pucks into the net that would make any fourth line grinder proud. At just 22 years old, the only real weakness in Ehlers’ game is his defensive play, where he can be prone to the odd lapse in coverage, and cheat a little bit out of the defensive zone. But if he can improve there, he could go from one of the better younger players in the game to a legitimate NHL star. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 12.29.2018 1123280 Winnipeg Jets “There are plays to be made,” said Maurice. “Making the right kind of turnovers, that’s the same concept as defence. We’re not going to sit back and not play with the puck, that’s our strength. But when we don’t Maurice preaches defence: Jets head coach shows no concern for dry have it, we’ll continue to work on learning how to quickly close those spell gaps and make those reads a little bit quicker, so that we can keep our offensive game, but not giving anything up.”

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 12.29.2018 Ken Wiebe

When an explosive team like the Winnipeg Jets is held to a single goal in three of the past four outings, there is a temptation to sound the alarm bell. How can a group this talented be having trouble putting the puck in the net with regularity? As Jets head coach Paul Maurice met with the media on Friday afternoon, the discussion of a dry spell was not on the agenda. And it wasn’t because Maurice was trying to protect his players from the glare of the spotlight either. Sure, there was some idle chatter about playing on the perimeter, but that was merely a cursory look at what happened in a 4-1 loss to the Calgary Flames on Thursday. “I’ve been almost solely focused on our defensive metrics for almost two months now,” said Maurice, who spoke for nearly 15 minutes on Friday. “That’s the area that we can improve the most. It’s also the area that you’re looking for the most growth from a young team.” The number of offensive opportunities generated by the Jets in the first game back from the Christmas break wasn’t an issue for Maurice. “I wouldn’t have traded our offence for theirs,” said Maurice. “If you would line up the (scoring) chances without knowing the result.” Of greater concern to Maurice – heading into Saturday’s matinee with the Minnesota Wild – is the Jets play without the puck. Of the three goals allowed by Connor Hellebuyck on Thursday, two of them came off odd-man rushes (including one shorthanded) and the other was the result of an impressive give-and-go between Johnny Gaudreau and Elias Lindholm where the Jets simply got lost in defensive coverage. The Jets had been happy with their defensive structure for much of December (they were 10-2 prior to Thursday’s loss), though there were some lapses in wins over the San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks heading into the break. “A lot of times, when that level of intensity ramps up, that’s when the defensive awareness ramps up as well,” said Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey. “Obviously, too, as the season goes on teams get better at their structure and better at their defensive game. If you’re not ready and think that for whatever reason, you’re going to have a big offensive night and you’re thinking offence first, any team in this league can put up numbers against you.” There’s another reason why Maurice isn’t worried about offence – his team isn’t far removed from a series of outbursts. During a five-game winning streak that preceded the more recent 2-2 stretch, the Jets scored 27 times. So it’s not like they’ve suddenly lost their offensive mojo. When it comes to the Jets, the offensive weaponry is abundant and sprinkled throughout the lineup, but it’s the commitment to the details on defence that will ultimately determine how far this group can go. “What happens to teams is they get forced into a position where defence has to become a priority for their game,” said Maurice. “So you get teams on a roll that are scoring an awful lot of goals, it takes them longer before the pressure comes and they realize that it gets closer to playoff hockey, where there’s not as much offence to be easily had. “So that’s what we’re trying to get to. The conversation we’re having in our locker room is just that: that we’ve got to find a way to strive for, when we’re not necessarily bigger picture under the pressure to do it. The sooner you get really afraid of missing the playoffs, the better defensively you play.” Maurice isn’t asking his players to stifle their creativity either, on the contrary. He wants them using their speed and making things happen, not dumping the puck in constantly and trying to track it down. 1123281 Winnipeg Jets

Byfuglien hit in wallet: Jets defenceman fined for slash

Ken Wiebe Published:December 28, 2018 Updated:December 28, 2018 5:41 PM CST

Dustin Byfuglien isn’t heading for the sidelines after a late-game slash on Johnny Gaudreau, but he’s a bit lighter in the wallet. The Winnipeg Jets defenceman received a fine of $2,500 – the maximum allowable under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement – on Friday for the two-hander to the left arm of Gaudreau that came late in Thursday’s 4-1 loss to the Calgary Flames. The slash was delivered by Byfuglien in the neutral zone just prior to Gaudreau scoring into the empty net to complete his fourth career hat trick. Gaudreau grabbed his arm and headed for the dressing room with 2:06 left on the clock but told reporters after the game that he was okay. “It was a slash. I’m fine with it,” said Jets head coach Paul Maurice. “There’s no pun intended.” Byfuglien received a slashing minor on the play, even though the infraction came prior to the goal being scored. The Jets are back in action on Saturday against the Minnesota Wild. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 12.29.2018 1123282 Winnipeg Jets Since and including the game in New York against the Islanders, Dec. 4, the 25-year-old has posted a saves percentage of .925, boosting his season numbers to .909, behind a 16-10-1 record. Jets’ Hellebuyck says it’s open season on goalies Looking back, he says he was trying to do too much early in the season. “I needed to take a step back and rebuild it, and say, ‘OK, don’t do too Paul Friesen much.’ And once I finally figured that out, I was able to get comfortable and calm in the net and that’s when December happened.”

He’ll try to stay on that course, no matter who’s trying to knock him off it. The knee to his head was the night before, but the fire in his belly was still burning bright. There was no media crowd around Patrik Laine on this day, which means he’s probably on the verge of another scoring spree. Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck pulled off his gear after practice, Friday, and then pulled no punches over how he felt about Calgary’s The Winnipeg Jets sniper has gone five games without a goal, one game Noah Hanifin running into him in Thursday’s 4-1 Flames win. shy of his longest drought of the season. “My question is why is there no penalty on that?” Hellebuyck began. “It’s Over his last 13 games, Laine has just two goals, the driest 13-game not like I dove in front of him. He wasn’t pushed in. He just made a dumb spell in his three-year NHL career. route. You see that more coming around this game. People aren’t really “As long as I’m getting chances, I’m not going to lose my mind,” Laine afraid around the goalies anymore.” said, Friday. “When you work hard and you’re getting as many chances The force of Hanifin’s knee on Hellebuyck’s head knocked the goalie’s as I’m getting, you’re going to bury one eventually, and then it’ll be easier mask off and left Hellebucyk prone, counting stars for several seconds after that.” late in the second period. Streaky has defined Laine’s season. Or maybe he was counting the number of times he’s been run into this He ended his first five-game drought with a hat-trick in Helsinki, and five season. goals in three games. Later in November he scored 11 in four games. “Something needs to change there,” Hellebuyck continued. “Because I He followed a six-game drought to open December with goals in back-to- get called for a penalty in L.A., right? So now I have more penalties back games, before embarking on his current five-game slump. called against me than I drew. And I think that’s ridiculous. “Yeah, I’ve usually had a lot of streaks when I’m pretty hot,” Laine said. “I “You can see in the young guys, like (Matthew) Tkachuk – tries to push would be more happy if I would just score more in a longer-term. You’re me into the net. It’s ridiculous. Something needs to be called or going to have streaks when it won’t go in. But then you’re going to make something needs to be changed with the goalies. We’re players too.” that time up with the hot streaks. An emerging member of the goaltending fraternity, Hellebuyck has “Hopefully just add some consistency and try to help my team win, if I’m clearly had enough. not scoring then some other stuff.” He sees the lack of goaltender interference calls, either on goal reviews Linemate Bryan Little says when Laine is hot, it seems everything goes or on plays like Thursday’s, as just the latest attack on the men who play in. his position. “When he is struggling to put it in… he’s extra hard on himself,” Little “They’re really reckless in front of the goalie now,” he said. “They don’t said. “I think that’s something he’ll get better at as he’s older.” really care, because they know they don’t call as many interferences as they should, and not as many penalties – and not as many fights. So the Winnipeg Sun LOADED 12.29.2018 guys just do what they want. “I’ve definitely noticed a trend where they’re trying to take a little more from us.” First the move to smaller equipment, now the additional collisions. Hellebuyck isn’t holding his breath waiting for things to change. “They don’t want it to change,” he said. “They like the goals. They want more goals and want to take more from us. He wasn’t shoved in or anything. What needs to happen is a penalty needs to be called, and then their coach is going to say that was a dumb penalty to take, and then he’s not going to come storming at the net when I’m covering the puck.” Hellebuyck wasn’t accusing Hanifin of intentionally kneeing him on the head. Then again… “He definitely didn’t try to avoid it. He could have stretched out. I think he more cared about himself than anyone else around him,” Hellebuyck said. “In the back of everyone’s mind (is), ‘I can get away with a little more here. I’m going to start taking it.’ Especially if you’re coming to a hot goaltender.” Jets coach Paul Maurice says he’s noticed more contact on goalies, adding players will naturally do what they can get away with. If the officials don’t begin to discourage it, players will have to. “For the most part you find there’ll be a few goalie interference penalties and they’ll knock it down a little bit,” Maurice said. “But if we felt it was a trend, we have enough big men back there that can discourage it.” As surprising as the non-call, Hellebuyck wasn’t called off for a concussion test. “I absorbed the blow a little bit,” he said. “And it wasn’t like my head smashed on anything. So it was discretionary. It was up to me, and I felt good.” A finalist for the Vezina Trophy last season, Hellebuyck has shown signs this month of returning to that form. 1123283 Winnipeg Jets Defence Josh Morrissey-Jacob Trouba Gameday: Five keys to Jets vs Wild Ben Chiarot-Dustin Byfuglien Dmitry Kulikov-Tyler Myers Ken Wiebe Goalies Connor Hellebuyck Winnipeg Jets vs Minnesota Wild Laurent Brossoit 3 pm CT, Bell MTS Place. TV: TSN3. Radio: TSN 1290 Minnesota Wild THE BIG MATCHUP Forwards Jets top line vs Ryan Suter and Jared Spurgeon Jason Zucker-Eric Staal-Mikael Granlund It’s a rare occasion when the Jets top trio is kept off the scoresheet, so Zach Parise-Charlie Coyle-Luke Kunin you can be sure Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler and Nikolaj Ehlers will do everything in their power to have an impact in Saturday’s matinee. With Jordan Greenway-Mikko Koivu-Nino Niederreiter Matt Dumba expected to miss the next three months due to injury, some Marcus Foligno-Eric Fehr-J.T. Brown additional responsibilities fall on the shoulders of Suter and Spurgeon to try and limit the production of the opposition’s top players. Defence 5 keys to the game Ryan Suter-Jared Spurgeon Tale of two clubs Jonas Brodin-Greg Pateryn The Jets have gone 10-3 during the month of December to climb to the Nick Seeler-Nate Prosser top of the Central Division and Western Conference standings, while the Wild have lost five consecutive games and scored only five goals during Goalies that stretch. Three of those losses were one-goal games (including one Devan Dubnyk in overtime), so you can be sure the Wild will be playing with plenty of desperation as they try to get things turned around. Alex Stalock Not so friendly welcome Injuries The Jets haven’t been gracious hosts this season, preferring to collect Jets: None the majority of the points up for grabs on home ice. Despite Thursday’s loss to the Calgary Flames, the Jets have won four of the past five Wild: D Matt Duma (pectoral, IR) games at Bell MTS Place and boast a 13-5-2 record at home this season. With 28 points earned at home, the Jets are tied for second in Special Teams the NHL in that category, trailing only the league-leading Tampa Bay POWER PLAY Lightning (30). Winnipeg: 28.7% (T2nd) End the power outage Minnesota: 22.5% (10th) After a hot streak with the man-advantage (9-for-19 while scoring at least one power play goal in five consecutive games), the Jets have gone 10 PENALTY KILLING opportunities without a goal and also gave up the second shorthanded marker of the season in Thursday’s defeat. These things usually go in Winnipeg 82.1% (10th) cycles, but it won’t be easy for the Jets to get going against the Wild, who Minnesota: 85.2% (2nd) have the second-best penalty kill in the NHL. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 12.29.2018 Laine is about due Jets sniper Patrik Laine has gone five games without scoring a goal for the third time this season (during one of those stretches he went six games without finding the back of the net). But it’s not for a lack of opportunities. Laine had five shots on goal on Thursday and rattled another shot off the crossbar. It was the 12th time this season Laine has recorded five or more shots on goal. The Finnish forward still leads the Jets in goals (23) and shots on goal (133) through 37 games. Chasing triple digits Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck has 99 NHL victories during the regular season and would love to collect the next one against the team he earned his first NHL victory against. Hellebuyck would also love to win the showdown with fellow NET360 netminder Devan Dubnyk. Dubnyk was pulled from Thursday’s loss to the Chicago Blackhawks after giving up three goals on 10 shots on goal in just over one period of work. Dubnyk is 12-13-3 with a 2.66 goals-against average and .911 save % in 29 games this season and is 8-8-1 with a 2.75 goals-against average and .905 save % in 17 career games against the Jets. GAME DAY LINEUPS Winnipeg Jets Forwards Nikolaj Ehlers-Mark Scheifele-Blake Wheeler Kyle Connor-Bryan Little-Patrik Laine Mathieu Perreault-Adam Lowry-Brandon Tanev Andrew Copp-Jack Roslovic-Mason Appleton 1123284 Vancouver Canucks Baertschi had his back to Golden Knights forward Thomas Hyka on Oct. 24 in Las Vegas while taking a pass. He was hit hard on the head and dropped like a rock. He had setbacks and saw a head-trauma specialist. Ben Kuzma: Stecher, Baertschi return but blindside hits to head still a “He hit my shoulder and slipped off and hit me in the head,” Baertschi concern recalled of the unpenalized play. “Did I like the hit? No. He had a chance to avoid me, but the game is fast and things happen. I don’t think he wanted to hurt me, but something didn’t feel right. I got a headache and Ben Kuzma got dizzy. “Your body just doesn’t feel quite right for a long time and it’s something you have to go through.” CALGARY — Troy Stecher and Sven Baertschi practised Friday after recovering from concussions, but the game remains in a precarious place Taking his regular place on the power play Friday had Baertschi buoyed because blindside hits to the head are too frequent. about getting his career back on track. He suffered a fractured jaw, concussion and separated shoulder last season and was limited to 53 Stecher and Baertschi missed three and 30 games, respectively, due to games in which he managed 29 points (14-15). blows they didn’t see coming, and the wide gap in their respective healing — and gaps in supplemental discipline — speaks to the severity “This is the first season where I stayed in the middle and started to feel of how head trauma is being handled. comfortable before I got hurt — and I like that spot,” Baertschi said of the power play. “You end up with a lot of touches and it would be good for Concussion spotters, quiet evaluation rooms and post-concussion me.” protocols are fine, but they come after unsuspecting players find themselves in perilous positions. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 12.29.2018 Barring setbacks, Stecher and Baertschi are expected to play Saturday when the vastly improved Vancouver Canucks face the red-hot Calgary Flames. And normally, the monster Pacific Division matchup would be the topic of conversation. It would be about Stecher pairing with Ben Hutton and Baertschi joining Markus Granlund and Josh Leivo, and Baertschi also returning to his bumper-slot position on the first power-play unit. It would be about Brandon Sutter also practising Friday and being expected to play on this six-game trip. He has missed 27 games. And it would be what becomes of Adam Gaudette once the Canucks have to make a roster move? However, shoving blindside hits aside to give the game the total spotlight would be doing an injustice to players who have been struck by blindside blows and those who could be targeted in the same manner. Rule 41.8 was supposed to be the breakthrough in the 2010-11 season. Lateral or blindside hits, where the head is targeted and/or the principal point of contact, were deemed illegal. The following season, all targeted head blows were illegal and that was considered considerable progress, but the amendment removed the terms lateral and blindside. In this video still courtesy of Sportsnet, Vancouver Canucks defenceman Troy Stecher is injured on a questionable hit by Tampa Bay Lightning forward Danick Martel. Sportsnet Stecher was in a vulnerable position when struck from the blindside by Tampa Bay Lightning winger Danick Martel on Dec. 18 at Rogers Arena. The unpenalized blow rode up the defenceman’s shoulder and struck his head. “It’s part of the game and hockey happens fast,” said Stecher, whose only previous concussion was when he was 16 playing in the BCHL. “You never want to criticize individuals, but the only thing I was kind of upset with was that I couldn’t position my body to take the contact. If it’s from front-on and I get injured, you kind of accept it like a man. But when you can’t really see him coming, that’s the issue I had. “They’re definitely trying to get it out of the game, but I had no opportunity to embrace the contact.” Pressed on whether the NHL Department of Player Safety acted properly with no supplemental discipline, Stecher took the high road. “I’m not going to comment on that,” he said. “It’s just a respect thing and they (DOPS) have their job to do and I respect their judgment.” The Canucks dished out their own discipline and went after Martel in a sideboards mosh-pit where Jake Virtanen was first man in and Erik Gubranson was the first with a body blow. “I was fired up,” said Stecher. “I texted a couple of guys after the game. I don’t know if they went out of their way for me, but that was definitely the kind of vibe it felt like. That shows the character of a good team that sticks together. We always knew we had that in our room.” Boston Bruins centre David Backes, a repeat offender, was suspended three games Friday for an illegal check from the side that targeted the head of New Jersey Devils forward Blake Coleman. It was a step in the right direction, but there seems to be a grey area when blindside hits are assessed. 1123285 Vancouver Canucks game at slowly digging away at McDavid’s confidence. By this time next year he’ll be talking about how it’s nice that the Oilers have good second line depth in McDavid, and that with more time and effort he might end up The Athletties: Elias Pettersson defeats Top 5 player Connor McDavid on the first line. BEST SCENES FROM A PHONE By Wyatt Arndt Dec 28, 2018 BEST WOLF PAC IS BACK I just want to say for the record that this is some fine internet meme-ing. I love the fact that for as long as Brock and Elias combine to score a goal, On a night when Pitbull continued to plead with the city of Vancouver to people will bust out this three-act play first penned by Boeser earlier in never stop the party while running through the world like a running back, the year. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. the Canucks did their best effort to shut down the loud music and get to bed at a reasonable time in Edmonton. I also want to quickly apologize for the NWO music playing in the background of this goal, I forgot The Athletic HQ asked me to use videos And that they did, with a 4-2 win over the Oilers, a game that you would in tonight’s Athletties, and that my recording picks up all the background find in the dictionary under “Road hockey 101,” in which it states sounds. something about getting a lead and then blocking shooting lanes for the rest of you natural born lives, or at least until the game ends. That being said, the music kind of fits as much to my delight EP40, Flow and Goldy were reunited in what I assume was a Christmas gift to me If you want a visual of what this strategy looks like, let’s head over to from Travis Green. Goldobin’s game really fits well with Pettersson and Natural Stat Trick: Boeser, and I want to see this line ride or die for most of the season because we should be allowed to have pretty things after having survived The third period is when the Canucks essentially fell to the ground in the Coach Willie. It’s the kind of play you’d see from the old West Coast fetal position and prayed that no serious blows would get through. It was Express days, with the quick North/South dagger to the heart type of basically the Canucks taunting Connor McDavid to try and beat them, goal. Just watching EP40 corral that puck, then still hitting off the great which to his credit, he put on several dashes of blinding speed and pass to Boeser, who then makes sure to patiently wait to get a good shot created great scoring chances. The problem is that in today’s NHL you off is a thing of beauty. can’t really beat three to four opposition players with ease like you could in the olden days. Back then, defence was a mixture of cigarettes, booze, Now, in a game like this where the Canucks get four goals on six shots, hooking, blindside hits and stern looks. Nowadays, if you’re caught out of and basically coasted the rest of the game, it’s hard to dig through the position or miss a check, not only are you publicly dragged through possession stats because everyone kind of comes out of it looking like a Twitter, but the coach is probably going to sit you down for a really stern eighth-grade high school yearbook photo. There is a reason Jay Beagle father/son like talk where he tells you he’s not mad at you, he’s just is rocking 20 minutes of ice time tonight, and it’s not because Coach disappointed. Green likes his puck-handling skills in the offensive zone. The job description for most of the night was to eat up the clock and take very Take a look at Wayne Gretzky waltzing down the ice in the ’80s: few chances, which is what lead to the wild swing in the Oilers favor in terms of puck possession. Caleb Jones, playing in just his fifth NHL Look how many one-handed swipes the defenseman are making at game, had an 84% Corsi for the Oilers. That is not something that will Gretzky. Look at the goaltender wearing what looks like thick pants, happen often. wandering from his net like he just remembered he left his wallet on the bench. Obviously using Gretzky to showcase poor defence might be met Honestly, when was the last time you saw Horvat at the bottom of the with a few arched eyebrows, but it does visibly show a different level of team in Corsi (27.59%)? It’s because his job wasn’t to look pretty tonight, defending then we see in today’s game. his job was to dump the puck and block lanes, which does not lend itself well to the ol’ Corsi game. Which yes, your mileage may vary on how Now, that’s not to say you can’t get end-to-end rushes in today’s game, effective you think that strategy is, but my only point is that if one were to of course they still happen. But the ease in which a star player can use only stats for this game you might walk away from it quite confused terrorize another team has lowered considerably, as the skill and as to what happened. It’s like when you lose your keys and you’ve athleticism gap has become much smaller in the current NHL. So when checked everywhere for them, to the point where you start opening the you watch McDavid show off Bure-like speed and rush end to end, trying freezer to see if maybe you tossed them in there. Like at one point you’re to will his team to win, it looks glorious. But you honestly can’t help but reasonably telling yourself, “No no, looking in the freezer is a legitimately wonder “hey it would probably help if he had some better wingers on this good idea at this point.” team to help with their depth issues.” So when you look at the stats and see that the Wolf Pac only had around There will be more video showcasing McDavid’s chances, but even on a 14 minutes of ice time (give or take 3 minutes away from Goldy, as is play like this, yes he beats his check, but then he runs into two pairs of tradition), you might wonder why. Well, the reason why was because sticks waiting to ruin his scoring chance. It was like that most of the they got their two goals and then they peaced out for the night to plan game, where even when McDavid managed to get behind the Canucks, their Fortnite strats on the bench or whatever. Chalk up another two there would be Nazgul Edler watching his every move, always willing to assists for Goldobin, another goal for Brock, and another absolute snipe poke and prod Connor any chance he got. show goal for Pettersson. All in a day’s work for this crew, really. Want It’s as if Edmonton management thought getting McDavid was a giant another angle of the goal? “Win Now!” button and are now confused why they continue to lose This is why at the end of a 14 minute night, Pettersson gets the first star, games. because it doesn’t take much for him to impact and win a game But enough about McDavid, who wants to watch Elias Pettersson hit sometimes. some dingers? BEST QUOTE BEST CHECKING SOMEONE INTO SMACKDOWN HOTEL On knowing if Brock was there for the pass: When I found out that John Malkovich was going to save Hercule Poirot “Uh yeah. I knew he was there before I got the puck. And I think I heard from the shallow grave that Kenneth Branagh attempted to bury him in, I him scream, too.” honestly thought nothing would top that news. But then we saw Pettersson unleash an innocent pregame sound byte that can be I will now picture Brock screaming at Pettersson every time he is open. delightfully used to sound like smack talk: No words, just primal screaming. “THE BREAK WAS NICE TO RELAX AND CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS. BEST PETTERSSON EFFECT TODAY WE’RE BACK TO WORK AND WE WANT TO KEEP WINNING GAMES. BIG GAME TONIGHT; I LIKE TO FACE TOP PLAYERS AND THAT’S WHY YOU NEVER SEPARATE THE GOLDY-PETEY-FLOW MCDAVID IS TOP 5 FOR SURE.” – @_EPETTERSSON — TYLER SHIPLEY (@LE_SHIPSTER) DECEMBER 28, 2018 — VANCOUVER CANUCKS (@CANUCKS) DECEMBER 27, 2018 The NHL places water bottles in the net nowadays, robbing of us of the McDavid isn’t number one, but you know, he’s a real solid top five guy for glory that is a bottle popper goal, but that doesn’t stop EP40 from hunting sure. He’s in the mix. them down. Please note the nice pass from Goldobin, who clearly understands his best kind of life is the one where he just gives the puck Obviously EP40 is just handing out pregame pleasantries to the media, to Pettersson and lets him do what he wants with it. as is his job, but admit it, you want to believe he delivered this with a sly grin. I’d rather live in a world in which Pettersson is playing the long Stanley Cups are a hard beast to capture, but it’s easy to imagine — TRAVIS GREEN’S MULLET (@MULLETTRAVIS) DECEMBER 28, Pettersson doing everything in his power to drag the Canucks to their first 2018 Stanley Cup one day. MOTTE IS BENNINGS BEST TRADE. DON’T @ ME. One day. — CHRIS CONTE (@CHRISCONTE79) DECEMBER 28, 2018 BEST COMPARISON Tyler Motte, who arrived when the Vanek clappers left town forever, did HMMM PIC.TWITTER.COM/FZCV0GJY8F not have a great showing in his first season with the Canucks. And let’s be fair to him, it was a new team, and the Canucks were clearly in their — ROGER (@RJH_8) DECEMBER 28, 2018 dead-inside phase of the season, slowly bleeding out while their Sure, 34 games is arbitrary, but if we can’t dunk on McDavid, then what teammate hid behind a rock like the selfish jerk they are. are we even doing here. But this year has seen the arrival of a Tyler Motte the fans can get BEST BACK DOOR behind. Playing in a fourth line role, he has brought his lunch bucket every night, oftentimes tasked with playing hard minutes against top *ME TRYING TO GET INTO THE ATHLETTIES*#CANUCKS players. Tonight, for example, he ended up playing almost 19 minutes, as PIC.TWITTER.COM/LFF2LQB44V he was paired with Jay Beagle in shutting down the Oilers from getting dangerous scoring chances. Now remember, I mentioned how the — ARASH MEMARZADEH (@ARASHMEMARZADEH) DECEMBER 28, Canucks Corsi looked downright awful tonight, but even sifting through 2018 that garbage you see Motte and Beagle near the top of the pile. And yes, maybe you don’t want to get too excited about fourth liners (this year’s BEST RANKING SYSTEM Motte is yesterday’s Volpatti), but there is something to be said about @THESTANCHION ONE OF THESE IS HIGHER PRAISE THEN THE setting aside the stats, setting aside the snark, and just enjoying a good OTHER. PIC.TWITTER.COM/FQNSZKKMBP honest effort from a hockey player. — RANDY SAVAGE (@ATTIC_TWITCH) DECEMBER 28, 2018 Do the goals help his cause? Absolutely. Just look over at poor Tim Schaller and ask him how his season is going. And that is a fantastic The numbers don’t like. Elias Pettersson = 1, Connor McDavid = 2. shot right there from Tyler. But it’s not just the goals, it’s the hard work on the boards, and the zone entries he’s managing to create: That’s still a Top 5 player for McDavid, you can’t be mad at that. The foot speed and the zone entry is the kind of things Jake Virtanen BEST EAR-MARK OF A GOOD PERFORMANCE was praised for, back when his game was still trying to find itself. If you HI, have a fourth line guy who can end a shift with dragging the puck down the ice to back the other team off, and get a scoring chance out of it, JACOB MARKSTROM HASN'T BEEN GOOD THIS YEAR BUT HE HAS that’s the sort of player who adds good depth to an NHL team, and not BEEN GOOD LATELY.HTTPS://T.CO/HXI3B6INSJ just a warm body. PIC.TWITTER.COM/BZMGY2RG2N This play doesn’t highlight anything exceptional, but it just shows the — SEAN TIERNEY (@CHARTINGHOCKEY) DECEMBER 28, 2018 battles Motte was having all night long, to the point where he was getting crushed into the boards to try and stop him from doing his job. And give If you’re not a fan of random symbols being tossed at you, just look at the credit to Beagle for this as well, they both had one of their best games in bottom right graph with the line going higher and higher. This is a good Canucks colors. sign for Jacob Markstrom. I just wanted to highlight their play to give them some kudos for basically In fact, one of the major stories around the team recently is the great play gutting out the game and doing all those … ahem … little things we know of Markstrom. If it feels like people should be talking this up more, you’re coaches love. not alone. But to be fair to everyone watching his recent play, hesitating to congratulate him, it’s because we’ve been here before. Markstrom is BEST MAD MEN the boyfriend who promises he’s changed, that he’ll start cleaning up around the house more and that he’ll start dressing nicer again. Then CUSTOM GOAL DRINKS FOR EACH PLAYER IS SO MUCH BETTER before you know it he’s back on the couch eating Cheetos and telling you THAN THE CUSTOM GOAL SONGS. ROGERS SHOULD GET ON about his system of using his socks as a personal towel. “If you wipe your BOARD AND DO DIFFERENT DRINK SPECIALS FOR DIFFERENT hands on your socks, who’s gonna see the cheese marks? Nobody. Well, SCORERS AT HOME GAMES. except you.” — LOWLIFE SEDIN (@LOWLIFESEDIN) DECEMBER 28, 2018 It almost feels like the minute you go, “This is the moment Jacob Clappin’ for Clams will become a thing. We already saw one man down a Markstrom became a number one goaltender,” he will revert to his old Caesar after Motte scored a goal earlier in the season. Think of the liquor form, the one who lets in soft goals on his glove side, the goals that make sales you’ll get at Rogers Arena if you have specialty drinks that are a you question why he bothers wearing gloves in the first place, and not $1-$2 off every time a player scores. just giant mallets. But he has played great recently, and on a night like tonight, he could have been named first star and I wouldn’t have blinked Or in the case of Markstrom, Milking for Markstrom, where you down a an eye. Not only is he cutting the soft goals out of his diet, he is also glass of milk every time he stops a breakaway. controlling his rebounds and pushing them to the corner, or simply keeping the puck stuck to his body. There haven’t been a lot of mad BEST CAMPAIGNING scrambles in front of him where the entire team turns into a human THERE GOES THE PK STREAK. OH WELL, HARD TO STOP A TOP 5 centipede as they try and track the loose puck. Markstrom has allowed PLAYER PASS LIKE THAT. #CANUCKS the Canucks to roll the dice on shutting down after the first period to try and grind out that old “road victory” hockey coaches love injecting into — JAMES R YAN (@JIMMY_YAN) DECEMBER 28, 2018 their veins. Also, no bad reverse-VH goals!! LOL HITCHCOCK CALLED THAT ONE #CANUCKS Let’s just say it’s easy to imagine a game like this going horribly wrong a couple of years ago. But tonight, the Canucks sat back and believed in — NATE STIRLING (@NATEJSTIRLING) DECEMBER 28, 2018 Markstrom to stop the easy shots, and then he came up huge whenever McDavid went into the corner and picked up a turbo boost in his eternal As is tradition in the NHL, if you carefully grandstand about a lack of calls quest to use Rocket League strats in the NHL for your team (i.e. don’t name any names, snitches get stitches), the refs will do you a solid and give you some calls in the next one. And tonight, Do we dare say it? there were some questionable calls that went the Oilers way. That’s not to say there is a grand conspiracy at play here, it’s just the way the NHL Do we? kind of works, where sometimes penalties aren’t really rules, they’re more like guidelines, really. We all joke about “game management,” but This is the night Markstrom became a num … we all know deep down make-up calls are real, you have to almost OK let’s wait one more game, let’s not jinx it. commit murder to be down two men short at times, and if a team is down by a couple of goals late in a game, watch out for that whistle. BEST DAVID SUCHET LIKE PERFORMANCE The Oilers managed to get three power plays to the Canucks one, and IS TYLER MOTTE THE BEST BOTTOM 6 SURPRISE THIS YEAR? managed to go 2/3 on it, mostly due to McDavid being really good at THROWS A BIG HIT ON SHIFT 1, SCORES A GOAL ON SHIFT 2. 1-0 passing the puck, and the Canucks sort of forgetting what the slot is. #CANUCKS The Oilers first goal sees the Canucks PK collapse hard to the left of — SEAN (@BEARDYCANUCK03) DECEMBER 28, 2018 Markstrom, only to have a good pass beat their hastily formed floating- diamond-wedge-wet cardboard box formation. Then Hitchcock’s If you can make McDavid cut to his left and throw an elbow at your head GoFundMe kicks in again as Hutton gets a penalty for … reasons. A stick like you just ate his moist maker, you know you’re doing a good job. is close to a leg is the best I can make of it, it just looks like Hutton cut off BEST USE OF GREY CELLS the lane of the guy with the puck, but to each their own. MCDAVID WITH A CHANCE AT ONE END, FOLLOWED BY CHRIS It also looks like the Oilers got away with too many men on the ice. This TANEV AT THE OTHER END. WAIT, WHAT? of course leads to … — JASON BROUGH (@JASONBROUGHTSN) DECEMBER 28, 2018 Draisaitl gets the puck with enough of a runway for a plane to take off from, and he moves in and cycles through the 40 shot options he has As promised, here are the Connor vs. Markstrom highlights. And jokes before finally deciding on one that ends in a goal. At one point Granlund aside, Connor is a hell of a lot of fun to watch on the ice. Like, he is so is lugeing past Draisaitl and all you can do is kind of laugh and move on good that defenders are playing him on passes he might make, out of with your day. fear of him making them look bad. Look at the space he gets with not only his speed, but the threat of him passing the puck to his left. You can BEST ANALOGY see Tanev try and anticipate the pass, only for McDavid to use that slight THIS GAME FEELS LIKE WHEN YOUR PLAYING MARIO CART AND hesitation to give himself even more room to get a backhand off. That’s a IN THE LEAD AND THE GUY IN LAST KEEPS GETTING LIGHTNING Top 5 player kind of move to make. AND SPIKY SHELL. AND WE KEEP GETTING GREEN SHELL AND Here you see Pettersson perhaps feeling pity for Connor, so he gives him BANANA the puck. Sure, it looks like Pettersson tried to beat three Oilers and — JONV (@JONVANDERHEYDEN) DECEMBER 28, 2018 turned over the puck, but that’s crazy talk. Getting the one banana peel was always the worst. Nothing said “screw Still, McDavid, or as Edmonton play-by-play called him, “CONNOR you” more than being in the lead and getting that one lone banana peel MCDAVIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIID” showcases incredible speed, that you would trail behind you as you waited for the blue shell to catch and incredible puck handling, as he gets a breakaway before running into up to you. the Markstrom wall. BEST COUNTER Here, McDavid almost cuts through four Canucks (I told you it can still happen on occasion), but even then, the fourth guy, Gudbranson, MISSED CALLS ON MCDAVID ALL GAME LONG. manages to get a stick on McDavid, and Markstrom makes sure to poke PIC.TWITTER.COM/TJQUKO1KLM the puck away. — PAUL ALMEIDA (@PAULALMEIDA22) DECEMBER 28, 2018 It was fun to watch, no doubt. BEST AND WORST OF THE DERRICK BEST ODE TO BIEKSA Everyone’s favorite online argument was back in the news again, as Slip-and-slide defence is an all-out kind of maneuver. If it works, you look Derrick Pouliot continued to showcase why he gets people so frustrated like a gutsy warrior. If it doesn’t, you’re watching the play on your with his play. stomach in shame. Tonight, it worked for Gudbranson, so he gets a medal of honor. If it fails next game, however, we shall all gather in the On one hand, you have the good: town hall and laugh at him while throwing tomatoes in his general That’s Pouliot absorbing a hit, but still managing to poke the puck ahead direction. to Mario Brothers Beagle and Motte (I told you they had a good game), BEST SHOTGUN TAKE who get the puck out of the zone in a controlled exit. This is a very good thing, as the Oilers really seemed intent upon forechecking the Canucks I REMEMBER WHEN OILERS FANS WERE TRYING TO defenseman to death early on. Nothing is more amusing than watching JUSTIFY…LARSSON FOR HALL….. LOL #CANUCKS Kassian and Lucic look around super confused as to why their huge hits on the end boards didn’t result in a lot of goals. — HARJOT MUNDI (@HMUNDI) DECEMBER 28, 2018 Then there is the bad: DON’T TRY AND TELL ME THAT “SHOTGUN TAKE” ISN’T ONE OF THE BEST HEADINGS IN THIS ARTICLE. ANOTHER AWFUL GIVEAWAY BY DEREK POULIOT FROM AROUND HIS OWN NET. DON’T PASS IT IN FRONT KID. JUST GET IT OUT. Anyways, yes, that’s Jake Virtanen watching Adam Larsson with the #CANUCKS puck before realizing “hey that’s Adam Larsson with the puck” and deciding he should just take it. — JAMES POLLISER (@JPOLLISER) DECEMBER 28, 2018 One for one. Here, Derrick has a lot of time with that puck, with no real pressure incoming. He has a variety of options to take. He chooses to send the BEST NEW TECHNIQUE puck from behind his net toward Jay Beagle, who actually has a check PIC.TWITTER.COM/CJ5H3W4SC1 about to cover him. He moved the puck from a position of safety to a position of a beloved animal stuck inside a burning building. — DAN RICCIO (@DANRICCIO650) DECEMBER 28, 2018 This is the frustrating nature of Pouliot. You watch him make smart plays Who needs Reverse-VH when you have Reverse-Nets? with the puck, then turn around and see him make very dangerous plays with the puck. And for some reason, Derrick really seems to enjoy BEST HEARING playing with the puck near the front of his net, which is usually a bad DO YOU HEAR "I WANTED TO SHOTGUN" AT THE END OF THIS combination for turnovers. That level of inconsistency is probably what CLIP, OR AM I GOING CRAZY? HTTPS://T.CO/UQGJRCN1X4 marks Derrick as a bottom pairing NHL d-man, but it doesn’t make it any less confusing to watch at times. — JASON BROUGH (@JASONBROUGHTSN) DECEMBER 28, 2018 Look, we’re not mad, we’re just disappointed. Someone, 100 percent said, “I wanted to shotgun,” which sounds like either Hutton or Virtanen (feels like Hutton), and were either sad Virtanen BEST YOU KNOW HE AIN’T GONNA DIE didn’t score, or were playing “Call of Duty” and were lamenting their gear. Roussel is already one of the most exciting Canucks to watch, not just for BEST CHECKING IN the points he occasionally gets, but just for the fact the guy wears his heart on his sleeve. He truly is in that “hate him on the other team, love CALDER UPDATE him on your team” club that Alex Burrows was a proud member of. It’s quickly becoming one of the best depth signings Jim Benning has made PETTERSSON – 38 POINTS in his Canucks regime. SVECHNIKOV – 18 POINTS Even on this goal, watch Roussel check to make sure the puck goes in the net before celebrating the goal. You know what else he’s good at? — JASON BOTCHFORD (@BOTCHFORD) DECEMBER 28, 2018 Taking penalties, sure, but also at making the other team take penalties: Svechnikov did not score tonight, alas. ROUSSEL YOU BEAUTIFUL FRENCH TROLL!!! #CANUCKS BEST FYI PIC.TWITTER.COM/2ZDTSADLUO BEST JERSEY SIGHTING — JYRKI2 1 (@JYRKI21) DECEMBER 28, 2018 @THESTANCHION #OLDOLDOLDOLDOLD17 PIC.TWITTER.COM/1Z5RTODICC If you’re wondering why video was used instead of GIFs, it’s because HQ requested I try video to help loading times and to see if it would help — JUSTIN (@BARELYFUDD) DECEMBER 28, 2018 reports of the GIF heavy Athletties crashing a lot of mobile browsers. We are always trying to upgrade the VIP experience so let me know your I love not just the jersey, but also what looks like two puffy grey jacket thoughts on the video version of the Athletties tonight, and any issues bodyguards surrounding it. that arose from it, if any. BEST CUSTOM JERSEY Sadly, none of my videos were done in the jaunty style that Jyrki This was clearly not a jersey made by Spector. provided. BEST VIP SERVICE BEST LESSON WYATT, DO ME A SOLID AND WORK THIS INTO THE POSTGAME. This is why you wear your mouth guard, and don’t chew it! What if that MY NEFEW AND 2 WEEK OLD CANUCK FAN, JAKE WESLEY puck had been in your mouth Goldy?? What then?? How can you MYRAM. #SHOTGUNJAKE PIC.TWITTER.COM/8UO2AA0TJ1 Instagram with no teeth!? — BJ PETERS (@BJPETERS02) DECEMBER 27, 2018 BEST PRINCIPE FACTOR OK, that’s a super weird way to spell nephew BJ, but damn it, we’re “DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS FOR TOP 5 MCDAVID?” gonna run it anyways. Shotgun Jake movements are starting earlier and — RD (@BUCKFOSTON_) DECEMBER 28, 2018 earlier, and we cannot wait to see Jake Wesley Myram crushing back bottles of milk when Virtanen hits his 20th goal of the season. @GENEPRINCIPE IS THIS THE GREATEST PLAYER YOUVE EVER INTERVIEWED? HTTPS://T.CO/EIKTS55OYM Also, $20 this kid can already shotgun better than Blake Price. — TANBIR RANA (@TRANA87) DECEMBER 28, 2018 The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018 PETTERSSON APOLOGIZED TO GENE POST GAME FOR “FORGETTING HOW TO SPEAK ENGLISH” IN THAT INTERVIEW. — DAN MURPHY (@SPORTSNETMURPH) DECEMBER 28, 2018 BEST EDMONTON UPDATE CHIARELLI MAKES ACQUISITION MEDIA: “NOW THIS IS A PLAYER YOU CAN WITH. STATS GUYS DON’T GET IT.” OILERS DON’T WIN, MISS PLAYOFFS MEDIA: “WELL, THIS IS A PLAYER YOU CAN WIN A GAME WITH AT LEAST SOMETIMES. STATS GUYS DON’T GET IT.” — JASON BOTCHFORD (@BOTCHFORD) DECEMBER 28, 2018 "WHO DOES KRIS RUSSELL REMIND YOU OF?" "UHHH… WHAT POSITION DOES HE PLAY?" "DEFENCE" "MATTIAS OHLUND PLAYED DEFENCE." — JASON BROUGH (@JASONBROUGHTSN) DECEMBER 28, 2018 If you’re curious as to what Jason Squared are talking about, it’s in reference to Spector’s latest Sportsnet article, in which once again Kris Russell has had words dedicated to how you just don’t get him. There have been a lot of prime players in the Stats vs. Eyes War over the years (never forget Mattias Weinhandl as the answer for playing with the Twins), with victories and losses on both sides of the debate. But Russell, for whatever reason, has been one player who always seems to be brought up during the wars from the eye test guys as the perfect example of stats getting it wrong. God knows why Russell is the hill they wish to die upon, but it remains the Verdun battlefield for many. So it shouldn’t be that surprising that another article has come out supporting Russell and what he brings to the team. And you know what, if you enjoy what he brings to the table, good on you, I have no desire to fight you over it. I will say that it was kind of surprising that Edler compared Russell to Ohlund, though. I feel like the bar should be higher for an Ohlund comparison, who was a standout defenseman for the Canucks for many years, one with far more offence than Russell, and much better puck management. It’s hard to imagine asking Russell to go out there and eat up 25 minutes of ice time and look good doing so. I will also say that Edmonton is a really weird place for articles, one where Matt Hendricks time in Edmonton is declared a victory, and that Chiarelli is a downright genius due to a decent stretch of games from the Oilers, but now tonight are blowing playoff spots, and that Taylor Hall was the problem, and now they’re in year four of McDavid and still don’t really have a solid plan in front of them. Somehow the target seems to miss management when these articles are written, which isn’t to say let’s all get our axes and torches, but it does seem odd to not at least posit the theory that maybe management is kind of the problem. 1123286 Websites be a part of him that wants to get back in there. Would he be willing to move across the continent to do it? Well … no. This has no chance of happening. The Athletic / DGB Grab Bag: Seattle GM power rankings and the 2018 But this is about entertainment value, not realism. And Burke would be Three Stars of Comedy Hall of Fame class the single best option for a Seattle team that wanted to generate a few headlines. He’s one of the best traders in recent history. He’s quite possibly the best talker the league has ever seen. And he has zero By Sean McIndoe Dec 28, 2018 patience for rebuilds, so he’d be trying to bring the Cup to Seattle right out of the gate. Mix in his history with division rivals Vancouver, Anaheim and Calgary, and he’s the perfect fit. The NHL is on the way to Seattle, but we still don’t know what the team Please make it happen, Seattle. An entertainment-starved league turns will be called, or what the uniforms will look like. And more importantly, its eyes to you. we don’t know who’ll be building the roster, as the team hasn’t hired a GM yet. Welcoming the Three Stars of Comedy Hall of Fame class of 2018 They still have plenty of time, but it’s a big decision. The Golden Knights The regular three stars will return next week. In their place, it’s time for a got it right, hiring George McPhee and then watching him assemble a year-end tradition we started last year: Welcoming the latest class of the team that nearly won the Stanley Cup in year one. It’s fair to say that the Three Stars of Comedy Hall of Fame. bar has been set pretty high. The three stars of comedy is, if you can believe it, over seven years old. There’s no shortage of candidates, including several up-and-coming first- It actually predates the Grab Bag itself, having been a monthly timers like Mike Futa, Kelly McCrimmon and Mark Hunter. But while standalone feature on Grantland that debuted back in 2011, and has those guys could all do a good job, I’m hoping Seattle goes for a more been celebrating hockey players who make us laugh (intentionally or dramatic choice. We’re all about entertainment value around here, after otherwise) ever since. Last year, the inaugural class was headlined by all. Ilya Bryzgalov, the first person to be disqualified from future three stars consideration way back in 2014 because he was showing up too often. Let’s help the new guys out with a power ranking of the ten most He was joined by another slam dunk in Phil Kessel, along with P.K. entertaining GMs that Seattle could pick. We’re looking for at least Subban and Roberto Luongo. marginally realistic candidates here, so we’ll limit the pool to guys who have actual NHL front-office experience and who’ll be available to take That left a few near-misses who had to wait a year for another shot. We’ll the job. That still gives us plenty of fun options, so let’s run down the list. start the Class of 2018 with one of those guys. And again, this is for potential entertainment value, not necessarily the smartest hire. Jaromir Jagr – He very nearly made it in last year, but fell victim to the four-player limit. One of the few hockey superstars to eventually start 10. Ken Holland – He’s not available right now, but everyone assumes he displaying a full-fledged personality, Jagr has made frequent will be once Steve Yzerman takes over in Detroit. appearances in the three stars section. He live-tweeted his reactions to Connor McDavid, declared himself to be his own favorite player growing 9. Dean Lombardi – Like Holland, he’d follow the McPhee model of up and met his weird travelling group of superfans. He even inspires bringing in a guy who’s been around forever. As an added bonus, other players to be funny about him. And who could forget the whole Lombardi has two Cup rings. Either Holland or Lombardi would make thing with his groin and the peanut butter? Jagr’s a unanimous pick. sense … almost too much sense. We need a little more chaos, so let’s reach deeper. Alexander Ovechkin – Honestly, I think he’d make it in just based on his Stanley Cup summer, which allowed him to pull off the rare feat of 8. Mike Milbury – Maybe a little too deep. sweeping all three stars in a single week. But there was also the shirtless wedding reception, the time he swore at Pierre McGuire and his shaving 7. Ron Hextall – Much better. Hextall was kind of a letdown as a GM cream assault on Tom Wilson. Even his defensive shortcomings because unlike his playing days he was super even-keeled. But after managed to be funny. And we won’t even mention those weird getting publicly called out by Paul Holmgren for being too cautious, what engagement videos that will make their way to the YouTube section if Hextall over-corrected and came back as a raging maniac? It would be someday … like when Eddie Guerrero kept berating Chavo for refusing to cheat until he snapped and went insane, except probably not like that at all. I just Gritty – Obviously. enjoyed that storyline. (Courtesy of the Philadelphia Flyers) 6. John Ferguson Jr. – Would he be any better than he was in Toronto? Maybe not, but seeing him succeed in Seattle would drive every Maple That leaves one spot for this year’s class and I’m going to turn this one Leaf fan crazy, which would be fun in its own right. over to you. I’ve narrowed it down to three nominees; cast your vote in the comment section and I’ll tally them up and name a winner. Or I’ll 5. Tim Murray – I miss having an NHL GM who made frequent reference forget to do that and this won’t go anywhere. But that would be kind of to pee-pees getting slapped. Plus it would be fun to hear him angry-shout funny too, when you think about it. all 30 picks for the expansion draft in less than a minute. The nominees are: 4. Mike Gillis – Having an ex-Canucks GM would help jumpstart the rivalry; Dave Nonis could work here too. As an added bonus, Gillis Ryan Reaves: He’s not so good at getting handshakes or giving himself actually seems to be a realistic option, which is good because the rest of pep talks. But he’s very good at imitating the NHL 94 goal siren and the guys on our list are not. terrifying Phil Kessel and I think we can agree those are more important. 3. Pierre McGuire – He already knows where all the eligible players were Patrik Laine: From his disturbingly laid-back draft lottery interview to his born, played their junior hockey and ate breakfast this morning. Plus he ability to score at both ends to his Fortnite ethering of the Canucks, Laine manages to get his name mentioned for every opening, meaning at some has been an entertaining character since entering the league last year. point he has to get hired. Besides, what’s the worst that could happen? (Remembers Hartford.) Yeah, this would be awesome. Joe Thornton: We has a pretty solid case just based on what he wanted to do to his rooster. But he’s also danced with fans, had funny 2. Phil Esposito – OK, we’re admittedly stretching credibility here; commercials (with even funnier outtakes) and a memorable shirtless Esposito hasn’t been a GM in 20 years. But he does have experience stroll. with an expansion team, having helmed the Lightning for their first six seasons. And more importantly, in his first GM stint with the Rangers, he Who will be the fourth member of the class of 2018? Cast your vote in was the most aggressive trader the NHL has ever seen. Seriously, check the comments. out this insanity. He once traded for a coach. Today’s GMs think Be It Resolved averaging one trade a month is impressive? Peak Esposito averaged that every few hours. This is the time of the year when we all enjoy our own annual traditions. Maybe you celebrate the holidays in the same way, or go the same Plus he’s one of the game’s all-time great characters. What more could friend’s place for New Years. For me, it’s the time of year when I remind you want than a guy with the guts to make big trades and who loves the you that the NHL’s insistence on choosing one all-star from every team is camera? If only there was a slightly more recent candidate who met both hopelessly lame. criteria. And luckily, there is … We’ve been over this before, but since the NHL isn’t taking the hint, we 1. Brian Burke – Yes, I know he says he’s done with the front office life have to keep beating on the drum. The all-star game is generally awful and wants to settle down as a media pundit. But you know there has to hockey, but that’s at least a little bit OK because it’s meant to be Las Vegas. That includes virtually the entire broadcast of the game and harmless fun. But then the league goes and steps on some of that fun by various slickly produced packages from the league. It goes without refusing to let the best players show up at the game that’s supposed to saying that we’ve chosen some raw footage shot from the stands. be for, you know, the best players. We get a quick shot of the arena set up, which looks odd because the FOR EXAMPLE, WHO DO YOU ADD IN THE ATLANTIC DIVISION? seats are actually up against the ice, not way back like we’re used to THERE ARE ONLY FIVE OPEN FORWARD SPOTS BEHIND seeing when the game is played in a football stadium or baseball park. MATTHEWS FROM A GROUP THAT INCLUDES KUCHEROV, The Rangers and Kings take the ice and it’s clear that the Kings are the MARNER, EICHEL, PASTRNAK, POINT, TAVARES, MARCHAND, hometown favorites. Man, I haven’t seen Vegas sports fans this happy to STONE, STAMKOS, SKINNER, BARKOV, DUCHENE AND DOMI. see the Kings since the 2018 playoff bracket came out. — CHRIS JOHNSTON (@REPORTERCHRIS) DECEMBER 27, 2018 Man, I miss the days when the pregame warmup had everyone skating laps instead of just the starters. I know it messed up the ice, but there It’s dumb that the 2018-19 Maple Leafs, a team stacked with entertaining was just something cool about both rosters circling each other. It was players, might only send two of them to the all-star game, leaving some dramatic and almost menacing. Also, I liked watching backup of Mitch Marner, Morgan Rielly and John Tavares at home. And it was goaltenders try to handle the puck. OK, it was mainly that last thing. even dumber when the 2015-16 Maple Leafs, a garbage fire of a team with no redeeming qualities other than their ability to tank for lottery odds, Our camera zooms in on Wayne Gretzky, who’s skating around without a sent Leo Komarov to the all-star game. helmet on terrible ice that had carpet sticking out of it. That seems unsafe. We’d better keep an eye on him. I hope that if the camera pulls I promise you, not one Leaf fan tuned into that year’s game to see Uncle back somebody is kind enough to point him out … OK cool, thanks man. Leo stumble his way up and down the ice. Stacking the host team with players is also annoying, but at least it helps sell tickets. Leaving fun, Weirdly, at this point, the game just starts. There’s no laser drummer exciting players at home so somebody worse can take their spot show or a choreographed fight where a king in a purple robe beheads a accomplishes nothing. Be it resolved: Stop doing this, NHL. park ranger. They just get right to playing hockey. Strange. One player from every team made sense when there were 21 teams and Our first highlight is the Kings almost icing the puck, which the crowd 42 roster spots. In the days of 31 teams, please just give us the best goes crazy for. Or maybe they don’t and the camera just happens to be players. If it’s close and you want to use one-player-per-team as a tie- right next to a bunch of especially loud drunks. Either way, it makes for a breaker, go ahead. But some teams just don’t have any all-stars on their fun atmosphere. This may have been our first sign that hockey could roster and that’s OK. work out here. Obscure former player of the week The Rangers open the scoring, but we quickly cut to the aftermath of a Kings goal. That’s followed by a shot going into the stands, where it’s Now that the holidays are over, you’re probably left wondering if you caught by a fan who is immediately congratulated by a dude wearing a spent too much on all those gifts. So today, let’s look at some Christmas pink shirt, suspenders and sunglasses even though it’s night time. He’s costs. Or, to put it slightly differently, at some Noel Price. like the love child of Larry King and Corey Hart and I want to be his Noel Price was a defensive defenseman who made his NHL debut with friend. the Maple Leafs by playing a single game in the 1957-58 season. He We see a nice Kings’ save, at which point the crowd sounds like they’re played 28 more the next year before playing in eight games over two booing but are actually chanting for Kelly Hrudey. Who is, it must be years with the Rangers and 20 more with the Red Wings. After a couple noted, on duty. of years in the AHL, he resurfaced with the Canadiens in 1965, playing 39 games over two seasons and winning a Stanley Cup. There’s a bit of a jarring moment three minutes in as we see a shot taken by a Ranger forward wearing No. 11 who is not Mark Messier. The With his tour of the Original Six two-thirds complete, Price moved on to blockbuster trade with Edmonton wouldn’t happen until a week after this the expansion newcomers. He was claimed by the Penguins in 1967, game, so I’m not sure who that is; Kelly Kisio wore No. 11 for the where he finally got to see full-time NHL action for two seasons. After Rangers the year before, but he’s in San Jose by now, so it’s probably another year in the minors (during which he was named AHL some guy trying to crack the roster. Little does he know that Messier’s on defenseman of the year), he played one more NHL season with the the way and he’s about to get his number Wayne Maki’d. Kings before making his way to the Atlanta Flames. He’d finish his career in Atlanta at the age of 40, having played parts of 14 NHL seasons We get a Kings goal on a play that starts with a Rangers defenseman spread over 19 years. He ended up playing exactly 500 NHL games, losing the puck and then falling down, either because the ice has scoring 14 goals and 128 points. grasshoppers in it or because he’s an NHL defenseman and this is the early 1990s. My favorite part of Price’s resume is the transactions section. He was traded six times in deals involving 10 other players, including Rogie Next comes a montage of things that don’t happen in NHL games Vachon. He was also traded straight up for fellow defenseman Pete anymore: The playing of “Rock and Roll Part 2,” faceoffs outside the Goegan twice in the same year. faceoff circles, an open-ice body check that isn’t immediately followed by a half-hearted fight and a forward scoring off the rush on a slapshot. A Let that be a lesson to you: If you don’t like something you got this week, mixed bag, all in all. you can always just exchange it. We get another Kings goal, and then that King/Buskas fight that’s Classic YouTube clip breakdown eventually broken up by the two giant linesmen. That’s followed by a The Winter Classic is on Tuesday, featuring a battle between … uh … Gretzky goal and our clip ends. The Kings ended up winning by a 5-2 honestly, I’m not even sure. The Blackhawks, it goes without saying, and final, meaning they scored more goals in this parking lot than they did in I guess somebody else. The Penguins? What the hell, let’s just say the the entire 2018 playoff series against the Golden Knights. But it’s cool, Penguins. I’m sure they’ve rebounded nicely. This year’s game doesn’t have quite the same buzz as we’ve had in the You can learn more about this game, including what the deal was with past. That’s only natural – the NHL has been regularly featuring outdoor the carpet and the grasshoppers, from this article. A few years ago, I games for 11 years now, and a lot of the novelty has worn off. But there ranked this as the 13th best outdoor game ever, ahead of a few Winter was a time when the whole concept felt fresh and exciting. Let’s head Classics. Will it be better than this year’s game between the Blackhawks back to the very first outdoor game of the NHL’s modern era. and, uh, Red Wings? Time will tell. Either way, here’s hoping the Golden Knights get to try their hand at the real thing soon. We know it can be No, not Edmonton and Montreal in the 2003 Heritage Classic. Let’s head done. back another dozen years before that and a game played in a market that had never seen NHL hockey before. The Athletic LOADED: 12.29.2018 It’s September 27, 1991, and we’re coming to you from the parking lot of Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. That’s right – 17 years before the NHL figured out how to safely host a game outdoors in the cold, the league figured “what the hell” and scheduled one for Las Vegas in September. What could go wrong? Regular YouTube section readers will remember this game from a breakdown we did five years ago. But back then, the only clip we could find was Kris King fighting Rod Buskas. Years later, thanks to a certain expansion team, there’s way more footage of the NHL’s first foray into 1123287 Websites “I’m just at a point now where I’m trying to make the next save and trying to focus on shot-by-shot, and not get too ahead of myself,” said Sparks. “When you get too wrapped up in that stuff — stats, numbers and stuff Sportsnet.ca / Sparks' strong outing helping Leafs push ahead with like that — [it’s not good]. All I care about is winning.” goaltending plans Ultimately, that’s what the organization prioritizes above all else, too. They are at the progressive end of the curve with a growing sports Chris Johnston December 28, 2018, 9:55 PM science department and nutrition specialists available to players both at home and on the road. They’ve obviously studied what the the ideal workload is for their No. 1 goaltender. COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Toronto Maple Leafs are in the middle of their And here, kicking off the unofficial second half of their season, they 38th set of back-to-back games since Frederik Andersen arrived in the veered from a well-established pattern in the crease. organization and until Friday there had been an unbroken pattern as to how those situations played out in net. It probably won’t be the last time, either. Andersen always got the first start on the schedule — each and every Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 12.29.2018 one of them — as head coach Mike Babcock tried to take advantage of the moments when his teammate’s legs would be freshest and the Maple Leafs had the best chance to claim two points. That the streak ended here at Nationwide Arena with Garret Sparks starting Toronto’s first game out of the Christmas break appears to be a harbinger of things to come. The Leafs intend to find Andersen more rest before the playoffs and it will require them to alter their deployment strategy from years gone by. “We just felt that after a break it’s important for Freddie to get some practice in,” Babcock said in explaining his goaltending decision following Friday’s 4-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. “Freddie is our guy and we’ve got to make sure he’s healthy. So we’ll probably do it after the next break as well. That’s the way we have it.” Andersen has appeared in 66 regular-season games each of the last two seasons and is currently on pace for roughly the same number of starts again. That’s no longer the kind of workload you typically see from the No. 1 goaltender who lifts the Stanley Cup each June, with no one having played more than 60 games before a successful four-round playoff run since Jonathan Quick in 2012. What’s really changed in Toronto is how much more comfortably the Leafs should be able to get by on nights when Andersen watches from the end of the bench. They have already banked a boatload of points with a 25-10-2 start that is among the best in franchise history, and are scoring at a ridiculous pace of 3.79 goals per game — better than everyone but the Tampa Bay Lightning. It’s allowed them to win 7-6 and 5-4 on nights when Sparks didn’t have his best. And on Friday night, with Sparks starting for the second time in five days, they saw the backup deliver a strong 27-save performance against a red- hot Blue Jackets team. He’s had some trouble handling long gaps of inactivity after playing big minutes in the American Hockey League last season and believes he’ll be sharper if given a better chance to get in a rhythm. “It definitely felt like there was less rust than there had been in the past,” Sparks said of Friday’s start. “Every opportunity that I get to be in there it’s another opportunity to play in the NHL. You’ve got to do the most you can with it.” They key, in the big picture, is what the extra rest might do for Andersen. He last played in a 5-3 victory over the New York Rangers on Saturday night and managed to get in an extra workout with goalie coach Steve Briere here before Friday’s game. That should have him feeling fresh when he faces the New York Islanders to finish this back-to-back set at Scotiabank Arena. After that, Toronto doesn’t play again until Thursday afternoon against Minnesota — giving Andersen added time to both work on his game and rest. All told, he’ll make just three appearances in 13 days. The Dane is off to the best start of his NHL career — among the league leaders in wins (20) and save percentage (.923) — but the goal is to keep him performing at a high level right into the playoff grind. He struggled in March last season and didn’t have a great series against the Boston Bruins afterwards. Plus, there is a growing case that suggests Sparks can handle more work. The AHL’s reigning goalie of the year was particularly sharp during a 10-save second period against the Blue Jackets and now sports a .910 save percentage — a tick above league average in a season where scoring is up considerably. He also has a 6-1-1 record. 1123288 Websites Tatar had gone six games without a point before Montreal’s last game ahead of the Christmas break. But he came to Vegas with the Canadiens on Dec. 22 and appeared to be on a mission from the second the puck Sportsnet.ca / Canadiens skate Panthers into ground in first game dropped to the second the game ended 4-3 in favour of his team, without Price registering two assists in that one. He was probably Montreal’s best player in that game, and he was definitely their best player in Florida—adding four shots on net to his two Eric Engels December 28, 2018, 10:45 PM goals, dominating possession (60 per cent Corsi For, according to naturalstattrick.com), and forcing turnovers all over the ice.

The Canadiens played a stifling game in all three zones, skating the It was a day that didn’t start particularly well for the Montreal Canadiens, Panthers into the ground from start to finish. but one that ended for them on a high note. It’s a recipe that’s given Montreal 20 wins in 38 games. One that vaulted On Friday morning, Canadiens coach Claude Julien gave an update on them past the Boston Bruins and into the first wild-card position in the starting goaltender Carey Price’s lower-body injury, telling reporters at Eastern Conference on Friday. the team’s morning skate in Florida that Price had been dealing with an “irritation” for several weeks. As Brendan Gallagher put it following the team’s 46-shot output in Vegas: “It was examined thoroughly and it seemed as though he could get “When we skate, we give every team in the league trouble, and that’s got through it,” Julien said. “We thought four days off would’ve done him to be our strength. When we get away from that, we’re a bad team, and I some good, but yesterday (practice) was very difficult for him. So, at the think we’re starting to understand that.” moment, all we can say is that he continues to be examined. He’s still day-to-day, but we don’t know (how long he could be out or how serious “For the most part this year, we’ve been skating, we’ve been moving our it is) until we get the information from the doctors.” feet,” added Gallagher. “It puts teams on their heels, and when we can come at teams like that line after line with the speed we have I think it’s It was an update that left many possibilities on the table. Not one got to be the identity of our group. I think it’s why we’ve been getting the Canadiens fans were hoping for ahead of a game against a divisional results we have so far.” rival that sat seven points back with two games in hand. There’s no question about it. This was going to be a tall task for backup Antti Niemi, regardless. Possibly the first of many as the Canadiens await news on Price and If you want a sense for how well the Canadiens executed that style of charge forth into the second half of their season. game against Florida—not that the Panthers played their best—leading scorers Alexsander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau were held to zero Here are some takeaways on how he—and his teammates—handled it, shots on net through the first 58 minutes. in what turned out to be a 5-3 win over the Florida Panthers. Huberdeau, who came into Friday’s game with 25 points in his last 15 Niemi finds his game just in the nick of time outings, got one scoring chance with Luongo pulled and an extra man on the ice for his side. He pinged it off the post. The Finnish netminder came into Friday’s game with a 4-3-1 record on the season, which was somewhat remarkable given his 4.14 goals- Barkov got one harmless shot off in those dying minutes. It came right against average and his .876 save percentage. before Jonathan Drouin made a good hustle play and iced the game for Montreal with an empty-net goal at 19:37 of the third period. He didn’t exactly inspire much confidence after the Canadiens built a 2-0 lead in the first 2:51 of the first period. If Drouin and the Canadiens bring that speed into Tampa Bay Saturday, they’ll give themselves their best chance at a win over the rested It was Henrik Borgstrom who beat Niemi with Florida’s third shot of the Lightning, who have rattled off 15 wins in their last 17 games. game, and then Denis Malgin tied things up on Florida’s fifth shot. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 12.29.2018 Granted, the goals came off terrible bounces for Montreal’s Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Paul Byron, but the shots provided opportunities for Niemi to show his team he was there to stand in for the injured Price. He whiffed on them. But much like he has throughout his career, Niemi rebounded exceptionally well. Saves on Aaron Ekblad and Jared McCann, while the Panthers enjoyed an early power-play opportunity in the second period, kept the game tied at 2-2. Another on Mike Hoffman, who leads Florida with eight power- play goals this season, was huge for Niemi. With just over 13 minutes to play, the 35-year-old came up with his best save of the night on Borgstrom. The play then turned down to the other end of the ice, forcing Florida’s Frank Vatrano to haul down Montreal’s Michael Chaput. Panthers defenceman MacKenzie Weegar shot the puck over the glass a minute and 19 seconds later, and Montreal’s Tomas Tatar scored right as Vatrano was stepping out of the box to make it 3-2 Canadiens. Niemi allowed a goal to Keith Yandle with 1:16 remaining. One he had no chance on. But he held the fort as the Panthers pushed for more seconds later, and he walked away with a well-earned win. Tatar keeps on rolling Tatar’s power-play goal, at 8:54 of the third period, was his second tally of the night. His first came 35 seconds into the game, when he crossed over from the left wing to the slot and roofed a backhand over goaltender Roberto Luongo’s arm to open the scoring. That’s now 14 goals and 14 assists in 38 games for the man who was the throw-in to the deal that sent Max Pacioretty away from the Canadiens and to the Vegas Golden Knights on Sept. 10. 1123289 Websites Marchessault signed a long-term extension months before becoming UFA eligible for a $5 million AAV that makes him tied for the 169th- highest paid player in the league. Sportsnet.ca / From MacKinnon to Scheifele: Seven of the NHL's best Aleksander Barkov: $5.9 million through 2021-22 value contracts Although he hadn’t yet scored 40 points in a season when he signed in January of 2016, Barkov was in the midst of a career-high 28-goal Sportsnet Staff | December 28, 2018, 11:00 AM campaign that started to etch his place in yearly Selke Trophy talk. He came the closest to claiming it just last season when he recorded a career-high 78 points and over the past two seasons no forward averages more than his 22:21 per game. Every time the NHL salary cap rises, older contracts hold a little more value for the team that signed them. A rising cap brings contract inflation, Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 12.29.2018 so players with comparable point productions who signed their deals four years apart could have vastly different average annual values (AAV). Because of this there are plenty of value contracts around the NHL. In coming up with this list below we stayed in the present, and took into account the AAV relative to today’s market. Some of these deals may not have been such steals when they were signed, but they sure are now. We also considered term left on the deal — the best ones don’t just come with low cap hits for this season or next, but well into the future, too. Ryan Dixon and Rory Boylen go deep on pucks with a mix of facts and fun, leaning on a varied group of hockey voices to give their take on the country’s most beloved game. Brad Marchand: $6.125 million through 2024-25 Signed just before the start of the 2016-17 NHL season, the Bruins locked in Marchand for the long-term just before he had a career-year. The agitator saw a 24-point year over year improvement that season, finishing with 39 goals and 85 points and has been a top five points-per- game player in the NHL ever since. Nathan MacKinnon: $6.3 million through 2022-23 Though MacKinnon won the Calder Trophy after a 63-point rookie season, he followed it up with seasons of 38 and 52 points — closing out his entry-level contract nowhere near the player he has become since. He signed his seven-year deal in July of 2016 and was the 51st highest- paid NHLer at the time, but scored just 53 points in the first year of the contract and went through the first four seasons of his career with one 20-goal season. But the first overall pick in the 2013 draft arrived as one of the league’s best last season, scoring 39 goals and 97 points. Showing that wasn’t a fluke, he continues to centre the NHL’s highest scoring line and already has 56 points through 37 games. John Klingberg: $4.25 million through 2021-22 A fifth-round pick in 2010, Klingberg had only played 65 NHL games when his entry-level contract ran its course, but posted 40 points and averaged 21:50 of ice time per game. He locked in to a seven-year extension that counted for 6.16 per cent of Dallas’ cap, which is a little less than Noah Hanifin got on his six year deal with the Flames this year. But since signing his deal, Klingberg is the fifth-highest scoring defenceman in the NHL and has evolved into Dallas’ No. 1, being entrusted with one of the heaviest workloads in the league. Viktor Arvidsson: $4.25 million through 2023-24 There are a few notably great value contracts on the Predators roster — including Mattias Ekholm ($3.75 million) and Roman Josi ($4 million) — but considering Arvidsson just signed his deal in 2017 to lock in through the 2023-24 season, a contract providing incredible value already will just get better and better over the next five years. Arvidsson has averaged 30 goals and 61 points in each of the past two seasons and was on a point a game pace in 2018-19 before an injury forced him to the sidelines. Arvidsson won’t put up superstar numbers, but he brings a high level of consistency and productivity and his low AAV will help open up the Predators to more expensive options through the life of the contract. Mark Scheifele: $6.125 million through 2023-24 It didn’t always look like Scheifele would be the dominant centre he is today. It’s easy to forget he was returned to junior two years in a row after being drafted seventh overall in 2011, and his point totals in his first three NHL seasons rose from 34 to 49 to 61. But it wasn’t until after he signed an eight-year deal in July of 2016 that he really exploded. Scheifele scored 82 points in 2016-17 and has been better than a point per game player since. He’s a top 20 player in both goals and assists since signing the deal. Jonathan Marchessault: $5 million through 2023-24 Since coming out of nowhere with a 51-point season in 2016-17, Marchessault is the 38th-highest scoring forward in the NHL. But after being sent to Vegas in the expansion process and having a career-year, 1123290 Websites Stream over 500 NHL games blackout-free, including the Flames, Oilers, Leafs and Canucks. Plus Hockey Night in Canada, Rogers Hometown Hockey, Scotiabank Wednesday Night Hockey and more. Sportsnet.ca / 9 bold NHL predictions for 2019 4. A familiar name will storm out of semi-retirement and into the playoffs. Call it the Mike Fisher Special. Luke Fox | December 28, 2018, 9:38 AM There are a few recent NHL veterans who have been staying in shape and have held off on filing their retirement press releases. These guys understand the toils of the 82-game marathon and may be perfectly You won’t find any safe bets here. satisfied with a 35-game sprint. Yes, Peter Chiarelli will be dismissed if the Oilers fail to make the With GMs more reluctant to part with early-round draft picks for rental playoffs, Brayden Point will get paid, and Joel Quenneville will stuff the players, we wonder if a playoff-tested, well-rested player like Kevin shotski back in the closet and get back to work. Those are givens. Bieksa (Spengler Cup!), Rick Nash, Antoine Vermette or Dominic Moore might be pried off the couch to add affordable depth and leadership to a For our nine NHL predictions of 2019, we get more specific. We’re not contender by the deadline. guaranteeing all of these events will come to pass in the next 365 days, but if you want to become a very rich fan, you might want to place a prop 5. P.K. Subban will get traded (again). bet or six based on my supreme clairvoyance. At a highly unsanctioned gathering of hockey writers this July, everyone 1. Auston Matthews will make more money than Connor McDavid (and at the dinner table was pressed to announce their very early prediction oh so much of it will be in upfront signing bonuses). for the 2019 Stanley Cup Final. Mine was Tampa over Calgary, and I’m sticking with it. The Calgary half of my guess yielded some snickers The Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t owned the rights to a young franchise because Nashville and Winnipeg were wiser (safer?) bets. But when the centre since Mats Sundin and aren’t about to let this one get away. Preds and Jets wear each other down to pulp in a Central final rematch, Matthews is business savvy and uber confident. While contemporaries the Flames will be the beneficiary. McDavid and Jack Eichel never played a shift of their platform year without taking care of their max-term financial stability first, Matthews Another stumble to represent the West in mid-June will propel a decided to wait and let the money pile up — a decision all the more gutsy gunslinger like David Poile to shake things up before he starts paying considering he was coming off a season in which he suffered three Roman Josi (skating with a near-criminal $4-million cap hit ’til 2020) the separate injuries. salary he deserves. By the time Matthews does sign, he’ll know the cap has been bumped Tell me I’m not the only one who finds it difficult to envision Subban, with twice since McDavid inked. The projected ceiling for the summer of 2019 his AAV of $9 million and recent injury woes, retiring in Nashville. ($83 million) is up $8 million from when McDavid signed in 2017. 6. Florida will be awarded an outdoor game. It’s worth remembering a couple other things, too: first, McDavid essentially gave some of his dough to Leon Draisaitl. And second, there The NHL has already hinted at plans to increase the number of its was no threat of an offer sheet when Chiarelli locked up his generational outdoor events — a fun, reliable gimmick that took a step back in 2018– talent. There will be one if Kyle Dubas doesn’t crunch the math and make 19 after a hectic centennial season — and colleague Elliotte Friedman Matty a $100-million-plus man come June. has been all over the designs for a show in Saskatchewan. 2. Erik Karlsson leaves San Jose… for New York… and signs for less Because Lightning owner Jeff Vinik is one of the most respected in the than Drew Doughty. biz, because the Panthers’ sagging attendance will only embolden commissioner Gary Bettman’s resolve to sell hockey in Sunrise, and The assumption that deploying the twin right-shot, minute-munching because Florida is one of the few markets still waiting for an outdoor threats of Brent Burns and Karlsson would forever keep the puck in the game, I predict we’ll learn of plans for a Lightning-Panthers stadium opponents’ zone and elevate a perennial playoff team to the most showdown in ’19. Who knows? Maybe Roberto Luongo even gets to start frightening team in the Pacific has fallen flat. Despite Doug Wilson’s all-in in this one. mentality over the summer, the Sharks are still a work-in-progress. There’s not enough puck to go around; the sum feels slightly less than 7. Gritty will get arrested. His googly mug shots will go viral. the parts. You can’t convince me he’s not up to something shady, and Tommy While we’d be floored to see Wilson give up on Karlsson before the 2019 Hawk has already broken down barriers in terms of public behaviour for trade deadline, we’d be even more shocked if he offered the impending mascots. UFA a contract rich enough to prevent EK65 from testing the open 8. First-timers will dominate NHL Awards night. market. Mikko Rantanen will hang on to raise the Art Ross Trophy, John Gibson Kevin Shattenkirk never did amount to the bona fide blue-line stud New will capture his first Vezina, and David Pastrnak — buoyed by the healthy York banked on in 2017. Here’s betting Karlsson becomes the cap- return of Patrice Bergeron — will come from behind to steal Alex clearing Rangers’ No. 1 defenceman of the future, but after a just-OK-by- Ovechkin’s Rocket Richard Trophy. his-standards platform campaign, Karl will have to settle for a lighter deal than the one agency pal Doughty ($88 million) took to remain in L.A. Washington’s John Carlson will edge out Mark Giordano and Morgan Rielly for the Norris Trophy, making Don Cherry and a lot of Canadians As Karlsson joins forces with Henrik Lundqvist and reunites with Mika furious. Aleksander Barkov will win the first of several Selke trophies. Zibanejad, the Blueshirts become the de facto home team of Swedes Jared Bednar will put his name on the Jack Adams he almost deserved everywhere. in 2018. And Jason Botterill will rake GM of the Year. 3. Sergei Bobrovsky and Artemi Panarin stick around for the playoffs — Oh, and give Jack Eichel the Hart — unless the Oilers make the playoffs, and then bounce. in which case it goes to the only guy drafted ahead of him. Columbus Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen is in a pickle. Neither of 9. Patrick Marleau will be traded back to San Jose. the two most gifted players on his roster are eager to sign a contract extension, and both appear headed for intriguing bidding wars come July The respected veteran’s work in Toronto will be done after a thrilling 1. (New York, Chicago, Carolina, Florida and New Jersey would all be 2019 playoff run. Yes, Marleau’s contract is virtually buyout-proof and interested in Panarin; Philadelphia, Calgary, St. Louis and the Islanders those 39-year-old legs are made of iron, but $6.25 million is simply too should consider Goalie Bob.) steep of a cap hit for a club that will be paying forwards Matthews, William Nylander and Mitch Marner real money in 2019-20. (Kasperi As painful as it’ll be to watch superstars walk for nothing, here’s betting Kapanen, Andreas Johnsson, Par Lindholm and Jake Gardiner would like Kekalainen sees the value in rolling the dice and making a legitimate last- raises too, please.) gasp run with his group. The Jackets need to win to be buzzy in a college-sports town, and with the Metropolitan softer than usual, it would It goes like this: The Leafs pay Marleau his $3-million signing bonus on be a shame to pass up the franchise’s best shot at a playoff-series July 1, then move Marleau to San Jose, which only has to pay the living victory. Renting these guys out would gut the dressing room and tarnish legend $1.25 million in base salary. fan loyalty. (The John Tortorella comments would make for must-see TV, however.) So, at little real-money cost to the Sharks, they welcome back Marleau and eat the bulk of his cap. Marleau can retire in teal, Hall of Famer Joe Thornton can finally rest what’s left of his knees, and Wilson can obtain a useful bottom-six forward for the price of a late-round pick or long-shot prospect. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123291 Websites Frederik Andersen has 20 wins through 30 games this season. Only George Hainsworth reached 20 wins in fewer games in a season in #LeafsForever history (28 GP in 1934-35). Sportsnet.ca / Leafs' Matthews: 'Very deserving' players won't make NHL — Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) December 27, 2018 All-Star Game Rielly is arguably the Norris Trophy frontrunner. He leads the NHL in plus/minus (+26) and tops all defencemen in goals (13) and points (44). Luke Fox | December 27, 2018, 2:54 PM Not naming Rielly to the Atlantic’s blue line would be a crime, although the defenceman says he “doesn’t really think about it.” He simply wants to help the Leafs win games. TORONTO – Immediately after saying how honoured he was to be voted If Rielly had one vote? “Our goalie. Freddy, for sure. No question.” captain of the Atlantic Division for the 2019 NHL All-Star Game, Auston Matthews hit the nail on the head with his next comment. Ottawa’s Thomas Chabot and Florida’s Keith Yandle would be our hunch for the other two D spots, although that could come at the expense of “With the way it’s set up, obviously a lot of very deserving guys won’t be teammates Mark Stone and Aleksander Barkov, respectively. able to go,” Matthews said Thursday, following his first practice since Christmas with the Marleaus. It’s an ugly, complicated puzzle for the league’s head office and its hockey operations department to sort out, and some colourful pieces will “We’ve had four or five guys who’ve made huge impacts night in and be left in the box. night out on this team: Mitch [Marner], John [Tavares], Morgan [Rielly], Freddy [Andersen] are all really deserving to go and compete in this The Lightning’s Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh each have a case, game.” for example, but how could the NHL possibly overlook Nikita Kucherov (No. 2 overall in scoring with 57 points) and Brayden Point (47 points, As dominant as their individual campaigns have been, barring a series of 11th overall)? Steven Stamkos, with a cool 20 goals before Christmas unforeseen injuries or dropouts, we won’t see the Maple Leafs roll five- Eve, may lose out because he’s a great player on a loaded team. deep through San Jose on Jan. 25-26. Buffalo’s Jeff Skinner, Colorado’s Gabriel Landeskog, Winnipeg’s Patrik The NHL wishes that all 31 clubs send at least one representative, and Laine, and Calgary’s Elias Lindholm are all on the bubble. the Leafs are far from the only team that should expect a high-profile snub as a result. Here in Toronto, Tavares (third overall in goals with 24) and/or the electric Marner (fifth overall in scoring with 50 points) are in serious Joining Matthews are Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Alex danger of their invites getting lost in the mail despite their career years. Ovechkin as the divisional superstars nominated by fans via online Crazy to think that Tavares’s streak of four straight all-star game ballots (the voting tallies were not revealed by the league). With the appearances is in doubt the first year he’s tracking 50 goals. exception of Ovechkin, who referred to himself as the group’s “old horse,” the other captains all dressed as Team North America mates at the 2016 Matthews has four deserving teammates, so, we ask, who would he bring World Cup. if he could vote just one of them in? “It’s just the way the game’s trending — young guys coming up being “It’s tough,” Matthews smiled. “I think if I could take one guy, it’d probably able to make an impact early in their careers and continue to get better,” be Patty Marleau. Take him back to San Jose. Probably stay at his house Matthews reasoned. there, the whole nine yards.” “It’s fun to watch. It’s fun to be a part of and play in this type of game One-Timers now, where it’s just fast and skilled. It’s still physical — guys are still The Maple Leafs (again) recalled Trevor Moore Thursday, and it appears competing out there — but it’s definitely not how it used to be. It’s he’ll get a look on the second power-play unit. The injury fill-in had been evolving. formally returned to the Marlies over the Christmas break only as a cap- “I’m really grateful to be able to play in a market like Toronto and have saving measure…. Babcock is still keeping Matthews and William such passionate fans that go out of their way to vote for you and do that Nylander apart. Despite starting Sunday’s game together, the duo was kinda stuff. It means a lot to me as a player and as a person and being split after one period versus Detroit Sunday and remained that way at part of Toronto.” practice Thursday. Patrick Marleau skated on Matthews’ left side, with Kasperi Kapanen to their right, and Nylander — mired in a career-worst Sportsnet NOW gives you access to over 500 NHL games this season, six-game point drought — rejoined Nazem Kadri and Connor Brown on blackout-free, including Hockey Night in Canada, Rogers Hometown the third line…. Toronto gets back in action Friday in Columbus for a Hockey, Scotiabank Wednesday Night Hockey, the entire 2019 Stanley showdown between the NHL’s two hottest clubs at the break. Both the Cup Playoffs and more. Maple Leafs and Blue Jackets toasted four-game win streaks Christmas Eve, and the Leafs have the advantage of watching Columbus play the Matthews gets to wear a letter on his sweater (hey!) despite missing 38 Rangers Thursday in New York and will catch them on a back-to-back. “It per cent of Toronto’s games due to a shoulder injury. works to our advantage to have our practice today and game tomorrow,” Rielly says. “Well deserved,” Rielly said. “One of the best players in the world, so… shocker.” Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 12.29.2018 The 21-year-old Matthews’ 19 goals and 34 points over 23 games speak for themselves. Though Matthews ranks fourth on his own team in scoring, his 1.48 points per game place him fifth overall in that category. “He’s at that point in his career — a lot of notoriety right now. He’s exciting. It’s exciting for our franchise,” coach Mike Babcock said. “It’s a real compliment to him from the fans. You always want to be good to the fans, and they’ll be good to you. With the skill set he has and the demeanour he has, there’s a lot to like.” And there’s a lot to question regarding the NHL’s selection process, which favours equality over merit. Satisfying player quotas for every team, every division and every position could leave some marquee, deserving names enjoying career years in Colorado, Calgary, Winnipeg, Tampa and Toronto on the outs. Frederik Andersen’s 20 wins tie him with Vegas’s Marc-Andre Fleury for the most in the league and are five more than any other goaltender in the division (Montreal’s Carey Price and Tampa backup Louis Domingue have 15 apiece). Because Montreal (Price) and Detroit’s (Jimmy Howard) best blends of star power and All-Star Game worthiness rest in net, there’s a chance Andersen misses out. (Although I’d give up press-box ice cream sandwiches for a month to see Connor McDavid and Dylan Larkin head-to-head in a Fastest Skater heat.) 1123292 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Stars CEO rips Seguin, Benn: 'These guys are not good enough'

Mike Johnston | December 28, 2018, 7:07 PM

The Dallas Stars are displeased with where they currently sit in the standings and frustrations within the organization are beginning to boil over publicly. In particular, CEO Jim Lites and team owner Tom Gaglardi are unhappy with the performances of captain Jamie Benn and star centre Tyler Seguin. “They are [expletive] [expletive], I don’t know how else to put it,” Lites said via Sean Shapiro of The Athletic (subscription required). Lites explained that he frequently receives texts during Stars games from a vexed Gaglardi who’s irked by the recent play of his team’s top stars. “We are a stars-driven league, and our stars aren’t getting it done,” Lites said. “It’s embarrassing, and no one writes it.” Benn has a respectable 15 goals and 15 assists through 38 games but by his standards he’s having a down year. Same goes for Seguin who has only 11 goals and is on pace to record his lowest goal total since the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. “He used to be a pest to play against,” Lites said of Seguin. “People hated playing against Tyler Seguin. They don’t anymore. These guys have been great players, but we are 40 games into this season and they aren’t getting it done. We are going to sleepwalk to another 14th place from the bottom and miss the playoffs.” The Stars have been at or above .500 since Oct. 23 but the team has been steadily sliding down the standings over the past six weeks or so. They are currently fourth in the stacked Central Division and occupy the final Western Conference wild-card spot, but that won’t suffice for the Stars executives. “These guys are not good enough,” Lites said. “They’re not good enough for me, they’re not good enough for the owner, and they’re certainly not good enough for the general manager [Jim Nill], who I can’t speak for, but it’s not good enough for the job he’s done. But we’ve had meeting after meeting after meeting. The accountability on the ice is not there. “These guys were signed to big contracts because they were the third- and sixth-leading scorers in the National Hockey League over the past five years. They get their money, we expect them to not be outplayed every game we play in. And if they were as good as they’ve been in the past we wouldn’t be having this conversation.” Benn and his $9.5-million annual salary cap hit are locked up through the 2024-25 campaign. Meanwhile, the eight-year, $78.8-million contract extension ($9.85-million cap hit) Seguin inked in September doesn’t kick in until the beginning of next season. Lites echoed his frustrations to Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas News. “If 14 and 91 don’t lead, we will not be successful,” Lites told DeFranks. “I think this is the most talented and deep team we’ve had in years here. Certainly, this is the best team that we’ve put together from a talent perspective since Tom Gaglardi’s owned the franchise. Tom has allowed us to do everything we needed to do to be successful. Whatever it’s taken, he’s done. And I am tired of getting emails from him saying ‘What the hell is going on with our best players?’” The next chance Benn and Seguin will have to redeem themselves is on Saturday when they host the Detroit Red Wings. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123293 Websites The ensuing moment is immortalized on a banner in the gymnasium at Arnott’s high school. It pictures a drained Arnott — sporting two black eyes and a red Devils sweater — jubilantly hoisting the Stanley Cup. Sportsnet.ca / Why Jason Arnott chose hockey over every other sport he The over-sized banner was raised during a recent ceremony that was great at inducted Arnott and others into the school’s athletics hall of fame. He wasn’t able to make it to CCI for the event, so Kari attended in his place. She’s no longer playing competitive sports and currently works in parks David Singh | December 28, 2018, 11:43 AM and recreation, but the fire still smoulders when it comes to besting her brother.

When Kari texted Arnott photos of the banner, she made sure to include There were only so many times per day Jason Arnott could rifle a tennis a few words that reminded him who was boss, in case he had forgotten ball into the goalie net on the driveway. Whenever his mind yearned for a after all these years. release from hockey, a young Arnott would venture to the backyard of his parents’ Wasaga Beach, Ont., home to shoot hoops. “Any time something comes up where [it looks like] I am tougher than her,” says Arnott with a laugh, “she always brings up, ‘Remember that He had to be careful, though. The makeshift basketball court was the time I elbowed you and your nose was bleeding and you ran to Mom? I domain of his older sister and she defended it fiercely. Kari is five years used to dominate you on the basketball court.’ older than Arnott and towered over him when the two were growing up. While the difference in stature didn’t factor into games of 21, it certainly “She gives it back to me.” mattered during one-on-one matchups. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 12.29.2018 “She wasn’t letting up on me, especially because I was her little brother. She wanted to show me she was the boss,” Arnott recalls. “If I took the ball to the net, she would throw a high elbow at me and take the ball.” That competitive foundation served the siblings well — Kari went on to play basketball at Sheridan College in Oakville, Ont., while Arnott grew to become a feisty, dependable centre over 18 NHL seasons. Hockey was obviously Arnott’s first passion, but he excelled in every sport he touched. By the time he attended high school in Collingwood, the site of this week’s Rogers Hometown Hockey stop, Arnott was dabbling in football, wrestling, soccer, volleyball and golf, in addition to basketball and hockey. “Hockey wasn’t [the] seven-days-a-week thing that it is now,” Arnott says. “You practised a couple times during the week and you maybe had one game here or there…. You had to fill your days up and be busy.” Celebrate Our Community. Celebrate Our Game. Bert Crago, a longtime basketball coach at Collingwood Collegiate Institute (CCI), suggests that Arnott wasn’t simply biding his time on the hardwood. He was actually a dominant forward who could score in bunches, hovering around six-feet tall by the age of 15 and oozing with athletic ability. Crago knew Arnott played hockey, but wasn’t quite aware of his skill level on the ice. So, when the time came for Arnott to leave CCI after Grade 10 and head to Lindsay, Ont., in pursuit of a pro career, Crago stepped in. “I was trying to convince him to stay at Collingwood Collegiate and play senior basketball and he was telling me, ‘Coach, you know what, I’m gonna go on and pursue my No. 1 love,’” says Crago, who’s now retired. “So I’m giving him a hard time. I’m saying, ‘Ah, don’t do that. You’d be a really good senior boys’ basketball player.’ “The joke ended up being on me.” The same episode unfolded on the high school football team. Arnott joined the squad as a linebacker in Grade 9 and, of course, stood out. Head coach Dick Edwards and his staff noticed during first-year practices that whenever Arnott casually tossed the ball, it would sail with mechanic perfection. His footwork was impeccable, too, so the coaches moved him to quarterback. It paid off as he led the team to the regional finals at the end of his second year. However, just as he was peaking in football, hockey hauled him away. “One of my coaches — and he chuckles about it — bumped into Arnott in the hall and I think he was saying half facetiously, after we knew he wasn’t coming back: ‘Oh, you know, Jason, you could probably do well as a quarterback in a Canadian college,’” remembers Edwards, who’s also retired. “But you don’t have to be a Rhodes scholar to know that for a Canadian kid, a hockey road can lead to a lot more opportunity than a Canadian college quarterback.” Says Arnott: “I loved both [basketball and football] and I played every sport to the best of my abilities. But obviously, hockey was my No. 1 love…. It was always hockey, 100 per cent.” Ultimately, that avenue took Arnott to Lindsay, then Oshawa, Ont., where he spent two seasons with the Generals before being drafted by the Edmonton Oilers. The forward was traded to New Jersey in 1998 and enjoyed his best years with the Devils, helping the club to a Stanley Cup in 2000 by scoring the championship-clinching goal in double overtime of Game 6 against the Dallas Stars. 1123294 Websites Despite being outscored 2-0 on special teams by Switzerland, Tim Hunter says he is sticking with Canada's two power play units. James Duthie and Bob McKenzie discuss his calculated approach and whether TSN.CA / Lafrenière lands in Hunter’s doghouse or not there will be any line changes ahead of Canada's third game against the Czech Republic.

The penalty kill, which gave up two goals on similar behind-the-net plays Mark Masters against the Swiss, seems to be more of a concern. "That play, we watched it and we knew about it and our guys were half asleep on it and that’s why they scored," Hunter said. "It needs work as TSN reporter Mark Masters checks in daily with news and notes on Team well. It’s a tournament so we don’t need our penalty kill to be great right Canada, which held a media availability on Friday in Vancouver. now." Why did Tim Hunter bench Rimouski Oceanic left winger Alexis But Hunter's patience seems to be wearing thin. Even before the game it Lafrenière during Thursday's World Juniors game? was on his mind as he invited all the players to the penalty-kill meeting – not just those who work on it in practice –so that everyone knew the "We showed him some video from the Denmark game and he was out game plan. That gave the coach more personnel options and he took there skating around like it was a free skate, lots of circles in his game advantage by using Tippett and Comtois in a shorthanded situation in the and we weren’t happy with that," Team Canada's head coach revealed. late stages. "And we talked to him about it and we showed him the video and explained it to him. I told him, 'At the start of the game, you’re going to "Our two best players so put them out in that situation," Hunter explained. show me whether you understood this or not and if you don't we’re going "They were urgent, they were desperate and they got the job done." to limit your ice time.' " Leason, who kills penalties in Prince Albert, also got some time Drummondville Voltigeurs forward Joe Veleno also had his playing time shorthanded. scaled back as Hunter shortened his bench to preserve a third-period lead against Switzerland. "It's all about being aggressive," said University of Denver defenceman Ian Mitchell. "It's tough for any power play to play against pressure and "Those guys didn’t have a great game," Hunter said. "We have to win move pucks quickly so I think that the more that we work together we'll games so it’s not about evening the ice time out. We’re going to be a lot start to work as a tandem and work as one. That's something the better against the Czechs than we were last night (Thursday). We have coaching staff has been harping on us about." lots of things to clean up, but I’m confident in our group that we’ll get better as we move along here." Kurashev scores on the power play to even the game Hunter promoted Boston University's Shane Bowers to the left side of Early in the second period, the Swiss take advantage of the Canadians Spokane's Jaret Anderson-Dolan and Owen Sound's Nick Suzuki using inability to clear the zone, and Philipp Kurashev makes no mistake from that trio in a matchup role against the Swiss. Hamilton's Mackenzie the slot to even the game at 1-1. Entwistle was elevated from the 13th-forward spot and is likely to remain the centre on the fourth line with Lafrenière and Veleno platooning on his Team Canada's defensive alignment will stay together after a strong left side. effort against the Swiss. Ty Smith, who logs big minutes in Spokane of the WHL, had been on the hot seat after averaging one minute per shift "We'll meet with all the groups and talk to them about the way we want in the opening game against Denmark. each line to find their way through a game and get a little more clarity for them," Hunter said. "We haven’t done that yet. We’ve just been waiting "We weren’t happy with that and he was the best last night at 37 seconds for things to find their way, but I think things are getting clearer now." (per) shift," Hunter said. "He played hard and hustled on, hustled off so he got that message and that’s all you expect." The other two lines – Portland's Cody Glass between Drummondville's Maxime Comtois and 's Owen Tippett and Sault Ste. Marie's Smith, a New Jersey Devils prospect, and others who extended shifts Barrett Hayton between fellow Greyhound Morgan Frost and Prince during the blowout win against the Danes were put on notice before Albert's Brett Leason – will remain unchanged. stepping on the ice against the Swiss. "They’ve had lots of scoring chances," Hunter said. "They need to clean "We posted the shift lengths before the game and in the morning we up being a little bit East-West in the offensive zone and being closer talked to them about that and all the guys who were over 45 got to see together, but the chemistry on those lines is important. You leave those it," Hunter noted. guys together. They are the top-six guys in my mind." The result? Seravalli: Lafreniere is at the WJC for a reason "Our shift lengths were excellent last night," Hunter said. "The analytics Tim Hunter didn't mince his words when discussing Alexis Lafreniere's show that you’re at your best up to 37 seconds and then after that, if play against Denmark. TSN Senior Hockey Reporter Frank Seravalli joins you’re going hard and maximizing your effort, you start to drop off in Mark Masters to discuss Hunter's handling of the 17-year-old and to talk intensity." about how big of an opportunity the World Juniors is for Hunter's career. Ferraro: 'Not an easy game for Canada's unheralded defence' Hunter isn't planning to overhaul his power play units after Team Canada Gord Miller and Ray Ferraro break down the play of Canada's defence in failed to convert on five chances against the Swiss on Thursday night. front of goalie Ian Scott and how it propelled them to a record of 23-0 Four of those opportunities came in the third period with the game over the Swiss at the World Juniors. hanging in the balance. Bouchard revealed that a phone call from Connor McDavid, who won a "We would've liked to close the game out with a power-play goal," the World Junior gold medal in 2015, boosted the team ahead of the coach admitted, "but these guys are still finding their way of playing tournament. together and building that chemistry that a power play needs to click and our power play will get better when it's needed." "It’s pretty cool to hear his side of things, how it was and what they did to come together as a team," Bouchard said. Is he looking for a more shoot-first mentality? What stood out the most from McDavid's message? "There’s five guys on the power play so we don’t need guys being selfish," Hunter said. "We'll give them some new wrinkles. They're not "Don’t pay attention to all the media stuff going on around you," moving the puck fast enough. They're looking at seams and when you're Bouchard said, "especially with this being in Canada there will be a lot of looking at a seam it's too late. You got to make the pass as soon as it's hype around all the stuff." on your tape, know the seam is there and make the pass and we're just waiting a little too long." Bouchard said McDavid's advice is one of the reasons why the players decided, as a group, to stay off social media during the tournament. And With so much skill on the groups, the frustration level is creeping up a bit. the Oilers captain hasn't been the only high profile guest speaker so far. "A little bit, yeah," admitted London Knights defenceman Evan Bouchard, "We had Sidney Crosby send the players a message," said Hunter. "We who the top unit. "It’s a little frustrating not seeing the puck also had Manny Malhotra talk to the team. Hockey Canada uses alumni go in. But it would be even more frustrating if we weren’t getting our to their advantage, they’ve got some great alumni, a local guy like Manny chances ... We just got to keep shooting." and then some phone interviews and phone conversations with Sidney Hunter sticking with his power play units ahead of test against Czechs and Connor McDavid. It’s a powerful weapon, a powerful tool for us and these guys are excited when they hear from those guys." Bouchard: Team Canada inspired by call from McDavid Evan Bouchard revealed that Team Canada received a call from Connor McDavid ahead of the tournament and the Oilers captain shed some light on what to expect when playing on home soil and how to handle the extra media attention. Projected lineup for Saturday's game: Forwards Comtois-Glass-Tippett Frost-Hayton-Leason Bowers-AndersonDolan-Suzuki Veleno/Lafrenière-Entwistle-Studnicka Defencemen Phillips-Bouchard Brook-Mitchell Smith-Dobson McIssac Goaltenders DiPietro Scott TSN.CA LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123295 Websites Make no mistake, Hunter still carries a stick – and he isn’t afraid to use it. He torched 17-year-old Alexis Lafreniere, the expected No. 1 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, for his play against Switzerland on Thursday night. TSN.CA / Hunter auditioning for NHL job as Team Canada coach “He was out there skating around like it was free skate, lots of circles in his game,” Hunter said of Lafreniere. “We talked to him about it and showed him the video and explained to him. I told him ‘At the start of the Frank Seravalli game, you’re going to show me whether you’ve understood this or not. If you don’t, we’re going to limit your ice time.”

It will now be up to Hunter to re-engage younger, high-end players like VANCOUVER — Tim Hunter hoisted the Stanley Cup and led the NHL in Lafreniere and Joey Veleno to see if he can squeeze the most out of penalty minutes twice before he got bit by the coaching bug late in his them for the benefit of Canada. They were picked for a reason. They can career. make plays others cannot. He said he realized he wanted to be a coach while playing under Pat Really, the rest of the tournament will be about the buttons Hunter Quinn with the Vancouver Canucks from 1992 through 1996. chooses to push, and how his team responds. He pumped them up before the tournament, pumped the brakes after the 14-0 win over It’s only fitting that it’s here, in the shadow of the Big Irishman’s statue Denmark, and now will need to pump the tires on special teams. inside the building on Pat Quinn Way, that Hunter has earned his moment to shine as Team Canada’s head coach at the World Junior For just the third time in the last nine tournaments – a span of 47 games Championship. – Team Canada was outscored by their opponent on special teams. Hunter certainly has applied a few lessons learned from the Hall of Fame Not only is an entire nation watching Hunter’s every move, but so is the coach. He recalled his favourite story on Friday when Quinn went on a NHL. He may never get a better shot. tirade during an intermission one night in Winnipeg. But for now, Hunter said gold is his only focus. He said Quinn came in the locker room and swatted a five-gallon Gatorade bucket “like it was a cup across the table. “It means a lot. I’m honoured and proud to coach this team,” Hunter said. “Look at what’s happening, all you people here interviewing Tim Hunter “We’re like ‘Oooooh!,’ ” Hunter said. so that’s a pretty cool thing. I believe in myself and it’s an honour to be a part of Hockey Canada.” Quinn then took aim at his next target. TSN.CA LOADED: 12.29.2018 “They had these big 50-gallon drums, steel drums as garbage cans, and I’m looking at him and he boots this can and it didn’t move,” Hunter said. “Then he left the room and I’m like ‘Wow!’ I go over and moved the can and it’s half full of cement.” The lesson? “You have to rattle their chains every now and again,” Hunter said. “But yeah, I’m going to make sure I don’t kick any cans of cement.” Hunter, now 58, has played second fiddle for most of the last two decades. After an 815-game NHL career, he followed Ron Wilson around as an assistant coach in the league for more than 1,100 games with stops in Washington, San Jose and Toronto, before re-joining the Capitals for an abbreviated season under Adam Oates. Even at the World Juniors, Hunter was an assistant under Dominique Ducharme for the last two tournaments, before Ducharme was hired as an assistant this year by the Montreal Canadiens. It wasn’t until 2014, at the age of 54, that Hunter finally became a head coach with the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors. That has caused him some regret. “I look back on my coaching career and I probably should have went out and become a head coach a lot earlier and I stuck to working with Ron,” Hunter said. “I liked working for Ron and 14 years being an assistant coach, [but] I should’ve been a head coach a lot earlier.” This is Hunter’s moment on the big stage, his chance to impress as a potential NHL head coaching candidate. Mike Babcock, Claude Julien, Mike Keenan, Dave King, Brent Sutter and Craig Hartsburg all coached Canada at the World Junior Championship before moving up to the NHL. Coaching in the NHL is increasingly a young man’s game, but Hunter has shown that he has evolved. With the Maple Leafs, Wilson and Hunter developed a reputation that they were at times dismissive with players. The current generation of NHL players, and even more so the millennials that Hunter is now guiding, takes more listening. They want to be engaged and involved in the process, not told what to do. Hunter appears to have learned that. “Last night after the game, I had my points to say, then I went around the room and I had every player talk about his feelings of how we played so far and how they played in the game,” Hunter said on Friday. “It was great because a lot of guys said the same thing, they had real good comments. They all know where we’re heading, they all know where we need to improve. It was great conversation. When you have a family, guys can hold themselves accountable and check their egos at the door. They were honest and upfront about things and upfront about things that we need to work on.” 1123296 Websites Despite being outscored 2-0 on special teams by Switzerland, Tim Hunter says he is sticking with Canada's two power play units. James Duthie and Bob McKenzie discuss his calculated approach and whether TSN.CA / Lafrenière lands in Hunter’s doghouse or not there will be any line changes ahead of Canada's third game against the Czech Republic.

The penalty kill, which gave up two goals on similar behind-the-net plays Mark Masters against the Swiss, seems to be more of a concern. "That play, we watched it and we knew about it and our guys were half asleep on it and that’s why they scored," Hunter said. "It needs work as TSN reporter Mark Masters checks in daily with news and notes on Team well. It’s a tournament so we don’t need our penalty kill to be great right Canada, which held a media availability on Friday in Vancouver. now." Why did Tim Hunter bench Rimouski Oceanic left winger Alexis But Hunter's patience seems to be wearing thin. Even before the game it Lafrenière during Thursday's World Juniors game? was on his mind as he invited all the players to the penalty-kill meeting – not just those who work on it in practice –so that everyone knew the "We showed him some video from the Denmark game and he was out game plan. That gave the coach more personnel options and he took there skating around like it was a free skate, lots of circles in his game advantage by using Tippett and Comtois in a shorthanded situation in the and we weren’t happy with that," Team Canada's head coach revealed. late stages. "And we talked to him about it and we showed him the video and explained it to him. I told him, 'At the start of the game, you’re going to "Our two best players so put them out in that situation," Hunter explained. show me whether you understood this or not and if you don't we’re going "They were urgent, they were desperate and they got the job done." to limit your ice time.' " Leason, who kills penalties in Prince Albert, also got some time Drummondville Voltigeurs forward Joe Veleno also had his playing time shorthanded. scaled back as Hunter shortened his bench to preserve a third-period lead against Switzerland. "It's all about being aggressive," said University of Denver defenceman Ian Mitchell. "It's tough for any power play to play against pressure and "Those guys didn’t have a great game," Hunter said. "We have to win move pucks quickly so I think that the more that we work together we'll games so it’s not about evening the ice time out. We’re going to be a lot start to work as a tandem and work as one. That's something the better against the Czechs than we were last night (Thursday). We have coaching staff has been harping on us about." lots of things to clean up, but I’m confident in our group that we’ll get better as we move along here." Kurashev scores on the power play to even the game Hunter promoted Boston University's Shane Bowers to the left side of Early in the second period, the Swiss take advantage of the Canadians Spokane's Jaret Anderson-Dolan and Owen Sound's Nick Suzuki using inability to clear the zone, and Philipp Kurashev makes no mistake from that trio in a matchup role against the Swiss. Hamilton's Mackenzie the slot to even the game at 1-1. Entwistle was elevated from the 13th-forward spot and is likely to remain the centre on the fourth line with Lafrenière and Veleno platooning on his Team Canada's defensive alignment will stay together after a strong left side. effort against the Swiss. Ty Smith, who logs big minutes in Spokane of the WHL, had been on the hot seat after averaging one minute per shift "We'll meet with all the groups and talk to them about the way we want in the opening game against Denmark. each line to find their way through a game and get a little more clarity for them," Hunter said. "We haven’t done that yet. We’ve just been waiting "We weren’t happy with that and he was the best last night at 37 seconds for things to find their way, but I think things are getting clearer now." (per) shift," Hunter said. "He played hard and hustled on, hustled off so he got that message and that’s all you expect." The other two lines – Portland's Cody Glass between Drummondville's Maxime Comtois and Mississauga's Owen Tippett and Sault Ste. Marie's Smith, a New Jersey Devils prospect, and others who extended shifts Barrett Hayton between fellow Greyhound Morgan Frost and Prince during the blowout win against the Danes were put on notice before Albert's Brett Leason – will remain unchanged. stepping on the ice against the Swiss. "They’ve had lots of scoring chances," Hunter said. "They need to clean "We posted the shift lengths before the game and in the morning we up being a little bit East-West in the offensive zone and being closer talked to them about that and all the guys who were over 45 got to see together, but the chemistry on those lines is important. You leave those it," Hunter noted. guys together. They are the top-six guys in my mind." The result? Seravalli: Lafreniere is at the WJC for a reason "Our shift lengths were excellent last night," Hunter said. "The analytics Tim Hunter didn't mince his words when discussing Alexis Lafreniere's show that you’re at your best up to 37 seconds and then after that, if play against Denmark. TSN Senior Hockey Reporter Frank Seravalli joins you’re going hard and maximizing your effort, you start to drop off in Mark Masters to discuss Hunter's handling of the 17-year-old and to talk intensity." about how big of an opportunity the World Juniors is for Hunter's career. Ferraro: 'Not an easy game for Canada's unheralded defence' Hunter isn't planning to overhaul his power play units after Team Canada Gord Miller and Ray Ferraro break down the play of Canada's defence in failed to convert on five chances against the Swiss on Thursday night. front of goalie Ian Scott and how it propelled them to a record of 23-0 Four of those opportunities came in the third period with the game over the Swiss at the World Juniors. hanging in the balance. Bouchard revealed that a phone call from Connor McDavid, who won a "We would've liked to close the game out with a power-play goal," the World Junior gold medal in 2015, boosted the team ahead of the coach admitted, "but these guys are still finding their way of playing tournament. together and building that chemistry that a power play needs to click and our power play will get better when it's needed." "It’s pretty cool to hear his side of things, how it was and what they did to come together as a team," Bouchard said. Is he looking for a more shoot-first mentality? What stood out the most from McDavid's message? "There’s five guys on the power play so we don’t need guys being selfish," Hunter said. "We'll give them some new wrinkles. They're not "Don’t pay attention to all the media stuff going on around you," moving the puck fast enough. They're looking at seams and when you're Bouchard said, "especially with this being in Canada there will be a lot of looking at a seam it's too late. You got to make the pass as soon as it's hype around all the stuff." on your tape, know the seam is there and make the pass and we're just waiting a little too long." Bouchard said McDavid's advice is one of the reasons why the players decided, as a group, to stay off social media during the tournament. And With so much skill on the groups, the frustration level is creeping up a bit. the Oilers captain hasn't been the only high profile guest speaker so far. "A little bit, yeah," admitted London Knights defenceman Evan Bouchard, "We had Sidney Crosby send the players a message," said Hunter. "We who quarterbacks the top unit. "It’s a little frustrating not seeing the puck also had Manny Malhotra talk to the team. Hockey Canada uses alumni go in. But it would be even more frustrating if we weren’t getting our to their advantage, they’ve got some great alumni, a local guy like Manny chances ... We just got to keep shooting." and then some phone interviews and phone conversations with Sidney Hunter sticking with his power play units ahead of test against Czechs and Connor McDavid. It’s a powerful weapon, a powerful tool for us and these guys are excited when they hear from those guys." Bouchard: Team Canada inspired by call from McDavid Evan Bouchard revealed that Team Canada received a call from Connor McDavid ahead of the tournament and the Oilers captain shed some light on what to expect when playing on home soil and how to handle the extra media attention. Projected lineup for Saturday's game: Forwards Comtois-Glass-Tippett Frost-Hayton-Leason Bowers-AndersonDolan-Suzuki Veleno/Lafrenière-Entwistle-Studnicka Defencemen Phillips-Bouchard Brook-Mitchell Smith-Dobson McIssac Goaltenders DiPietro Scott TSN.CA LOADED: 12.29.2018 1123297 Websites “I guess we’ll see,” Dermott said. “Hockey is a weird game where you can think that and then it turns the other way. So whether it’s them having the comfortable feet from playing last night or maybe they’re tired TSN.CA / High-risk Gardiner quietly excelling for Leafs or maybe we’re fresh, maybe we’re cold. You never know. You just try to prepare as best we can and have a good game.”

Friday will be the third and final meeting between the Blue Jackets and Kristen Shilton Leafs this season, with the sides spliting the season-series to date with 4-2 victories for the home team in each outing. All things considered, Gardiner was happy to have the team session on Thursday rather than just jumping right into game action. TSN Toronto reporter Kristen Shilton checks in daily with news and notes on the Maple Leafs. The team held a meeting and optional morning skate “It’s not that long, but it feels like it kind of is sometimes,” he said of the at Nationwide Arena on Friday. layoff. “[We got to] handle the puck a little bit, had a pretty hard practice [yesterday] just trying to get back to it. Obviously [Columbus] having Jake Gardiner is used to taking heat for his style of play, as comparably played last night, I wouldn’t say it’s an advantage because they’re going high-risk as it can be to the other Leafs' defencemen. But like the rest of to be tired from the back-to-back, but they have their legs under them, so Toronto’s blueline, under fire since before the season even started, they’re back to game speed and we’ll have to warm-up extra hard and be Gardiner has worked his way into fine position through 37 games. ready to go.” “I just looked today, happened to be scanning through it, and noticed The last time the Leafs visited the Blue Jackets on Nov. 23, Josh [Gardiner's] like 19th in defensive scoring and he’s plus-17,” said coach Anderson scored twice in the first 10 minutes to put Toronto in a deficit Mike Babcock after the Leafs’ optional morning skate on Friday. “And they couldn’t quite overcome. Knowing how valuable the first half of the he’s been on a power play that’s been kind of non-existent with the opening frame will be on Friday, Babcock hopes his squad is as mentally second group. So, Jake is a good player, he’s one of those guys who to ready as they are physically to battle back. me is an elite brain, makes tons of good plays all the time, is real smart, is way better than people think defensively and he’s an important player “[Columbus] will have had their hands and their brain back,” Babcock for us.” explained. “That first 10 minutes when you’re back and you’re not used to executing at a high pace…we practiced yesterday and it was very Gardiner is one of three skaters the Leafs have among the NHL’s top-10 evident we had a few days off from practice. You have to survive that first defencemen in plus-minus, along with Morgan Rielly (pacing all 10 and take care of the puck and get on them instead of them on you.” defenders at plus-26) and Ron Hainsey (plus-22). While that individual statistic is debated as a true measure of how good a player is, on the Following the Blue Jackets’ win on Thursday, head coach John Tortorella whole, Toronto has also given up the sixth-fewest goals in the NHL this was critical of his group, saying they had “work to do” despite coming season (at 2.78 per game). away with a victory in six of their last seven games and five wins in a row. That’s not to say general manager Kyle Dubas won’t upgrade the Leafs Babcock can appreciate that drive to improve on a coaching level, but defence before the league’s Feb. 28 trade deadline, but for now, the blue sees more than enough to like about this Columbus team. line will stay the course with one another. “Any way you look at it, good teams find ways to win on a regular basis,” “I feel pretty good,” Gardiner said. “It’s pretty easy playing with Nikita Babcock said. “They have a real good hockey club, real good depth, [Zaitsev]. He’s so solid defensively and just takes time and space away good goaltending. They’re going to be hard to play against. In saying all from the other team. [It] makes it easy for me to get the puck and break it that, we have a good team too.” out.” “They have a really good goaltender [in Sergei Bobrovsky], mobile Breakouts have been an issue for Toronto all season to the point that defencemen and obviously some firepower up front,” added Gardiner. Dubas mentioned earlier this month a lack of improvement there would “They’re just trailing us in the standings [by five points]. I’m sure this is expedite the process of a potential trade. Better communication will help going to be a meaningful game for both teams and just have to be ready the breakouts, though, and Gardiner has made strides in that category to go.” alongside Zaitsev. The question mark for Babcock is how much of the good Toronto will be “We’re very comfortable with each other,” Gardiner insisted. “That able to bring right away. It’s a night where the Leafs' own depth, already Russian barrier is tough sometimes, but he’s really opened up. You can impacted by the loss of Zach Hyman and Tyler Ennis to ankle injuries, see his personality more and more every day. He’s very sarcastic and could be in the spotlight and how efficient their secondary scorers and he’s just fun to be around.” bottom defencemen are could ultimately tell the tale. Travis Dermott could use some tips from Gardiner as he tries to build a “You’d like to have your best stuff every day,” Babcock said. “But the similar bond with the Leafs' other Russian blueliner, Igor Ozhiganov. The more depth you have, the more people who can pick each other up and I two have been partners for most of the season, and even though think that’s what happens with good teams.” Ozhiganov spoke less English than Zaitsev did when he arrived in Toronto, Dermott has made slow progress in growing their relationship. Maple Leafs projected lines vs. Columbus “I think that we have a good level of comfortability with each other now; Johnsson-Tavares-Marner we’ve been working on that for this whole season so far,” Dermott said. “I think we’re at a good spot in the process of becoming fully comfortable, I Marleau-Matthews-Kapanen think it is right there. I’m sure we’re just going to keep getting better game Brown-Kadri-Nylander by game.” Lindholm-Gauthier-Moore Ozhiganov will slot back in with Dermott on Friday against Columbus after missing the Leafs last three games with an illness and, ideally, the Rielly-Hainsey partners will be able to establish a good rhythm at both ends of the ice. Gardiner-Zaitsev “Even though we’re a third D-pair where we’re not supposed to be the ones making the offensive plays or really making a big impact in the Dermott-Ozhiganov offensive zone, I think we both like doing that,” Dermott said. “I think Andersen starts Sparks we’re just coming in trying to do the best with what we’re given - try to earn our ice time every night and try to limit our mistakes and make some TSN.CA LOADED: 12.29.2018 good plays.” It’s only been four days since the last time Toronto suited up for a game, capping off a back-to-back against the Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 23. But enjoying the three-day Christmas break did come at a small price, with players showing more rust during Thursday’s practice than Babcock would have liked. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets got right to work, defeating the New York Rangers, 4-3, in overtime on Thursday. Whether that gives Columbus the edge against Toronto will be determined in short order. 1123298 Websites

USA TODAY / Dallas Stars management blasts Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin in expletive-filled tirade

Kevin Allen, USA TODAY Published 6:45 p.m. ET Dec. 28, 2018 | Updated 6:54 p.m. ET Dec. 28, 2018

Dallas Stars President Jim Lites told The Athletic Friday that he and owner Tom Gaglardi are angry about the lack of production from captain Jamie Benn and star Tyler Seguin. “We are a stars-driven league, and our stars aren’t getting it done,” Lites said. “It’s embarrassing, and no one writes it. Write it,” Lites said. In a profanity-laced tirade in which he called the pair "(expletive) horse (expletive)," Lites said he hears from Gaglardi five times per game about how poorly Benn and Seguin are playing. The Stars beat the Nashville Predators 2-0 Thursday night, but Lites still offered his premeditated tongue lashing, “The team was OK, but Seguin and Benn were terrible,” Lites said. About Benn, Lites said, “(Benn's) the leader of the team, he stirs the drink, but he’s not doing it. He’s got to get it done.” Lites also doesn’t accept the excuse that Seguin has had poor puck luck this season. “He’s hitting posts, ‘Wah-wah,' That’s what I say about hitting posts,” Lites said. “Get a little bit closer to the action, actually go to the spot where you score goals. He doesn’t do that, he never does that anymore. He used to be a pest to play against, people hated playing against Tyler Seguin, they don’t anymore." Lites said he has never before commented on player performance, but said he could no longer stand idly by and watch Seguin and Benn play poorly. He asked for a meeting with hand-picked reporters. According to The Athletic, Lites insisted that every word he said was on the record. This tongue-lashing from Lites came after a Thursday morning skate in which coach Jim Montgomery told his players he was "embarrassed" by how they practiced, considering that they are barely holding onto a wild- card spot in the Western Conference. However, Lites’ criticism was directly pointed at Benn and Seguin. "We’ve had meeting after meeting after meeting," Lites said. "The accountability on the ice is not there. "These guys were signed to big contracts because they were the third- and sixth-leading scorers in the National Hockey League over the past five years. They get their money, we expect them to not be outplayed every game we play in. And if they were as good as they’ve been in the past, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.” Benn has a salary of $13 million and a cap hit of $9.5 million and has 30 points in 38 games. Seguin, who signed an eight-year $78.8 million contract extension, has 32 points. Because it is unusual in the NHL for team officials to criticize players, it’s fair to conclude that Lites' tirade was designed to fire up his stars. “It’s not about how much money. I don’t resent the money,” Lites said. “It’s about what we expect the money to be. You just can’t win if your best players aren’t your best players. And they aren’t our best players." USA TODAY LOADED: 12.29.2018