SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 03/24/19 Anaheim Ducks Colorado Avalanche 1137204 Ducks’ Ryan Miller upset about giving up shootout winner 1137240 Coloradoan Brad Watson, NHL referee, retires with honors to Kings’ Anze Kopitar 1137241 Minus two all-stars, Avs defeat Blackhawks to climb back 1137205 Anze Kopitar’s goal in shootout gives Kings win over into playoff spot Ducks 1137242 Philipp Grubauer has taken off for the Avalanche, and this 1137206 Ducks’ Rickard Rakell embracing additional role on is how he’s doing it penalty-killing unit 1137243 4 observations: Secondary scorers propel Avalanche to 4-2 victory over Blackhawks Arizona Coyotes 1137244 The Avs had faith Philipp Grubauer could still be a No. 1 1137207 Arizona Coyotes lose to New Jersey Devils in shootout, goalie. Now he’s proving it but pick up point in playoff push 1137245 Avs-Blackhawks player grades: One step closer 1137208 Darcy Kuemper’s 31 saves not enough as Coyotes fall to 1137246 Wilson breaks out of scoring funk, Avalanche beat Devils in shootout Blackhawks 4-2 Boston Bruins Columbus Blue Jackets 1137209 Bruins clinch playoff spot with rout in Florida 1137247 Sergei Bobrovsky might not play against Canucks 1137210 Here’s why Zdeno Chara is a timeless force in a changing 1137248 Blue Jackets know they need a revival of their top line league 1137249 At critical time for Blue Jackets, Seth Jones steps up to 1137211 Sean Kuraly to miss rest of regular season and what to lead in Nick Foligno’s absence watch for as Bruins play Panthers 1137250 GM Jarmo Kekalainen on Blue Jackets’ lack of cohesion, 1137212 Bruins sign Zdeno Chara to one-year extension support for John Tortorella and a call for accountabili 1137213 Bruins notebook: Sean Kuraly injury shakes things up 1137214 Bruins clinch playoff spot, cruise past Panthers Dallas Stars 1137215 NHL notes: League’s disaster franchises keep burying 1137251 Stars 2019 playoff tracker: Where Dallas sits in the themselves Western Conference standings (updated daily) 1137216 Zdeno Chara here to stay for the next season 1137252 Why is Joe Thornton outperforming Jason Spezza? 1137217 Bruins pregame notes: More injuries hit before Florida Comparing two of the league's veteran forwards 1137218 Talking Points from the Bruins' 7-3 win over the Panthers 1137253 Here we go again? Stars know the pains of a March 1137219 Charlie McAvoy had a heartfelt reaction to Zdeno Chara meltdown, fresh off underwhelming homestand extension news 1137254 Stars let opportunities at home slip away vs. Penguins, 1137220 Bruins sign Zdeno Chara to a one-year, team-friendly and playoff push isn't getting any easier extension 1137255 Jason Spezza's healthy scratch widens Stars' search for 1137221 Sean Kuraly out a month with a fractured right hand top-six forward 1137222 Zdeno Chara will return for another year, signs one-year, 1137256 Which team would the Stars have the best chance to beat $2 million deal in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs? 1137257 How this sequence from Ty Dellandrea's professional Buffalo Sabres debut with Texas Stars shows his ability to be a 2-way cen 1137223 Finality hits Sabres hard as playoff fate become official 1137258 Stars 20/20: Homestand is a reminder of rough history 1137224 The Wraparound: Canadiens 7, Sabres 4 Stars hope to avoid repeating 1137225 Olofsson scores twice in Amerks' win in Toronto 1137226 Sabres Notebook: Pominville pumped to return to lineup in Detroit Red Wings hometown 1137259 Detroit Red Wings stun Vegas Golden Knights in OT, stay 1137227 Sabres at Canadiens: Five Things to Know 3rd in NHL draft lottery 1137228 Inside the NHL: Leafs' Babcock tries to cool heat from 1137260 Why Detroit Red Wings feel blessed to have these 2 media storm veterans as models 1137229 Alternate reality: Could we build a playoff-caliber roster 1137261 Red Wings rally for impressive overtime win in Vegas with talent from the past eight Sabres teams? 1137262 Anthony Mantha’s OT goal lifts Red Wings past Vegas Calgary Flames Edmonton Oilers 1137230 Flames pass 100-point mark with win over Canucks 1137263 Oil Kings open WHL playoffs with loss to Medicine Hat 1137264 Edmonton Oilers kicking themselves over losses to cellar Carolina Hurricanes dwellers 1137231 Canes rebound from loss to Lightning, rip Wild 5-1 1137265 JONES: Hitchcock wants to return as Oilers head coach 1137232 Wild and different kind of day for Canes’ Niederreiter 1137266 Oilers lose in overtime to last-place Ottawa Senators 1137267 GAME DAY: Edmonton Oilers can’t look past Ottawa Chicago Blackhawks 1137268 The Oilers made a rare move and shopped the QMJHL at 1137233 Goalie Corey Crawford is prepared to make back-to-back the 2018 draft. It could happen again. starts with the Blackhawks' season on the line 1137234 Instead of standing tall in their biggest game of the Florida Panthers season, the Blackhawks fall short in a 4-2 loss to the A 1137269 Bruins clinch playoff berth with 7-3 win over Panthers 1137235 Blackhawks notes: Goalie Corey Crawford to start for 1137270 Bruins decimate Montembeault, Panthers with five-goal foreseeable future second period 1137236 Blackhawks' playoff hopes hit huge snag in 4-2 loss to 1137271 Risk rewarded: Sacrifices lead Frank Vatrano to find a Avalanche home with Panthers 1137237 Penalties get best of Chicago Blackhawks in loss to Avs 1137238 Four takeaways: Blackhawks lose ground in wildcard race with regulation loss to Avalanche 1137239 Despite miraculously getting back into the playoff hunt, Blackhawks fail to step up when it matters most Los Angeles Kings New York Rangers 1137272 Kings' Anze Kopitar delivers triumph against Ducks in 1137311 Brendan Lemieux mixes it up and impresses in Rangers battle of cellar dwellers test 1137273 Kings rookie Carl Grundstrom is not deterred by defensive 1137312 Rangers snap long skid thanks to grit and Alexandar adjustments he is facing Georgiev 1137274 Ducks’ Ryan Miller upset about giving up shootout winner 1137313 The all-time best players who were ‘lifers’ with their NY to Kings’ Anze Kopitar teams 1137275 Anze Kopitar’s goal in shootout gives Kings win over 1137314 Ryan Strome scores in overtime as Rangers beat Maple Ducks Leafs to snap five-game skid 1137276 Kings’ Adrian Kempe: Swedish players love their long hair 1137315 Mika Zibanejad is only Ranger to have played in every 1137277 MARCH 23 RAPID REACTION (FEAT. DAVE JOSEPH): game this season KINGS 4, DUCKS 3 (SO) 1137316 Rangers defenseman Brendan Smith enjoying a 1137278 GAME 74: LOS ANGELES VS ANAHEIM comeback season 1137279 LINEUPS; KOVALCHUK; COACH RELATIONSHIPS 1137317 There’s something about Alexandar Georgiev and his (AND EVEN THE TRASH CAN INCIDENT) matchups against the Maple Leafs Minnesota Wild Ottawa Senators 1137280 Wild-Hurricanes game recap 1137318 Senators looking to hire president of hockey operations to 1137281 Wild notes: Nino Niederreiter has emotional reunion with help GM Pierre Dorion former team 1137319 GARRIOCH GAME REPORT: Sens win on Tkachuk’s 1137282 Wild hoping Zach Parise's injury isn't long-term second in OT; Anderson’s drought over 1137283 Teravainen helps lift Hurricanes past Wild 5-1 1137284 Wild loses its way with 5-1 loss to Carolina Philadelphia Flyers 1137285 Wild hoping to avoid letdown vs. Hurricanes 1137320 Flyers lose to Islanders, see playoff hopes dwindle 1137286 Wild go ‘one step forward, one step backward’ with costly 1137321 Flyers Notebook: Hart shakes shelling, looks to move on 5-1 loss to Hurricanes 1137322 Voracek, Flyers aren't whistling a happy tune 1137287 Who won the Victor Rask-Nino Niederreiter trade? (This 1137323 Islanders 4, Flyers 2: Emotional loss the latest of crushing one isn’t close) defeats 1137288 After a resounding loss in Raleigh, time is officially running 1137324 Is there an NHL forward that does more than Flyers' Sean out for the Wild Couturier? 1137325 Flyers 5 takeaways: 'We all have more. We all have Montreal Canadiens better.' 1137289 About last night ... Canadiens win another one they 1137326 Flyers prospect WATCH: Phantoms have to make a late needed playoff push, too 1137290 Canadiens beat Sabres 7-4 to strengthen hold on final 1137327 Flyers vs. Islanders: Game 75 preview, line combinations, playoff spot broadcast info 1137291 Liveblog: Canadiens beat Buffalo 7-4 1137328 Islanders 4, Flyers 2: 10 things we learned from a likely 1137292 Canadiens Game Day: Brendan Gallagher scores twice in fatal blow to the playoff dream 7-4 win over Sabres 1137293 Buffalo Sabres at Canadiens: Five things you should know Pittsburgh Penguins 1137294 They’re surging, but first they had to lose: The Canadiens 1137329 Jared McCann’s short-handed goal gives Penguins win are masters of the productive defeat over Stars 1137295 The Canadiens show they’re hungry for playoff hockey in 1137330 Former Penguins defenseman Jamie Oleksiak gets right win over the Sabres back to where he started from 1137331 Penguins’ Jared McCann sees no need to apologize for Nashville Predators racking up empty-net goals 1137296 Jets take it to Predators, clinch playoff berth behind hat 1137332 Hot goalies keeping lid on Penguins offense trick from Kyle Connor 1137333 As Penguins gush, Jared McCann downplays his glorious 1137297 Winning division isn't everything or only thing for goal Predators, but it's a big thing 1137334 McCann, Murray help Penguins finish job in regulation 1137335 How one of Jim Rutherford’s best trades came together New Jersey Devils 1137336 Timing makes Jared McCann/Nick Bjugstad trade Jim 1137298 Pavel Zacha scores in 6th round of shootout to lead Devils Rutherford’s best with Penguins past Coyotes | Rapid reaction 1137300 Taylor Hall’s return to the Devils’ lineup this season is San Jose Sharks getting less likely 1137337 Sharks not satisfied with single point, believe skid will 1137301 Devils’ lines, pairings vs. Coyotes (3/23/19) | strengthen them Reinforcements have arrived 1137338 Sharks takeaways: What we learned from overtime loss to 1137302 NHL draft lottery odds: Ducks win in OT; Wild move back Ducks into playoff spot (3/23/19) 1137303 Pavel Zacha's shootout goal gives NJ Devils 2-1 win over St Louis Blues Coyotes 1137339 Del Zotto enjoying the playoff chase 1137304 Devils able to play spoiler again 1137340 Blues beat the best with win against Lightning 1137341 Blues hang on for dramatic 4-3 win over Tampa Bay New York Islanders 1137342 Blues wary of potent Tampa Bay power play 1137305 Johnny Boychuk back from six-game absence in Islanders win 1137306 Josh Bailey allows Islanders to exhale as power play struggles 1137307 Islanders still searching for some power-play prowess 1137308 No retaliation from Johnny Boychuk on Flyers' Jakub Voracek 1137309 Barry Trotz's sense of calm gives Islanders a sense of confidence 1137310 Josh Bailey breaks scoring drought and Islanders beat Flyers Tampa Bay Lightning Websites 1137343 Lightning can’t come all the way back against the Blues 1137381 Sportsnet.ca / Leafs turn page on mini crisis with 1137344 The Lightning killing it on special teams recently persistent effort against Rangers 1137345 Lightning pregame: St. Louis with last opportunity to 1137382 Sportsnet.ca / Canucks taken to school by Flames as sweep Tampa Bay playoff hopes keep slipping 1137346 Yanni Gourde suspended two games for hit to Jordan 1137383 Sportsnet.ca / Coach's Corner: Maple Leafs' rough patch Staal’s head is 'good for them' 1137384 Sportsnet.ca / Seattle expansion franchise may hire GM Toronto Maple Leafs this summer 1137347 Leafs’ Auston Matthews might be a volcano ready to blow 1137385 Sportsnet.ca / Canucks' Quinn Hughes resumes skating, | The Star nearing NHL debut 1137348 Rangers’ Alex Georgiev holds Leafs at bay as visitors win 1137386 Sportsnet.ca / Senators looking to hire president of hockey in overtime | The Star operations 1137349 Leafs defenceman Justin Holl has mastered the waiting 1137387 Sportsnet.ca / NHL discussing extension of current playoff game | The Star format 1137350 Maple Leafs fall to lowly Rangers in overtime 1137388 Sportsnet.ca / 5 things to know as Canadiennes, Inferno 1137351 Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock praises tenacious play renew rivalry at Clarkson Cup of Andreas Johnsson 1137389 Sportsnet.ca / Canadiens' Domi shows another sign of 1137352 Holl fills hole for Maple Leafs at last growth in performance vs. Sabres 1137353 SIMMONS: Babcock is a handful of a coach for Dubas or 1137390 Sportsnet.ca / Slow-footed, slow-starting Oilers continue to any GM to deal with disappoint at home 1137354 Maple Leafs steeling themselves for another clash with 1137391 TSN.CA / Maple Leafs looking on bright side again after Rangers goalie Alexandar Georgiev close loss 1137355 Leafs Report Cards – Game 75 vs. New York Rangers 1137392 TSN.CA / Strome nets OT winner as Rangers edge Leafs 1137356 Tulloch: Why the Leafs should never separate Auston 1137393 TSN.CA / Canucks vs. Flames gameday preview Matthews and William Nylander 1137394 TSN.CA / Leafs need Nylander to reach another level "confidence-wise" before playoffs Vancouver Canucks 1137395 USA TODAY / March Madness on skates: Carolina 1137376 Canucks Extra: At the end of the day, it really is about the Hurricanes celebrate victory with a slam dunk details 1137377 Ed Willes: Young Canucks’ growth is real, but they don’t Winnipeg Jets measure up just yet 1137371 Connor nets first NHL hat trick as Jets lock up playoff 1137378 Flames 3, Canucks 1: Calgary proves just too hot for berth in style hard-fighting hosts 1137372 Ehlers happy to be back with Jets top line 1137379 Canucks Game Day: Flames pose huge playoff chase 1137373 Ehlers moves to top line as Jets kick off final homestand of challenge for home team season 1137380 The Athletties: The Stecher legend, the Gilly-to-Edmonton 1137374 Jets book playoff ticket, trample rival Preds situation and the play that turned around The Flow’s 1137375 Good news for Brossoit, as Jets prepare for showdown with Preds Vegas Golden Knights 1137357 Red Wings snap Golden Knights’ 4-game win streak 1137358 William Carrier returns to Golden Knights lineup SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1137359 Cooking fire at Golden Knights practice facility hurts 2 1137360 NHL division races still close with two weeks left in season 1137361 GAME DAY: Golden Knights host Red Wings, go for 7th straight home win 1137362 Golden Knights 'not good enough to win' against Red Wings 1137363 Golden Knights fall in overtime to Red Wings 1137364 Shea Theodore providing offensive spark for Golden Knights since moving to his off side 1137365 Sluggish At Start, Golden Knights Lose, 3-2, In OT To Red Wings Before 18,437 At T-Mobile Arena Washington Capitals 1137366 Evgeny Kuznetsov could miss Capitals’ game vs. Flyers because of illness 1137367 20 goals is an NHL milestone, and three Capitals have done it for the first time this season 1137368 Capitals disappointed in level of urgency in loss to Wild 1137369 Capitals on the cusp of second ever season sweep of Flyers 1137370 An emotional hangover leaves Capitals flat in 2-1 loss to Wild 1137204 Anaheim Ducks

Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.24.2019

Ducks’ Ryan Miller upset about giving up shootout winner to Kings’ Anze Kopitar

By Elliott Teaford | [email protected] | Orange County Register

PUBLISHED: March 23, 2019 at 11:49 pm | UPDATED: March 24, 2019 at 12:12 am

LOS ANGELES — Ducks goaltender Ryan Miller was upset with himself Saturday. He said he should have known better. He’d seen that move before and should have been ready for it when Kings center Anze Kopitar tried in the second round of a shootout at Staples Center.

Kopitar scored the only goal in the shootout with a deft sleight of hand move that surprised Miller and the Kings edged the Ducks 4-3. Kopitar skated toward the net from the red line and then pulled the puck around Miller with his long reach as he skated toward the left goal post.

“He did it in the other direction two years ago,” Miller said. “It’s not impossible. I should know better. I didn’t want him to get ahead of me on the blocker side. The last three or four shootouts he’s had he shot, so obviously he changed it up. I probably should have set up better.”

Miller doesn’t maintain a physical book on the tendencies of opposing shooters, but he keeps it all in his head. He watches games, as most NHL players do, and files away what he sees and how it worked or didn’t work. His memory is impeccable.

“I just kind of know what’s going on,” he said. “I could probably tell you my whole career, honestly. Probably ever guy’s tendency I’ve seen more than once is probably something I can tell you. But it didn’t work the right way tonight.”

In the end, the Ducks were probably fortunate to have been in a shootout Saturday. Miller was superb during the five-minute overtime period, making four saves, including a point-blank denial of Kopitar, to keep the Ducks and Kings deadlocked at 3-3.

In the shootout, Kopitar was the only one to beat Miller, after Kyle Clifford (power play), Jeff Carter and Carl Grundstrom scored in regulation. Miller made 27 saves in regulation and overtime and was especially sharp in the first two periods, when the Ducks were outshot and outplayed.

Miller rebounded from a shaky performance in his last start, when he saved only 18 of 24 shots in the Ducks’ 6-1 loss March 14 to the Arizona Coyotes. Saturday’s start could be his second-to-last of the season, and perhaps in the 38-year-old’s career.

The Ducks have one more set of games on consecutive nights, when they play the Calgary Flames next Friday and the Edmonton Oilers next Saturday, and they’ll need Miller to spell John Gibson in one of those games. Miller also could start Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks.

After all, he played three seasons with the Canucks before signing a two- year, $4-million contract July 1, 2017 to join the Ducks as a free agent. The 38-year-old is eligible to become a free agent again July 1, and he could re-sign or he could retire after a Hall of Fame-caliber career.

Although 2018-19 has been forgettable in almost every regard, it also was the season Miller passed John Vanbiesbrouck and became the all- time leader in victories by a United States-born goalie with 377. He is 7- 6-2 in 18 appearances, his season shortened by a sprained knee.

Like his teammates, he’s been encouraged by the Ducks’ play in the last month or so, or since General Manager Bob Murray fired Randy Carlyle and assumed the coaching duties himself Feb. 10. The Ducks avoided playoff elimination Saturday by gaining one point with their shootout loss.

“There’s been better stretches of hockey,” Miller said. “The system has been better. For whatever reason, it wasn’t there. When a coach gets fired, it’s embarrassing. It’s on the players to play good hockey. Coaches can only tell you what to do, no matter what the situation.

“I thought for the most part, Bob has handled it pretty well. He’s going to be on the bench. Every game is going to be a tryout. Show me what you’ve got. There’s been guys playing better hockey and stepping up, so it’s been good.” 1137205 Anaheim Ducks Rakell said that, “Of course,” he practices that. And with the clock ticking down in the period, he realized he had to act quickly.

“I knew there wasn’t time,” he said. Anze Kopitar’s goal in shootout gives Kings win over Ducks It was No. 14 for Rakell, with Jakob Silfverberg and Adam Henrique assisting on the power-play goal.

By Robert Morales | [email protected] | Press Telegram Carter Rowney scored a short-handed goal for the Ducks at 9:42 of the PUBLISHED: March 23, 2019 at 10:37 pm | UPDATED: March 23, 2019 third period for a 3-2 lead. It was No. 6 for him. at 11:08 PM But Kings rookie Carl Grundstrom matched that with his third at 16:07 to tie the game 3-3, setting the table for the shootout victory.

LOS ANGELES – If it’s true that misery loves company, then the Kings Kings interim coach Willie Desjardins, who has been on board since early will have to wait a bit longer before they can take some solace in the rival November, has come to realize just how much his team likes defeating Ducks not making the playoffs this season, either. the Ducks.

The Kings defeated the Ducks 4-3 in a shootout before 18,230 on “It’s a good rivalry,” he said. “Both teams have got a lot of history, a lot of Saturday night at Staples Center. But it would have taken a regulation pride.” loss by the Ducks to boot them from post-season contention.

That could happen when they play Tuesday at Vancouver. Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.24.2019 The Kings were mathematically eliminated from the playoff race on Monday by virtue of their loss to Winnipeg.

Kings goalie Jonathan Quick did not allow a goal in the shootout, but Kings captain Anze Kopitar was able to get one past Ducks goalie Ryan Miller, and that proved the game-winner.

The Kings (27-39-8, 62 points) have won all three games against the Ducks (31-36-10, 72 points) this season. It never gets old for them.

“Yeah, I mean, I think there is always a little extra buzz in the building when we play them, so to get out on top, it feels good,” Kopitar said.

Kopitar’s goal in the shootout came off a sweet move as he approached Miller, but Miller was bummed he didn’t make the stop.

“He did it the other direction two year ago; it (the move) is not impossible,” Miller said. “I should know better, honestly. I just didn’t want him to get ahead of me on the blocker side.”

Cam Fowler gave the Ducks a 1-0 lead at 3:47 of the first period. His fifth of the season came on a long shot that found its way past Quick. Assists went to Andy Welinski and Sam Steel.

It didn’t take the Kings long to tie the score as Kyle Clifford deflected in a long shot by AlecMartinez for a power-play goal at 5:09. Martinez and Alex Iafallo assisted. The power-play was made possible by a hooking penalty on Ducks forward Max Jones.

It was No. 9 for Clifford, which adds to his career high. The most goals he had scored in his previous eight years was seven.

The point also tied his career high with 15, which he also had in 2014-15.

Also, it was the first power-play goal of Clifford’s career. It came in his 599th game. He smiled when asked about that.

“Yeah, nine years later, it’s awesome,” he said, getting laughs out of reporters.

Although the Ducks did not do a good job of killing their first penalty – the Kings scored in 16seconds – they did a nice job of killing Josh Manson cross-checking penalty later in the period.

The Kings took a 2-1 lead at 13:48 of the second period when Jeff Carter scored his second goal in as many games and 12th of the season.

Carter took a nice pass from Dustin Brown and fired it past Miller at an angle from about 10 feet. Assists went to Brown and Austin Wagner.

Carter had gone 20 games without a goal before scoring one in Thursday’s victory over San Jose.

But the Ducks didn’t wilt. Kings forward Austin Wagner was called for roughing at 19:34. And Rickard Rakell took advantage when he smacked an airborne puck past Quick at 19:58 to tie the game 2-2 heading into the second intermission.

Rakell went over the tally.

“I tried to get a quick shot off, but the puck wouldn’t stay on the ice,” he said. “I just tried to bat it out of the air. It was nice to see it go in.” 1137206 Anaheim Ducks Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.24.2019

Ducks’ Rickard Rakell embracing additional role on penalty-killing unit

By Elliott Teaford | [email protected] | Orange County Register

PUBLISHED: March 23, 2019 at 8:22 pm | UPDATED: March 23, 2019 at 8:22 PM

LOS ANGELES — The Ducks’ season went haywire for a million different reasons back in December, January and February, when they couldn’t seem to score, couldn’t prevent the opposition from scoring and couldn’t win. Injuries played a role. Lackluster performances from key players were to blame, as well.

Since then, since a coaching change Feb. 10, Bob Murray has been eager to make alterations, some more dramatic than others. The Ducks’ general manager and interim coach has mixed and matched players and placed them in unfamiliar roles.

Rickard Rakell’s new job as a member of the Ducks’ penalty-killing unit has been one of the more significant changes. Rakell has played a key role on their power play and has scored plenty of goals in five-on-five situations in the past two seasons. But this is something new.

“Why not?” Murray said. “I’d like to see what everybody can do.”

Murray had no doubts about whether Rakell was up to the task.

“He’s got the speed,” Murray said. “He’s got a good stick. He’s got a good hockey mind. He likes to say the first time I saw him he was a defensive center. I kind of disagree with that. I don’t remember it that way, but he has been used on some of the Swedish teams in that role.”

Rakell has accepted his new role willingly, mainly because his ice time has been increased. He’s played 19 minutes or more in each of the past four games, including 19:58 in the Ducks’ overtime victory Friday over the San Jose Sharks. His season average is 18:26.

“It’s been fun for me to just get some extra time on the ice and try to stay in the game,” he said. “It really helps. If you’re not playing on the penalty kill there might be some times where you just sit on the bench and wait for a five-on-five or a five-on-four chance.

“I take some pride in playing some good defense. So far it’s been pretty fun. (Murray) asked me asked me if I would feel comfortable doing it. If you play on the power play you know what’s hard, what’s tough to play against so you just try to use that and use it against other teams.”

Rakell’s additional responsibilities didn’t hinder his offensive workload during a three-point game Friday. He scored two goals, his first multi-goal game of the season, and then assisted countryman Jakob Silfverberg’s winning goal in OT.

His goals were only the 12th and 13th of the season for Rakell, down from a career-high 34 last season, when he led the Ducks in goals and points (69). He had 36 points and a minus 17 plus/minus defensive rating in 63 games going into Saturday’s game against the Kings at Staples Center.

“As with everybody, we’re putting players in different positions to see what they can do,” Murray said. “We’ve added some penalty killing to Ricky’s game. I think Ricky’s at the point where the more minutes he plays the better he plays.”

SHERWOOD, STEEL RECALLED

The Ducks recalled right wing Kiefer Sherwood and center Sam Steel from the San Diego Gulls of the AHL. Sherwood has five goals and 10 points in 23 games with the Gulls this season and Steel has 18 goals and 39 points in 50 games with San Diego.

KASE MEDICAL UPDATE

Right wing Ondrej Kase is ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation and recovery from season-ending surgery in January to mend a a torn labrum in his shoulder, Murray said. Kase has been working out in the gym most mornings at Honda Center and expected to be sound by the start of training camp in September.

1137207 Arizona Coyotes Arizona Republic LOADED: 03.24.2019

Arizona Coyotes lose to New Jersey Devils in shootout, but pick up point in playoff push

Staff Report

Associated Press

Published 1:11 p.m. MT March 23, 2019 | Updated 7:52 p.m. MT March 23, 2019

NEWARK, N.J. – Despite being eliminated from postseason contention, the banged-up New Jersey Devils have hurt the playoff hopes of some wild-card contenders in recent weeks.

Late last month they surprised the Montreal Canadiens and Saturday they put a crimp in the Coyotes’ chances with a 2-1 shootout win Saturday afternoon, sending Arizona to its fourth straight loss.

“We got the point, but we have some guys playing tight,” said Arizona coach Rich Tocchet, whose team is on an 0-2-2 run. “It’s my job to get these guys to relax.”

The Devils won because Blake Coleman and Pavel Zacha scored in the fifth and sixth rounds of the shootout and goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood made 23 saves in regulation and was beaten on one shootout attempt as New Jersey won for only the fourth time in 14 games (4-9-1).

“He’s such a beast,” Coleman said of Blackwood. “He is intimidating. You come down on him and he takes up a ton of net and he can move as fast as anybody I have seen. I am surprised they got any on him.”

Blackwood and Coyotes goaltender Darcy Kuemper, who had 31 saves, were outstanding in the game.

Blackwood gave up an early goal to Arizona defenseman Oliver Ekman- Larsson, while Kuemper gave up a soft one to Drew Stafford late in the first period.

The goaltenders stopped the first four shootout attempts on each side before Coleman scored with a forehand. Conor Garland forced another round scoring on a backhander. Zacha beat Kuemper between the pads and Richard Panik failed to respond for the Coyotes.

Zacha said he noticed Nico Hischier almost beat Kuemper between the pads.

“It was a bit open and so was mine,” Zacha said. “My mind was made up when I was going and the guy was really far from the net.”

Arizona had two great chances to win on a power play in overtime, with Derek Stepan and Clayton Keller both hitting a goalpost.

“We battled hard and that’s all you could ask for a team,” Coyotes defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson said. “We’re playing in the NHL against good teams. They had a lot of guys back in their lineup and they have a good hockey team. There are no easy games.”

Kuemper kept the Coyotes in the game in the last two periods of regulation, stopping 22 shots as the Devils had five power plays. He had two saves in close on Coleman and another on Hischier in the final seven minutes.

Hjalmarsson also batted a floating puck away from goal in the waning minutes.

Ekman-Larsson opened the scoring with a wrist shot from the point 2:31 after the opening faceoff.

Stafford tied the game with under three minutes left in the period with his second goal in two games on a shot that went between Kuemper’s pads.

Kuemper made up for the mistake in the second period, stopping 10 shots, including eight on the Devils’ four power plays in the period.

Both teams had players returning from injury. The Coyotes’ Stepan missed 10 games with a lower-body injury. Back for New Jersey were Hischier, Kyle Palmieri, Miles Wood, John Queeneville and defenseman Sami Vatanen and Mirco Mueller.

1137208 Arizona Coyotes

Darcy Kuemper’s 31 saves not enough as Coyotes fall to Devils in shootout

Staff Report

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

MARCH 23, 2019 AT 2:20 PM

NEWARK, N.J. — Blake Coleman and Pavel Zacha scored in the fifth and sixth rounds of the shootout and New Jersey Devils hurt Arizona’s playoff chances with a 2-1 victory Saturday, sending the Coyotes to their fourth straight loss.

Drew Stafford scored in regulation for New Jersey, and MacKenzie Blackwood made 23 saves in regulation and stopped five of six chances in the shootout.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored for Arizona while Darcy Kuemper had 31 saves.

Coleman scored the first shootout goal with a forehand, but Conor Garland forced another round scoring on a backhander. Zacha beat Kuemper between the pads and Richard Panik failed to respond for the Coyotes.

Arizona had two great chances to win on a power play in overtime, with Derek Stepan and Clayton Keller both hitting goalposts.

Kuemper kept the Coyotes in the game in the last two periods of regulation, stopping 22 shots as the Devils had five power plays. He had two saves in close on Coleman and another on Nico Hischier in the final seven minutes.

Arizona defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson also batted a floating puck away from goal in the waning minutes.

Ekman-Larsson opened the scoring with a wrist shot from the point 2:31 after the opening faceoff.

Stafford tied the game with just under three minutes left in the period with his second goal in two games. His shot from the left circle went between Kuemper’s pads, and he looked to the rafters after it went in.

Kuemper made up for the mistake in the second period, stopping 10 shots, including eight on the Devils’ four power plays in the period.

Both teams had players returning from injury. The Coyotes’ Stepan missed 10 games with a lower-body injury. Back for New Jersey were Hischier, Kyle Palmieri, Miles Wood, John Queeneville and defenseman Sami Vatanen and Mirco Mueller.

NOTES: Devils D Will Butcher missed his second straight game with an illness. … Devils placed F Blake Pietila on waivers on Friday. He was not claimed. … The Devils recognized recently retired longtime off-ice official Vin Godleski. He stepped in and was a lineman in Game 4 of the 1988 Wales Conference Final between the Devils and Bruins after NHL officials refused to work the game because New Jersey had taken legal action to allow Jim Schoefeld to coach the game despite a league suspension.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137209 Boston Bruins Ex-Panther Steven Kampfer sailed a power-play wrister from the top of the circle through traffic for 5-2. The 6-2 goal arrived in classic David Pastrnak fashion.

Bruins clinch playoff spot with rout in Florida Pastrnak, trying to find his timing after five weeks with a hand injury, fanned three times on earlier shot attempts. He didn’t miss this one. Halak fed Chara, who saw three Bruins waiting at the far blue line during By Matt Porter a botched Florida line change. Chara chose the middle lane on I-95, feeding a streaking Pastrnak for a deft upstairs finish. Globe Staff “We can live with two goals in three games while he’s shaking off the

rust,” Cassidy said of Pastrnak, who produced his 33rd of the season and SUNRISE, Fla. — Before visiting the powerful Lightning on Monday, the also set up a Bergeron empty-netter with 26.8 seconds left. Bruins hoped to feel confident. Instead, they strolled out of here with a 7- As the Bruins boarded a plane headed across the Everglades, many 3 win that was wholly dominant. players were sharing on Twitter action photos of themselves celebrating In a beatdown of the Panthers at BB&T Center: with teammates. The captions for each: “Playoff bound.”

■ Seven different Bruins scored. Twelve players, including netminder Jaroslav Halak, recorded a point. Boston Globe LOADED: 03.24.2019 ■ With the win, Boston became the second Eastern Conference team to clinch a playoff spot and assured it will finish with a better record than Montreal. At 46-20-9 (101 points), they reached the century mark in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2010-12.

■ Zdeno Chara, the 42-year-old captain, celebrated his one-year contract extension with his 200th career regular-season goal. It gave the Bruins a 3-1 lead, and they poured it on from there against the sloppy Panthers (33-30-12), who will miss the playoffs for the 16th time in the last 18 seasons.

“A nice continuation of the road trip,” said coach Bruce Cassidy, his club outscoring foes 17-4 on this three-game swing. The secondary scoring he wanted early in the year? Well, “we seem to have hit it here the last month,” he said. “So that’s good. I think every team would tell you they don’t want to rely on three or four players to score.”

As usual, Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak and Patrice Bergeron (goal and assist each) got theirs. But Boston relies on its grinders to set the tone, and despite missing valuable center/wing Sean Kuraly (hand surgery, expected to miss four weeks), the recently created Joakim Nordstrom-Noel Acciari-David Backes line got the B’s buzzing.

Acciari, who later tuned up MacKenzie Weegar in a center-ice showdown, hustled to negate an icing and buried Backes’ behind-the-net feed for a 1-0 lead 2:23 into the affair.

“We all know what we bring to the table,” said Acciari, who fell an assist shy of his first career Gordie Howe hat trick. “We’re just hard to play against.”

It was a mismatch from there, save for a response from the Panthers after a Boston goal in the opening minute of the second. Patrice Bergeron stripped ex-BC defenseman Mike Matheson and fed Brad Marchand for his 32nd of the year at 0:28, but Jayce Hawryluk made it 2- 1 at 0:52.

But Chara, after Danton Heinen floated a pass to space, walked into the slot and fired through a screen. He raised both arms — all that was missing was a Stanley Cup — and looked to the sky, celebrating his 200th (with 441 assists) in his 1,479th game.

“You want to not allow a team back in the game,” Cassidy said, noting “that was an issue for us earlier in the year.”

Rookie winger Karson Kuhlman, making a case to stick around after his emergency call-up, was buzzing. He made it 4-1 in his sixth career game, picking Weegar’s outlet pass, dancing through the beleaguered blueliner, and zipping a wrister through rookie backup Sam Montembeault (32 saves on 38 shots).

“His goal was terrific,” Cassidy said. “He attacked. Some other guys might have deferred and kicked the puck out. He just saw a lane and went for it a snapped a nice shot.”

Florida winger Mike Hoffman used his killer shot after streaking from the neutral zone to the right circle. He beat Halak (31 saves on 34 shots) clean for his 35th goal of the season. But Boston quickly doubled its lead, shortly after Acciari responded to a run at rookie Connor Clifton by battering Weegar with left hooks, jabs and uppercuts — 14 of them, with none catching him high in response. 1137210 Boston Bruins a footrace, that’ll be tough for him. So the angles become that much more important.

“You know, how he positions his stick, how he positions his body. You Here’s why Zdeno Chara is a timeless force in a changing league can’t put a stick on a guy anymore. It’s stick to stick instead of stick on the body. He’s so smart out there. When you don’t have the speed, the angles become that much more important. Body position and stick By Kevin Paul Dupont position is what I often refer to when talking about him. He is so good at defending — the stick is always a threat to be in the way.” Globe Staff For his part, Chara thinks the 20-year-old version of himself reporting to

an NHL camp today still would get a viable shot. He still thinks coaches There likely won’t be a next Zdeno Chara in the NHL, because times are value today the things he put on the table then. different, the game far faster than when Big Z first entered the league “Ummmm . . . tough to say,” he said. “Different times. I think they still more than 20 years ago. Speed isn’t everything in today’s game, but a value the size, toughness, strength. I mean, it is still valuable. I don’t big guy like Chara (admittedly, 6-foot-9-inch redwoods are few) would think it is just something that you can completely ignore and think now have to prove from the very first puck drop in training camp that he had you are just going to look for players that are just highly skilled and skate the requisite leg RPM for the position. and not being tough or handle different situations. I think you are always “You get a 6-foot-8 guy coming in here, and it looks like he’s not fluid, looking for those type of values. It’s just the game, the systems, the rules, right away you’d say, ‘No, not going to be able to skate well enough,’ ” everything was different back then.” said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy. “So that’d be tough for a guy in this As for smaller defensemen not often getting a chance in days gone by, day and age. They get ruled out quickly . . . people figure, ‘Well, how Chara summoned the names Paul Coffey and Glen Wesley as two much can his skating progress at his age?’ ” examples of “smaller defensemen” who excelled. Of course, Coffey was Chara, who celebrated his 42nd birthday on Monday, is a marvel in many 6 feet and Wesley 6-1, and both played at 200 pounds. Which goes to ways, his greatest talent perhaps his ability to tailor his skill set to an show, the view of all things is a little smaller when seen through Big Z’s ever-changing league template over the last 20-plus years. eyes.

Initially a towering, lumbering curiosity upon entering the league in 1997- Collision course 98, he was given a lengthy shot by the Islanders not because of his The Bruins defeated the Maple Leafs in seven games in the first round of speed and mobility, but because of his size and strength and near- the 2018 playoffs. maniacal work ethic. Monday night’s stop in Tampa will offer the Bruins a look at what they It was a league then in which defensemen were encouraged to work the already know: The Lightning will enter the postseason as the strongest front of their nets like sadistic nightclub bouncers. Cross-checks and butt Stanley Cup favorite in years, with no discernible weaknesses. It’s a ends were the standard order of business at the top of the goalie’s bolder, more offensively prolific edition than the squad that ran the table crease. Defensemen were only sent to the penalty box, complaining all on the Bruins in four straight after losing Game 1 of the Eastern semis the way, of course, if a brutalized forward was sent to the hospital. last spring. Onetime Bruins coach Butch Goring, one of Chara’s early coaches on The Bruins’ sharper focus at the moment is the Maple Leafs, who have the Island, often paired Big Z with 6-5 Eric Cairns. The idea wasn’t been their inevitable first-round matchup since before even the Feb. 25 skating and puck movement. Goring wanted a granite-block fortress with trade deadline. Yet another drawback of the current postseason system two massive-armed knights parked in front of the net. is that two solid clubs, parked 2-3 in their division, have their playoff “I played Chara against the best teams’ forwards, and he didn’t have any dance partners nearly preordained, while the division winners await the problems at all,” recalled Goring. “Imagine that pairing? One 6-9 and the often down-to-the-wire finish of the 7-8 wild-card berths. Not much other 6-5?! We were playing the Rangers one night, and they had Theo suspense there for fans who feed off the mysteries of matchups. Fleury on their best line. And of course, I had Chara and Cairns out Unless the math flips dramatically, the Bruins will lock up the home-ice there. I’d tell them, ‘Anyone comes to the net, you lay it on ’em.’ And advantage over Toronto this coming week — a repeat of last year’s Fleury was so [ticked] at me. And I know Fleury, because he’s from opening round. Muddling around at .500 the last couple of weeks (5-4-1 Manitoba [same as Goring]. He came racing by the bench one day and in their last 10 as of Friday morning), the Leafs again look and sound he said every word . . . in . . . the . . . book. He thought I was after him. I vulnerable. wasn’t after him. I was playing the game the proper way and thinking how we were going to win.” This is coach Mike Babcock’s fourth year behind the Leafs’ bench. They missed the playoffs his first year, followed by a pair of first-round Chara’s game truly didn’t begin to evolve until he was dealt to Ottawa in knockouts in years 2 and 3. He has yet to live up to the “rainmaker” label June 2001. To that point, after 3½ seasons on the Island, he had six that had the Leafs shower him with an eight-year deal worth $50 million. goals and 29 points, not to mention, ahem, 347 penalty minutes, in 231 games. Not very likely that those numbers would carry a guy into a fifth And Monday, this was Babcock following the Blue and White’s morning season today. The penalty minutes alone might be enough for a ticket workout: back to Trencin. “You’re supposed to build the best program you can, so you have as To underscore his case for how a guy like Chara would struggle to gain a much depth so you don’t miss people. If you have enough, you don’t foothold today, Cassidy noted how the game in the late ’90s rarely miss a beat and you keep going. There’s other teams that have done a offered work to undersized defensemen. Rule of the day: be big or be better job when different players are out than we have in keeping going. gone. Greg Hawgood (Hawgie Hockey!) was the rarity. And let’s not That just tells us what state we’re at, and you’ve just got to keep adding forget, Hawgood played for seven other NHL teams after Boston, with better players.” coaches forever trying to transition the little guy (5-10) to forward. Quite a statement. If it were, say, April 22, and the Leafs again had been “A 5-foot-10 guy years ago would really have to upset the applecart to sent skittering down playoff death row. Babcock’s remarks would have get a chance, said Cassidy. “The Torey Krugs of the world had a tough been the normal speak of Breakup Day. time. [Matt] Grzelcyk would never get a look back then. It’s not what the game wanted or how GMs filled out [their rosters].” But some three weeks ahead of the playoffs, with his team sputtering, it sounded like so much kicking the excuse can down the road. It also It has been Chara’s ability to adapt, stressed Bob Beers, veteran analyst sounded like he was talking about the Bruins, who have had their ample on the Bruins radio broadcasts, that has been so impressive. Chara not share of injuries (including seven players sidelined by concussion) and only has been able to improvise and keep pace with a game that is just kept on trucking. played at an increasingly blurring speed, but he has made all necessary changes well beyond the years that most players call it quits. It’s hardly a fait accompli that the Bruins will get by the Leafs. It took seven games last spring and it easily could go seven again this year. “You have to admire the way that he’s altered his game, to continue to be With his team scuffling, shouldn’t Babcock’s emphasis be on powering effective,” said Beers, the former Bruins backliner. “He’s not going to win through the challenge rather than identifying the alleged root cause? Third-year Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo has 224 games logged in sent Bill Muckalt and a first-round pick to Ottawa for Alexei Yashin. the NHL, not one of them in the playoffs. He is counting on that changing Ottawa used the pick, No. 2 ovearll, to claim Jason Spezza in the 2001 quite soon, although it’s a hope he is somewhat reluctant to express for draft . . . The Blue Jackets entered weekend play 1 point out of a wild- fear of jinxing it. card berth (No. 8 owned by an obscure French-Canadian franchise). If they miss out, it’s all but a guarantee that goalie Sergei Bobrovsky (31- “I just don’t even talk about it or try and think about it,” he said. “For me, 23-1 as of Friday morning) will have to find work elsewhere as an it’s nerve-racking, I guess.” unrestricted free agent. Just a year ago, Bobrovsky had an eight-year, For good reason. In his rookie season, Carlo sat out the 2017 playoffs $72 million offer to remain in Cannon town . . . Cassidy, who grew up in because of a concussion. Last year, a broken ankle had him again on the Ottawa as a huge Bobby Orr fan, also was a Denis Potvin devotee. sidelines, this time wheeling around the dressing room and press box on Potvin was also from Ottawa and also played junior for the local “67s”, a tricycle-like contraption propping his leg to aid in the healing process the same as Cassidy. The only rub came in 1976, when Cassidy was 11 after surgery to repair a cracked fibula. and Orr and Potvin paired on a Team Canada squad for the Canada Cup. Orr, though hindered by bad knees, was named tournament MVP. Carlo, at 215, is 10 pounds heavier than in his rookie season. The By Cassidy’s recollection, Potvin was quoted as saying he outplayed Orr combination of physical heft and overall playing experience should bring in a couple of games. “And I’m like, ‘How can you say that about my him to his first postseason (fingers crossed) as a more finished product guy?’ ” recalled Cassidy. “Obviously, I think it was a sentimental vote as than if he had been in the lineup for that first-round series against Ottawa much as any — Orr had missed some time playing and came back for in ’17. the tournament. What he said always rubbed me the wrong way. But I always loved the way [Potvin] played. He was tough. Those good “For the physical grind, he should be better prepared,” said coach defensemen back then, he was tough, could hit, fight, and score. My BruceCassidy, Carlo just one of the injured among a decimated Boston brother was a huge New York Islander fan, so I heard a lot about Potvin backline in the 2017 postseason. “He’s two years stronger and you can from him.” . . . Orr, by the way, celebrated his 71st birthday on see that out on the ice every day. So that part should carry over to the Wednesday. Next spring, that tattered picture in your garage, with Orr playoffs.” flying through the air after banging home the Cup winner, will be 50 years What Carlo won’t have is the experience, the knowledge gained in being old. dropped into the deep end of an entirely different level of competition.

“He’ll be nervous, I assume,” said Cassidy. “But hopefully that’ll be gone Boston Globe LOADED: 03.24.2019 in a hurry, because he does have the 200-something games under his belt, so it’s not like he is brand new to it. He has veteran guys around him. That’s one area that we’ll have to get him through in a hurry.”

Carlo’s game remains centered on defense, a definition that he still believes he can broaden. He has the legs and stick skill to be more involved in the offense, but Cassidy, like Claude Julien in Carlo’s first year, typically slots him in a more conservative role. In his first year, Carlo rode most with Chara in a big shutdown pair. Under Cassidy, he typically has been the stabilizing factor in a No. 2 pairing with the offensively minded Torey Krug.

“I think there’s still room for me to grow,” said Carlo. “I think I’ll continue to say that, on the offensive side of things. But overall I think, right now, it’s not a tryout period. I think that’s more early in the year and preseason. Right now I think I kind of have my defined role as a defensive guy and that’s what I want to bring to the table during the playoffs.”

The first time experiencing the second season, noted Cassidy, will present Carlo with variables he hasn’t witnessed over his three tours of regular-season play.

“The elevation of play,” said Cassidy. “Until you’ve played it, guys tend to be a little more determined finishing their checks. Guys who don’t normally finish their checks a ton during the year, they’ll at least skate through you. There’s just a little more of that, a little less room to operate, and he’ll have to learn that.”

In his third year, Carlo has been more settled with the puck, less prone to get rid of it in circumstances when he’s not under pressure. All part of a backliner’s learning curve. “I kind of just want to continue on a positive note,” he said. “Continue those strides before the playoffs and in the playoffs. Hopefully with my experience of calming down a little bit more, and gaining in experience, will help me in the playoffs when it gets loud and rowdy.”

Loose pucks

The Hurricanes are on the verge of making the postseason for the first time since 2009. Prior to getting waxed by Tampa, 6-3, on Thursday, they were on a 12-3-1 run. Not one member of the current roster played for Carolina in the 2009 playoffs. Justin Williams was there in 2008-09, but was flipped to Los Angeles at the March trade deadline for Patrick O’Sullivan and a second-round draft pick used to take former Boston College Eagle Brian Dumoulin (now a two-time Cup winner in Pittsburgh) . . . ButchGoring, let go as the Islanders’ coach late in the 2000-01 season, met with then-owner Charles Wang in an exit interview. “He asked me for an appraisal of his team,” recalled Goring. “And I told him, point blank, ‘I know you are thinking of trading [Zdeno] Chara. Do not do that. It will be the biggest mistake you make in your life. Do not trade this guy.’ ” And with a hearty chuckle, Goring added, “He didn’t listen to me.” Then-GM Mike Milbury wheeled Chara to the Senators in a deal that also 1137211 Boston Bruins

Sean Kuraly to miss rest of regular season and what to watch for as Bruins play Panthers

By Matt Porter

Globe Staff

SUNRISE, Fla. — Some points of interest from the edge of the Everglades, where the Bruins (45-20-9) are back in business after a day off at Jeremy Jacobs’ sun-splashed compound:

■ Sean Kuraly, who blocked a shot with his right hand in Thursday’s 5-1 win at New Jersey, had surgery to repair a fracture and will miss four weeks, ending his regular season. Kuraly, who saw Newton-based hand specialist Dr. Matt Liebman, could return by the end of a likely first-round match with Toronto, should the series go deep.

Kuraly, who ranks ninth on the team in scoring (8-13—21), has played fourth-line wing and third-line center. He has shown flashes of a player who could bat higher in the order most recently in a 5-0 win on Long Island on Tuesday, when he scored twice.

To fill his roster spot, the Bruins recalled Karson Kuhlman from AHL Providence on an emergency basis. Kuhlman, who produced one goal and one assist in five games last month, could rejoin David Krejci on the second line. That would bump Charlie Coyle (1-1— 2 in 13 games as a Bruin; zero shot attempts vs. NJD) to the No. 3 center spot recently occupied by Kuraly.

■ The Bruins did not hold a traditional morning skate Saturday before taking on the down-and-out Panthers (33-29-12). Close to puck drop, coach Bruce Cassidy is expected to address the return of Zdeno Chara on a one-year discount (announced by the club Saturday morning), and the status of his ailing charges.

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■ Not known if Florida R-n-R was part of doctor’s orders, but four injured players — winger Marcus Johansson and defensemen Torey Krug, Matt Grzeclyk and Kevan Miller — traveled to Jacobs HQ South in Wellington, Fla. for Friday’s day-off playtime (we assume the Krug vs. Brad Marchand battle continued on the Jacobs family motorbikes, tennis court, at the fishing hole…)

Updates to come on their availability late-afternoon.

■ The Bruins, who made it easy on Tuukka Rask (35 saves, 10-1 goal differential in wins at NYI and NJ), will ask Jaro Halak to face the Cats. The backup, 6-1-0 in his last seven, has a chance to erase Dec. 4 from his memory. Halak was in goal that night as the battered Bruins fell apart in Sunrise, losing 5-0. He allowed five goals on 44 shots.

■ With 99 points, Cassidy’s crew could hit the century mark for the second year in a row (112 last year). The last string of 100-point seasons: 2010-11 (103, won the Cup) and 2011-12 (102, first-round exit). Before that? ‘89-91.

■ After visiting Tampa on Monday, the Bruins host the Rangers on Wednesday. It could be the last time Boston sees King Henrik Lundqvist tending goal for the Broadway Blueshirts, though Lundqvist, 37, told the New York Post this week he is geared toward being part of the NYR rebuild.

Boston Globe LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137212 Boston Bruins have a little fun with us. He’s not above that because his age, which we really appreciate.”

Carlo and forward Danton Heinen (23) could command $3-4 million Bruins sign Zdeno Chara to one-year extension annually as they exit their entry-level deals. Chara will show them how to navigate the league.

By Matt Porter “I enjoy my role,” he said. “I really take a lot of pride in being a captain, being one of those mentor guys that tries to help younger guys and lead Globe Staff them in the right direction.

“It’s a lot of fun to be part of. Coming up in the future, this team is in the right place. I want to be part of it, and still contribute with the experience SUNRISE, Fla. — Amid the sweat of another game, the sweetness of that I have.” another playoff berth clinched, and a smile that creased his 42-year-old face, Zdeno Chara had trouble finding the words. He paused several Chara’s agent, Wellesley-based Matt Keator, said the sides didn’t take times, grinning. long to find common ground.

“I think I would like to dedicate this goal to my dad,” he finally said. “At this stage of his career, it was important for Z to work within the confines of the Bruins’ cap situation to give the Bruins the very best Zdenek Chara, from back home in Slovakia, has been giving his son a bit chance to win a Cup,” Keator said. “Brady and Z are both willing to of good-natured grief in recent weeks. He watches the highlights of most sacrifice to win and play as long as they can, well into their 40s.” Bruins games, since North American puck drops come in the wee hours of the morning there, and he had yet to see his son score his 200th NHL Chara, who is 25th all-time in games played (1,479), could jump into the goal. top 15 with another full season. He’s more interested in adding a second Stanley Cup to a CV that will be on the desk of every Hall of Fame voter. Chara was excitedly waiting for a postgame text from his dad Saturday, after his wrister through traffic helped push the B’s to a 7-3 win over “You either have it or you don’t,” Chara said of the motivation to continue. Florida. “I’ve always been a driven guy. I love competing. Just enjoy coming to the rink and have passion for the sport that gave me so much, that “I’m not one of those guys who’s going to score another 100,” noted helped me have a better life, and my family. Chara, who turned 42 on March 18. “I came in the league as a stay-at- home defenseman, and I take a lot of pride in my defensive game. It’s a “So, for me, it’s just keep going, keep proving that it’s possible. I think pretty decent number for a guy who was not supposed to play the game.” there is still room to improve, still things I would like to reach and accomplish as a team. So yeah, why not?” The most recent sports headlines delivered to your inbox every morning. Kuraly done until playoffs Indeed. Chara, long ago considered a lanky project better suited for the basketball court, became the 22nd NHL defenseman to hit the 200-goal Sean Kuraly, who blocked a shot with his right hand in Thursday’s 5-1 plateau. The milestone goal arrived hours after the Bruins announced win at New Jersey, had surgery to repair a fracture and will miss four Chara would return on another one-year deal. weeks, ending his regular season. Kuraly (8-13—21) could return by the end of a first-round series with Toronto, should the series go deep. . . . He will make $2 million in salary, a trim of his current $5 million rate. The The Bruins recalled Karson Kuhlman from AHL Providence on an contract calls for an additional $1.75 million in performance-based emergency basis, and dropped him onto the second line with David incentives, identical to those in the one-year extension he signed last Krejci. He promptly scored a pretty goal to make it 4-1 in the second, his March: $1.25 million if he plays 10 games, $250,000 if the Bruins make second goal in six NHL appearances . . . Charlie Coyle skated 17:43 and the playoffs, and another $250K if they win the Stanley Cup. had an assist in the No. 3 center spot recently occupied by Kuraly, Like Tom Brady, who has given the Patriots hometown discounts to keep flanked by Danton Heinen and Chris Wagner. Cassidy was eager to see chasing Super Bowls, Chara’s numbers will help Bruins general manager how the possession game of Coyle (1-2—3 in 14 games as a Bruin) Don Sweeney manage his salary cap. The captain will go year-by-year, would fit with Heinen (“a bit of a playmaker”) and the net-driving Wagner, at a discount, until he retires . . . whenever that might be. noting that it could be a trio moving forward. . . . Four injured Bruins — winger Marcus Johansson and defensemen Torey Krug, Matt Grzeclyk “You’re no longer going to reach the same benchmarks as you used to. and Kevan Miller — were expected to practice in Tampa on Sunday. That’s just Father Time,” Sweeney said before the game, noting that Cassidy ruled out Miller (upper body) from a return Monday against the Chara’s defensive impact has remained significant with a reduced juggernaut Bolts. workload. “But to try to get back as close as possible is what drives Z. And an enormous amount of pride, and the leadership side of it.”

That was on display in the third period. Chara stepped in to protect his Boston Globe LOADED: 03.24.2019 partner when Charlie McAvoy, at the end of a shift lasting 1:59, had enough of Vincent Trocheck and dropped the gloves. McAvoy can look after himself, coach Bruce Cassidy noted, but fighting while tired, at the end of that kind of shift, often leads to trouble.

“That’s Z for you,” Cassidy said. “He wanted to make sure Charlie wasn’t getting exposed or in a bad spot.”

McAvoy, one of the league’s brightest blueline talents, is a restricted free agent and could command a deal worth around $8 million annually. When asked before the game what he thinks Chara’s extension could mean for him, McAvoy said he’s “not thinking too far down the road.” He considers himself “very lucky” to have played with Big Z.

“You don’t know what hard work is until you’ve seen him work,” McAvoy said, adding that his regular partner has “helped me grow into myself, on and off the ice.”

Bruins president Cam Neely called it an “invaluable experience” for McAvoy to start his career on Chara’s right side, as did Brandon Carlo in 2016.

“He’s talked to me about different situations, from situations with girlfriends to finances,” said Carlo, who considers Chara, 20 years his senior, somewhere between a father figure and a friend. “He’s not shy to 1137213 Boston Bruins

Bruins notebook: Sean Kuraly injury shakes things up

By MARISA INGEMI | [email protected] | Boston Herald

March 24, 2019 at 12:35 am

SUNRISE, Fla. — Even with several returnees coming in the next week, the Bruins couldn’t avoid the injury bug for long.

Before Saturday’s tilt in Florida, the B’s announced Sean Kuraly would miss the next four weeks — the remainder of the regular season — after undergoing surgery for a broken right hand. He blocked a shot against the Devils to cause the fracture.

With eight goals and 13 assists, Kuraly is ninth on the team in scoring. He picked up two tallies Tuesday night against the Islanders, and has been a key part of a Bruins fourth line that has been synonymous with team identity all season.

Marcus Johansson (lung contusion) might not be ready to step right back in, either, which makes things even more difficult for a Bruins team with little time to find chemistry at the forward position.

“We had hoped, that was the plan originally when they (the injured players) came out here, that they’d be closer,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. “We are going to practice tomorrow, so we’ll find out with Johansson. He does need to get involved with the team before he goes in, when you’re out this long.”

With Kuraly out, Karson Kuhlman was recalled and slid back into his former second-line role on the right side of David Krejci.

All three injured defensemen (Torey Krug, Kevan Miller, Matt Grzelcyk) weren’t ready to go in Florida, and their status remains up in the air for Tampa Bay.

“Let’s get through tomorrow, we’ll have a much better idea on Krug and Grzelcyk,” Cassidy said. “I don’t anticipate Kevan Miller will play on this trip. Grz or Krug would be closer.”

With Zdeno Chara locked up for the next season, the Bruins leadership corps looks secure going forward. Someone general manager Don Sweeney doesn’t want to see get lost in that shuffle in that regard is David Backes.

“People don’t understand that David Backes came as a captain from another organization, has been through wars, and he imparts that same knowledge on our players,” Sweeney said. “If you asked our younger players, they’re the ones who appreciate that.”

It’s tough not to keep an eye on what Ryan Donato is doing in Minnesota, especially while Charlie Coyle still is trying to find his offense in Boston.

With four goals and 11 assists in 15 games with the Wild, the 22-year-old is averaging a point per game with his new club. He had just 18 points in his first 46 career NHL games with the Bruins.

Coyle, meanwhile, has struggled to find his game to begin his Bruins career. He took seven shots on net Tuesday against the Islanders before taking a step back with nothing Thursday.

He’s still trying to find that consistency.

“Games go different ways, it’s hockey, it’s never the same,” Coyle said. “Sometimes it falls for you. The seven-shot game, had a lot of puck control and was getting to spots it just opened up. … Last game, I think our line had a lot of puck control but stayed perimeter, we have to find ways to get inside.”

Boston Herald LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137214 Boston Bruins Kampfer ripped a power play goal in with 4:12 in the frame to put the B’s up 5-2. 1:12 later, David Pastrnak gave the Bruins their sixth of the game for a 6-2 lead, their sixth game this year with six tallies.

Bruins clinch playoff spot, cruise past Panthers Vincent Trocheck ripped a power play goal in 3:57 into the third, on the first Panthers power play of the night.

By MARISA INGEMI | [email protected] | Boston Herald Bergeron iced it with the B’s seventh goal with an empty net with 26.8 seconds left in the game. PUBLISHED: March 23, 2019 at 9:43 pm | UPDATED: March 23, 2019 at 10:35 PM With the playoffs now a sure thing, the Bruins are playing some of their most dominant hockey ahead of the first round. They had their 19-game point streak, and lost three straight afterwards, but have rebounded nicely with now their fourth win in a row. SUNRISE, Fla. — A March matchup in the Everglades doesn’t tend to have much history attached. The Bruins found a way to make some of The Bruins conclude their road trip Monday in Tampa Bay, another good their own Saturday night. measuring stick contest late in the year.

Powered by a five-goal second period, the Bruins clinched a playoff spot and reached the 100 point mark in consecutive seasons for the second time in 27 years in their 7-3 win over the Panthers. Boston Herald LOADED: 03.24.2019

“It was a nice continuation of the road trip,” said Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy. “We put pucks in the net, keeping them out of the net for the most part. Tonight I looked up, it was 4-1 and I think every line had scored. We got some secondary scoring…. It’s all throughout the lineup. It’s something we talked about earlier in the year we were striving for; we seemed to hit it the last month, so that’s good.”

It was the first time in more than a year the Bruins won three straight games while scoring five or more goals in each contest. They began the road trip with 5-0 and 5-1 wins over the Islanders and Devils before heading to Florida.

Something’s clicked offensively over the course of the past few games, perfect timing for a team with seven regular season games left before a now-for-certain postseason appearance.

“The win is huge, and getting playoffs clinched is huge for us,” said Steven Kampfer. “Now we just got to work for home ice. It was awesome.”

They picked up right where they left off in New Jersey to set momentum.

As they’ve been of late, the fourth line was the best group in the first period. They capitalized 2:23 into the contest with Noel Acciari (who fought later, coming an assist short of a Gordie Howe hat trick) finding the back of the net for the fifth time. Connor Clifton notched his first career NHL point with the secondary assist.

The scoring prowess that’s broken out on the road trip continued in the second frame for the Bruins. It started just 28 seconds into the period, with Patrice Bergeron stripping Boston College alum Mike Matheson behind the net and finding a wide open Brad Marchand for the 2-0 lead.

Florida brought it back within one 24 seconds later with Jayce Hawryluk finding twine.

There still was ample time for the Panthers defense to fall apart.

Zdeno Chara, on the day he signed a contract extension for next season, blasted in his 200th career goal with 14:55 left in the second on a drop- pass from Danton Heinen. Charlie Coyle also picked up an assist, his third point with the Bruins.

“It’s special, anytime you reach a milestone,” said Chara. “I’m not one of those guys who’s going to score another 100. I came in the league as a stay at home defenseman and take a lot of pride in my defensive game. It’s a pretty decent number I would say, for a guy who wasn’t supposed to play the game.”

Chara’s goal also made him the oldest player on the Bruins (42 years, five days) to score since Mark Recchi tallied as a 43-year-old in 2011.

Karson Kuhlman, on emergency recall with Sean Kuraly slated to miss the next four weeks with a broken hand, wristed his second career NHL tally. He intercepted a Mackenzie Weegar pass at center ice with 13:22 to go in the middle period and used his speed to create his own chance, putting the B’s ahead by three.

The Panthers, desperate to claw their way into the postseason picture, weren’t done quite yet. With 9:56 remaining in the second, Mike Hoffman sent a bullet past Jaroslav Halak to cut the Bruins advantage to two.

That’s as close as they came to making it a civil game. 1137215 Boston Bruins For those calling his second season a slump, reaching a career-high in goals and helping to stabilize the top two lines is a heck of a way to slump.

NHL notes: League’s disaster franchises keep burying themselves Holtby holds out

Braden Holtby joins his teammates Devante Smith-Pelly and Brett By MARISA INGEMI | [email protected] | Boston Herald Connolly in not going to the White House following their Stanley Cup victory. March 23, 2019 at 3:00 PM Being the team that represents Washington, it’s a decision that might stay in the spotlight.

The NHL regular season is almost at its end, and while a good portion of “My family and myself, we believe in a world where humans are treated the league is battling for playoff seedings — or at the least, seeing what with respect regardless of your stature, what you’re born into,” Holtby told they have for the future — a pair of clubs are likely thrilled to see game the media. “You’re asked to choose what side you’re on, and I think it’s play conclude soon. pretty clear what side I’m on.”

The Oilers and Senators have struggled for some time, and the season Europe bound has had rough spots throughout. Edmonton has been involved in several questionable moves, and general manager Peter Chiarelli was eventually The NHL announced which teams will be heading overseas next season, canned. and unsurprisingly, the Chicago Blackhawks will be in the spotlight.

The Sens are rebuilding, and traded away three franchise players. Add Chicago will face the Flyers in the Czech Republic to kick off the season Uber-gate into the mix, and it’s disasters left and right. on October 4, right after the Blackhawks face Eisbären Berlin in Germany in an exhibition on September 29. The Flyers will also play Lausanne HC Yet neither seems to be able to keep quiet and let 2018-19 go out with a in Switzerland. whimper. Stockholm, Sweden will play host to an Atlantic Division match between Edmonton CEO Bob Nicholson went off on Oilers forward Tobias Rieder the Lightning and Sabres on November 8 and 9. at a season ticket holder event earlier in the week. The Bruins were speculated to be in the mix to head to Prague, with “Toby Rieder will not be signed by the Edmonton Oilers at the end of this Czech stars on the roster like David Pastrnak and David Krejci. year. Toby was a player that other teams wanted. He came here for one year because he wanted to play with who he plays with on the German national team. He thought if he wasn’t playing with Leon he’d be playing Boston Herald LOADED: 03.24.2019 with Connor (McDavid), he’d score 15-16 goals, and instead of making two million he’d sign a four-year deal (extension) at three-and-a-half million. Toby Rieder hasn’t scored a goal. Toby Rieder has missed so many breakaways. If Toby Rieder would have scored 10 or 12 goals, we’d probably be in the playoffs.”

Yikes.

Calling out players from the upper levels of the front office isn’t out of left field; the Stars made plenty of headlines earlier this season. But for a franchise that has been in the lottery multiple times with the chances of rebuilding, a CFO calling out one forward isn’t a good look.

Not to be outdone, the Senators had to step in it as well.

Owner Eugene Melnyk accused Ottawa mayor Jim Watson of “mouthing off,” while calling out Senators fans and claiming the team was better off without the stars they traded at the deadline, all in one radio interview.

“He is so lucky that I keep my mouth shut,” Melnyk said on air of the mayor, in reference to comments about Melnyk’s incompetency about the team finding a new space for an arena. “I’d be very careful if I was him walking around mouthing off, because it’s very counterproductive.”

He also critiqued the Maple Leafs rebuilding process — you know, a playoff team in the same province.

To top it all, Melnyk called an unnamed member of the media “bush league,” claiming a portion of the Sens faithful weren’t “real fans,” coincidentally around the same time as a #MelnykOut hashtag emerged on Twitter, along with signs throughout the city.

For both embattled squads, the season end can’t come soon enough.

DeBrusk does it

How Jake DeBrusk goes, the Bruins go; at least, according to the numbers. The B’s are 31-3-0 all-time when the 22-year-old winger lights the lamp, and 4-1 in postseason play.

DeBrusk went on a streak of goals in eight of 10 games before he was injured, but returned from his foot ailment to continue skating as a top-six forward.

Despite missing two stretches with injuries (a concussion in early December), DeBrusk has been a consistent in the B’s lineup ever since breaking out of his cold snap. 1137216 Boston Bruins

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Zdeno Chara here to stay for the next season

By MARISA INGEMI | [email protected] | Boston Herald

PUBLISHED: March 23, 2019 at 12:34 pm | UPDATED: March 23, 2019 at 6:30 PM

SUNRISE, Fla. — The Bruins have a lot of work to do in the offseason, and they got a head start Saturday.

With 42-year-old captain Zdeno Chara set to hit free agency this summer, the B’s locked him up on a one-year deal with $2 million in base salary and $1.75 in incentives.

“I’m very honored to be a Bruin for another season. I can’t say enough about the guys we have and how much they mean to me,” said Chara. “It’s a lot of fun coming to the rink every day.”

It’s a team-friendly deal for the Bruins, who can set their sights toward bringing back restricted free agents Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, and Danton Heinen, all due for pay raises.

“I’m really happy he’s coming back,” McAvoy said. “I don’t think of anything other than the game tonight, not too far down the road. But when this season comes to an end, which is hopefully a long time from now, that he’s coming back is super exciting. Coming back, I know that I have my D-partner back. … I look forward to continuing to play great hockey with him.”

The Chara deal is a lot like last season, when he signed a one-year extension worth $6.75 million. The new deal takes some money off the books and gives them a lot of flexibility to sign other players.

“I think we all know next season is very important for our organization,” he said. “Just wanted to make sure, having talks with Don (Sweeney), he puts the team in the best possible position for the upcoming season. For sure that was something we considered.”

Chara’s game, for being in his early 40s, hasn’t waned terribly in his 21st NHL season. He missed 19 games with a torn MCL in the fall, but has rebounded to continue to serve as a top-pairing defenseman with McAvoy.

“It’s always been our understanding that we would continue to talk to him and let him decide, ultimately, where his well-being is,” Sweeney said. “Mentally, physically, the whole bit. We spent a lot of time last year, a unique situation because Zdeno wanted to know about the landscape moving forward, going year-by-year and how imperative it was for us as an organization.

An important piece of the penalty kill as well, and constantly matched up against the top offensive talent in the league, Chara still plays 20:59 a night, which is third on the team.

McAvoy likely will demand in the $7.5 million range, with Carlo and Heinen in the $4 million zone. They will have roughly $14 million in cap space to start the offseason, and could add more if they decided to trade any depth.

Marcus Johansson, who has played just three games with the Bruins since coming over from the Devils before injury, is a free agent in the offseason, as is Noel Acciari. Their numbers off the books also would open some room if McAvoy’s contract is pricier than they hope.

Assuming McAvoy and Carlo stick around, and the B’s keep all their defensemen on the current roster next season (not a given, with Urho Vaakanainen likely to get a look, and Connor Clifton making a good impression), Chara could be their cheapest defender out of their starting blueliners; at the very least, he’d be the sixth-highest paid.

“It had to go year-by-year,” Sweeney said. “You get into a situation being over 35, it becomes pretty important. He has a wider-angle view, and was able to look at his own feelings of where he was going to be year by year.”

For someone who still is playing at a level high enough to be a top- pairing defender, even at age 42, that’s about as team friendly a deal as anyone could hope for. 1137217 Boston Bruins

Bruins pregame notes: More injuries hit before Florida

By MARISA INGEMI | [email protected] | Boston Herald

March 23, 2019 at 12:10 PM

SUNRISE, Florida — After a mini-slump, the Bruins — who could reach 100 points on Saturday night — are playing some of their best hockey at the best time of year.

With two victories where they tallied five goals in New York and New Jersey, the Bruins offense is picking up. There’s a battle with Tampa Bay, one of two left in their last eight games this season, on the horizon, but it wouldn’t do anyone any good to overlook a Florida team that has played them tough.

The Bruins dropped their first contest against the Panthers back in December, a 5-0 loss in one of their worst showings of the season. They beat them 4-3 later on, needing two goals in the last minute to claim victory.

The Panthers will be hungry, and while the Bruins need the points for certain, being a cohesive unit with injuries still an issue has to be the main concern.

Sean Kuraly will miss the rest of the regular season with a broken hand, and Karson Kuhlman takes his place in the lineup. With four other regulars still out, there’s little time for the Bruins to figure out what they have.

That means games like tonight against Florida are all the more important; get needed points to stay ahead of Toronto in the Atlantic, but also figure out what combinations work and what they can work with before the postseason.

It’s hard to call it a trap game when the Panthers are playing well and have a good history against the Bruins, but with Tampa Bay coming up, it’s one of those games the Bruins need to watch out.

Game notes

With Kuraly out, Kuhlman slides in. The rookie has 12 goals and 18 assists in AHL Providence, and has had a couple of stints with the Bruins this season.

Jaroslav Halak starts in net against the Panthers, before Tuukka Rask will get the nod against the Lightning on Monday. Halak is 6-1-0 in his last seven starts.

Before Saturday’s game, the B’s announced they extended 42-year-old defenseman Zdeno Chara into next season. The deal is worth $2 million in base salary and $1.75 in incentive bonuses.

About the Panthers

The Panthers (33-29-12) are still clawing to get into the postseason. With 78 points, they trail a playoff spot by seven points with eight games left.

With a two-game losing snap in the middle, Florida has won five of its last seven games, including a 4-2 win over Arizona at home on Thursday night.

Florida has scored the ninth most goals in the NHL with 237. Their weakness is on the other end of the ice, with the seventh-most 242 tallies allowed.

Aleksander Barkov leads the team with 83 points, while Mike Hoffman is tied with him for the team-lead with 34 goals. Jonathan Huberdeau has posted 59 assists.

The Panthers sport a 26.9 power play percentage, the second best in the NHL, and have drawn the second most man advantage opportunities in the league. They’ve also allowed 13 shorthanded goals, tied with the Bruins for the second most in the league.

Florida has the second lowest save percentage at .893.

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Talking Points from the Bruins' 7-3 win over the Panthers

By Joe Haggerty

March 23, 2019 10:36 PM

GOLD STAR: What a night for Zdeno Chara. He collected the 200th goal of his NHL career when he was able to step into a Danton Heinen drop- back pass in the second period, had a couple of points to go along with a plus-4 rating and had seven shot attempts while being really active in the offensive zone during his 25 plus minutes of ice time. He is one of only 22 defensemen in the history of the NHL to score 200 goals in their career and that is absolutely rarified air among NHL career leaders. All of this comes for a 42-year-old Bruins captain that also signed a one-year, $2 million contract extension with the Bruins today that could also have another $1.75 million in incentives when everything is said and done as well.

BLACK EYE: Henrik Borgstrom certainly didn’t have a very good night for the Panthers as he finished a minus-3 in just 9:32 of ice time. He also went 1-for-6 in the face-off circle. He also didn’t land a single shot on net or really do anything at all that landed any kind of positive impact on the game for Florida. Borgstrom certainly wasn’t alone among players on the Panthers on this night as they allowed seven goals and had things really fall apart after the first period, but he was among the most ineffectual for a Panthers team just playing out the string at this point.

TURNING POINT: The Bruins only held a modest 1-0 lead after the first period even if they’d played pretty well, but that all changed in the second period. The B’s exploded for five goals while outshooting the Panthers by a 13-11 margin and poked holes all over the Florida coverage in the defensive zone. Once the dust had settled in the middle 20 minutes the Bruins were up on the scoreboard 6-2 with the game well in hand, and it just came down to garbage time in the third period where the B’s clinched their playoff spot. It was impressive to see the B’s truly spin things in their direction, but it was also indicative of a Panthers team that’s not going to fight very hard at this point in the season before breaking down.

HONORABLE MENTION: Noel Acciari scored his second goal of the road trip for the Bruins as he continues to look like a decent fit as the center for the third line, particularly if it’s in a pinch for the Boston Bruins as it is right now. Perhaps it’s benefiting the straight-ahead Acciari to be playing on a line with David Backes, who helped feed him for the goal scored in the first period that got things rolling for the Black and Gold. Then in the second period Acciari dropped the gloves with Florida Panthers forward McKenzie Weeger for an energetic bout that ended with Acciari surprising Weeger with a flurry of left-handed punches that eventually knocked the Panthers skater to the ground. Acciari finished with four shot attempts and a hit in 12:15 of ice time, but unfortunately finished the game without the assist for the Gordie Howe hat trick.

BY THE NUMBERS: 10 – the number of times over the last 12 seasons that the Bruins have made the Stanley Cup playoffs, and the third straight season that Bruce Cassidy has led Boston to the postseason since taking over behind the bench.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “He’s our backbone. He’s such an incredible leader on and off the ice, and he’s a guy that brings it every day. We’re fortunate to have him next year and it couldn’t be more fitting for him to get that 200th [goal].” –Brad Marchand, on Bruins captain Zdeno Chara signing an extension for next season and scoring his career 200th NHL goal during the win.

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Charlie McAvoy had a heartfelt reaction to Zdeno Chara extension news

By Darren Hartwell

March 23, 2019 7:27 PM

Zdeno Chara is sticking around for at least one more season, and his young apprentice couldn't be happier.

Hours after the Boston Bruins signed Chara to a one-year extension Saturday, fellow defenseman Charlie McAvoy shared just how important the 42-year-old veteran has been to his NHL development.

"It’s really hard to put into words," McAvoy told reporters. "It’s kind of indescribable just how much he’s helped me grow into myself.

" ... Having someone like him who's just the consummate pro; just everything he does is the perfect example for how everyone on our team should act. I'm very lucky. I don’t take it for granted to be able to play with a guy like that."

McAvoy, who's exactly half Chara's age at 21, has blossomed into a top- pairing defenseman thanks in part to learning from the six-time All-Star. The biggest thing the mentee has picked up from the mentor? Hard work pays off.

"You don't know what hard work is really until you've seen him work," McAvoy said of Chara. "Whether it's on the ice, off the ice, diet or whatever it may be, everything is in the best interest of his career, and you can really learn a lot from a guy like that."

Bruins general manager Don Sweeney echoed McAvoy's sentiments Saturday, calling Chara a "machine." And Sweeney ensured that machine will keep running in Boston through the 2019-20 season.

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Bruins sign Zdeno Chara to a one-year, team-friendly extension

By Joe Haggerty

March 23, 2019 11:21 AM

Zdeno Chara continues to get the Tim Wakefield treatment by the Boston Bruins, which means a string of one-year deals in perpetuity until the 42- year-old B’s captain decides to hang it up one of these days.

The Bruins announced on Saturday morning that they have signed the 42-year-old Chara to a one-year extension for next season worth $2 million in base salary along with another $1.75 million in reachable incentives.

Chara is in his 21st NHL season and 13th with Boston, and has appeared in 55 games this season while posting four goals and seven assists along with a plus-16 rating as a shutdown defenseman for the Black and Gold. While Chara is still effective as a shutdown D-man and is arguably still the best penalty killer going in the NHL, it’s also clear this season that age is beginning to slow him down a little bit at 42 years old. The 20:59 of ice time per game for Chara this season is the lowest of his career as the Bruins have focused on reducing his workload, and adding more to the plate of 21-year-old workhorse defenseman Charlie McAvoy.

The $2 million contract is excellent value for an aging, still-effective player in Chara that’s still a legit top-4 NHL defenseman at the NHL level, even if his Norris Trophy days and bigger offensive producer days are also now in the rearview mirror. The $2 million deal also gives the Bruins plenty of salary cap flexibility in helping them sign both McAvoy and Brandon Carlo, a couple of young RFA’s that are due for big raises on their second contracts this summer. The lowered salary and cap hit for Chara more than makes up for any reductions to Chara’s game as he continues to play into his mid-40’s with a goal of lacing them up until at least the age of 45 years old. Besides, one can’t really put a price tag on the leadership, work ethic, toughness and intimidation level that Chara brings to the table as a 6-foot-9 defenseman that’s seen and done just about everything at the NHL level over the last two decades. It will be interesting to see if both Chara and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady can reach those career mile-posts for themselves as they largely put off any big effects to their games from Father Time.

The 42-year-old defenseman has led the Bruins to a postseason berth in nine of his 12 completed seasons with the team, including a Stanley Cup Championship in 2010-11. He ranks sixth in franchise history in games played (948), and fourth in points by a defenseman (452) behind Hall of Famers Ray Bourque (1,506), Bobby Orr (888), and Dit Clapper (474).

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Sean Kuraly out a month with a fractured right hand

By Joe Haggerty

March 23, 2019 10:41 AM

The Bruins suffered their first big injury blow ahead of the playoffs with the news that fourth line center Sean Kuraly is going to be lost for the next month.

Kuraly suffered a fracture in his right hand during the third period of Boston’s 5-1 win over the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center, and will be out for at least four weeks after undergoing surgery to repair the hand. The play where Kuraly was injured blocking a shot actually kick-started a goal-scoring rush going the other way for Danton Heinen in the one-sided victory over the Devils.

It’s crummy timing for Kuraly as he’d just enjoyed a big two-goal game in a Tuesday night win over the New York Islanders while in the midst of a good stretch for him, and posted a strong eight goals and 21 points in 71 games for the Black and Gold this season.

With Kuraly out for at least the opening portion of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Bruins have recalled forward Karson Kuhlman from Providence on an emergency basis while they sort out their fourth line picture. Kuhlman has 12 goals and 18 assists for 30 points with a plus-23 rating in 58 games with the P-Bruins this season in his first pro campaign, and scored his first NHL goal against the San Jose Sharks last month during a stint in Boston.

While the Bruins still have a strong fourth line with Chris Wagner and Noel Acciari entering the playoffs, the B’s are absolutely going to miss the energy, two-way competitiveness and big game, clutch ability that the big-bodied Kuraly brings to the table for the Black and Gold. The B’s have to hope that history doesn’t repeat itself as the fourth line proved to be one of Boston’s weak points last season when they were eliminated by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

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Zdeno Chara will return for another year, signs one-year, $2 million deal

By Joe McDonald

Mar 23, 2019

Not that there was ever a doubt, but Bruins captain Zdeno Chara will be back on the ice in Boston for at least another season.

The 42-year-old defender agreed to a one-year contract extension worth a base salary of $2 million with another $1.75 in incentives, according to the club. This is the second consecutive season he’s agreed on a one- year deal to continue playing. Last spring, he signed a deal worth $5 million with $1.75 in incentives.

This deal also gives the Bruins more cap flexibility to sign other players this offseason, including defenseman Charlie McAvoy.

This is a great situation for both the player and the team. Despite his age, Chara remains one of the top shutdown defensemen in the NHL. He keeps himself in outstanding shape and he’s motivated to make an impact every time he’s on the ice. He still faces opponents’ best players every game and he doesn’t shy away from any situation.

Chara’s leadership both on the off the ice has had a ripple effect throughout the entire organization, and he sets the tone with his almost unmatched work ethic. He’s been a mentor for younger defensemen, including McAvoy and Brandon Carlo. Chara sets the bar high and he expects results from his teammates.

“He’s the most respected player in the game,” said one NHL official.

The Bruins coaching staff has done a good job managing Chara’s workload this season. He’s currently averaging a career-low 21 minutes per game, but he’s still making an impact. Chara has adjusted his skating stride the last two seasons in order to keep up with the pace of today’s game, and the change has proven effective.

Entering Saturday’s game against the Florida Panthers, Chara has played 55 games this season after missing 19 due to a knee injury. He’s healthy for the stretch run and will be ready for the playoffs. In fact, there was some thought that coach Bruce Cassidy would rest the veteran captain towards the end of the regular season, but Chara does not want to be a healthy scratch; he wants to be on the ice whenever he can.

“I did it in the past and, to be honest, it hurt me more than it helped me,” he said recently. “I did it with Claude (Julien) and I hated it.”

Chara, along with the veteran core of players in their early 30’s like Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand and younger players like McAvoy and David Pastrnak, have formed a solid unit on and off the ice. With the postseason quickly approaching, the Bruins are considered serious Stanley Cup contenders. It’s not yet official, but the Bruins should face the Maple Leafs in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs and Chara will be ready for the matchup against Toronto’s high-flying forwards.

Even though his contract extension is a bargain compared to today’s standards, money is not Chara primary motivator. His continued strong performance and the team’s ability to remain a contender each season is what drives the Bruins’ captain at this stage of his career.

Whenever he does decide to retire from playing, Chara has indicated in the past that he would like to remain with the organization in some management capacity. His priority is to remain with the Bruins and still make an impact.

Chara’s been a major reason for the team’s past and present success, and now that will continue into the foreseeable future.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137223 Buffalo Sabres "I thought Weber might be taking it to the net," Eichel said. "He makes a good play and I've got to be better, be tighter on Gallagher and not let him get that shot away."

Finality hits Sabres hard as playoff fate become official It was a tough night as well for No. 1 overall pick Rasmus Dahlin, who was on the ice for three Montreal goals and was stripped behind the net by Phillip Danault to directly lead to Gallagher's second-period goal. By Mike Harrington Coach Phil Housley was frustrated to see his team blow a decent first Published Sat, Mar 23, 2019|Updated Sat, Mar 23, 2019 period that ended with Buffalo holding a 1-0 lead. Housley then reverted to his old standby of calling the Sabres a young team, but that's pure

folly. MONTREAL -- It was less than four months ago that the Buffalo Sabres Skinner (653 career games) and Zach Bogosian (617) are 1-2 in the NHL were on top of the hockey world. Seems like years ago. among active players for most games played without appearing in the From first overall in the NHL after 25 games to out of the playoffs just 49 postseason. And key players like Rasmus Ristolainen (420), Reinhart games later. It's the stunning epitaph to what rates as one of the league's (323) and Eichel (278) have combined to play more than 1,000 games historic collapses. with nary a playoff start.

The Sabres' fate was clearly written a few weeks before Saturday's 7-4 "I believe they have it in them," Housley said. "I believe in that group loss to the Montreal Canadiens in Bell Centre. But there was a certain that's in the room. We have to stick together right now. It's obviously not finality to this game, as it officially eliminated Buffalo from the postseason where we want to be and that's the frustrating part." chase and forever linked them to the 2017 Philadelphia Flyers as the Ristolainen rang up yet another minus-3 to spiral his league-worst rating only teams in league history to miss the playoffs in a year they posted a to minus-42 for the season. He's an astonishing minus-26 over his last 18 10-game winning streak. games and foolishly tried to rush with the puck while killing a penalty in The Sabres continue to be terrible in the second period, allowing four the last five minutes. goals in this one. They wilt in the face of adversity on the road, where He got caught in the Montreal and could never get back in the play, they're 11-21-5 and have lost 11 straight. They make mistake after allowing Max Domi to beat Carter Hutton with a screened shot for a 6-4 mistake on defensive coverages and give the puck away with impunity. Montreal lead. Par for the course over the last three months. Right now, they're not remotely close to being a postseason team. The "Just mistakes, critical mistakes," Housley said. clock is ticking on everyone.

Eight years with no playoffs and counting for owners Terry and Kim Pegula. Two years of complete failure for coach Phil Housley and Buffalo News LOADED: 03.24.2019 General Manager Jason Botterill. Multiple years off the slate for many players.

There are eight games left in the season and yet another series of changes is sure to happen before the long NHL grind kicks into gear again come September.

"It's not an easy situation to be in," said a solemn Sam Reinhart, who was drafted No. 2 overall in 2014. "When you go through a couple years of it and they start adding up, it just adds to the frustration. When you do have a little bit of success at the start of the year, it makes it that much more difficult to lose."

Captain Jack Eichel, drafted a years after Reinhart, stood to face the media and spoke eloquently at times about the team's failure. When he was done, he sat back on the bench in front of his locker and quietly stared at the ground for a few minutes in the empty room.

"It's been a long process here, it's been a long year," Eichel said. "These same issues seem to continue to haunt us. We have to get better here for the next few games. I think there's a lot of pride on the line, there's a lot to play for. We represent our city, we represent each other and this organization. That should be enough right there. We've got to play for each other more."

One problem the Sabres have is their alleged core simply hasn't been good enough.

Eichel scored a third-period goal to cut Buffalo's deficit to 5-4 but it was his first in six games. Reinhart's first-period goal opened the scoring but was his first in 12 games. Jeff Skinner has one goal in 17 games.

The Sabres gave up three second-period goals to fall behind, 3-1, but battled back to tie the game on goals in a 75-second span by Alex Nylander and Marco Scandella. But Reinhart tried to do too much with the puck and was stripped inside the Montreal blue line and the play resulted in Paul Byron's tap-in with 1:57 left in the second that put Montreal in front, 4-3. The Habs never relinquished the lead.

"I'm kind of in between trying to keep it to myself," Reinhart said. "I probably should have dished it off earlier. That one's on me for sure."

Eichel had a simliar feeling on the fifth Montreal goal, by Brendan Gallagher at 8:35 of the third period. He was caught watching Shea Weber in the corner and failed to tie up Gallagher in front. 1137224 Buffalo Sabres In the house I: Former Sabres and Habs defenseman Josh Gorges, who retired last year after his fourth season in Buffalo, got a big hand from the crowd when he was shown on the jumbotron in a suite. He was in town The Wraparound: Canadiens 7, Sabres 4 for an afternoon fantasy camp.

In the house II: More big cheers came when former members of the Montreal Expos were shown in another suite, including Larry Walker, By Mike Harrington Dennis Martinez and Bill Lee. Olympic Stadium, the Expos' former home, will host an exhibition series Monday and Tuesday night between the Published Sat, Mar 23, 2019|Updated Sat, Mar 23, 2019 Toronto Blue Jays and Milwaukee Brewers.

MONTREAL — It's now over for real. Buffalo News LOADED: 03.24.2019 The Buffalo Sabres' playoff hopes, left for dead weeks ago, were officially put to rest Saturday night with a 7-4 loss to the Montreal Canadiens in Bell Centre.

At 71 points, the Sabres are 16 behind both Montreal and Columbus with eight games left. And even in the highly unlikely scenario of winning all of those games to finish with 87 points, Buffalo would only equal those teams' total and will still be behind them on the regulation/overtime wins tiebreaker.

The Sabres have missed the playoffs eight straight years, dating to 2011. If Carolina makes the postseason this season — and the Hurricanes currently join the Habs in holding the East wild-cards — Buffalo will have the longest postseason drought in the NHL.

Montreal won Saturday's game with a four-goal second period as Max Domi and Andrew Shaw collected two points apiece. Brendan Gallagher had two goals, one in the second and another in the third. Domi and Tomas Tatar finished with a goal and two assists apiece, with Tatar wrapping up the game on an empty-net goal with 2:13 to go.

The Sabres fell to 31-34-9 overall. They are 1-6 in their last seven games, 1-8-1 in their last 10, and 3-13-2 in their last 18. And for deeper perspective, they are 14-28-7 since their end of their 10-game winning streak on Nov. 27. That's 30th in the NHL in that span.

It was also Buffalo's 11th straight road loss (0-9-2) and prevented the Sabres from recording their first season series sweep of the Habs since 1983-84.

Middle-period blues: The Habs' four-goal second period outburst gave Buffalo 93 goals against this season in the middle 20 minutes, tied with Detroit for 30th in the league. The only team that has given up more is Ottawa (102). The Sabres' minus-29 goal differential in the period is 30th and ahead of only Detroit's minus-30. Montreal outshot Buffalo, 20-7, in the period.

Jumping in front: The Sabres took a 1-0 lead at 12:26 of the first period on Sam Reinhart's quick shot from the slot off a Casey Mittelstadt feed. It was Reinhart's 19th goal of the season -- and first in 11 games. It was also his 200th NHL point.

Beauty to tie it: The Habs made i t 1-1 at 5:09 of the second as Artturi Lehkonen had a tap-in at the goalmouth on an Andrew Shaw feed. But the real play was the spin-o-rama pass from Max Domi to Shaw for Domi's 40th assist of the season.

Habs seize control: Gallagher scored his 32nd of the season alone in the slot at 9:12 after Phillip Danault stripped Rasmus Dahlin behind the net and Montreal took a 3-1 lead as Domi fed Shaw in front at 14:23

Sabres get it back: Alex Nylander took a Dahlin feed for a howitzer of a one-timer at 14:53 and Marco Scandella went bar down off a Johan Larsson drop pass to tie it at 16:08.

Sizzling Swede: Nylander has scored in consecutive games for the first time in his NHL career and has points in a career-best three straight games with two goals and two assists.

The go-ahead goal: Former Sabre Paul Byron snapped the 3-3 tie with 1:57 left in the second period, tipping home a rebound on another 2-on- 1 after a terrible giveaway by Reinhart at the Montreal blue line sent the Habs away.

Brief hope from Eichel doused: Sabres captain Jack Eichel scored his 26th of the season with 6:47 to go to bring Buffalo within 5-4. The goal was the first of Eichel's career against Montreal in 16 games against the Habs, and means he has now scored against all 30 NHL opponents. But Montreal took its two-goal lead back as Domi scored on a screened shot on a power play with 4:30 to go. 1137225 Buffalo Sabres

Olofsson scores twice in Amerks' win in Toronto

By Staff

Published Sat, Mar 23, 2019

Victor Olofsson scored a tie-breaking goal in the third period, then added his 27th of the season just 3:16 later Saturday to lead the Rochester Americans over the Toronto Marlies, 5-2, at Coca-Cola Coliseum on the CNE grounds in Toronto.

It snapped a three-game Rochester losing streak which had dropped the Amerks (40-21-5) five points behind the first place Syracuse Crunch in the North of the American Hockey League. Syracuse (41-18-6) played a home game against Utica on Saturday.

The two goals gave the 23-year-old winger from Sweden three in the last two games and his ninth game-winner of the season tying him with teammate Zach Redmond for the AHL lead.

Olofsson, the first Rochester to scored 25 goals or more since Nick Baptiste two season ago, remained on pace to score 30 goals. That would make him the first Rochester player to score 30 or more since Thomas Vanek had 42 and Jason Pominville had 30 in 2004-05.

Olofsson leads Rochester with 56 points.

Chris Mueller’s his 29th goal of the season gave Toronto the first lead at 12:27 of the first period. Remi Elie tied it for the Amerks at 16:51 with assists from Wayne Simpson and Kyle Criscuolo.

Rochester took its first lead at 1:54 of the second when Criscuolo scored his fifth with Jack Dougherty and Elie assisting. However, Baptiste, the former Amerk and Buffalo Sabres who was recently acquired by the Marlies, tied it at 13:30 of the second.

Olofsson broke the tie at 5:35 of the third with Danny O’Regan getting the assist. O’Regan picked up his 24th assist on the second Olofsson goal, too, at 8:51.

C.J. Smith scored his 24th into an empty net with 2:51 left with Kevin Porter (22nd assist) and Taylor Leier (17th) helping.

Scott Wedgewood of the Amerks, who is second in the AHL with 26 goalie wins, stopped 23 shots. Michael Hutchinson had 27 saves for the Marlies. Rochester killed all five Toronto power plays.

The teams will meet again today at 5 p.m. at the same local in Rochester’s third game in three days.

Buffalo News LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137226 Buffalo Sabres Buffalo News LOADED: 03.24.2019

Sabres Notebook: Pominville pumped to return to lineup in hometown

By Mike Harrington

Published Sat, Mar 23, 2019|Updated Sat, Mar 23, 2019

MONTREAL — Jason Pominville said his pass list here Saturday night was pushing three dozen family members and friends. And that was the number he had after the morning skate, several hours before faceoff in Bell Centre.

"Some people got tickets on their own too. That's normal," Pominville said. "My dad just texts me every time, 'Hey, can you throw this name on the list' and I'm like 'All right.' But I know the garage after the game will be packed with visitors to say hello to. I'll be a big part of that."

Pominville is from Repentigny, Quebec, a suburb about 25 miles northeast of downtown. Just as he hoped, he was back in the lineup in his hometown Saturday night after sitting out the last two games as a healthy scratch.

Pominville said earlier this week he was disappointed to be a healthy scratch and reiterated that stance Saturday, although he said he understood the Sabres were looking at players like Alexander Nylander in their lineup. At age 36 and with an expiring contract, Pominville doesn't seem to be heading to retirement but it's uncertain if he'll be back with the Sabres next season.

There was at least a small possibility that Saturday was going to be Pominville's last chance to play in his hometown. And he admitted he was happy and relieved to get back in the lineup.

"I don't know if they put thought into that putting me back in for it. I didn't really, to be honest with you," Pominville said. "I just try to enjoy the moment, go with it, go day by day. But when I saw my name, I was definitely happy. I knew we were coming here. You see Montreal coming up and you're thinking it would be nice to have a chance to play there for sure. I was pretty excited to see I was in the lineup."

Sabres coach Phil Housley has been asked about scratching his fourth- leading goal scorer multiple times this week and was clearly wary of the topic when it was brought up again Saturday by Montreal reporters. To Housley, moving Pominville back into the lineup in place of Tage Thompson was simply a reaction to Wednesday's 4-2 loss to Toronto.

"He's done the right things but we weren't getting results," Housley said cryptically of Pominville. "We didn't get the result against Toronto and we made some changes, but I'm glad that he's back in the lineup coming back to Montreal."

With Pominville back in the lineup, Thompson and Scott Wilson were the healthy scratches at forward. The injured Matt Hunwick was a scratch on defense.

Between healthy scratches and a three-game stint on the injured list, Pominville has played 66 of the Sabres' 74 games this season. Sam Reinhart, Rasmus Dahlin, Rasmus Ristolainen and Jeff Skinner are the only Sabres to play in every game thus far.

The Sabres entered the game with a 12-9 overtime record, and both the 12 wins after regulation and 21 games played past regulation were second in the NHL. Tampa Bay has gone 13-4 in OT/shootouts, the most wins after 60 minutes, while Florida's 22 OT/shootout games are the most in the league. The Panthers are 10-12 in them.

The Sabres entered Saturday 7-6 in game-deciding goals, including Rasmus Ristolainen's slapshot that beat the Habs here Nov. 8 in the opener of Buffalo's 10-game winning streak, and 5-3 in shootouts. That's third behind the six wins of Tampa Bay (6-1) and the New York Rangers (6-4).

The Sabres are 75-69 all-time in shootouts and the 75 wins are three behind the New York Islanders for the most by any team since the shootout began in 2005. Pittsburgh and the New York Rangers have both won 77.

1137227 Buffalo Sabres Buffalo News LOADED: 03.24.2019

Sabres at Canadiens: Five Things to Know

By Mike Harrington

Published Sat, Mar 23, 2019|Updated Sat, Mar 23, 2019

MONTREAL – There's been a lot of negative history brought up about the Sabres recently. A win tonight in Bell Centre against the Montreal Canadiens could give the Blue and Gold a rare dose of historic goodwill.

The Sabres have won all three previous matchups this season, but they were all completed by Thanksgiving weekend as Buffalo was headed to No. 1 overall in the NHL standings. A win tonight would give the Sabres just their second season sweep of Montreal in their history, joining the 8- 0 mark Buffalo rang up on the Habs in 1983-84.

The Sabres have also gone without a regulation loss to Montreal in 1974- 75 (4-0-1), 1994-95 (2-0-2) and 1996-97 (3-0-2). The Sabres have not won four in a row against Montreal since taking six straight from Jan. 18, 2011-Jan. 31, 2012.

Faceoff is 7:15 on MSG and WGR Radio.

Here are Five (Other) Things to Know about tonight's game:

1. Long time, no see: The Sabres trailed in the third period of all three previous meetings and won them all. They took the two games in Buffalo by scores of 4-3 (Oct. 25) and Nov. 23 (3-2), and posted a 6-5 overtime win here on Nov. 8 on a Rasmus Ristolainen slapshot. That was the first victory in the team's 10-game winning streak.

2. The Habs' situation: Montreal is presently sitting in the second Eastern Conference wild-card slot, one point ahead of idle Columbus and two behind Carolina, which is hosting Minnesota. The building features a rollicking atmosphere in November. In late March with a playoff race in full gear, it should be wild.

"I think it's great. Any time you get to play an Original Six team on a Saturday night, it's a great challenge," said Sabres coach Phil Housley. "Just where we're at right now as a group, it's something to build on and we've had pretty good success against this team this season. We were a smart team. We managed the puck well. We tried to take away their speed because they have an excellent transition game."

3. Lineup news: The Sabres are returning Jason Pominville to the lineup after two games as a healthy scratch. Scott Wilson and Tage Thompson will be healthy scratches and injured defenseman Matt Hunwick will also sit. In goal, it will be starters Carter Hutton (17-21-5, 2.88/.911) vs. Carey Price (31-22-5, 2.50/.917). Hutton is 4-0-2, 1.69/.935 in his career against Montreal

Pominville's future is uncertain but he's stoked to get one more chance to play in his hometown. He said his usual corp of around three dozen friends and family will be in the house.

"I just try to enjoy the moment, go with it, go day by day," Pominville said today as he conducted interviews in both English and French, like he always does when he visits. "But when I saw my name (on the forward lines), I was definitely happy. I knew we were coming here. You see Montreal coming up and you're thinking it would be nice to have a chance to play there for sure. I was pretty excited to see I was in the lineup."

4. Sabres not taking to the road: The Sabres are just 11-20-5 away from KeyBank Center this season and have lost 10 straight, going 0-8-2 since their 5-4 win Jan. 29 in Columbus. The only NHL teams doing worse on the road are East sadsacks Ottawa (9-27-2) and New Jersey (10-25-3). Montreal, meanwhile, is 21-12-4 at home.

5. By the numbers: Max Domi leads the Canadiens in goals, assists and points (25-39-64). Jack Eichel leads the Sabres (25-48-73), although he has just one assist in his last five games. Montreal is the only NHL team Eichel has not scored a goal against in his four seasons. ... Jeff Skinner has 37 goals but his slump has reached one goal in 16 games. ... The Sabres are 12-9 after regulation (7-6 in OT, 5-3 in shootout) and the 12 wins are second in the NHL, one behind Tampa Bay. ... The Sabres are 2-7-1 in March.

1137228 Buffalo Sabres your team doesn't win and you own it, you can fix that. Any time you're looking for any other help in life, it doesn't usually go your way."

Sparks came through with a couple key saves in the Leafs' 4-2 victory. Inside the NHL: Leafs' Babcock tries to cool heat from media storm None bigger than stopping a Johan Larsson breakaway in the first period with the game scoreless but the Leafs holding a 17-2 advantage in shots on goal. That calmed things down some but the ultimate result will By Mike Harrington determine Babcock's future.

Published Sat, Mar 23, 2019|Updated Sat, Mar 23, 2019 Does the coach survive, especially with Joel Quenneville and Alain Vigneault among the coaching candidates on the market? Remains to be

seen. And for the legions who constantly pepper social media with MONTREAL -- You could feel the tension all around the Toronto Maple Quenneville-to-Buffalo talk, Toronto is a far more attractive destination Leafs when they arrived in KeyBank Center on Wednesday. And don't with a much more ready-made team. think it went away just because of their dominance over the playing-out- The Leafs' sideshows are always fun to watch. This one is par for the the-string Sabres either. course. Denials aside, there is something bubbling between coach Mike Babcock Embattled Senators owner Eugene Melnyk, who has never met a and General Manager Kyle Dubas. Babcock tried to lessen it when microphone he couldn't say something stupid into, joined the Leafs fray speaking to reporters at home Friday but it will be a narrative the rest of Friday during a rare appearance on Ottawa radio. the way. And just wait if the Leafs are quick knockout victims in the first round of the playoffs at the hands of the Boston Bruins again. On Toronto's rebuild, Melnyk said, "Look, they’re stuck. OK, I better not say what I was going to say, but they’re going to have a very hard time There are plenty of folks in Toronto talking about Babcock's status like winning a Stanley Cup without defense. Because they are hitting the cap. we talk about Phil Housley. Seriously. They can’t bring anybody new in. They’re stuck. And that’s where you "I go to the media, what, twice a day? Sometimes three times a day it have to be extremely careful. ... Mistakes were made. Somebody forgot seems like," Babcock said. "There's gonna be a (bleep) storm once in a about defense.” while. There just is. You'd like to say everything perfect, and sometimes While it's certainly unbecoming for an owner -- especially one with as maybe you don't." little credibility as Melnyk -- to diss another team, he's not far off here. It Keep in mind, the Leafs got to Buffalo off a 3-0 loss in Nashville the night doesn't look like the Leafs are going to have cap space to retain Gardiner before that dropped them to 1-4 in a five-game stretch which saw them and that's a real problem because of the lack of organizational depth on give up 26 goals. the blueline that Babcock referred to.

So what was that storm about? Babcock had mused a couple days Dubas thought he addressed that by acquiring Jake Muzzin from Los earlier about his club's depth, because his team is paper thin on defense Angeles. And while Muzzin adds a physical element, he's admitted it's with the losses of Jake Gardiner and Travis Dermott, and Kasperi been a struggle getting up to speed with the lightning-quick pace of the Kapanen was out four games with a concussion. Easterm Conference.

"You’re way better when you have all guys on deck,” Babcock said. “The The Capitals are headed to the White House Monday to be honored by thing about a team is you have 23 spots on it and you have a minor- President Trump for winning the Stanley Cup. As you might expect, not league team, you’re supposed to build the best program you can to have all of them are attending. as much depth so you don’t miss people. On Friday, goalie Braden Holtby became the biggest name to beg off, “If you have enough, you don’t miss a beat and you just keep on going. joining teammate Brett Connolly and former teammate Devante Smith- There are other teams that have done a better job when different players Pelly, now in the AHL, in declining the invitation. The team accepted the are out than we have in keeping on going. That just tells you what state invite and allowed each player to decide if they would attend. Most have you’re at and you have to keep adding better players.” decided to go, including captain Alex Ovechkin.

The Toronto media, naturally, ran with those comments to the point “I’ve got to stay true to my values, and I’m going respectfully decline the Babcock had to walk them back on Friday. offer,” Holtby told Caps reporters. “In saying that, it’s a tough situation for everyone to be in, to be forced to make a decision of that standing. “If there was any slap at anyone, it sure wasn’t intended. That’s not what You’re a team and you want to stick together no matter what, so I hope I meant to say,” Babcock said. “We have to keep improving our depth. everyone kind of blows it away and that we don’t worry about who goes That’s what Dubie is trying to do ... we’re all trying to do it so we can get and who doesn’t. to be like these [other] teams. “For me, it’s just a personal thing. I believe in what I believe in, and in "My first GM was (Anaheim’s) Bryan Murray and one of the first things he order to stick to those values, I think I have to do what I feel is right, but told me was as a coach and GM, never let anyone get between you," that doesn’t make a difference on everyone else’s decision. We stick by Babcock said. "'Dubie' and my relationship isn’t as good as it will be four every single teammate we have and their decision." years from now. Mine with (Detroit’s) Ken Holland wasn’t as good in my first as my 10th year or Bryan in my first as in my third. It takes a while to Connolly joined Smith-Pelly, who is black, last year in saying he would build.” skip a White House visit with Trump. His views haven't changed.

Fair enough. But you wonder how much time Babcock gets if things go “I respectfully decline,” said Connolly, who is Canadian. “That’s all I’ll say south in the playoffs. Frankly, the Leafs look like heavy underdogs to about it. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. It’s obviously a big deal, Boston right now and feel desperate to win a series for the first time since and it gains a lot of attention. I’ve been in full support of an old teammate 2004. Forgot about that little issue of no Stanley Cups since 1967. that I’m really good friends with who I agreed with."

It's widely known Babcock isn't a fan of backup goaltender Garret Around the boards Sparks, whom Dubas kept on the roster this year while putting veteran * A gauge of how far the Sabres are from even making the playoffs: One Curtis McElhinney on waivers. It was a mighty curious move if the Leafs of the Hurricanes, Blue Jackets or Canadiens are missing the were supposed to be going for a Cup. Sparks has struggled (8-7-1, postseason. And all three are pretty good teams, far ahead of Buffalo on 3.16/.903) while McElhinney has thrived in Carolina (18-9-2, 2.59/.913). the progress scale. So it was a big story in Toronto when Sparks sounded off about his * The Sabres really need a deep run from the Rochester Amerks in the team's lack of emotion after last week's 6-2 loss in Ottawa. When the Calder Cup playoffs. The numerous problems at the NHL level can be Leafs got to Buffalo Wednesday, Sparks was a talking point for Babcock. soothed a little by the ability to keep pointing to playoff success in Were Sparks' words going to create more pressure on him? Rochester. If the Amerks flame out early, it's going to be hard for Jason "I would think so. I expect him to play well," Babcock said. "I just know in Botterill to reach back for any success stories this season. life you own everything yourself. When the team isn't playing well, it's my fault. If I take responsibility for that, I can fix that. If you're the goalie and * Even with the Sabres out of playoff contention, there's still a lot of intrigue and intensity when playing teams like Toronto, St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Montreal because they're either prepping for postseason or in their desperate push to get there.

Had they been pushing for a spot, the schedule maker (finally) gave the Sabres a break . Too bad they're not. Because now we're subjected to four games against Detroit and Ottawa over the season's final two weeks, starting Tuesday night in Canadian Tire Centre. That quartet doesn't figure to be must-see TV.

Buffalo News LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137229 Buffalo Sabres As the build shifted to defense, we were immediately reminded that Buffalo’s blue line has been bad (to say the least). Andrej Meszaros ranks in the top dozen for production, and he was banished to Europe for Alternate reality: Could we build a playoff-caliber roster with talent from being so awful. the past eight Sabres teams? Among the stats we relied upon for defensemen were goals, points, five- on-five goal differential (individually and compared to teammates), Corsi, defensive-zone starts and right- or left-handed shot. Ten players had a By John Vogl case, a list we wanted to narrow to seven.

Mar 23, 2019 The final cuts were Zach Bogosian from 2015-16 (seven goals, 24 points in 64 games), Marc-Andre Gragnani in 2011-12 (12 points in 44 games,

plus-14 goal differential at five-on-five) and Mike Weber from 2015-16 The Sabres’ reality bites. (best goal differential among blue-liners at plus-1, a 50.8 Corsi despite offensive-zone starts under 49 percent). Let’s alter it. Locking down the first spots were Rasmus Dahlin (eight goals, 39 points, As an eighth straight finish without the playoffs arrives, we’ll try to plus-5 goal differential at five-on-five), Christian Ehrhoff from lockout- envision a postseason with the guys who fell short. Buffalo has used 134 shortened 2012-13 (five goals and 22 points in 47 games, plus-4) and players during its record-shattering drought: 118 skaters and 16 two players from 2011-12: Jordan Leopold (10 goals, 24 points, plus-8 at goaltenders. Can we build a 23-man roster with enough talent to five-on-five) and Tyler Myers (eight goals, 23 points, plus-7). compete for a playoff spot? Rasmus Ristolainen made the squad, but determining which version of It was fun to find out. Ristolainen was important. His top season was 2016-17, when he established career bests in points (45) and five-on-five goal differential Here are the ground rules: (minus-10 … yes, that’s his best). But he also started his new contract • The players had to be part of the Sabres during the skid of 2011-12 to that season with a cap hit of $5.4 million. 2018-19. In the final year of his entry-level deal (2015-16), Ristolainen had nine • We’ll take each player’s best season. For example, Jason Pominville goals, 41 points and a minus-16 differential. Those numbers are has 15 goals and 28 points this year. He had 30 goals and 73 points in comparable and come with a much more manageable salary ($925,000 2011-12. We’ll take the 2011-12 version. base, $1.775 million with entry-level bonuses), so 2015-16 Ristolainen is the choice. • Everyone from Luke Adam to Nikita Zadorov is fair game, as long as they played 25 games in the season being used. Zadorov earned a spot by standing out on the 2014-15 Sabres. His five- on-five goal differential was minus-2, which makes him look like Mike • Positions matter. We can’t pick six left wingers and move two to center. Ramsey compared with the seasons put up by Tyson Strachan (minus- 29), Ristolainen (minus-27), Weber (minus-26), Josh Gorges (minus-21), • There’s a salary cap. (We need a little dose of reality.) The cap hit Andre Benoit (minus-14), Myers and Meszaros (both minus-11). corresponds to the year chosen. Reusing Pominville, we’d get him at $5.3 million – not his current $5.6 million – because that’s what he made Our seventh defenseman is Taylor Fedun, who had seven assists and a in 2011-12. plus-4 goal differential in 27 games in 2016-17. He brings balance, joining Myers and Ristolainen as the righties, and a bargain price. The average of the last eight salary caps is $69,562,500. To make it simpler, we’ll round up to $70 million. But nothing is simple with the Defense: Ehrhoff (2011-12, $4 million), Dahlin (’18-19, $925,000 and collective bargaining agreement. $3.775 million with bonuses), Leopold (’11-12, $3 million), Ristolainen (’15-16, $925,000 and $1.775 million), Zadorov (’14-15, $894,167 and Like the real Sabres, our team will have its share of rookies. Teams need $1,744,167), Myers (’11-12, $875,000 and $1.3 million) and Fedun (’16- to account for entry-level bonuses when figuring the salary cap. While 17, $600,000). Combined cap hit: $16,194,167 (with base salary of Rasmus Dahlin technically earns the rookie max of $925,000, the Sabres $11,219,167). have to assume he’ll hit his bonuses — which means at the start of the season they budget him at $3.775 million. Filling the net, Part II

The CBA has a clause that allows teams to exceed the cap by 7.5 Buffalo fans don’t just want goals. They need them. percent for entry-level bonuses. So we ultimately have a $70 million cap that adjusts to $75.25 million for rookies. During the past eight seasons, the Sabres are last with 1,425 goals. That’s 509 fewer than Pittsburgh. If the Penguins stopped scoring now We used it all after using way too much. This Sabres team should play and the Sabres kept the same pace, they’d catch them in 2022. into late April … but probably not June. That’s ridiculous. Filling the net, Part I So we’re going all-out for offense with Jack Eichel, Jeff Skinner, Thomas Our team started with goaltending for two reasons: The Sabres have a Vanek, Ryan O’Reilly, Evander Kane, Pominville, Sam Reinhart, Drew shot differential of minus-2,589 since 2011, and there weren’t many Stafford, Tyler Ennis, Cody Hodgson, Brian Gionta, Evan Rodrigues, choices. The only real question was which Ryan Miller did we want? Marcus Foligno and Steve Ott. Here’s what that looks like in goals and points (with Vanek, Hodgson and Ott adjusted for the lockout-shortened (For all stats, we used the tools at NHL.com, NaturalStatTrick.com, 2012-13 season). Evolving-Hockey.com and CapFriendly.com.) Some amazing numbers stand out from a group that could steamroll Miller was 31-21-7 with a .916 save percentage in 2011-12. He posted a anyone: .923 save percentage in 2013-14 but went 15-22-3. That record sounds subpar — until you consider the other goalies were 6-29-7. The 2013-14 • Three 30-goal scorers. Miller carried the Sabres much more than the ’11-12 version, which Evolving-Hockey confirmed with its metric for goals saved above • Eight players with at least 20. expected (6.0 compared to 0.67). • Thirteen players in double digits, and Rodrigues can make it a perfect The search for a backup landed on Chad Johnson from 2015-16 (22-16- 14 before this season ends. 4, .920) or Anders Nilsson in 2016-17 (10-10-4, .923). While Nilsson’s • $84,578,691. advanced stats were slightly better, it’s just nice to have a backup who wins. Johnson gets the nod. So, yeah, we blew past the salary cap by almost $10 million. Got a little excited there. Sorry (not sorry). Goalies: Miller (’13-14, $6.25 million), Johnson (’15-16, $1.3 million). Combined cap hit: $7.55 million. Firm in the belief that we had the right goaltending and defense in terms of players and money, we looked for cost-cutting measures up front. Thin blue line We immediately re-examined Eichel. We’d chosen this season with his $10 million salary rather than last year at his entry-level price of $925,000/$3.775 million. But his raw numbers are better this year …

… and so are his analytics, which show substantial increases in goal differential, scoring chances and high-danger chances.

Despite the raise, we’re going with this year’s Eichel, absorbing the $10 million and building around him.

Next, we locked down this year’s Skinner (37 goals, plus-10 goal differential at five-on-five, $5.725 million) and Vanek from 2012-13 (20 goals, 41 points in 38 games, $7,142,857). That eliminated fellow left wing Kane and his $5.25 million salary.

The two other must-haves were Pominville from 2011-12 (30 goals, 73 points) and O’Reilly in 2016-17 (20 goals, 55 points, $7.5 million). With nine spots remaining and just $15.8 million left, we scooped up the two bargains from the first go-round: Ennis in ’11-12 (15 goals and 34 points in 48 games, $875,000) and Rodrigues this year (nine goals, 27 points, $650,000).

Needing right wingers, this year’s Reinhart (18 goals, 59 points, $3.65 million) and Stafford from ’11-12 (20 goals, plus-8 goal differential, $4 million) left us with just $6.7 million and five roster spots. That eliminated Gionta ($4.25 million).

Hodgson from ’12-13 (15 goals, 34 points in 48 games, $816,667/$1.67 million with bonuses) and Foligno from ’15-16 (10 goals, even differential, $1.875 million) moved from extra forwards on the initial team to regular roles on the final team. With only $3.12 million remaining, Ott and his $2.95 million salary were out.

Needing a fourth-line right winger and two extra forwards, the list of candidates included Zack Kassian, Patrick Kaleta, Corey Tropp, Matt Ellis, Zemgus Girgensons, William Carrier, Nicolas Deslauriers, Johan Larsson, Brian Flynn, Benoit Pouliot, Luke Adam and Casey Mittelstadt. While Mittelstadt obviously has the most talent and a workable contract ($925,000 base, $1.49 million with bonuses), his stats don’t yet compare to the guys who beat him out.

Girgensons from his All-Star season of ’14-15 (15 goals, 30 points, $894,167/$1.37 million) picked up the final right-wing spot. Evolving- Hockey’s goals-above-replacement metrics helped tilt the final jobs to Larsson from ’14-15 (7.1 GAR, $870,000) and Flynn from ’14-15 (7.6 GAR, $637,500).

So with a bonus-inflated cap of $75.25 million, we spent $75,005,358 – just $244,642 under the limit. The base salaries totaled $69,180,358 – only $819,642 under the $70 million cap.

Now the big question: Would these Sabres make the playoffs?

The good news is they can score. The players combined for 320 goals, which would be the most during the past eight seasons (though Tampa Bay had 292 with seven games remaining).

But Miller would be busy, too. The combined five-on-five goal differential for the squad is plus-19. The Lightning are at plus-57 this season. The young group of Girgensons (minus-17), Ristolainen (minus-16), Hodgson (prorated minus-9) and Zadorov (minus-2) would have rough moments, and they wouldn’t be alone on a team that thinks offense first.

The power play would be good because the squad’s 81 goals lead everyone since 2011 (though Tampa Bay was in striking distance at 72). There’s a core penalty-killing group of Foligno, O’Reilly, Pominville, Girgensons, Myers and Ristolainen, but there’s not much short-handed depth.

Having the highest-scoring team all but cements a postseason spot. It’s not likely they’d knock off this year’s Lightning, last year’s Capitals or the Cup-winning Penguins teams, but they could advance past the first round.

That’s way better than reality since 2011.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137230 Calgary Flames “So I’m happy and proud of the way our guys have played all year. We have a great group of guys — we’re tight and have fun with each other every day — so I’ve loved being a part of this team. This is a time when Flames pass 100-point mark with win over Canucks hockey starts getting a little harder, the weather gets nice … This is the best time.”

Neal returned to the Flames’ lineup at Rogers Arena, his first action since Wes Gilbertson Valentine’s Day.

Unless he can string together a handful of hat-tricks, the 31-year-old right-winger is assured of finishing with the worst offensive stats of his VANCOUVER — Triple digits. career, and not just because he missed a 17-game stretch due to an The current cast of Calgary Flames reached rare air with Saturday’s 3-1 upper-body injury. victory over the Vancouver Canucks, surging past the 100-point plateau Signed to a five-year pact worth US$5.75 million per winter, Neal arrived for just the fifth time in franchise history. in Vancouver with only five tallies and a total of 15 points in 55 The Flames hadn’t hit the century mark since 2005-06. appearances in the Flaming C, underwhelming output for a guy who had scored 20-plus each season for a decade. Perched atop the Western Conference for most of this wonderful winter, Bill Peters’ bunch now boasts a 47-21-7 record — a whopping 101 For his Western Conference-leading club, the good news is they’ve had points. That also marks the Flames’ highest win total since 1988-89, a no problems lighting the lamp, even if the new guy in No. 18 hasn’t campaign that ended with a championship parade. produced as planned.

Not too shabby, gents. For Neal, the good news is this chapter isn’t fully written yet. A few clutch contributions in the playoffs would go a long way toward erasing the Mark Giordano, Garnet Hathaway and Andrew Mangiapane tickled twine frustrations of both the third-liner and the fan-base. for the out-of-towners on Western Night at Rogers Arena, while Mike Smith contributed 27 saves, none better than a first-period robbery of Every glass-half-fuller is hoping the injury layoff allowed Neal to rest and Alex Biega on what would have been a shorthanded snipe. to reset, perhaps overdue after advancing to the Stanley Cup final in each of the past two campaigns before ultimately falling just short of a The Flames have now rolled to six victories over a seven-game span and ring-fitting both times. are suddenly a half-dozen points up on the San Jose Sharks in the quest for top seed in the Pacific Division. The Real Deal has 100 nights of post-season experience — he is one of just 40 active NHLers in triple-digits in that category — and has notched You don’t want to mess with success, but it might be time for Peters to 31 spring snipes. To put those numbers in perspective, the rest of the re-order his lineup card. Flames’ forward regulars have combined for 106 playoff outings, with 25 goals amongst them. Because the trio of Derek Ryan, Hathaway and Mangiapane definitely has not looked like a fourth unit of late. “It felt like a long time (out), but my body feels good and I’m excited to get going,” Neal said prior to Saturday’s welcome-back against the Canucks. Fresh off a two-goal, six-point performance and a clean sweep of the “It’s always tough when you get injured but for me, just the way nightly Three Stars in Thursday’s thumping of the Ottawa Senators at the everything was going, I just kind of took it as a positive and rested up and Saddledome, that crew was on the ice for all of Calgary’s cash-ins in got ready for a big playoff run. Vancouver. “I feel definitely re-energized and kind of got that energy back that I The three forwards tic-tac-toed the puck toward the net on Giordano’s needed and maybe that you were lacking. I feel strong and ready to go first-period strike — Mangiapane to Hathaway to Ryan, who dished to the now.” captain for a no-doubter from the left circle. AROUND THE BOARDS With that tally, Giordano joined exclusive company as just the third greybeard defenceman to post a 70-point season at 35 or older. Hockey Neal cringed at a reminder of his previous trip to Vancouver. Thanks to Hall of Famer Nicklas Lidstrom pulled it off twice, while Sergei Zubov also an accidental high-stick from Canucks defenceman Alex Biega, he lost achieved that feat. eight teeth during that Feb. 6 matchup. “Biega, my gosh, he owes me dinner or something,” Neal said. “That was a clean swipe of all my jibs, Thanks to Giordano’s opening strike, the Flames also made their mark as but I have some nice whites ones back in so feeling good”… This is the the first team since the 2000-01 Pittsburgh Penguins with five different time of year that NHL teams are especially tight-lipped about injury guys to pile up 70 points or more. specifics, but the official word from the Flames is that left-winger Sam Ryan, Hathaway and Mangiapane certainly aren’t in that sort of Bennett is again day-to-day with an upper-body ailment. Bennett was a stratosphere, but they have been consistent, reliable and tenacious and no-go in Vancouver and has now missed three of the past four outings. are now being rewarded for it. The 22-year-old did suit up for Thursday’s rout of the Ottawa Senators — telling reporters that morning “it’s nice to have that luxury where you can Hathaway notched his second consecutive multi-point night when he really recover from little things that are bugging you” — but departed after chopped a backhander through a crowd of defenders late in the middle the second period that evening … Clear your schedule, or at least set frame. your PVR — the Calgary Inferno and Canadiennes de Montreal face off Sunday for the Clarkson Cup, the ultimate prize in the Canadian The Canucks trimmed the deficit just 38 seconds into the third, with Women’s Hockey League. The championship showdown will be Brock Boeser capitalizing on the power-play, but Mangiapane would broadcast at 10 a.m. MT on Sportsnet West. There is gobs of talent on restore the cushion with a wicked one-timer from the slot. Giordano both sides, with forwards Brianna Decker and Rebecca Johnston — both capped a three-point night with a sweet setup. invited to the NHL all-star weekend in January — and goalie-of-the-year Next up for the Flames is Monday’s matchup with the Los Angeles Kings Alex Rigsby among the key pieces for the Inferno. at the Saddledome (7 p.m., Sportsnet West/Sportsnet 960 The Fan).

You can’t sugarcoat the stats, and James Neal is first to admit he Calgary Sun: LOADED: 03.24.2019 expected to provide more offensive pop after signing a big-bucks contract with the Calgary Flames this past summer.

But …

“I came here to win. I came here to want to be in this position,” Neal stressed prior to Saturday’s clash with the Canucks in Vancouver. “You always love to score and you want to score as many goals as you can, but I would rather have five goals and our team be in first place than have 45 and us out of the playoffs. 1137231 Carolina Hurricanes night. Wallmark one-timed a pass from Ferland and Teravainen beat Dubnyk after Dubnyk failed on a poke check, throwing his paddle at the puck in disgust.

Canes rebound from loss to Lightning, rip Wild 5-1 The Wild played Friday in Washington, topping the Capitals 2-1, but forward Zach Parise was unable to go in the second half of the back-to- back after a collision with the Caps’ Tom Wilson. BY CHIP ALEXANDER Dubnyk, back in net for a second straight night, had all the answers in the MARCH 23, 2019 09:32 PM first period, turning back 11 shots. His biggest stop came late in the period, after Svechnikov broke in alone, only to have his backhand

turned away. RALEIGH “We kept our foot on the gas tonight,” Pesce said. To Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour, every game the rest of the regular season will be “do or die” -- his words Saturday. News Observer LOADED: 03.24.2019 If that’s the case, and probably is, the Canes did all the right things in a 5-1 win over the Minnesota Wild at PNC Arena.

Teuvo Teravainen had a goal and two assists for the Canes (41-26-7). Jordan Staal and Brett Pesce scored in the second period and Andrei Svechnikov and Lucas Wallmark had goals in the third before Teravainen finished it off, ending a tough night for goalie Devan Dubnyk and the Wild (35-32-9).

Goalie Petr Mrazek won for the eighth time in his last nine starts, allowing only a power-play goal to former Canes captain Eric Staal in the second and making 24 saves.

At a time in the season when the pressure is building, points precious and playoff position in the balance, the Canes maintained their hold on the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Bouncing back from a distasteful 6-3 loss Thursday to the Tampa Bay Lightning, when they allowed four goals in the third period, the Canes surged in the third Saturday in expanding a 2-1 lead.

“We played the best team in the league, by a mile, and everyone was upset by how the game went,” Brind’Amour said of the Tampa Bay game. “That’s great here. We expect to win every night. We also expect a certain level of play and if it’s not there, everyone is not too happy.”

Coming up for the Canes: a matchup Sunday against the Montreal Canadiens at PNC Arena, followed a pair of games against the Washington Capitals. The Canadiens, in the second wild-card spot, also won Saturday, ripping Buffalo 7-4 to stay two points behind the Canes.

“We just have to win them, there’s no way around it,” Brind’Amour said. “Nobody’s going to lose who’s around us. We just have to go do it ... and take care of business.”

As Pesce put it, “Every game, as you get closer to the end, becomes the bigger and bigger game because we need the points.”

Saturday’s game was the first between the Canes and Wild since the much-discussed January trade that had winger Nino Niederreiter come to Carolina in exchange for center Victor Rask. For Niederreiter, getting the win had to be sweet.

So, too, Canes fans, who broke into a loud chant of “We want playoffs! We want playoffs!” late in the game.

“It was nice to hear,” Teravainen said.

The fans had a little more fun after the game, when the victory celebration had a basketball theme in the spirit of the NCAA tournament. Defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk dribbled the ball through a crowd of teammates and dunked on a basketball goal.

A Zion WIlliamson imitation, perhaps? “No, no, no, no, that was more of a Nassir Little, Cam Johnson type dunk,” van Riemsdyk said, smiling, giving away his UNC allegiances and adding to it later by saying it was a “Roy Williams type play.”

In the second, Jordan Staal picked up his ninth of the season when a Justin Faulk shot hit Staal’s skate in front of the crease and got past Dubnyk. Pesce then rifled a shot from the left circle off a Justin Williams pass, the Canes had two-goal lead and the crowd of 16,751 was loud.

The Canes killed off the first two minutes of a double-minor against Micheal Ferland for high-sticking, but Eric Staal then scored on a tight- angle shot, the puck glancing off Mrazek’s leg and into the net.

Svechnikov’s 19th of the season came on a well-executed setup pass from Teravainen as the Jordan Staal line was dominant much of the 1137232 Carolina Hurricanes Goalie Petr Mrazek, who has won seven of his last eight games, was expected to be the Canes’ starter in net against the Wild.

“We’re in the playoff push, so are they, and it will be a tough battle,” Wild and different kind of day for Canes’ Niederreiter Niederreiter said “We have to bounce back from the game against Tampa Bay and I think we all know exactly what we have to do.”

BY CHIP ALEXANDER

MARCH 23, 2019 02:06 PM News Observer LOADED: 03.24.2019

RALEIGH

Nino Niederreiter was being tailed Saturday at PNC Arena.

The Carolina Hurricanes’ morning skate having ended, Niederreiter headed into the Canes’ locker room with someone just a few steps behind him. It was Matt Benz, assistant equipment manager for the Minnesota Wild, who exchanged a warm handshake, quick hug and some friendly small talk with the forward.

Having the other team’s equipment man in the middle of the locker room, skate in hand, was a bit unusual. But it was a different kind of day for Niederreiter as he prepared to face his former team, the Wild, on Saturday for the first time since the Jan. 17 trade that helped change the course of the Canes’ season.

“It’s always emotional when you play your former team and especially when you had some great years over there,” Niederreiter said Saturday. “I obviously made a lot of great friends on and off the ice, so it definitely will be very emotional. It definitely will be special.”

Niederreiter, 26, spent parts of six seasons with the Wild. The Swiss-born player was in a Wild uniform for 434 games, becoming a popular fixture in Minnesota.

But in a trade that still puzzles many around the NHL, the Wild agreed to trade Niederreiter to the Canes for center Victor Rask in a one-for-one deal. Niederreiter quickly was placed on the Canes’ top line with center Sebastian Aho and right wing Justin Williams while Rask had an early injury that kept him out of the Wild lineup.

Rask, 26, had shoulder surgery in the offseason, then cut two fingers in a kitchen accident and needed more surgery just a few days before preseason training camp began. Returning in late-November, the Swede then was traded after 26 games.

“It wasn’t too tough, I would say,” Rask said Saturday at PNC Arena. “I had been here for a long time and I really, really like this organization and this city. But it was good for a fresh start for me. Unfortunately I got injured right away but I’m liking this team and liking this organization, so I’m just happy to have a new start here.”

Niederreiter had an immediate impact with the Canes, scoring five goals in his first five games. In his 27 games, he has 12 goals and 24 points as the Canes, under first-year coach Rod Brind’Amour, have gone 18-7-2 with No. 21 in the lineup to pull themselves into playoff position in the Eastern Conference.

“I think Rod’s put a lot of trust in him and put him in a good situation to be successful,” said Wild center Eric Staal, once the Canes captain and a Stanley Cup winner in 2006.

Not long after the trade, Niederreiter mentioned that Wild general manager Paul Fenton was looking to reshape his team and that he apparently no longer fit into Fenton’s plans. He also indicated that Wild coach Bruce Boudreau had lost trust in him and that maybe he was a little too pricey -- Niederreiter has a $5.25 million cap hit -- to be playing on the fourth line.

But Niederreiter said all that would provide no additional incentive in Saturday’s game.

“At the end of the day it’s all part of the business and it happens,” he said. “Trades happen. Sometimes, things go well and sometimes they don’t. For me, fortunately enough, they went well. It’s just part of the game, so for me it’s just trying to play the best game you can play and go from there.”

The Wild (35-31-9) are battling for playoff position in the Western Conference, coming into Raleigh off a 2-1 road win Friday over the Washington Capitals. The Canes (40-26-7) had won four of five before the 6-3 beating Thursday by the Tampa Bay Lightning at PNC Arena. 1137233 Chicago Blackhawks

Goalie Corey Crawford is prepared to make back-to-back starts with the Blackhawks' season on the line

Jimmy Greenfield

Goalie Corey Crawford returned just in time for the Blackhawks’ stretch run. As long as he's feeling good, they're going to keep him between the pipes.

Crawford has started eight straight games, including Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Avalanche, but he hasn't played in back-to-back contests since returning from the concussion he suffered a little more than three months ago.

With the season on the line, that's likely to change Sunday when the Hawks return to Chicago and try to salvage the final game of a home- and-home series against the Avalanche.

"We'll make sure we're on top of it, communicating with him," coach Jeremy Colliton said. "We're in a pretty important time so if he's feeling good and fresh, then he'll likely play."

Crawford stopped 21 of 24 shots Saturday, with two deflecting in off players camped out in front of the net. The other goal came on a 5-on-3.

"That was a tough one," Crawford said. "I think we played pretty well. You know we get a 5-on-3, it's hard when you get scored on a 5-on-3. That makes a big difference in the game. It's tough to take a penalty like that."

Crawford was definitive when asked if he could play Sunday.

"Yeah," he said.

Penalty-kill problems

With the worst penalty kill in the league, the Hawks have tried hard to stay out of the penalty box over the last six weeks. The last time an opponent had more than four opportunities was Feb. 12 against the Bruins.

But the Avalanche had five power-play chances by the end of the second period Saturday and scored the go-ahead goal during a 5-on-3 late in the period after Erik Gustafsson was called for hooking and David Kampf's high sticking resulted in a four-minute double minor.

“We were in pretty good shape until the penalties," Colliton said. "In the second period they got a bunch of chances on, I don't know how many it was, six or seven in that stretch when you include the four minute. But up until that point we were in pretty good shape."

Experience counts

Colliton never made it to the postseason during his brief NHL playing career, but he has been in the playoffs in each of his five seasons as a coach, including all four years with Mora IK in Sweden and last year with the IceHogs, who made it to the AHL's conference finals.

"Whether it's Mora, Rockford or your playing days, I think you draw on everything you have," Colliton said. "But I'm going to make some new (experiences). That's why you want to be in these situations. Any competitor, you want to play in big games, you want to be part of big games. Just excited we have the privilege of being here because a few months before that wasn't maybe on the table."

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137234 Chicago Blackhawks “It comes down to small, little things,” Duncan Keith said. “That’s the difference. We had our chances. They had some too. We’ll try to do everything we can tomorrow to be better and find a way.”

Instead of standing tall in their biggest game of the season, the They might be better Sunday and might find a way. With eight games left, Blackhawks fall short in a 4-2 loss to the Avs though, it's almost certainly too late.

Jimmy Greenfield Chicago Tribune LOADED: 03.24.2019

At this point in a long season, the Blackhawks aren’t trying to fool anybody. Even if they tried, they wouldn’t be able to do it.

Everyone who has watched them knows the Hawks aren’t the fastest, strongest or most talented team. That was as clear in October as it is now with April approaching.

What came as a bit of a surprise Saturday during their 4-2 loss to the Avalanche was the absence of some intangibles. The Hawks showed effort and determination, especially toward the end as they threw a decent number of shots at goalie Philipp Grubauer while trying to send the game into overtime.

What the Hawks didn't have — and what coach Jeremy Colliton lamented afterward — were enough players going to the net, parking themselves in front of Grubauer and waiting for whatever would come next.

Colliton was perplexed that this could happen in the Hawks’ biggest game of the season. But he wouldn’t go so far as calling it an “unwillingness.”

“I don't know,” he said. “I’m not sure. Sometimes we do it but clearly it’s an area we got to get better in.”

Two Avalanche goals came on tipped shots, the first by Northbrook native J.T. Compher when he deflected a Patrik Nemeth shot for a 1-0 lead. Less than two minutes into the third, Sven Andrighetto tipped in Erik Johnson’s shot from the point to give the Avalanche a 3-1 lead.

“They scored two goals off just being at the net,” Colliton said. “Throwing a puck to the net, being at the net and pucks go in. It’s hard to score those goals because you got to pay a price to be there. But it’s easy because everyone can do it. They got a couple that way, and we didn’t generate enough offensively. That’s frustrating.”

What does that tell Colliton about his team?

“Tells me we’re not ready to score those goals that are needed at this time of year when it's almost a playoff game,” he said. “If you get in the playoffs, those are the types of goals that go in. There’s not a lot of tic- tac-toe, backdoor, one-timer things. You got to have a way to manufacture offense in different ways. They did it and we didn’t.”

The Avalanche were not appreciably better than the Hawks, though that might have been in part because they were without injured stars Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen. One big difference was the 5-on-3 the Hawks gifted the Avalanche late in the second period. Erik Gustafsson was called for hooking, and 29 seconds later David Kampf’s high sticking resulted in a four-minute minor.

It seemed as if the Hawks might survive the two-man disadvantage after one Avalanche shot hit the post and another fortuitously struck Duncan Keith, but Colin Wilson was able to get one past Corey Crawford to make it 2-1. And when the teams were at even strength, the Avs also found a way to get the puck past a hot goalie more than the Hawks did.

Grubauer and Crawford have been playing as well anybody in the league the last couple of weeks. In his previous three starts, Grubauer stopped 102 of 104 shots; he made 29 saves Saturday. Crawford, who made 21 saves on 24 shots, has been human the last two games, but in the four before that he stopped 115 of 118 shots.

To win Saturday, when both teams played well, it was going to take something extra. The Hawks didn’t have it, and that could haunt them through the summer. Or they could come out Sunday night in a rematch at the United Center and play as if their season is on the line — which it is.

But the season was also on the line Saturday, and the Hawks didn't have enough. 1137235 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks notes: Goalie Corey Crawford to start for foreseeable future

By Jason Lieser

DENVER — For as long as the Blackhawks have a shred of a chance in the wild-card race, Corey Crawford will be their man in net.

Crawford has been excellent since getting through some turbulence early in his comeback from a concussion, and coach Jeremy Colliton indicated he will play him as much as he can handle.

‘‘We’ll make sure we’re on top of it, communicating with him,’’ Colliton said. ‘‘We’re in a pretty important time, so if he’s feeling good and fresh, he’ll likely play.’’

That means even in back-to-backs, and Crawford said he will be ready to go Sunday against the Avalanche. The only time he has done that this season was in early December.

‘‘We’ve got to win,’’ he said.

Crawford gave up six goals to the Kings last month in his second game back, but he has been lights-out since. He stopped 21 of 24 shots against the Avalanche — two of the goals came on deflections — and has a .938 save percentage and a 1.88 goals against average in his last eight games.

Backup Cam Ward is back to full strength after suffering a knee injury three weeks ago but hasn’t played.

‘‘I think he’d do a pretty good job for us,’’ Colliton said of Ward. ‘‘We just — Crow is Crow, and he’s been great for us.’’

Rapid pace

With eight games in 14 days to close the regular season, the Hawks will have few or no practices. So Colliton hopes everything he has been hammering the last few months will stick.

‘‘It’s like when you’re studying for a test,’’ he said before the game Saturday. ‘‘You study, you study, you study, then at some point you take the test. So here we are.’’

This final exam will be harder than most. If the Hawks somehow come out of their West Coast excursion still in the wild-card hunt, they’ll have to power through a brutal final week against the Jets, Blues, Stars and Predators.

Teams typically don’t practice after a back-to-back, and Colliton tends to give players the day off after traveling. That leaves morning skates on game days as likely his only on-ice time with the team.

‘‘Some days it’s hard for them to get out there and get your body revved up when you’re playing so many games, as they are,’’ he said. ‘‘This time of year, we don’t practice much because we’ve got to save it for the games.’’

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137236 Chicago Blackhawks When asked whether it’s an unwillingness to fight for those opportunities, he said: ‘‘I’m not sure. Sometimes we do it, but clearly it’s an area we’ve got to get better in.’’

Blackhawks' playoff hopes hit huge snag in 4-2 loss to Avalanche Now a Hawks team that is flawed even when at its best must play flawlessly the rest of the way. They’ll have to be overwhelming to topple the Avalanche on Sunday and keep marching from there. And they’ll By Jason Lieser need help.

The math has been working against them since their hideous 9-18-5 start, and now it has them on the edge of conceding. DENVER — The Blackhawks repeatedly have battled back into the Western Conference wild-card race in the last few months, but this looks ‘‘Just come out and give it everything we have,’’ Keith said. like their breaking point.

Their playoff aspirations are fragile after falling 4-2 on Saturday to the Avalanche in the first game of a critical back-to-back with them. If this Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 03.24.2019 wasn’t the knockout punch, a loss Sunday at the United Center would be.

‘‘Every game has been a must-win here, so . . . whatever you want to call it — it’s a huge two points,’’ defenseman Duncan Keith said, turning his attention to Sunday. ‘‘We’ve gotta have our best game of the year every game going forward. So now we turn the page and try to have our best game tomorrow, starting in the first five minutes.’’

The climb from here is daunting. Impossible, perhaps.

The Avalanche jumped into the second wild-card spot, and the Hawks are six points behind them with eight games left. They also trail the Wild and Coyotes — both of whom lost Saturday — by five points.

The Hawks surged to a brief hold on a playoff spot Feb. 20 but have swung wildly since. They’ve dropped as far as nine points out, then had it down to four Thursday.

A sweep this weekend would have lifted them into contention, and anything less would leave them in a bleak situation. The Hawks will linger a little before being mathematically eliminated, but even salvaging a split by winning Sunday probably won’t be enough.

‘‘Doesn’t really matter,’’ coach Jeremy Colliton said of the standings. ‘‘Just gotta win. Rest up, reload, come play our best game.’’

The Hawks’ drop-off came out of nowhere after a convincing five-game winning streak in which they toppled four teams that are headed to the playoffs or still in contention.

Stunningly, the strongest part of the team has been its undoing. The Hawks have scored only seven goals in their last four games — just one from the vaunted trio of Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Alex DeBrincat — and their once-elite power-play unit has plummeted.

Toews and defenseman Erik Gustafsson scored Saturday, both at even strength.

The Hawks had a run in which they converted more than 40 percent of their power plays, easily the best in the NHL during that span. They got nothing on three tries against the Avalanche and are 1-for-24 in their last 10 games.

‘‘We had some chances, just didn’t convert,’’ Colliton said. ‘‘And they scored on theirs. We created some opportunities. We just didn’t execute.’’

It was 3-2 when Colliton pulled goalie Corey Crawford with three minutes left, and the Avalanche scored within seconds. He tried an extra skater again, but nothing came of it.

The Avalanche went ahead 2-1 late in the second period after penalties by Gustafsson and David Kampf gave them a minute of five-on-three. With Gustafsson already in the box, Kampf swung his stick at a puck and hit defenseman Tyson Barrie in the face.

The Avalanche took a 3-1 lead early in the third when a long shot by Erik Johnson deflected off Sven Andrighetto at the net. The officials reviewed whether Andrighetto had a high stick, though Crawford contended the puck hit Andrighetto’s hand or arm and might have been a violation.

Colliton was probably more jealous than angry. He has been lamenting the Hawks’ apparent aversion to that type of dirty work the last few days and certainly didn’t see such inclination from them Saturday.

‘‘Tells me we’re not ready to score those goals that are needed at this time of year when it’s almost a playoff game,’’ he vented. ‘‘There’s not a lot of tic-tac-toe, backdoor one-timer things. You’ve got to . . . manufacture offense in different ways. They did it, and we didn’t.’’ 1137237 Chicago Blackhawks If these things don't change Sunday, the Hawks' season is all but over.

"From here on in, every game is a must-win," Duncan Keith said. "We have to have our best game of the year going forward." Penalties get best of Chicago Blackhawks in loss to Avs

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 03.24.2019 John Dietz

Updated 3/23/2019 6:52 PM

Playoff-style hockey is all about doing the little things.

Block shots. Backcheck hard. Make clean, crisp passes. Stand in front of the net to score those dirty goals.

Do these things well and you'll succeed. Slack off or be unwilling to pay the price and you're going home early.

Well, we saw two teams heading in opposite directions Saturday as the feisty, banged-up Colorado Avalanche sent the Blackhawks to a demoralizing -- and potentially season-killing -- 4-2 defeat at the Pepsi Center.

The Avs, playing without star forwards Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog, converted on a key 5-on-3 power play in the second period, went up 3-1 early in the third and held on after Erik Gustafsson got the Hawks back in it with 7:56 remaining.

These teams meet again at the United Center on Sunday, with the season likely on the line for the Hawks as they are now 6 points behind Colorado in the wild-card race.

"We played pretty solid for the most part," Crawford told reporters. "It's still not good enough. We've got to bring a little bit more."

In three ways, this game should serve as a blueprint for the younger Hawks in terms of learning how teams are successful in the postseason:

Brain cramps are killers:

Gustafsson's needless holding penalty put Colorado on the power play at 12:29 of the second period. Yes, his stick was broken and behind the net, but there's no reason to clutch and grab Gabriel Borque in front of the net. Twenty-nine seconds later, David Kampf gave the Avs a two-man advantage when he drew blood on a high stick to Tyson Barrie.

Colin Wilson proceeded to snap the 1-1 tie with his 11th goal of the season off a nice feed from Alexander Kerfoot.

Pay the price:

Ever since Jeremy Colliton took over as coach, he's harped on players to establish a net-front presence. Nothing new there, of course, as coaches have been preaching this since the beginning of time.

But this has happened very rarely of late, and it's cost the Hawks dearly.

"It tells me we're not ready to score those goals that are needed at this time of year when it's almost a playoff game, or if you get in the playoffs," Colliton said. "Those are the types of goals that go in. There's not a lot of tic-tac-toe, backdoor one-timer-type things. You've got to find a way to manufacture offense in different ways.

"They did it. We didn't."

Indeed, Colorado's backbreaking third-period score came when Sven Andrighetto deflected a long blast by Erik Johnson. And going back a game, the Flyers got their game-winner when James van Riemsdyk's long shot sailed past a screened Crawford.

Fading stars:

The power play's been a mess for weeks, but at this time of year a playoff-caliber team can't have its stars go MIA.

Yet, that's what's happened with Patrick Kane (1 goal last 10), Alex DeBrincat and Brandon Saad (nothing last four) and Dylan Strome (nothing last eight). Dominik Kahun also has just 1 goal in his last 18 games, and Artem Anisimov hasn't scored in seven straight.

Kane's looked particularly frustrated as he has just 11 shots on goal the last five games. Meanwhile, DeBrincat is getting good looks but is uncharacteristically misfiring. 1137238 Chicago Blackhawks Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.24.2019

Four takeaways: Blackhawks lose ground in wildcard race with regulation loss to Avalanche

By Charlie Roumeliotis

March 23, 2019 5:00 PM

Here are four takeaways from the Blackhawks' 4-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche at Pepsi Center on Saturday:

1. Losing ground

It's been well-documented much this weekend means for the Blackhawks. It could basically make or break their playoff chances with exactly two weeks left. They even got a break when they found out during warmups that Colorado's second-leading point getter Mikko Rantanen would miss the game due to an undisclosed injury, joining captain Gabriel Landeskog on the sidelines.

But the Avalanche seemed to elevate their intensity because of it. Just like their last meeting against Colorado, the Blackhawks failed to hold a lead at any point in the game and were forced to play catch-up in the third period when they fell behind two goals.

With the regulation loss, the Blackhawks fell six points out of the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference with only a game in hand. It didn't help that Arizona picked up a point, either. Time is running out.

2. Lack of power play success reason for offensive drought

The power play was one of the main reasons why the Blackhawks turned their season around at the end of December. It was converting at a 40 percent clip for months. Obviously, that was going to be unsustainable over the course of a full season.

But it has completely dried up over the last several weeks, and it's the primary reason why the offense hasn't been firing on all cylinders as of late.

The Blackhawks had three power-play opportunities against Colorado. They recorded 12 shot attempts, six shots on goal and generated four scoring chances but couldn't find the back of the net. They're now 1-for- 25 on the power play in their last 11 games. The 5-on-5 success is there, but the 5-on-4 isn't.

The Blackhawks have scored only seven goals in their past four games, which comes out to 1.75 per game. That's not going to cut it.

3. Not taking advantage of defensive improvement

It really is a shame that the Blackhawks are hitting a scoring drought at the worst possible time. Because there's noticeably been a defensive improvement over the last week. It's their best stretch in a while.

Over the last three games, the Blackhawks have allowed 20 total high- danger chances at 5-on-5, according to naturalstattrick.com, for an average of 6.7 per game. They had given up double-digit high-danger chances in 13 of their previous 17 games, including consecutive games where they allowed 20 to Montreal and 15 to Toronto.

Their season average in that department before Monday was 11.5. So they've shaved off nearly five full high quality scoring chances per game in this mini stretch. That's a huge improvement. But they haven't had much to show for it, recording one out of a possible six points.

4. Turning the page fast

Fortunately for the Blackhawks, they won't have too much time to sulk on this regulation loss. The two Central Division foes will go right back at it on Sunday night at the United Center. And that's truly a must-win game for the Blackhawks. It's why they should start Corey Crawford on back-to- back days for the first time since November 2017.

Another regulation loss would put the Blackhawks eight points back with seven games left, and it would only be a matter of time before they're mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.

1137239 Chicago Blackhawks “But I thought we could have got to the net more,” Colliton said. “They scored two goals off just being at the net, throwing a puck to the net, being at the net and pucks go in. It’s hard to score those goals because Despite miraculously getting back into the playoff hunt, Blackhawks fail to you got to pay a price to be there. But it’s easy because everyone can do step up when it matters most it. They got a couple that way and we didn’t generate enough offensively. That’s frustrating.”

What’s been strange lately about the Blackhawks is their offense, which By Scott Powers has let them down. You never would have thought it’d be goals they’d be lacking. The Blackhawks have scored one power-play goal in the past 10 Mar 23, 2019 games. Patrick Kane has one goal in March. Alex DeBrincat has two. Dylan Strome has cooled off. As a team, the Blackhawks have scored two goals or fewer in six of their past nine games. DENVER — The Blackhawks could have changed how this season would have been remembered. At the same time, Crawford and the defense have been keeping them in games. Crawford’s allowed seven goals in 5-on-5 play over the past eight Instead of being the season Joel Quenneville was fired and the games. The defense still has its ups and downs, but the Blackhawks Blackhawks failed to make the playoffs for a second consecutive year, it have been better in limiting opponents. Colliton has remarked after a few could have been about Jeremy Colliton taking over, resiliency and recent losses how his team deserved better. returning to the playoffs. The final chapter hasn’t been completed, but it’s shaping up to be more about the former than the latter. In the end, the Blackhawks might just be the ultimate .500 team. They were 6-6-3 under Quenneville. They’re 26-26-7 under Colliton. It’s been Just think about how much had to go right for the Blackhawks to even get two steps forward, two steps back all season. They are what they are, back into the playoff race. They had to win at a great rate. Others had to right? lose at that rate. And that miraculously happened. The Blackhawks were 13 points out of the final wild-card spot on Dec. 17 and erased that deficit The Blackhawks aren’t mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, but it over two months. They even got as far as sitting in that final spot for a doesn’t look good. They need to win Sunday against the Avalanche to few minutes. give themselves any chance. It’s probably unrealistic even if they do win Sunday with the Minnesota Wild and Arizona Coyotes ahead of them in The Blackhawks did the unimaginable, but it then became about what the wild-card race. they would do next. How would their season ultimately be defined? As woeful as they had been and frustrated as fans may have gotten, the There was a window for the Blackhawks to alter this season. That Blackhawks had a realistic shot at the playoffs. Could they finish the job? window is now nearly shut. They had taken control of their own fate. They didn’t need a combination of their own wins along with others’ losses. Now they just needed to win. The Athletic LOADED: 03.24.2019 The Blackhawk were 26-26-9 with 61 points on Feb. 20. The Avalanche had the same amount of points but were in the final wild-card spot due to a tiebreaker. If the Blackhawks just took care of their business over their final 21 games, which included three remaining games with the Avalanche, they would be fine.

Through 13 of those 21 games, the Blackhawks aren’t fine.

With a chance to redefine this season, the Blackhawk have faltered. They’ve gone 6-6-1 over this vital stretch, including two losses to the Avalanche, and find themselves six points out of the final wild-card spot, trailing three teams and having just eight games remaining. Their season is now being defined by their inability to step up and win meaningful games.

As important as those games in December, January and February were to get back into the playoff hunt, there was no pressure on them to win. Most people had written them off. No one expected to do what they did. But lately with expectations and pressure switched on, they’ve seemed to switch off.

That might be putting it harshly too. Aside from their loss to the Los Angeles Kings earlier this month, the Blackhawks have actually played well in most games during this heated stretch. They just haven’t played well enough.

Saturday’s 4-2 loss to the Avalanche was more of the same. Duncan Keith often tells it how it is. After Saturday’s game, he did just that. He thought the Blackhawks did a lot of good — they had a 60.24 Corsi percentage — but when it came down to it, they didn’t come through. The Avalanche were the ones who capitalized on a 5-on-3 power play. The Avalanche were the ones who came through with the clutch goal. Keith knows a lot about what it takes to win those types of games, and the Blackhawks didn’t do it Saturday. They haven’t done it much lately.

“Close game the whole way, just kind of comes down to a very fine line,” Keith said. “They got the 5-on-3 in the second (period). It just comes down to a couple plays. At the end of the day, we can’t make any excuses. We’ve got to do a better job and find a way to get it done (Sunday).”

Colliton hasn’t been one to often criticize his team, but he made a point of mentioning what the Avalanche did to score two of their goals Saturday and what the Blackhawks failed to do. Twice, the Avalanche scored off a deflection at the net due to someone battling for position in front of Corey Crawford. 1137240 Colorado Avalanche

Denver Post: LOADED: 03.24.2019

Coloradoan Brad Watson, NHL referee, retires with honors

By MIKE CHAMBERS | [email protected] | The Denver Post

PUBLISHED: March 23, 2019 at 12:49 pm | UPDATED: March 23, 2019 at 5:46 PM

Coloradoan Brad Watson called it a career Saturday, concluding a 23- year stint as an NHL referee in front of family and friends at the Pepsi Center. I feel fortunate to have been among those friends.

A scratch golfer, good hockey player, and terrific story-teller, Watson hand-picked his 1,393rd and final NHL game — choosing his adopted hometown team hosting the Chicago Blackhawks in concluding his 73- game, regular-season annual commitment.

“It’s a nice way to go out. It’s at home, where I’ve been for 19 years,” Watson said.

Watson, 57, worked 214 playoff games and eight Stanley Cup Finals, including 2013 when the Blackhawks defeated the Boston Bruins in six games. His first playoff game was April 13, 2000, when the Avs hosted the Arizona Coyotes for Game 1 of a first-round series at the Pepsi Center.

The league’s oldest ref, Watson has close ties with former Chicago coach Joel Quenneville and Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic — two respectful relationships born in 1996 when Watson worked his first NHL game and the Avs were in their inaugural season in Colorado. Sakic was the star center at the time and Quenneville an assistant coach.

“Too bad Quenneville got fired but I like doing the Blackhawks and the Avs have always been good to me,” said Watson, who was honored at the Pepsi Center before his 1,000th game on Jan. 21, 2014 — during Sakic’s second year as GM.

A transplant from Regina, Saskatchewan, Watson has been on the goodbye trail for two weeks. Every last stop has been memorable, including Tuesday in Raleigh, N.C., after the Hurricanes defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in a shootout. Despite the loss, Pens captain and future Hall of Famer Sidney Crosby led each of his teammates in a handshake line. Watson was the recipient.

After Wednesday’s game in Washington, where the Capitals defeated Tampa Bay in overtime, there were more handshakes as well as post- game beers.

“I see teams for the last time and they find out its the last time I’m going to see them. It’s pretty cool, especially the guys who you’ve seen their careers develop,” Watson said. “Crosby, (Alex) Ovechkin, Justin Williams, who I reffed in three Stanley Cup Finals. He’s such a gamer, and he sits there and says, ‘Man, I’ve seen your career, and you’ve had a great career.’

“So the players have been great. A lot of times it’s done on the ice (during the game). They skate by and say, ‘Great career’ and that. The coaches of Washington came into our room after and had a beer. I was in Minnesota last weekend and (GM) Lou Lamoriello of the Islanders came into our room. I was in Carolina and Crosby got all his players to come over and they went through a line and shook my hand. Same with Carolina, and their GM came in and gave me a jersey.”

Watson is sad to see the end of his career but excited for the future, with far less travel and more time spent with wife Amy and their son, Reid, 14, and daughter Genabeth, 12. Watson hopes to remain in hockey as an NHL supervisor and give back as the old veterans did for him in the 1990s.

Make no mistake, Watson lasted as long as he did because he was considered among the best. In addition to working the Cup Finals in 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2014, Watson worked the 2004 World Cup, 2008 NHL All-Star Game in Atlanta and 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. He also worked four NHL outdoor games, including Feb. 26, 2014 at Coors Field when the Red Wings defeated the Avalanche.

The game will miss Brad Watson, my friend. 1137241 Colorado Avalanche

Minus two all-stars, Avs defeat Blackhawks to climb back into playoff spot

By MIKE CHAMBERS | [email protected] | The Denver Post

March 23, 2019 at 4:40 PM

Playing its seventh game without Gabe Landeskog and first without Mikko Rantanen, the Avalanche on Saturday managed to keep rolling toward the Stanley Cup playoffs without two of the team’s three all-star forwards.

“We’re bigger than two players,” defenseman Erik Johnson said.

The Avs got another excellent performance from goalie Philipp Grubauer and redirection goals from forwards J.T. Compher and Sven Andrighetto to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2 at the Pepsi Center to begin a consecutive-day home-and-home set with the Original Six franchise. Colorado upped its winning streak to four games and climbed to 80 points — a point ahead of both Minnesota and Arizona for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot; the Wild plays Saturday night at Carolina.

Compher redirected a shot from defenseman Patrik Nemeth for the Avs’ first goal, and Andrighetto did the same from Johnson in the third period for a 3-1 lead. The Avs, who begin their final seven-game stretch Sunday night at Chicago, got an empty-net goal from Derick Brassard with 2:20 remaining, about eight minutes after Chicago defenseman Erik Gustafsson beat Grubauer with a big slap shot from the point.

“Everyone is kind of catching fire at the right time, and Gruby’s the best he’s been all year,” Johnson said. “Whenever we get those other two guys back, it will just be a bonus.”

He added: “When two guys go down, other guys step up. Just that next- man-up mentality, and when you do that it brings everyone’s level up a little bit more. That’s what we had tonight. Another big win and hopefully we can steal two points tomorrow on the road.”

Rantanen was scratched with an injury to his midsection, after being checked into the bench boards late in Thursday’s 3-0 victory at Dallas. Landeskog remains out with an arm/shoulder injury, suffered March 9 at Dallas. Landeskog and Rantanen are second and third on the team in goal-scoring with 33 and 31, respectively. Landeskog might return before the April 6 regular-season finale and Rantanen is day-to-day but won’t play Sunday against the Blackhawks, coach Jared Bednar said.

“Everyone in this room knew who we were missing today and we knew the opportunities for guys to step up. I thought it was great team effort, very workmanlike — getting greasy goals,” Compher said.

The Blackhawks tied it 1-1 just 2:13 after Colorado opened the scoring. Avalanche defenseman Nikita Zadorov smashed his stick against the goalpost after his turnover led to Jonathan Toews’ glorious opportunity in front of the left post. Zadorov tried reversing the puck to Nemeth, but Chicago forward Dylan Sikura came up with it and put a shot on net. Grubauer made the save but Toews scored on the rebound.

The Avs regained the lead with a 5-on-3 power-play goal after the Hawks committed penalties at 12:29 and 12:58 of the second period. Colin Wilson capitalized late Gustafsson’s holding minor and a minute into David Kampf’s double-minor for high-sticking Colorado defenseman Tyson Barrie. Barrie, the Avs’ power-play quarterback, sought facial repairs before returning late in Kampf’s penalty.

Footnote. Longtime referee Brad Watson of Highlands Ranch was honored during a stoppage in play midway through the first period. Watson, 57, worked his final NHL game in front of family and friends. Blackhawks captain Toews and many of his teammates shook hands with Watson after the game, before the entire Avalanche lineup joined the line.

Denver Post: LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137242 Colorado Avalanche Brandon Tanev carried possession through the neutral zone and played a pass to Mathieu Perrault, allowing him to get behind the defense.

Grubauer tracked the play, but Perrault held the puck long enough to Philipp Grubauer has taken off for the Avalanche, and this is how he’s create some hesitation. He then maneuvered his way around the crease doing it and forced Grubauer into making a late drop in his stance only to have the Jets take a 1-0 lead.

By Ryan S. Clark The Jets pushed out to a 2-0 lead on a power-play goal, with much of their success predicated off movement. Kyle Connor was able to slip Mar 23, 2019 through the defense and plant himself immediately in front of the net. Connor, who was unmarked, already had his stick in position for a tap in

right as Grubauer reacted to the play. Nine months ago, Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic sat at a table Colorado was on the power play when it lost possession and it turned that would be just to the right of what is now the Stars’ logo at center ice into an odd-man rush for Winnipeg. Blake Wheeler gained the puck on of the American Airlines Center. This was the setting at the NHL Draft the near side before skating through the heart of the Avalanche zone. He when he brokered the trade for Philipp Grubauer from the Capitals. played a sly pass back to Mark Scheifele, who immediately played it back Sakic’s move for Grubauer was the talk of the draft beyond the Sabres to Wheeler for a one-timer that tested Grubauer’s lateral movement and selecting Rasmus Dahlin with the first pick. He fielded all of two beat him for a 3-1 lead. questions about Martin Kaut, the team’s first-round selection, and was Those goals share similar themes. The first: the defensive breakdowns bombarded with questions about how the Avalanche entered the race for forcing Grubauer into a compromised position. Colorado had more a Stanley Cup-winning backup goaltender ready to be a No. 1 players in its defensive zone on the opening goal, but Perrault was still somewhere else. able to go untouched through the neutral zone before receiving a mini- “Well, I was happy! I like good goaltenders like any other coach,” breakaway in tight space. Avalanche coach Jared Bednar recalled of his initial reaction to the Winnipeg’s second goal was a result of Colorado’s penalty kill tracking Grubauer news. “I think in the offseason and you get a phone call as a possession but not specific players. That is why Connor was able to coach, you’re adding a quality player. A guy you know has had success, skate into a prime area of danger and punish the Avalanche for their especially as a Stanley Cup champion, whenever you are adding guys coverage decisions. like that, you’re excited as coach with what might come.” The 3-1 goal was a result of several factors. The surface view was the Avalanche were adding depth at what was an injury-riddled position in their chase for a playoff appearance. The deeper The Jets got an odd-man, short-handed rush that undid the Avalanche’s and more meaningful vantage point centered on how the Avs could have defensive approach in a manner of passes before Wheeler unleashed a a future No. 1 goaltender should they seek to move on from Semyon one-timer. Varlamov by next summer. A heat map from Natural Stat Trick reveals the areas on the ice where Bednar opened preseason camp not wanting to tip his hand, only to say the Jets were at their most dominant. minutes later that Varlamov had earned a trust Grubauer would need to develop over time. Five of the Jets’ six non-empty-net goals came either in the low slot or net front. Those are areas that require Grubauer – or any goaltender – to Consider it earned. quickly react to every shot he faces at the risk of allowing goals in a close-range environment. Grubauer’s performances over his past seven starts are why the Avalanche entered the weekend in position for a Western Conference Grubauer’s start against the Jets that evening came in the midst of what wild-card spot, nearly a week after their playoff chances took a severe proved the be the most difficult month of the season. He was coming off blow in a loss to the Ducks at Pepsi Center. a December during which he allowed 20 goals over eight appearances and recorded a .904 save percentage. Come January, he received only Grubauer’s effort Thursday not only set a career high with 44 saves but four appearances, all starts. also provided a bit of symmetry. Dallas, after all, is the city where Sakic negotiated the deal that led to the 27-year-old goaltender eventually His strong start came against the Rangers in a 6-1 win, which saw him receiving the opportunity to be a No. 1 goaltender for a rising franchise. go largely untested with the Avalanche running roughshod with 10 power-play opportunities. From there, Grubauer allowed at least four How Grubauer arrived at this point seems improbable given how his first goals in three starts that month and finished the first month of 2019 by season in Denver has transpired. Initially, Grubauer was handed an giving up 16 goals and finishing with a .816 save percentage. occasional start with the net belonging to Varlamov. He was given an audition but did not sell Bednar on his initial offer. Now, Grubauer has an Capitals goaltending coach Scott Murray, who also worked with entire organization buying into the notion that he can be the goaltender Grubauer when they were in the AHL, told The Athletic earlier in the who gets them into the playoffs. season that his former pupil’s demeanor never really changes whether he’s struggling or playing well. Just how well has Grubauer played? The normally stoic Carl Soderberg flashed a bit of a smile while talking about Grubauer after the 3-1 win “When he’s going, he’s as focused on what he needs to do as anybody,” Thursday against the Stars. Murray said. “He kind of lets that white noise go away and when he does that and puts that all together, that’s where you see a consistent effort “Everyone is happy for him. I think our goaltending has been really good from him night in, night out.” of late, (Semyon Varlamov) too” Soderberg said. “It’s nice to see because of the hard stretch we had there in January. We’ve seen him Move ahead to Feb. 23. That’s the day when Grubauer recorded his first work hard in practice, battle back and now he’s getting the results.” shutout of the season, a 5-0 win against the Predators at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The outing was viewed as a continuation of fortune Soderberg’s statement alluding to a difficult January serves as a for an Avalanche team in the midst of a six-game point streak. reference point to further illustrate what changes Grubauer made in reaching his current state of play. That was an official turning point for Grubauer, who is having the strongest string of performances among any Avalanche goaltender this A performance that signified Grubauer’s frustrating start to the new year season. His three shutouts in his most recent seven starts are more than came Jan. 8 in a 7-4 loss against the Jets at Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg. Varlamov has all season. Grubauer was tagged for six goals – three coming on four power-play opportunities – on 20 shots. At the time, it was the fifth occurrence of his Grubauer, even in his losses to Anaheim and Carolina, played well allowing more than five goals in a game. enough to give Colorado a chance at winning. He stopped 21 shots against the Ducks and 30 more against the Hurricanes. Overall, Winnipeg’s first goal came when it cleared the puck, but Colorado had Grubauer is 5-2 with a 0.87 goals-against average and a .971 save the players back on defense to prevent an odd-man rush from starting. percentage in his past seven starts. The Avalanche actually had numbers, with three players to the Jets’ two. “Oh man, unreal,” Avalanche alternate captain and defenseman Erik He was in the middle of answering a question when an Altitude television Johnson said of Grubauer after the team’s win Thursday against the camera arrived to record his postgame session. Grubauer asked for a Stars. “Never really had any panic in our game tonight because he was brief pause so he could put on a T-shirt to look presentable for the so controlled. He didn’t give them one, two, three cracks at it. He was broadcast while continuing to speak as if there weren’t an interruption. pretty solid in there, controlling his rebounds. Made the big saves he had to, the easy saves he had to and he’s clearly in the zone right now. Oddly enough, he was being asked what he’s done over the past few weeks to improve his game. There has to be an explanation for a 6-2 “He’s gotta be the first star in the NHL for this month, or for the week. It’s record with a 1.01 goals-against average and a .967 save percentage pretty impressive.” over eight starts, right?

All right. Now comes the big question: How did Grubauer get to this “Read the game, scan who’s on the ice, scan where they come from, point? How did he go from a liability in January to arguably the read where the puck is going on. Just simplify it,” Grubauer said. “You Avalanche’s best player in their chase for a wild-card spot? don’t need to do too much. But the guys are helping me out. You can see pretty much every puck, and if you don’t, we get a huge block.” Perhaps the strongest case study came March 19 when he made 36 saves in a 3-1 win against the Wild at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. The Athletic LOADED: 03.24.2019 Grubauer has continued to sharpen his tracking skills. He’s only amplified that ability by pairing it with improved lateral movement to give him an advantage. Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon recovered a rebound in the high slot, but by that point, Grubauer was already reset in his stance and awaiting the shot.

Spurgeon sent possession to Kevin Fiala, who was at the left faceoff circle. Grubauer not only moved with the puck, but his body was already in position as he awaited the shot. Fiala fired a shot on goal that never made its way on net because Ian Cole blocked the attempt.

Another example of how Grubauer’s improved movement and tracking skills paid off came when the Wild were operating behind the Avalanche net. Grubauer stayed on his knees the entire time and tracked the puck with his eyes while using his legs to slide from post to post in an attempt to cover every inch of the net.

The puck came free, and Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin skated in from above the right faceoff circle and fired a shot that Grubauer turned aside. Joel Eriksson Ek collected the rebound and passed the puck to an open Erik Staal. At the time Stall received possession, he appeared to have an open net for a target.

Grubauer, however, generated the momentum with his legs to slide from right to left to make a skate save while also covering up a good portion of the net.

He was active again when Wild forward Jordan Greenway received the puck at corner and played it off the boards to Victor Rask.

Rask attracted enough attention from the Avalanche’s defense, allowing Pontus Aberg to take a wide-open attempt from the low slot that he quickly flicked on net. Grubauer’s dexterity allowed him to use his left pad to stop the puck. The maneuver itself prompted Grubauer to move from right to left while also skating above the crease to cut down the angle.

The Wild were not as active throughout the entire slot as the Jets. But they did maintain a heavy presence when it came to net-front opportunities, according to Natural Stat Trick.

Minnesota’s lone goal against Grubauer came on the power play when Ryan Suter fired a shot that was immediately redirected by Zach Parise, who was within a foot of the crease when his stick made contact.

And so it goes, it seems, at the most important time of year for Avalanche.

Grubauer made 29 saves Saturday in a 4-2 win against the Blackhawks at the Pepsi Center. It was his fourth consecutive victory and his 15th of the season, tying the personal high he set last season as a backup in Washington.

Grubauer speaks after each game he’s started with an efficient, focused approach that answers the question but is uttered in a manner as if each word is carefully thought out.

In Dallas, Grubauer was asked to explain how he’s managed to piece together such consistent performances. He chose to make the focus about the team and what can be done to sustain its success.

“I think we’ve played the right way, and we’ve got to continue to play that way,” he said. “In the last period, I don’t know how many shots we gave up (24), but I think it was a little bit too much on the chances we gave up. … It worked out today. Overall, we need everybody every game. It’s Game 7 every game we play.” 1137243 Colorado Avalanche

4 observations: Secondary scorers propel Avalanche to 4-2 victory over Blackhawks

By DJ Stanec

March 23, 2019

Every game is a “must-win” for the Colorado Avalanche right now. With division rival, Chicago Blackhawks in town, Saturday’s matinee was even more important.

Missing team captain Gabriel Landeskog as well as Mikko Rantanen, Colorado knew that it would need the secondary lines to step up their game – and that’s exactly what happened.

Goals from J.T. Compher, Colin Wilson and Sven Andrighetto propelled the Avalanche past Chicago in a fast-paced, high-intensity game. An empty netter from Derick Brassard sealed the 4-2 victory over the Blackhawks.

What did we learn from this divisional win?

1. Without Mikko Rantanen, others stepped up in big ways:

It was no secret that without Landeskog and Rantanen, scoring would need to come from somewhere else. J.T. Compher and Colin Wilson each played some of their best hockey of the season. Wilson and Alexander Kerfoot had two points on the night as well. This scoring needs to continue for Colorado to keep its playoff hopes alive.

2. Philipp Grubauer continues to show why he is the rightful owner of the starting position:

Grubauer saved 29-of-31 shots faced, controlled his rebounds and essentially kept Colorado in this game. He is most likely the goaltender this team will count on down the stretch and his strong play was a positive sign.

3. The Avalanche benefitted through special teams:

Colorado killed off every penalty they faced and also recorded a crucial power-play goal of their own. It was the momentum from those special teams plays, that took the opposing fans out of the game and energized the Avalanche fans in the process.

4. 11 forwards, 7 defensemen still works well:

Despite missing Mikko Rantanen, Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar stuck with the lineup he’s used since Landeskog went down. Colorado’s defense was under a barrage today but still looked very fresh due to the depth on the bench. When Tyson Barrie caught a stick to the face, Colorado didn’t skip a beat and we really saw the benefit of having seven active defensemen.

What’s next for the Avs:

Colorado will have a quick turnaround with another game against the Blackhawks on Sunday – this time in Chicago. Puck drop is set for 6:00 PM MST from the United Center.

milehighsports.com LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137244 Colorado Avalanche starts Sunday’s game in the Windy City. Grubauer has played a lot of high-pressure hockey of late, and Semyon Varlamov has been a longtime Blackhawks killer at the United Center.

The Avs had faith Philipp Grubauer could still be a No. 1 goalie. Now he’s It’ll be a very tough choice, indeed, for Bednar. Do you really want to take proving it Grubauer out when he’s this hot? On the other hand, would playing him the next night be riding him a bit too hard?

BY ADRIAN DATER “Well, it was early game (today). We get a little bit of (extra) rest there, and over there they are in the same situation,” Grubauer said. “We’ll see MARCH 23, 2019 what’s gonna happen, and who’s gonna play.”

Grubauer’s play has to have Joe Sakic feeling a bit more validated right now than he was a few weeks ago. Sakic had to buy out the final year of Philipp Grubauer sat at his locker stall, sweat pouring out every pore of Brooks Orpik’s contract ($4 million, spread out over two years), plus give his body. up a second-round pick, to get him from Washington. He then signed “You guys should talk to someone else for a few minutes” Grubauer told Grubauer to a three-year contract with a cap hit of $3.33 million, only to a couple of reporters standing by the stall, implying that he needed a bit see him have poor statistics entering February, with fans starting to call more of a breather before he started to talk. for Pavel Francouz to be called up from the Colorado Eagles.

Finally, after a period in which at one point he hunched over, staring at You aren’t hearing that anymore. the carpet in a repose that said “Phew”, Grubauer took time to discuss “Everything for us right now is still a Game 7,” Grubauer said. “We’re still another game in which he was the Avalanche’s No. 1 star in a startling, lucky to be where we are right now. We’ve just got to keep playing it unexpected late-season playoff push. simple. If we do, we set ourselves up for a really good chance at the “It was a good game, but I’m not really satisfied with how I played today,” playoffs.” Grubauer told BSN Denver. OTHER TAKEAWAYS AND OBSERVATIONS Say what? You mean, he can be even better? Gabe Landeskog, who has been out 18 days now with a bad shoulder, “Too many pucks bounced away. Too many second opportunities. I did a lot of puck-handling earlier in the day. He was listed as out 4-6 always felt like I was a little bit behind on the play,” Grubauer said. “Not weeks at the time of the injury. I asked Bednar if he might come back one of my better ones, but I’ll take it.” sooner than four week. Bednar said yes, he might. I am gonna go out on a limb and say Landy is back for next Friday’s big home game with Grubauer stopped 29-of-31 shots for the victory, which moved the Avs Arizona. back into the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. It might only be temporary, as a Minnesota Wild win Saturday night in Carolina Colin Wilson picked a good time to play one of his best games as an Av. would see-saw them back into that second spot. He not only scored that big 5-on-3 goal, but he assisted on Andrighetto’s goal too. Still, as hard as it is to believe, the Avs actually control their own destiny in the fight for that playoff spot – and oh, hey, they are only two points I thought the Avs just looked like the harder-working team today. Chicago back of Dallas right now for the first wild-card spot (Dallas has a game in was pretty good puck-possession-wise, but I thought the Avs won the hand). races to the loose pucks and played a bit hungrier around the net.

The Avs had to overcome a lot to win this one, starting with the absence Who do I think will start in goal Sunday? I think it’ll be Varly. But, man, of Mikko Rantanen because of that upper-body injury suffered after a hit Bednar will face some fierce second-guessing if he goes out and has a from the Stars’ Joel L’Esperance the other night in Dallas. Jared Bednar clunker. We’ll see. It’s just my hunch on this one that he’ll start. I think said after the game that Rantanen won’t play Sunday in Chicago either, Bednar will worry about Gruby being a little worn out, but we’ll see. but that he’s “day to day, hopefully just a couple days.” NOTES AND QUOTES FROM AVS PR The Avs had to overcome a Chicago team that played a pretty strong The Avs are now 2-1-1 against the Blackhawks this campaign with one game. The Blackhawks had the puck an awful lot, winning the Corsi game remaining in the season series, tomorrow evening at United battle pretty decidedly. And, the Avs had to overcome a home game Center. This is the first home-and-home, back-to -ack set for the again feeling like a road game, thanks to all those Chicago transplants Avalanche since Dec. 16-17, 2013 against Dallas (excluding the two that buy tickets on StubHub or Seat Geek months in advance. games against Ottawa in Sweden in 2017). Grubauer was the glue that kept everything together, especially by the The Avs have won four straight games and are 11-5-1 over their last 17 second period of a scoreless game in which it was starting to feel a little outings. Colorado is 7-2-1 in its last 10 contests at Pepsi Center. dicey for the Avs. J.T. Compher finally broke the scoreless tie in the second, but Jonathan Toews tied it up a couple minutes later. The Avalanche has now won six of its last seven (6-1-0) games against Central Division opponents. But toward the latter half of the second period, the Avs got a big break thanks to penalties 39 seconds apart, the latter being a David Kampf The Avs scored twice in the third period and have now lit the lamp 98 double-minor high-sticking call to the face of Tyson Barrie (boy, it was times in the final frame this season, a new single-season Avalanche close for Barrie having a potentially very serious eye injury, but the stick record (since 1995-96) for third-period scoring (1996-97, 96 goals). caught him on the lower portion of an eyebrow, so he was able to return after missing a shift or two). The Avalanche played the last of its six afternoon contests at Pepsi Center, finishing 4-2-0. Colin Wilson (Colin Wilson!) scored a tap-in off a nice crossing pass from Alexander Kerfoot to put the Avs ahead to stay. Sven Andrighetto (a very INDIVIDUAL NOTES solid game taking Rantanen’s place on the top six) scored a huge Colin Wilson extended his point streak to a season-long three games. He insurance goal in the third, a tip of an Erik Johnson shot that withstood registered his fourth multi-point game of the season (first since Nov. 2 at video review. Vancouver) and now has four points (1g, 3a) over his last three games.

Erik Gustaffson atoned for his sin of high-sticking Barrie with a goal at Nathan MacKinnon finished with five shots to bring his total to 336 this 12:04 to cut it to 3-2, but Chicago made a bad pull of goalie Corey season, the second-most in a single season in franchise history (Joe Crawford and paid for it on Derick Brassard’s third goal as an Av, into the Sakic, 339), surpassing Sakic’s 332 shots in 2000-01 to move into vacant net. The Blackhawks didn’t have good enough possession of the second place. puck when Crawford scurried to the bench, and he was caught in no- man’s land when Brassard and Nathan MacKinnon came into the Alexander Kerfoot registered his 10th multi-point game of the season. Chicago zone on a 2-on-1. He now has a career-high 25 assists this season, surpassing his Grubauer now has established himself as the new No. 1 goalie on the previous high of 24 from his rookie campaign in 2017-18. team. But, Bednar did say it would be a tough decision for him as to who Sven Andrighetto scored his first game-winning goal of the season and lose it right there as we’re getting another guy on the ice, but it was a the third of his career. He has registered four points (2g, 2a) over his last pretty close game.” five games. On The Avalanche’s Third Goal: “I was just trying to get an Samuel Girard has registered at least a point in consecutive outings and understanding for what the rule is because it didn’t go off his stick. I think has three points (0g, 3a) in his last two games. He now has 24 points this it hit his (Colorado RW Sven Andrighetto) hand or his arm so I just wasn’t season, surpassing his rookie season total (23) from 2017-18. sure what the rule was on that. If he’s deflecting it and using his arm or his stick, but I don’t think it matters if it’s towards the net and a sort of Philipp Grubauer has won his last four starts and is 6-2-0 in his last nine deflection play like that.” games (eight starts), posting a 1.00 goals-against average and a .968 save percentage over that span and three shutouts.

J.T. Compher finished with a goal and leads the Avalanche with five BSN DENVER LOADED: 03.24.2019 points (4g, 1a) against Chicago this season.

QUOTES

Colorado LW J.T. Compher

On The Team’s Effort: “It’s been a full team effort when those guys (Colorado RW Mikko Rantanen and LW Gabriel Landeskog) haven’t been in the lineup and that’s what we need. We need everybody stepping up in these big games. We’ve checked well and because we are playing such good defense, it’s leading to offense.”

On The Team’s Confidence Fighting For A Playoff Spot: “Most of this group went through the same thing last year. We were fighting for a playoff spot for the last month or two. We know what it takes and this past week, putting together games that are good enough to get two points and get wins.”

Colorado RW Alexander Kerfoot

On The Team’s Performance As Of Late: “We just came back from Minnesota, Dallas and won both of those games – those are pretty hostile environments. So, I think we’re playing well at home, we’re playing well on the road, so everything is going our way right now.”

On Colorado C Colin Wilson’s Power-Play Goal: “It’s a 5-on-3 so there’s a lot of room out there. I thought that we had a couple of really good looks before that. Obviously, Nate (Colorado C Nathan MacKinnon) hit the crossbar and then they got kind of a lucky bounce when we had a wide-open net earlier. Yeah, 5-on-3 guys are going to be open and he was open in front of the net and I just tried to feather it in there and he made a great play to finish it.”

Colorado C Colin Wilson

On The Playoff-Like Atmosphere: “They are the most fun. It had a playoff atmosphere to it, both teams. It was a big two points. Yeah, they are the most fun to play in.”

On His Goal: “It was nice that it finally went in. Honestly, I wasn’t gripping the stick too hard and it was a nice play by Kerf (Colorado RW Alexander Kerfoot). Hopefully, they start flowing in from here.”

Chicago D Duncan Keith

On Today’s Game: “Close game the whole way, just kind of comes down to a very fine line. They got that 5-on-3 in the second and it comes down to a couple of plays and at the end of the day, we can’t make any excuses. We’ve got to do a better job and find a way to get it done tomorrow.”

On The Back-To-Back: “Just come out and give it everything we have. Obviously tonight wasn’t enough. We need to just find a way to get that first one and get the momentum and try to keep it. Play tight, stingy defense where we’re not giving up much, we’re keeping it simple and sometimes penalties, they’re accidents and that’s going to happen sometimes. We’ve got to get those kills but try to stay out of the box too and all the little things that make the difference.”

Chicago G Corey Crawford

On Today’s Game: “I think we played pretty well. They get a 5-on-3 and it’s hard when you get scored on 5-on-3, I mean that makes a big difference in the game. It’s tough to take a penalty like that. We made some good stops, Seabs (Chicago D Brent Seabrook) big block on (Colorado C Nathan) MacKinnon. Got lucky off the post and Duncs (Chicago D Duncan Keith) stopped one. It was just one chance after the other and I thought we played really well, kind of got unlucky with a squeaker in front of the net. We played pretty solid for the most part. Obviously, it’s still not good enough. We’ve got to bring a little bit more but I thought we were actually not too bad. Had a chance late and kind of 1137245 Colorado Avalanche Philipp Grubauer (A-) – It wasn’t a dominant performance and the .935 save percentage was lower than what he’s been doing lately but it was still downright excellent. He came up huge when he had to and the ones Avs-Blackhawks player grades: One step closer that got by him were acceptable. He just keeps rolling along.

Erik Johnson (D+) – Credit for the assist on the game-winning goal but he got absolutely crushed in shot share. Normally a combination of the BY AJ HAEFELE Avs winning and putting up points pushes a player’s grade into the positive territory but Johnson got lit up defensively. At 5v5, Chicago had MARCH 23, 2019 a 12-3 advantage in scoring chances and 25-8 shot attempt advantage. Given he tied MacKinnon for most shifts by an Av today, he got straight caved in. Andrew Agozzino (C-) – I can’t say I honestly noticed Agozzino much in his limited ice time. He was negative in shot share so I’m giving him the Tyson Jost (D+) – I wrote a nice piece about Jost’s dominance in Corsi slight minus since I have nothing else to really work from here. and he responded with three consecutive negative Corsi games. I’m not a believer in jinxes but that’s some amusing voodoo timing. He was just Sven Andrighetto (A-) – Andrighetto got beat up in shot share and that okay today. As the intensity has ramped up into playoff mode, Jost has matters but he also scored the game-winning goal and boy that’s pretty occasionally struggled to reach that level. important, too. He actually had a great shift right before Chicago’s first goal as he was all over the place attacking the puck. Alexander Kerfoot (A-) – This is basically a grade given for raw production. He had been struggling lately to find points despite helping to Tyson Barrie (B-) – It’s a little cold-blooded to say his biggest contribution create a ton of chances but today he notched two assists in a game in the game was getting sticked in the face to put the Avs on an extended where I don’t think he played all that well. I thought he was terrible in the 5 on 3 PP but that was a game-changing sequence of events. He didn’t first period but got a lot better as the game went on and the pass he score today but I actually really liked some of his defensive work. I made to Wilson on the 5 on 3 PP was perfect. He baited the defender’s thought he had a solid all-around performance. stick out of the lane and when he had the opening, he feathered the pass perfectly onto Wilson’s stick and 22 did the rest. Gabriel Bourque (B) – He had a couple of small moments in big situations that were clear reminders of why Bednar likes him in the Nathan MacKinnon (B) – He was negative in shot share and he didn’t lineup. He had a mini-breakaway in the early going but couldn’t get a score any points. Normally that could serve as a game recap with the shot off but his best moments were defensively. With a Chicago PP over, way the Avs tend to live and die by MacKinnon’s production. But today they were still pressing offensively and Bourque’s active stick knocked a he had 12 shot attempts, five on goal, and he absolutely blistered a puck to center ice and the Avs were able to get a full change and fresh slapper past Crawford on the 5 on 3 PP that left a dent in the post. He legs to defend. It’s the little stuff he has to do well and today I thought came thisclose to scoring multiple goals and was tied with Johnson in was one of Bourque’s best games. most shifts on the Avs today. There was frustration with him pulling up and defending himself on rushes but he was still a one-man army with Derick Brassard (C-) – I thought Brassard was honestly terrible today. the puck today. Even when he doesn’t produce, he can put up a special The ENG boosts this up a bit and it was smart of him not to get cute and performance. try to pass to MacKinnon and just finish it off himself but the rest of the game felt like he was chasing defensively and did nothing offensively. Patrik Nemeth (B-) – He really didn’t play very much but he grabbed an assist and was part of a penalty kill that was perfect on the day, a key to Matt Calvert (C-) – One of the rare games where I felt Calvert just wasn’t Colorado getting the win. I think he’s been playing his diminished role at his best. The effort was there, of course, but he didn’t just didn’t do quite well lately and today was a continuation of that. much today and his best offensive chance he again chose not to shoot or pass and instead ran the puck into the boards behind the goal and Carl Soderberg (D+) – It felt like Carl was Colorado’s leader in “almost” allowed the defenseman to get on top of him. He’s too indecisive plays today. He was close to being part of so many different things but offensively and it’s cratering chances created. none of them ultimately panned out. He had the ENG in Dallas but otherwise has been a wallflower in Colorado’s winning streak. There’s no Ian Cole (B+) – One of the issues I’ve had with Cole defensively this year doubt Carl has more to give. has been his decision making in jumping into the play offensively and holding the blue line defensively. I thought he was exceptional at both Colin Wilson (A) – I remember when the Avs acquired Wilson and Preds today as he pinched in and helped create some offense and he stood up fans/media all talked about this mythical creature known as “Playoff well at the blue line and shorted multiple rush opportunities for Chicago. Willy” when talking about Wilson. I think that’s the guy we’ve seen this These last several games have had a heavy playoff feel to them and week because he was everywhere against Minnesota and made his mark Cole has shown why the organization brought him in as he’s stepped up again today. He scored the goal to put Colorado ahead 2-1 and had an big time. assist on the game-winning goal in the third period. He even rang one off the post, one of four Avs posts hit on the day, that would have given J.T. Compher (A) – Some players seem to have those teams where they Colorado a 4-2 lead had it gone in. He was negative in shot share so I’m inexplicably find that extra gear. Against the Avs, it’s guys like Colton dinging him every so slightly but that really doesn’t diminish what a good Sissons and Jonathan Toews (who has scored more goals against afternoon he had. Colorado than any other team in his career and added to that total today). For Compher, it’s been Minnesota and his hometown Nikita Zadorov (C-) – I always enjoy watching how storylines develop Blackhawks. He added another one today on a great tip from a point shot over the course of a season. This year, there’s been this common belief and nearly added a second on a breakaway in the third period. He was that Bednar has a preference of Nemeth over Zadorov despite almost no all over the place for the Avs today and played nearly 25 minutes! actual proof to back it up and today was another pretty example that Z has a longer leash than we occasionally admit. While playing 15:43 is Samuel Girard (C+) – Girard got beat up in shot share today and they certainly not an enormous workload, it dwarfs the 12:43 played by definitely need more from him in the defensive end but he snagged an Nemeth, only 9:50 of which was at 5v5. Z got those minutes despite a assist on the PP and his hot run of offense at the end of the year ghastly turnover that created Chicago’s first goal and a few other continues. He wasn’t quite as aggressive with the puck as he was during questionable plays with the puck. He fired a puck into Cole’s skates early the two road games this past week but he still found his way to the in the third that created a scoring chance that he subsequently broke up scoresheet. with great defense. That was kind of Z’s day. He honestly played a hell of Ryan Graves (INC) – I’ve understood and enjoyed the seven D lineup a defensive game and he even rang one a shot off the post for good when it’s been going on but playing Graves just 5:59 seems to defeat the measure. But those passing plays, they just create such huge problems entire purpose and adds extra strain on your forwards for no discernible sometimes. payoff, especially at home when the Avs have the matchup advantage on faceoffs. Graves did make the early mistake of touching the puck on a line change before his guy got off the ice but the real problem was the BSN DENVER LOADED: 03.24.2019 Kerfoot turnover on the play. 1137246 Colorado Avalanche NOTES: Blackhawks C Dylan Sikura had an assist. … Zadorov made a young fan’s day in pregame by giving her a hockey stick as she sat in the first row. … NHL referee Brad Watson officiated his 1,393rd and final Wilson breaks out of scoring funk, Avalanche beat Blackhawks 4-2 regular-season game Saturday. The players skated over and congratulated him after the game. … Rantanen was hurt Thursday when he was hit into the boards in a win at Dallas. … Landeskog was expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks when he went out earlier this month. He’s starting to March 23, 2019 shoot pucks and coach Jared Bednar said he could be back earlier than Pat Graham expected. … Avs F Nathan MacKinnon had five shots to bring his season total to 336. That’s the second-most in franchise history behind Joe Sakic, who had 339 shots in 1995-96.

DENVER — Colin Wilson stepped up with his team banged up.

It was an opportune time for the Colorado Avalanche forward get back on LOADED: 03.24.2019 track.

Wilson scored his first goal in more than a month, Philipp Grubauer stopped 29 shots and the playoff-chasing Avalanche earned their fourth straight win by holding off the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2 on Saturday.

J.T. Compher and Sven Andrighetto also scored. Derick Brassard added an empty-netter for an Avalanche team moved into the second wild card spot in the Western Conference, a point ahead of Minnesota and Arizona. The Wild lost 5-1 to Carolina later Saturday.

“Big two points,” Wilson said. “It had a playoff atmosphere to it.”

Colorado had an array of forwards pitch in with All-Star Mikko Rantanen missing the game with an upper-body injury. They’re already without captain Gabriel Landeskog, who’s sidelined with an upper-body ailment.

Wilson delivered his first goal since Feb. 7.

Grubauer did his part by keeping up his torrid play and winning his fourth straight start. The chants of “Gruuuu” grew louder with every save he registered.

“Not one of my better ones, but I’ll take it,” Grubauer said.

Jonathan Toews and Erik Gustafsson had goals for Chicago, while Corey Crawford stopped 21 shots. The loss was a blow for the Blackhawks, who are making a late charge but are now six points behind Colorado.

“From here on in, every game is a must-win,” Chicago defenseman Duncan Keith said. “We have to have our best game of the year going forward.”

The two teams face each other again Sunday as part of a back-to-back, home-and-home set.

Andrighetto’s tip-in goal 1:26 into the third period gave the Avalanche a 3-1 lead. The officials took a look on replay to see if Andrighetto knocked it in with a high stick or with a glove, but quickly confirmed the goal.

“We played pretty solid for the most part,” Crawford said. “It’s still not good enough. We’ve got to bring a little bit more.”

Gustafsson scored with 7:56 remaining on a shot from the blue line to make it 3-2. But Brassard wrapped things up on an empty-net goal with 2:20 left.

There was a scary moment in the second period when defenseman Tyson Barrie was hit near the eye by the stick of David Kampf with Colorado on the power play. Barrie quickly skated toward the locker room holding his face.

The Avalanche capitalized on the two-man advantage as Wilson made it 2-1 on a pass from Alexander Kerfoot, who finished with two assists. Moments later, Barrie returned with a bandage over his cut.

Colorado took the early lead in the second period after Compher tipped in a shot. It was the third goal this season against Chicago for the Northbrook, Illinois, native.

That was also a sign of things to come with the Avs being aggressive around the net.

“It’s hard to score those goals, because you have to pay a price to be there but it’s easy because everyone can do it,” Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton said. “They got a couple that way. We didn’t generate enough offensively. So that’s frustrating.”

Asked if it’s an unwillingness to do the dirty work around the net, Colliton responded: “Sometimes we do it. Clearly it’s an area we’ve got to get better at.” 1137247 Columbus Blue Jackets

Sergei Bobrovsky might not play against Canucks

Brian Hedger

Mar 23, 2019 at 11:43 PM Mar 23, 2019 at 11:43 PM

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Already dealing with an injury to defenseman Ryan Murray, the Blue Jackets are now juggling a health concern in net.

Sergei Bobrovsky returned to practice Saturday at the University of British Columbia’s Father Bauer Arena, but there’s no guarantee he will start Sunday night against the Vancouver Canucks.

“I felt better, but let’s see (Sunday) morning, how it is in the morning, and we’ll decide then,” said Bobrovsky, 30, who was scratched Thursday at Edmonton because of an upper-body injury. “It was bothering me for a few days, maybe a couple weeks. It’s just not getting better. It’s worse. And I don’t believe I can help (the) team in this condition.”

He has certainly helped the Blue Jackets the past couple of months.

Since the start of February, Bobrovsky is 12-7-0 with a 2.20 goals- against average and .924 save percentage — including 4-2-0 with a 1.66 goals-against average, blistering .946 save percentage and one 46-save shutout in his past six games.

He has dealt with a long-term injury in the past, though, and has learned that pushing through the pain isn’t in anybody’s best interests.

“I have experience, I know my body,” Bobrovsky said. “So, you want to go out there and put the gear (on) and help the team to win the game, (but) if there’s any concern or I don’t feel like I can help, then I think it’s not fair to put the gear on and force things.”

Backups Joonas Korpisalo and Keith Kinkaid also practiced, splitting the net as usual.

Missing Foligno

Captain Nick Foligno missed the first three games of the trip because of an undisclosed personal issue and could miss the finale Sunday. His absence is felt throughout the team.

“It’s a big deal, but there are bigger priorities in life,” said defenseman Seth Jones, who has kept in touch with Foligno by phone. “When you have kids and a family, that always comes first. We don’t want him to be here with everything that’s going on, but he’s definitely a voice in the room, he’s the leader of this team and he runs the ship.”

Wrapping up

Coach John Tortorella said the Blue Jackets would reset their focus by dining together Saturday. “We’re going to have a dinner tonight as a team, sit down as a group and have dinner,” he said. “Have a beer together and get ready to play our next game.” … Scott Harrington and Brandon Dubinsky were the only two players on the trip who didn’t practice. Each did off-ice training in a gym that overlooked the rink.

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137248 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets know they need a revival of their top line

By Brian Hedger

The Columbus Dispatch

@BrianHedger

Posted Mar 23, 2019 at 11:43 PM Updated Mar 23, 2019 at 11:43 PM

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — As much as the Blue Jackets might need it, their “identity line” isn’t walking through the door Sunday before they play the Vancouver Canucks.

Nick Foligno is back in Columbus because of a personal issue, Josh Anderson is now on the second line and Boone Jenner is flanked on the third by Alexander Wennberg and Oliver Bjorkstrand, who are more finesse than physical.

“Nick isn’t here and Andy’s probably our best player right now, so that’s not going to happen,” coach John Tortorella said Saturday, referring to the combination of Foligno, Jenner and Anderson. “No matter where (Jenner) plays, he’s going to play his style. That’s all he knows. But the key for us is to get some scoring from our top line.”

Ah, yes, them.

The top line of Artemi Panarin, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Cam Atkinson remain a focal point because of their offensive slump.

They haven’t had a goal since Atkinson’s two in a 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 9 at Nationwide Arena. They have just four assists among them in the past six games (none by Dubois), and they even had a “clear the air” meeting about it over dinner in Calgary last week.

Tortorella broke them up midway through a 4-1 loss Thursday at Edmonton, flip-flopping Panarin with Ryan Dzingel on the second line, but the trio was back together for an up-tempo practice Saturday at the University of British Columbia’s Father Bauer Arena.

It’s clear that with only eight games left, riding a three-game winless streak, Tortorella is looking higher up the lineup this time for a jump-start.

“We need Luc’s line to play better,” he said. “We need Luc’s line to score some goals.”

Panarin hasn’t scored in 11 games, Dubois in 13 games, and Atkinson in six.

They appeared to be pulling out of it Tuesday in a 4-2 loss at Calgary, creating chances, but Dubois hit a goal post and the crossbar — just inches from two goals. It was a stinging reminder of how things have gone the past month for all three.

They weren’t nearly as effective Thursday in Edmonton, but what line was in that game — other than the Oilers’ top unit centered by star Connor McDavid?

“Calgary, Boston, we had a really good run going as far as how we were playing and how we were supposed to play,” Tortorella said. “During the year, I can talk about not having the result, watching the process ... we need both right now because we’re running out of time.”

It wouldn’t hurt to have some identity restored through physicality, too, which Jenner and Anderson can still bring.

“I think for me to bring my game, I have to have that, so I don’t think I want to play any differently,” Jenner said. “I’ve just got to bring what I bring and do it.”

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137249 Columbus Blue Jackets • What’s ailing the Blue Jackets right now is pretty simple: the No. 1 line — Artemi Panarin, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Cam Atkinson — has been mired in a funk for three weeks. John Tortorella was pretty blunt about it At critical time for Blue Jackets, Seth Jones steps up to lead in Nick Saturday: “Bread and Cam are too good to be sitting this way at this time Foligno’s absence of year. We don’t have a chance if we don’t get them on the scoreboard. Having said that, they can’t break away from the team concept and start cheating.”

By Aaron Portzline Tortorella refused to let Panarin take the brunt of the blame. “It’s not just him, it’s the line itself,” Tortorella said. “Their numbers are way down. Mar 23, 2019 They’re way down since the deadline. I do think in the Calgary game (a 4-2 loss on Tuesday) they had a number of good shifts. I don’t think they’re far away. But your best players need to be your best players this VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Seth Jones brought the Blue Jackets time of year. But I do, I think they’re right on the cusp of trying to break together Saturday morning before they headed out for practice at a rink this open.” on the campus of the University of British Columbia. Tortorella always focuses more on how well the Blue Jackets are playing The message he wanted to impart? vs. the results they’re getting, a nod to how fluky hockey can be. But with eight games left in the season, it’s no longer possible to be so “We understand where we need to go from here to be successful,” Jones understanding. “We need both right now,” Tortorella said. “We need … to said. “There’s only one way to do it, and that’s together, and that’s giving be playing the right way, but we also need results, because we’re running everything we have for each other and to every guy in that room.” out of time.” Jones has slowly become a leader for the Blue Jackets since he was • Neither C Brandon Dubinsky nor D Scott Harrington took part in acquired in the middle of the 2015-16 season, but now he’s playing the practice. The duo worked out in a gym overlooking the rink. part of stand-in captain during a critical stretch. • The Blue Jackets are in no hurry to get G Elvis Merzlikins to Columbus, The Blue Jackets are fighting for their playoff lives after GM Jarmo and it’s looking like his itinerary has been pushed back a couple of days. Kekalainen made bold moves at the NHL trade deadline to propel He’s now expected to get his visa on Tuesday and arrive in Columbus on Columbus to its first playoff run. Wednesday or Thursday. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky is fighting through an injury. Forwards • Jones is like a lot of sports fans right now, bouncing from the NCAA Artemi Panarin, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Cam Atkinson — who have Basketball Tournament to the NHL’s Stanley Cup race. “I’m watching carried the Jackets offensively all season — are suffering through the March Madness, but I’m watching hockey, too,” he said. “I’m watching longest slumps of the season. the (NHL) scores, obviously, all the games that matter to us. Every time I And while all of this is swirling, captain Nick Foligno is away from the club see an overtime game in our division it just bums me out.” to deal with a family emergency. Jones’ pick to win the NCAA championship? Gonzaga. “It’s a big deal,” Jones said. “But there are bigger priorities in life. When you have kids in your family, that always comes first. We don’t want him to be here with everything that’s going on. The Athletic LOADED: 03.24.2019 “Nick’s a voice in our room. He’s the leader of this team. He runs the ship, so when you’re going through a difficult time, this is when myself and other guys on this team can step up and give a little bit more.”

Foligno missed a game in mid-November and four games in late December and early January to be with family when his daughter, Milana, was having heart surgery. (The club has been clear that Foligno’s current absence is not related to Milana’s health.)

He’s expected to miss his fourth consecutive game Sunday when the Blue Jackets play the Canucks, and the club has described his absence as “indefinite.”

But the Blue Jackets are keeping him in mind. In Calgary, the team hung Foligno’s nameplate above the largest, most prominent stall in the visitor’s dressing room, allowing it to sit empty.

Jones said he’s spoken with Foligno in recent days “about what I thought and what he thought” regarding the Blue Jackets’ recent play and individual performances.

Until Foligno returns, Jones and others will try to lead the Blue Jackets out of a difficult time.

“It depends on the situation, but I think we’re honest with each other (in the room),” Jones said. “Whether you put your arm around the guy or get in his face, honesty is going to be the best way to do it.

“Some guys are different than others and do things differently. But that’s what being a leader is, it’s understanding what the team needs at that time.”

Notebook

• Bobrovsky, who missed Thursday’s game with an upper-body injury, took part in practice on Saturday. “I felt better, but we’ll see (Sunday) morning,” Bobrovsky said. “I’ll dress (Sunday) morning (for an optional skate) and we’ll decide then.” More from Bobrovsky: “It was bothering me for a few days before, maybe a couple weeks. It was just not getting better. It gets worse. I didn’t believe I could help the team in this condition (on Thursday).” 1137250 Columbus Blue Jackets In the latter stages of Thursday’s loss, players were trying to skate through multiple Oilers to score goals single-handedly. The abandonment of a team concept is something the Blue Jackets have done routinely this GM Jarmo Kekalainen on Blue Jackets’ lack of cohesion, support for season when they’ve become frustrated. John Tortorella and a call for accountability But the Blue Jackets clearly need some players to step up their play on an individual basis, too.

By Aaron Portzline The one who stands out most is the one who always stands out most when the Blue Jackets have the puck — left winger Artemi Panarin, who Mar 23, 2019 has only one goal and a minus-9 rating in 13 games since the trade deadline.

Panarin’s competitiveness is what prompted Tortorella to find favor in him VANCOUVER, British Columbia — One month ago, Blue Jackets general early last season, his first in Columbus after a trade from Chicago. But manager Jarmo Kekalainen pushed all of his chips to the middle of the Panarin doesn’t appear to be playing nearly as hard in recent weeks. table at the NHL trade deadline, beefing up the roster at forward, fortifying it on defense and even grabbing a goaltender for insurance. Most of Panarin’s statistics are similar or in the ballpark with those he compiled last season in Columbus, but two underlying statistics are This is not what he envisioned. alarming: Panarin has nearly twice as many giveaways (53) as The Blue Jackets are a fractured club right now, in more ways than one. takeaways (28) this season. The numbers looked quite different in 2017- Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky missed Thursday’s brutal 4-1 loss in 18: 70 takeaways to 51 giveaways. Edmonton with an undisclosed injury, and is questionable for Sunday’s Nobody expects Panarin to be a Blue Jacket much longer. He’s already game here against the Canucks. Defenseman Ryan Murray hasn’t stated his desire to test unrestricted free agency this summer. played since Feb. 18 with an undisclosed injury and is out indefinitely. Captain Nick Foligno is likely to miss Sunday’s road trip finale as he’s But there was no sign Panarin wanted to be traded at the deadline, back in Columbus attending to a family emergency. either. Sources confirmed to The Athletic on Friday that Panarin — through his new agent, Paul Theofanous — did not request a trade by And then there’s the play on the ice. the Blue Jackets before Feb. 25. When Kekalainen watches his club play, he sees a group of individuals, While Panarin’s play has dipped, nobody’s offensive output has not a tight-knit group, he said. The Blue Jackets are 5-7-1 since the trade plummeted quite like Dubois. He has 0-1-1 since the trade deadline, and deadline, scoring just 27 goals in those 13 games (2.08 per game). It’s is the picture of frustration. the worst stretch of the season for the club at the worst possible time. It certainly doesn’t help that all of this is happening while Foligno is away “We have to start playing like a team,” Kekalainen said. “Right now, we’re from the club, but Tortorella has reiterated in recent days how the players looking like a group of individuals who are pulling in different directions. need to hold each other accountable. We don’t look like a team. Is anybody demanding more from Panarin? “When you’re a team you can sense that tightness and that togetherness in everything you do. You trust each other and you like playing with each Is anybody trying to help Dubois relax? other, with a smile on your face. You enjoy the challenge. That’s all part of being a team. You enjoy each other. You trust each other and you “Are you able to look each other in the eye and know you’ve done your support each other. It’s time we start looking like a team.” job,” Kekalainen said. “When you’re doing your job, you can demand the same of everybody else. That’s called professional pride.” With that comment, Kekalainen is likely to prompt at least two follow-up questions: 1) isn’t that one of the risks involved in making substantial The Blue Jackets (84 points) are ninth in the Eastern Conference, one roster changes so late in the season, and, 2) what does a fractured team point behind Montreal (85) for the second wild-card and three behind after Game 74 say about Blue Jackets’ players and coaches, including Carolina (87) for the second-wild-card. They have eight games to play. (or especially) coach John Tortorella. “This should be the time of the year that you enjoy,” Kekalainen said. “It’s To the first issue … why you put all this work in … the off-season, training camp, the long regular season … your eyes should light up now with the opportunity to It’s not the newest Blue Jackets who have fallen to pieces. Sure, Matt play in the playoffs. Duchene, Ryan Dzingel and Adam McQuaid have had ups and downs, but they’ve mostly settled in. Duchene has been among the club’s best “It’s easier said than done, but that’s every professional athlete’s forwards and one of the stand-up players in the dressing room, win or approach. ‘Here’s my opportunity, right in front of me, I’m going to go lose. grab it. I’m going to go for it.’

It’s the top line — Artemi Panarin-Pierre-Luc Dubois-Cam Atkinson — “That’s what our team values are all about, not being afraid of making that has gone missing. It was one of the best lines in the NHL for the first mistakes and going for it. Right now we’re not playing like that.” four months of the season, but Panarin has lost his drive, Dubois has lost Notebook his confidence and Atkinson has lost his way. • Kekalainen wouldn’t even describe Bobrovsky’s injury as “upper” or As for the second issue … “lower.” He wouldn’t say when it happened, which is an interesting Kekalainen made it clear he doesn’t even want speculation to start question. Bobrovsky finished Tuesday’s game in Calgary with no swirling around Tortorella, the longest-tenured and winningest coach in apparent struggles. The Blue Jackets didn’t skate on Wednesday. Then franchise history. on Thursday, Tortorella said he was “nicked.”

No, Kekalainen said, he’s not going to pull a “Lou Lamoriello” in the final • Goaltender Elvis Merzlikins is on the Blue Jackets roster after signing a weeks of the season. Then GM of the New Jersey Devils, Lamoriello one-year, entry-level contract on Wednesday. The expectation is that fired coach Robbie Ftorek with eight games remaining in 1999-2000, and Merzlikins’ immigration work will be finished by this weekend or early dismissed Claude Julien with three games remaining in 2006-07. next week, allowing him to travel to Columbus and meet his new coaches and teammates. Kekalainen indicated it could later next week before “That’s just silly,” Kekalainen said at the thought of making such a move. Merzlikins arrives, but there’s no hurry. “Torts has been our coach for a long time, been a good coach for us. He’s coached us into the playoffs twice in a row. He’s a very experienced • Tortorella was vague on Thursday, saying he hadn’t thought about how coach in this league. he’d handle having four goaltenders on the roster. But Kekalainen made it clear on Friday: “We’re not going to have four goaltenders on the ice for “If anybody can figure out how to turn this thing around, it is going to be practice.” Kekalainen said Merzlikins will work extensively with him.” goaltending coach Manny Legace.

Kekalainen spoke repeatedly about the Blue Jackets needing to play • The Blue Jackets didn’t practice on Friday. They’re back to work on together more as a team. It bothers him. Saturday.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137251 Dallas Stars

Stars 2019 playoff tracker: Where Dallas sits in the Western Conference standings (updated daily)

Staff Report

By SportsDayDFW.com

The Stars need to finish in the top three of the Central Division or in the top two in the wild-card race to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs. ROW -- regulation and overtime wins -- is the first tiebreaker for teams deadlocked in points with equal games played. Teams play 82 games.

Here's the latest look at where the team sits in the standings.

Central Division

Wildcard

Odds

Making the playoffs: 93.4 percent (as of 3/22)

Winning the Stanley Cup: 1.1 percent

Odds via sportsclubstats.com.

Sign up for our FREE Stars newsletter!

Dallas' last 10 games

Mar. 23 -- Loss, 3-2 to Pittsburgh (Home)

Mar. 21 -- Loss, 3-1 to Colorado (Home)

Mar. 19 -- Win, 4-2 over Florida (Home)

Mar. 17 -- Loss, 3-2 (SO) to Vancouver (Home)

Mar. 15 -- Loss, 2-1 to Vegas (Home)

Mar. 14 -- Win, 4-1 over Minnesota (Away)

Mar. 12 -- Win, 2-0 over Buffalo (Away)

Mar. 9 -- Loss, 2-1 to Chicago (Home)

Mar. 7 -- Win, 4-0 over Colorado (Home)

Mar. 5 -- Win, 1-0 over NY Rangers (Home)

Record: 5-4-1

Stars' games this week

Monday, Mar. 25 at Winnipeg Jets (45-26-4, 94 points)

Stars lead season series 2-1

Wednesday, Mar. 27 at Calgary Flames (47-21-7, 101 points)

Stars lead season series 2-0

Thursday, Mar. 28 at Edmonton Oilers (33-34-10, 74 points)

Season-series tied 1-1

Saturday, Mar. 30 at Vancouver Canucks (32-32-10, 74 points)

Season series tied 1-1

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137252 Dallas Stars

Why is Joe Thornton outperforming Jason Spezza? Comparing two of the league's veteran forwards

By Josh Lile

Jim Montgomery has begun scratching veteran center Jason Spezza. Spezza is an unrestricted free agent when the season ends, and almost certainly gone. The narrative around Spezza is that he is simply not one of the Stars best twelve forwards. Maybe he isn't, but I find that exceedingly difficult to believe.

Spezza has been predominantly a playmaker for his entire career. He has topped 30 goals twice since he was 25, and only once since he was 28. He has made his money in this league setting up his teammates. A comparison that comes to mind is with Joe Thornton, the aging first ballot hall of fame playmaker for the San Jose Sharks.

Once again heading back to the data tracked by Corey Sznajder and visualized by CJ Turtoro let's see how the two elder statesmen look side by side.

At this stage of their careers Spezza is significantly better at exiting the defensive zone and entering the offensive zone with the puck. He also takes more shots than Thornton. The big difference in Thornton's favor is the amount of shots generated with Thornton on the ice. Thornton sets up significantly more shots at this point.

This is a bit of a chicken or an egg scenario. Is Spezza not doing enough to create offense, or is he creating offense for players who aren't skilled enough to do some work on their own to get a shot on net? I would argue the latter after taking a look at who his most consistent linemates have been the past two seasons.

He hasn't exactly played with a murderer's row of high end offensive talent. His most frequent linemates have been Mattias Janmark, Devin Shore, and Brett Ritchie. Remi Elie, Gemel Smith, and Val Nichushkin are all at or above the amount of time Spezza has spent with Tyler Seguin the last couple of years.

Just for the hell of it, if you add up all of the even strength points of Janmark, Shore, Ritchie, Elie, Smith, and Nichushkin you get 140 over the last two years. That....isn't a lot.

So either Spezza is doing poorly for all of these guys, or maybe they just aren't very productive offensively.

Joe Thornton has fairly consistent linemates. His most consistent is Joe Pavelski, but he's also played a lot with Marcus Sorensen, Kevin LeBlanc, and Timo Meier. Those four have combined for 255 points at even strength over the same time period.

If you want Spezza to help create offense you have to put people around him capable of generating a chance after he sets the table. He isn't a speed player, but neither is Thornton. The Sharks put young players around him (Pavelski excluded) who can do some of that legwork for him. The Stars haven't consistently done that.

Then again this comes back to the fact that the Stars tend to not trust those young forwards in the first place. Roope Hintz and Jason Dickinson play, but watching the Texas Stars consistently has emphasized how much talent is really down in Austin. Denis Gurianov, Erik Condra, and Adam Mascherin could all help this team offensively. Ben Gleason and Julius Honka could too. Ty Dellandrea, if the Stars were able to promote him, would too.

Spezza is going to leave in July. He may not bounce back to what he used to do offensively. If a team picks him up on the cheap I wouldn't be shocked to see him have an Eric Staal in Minnesota kind of resurgence. I am willing to die on this hill. I refuse to believe Jason Spezza forgot how to set up offense, and when he signs with Vegas in the offseason for dirt cheap I'm afraid the Stars will be asking themselves how he was able to bounce back so quickly.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137253 Dallas Stars -- While the Stars haven't been able to score much recently and rank as the third-worst offense in the league, mistakes have done them in on the other end of the ice. On Thursday against Colorado, the game-winning Here we go again? Stars know the pains of a March meltdown, fresh off goal was scored after a bad line change. underwhelming homestand On Saturday night, a Roman Polak turnover behind the net became Jared McCann's first goal of the night, a shot from the slot after Phil Kessel's interception. The game-winning goal came on a Stars power Matthew DeFranks play when the puck got chipped past Klingberg and McCann netted his second goal of the game.

"It's disappointing for sure, but I feel like we still have a lot of confidence Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Penguins dropped the Stars to 38-31-6 on the in this team and in this room," Klingberg said. "Like we've been talking season, and conjured memories of last season's March slide out of the about before, this time of year, you've got to stay grounded emotionally, postseason. wins or losses. It's going to be a huge road trip here moving forward." Last year, the Stars lost eight straight games from March 11-28, including Briefly... a stretch of four games in Canada. The Stars missed the playoffs by two points. -- Pittsburgh appeared to score in the second period, when forward Phil Kessel tipped defenseman Erik Gudbranson's shot from the point. But After the loss, the Stars held a playoff spot by three points over Arizona officials ruled goaltender interference on Teddy Blueger and disallowed and Minnesota. They are six points behind St. Louis for third place in the the goal immediately. Penguins coach Mike Sullivan challenged the play, Central Division. Dallas plays at Winnipeg on Monday, followed by a but the call on the ice was upheld. back-to-back in Calgary and Edmonton, and finishing with a date in Vancouver. -- Stars forward Justin Dowling finished the night with one shot attempt and two hits in 14:04 of ice time. He was recalled Saturday morning from "I think we learned a lesson from the previous year," defenseman John AHL affiliate Texas. He began on a line with Jamie Benn and Joel Klingberg said. "Not just last year, but years before, too, we've been in L'Esperance, but Jason Dickinson replaced L'Esperance midway through this situation a lot of years here now. Our division, we know it's tight. the second period. Western Conference is tight, everyone is winning games this time of year. We've been winning a lot, but obviously 1-3-1 on the homestand is "I thought he was good," Montgomery said of Dowling. "I thought he not what we wanted. made plays. He's a smart hockey player. He puts pucks into good areas for us to either recover or continue to make plays. I thought he had a "Look at the flip side, we feel like we're playing pretty good. We just have good game." to execute and create those momentums in the game where we score the goal and we can defend a lead. Right now, we're not scoring those goals, but it's going to come if we keep playing like this." Dallas Morning News LOADED: 03.24.2019 Stars coach Jim Montgomery has talked about how well his team has been playing recently, despite the results. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Stars have had more 5-on-5 scoring chances than their opponent in 10 of the last 11 games, including all five on the homestand.

But the Stars also rank last in the league with an 8.21 shooting percentage. League average is 9.5 percent.

"You can't really take moral victories at this point in the season," forward Andrew Cogliano said. "You need to get points and the teams that do get points are the teams that make the playoffs. Did we play bad? Probably not, but obviously not good enough this time of the year."

According to Moneypuck's expected goals metric, the Stars have deserved to win more recent games. Expected goals is an advanced statistic that assigns goal values to shots based on their location on the ice.

Here is the Stars' homestand in expected goals in all situations:

Saturday: Dallas 3.44, Pittsburgh 2.94

Thursday: Dallas 4.91, Colorado 3.32

Tuesday: Dallas 3.34, Florida, 1.27

Sunday: Dallas 2.91, Vancouver 1.32

March 15: Dallas 3.75, Vegas 2.46

Expected goals has its flaws -- it doesn't account for net-front screens or lateral movement of the puck -- but is generally a good indicator of how well a team is playing. The Stars just need to finish better.

"That's probably not what we wanted, but if you look at how we're playing, I feel like we are playing pretty good," Klingberg said. "I think we're on the same page. We just can't really execute offensively right now."

The Stars also wasted an opportunity late in the game Saturday night with a power play while their goalie was pulled. Dallas chased the puck and couldn't find the equalizer.

"From what I saw, people were open," Montgomery said. "We're 6-on-4 and we rimmed the puck out of our own end. That's just a lack of poise and playmaking ability that the six players on the ice, they should all have those capabilities." 1137254 Dallas Stars

Stars let opportunities at home slip away vs. Penguins, and playoff push isn't getting any easier

Matthew DeFranks

The Stars will have to make their push on the road.

Dallas lost 3-2 to Pittsburgh on Saturday night, capping a five-game homestand in which the Stars captured just three of 10 available points as the rest of the Western Conference draws closer in the standings. The Stars began the homestand five points clear of a playoff spot and exit it just three points up on Arizona.

Dallas begins a four-game road trip through Western Canada on Monday night in Winnipeg.

"A missed opportunity," Stars coach Jim Montgomery said. "That's really what it comes down to. Seems like we had had really costly mistakes, whether it was game management, puck management and game awareness. To give up a shorthanded goal when it's 2-2 in the third period, the urgency to recognize danger just wasn't there."

Jared McCann scored twice for the Penguins, including the game-winner 4:20 into the third period after Teddy Blueger chipped a puck past John Klingberg at the red line. The play set up a 2-on-1, and McCann finished with a spinning backhand that beat Anton Khudobin.

It was the first shorthanded goal (outside of an empty-netter surrendered Jan. 6 in Winnipeg) the Stars have given up all season.

"The puck is going there, I'm trying to gap up," Klingberg said. "I know there's going to be a 2-on-1, but I try to go to the puck and get the puck first, and he chips it over my blade. Then it's a 2-on-1 and I have to try to make the best out of it. Obviously, the puck went in. It is what it is right now."

The Stars had a chance to tie the game in the closing 80 seconds, given a power play opportunity with Khudobin pulled. Dallas held a 6-on-4 advantage and attempted just two shots, and only one went on net.

The Stars finished the night 0-for-3 on the power play, and Tyler Seguin's shot with 33 seconds left was the only one Dallas managed to get on net.

"We had plenty of opportunities to score on the power play and tie it up coming down the stretch, and your best players got to lead you there," Montgomery said. "Just like they get they get the credit when we beat Florida, they also got to be the guys that take ownership when things don't go well on the power play and we lose momentum, and we lose the hockey game. That was costly tonight."

Seguin scored the Stars' only goal of the night -- his second in two games -- after a nice setup by Alexander Radulov in the second period. Seguin now has a team-leading 29 goals. Andrew Cogliano also scored for the Stars, his first goal since Feb. 1.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137255 Dallas Stars In just two periods with the Stars against Chicago on Feb. 24, Zuccarello had a goal and an assist and looked dangerous on a line with Tyler Seguin and Alexander Radulov.

Jason Spezza's healthy scratch widens Stars' search for top-six forward "It was only one game," Zuccarello said. "It's fun, a lot of good players, smart players here. Obviously, I'm not [Connor] McDavid, but I'll try to help my teammates, create some room and make some plays.' Matthew DeFranks

Contact Matthew DeFranks on Twitter: @MDeFranks Dallas Morning News LOADED: 03.24.2019

For the second time this week, Jason Spezza was a healthy scratch for Saturday's game against Pittsburgh. This time, his future is murkier.

Spezza was also scratched Tuesday against Florida, but re-entered the lineup Thursday against Colorado. He has eight goals in 71 games this season, and just two in his last 34 games.

Stars coach Jim Montgomery said the move was what was best for the Stars, who entered the day four points up on a playoff spot.

"It's as simple as that," Montgomery said. "When you're delivering bad news, especially to someone who's had a great career like Jason Spezza, it's 'Hey, this is what's best for the team and this is what we think is going to help us get in the playoffs.'"

Montgomery declined to dissect Spezza's recent performances. Spezza played just 7:07 against the Avalanche and just 23 seconds after a line change indirectly led to a Colorado goal.

"We're doing what we think is best for the team, I'm not going to go into specifics about his game," Montgomery said.

On Saturday morning, the Stars recalled center Justin Dowling, adding another body to the mishmash of forwards on the Dallas roster. Brett Ritchie and Valeri Nichushkin are also fighting for playing time, and spots will be at a premium once Mats Zuccarello (broken arm) and Tyler Pitlick (left wrist surgery) return to action.

Dowling immediately received a shot in the team's top-six, centering a line with Jamie Benn and Joel L'Esperance. In 62 AHL games with Texas, Dowling has a team-leading 53 points.

"We wanted to inject a little energy into the lineup and we also wanted to add another player that we think can make plays in all three zones," Montgomery said.

After Saturday's game against Pittsburgh, Dallas only has seven regular- season games to answer this question: Who is the sixth forward of their top-six when healthy?

The first five slots would be filled by Tyler Seguin, Alexander Radulov, Roope Hintz, Benn and Zuccarello.

The hope was that the sixth would be Spezza. He's an offensive player with a history of scoring goals, being above-average on faceoffs and entering the zone on power plays. But he's now 35 years old and has 16 goals in his last two seasons combined.

L'Esperance has gotten an extended look in the top-six, starting the last seven games on the second line. When he was recalled to make his NHL debut, L'Esperance led the AHL in goals. He entered Saturday with one goal in 15 games.

Dowling could be getting his chance now. He's the 28-year-old captain of the Texas Stars who has zero goals in 15 NHL games. Perhaps Denis Gurianov gets a look if neither L'Esperance nor Dowling provide the answer. Or maybe Mattias Janmark or Jason Dickinson ascend to an offensive role.

Zuccarello improving: Zuccarello skated during the Stars' optional morning skate on Saturday, and is nearing the four-week mark since surgery on his broken arm sidelined him after one game with the Stars. Zuccarello was able to stickhandle and shoot, and said he's been able to do so for about a week, with increasing proficiency.

"Just have to take it one day at a time," Zuccarello said. "Still hurts a little bit, and it's early. Take it one day at a time and see how it feels in the next week or so."

Zuccarello and Pitlick will both go on the upcoming four-game road trip through Western Canada, and are scheduled to practice with the team. Tuesday will be four weeks since Zuccarello's surgery. April 2 will be eight weeks since Pitlick's surgery. 1137256 Dallas Stars

Which team would the Stars have the best chance to beat in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs?

Staff Report

By SportsDayDFW.com

The Stars are down to the final eight games of the NHL's regular season, and are poised to make their first playoff appearance in three years. The Stars could face a multitude of opponents in the first round depending on how the home-stretch shakes out, but ESPN's Greg Wyshynski thinks a matchup against the Nashville Predators would bode well for the Stars.

"If you want to take stock of the regular-season series, the Stars were 2- 1-2 against the Predators. But give me Bishop, a money postseason goalie who's been waiting four years for another playoff shot, over either of the Predators' netminders in a series," Wyshynski wrote. "Give me a Stars team ready to get a jolt from a rested and healthy Mats Zuccarello. And don't give me a Nashville team that has looked disjointed for most of the season. We thought it was the injuries. Maybe it isn't."

Zuccarello and fellow forward Tyler Pitlick are expected to travel and begin practicing with the team during the upcoming road trip that sees the Stars take the western Canada swing through Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver to end the month of March.

Nashville has had their share of playoff success in recent years, reaching the playoffs in four consecutive seasons, including a Stanley Cup Finals appearance as the second wildcard in 2017.

The Stars' two remaining divisional games come in the final games of the season against Chicago and Minnesota. If the playoffs started today, the Stars would be taking on the Winnipeg Jets as the first wildcard in the Western Conference.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137257 Dallas Stars

How this sequence from Ty Dellandrea's professional debut with Texas Stars shows his ability to be a 2-way center

By Josh Lile

The Dallas Stars received some fair criticism for the selection of Ty Dellandrea at the draft last year. He was seen as a bit off the board, but there was always reason to be optimistic about the pick. It was always going to be hard to get a full read on Dellandrea given how bad the Flint Firebirds have been during his tenure, but watching him last night in the Texas Stars 4-1 loss to the Chicago Wolves was eye-opening.

Dellandrea centered a line with former Firebird Nicholas Caamano and 2018 4th round pick Adam Mascherin. They had several opportunities to score, a couple of which were off the stick of Dellandrea. One sequence in the first period showed off everything Dellandrea can bring to the table.

Dellandrea is number 16 in the dark jersey. He comes out of a scrum in the corner with the puck before curling towards the net for a very good chance on net. The most intriguing aspect of this sequence is what happened after the chance. Dellandrea then streaks all the way back to his defensive zone, and ultimately almost beats his own defensemen behind the net while gliding from his own blueline to break up the coming Chicago forecheck.

This is how a modern two-way center has to play. He needs to have speed, acceleration, IQ, and at least some ability to chip in offensively. All indications here are that Dellandrea can do all of this.

Flint being so bad genuinely makes it hard to know what he can do. He's a young kid being asked to lead an objectively bad team. Dropping him into a professional playoff hunt should expose him as a player far away from the NHL. That hasn't been the case so far. Not only does he look the part of an NHL player, but often he is the best player on the ice.

I think part of what made his skills play up is the way the Texas Stars tend to move the puck so quickly. A player like Dellandrea who processes the game fast should excel in that environment. This gif is another example of it. In it you see Dellandrea going to the net to accept a quick spin around pass from Mascherin for a big chance. He identified open ice quickly then glided in without a ton of energy expended.

That ability to move the puck quickly is also frustrating to watch. This is what the Dallas Stars should be doing. It happened early in the season for a minute, but quickly faded away. Texas has taken to it. The quick movement helps play up Denis Gurianov's speed and skills tremendously, which could be one reason why he has trouble consistently putting his speed on display at the NHL level. (That, and the players being better and faster.)

Mascherin's playmaking ability stuck out too. Erik Condra continues to stand out. Justin Dowling and Michael Mersch both looked good. Texas has some talent if the Dallas Stars are willing to use it. Players like Condra signing for relative peanuts make you wonder why expensive contracts for veterans down the lineup are necessary. The guy can play.

Dellandrea was the star of the show though. If you have a chance to pick up a game in Cedar Park or to catch them on AHLtv you should. If you were skeptical of the Dellandrea pick even money says you leave the game you view with a much higher opinion of him than you had going in.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137258 Dallas Stars “We had really costly mistakes, whether it was game management, puck management and game awareness,” Montgomery said. “To give up a shorthanded goal when it’s 2-2 in the third period. The urgency to Stars 20/20: Homestand is a reminder of rough history Stars hope to recognize danger wasn’t there. And we had plenty of opportunities to avoid repeating score on the power play and tied it up coming down the stretch, and your best players got to lead you there. Just like they get the credit when we beat Florida, they’ve also got to be the guys that take ownership when things don’t go well on the power play, and we lose momentum and we By Sean Shapiro lose a hockey game, that was costly tonight.” Mar 23, 2019 5. He wasn’t mentioned by name, but Klingberg was more of the target of that statement after he was victimized on the game-winning shorthanded goal by Jared McCann. The Dallas Stars completed a disappointing homestand with a 3-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday. It was a pretty finish by McCann.

Dallas went 1-3-1 during the five-game stretch and have lost a bit of But the lead-up and execution by Klingberg without the puck before that ground in the race for a postseason bid. highlight reel were horrendous.

1. There’s a lesson to be taken from last season. 6. That was the first of two horrible power plays in the third period.

Heading into March of the 2017-18 season, the Dallas Stars were a With 80 seconds remaining, Dallas went back on the power play and had playoff team. All of the places that track statistical probabilities would a 6-on-4 man advantage for the remainder of the game. have encouraged you to put a healthy bet on the fact — and it was Dallas had only one shot on goal and looked out of sorts trying to create treated this way — that the Stars would be playing into at least late April. much of anything, and the game came to an end after a Pittsburgh But the Stars didn’t make the playoffs. clearing and a center-ice attempt from Klingberg that missed the net with a couple of seconds remaining. In a very public and embarrassing skid, they lost eight consecutive games and added another book to an entire library of collapses that have 7. Here’s the good news for the Stars: What could have been a horrible seemed to define the franchise since the early 2000s. day was just a very bad one.

2. Why is this important? It was bad that the St. Louis Blues extended their lead in the race for third place in the Central Division; it was bad that the Colorado Because those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Avalanche won.

And the Stars are about to embark on a difficult four-game road trip, one That made it a bad day. in which results similar to this five-game homestand could be the kiss of death to their playoff hopes with other teams chomping at their heels. But the Minnesota Wild got trounced by the Carolina Hurricanes, and the Arizona Coyotes lost in a shootout against the New Jersey Devils, So have the Stars learned from last season? keeping both Minnesota and Arizona at 79 points.

The team claims those lessons are in the back of their mind. John Dallas still has a three-point cushion to remain in the playoffs with seven Klingberg was the most recent player to echo those thoughts after the games remaining. The odds are still in the Stars’ favor, but they have to setback Saturday. make up for the failure to execute when they go on the road.

“I think we learned lessons from the previous year,” Klingberg said. “Not 8. Cogliano picked a corner on the rush and ended a 20-game goal just last year, but the years before, too. We’ve been in this situation a lot drought for a forward who has now scored twice since arriving in Dallas of years here now, and our division we know it’s tight, the Western in a trade for Devin Shore on Jan. 14. Conference, it’s tight, everyone is winning games this time of year. And we’ve been winning a lot, but obviously 1-3-1 here on the on homestand “It’s obviously to contribute when I can and I’ve been working hard and is not what we wanted.” trying my best,” Cogliano said. “I think I bring elements to the game and the team that hopefully is helping, that I brought with my experience, so I To put it bluntly: Talk is cheap this time of year. As often as the Stars talk hope I can continue to do that.” about learning from last year, you truly can’t believe they’ve learned from the past collapses without hard proof. They’ll at least have a chance to It was a goal that was nearly answered immediately by Pittsburgh, but make amends on the road. Anton Khudobin made one of his best saves, stretching out with the right toe to deny McCann. 3. Goal scoring isn’t the Stars’ strength — we all know that and have watched a team throughout the season that’s near the bottom in 9. Seguin seems to have recalibrated his offense and found the net for offensive output. the second straight game when he buried a wrist shot to tie the game at 1-1. But Saturday’s loss was a large example of how much the Stars fail to finish and execute when they actually are in a good position. The goal was set up on a seeing-eye pass by Alexander Radulov that went across center ice, and with Roope Hintz in front of the net causing a Roope Hintz had a chance to score in the first period on a pass across bit of havoc, Murray had no chance on the play. the middle of the ice. He didn’t elevate the puck. It was an overall high-skilled play by the Stars that started with a clean- Radek Faksa had a chance all alone in front of the net. He missed the zone entry by Radulov at the blue line. net. 10. Radulov’s offensive zone slashing penalty set the Stars for Andrew Cogliano beat out an icing and feathered a pass to a charging Pittsburgh’s first-period lead. Valeri Nichushkin. He didn’t get a shot off. The Stars forward had a bit of an infraction-filled shift; he got away with Tyler Seguin had a yawning net in the third period. The puck couldn’t get both a hook and a hold before finally getting whistled for the slash behind enough elevation for what should have been a sure goal. the Penguins’ net.

That Seguin chance ended with the puck sitting between Matt Murray’s Fifty-one seconds into the power play, Jake Guentzel scored his 38th pads within reach of Alexander Radulov. He couldn’t dig it out and score. goal of the season when the puck kicked to him on the Khudobin’s left and he deposited the rebound. The chances were there, and then the Stars did their own part to make sure they weren’t. 11. Roman Polak turned the puck over trying to make a pass to his defensive partner Miro Heiskanen, and it immediately led to a 2-1 4. There was a bit of a call-out after the game from Stars coach Jim Penguins lead. Montgomery for his top players. Phil Kessel picked off the pass and found McAann in front of the net. 12. The Stars recalled Justin Dowling from the AHL on Saturday morning “I feel like it’s a warm welcome for me. Everyone’s been, from the staff to and opened up a top-six opportunity for the center on the second line the players, it’s been unbelievable so far,” Zuccarello said. “Obviously, I between Jamie Benn and Joel L’Esperance. wish I could be around the team more, but it is what it is. What I’ve seen so far, it’s a really good team, a lot of good players, solid team all around, “We wanted to inject a little energy into the lineup,” Montgomery said. and that’s fun. I’m looking forward to getting back and playing with these “We also wanted to add another player that we think can make plays in players.” all three zones.” 17. Jamie Oleksiak was a healthy scratch Saturday, but he was popular Dowling had 20 shifts for 14:04 of ice. Montgomery said he thought the with the Pittsburgh media contingent after the morning skate. forward played well, and Dowling said he was happy with his game, even if it took a couple of shifts to get going after playing an AHL game on Oleksiak played 83 games over parts of two seasons with Pittsburgh Friday and catching an early flight to Dallas on Saturday morning. before turning to Dallas in a trade on Jan. 28 that effectively reversed the trade he was part of in December 2017. 13. With a playoff series, in theory, roughly two weeks away, the Stars are searching for someone to establish himself as the sixth top-six 18. Pittsburgh nearly scored twice during a frantic sequence in the forward. second period.

There is a clear top five, with Hintz, Seguin, Radulov, Benn, and Mats With a puck sitting loose in the crease, Fedun was able to make the Zuccarello when he returns, but there is still a question of who will help fill clear, but Pittsburgh maintained possession and worked its way to Erik out the top two lines in the most important games of the season. Gudbranson, who beat Khudobin through a screen.

Dowling is getting a chance right now to win that spot, and so are Joel Khudobin was interfered with by Teddy Blueger and the goal was L’Esperance and Jason Dickinson. If none of those players wins the job, immediately waived off. Pittsburgh challenged the play and the call stood, Denis Gurianov could be the next forward called up from the AHL if the keeping it a 1-1 game at the time. others don’t deliver. 19. The Stars outshot their opponents in all five games on the There’s a window of opportunity open, it’s going to be interesting to see homestand. who comes through it. Sometimes, it truly is a measure of quality over quantity. 14. The Stars started with this lineup: 20. Here is how the Stars did when it came to Montgomery’s Process: Roope Hintz, Tyler Seguin, Alexander Radulov Win 56 percent of faceoffs: Failed. It was a 50-50 night in the circle. Jamie Benn, Justin Dowling, Joel L’Esperance Zero undisciplined penalties: Failed. Mattias Janmark, Radek Faksa, Blake Comeau Three or fewer odd-man rushes: Failed. Andrew Cogliano, Jason Dickinson, Valeri Nichushkin Win net-front battle: Passed. The Stars got to the right spots, they just Dallas did shuffle the forward lines and flipped Dickinson and didn’t do enough when they got there. L’Esperance early in the second period, a setting they went with for much of the remainder of the game. Win special teams: Failed.

The defense pairs were as follows for much of the night:

Esa Lindell, John Klingberg The Athletic LOADED: 03.24.2019

Miro Heiskanen, Roman Polak

Taylor Fedun, Ben Lovejoy

15. Jason Spezza was a healthy scratch for the second time in the past three games, and based off Montgomery’s statements before the game this could become a regular occurrence.

Montgomery said it’s a decision that’s best for the team, and that’s how he explained it to Spezza.

“It’s as simple as that,” Montgomery said. “When you are delivering bad news, especially to someone who has had a great career, like Jason Spezza, saying this is what’s best for the team and this is what we think is gonna help us get in the playoffs.”

Montgomery wouldn’t expand further on things he liked or disliked about Spezza’s game but did clarify, again, that it was a decision that was best for the team.

16. Zuccarello took part in the Stars’ optional morning skate and is going to go on the upcoming road trip to Canada.

Zuccarello has been able to stickhandle and shoot for about a week now and didn’t look limited during the morning skate.

“I don’t know, just have to take it one day at a time,” Zuccarello said. “Still hurts a little bit and it’s early, like they said, just take it one day at a time and see how it feels next week or so.”

Zuccarello said he’s looking forward to actually traveling with the team when the Stars fly to Winnipeg on Sunday afternoon.

“Yeah, I’m excited to be with the team,” he said. “I haven’t been able to be around the team that much being hurt. They’ve been on the road, they play every other day so it’ll be nice to get on the road, fly with the boys and just be around the team.”

It’s been an odd situation with the injury right after his arrival, but Zuccarello said he feels more and more at home in Dallas. 1137259 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings stun Vegas Golden Knights in OT, stay 3rd in NHL draft lottery

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press

Published 12:53 a.m. ET March 24, 2019 | Updated 2:04 a.m. ET March 24, 2019

LAS VEGAS — The Detroit Red Wings did what they could to put on a show Saturday night, playing an entertaining game in a great atmosphere.

A year-and-a-half after their first appearance at T-Mobile Arena, the Wings played a competitive, spirited game against the playoff-positioned Vegas Golden Knights, winning 3-2 in overtime on Anthony Mantha’s second goal of the game.

Playing before a bipartisan crowd, the Wings came out with great jump, getting the puck deep and directing shots on net. Luke Glendening netted his 10th goal of the season in the first period, a lead that stood until Cody Eakins leveled it shortly after a Vegas power play expired in the second period. Andreas Athanasiou had two assists.

Thanks to the New Jersey Devils winning, the Wings remained in 29th place in the NHL.

Last season, the Wings became the first team to beat the Golden Knights, who started the 2017-18 season 3-0 before falling to the Wings, 6-3, Oct. 13, 2017.

Hirose's streak continues

Taro Hirose, signed March 12 after he finished up his third season at Michigan State, continued a terrific story line. He had a hand in Glendening’s goal, earning a second assist. Hirose made his NHL debut Tuesday at Madison Square Garden, setting up a Frans Nielsen goal. Assist No. 2 came Thursday at St. Louis, when Hirose put the puck on net, smartly eyeing Thomas Vanek by a goalpost. Hirose, 22, is showing what a slick, smart player he is, serving notice as serious competition for a spot on next season’s team.

Mantha closing in on 20

Reilly Smith put the Knights up 2-1 when he intercepted Mantha’s pass during Detroit’s power play and raced up ice and beat Jimmy Howard, at 10:11 of the third period. Mantha made amends a minute later when he showed off his shot, blasting a one-timer while the Wings were still on the power play. Mantha netted his second 19 seconds into OT. Mantha missed a month (15 games) with a hand injury, but he now has 19 goals in 60 games.

Lineup changes

Michael Rasmussen missed the game with an upper-body injury sustained in the St. Louis game, clearing an opening for Grand Rapids Griffins forward Matt Puempel to play his first game in a Red Wings uniform (he has 79 NHL games with Ottawa and the Rangers). Puempel subbed onto the fourth line, with Christoffer Ehn and Ryan Kuffner. Defenseman Libor Sulak had to postpone his insertion into the lineup as he continues to remain under the weather. That left the third pairing to be manned by Luke Witkowski and Brian Lashoff.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137260 Detroit Red Wings Vanek said he feels like he could play another season, but he misses being with his family – he has three sons, ages 8 and 11.

Niklas Kronwall of the Detroit Red Wings clears the puck in the third Why Detroit Red Wings feel blessed to have these 2 veterans as models period against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on Feb. 16, 2019 in Philadelphia.

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press “I’ll wait till the summer and see if the right thing comes around,” Vanek said. “I do see a lot of growth on this team. Even though we are a lot of Published 7:22 p.m. ET March 23, 2019 | Updated 7:28 p.m. ET March points out, I don’t think this team is that far away.” 23, 2019 The Wings explored re-signing Gustav Nyquist but balked at his asking price of five years at $5.5 million annually and traded him at the deadline. Bringing back Vanek for one more year is low risk – he made $3 million LAS VEGAS — As Dylan Larkin embraced wearing a letter on his this season, and now that he’s over 35, he could be re-signed for one sweater this season, two key role models have been Niklas Kronwall and year at a lower cap hit and instead receive bonuses. Thomas Vanek. Forward spots on next season’s team already are spoken for by Larkin, The Detroit Red Wings are skewing younger, leaning on Larkin, Andreas Athanasiou, Mantha, Bertuzzi, Frans Nielsen, Justin Abdelkader, Darren Athanasiou, Tyler Bertuzzi and Anthony Mantha, among others, to lead Helm and Luke Glendening. Christoffer Ehn has done a good job. That the team back to the playoffs. But the Wings believe young players need makes nine. Maybe newcomer Taro Hirose earns a spot. That's 10. veterans to show them how to be good pros, and Kronwall and Vanek each in his own way do that. Evgeny Svechnikov won’t be waiver exempt any more, but while he’ll have to be on the roster, he has to earn a spot in the lineup. Michael “Kronner is a guy who comes to work every day, loves the game,” Larkin Rasmussen’s second-half performance indicates he will start next said Saturday. “He’s a huge part of this culture that we talk about all year, season in Grand Rapids, and Jacob de la Rose’s future depends on where things may not be going our way but our work ethic every day has being cleared from a second cardiac episode within six months. not changed. We’re still excited to come to the rink and still excited to play games. He’s a huge part of why our culture is like that.” Does 2018 first-round pick Filip Zadina come in and grab a job? Even if he turns out to be ready, that doesn’t preclude bringing back Vanek for Dylan Larkin says veteran Niklas Kronwall is a huge part of the Detroit one more year. Especially as it’d be good to have a veteran of his Red Wings' culture. immense hockey IQ to feed Zadina the puck. Larkin emphasized after the Jan. 16 game against Anaheim that it was This may be the last two weeks Kronwall and/or Vanek play with the Vanek’s second-intermission speech that sparked a comeback victory. Wings. It may not. There’s nothing unclear about their impact, though. Arguably one of Vanek’s best teaching moments came two months earlier when, during a slump, Vanek spoke of the importance of not “When you’re in the position we’re in where you’re out of the playoffs, you letting it show in the locker room. That hit home for Larkin, too. can make a decision every day of how you’re going to work,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “If you want to have a great culture and be closer to being “Vannie has been great,” Larkin said. “A guy who doesn’t wear a letter where we want to be, which is in the playoffs, you have to come to work but he’s most definitely a leader and in a natural way. Any time you are a every day, even when there’s not really light at the end of the tunnel in young guy and you have a guy like that to look up to, it’s important for terms of what type of success you’re going to have this year. Those two who you are as a person and as a player coming up in this league. guys have unbelievable at that. They give a great example of the “There are ups and downs in this league, so many highs and lows. competition level, the work ethic it takes on a daily basis. I think we’re Through time you learn that more and you become OK with it. You want blessed to have those guys. It’s great leadership for our young guys to to be better for your team and for yourself, but you understand there’s follow.” going to be tough times. You look at older guys and they all understand that and are professional about that.” Detroit Free Press LOADED: 03.24.2019 Both Kronwall, 38, and Vanek, 35, are on expiring contracts. It wouldn’t surprise to see them retire; it wouldn’t surprise to see either or both sign one-year contracts. Kronwall has figured out how to deal with his bad left knee, and remains a key cog on defense, on the team as a whole.

With Larkin expected to be named captain next season, he’d be well served to have another year with Kronwall serving as an alternate captain. Kronwall says his body still feels good, and that he’ll decide after the season if he has another one in him. If he plays every game down the stretch, he’ll be 47 games shy of reaching 1000, all with the Wings.

Veteran defensemen Mike Green, Danny DeKeyser, Jonathan Ericsson and Trevor Daley are all under contract through next season, but Green has been dealing with a virus that limited him to 43 games, and Daley has a lingering back issue. Of the young guys, Filip Hronek has earned a spot on next season’s team. Dennis Cholowski will have to earn a spot in training camp.

Vanek fits in well on a team that doesn’t score much. He had a quiet start to the season and missed eight games with a knee injury in November, but he had 16 goals in 63 games entering Saturday, which extrapolates to a 20-goal season. His 36 points ranked third overall on the team.

It was right before Christmas that Vanek said he was losing sleep over his lack of production. That speaks to Vanek’s level of self-accountability.

“Most of us have an inner drive to succeed,” he said. “For me, it’s frustrating when you can’t help and you feel you should be doing more. That’s something I take very personal and I still do. I know I can’t produce like I used to, but I still feel like I can produce at a good level and I didn’t for a while. It was very frustrating. But that doesn’t mean you come to the rink and you pout about it or you blame someone else. You practice a little harder, you do the little things a little better and hopefully it turns for you again.” 1137261 Detroit Red Wings Puempel into the lineup. Blashill wasn’t sure about Rasmussen’s availability Monday against San Jose. Rasmussen joins defensemen Jonathan Ericsson (lower body) and Libor Sulak (flu), who both are day- Red Wings rally for impressive overtime win in Vegas to-day. Justin Abdelkader (lower body), Mike Green (virus) and Trevor Daley (back) are out for the season, and Jacob de la Rose (accelerated heartbeat) is out indefinitely.

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News ► Battle for the worst: The Wings (64 points) remained six points above Ottawa (58), which defeated Edmonton earlier in the day. The Wings Published 1:09 a.m. ET March 24, 2019 | Updated 1:16 a.m. ET March stand third from the bottom in the NHL, and are only one point behind 24, 2019 New Jersey (65).

► Next: The Wings travel to San Jose for a game Monday against the These Red Wings aren't quitting. Sharks (10:30 p.m./FSD,97.1 FM).

Playing against a Vegas team that been playing outstanding hockey and had plenty to play for, the Wings kept grinding and earned a 3-2 overtime Detroit News LOADED: 03.24.2019 victory over the Golden Knights.

Dylan Larkin stripped the puck from Reilly Smith in front of the Vegas net, then backhanded a pass to Anthony Mantha who snapped a shot past goalie Malcolm Subban just 19 seconds into overtime to give the Wings a well-earned victory.

It was Mantha's second goal, and 19th of the season. Mantha tied the game 2-2 with a power-play goal at 11:17 of the third period.

Vegas' Reilly Smith (short-handed) had just given the Golden Knights a 2-1 lead with a goal after picking off a Mantha pass.

Luke Glendening opened the scoring for the Wings, while Cody Eakin had the other Vegas goal.

The Wings (27-38-10) moved to 8-5 in overtime this season, while Vegas (42-27-6) lost only their second in 12 games.

Here are some other observations from an impressive Wings victory:

► Detroit's goals: Wings forward Taro Hirose intercepted a poor pass by Vegas defenseman Shea Theodore and put the puck on net. Subban made the stop, but Glendening put in the rebound, his 10th goal, at 3:06 of the first period. Mantha tied it 2-2 with a power-play goal at 11:17 in the third period, his first goal in seven games. Dylan Larkin won the faceoff, the puck made its way to Andreas Athanasiou, who found Mantha in the circle for a one-timer, Mantha’s 18th goal. Mantha won it with his 19th, thanks to Larkin hounding Smith and causing a turnover in front of Subban.

► Howard outstanding: In his first game since signing a one-year contract extension, Jimmy Howard was outstanding. Howard stopped 28 shots and was a key reason the Wings came out of the first period with a 1-0 lead, with several fine saves.

► Hirose keeps rolling: The former Michigan State star — who is a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s best player — has played three NHL games with the Wings — and earned an assist in each game. Hirose had two shots in 14 minutes, 57 seconds of ice time.

► Puempel, Bowey impressive: Matt Puempel was recalled from Grand Rapids Friday and in his Wings debut against the Golden Knights, Puempel was noticeable. He had three shots on net and one takeaway, and initiated scoring chances. A former first-round draft pick of the New York Rangers, Puempel, 26, showed promise, as did defenseman Madison Bowey, who arguably played his best game as a Wing. Bowey played 24:29, and was credited with three shots, four hits, one block and two takeaways.

► Larkin comes through: Larkin had been pointless in four games and took two penalties, including a roughing penalty in the second period that nullified a Wings’ power play. But late in the game, Larkin won a key faceoff on the power play that resulted in Mantha's game-tying goal. Then in overtime, Larkin forced Smith into a turnover then found Mantha for the winning goal.

► Vegas goals: Eakin tied the game 1-1 at 14:43 of the second period. Just as an interference penalty to Bowey expired, Eakin was alone on the doorstep and easily knocked in the loose puck after Howard turned aside a shot by Ryan Reaves. It was Eakin’s 20th goal. Smith’s short-handed goal gave Vegas a brief 2-1 lead at 10:12 of the third period, his 18th goal. Smith gathered a poor pass from Mantha and scored on a breakaway, beating Howard with a backhander.

► Injuries mounting: Blashill told reporters before the game forward Michael Rasmussen (upper body) wouldn’t be available, which put 1137262 Detroit Red Wings

Anthony Mantha’s OT goal lifts Red Wings past Vegas

Updated 1:49 AM; Today 1:44 AM

Staff Report

By The Associated Press

LAS VEGAS — Anthony Mantha scored the tying goal midway through the third period and got the game-winner 19 seconds into overtime, lifting the Detroit Red Wings to a 3-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday night.

Luke Glendening also scored for Detroit and Jimmy Howard stopped 28 shots to improve to 3-5-0 in his last eight starts.

On the winning goal, Vegas' Reilly Smith — playing in his 500th career game — turned the puck over right in front of the net, where Dylan Larkin fed Mantha, who poked home his 19th of the season, and first game- winning goal.

Smith and Cody Eakin scored for the Golden Knights, and Malcolm Subban finished with 27 saves while falling to 13-2-0 in two seasons at T- Mobile Arena.

Mantha tied the score on a power play with 8:43 left in the third period on a one-timer from the right circle.

Glendening gave Detroit a 1-0 lead when he gathered a pass from Andreas Athanasiou and found an open net for his 10th at 3:06 of the first. Athanasiou now has at least one point in three of the last four games, with four goals and one assist.

Eakin tied it with 5:17 left in the second when he was alone at the doorstep, positioned perfectly for a rebound, and knocked the puck home for his 20th.

Smith gave the Golden Knights their first lead of the game with a short- handed breakaway just past the midpoint of the third, when he deked around Howard and flipped a backhand top shelf for his 18th.

The lead lasted just over a minute.

NOTES: With his assist on Glendening’s goal, Red Wings LW Taro Hirose, who made his NHL debut on March 19 picked up his third point in three games. ... Golden Knights starting G Marc-Andre Fleury, who was scratched and has been listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury, and wife Veronique announced the birth of their son, James, earlier in the day.

Michigan Live LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137263 Edmonton Oilers “I don’t think we were thinking this was going to be a four-game series by any means” Oil Kings head coach Brad Lauer. “The series we had all year was a tough one, a lot of one-goal games, overtime games.

Oil Kings open WHL playoffs with loss to Medicine Hat “We expected a tight game right from the get go, so we have 24 hours to bounce back.”

Gerry Moddejonge As for playoff history, the two clubs have met twice before in modern franchise history, with the Oil Kings skating to a 4-0 sweep over Medicine Hat in the 2012-13 Eastern Conference semifinal, and then a 4-1 series win in the conference final the following year on the way to Edmonton’s The Oil Kings couldn’t open the 2019 WHL playoffs the same way they Memorial Cup title run. closed out the regular season, with another win. BACK IN BLACK A 2-1 loss to the Medicine Hat Tigers at Rogers Place on Saturday spelled an end to the 11-win streak the Oil Kings finished off league play Former Oil Kings forward Brett Kemp was back in Rogers Place to open with to hit the post-season as the top team in the Central Division for the the playoffs against his former club, who traded him for Williams two- fourth time in modern franchise history. thirds of the way through the season.

The Tigers, who finished fourth in the division, earned their first Kemp, who had 22 goals and 17 assists in 39 games with the Oil Kings, regulation win over the Oil Kings all year, thanks to a brilliant followed up with 11 goals and 10 assists in Medicine Hat for a career- performance in net by six-foot-seven Danish import Mads Sogaard. who high 60 points on the season. stopped 49 of 50 shots in the win, including more than his fair share of the point-blank variety. Just in case he wasn’t feeling missed, Kemp got dumped in the corner of Edmonton’s end by former teammate Matthew Robertson eight minutes At the other end of the ice, Dylan Myskiw, who started all six games in, after having gotten away with some uncalled interference against Oil against the Tigers over the regular season on his way to a dominating Kings forward Andrew Fyten earlier in the period. 1.79 goals-against average and .940 save percentage, stopped 25 of 27 shots Saturday. BAD BREAK

The Oil Kings’ lone goal, fittingly enough, came off the stick of former Tigers defenceman Trevor Longo unleashed a slap shot from the point Tigers player Josh Williams, who shovelled one in at the edge of the on a power-play as the final minute of the first period was being crease with two minutes remaining, but they weren’t able to follow up on announced, only to have his stick snap clean in half and, on the follow an ensuing power play after Medicine Hat cleared the puck over the through, the blade fly right into the Medicine Hat bench. glass on a faceoff in their end.

“Mads played a hell of a game, but I think they executed their game Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 03.24.2019 plan,” Williams said. “The chances we gave them, they executed on. They played a good game but we’ll be ready tomorrow.

“That’s why it’s a seven-game series, you get a chance the next day and it’s a long series, not just one game.”

The series resumes Sunday (6 p.m., TSN 1260) at Rogers Place, before switching to Medicine Hat on Tuesday.

SHORT-SIGHTED

Medicine Hat didn’t get their first shot of the game until seven minutes in, while Edmonton already had eight chances on Sogaard, who had to make a pair of incredible saves to keep the first period scoreless.

While Edmonton took a 13-9 shot advantage into the second, Medicine Hat caught the Oil Kings on their heels, scoring a shorthanded goal to take the first lead of the game 4:18 in.

Team-leading scorer James Hamblin, who had three of Medicine Hat’s eight shorties over the regular season, struck again on a two-on-two with teammate Tyler Presziuso, criss-crossing passes dot to dot before depositing the puck behind Myskiw.

The Tigers followed up nine minutes later, when a turnover in the neutral zone led to a three-on-two.

Hayden Ostir scored on a screen to beat Myskiw low, stick side, despite Edmonton leading 31-19 on shots at that point.

Myskiw made the save of the game to open the final frame, with Hamblin causing a turnover at Edmonton’s blue-line, passing to Corson Hopwo for what looked to be a sure-fire goal, before stoning Ostir on a breakaway with 15 minutes left.

SEASON SERIES

While it was a source of no small amount of confidence coming into the playoffs, the Oil Kings weren’t putting too much faith in the fact they hadn’t lost in regulation to the Tigers over the regular season, posting a record of 5-0-0-1 to take 11 of a possible 12 points in the head-to-head series.

At the same time, four of those games were decided by a single point and another by just two goals, as Medicine Hat went 1-3-2-0 against Edmonton. 1137264 Edmonton Oilers dictating our pace, our tempo and our physicality. We weren’t able to do that.”

And now, here they sit, seven points out with seven games to go. Done. Edmonton Oilers kicking themselves over losses to cellar dwellers A charge that could have easily been 11-4-2 and counting felled by a couple of cellar dwellers.

Robert Tychkowski And how many nights during that 5-17-2 stretch from mid-December to mid-February would they like back?

“In this league you can’t say that we’re going to turn it on in the last six to It was right there for them. eight weeks,” said Chiasson. “November and December are just as important. I was there when Andrew Hammond was in net (in Ottawa in As tumultuous as this season has been and as far fetched as making the 2015) and we won 21 of 22 to make the playoffs, but that happens once playoffs seemed in a year where the head coach and general manager every 10 years and there’s 31 teams. both got fired and the team had been dead and buried five times over — they could have been right there, knocking on the door with their fate in “You can’t rely on the last two months.” their own hands.

That’s what’s going to haunt the Edmonton Oilers all summer. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 03.24.2019 If they battled to the wire and lost to a better team in the last game of the season, they could accept that. But letting it get away from them for good because they couldn’t get it done at home against the hapless New Jersey Devils and a stripped down tire fire from Ottawa, an organization even more troubled than the Oilers are, that’s tough to take.

“With everything that happened this year, we still had a chance,” said winger Alex Chiasson, after a shocking, but, then again, not so shocking 4-3 overtime home ice loss to the Senators.

“We just had to find a way to get the points when they were there.”

At a time when every point was life or death, the Oilers were giving them away like they were drunken cats with eight more lives to spare.

“We can look back at a lot of games,” said Chiasson. “A couple come to mind right after the break: the Philly game, the Montreal game (where they blew third period leads and lost in overtime). The New Jersey game. Tonight is an extra point. We’re at five now. We’re right there.”

They could be two points out with seven to play, instead of bleeding out.

“The more points you give up, the more fate you take out of your own hands,” said defenceman Darnell Nurse, adding there is never any excuse for assuming it’s going to be an easy night because the standings say so.

“This is the NHL, you have to show up every night. Every team is capable of beating you. You can go team by team, but the reality of our situation is that we needed as many points as possible no matter who we played.”

New Jersey had just eight road wins in 35 games when they came to Edmonton and spanked the Oilers 6-3. After that one, the Oilers admitted they took the Taylor Hall-less Devils for granted and got burned.

Surely they wouldn’t make the same mistake against the Senators 10 days later. Not when their playoff hopes were hanging from the edge of a cliff by a daisy like Wily E. Coyote.

Not to a team with nine road wins in 38 games.

But by the end of the first period they had given up two power play goals and by the middle of the second period they were being out-shot by an almost 2-1 margin.

And when it was over, they were once again struggling to understand why it happened.

“That point would have been a big one for us,” said Leon Draisaitl, who had an assist to increase his season total to 95 points. “We couldn’t get ahold of the game. We couldn’t really get in full control. They played a pretty solid game over there.

“We couldn’t get too much momentum going. Against a team like that that has nothing to lose, they’re going to just go out there and play. So it was for sure a lost point for us.”

It was also inexcusable.

“We played a team at the bottom of the standings that traded away four or five of their best players and they go out and out-work us,” said Chiasson. “In our position, that’s not good enough.

“A team that played back to back Wednesday-Thursday, coming into our building… this has to be a hard place to play. As the game went on we were much better, but the first 10 minutes we have to do a better job of 1137265 Edmonton Oilers “You want it so bad for them and for the city that you have to be careful. You’re dealing with pressure way more than you are in the United States. I think having been coach for a long time that’s really helped me.”

JONES: Hitchcock wants to return as Oilers head coach So, for the record, does he want to return?

“For the record, the way that I feel, I can coach until I’m 99.”

Terry Jones That would be a yes.

In this episode, host Craig Ellingson and hockey beat writer Derek Van With the countdown to the final game of the Edmonton Oilers season Diest focus on the ever-slimmer playoff hopes of the Edmonton Oilers. down to single digits, you have to wonder if it’s the final countdown for They’re pretty much hopeless, practically, but because the NHL’s Ken Hitchcock. Western Conference has a lot of mediocre teams this season — the Or, six points back of a playoff position with seven games to go, will the Oilers among them — Edmonton still has hope this late in the campaign. next general manager of the Oilers, whenever hired, want Hitchcock to At the same point last year, the Oilers were well back of the playoff pack return for another season with, one would hope, a roster with a better and out of the race. shot at enjoying success. Also:

Hitchcock, most hockey people can see, has been coaching his ass off Connor Mcdavid and his Hart Trophy odds — like last year, the with the half a hockey team he has here. Oilers are out of the playoff picture, so chances are he’ll miss out on the I think Edmonton has totally enjoyed the opportunity to see Hitch at work most-valuable-to-his-team award. trying to get as much as he could possibly get out of this failing and The Cinderella story that is the Arizona Coyotes, the relatively no- flailing team. name team has decent odds of staying in and winning a wild-card playoff Despite being written off repeatedly, such as I’m sure will be the case spot and if there are any lessons in that team for the Oilers. again with the 4-3 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators, 31st overall, Saturday afternoon at Rogers Place, Hitchcock and his leadership group have managed to get them returning to the rink to work and keep trying Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 03.24.2019 to manufacture the miracle.

Saturday was certainly another blow.

Not defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday in the only game this season the Oilers didn’t take a penalty, Edmonton took two in the first period and were down 2-1 at the end of the initial stanza.

But the Oilers were the best team five-on-five and batted back to get a shot for Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to put on their super hero suits in the three-on-three.

This time, they left the rink with a loser point that didn’t do anything for them with the Colorado Avalanche winning and the Phoenix Coyotes getting a loser point of their own.

I’m one of the media people who stuck a fork in them a long time ago. So I wasn’t going there in Hitchcock’s post-game press gathering.

Instead, I decided it was as good a time as any to ask him about the future.

In one way, it seemed strange to be asking the question. We’d thought that he’d coached his last game at this time last year in Dallas. The Edmonton native and third-winningest head coach in all of NHL history appeared have closed the book on his remarkable career.

The firing of Todd McLellan by Peter Chiarelli and the offer to come out of retirement to reboot his career one last time in the place where it all started was too tempting to resist.

Now, you can tell, he wants to keep coaching.

“That’s hard for me to say. It’s somebody else’s ball game,” he said of the new head of hockey operations and general manager to be named well after the Oilers complete their regular season. “I can just tell you what I did this year, I wouldn’t change this for the world. This opportunity has been fantastic. And I’m so happy and lucky that I got this.”

Hitchcock, who has a 24-24-7 record as Oilers head coach, however it ends up, isn’t going to be depressed.

“First of all, this has been the best experience of my life. I mean that sincerely. To be able to coach in a market like this where it means so much has been just an unbelievable experience.

“I’ve spent my entire NHL coaching career in the U.S. To realize how much it means to everybody, I feel real lucky, to be honest with you, to have this chance to do this.

“It’s also my first time where people are not so much fans as analysts. That’s an environment in the NHL that I’ve never seen.”

It’s a challenge, he said, to be a coach of a team like this. 1137266 Edmonton Oilers wasn’t ready for. He hit me pretty square right under the nose,” said Chiasson.

Brady’s a player Oilers lose in overtime to last-place Ottawa Senators Hitchcock saw Brady, who has 19 goals as an NHL rookie, and his brother Matthew as kids in St. Louis and says they’ve both come a long Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal way.

“Matthew does more in zone and he has great body positioning and Brady has quickness in small spaces,” said Hitchcock. “I’ve been This was one of those games, No. 1,153 on the NHL schedule, where watching their kid’s games since first year mite and I didn’t see the both teams stood for the national anthem, looked at one another as quickness that Brady’s got.” Robert Clark finished up and said in unison; “Hey, we should be able to beat these guys.” Tkachuk is only 19 and has 39 points.

Even if the last-place Ottawa Senators, who gutted their team trading Clearing his throat Mark Stone, Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel leaving them with a whole Ex Oilers defenceman Jason Strudwick worked colour with play-by-play lot of Rudolf Balcers, Oscar Lindbergs and Brian Gibbons, with the best man Gord Miller on TSN’s Ottawa feed to the Ontario region only—his draft lottery odds, they knew that the against Edmonton Oilers blew a first NHL game. Strudwick works with Jason Gregor on his afternoon home game to New Jersey 10 days ago in what should have been radio show. Guaranteed Win Night. What could have been So, of course, even though Ottawa had won three of their previous 16 games and their goalie Craig Anderson hadn’t won in three months, they Princeton captain Max Veronneau opted to sign with his hometown sent the Oilers fans quietly into the late afternoon Saturday with a 4-3 OT Senators, leaving the Oilers at the altar. They went hard for the speedy win. Brady Tkachuk, who doesn’t have his older brother Matthew right-winger, who has two points in four games and played with Tkachuk Tkachuk’s greasiness but plays like a young Shane Doan with the big and Jean-Gabriel Pageau. The Oilers were also interested in Taro Hirose body and nice hands, squeezed a 15-footer off Mikko Koskinen and over (Michigan State), who signed with the Wings and Ryan Kuffner the line for his second of the night. (Princeton linemate of Vernonneau) but they felt Veronneau, 23, was the best fit. He played 14 minutes with three shots Saturday. So, the Oilers throw away a point to the worst team in the league. This ’n’ that: Sens’ defenceman Thomas Chabot, who set up Ryan’s goal At home. with a perfect feed into the blue-paint, played 28 minutes. He was Just as they tossed away two to the Devils at Rogers Place. available to Oilers in the 2015 draft but they had traded their 15th overall pick for Griffin Reinhart. Chabot has 50 points…The Senators match-up “A week or two ago against New Jersey, same type of team if you look at was Andrej Sekera’s 700th NHL game … Joe Gambardella made a nice the standings, and while we played a bit better today than then, in the play to set up Cave, beating Dylan DeMelo behind the net to get it to first period today it felt like we don’t respect our opponent. They had just Cave. He has two NHL points now, but assists. He also played 9:54, played back-to-back Wednesday, Thursday,” said Alex Chiasson, who most of any of his nine NHL games…Oilers gave up two more PK goals got one of the Oiler goals along with Connor McDavid and Colby Cave. and they’ve now given up more (58) than anybody else in the NHL..Draisaitl’s dad, Peter, had fun talking about his boy’s game in “Against Columbus those guys are fighting for their lives, trying to make Cologne, Germany in early October, is visiting for several week. Peter playoffs and even if it’s not the prettiest game, we play tight and don’t had his DEL club in fifth spot but was surprisingly fired around the NHL give them anything. Today we play a team at the bottom of the standings, all-star break … Chris Kelly, who was here for several months early last who traded away four or five or their best players and they out-work us. season as a tryout player, returned to Ottawa to work in player End of the day, in our position, not good enough.” development but is now an assistant coach with Senators. “Now we have to count on other people like Chicago,” said Oilers’ coach In this episode, host Craig Ellingson and hockey beat writer Derek Van Ken Hitchcock, who figured if his team was able to keep winning home Diest focus on the ever-slimmer playoff hopes of the Edmonton Oilers. games (LA, Dallas and Anaheim next up), their road game later this month in Denver against Avalanche (second-wild card, 80 points) could They’re pretty much hopeless, practically, but because the NHL’s be the game that decided their playoff hopes. Western Conference has a lot of mediocre teams this season — the Oilers among them — Edmonton still has hope this late in the campaign. So, now Oilers have 74 points, while Colorado has the second wildcard At the same point last year, the Oilers were well back of the playoff pack with Arizona and Minnesota at 79 after the Senators showed more speed and out of the race. and won. That’s another season-long problem for Oilers, they have gobs of trouble against quicker teams, even with some no-name or Also: journeymen guys, no matter whether a Cup contender or pretender. Connor Mcdavid and his Hart Trophy odds — like last year, the Nothing to this game Oilers are out of the playoff picture, so chances are he’ll miss out on the most-valuable-to-his-team award. McDavid ripped a shot past Anderson in the second off a Leon Draisaitl feed for his 38th goal. He’s only had nine of his 71 games when he didn’t The Cinderella story that is the Arizona Coyotes, the relatively no- get a point. They were the most dangerous Oilers — McDavid played name team has decent odds of staying in and winning a wild-card playoff 23:54 minutes, 21 seconds more than Draisaitl — but Hitchcock actually spot and if there are any lessons in that team for the Oilers. felt both looked tuckered out. They couldn’t summon their usual heroics in the 3-on-3 overtime

“Anytime they go on the ice, yeah, I expect to win,” said Hitchcock. “They Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 03.24.2019 looked a bit tired today, we’ve been leaning on them hard and that’s on me and we’ll find a way to give them a rest and get them re-energized for Tuesday (Kings).”

Flashback in time

Chiasson only had 19 goals over two years in Ottawa but his 21st this year against his former club was a goal-scorer’s snipe. Sprung with a perfect 60-foot pass from Darnell Nurse, he lifted a back-hand past Anderson. “He said ‘OK, I gave you one,” laughed Chiasson of his old teammate. He got a major for fighting six-foot-six Ben Harpur later in the first, but missed out on the Gordie Howe HT (no assist). “I was mad at the time but I’ll turn the page. It was a battle play in the corner, I thought he slashed me, I pushed him back and then he had his gloves off which I 1137267 Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 03.24.2019

GAME DAY: Edmonton Oilers can’t look past Ottawa

Robert Tychkowski

Ottawa Senators (25-43-6) at Edmonton Oilers (33-34-7)

2 p.m. TV: Sportsnet, Radio: 630 CHED

Five Things:

1. Trap game?

The last time a slumping team from the Eastern Conference basement visited Edmonton, the New Jersey Devils pulled a back-breaking upset that might ultimately serve as the fatal blow in the Oilers’ playoff hopes. This is another opponent the Oilers cannot afford to be taking for granted.

2. The rematch

The last time Edmonton faced off with Ottawa, the Oilers were still reeling from a 6-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs a day earlier. They responded with a convincing 4-2 victory on goals from Connor McDavid, Sam Gagner, Colby Cave, and Zack Kassian. It was the start of a 6-2 run that put Edmonton back in the chase.

3. Tire fire

The last-place Senators have won just three of their last 10 games and are coming off of 7-4 and 5-1 losses to Vancouver and Calgary. They have a minus-57 goal differential, which is second-worst in the NHL. Strangely enough, they have scored eight more goals than the Oilers this season, but have allowed 30 more.

4. Rieder time

After being criticized by Oilers CEO Bob Nicholson at a season ticket holders breakfast on Thursday for being one of the reasons the Oilers are outside of a playoff spot, Tobias Rieder found himself at the centre of the usual social media firestorm. Now would be a nice time to end his 60- game scoring drought.

5. It’s happening again

Lost in the Rieder hype of late is the fact that Milan Lucic is bogged down in anther lengthy slump. He hasn’t scored a goal in 24 games, which, believe it or not, is only the second-longest drought of his season. He went 41 games from October to January without one.

Big Matchup

Brady Tkachuk vs. Adam Larsson

The Sens don’t have much going for them this season, but they have a good one in 19-year-old rookie Tkachuk, who leads the stripped-down team with 17 goals. The 6-foot-3, 196-pound winger represents Ottawa’s biggest threat and will be head to head much of the night against Edmonton’s top-pairing right defenceman. Larsson can shut forwards down with the best of them, but has been a minus player in six of his last eight games. This should be an entertaining, physical battle all night long.

In this episode, host Craig Ellingson and hockey beat writer Derek Van Diest focus on the ever-slimmer playoff hopes of the Edmonton Oilers.

They’re pretty much hopeless, practically, but because the NHL’s Western Conference has a lot of mediocre teams this season — the Oilers among them — Edmonton still has hope this late in the campaign. At the same point last year, the Oilers were well back of the playoff pack and out of the race.

Also:

Connor Mcdavid and his Hart Trophy odds — like last year, the Oilers are out of the playoff picture, so chances are he’ll miss out on the most-valuable-to-his-team award.

The Cinderella story that is the Arizona Coyotes, the relatively no- name team has decent odds of staying in and winning a wild-card playoff spot and if there are any lessons in that team for the Oilers. 1137268 Edmonton Oilers can handle the puck in transition as the primary carrier on his line and plays well off a variety of linemates.”

Wheeler’s midseason ranking also highlighted centre Nikita Alexandrov The Oilers made a rare move and shopped the QMJHL at the 2018 draft. of the Charlottetown Islanders, calling him “a dynamic, multi-faceted It could happen again. centre who generates a lot of chances,” and Edmonton will be looking for that kind of skill set throughout the draft.

By Allan Mitchell The next Bergeron?

Mar 23, 2019 Do you remember Marc-Andre Bergeron? Edmonton signed the chaos defenceman out of the Shawinigan Cataractes of the QMJHL in the summer of 2001. He had good foot speed and creativity with the puck, and had an ability to recover quickly from his own mistakes. No less a In the history of the Edmonton Oilers, drafting from the QMJHL is a fairly disciplinarian than Craig MacTavish brought him to the NHL and coached rare item. Over a 40-year canvas, Edmonton has chosen 29 players, him for several seasons. Although he was never drafted, Bergeron most recently goalie Olivier Rodrigue at the 2018 draft. The organization enjoyed a substantial NHL career (490 games with Edmonton, New York does value goalies from Quebec, as three of the past five picks from the lslanders, Anaheim Ducks, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, Tampa league (Olivier Roy, Keven Bouchard, Rodrigue) played the position. This Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes). season, the QMJHL is offering NHL teams impressive skill forwards, something that dovetails nicely with the Oilers’ needs. Justin Bergeron is a similar player. He was eligible for last year’s draft (born September 14, 2000, and barely eligible) but passed through, and The Oilers and the QMJHL at the draft (since 2009) he’s not highly touted this season. Bergeron’s boxcars (16 goals and 41 Total players drafted by NHL teams, 2009-2018: 2,120 assists in 65 games for Rouyn-Noranda Huskies) are quality, and his 5- on-5 goal differential (71-19) is eye-popping. He plays on a dominant Total QMJHL players drafted by NHL teams, 2009-18: 215 (10.1 per team, but the math likes this Bergeron. cent) Scouting reports have him as a good skater and passer, capable of Total players drafted by Edmonton, 2009-18: 77 running a power play. He’s under the radar based on universal rankings, and I do believe an NHL team would be wise to take a chance on him Total QMJHL players drafted by Edmonton, 2009-18: 5 (6.5 per cent) later in the 2019 draft. Edmonton has been a below-average QMJHL shopper for decades, the Another goalie? height of the team’s drafting from the league coming in a three-year window from 2001 to 2003. Edmonton chose Ales Hemsky in 2001, Jeff Edmonton shops the QMJHL for goalies and could spend a pick on Drouin-Deslauriers and Jean-Francois Dufort in 2002 and Marc Pouliot, Colten Ellis this summer. The Rimouski Oceanic stopper has posted two Jean-Francois Jacques and Mathieu Roy in 2003. Edmonton’s usage of impressive seasons in a row and has been consistent in establishing the QMJHL trails the stops in the WHL (22.1 percent) and the OHL (18.2 himself in the league. percent) over the past decade. Edmonton and the QMJHL QMJHL Oilers since 2009 The Oilers don’t spend much time in the QMJHL, but there’s value there. 2009: Olivier Roy The Tampa Bay Lightning appear to have found a moneypuck loophole in recent seasons. The team has been drafting several players (Jonathan 2010: Jeremie Blain Drouin, Adam Erne, Mathieu Joseph) from the league in recent summers, 2013: Marco Roy as well as acquiring undersized Q grads (Yanni Gourde) after they’d turned pro in other organizations. Most recently, the Lightning have 2014: Keven Bouchard signed QMJHL skill forwards like Alex Barré-Boulet and (this winter) Jimmy Huntington as undrafted free agents. 2018: Olivier Rodrigue Edmonton, a team badly in need of adding skill forwards, may want to No player drafted from the QMJHL by Edmonton in the past decade has adopt a similar plan. The team should have room to sign several CHL played in the NHL, but it’s also true the team doesn’t spend many high free agents this summer (more on that in a coming article). selections in the league. Only Marco Roy and Rodrigue were taken early, and both are second-round selections. Only Rodrique in this group is It’s doubtful Edmonton uses its first-round selection on a QMJHL player, matriculating as a prospect in the Oilers’ system. but beginning in the second round, it could be an area of interest for the Oilers. Those skill forwards may be a perfect fit for an organization badly The 2019 draft in need of an upgrade on the wings. I believe the QMJHL may be an attractive pool of talent for the Edmonton

Oilers this summer. Raphael Lavoie is a RH centre with size (6-4, 198) and speed (Corey Pronman saying “skates well – and not just well for his The Athletic LOADED: 03.24.2019 size, I think he’s an above-average speedster among pros”) who ranks inside Pronman’s top 20 in his midseason draft rankings for The Athletic.

Nathan Legare is a first-shot scorer (45 goals in 68 games) who was ranked No. 49 by Bob McKenzie of TSN on his midseason list. It’s plausible the Oilers will take a defenceman (Bowen Byram of the Vancouver Giants) in the first round; that would make Legare an excellent option (Edmonton needs scoring wingers) in the second round of the 2019 draft.

Maxim Cajkovic of the Saint John Sea Dogs started slowly but came on as the season wore along. He scored 14 goals in his final 28 regular- season games, incredible considering the lack of complementary talent on his team. Cajkovic’s draft season was similar to Marc Pouliot’s in 2002-03, with both men being stone alone.

Jakob Pelletier of the Moncton Wildcats is an interesting player. He’s an undersized forward without tremendous speed, and thus some see him as a tweener. His numbers (89 points in 65 games) and birthday (March 2001) make him intriguing enough to contemplate as a second-rounder for Edmonton in 2019. Scott Wheeler has him as a first-round selection, saying “Pelletier is creative, plays with good though not explosive speed, 1137269 Florida Panthers

Bruins clinch playoff berth with 7-3 win over Panthers

BY WALTER VILLA MIAMI HERALD WRITER

MARCH 23, 2019 10:32 PM

The Bruins clinched a playoff berth on Saturday night, but no such outcome was even remotely possible for the Florida Panthers, who lost 7-3 to Boston on Saturday. Boston scored five times in the second period.

Florida now has just seven games left in the regular season, including the next four on the road. The Panthers then close out the regular season with three straight home games.

The Panthers (33-30-12) finished Saturday night with 78 points, trailing the Montreal Canadiens by nine points for the last wild-card playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.

In Saturday’s game, the Panthers turned the puck over 24 times to just 12 for Boston, and that was a major factor.

“We beat ourselves,” Panthers coach Bob Boughner said. “(Boston’s) first four goals all came off our sticks on turnovers. It wasn’t effort. It was just stupidity – bad turnovers that ended up in the back of our net.”

Boston, which has won four straight games, got goals from Noel Acciari, Brad Marchand, Zdeno Chara, Karson Kuhlman, Steven Kampfer, David Pastrnak and Patrice Bergeron (empty-netter).

Bruins goalie Jaroslav Halak, who took a 5-0 beating from the Panthers on Dec. 4, made 31 saves to earn the win.

Jayce Hawryluk, Mike Hoffman and Vincent Trocheck scored for Florida. Hoffman has a career-high 35 goals, which leads the Panthers. Hoffman, who also had an assist, is sixth on the Panthers list for most goals in a season.

Panthers rookie goalie Sam Montembeault made 31 saves and had his record fall to 4-3-1. After a hot beginning to his NHL career, he has lost three straight starts.

Boston opened the scoring with just 2:23 expired in the first period. David Backes won a race for a loose puck to avoid icing before tossing a centering pass back to Acciari, who buried his chance from the slot.

Connor Clifton, a 23-year-old defenseman, got the secondary assist for his first NHL point. It was the 14th game for Clifton, a fifth-round pick in 2013 who is seeing action due to injuries to Bruins defensemen Kevan Miller (upper-body injury), Matt Grzelcyk (forearm) and Torey Krug (concussion).

Boston took a 2-0 lead just 28 seconds into the second period. Bergeron skated behind Florida’s net, stole the puck from Panthers defenseman Mike Matheson and fed it to Marchand, who scored from the slot.

Florida cut its deficit to 2-1 just 24 seconds later. Hoffman stole the puck in the neutral zone, charged up the ice and delivered a pass to Hawryluk for the point-blank goal.

Boston – other than Hoffman’s wrist-shot breakaway – dominated the rest of the period. Chara scored through a screen that left half the net open. Kuhlman scored on a wrist shot off the right post. Kampfer got his goal on a power play, and Pastrnak scored on a breakaway, capitalizing on a bad Panthers line change.

Florida got one goal back with 16:03 left in the third period on Trocheck’s power-play blast from the left circle, but it wasn’t enough for the Panthers.

Miami Herald LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137270 Florida Panthers

Bruins decimate Montembeault, Panthers with five-goal second period

Paul Gereffi

The Associated Press

Zdeno Chara picked a great time to score a milestone goal.

Chara scored his 200th NHL goal and added an assist to help the Bruins beat the Florida Panthers 7-3 on Saturday night and clinch a berth in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Earlier in the day, the Bruins announced the 42-year-old Chara signed a one-year, $2 million contract extension.

The goal was his first since Feb. 18th at San Jose.

"Anytime you reach a milestone it's special," Chara said. "I'm not one of those guys that's going to score another 100. It's a pretty decent number for a guy who wasn't supposed to play the game. It's a big win for us to clinch the playoffs."

Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand also had a goal and an assist, and Steve Kampfer, Karson Kuhlman and Noel Acciari had the other goals for Boston. Danton Heinen had two assists and Jaroslav Halak stopped 31 shots and also had an assist as the Bruins won their fourth straight.

Chara is in his 13th season with Boston and 21st in the NHL. He is the second-oldest active NHL player, behind Pittsburgh's Matt Cullen.

"I don't care how long you played. It feels good to score a goal," coach Bruce Cassidy said. "We're all happy for Z."

Vincent Trocheck, Mike Hoffman and Jayce Hawryluk scored for the Panthers, and Sam Montembeault finished with 32 saves.

The Bruins took control with five goals in the second period.

With Boston leading 2-1, Chara's shot from the high slot beat Montembeault at 5:05. Kuhlman made it 4-1 as he grabbed the puck at the red line, skated in, and fired a shot in at 6:38 for his second career goal.

Hoffman grabbed a loose puck in the neutral zone, skated in and fired the puck past Halak at 10:04 to pull Florida to 4-2.

Kampfer and Pastrnak scored 48 seconds apart to stretch the Bruins' lead to 6-2 with 3:24 to go in the middle period.

"We beat ourselves, 24 turnovers, and their first four goals came off our sticks on turnovers," Panthers coach Bob Boughner said. "It was stupidity and bad turnovers that ended up in the back of our net."

Trocheck scored a power-play goal at 3:57 of the third to get the Panthers within three.

Bergeron's empty-netter with 26.8 left capped the scoring.

"It's one of those things where we know we have to be better and we know that's not good enough especially against good teams," Panthers defenseman Keith Yandle said.

Florida's Aleksander Barkov landed face down on the ice after a collision with Chara with 3:04 left in the game but left under his own power.

Acciari gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead 2:23 in. David Backes passed from behind the net to Acciari, who was alone in front and his shot got past Montembeault.

Marchand doubled the lead when he took a feed from Bergeron from behind the net and shot the puck in from the low slot at 28 seconds of the second period.

The Panthers answered 24 seconds later as Hawryluk one-timed the puck in from in front.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137271 Florida Panthers with the letters “PPW” — “Prove People Wrong.” Looking at the letters served as motivation as he patiently waited to make his college debut.

“You always have to prove people wrong,” Vatrano said. “It’s something I Risk rewarded: Sacrifices lead Frank Vatrano to find a home with live by every day, making sure you’re being impactful and doing the right Panthers things. Hard work always takes over.”

He finally made his debut on March 7, 2014 — UMass’ last game of the By Erin Brown season. During the first month of his sophomore campaign, Vatrano struggled, recording just two assists in six games. Mar 23, 2019 “I was like, ‘Oh, boy, I feel like I’m a little bit a step behind,'” he said. “Then things just started to click.”

SUNRISE, Fla. — When Frank Vatrano signed his first professional Vatrano would go on to register 26 points over the final 30 games, with contract, he found himself making yet another sacrifice. six of those being mutli-point efforts on a last-place Minutemen team.

The Florida Panthers winger swore off pizza. “I had a good year that year,” Vatrano said. “I think just staying with it, staying positive, having my friends and family so close by really helped “You get used to it,” Vatrano said. “It’s a lot of self willpower.” me through the whole process of not playing.” But not exactly a light decision for the son of Italian restaurateurs. Exactly a year and eight days after making his college debut, the Boston “I was a little chubby growing up and didn’t really pay attention to the diet Bruins offered the 5-foot-9, 201-pound winger a professional contract. sort of thing,” Vatrano said. “But when you make it to the next level, you For the die-hard Boston fan growing up, it was a dream come true. kind of have to dial it in. It’s stuff you have to take into account every But again, it came with risks. single day, that you’re putting the right things in your body. Vatrano would surrender the NCAA eligibility he waited so patiently to “For me, it’s staying away from the pizza place.” regain. After discussing it with his family — who suggested he could Vatrano has a good reason to finally relax after signing a three-year, $7.6 always return to finish school if hockey didn’t pan out — he signed a million deal with Florida in February, though his challenging path to the three-year, entry-level deal and made his debut with the Providence NHL will keep him from doing so. Bruins, Boston’s AHL affiliate.

Getting to this point has been filled with sacrifices and leaps of faith for “I felt like I was ready,” Vatrano said. “Not being drafted, you never know the undersized, undrafted forward. when the opportunity is going to come around again. I knew that I was ready for the jump and I made a good impact right away when I was in From leaving a close-knit home to improve his game as a teen to sitting Providence.” out a year of NCAA eligibility and later surrendering that eligibility after just one season to turn pro, Vatrano’s risks have ultimately turned into This time, there would be no rust to shake. rewards. Panthers coach Bob Boughner said Vatrano has been “a pretty Recognized as one of the United States’ elite players at 16, Vatrano was dependable player for us, and he’s still got that (scoring) touch. That’s invited to join the National Team Development Program. He moved to something you can’t teach.” (Perry Nelson / USA Today) Ann Arbor, Mich., his first time away from his parents and three older In 36 contests with Providence, Vatrano posted 55 points. His 36 goals brothers. led the league in 2015-16 — despite the fact Vatrano played in fewer Vatrano remembers the bouts of homesickness being “very tough,” but than half of Providence’s games. he has no regrets. He knew it would put him on a path to succeed at He also appeared in 39 games with Boston that season, putting up a Boston College, the team he committed to as a high school sophomore. more human eight goals and three assists. “If I didn’t play for the U.S. National Team, I don’t think I would be the Despite improving upon his output in Boston the following year, Vatrano player I am today,” he said. “At such a young age, they teach you how to found himself unable to escape the Bruins’ bottom six. Florida traded for be a professional, how to take care of yourself off the ice, the travel, him Feb. 22, 2018, sending a third-round pick in return. making sure you’re staying on (top) of your schoolwork. It really gets you ready for college and the next level. Going there was the best move I “I wasn’t playing much in Boston, and I think it was mutual on both parts think I could have done.” that I needed a little bit of a change of scenery,” he said.

After capturing a silver medal with Team USA at the IIHF U-17 Florida knew it had acquired the depth scoring it coveted, but the tournament in 2011 and gold the next year at the U-18 event, Vatrano Panthers recognized that getting Vatrano to round out his game with started at Boston College in the fall. consistency and a little more defense would be an “experiment,” according to Coach Bob Boughner. “We were roommates … for two and a half weeks,” Panthers defenseman Mike Matheson said. “I think it has gone well,” Boughner said. “He’s proven that he’s cleaned up a lot of parts of his game to be a pretty dependable player for us, and While adjusting to college life and training camp, Vatrano was ruled he’s still got that (scoring) touch. That’s something you can’t teach. You ineligible over an invalid SAT score. either have it or you don’t.” “It was kind of weird,” said Matheson, who played for the Eagles from The Panthers sat down with Vatrano and found the fit for him away from 2012-15. “We both woke up in the morning and I had a 9 o’clock class. I the puck. went off to class and came back to my room for a bit before my next class and he was gone.” “Everybody was a superstar in college or juniors, so now you’re on an even playing field, so what else are you going to do?” Boughner said. His future at a crossroads, Vatrano had options. Moncton (QMJHL) and “What else are you going to provide? What box are you going to check?” Dubuque (USHL) held his junior rights. He had another opportunity to play at the University of Massachusetts after sitting out one year because Vatrano rattles off his responsibilities like a mantra. of the NCAA’s transfer penalty. “For me, it’s making sure I’m getting on the forecheck, moving my feet, Vatrano opted for the latter to be close to family. The comfort came with making a big defensive stop, being good on the walls,” he said. “It leads risk: He wouldn’t play a full season of elite hockey for almost two years. to blocking shots, and if you play good defense, it’s what leads to good offense. “You try to stay in game shape as much as possible,” Vatrano said. “You stay sharp, but you really can’t if you’re not playing in games.” “I think I’ve been rewarded by playing good defense.”

As he trained with UMass and attempted to keep in game shape in a low- One area which he has taken on with pride is hitting and shot blocking. tier junior league the equivalent of “A,” Vatrano started wearing a bracelet He ranks second among his teammates with 121 hits and leads Panthers forwards with 70 blocks. Being the youngest of four brothers was apparently good training.

“When we were out in the driveway I was still a little young, so the only way for me to fit in was to play goalie,” Vatrano said. “I was never a goalie on the ice, just as a young kid. I remember them setting up 3-on-0 power play and ripping one-timers at me, so maybe that’s why I got a little better at blocking shots.”

Though he has recently skated alongside Florida’s heavier line of Riley Sheahan and Troy Brouwer, attention to detail away from the puck resulted in opportunities on the power play and with the Panthers’ top six.

Vatrano earned time on the Cats’ top line alongside Aleksander Barkov and Evgeni Dadonov just before the All-Star break and put up six points (three goals, three assists) in three games.

In February and early March, Vatrano skated with either Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau, or fellow snipers Mike Hoffman and Vincent Trocheck.

On March 20, Vatrano registered his first 20-goal season.

“Really, anywhere you play in the lineup, you’re going to be playing with some good guys,” Vatrano said. “Whether you’re on the first line or fourth line, you’re going to be getting your chances.”

Vatrano often gets tasked with the dirty work, but his teammates appreciate it.

“He’s just an extremely hard worker,” Trocheck said. “He brings a lot of energy to the line. He’ll get pucks back when we need to.”

Thursday night against Arizona, Florida started to show signs of bending when the Coyotes pulled within a goal with 2 1/2 minutes to play.

In the final minute, Vatrano hit Arizona defenseman Jacob Chychrun to prevent a point-blank shot, then chased the puck into the corner. There was the temptation of an empty net, but Vatrano went with the smarter play of backhanding it out of the zone.

Barkov collected it and scored to seal the win. But the Panthers captain didn’t want any fist bumps or head pats.

The Cats turned to Vatrano instead to offer thanks for the gutsy effort.

“I think you slowly start to figure out what you need to do on a nightly basis,” Vatrano said of his work away from the puck. “I think I credit being more experienced, being around the game a lot more. You just learn what you need to do.”

The Athletic LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137272 Los Angeles Kings Coach Willie Desjardins used 11 forwards and seven defensemen for the fourth time, thus Clifford on the power play.

Kings' Anze Kopitar delivers triumph against Ducks in battle of cellar dwellers LA Times: LOADED: 03.24.2019

By CURTIS ZUPKE

MAR 23, 2019 | 10:55 PM

Rickard Rakell delivered a gem. Anze Kopitar delivered a dagger.

Not much, if anything outside of draft-lottery positioning, was on the line when the Ducks met the Kings for the third time this season, but a 4-3 shootout win by the Kings seemed to have an extra sting attached to it Saturday, given how it went down.

Kopitar finally ended a night of both misplays and pretty plays by both lowly local teams with the only goal in a shootout, a leave-behind move that beat goalie Ryan Miller in the second round at Staples Center.

Kopitar said he planned the move beforehand.

“It’s probably, really, the best time now to try [it] and see what’s up,” Kopitar said.

Kopitar had a smirk that conveyed the Kings won and that the season moved one step closer to ending. The Kings could allow themselves a celebration, even though little mattered except pride between the teams. The Kings roared back from a 3-2 deficit and didn’t let Rakell’s potentially devastating last-second goal hurt them.

“For us to come out and compete, that’s what we want to do,” Kopitar said. “I’ve said it before, there’s guys playing for jobs, guys that want to prove themselves as good players in this league. So there’s a lot at stake. It’s not just any other game.”

Rakell negated almost all of 20 minutes’ worth of awful hockey by the Ducks with a highlight goal in the second period that might have counted as the prettiest Ducks goal this season. Rakell chipped the puck out of mid-air and batted it into the net with 0.9 second remaining in the second period, with the Kings’ Austin Wagner serving a roughing penalty.

Rakell’s teammate Carter Rowney then inexplicably put the Ducks in position for a regulation win with a short-handed goal with less than 11 minutes left in the third period when he beat goalie Jonathan Quick following an incredibly poor sequence by the Kings as they tried to retrieve the puck back on a power play and missed two passes.

Then it was the Kings’ turn to catch the Ducks napping when Carl Grundstrom tapped in Tyler Toffoli’s try on rush after Cam Fowler got caught pinching on the play, with 3 minutes 53 seconds left in regulation to tie it 3-3.

There was good reason for the disjointed play on both sides.

The teams played seven players who made their NHL debut this season. The Ducks before the game announced a recall of rookies Sam Steel and Kiefer Sherwood because Ryan Getzlaf and Nick Ritchie sat out with upper-body injuries and are day-to-day.

Steel played in Getzlaf’s place at top-line center and collected an assist on the Ducks’ first goal. But the ensuing second period won’t go on the Ducks’ highlight reel. They did not put a shot on goal until the 11:11 mark of the period, and that was on a mid-ice floater by Andy Welinski.

Miller was the only player keeping the Ducks in the game, and he finally succumbed on Jeff Carter’s shot from a steep angle following a Ducks turnover in the neutral zone.

That gave Carter two goals in two games after he endured a career-worst 20-game scoring slump.

Kyle Clifford recorded the first power-play goal of his career when he impressively deflected in Alec Martinez’s long-range shot in the first period.

“Nine years later,” Clifford said.

Jonny Brodzinski returned to the lineup for the Kings while Ilya Kovalchuk and Dion Phaneuf were scratched. 1137273 Los Angeles Kings the lineup for the Kings while Ilya Kovalchuk and Dion Phaneuf were scratched as Desjardins used 11 forwards and seven defensemen.

Kings rookie Carl Grundstrom is not deterred by defensive adjustments he is facing LA Times: LOADED: 03.24.2019

By CURTIS ZUPKE

MAR 23, 2019 | 8:45 PM

The first person to predict that Carl Grundstrom was going to fall back to earth was Carl Grundstrom.

The rookie left wing knew better than anyone that the phenomenal start he had with the Kings – a goal in each of his first two games – was memorable, and it wasn’t going to last. Grundstrom found that out in the ensuing three games when he recorded one shot on goal as NHL defenses quickly did their homework on him.

But it’s a good sign for Grundstrom and the Kings that the 21-year-old has both the understanding of his adjustment to the NHL and the tools to perhaps have a significant career.

“Of course, when you come into the league and you play the best players in the world, it’s going to be a little bit tougher,” Grundstrom said. “But I’m getting more comfortable out there.”

Grundstrom went into Saturday’s game against the Ducks with the confidence from one of his better games on Thursday. Against the San Jose Sharks, Grundstrom had two quality scoring chances that were stopped by goalie Martin Jones. He also took a hit from defenseman Brent Burns at the end boards on the same shift — another part of getting welcomed to the NHL.

Grundstrom wasn’t fazed by it, which speaks to his rugged power- forward style. The chances he has seen at wing, with Swedish countryman Adrian Kempe as his center, are a glimpse of the future for Grundstrom, the primary return piece from the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Jan. 28 trade of Jake Muzzin.

“He was clearly a guy we targeted, and he was very excited about it,” Kings assistant general manager Michael Futa said. “I think we did a good job of breaking him in with [Ontario Reign coach Mike Stothers] and he’s come up and he’s got his opportunity.

“But I think he’s got to find his niche. He’s going to play. It’s refreshing, his attitude. You can start to see good chemistry with Kempe, which is nice. But, again, when you’re having the season we’re having, to see a kid come up and provide that kind of spark and that kind of energy, it’s huge for us. It’s got to be contagious.”

Futa took note that Grundstrom took a run at Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf in his NHL debut. Futa also noticed a recent practice when Dustin Brown spent some time working with Grundstrom. It was a telling sign for a veteran like Brown to do that with a rookie.

“You can tell,” Futa said, “… that they see he’s got that kind of attitude.”

Grundstrom’s hulking style has drawn comparisons to Brown, known for his hard-nosed edge near the boards and in the crease. The two are roughly the same size and body type, and Grundstrom was often described in scouting reports as an agitator. The aforementioned work ethic was also a common theme, and that should go long way toward Grundstrom’s development.

“I think, as a young guy, he’ll learn the league as he goes,” Kings interim coach Willie Desjardins said. “I’ve been happy with his play. He’s a good two-way player. I think that he can score. I think he plays hard in front of the net. Lots of good things I see in his game.”

Grundstrom’s first two goals arrived on his first two shots in the NHL. But it’s what happens from here on out that matters.

“You don’t get nothing for free,” he said. “I have to take every chance you get.”

Etc.

Ryan Getzlaf and Nick Ritchie sat with upper-body injuries and the Ducks recalled Sam Steel and Kiefer Sherwood … Jonny Brodzinski returned to 1137274 Los Angeles Kings

Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.24.2019

Ducks’ Ryan Miller upset about giving up shootout winner to Kings’ Anze Kopitar

By Elliott Teaford | [email protected] | Orange County Register

PUBLISHED: March 23, 2019 at 11:49 pm | UPDATED: March 24, 2019 at 12:12 am

LOS ANGELES — Ducks goaltender Ryan Miller was upset with himself Saturday. He said he should have known better. He’d seen that move before and should have been ready for it when Kings center Anze Kopitar tried in the second round of a shootout at Staples Center.

Kopitar scored the only goal in the shootout with a deft sleight of hand move that surprised Miller and the Kings edged the Ducks 4-3. Kopitar skated toward the net from the red line and then pulled the puck around Miller with his long reach as he skated toward the left goal post.

“He did it in the other direction two years ago,” Miller said. “It’s not impossible. I should know better. I didn’t want him to get ahead of me on the blocker side. The last three or four shootouts he’s had he shot, so obviously he changed it up. I probably should have set up better.”

Miller doesn’t maintain a physical book on the tendencies of opposing shooters, but he keeps it all in his head. He watches games, as most NHL players do, and files away what he sees and how it worked or didn’t work. His memory is impeccable.

“I just kind of know what’s going on,” he said. “I could probably tell you my whole career, honestly. Probably ever guy’s tendency I’ve seen more than once is probably something I can tell you. But it didn’t work the right way tonight.”

In the end, the Ducks were probably fortunate to have been in a shootout Saturday. Miller was superb during the five-minute overtime period, making four saves, including a point-blank denial of Kopitar, to keep the Ducks and Kings deadlocked at 3-3.

In the shootout, Kopitar was the only one to beat Miller, after Kyle Clifford (power play), Jeff Carter and Carl Grundstrom scored in regulation. Miller made 27 saves in regulation and overtime and was especially sharp in the first two periods, when the Ducks were outshot and outplayed.

Miller rebounded from a shaky performance in his last start, when he saved only 18 of 24 shots in the Ducks’ 6-1 loss March 14 to the Arizona Coyotes. Saturday’s start could be his second-to-last of the season, and perhaps in the 38-year-old’s career.

The Ducks have one more set of games on consecutive nights, when they play the Calgary Flames next Friday and the Edmonton Oilers next Saturday, and they’ll need Miller to spell John Gibson in one of those games. Miller also could start Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks.

After all, he played three seasons with the Canucks before signing a two- year, $4-million contract July 1, 2017 to join the Ducks as a free agent. The 38-year-old is eligible to become a free agent again July 1, and he could re-sign or he could retire after a Hall of Fame-caliber career.

Although 2018-19 has been forgettable in almost every regard, it also was the season Miller passed John Vanbiesbrouck and became the all- time leader in victories by a United States-born goalie with 377. He is 7- 6-2 in 18 appearances, his season shortened by a sprained knee.

Like his teammates, he’s been encouraged by the Ducks’ play in the last month or so, or since General Manager Bob Murray fired Randy Carlyle and assumed the coaching duties himself Feb. 10. The Ducks avoided playoff elimination Saturday by gaining one point with their shootout loss.

“There’s been better stretches of hockey,” Miller said. “The system has been better. For whatever reason, it wasn’t there. When a coach gets fired, it’s embarrassing. It’s on the players to play good hockey. Coaches can only tell you what to do, no matter what the situation.

“I thought for the most part, Bob has handled it pretty well. He’s going to be on the bench. Every game is going to be a tryout. Show me what you’ve got. There’s been guys playing better hockey and stepping up, so it’s been good.” 1137275 Los Angeles Kings Rakell said that, “Of course,” he practices that. And with the clock ticking down in the period, he realized he had to act quickly.

“I knew there wasn’t time,” he said. Anze Kopitar’s goal in shootout gives Kings win over Ducks It was No. 14 for Rakell, with Jakob Silfverberg and Adam Henrique assisting on the power-play goal.

By Robert Morales | [email protected] | Press Telegram Carter Rowney scored a short-handed goal for the Ducks at 9:42 of the PUBLISHED: March 23, 2019 at 10:37 pm | UPDATED: March 23, 2019 third period for a 3-2 lead. It was No. 6 for him. at 11:08 PM But Kings rookie Carl Grundstrom matched that with his third at 16:07 to tie the game 3-3, setting the table for the shootout victory.

LOS ANGELES – If it’s true that misery loves company, then the Kings Kings interim coach Willie Desjardins, who has been on board since early will have to wait a bit longer before they can take some solace in the rival November, has come to realize just how much his team likes defeating Ducks not making the playoffs this season, either. the Ducks.

The Kings defeated the Ducks 4-3 in a shootout before 18,230 on “It’s a good rivalry,” he said. “Both teams have got a lot of history, a lot of Saturday night at Staples Center. But it would have taken a regulation pride.” loss by the Ducks to boot them from post-season contention.

That could happen when they play Tuesday at Vancouver. Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.24.2019 The Kings were mathematically eliminated from the playoff race on Monday by virtue of their loss to Winnipeg.

Kings goalie Jonathan Quick did not allow a goal in the shootout, but Kings captain Anze Kopitar was able to get one past Ducks goalie Ryan Miller, and that proved the game-winner.

The Kings (27-39-8, 62 points) have won all three games against the Ducks (31-36-10, 72 points) this season. It never gets old for them.

“Yeah, I mean, I think there is always a little extra buzz in the building when we play them, so to get out on top, it feels good,” Kopitar said.

Kopitar’s goal in the shootout came off a sweet move as he approached Miller, but Miller was bummed he didn’t make the stop.

“He did it the other direction two year ago; it (the move) is not impossible,” Miller said. “I should know better, honestly. I just didn’t want him to get ahead of me on the blocker side.”

Cam Fowler gave the Ducks a 1-0 lead at 3:47 of the first period. His fifth of the season came on a long shot that found its way past Quick. Assists went to Andy Welinski and Sam Steel.

It didn’t take the Kings long to tie the score as Kyle Clifford deflected in a long shot by AlecMartinez for a power-play goal at 5:09. Martinez and Alex Iafallo assisted. The power-play was made possible by a hooking penalty on Ducks forward Max Jones.

It was No. 9 for Clifford, which adds to his career high. The most goals he had scored in his previous eight years was seven.

The point also tied his career high with 15, which he also had in 2014-15.

Also, it was the first power-play goal of Clifford’s career. It came in his 599th game. He smiled when asked about that.

“Yeah, nine years later, it’s awesome,” he said, getting laughs out of reporters.

Although the Ducks did not do a good job of killing their first penalty – the Kings scored in 16seconds – they did a nice job of killing Josh Manson cross-checking penalty later in the period.

The Kings took a 2-1 lead at 13:48 of the second period when Jeff Carter scored his second goal in as many games and 12th of the season.

Carter took a nice pass from Dustin Brown and fired it past Miller at an angle from about 10 feet. Assists went to Brown and Austin Wagner.

Carter had gone 20 games without a goal before scoring one in Thursday’s victory over San Jose.

But the Ducks didn’t wilt. Kings forward Austin Wagner was called for roughing at 19:34. And Rickard Rakell took advantage when he smacked an airborne puck past Quick at 19:58 to tie the game 2-2 heading into the second intermission.

Rakell went over the tally.

“I tried to get a quick shot off, but the puck wouldn’t stay on the ice,” he said. “I just tried to bat it out of the air. It was nice to see it go in.” 1137276 Los Angeles Kings Kovalchuk is minus-26; Doughty has the team’s worst ratio at minus-29.

Kings’ Adrian Kempe: Swedish players love their long hair Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.24.2019

By Robert Morales | [email protected] | Press Telegram

PUBLISHED: March 23, 2019 at 9:14 pm | UPDATED: March 23, 2019 at 9:14 PM

LOS ANGELES – Kings forward Adrian Kempe didn’t make the cut, but best hair in the league was among the things recently voted on by the NHL Players’ Association.

Three of the top five were from Kempe’s native Sweden. He smiled when discussing the subject.

“There’s always Swedish guys that like to grow their hair,” said Kempe, who has medium-long blonde hair. “Especially on San Jose; they have a couple of guys. So, yeah, I don’t know if that’s a thing.

“But I feel like more Europeans have longer hair than Americans and Canadiens.”

Swedes Erik Karlsson of San Jose, Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers and William Karlsson of Vegas were picked first, second and third in the poll, respectively. Canadiens Brent Burns of San Jose and William Nylander of Toronto rounded out the top five.

Over 500 players participated in the voting.

As previously reported, Drew Doughty of the Kings was voted second- funniest, second-best defenseman and second-best trash-talker.

The only other member of the Kings to get in on this was forward and team captain Anze Kopitar, who was voted fifth most-difficult to play against.

Not surprisingly, best shot went to Alex Ovechkin of Washington.

Rookie defenseman Matt Roy has not been out of the lineup, playing in all 16 games since his recall in mid-February. In other words, no healthy scratches, which is impressive for someone just getting his feet wet in the NHL.

Kings interim coach Willie Desjardins likes Roy, but says he can improve in certain areas.

“He’s gotta keep working, getting better,” said Desjardins, whose team hosted the rival Ducks on Saturday night at Staples Center. “I think he moves pretty well, he’s got some size and he defends OK, so it’s a good combination. But saying that, I think he has to be more aggressive.

“I think he has to find who his man is earlier and I think he’s gotta be ready to jump on that play earlier. … Saying all that, I think he’s doing a good job.”

Roy, 24, has a goal, two assists and two penalty minutes.

Kovalchuk and healthy scratches

Desjardins has recently tried going with 11 forwards and seven defensemen instead of 12 and six. The result has been forward Ilya Kovalchuk being a healthy scratch three of the past four games, including Saturday’s.

Desjardins seems to hate doing this, and Friday he explained – to a degree – his reasoning.

“It’s a tough one,” he said. “He has lots of really great qualities, he loves the game, I think he puts a lot into the game. I have a lot of respect for what he’s done.

“I think it’s a tough thing for him. We’re at the time now where we just need to look at some young players as well. And that’s just a hard spot for veteran players. It puts them in a bad spot. I have a lot of respect for him and his love for the game.”

Kovalchuk, 35, signed a three-year ($18.75 million) free-agent contract with the Kings during the off-season. Previously a point-per-game player in 11 NHL seasons before playing in his native Russia for five seasons, he has 31 points in 60 games this season on a team that has had great difficulty scoring. 1137277 Los Angeles Kings We’re going on the road, we’ve got a tough one in the first game against Calgary and we know that’s going to be a hard-fought game, so we’re going to go one game at a time.

MARCH 23 RAPID REACTION (FEAT. DAVE JOSEPH): KINGS 4, Clifford, on his reaction to finding out he was going to be out on the DUCKS 3 (SO) power play:

Kind of goes with the same as being five on five. Just being ready and JON ROSEN know what you’re going to do out there and that’s about it.

MARCH 23, 2019 Clifford, on getting his first power play goal at this stage in his career:

Yeah, nine years later.

Rapid Reaction, feat. Dave Joseph of the LA Kings Clifford, on being on the power play unit tonight:

Post-game Quotes I don’t really put much thought into that. Everybody’s got their role on the team and I know what mine is and whether it’s playing net-front on the Willie Desjardins, on beating the Ducks: power play or playing hard forechecking or just being a good team guy. I don’t really put a lot of thought into personal statistics. It’s a good rivalry. Both teams have got a lot of history, a lot of pride, and I think whenever they play, as the game goes along for sure it gets more Post-game Notes heated. –With the win, Los Angeles improved to 63-51-26 all-time against Desjardins, on the overall effort: Anaheim, a record that includes a home mark of 38-21-11. With a record of 3-0-0 in the four-game season series, the Kings won the season series I thought it was good. I thought we had a great start to the game. The for the first time since the 2012-13 season. Los Angeles has never swept first part of that game, we played well. Even the second period we played a season series with Anaheim, though in 2001-02 they won four games well. We gave up that one late, which hurt us, and then we gave up the and tied one. These teams have one game remaining, April 5 at Honda one on the power play, which really hurt us. But guys were resilient. After Center. we gave up that third one, then we started to come and play hard again. We got one back. It was great to see Grundstrom score. Toffoli made a –With the win, the Kings improved to 18-20-4 against the Western good play on it. Overall it was a hard-fought game. Conference, 10-10-2 against the Pacific Division, 13-8-8 in one-goal games, 8-35-6 when their opponent scores first, 13-15-4 when tied after Desjardins, on Jonny Brodzinski: one period, 7-5-3 when tied after two periods, 8-8 in games that extend He was pretty good early. Before, I think he was more just a scorer. past regulation, 3-3 in games decided in a shootout and 11-15-2 when Today he played a better all-around game. I thought he played more outshooting their opponent. physical, I thought he tried to do more things to keep himself in the –Jonathan Quick improved to 2-2 in shootouts this season and 44-34 in lineup. his career. By stopping all three shooters, he is now 190/274 (.693) in his Anze Kopitar, on Sean Walker’s defensive game tonight: career against individual shooters. Adrian Kempe fell to 1/4 this season and 3/7 in his career. Anze Kopitar improved to 3/6 this season and He’s such a good skater that maybe even sometimes if he’s out of 40/104 in his career. Alex Iafallo fell to 0/2 this season and 0/2 in his position even just a little bit, he gains ground with his stride, so, very nice career. to see him playing well. Him and Roysie for that matter. Logging some minutes, that’s what we’re talking about these games. They’re almost like –Los Angeles won the 1,700th game in franchise history. an audition for some of the guys to show what they’re made of and what –The Kings allowed at least three goals for the 17th time in the last 20 they’ve got and I think we’re all liking what we’re seeing right now. games. Kopitar, on the Kings-Ducks rivalry: –Against teams they’ve faced in the playoffs this decade (New York, New I think there’s always a little extra buzz in the building when we play Jersey, Arizona, San Jose, St. Louis, Chicago, Anaheim, Vancouver, them, so to get out on top feels good. Vegas), Los Angeles is 16-8-2. Against all other teams, they’re 11-31-6.

Kopitar, on whether he thought they played well defensively: — Dustin Brown (1,109 GP), who moved within two games of Dave Taylor’s franchise record for games played (1,111 GP), registered his At the end of the day, you want to win the game, doesn’t matter really 332nd career assist on Jeff Carter’s goal, moving him within one assist how you do it. I think tonight, there’s still stuff that we can do better, but from Rob Blake (333 assists) for ninth place on the franchise’s all-time all in all I thought it was a pretty solid game for us. assist list. He extended his point streak to four games (3-3=6).

Kyle Clifford, on what he saw on his power play goal: –Kyle Clifford’s first period power play goal was the first special teams point of his career. He played his 599th career game on Saturday. I think Marty just made a good play, got the puck to the net, and it went off me and went in. [Reporter: That’s it, that’s all we got there.] Simple as –With two assists, Alec Martinez (129 career assists) moved within one that. assist of Bob Murdoch (130 assists) for 10th place among defensemen on the franchise’s all-time assist list. Clifford, on rebounding in the third after Rakell’s tying goal to end the second period: –By appearing in his 995th career game, Anze Kopitar moved within five games of 1,000 career games played. I think the last games we’ve been playing with more mental toughness and we’re staying within ourselves and not letting the things that happen –The Kings attempted 55 shots (30 on goal, 10 blocked, 15 missed). The in the game affect the way we’re going to play. So, we’re just keeping it Ducks attempted 48 shots (20 on goal, 13 blocked, 15 missed). Jakob simple and when things go wrong we push back. Silfverberg led all skaters with five shots on goal, while Anze Kopitar and Tyler Toffoli finished with a team-high four. Clifford, on Grundstrom’s tying goal in the third period: –Los Angeles won 31-of-61 faceoffs (51%). Adrian Kempe won 4-of-10, I think he’s done a really good job of adapting to the NHL level. He’s Anze Kopitar won 14-of-27, Trevor Lewis won 2-of-4 and Jeff Carter won coming in, he’s bringing a lot of energy to the room, he’s playing with a 11-of-20. lot of energy on the ice. He finished checks, he works hard, he’s got a great attitude, so it’s going to be exciting to see what he keeps doing moving forward and and watching his game grow over time is going to be fun for us as his teammates and for the fans as well. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.24.2019

Clifford, on tonight’s win being a confidence boost: 1137278 Los Angeles Kings

GAME 74: LOS ANGELES VS ANAHEIM

JESSI MCDONALD

MARCH 23, 2019

Los Angeles Kings 4, Anaheim Ducks 3

Final Score — Shootout

Ice Tracker

SOG: LAK – 30; ANA – 20

PP: LAK – 1/3; ANA – 1/2

FIRST PERIOD

1) ANA – Cam Fowler (5) (Andy Welinski, Sam Steel), 3:47

2) LAK PPG – Kyle Clifford (9) (Alec Martinez, Alex Iafallo), 5:09

SECOND PERIOD

3) LAK – Jeff Carter (12) (Dustin Brown, Austin Wagner), 13:48

4) ANA PPG – Rickard Rakell (14) (Jakub Silfverberg, Adam Henrique), 19:58

THIRD PERIOD

5) ANA SHG – Connor Rowney (6) (Derek Grant); 9:42

6) LAK – Carl Grundstrom (3) (Tyler Toffoli, Alec Martinez); 16:07

OVERTIME

No scoring

SHOOTOUT

LAK: Kempe — Save

ANA: Terry — Miss

LAK: Kopitar — GOAL

ANA: Rakell — Save

LAK: Iafallo — Save

ANA: Silfverberg — Save

Los Angeles wins shootout, 4-3

Los Angeles Kings (26-39-8) vs Anaheim Ducks (31-36-9)

Saturday, March 23, 2019, 7:30 p.m. PT

Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA

Referees: #34 Brad Meier, #24 Graham Skilliter

Linesmen: #65 Pierre Racicot, #53 Bevan Mills

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

LAK starters: G Jonathan Quick, D Alec Martinez, D Matt Roy, LW Alex Iafallo, C Anze Kopitar, RW Dustin Brown

LAK scratches: D Dion Phaneuf, F Brendan Leispic, F Ilya Kovalchuk

ANA starters: G Ryan Miller, D Josh Manson, D Hampus Lindholm, LW Max Jones, C Derek Grant, RW Carter Rowney

ANA scratches: D Brendan Guhle, F Ryan Getzlaf, F Ryan Kesler, D Jacob Larsson, F Nick Ritchie

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137279 Los Angeles Kings production appeared to be a reflection of his ability to get to certain spots and evolve his game to the benefit of the team.

There’s no such forgiving backboard this season. Carter’s goal, assist, LINEUPS; KOVALCHUK; COACH RELATIONSHIPS (AND EVEN THE point, shot and scoring chance rates have fallen significantly, as has his TRASH CAN INCIDENT) shooting percentage and the regularity with which he’s drawn penalties. On-ice metrics don’t necessarily tell a player’s individual story, but his goals-against rate on the penalty kill is the fourth worst across the league JON ROSEN among the 266 players who’ve logged at least 80 shorthanded minutes, while his power play rates place him in the middle of the pack. MARCH 23, 2019 It doesn’t take analytics to understand that Carter, who has 11 goals and

29 points in 67 games, has struggled. More important question include, INSIDERS. A good afternoon to you all. [extremely Dave Joseph voice] “to what degree has he been affected by his injury?” and “is he struggling THE ANAHEIM DUCKS ARE IN TOWN. They’ll make the second of their with motivation?” Desjardins’ counterpoint runs contrary to conventional two Staples Center visits this season (7:30 p.m. / FOX Sports West / thinking espoused both inside and outside the organization. FOX Sports app / LA Kings Audio Network) as the LA Kings will look to “I don’t know if he’s been slowed. I think he’s been playing well of late,” claim their first season series from their Freeway Faceoff rivals since Desjardins said. “I don’t mind his game. I think for a guy that’s been going 2-1-1 in 2012-13, earning both wins in regulation. It’s also a around for a while, I think this is a tough situation. It’s easier to play Hockey Night in Los Angeles broadcast with the wonderfully friendly and passionate when you’re playing for something, but at the same time, we talented Colin Hanks joining the FOX Sports West crew during the LA need him. We need him to be good. If he’s not playing well, he’s not out Kings Live pre-game show and Alex and Jim during the second period. there with two minutes left in the game shorthanded, so obviously he’s As for the hockey, Los Angeles aligned thusly at Toyota Sports Center doing some good things, because that’s where he is, and he came this morning: through for us.” Iafallo-Kopitar-Brown — Premier free agent signee Ilya Kovalchuk, who is expected to sit out Grundstrom-Kempe-Toffoli due to a coach’s decision for the third time in four games, spoke Friday with The Athletic and the LA Times and shared some of the dressing Clifford-Carter-(Kovalchuk) room’s most pointed public comments of a dismal season. “It’s horrible,” he said of Desjardins’ decision to sit him. Wagner-Lewis-Brodzinski “After Willie came here, I don’t have a chance,” Kovalchuk said, as Forbort-Doughty captured by Curtis Zupke. (Lisa Dillman also shares the story and Martinez-Roy analysis here; both stories are recommended.) “I play five, six minutes a game. A few games I play with Kopi. We did well. We score all five MacDermid-Walker games, but then he decided to change and I never play again much. That’s the way he sees the situation. He’s the head coach and he’s (Phaneuf)-LaDue responsible for results.” Notes! He’s not the only player to question Desjardins’ deployment strategy, –The vitals: Jonathan Quick left the ice first at the morning skate and is though he is the only one to do so publicly and with such clear aversion. tonight’s projected starter. He’s 20-12-8 with a 2.48 goals-against Other players have privately spoken with reporters, including LA Kings average, a .907 save percentage and one shutout in 42 career Insider, about particular decisions and usage, while Jonathan Quick, appearances against the Ducks. Willie Desjardins said he’ll “probably” go frustrated over a goal in Carolina that involved [perhaps team-initiated] with the 11-forward, seven-defenseman alignment again, which as contact and went unchallenged, vented his frustrations in a visibly angry shared yesterday would mean that Ilya Kovalchuk and Dion Phaneuf are exchange with Desjardins at the Kings bench during a break in action on tonight’s likely scratches. More on that in a moment. Phaneuf stayed out February 26. for extra work with Jack Campbell, though Kovalchuk left the ice Players will spar with coaches each season, but usually such quarrels relatively quickly. Brendan Leipsic (lower-body) didn’t skate this morning are spared the amplification of a television camera or a tape recorder. but did pass through the team’s dressing room after the skate. Clearly this is a frustrated group. –Their vitals: Anaheim never trailed on Friday in their 4-3 overtime home This obviously isn’t a high-water mark of organizational relationships. win over San Jose, which has now lost five straight after a four-game And it should also be noted that many players who remain in Los losing streak. John Gibson started last night, which suggests Ryan Miller Angeles also fell out with Darryl Sutter – who for several seasons could get the nod tonight in the second game of the back-to-back. No successfully motivated players through a piercing and demanding reports have shared the Ducks’ starting goalie, and unless that happens, managerial style – and lacked buy-in this season under John Stevens, you should Wait For The Song. Via Eric Stephens, Anaheim lined up last who was dismissed along with assistant coach Don Nachbaur after only night with Rakell-Getzlaf-Silverberg, Ritchie-Henrique-Sprong, Perry- 13 games. Shore-Rowney and Jones-Grant-Terry up front with defensive pairings of Lindholm-Manson, Welinski-Fowler and Megna-Holzer. They haven’t But while dissent towards Desjardins’ standards and practices are valid, necessarily gotten the Lose for Hughes memo and have won seven of he shouldn’t receive undue blame for shortcomings that run far deeper their last 11, though this will pit two of the three teams with the worst goal than coaching. Drew Doughty, who said he hadn’t heard or read differential in the league against each other. At -56, Anaheim is just Kovalchuk’s comments, spoke diplomatically when asked whether there’s behind Ottawa (-57) and Los Angeles (-58) in the race for the green a rift with Desjardins, answering, “no, it’s just been a frustrating season jacket. “They went through a stretch and they’ve been playing better for everyone.” lately,” Willie Desjardins said. “I think if you look back at the start of the year, they were a team that everybody thought they’d be do pretty well. “The players haven’t played well enough for Willie, so Willie’s having to They’ve got a good group and they are a heavy team. They’ll play hard move things around, trying different things. Obviously not everyone on tonight.” the team’s going to agree with it because everyone wants to play and no one wants to sit out, so sometimes conversations will happen between –Jeff Carter scored an empty-net goal in Thursday’s win, ending a the coach and the players and it usually stays pretty private, but this one personal 20-game goal drought. It has been a nightmare season for spread to the media because of his frustration, and sometimes players Carter, as it has been for many across the organization, but particularly are going to do that. But there’s no separation in this room.” so for the player whose Achilles was lacerated in a skate cut last season, forcing him to miss 55 games. Though he was a productive skater when At the time of Desjardins’ hiring, Los Angeles made the decision to go he returned, he scored disproportionately on deflections, rebounds and with an interim coach rather than ultimately sign a head coach to a multi- close-range second opportunities, and didn’t show his trademark speed year contract. There are a lot of factors involved in such a decision, one and ability to shoot off the rush. But Carter has always been a highly of which was the ability of the team to immediately be able to contend in intelligent player with a wide wingspan, and the added regular season a league that has progressively gotten younger and faster. But coaches want job security, and an interim label potentially reduced their leverage 2019-20. Such interactions take place within the perfect storm of a 30th and the pool of viable mid-season applicants. place slog, and there is still probably another chapter or two of discontent to come. That’s not a knock on Desjardins as much as it illuminates how only 13 games were needed to decide that they were no longer in a position to — I was taught by my mother to avoid “condescending from no particular compete after it had been communicated at the State of the Franchise height,” so forgive me for some cross-division voyeurism. Los Angeles last August that management viewed the 2018-19 LA Kings as isn’t the only market in which controversy recently spilled into pixels and contenders. print: Edmonton Oilers CEO Bob Nicholson made highly critical remarks about Kings alum Tobias Rieder while speaking with season ticket Even if there is a disconnect between a number of players and holders earlier this week. Sportsnet, The Athletic and the Edmonton Sun Desjardins (there is), that’s only part of the multi-dimensional challenges all have worthwhile pieces if you’d like to be distracted by the 2018-19 facing an organization that tonight is likely to keep $11.5-million of cap Kings for 15 minutes. space out of the lineup. Desjardins is just the guy making difficult and polarizing decisions who has to stand in front of reporters twice a day. — That’s it for now, Insiders. Tonight’s officials are referees Brad Meier And more than his handling of Kovalchuk, there are also questions over and Graham Skilleter and linesmen Pierre Racicot and Bevan Mills. the pursuit of Kovalchuk in the first place. Whose decision was it to add Jessica Meuse will sing the national anthem. Enjoy the Freeway Faceoff, the third year to his contract, which provided strong influence – along Insiders. Let’s talk soon. with the player’s view that the Kings were contenders – to sign with the club in the first place? Why did the team feel the need to improve a slot in the lineup that Alex Iafallo capably occupied the year before? How much LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.24.2019 is Desjardins and the front office in lockstep about how Kovalchuk and other intermittently used players should be handled? Bear in mind with some small sample sizes here (via Natural Stat Trick):

Kovalchuk, 13 games under John Stevens (1.01 PDO)

47.9 CF%, -3.5 CF%Rel, 46.5 SCF%, 2.6 on-ice GF/60, 3.2 on-ice GA/60, 1.92 Pts/60, .96 G/60

Kovalchuk, 47 games under Willie Desjardins (.968 PDO)

44.6 CF%, -4.1 CF%Rel, 43.1% SCF%, 1.5 on-ice GF/60, 3.0 on-ice GA/60, 1.32 Pts/60, .51 G/60

Though there’s now a (somewhat awkward) shift towards looking at younger players, there’s still a question over what the organization’s intent is towards Kovalchuk and how it has aligned (or not aligned) with how Desjardins has handled him.

While this episode is the latest low-point in relationships between coaches and players, let’s not kid ourselves that even in the best of times the two parties intermingle in perfect harmony.

“No matter what coach you have, you’re going to have issues with him at some point during the season,” Doughty said. “The coaches have got to keep you accountable. Some guys don’t like it, some guys need it. There’s never been a season where I didn’t hear guys bitching about the coach. That’s the way it’s always going to be, and not everything’s going to go smoothly. The coach has to get on guys in certain ways, so it’s just part of the business. We’re used to it.”

Even during the 2014 Stanley Cup run, I still received a note from a player who had objected to Sutter’s portrayal of him in the media. It wasn’t Doughty, though the Kings’ alternate captain did speak about the “many awkward times” during the prickly and direct coach’s esteemed tenure in Los Angeles when the February, 2015 Trash Can Incident was referenced.

“Darryl had this special power to make you feel a certain way,” Doughty said. “He might not have been taking about you. He could’ve been talking about someone else on the team, but he had this special power that made you think he was always talking about you, and it got to a boiling point where the team was really frustrated [that season]. We obviously weren’t winning at that time, too, so that was partly due to frustration. The whole garbage can thing wasn’t like we were standing up to him. It was more of a joke – not a joke, but … we weren’t trying to make a statement, per se. We were trying to let him know ‘settle down a little bit.’”

“We didn’t lock him out of the room – that got blown out of proportion, that whole story. I’m pretty sure he just moved the garbage can and came in the room, anyway. Like I said, things like that are going to happen with coaches. I’ve had my fair share of battles with coaches in the past. You’ve just got to come in the next day, apologize about it and move on.”

That incident – which immediately followed a win but came on the heels of a losing stretch in which the team’s difficulties were compounded by the constant presence of Epix video cameras in private areas – was again an example of frustration boiling over during a difficult season.

And since leverage was mentioned earlier, Desjardins doesn’t have much of it. It’s easier for those inside and outside the organization to dunk on him than it is on those who will figure into the team’s story in 1137280 Minnesota Wild

Wild-Hurricanes game recap

SARAH MCLELLAN

MARCH 23, 2019 — 10:52PM

STAR TRIBUNE’S THREE STARS

1. Teuvo Teravainen, Hurricanes: The winger had a goal and two assists.

2. Jordan Staal, Hurricanes: The center tallied a goal and assist.

3. Justin Faulk, Hurricanes: The defenseman had an assist and six shots.

BY THE NUMBERS

2 Hurricanes goals in 2 minutes, 26 seconds.

6 Power-play goals by the Wild in its past six games.

500 Career games for Wild winger Marcus Foligno.

Star Tribune LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137281 Minnesota Wild This was just the third time Parise has sat out this season. He was most recently idle March 2 against the Calgary Flames after blocking a shot with his foot the previous game.

Wild notes: Nino Niederreiter has emotional reunion with former team Without Parise, the Wild dressed winger Pontus Aberg. Defenseman Nick Seeler was the Wild’s lone healthy skater scratch, his second straight absence. By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune

MARCH 24, 2019 — 12:23AM Star Tribune LOADED: 03.24.2019

RALEIGH, N.C. – It’s not the same Wild team that he left behind two months ago.

Gone are other former longtime forwards such as Charlie Coyle and Mikael Granlund, departures that signaled a new direction for the organization as it welcomed new — and younger— faces.

But the jersey is familiar, the one he tugged on for nearly six years.

And that’s why Hurricanes winger Nino Niederreiter’s reunion with the Wild on Saturday at PNC Arena was emotional for the 26-year-old.

“Overall, I had a terrific six years over there,” he said. “Made a lot of great friends, and it’s now just a new chapter.”

Niederreiter’s exit was the first of three major changes for the Wild leading up to the NHL trade deadline this season. He was shipped to the Hurricanes Jan. 17 in exchange for center Victor Rask before Coyle and Granlund were traded in February.

The Hurricanes acknowledged Rask’s return with a welcome-back message on the video board during the first period.

At the time, the trade was billed as a fresh start for both players, and while Rask’s transition was slowed by injury, Niederreiter has thrived since moving to Carolina.

In his first 27 games, he accumulated 12 goals and 24 points — eclipsing the nine-goal, 23-point output he had in 46 appearances with the Wild. Niederreiter wasn’t sure about the exact catalyst for his uptick in production but figured it could be because of a change of scenery or more trust from the Carolina coaching staff.

He started Saturday’s game on the top line next to center and Hurricanes leading scorer Sebastian Aho. Before he was traded from the Wild, Niederreiter had been roving around the lineup and was occasionally slotted on the fourth line.

“You just always want to do great,” Niederreiter said. “You want to help the team team win. I’m glad it’s been working out very well.”

And the Hurricanes have responded well to the addition, too.

They were out of the playoffs when the trade went down but have climbed into the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference as one of the strongest second-half teams in the NHL.

“Trades happen,” Niederreiter said. “Sometimes things go well. Sometimes they don’t. For me, fortunately enough, it went well.”

Lots to celebrate

The Hurricanes’ improvement has caught the attention of the hockey world, in part because of their elaborate postgame celebrations on home ice, another experience that’s made Niederreiter’s arrival in Carolina an enjoyable one.

Dubbed the Storm Surge, the Hurricanes have jumped into the glass, played a game of limbo and even involved former heavyweight champ Evander Holyfield in a boxing match.

“It was definitely different,” Niederreiter said. “I’ve obviously never been a part of it coming here. Even now, I still have to figure out exactly what I have to do. It’s always something, and sometimes you’re lost. [But] sometimes you know exactly what you have to do. It’s been a lot of fun.”

Injury update

Winger Zach Parise missed Saturday’s game with a lower-body injury.

Parise was hobbled Friday after getting clipped by Capitals winger Tom Wilson in the third period, falling to the ice and moving slowly back to the bench. But Parise continued to play, setting up center Luke Kunin’s go- ahead goal later in the period in the 2-1 Wild win in Washington. 1137282 Minnesota Wild

Wild hoping Zach Parise's injury isn't long-term

By Sarah McLellan

MARCH 23, 2019 — 10:04PM

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Wild’s manpower took a hit on its now-complete two-game road trip through the Eastern Conference, and it’s unclear if the team will get healthier before facing the Predators at home on Monday.

Winger Zach Parise didn’t play in the 5-1 loss to the Hurricanes Saturday due to a lower-body injury that coach Bruce Boudreau hopes isn’t a long- term issue. Parise leads the Wild in goals (26) and points (58).

“Until we get home and see our doctors, I don’t really know,” Boudreau said.

Parise was clipped by Capitals winger Tom Wilson Friday, falling to the ice and gingerly making his way to the Wild bench after the contact. But he remained in the game, even setting up the decisive goal in the 2-1 Wild victory.

“It shows his character,” Boudreau said. “After he got hit, then he gets the assist on the winning goal. That says something.”

Although Parise’s absence was felt Saturday, with the Wild struggling to generate sustained offensive-zone time, it didn’t do itself any favors when it did have the puck.

Carolina feasted on turnovers, using those swings to pile on the pressure.

“Obviously, we made some pretty fatal errors,” center Eric Staal said. “… I just think we, at times, made it a little too easy for them. We made mistakes that cost you.”

The evening was particularly tough for the Wild’s third pairing, as defensemen Anthony Bitetto and Greg Pateryn each finished a minus-3.

“They struggled,” coach Bruce Boudreau said. “There's no doubt that they struggled. They haven't played too much together. Hopefully it was just an anomaly. There were some unforced errors out there. If we want to have any hope, we can't have unforced errors at this stage in the season.”

The weekend wasn’t a complete wash for the Wild, though, as it did snag two vital points from that win over the defending Stanley Cup champs.

But not using that performance as a springboard seems like a missed opportunity, especially since the Wild would have regained control of the second wild card spot in the Western Conference with a victory Saturday.

Instead, it’s back on the other side of the playoff divider.

“We need more than two out of four [points] right now to get in the playoffs,” defenseman Jared Spurgeon said. “So we can't be satisfied with that."

Star Tribune LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137283 Minnesota Wild

Star Tribune LOADED: 03.24.2019

Teravainen helps lift Hurricanes past Wild 5-1

Staff Report

Associated Press

MARCH 23, 2019 — 9:50PM

RALEIGH, N.C. — As the final minutes ticked down off the clock Saturday night, the nearly sold-out crowd at PNC Arena began chanting: "We Want Play-OFFS!" at high volume and in perfect unison.

The Carolina Hurricanes are close, and they and their postseason- starved fans can feel it.

Teuvo Teravainen had a goal and two assists and the Hurricanes kept pace in the playoff race with a 5-1 win over the Minnesota Wild.

Jordan Staal, Brett Pesce, Andrei Svechnikov and Lucas Wallmark also scored for Carolina, which picked up its fifth win in seven games to keep its hold on the Eastern Conference's first wild-card spot. Petr Mrazek stopped 24 shots.

The Hurricanes, who own the NHL's longest playoff drought at nine seasons, have a five-point cushion with eight games to play.

"Our fans are really getting into it and helping us. That was nice to hear," Teravainen said. "Every game is huge for us right now. Hopefully we can keep building here."

Eric Staal scored and Devan Dubnyk made 28 saves for the Wild, who dropped out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with the loss and Colorado's 4-2 win over Chicago. Minnesota played without leading scorer Zach Parise after he took a high stick to the face against Washington on Friday.

With the Wild lacking their primary scoring threat, the Hurricanes outshot Minnesota 34-25 and controlled the tempo from the outset.

"There were some unforced errors," Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said, "and if we want to have any hope, we can't have unforced errors at this point in the season."

The first period was scoreless only because Dubnyk kept it that way, making a string of highlight-reel saves_including stopping Svechnikov on a breakaway_to keep Carolina off the board.

But the Hurricanes finally broke through 3:06 into the second when Justin Faulk's shot from the point hit Jordan Staal's skate in front of the net and redirected through Dubnyk's legs, and the floodgates opened.

Just over two minutes later, following a Wild turnover at center ice, Justin Williams fed Pesce at the top of the left faceoff circle and Pesce finished with a wrister past Dubnyk's glove into the upper-left corner to make it 2- 0.

"It was big getting those first two," Teravainen said. "We had a lot of good chances but their goalie played pretty good at the start. But when we got a couple it was a good feeling seeing the puck finally go in, and the confidence builds."

Eric Staal got Minnesota on the board with a power-play goal midway through the second after Micheal Ferland received a double-minor for high-sticking, but Carolina put it away with three third-period goals.

Svechnikov took a nifty backhand pass from Teravainen in the slot and buried it in the opening minutes of the third to make it a two-goal game again, and Wallmark finished a one-timer from Ferland with 10:51 remaining to all but wrap up the victory.

Teravainen added the final punch when he intercepted a pass at the Minnesota blue line and beat Dubnyk with a backhander on a breakaway.

The Hurricanes' third-period outburst stood in stark contrast to their previous game, when they had a one-goal lead against Nashville entering the third period and surrendered four unanswered goals.

"That was the way to play in the third," Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "They were grinding. They're in playoff mode." 1137284 Minnesota Wild “You can’t go one step forward, one step backward this whole time,” Foligno said. “This is going to come down to the team that wins a couple in a row.”

Wild loses its way with 5-1 loss to Carolina

Star Tribune LOADED: 03.24.2019 By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune

MARCH 24, 2019 — 12:40AM

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Wild finished the weekend exactly how the team started it.

Out of a playoff spot.

Despite climbing back into the second wild card spot in the Western Conference Friday with a feel-good win over the reigning Stanley Cup champion Capitals, the Wild offset that progress by getting routed 5-1 by the Hurricanes on Saturday in front of 16,751 at PNC Arena — this after Colorado jumped ahead of the team earlier in the day with a victory and Arizona tied it with a shootout loss.

And that one-point deficit could grow to three by the time the Wild hosts the Nashville Predators on Monday since the Avalanche plays again Sunday.

The Coyotes are also back in action.

“That’s the way it is right now,” defenseman Jared Spurgeon said. “If you’re not winning, you’re going to be out of it. We put ourselves in this spot, and we have to work our way out of it.”

Two second-period goals in 2 minutes, 26 seconds by Carolina were enough to shrug off the Wild, which was relying a lineup more depleted than usual, before the Hurricanes made it a blowout in the third with three more tallies.

Winger Zach Parise was out with a lower-body injury after he was clipped by winger Tom Wilson in that 2-1 win over Washington.

“We’re not in the excuse business, but it’s not ideal,” center Eric Staal said. “Obviously, Zach’s a huge piece to our team and a great offensive player that has been a contributor and important to us.”

Eleven first-period saves by goalie Devan Dubnyk helped camouflage the difference between the two squads early, but the Hurricanes started to pull away in the second.

“They were the better team most of the game,” winger Marcus Foligno said.

Center Jordan Staal deflected in a Justin Faulk shot at 3:06 before defenseman Brett Pesce walked into the Wild’s zone unguarded to bury the puck behind Dubnyk at 5:32.

The Wild earned one goal back when Eric Staal’s centering attempt banked off goalie Petr Mrazek’s leg and into the net at 8:57, the Wild’s sixth power-play goal in its last six games. It finished 1-for-4 with the man advantage, while the Hurricanes went 0-for-2.

But that’s as close as the Wild would get, with Mrazek airtight the rest of the way to total 24 saves. Carolina, however, wasn’t done scoring.

“If we could’ve held them in the first five minutes [of the third],” coach Bruce Boudreau said, “we would’ve gotten an opportunity to score and then who knows what happens.”

Instead, the Hurricanes converted on a top-shelf riser by winger Andrei Svechnikov at 3:27, a one-timer from center Lucas Wallmark with 10:51 remaining and a breakaway finish by winger Teuvo Teravainen at 11:12.

Dubnyk had 28 stops.

“The third we couldn’t even complete a pass, it looked like,” Spurgeon said. “They were coming at us hard but at the same time, we’ve got to be able to make plays and get out of our zone.”

With the Wild stuck on 79 points, Boudreau said he believes four wins out of the remaining six games are necessary for the team to have a chance at clinching — a target that seems tough to hit if the Wild continues to move through the schedule at a stop-and-go pace. 1137285 Minnesota Wild

Wild hoping to avoid letdown vs. Hurricanes

By Sarah McLellan

MARCH 23, 2019 — 11:18AM

RALEIGH, N.C. – Just two weeks ago, the Wild was in a similar situation – finishing off a back-to-back after an emotional win against one of the NHL’s premier teams.

It sagged in that encore, getting steamrolled 6-2 by the Florida Panthers one night after shutting out the league-leading Tampa Bay Lightning 3-0. And coach Bruce Boudreau is hoping that memory helps the Wild avoid another letdown Saturday when it visits the Hurricanes in Carolina only hours after edging the Washington Capitals 2-1.

“I think it’s great that you had that experience of what happened when you weren’t ready two weeks ago, and it’s fresh in your minds,” Boudreau said. “We know that this team is going to be hungrier, even though Florida came out pretty good that game. They’ve got something definitely to prove right now, but we know we have to be much better and we can’t just sleepwalk through the first period.”

The Wild could be forced to mix up its lineup.

Winger Zach Parise was clipped by Capitals winger Tom Wilson in the third period Friday, falling to the ice and moving slowly to the bench. Parise, however, was able to return, and he set up the game-winning goal by center Luke Kunin. The team could slot winger Pontus Aberg into the lineup if needed.

“It’s going to be a game-time decision [on] lineup changes because of people not feeling as well as they were supposed to be feeling,” Boudreau said.

This game marks the first time these two teams have met since they swapped forwards in January, a trade that sent winger Nino Niederreiter to the Hurricanes and center Victor Rask to the Wild.

“I have a lot of memories here,” Rask said. “So it’s going to be a fun night.”

Star Tribune LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137286 Minnesota Wild “That’s the way it is right now,” Spurgeon said. “If we’re not winning we’re going to be out of it. We put ourselves in this spot. We have to work our way out of it.”

Wild go ‘one step forward, one step backward’ with costly 5-1 loss to How do the Wild do that? Ask Boudreau and it’s going to take wins in at Hurricanes least four of six games down the stretch.

“You can’t go one step forward, one step backward this whole time,” By Dane Mizutani | [email protected] | Pioneer Press Marcus Foligno said. “This is going to come down to the team that wins a couple in a row and gets themselves in.” PUBLISHED: March 23, 2019 at 8:32 pm | UPDATED: March 23, 2019 at 10:25 PM

Pioneer Press LOADED: 03.24.2019

RALEIGH, N.C. — Wild coach Bruce Boudreau had seen this movie before. Just a couple of weeks ago, actually.

His team waltzed into the home barn of the best team in the league, outworked the Tampa Bay Lightning en route to a dominant 3-0 win, and then promptly got its doors blown off the following night in a brutal 6-2 loss to the Florida Panthers.

With that fresh in his mind, it wasn’t surprising to see Boudreau so reserved after Friday’s shocking 2-1 win over the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals.

“We have to do it again tomorrow,” Boudreau said, immediately shifting the focus ahead to Saturday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes. “Quite frankly, the thing I think of is playing a great game (against the Lightning) and then having nothing left (against the Panthers). We can’t afford that.”

While the Wild had a little more in the tank this time around, they eventually ran out of gas in a costly 5-1 loss to the Hurricanes.

Already in a tough spot on the second half of a back-to-back, the Wild had to play without Zach Parise, who missed the game with a lower-body injury. He was replaced by Pontus Aberg in the lineup, and while it wasn’t exactly an even trade off, not even Parise could’ve made up for the lack of energy down the stretch.

“We were hoping for a great weekend and a big result (tonight),” Eric Staal said, admitting that the team got tired down the stretch. “That’s a team that’s desperate as well. They are playing really well. They have played well for a long time since December. I just think we at times made it a little too easy for them.”

For the Wild, the loss stung even more considering they watched the Colorado Avalanche jump them in the standings in the hours leading up to their game. They are now back on the outside looking in with six games to play, which certainly puts a damper on the weekend as a whole.

“We need more than two out of four (points) right now to get in the playoffs,” Jared Spurgeon said, speaking specifically about the weekend. “We can’t be satisfied with that.”

After a scoreless first period in which both teams looked like they needed a nap, the Hurricanes woke up early in the second period to seize control.

It started with a goal from center Jordan Staal, who was in the right place at the right time as a puck fortuitously bounced off his skate and into the back of the net, and continued a couple of minutes later with a goal from defenseman Brett Pesce.

While the Wild battled back with a goal from Eric Staal, rookie winger Andrei Svechnikov restored the lead early in the third period with a highlight reel goal.

“I think once they got to three (goals) the guys I don’t think had a lot left in the tank,” Boudreau said. “I really believed that coming out in the third period if we could’ve held them in the first five minutes we would’ve gotten an opportunity to score and then who knows what happens.”

For good measure, center Lucas Wallmark and winger Teuvo Teravainen added goals down the stretch as a “WE WANT PLAYOFFS” chant broke out from the upper bowl.

No doubt the Wild also want playoffs, too, though it’s looking less likely with each passing game. 1137287 Minnesota Wild

Who won the Victor Rask-Nino Niederreiter trade? (This one isn’t close)

By Dane Mizutani | [email protected] | Pioneer Press

March 23, 2019 at 5:21 PM

RALEIGH, N.C. — A couple of months ago, Wild general manager Paul Fenton put everyone in the locker room on notice, flipping fan favorite Nino Niederreiter to the Carolina Hurricanes for Victor Rask, straight up.

“We are looking for consistency,” Fenton said at the time. “It shows players that nothing is forever. It gives them an alert that if they want to be here, they’re going to have to play and play the way we want them to play and be successful.”

To say Niederreiter lacked consistency during his time in the Twin Cities would be a massive understatement. As dynamic as he could look at times — everyone remembers his snipe in overtime of Game 7 against the Colorado Avalanche — he could also regularly disappear for prolonged stretches of time.

That made him the epicenter of trade rumors seemingly for months on end, and finally, Fenton pulled the trigger.

“You know, at the end of the day, the GM is going to make it his team, and to make it his team, he’s going to move some parts around,” Niederreiter said at the time. “He knows what horse he wants to ride with, and I wasn’t one of them.”

With the Wild prepping for Saturday’s matchup with the Hurricanes, it feels like the perfect time to ask: Who won the trade?

In 16 games with his new team, the 26-year-old Rask only has a goal and an assist to his name. Not exactly the production Fenton was looking for when he made the move. He also missed nearly a month with a lower-body injury and is currently averaging a mere 11 minutes, 55 seconds per game, playing predominantly in the team’s bottom six of the lineup.

It’s impossible to argue that Rask has made a meaningful impact so far. He’s barely averaging a shot per game, and his foot speed, or lack thereof, has been a constant anchor on rushes through the neutral zone.

“I think at the beginning he struggled,” coach Bruce Boudreau said. “You’re starting to see more of what he can do, especially last game I thought he had his legs underneath him. He was skating and creating chances. I think with Victor, it’s going to be a lot about confidence. If he ever gets to scoring regularly again like he did a few years ago, I think he’ll be fine.”

In 27 games with his new team, the 26-year-old Niederreiter has 12 goals and 12 assists, establishing himself as a go-to guy, and proving that, yes, sometimes the grass is greener on the other side.

As a member of the top line, Niederreiter is playing a career-high 18 minutes, 16 seconds per game. He has benefited from playing alongside Sebastian Aho, a creative playmaker that has helped unlock areas of his offensive game. He’s also shooting the puck more than three times a game, a rate never seen during his time in the Twin Cities.

Needless to say, Niederreiter has been an absolute slam dunk so far.

While things could change over the next few years, it’s clear that Niederreiter has been the far superior player so far.

That said, there’s still time for Rask to prove himself as a valuable player over time. He has three years left on his contract, meaning there’s a good chance he’s in the Twin Cities for the foreseeable future.

“It sucked that I got injured there for a bit,” Rask said. “As a team and everything, I really like it here and I’m looking forward to staying for awhile.

Pioneer Press LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137288 Minnesota Wild Defenseman Anthony Bitetto, plucked off waivers from Nashville in January, played his second game in a row after being scratched in four of six.

After a resounding loss in Raleigh, time is officially running out for the In the games he has played, it is frankly extraordinary how big his Wild mistakes have been. From the moment he got to Minnesota, his turnovers or colossal mistakes have ended up in the back of the Wild’s net on a regular basis. So after surviving an erratic first period, it wasn’t a By Michael Russo shock when Bitetto’s luck ran out in the second.

The Hurricanes scored twice in a 2:26 span early in the second, and the first goal by Jordan Staal came 10 seconds after a careless giveaway by RALEIGH — Well, being in a playoff spot was fun while it lasted. Bitetto. Brett Pesce quickly made it 2-0 after Staal and Ryan Suter got Now the Wild can only hope they even see the top-eight in the West caught in between on a wall play and Fiala, who had another nondescript again. game, got lost on the other side of the ice.

Less than 24 hours after a huge victory in Washington, the Wild were out The Wild actually were able to get back in the game when Bitetto saved a of a playoff spot by the afternoon and didn’t do themselves any favors breakaway he himself created by getting high-sticked in the face by the later in the evening by suffering a 5-1 loss to a bunch of young, hungry player who was going to fly by him, Micheal Ferland, for a four-minute playoff hopefuls from Carolina. Wild power play.

Not only did the Wild fall into 10th place in the West and a point behind On the second half of the double minor, Eric Staal banked a centering the Colorado Avalanche for the second wild-card spot, if the Avalanche feed off Petr Mrazek to cut the deficit in half. complete a home-and-home sweep of the Chicago Blackhawks on But the third period was a nightmare. Sunday, the Wild will find themselves three back of a playoff spot with only six games left when they host the Nashville Predators on Friday A ghastly shift by the Wild’s fourth line and Bitetto (Bitetto was stripped of night. the puck when he stood in the defensive zone and had no clue a Carolina player was right behind him) trickled right into the next shift. “That’s the way it is right now,” defenseman Jared Spurgeon said. “If Spurgeon and Ryan Donato were beaten off the wall and Andrei you’re not winning, you’re going to be out of it. We put ourselves in this Svechnikov scored an easy and back-breaking goal. spot and we have to work our way out of it.” Later, Lucas Wallmark scored an easy goal when it seemed every skater The problem is the Wild don’t have a lot of time to work their way out of on the ice for the Wild had no idea where the puck was. Finally, Greg this thing. Pateryn handed a puck to Teuvo Teravainen for a breakaway goal.3, The way coach Bruce Boudreau figures, the Wild have to win four of their “We made some pretty fatal errors,” Eric Staal said. final six to even have a shot at the playoffs. “We couldn’t even complete a pass it looked like,” Spurgeon said. “They In the end, the Hurricanes — 19-7-2 since Nino Niederreiter’s arrival in were coming at us hard, but at the same time, we’ve got to be able to January — continue to look like they’ll snap a nine-year playoff drought. make plays and get out of our zone.” They executed another postgame “Storm Surge” with a March Madness theme. Pesce was plus-5, Justin Faulk, who played a terrific game, was plus-4. Jordan Staal and Teravainen had three-point games. After the “Skol” clap, Trevor van Riemsdyk grabbed a basketball and skated through a bunch of teammates who frankly defended the way the On the Wild side, Bitetto and Pateryn were each minus-3 and six others Wild did in the third period and dunked much to the delight of the were minus-2. One line that learned a painful lesson was the Jordan passionate Canes fans. Greenway-Luke Kunin-Donato trio.

Trailing 2-1 after two periods, the Wild gave up three goals in a third One night after a tremendous game in Washington, they were Corsi period in which they ran out of gas and lost all semblance of quality play. disasters and spent much of the night running around their own end.

They certainly weren’t helped by their already meager lineup taking “That’s one thing about young players. There’s going to be another hit when Zach Parise couldn’t play because of a lower-body inconsistencies,” Boudreau said. “I’ve talked to all three of them about injury. this at certain points. Tonight was one of those games. They left everything on the table (in Washington). They tried. It’s just not every On Friday, Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson turned into a night things go well.” backchecking Parise in the third period. Parise took the brunt of Wilson’s knee, fell to the ice in a heap and struggled to the bench. He remained in It was just a poor game by the Wild. the game and assisted on Luke Kunin’s winner, but after the game, he went for further examination to ascertain the extent of the injury. Devan Dubnyk was called upon to cover up for his teammates over and over again. The most egregious came in the second period when Zucker Boudreau said he was just told that Parise couldn’t play against the was stripped of the puck by Svechnikov for a breakaway. Dubnyk made Hurricanes and the team won’t know further details until he’s examined the save. by Wild doctors Sunday. “I think throughout the game they just seemed a little more on top of their Parise’s absence threw another wrench in the Wild’s lineup. Minor- game,” Marcus Foligno said. “We seemed a little bit more of a defending league callup Matt Read played the first two periods on a line with Eric team. We just didn’t get much going when it came to things off the rush Staal and Kevin Fiala. Pontus Aberg, who has brought little to the Wild and our forecheck. I think we just had a tough time with that. I don’t know since being acquired in January, was tossed onto a third line with Jason if that was just for lack of effort or just fatigue. But it’s something that just Zucker and Victor Rask the first two periods. felt 2-1 was the score, but I think they were the better team most of the game. Zucker started the game on that line so it would at least be, to be blunt, playable, but Zucker did not have a good game at all and eventually “They were playing as a team and it didn’t look like we were. We had flipped spots with Read when the Wild needed offense in the third period. some things like that, individual things where you just need to get the puck in deep and then go work as a five-man unit. Instead, it goes the That didn’t work either. other way.” “We’re not in the excuse business, but it’s not ideal,” Staal said of It was especially hard to watch Bitetto and Pateryn, particularly when one Parise’s injury. “Obviously, Zach’s a huge piece to our team and a great considers that rookie Nick Seeler is the one having to sit for Bitetto. It is offensive player that has been a contributor and is important to us. It’s no very clear that Boudreau prefers Seeler over Bitetto, so it’s pretty curious fun, it stinks, but we’re all out there to perform and play, and be better that Bitetto has suddenly been thrust into the lineup again. than today.” “They struggled. There’s no doubt that they struggled,” Boudreau said, The Wild and Hurricanes played to a scoreless first period, but things got trying hard not to throw Bitetto specifically under the bus. “They haven’t hairy in the second period. played too much together. Hopefully it was just an anomaly. There were some unforced errors out there. If we want to have any hope, we can’t have unforced errors at this stage in the season.”

So, once again, the Wild find themselves in a precarious spot.

Games are evaporating fast and Monday’s game against Nashville is a pretty must-win when one considers the Wild don’t play again until Friday in Las Vegas.

“It doesn’t matter at this time of year,” Spurgeon said. “If you’re tired, hurt, you’ve got to be able to figure it out and make plays and win these games. We’ve got to go back home and have a big game there and we’ve got to look in the mirror, make some adjustments and go from there.”

Added Foligno, “You need to get on a roll here and you need to gather some games together. You can’t just go 1-1. It’s just the situation we’re in. We need to create a streak. Unfortunately, that’s what it’s going to be like if you’re fighting for that last spot in the playoffs.”

The Athletic LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137289 Montreal Canadiens remember when domi could only score into the empty net, danault was only acquired for his last name and tatar was a throw-in? yeah, me either.

About last night ... Canadiens win another one they needed in all fairness, the ron burgundy clip was important for at least two reasons: a) it took up time that cherry might have used to talk about sears catalogues in our shinpads or “somethink” like that and 2) ron MIKE BOONE burgundy at least knows he’s a joke.

Updated: March 23, 2019 -burnedprof

Domi seems like he was born to play in Montreal! I’m sure his Dad (one of the few Leafs I actually liked) has something to do with that. Regardless of what happens in Carolina Sunday night and thereafter, you have to love this season’s edition of the Montreal Canadiens. -Pdott

They never quit. Price up to Nov 8, 3.06 gaa, .892 save %, since then Price 2.24/.924 – he’s been great (better than the anthem singer for sure) A 3-1 lead frittered away against Buffalo? No problem. Is cherry calling kusy a jerk and saying kusy (cup winner) inspires the A tense one-goal lead halfway through the third period. No problem. other team? What an idiot. If cherry didn’t have his head so far up the Carey Price giving up four goals on 27 shots? No problem. leafs ass, he would know kusnetsov does the bird celebration for his 3 year old daughter A late-night trip to Carolina to face a hot team that stomped Minnesota Saturday night? -—Maroons

Now that could be a problem. Who do we like better? Chaput – Agostini – Deslaurier or Thompson – Byron – Weal. My money is on the latter But through the three consecutive wins that have revived what were the Canadiens’ flickering playoff hopes – and lifted the team into a Wildcard -jovogonch berth – they have demonstrated a refreshing never-say-die spirit that I say bench Drouin unless they’re desperate for a goal in the last two helps to surmount problems. minutes. Addition by subtraction. Honestly, I don’t know if he’s dumber “It was a big win,” Max Domi said during his postgame interview on TVA than a bag of hammers or if he’s just uncoachable and refuses to do Sports. “There were spurts where we got away from our game a little bit. what his coaches tell him to do. But overall we had everyone going. Reg Dunlop “We got a team that has four lines. We got to stick to our identity and go If I had a nickel for every time a second-tier goalie was standing on his from there.” head and keeping the game close against the Habs this year…I’d have The Canadiens’ identity this season is a hard-working, never-say-die, about $0.60 fun-to-watch hockey team. -Matthew Elliott Contrast this indomitable spirit with what Canadiens fans endured a year Rebounding from a crap first period and again from giving up a 2 goal ago. lead, Les Boys are demonstrating true grit tonight. General manager Marc Bergevin spent the off-season building a team of -habitual Brendan Gallaghers. I know I am not the first to ask this question, but I can’t help but wonder The GM acquired Domi, Tomas Tatar and Joel Armia. He drafted a kid what kind of record this team would have if the PP was merely ordinary. who’s going to be brilliant. Seven games left in the season after tonight. With 26 goals, Domi has a And at the deadline, Bergevin acquired, in Nate Thompson and Jordan chance to join Gallagher as a 30-goal scorer. We’ve had exactly two Weal, the pieces of what has become a terrific fourth line. seasons in the last 20 years with two 30 goal scorers on the roster – The Canadiens all play hard. (2015-16 with Max and Alex and 2011-12 with Max and Cole).

And they’re fun to watch.

This is not an elite hockey team. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 03.24.2019

Jonathan Drouin still struggles.

Andrew Shaw, who’s having an excellent season, lost his s–t in a must- win game. And his irrationality allowed Buffalo to climb back into it … albeit briefly.

The D corps still makes me a tad nervous. (Interesting fact: Victor Mete is the only Canadiens’ draft choice that was drafted by the team.)

In his postgame press conference, Claude Julien wouldn’t commit to starting Carey Price in Carolina.

Very coy.

But book it.

A selection of Comments from the Liveblog:

And everybody wondered where the goals would come from after dumping the former captain and Galchenyuk. Even though Bergevin handed his in homework a year late, I have to give him some credit for his work last summer.

-Reg Dunlop 1137290 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens beat Sabres 7-4 to strengthen hold on final playoff spot

PAT HICKEY, MONTREAL GAZETTE

Updated: March 23, 2019

The Canadiens picked up their first win of the season over the Buffalo Sabres Saturday, but they made it tough on themselves before posting a 7-4 victory Saturday at the Bell Centre.

With the win, the Canadiens have 87 points and they moved three points ahead of the idle Columbus Blue Jackets in the battle for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. But the Blue Jackets, who are in Vancouver Sunday, have a game in hand. The Canadiens are two points behind Carolina in the battle for the first wild-card spot and they face the Hurricanes in Raleigh Sunday (7 p.m., SN, RDS, TSN 690 Radio).

After falling behind 1-0 in the first period, the Canadiens raced to a 3-1 lead in the second period, only to see it evaporate in a 1:16 span late in the period. Alexander Nylander cut the lead to one with a power-play goal at 14:53 and Marco Scandella tied it at 16:08. That goal was on Jonathan Drouin, who coughed up the puck after entering the Buffalo zone.

Montreal regained the lead late in the period when Carter Hutton stopped Jordan Weal on a 2-on-1 rush but Paul Byron scored off the rebound. Brendan Gallagher scored midway through the third period with his second goal of the game, and his career-high 33rd of the season proved to be the winner after Jack Eichel scored at 13:13, seconds after the Canadiens killed off a double minor penalty to Andrew Shaw. Max Domi scored a power-play goal late in the period to give Montreal a cushion and Tomas Tatar marked his 500th NHL game with an empty-netter to cap a three-point night.

The Canadiens got on the board at 5:09 of the second period and the goal came from an unlikely source as Artturi Lehkonen redirected a pass from Shaw. It was the ninth goal this season for Lehkonen, who followed the puck into the net, but it was only his second goal in the last 43 games. The goal represented a milestone in team history as goal No. 22,000.

Gallagher gave the Canadiens a 2-1 lead when he scored at 9:12. Phillip Danault deserved the lion’s share of the credit on the go-ahead goal. He went into the corner and took the puck from Buffalo’s prize rookie defenceman Rasmus Dahlin. Danault then lunged after the loose puck and he stretched out on the ice and used one hand to sweep the puck out to Gallagher in the slot.

Shaw made it 3-1 when he went upstairs on Hutton, with Domi picking up his second assist of the night.

The Canadiens outshot the Sabres 12-8 in the first period but trailed 1-0 after Sam Reinhart scored at 12:42. There seemed to be mixup on the Canadiens’ defence as Reinhart was allowed to skate into the slot without a challenge. Carey Price got a piece of the shot as it went through his pads but it trickled through for Reinhart’s 19th of the season.

Each team had a power play in the first period and it’s interesting to note that the Montreal penalty-killers managed one shot on goal while the power play didn’t come close to putting a puck on net.

The Canadiens recognized Josh Gorges on the scoreboard during the first period. Gorges finished his career in Buffalo after playing eight seasons with the Canadiens. Gorges, who travelled from his home in Kelowna to participate in the Canadiens’ fantasy camp, was a solid defender who also served as a leader in the room. Josh and his wife Maggie served as Gallagher’s billet parents during Gallagher’s first few seasons in Montreal.

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Liveblog: Canadiens beat Buffalo 7-4

MIKE BOONE

Updated: March 23, 2019

What a game!

Tomas Tatar’s empty-netter was the icing on a crazy game.

Max Domi’s 26th – on a power play! – finally put it out of reach at 15:30 of the third period..

After Brendan Gallagher’s second of the game at 8:35 of the third period, Jack Eichel made it 5-4 at 13:13.

Artturi Lehkonen completed a lovely passing play with Andrew Shaw and Max Domi to tie the game at 1-1, five minutes into the period.

Then, four minutes later, Phillip Danault set up Brendan Gallagher for his career-best 32nd. And at 14:23, Max Domi set Andrew Shaw up for his 18th.

But Buffalo roared back on goals by Alexander Nylander and Montreal homeboy Marco Scandella to tie it at 3-3.

Paul Byron restored the Canadiens lead, converting a pass by Jordan Weal 18 minutes into the crazy period.

Sam Reinhart completed a dominant Sabres shift by beating Carey Price 12:26 into the first period.

Shots were 44-27 for the team that won.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137292 Montreal Canadiens would say most probably, unless somebody tells me there’s an issue. But if there’s no issue, I would feel pretty confident that he will (start).

“We need to make sure that our goaltender is 100 per cent and not going Canadiens Game Day: Brendan Gallagher scores twice in 7-4 win over to aggravate something if he does have something,” Julien added. “I’m Sabres not starting rumours here. To my knowledge, he is 100 per cent. I haven’t had a chance to chat and I prefer doing that before acknowledging for sure that he will be in front of the pipes tomorrow.” STU COWAN, MONTREAL GAZETTE A career high for Shaw Updated: March 24, 2019 Gallagher wasn’t the only Canadiens player to set a career high Saturday night. Shaw had a goal and an assist to give him 18-22-40 totals for the season, one point more than he had with the Chicago Blackhawks during Brendan Gallagher didn’t even attend the 2010 NHL Draft. the 2013-14 season when he had 20-19-39 totals in 80 games. Shaw has At 5-foot-9, Gallagher was used to being overlooked after being selected only played 56 games this season. in the ninth round of the 2007 WHL Bantam Draft by the Vancouver Shaw took a double-minor penalty for charging and roughing at 9:06 of Giants. After posting 41-40-81 totals in 72 games with the Giants during the third period and the Sabres’ Jack Eichel scored seven seconds after the 2009-10 season, the Canadiens selected Gallagher in the fifth round Shaw got out of the box. Shaw went to the locker room after that and (147th overall) at the 2010 NHL Draft. didn’t play another shift. “I was watching on TV, but they kind of stopped showing it,” Gallagher After the game, Julien said the Canadiens were just being cautious with recalled after scoring two goals in the Canadiens’ 7-4 win over the Shaw because of his concussion history, adding Shaw took a stick to the Buffalo Sabres Saturday night at the Bell Centre. “So I got a call from my face in the first period and an elbow to the face just before taking his agent and then shortly after (Canadiens scouts) Vaughn Karpan and penalties. Julien also knew Shaw was frustrated and was better off going Trevor Timmins gave me a call and let me know the good news.” to the locker room to cool down. The coach also said after the game that Gallagher’s two goals Saturday night give him a career-high 33 this Shaw was fine. season, after he scored 31 last year. He also added an assist against the Domi had a goal and two assists, giving him 26-41-67 totals this season Sabres, had nine shots on goal, was plus-3 and even won the one and moving him past the 200-point mark in his NHL career with 62-140- faceoff he took. 202 totals in 297 career regular-season games. Did Gallagher ever imagine himself as a 30-goal scorer in the NHL after Domi, who leads the Canadiens in scoring, has already set career highs being a fifth-round draft pick? in goals and points, far surpassing the 18-34-52 totals he posted during “I never really thought anything like that,” he said. “My goal as a young his rookie season with the Arizona Coyotes in 2015-16. Domi is also kid was always to play in the National Hockey League. I want to be a plus-16 this season. productive player, that’s part of my role. That’s something that I’ve kind of “He’s been great,” Julien said about Domi, who was acquired from done my whole life. But playing with the players I do, it makes it pretty Arizona last summer in exchange for Alex Galchenyuk. “The thing about easy. I think right now I’m just kind of enjoying the ride. This is a fun part him is that he’s a young player and there’s certain things that we want of the year to be playing some important hockey games.” him to improve on and he’s got such a great attitude and a good The Canadiens also got goals form Artturi Lehkonen, Andrew Shaw, Paul approach. He sits down with us, he watches those things and he sees it. Byron, Max Domi (power play) and Tomas Tatar (empty net) for their “He’s made a lot of progress in the things that we’ve asked him to do,” third straight victory, improving their record to 40-28-7. The Canadiens the coach added. “There’s habits that have been there for years that hold the second and final wild-card playoff spot in the Eastern don’t disappear even totally in one season. So we keep working with him Conference and moved three points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets and he’s got such a great attitude. He loves watching video with us and (40-30-4), who hold a game in hand. watching those things. He just loves the game. He wants to get better The Canadiens remain two points behind the Carolina Hurricanes (41-26- and, like I said, he’s got a great approach to it all.” 7), who beat the Minnesota Wild 5-1 Saturday night and hold a game in Galchenyuk has 17-22-39 totals in 65 games with the Coyotes and is a hand on Montreal. The Canadiens, who have seven games left in the team-worst minus-21. regular season, play the Hurricanes Sunday night in Carolina (7 p.m., SNE, RDS, TSN 690 Radio). The Blue Jackets visit the Vancouver Lekhonen scored the first of four second-period goals for the Canadiens, Canucks Sunday night (10 p.m., SNP). ending a six-game pointless streak. It was only his second goal in the last 43 games. “Our team, we have no quit,” the Canadiens’ Paul Byron said. “We have nothing to leave on the table. We set a goal at the beginning of the year Lehkonen’s goal came after Domi made a spin-around pass to Shaw in … playoffs was our goal and a lot of people picked us for the lottery pick. the Sabres zone and then Shaw hit Lehkonen with a perfect pass as That kind of ticked us off. When you realize you got eight, nine, 10 Lehkonen drove to the net, putting the puck and himself in the net behind games left in the year, you’re right there in the hunt, it’s pretty inspiring. goalie Carter Hutton. So our group will never give up. We’ll go down to the last game fighting. That’s just the way it is.” “Back door tap-in,” Lehkonen said. “It was a nice play by the boys. It was a pretty nice passing play, for sure.” You know Gallagher won’t go down without a fight. Lehkonen said he’s enjoying playing on a line with Domi and Shaw. “It’s not just the goals, it’s the way that he plays that’s inspiring,” Byron said about Gallagher. “Any small player can look at the way he plays and “It’s fun, for sure,” he said. “I’ve always enjoyed playing with both those they can say: ‘Well, I can do that, too.’ He battles, he competes, he’s got guys. It’s a lot of fun. You’re always forechecking, you’re right on top of the heart of a lion out there. He’s a leader for this hockey club. The the other team. That’s a good thing.” reason why he scores 30 goals is he goes to the dirty areas, he takes a As for Domi, Lehkonen said: “He’s fast! He’s real fast. I didn’t play beating out there. He’s an incredible player. No player should ever feel against him that many times when he was in the Western Conference. like they can’t make the NHL. You just got to have the heart and He’s a good player. He’s had a huge impact. He’s playing real well. He’s determination to do it.” played real well throughout the whole year. He brings a lot of energy for The Canadiens outshot the Sabres 44-27, but goalie Carey Price kept the team also. It’s not that he only just scores points, but he brings a lot the Habs in the game early in the first period when they got off to a slow of good things with his overall game.” start and they were trailing 1-0 after the first period. Tough night for Drouin

Price has now played in 22 of the last 23 games, starting 21 of them, and After scoring a goal and adding an assist in Thursday night’s 4-0 win over he’s expected to start again Sunday night in Carolina. the New York Islanders, Jonathan Drouin was limited to 3:16 of ice time “I’m not going to answer that tonight because I have not had a discussion in the first period against the Sabres. about that,” coach Claude Julien said after Saturday night’s game. “I Drouin seemed discouraged and appeared to check out in the second period, taking very short shifts and content to simply dump the puck in the offensive zone. He made a bad play late in the period, turning the puck over just inside the Sabres’ blue line and then half-heartedly back- checking before Marco Scandella scored to tie the game 3-3.

Drouin finished the game pointless and minus-1 with a team-low 12:13 of ice time. Drouin, who is minus-4 for the season, ranks third on the Canadiens in scoring with 18-34-52 totals, trailing Domi and Tatar (23- 31-54).

Tatar played in his 500th career NHL regular-season game Saturday night.

Tough back-to-back for Canadiens

The Canadiens flew to Carolina after Saturday night’s game and were expected to arrive there at 1:20 a.m. and then check into their hotel about 40 minutes later.

“They play tonight, too, so they’re on a back-to-back as well,” Domi said about the Hurricanes after the Canadiens’ morning skate Saturday in Brossard. “We’re all on the same page at this point … everyone’s banged up, everyone’s tired, so you need to find ways to still play your game. There’s no excuses, right.”

The Canadiens players would eat on their chartered flight to Carolina with the team providing catered meals with a choice of beef, chicken or pasta as the main course, along with salad.

“The team does a good job of getting us the food that we need,” Domi said. “Even after a game here, you’re up for a while anyways. So it’s not that much of a difference … you go to sleep around the same time, maybe a little later. Wake up and get right back at it.”

When asked if he might sleep on the plane, Shaw said: “I can’t sleep unless I’m in a bed.”

Asked if he will sleep in Sunday morning, Shaw said: “Oh, yeah. Until at least 10. After that long flight, guys will sleep in till 9:30, 10 o’clock.”

The Canadiens won’t have a morning skate Sunday in Carolina and Tatar said the players will do some warmup exercises at the hotel after they wake up, then have a morning team meeting, followed by lunch and a pre-game nap.

“This is a tough back-to-back, for sure,” Tatar said. “I think when the summer training is going on, you’re getting ready for exactly this moment.”

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Buffalo Sabres at Canadiens: Five things you should know

PAT HICKEY, MONTREAL GAZETTE

Updated: March 23, 2019

Here are five things you should know the Canadiens-Buffalo Sabres game at the Bell Centre Saturday (7 p.m., SNE, CITY, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio).

Back in the hunt: The Canadiens are on a modest two-game winning streak and they are back in the playoff picture after blanking the New York Islanders 4-0 Thursday. They hold down the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 85 points. They are one point ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets and two behind the Carolina Hurricanes, who hold a game in hand. The schedule during the next week will go a long way toward deciding the Canadiens’ fate because they travel to Carolina Sunday and have a head-to-head clash with the Blue Jackets Thursday in Columbus.

The matchup: The Sabres had great expectations for this season and, for the first half of the season, they looked like they would be in contention for a playoff spot. But reality has caught up with the Sabres. They have a better record than last season, when they had the worst record in the NHL, but they are 14 points out of a wild-card spot in the East and come into Montreal with a 2-7-1 record in their last 10 games. But the Canadiens can’t take this team lightly because Buffalo has won the three meetings this season with two of the games going to overtime.

Price is the key: After surrendering eight goals in what was an embarrassing performance by the entire team on March 8 n Anaheim, Carey Price has shown his fellow players regard him as the best goaltender in the league. Price has allowed only six goals in his last five starts. He has appeared in 22 of the Canadiens’ last 23 games and he deserves a rest, but it’s unlikely he’ll get it. With a playoff spot on the line, Price will start this game and come back for the second half of the back- to-back series Sunday in Carolina.

Drouin, Armia break out: The win over the Islanders was notable for the performances of players on the bottom two lines. Jonathan Drouin scored his first goal since Feb. 7 and also added an assist. Joel Armia also had a two-point night. He scored a rare power-play goal — his first in the NHL and only the team’s third since Feb. 9 — and set up Drouin for his goal. Jordan Weal set up Armia and also scored when he deflected a shot by Jordie Benn. And Nate Thompson picked up an assist, but his biggest contribution was as a penalty-killer in the first period.

The other guys: Jack Eichel leads the Sabres with 25 goals and 73 points, while their top goal-scorer is Jeff Skinner, who is tied for ninth in the NHL with 37. Swedish defenceman Rasmus Dahlin, who was the No. 1 overall pick in last June’s draft, has had a successful transition to North American hockey. He’s third among rookie scorers with eight goals and 39 points. Other double-digit goal scorers for Buffalo are Sam Reinhart (18), Repentigny native Jason Pominville (15), Conor Sheary (13), Kyle Okposo (11) and Casey Mittelstadt (11).

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137294 Montreal Canadiens Carolina at home, and Shea Weber returned to the lineup. They dominated the Canes 49-22 on the shot clock but contrived to lose 2-1.

Then they won six of their next eight. They’re surging, but first they had to lose: The Canadiens are masters of the productive defeat It helps that Price rediscovered his game after a self-imposed strategic pause in November.

But beyond individual contributions, the last week of November heralded By Sean Gordon a sharp uptick in form.

Mar 23, 2019 Then the Canadiens got thumped 4-0 by Boston on Dec. 17 in a dismal showing at home.

There is no such thing as standing still in the NHL, teams are either Followed thereafter a 2-1 loss in Colorado — where they controlled 57 improving or declining — well other than those guys in Tampa Bay who per cent of scoring chances (although the Avalanche won the high- defy all convention. danger chance battle) and 67 per cent of shot attempts against what was then one of the hottest teams in the league. Sometimes the slide is perceptible, sometimes not, but eventually, it reveals itself; the moment usually coincides with an L or two in the Then, another flurry of five wins in six starts, which would have been six standings. in six had Niemi not gifted a game to the Lightning on Dec. 29, 6-5.

Can losses be productive? The Canadiens have proved this season “Sometimes you have to lose to get better,” Brendan Gallagher said there is such a thing. earlier this week after a team photo session. “At this time of year there’s definitely no moral victories, but in the business we’re in it’s about having The most recent demonstration came on Long Island 10 days ago. a positive outlook, and as bad as it was in New York, I think it was a positive for us to realize it’s time for us to up our game because we’ve Montreal overcame a first-period no-show to tie the game, then booted it been playing the same way for a while.” away with a miscommunication in the offensive zone that resulted in a fatal 2-on-1 with three minutes to play. The last part is interesting, sameness in this case can be understood to mean predictability. Two nights later, the Canadiens rebounded with a much more committed showing at home against the Chicago Blackhawks — 91 shot attempts Consistency may be elusive in every area of human endeavour, it is and 48 scoring chances (24 of them meeting NaturalStatTrick.com’s maddeningly so in the NHL. Also, it’s not enough. Teams adjust, and threshold for high-danger opportunities) generally results in something they parse video, and they imitate or improve upon tactics that were used other than a 2-0 loss. successfully by other coaches.

Then again, the Canadiens generally don’t face a Corey Crawford who is And so it becomes a question of pre-emptive tweaks — for example, the playing in his hometown. Canadiens’ approach to zone entries was markedly different in this week’s win over the Isles than it was in the previous week’s loss — and, In the three successive wins that have followed, Montreal has mashed perhaps most of all, of crisp execution. the pedal to the floor. Outings against Philadelphia, the Isles and, on Saturday, Buffalo, have seen the Canadiens crush the opposition in the As Shaw explained on Friday, sometimes it takes the jolt of losing to high-danger chance department to the tune of 39 to 17. They’ve finally take notice of the rut you’re in and reinforce the message that little dominated the shot share and owned the edge in both scoring chances things matter. and expected goals. “I mean, being on the right side of your man, reloading and making sure True, there were a few anxious and unnecessarily difficult moments we’re above the puck so they don’t get odd-man rushes. Little things can against the Sabres, who have given Montreal fits this season. But this get away from you, and when games like that happen, it makes you wasn’t close, not really. Behold: refocus,” he said.

Since the switch was flipped after the 2-1 loss in New York — feel free to The detail work has suddenly reappeared in the Canadiens’ game. debate whether it was Andrew Shaw or Carey Price who did the honours with their acerbic post-game comments — the Canadiens have They’re bossing the neutral zone. They’re forechecking with purpose; for rediscovered the brand of hockey that has made them such a pleasant an example look no further than Phillip Danault’s relentless pressure on surprise this season. Rasmus Dahlin nine minutes into the second period.

The Athletic’s Marc Dumont summed it up nicely on Twitter a couple of It resulted in Gallagher’s career-best 32nd goal of the second. (He would days ago. add his 33rd, the winning tally, in the third.)

Rebounding in the face of failure and acrimony is kind of what the 2018- Gentle reader, they’re even scoring power-play goals again, this time via 19 Canadiens do. Max Domi. In fact, they’ve now scored them in consecutive games for the first time since Feb. 7-9 (the latter being a loss in Toronto that might fall Paul Byron, who scored a 14th goal in 52 games this season against his into the dispiriting rather than the productive category). former team, said more than that it’s who they are. “Every group is a little different, this group handles adversity really well. “It’s just our identity, we don’t know any different honestly … that’s our We’ve been able to bounce back from some tough losses, which is a team,” he said. good sign,” Gallagher said. “The thing I can tell you about us is it wasn’t a worry (on March 14), but a sense of urgency that we needed to get Alluding to the aftermath from the March 14 Islanders game, Byron said, better.” “We had a great game at home, a really good practice, then we played a good road game in Philly and that really kicked things off for us. That’s Or as Artturi Lehkonen, author of Montreal’s first goal against Buffalo on the way our team needs to play, we’re fighting for our lives every day.” a gorgeous tic-tac-toe sequence, put it earlier in the week, “It felt like a playoff game when we were in Long Island and since that game we’ve Hockey players talk incessantly about the value and importance of gotten in the mode that ‘this is it for us right now.’” resiliency, but the Canadiens this season have actually managed to walk the walk. Yes, this is, in fact it. Montreal now has seven games remaining in the regular season. If they are to play beyond April 6, their final game against The Islanders game wasn’t the only useful defeat this season. the Maple Leafs, they can ill afford losses. No matter how productive they If you look at Sean Tierney’s rolling tally of expected goal share over might be. time, which is a decent proxy for how a team is playing at a given point in the season, the dips suggest a handful of them. The Athletic LOADED: 03.24.2019 There’s the back-to-back losses to Buffalo (in overtime, with Antti Niemi in net) and Boston on Nov. 23-24. Three days later, the Canadiens faced 1137295 Montreal Canadiens giveaway in the offensive zone and his rather uninspired backcheck as the catalysts to the third Sabres goal.

Before we get carried away, let me just say this: you’re right. C’est la vie. The Canadiens show they’re hungry for playoff hockey in win over the Sabres But he wasn’t the only one who finished his shift feeling sheepish, as Jeff Petry decided to play the puck rather than the man, giving Marco Scandella a wide open shooting lane on Carey Price, who definitely could By Marc Dumont have made the save.

Mar 23, 2019 Like Keanu Reeves but better

You’ll notice I didn’t mention that Brendan Gallagher scored the second Canadiens goal, but seeing as showering No.11 with praise has become Four hundred and eighty minutes. a common occurrence in these post-game articles, it was only fair to concentrate on Danault’s good work. Heading into this game Thursday against the Buffalo Sabres, if the Canadiens failed to win the majority of their remaining games, 480 Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Gallagher scored a second goal against the minutes could have been all that was left in their 2018-19 season, one Sabres, giving us yet another opportunity to marvel at the greatness of that saw so many high marks that missing the playoffs would feel like a his season. With 33 goals, Gallagher ranks 21st overall in the NHL, tied disappointment. with some guy named Sidney Crosby.

The first step to qualifying for springtime hockey involved a matchup with When it comes to 5-on-5 goals, Gallagher has scored 28, just one goal the Buffalo Sabres at the Bell Centre on Saturday night, one of the few behind the league-leaders and one better than some guy named Alex remaining opponents on the Canadiens schedule that weren’t going to Ovechkin. the playoffs. Aurora Borealis? At this time of year? At this time of day? In this part of It wasn’t a picture-perfect game, but the Canadiens did more than the country? Localized entirely within your kitchen? enough to earn the 7-4 win over the Sabres, a team they had yet to beat all season. I’m not going to spoil the magic involved in the Canadiens scoring power play goals in back-to-back games, because frankly, you have to see it to A tale of two Domis believe it.

Max Domi’s excellent play in the offensive zone has overshadowed some Final Word of his defensive issues this season, such as his questionable positioning and his penchant for abandoning the player he’s covering. With three wins in a row, the stars seem to be aligning for the Canadiens.

To be completely fair, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that he’s still Not only are they taking advantage of weaker opponents, but in general, learning how to play centre in the NHL, but his defensive awareness they’re playing stellar hockey at the moment, whereas their playoff rivals, definitely needs to improve. the Blue Jackets, are struggling to play as a cohesive unit.

For example: There’s always room for improvement, however, as we saw against the Islanders on Thursday night, the Canadiens once again did a great job But Domi quickly made up for his errors in the Canadiens zone by limiting the quality chances against Carey Price. According to wreaking havoc in the Sabres end all night long. NaturalStatTrick.com the Canadiens held an 18-4 advantage in 5-on-5 high-danger shot attempts against Buffalo. Artturi Lehkonen’s goal, his ninth of the season and the 22,000th in Canadiens history, started with a fantastic spin move by Domi near the That’s the type of performance you’d expect from a team that’s fighting blue line which not only looked good, aesthetically speaking, but was tooth and nail for a playoff spot. also an essential part of the play. And it’s the type of performance that could very well extend the season After he forces the turnover at the blue line to keep the puck in the well beyond 420 minutes. Sabres zone, Domi quickly assesses that he has no viable passing lanes available.

He cleverly uses Vladimir Sobotka to freeze the Sabres defence, which in The Athletic LOADED: 03.24.2019 turn opens up a passing lane to Andrew Shaw.

Shaw quickly finds a streaking Lehkonen, resulting in one of the prettiest goals the Canadiens have scored all season.

Domi wasn’t done there, he was instrumental on the Canadiens third goal of the night.

He created a turnover in the defensive zone by shadowing his assigned opponent, quickly exited the zone with control of the puck and fed Shaw with a nice pass once Lehkonen opened up a passing lane by pressuring the Sabres defence.

It was the perfect way to show his coach that he learned from his earlier mistake.

The Detective is back on the case

Whether it’s the wear and tear of a long season or simply a slump, Phillip Danault hasn’t been playing up to the standard he established throughout the first 60 games of the season.

But against the Sabres, he went back to being aggressive on the forecheck and caused a few turnovers. It’s exactly the type of dedicated effort the Canadiens need as they chase down a playoff spot.

Total Recall

It wouldn’t really be a Canadiens game if not for a play that shines the spotlight on Jonathan Drouin. In this case, you may point to his careless 1137296 Nashville Predators

Jets take it to Predators, clinch playoff berth behind hat trick from Kyle Connor

Paul Skrbina, Nashville Tennessean

Published 8:40 p.m. CT March 23, 2019 | Updated 9:49 p.m. CT March 23, 2019

WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Three-hundred-sixty-three days before Saturday's matchup between Jets and Predators, the former clinched a playoff spot with a shootout victory against the latter.

On Saturday history repeated itself, only this time the Jets didn't need any extra time. Winnipeg dumped the Predators 5-0 to move four points ahead in the Central Division with a game in hand — pushing Nashville a bit further from its goal of taking that crown.

They did most of their damage during the second period — after Patrik Laine hit the post twice in the first — when they scored three goals.

The Predators appeared to go ahead 1-0 with 16 minutes, 50 seconds left in the period, when Calle Jarnkrok tipped in Mattias Ekholm's shot. But it was ruled no goal after review, robbing Jarnkrok of his first score since Feb. 5.

A minute and 22 seconds later, Kyle Connor burned P.K. Subban, then put a nice move on Pekka Rinne to give the home team a 1-0 lead.

With 5:44 left, Andrew Copp banked one in off Rinne to make it 2-0.

Forty-nine seconds after that, Filip Forsberg banged one off the post when the net was wide open.

Kevin Hayes made it 3-0 with 4:19 remaining in the period.

Matt Irwin and Calle Jarnkrok collided at center ice late in the third, and Connor followed with his second goal of the game and 31st of the season to make it 4-0. Connor completed his hat trick with nine seconds left.

The Predators fell to 42-28-6, while the Jets moved to 45-26-4.

Big number: 33. Shots on goal by the Predators and saves by Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck.

Roster moves: The Predators signed prospect Rem Pitlick to a two-year, entry-level contract. He was with the team Saturday morning in Winnipeg.

Tennessean LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137297 Nashville Predators Tennessean LOADED: 03.24.2019

Winning division isn't everything or only thing for Predators, but it's a big thing

Paul Skrbina, Nashville Tennessean

Published 4:34 p.m. CT March 23, 2019 | Updated 9:37 p.m. CT March 23, 2019

WINNIPEG, Manitoba — The Predators have a 99.999 percent chance of making the playoffs, according to sportsclubstats.com.

Hockey-reference.com gives Nashville a 100 percent chance.

So it's not a matter of if the Predators get there, really. It's more a matter of when and how.

At this point, it's all about the points for the Predators, who have made no secret of their desire to finish atop the Central Division.

That desire took a big hit Saturday, when the Predators were dominated by the division-leading Jets 5-0 behind a hat trick from Kyle Connor.

Yes, 82 regular-season games are weighed equally when it comes to determining final standings.

But some games carry more weight than others.

Take Saturday's clash with the Central Division-leading Jets.

Before the game began both teams had an opportunity to officially reserve their spots in the postseason, should any number of scenarios have occurred, though the Jets' path was a bit more direct:

They beat the Jets in regulation or overtime and the Coyotes and Avalanche lost in any fashion and the Wild lost in regulation. But the Avalanche beat the Blackhawks on Saturday afternoon, meaning the Preds would have to wait another day, at least, anyway.

Or if they beat the Jets in a shootout and the Coyotes, Avalanche and Wild all lost in regulation.

Going into Saturday, three teams had the desired "x" next to their names in the standings, indicating they'd clinched a playoff spot.

The Predators had a 15.8 percent chance of winning the Central Division before Saturday's game, according to hockey-reference. The Jets have a game in hand on the Predators, too, which makes that goal all the more daunting.

So what if the Predators don't come out on top in the Central, like they did last season en route to the President's Trophy and, later, a second- round exit at the hands of the Jets?

"It’s not the end of the world, but it’s a big accomplishment winning the division," Predators captain Roman Josi said before Saturday's game. "You can't win the Stanley Cup in the regular season. You have to set different goals. Winning the division has always been a goal for us.

"It's always a great thing, but it wont change much for the playoffs. You go into the playoffs trying to win the Stanley Cup, no matter if you’re first or second."

They could meet again

No matter who ends up winning the division, there's a possibility the Jets and Predators could meet again.

That most likely would happen during the second round of the playoffs. The Jets beat the Predators in seven games in that series last season.

"It's possible we'll see each other, but you can't really send any messages," Predators forward Filip Forsberg said. "It's all pretty clear cut what both teams are made of."

Last year's series is still in the back of Josi's mind.

"You always remember those series," Josi said. "It’s a new season, it’s a little different teams. A lot of guys are still here. It’s definitely kind of a rivalry."

1137298 New Jersey Devils

Pavel Zacha scores in 6th round of shootout to lead Devils past Coyotes | Rapid reaction

Posted Mar 23, 3:45 PM

By Chris Ryan

Pavel Zacha scored the game-winning goal in the sixth round of a shootout to lift the Devils to a 2-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday at Prudential Center in Newark.

Neither team scored in the opening four rounds of the shootout, with each shot being saved. Blake Coleman and Conor Garland both scored in the fifth round to keep the game going. Zacha scored in the sixth round before Mackenzie Blackwood stopped Richard Panik.

The Coyotes went on a power play 55 seconds into overtime when Kyle Palmieri was called for a cross check on Oliver Ekman Larsson on a drive to the net. Blackwood made a save at the goal line to keep the game alive before the Devils killed the penalty. The Devils outshot the Coyotes, 2-1, in OT.

After each goalie allowed an early goal, both rebounded to keep the game tight for its duration. Blackwood finished with X saves, while Coyotes goalie Darcy Kuemper stopped 31 of the 32 shots he faced. He turned away several dangerous looks during a 12-save third period to ensue the game went to overtime.

Scoring plays

Both teams connected for one goal in the first period, with each goalie getting beat by a long shot.

Oliver Ekman Larsson opened the scoring for the Coyotes with his 12th goal of the season at 2:31, scoring on the team’s second shot. His wrister from the point went around several bodies and over the glove of Blackwood, who reacted late to the sailing puck.

Time is running out for Taylor Hall to return to the Devils' lineup this season.

Drew Stafford scored his second goal in as many games to tie the game before intermission.

The veteran winger took a drop pass from Pavel Zacha at the top of the left circle before snapping a shot on goal. Kuemper squared up the shot, but it went under his pads at 17:01. Miles Wood also picked up an assist in his first game back from a broken ankle.

The Devils had four power plays in the second period, but despite putting eight shots on goal at 5-on4 and generating plenty of pressure, they could not convert. The Coyotes also went 0-for-2 on power plays on the day. The Coyotes and Devils entered the day second and fourth, respectively, in penalty kill percentage in the NHL.

Star Ledger LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137299 New Jersey Devils

New Jersey Devils vs. Arizona Coyotes: Live updates and chat (3/23/19)

Posted Mar 23, 12:50 PM

By Chris Ryan

Nico Hischier, Kyle Palmieri, Miles Wood, Sami Vatanen and Mirco Mueller will all return to the lineup when the New Jersey Devils host the Arizona Coyotes at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Prudential Center in Newark.

Mackenzie Blackwood will start in goal as the Devils play the third game of a four-game home stand.

Star Ledger LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137300 New Jersey Devils

Taylor Hall’s return to the Devils’ lineup this season is getting less likely

Posted Mar 23, 11:39 AM

By Chris Ryan

Throughout Taylor Hall’s rehab from left knee surgery, the Devils have said that he would play again this season if he got back to the ice and felt 100 percent.

Now with just two weeks left in the regular season, Devils coach John Hynes said that’s far from a guarantee.

Hynes and GM Ray Shero have both remained optimistic about Hall potentially returning, but on Saturday, Hynes said time might simply be running out.

“Taylor is continuing with his rehab. He is not skating, just doing off-ice. All seems good and positive in that direction," Hynes said. "I don’t know where that’s at (playing again this season); he’s not skating. I don’t know how much that will happen.”

Hall has been working out off ice since undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee at the end of February. The injury has kept him sidelined since Dec. 23. The reigning NHL MVP has played just 33 games this season. Hall has never played less than 53 games in a full 82-game season.

With just six games remaining after Saturday, the Devils don’t have a ton of incentive to rush Hall back into action at this point of the season, considering he would need to start skating on his own, get into a practice and back into game shape, all within two weeks. They can let him continue his rehab before getting in a full summer of offseason training.

The Devils will get five injured players back in the lineup when they host the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday at Prudential Center in Newark.

The team and Hall will also then turn their attention to contract extension talks. Hall will have enter the final year of his contract in 2019-20 before being eligible to become an unrestricted free agent.

But the Devils can sign Hall to up to an eight-year extension starting on July 1, 2019.

Star Ledger LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137301 New Jersey Devils

Devils’ lines, pairings vs. Coyotes (3/23/19) | Reinforcements have arrived

Posted Mar 23, 11:16 AM

By Chris Ryan

The Devils are, all of a sudden, much healthier.

Nico Hischier, Kyle Palmieri, Miles Wood, Sami Vatanen and Mirco Mueller will all return to the lineup when they host the Arizona Coyotes at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Prudential Center in Newark.

Forward John Quenneville will also return to the lineup after sitting the past four games. Mackenzie Blackwood will get the start in goal. Of all the prospects called up in recent weeks, Michael McLeod and Kevin Rooney will stay in the lineup.

Here’s a look at how the Devils will line up:

FORWARDS

Kenny Agostino - Nico Hischier - Kyle Palmieri

Blake Coleman - Travis Zajac - Stefan Noesen

Miles Wood - Pavel Zacha - Drew Stafford

John Quenneville - Kevin Rooney - Michael McLeod

DEFENSEMEN

Andy Greene - Damon Severson

Connor Carrick - Steven Santini

Mirco Mueller - Sami Vatanen

The NHL is still looking for its first female official, and Division 1 college athletes could fit the mold.

GOALIES

Starter: Mackenzie Blackwood

Backup: Cory Schneider

SCRATCHES

Forwards: Jesper Bratt (lower body, week-to-week); Nathan Bastian (upper body); Kurtis Gabriel (healthy); Eric Tangradi (healthy); Joey Anderson (healthy); Blake Pietila (healthy);

Defensemen: Will Butcher (sick); Egor Yakovlev (healthy); Josh Jacobs (healthy);

On IR: Taylor Hall (knee surgery)

Coyotes stats

Record: 36-32-6 (78 points)

Last game: L 4-2 at Florida Panthers on Thursday

The Coyotes are currently fighting for a playoff spot in the Western Conference, sitting just on the outside of the playoff picture. The Devils won the first meeting of the season between the two teams, earning a 3- 2 shootout win in Arizona.

Star Ledger LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137302 New Jersey Devils Avalanche - 78 points, 74 GP (2 percent, 6.6 percent)

Flyers - 80 points, 74 GP ( 1.5 percent, 5 percent)

NHL draft lottery odds: Ducks win in OT; Wild move back into playoff spot Blue Jackets** - 84 points, 74 GP (1 percent, 3.3 percent) (3/23/19) *The Avalanche own the rights to the Senators’ 2019 first-round pick.

**The Senators own the rights to the Blue Jackets’ 2019 first-round pick. Posted Mar 23, 8:27 AM

By Chris Ryan Star Ledger LOADED: 03.24.2019

Plenty of teams around the NHL are still chasing the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but with just two weeks left in the regular season, some teams outside contention are looking forward to the offseason and, specifically, the 2019 NHL Draft. The final standings will have an impact on the draft lottery odds, and wins and losses around the league change those percentages each day before the first-round order is decided on April 9.

There were only two games on Friday, and both impacted lottery teams. The Minnesota Wild entered the day out of the playoff picture, but a regulation win over the Washington Capitals put them into the Western Conference’s second wild card, bumping out the Colorado Avalanche.

The Anaheim Ducks the beat the San Jose Sharks in overtime.

Here’s a look at all the relevant results from Friday that impacted the draft lottery odds:

Wild 2, Capitals 1

Ducks 4, Sharks 3 (OT)

And here are Saturday’s games that could also impact those odds:

Coyotes at Devils

Islanders at Flyers

Blackhawks at Avalanche

Senators at Oilers

Rangers at Maple Leafs

Sabres at Canadiens

Bruins at Panthers

Flames at Canucks

Red Wings at Golden Knights

Ducks at Kings

The NHL is still looking for its first female official, and Division 1 college athletes could fit the mold.

Standings and Draft Lottery Odds

Here are where all non-playoff teams sit in the standings following Friday’s games. The first percentage listed is a team’s odds at the No. 1 overall pick, and the second is the odds at a top-three pick, based on its current position.

Senators* - 56 points, 73 games played (18.5 percent at No. 1, 49.4 percent at top three)

Kings - 60 points, 73 GP (13.5 percent, 38.8 percent)

Red Wings - 62 points, 74 GP (11.5 percent, 33.9 percent)

Devils - 63 points, 75 GP (9.5 percent, 28.8 percent)

Ducks - 71 points, 76 GP (8.5 percent, 26.1 percent)

Rangers - 69 points, 73 GP (7.5 percent, 23.3 percent)

Sabres - 71 points, 73 GP (6.5 percent, 20.4 percent)

Oilers - 73 points, 74 GP (6 percent, 19 percent)

Canucks - 74 points, 74 GP (5 percent, 16 percent)

Blackhawks - 74 points, 73 GP (3.5 percent, 11.4 percent)

Panthers - 78 points, 74 GP (3 percent, 9.8 percent)

Coyotes - 78 points, 74 GP (2.5 percent, 8.2 percent) 1137303 New Jersey Devils couldn't crack Blackwood on the power play and the two teams engaged in a shootout for the second time this season.

“It’s nice that we had some guys come back in the lineup,” Hynes said. “I Pavel Zacha's shootout goal gives NJ Devils 2-1 win over Coyotes thought they’ve all worked extremely hard to get themselves back ready to play and they certainly made an impact on the game. And it was nice that we found a way to win.” Abbey Mastracco, NHL writer Mar 23, 2019; Newark, NJ, USA; New Jersey Devils goaltender Published 4:29 p.m. ET March 23, 2019 | Updated 5:38 p.m. ET March Mackenzie Blackwood (29) makes a save during the first period against 23, 2019 the Arizona Coyotes at Prudential Center.

NEWARK — Saturday afternoon marked the returns of Nico Hischier, Bergen Record LOADED: 03.24.2019 Kyle Palmieri, Miles Wood, Sami Vatanen and Mirco Mueller. Finally, the Devils looked like an NHL team again instead of an American Hockey League team against the Arizona Coyotes.

The additions of all of those lineup regulars should have been a boon to the power play but instead, the game was knotted in the first period and remained so right through regulation. New Jersey logged 9:36 of man- advantage time and came up empty.

But the Devils were able to overcome their power play woes to defeat the Coyotes 2-1 in a shootout at Prudential Center, just their third of the season.

“I really liked our overall team game in general,” Devils coach John Hynes said. “I thought both sets of special teams played well. The power play didn’t score but they had some really good looks and brought momentum to our team, momentum to the building and 5-on-5, I thought it was a pretty strong game.”

Mar 23, 2019; Newark, NJ, USA; New Jersey Devils center Pavel Zacha (37) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the shootout against the Arizona Coyotes at Prudential Center.

Blake Coleman and Pavel Zacha scored in the shootout, with Zacha ending it by going five-hole on Kuemper in the seventh round. Drew Stafford scored his second goal in as many games and Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 23 of 24 shots, as well as six of seven in the shootout to deny Arizona the second point.

“He looks good in the shootouts, he’s a big kid and he’s so athletic,” Hynes said. “You have to make a great move or a great shot to beat him.”

The Coyotes certainly gave the Devils plenty of chances to break a 1-1 tie, taking five penalties for 10 minutes in the second and third periods. All of the aforementioned players, with the exception of Mueller, did help generate on the power play and there’s no question it was far more productive than it has been since the lineup was hit with a rash of injuries.

Arizona took four penalties in the second period alone, giving the Devils ample opportunities to break a 1-1 tie. But with goalie Darcy Kuemper leading the way, the league’s second-best penalty kill did their job effectively.

Mar 23, 2019; Newark, NJ, USA; New Jersey Devils center Blake Coleman (20) scores a goal on Arizona Coyotes goaltender Darcy Kuemper (35) during the shootout at Prudential Center.

"We had some pretty good looks but we've got to bury them," Hischier said. "They gave us momentum as well so that's a good thing."

Arizona captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson beat Blackwood clean on a point shot through traffic just 2:31 into play. Stafford tied the game late in the period with his second goal in as many games.

There was little flow to the game in the second period with five penalties taken between the two teams but the Devils did drive the play the way they should with the man-advantage. New Jersey threw seven shots on net in the first two power plays. Kenny Agostino had a good chance in close on the second power play and Kuemper came up big on the third.

Michael McLeod looked as though he would break the tie late in the period when Agostino found him cutting through the slot but Kuemper denied him from point-blank range. The Devils’ 2016 first-round pick continues to search for his first NHL goal.

A delay of game penalty late in the third period gave the New Jersey a fifth power play. Hischier, Coleman and Palmieri all had scoring chances but no one cracked Kuemper. In overtime, it was the Coyotes who 1137304 New Jersey Devils

Devils able to play spoiler again

Staff Report

By Associated Press

March 23, 2019 | 8:47PM

Despite being eliminated from postseason contention, the banged-up Devils have hurt the playoff hopes of some wild-card contenders in recent weeks.

Late last month they surprised the Canadiens and Saturday they put a crimp in the Coyotes’ chances with a 2-1 shootout win at Prudential Center, sending Arizona to its fourth straight loss.

“We got the point, but we have some guys playing tight,” said Arizona coach Rich Tocchet, whose team is on an 0-2-2 run. “It’s my job to get these guys to relax.”

The Devils won because Blake Coleman and Pavel Zacha scored in the fifth and sixth rounds of the shootout and goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood made 23 saves in regulation and was beaten on one shootout attempt as New Jersey won for only the fourth time in 14 games (4-9-1).

“He’s such a beast,” Coleman said. “He is intimidating. You come down on him and he takes up a ton of net and he can move as fast as anybody I have seen. I am surprised they got any on him.”

Blackwood and Coyotes goaltender Darcy Kuemper, who had 31 saves, were outstanding in the game.

Blackwood gave up an early goal to Arizona defenseman Oliver Ekman- Larsson, while Kuemper gave up a soft one to Drew Stafford late in the first period.

The goaltenders stopped the first four shootout attempts on each side before Coleman scored with a forehand. Conor Garland forced another round scoring on a backhander. Zacha beat Kuemper between the pads and Richard Panik failed to respond for the Coyotes.

New York Post LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137305 New York Islanders

Johnny Boychuk back from six-game absence in Islanders win

By Brett Cyrgalis

March 24, 2019 | 1:28am

PHILADELPHIA — It was a shrug of the shoulders and a one-word answer, but it said enough.

Islanders defenseman Johnny Boychuk returned from a six-game absence, the previous five as a healthy scratch, for the 4-2 win over the Flyers on Saturday afternoon. Afterward, he was asked if he was surprised that he stayed out that long.

“Yeah,” he said in his typical deadpan style.

Coach Barry Trotz explained his decision to keep a healthy Boychuk out because he liked the way his six defensemen were playing, and that Boychuk’s pairing with Nick Leddy had gone south. Then Boychuk was hurt on a shot to the head from the Flyers’ Jakub Voracek on March 9, and he remained out until Saturday.

“The ‘D’ were playing pretty good together, it doesn’t hurt to stay out,” Boychuk said. “It was painful for me to watch. At the end of the day, you have to do whatever you can.”

Trotz put him back with Leddy, and they were solid — Boychuk picking up an assist on Leddy’s fourth goal of the season at 10:58 of the second period.

“First couple shifts, just getting back into it, felt good,” said Boychuk, who tied for a game-high five shots on goal in seven attempts over 17:32. “Tried to stay calm and keep it simple, and try to just shoot the puck.”

As for trying to hunt down Voracek, Boychuk just brushed it off.

“I just wanted to play hard and that’s about it,” he said. “That’s the way the game is now.”

Trotz went with the same group of forwards after he had called his team out for a lack of response after what the players felt was a cheap shot Thursday from the Canadiens’ Andrew Shaw on Scott Mayfield. The coach wanted to give the group a chance at redemption, although he said the decision “was actually quite difficult.”

“We talked about it as a coaching staff — there were some guys I wasn’t really happy with, and some guys that are tremendously working hard and waiting to get in the lineup,” Trotz said. “But I felt it was important to go back to the group that you sort of challenged a little bit. I liked our response.”

Coming out to make room for Boychuk was Thomas Hickey, who was the lone player to respond to Shaw’s hit when he leveled Brendan Gallagher and then fought him in the closing minutes in Montreal.

New York Post LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137306 New York Islanders “We got the message,” Bailey said, “and I think we all responded in a positive way.”

Josh Bailey allows Islanders to exhale as power play struggles New York Post LOADED: 03.24.2019

By Brett Cyrgalis

March 23, 2019 | 3:54PM

PHILADELPHIA — All the way to the roof of the building, you could hear Josh Bailey’s exclamation. The scream that came out of him was more than just a goal celebration, it was a release — for him, and for the frustrated Islanders.

The first of Bailey’s two goals in a span 83 seconds came with 3:57 left in regulation and stood as the game-winner in the Islanders’ much-needed 4-2 victory over the Flyers on Saturday afternoon.

The win was utter relief, the Islanders (43-25-7) coming in off two straight shutout losses and using this game to show off the negative influence of a failed power play. But a fruitless span of 2:41 with a five-on-three man- advantage, and no goals over 5:19 of total power-play time, did not ruin what was otherwise a terrific even-strength performance.

It got the Isles to within one point of the idle Capitals atop the Metropolitan Division, and the tremors of the past week now seem buried along with any shred of the Flyers’ (36-31-8) postseason hope.

“This time of year, we know how big these games are,” said Bailey, who also broke a personal 12-game goalless streak, with just one in his past 17. “From a team standpoint, we needed these two points. We wanted to get back on the right track. I think we played a pretty complete game.”

Josh Bailey

Coach Barry Trotz had challenged his team after the 4-0 loss in Montreal on Thursday, when no one stood up to Andrew Shaw after he hit Scott Mayfield with a shoulder to the chin. But Trotz went back with the same group of forwards, and they answered the call — not necessarily physically, but by playing a tight and controlled game.

They outshot the Flyers, 40-24, and out-attempted them, 78-54. At five- on-five, it seemed like the Islanders had the puck the entire time, and the Flyers were only hanging on due to a terrific performance from rookie goalie Carter Hart.

“I liked our response of stepping up to the plate and getting it done,” Trotz said. “It says a lot about the group, it says a lot about the character. And hopefully this will give us some confidence.”

It very well could have gone another way entirely if Bailey wasn’t wearing his hero cape, his first score coming on a great short-side shot into the top corner and the second coming on an easy finish from in front with 2:34 left in regulation. If those didn’t go in, if the Flyers managed to win, all the Islanders would have thought of were the failed power plays.

“It’s just like anything, it gets in the back of your head,” Trotz said. “The windows of opportunity are very short on the power play. If you’re double- clutching it, that window closes. All of a sudden, you have nothing. Now you’re trying to force it, and it’s frustrating.”

It seemed like it would come back to bite them when Shayne Gostisbehere scored a power-play goal for the Flyers at 6:16 of the third to tie it, 2-2. That was the only offense for Philadelphia, who started the scoring with a freak goal on a Robert Hagg slap-pass that bounced off the backboards, off the stick of Casey Cizikas, and just between goalie Robin Lehner and the pipe.

“It was one of those games where some strange things happen and you have a little bit of adversity,” Trotz said. “I wouldn’t say you’re doubting yourself a little bit — you lost two games, and the first [goal], the way it went in, you go, ‘What else is going to happen?’

“But our response was resilient. We stayed with it.”

They got goals from Brock Nelson and Nick Leddy to take a 2-1 lead into the third, which should have been larger if Hart hadn’t been great and the power play hadn’t been awful. But in the end, they still managed to figure it out before the desperate Coyotes come into the Coliseum on Sunday afternoon. 1137307 New York Islanders

Islanders still searching for some power-play prowess

By Laura Albanese [email protected] @AlbaneseLaura

Updated March 23, 2019 9:40 PM

PHILADELPHIA — The Islanders’ power play has the yips.

OK, maybe it’s a little bit more nuanced than that, but after another day and another futile offensive effort by the Isles’ special teams, coach Barry Trotz acknowledged that this particular problem may be self- perpetuating.

On Saturday, it manifested in the power play going 0-for-5, including two opportunities with a five-on-three. The Isles also squandered one of those against the Canadiens in their 4-0 loss Thursday. They are 1-for-36 on the power play in the past 15 games.

“It’s just like anything; it gets in the back of your head,” Trotz said. “You try to get too fine. At home, it’s no different than when someone is booing you and you’re going, ‘OK, I’ve got to make a great play.’ Just play.”

Saturday’s first man-up opportunity came only 26 seconds into the game, with Josh Bailey in for Mathew Barzal with the first unit. That turned into the first five-on-three, when Robert Hagg earned a double-minor for high- sticking. The Islanders lost that advantage not even a minute later when they had too many men on the ice.

The second five-on-three, 2:16 into the third period, was a sloppy, listless affair with only two shots on goal — neither particularly threatening — and two errant passes that got the puck out of the Flyers’ zone.

The momentum seemed to shift to the Flyers then, Bailey said, as the Islanders’ own lack of execution energized a crowd begging for something to cheer about.

“You get a full two minutes on the five-on-three, you have to capitalize, especially at that time in the game, and we didn’t,” Bailey said. “We had some looks, you’re going to get some looks, the goalie made some saves, but all in all, we need to find a way to be a little bit better in those situations.”

Johnny Boychuk felt it, too. “When they killed off that five-on-three, they got a huge lift from their crowd,” he said.

And though the Islanders have survived relatively well with a lackluster power play, they can ill afford that type of momentum shift now with seven games left in the regular season, a playoff berth and home-ice advantage in the balance, and a postseason full of teams who know how to capitalize on weaknesses.

“The windows of opportunity are very short on the power play, and if you’re double-clutching it, that window closes and suddenly you’re forcing it and it’s frustrating,” Trotz said by way of explanation.

“We just gotta get a little bit more confident on it and get a day to practice it again, retool it a little bit and see if we can get some success with it. We’ve just got to stay with it.”

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137308 New York Islanders

No retaliation from Johnny Boychuk on Flyers' Jakub Voracek

By Laura Albanese [email protected] @AlbaneseLaura

Updated March 24, 2019 2:21 AM

PHILADELPHIA — It sounded a little bit like coach- speak when Barry Trotz said it before the game: Johnny Boychuk wasn’t going to be focused on Jakub Voracek, not when there were two points on the line.

Turns out he was right.

Despite Voracek’s questionable hit on Boychuk earlier this month — the one that earned him a two-game suspension and had Boychuk leaving the ice gesturing in anger — the two didn’t tussle in the Wells Fargo rematch Saturday. That was the case, Boychuk said, simply because there was too much on the line.

“It’s a tough sport,” he said. “You don’t want to go out of your way, but you’ve got to do what’s right for the team, and tonight was for the two points and that’s all that matters and you’ve just got to play hard and play smart.”

Afterward, Trotz lauded Boychuk, who missed one game after being leveled by Voracek and was a healthy scratch for five games after that. Still, he hinted that all was not resolved between the two.

“There was no talking about that Voracek thing,” Trotz said. “As I said, those two will figure it out down the road, but Johnny is one of those ultimate type of team guys. He knows how important it is what we’re trying to do here. He knows how important this game was and there was no ‘me’ in his thought process. It was all about ‘we,’ and that’s why he’s one of those guys, you talk about glue guys in the room, he’s one of those guys.”

Despite having some strong words for his team’s effort against Montreal on Thursday, Trotz kept all his forwards as is, with only a change to the first defensive pairing (Boychuk for Thomas Hickey).

“There were some guys I wasn’t really happy with it and there are some guys tremendously working hard and waiting to get into the lineup, but I felt it was important to go back with the group that you sort of challenge [them] a little bit,” he said. “I like their response.”

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137309 New York Islanders On Tuesday, he took on Boston behemoth Zdeno Chara, trying to spark the lifeless Islanders at the start the second period of an eventual 5-0 loss at the Coliseum.

Barry Trotz's sense of calm gives Islanders a sense of confidence Martin and the 6-9, 250-pound Chara both landed blows. Not surprisingly, the Bruins captain won the bout, eventually knocking Martin to the ice, then helping him back up and giving him a pat on the back. By Andrew Gross Martin’s biggest challenge was trying to get close enough to hit Chara @AGrossNewsday while avoiding the big man’s blows. So, Martin was asked if there was a strategy in fighting Chara. Updated March 23, 2019 7:10 PM “It’s a really good question,” Martin said. “He’s a big, strong guy. He’s

been in a few of them himself. You’re definitely trying to get his right arm These are tense times for the Islanders, for sure, with two weeks left in and that’s not the easiest thing in the world when you’re swinging and the regular season and their inconsistent performances too often skewing coming up pretty short. It’s not a good feeling. I’ve got a lot of respect for to the poorer side. him. He’s a tough customer and he’s a hell of a player. It’s not an easy strategy going in there, for sure.” But coach Barry Trotz won’t be seen fretting behind the bench, other than some hard-to-see nervous foot movement. Projecting an air of calmness Using his words is one of the building blocks he’s constructed in a successful 20-season Left wing Anthony Beauvillier drew a large media crowd around his pre- career in the NHL. game locker stall at Bell Centre on Thursday as the hometown kid “Yeah, 100 percent,” left wing Matt Martin said. “His calmness on the coming back to Montreal. The 21-year-old grew up about 50 miles away bench is contagious. At the end of the day, he’s the leader behind the in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec. bench. If he’s yelling and screaming at the referees or if the other team First, Beauvillier answered questions in English. But then the French- turns momentum on us and he gets screaming and yelling, then speaking media surrounded him. That afforded Beauvillier the chance to everybody gets flustered. But he’s always calm back there. He’s always converse in his first language, something he rarely gets to do living on composed. Long Island. “It’s kind of helped us as a group from a maturity level in a lot of ways,” “It’s fun,” Beauvillier said. “I don’t get to use it much. I’ve kind of lost it a Martin added. “We handle situations a lot better than maybe we would little bit, already.” have in the past. I think it’s helped us win some games maybe we didn’t deserve to win. Instead of letting things unravel, we’re sticking with it and waiting for our opportunities.” Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 03.24.2019 Trotz has acknowledged a maturing process as an NHL coach — that would be only natural — since he took over the expansion Predators in 1998 at age 36.

Now, he’s 56, one of four coaches to have reached 800 wins, and he led the Capitals to the Stanley Cup last season.

“I still get panicked at times, all coaches do,” Trotz said. “You’ll see the old duck feet moving pretty fast under the bench. But I think (staying calm) helps. Last year was an exceptional experience. Last year was as calm as you can see. I had the most fun last year and the team had the best year ever.”

Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock said Trotz has a knack for knowing when something needs to be said to the players during a game, but added that sense of calm, “stabilizes our bench and it keeps our bench in the right spot.”

It’s an extension of Trotz’s been-there, done-that, seen-pretty-much- everything off-ice personality.

Not every coach is as successful at projecting that sense of calm.

Martin, 29, was re-acquired by the Islanders after spending the last two seasons with the Maple Leafs.

“I’ve been here in the past where we’ve had a pretty yappy bench, especially us as players,” said Martin, who has also played for Scott Gordon and Jack Capuano with the Islanders. “Referees didn’t like us too much. When things weren’t going well, we’d start bickering and bickering at each other, which is kind of your initial reaction when things aren’t going well, right?

“But Barry kind of tells us to shut the heck up,” Martin added. “He tells us we’re fine, stay calm. It just shows how much experience he has. He puts things in perspective for us and allows us to be more mature as a group and handle situations better to where we’re not letting the emotions ever get the best of us. We’re just trying to stick to the task.”

Fighting strategy

Martin is not a pure enforcer — that role barely exists in the NHL anymore — but he does have a well-deserved reputation as one of the league’s toughest fighters. Entering Saturday, the 6-3, 220-pound left wing had fought 70 times for the Islanders and 19 times for the Maple Leafs in his nine seasons, per hockeyfights.com. 1137310 New York Islanders

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 03.24.2019

Josh Bailey breaks scoring drought and Islanders beat Flyers

By Laura Albanese [email protected] @AlbaneseLaura

Updated March 24, 2019 2:16 AM

PHILADELPHIA — Maybe it was the ridiculously cosmic bounce that led to the Flyers’ first goal. Maybe it was coming up against Jakub Voracek, who leveled Johnny Boychuk earlier this month. Or maybe it was the frustration of watching two five-on-threes evaporate into nothing.

Whatever it was, the Islanders found something that had been missing for the last few days on Saturday afternoon. Barry Trotz called it resilience. The Islanders’ savior, Josh Bailey, called it confidence.

Whatever it was, it added up to a 4-2 win over the Flyers at Wells Fargo Center and a hope in the Islanders’ dressing room that they’ll be able to right the ship as the regular season draws to a close.

Bailey, who hadn’t scored in the previous 12 games, broke the drought with 3:57 left in the third period, gathering a pass from Brock Nelson and sniping a shot over Carter Hart to break a tie at 2. A little over a minute later, he added the garnish — a one-timer on an assist from Leo Komarov that sealed it for the Isles, who moved within a point of Metropolitan Division-leading Washington.

“It was one of those guys where there was a little bit of some strange things happening, you have a little bit of adversity,” Trotz said. “You’re doubting yourself a little bit. You’ve lost two games and the first [goal], the way it went in, you say, ‘What else is going to happen?’ But our response was resilient. We stayed with it.”

Bailey’s contributions could prove to be some of the biggest goals of the year for the Islanders, who were showing the early warning signs of a late-season tailspin. They had been shut out in back-to-back games for the first time since 2011 and were losing sight of the defensive identity that has served them so well this season.

It looked as if it could be more of the same early on, as they let go of a prime opportunity. The Flyers’ Radko Gudas got sent to the box for hooking and, a little over a minute later, Robert Hagg got a double- minor for a high stick (replays showed it actually was Nelson’s stick).

The Islanders, though, got called for too many men on the ice, extinguishing the five-on-three, and the power play ended without any further damage.

At 6:39, Hagg earned his vengeance, as a wide shot off the end board ricocheted off Casey Cizikas’ stick and squeaked by Robin Lehner’s glove to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead. At 14:27, however, Nelson batted in a puck that had bounced off Gudas’ stick in front of the net, tying it.

“Sometimes just results breed confidence,” Bailey said. “Sometimes you’re doing the right things and the other team gets a bounce and things can tend to snowball for you. Tonight we seemed to get one back with Brock and we really found our game after that.”

The Islanders put the pressure on in the second period and finally were rewarded at 10:58 when Nick Leddy’s one-timer from the top of the slot — off a feed from Mathew Barzal — put the them up 2-1, their first lead since last Sunday, three games earlier.

The Islanders had another prime opportunity when an interference call on Ryan Hartman and an unsportsmanlike- conduct call on Voracek earned them another five-on-three at 2:16 of the third. The Isles, though, lost the puck twice and managed only two shots on goal.

The passive effort cost them after Scott Mayfield was sent to the box for hooking at 6:12 of the third. Four seconds later, Shayne Gostisbehere’s slapper to the stick side beat Lehner, tying it at 2.

“They seemed to rally from [the five-on-three] a little bit, scored a power- play goal of their own, and I thought we just got back to work after that,” Bailey said. “All in all, it was a good win for us. We really needed it. Sometimes it’s just a break here and there. That can open things up for you. Sometimes that’s all it takes.” 1137311 New York Rangers

Brendan Lemieux mixes it up and impresses in Rangers test

By Larry Brooks

March 24, 2019 | 1:46am

TORONTO — This is what Brendan Lemieux, still not in optimum game shape after limited use by the Jets, has been building toward, a night like this in which he could go a career-high 15:29 and be a factor.

“It was a test,” the winger said following the Rangers’ 2-1 OT victory over the Maple Leafs on Saturday. “I think I passed it.”

Lemieux, sent to New York from Winnipeg as part of the deal for Kevin Hayes, and the only roster player the Blueshirts acquired in trading Hayes, Mats Zuccarello and Adam McQuaid, had played 44 games for the Jets, but only 10 minutes or more in five. A fourth-liner on a stacked team (even before Hayes joined the squad), the winger got under eight minutes 31 times and under seven minutes, 19 times.

So it was probably pushing it a tad when David Quinn awarded Claude’s son 15:24 in his Broadway debut against Tampa Bay on Feb. 27. Indeed, Lemieux did not climb back over the 13-minute mark until Tuesday’s 3-2 Garden defeat to the Red Wings in which he played 14:21 on the fourth line with Brendan Smith and Lias Andersson.

“I knew going so long without playing that it would take time,” said Lemieux, who replaced the ailing Chris Kreider on the top line with Mika Zibanejad and Pavel Buchnevich. “It’s not a surprise. I’m not discouraged or disappointed. That’s just the way it is.”

Lemieux was engaged all night and helped create the pileup in front of Frederik Andersen’s net off which Buchnevich scored on a rebound. He played the net-front on the first-unit power play after having gotten a total of 10 seconds on the man-advantage unit over the previous five games.

“He’s definitely improved [his conditioning],” said Quinn. “He’s a hard- nosed player. I liked him in that spot in this one, but we’ll have to see what Kreids looks like when we get back. But I liked him.”

Frederik Claesson and Connor Brickley were the healthy scratches, while Kreider (lower body) and Jesper Fast (upper body and likely done for the season) remained home tending to their ailments.

Quinn shuffled his line combinations. In addition to moving Lemieux into Kreider’s spot, Lias Andersson skated between Jimmy Vesey and Ryan Strome, while Brett Howden centered Boo Nieves and Brendan Smith.

The Blueshirts have scored two goals or fewer in 10 of their last 11 matches. They are in a pre-lottery sixth spot for the draft, seemingly destined to battle with Anaheim for five/six. … A too-many-men penalty in the first period represented their 11th such infraction of the season.

New York Post LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137312 New York Rangers But the Rangers were not scared and neither was David Quinn to put Howden out for a defensive-zone draw with 3.8 seconds remaining in regulation and put Nieves on in the three-on-three.

Rangers snap long skid thanks to grit and Alexandar Georgiev Moments later, the Blueshirts had won their first three-on-three since Oct. 11 after nine consecutive defeats and it was time for the parade.

By Larry Brooks

March 23, 2019 | 11:15PM New York Post LOADED: 03.24.2019

TORONTO — It had been two weeks since the Rangers had won a game. Heck, it had been two weeks since the Rangers had even held a lead.

And so when Ryan Strome put home Boo Nieves’ centering pass after a two-on-one had failed to lift the Blueshirts to a 2-1 victory over the Maple Leafs at 1:48 of overtime, you’ll pardon Alexandar Georgiev for feeling a little bit giddy after the club’s second victory in the past 12 games (2-6-4).

“It’s a great feeling,” said the netminder, who is 5-3-3/2.69/.923 over his 11 starts since Feb. 6. “Almost like we win the Stanley Cup.”

Georgiev was outstanding in turning in a 44-save performance that backed up his 55-save effort against these same Leafs in a 4-1 victory at the Garden on Feb. 10. He was spry and aggressive — his poke-check on Auston Matthews driving to the net from the left side just over a minute into OT was a game-saver — and gobbled up a bushel of loose pucks around the net.

But even as the Blueshirts received superior goaltending, their grit and compete were the hallmarks of this one in which a young lineup went pretty much toe-to-toe with their far more loaded opposition despite the 45-28 disparity in shots and a 104-58 overall disparity in attempts that was 82-45 five-on-five.

Honestly, it never seemed as if Georgiev was under siege and it never seemed that the Baby Blueshirts, who went with three rookie centers in Filip Chytil, Lias Andersson and Brett Howden behind Mika Zibanejad were cowed by Toronto’s imposing one-two-three depth down the middle represented by Matthews, John Tavares and Nazem Kadri.

How about 33 blocked shots by the Blueshirts, a team-leading seven by John Gilmour?

“We addressed it at our meeting this morning that we might not have the same skill that they have, but we could control how hard we worked,” said Brady Skjei, whose left corner shot and subsequent drive to the net created the chaos off which Pavel Buchnevich scored on the rebound for a 1-0 lead at 0:19 of the third period. “I thought we battled all night against a team with elite skill.”

Buchnevich’s goal that represented the winger’s sixth in 10 games and 18th of the season gave the Rangers their first lead in 340:54, since the conclusion of their 4-2 victory over the Devils on March 9. For this team that has scored 18 goals in the previous 10 games, that represented breathing room.

And the lead might have held up to the end, too, if not for an unseen hand pass from Mitchell Marner to Tavares that preceded No. 91’s brilliant no-look backhand feed to Zach Hyman, who then buried the puck from the left slot to tie the match at 8:33. The puck had popped high into the air after Georgiev had made a save on Morgan Rielly, Marner batted at it, and it landed at Tavares’ feed.

It was difficult to see, but there should have been a whistle and it should have been ruled no goal.

“It was a tough one for the refs to see,” said Brendan Lemieux, who played in Chris Kreider’s place on the left of Zibanejad and Buchnevich. “I was backchecking and I didn’t even realize it until I saw it on the video afterward.

“But to me, the way we worked in this one was the big thing. We’re a young team and they’ve got a lot of guys over there who make a lot of money, but we kept working all night.”

Kevin Shattenkirk, called a “beast” by partner Skjei, played his most physical game in two years as a Ranger, and one of his very best. The Blueshirts remained calm and poised against a Maple Leafs team whose motor has idled for the last two-plus months, 18-16-2 since Dec. 29, but who can still scare you with its skill. 1137313 New York Rangers Nets: N/A. And finally, we hit a snag. You can argue that at least the 25 best players in Nets history all played elsewhere, too — Kerry Kittles, who played one year with the Clippers, is the closest, but he did play that The all-time best players who were ‘lifers’ with their NY teams one year with the Clippers. So, really, the choice is yours to figure out, because far as I can tell, the late, lamented Yinka Dare (110 games, all with the Nets) might actually be the pick here.

By Mike Vaccaro Rod Gilbert

March 23, 2019 | 10:13PM Rangers: Rod Gilbert. Gilbert played every minute of his career with the Rangers, and he did so elegantly — though he never did win a Stanley

Cup. If that’s your standard, then it’s just as easy to go with Mike Richter, Now that Mike Trout is signing for what will surely be the balance of his a Ranger for all 14 of his seasons, all 666 of his regular-season games career to play for the Angels, he has a distinct opportunity to join what and all 76 playoff games. has become a shrinking club: the great player who plays every moment Devils: Patrik Elias. You forgot that Marty Brodeur finished up in St. of his career for one team. Louis, didn’t you? This is something that fascinates us as sports fans and it’s intriguing why: Islanders: Mike Bossy. Maybe John Tavares would’ve had a shot. Oh, after all, there is an equal if not a better thrill when your favored team well. makes an acquisition (Mark Messier, Gary Carter, Dave DeBusschere) that puts it over the top, and those players are just as revered as anyone Vac Whacks else. As you already read in the excerpt that ran in The Post last week, “Inside But when you run the table in one uniform, there’s something that adds the Empire” by Bob Klapisch and Paul Solotaroff is the first must-read of an extra level of endearment to your legacy (and given the exodus of the baseball season. Some excellent behind-the-scenes reporting from guys we thought might be lifers around here, Kristaps Porzingis and cover to cover. Odell Beckham Jr., this seems especially relevant now). Who are our nine iron soldiers? As with most of the fun subjects we discuss here, Phil Martelli was a terrific coach at St. Joseph’s, but he has also been that’s a subjective answer. Here are mine. Do you disagree? Let me one of the sport’s sage voices and ambassadors. know! And I’ll never forget how he publicly stood up for St. Bonaventure when Yankees: Lou Gehrig. As with just about every other category you can the Bonnies got snubbed by the NCAA Selection Committee in 2016. think of, the Yankees overwhelm with achievement and thus overwhelm College basketball certainly could use an ombudsman. with nominees, although for once you can eliminate the consensus all- If he’s done coaching, they should create that job for him. time Yankee, since Babe Ruth sandwiched his time with the Yankees between stints with the Boston Americans and the Boston Nationals. If you want to see just how fun the business of calling basketball on TV can be, go find the last few minutes of that Nets-Kings game the other And the candidate pool is absurdly deep for this one: Joe DiMaggio, night and listen to Ryan Ruocco and Sarah Kustok. Just fantastic. Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford, Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter, Thurman Munson, Don Mattingly. You can probably make an equal case for Whack Back at Vac Gehrig, Mantle or DiMaggio, and I hope some of you share those cases. But it’s the Iron Horse for me. Some of his yearly stat lines you have to Scott Wolinetz: The beauty of sports is Ichiro Suzuki’s standing ovation in stare at twice to even believe them. Japan for his final game.

David Wright Vac: One of the great thrills of my life as a sports fan is that I got to see Ichiro hit a baseball. He was a privilege to watch. Mets: David Wright. And, as with almost every historical comparison between the Yankees and the Mets, we are talking about one extreme Stuart Marvin: Sad but true, St. John’s didn’t belong. The trouble with too and the other. Before Wright took his leave of the sport late last year, the much data dependency is it doesn’t recognize emotion and heart. I’d love holder of this spot would have been Ed Kranepool — a fine player, an to see a stat of another team in prior years getting an at-large bid with a Original Met, one of the most popular players in team history … but not stretch run record remotely close to SJU’s. This was likely exactly Gehrig. unprecedented.

As colleague Joel Sherman pointed out, the real shocking thing is that, Vac: We were told the teams wouldn’t be judged as closely by how they for now, the only pitching candidate for this honor has to be Jacob finished the season as they were in past years. St. John’s inclusion deGrom (with all of four full seasons on the books) because the only proves that was true. other one is … Bob Apodaca. Vac: As George King might say: American Idle 2.0.

Giants: Lawrence Taylor. When someone reinvents a position as LT did, he has to get the nod over a two-time championship quarterback like Eli Manning, even though Manning would surely get the citizenship medal. New York Post LOADED: 03.24.2019 Also receiving votes: Frank Gifford, Phi Simms, Tiki Barber, Michael Strahan.

Wesley Walker

Jets: Wesley Walker. It tells you how fickle this subject is that the three names that ought to be no-brainers for this list — Joe Namath, Joe Klecko, Gerry Philbin — aren’t even eligible thanks to one-season cameos elsewhere late in their careers (Namath in Los Angeles, Klecko in Indianapolis, Philbin in Philadelphia).

But Walker is certainly a worthy placeholder, probably the most electric player to wear a Jets uniform, the only one he ever wore from 1977-89. Others receiving votes: Freeman McNeil, Mark Gastineau, Larry Grantham, Nick Mangold.

Knicks: Willis Reed. All 728 of The Captain’s regular-season and postseason games were played in a Knicks uniform, he was the heart and soul of two champions, won two Finals MVPs. If not for Patrick Ewing’s late-career wanderings, this would’ve been a fun debate; instead, Reed wins in a comfortable and almost unopposed race against Bill Bradley. 1137314 New York Rangers

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 03.24.2019

Ryan Strome scores in overtime as Rangers beat Maple Leafs to snap five-game skid

By Colin Stephenson [email protected] @ColinASteph

Updated March 24, 2019 2:27 AM

TORONTO — It had been so long since there were smiles in the Rangers’ locker room after a game that they were a strange sight Saturday night. Alexandar Georgiev had the biggest one after the Rangers’ stunning 2-1 overtime victory over the high-flying Maple Leafs.

“Great feeling,’’ Georgiev said with a grin after making 44 saves. “It’s kind of like winning Stanley Cup, maybe. It’s always like that when it’s a tough streak and you finally win.’’

Ryan Strome scored the winner 1:48 into overtime to end the Rangers’ losing streak at five games and end their losing streak in overtime at nine games.

And while the win doesn’t do anything for the Rangers in a practical way — except maybe hurt their odds in the NHL draft lottery — it certainly seemed to be something the team could enjoy.

“I’m just really proud of our guys,’’ coach David Quinn said. “It’s been a tough stretch, as we’ve all talked about. And to come up here, in this building, and get two points — against this team, who’s in the middle of a playoff battle for positioning and seeding and home ice — says an awful lot about our character.

“One of the things we talked about this morning is, listen, they have more talent than us,’’ Quinn said. “We know that. But we can’t control that. There are certain things we can control, and we touched on those things, and I thought we did a good job managing the things that we could control.’’

The winning goal came when Boo Nieves and Strome broke in two-on- one on Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen. Nieves’ shot was stopped, but he ended up with the rebound and got it to Strome, who did not miss.

With the Rangers having lost 12 of the last 14 overall (2-7-5, with both wins coming against the Devils), Quinn desperately tried to figure out a way to win one against a Toronto team 24 points ahead of them in the standings.

Before the game, he said there was a way the Rangers needed to play if they were going to beat the Maple Leafs. And what he wanted, which was apparent early on, was for his team to be physical and to shoot the puck often.

The Rangers were credited with 14 hits to the Leafs’ seven in the first period, and in the final boxscore, the hits were 28-16. But the shooting thing, that didn’t come as naturally. Although they had periods in which they fired shots, as instructed to, there still were times when they passed up shots they could have taken.

In one sequence late in the second period, Pavel Buchnevich passed to Mika Zibanejad instead of shooting on a two-on-one, and Zibanejad, at a bad angle, tried to pass it back. The Rangers did not get a shot on the play.

Buchnevich finally broke the ice with an ugly goal — his 18th overall — 19 seconds into the third period. He put in the rebound of a shot by Brady Skjei after Skjei and Brendan Lemieux drove the net and fell in front of the crease, creating a pile of bodies in front of Andersen. After he scored, he punched the air in celebration.

Toronto tied it on Zach Hyman’s goal off a scramble. John Tavares corralled a rebound in the slot and dropped a pass for Hyman, who swept the puck into the net at 8:33 for his 19th goal.

Georgiev, who made a team-record 55 saves to beat the Leafs, 4-1, the last time he faced them on Feb. 10 in the Garden, stood tall for the Rangers after that, stopping 19 of 20 shots in the third period to get the game to overtime. 1137315 New York Rangers

Mika Zibanejad is only Ranger to have played in every game this season

By Colin Stephenson [email protected] @ColinASteph

Updated March 23, 2019 10:50 PM

TORONTO – Mika Zibanejad became the last man standing. He is now the only Ranger to have played every game this season for the Rangers after Chris Kreider did not make the trip to Toronto because of a lower- body injury.

Zibanejad is the Rangers’ leading scorer. He entered Saturday’s game against the Maple Leafs with a career-highs in goals (28), assists (39) and points (67). With his normal left winger, Kreider, not playing, coach David Quinn decided to try newcomer Brendan Lemieux, acquired at the trade deadline from Winnipeg as part of the return for Kevin Hayes, on the first line, next to Zibanejad and right wing Pavel Buchnevich.

“The guy’s got 12 [career] goals in limited opportunities, so I thought it would be a good opportunity for him to get up there and see how he can work with Mika and with [Buchnevich],’’ Quinn said.

In his first 11 games with the Rangers, Lemieux, playing mostly as a third-liner, had two goals and three assists, and averaged 11:47 in ice time. The increase in ice time was something Quinn had said Lemieux wasn’t prepared for, having averaged less than eight minutes per game playing on the fourth line with Winnipeg. But playing on the first line meant a significant step up in ice time for the 23-year-old. He played 15:29 Saturday night.

Blue notes

D Freddie Claesson and F Connor Brickley were healthy scratches, and RW Jesper Fast (upper body) was held out again. Fast, who has been managing his injury for months, may be done for the season . . . After having three days in between games, the Rangers now finish the season with eight games in the next 14 days, with three in the next seven days, and five in the seven after that, including two sets of back-to-backs. They close the season on a back-to-back (home against Columbus April 5 and in Pittsburgh on April 6).

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137316 New York Rangers Smith isn’t thinking about being a forward/defenseman in the future, but he is thinking about the future. He said he enjoys working with and teaching the Rangers’ young defensemen — his on-and-off partner, Rangers defenseman Brendan Smith enjoying a comeback season Brady Skjei, 24, as well as Tony DeAngelo, 23, Neal Pionk, 23, and the recently called-up John Gilmour, 25. At the same time, he’s working constantly on getting better himself, to try and put himself in a position to solidify a spot in the lineup every night. With the Rangers loading up on By Colin Stephenson young defensemen, that will be a challenge for Smith going into next @ColinASteph season.

Updated March 23, 2019 5:59 PM “You just look after your own self by trying to be the best player,’’ he said, “and by the end of the day, hopefully . . . the better player should play, no matter if it’s a young guy or an old guy. When I came into the league, it was, you had to be better than the older guy, because if you were equal, TORONTO — A year ago, Brendan Smith’s season was over already, you weren’t playing. ended by a broken hand suffered punching a teammate in a fight in practice at Hartford (AHL). These days, he is shuttling back and forth “The game’s kind of changed, obviously. We’re trying to mold the young between forward and defense for the Rangers, but whatever position he guys quicker,’’ he continued. “I just try to play the best hockey I can, and is in, he is playing well enough that coach David Quinn feels the need to in that aspect, you can force the coaching staff or the general manager have him in the lineup. never to take you out, because you’re the right person for that position. So that’s what I’ll continue to do for myself. I like the whole aspect where Entering Saturday night’s game against Toronto, Smith had played in 24 you’ve got a lot of players and you’re trying to push for a spot. It just of the previous 25 games, including 13 in a row. And he scored his third makes everybody better. But in the other aspect, I want to help these goal of the season (in 55 games) and first as a forward in the Rangers’ young guys come along, because they’re the future of the club, and if I last game, Tuesday against Detroit. In that game, Quinn said he believed can give them tidbits and get better, then the organization’s going to be Smith had “led our team in ‘Grade A’ scoring chances.’’ Further, Quinn better.’’ said, “over the last 10-game segment, he’s second on our team in scoring chances for ‘Grade A,’ so, I mean, I think lately he’s played good hockey for us, whether it’s been at forward or on defense.’’ Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 03.24.2019 To be fair, having a fourth-line winger generate the second-most “Grade A’’ scoring chances over a 10-game span probably says more about how weak the rest of the offense has been, as opposed to how good Smith has been. And Quinn acknowledged as much. But still, just being in the lineup night in and night out is a huge improvement for Smith over last season, when he played so poorly for the Rangers that he was waived — in the first year of a four-year, $17.4 million contract signed in the summer of 2017 — and then sent down to Hartford.

This season has been quite the comeback season for him, though he said all hasn’t gone exactly according to plan.

“I think I would rather be in a playoff spot,’’ Smith said when asked if his bounce-back season was going well. “But if you’re just talking individually, I think it’s going pretty decent. Obviously, I’m playing a little bit of forward, but I’ve been doing alright there, and then when I’m playing defense, I’m playing pretty well, so I’m happy in that aspect.

“I’m in a better state, better position than I was last year. So, in that sense, it’s been good.’’

Smith, who turned 30 on Feb. 8, said a year ago he had lost all confidence in himself. It was widely reported that after a great playoff spring in 2017, following his trade deadline acquisition from Detroit, he had signed the big contract, gotten married, and arrived at camp out of shape. He admitted being in better shape at the start of camp last fall, but said there were other things that played into his revival, including the hiring of Quinn as coach to replace the fired Alain Vigneault.

Quinn had a long history with Smith, having recruited him to play hockey for Boston University while he was an assistant coach there, and the coach not only gave him the benefit of the doubt, but Smith said the defensive systems were different as well, as well as the opportunity to play in different situations he hadn’t gotten a chance to the year before. Everything combined — along with the support of his wife and family, Smith said — made the difference for Smith from last season to this.

One of the situations Smith finds himself in is that role where he plays that hybrid forward-defenseman role. Often he starts out as a fourth-line left wing, but plays defense in penalty-killing situations. And, of course, he’s available to play defense full time in the event of an injury or major or misconduct penalty to one of the other defensemen in the lineup.

Quinn thinks the hybrid position could be a new role for Smith to play. The 6-2, 195-pound Smith had been a forward as a teenager and was a forward when Quinn was recruiting him, before he switched to defense.

“I think it might be his next phase in his career,’’ Quinn said. “I think that having the ability to do both is of great value, in this day and age. To be able to have someone like him that you can play regularly up front, and also play regularly on ‘D,’ there aren’t many guys at our level that can do that. I think it’s too early to tell, but it’s something that I certainly think about for him, moving forward.’’ 1137317 New York Rangers Now they’re in a three-way tie for fifth with tanking Buffalo and with Anaheim at 71 points, though the Rangers hold the tiebreaker (fewest regulation/OT wins).

There’s something about Alexandar Georgiev and his matchups against Eight games remain: Pittsburgh, at Boston, St. Louis, at Philadelphia, at the Maple Leafs New Jersey, Ottawa, Columbus and at Pittsburgh.

3) Quinn wanted more purpose, and he got that. Yes, Georgiev bailed By Rick Carpiniello out the Rangers a lot, but the Rangers, given their skeleton lineup (now also minus Chris Kreider and Jesper Fast), played a hard (28 hits), fast Mar 23, 2019 game. Their effort hasn’t been in question very often this season. It sure wasn’t in Toronto. And the Leafs were anything but awful. Auston

Matthews alone had 16 shot attempts, a bunch of them dangerous On the night the Rangers played one of their best games of the season, chances. certainly one of their best since the trade deadline sell-off, the inevitable 4) Brendan Lemieux got an experimental shot with Mika Zibanejad and also happened. Pavel Buchnevich, and that line was effective. Buchnevich scored the Montreal defeated Buffalo to mathematically eliminate from the playoffs only Rangers goal in regulation (his fifth in the past eight games). two New York teams, the Rangers and the Sabres, with one swat. Buchnevich and Zibanejad’s combined line: nine shots on goal, 15 shot attempts, seven hits, six takeaways, three giveaways, two blocked shots. But for one night, the Rangers could also finally find a reason to feel happy, to feel pride, as they beat the struggling, but dangerous, Maple 5) Zibanejad’s offense isn’t where it was, understandably, with Zuccarello Leafs in Toronto, 2-1 in overtime. What is it worth in the grand scheme of and Hayes gone, with Kreider out injured (and slumping before that). But, things? Probably not much. It certainly could hurt their draft position. if you can see past those stats, his game is still getting better each time out. I mean, you watch the smart area passes he makes, the way he Also, at this point, we shouldn’t still be learning about Alexandar uses his speed to get to pucks, to get pucks back, how he uses his body Georgiev, the 23-year-old goalie. I mean, he has a bit of a way to go to — he’s a big guy, bigger than you may realize — and is involved in all prove he’s a legit NHL goalie, only because you don’t prove that in a three zones. Guy is really turning into something special. Should I say, season, or a season and a half, of backup goaltending. But nobody Captain Zibanejad? should be surprised about what he’s done, and what he did in Toronto — and what he’s done to Toronto this season. ICYMI: The Rangers’ Kevin Shattenkirk opens up on two difficult seasons in New York. The kid is calm, technically sound and confident (yet humble) … and getting better. 6) I thought it was another strong game for Kevin Shattenkirk. He’s had a few lately. Quinn talks about how valuable Brendan Smith could be if he Georgiev, as you remember, made 55 saves last time against the Leafs can play this way as a forward — and he’s been darn good up front. And in a 4-1 win at the Garden on his 23rd birthday. He made only 44 saves I wonder if Shattenkirk couldn’t be even better as a sometimes-forward Saturday. So in the two games, that’s two goals on 101 shots (.980 save with his skills. Why not? Though he probably wouldn’t draw as many percentage). In three meetings, he has stopped 130-of-136 Toronto penalties as Smith. Nobody could. shots (.956). The Leaf Raker. 7) Buchnevich has only 11 goals at even strength, and part of that is Missing the playoffs? Well, that was expected all along. Especially once circumstantial and some of it is on him. I think he needs to go to the one- Mats Zuccarello and Kevin Hayes were shown the door, but even with timer a lot more often. But this is the best Buchnevich of his still-young them, this Rangers team wasn’t going to the Sweet 16. career.

So they sit home for a second year in a row. 8) He was into it early Saturday during a hectic start: Tony DeAngelo with turnover right in front, which turned into a point-blank chance. Lias Before last season’s rebuild kickoff, the Rangers had made the playoffs Andersson drew a power play, but Shattenkirk lost his stick and in seven consecutive seasons, and in 11 of 12, having missed only on a Zibanejad did a desperate belly snow angel to break up a 2-on-1, though Game 82 shootout loss in Philadelphia in 2010 (cough, cough, Olli it was about an inch at the end of his stick blade from being a 2-on-none. Jokinen). Georgiev had to stop a crazy bad hop on a 170-plus-foot shot. Then the I’m not even sure the Rangers knew they were eliminated in Toronto, or if Rangers nullified their power play by taking a too-many-men penalty. And they cared, because it was going to happen sooner or later. I’ve lost count how many that is this season. The Rangers survived that Leafs’ power play. Just a bit later, John Gilmour coughed one up and It reminds me of the time during the dark ages (1998-2004) when the Georgiev had to bail him out. Toronto had eight of the game’s first nine Rangers were eliminated in Chicago and Mike Richter didn’t know that as shots on goal. he spoke about still having a chance. Awkward. When he was told it was over, he said, “Well, that sucks.” 9) It was even more hectic at the end of the period, with Howden in the box — remember, Georgiev faced 23 shots just on the power play the Thoughts last time the two teams met. This time, Georgiev lost his stick making a save. Eventually, Neal Pionk gave Georgiev his stick, then both 1) Here’s a thought: When David Quinn put Boo Nieves on the ice in Zibanejad and Marc Staal tripped over Georgiev’s lost stick before Staal overtime, my thought was: What the hell is this? In the third period, delivered it back to the goalie. Saved by the buzzer. Only five of Nieves had a great chance to shoot from the slot and made a pass Georgiev’s 12 first-period saves came on the power play. So it was 0-0 instead that missed Brett Howden. Quinn spoke to Nieves on the bench after one. right away, telling him to shoot that puck. So in OT, after a couple of glorious stops by Georgiev, Nieves broke in with Ryan Strome. This time, 10) Andersson drew another penalty late in the second. Naturally, the he shot and Fredrik Andersen made a good save. Nieves stuck with it, Rangers did nothing with the power play. Including an icing. got the puck to Strome at the left side of the net, and though the puck hopped, Strome was able to dunk it in off of Andersen for the winner. 11) Last two minutes of the second, Zibanejad and Buchnevich had a two-on-none. The puck hopped over Zibanejad’s stick, then he tried to 2) Tank-O-Meter: By ending a five-game losing streak (0-4-1), the tap it to Buchnevich, who tried to tap it back to him, and they got nada Rangers probably blew their last chance at moving higher than fifth in the out of it. Not even a shot on goal. So it was scoreless after two. April 9 lottery. In the upside-down standings, they entered the game only four points behind the Devils, who beat Arizona in a shootout Saturday. 12) Just 19 seconds into the third, Brady Skjei went in deep, took a pass Problem there is that the Devils, now six points clear, have only six from Shattenkirk, then moved the puck across to Buchnevich. With Sjkei games left and now will have to win three more games than the Rangers and Lemieux creating a pileup in front, Buchnevich snuck a shot past these last two weeks. Those two wins against the Devils will probably Andersen. 1-0. come back to haunt the Rangers, who play in Newark a week from 13) Middle of the second, John Tavares — matched most of the night Monday. The Rangers were putting teams like Edmonton, Chicago and against the Rangers’ Zibanejad line — came out of a defensive corner Arizona in the rearview mirror during the losing streak. battle with the puck, and on the rush the Rangers got scrambly, Skjei ended up behind the icing line, and Buchnevich couldn’t catch up to Zach Hyman, who swatted home a bouncing pass from Tavares. 1-1.

14) Staal, obviously an Islanders fan (I kid), drilled Tavares with a crosscheck that left Tavares crumpled in the crease, and put Toronto on another power play. And the Rangers survived that one, too, with Georgiev robbing Nazem Kadri on a rebound of a Tavares shot off the post.

15) Just 1:40 left, Smith had a chance to shoot, passed it to Nieves in the slot, and Nieves, maybe 10 feet out, tried one more pass for Howden. Which, naturally, failed.

16) Daily Zucc-O-Meter: Zuccarello resumed skating with the Stars at their morning skate Saturday. Hopes to be back in the lineup soon.

17) Good Tony, Bad Tony: Overall, another Good Tony night. DeAngelo almost comically tried to drag the injured Tavares out of the paint after Staal flattened him.

18) Quinn Bin: Freddy Claesson and Connor Brickley. Nieves escaped the bin after three games because of Kreider’s injury. And, yes, I still have no idea what he was doing on the ice in OT. But it worked.

19) ICYMI: Rangers assistant GM Chris Drury was named GM for Team USA for the World Championships. Not sure if it’s been announced yet that Jeff Blashill will be the head coach. Guessing Drury will be recruiting Kreider, Skjei, Shattenkirk and maybe a few other Rangers whose seasons end April 6.

20) Still not nearly convinced that Toronto, with that defense and Andersen in goal, can make a serious run in the springtime.

21) What in holy hell is that on Derek Stepan’s face?

22) The last few weeks, it’s been a burden to pick three stars. Saturday, it was a job to pick only three. Easily could have thrown Zibanejad or Andersson or Skjei into the mix, among others.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.24.2019

1137318 Ottawa Senators

Senators looking to hire president of hockey operations to help GM Pierre Dorion

Bruce Garrioch

EDMONTON – The search is on to help the Ottawa Senators make the next step.

The Senators confirmed a Hockey Night in Canada report in a statement Saturday night that the club is looking to hire a president of hockey operations to help the organization in its rebuild.

The organization praised the work of general manager Pierre Dorion in the statement but feels it feels he needs more help with the size of the rebuild.

In the statement, the organization said it will have no issue finding the right person for the job because Dorion has put the right pieces in place.

“It should come as no surprise that – given the scale of our rebuild and the opportunity to be part of a turnaround fuelled by an enormous well of young talent, including elite prospects and draft picks (17 in the first three rounds of the next three seasons) – the Ottawa Senators have become an attractive destination for hockey executives,” the club said in a statement sent to this newspaper Saturday night after the Hockey Night report.

“General manager Pierre Dorion has done a masterful job of assembling these important assets and positioning the Senators for the future. It’s one of the main reasons why Eugene Melnyk continues to have full confidence in Pierre Dorion and his team.

“Going forward, the Senators intend to hire a President of Hockey Operations to support and provide guidance to the General Manager, and to fill the void left by the late Bryan Murray. The position is integral to the success of the hockey club, especially as we continue our rebuilding process, hiring a top-notch candidate to fill this role is critically important.”

It’s believed former Los Angeles Kings general manager Dean Lombardi, who helped lead the club to a Stanley Cup in 2013, would be a prime candidate for the job, but he’s still under contract to the organization and the club would have to get permission to speak with him.

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137319 Ottawa Senators by Koskinen from in front at 15:28. It was Ryan’s first goal since Feb. 18 against Chicago, ending a 16-game drought.

The Senators have had their share of struggles defensively all season GARRIOCH GAME REPORT: Sens win on Tkachuk’s second in OT; and it was never more evident than on the Oilers’ first goal at 8:12 to tie it Anderson’s drought over up. Taking a pass from Nurse, Chiasson skated in untouched and beat a helpless Anderson with a backhander.

Bruce Garrioch It was Tkachuk who opened the scoring for the Senators on the power play at 4:37. Behind the net retrieving a puck, his attempted pass took a fortunate bounce off Adam Larsson and got behind Koskinen.

EDMONTON — Craig Anderson and the Ottawa Senators won’t be While the Senators got Thomas Chabot (broken toe), Colin White (neck) coming home empty-handed. and Chris Tierney (sick) back from injuries and illness against the Oilers, centre Zack Smith was sidelined with a back injury. Closing out their three-game Western Canada road swing, the Senators left with smiles on their faces as Brady Tkachuk’s second of the game No, Smith hasn’t had a great season if you look at his numbers with eight was the overtime winner in a 4-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers at goals and 19 assists for 27 points in 65 games, but in the situation the Rogers Place, and perhaps this win meant the most to Anderson. Senators are in they need their veteran players. He brings that element to the table and he’s a tough competitor. He wore the widest smile as his personal 14-game losing streak came to an end with his first victory since Dec. 17 against the Nashville Predators. Smith has been dealing with this issue for a while and Crawford noted before the game that nobody should question this guy’s dedication. “It’s been a long time coming,” said Anderson, who made 26 stops in the club’s first victory on this three-city tour. “Personally, it’s been a tough “He’s been a great penalty killer for us, he tried to play centre in the last stretch with being close and not being able to get there. Finally, tonight game when we were missing all of the centremen,” Crawford said. “He’s we were able to finalize it and get the win. It’s just a great feeling to have. got a nagging back injury, and he’s played with it and he’s worked.

“If a player goes through a scoring drought that’s supposed to be “What you don’t see is the effort these guys put in to stay healthy every scoring, it weighs on the player for sure. The best thing you can do is not day and every team is like that. Veteran players learn how to take care of let anybody know or see it and just go out and give your best effort. I their bodies, they learn what they’ve got to do to maintain it. The thought there were numerous games over this stretch that we were close preparation for him to get ready for a game was (90 minutes) to two and just weren’t able to close it out. hours before the game.”

“Tonight was a different story for us, thank goodness. Hopefully, we can Crawford said Smith had a rigorous pre-game routine just to play. take that monkey and bury it somewhere.” “He’s working on his stretching, loosening himself up and he’s had Brian Gibbons and Bobby Ryan also scored for the Senators on chiropractic work and he’s had all kinds of things he’s gone the extra mile Edmonton goalie Mikko Koskinen. It was Connor McDavid, Colby Cave for to allow him to play,” Crawford said. “It would have been easy for a and Alex Chiasson who responded for the Oilers. guy like him to say, ‘I’m not going to do those things, I’m hurt.’

Tkachuk deposited home the first game-winner of his career with 2:51 left “That’s not who Zack is and that’s why we like him so much. He’s got in overtime. tremendous character and he really cares about helping other guys out. We’ve had to pull him out. He didn’t want to get pulled out of the lineup “It’s pretty cool. Three-on-three, especially against this team, with some tonight and I think that speaks volumes for his character. of the best players in the NHL, you’ve really got to be smart; they’re going to use their skill and you’ve got to be patient,” Tkachuk said. “It was “He’s the kind of guy we want in our group and he’s really leading by pretty exciting to be out there in three-on-three. We had a lot of fun with example.” it.” Centre Jean-Gabriel Pageau returned from his one game suspension. Only 56 seconds after the Senators had taken a 3-2 lead in the third, Cave tied it up 3-3 as the Oilers battled back from a one-goal deficit for Chabot returned from a broken toe that kept him out four games after he the third time. Gibbons broke the 2-2 tie briefly with 12:23 left in the third blocked a shot March 11 in Philadelphia. when he took a perfect pass from Magnus Paajarvi and tipped it by There was concern that Chabot may be gone for the season at the time, Koskinen. but he resumed skating Tuesday and was comfortable enough to suit up. Trying to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, this was a big one for This will give him the opportunity to have a positive finish to the year and, Edmonton. perhaps, suit up for Canada at the world championships next month.

“It was really satisfying,” said coach Marc Crawford. “You need success Chabot is a difference-maker and he’s had good chemistry with Dylan to keep the guys focused in on doing the right things. I thought we played DeMelo all season. He picked up an assist on Ryan’s goal in the first with a really good game and it was one of the most complete games we’ve a strong setup. played. We’re going to make mistakes and we made a few in coverage. “He’s one of the best defencemen in the league and one of the best “The other story is Andy; he’s had a tough, tough time and everybody young defencemen for sure,” said Crawford. “He helps our power play, knows how much it was weighing on him to get the victory. Now that he’s he helps us with the ability that he connects with at the zone and often got it, you saw the big smile on his face. Players are human. They know times it’s on his own. it’s about results in this business and he got one tonight.” “To have a guy that skates as well as he does, that moves the puck as The Senators and Oilers were tied 2-2 after 40 minutes. Ahead on the well as he does, that’s able to exit your zone. Exiting your zone is such shot clock 25-18, the Senators had to look at this as a good road game. an important facet of your hockey club. If you don’t spend a lot of time For the most part, they didn’t give up many opportunities, created some there then chances are you’re going to be a better club offensively. chances and kept the Oilers in check. “He does a great of that for us. His ability to see people and make a The good players find a way, and that’s exactly what McDavid did when passing play out, his ability to skate the puck out of the zone, close on he scored his 38th of the season at 2:54 of the second to tie it up 2-2. people quickly and eliminate chances and then use his speed to quicken Anderson had no chance as McDavid got him moving the wrong way, our play out of the defensive zone is really his best offensive aspect. then took a feed back from Draisaitl and fired it home. Chabot played 27:55 in his return and felt good.

The Senators had no complaints about their efforts in the first. They “I was a little rusty in the first period with the puck but that came (back) outshot the Oilers 12-7 and led 2-1 on the scoreboard. pretty quick and I’m pretty happy with the way it went,” Chabot said.

After getting high-sticked by Darnell Nurse, Ryan went to the bench THE LAST WORDS briefly, but scored on the ensuing power play when he tapped the puck With the return of Chabot from his injury, defenceman Erik Brannstrom was sent back to the club’s AHL affiliate in Belleville before the game. He was on an emergency recall and the club has six healthy blueliners. He played 18:47 in Ottawa’s 5-1 loss to the Flames Thursday and was minus-1, but that doesn’t mean a lot because Brannstrom was solid … Expect the Senators to try to sign goaltender Joey Daccord when his season is over at Arizona State University. He has had a standout year with his team and the seventh-round pick in 2015 is considered a top prospect. He has a 21-10-1 record this season at the school and is a semifinalist for the Mike Richter Award, which goes to the NCAA’s top goalie. General manager Pierre Dorion will likely go see Daccord play next weekend. He has a .930 save percentage and scouts that have seen Daccord say he’s got a shot to make the NHL down the road. He’s 22 years old and it always takes goalies longer to develop, so this is an intriguing player to watch down the road. TSN’s director of scouting Craig Button, a former NHL GM, said Saturday he believes Daccord is a “B” prospect, which is pretty high praise for a late pick. … Blueliner Ben Harpur suited up for his 100th game with the Senators on Saturday. He is the 109th skater and 43rd blueliner to play 100 games with Ottawa. Selected in the 2013 NHL draft, Harpur is only the third defenceman taken in third round that year to suit up for 100 games. Winnipeg’s Andrew Copp (285 games) and New Jersey’s Miles Wood (193) are the only others to have achieved that feat. Harpur even dropped the gloves with Chiasson in the first.

TOP FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED

1. A thing of beauty

Early in the game, Connor McDavid hadn’t done a lot, but he had a perfect give-and-go with Leon Draisaitl at 2:54 of the second period to tie it up 2-2. Craig Anderson was beaten on the glove side.

2. A familiar face for the Oilers

Former Ottawa winger Alex Chiasson scored his 21st when he split the defence and beat Anderson with a backhander at 8:12 of the first. Anderson told Chiasson after the goal: “I gave you one.”

3. Headed for 20 goals

If anybody had any worries about Brady Tkachuk’s abilities to put the puck in the net those have been erased. His two goal effort gives him 19 goals this season as a 19-year-old and that’s pretty impressive.

4. No surprise on the starter

The decision to stick with Anderson made sense. He went into this game with a 10-7-1 record against the Oilers and .915 save percentage. The Senators wanted to give Anderson a chance to win.

5. Oilers were finalists for Veronneau

The word here is Edmonton was the other team in the mix for UFA forward Max Veronneau at the end. The Oilers felt he would fit in with their team, but the pitch from GM Pierre Dorion to sign in Ottawa was too hard to turn down.

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137320 Philadelphia Flyers Other than picking up a point in his 16:23 of ice time, Boychuk didn’t produce any fireworks despite leaving the ice in New York pointing at Voracek and seeming to say, “I am going to get you."

Flyers lose to Islanders, see playoff hopes dwindle The Canadiens hosted the Buffalo Sabres later Saturday.

The Islanders, now one point behind with the Capitals for first place in the by EJ Smith Metropolitan Division, had lost their previous two games by a combined 9-0 margin.

The Flyers don’t have much time to dwell on their bleak playoff chances; The Flyers gave up two third-period goals, and watched their playoff they go to Washington Sunday for a 12:30 game. Gordon said the grind hopes take yet another major hit Saturday, as they lost to the Islanders, of a months-long battle to keep the team’s hopes alive may be taking its 4-2, at the Wells Fargo Center in a Saturday matinee. toll.

Islanders winger Josh Bailey beat Flyers goalie Carter Hart’s glove side “I’m sure it’s weighing on the players, knowing our time is winding down with 3 minutes, 57 seconds left in the game for the go-ahead goal. The here,” Gordon said. “We’re not in a position to, not only [have] a losing Flyers, who entered the day five points behind the Montreal Canadiens streak, but to lose more than a game.” for the final wild card spot, were outshot, 40-24.

“I think we were just slow to close on people,” Flyers interim coach Scott Gordon said. “It’s one thing to be stuck in your zone, it’s another thing Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 03.24.2019 [not] being in the right places when you’re stuck in your zone."

Bailey netted a second goal, a dagger off a pass from winger Leo Komarov, to give the Isles a two-goal advantage, with 2:24 left in the game.

A Shayne Gostisbehere power-play goal had given the Flyers temporary life earlier in the third period, about two minutes after Hart made a handful of big saves during a 5-on-3 penalty kill.

Gostisbehere beat Islanders goalie Robin Lehner with a slapshot seconds into a power play set up by a Scott Mayfield hooking penalty. Mayfield helped draw a controversial goalie interference call on Flyers winger Ryan Hartman that gave the Isles the two-man advantage after Jake Voracek picked up two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct (arguing with the officials), resulting in the Isles’ two-man advantage.

Thanks to two errant passes out of the zone and a big save from the 20- year-old goalie trying to keep the Flyers’ season alive, the penalty was killed and the Flyers tied it up shortly after. But the Flyers struggled to control the puck for much of the final two periods, which proved to be too much for Hart to handle.

“We got caught running around sometimes and they can make you pay,” Hart said. “When we play more time in our zone, they’re eventually going to get better looks.”

The first period started with a heavy dose of special teams -- all within the first three minutes: Radko Gudas got a hooking penalty in the first minute of the game; Robert Hagg picked up a double-minor penalty for high-sticking; and the Isles got caught with too many men on the ice. Hagg’s stick was mistaken for an Islanders’ when he was called for the four-minute minor, and the official admitted his mistake to the defenseman between periods.

“I was kind of [ticked] off, but there’s not much you can do,” Hagg said. “He was pretty good about it, he came up before the second period and kind of apologized. ... When a referee comes up and admits it, you can let it go."

Hagg atoned for the faulty penalty, though, striking first for the Flyers with 13:21 left in the first period. Hagg’s slap shot deflected off the back boards and then off Isles center Casey Cizikas’ stick before bouncing off the back of Lehner’s glove into the net.

But the Islanders got their own deflection goal as center Brock Nelson batted a puck midair off a skate to beat Hart and even things up with 5:33 left.

“I didn’t think we built any momentum after we scored a goal,” Gordon said.

The Flyers’ zone saw a lot of action in the second period, as they were outshot, 15-5. Defenseman Nick Leddy got a wrist shot past Hart’s stick with 9:58 left in the second period to give the Isles a 2-1 lead.

Leddy was assisted by Isles defenseman Johnny Boychuk, who hadn’t played since taking a hard hit from Voracek in the teams’ last meeting on March 9. He missed a total of six games, five as a healthy scratch before returning to the ice. 1137321 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers Notebook: Hart shakes shelling, looks to move on

By Rob Parent, [email protected]

PHILADELPHIA — It wasn't unlike a few of his most recent games in which he held down the competition. Carter Hart, ankle injury now a thing of the past, is on top of his game again.

Unlucky for him, unfortunately for the Flyers, his teammates ... aren't.

Hart was called upon to make 36 saves Saturday, and yet couldn't prevent the Flyers from incurring another coffin nail via a 4-2 loss to the New York Islanders at Wells Fargo Center.

Since his reeling team, with four losses in its last six "must-win" games, immediately left for D.C. for a second matinee in two days, this one against the champion Capitals Sunday, Hart could deflect the hurt of this loss.

"We have a back-to-back here so we just put it behind us," Hart said. "(We) come out tomorrow, come out hard right from the get-go and set a tone for the game."

Well, everything in Washington fails to ring true these days, so maybe that happens.

Or maybe the Flyers' recent stretch of tired performances doesn't exactly ring hopeful for a seven-straight win streak to end the season, beginning with this Capital assignment.

As for Hart, interim head coach Scott Gordon wouldn't say for sure who's playing in goal Sunday, though he did hint that Brian Elliott better get ready. Either way, there's nothing for Hart to look back at Saturday's game and regret. That should have been reserved for his teammates.

Never were the Flyers as bad recently as they were in the second period against the Isles. Or, as Jake Voracek put it about the middle period: "We were god-awful. Oh my god, I don't think we had a shot in the first 10 minutes."

Even Hart dropped his perpetually positive posture for just a few seconds when asked about the second.

"Shots were coming from everywhere," he said. "I was trying to do my job, compete and battle and I was trying to stop the puck."

Of course, that second period, in which the Flyers were outshot 15-5, was a byproduct of what the team has largely been lately...

Tired.

But then, the competitor in Carter Hart doesn't want to hear it.

"I think when you're competitive enough, energy isn't a factor," the wise rookie goalie intoned. "I think that you need to dig down. We all have more, we all have better, and I think – including myself – I think we all just need to dig down deeper."

NOTES >> The last time the Flyers played the Islanders, Jake Voracek turned his back to Johnny Boychuk and wound up with a two-game suspension due to a dangerous hit to Boychuk's head. You know, with a back muscle. Other than that ridiculous call by the NHL's Department of Player Safety, Boychuk threatened Voracek that he'd get him upon their next meeting. So Boychuk lined up as a starter for Saturday's game and ... didn't go near Voracek.

"I expected something was going to happen," Voracek said. "It didn't. I'm not going to say I'm unhappy about that." Added Boychuk: "You don’t want to go out of your way, but you've got to do what’s right for the team. Tonight was for the two points and that’s all that matters." ... Scott Gordon on the pressure on his team: "I’m sure it’s weighing on the players, knowing how time is winding down here, (with) seven games left. Obviously, we aren’t in a position, never mind a losing streak, but to lose more than a game."

Delaware County Times LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137322 Philadelphia Flyers "We have a game out there to play," Hagg added. "Of course you're frustrated, but at the same time you have to put energy into what we can do out there."

Voracek, Flyers aren't whistling a happy tune Despite his savvy after 11 years in the NHL, Voracek didn't heed that logical advice. Instead, he gave Kendrick and Company some grief with the Flyers down a goal 2:16 into the third, and Hartman headed off for By Rob Parent [email protected] @ReluctantSE on what at the very least was a questionable interference penalty. Twitter 9 hrs ago Voracek's vent only managed to get the Flyers one more ill-timed penalty.

PHILADELPHIA — The wild card odds were already stacked against And he wasn't apologizing later. them. The scoreboard was, too. As for the view of this maddening matinee from the Wells Fargo Center seats, you would have sworn the "When you have to kill off two 5-on-3s in a game, the first one with a high game officials were also dead set against the home team. stick from their own player, the second one off an interference on (Hartman) that hardly anyone saw, obviously it's frustrating," Voracek Everything except Carter Hart was going against the Flyers on this said. "On the other hand, I have to keep my cool a little bit. But at that Saturday, most glaringly themselves. But a few whistled calls that didn't moment in that time of season, a 2-1 game, already a (penalty kill), I go the home team's way just made the situation worse. think you have to have a little bit better feel for that situation, no matter what anybody says. So Jake Voracek, mad as hell and not taking it anymore, allowed the situation to deteriorate. Wide-eyebrowed in disbelief with a call that would "It surprised me, to be honest. Imagine in the beginning of a third period send teammate Ryan Hartman to the penalty box as the Flyers were you've got to kill off a 5 on 3 because I say something that wasn't even beginning the third period, Voracek wheeled and offered, um, an opinion. that bad." Off he went with Hartman to serve a two-minute unsportsmanlike sentence. For the Flyers, however, the only situation that matters has gone from bad to much, much worse. Seven games left, Montreal was playing For the Flyers, Voracek's momentary loss of cool almost worked in Saturday night for the chance to put the Flyers seven points out of a wild reverse. With precision they killed off the ensuing two-minute, two-man card position. And on the schedule was a quick trip to Washington to play New York Islanders power play. That gave them much-needed the defending Cup champion Capitals in a 12:30 Sunday start. momentum, enough to score a game-tying goal not long after. Consider the Flyers to be the main entree at a posh D.C. brunch. What it didn't do was reverse the fatal charted course the Flyers have been on of late, one that is seeing them stagger through a loss of energy. Have they gone from dire to done? Even a referee having a bad day can A few more fatigue-induced breakdowns in the third period was all it took see that they have. for it to end at 4-2 Islanders, and it will soon end as far as that wild card "We had to win, we knew that," Flyers captain Claude Giroux said quietly contest is concerned, too. to the carpet below. "When we tied it up there I thought we were in The situation we were in we had to push for a win and we didn't pull it control. That wasn't the case. off," Voracek said later. "(Hart) was amazing. He gave us a chance to win "We put ourselves in a bad situation. Usually we always respond, we and we didn't take it." come out hard and find a way. Find a way to win."

It wasn't the perceived pathetic officiating by the dynamic striped duo of Not this time, and Giroux wasn't blaming anyone else. Kendrick Nicholson and Eric Furlatt that caused that, it was a game-long chase of the puck that the Flyers lost badly to the Islanders that spelled "The refs are trying their best," Giroux said. "When there's a four-minute their doom on this day. (highsticking) and it wasn't your stick, it's definitely frustrating. This time of year, the position that we're in, we're not the only team that it happens They were beaten to pucks all game, and as a result allowed 40 shots, (to), but it's definitely very, very frustrating. many or most of quality, to be put on Hart. Being behind all game also played a role in the usually disciplined Flyers being sent to the box at key "We tried to keep our composure, but ... it's just frustrating." junctures. Twice they were two men short, and twice they killed off those situations. But doing so likely robbed them of any stored energy they could have used later. Delaware County Times LOADED: 03.24.2019 A team steaming toward a possible playoff position but knowing it was in a race against time finally hit the inevitable wall in recent days, and for real this time. The Flyers (36-31-8, 80 points) have lost four of their last six games and all-but officially retired from the playoff race.

"It sucks," defenseman Robert Hagg eloquently said. "That's the feeling right now. They played better than we did the whole game. So we're not deserving to win today. Right now I just have a terrible feeling."

It didn't help that Hagg was responsible for the first two-man Flyers disadvantage, although he really wasn't to blame. It appeared at first that Hagg's stick caught the face of New York's Anders Lee as they were cycling around the Flyers' net. Upon closer inspection, it was obvious that Lee had a bloodied lip because teammate Brock Nelson's stick had done the damage, with Hagg's stick staying on the ice the whole time.

Little matter ... it was a four-minute highsticking call on Hagg, coming with Radko Gudas already in the penalty box. The Flyers' penalty killers, sharp all day, would survive unscathed, but the team that already was showing heavy legs before they had to put in that heavy kill.

"It's the second time this year, so I was kind of pissed off," Hagg said. "But not much you can do. You just have to go to the box, sit there for four minutes and try to make the best out of it.

"He (Kendrick the ref) was pretty good about it. He came up before the second period and kind of apologized. So you're getting frustrated but when the referee comes up and admits it, you kind of let it go. But when they don't, you ... yeah, I'm not going to say anything. 1137323 Philadelphia Flyers Brock Nelson high sticks his own teammate, so naturally Robert Hagg got four minutes for high sticking.

It oddly worked in the favor of the Flyers, who fed off the crowd and were Islanders 4, Flyers 2: Emotional loss the latest of crushing defeats then rewarded by the hockey gods. Who else but Hagg put the Flyers on the board 6:39 into the first period with one of the wackiest goals you'll see this season. By Jordan Hall • There was no extracurricular activity between Voracek and Johnny March 23, 2019 3:40 PM Boychuk after blood boiled between the two teams in the Flyers' 5-2 win on March 9.

That, of course, was when Voracek was whistled for interference on This one had some extra sting for the Flyers. Boychuk, who pointed at the Flyers' winger like a madman as he left the Playing in total must-win mode over the final eight games of the season, ice with an injury. During the rest of the third period, the Islanders went the Flyers shifted all the momentum during the third period Saturday after Voracek, who received a highly debatable two-game suspension afternoon to only lose it late for another frustrating loss, this one a 4-2 from the NHL Department of Player Safety. decision to the Islanders. This was an important game for both teams. Thankfully, they focused on Ten minutes after the Flyers (36-31-8) scored a 2-2 equalizer and even hockey, not WrestleMania. had a chance to go ahead on another power play, the Islanders stemmed • The Flyers are right back at it Sunday as they visit the Capitals (12:30 the tide with two goals from Josh Bailey in the final four minutes. p.m./NBC). They are 0-3-0 against the defending champions this season, The Flyers, barely holding on to postseason hope, entered Saturday five allowing five goals in each of the three defeats. points behind the Canadiens for the Eastern Conference's second wild- card spot. The Blue Jackets, who are one point back of Montreal, do not play Saturday, while the Canadiens host the Sabres at 7 p.m. If Montreal Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.24.2019 wins, the Flyers will be seven points out with seven games to go — close to impossible.

Coming into Saturday, Hockey-Reference.com gave the Flyers a 3.0 percent chance to make the playoffs, while SportsClubStats.com had them at 1.6.

The Islanders (43-25-7), who had lost two straight by a combined score of 9-0, picked up a timely win as they continue to chase first place in the Metropolitan Division.

• The NBC Sports Philadelphia broadcast showed Sean Couturier taking a hefty hack at something in the tunnel late in the second period after he left the ice. He had all the right to be furious as he was boarded by Matt Martin but no whistle.

Martin crosschecked Couturier right through his jersey numbers.

Couturier did not come out for the start of the third period, but when he did return, he quickly drew a penalty and the Flyers scored four seconds into the power play off a Shayne Gostisbehere missile from the point, tying the game at 2-2.

At the time, the Flyers seized all momentum, especially after killing a 5- on-3 moments prior to the goal, as Ryan Hartman was hit with a questionable interference call and then Jakub Voracek was handed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

• Carter Hart was given little help from the Flyers during the first and second periods.

The goal he allowed in the first was pretty unlucky as the puck ricocheted off of Radko Gudas' skate and was batted in out of midair by Brock Nelson.

The second goal came in the second period when it felt like the Flyers were on the penalty kill with how long the Islanders sustained time in the offensive zone and fired away shot after shot. Eventually, Nick Leddy found the middle of the ice and blasted a one-timer past the 20-year-old goalie.

Hart entered 2-1-0 with a 1.32 goals-against average and .966 save percentage over his last three starts. In the two victories, he was forced to convert 40 or more saves.

He was busy again Saturday with 36 stops. He's been having to do a lot. However, Bailey's game-winner was a stoppable shot and Hart couldn't deliver late.

New York thoroughly dominated the Flyers in the middle stanza, which has been a season-long issue for the Flyers — period-by-period inconsistency. Looking like gangbusters one period and looking overmatched another period has happened far too often.

• The officials riled up the Wells Fargo Center early in the game, too, by giving Robert Hagg a double minor for high-sticking Anders Lee. The problem with the call: Hagg didn't do a thing as Lee was actually struck by his own teammate Nelson. 1137324 Philadelphia Flyers To be a 30-40 guy again is noteworthy. To record those numbers with a full plate of everything else is proof Couturier has become an elite Swiss Army knife in the league.

Is there an NHL forward that does more than Flyers' Sean Couturier? He's locked up with the Flyers through the 2021-22 season with a cap hit of just $4.3 million.

By Jordan Hall In late January, general manager Chuck Fletcher talked about untouchables. He mentioned Claude Giroux for obvious reasons, such as March 22, 2019 9:30 AM the captain's no-movement clause.

Alongside Giroux, Couturier should be right there because his fingerprints are everywhere. For the second straight season, Sean Couturier has put up 30-plus goals and 40-plus assists.

By the end of 2018-19, he should have new career highs across the Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.24.2019 board. Last season, Couturier eclipsed the 40-point mark for the first time by blowing past it with 31 goals and 45 assists, while finishing as the Selke Trophy (top defensive forward) runner-up.

Through 72 games this season, Couturier has 31 goals and 41 assists as eight contests remain, making him one of 20 players currently with 30 or more goals and 40 or more assists.

That's an eye-opening feat in itself. But how the 26-year-old is doing it compared to the rest is even more impressive.

First, let's list the 20 players:

• Nikita Kucherov (37 goals, 83 assists)

• Connor McDavid (37 goals, 70 assists)

• Patrick Kane (41 goals, 60 assists)

• Leon Draisaitl (43 goals, 51 assists)

• Sidney Crosby (33 goals, 60 assists)

• Johnny Gaudreau (35 goals, 57 assists)

• Nathan MacKinnon (37 goals, 54 assists)

• Brad Marchand (31 goals, 59 assists)

• Brayden Point (39 goals, 50 assists)

• Steven Stamkos (38 goals, 50 assists)

• Mikko Rantanen (31 goals, 56 assists)

• Aleksander Barkov (34 goals, 53 assists)

• John Tavares (41 goals, 40 assists)

• Mark Scheifele (35 goals, 45 assists)

• Sebastian Aho (30 goals, 49 assists)

• Sean Monahan (31 goals, 45 assists)

• Matthew Tkachuk (34 goals, 42 assists)

• Jonathan Toews (31 goals, 42 assists)

• Sean Couturier (31 goals, 41 assists)

• Patrice Bergeron (30 goals, 41 assists)

Among all NHL forwards, Couturier has played the 11th-most penalty-kill minutes at 167:48. Of the other 19 players with 30-plus goals and 40-plus assists, only one ranks in the top 50 for shorthanded ice time among forwards — Florida's Barkov at 21st with 151:50.

Meanwhile, 17 of those 19 players with 30-plus goals and 40-plus assists rank in the top 50 for power-play ice time among forwards. Tavares and Bergeron do not, while Couturier just cracks the top 50 at 44th with 223:17 man-advantage minutes.

On top of that, since the start of the 2017-18 season, only one forward has a better plus-minus mark than Couturier's plus-48 — Vegas' William Karlsson at plus-50.

Couturier has truly turned into one of the NHL's top do-it-all forwards. He consistently matches up against the opposition's best, does yeoman's work on the PK, takes (and wins) a ton of faceoffs and has played the fourth-most minutes per game among forwards since last season. 1137325 Philadelphia Flyers “I mean, it’s the second time this year so I was kind of pissed off but there’s not much you can do,” he said. “You have to go to the box, sit there for four minutes and try to make the best out of it.

Flyers 5 takeaways: 'We all have more. We all have better.' “(Referee Kendrick Nicholson) was pretty good about it. He came up before the second period and kind of apologized. I mean, you’re getting frustrated but when a referee admits it, you can let it go. When they don’t, Dave Isaac, NHL writer wow, yeah, I’m not gonna say anything.”

Published 5:21 p.m. ET March 23, 2019 | Updated 5:21 p.m. ET March The call wasn’t reversed but the hockey gods made it up to Hägg later in 23, 2019 the period.

He purposefully shot the puck wide of the Islanders net, hoping it would bounce to a Flyer off the back boards. Instead, Casey Cizikas swiped at PHILADELPHIA — Every loss in March has felt like somewhat of a it and it bounced off his goalie, Robin Lehner, and in. It was Hägg’s first funeral for the Flyers. And they haven’t even been officially buried yet. goal in 39 games. After having their way with the New York Islanders twice in a week out on “I don’t score that often so to see the puck go in the net is always a good Long Island, they lost 4-2 to the Isles Saturday to shrink their “tragic feeling especially after that penalty.” number” against the Montreal Canadiens, who hold the East’s last playoff spot. Their mathematical elimination seems like an impending doom now It wasn’t just the botched Hägg call. because they need so much help from other teams. Ryan Hartman was called for goalie interference when it was Scott “We’ve been going here since the middle of January playing at a pretty Mayfield who ran into Lehner and Matt Martin boarded Sean Couturier high level and obviously we’re giving up a lot of shots lately,” interim clear as day and nothing was called. coach Scott Gordon said. “I think there’s an element of fatigue that is there. Voracek was whistled for an unsportsmanlike penalty for arguing Hartman’s penalty, too. “I’m sure it’s weighing on the players, knowing how time is winding down here, seven games left. Obviously, we aren’t in a position, never mind a “Obviously it’s frustrating,” he said. “On the other hand, I’ve got to keep losing streak, but to lose more than a game. That’s where we’re at right my cool a little bit. I think at that moment and that type of season, a 2-1 now.” game, already a PK, I think you’ve got to have a little bit better feel for that situation no matter what’s been said. It surprised me, to be honest.” Because the Flyers have been essentially been playing survival hockey for more than a month, it looks like they’ve run out of energy every time The Flyers survived all of it and killed all 5:19 of Islanders power plays, they lose. 2:41 of which was a two-man advantage.

Maybe the young guys still have it, though. For the part that was a full two-minute 5-on-3, the Hartman and Voracek penalties early in the third, the Islanders managed only two shots. “I think when you’re competitive enough, energy isn’t a factor. I think that we just need to dig down,” said 20-year-old goalie Carter Hart, who made “We did a really good job on that 5-on-3,” Hart said. “They didn’t really 36 saves. “We all have more and we all have better, including myself. I get anything generated out of that 5-on-3. Full two minutes on the 5-on-3 just think we all need to dig down deeper.” and for them not to get really any good looks, that’s kudos to our PK there on the three-man kill.” “We put ourselves always in the bad situation,” captain Claude Giroux said. “Usually we always respond, always come out hard and find a way. Nothing comes of Boychuk’s return Couldn’t find a way tonight.” For the first time since March 9 and a collision with Voracek in which the Here are four more takeaways from Saturday’s game… Flyer was suspended two games, Johnny Boychuk returned to the lineup. Boychuk left the ice that day pointing at Voracek in the box, seemingly There’s a lot of things the Flyers will have to fix before the start of next promising revenge and the Islanders started Boychuk and a fourth line of season. One of them is their recent trend of having particularly poor muscle to begin Saturday’s game. second periods and needing to mount a comeback in the third. Then nothing happened. For a while it looked like that might be possible when Shayne Gostisbehere rocketed in a power-play goal early in the third, but then “I expected something was gonna happen. It didn’t. I’m not gonna say I they couldn’t follow it up and Josh Bailey scored the first of two goals late was unhappy about that,” Voracek said. “They played a great game. in the final frame. Obviously in the third we tied it and got a little bit of momentum off that penalty kill plus that power play after. We just blew it.” “For about 40 games I would say our second periods were our best of the game,” Jake Voracek said. “Especially today we were godawful. Oh my Gordon said that the Islanders typically start their fourth line and the God, in the second I don’t think we had a shot in the first 10 minutes. defense pair of Boychuk and Nick Leddy, so he didn’t think there were When they get zone time, they do a great job cycling us and obviously going to be fireworks to start the game. keep the puck away from their net. I don’t think we were moving enough The Islanders wanted to be focused on the game. in the second period to give ourselves a chance to create something.” “There was no talking about the Voracek thing,” Islanders coach Barry The Flyers were outshot 15-5 in the second period and shot attempts Trotz said. “As I said, those two will figure it out down the road, but were 32-18. On the season, the Flyers have been outscored 84-74 in the Johnny is one of those ultimate team guys. He knows how important second period, which accounts for nearly half of their minus-21 goal what we’re trying to do is, he knows how important this game was. There differential on the season. was no ‘me’ in his thought process, it was all about ‘we’. That’s why he’s “We played a lot in the D-zone,” Robert Hägg said. “They cycled us down one of those guys, you talk about glue guys in a room, he’s one of those and we couldn’t get out. We had a few chances but it wasn’t good guys. That’s what he does.” enough. The whole game wasn’t good enough and we have to bounce back (Sunday against Washington) and at least get something positive out of this weekend.” Courier-Post LOADED: 03.24.2019

With the Flyers already on the penalty kill for a legitimate hook by Radko Gudas, Hägg was called for a penalty as well. He was incensed at the call, which alleged that he hit Anders Lee in the face with his stick, drawing blood.

He had a point. Hägg’s stick was on the ice and it was Islanders forward Brock Nelson’s stick that cut Lee. 1137326 Philadelphia Flyers The skinny: What a rough go it’s been for Pascal Laberge. After the Flyers drafted him he never really had a great season. He was a point- per-game player in his draft year and then was ravaged by injury. He Flyers prospect WATCH: Phantoms have to make a late playoff push, too missed a lot of time with a concussion in his post-draft season from a dirty hit that left him in a dark room for weeks. Right before the start of his rookie pro season he had to face hip surgery and only returned recently.

Dave Isaac, Cherry Hill Courier-Post Huffman’s take: “Pascal’s been really good. He played a couple games and I sat him because we didn’t want to play a few games in a row and Published 12:56 p.m. ET March 23, 2019 we were just being careful, but he’s played pretty well. He’s played with a little more strength along the boards and in terms of getting pucks out of the zone and even on the forecheck. I wasn’t sure what we’d see from It’s spring time in Pennsylvania and there’s a very good chance that both him because of the surgery and even going back to the concussion prior the Flyers and their minor-league affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms could to that. It’s been a long time, he hasn’t played a lot of hockey in the last miss the playoffs. two years. He’s been real good.”

For the Flyers, it’s a case of underachievement in the first half of the Mikhail Vorobyev season and a second-half surge that will likely be too little too late. For the Phantoms, a five-game losing streak from mid-February to early Mikhail Vorobyev, center March was a big turning point. Age: 21 Then there’s the personnel turnover. Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 206 pounds Last season’s AHL MVP, Phil Varone, was recalled in December. Scott Acquired: fourth-round pick in 2015 (104th overall) Gordon replaced Dave Hakstol as head coach in mid-December and assistant coach Kerry Huffman became the interim. Carter Hart came up This season: 42 games, 7 goals, 19 assists the same time Gordon did and the Flyers finally found a spot for Phil Myers, the Phantoms’ best defenseman, in the second week of February. The skinny: Vorobyev is out of the lineup these days with an “upper-body injury,” but the bigger concern may be how he played in two different When Huffman was reached by phone for this piece he joked there may stints in the NHL. He made the Flyers’ roster out of training camp after a not be enough prospects left to fill out the article. lights-out training camp and exhibition slate. He was also getting more minutes then as the Flyers were evaluating him. Once the regular season There are still some big pieces left on the Phantoms’ roster, but they’re began his play dipped considerably and work ethic didn’t appear to be his surely in a tough spot. Entering Saturday’s game against the Wilkes- strong suit. He was sent down and when he was recalled by Chuck Barre/Scranton Penguins, the Phantoms were seven points shy of a Fletcher, he showed the same as he did under Ron Hextall’s watch. playoff spot with 11 games left in their season. Huffman’s take: “I think the concern with Misha is his overall consistency. With so much interest in the team’s prospect group, the Courier-Post will There’s times he plays with a lot of speed and a lot of pace. It’s a little bit check in on the promising young players each week. Here’s the latest unique in the sense that…he goes out and kills penalties for us and he’s progress report with insights from Huffman. probably our best penalty killer and he goes and battles and competes * all statistics through Friday, March 22. and then at 5-on-5 play sometimes I think he thinks he can do more skill- wise and he loses that piece to his game. It’s there at times. I just think David Kase he just hasn’t quite figured out the consistency piece to it. That’s where young players either figure it out down here and work their way up and David Kase, right wing keep doing it or they kind of languish a little bit. Right now I think Misha’s Age: 22 at that stage where he’s figuring it out, but we need it every game and not three or four games.” Height/weight: 5-foot-10, 170 pounds Tyrell Goulbourne Acquired: fifth-round pick in 2015 (128th overall) Tyrell Goulbourne, left wing This season: 29 games, 5 goals, 13 assists Age: 25 The skinny: After a few years in his native Czech Republic and one season playing in the Swedish Hockey League, David Kase came to Height/weight: 5-foot-11, 195 pounds North America like his brother Ondrej, who plays for the Anaheim Ducks. Acquired: third-round pick in 2013 (72nd overall) Kase has missed a lot of time in his AHL rookie season due to injury, but has been good when he can stay in the lineup. This season: 56 games, 8 goals, 9 assists

Huffman’s take: “He’s played really well. Even in some of the games The skinny: There should probably be an age limit on prospect watch and where he hasn’t gotten points and stuff, he’s been pretty effective for a Goulbourne has probably graduated at 25 years of age, but we haven’t first-year kid, for sure. checked in on him this season and he’s a big part of what the Lehigh Valley Phantoms do. He’s come a long way since two seasons ago when “He’s highly skilled, but he plays pretty hard too. He goes to some tough he found himself in the ECHL wondering if he’d have a future in hockey. areas and does some things where he maybe gets himself into some He played nine games for the Flyers last season and two this season. He situations where there is potential to get hurt, but that’s part of what was fine in limited minutes as a physical presence, but isn’t a play driver makes him really good is that even though there’s a skilled guy, he plays at the NHL level. with some pace and he plays in some tough areas and he’s not afraid to go into those areas. He’s a good kid. I really like him. I’m surprised, and I Huffman’s take: “Tyrell is understanding. He’s grasped what his role is. know Gordo was too prior to him leaving, that he was as effective as he There’s obviously the physical element to his game. He’s a really tough was and was able to play power-play minutes as well as regular shifts. kid and he can fight and defend his teammates. He’s fast. He can play He’s been a pleasant surprise in my eyes.” with a lot of pace, which is good. He’s gotten a couple goals. I think he gets opportunities. I don’t think he’s gonna be a player that gets a ton of Pascal Laberge points at the NHL level but he’s a great penalty killer for us. He works Pascal Laberge, right wing hard, defends his teammates. He’s that player that you can put in the lineup and, with some of our younger players, they feel a little bit better Age: 20 about themselves with Tyrell in there. I like Ty. For what we ask him to do, he’s a real valuable player for us. We miss him when he’s not in the Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 174 pounds lineup. He played on a line with Byron Froes and (Nicolas) Aube-Kubel Acquired: second-round pick in 2016 (36th overall) the last couple games and they were probably our best line so we’re gonna leave those guys together for a little while and see if they can This season: 7 games, 1 goal, 0 assists keep it going.”

Courier-Post LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137327 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers vs. Islanders: Game 75 preview, line combinations, broadcast info

Dave Isaac, NHL writer

Published 7:00 a.m. ET March 23, 2019

Johnny Boychuk seemed to be very interested in getting even with Jake Voracek after a collision on March 9. Boychuk hasn't played since and may return to the lineup against the Flyers Saturday.

Today: Flyers vs. New York Islanders

Site: Wells Fargo Center / Philadelphia, Pa.

Records: Flyers 36-30-8 | Islanders 42-25-7

Last game: Flyers beat CHI 3-1 on Thu. | Islanders lost to MTL 4-0 on Thu.

Bovada odds: Flyers -1.5 | O/U 5.5

It could be an emotional rallying cry for both teams. It could just as easy be nothing at all and simply blow over.

Johnny Boychuk has supposedly been a healthy scratch recently for the Islanders (he took warmups in Thursday night's game), not having played since March 9 when he collided with Jake Voracek and seemed to indicate he was interested in getting even when he left the ice. Voracek was suspended two games for the play and since then the Flyers' playoff hopes have all but vanished and the Islanders have lost three of their last four. Both teams could use a jolt.

Courier-Post LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137328 Philadelphia Flyers think there’s an element of fatigue that is there.” Now, for those immediately jumping to the “excuses!” reaction, it’s important to point out that Gordon followed that comment up by highlighting the things his team Islanders 4, Flyers 2: 10 things we learned from a likely fatal blow to the did wrong that can’t be attributed to exhaustion. But when both the eye playoff dream test and the words out of the coach’s mouth back up the idea that the team is tired, its probably tired.

That’s not to say that they’re incapable of delivering better performances, By Charlie O'Connor even in this state. “I think when you’re competitive enough, energy isn’t a factor,” Hart said. “We all have more, we all have better, including myself. Mar 23, 2019 I think we just all need to dig down deeper.” Sean Couturier said that he felt the team is playing on the perimeter with the puck too much, and not taking pucks to the net; that’s a concrete problem that can be addressed. After the Flyers lost on Tuesday to the Canadiens, the prevailing But when a team is outshot 242-176 over their last six games, there’s sentiment from the players in the locker room was that a perfect record likely an underlying issue below the surface. Saying the Flyers are a the rest of the season would be the only way they could secure a playoff drained team isn’t “just an excuse.” It strikes me more as a simple fact. berth. 3: Second period was an absolute disaster On Saturday, the chances for that 8-0-0 record went up in smoke. The Flyers didn’t play especially well throughout Saturday’s contest, but A third-period comeback made things interesting, but two late Josh in the first and third periods there absolutely were positive moments. Bailey goals sealed the Flyers’ fate as they fell 4-2 to the Islanders on Their start was mostly fine, and the team briefly surged after killing off the Saturday afternoon at the Wells Fargo Center. Shayne Gostisbehere and two-minute 5-on-3 in the final stanza. But there were no such bright spots Robert Hagg lit the lamp for the Flyers, who dropped to 4-5-0 in their last in the second period; it was all bad. nine games. Carter Hart was strong in defeat, stopping 36 of 40 shots, but Robin Lehner earned the win, making 22 saves in the process. “We were God awful, oh my God, in the second,” Jakub Voracek said. “I don’t think we had a shot in the first ten minutes. When they (got) zone Note: This article will reference advanced hockey stats. If you’re looking time, they (did) a great job cycling us and kept the puck away from their to better understand any of the referenced metrics, please read this net. I don’t think we were moving well enough in the second period to primer, which explains the concepts behind them. give ourselves a chance to create something.”

1: Playoff hopes die not with a bang, but with a whimper The final numbers actually don’t do justice to the degree of dominance. New York led in shot attempts, 32-18, and in scoring chances, 12 6; it It’s still theoretically possible that the Flyers find a way to make the could have been 50-10 and 20-2 and no one would have batted an eye. playoffs. Winning all seven of their remaining games would put them at The Islanders spent what felt like the entire period in the Philadelphia 94 points, which was enough to get the Predators in back in 2016-17, zone, blasting away and recovering missed and blocked shots. and it secured the Red Wings a ticket to the dance in 2015-16. But Somehow, the Flyers allowed only one goal, but if not for the typically realistically, Philadelphia’s playoff hopes probably died on Saturday. strong work of Carter Hart, the game would have been over after 40 When 96 points was the plausible best-case scenario, the Flyers had a minutes. strong chance of that total being enough to secure a spot — 86 percent “I think we were just slow to close on people,” Gordon said. “They did a per HockeyViz. Now, even if they do go out and pull off the miracle of lot of perimeter play, just moving the puck from corner to behind the net, going undefeated in their final seven games, there’s still a better chance to up top. We were slow to go up to the points and didn’t recover to the of them missing the postseason than qualifying (39 percent). Philadelphia middle.” The Flyers under Gordon have been willing to let teams fire really couldn’t afford to lose a single game the rest of the way, and if they away from distance in order to clog up the more dangerous areas of the had to lose one, it needed to occur after regulation. It certainly couldn’t ice, but that strategy only works if time in the defensive zone is kept to a be a run-of-the-mill we-just-got-outplayed defeat. minimum. Even if an opponent is largely kept to the perimeter, if 80 Yet that’s exactly what they delivered versus the Islanders. Yes, they percent of a game is played in one zone, eventually holes in coverage found a way to tie things up in the third period, so it’s not like they quit on are going to open up. In the second period on Saturday, that’s exactly the season. But this wasn’t the Flyers’ “A” game — in fact, it probably what happened. wasn’t even a C+ effort. They were outshot 40-24. They were crushed in 4: Hart continues run of stellar play the 5-on-5 territorial metrics (37.97% Corsi, 35.66% Expected Goals). They basically spent an entire period — the second — stuck in their own By save percentage, Carter Hart only had a passable evening: 36 saves zone. “They played better than we did the whole game,” Robert Hagg on 40 shots for a 0.900 save percentage. In reality, however, Hart was admitted after the loss. “We didn’t deserve to win today.” the only reason the Flyers even had a chance to come back in the third period, which was the mantra from multiple skaters after the game. “We No one in the locker room tried to argue the Flyers deserved a better spent most our time in the D-zone,” Gostisbehere said, speaking of the result, even accounting for the fact that they faced the headwind of one second period. “Hartsy can only make so many saves. We kind of let him of the worst officiating performances of their season. “Yeah, we didn’t down on that aspect.” Voracek was even more blunt. “Hartsy was really sustain too much pressure. There was a lot of one and dones,” amazing, he gave us a chance to win, we didn’t take it,” the Flyers’ newly Ryan Hartman correctly pointed out. But it was captain Claude Giroux minted alternate captain said. who got to the heart of the matter, not only regarding Saturday’s game but also (unintentionally) the season as a whole. “We put ourselves in a Hart has been sharp ever since getting his “shake the rust off” night out bad situation and usually we always respond, always come out hard and of the way against Washington on March 14. His calmness in net has find a way, and we couldn’t find a way tonight,” he said. Considering the been discussed ad nauseum, but only because it’s so obvious; on hole the Flyers dug for themselves in the first half of the season, they multiple occasions in the second period, there weren’t even any were basically going to need to play perfect hockey to achieve their anticipatory gasps from the home crowd prior to dangerous Islanders goals. This was far from it. shots from the slot. It was seemingly just collectively assumed that Hart would make the undeniably difficult stop. While the Islanders eventually 2: Flyers look like a tired team solved Hart — inevitable considering the quality and volume of shots he Bad games happen to every team, of course. And those bad games for was facing — his ability to transfer just a bit of his on-ice serenity to the Flyers are justifiably magnified right now because the team has no Philly faithful is one of his most impressive accomplishments as a 20- margin for error in its push for the postseason. But even with the year-old rookie. knowledge that the flu is working through their locker room, and 5: The officiating was very bad accounting for the fact that every game since January has pretty much been a “must-win” contest, it’s not hard to jump to the conclusion after Poor officiating wasn’t the reason the Flyers lost this game; they did more Saturday’s loss that the Flyers are simply gassed right now. Head coach than a good enough job themselves of ensuring that the day’s outcome Scott Gordon didn’t exactly dispute the theory. would be a defeat. But that doesn’t mean the on-ice crew should get a pass. This very well could have been the worst officiated Flyers game of “We’ve been going here since the middle of January playing at a pretty high level and obviously we’re giving up a lot of shots lately,” he said. “I the 2018-19 season, and unfortunately for the home team, the bulk of the now (if they have no interest in breaking up the two pairs that are actually bad calls/non-calls went against them. working right now).

The mistakes began early, and never really let up. Two minutes in, Hagg 8: JvR had some jump was whistled for a four-minute high sticking penalty when Anders Lee was actually struck by friendly fire. Couturier was plowed face-first into It’s tough to highlight any players who consistently stood out in a positive the boards near the end of the second period by Matt Martin, a textbook way on Saturday — aside from Hart, of course — but James van case of boarding that inspired only blank stares from the officials. Then, Riemsdyk probably came the closest. It probably shouldn’t have come as with the score still 2-1 in the third period, Hartman was sent to the box for a major surprise, considering his recent hot streak, but JvR was one of a goalie interference call despite never actually hitting Islanders goalie the few players with jump, taking five shots at the net and generating two Robin Lehner. He had company, as Voracek joined him in the box as a high-danger scoring chances. He justifiably received the most minutes of result of yelling at the officials for flubbing the Hartman call. any Flyers forward.

These aren’t little errors. We’re talking about a four-minute power play, a In another positive development, van Riemsdyk graded out decently by two-minute 5-on-3 and a hit that injured one of the Flyers’ best players advanced metrics, as his line with Giroux and Nolan Patrick proved to be (Couturier missed a large portion of the third period as a result). They the only Flyers trio that actually drove play above 50 percent. JvR’s were potentially game-changing decisions, and it’s tough to blame the performance this season by Corsi and xG has been noticeably poor, and Flyers players for being annoyed by the apparent injustice. “It is even though his goal production ultimately came around, the Flyers can’t frustrating, it’s tough,” Couturier admitted. “At the same time, (the) PK did afford to have a $7 million forward being a play-driving drag for the next a good job, gained momentum off those kills. (But) yeah, it’d be nice to four seasons. Van Riemsdyk generally performed well by advanced get a few calls on our side.” Giroux echoed the sentiment, pausing metrics in Toronto, however, so it’s possible his struggles this year are multiple times in an apparent effort to avoid saying something he’d later more random variance than anything else. In any case, it would be a regret. “It’s definitely very, very frustrating,” he said. positive for the Flyers if the advanced metrics started coming around for JvR over the final two weeks of the season. Again, poor calls weren’t the reason the Flyers lost. They actually tied the game in spite of the officiating mistakes, and ultimately benefited from 9: Raffl played like someone getting over the flu clear make-up calls in the wake of the Hartman/Voracek penalties. But it Michael Raffl didn’t even travel with the team to Chicago for the mid- was still an unacceptable performance by the men in black and white. week road game as a result of illness, so it was a mild surprise when he 6: PK was very good though rejoined the lineup on Saturday. However, the fact that he began the contest on the fourth line rather than his previous spot with Scott As Couturier pointed out, the Flyers were able to survive the missed calls Laughton and Travis Konecny on Line 3 hinted that he was at less than due to exceptional work from the team’s penalty killing units. By the box 100 percent. Raffl went out and basically confirmed as much with his on- score, they went 5-for-5 on kills, even though it wasn’t five individual ice results. penalties. The stacked nature of the calls only served to make things tougher for Philadelphia’s PK, however. Yet the Islanders could only In 6:52 of ice time at 5-on-5, the Flyers lost the shot-attempts battle an manage eight shot attempts, with none resulting in goals. incredible 21-1 with Raffl on the ice. Generally, play-driving is the strongest aspect of Raffl’s game, but he clearly wasn’t himself in this one. In truth, the Flyers’ penalty kill has been doing its job well since Gordon noticed, and like linemate Justin Bailey, Raffl was stapled to the December. Since Dec. 1, only four teams have allowed fewer Goals bench for the entire third period. Hopefully, he looks more like himself on Against per 60 minutes of PK time than Philadelphia, and the Flyers are Sunday versus the Capitals. in the top 10 in the bulk of the shot and chance suppression metrics as well. Assistant coach Ian Laperriere famously adjusted the shorthanded 10: Day is coming for future to be priority over present unit’s primary strategy after a terrible first few months of the season to The Flyers aren’t officially out of contention for a playoff spot, but that day encourage more of an attacking mentality, particularly on the half-boards is soon approaching. If they prove unable to upset the Capitals on the and in front of the net, with the support and urging of Gordon. It’s paid road in the second game of a back-to-back, Philadelphia could potentially major dividends, reviving a unit that was truly embarrassing to start the find itself nearly ten points out of the final playoff spot with six games to season. Hart obviously deserves a large portion of the credit for the PK’s play. There’s a legitimate chance the Flyers could be mathematically strong work, both Saturday and over the past four months. But the eliminated by this time next week. players are simply doing a better job in front of him, too. Until that occurs, my guess is that Gordon will continue to approach his 7: Hagg-Gudas pairing simply doesn’t work lineups as he has over the past few months, looking to ice the best From a macro level, it’s not hard to understand why Gordon and Rick possible team in his estimation. But that calculation should change once Wilson have chosen to keep the defensive pairing of Robert Hagg and elimination is assured. One assumes that Samuel Morin will finally get his Radko Gudas together. The duo of Ivan Provorov and Travis Sanheim chance to enter the lineup, and Cam Talbot might receive a few starts so has developed real chemistry, and Shayne Gostisbehere — his poor that the front office can get a longer look at him (even though I suspect defense on one of Josh Bailey’s goal aside — has started to look like his their decision regarding his status will mostly be driven by what insights old self beside the right-handed Philippe Myers. That leaves Hagg and they’ve gained about him in practices and behind closed doors). Gudas to try and and function as a workable pair. In addition, the Flyers do have one recall remaining — per Dave Isaac, The problem is that they’ve failed miserably in their attempts to do so. Justin Bailey was finally recalled without the emergency designation, so Their issues make sense: Neither Gudas nor Hagg is a particularly good he becomes Philadelphia’s third post-deadline call-up. They still have passer of the puck, and that’s generally necessary to efficiently move the one more, though. Nicolas Aube-Kubel would seem to be the most likely puck up ice. The lack of puck-moving ability on the pair results in them candidate, though it’s always possible that Mikhail Vorobyev could get getting trapped in their own zone far too often, and in recent games, another shot as well. they’re not exhibiting the kind of defensive soundness to survive all that time without the puck in coverage. Against the Isles, they were on the ice for two goals against, and predictably were torched by shot differential as The Athletic LOADED: 03.24.2019 well (40.54% Corsi at 5-on-5).

This has been a trend — in a little over 398 minutes together, the Hagg- Gudas pair has posted a ghastly 43.37% Corsi For Percentage and an even-worse 39.23% Scoring Chance For rate. Hagg’s advanced metrics have been poor all year, but Gudas is generally stellar by differentials — he’s at 54.52% and 55.62% away from Hagg. In other words, the current pair is neutering one of the back end’s best play-drivers. Saturday’s loss more or less ends the team’s realistic playoff chances, so it’s understandable that they’d rather use the younger Hagg than Andrew MacDonald in the top-six. But if the goal was solely to maximize win probability, the Flyers probably should swap in MacDonald for Hagg right 1137329 Pittsburgh Penguins “I think that’s an indication of our confidence level, that we didn’t sink,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “We stayed on our toes and we were aggressive.”

Jared McCann’s short-handed goal gives Penguins win over Stars

Tribune Review LOADED: 03.24.2019 JONATHAN BOMBULIE

Saturday, March 23, 2019 10:46 p.m

DALLAS — The way they got the lead was so pretty, the Pittsburgh Penguins just couldn’t bear to give this one away.

Jared McCann scored a short-handed goal on a spinning backhander to break a third-period tie and lead the Penguins to a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars on Saturday night.

After surrendering late one-goal leads in their previous three games, the Penguins made this one hold up. Matt Murray made 15 of his 29 saves in the third period, standing his ground as the Stars fired away on a six-on- four power play in the final 80 seconds of the game.

“I feel like the mentality was just, ‘Bear down,’ ” McCann said. “Obviously, it was in the back of our heads, what’s happened in the past here, but we just tried to take one shift at a time, and we got the job done.”

The win helped the Penguins keep pace in the playoff race. Carolina, Montreal and the New York Islanders also won Saturday.

The Penguins remain tied with the Islanders for second place in the Metropolitan Division, moving within a point of first-place Washington. They lead fourth-place Carolina by four points.

The Penguins are six points up on eighth-place Montreal in the Eastern Conference race, nine ahead of ninth-place Columbus.

The Penguins twice took a lead in the game, with Jake Guentzel and McCann scoring goals set up by Phil Kessel. The Stars answered both times on goals by Tyler Seguin and Andrew Cogliano.

McCann’s second goal came with the Stars on a power play with the score tied 2-2 early in the third period.

Teddy Blueger picked up a puck in the defensive zone and took off up ice with McCann, trying to speed past the Stars defense for an odd-man rush.

Blueger’s pass was behind McCann, so he had to contort his body to receive it. As he did, he unleashed a spin-o-rama backhander that eluded goalie Anton Khudobin at the 4:20 mark.

“I think I’ve seen Sid do that move a couple times, Sid and Geno,” McCann said, citing Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin as highlight-reel role models. “It’s obviously not as pretty when I do it. I just tried to get the puck to the net, and luckily it went in.”

Crosby deflected credit — if any was actually due to anyone other than McCann — to his longtime teammate.

“Not recently. Maybe back in the day. Geno’s got a few more recently than me,” Crosby said. “He did it well, though. That was a huge goal.”

After the clip of McCann’s goal had been sent off to SportsCenter, the Penguins were faced with a scenario that had been a nightmare for them recently. They were charged with protecting a one-goal lead in the third period.

It was not always smooth. The Penguins white-knuckled it for most of the period, during which the Stars had a 15-9 edge in shots and a 28-15 advantage in shot attempts.

“We sort of had to weather their storm,” defenseman Erik Gudbranson said. “They put a lot of pressure on us.”

Murray was sharp in the moments immediately following the McCann goal, turning away Alexander Radulov at the doorstep twice.

“It all comes down to compete,” Murray said. “We can drop the schemes all we want, but at the end of the day, it just comes down to competing and getting the job done.”

After Bryan Rust was called for holding with 1 minute, 20 seconds to play, the Penguins clamped down, allowing only one shot the rest of the way. 1137330 Pittsburgh Penguins

Former Penguins defenseman Jamie Oleksiak gets right back to where he started from

JONATHAN BOMBULIE

Saturday, March 23, 2019 2:41 p.m

DALLAS – There are very few players in the history of hockey who can relate to what defenseman Jamie Oleksiak has gone through in the past two seasons.

In December of 2017, the Dallas Stars shipped him to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a fourth-round draft pick. In January, the Penguins sent him right back to the Stars for the same price.

In other words, in a span of 13 months, he ended up right back where he started.

“Obviously whenever you get traded, it’s tough, but when you’re going someplace where there’s some familiar faces and stuff, it’s nice,” Oleksiak said. “We’ve got a great group of guys in the room and it’s been a lot of fun being here. Making a little playoff push. It’s a fun time of the year. It’s been a whirlwind, as it usually is. Just trying to soak it all in.”

Oleksiak said he found his short stay in black and gold valuable, especially because he was able to get an up-close look at the way some of the Penguins’ high-end players approach the mental side of the game.

“Having a short memory. Not thinking too much on things,” Oleksiak said. “Whatever happens in the game, good or bad, putting that behind you and focus on the next shift or the next game. I think that’s kind of the mentality you’ve got to have. I picked that up from a lot of the guys there. Obviously they’ve had a lot of success and I think that’s a key part. Just putting your nose down and working and enjoying the ride.”

A lot changed in Dallas while Oleksiak was away. Most notably, coach Jim Montgomery took over for Glen Gulutzan behind the bench.

“I’ve only been gone for a year but it feels like I’ve been gone for six,” Oleksiak said. “It’s wild. I was only in Pittsburgh for six months, six hockey months, but it feels like I was there for way longer. It’s crazy, but that’s the nature of the business, I guess.”

Oleksiak, who has no points and a minus-1 rating in 18 games since returning to the Stars, is seventh on the defenseman depth chart in Dallas. He will be a healthy scratch against the Penguins on Saturday night.

The Penguins aren’t expected to make any lineup changes after a 2-1 shootout win in Nashville on Thursday. Olli Maatta (shoulder) has not yet been cleared to return to the lineup. Matt Murray will start in net.

Tribune Review LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137331 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins’ Jared McCann sees no need to apologize for racking up empty-net goals

JONATHAN BOMBULIE

Saturday, March 23, 2019 2:26 p.m

DALLAS – Since he joined the Pittsburgh Penguins in a Feb. 1 trade, four of the nine goals Jared McCann has scored were shot into an empty net.

That’s the kind of development that will earn McCann some good-natured razzing from teammates who will chide him for picking low-hanging fruit, but he’s not about to apologize.

There are two reasons for that.

First, hitting the empty net is an important skill. Having given up a tying goal after the opponent has pulled its goalie three times in the past 14 games, the Penguins know this better than most.

Second, it’s not entirely an accident of good fortune. It’s something McCann works on.

“I think you’ve always got to practice the little things, whether that’s in the summer or things like that,” McCann said. “I think it’s something that people overlook, but it can make a difference in a game. I feel like the more open-net goals you get, yeah, guys give you hard time about it because there’s no goalie in there, but a goal’s a goal. I feel like they’re an important part of the game, for sure.”

Whether the opposing goalie is in or out, McCann’s scoring touch has cooled off in recent games. Coming into Saturday night’s matchup with Dallas, he was stuck in a five-game pointless streak. It coincides with an offensive downturn for the team as a whole.

“We’re trying to scratch and claw right now,” he said. “We’ve played some pretty good teams the last few games. Good goalies, too. I feel like we just have to keep pushing forward. This is going to help us going into the playoffs, playing good teams.”

Tribune Review LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137332 Pittsburgh Penguins

Hot goalies keeping lid on Penguins offense

JONATHAN BOMBULIE

Saturday, March 23, 2019 2:13 p.m

DALLAS — The Pittsburgh Penguins caught a break when the Dallas Stars decided starting goalie Ben Bishop, who leads the league with a .932 save percentage this season, would get Saturday night off.

Yeah, some break.

Instead, they were to face backup Anton Khudobin, who is eighth in the league with a .925 save percentage.

That’s been par for the course lately for the Penguins, who have faced a murderer’s row of hot goaltenders in the past couple of weeks.

Before they left for a four-game road trip, they ran into rookie sensations Jordan Binnington of St. Louis and Carter Hart of Philadelphia in back-to- back games.

Binnington leads the league with a 1.79 goals-against average this season. Hart has a .946 save percentage since returning from an injury that kept him out of the Stadium Series game against the Penguins.

The first two goalies they faced on the trip were Carolina’s Petr Mrazek and Nashville’s Pekka Rinne. Mrazek is 9-3-0 with a .935 save percentage since Feb. 1. Rinne is the defending Vezina Trophy winner.

Perhaps as a result, the Penguins have managed a total of six goals over the past four games.

Anytime players run into a stretch where they’re being shut down by a series of hot goaltenders, they must look in the mirror and give an honest assessment of their game.

Is it really appropriate to tip their caps to the opposing netminder, or is it is simply being used as an excuse for poor offensive performance?

In this case, coach Mike Sullivan is taking a lot more from column A than column B.

“We try not to use anything as an excuse,” he said. “We try to see things for what they are and look at it as objectively as we can.

“We’re still generating quality scoring chances,” Sullivan continued. “Are there areas where we can improve? Sure, but I think every team could say the same thing. We’ve got to get more net traffic, we’ve got to get inside the dots, we’ve got to look for rebounds and second-chance opportunities, things of that nature. It’s not like we’re not generating scoring chances. We are. We just have to stay with it.”

Center Nick Bjugstad said the Penguins need to use tried-and-true methods to crack the quality goaltenders they’ve been facing.

“When you’ve got a good goalie, take his eyes away,” Bjugstad said. “We talk about it all the time. It’s a huge thing. Goalies are so good and so big nowadays. To beat them point-blank is pretty hard. They’re pretty good. You’ve got to find ways to get dirty goals.”

Tribune Review LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137333 Pittsburgh Penguins

As Penguins gush, Jared McCann downplays his glorious goal

Staff Report

Mar 24, 2019 4:15 AM

DALLAS — Jared McCann downplayed the spinning, short-handed goal he scored Saturday in a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center. The 22-year-old budding fan favorite basically tried to deflect credit to linemate Teddy Blueger and insisted he “just tried to get it on net.”

Bjugstad, one of McCann’s good friends dating back to their time together in Florida, isn’t buying what McCann is selling.

“Yeah, he’s got that in his bag,” Bjugstad said. “I’ve seen it in practice. I’ve seen it plenty of times. But for him to pull it off in a game, it’s pretty fun to watch.”

The goal was a work of art. Penguins Radio Network color commentator Phil Bourque called it “poetic ballet.” After Blueger did draw the defense, McCann did his best James Conner impersonation, spun to the outside and backhanded a shot past Dallas goaltender Anton Khudobin.

All that was missing was a stiff arm or a trot into the end zone.

“That was pretty sweet,” Blueger said. “He was coming in a bit late. Those guys were closing in on me. I just kind of dropped it off to him, off to the right side there. He just made an incredible move from there.”

The goal brought back to the surface the whole discussion of trading for McCann and Bjugstad and how good they’ve been, reinforcing the advantages of striking early.

“It just gives us a little bit more of an advantage, I think,” coach Mike Sullivan said.

How good McCann (and Bjugstad) has been has become a popular storyline with this team, but it’s also been hard to avoid it. Maybe because of how little they had with Derick Brassard. Or perhaps because McCann just keeps scoring and forcing the discussion.

McCann now has 11 goals in 26 games with the Penguins. That’s a 35- goal pace if he scores like this next season, over 82 games.

Even if he does, it’ll be hard to have one prettier than the one he scored Saturday.

“He’s sick,” said Matt Murray, who played with McCann in junior, with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. “I’ve known it for a long time. He was lighting up the OHL when we played together.

“I was excited when we traded for him. He’s a good friend of mine. I know how skilled he is. He’s showing it right now. He’s a really good goal- scorer. He’s doing such a good job for us.”

And sandbagging the living daylights out of it, too.

“Blueger made a great play to me,” McCann said. “I just tried to get it on net.”

McCann was then asked whether he’s maybe copied a thing or two from Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, goal-scoring tricks that might help in that situation.

“I think I’ve seen Sid and Geno do that a couple times,” McCann said. “It’s not as pretty when I do it. I just tried to get the puck to the net, hoping it went in.”

McCann did a lot more than that, even if he won’t admit it.

Post Gazette LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137334 Pittsburgh Penguins With the Penguins ahead after one, Stars center Tyler Seguin tied the game just 63 seconds into the second period, beating Murray on a shot from the right circle.

McCann, Murray help Penguins finish job in regulation The Penguins answered with McCann’s first goal, it coming at 14:41 of the second. Phil Kessel started the sequence by forcing Dallas defenseman Roman Polak into a turnover behind the net and continued it Mar 24, 2019 3:42 AM with an excellent pass to McCann in the slot. McCann fired against the grain to snap a five-game goal-scoring drought.

Pittsburgh couldn’t escape the second with that lead, though, as center DALLAS — This time, there was no late goal allowed, no overtime or Stars Andrew Cogliano beat Murray glove-side from the left circle at shootout necessary. 18:40. After Jared McCann scored an absolutely gorgeous goal, the Penguins After that sloppy start, the Penguins shifted the momentum two-thirds of — behind Matt Murray — slammed the door and left American Airlines the way through the first period. They jumped in front, 1-0, behind a Center on Saturday with a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars. power-play goal from Jake Guentzel at 15:25, snapping an 0-for-11 One they probably needed after a few too many of their games requiring drought. more than 60 minutes, the result of some late goals allowed they'd like to From there, it was two of the Penguins’ other superb young talents — have back. McCann and Murray — who took over, as the Penguins finally closed out “I feel like the mentality was to just bear down,” said McCann, who a key win in regulation. scored twice. “Obviously that was in the back of our heads, what’s Almost the way they drew it up, too. happened in the past here [with the late goals allowed]. We just tried to take it one shift at a time, and we got the job done." “There’s no question, when you have success, it breeds success,” Sullivan said. “It breeds confidence. It’s nice that we were able to hang The win was important because the Islanders and Hurricanes both won onto the lead, especially in a difficult circumstance.” Saturday, meaning the Penguins (41-24-11) kept pace in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Around the boards

It was also important mentally for the Penguins and Murray, who has Penguins are 8-2-2 in their last 12 games, allowing 2.0 goals per game. allowed eight goals in the final 3:01 of regulation or overtime since Feb. … Pittsburgh has killed off 16 consecutive penalties on the road. … 23. Saturday’s win snapped a five-game losing streak for the Penguins in Dallas. The late goals allowed have taken away from some otherwise stellar play from the Penguins netminder, who entered Saturday’s game with a 2.07 goals-against average and .939 save percentage in his past 10 starts. Jason Mackey: “I think Matt’s playing his best hockey of the year,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “There’s no doubt. I can just see it in his body language from the Post Gazette LOADED: 03.24.2019 bench. He’s big as a house. You don’t see any net. He’s reading plays well. He’s anticipating. He’s squaring up to the puck. HIs rebound control is terrific. And he’s competing. He’s competing hard. When he’s playing the way he’s playing, he’s one of the top goaltenders in the league.”

Murray stopped 29 of 31 Saturday to pick up the win, the 12th for him in his past 18 road starts. His workload seemed more strenuous than 31 shots on goal, the result of a poor start for the Penguins and a late push from the Stars, who finished with 15 shots in the third period.

The Penguins also had to kill off a holding penalty to Bryan Rust at 18:40 of the third period, a scenario that became even more difficult when Dallas pulled its goalie.

“We did a good job, especially when we took that penalty and went down six-on-four,” Murray said. “We did an awesome job pressuring the puck after we took that penalty and didn’t give them much time and space at all. We kept them on the run. I think that was huge.”

As good as Murray was, though, there should be plenty of talk about McCann, specifically his short-handed goal at 4:20 of the third period to put the Penguins in front for good.

With Jack Johnson off for hooking, Teddy Blueger cut into the middle of the ice and slid a pass back to McCann, who spun to the outside and backhanded a shot inside the far post to beat Stars goaltender Anton Khudobin at 4:20 of the third period.

It was the 11th short-handed goal the Penguins have scored this season, a number eclipsed by just two teams. Meanwhile, the Stars had been tied for the fewest short-handed goals allowed with one.

“That will be on ESPN’s highlights,” Sullivan said of McCann's goal. “It was a great goal. That’s a goal-scorer’s goal.”

And McCann, Sullivan would later say, is exactly that — a goal-scorer.

Since the trade that brought him to Pittsburgh, McCann now has 11 in 26 games. Whether it’s been even-strength, short-handed or with the net empty, McCann has flourished in Pittsburgh.

“No matter where we put him, he can score,” Sullivan said. 1137335 Pittsburgh Penguins “He’s a hockey guy,” Rutherford said. “He wants to be successful. He works at it. He’s positive.”

Think, for a second, about the best trades Rutherford has made in How one of Jim Rutherford’s best trades came together Pittsburgh. James Neal for Patric Hornqvist. A package of players, including Kapanen, for Phil Kessel. David Perron for Carl Hagelin. Rob Scuderi for Trevor Daley. Staff Report The Bjugstad-McCann deal may not beat any of those, but it’s beginning Mar 23, 2019 11:56 PM to look like it at least belongs in that sort of conversation.

“Both of these guys,” Rutherford said, “have been really good for our team.” DALLAS — It actually started, Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford explained Friday, prior to the 2014 NHL Draft. Line it up

In learning about some of that year’s top prospects — most of that done Sullivan stuck with the same lineup from Tuesday and said that Olli with Carolina, the final few weeks in Pittsburgh — Rutherford happened Maatta (shoulder) is not yet cleared for game action. to notice a scrappy center from the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, a guy named Jared McCann. Matt Murray got the start in goal, his fifth in a row. Since Feb. 23, Murray is tied for the league among all NHL goaltenders in starts. Saturday While Rutherford and the Penguins would eventually select Kasperi marked No. 14. Kapanen with the 22nd pick of the first round — two spots before McCann went to the Canucks — the GM never stopped keeping tabs on Sullivan also said nothing has changed with Evgeni Malkin (upper-body), McCann. meaning he’s not skating back home in Pittsburgh. He missed a fourth consecutive game. More than a year ago now, while Rutherford was exploring the options that eventually led him to Derick Brassard, he placed a call to Florida Alone time general manager Dale Tallon, inquiring about the possibility of McCann When the Penguins took the ice Tuesday in Nashville, they let Adam or another Panthers pivot, Nick Bjugstad. Johnson, who was making his NHL debut, skate out on his own, a The first answer, of course, was no. But about two months ago now, with tradition of sorts for rookies. the Panthers spinning their wheels and Tallon needing to clear some It led to the humorous and (always funny) scene of Johnson skating in salary-space with an eye toward next year, the answer changed. circles by himself while the Predators warmed up at the other end.

“I’ve liked McCann since he was drafted,” Rutherford told the Pittsburgh “I kind of expected it, but once I got out there, it felt like it was forever,” Post-Gazette on Friday. “Both McCann and Bjugstad have been on my Johnson said. “It was pretty cool. Great experience.” radar for over a year; I’ve been trying to get them out of Florida for that length of time.

“It just happened that the timing was right, and we got what we really Post Gazette LOADED: 03.24.2019 needed.”

Did they ever.

Neither Brassard nor Sheahan was completely happy with their roles and ice time here — and often played like it.

Through 50 team games, Brassard and Sheahan combined for 16 goals and 24 points. Bjugstad and McCann have nearly matched those totals (they had 15 and 23 before Saturday) in half the time (25 games).

Rutherford also flipped two expiring contracts for a pair of building blocks for the future, adding a couple years of club control at a reasonable rate for both — just $250,000 more than the cost of Brassard and Sheahan.

“We have two young, good centers, so it helps us not only in the short- term but also in the long-term,” Rutherford said.

Bjugstad has been centering the team’s third line, a trio with Dominik Simon and Patric Hornqvist that has dominated puck possession of late. In two of the past three games, that line has led the Penguins in shot attempts and scoring chances.

Meanwhile, Bjugstad has adopted more of a shoot-first mindset. Since the trade, nobody has more than Bjugstad’s 74 shots on goal. That works out to an average of 2.96 per game, which crushes what he did in Florida (1.88).

“Definitely it’s a notion in my mind to shoot a little more,” Bjugstad said. “I’m trying to get a lot of shots here. Just keep shooting and getting quality chances. Eventually they’ll go.”

Meanwhile, McCann has found success with Sidney Crosby and, lately, on the second line with Teddy Blueger and Phil Kessel. Only Crosby and Jake Guentzel have more goals than McCann’s nine since the trade.

“McCann is a guy who has a lot of skill, he skates well, and he has a lot of spunk,” Rutherford said. “We look at him as a center, but with the amount of centers that we have, the coach tried him on the wing. He’s done a really good job there.”

In McCann, dating back to his time in junior, Rutherford had always taken note of McCann’s attitude and knew it was exactly what the Penguins needed for someone in that spot. 1137336 Pittsburgh Penguins change everything about themselves with almost three months remaining in the regular season.

“There’s not a lot of time after the deadline,” Crosby said. “There’s Timing makes Jared McCann/Nick Bjugstad trade Jim Rutherford’s best always an adjustment period. Those guys (McCann, Bjugstad and with Penguins Gudbranson) have done a good job of making sure that’s as short as possible. And with injuries, as much as possible, I think everything’s sort of been fast-tracked. Guys have been in and out of the lineup and guys By Rob Rossi have been forced into different roles, and it’s kind of forced guys into different situations.” Mar 23, 2019 Before February, the Penguins:

Lacked consistent scoring other than from their handful of elite forwards. DALLAS — A lot has been said of all the moves made by Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford. That will continue after Saturday night Were limited in the quality of options to fill out their bottom six. when Jared McCann scored another couple of goals — his 10th and 11th with the Penguins — in a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars at American Had a defense corps beholden to the production (and health) of the Kris Airlines Arena. Letang-Brian Dumoulin top pairing.

Keep in mind that McCann, who has played in all of 26 games with the Over the past two months, the Penguins have started to show signs of Penguins, is one goal from matching the 12 goals that Derick Brassard being a deep and dangerous challenger in the Eastern Conference. amassed in 54 games with Pittsburgh. The return of defenseman Justin Schultz has helped, as he and Jack No, it’s not too early to consider Rutherford’s swap of Brassard, Riley Johnson have developed into a solid, dependable second pairing. And Sheahan and three draft picks in exchange for McCann and fellow even though he isn’t scoring goals as would be expected, Kessel has forward Nick Bjugstad as perhaps his grandest heist in five seasons flashed glimpses of the all-planet creativity that was on display the past running the Penguins. And yes, we’re aware that Rutherford once turned three seasons. (He expertly set up the first and second goals against the Rob Scuderi into Trevor Daley, and that Phil Kessel continues to cost the Stars, as Sullivan made sure to note after the victory.) Toronto Maple Leafs some salary-cap space — two Stanley Cup titles, Not for nothing — in fact, maybe for everything — has been the second- 107 goals, and 296 points into his tenure with the Penguins. half comeback of Matt Murray.

Still, Rutherford’s wrangling of McCann and Bjugstad was that good. By comeback, we mean that Murray has come back from a funk that It had everything to do with when he wrangled them: 12 games before stretched a season and a half. Over the past four months, when healthy the NHL trade deadline. (and with the exception of the final minutes in a few games), he has resembled the goaltender who coolly controlled the Penguins during the The Penguins have enjoyed some serious success since. They’ve gone high intensity of the 2016 and 2017 Cup runs. 14-7-5 with McCann and Bjugstad in the fold — 10 of those contests were without Evgeni Malkin — and from fighting with a few teams for Sullivan’s decision to start Murray in a game at Montreal the night after wild-card slots to closing in on first place in the Metropolitan Division. Murray again allowed a late goal in an overtime loss at Buffalo was the coaching equivalent of Rutherford getting McCann and Bjugstad almost a Anything is possible when a general manager transforms his worst trade full month before the trade deadline. Basically, it was a masterful stroke into arguably his best, and the same player is involved each time. by a boss who may have had skeptics wondering if he had lost his touch.

Timing was everything to hear some of the Penguins’ championship Sullivan had not. Neither had Rutherford. holdovers tell it. Murray was the Penguins’ best player against the Stars, stopping 29 “No matter who you take out of your lineup or insert into your lineup, shots while facing 17 high-grade chances from Dallas — including 10 in whether it be core players or role players, there’s always a feeling-out the third period. In addition to McCann’s two goals and Kessel’s couple of process, there’s an adjustment process that players go through and that assists, Gudbranson also picked up a helper for the Penguins. coaches go through and how they’re going to utilize guys and fit them in with the group that you have so that you can maximize everybody’s skill It was a victory that assured the Penguins will at least break even on sets,” coach Mike Sullivan said. their four-game road trip that wraps against the Rangers at New York on Monday night. A win at Madison Square Garden will give the Penguins a “I know Jim likes to be aggressive and make moves early. I think it gives 3-0-1 trip and keep the Washington Capitals and New York Islanders on us a little bit more time to get these guys inserted into our lineup and get notice. more familiar with how we’re trying to play, our team concept and our systems. It just gives us a little bit more of an advantage.” The Penguins aren’t perfect.

McCann has proven to be versatile, not looking out of place as a winger However, they aren’t as flawed as they were before Feb. 1. And given on the top line centered by captain Sidney Crosby or, more recently (and the up-for-grabs state of this NHL outside of that super-team in Tampa, again against the Stars) as part of a third line that also features Bjugstad that’s saying something. and veteran winger Patric Hornqvist. When all is done for these Penguins, it might be said that Rutherford’s It’s a third line that sure seems to do for the Penguins what the HBK Line many in-season moves paid off. Though, it must be said even now that managed during the 2016 playoffs: take advantage of favorable the timing of his best move was perfect. matchups and consistently create scoring chances. If that continues Once listless, the Penguins have found a spark that is noticeable to when Malkin returns from a rib injury, the Penguins will enter the playoffs anybody who sets foot into their dressing room. with a third line akin to what they had in 2016 and 2009, when they won the Cup in large part because their No. 3 grouping was better than those “One of the most important things that nobody sees on a stats sheet or offered by opponents. whatever is they are great guys,” Johnson said of McCann and Bjugstad. “That’s just as important as on-ice, truthfully. A stout third line is more of an advantage to the Penguins than probably any other club because no other club will count a better 1-2 punch at “There’s something to be said for when you get a tight-knit group of guys center than Crosby and Malkin. — and these guys who have won here so many times before obviously know it more first-hand than I do — but the few things I’ve won in my So, there’s that not-so-small thing going for the Penguins. career, you obviously know that when you’re that tight, you want it that There’s also their burgeoning identity, which is forming before much more for the guy next to you. You’re willing to do that much more everybody’s eyes since Rutherford’s deal for McCann and Bjugstad. That you can for the guy next to you. If somebody slips up, you want to do trade along with the deadline-day deal for defenseman Erik Gudbranson everything you can to bail them out. were Rutherford’s eighth and ninth swaps between mid-November and “It’s a camaraderie. It’s a brotherhood of sorts.” late-February. Those latter deals afforded the Penguins a chance to It’s also what moves good teams into the category of great.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.24.2019

1137337 San Jose Sharks

Sharks not satisfied with single point, believe skid will strengthen them

By Chelena Goldman

March 22, 2019 10:46 PM

Well, the Sharks certainly made it interesting. Every time the Ducks scored a goal on Friday evening, the Sharks came back and were able to tie things up. They even got the game-tying goal late in the third period that took their contest into overtime – at least, before they lost 4-3.

Perhaps at a different time of year, getting their first point in five games would feel better. Not on this night.

The focus remains on the work to be done with just seven games left in the regular season. For Team Teal, they need to clean their game up and get back into the win column.

“It’s better than nothing, but overall, we’re just not finding ways to win games now,” Timo Meier told the media in Anaheim regarding the single point. “We’ve got to find a way to win games. It’s an important time of the year. Playoffs are really close.”

San Jose put a better effort on the ice on Friday than they did the previous evening in LA against the Kings, but the opportunistic Ducks were able to bury more of their chances,

"I don’t think we gave them very much," Peter DeBoer said. "Every chance they got, they stuck in the net, though."

DeBoer was more critical of the team a second night in a row, and rightfully so. Despite outshooting the opposition, the Sharks weren’t able to find the back of the net enough times. They allowed two goals while playing on the penalty kill and tallied 14 giveaways. Plus, outside of Meier’s power-play marker, San Jose still went one-for-five on the man advantage. Despite tying the score up three times, the Sharks couldn’t keep the Ducks from responding.

Clearly, all areas of the game need to be tweaked.

“We’ve got to find a way to get an extra save, and on (the other) end we’ve got to find a way to get another goal,” DeBoer said. “We could’ve used a power-play goal tonight -- another one.”

Perhaps the only silver lining, as Meier put it, is that the Sharks are going through this stretch now instead of once they get into the playoffs. San Jose is still trying to get some of its key players healthy and into the lineup so they can make a deep playoff run with the lines and pairs they want. The goal, at least at the moment, is to make sure this five-game skid is a lesson to learn from and not a prelude to the future.

"Get stronger as a team, get tighter as a group, and learn," Meier said. "It’s going to make us stronger going into the playoffs because there are going to be lots of ups and downs coming up. It’s going to make us stronger and we’ve got to react the right way.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137338 San Jose Sharks

Sharks takeaways: What we learned from overtime loss to Ducks

By Chelena Goldman

March 22, 2019 9:30 PM

All the Sharks needed was a win. Just one win on Friday evening against the Ducks. Two points to salvage the road trip, stop the losing streak, and get back to hunting for first place in the division.

Not surprisingly, Team Teal made things interesting with a game that stayed tied up heading down the stretch. Unfortunately for San Jose, the Ducks were the victors in overtime 4-3.

Here are three takeaways from Friday’s game:

How did the power play look?

In a few words: nonexistent until the third. San Jose had three opportunities on the man advantage through the first 40 minutes of play and couldn’t make anything happen. They even gave up a couple breaks the other way that Dell had to stop. Had the power play converted, the Sharks might’ve been up by two or three goals after two period of play.

Timo Meier came up big with the power-play goal in the third period to tie the score up 2-2. While they couldn’t capitalize on the power-play opportunity immediately followed, Meier’s marker will hopefully open up the flood gates for the power play.

Who else stepped up?

Sharks’ bench boss Peter DeBoer didn’t mince words after Thursday’s loss to the Kings, saying that the team needed someone to step up during this stretch with injured superstars and be a hero.

“You’ve got to get a great performance from somebody in a game like this and I don’t think we got that,” DeBoer said on Thursday.

In all honesty, the whole team looked better even with the loss. The fourth line had a couple very memorable shifts, cycling low and establishing pressure. Joe Thornton’s line was clicking, which was clear from Kevin Labanc’s goal.

Gustav Nyquist was a solo standout – despite not finding the back of the net, he played a heck of a game and had some incredible looks. Of course, you can’t talk about this game without talking about Justin Braun scoring the big game-tying goal in the third frame, which was his first marker since December 2.

How did Aaron Dell do?

In all fairness, Dell gave the Sharks a chance to win for the majority of the game. No. 30 has looked good in his last couple of outings – save his relief effort against the Golden Knights earlier in the week when he had little defense to help him out – and he made a couple great saves in Anaheim as well, especially when the Ducks had a couple short-handed breakaways.

Unfortunately for Dell, he gave up the two power-play goals in the third frame. While Braun was the hero and scored the tying goal late in the third to help take the game into overtime, Dell still couldn’t hold down the fort in overtime. It doesn’t matter if he’s the backup or not – at this time of the season, playing too loose late in games isn’t good.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137339 St Louis Blues And that’s an important distinction because as a restricted free agent, the Blues can pretty much control where Binnington plays next season. As an unrestricted free agent, they can’t.

Del Zotto enjoying the playoff chase

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.24.2019 Jim Thomas

It has been a while since Blues defenseman Michael Del Zotto has been in the playoffs, or even in a playoff race.

“I want to say three or four years ago in Philly,” Del Zotto said. “The unfortunate part at that time, I had season-ending surgery so I didn’t get to play in the playoffs when I was in Philly. So the last time I played would’ve been my last year in New York (with the Rangers), which was six, seven years ago maybe.”

But after a trade deadline deal that sent him to St. Louis from Anaheim, not only is Del Zotto in the playoff race with the Blues, he’s been in the lineup.

“Playing meaningful hockey this time of year is incredible,” Del Zotto said. “That joy you have coming every day to the rink. It wears on you when you get into January, February and you know you’re not making the playoffs. It’s tough.

“So now, knowing you’re right in the thick of things, fighting for position, trying to get home ice right now, obviously catching the teams ahead of us — it makes the game that much more enjoyable. You’re coming to the rink every day with a purpose, knowing you got a shot at the Stanley Cup.”

After being acquired for a sixth-round draft pick Feb. 25, Del Zotto was a healthy scratch in six of his first seven games with the Blues. But then Joel Edmundson suffered a lower-body injury March 12 against Arizona. Del Zotto was called into action, with Saturday’s game against Tampa Bay his sixth consecutive game — all with Robert Bortuzzo on the Blues’ third pairing.

“This game is so unpredictable and so many things can happen with injuries and what-not,” Del Zotto said. “It’s just a matter of staying ready each game, doing the little things.”

Del Zotto has done more than just the little things filling in for Edmundson. Known as a puck mover and an offensive-minded defensemen when he came into the league, Del Zotto has shown he hasn’t lost the knack, with assists in three consecutive games entering the Tampa contest.

“When I first came into this league, I was definitely more so a power play guy, offensive guy,” he said. “As you gain experience and as you become older and play more years in this league you understand what it takes to win on a nightly basis.

“It’s not always gonna be a goal or an assist. Maybe a blocked shot, or a big hit, or taking the hit to make the play.”

BINNINGTON’S NUMBER IS 26

Turns out the magic number for Jordan Binnington is 26 games, not 28, in terms of whether he becomes a restricted vs. unrestricted free agent after this season.

Under terms of Group VI free agency in the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement, goaltenders are eligible for unrestricted free agency if they are age 25 or older, have played three or more professional seasons, and have played 30 minutes or more in fewer than 28 games.

Binnington is 25 and in his sixth full season of pro hockey. But since he was under contract during the 2012-13 season, a lockout year in the NHL in which only 48 games were played, the number of games played to determine his free agency status was pro-rated down to 26.

Thursday’s 5-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings, marked Binnington’s 26th game with at least 30 minutes of action. (He is 19-4-1 as a starter — 24 games — but played more than 30 minutes in two other games in December in relief of Jake Allen.)

So Binnington no longer is eligible for unrestricted free agency. He will be a restricted free agent once this season ends. 1137340 St Louis Blues The Blues looked to be back on their heels in the third period, when what looked like Stamkos’ 40th goal of the season occurred after a marginal tripping call against David Perron put the Lightning on the power play.

Blues beat the best with win against Lightning But Blues’ video coach Sean Ferrell, who watches the game at press box level, alerted Berube and the bench almost immediately that the play was offside. The review didn’t long: Ivan Barbashev had gotten his stick on Jim Thomas Brayden Point’s pass to Ondrej Palat, causing the play to be offside. No one was more relieved than Binnington.

“Shout out to Sean Ferrell ... that’s huge,” Binnington said. “It was kind of Needing five victories over the remainder of the season to set an NHL a sigh of relief for me. That was pretty frustrating. We really wanted this record for most wins in a season, the Tampa Bay Lightning came to win.” Enterprise Center knocking on history’s door. They got it, even though Binnington at times resembled a duck in a They’ve already clinched a playoff berth, already won their division title, shooting gallery. The league’s highest-scoring team — with three of the already clinched the President’s Trophy for best record in the 2018-19 league’s top 10 scorers in its lineup — peppered him with 42 shots, the season. most Binnington has faced in his career. But they left Enterprise Center still five wins short of the record books. To But by game’s end, he had improved to 20-4-1 and remained unbeaten a large degree, the Blues were hanging on for dear life at the end. In at 12-0-1. Binnington and Nashville’s Pekka Rinne are the only goalies terms of total attempts, they were outshot 74-48. They needed a coach’s who have beaten the Lightning twice this season. challenge to wipe out the tying goal by Steven Stamkos with 5 minutes 43 seconds to play. In the big picture, the Blues (40-27-8) solidified their hold on third place in the Central Division, six points ahead of fourth-place Dallas, and are But they prevailed nonetheless, winning 4-3 in an intense, highly- moving ever closer to clinching a playoff spot. And don’t look now, but entertaining contest Saturday and handing Tampa Bay (58-14-4) just its the Blues are just two points behind Nashville for second place in the third regulation loss in 1 1/2 months. Central with a game in hand on the Predators. “Obviously, they’re an offensively gifted team,” goalie Jordan Binnington While the Blues gave credit to Tampa before and after Saturday’s game, said. “There’s a lot of momentum changes in that game. Our fans helped the interesting thing was they didn’t give the Lightning too much credit. us out a couple times. It was just a battle from the start of the second period on. Thankfully, we had a good first period and kind of built off that “I told the guys before the game, ‘That’s a good team over there. We’re a and just competed right till the end.” good team. You should go out and play like you’re a good team against a good team,’” Berube said. “And we did. We went out in the first period The Blues scored three goals in 75 seconds in the first period to take a 3- and we went after them.” 0 lead, then watched Tampa Bay storm back to score three of the game’s next four goals. But Brayden Schenn, who has been a Lightning killer this The Blues are now 16-8-3 against the top 10 teams in the NHL. And that season, scored what proved to be the game winner with a behind-the- could bode well in a couple of weeks. Come playoff time. back, through-his-legs goal that trickled past Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevkskiy with 5:36 left in the second period.

“I was just hoping for the best,” said Schenn, who was drifting right-to-left St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.24.2019 on the play. His momentum heading in that direction was such that a conventional shot wouldn’t have worked.

So unconventional worked for Schenn’s 15th goal of the season. He had scored the game winner Feb. 7 in a 1-0 overtime victory at Tampa.

“A couple games we have some chances and puck doesn’t go in,” Vladimir Tarasenko said. “It was good we can score today and help the team win. Obviously happy for Schenner. It’s a great game-winning goal.”

After going two games without a goal, and one game without even a point, the Schenn-Ryan O’Reilly-Tarasenko line was riding high again Saturday. Tarasenko got his 29th of the season to make it 3-0 Blues less than 13 minutes into the game. For the night, the trio accounted for five points (two goals, three assists).

Rookie Robert Thomas and veteran Alexander Steen, the youngest and second-oldest Blues at ages 19 and 35 respectively, had given the Blues a 2-0 lead earlier, each scoring his eighth goal of the season.

The crowd of 18,127 was so loud during that three-goal spree, a fourth quick score might have blown the roof off the place. But you didn’t think Tampa was going to lay down and concede, did you?

Schenn didn’t.

“It wasn’t over,” he said. “They score too many goals for them not to make a game of it. They’re dangerous, all lines can score, their ‘D’ are active. They play hard, they make plays, we probably made their job a little easier, letting them back in with the power play to start the second.”

Alex Killorn’s shorthanded goal just 27 seconds into the second period got Tampa Bay back in the game. Not surprisingly, interim coach Craig Berube was not happy with that goal, which came right off a faceoff, and wasn’t happy overall with his team’s play to start the period.

“You can’t feed into that team or teams like that by turning the puck over and making soft plays,” Berube said. “They’re going to capitalize and go the other way and it’s hard. ... We were on our heels for a while.” 1137341 St Louis Blues Results around the league have been good for the Blues so far. Winnipeg beat Nashville 5-0, so the Blues pulled within two points of second place. Minnesota, one of the teams chasing the Blues, lost to Blues hang on for dramatic 4-3 win over Tampa Bay Carolina 5-1 and Dallas, which has a chance to catch the Blues for third in the Central, lost and is now six points back.

The Blues had taken a 3-0 lead in a jaw-dropping 75 seconds that had Tom Timmermann the crowd going nuts at Enterprise Center in the first period.

Robert Thomas started the scoring with 8:30 to go in the first, shooting into an open half of the net on a power play after shots by Tyler Bozak In a fast-paced, high-stakes, no-holds-barred battle on Saturday night at and Vince Dunn. It was the eighth goal of the season for Thomas. Enterprise Center that oozed drama, the Blues held on to an early three- goal lead thanks to a replay review that wiped out an apparent game- The crowd was still buzzing when Zach Sanford picked up the puck in the tying goal in the third period and knocked off Tampa Bay, the best team Tampa zone, took a shot that was blocked but Alexander Steen came in in the NHL, 4-3. and, knocked off his feet ala Bobby Orr, put in the rebound to make it 2-0 just 38 seconds later. It was the eighth goal of the season for Steen. "It's huge, it's huge for team confidence," said Brayden Schenn, who scored the Blues' fourth goal on a spectacular between-the-legs shot. That really got the crowd going, and then 37 seconds after that, "They're a very good team, playing great hockey, winning a lot of games, Tarasenko scored his 29th goal of the season. Ryan O'Reilly skated the scoring a lot of goals. For us to come in and beat them two times this puck in and fed a trailing Tarasenko for the goal. It was Tarasenko's first year, obviously gives the team confidence and we know we're a good goal since he came back from his injury and the first point for that line as team in here." well.

“I told the guys before the game, ‘That’s a good team over there. We’re a "It was a good push for us, but we slipped a little bit in the second," good team. You should go out and play like you’re a good team against a Tarasenko said. "We should work (on this) and we shouldn't do this, give good team.’ " coach Craig Berube said. "And we did. We went out in the them feeling of the game. It became a tough match for us, but obviously first period and we went after them. We were the aggressors I thought in always a 3-0 lead in the first is always good for us." the first period. We dictated the pace. In the second period for eight minutes we didn’t play our game, and they make you pay. That’s a good team over there. They’re very good with the puck and they can make St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.24.2019 plays and they capitalized. Binner did a great job of keeping us in there.”

Jordan Binnington faced a career-high 42 shots but got the win, improving his record to 20-4-1. That puts him within two wins of the Blues' rookie record set by Jake Allen in 2014-15.

The Blues have beaten Tampa Bay twice this season, having won the game in Florida 1-0 in overtime.

Schenn's goal, shooting backhanded between his legs late in the second, put the Blues up 4-2. Tampa Bay pulled within a goal 4:46 into the third when Steven Stamkos got the puck in the slot and shot past Binnington into the top corner.

It looked like Tampa Bay had tied the game with 5:43 to play on a shot by Stamkos on a power play, but the Blues challenged that Tampa Bay was offside entering the zone and, on review, the goal was disallowed. Ivan Barbashev got his stick on the puck as Brayden Point passed it into the zone and, by a hair's breadth, Point got into the zone before the puck did. The Blues killed the rest of that penalty on David Perron and held on to their lead.

Blues video coach Sean Ferrell got the credit for the replay challenge.

"He had it pegged right away, so it was good," Berube said. "It was a good call.”

"It was kind of a sigh of relief for me," Binnington said. "That was pretty frustrating. We really wanted this win. We got one more game on this homestand here. Tonight was a big one and hopefully we continue on Monday."

The Blues got their 4-2 lead on a goal by Schenn with 5:36 to go in the third. It came after a dogged effort by Barbashev to win the puck back in the Tampa zone. He got the puck to Vladimir Tarasenko, whose shot was blocked by Andrei Vasilevskiy, but Schenn got the rebound and, skating across the crease and away from the goal, put a backhand shot between his legs and over the prone Vasilevskiy and into the goal

“Big goal, real big goal," Berube said. "Barbashev did a great job forechecking, took the body, loose puck, made a play. Vladi shot it, Schenner goes to the net, rebound, and puts it in.”

"It was nice to score one of those goals," Schenn said.

Other than that, though, the second period belonged to Tampa Bay, which outshot the Blues 19-8 and had two shots by Nikita Kucherov that could have tied the game go off the post. It was that close.

Tampa got its first goal by Alex Killorn with the Blues on a power play 27 seconds into the period. Brayden Point made it 3-2 with his 40th goal of the season after Ryan McDonagh gloved a puck out of the air and started a rush the other way. 1137342 St Louis Blues

Blues wary of potent Tampa Bay power play

Jim Thomas

Mighty Tampa Bay presents a hosts of challenges for the Blues' in tonight's game at Enterprise Center. Not the least of which is the Lightning's league-leading power play, which is converting at a 35.3 percent rate on the road.

That's a big number. How are the Lightning doing it?

Blues interim coach Craig Berube smiled and replied: "Lots of good players. They move the puck really well and (Steven) Stamkos is a great scorer. They've got a lot of weapons on the power play, and it's hard to cover 'em all.

"We gotta do a good job of being disciplined tonight and staying out of the box, and when it's time to kill (penalties) you need to do a real good job. Really good job."

Stamkos is second in the NHL in power play goals, with 19. Teammate Brayden Point leads the league with 20.

But the Blues penalty kill has been very good lately, killing off 40 of 43 opponent power plays since Feb. 14, and not allowing a power play goal over their past six games. The Blues have moved up to ninth in the NHL in penalty kill efficiency at 81.7 percent.

"Up ice I think we're doing a good job of holding our stand at the blue line, not allowing teams to enter with possession," Berube said. "If we have to force them to dump it in, our goalies are doing a good job playing the puck, too, and clearing it."

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137343 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning can’t come all the way back against the Blues

By Diana C. Nearhos

Published Yesterday

ST. LOUIS — Seventy-five seconds was enough to sink the Lightning on Saturday.

Tampa Bay played a good game, a very good second and third periods, but it gave up three goals in a 1:15 span of the first period. St. Louis went on to a 4-3 win, ending the Lighnting’s seven-game win streak.

Robert Thomas got the Blues started with a power-play goal at 11:30 of the first period. He knocked in a rebound at the back door to put the Blues on the board.

Alexander Steen added another 38 seconds later. He dove at the goal (and Andrei Vasilevskiy) to get his stick on another rebound.

Then, 37 seconds after that, Vladimir Tarasenko struck on a two-on-one with Ryan O’Reilly.

Just like that, Tampa Bay was in a 3-0 hole.

“I liked the way we handled ourselves except for that little bit of a meltdown for a minute and a half,” Jon Cooper said.

The Lightning has come back from that deficit before (the last time was March 9 against Detroit, sparked by Steven Stamkos’ record-tying goal), but has come out of it each time saying the team can’t put itself in that position.

Tampa Bay couldn’t pull it off on Saturday.

Alex Killorn started the comeback effort with a short-handed goal 27 seconds into the second period. He drove in on Jordan Binnington in net and made a nice move faking at the glove and then tucking the puck around the goalie.

Brayden Point added another, redirecting Ryan McDonagh’s pass at the back door to bring the Lightning within a goal. With that goal, Point has his first 40-goal season his third season.

Brayden Schenn gave the Blues back a cushion with an impressive goal late in the second period. Vasilevskiy saved the first shot Schenn took, but Schenn immediately grabbed the puck again. Vasilevskiy sprawled to try to get the puck from Schenn, but couldn’t reach it. Schenn, skating on one leg with the right straight out in the air like a figure skater, tucked the puck around his left leg. Vasilevskiy trying rolling over to make the save, but couldn’t get to the puck. Blues up 4-2 with 5:36 left in the second period.

Stamkos brought the Lightning back within one with a wrist shot from the slot early in the third period.

He almost tied it up with 5:43 to play, on a standard power-play one-timer from the left dot, but the goal was reviewed and overturned because Point was offside.

Both Point and Cooper said the play was offside, a tough call but the right one by the officials in the NHL situation room.

“For the final two periods I thought we played pretty darn well,” Cooper said. “We had some unreal looks. They just didn’t go in. Then we get the unfortunate offsides, but it was offside.”

With the win, St. Louis became the third team to sweep the Lighting (Minnesota and Nashville being the other two). The Blues beat the Lightning 1-0 in overtime on Feb. 7 in Tampa Bay.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137344 Tampa Bay Lightning shorthanded goals on the season. Contrast that number with the 35 total power-play goals the Lightning has allowed on the season.

He specified that defensive is first and foremost, but everyone likes to The Lightning killing it on special teams recently score.

“If there’s a chance for two forwards to go down and try to create some By Diana C. Nearhos offense, why not?,” he said.

Published Yesterday

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.24.2019

ST. LOUIS — The Lightning is very good on special teams; that has been made clear over and over again.

Recently, both power play and penalty kill played a part in the wins over Washington and Carolina, but it’s been consistently true over the course of this historic season.

That’s great for the regular season, but what about in the playoffs when games are called a lot more loosely?

Jon Cooper still thinks you need special teams.

“It is a little different in the playoffs,” he said before Saturday’s game, “because for the most part, there aren’t as many penalties, but they become amplified. Special teams help you win hockey games.”

Goals are typically harder to come by in the playoffs, games tend to be closer. With fewer opportunities, taking advantage of its power plays and killing of its penalties could be even more important for the Lightning.

In the eight games before Saturday’s against St. Louis, Tampa Bay has allowed three goals on 29 power plays. On the other side, the Lightning has scored on 32 percent of its chances (7-for-22).

Brayden Point (20) and Steven Stamkos (19) have combined for more power-play goals than the Lightning has allowed opponents on the season (35).

The power play’s success is somewhat easy to figure out. The first unit (responsible for most of the team’s power-play goals) features Victor Hedman, Steven Stamkos, Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov, and either J.T. Miller or Ondřej Palát. To recap: that means the league’s points leader (Kucherov) and the top two power-play goal scorers (Point and Stamkos).

Of course it’s successful.

“Everybody is a threat,” Jon Cooper said. “When you have that kind of arsenal to be able to make plays, fast plays, under pressure and then having an ability to score in every area it can be hard to have an ability to defend.”

The penalty kill is less about the stars, though it’s still loaded with skill. The Lightning has figured out the balance of being aggressive and patient, two attributes that seem very much at odds with each other.

“We’re trusting each other out there and not trying to do too much individually,” Ryan McDonagh said. “We’re at our best when we’re aggressive and it can’t just be one guy going hard, you need all four guys to be aggressive and in the right spots.”

The other piece is not reacting to the puck without thinking. The Lightning is intentional when it gets the puck on the penalty kill. There can be an impulse to just chuck the puck down the ice from where ever you are.

Tampa Bay is trying to consciously look for seems to get the puck all the way down the ice. Yes, every team tries to do that, but the Lightning is succeeding more often.

As Miller said about the power play, it can eat up a quarter of the two- minute advantage when you have to chase down the puck.

To maximize that time, when the other team is carrying the puck up the ice for re-entry into the offensive zone, the Lightning has done a good job of disrupting the entry. That means being physical with the player carrying the puck and also just forcing players out of their planned entry.

“We’ve seen a lot of success when we throw the timing off for the unit,” McDonagh said.

Scoring shorthanded goals is more of a bonus for the penalty kill than an aim, Anthony Cirelli is tied for second in the league with five in 1137345 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning pregame: St. Louis with last opportunity to sweep Tampa Bay

By Diana C. Nearhos

Published Yesterday

ST. LOUIS — Only two teams have swept the Lightning and St. Louis is the last team with a chance to do so.

Not only did the Blues beat the Lightning 1-0 in overtime back on Feb. 7, they were the first of two teams to shut out Tampa Bay (the other being the Wild, one of the two sweeps).

It’s unsurprising that all three teams with a chance to sweep the Lightning are in the Western Conference (Nashville, Minnesota, St. Louis), meaning they only play twice.

That loss to the Blues came during a rough stretch for the Lightning, and was the second loss in a row and fifth in nine games.

But it, coupled with a shootout loss to Vegas two nights before, sparked the Lighnting’s longest win streak of the season.

“As a team, we found out a lot about ourselves during that stretch there,” Jon Cooper said Saturday morning. “It was not too long after that we went on quite a win streak. Learning from that game was really good for us.”

Now, the Lightning has won seven straight and is looking to prevent the last possible sweep.

The lineup

With Yanni Gourde suspended for two games, Adam Erne is back in the lineup, but there are no other changes.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137346 Tampa Bay Lightning

Yanni Gourde suspended two games for hit to Jordan Staal’s head

By Diana C. Nearhos

Published March 22

Updated Yesterday

ST. LOUIS — Yanni Gourde has been suspended two games for his illegal check to Jordan Staal’s head during Thursday’s game against Carolina.

Gourde was given a match penalty in-game, which carries an automatic indefinite suspension until the play has been reviewed. The Department of Player Safety ruled on the suspension after a hearing with Gourde on Friday.

According to the explanation video, Gourde’s angle of approach was the issue, making “clear and forceful hit” in which Staal’s head was the main point of contact but was avoidable.

Gourde argued that Staal was stumbling as he played the puck, but the video explains Staal’s head does not “materially change position.” Gourde had time to change his angle and avoid Staal’s head on the play.

Gourde will forfeit $10,752.68, or about one percent of his average annual value.

“If there’s any contact with the head, whether it’s intentional or not (and it was clearly not intentional), the league’s been consistent with what’s happened," Jon Cooper said Saturday morning. "And they were consistent in this case. You need players to step in and help us. Ryan (Callahan) has done that Adam (Erne) has done that. I can go all the way down the list. It’s unfortunate Gordo’s out, but the depth we have to step in is good for us.”

This is Gourde’s first suspension or fine. He will miss Saturday’s game in St. Louis and Monday’s game at home against Boston.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137347 Toronto Maple Leafs asked if that was the best version of Matthews he had seen in his 25 games to that point in Toronto.

“I think so,” he said. “I don't know what it was, but the puck was not Leafs’ Auston Matthews might be a volcano ready to blow | The Star leaving his stick. I don't know if his hands were feeling it that night, but (with) his work ethic, and when the puck is glued to his stick like that, it's hard to get it off him. He created a lot of chances, yeah.” By Bruce Arthur Sports Columnist Matthews and Nylander naturally make one another better, and Johnsson is a nice third. But when Matthews takes his hand-eye co- ordination and his skating and his instincts and his shot and goes up an Auston Matthews was asked if he was dialing it up, with the playoffs in extra level, he can play with anybody in the world. His line will likely be sight. He has been toying with a raggedy beard for most of the season, matched against Boston’s buzz-saw top line again when the Leafs are on which doesn’t count; it was something closer to a moustache on the road in the opening round. That line is centred by Patrice Bergeron, Saturday anyway. Nobody grows playoff moustaches, thank god. who is so ageless it’s like he was carved from stone The Leafs will need Matthews nodded. “Yeah,” he said, before a 2-1 overtime loss to the New Matthews to be great. York Rangers. “I think it’s important.” So, he’s ramping up, even if the scoresheet isn’t lighting up in the Leafs centre Auston Matthews can’t get this shot past Rangers obvious ways. They don’t all go in; Matthews learned that in the playoffs goaltender Alexandar Georgiev in the first period Saturday. last year, and was reminded Saturday night. He could hit a desert again, at the wrong time. We hold some truths to be self-evident in this country too, and raising your game in the playoffs is one of them. Matthews had one goal on a But he is giving himself chances. Eventually, the volcano erupts. team-high 27 shots in seven playoff games last season, and one assist.

Essentially, nothing went in. He still led all Leafs forwards in ice time. But he came up close to empty. He will get another chance this year, like all Toronto Star LOADED: 03.24.2019 of them.

The Rangers, Saturday’s opponent, felt like a discount Viking funeral for Henrik Lundqvist, and the game felt like a tune-up for a long time. But Matthews was quietly volcanic without erupting. Over every team’s last 10 games, Matthews has attempted 66 shots while playing 5-on-5, second in the NHL to Montreal’s Brendan Gallagher’s 67. At all strengths, he leads all players with 90, for five goals. In this one, he attempted 16 shots, four of which actually got to the net. Only Morgan Rielly’s 17 shot attempts were better. They didn’t go in, either.

“Yeah, (Matthews) had some great looks,” Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. “Really good looks. I didn’t even realize after one (period) how many good looks he had until I saw it in the room. Work hard. To me it’s all process. Just do good things, good things will happen. It doesn’t happen right away all the time, but it’ll happen.”

Matthews could have scored two or three times in the first, another couple in the second, maybe one or two in the third. Late in the second he dominated a two-lap shift — twice around the Rangers zone, playing like everyone else was standing still — but he couldn’t get a shot and his pass bobbled on John Tavares’s stick. He nearly created goals for William Nylander and Andreas Johnsson in the third; the latter was a no- look pass after a work of stickhandling art.

But nothing went in against otherwise unremarkable Rangers goalie Alexandar Georgiev, not even a drive in overtime, and then Matthews changed in overtime as a 2-on-1 developed that the Rangers eventually finished. Toronto lost.

“That goalie’s got our number somehow,” Matthews said. “Just keep going. We’re good players. Eventually those are going to go in; and if it’s not tonight it’ll be tomorrow, and if it’s not tomorrow it’ll be the next game. But you just want to continue to play the way we are, and keep generating those chances ... we’re too good to keep creating these opportunities and not capitalize on them.”

After the Leafs blew a lead in Vancouver a little over two weeks ago Matthews talked about how his season — still a very, very good one — had been affected by the shoulder injury that cost him 14 games in October and November. It took him a month or two to feel like his legs were back, he said. He said his hand-eye coordination, his feel, felt off for some time, too.

Then in Edmonton that Saturday night he played heavy minutes against Connor McDavid (and his two mannequin wingers, in fairness) and was on the ice for 25 shot attempts during 5-on-5 play, and 10 against. He’s had a few planet-smasher games since, the best of which may have been in Buffalo Wednesday, when he played angry and on top of his game.

“Yeah, in Buffalo when I was on the ice watching the line go, I was like, I knew they were going to have a good night,” said Leafs defenceman Jake Muzzin. “You could just tell. They were buzzing, the puck was following them around the ice, getting chances ... Hopefully the chemistry and the work continues, and they can carry it on to the playoffs.” He was 1137348 Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto started playing a much heavier game in front of the Rangers net late in the third period but, through two periods, they were not creating enough traffic there. Georgiev proved that if he could see the puck he’d Rangers’ Alex Georgiev holds Leafs at bay as visitors win in overtime | save it. The Star Injury update: There was some concern over the progress of Jake Gardiner, who has missed 13 games now with a back injury. Gardiner was not on the ice for the morning skate. He had skated with the team’s By Mark Zwolinski Sports Reporter skills coaches Friday morning.

“He didn’t skate (Saturday), so I don’t know,” Leafs coach Mike Babcock said, when asked for an update. “We just talked this morning, ‘How’s the Just a word on Rangers goalie Alexandar Georgiev off the top. Since the kid, how’s life.’ I didn’t ask him about (the injury).” NHL expanded in 1967-68, he is the first Rangers goalie to post two 40- save wins against the same team in the same season.

Georgiev stopped 44 of 45 shots in New York’s 2-1 overtime win Toronto Star LOADED: 03.24.2019 Saturday, giving him 99 stops in two games against Toronto. Ryan Strome scored the winner 1:48 into the extra period after a brilliant save by Toronto’s Frederik Andersen.

It was another superb performance for Georgiev, who made 55 saves against the Leafs last month in New York during a 4-1 Rangers win.

Zach Hyman was the lone Leaf to beat Georgiev Saturday. New York’s Pavel Buchnevich scored the game’s first goal 19 seconds into the third period, and Hyman tied it a little more than eight minutes later.

Then Georgiev took the Rangers to overtime. Kudos to the 23-year-old, who will one day replace Henrik Lundqvist.

About those shots: The Leafs enjoyed a 45-28 edge in shots and were miles ahead in shot attempts, 108-58. The Rangers had a whale of a night in blocking shots, outdoing the Leafs in that department, 33-13.

Morgan Rielly led the Leafs in both shots (9) and shot attempts (17). That was an amazing side note to the Leafs’ offensive effort.

Auston Matthews probably had five goals on his stick but bad bounces, bad ice and good goaltending left him scoreless.

Hyman high: Hyman was the only Leaf with something to show for what was a frustrating, night in the Rangers’ end. His goal was his 19th of the season, a new career high.

“ Yeah, it was a good breakout from our zone,” Human said of the play. “I think (Jake Muzzin) made a really good play in the (defensive) zone and then got it to (John Tavares), and to Mitch (Marner) and Morgan (Rielly), and then just a shot on net which is what you’ve got to do when a goalie’s hot. It popped up to (Tavares) and he found me (with a no-look pass), and I was able to put it in.”

Goal shortages: Georgiev might have been a convenient excuse Saturday, but there are too many Leafs forwards who have to explain too many goalless nights. Among them: Nazem Kadri, no goals in 11 games; Kaspari Kapanen, one in 15; Patrick Marleau, one in 11; Andreas Johnsson, one in 12; William Nylander, one in 13; and Connor Brown, one in 23.

“Just keep going,” Matthews said. “We’re good players, it’s eventually going to go in ... we’re too good to keep generating these chances and not capitalize on them.”

Added Mike Babcock: “”Pucks are going to go in if you work hard. I thought we did a lot of good things tonight, I didn't think we got in our own way. Obviously, a disappointing way to end. I didn't think we were as good tonight as we've been in the last two games, but I still thought we had lots of opportunities.”

On the positive side: The Leafs, even with the loss, felt decent about their third solid performance — especially defensively — after struggling mightily on defence the previous week (23 goals against in four games).

They controlled the puck a tick under 65 per cent of the time, and limited a strong-skating Rangers team to just seven high-danger chances (compared to 20 of their own).

“The adversity we went through here a week ago — I said at the time and I think it is now — I think it’s a good thing,” Babcock said. “Dig in, it's not supposed to be easy. Dig in.”

On the negative side: Toronto lost to a team that traded away eight players at the trade deadline and was without injured forward Chris Kreider. And the Rangers had lost 11 of their previous 12 games. 1137349 Toronto Maple Leafs they’re worried about so no one cares about my problems,” Holl said. “But at the same time, they’ve all been good about it and supportive.”

Leafs defenceman Justin Holl has mastered the waiting game | The Star Toronto Star LOADED: 03.24.2019

By Mark Zwolinski Sports Reporter

“Wait for your opportunity and be ready when it comes.”

Leafs defenceman Justin Holl says that a lot. The personable 27-year-old has been seldom-used this season, outside of a string of six games the past two weeks due to injuries, and he’s adopted a catchphrase or two used by players with limited ice time.

Justin Holl had played just two games all season before injuries hit the Leafs’ blue line in recent weeks.

But with a back injury to Jake Gardiner and a shoulder injury to Travis Dermott, Holl has gotten that opportunity. And he’s loving it.

“It’s tough going through the majority of the season playing two games, but it’s great getting in here, you know, contributing a little bit, get rolling and string a few games together,” Holl said Saturday morning.

The defencemen can tell you every manner of story or piece of advice on how to stay ready. He’s received a steady diet of practices, of course, but he also has a specialized routine on game days that is organized by assistant coaches D.J. Smith and Jim Hiller. Their morning skates include smartly planned drills and pure skating, all designed to maintain his skill sets and his conditioning.

“Yeah, yeah, I know the assistant coaches well,” Holl said. “I know the skills coaches real well, almost too well, but that’s how it goes.

“They do a good job of varying what we do on the ice, they work you just as hard when you’re scratched.”

Still, keeping a positive attitude has been the biggest challenge for Holl, who won an AHL championship with the Marlies last season. Selected by Chicago in the second round of the 2010 draft, Holl has always been able to bank on his size — six-foot-three and 210 pounds — but that asset is not as important as it used to be, especially on a team built on skating excellence and puck movement. The key for Holl is confidence, feeling good about his skill set.

That comes largely with playing. Holl feels his confidence has been returning the last couple of weeks, which should serve him well as the Leafs march toward the playoffs.

“For sure, the more you play, the more comfortable you get, and you get that confidence level going and trying to keep that going is a lot of fun,” he said.

It hasn’t all been smooth. Head coach Mike Babcock was referring to his blue line earlier in the week when he suggested the Leafs still had work to do improve their depth. Those comments came with Holl and either Martin Marincin or Igor Ozhiganov serving as the third defensive pairing, and after the Leafs had allowed 23 goals over a four-game stretch.

But Holl seems to have a positive attitude ironed into his psyche. He isn’t in the same boat as, say, Frank Corrado, whose string of healthy scratches two seasons ago became a thing on social media and ultimately led to Corrado’s exit after he voiced his frustration.

Holl would be playing regularly if he were with the Marlies, but he needs to clear waivers to be sent to the AHL. The fact that the Leafs won’t risk that is a sign they still believe in Holl. He’s signed through next season — the end of a two year, $1.35-million deal — and should at least have a chance to earn more regular time next season.

Of course, there will be plenty of other challengers. The Leafs have an impressive collection of Swedish defencemen with the Marlies — Calle Rosen, Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren — who will be vying for playing time as well.

Holl remains appreciative of the opportunity he has now. If he’s learned anything from being a healthy scratch for so long, it's how to stay positive.

“I’ve been conscious that everyone has their own problems, like their lines or putting up points or anything else … everyone has their thing that 1137350 Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.24.2019

Maple Leafs fall to lowly Rangers in overtime

Terry Koshan

Down to seven games now for the Maple Leafs to find their full stride before the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs begin.

Plenty of work remains, as evidenced by the outcome against the New York Rangers on Saturday night at Scotiabank Arena.

The effort was good for long spurts but not always sustained on the part of the players wearing Toronto uniforms, especially taking into account they were playing a Rangers team that started the game 16 points out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Leafs erased a one-goal deficit in the final 20 minutes but lost 2-1 in overtime when Ryan Strome scored at 1:48, beating Frederik Andersen from a difficult angle.

There are no moral victories in the National Hockey League. So, no, 45 shots on goal against a team that had lost 11 of its previous 12 shouldn’t have had the Leafs feeling good about themselves afterward.

Rangers goalie Alexandar Georgiev – who made 55 saves against the Leafs in a New York win on Feb. 10 – was fine, but the 23-year-old didn’t have to be overly spectacular.

Fact is, the Leafs should have beaten this Rangers team with relative ease.

“They’re obviously out of a playoff spot but those guys worked really hard and they wanted to win,” said Zach Hyman, who scored Toronto’s goal. “That’s the type of hockey you’re getting as we move on here and come playoff time, you have to start converting on your chances. They’re going to be tight games like this one and you get to play in games like this.”

True, playoff games will be tight. But they’re going tight to be against the Boston Bruins, a team that won for the 19th time in 24 games on Saturday when it beat Florida. The Leafs are seven points behind the Bruins, who also have seven games left, for second in the Atlantic.

At this late stage, the Leafs shouldn’t be getting a lesson from a team such as the Rangers, one that is 23 points behind them in the standings.

“We had a lot of good players, we didn’t score,” Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. “We had empty nets and the whole works, and so we have to bear down. We have a number of guys who have not scored in a bit. The puck is going to go in if you work hard. I thought we did a lot of good things, I didn’t think we got in our own way, it was a disappointing way to end.

“I didn’t think we were as good as we we have been in the last two games (a win in Buffalo after a loss in Nashville).”

Auston Matthews alone had 16 shot attempts.

And though there have been improvements defensively, more must come.

“It continues to be a huge issue – not an issue – a huge thing we have to work on to get better at,” Babcock said. “We have talked about it every day and we will continue to talk about it. I would like to get us a little more rhythm so we feel better. I like the progress we’re in and how hard guys are playing.”

After the Rangers took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Pavel Buchnevich at 19 seconds of the third period, Hyman tied the game at 8:33 when he fired the puck into an open net thanks to a find backhand feed from John Tavares.

The goal was Hyman’s 19th of the season.

“It’s a good thing we’re getting opportunities, shots, chances,” defenceman Morgan Rielly said. “That said, we have to find a way to win these ones. I know it’s a cliche and we’re all getting tired of it, but there are positives to take away.”

Victories would be good to take away too. The Leafs, who play host to the Panthers on Monday, have lost five of their past seven. 1137351 Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock praises tenacious play of Andreas Johnsson

Terry Koshan

If Mike Babcock had the power, he would find a way to clone Andreas Johnsson.

“He is competitive and he drives people crazy,” Babcock said. “We need more him like him.”

Johnsson had 41 points, including 20 goals, in 67 games prior to Saturday and had entrenched himself on the left side on a line with centre Auston Matthews and William Nylander.

Johnsson’s tenacity has been lauded by Matthews several times since the trio was together by Babcock. The skill and determination Johnsson combined to be named the most valuable player in the AHL playoffs last spring has come to the fore with the Leafs.

“Any time you get a player like that, you would like to have two or three,” Babcock said. “No different than (Zach) Hyman. Problem is, there is no tree. Just like when you want left-hand shots or right-hand shots. You would like to have a magic wand to turn a guy from a left shot to a right shot.”

Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137352 Toronto Maple Leafs Babcock has had to lean on regulars Ron Hainsey — who turns 38 on Sunday — as well as Morgan Rielly, Jake Muzzin and Nikita Zaitsev. If Gardiner — a Minnesota neighbour of Holl’s growing up — is not going to Holl fills hole for Maple Leafs at last make it back in the next couple of weeks, Holl could see his first NHL playoff action.

“I feel fresh and I can keep pushing it hard and be ready to go,” he said. Lance Hornby When Jake Muzzin looks at the NHL standings, he feels quite fortunate.

His former team, the Los Angeles Kings, sits almost 40 points back of That flood of goals pouring through the Maple Leafs’ levee has ebbed. Toronto, long gone from playoff contention. And perhaps no one is happier to be high and dry than Justin Holl. Toronto can clinch a spot in its next few games. With Saturday night’s fifth consecutive appearance — Travis Dermott is still out a few days longer and Jake Gardiner is not close to returning — “The way things were going in L.A. (back in late January), it wasn’t Holl is shaking off the rust with every start and contributing a more looking like we were going to make it,” the defenceman said Saturday responsible effort in front of Frederik Andersen. morning. “This is what you play for. It’s a tough season and to have a chance to be back with a good team, I’m excited.” Despite the 2-1 overtime loss to the New York Rangers at Scotiabank Arena, the Leafs put in their third straight game of 25 or less shots Since winning its second Stanley Cup in a three-year span in 2014, L.A. against in regulation. has either missed the playoffs or been knocked out in the first round. Muzzin hopes the Leafs can ride a wave into April in their remaining So used to extra sessions with the assistant coaches on a game day, seven games. He played more than 27 minutes in an overtime loss Holl was very happy to come off the ice with the starters again on against the Rangers on Saturday night. Saturday morning. “It’s not easy to just flip a switch and all of a sudden be ready,” he “It’s tough going through the majority of the season only playing just two cautioned. “Every practice and game, we’re taking steps to be a better games,” said an understated Holl. “It’s great to get in here and contribute playoff team.” a little bit, get rolling and string a few games together.”

After a memorable NHL call-up last season, with goals in both his two Leafs appearances, Holl returned to the Marlies and featured in all 20 Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.24.2019 Calder Cup playoff games in the farm team’s title run. He was summoned to the SBA on Nov. 1 for a game against Dallas, but was deemed more valuable as blue-line insurance and did not see action again until almost March.

When the team needed help, Mike Babcock almost always called on left- shooting stay-at-home defenceman Martin Marincin, but did not wish to risk exposing Holl on waivers by sending him back down. Holl began a monotonous routine of practice after practice, chained to the press box on game night.

“(The coaching staff) told me ‘keep doing what you’re doing, wait for your opportunity and be ready,’ ” the 27-year-old said. “That was the message the whole year. It’s tough, but you control what you can and be ready to go when your number is called.

“The more you play, the more confidence you get and it’s easier to keep that going.”

Marincin was ailing the past few days, allowing Holl to be paired with Igor Ozhiganov. They played under 10 minutes as the Leafs gained three of a possible four points, but Holl has been used as much as 18 minutes through his nine games this season.

He and Marincin were coach Sheldon Keefe’s preferred shutdown pair much of last year with the Marlies.

With the Leafs, Holl has gone on all the scenic trips this season: Las Vegas, Western Canada, California and Florida, but didn’t see action in a road game until thrust into maelstrom on Long Island when John Tavares returned.

He had his lone assist at home against the Flyers last week. Holl was asked if home or road scratches are hardest on him, given team camaraderie is strongest away from Bay St.

“It’s 50-50, but either way you don’t want to be sitting. The games are why you play and it’s a lot of fun to get in there.”

Cooped up together for so long, Holl and other Black Ace defencemen and forwards have developed strong relationships with assistants D.J. Smith, Jim Hiller, Andrew Brewer and Steve Briere.

“I know them well, the assistants and the skills’ coaches, almost too well,” laughed Holl. “They do a good job of varying what we do on the ice (sometimes throwing in some shinny games with back-up goalie Garret Sparks). They work us hard and make sure we’re ready, conditioning- wise, to get in a game.

“The skates we do out there are very difficult — and with good reason. (Lung capacity) is an important part. If you’re not playing, you have to get it somewhere else.” 1137353 Toronto Maple Leafs What is Leonard’s plan for next season? Ibaka asked. He didn’t get an answer of any kind, either … Most NBA mock drafts have Zion Williamson being selected first in June but the local guy, RJ Barrett SIMMONS: Babcock is a handful of a coach for Dubas or any GM to deal seems to be slipping from second to third on a lot of lists behind Murray with State’s Temetrius “Ja” Morant, which is hardly a bad place to be … Raptors have nine games to play and their opponents, combined, are more than 130 games under .500 … The Milwaukee Bucks will finish with the best regular season record in the NBA for the first time since 1974. Steve Simmons That team had Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson on it and was managed by current Raptor voice of reason, Wayne Embry.

Understanding Mike Babcock, Kyle Dubas and the relationship between The Blue Jays have put in a one-hour rule banning its people from the two is somewhat complicated. Babcock has his way of doing playing Fortnite in the clubhouse prior to games. The rule, which isn’t business. It’s not always easy, it’s not always comfortable. But there’s a known as the Russell Martin Rule but could be, makes some sense but book of sorts on him. doesn’t go far enough. Players should be banned from in-clubhouse video games from the time the clubhouse first opens to media at 3:30 in There’s not yet a working book on Dubas as an NHL general manager. the afternoon … The Blue Jays will wrap up in Florida with Vladdy Of course, that will take time. Guerrero hurt, along with Dalton Pompey, Ryan Borucki, Devon Travis, Bud Norris, David Phelps and Clay Buchholz. Explain again please the “Scotty Bowman was different than Mike Babcock and Al (Arbour) was high performance dollars they invest in their operation? … The Giants different than Scotty,” said Jimmy Devellano, who worked with Babcock are taking a good look at Kevin Pillar and the Blue Jays are listening. If and Bowman in Detroit and Arbour on Long Island. “I worked with all Pillar gets moved, Randal Grichuk will start in centre field rather than three. They’re all different, very effective, very affected, very driven.” right, which probably opens up a spot for Anthony Alford … The largest Said another NHL executive: “Mike can be like a race car driver, he only opening day crowd in Blue Jays history – 50,560 fans in 2005. The knows one speed and he keeps his foot on the gas all the time. He’s like smallest opening day crowd – 36,316 in 1996. There are plenty of good that so he expects everyone else to be like that. I don’t think he cares seats available for Thursday’s home opener against Detroit … When whether the players like him or not. He cares about results. Scotty was a Roger Clemens pitched for the Jays, teammate Dan Plesac named a lot like that. He didn’t care what you thought of him.” racehorse after him: Rule 21. The context was there was one set of rules for the Blue Jays, another for No. 21, the Cy Young pitcher … What’s the This hasn’t been an easy season for Babcock or for the Maple Leafs. over-under on Troy Tulowitzki in games played and at bats this season. More was expected of the coach and the team. More is expected. I’ve got 100 games and 350 at bats and I don’t say that without any Judging success in any way will come from whatever happens in the conviction at all … If you have a problem with Ian Mendes, you have a opening round playoff series against Boston. problem with life. We should all be bush leaguers of his quality … Department of dumb: Outdoor soccer in frigid weather. Knowing what Dubas thinks and how Dubas reacts is a work in progress for the outsiders. He’s new at this. He doesn’t have a track record. And in AND ANOTHER THING an environment in which Brendan Shanahan welcomes free thinking and disagreement, a stubborn Babcock and a somewhat stubborn Dubas are What do Bianca Andreescu, Milos Raonic, Daniel Nestor and Denis going to have their issues. The best usually do. Just how they work Shapovalov have in common, other than the obvious, they’re through this and together will answer much about both of them in the professional tennis players from the GTA? They’ll all children of Eastern immediate future. European immigrants, who started them playing tennis as kids under family coaching … How about that, the CFL changing the time of the Two mistakes Babcock and Dubas have made this season. One, not Argos home opener at the request of the Arkells, who play Budweiser playing Justin Holl more. Two, not sending Igor Ozhiganov to the AHL Stage the same day Argos play the Ticats … James Harden has had when the Leafs acquired Jake Muzzin. That would have made Holl more multiple 60-point games in this MVP season, which puts him on pedestal game ready and Ozhiganov more prepared to play rather than just opposite Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant … Mike Yeo practicing with the Leafs and sitting out games … Haven’t seen Auston was fired in St. Louis with the Blues playing at 73-point pace. Craig Matthews play a more dominant game than he managed Wednesday Berube has coached at 102-point pace over the past 55 games … Highly night against the Buffalo Sabres. “You could have had five points,” I told recommend the documentary Heading Home, the story of Team Israel’s him after the game. “Probably more,” he said … The Tampa Bay presence in the last World Baseball Classic … Sometimes I wonder Lightning are first in the NHL in wins, first in points, first in penalty kill, about this country I adore: Cathal Kelly and David Shoalts have written first in power play, first in goals scored, first in goal differential at +100. fine books but are not found on the bestsellers list for non-fiction but last Most NHL franchises have never been +100 for any season. Scotty time I checked Steve Dangle had a book on the list … All the best to Bowman’s 1977 Montreal Canadiens finished the season at +216, Dave Smart, the coach of all coaches in Canada, who won 13 national highest in history … This is scouting meeting month for many NHL basketball championships at Carleton before calling it a day. It’s teams. Maybe not for the Arizona Coyotes, who fired seven scouts the reminiscent of Tom Watt winning 11 titles in 15 years coaching hockey at other day, many of them veterans. It’s all part of their we’re-smarter-than- the University of Toronto … There are 35 point-a-game players in the you approach to building an NHL team … Can’t believe the Buffalo NHL this season. The past two seasons, there were only 32 … Had a lot Sabres will bring back Phil Housley to coach next season. The team just of respect for Braden Holtby before he announced he wouldn’t be isn’t progressing the way it should be … Love hearing Brian Burke talk travelling with the Washington Capitals a few blocks to the White House. because he loves to tell half a story. He talks a lot about drafting Morgan Now, a lot more … Happy birthday to Ron Hainsey (38), Chris Bosh (35), Rielly but almost never about drafting Tyler Biggs. He also mentions how Dirk Hayhurst (38), Dustin McGowan (37), John Tonelli (62), T.J. Ford he pushed his scouts in Calgary to find players with size failing to (36), Peyton Manning (43), Mike Vanderjagt (49), The Undertaker (54) mention that the Flames best player is tiny Johnny Gaudreau, whom and Barry Horowitz (60) … And hey, whatever became of Mel Bridgman? Burke would never have drafted. It’s not his size of player … Gaudreau could be a finalist for the Hart Trophy, as the NHL’s most valuable player The one name athletes – there aren’t many you can recognize without a award. After favourite Nikita Kucherov, you can argue the relative values last name. of Patrick Kane, Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid as well as long shot Mario was one, as in Lemieux. Michael another, as in Jordan. Joe Willie Sebastian Aho of Carolina for the other two Hart nominees. As usual, it’s was Namath. Babe, as in Babe Ruth. LeBron is LeBron. And Tiger has another great race but I can’t see anyone but Kucherov winning here. been Tiger. This is Kawhi Leonard, getting ready for playoffs and his eventual And for his entire time in Major League Baseball, there was Ichiro. departure from Toronto: He’s scoring 29.6 points a game in March, up from 21.5 in February. The biggest month to month difference though is You can’t say Mike without saying Trout in baseball today. It doesn’t hold his shooting percentage from three-point land. He was 27.5% in up on its own. You can’t say Kevin without saying Durant or Connor February, now 47.9% as it’s close to serious time for the Raptors … without McDavid and in this country maybe you can say Sid without Don’t know what kind of cook Serge Ibaka is and haven’t spent a lot of Crosby and most will know who you are talking about. time watching his online cooking show How Hungry Are You? but I do give him some credit for him asking Leonard the question just about Ichiro Suzuki was singular in so many ways, arriving late in the major everybody who cares about basketball in Toronto is asking themselves: leagues after years in Japan. He had more than 200 hits in each of his first 10 major league seasons, which by itself is rather remarkable. George Brett only had two 200-hit seasons. Tony Gwynn had five. For all Trout has managed, he has yet to have a 200-hit season. Wade Boggs had seven of them.

Ichiro had a special and almost individualized talent. His batting stance was different. His style was different. His speed was sensational. His penchant for legging out a base hit was consistent. He had just enough power but more than that, he was the kind of player you had to watch, you had to focus on, the kind baseball doesn’t have enough of.

Ichiro played his last game at home in Japan. He can never be replaced.

Leafs Cup run chances

It is extraordinarily rare for a team to win the Stanley Cup without having some kind of playoff success prior to their championship run.

The Washington Capitals, for example, won five playoff rounds in the seven years before eventually winning their first Cup last June. The mini- dynasty of the Chicago Blackhawks began in 2010 one after year the Blackhawks lost in the Western Conference Final against Detroit.

Pittsburgh won four playoff rounds in six years before returning to the championship circle in 2016 and 2017. Only the Los Angeles Kings, winners of 2012, had a rather spotty lead in to its first of two championships after the first Chicago win. The Kings had lost first round in 2010 and 2011 and had missed the playoffs for six years before that.

Which brings you to the Maple Leafs of today, heading to the playoffs for the third straight season under coach Mike Babcock. They lost in six games to Washington two years ago and in seven to Boston last year. Barring the unusual, the Leafs will need a playoff push of at least two rounds, maybe more, before they can be seriously considered a Cup contender.

Should they advance to the second round against Tampa, it gives them the kind of platform to build for a Cup run in the future. Rarely does a team win anything without some kind of previous success and disappointment surrounding it.

Nicholson’s cringe-worthy moment

Bob Nicholson has Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, two of the top scorers in all of hockey, and still has an Edmonton Oilers hockey club that isn’t anywhere near ready to be a playoff team.

Which makes his decision to hire a general manager the most important determination of his NHL career – and a decision that makes you cringe ever slightly after Nicholson’s verbal faux pas in Edmonton the other day.

Nicholson was asked by an Oilers fan about Tobias Rieder at a public event and rather than take the simple way out – all he had to say was our incoming general manager will make all personnel decisions – Nicholson went on an anti-Rieder tirade, which isn’t difficult considering the forward has not scored a goal this season.

But the optics were terrible. The look was amateurish. The look showed Nicholson being immature and not necessarily ready to make this huge decision in Edmonton. If I thought I was a candidate for the Oilers job, I would worry about it now: Will I be in charge or is he in charge?

Will I be signing players and shaping my roster or will he and the bevy of Oilers leftovers from the best have a say in everything I do? Nicholson didn’t help himself in any way with his behaviour regarding Rieder. It made this joke of an Oilers team in this joke of an Oilers time all the more not funny.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137354 Toronto Maple Leafs right-hand shots. You would like to have a magic wand to turn a guy from a left shot to a right shot. It doesn’t work like that.”

The Leafs enter play on Saturday with 93 points, six back of the Boston Maple Leafs steeling themselves for another clash with Rangers goalie Bruins, who visit the Florida Panthers on Saturday night. Alexandar Georgiev There was some news out of Boston on Saturday that will have an impact on the first-round series against Toronto, as forward Sean Kuraly, Terry Koshan a vital depth player for the Bruins, will be out of the lineup for approximately four weeks.

Kuraly suffered a fracture in his right hand against New Jersey on The Maple Leafs probably couldn’t have picked Alexandar Georgiev out Thursday and already has had surgery, the team announced. of a crowd a couple of months ago. The Bruins recalled Karson Kuhlman from Providence of the American That changed on the night of Feb. 10 at Madison Square Garden. Hockey League.

The New York Rangers goaltender made 55 saves in that game against Toronto, marking the most stops a goalie has made in a National Hockey League game in 2018-19, as the Rangers won 4-1. Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.24.2019

Coming off a couple of impressive road performances, including a victory in Buffalo on Wednesday night, the Leafs didn’t need any reminders of Georgiev’s career night.

The Leafs will get another crack at the netminder on Saturday night at Scotiabank Arena when the Rangers visit.

“He gave us a lot of trouble last time,” Leafs centre Auston Matthews said. “We have to do a much better job tonight trying to take away his eyes.

“He made some pretty unbelievable saves, but those rebounds and getting to the net and second-chance opportunities will be important.”

Frederik Andersen will be in goal for the Leafs. Centre Frederik Gauthier returns to the fourth line after missing two games with a foot injury, and William Nylander will be on the right side of Matthews after battling an illness all week that caused him to miss practice on Friday.

Defenceman Martin Marincin remains ill, so the third Leafs defence pair again will be Justin Holl and Igor Ozhiganov.

Defenceman Jake Gardiner, who has been dealing with back issues that have caused him to miss the past 12 games, did not skate on Saturday morning during the Leafs’ optional. Defenceman Travis Dermott, out the past 11 games with a shoulder injury, did skate.

If the Matthews line is able to build off what it did in Buffalo in a 4-2 win against the Sabres, there should be success against a Rangers club that is 16 points out of a playoff spot. Matthews, Nylander and Andreas Johnsson were dominant three nights ago.

“Even when I was on the ice watching the line go,” Leafs defenceman Jake Muzzin said. “I knew they were going to have a good night early on in the game. You could just tell they were buzzing, the puck was following them around the ice, creating chances.

“I don’t know what it was, but the puck was not leaving (Matthews’) stick. I don’t know if his hands were feeling it that night but his work ethic and when the puck is glued to his stick like that, it’s tough to get it off him. He creates a lot of chances.”

The Leafs have eight games remaining in the regular season. Matthews knows that it’s crucial for not only his line but for the team to be in a groove in the last couple of weeks heading into the playoffs.

“Defensively, teams really dial in their structure, so it’s something we need to do as well and I think the Buffalo game was a good step forward for us,” Matthews said.

“Our line has been clicking pretty well. These last couple of games, we have controlled the play. We have had the puck and have been working extremely hard to get it back when we don’t have it. It’s just a key for us to stay on it.”

Johnsson doesn’t have the offensive gifts that Matthews and Nylander possess, but his work ethic is a large factor for the trio.

“For a 190-pound guy, he is ultra-competitive,” Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. “He is competitive and he drives people crazy. We need more like him. Any time you get a player like that, you would like to have two or three.

“No different than (Zach) Hyman. You want two or three of them. Problem is, there is no tree. Just like when you want left-hand shots or 1137355 Toronto Maple Leafs Auston Matthews – 20:40, 16 shot attempts, 13 scoring chances (team lead), four shots on net, zero goals

I know the recency bias of Matthews’ poorly timed line change will be Leafs Report Cards – Game 75 vs. New York Rangers fresh in most fans’ minds, but if we’re evaluating his game as a whole, he was clearly Toronto’s most dominant forward Saturday. He was generating chances like crazy in the offensive zone, but unfortunately By Ian Tulloch wasn’t able to capitalize on him. As frustrating as it is for fans to see their star player fire 11 scoring chances toward the net and end the game with Mar 23, 2019 zero goals, it’s typically not something that lasts. If you can your shot from great locations with consistency, the goals are going to come.

Who could have possibly seen this coming? Tavares was so strong on the puck in this game, helping his line maintain possession on the cycle for long periods of time. He was also great at Dom Luszczyszyn’s model gave the Leafs a 79 per cent chance to win, getting the puck back after his team lost it in the offensive zone, making it a classic Trap Game that most Leafs fans saw coming. (It just hounding the Rangers’ defencemen on the forecheck. It felt like a game felt like one of those nights.) In a game where the Leafs were clearly in which Tavares simply wanted the puck more than the other players on dominating their opponent, Alexandar Georgiev stole the game for the the ice, and when you play like that, you tend to have the puck a lot. It Rangers again as they won in overtime, 2-1. I’m sure Leafs Twitter will helps explain why the Leafs outshot the Rangers 31-14 when he was on respond rationally to this one, so let’s try our best to follow suit in the the ice. game report. Nikita Zaitsev – 20:13, five clean-zone exits (T-third on team), plus-12 How did the team look? shot differential, plus-6 scoring chance differential

5-on-5 – 䈏䈏䈏䈏䈏 I thought this might have been Zaitsev’s best game of the season. He was doing an excellent job of moving the puck up the ice (an area where Sometimes you can play a great game, do everything right, dominate in he typically struggles), making crisp passes to his forwards in the neutral shots and scoring chances, but it still doesn’t matter because you run into zone. Zaitsev also did a solid job of closing things off in transition (the a hot goalie. That’s exactly what happened to Toronto; they got play where he rubbed out Brendan Lemieux along the boards in a 1-on-1 Georgiev-ed (again). situation comes to mind), making this a solid transitional performance for Now, the Leafs obviously weren’t facing the toughest opponent in this him. When you get the puck out of your end with possession and prevent game, but considering they laid an egg against Ottawa last week, I feel the other team from entering the zone, you’re helping tilt the ice in your like I’m grading on a curve here. This was a dominant performance at team’s direction, which is exactly what Zaitsev was doing Saturday. even strength, even if it was against one of the worst defensive teams in Andreas Johnsson – 17:03, six clean-zone exits (T-team lead), five the NHL. scoring chances,

Power Play – 䈏䈏䈏䈏 Usually, Nylander is the forward this line relies on for moving the puck up the ice, but Johnsson actually stepped up to fill that role Saturday. He did I thought the power play looked excellent, generating lots of quality a great job of using some shifty moves to create space for himself on the chances from the slot. It’s hard to believe the Leafs didn’t score a goal breakout, which would open a passing lane to the neutral zone for him to with the man advantage Saturday, considering how many great looks find Matthews or Nylander. It’s a large part of the reason that line didn’t they got, but this is the kind of process that leads to solid results in the spend much time in its own end (when you’re moving the puck up that future (when they’re not facing Georgiev). well, you tend to spend a lot more time in the offensive zone). Johnsson Penalty Kill – 䈏䈏䈏䈏 also made a couple of excellent passes in the offensive zone, one of which gave Matthews one of his many empty-net opportunities. The Getting to see Mitch Marner on PK1 tonight was a delight. Led by him, pucks didn’t want to go in Saturday, but you have to be thrilled with the the Leafs did an excellent job of getting their sticks into the passing lanes process for Johnsson. and skating the puck up the ice after regaining possession in the defensive zone. This helps kill extra seconds off the penalty, and can 䈏䈏䈏䈏 also lead to some solid scoring chances at the other end of the ice, which Jake Muzzin – 27:10 (wow), four clean-zone entries (T-third on team), is why I love seeing players such as Kasperi Kapanen or Marner get lots plus-13 shot differential of minutes at 4-on-5. I really liked the Muzzin-Zaitsev pairing in this game. Zaitsev did a great Player Reports job as the dynamic puck-mover (which feels weird to type), while Muzzin 䈏䈏䈏䈏䈏 was making smart little plays along the boards or at the blue line to help his team regain and maintain possession. I’ve often felt like these two Best player on the ice: Alexander Georgiev defencemen’s styles didn’t mesh, but they looked excellent Saturday (albeit against a weak opponent). He’s been a .905 goalie this season who’s faced the Leafs twice this season. His save percentage in those games? .978 and .982 – I don’t Ron Hainsey – 23:23, five clean-zone exits (T-third on team), plus-19 understand it, either. shot differential

Actual Best player on the ice: Morgan Rielly – 27:18 (team lead), 1 It was the Morgan Rielly show offensively, but Hainsey was doing his part assist, 17 shot attempts (team lead) nine shots on net (team lead), six to help shut things down defensively. He was using his stick to take away clean exits (T-team lead), six clean entries (team lead), plus-23 shot passing lanes, and he was actually doing a great job of moving the puck differential up to his forwards on the breakout. He even made a cross-slot pass in the offensive zone to Matthews in the third period. That’s a pretty solid Rielly was all over the ice in this one. He actually led the team in night for a guy who turns 38 on Sunday. controlled zone entries, meaning he was the Leafs’ best player at skating the puck into the offensive zone with possession (something we typically Mitch Marner – All right at even strength, incredible on special teams see from a forward such as William Nylander or Mitch Marner). When he gained the zone, he was doing an excellent job creating offence, whether What’s funny is that I thought this was a below-average game for Marner it was with some shifty moves on the cycle to open passing lanes, or at even strength, but he was phenomenal on special teams. I’ve already getting the puck through (with a team-leading 17 shot attempts and nine alluded to his great play on the penalty kill, but I’m not sure if I’m doing it shots on goal). One of those resulted in a rebound for Zach Hyman’s justice. He’s looked like the team’s best penalty killer lately, and he’s game-tying goal. getting rewarded for it with PK1 duties. The way he chases down pucks and creates offence the other way reminds me of Brad Marchand in When you throw in the fact that the Leafs absolutely dominated the Boston, who I would argue is the best penalty killer in the NHL. Marner Rangers at 5-on-5 when Rielly was on the ice, not to mention he led the was also excellent on the power play, helping get the puck to the team in ice time with over 27 minutes, this felt like an easy grade to give. dangerous areas where Toronto could have easily scored a couple of goals with the man advantage. Frederik Andersen – Stopped 26 of 28 shots (.929 save percentage) of the Ian Graph Jinx, so I apologize to all of the Nylander fans out there (especially Shane D in the comments section). It was easy to forget about Toronto’s goaltending in this one, considering the Leafs fired 45 shots at Dominik Hasek … I mean Alexander Are we sure they actually played tonight? Georgiev, but that doesn’t take away from Andersen’s solid performance in this game. Even though the Rangers’ shot quality wasn’t the greatest, Patrick Marleau & Nazem Kadri – Marleau had that one little chance after he did make a couple of key saves on partial breakaways and odd-man skating in front of the net, and Kadri had that rebound opportunity on the rushes. Any time you allow only one goal after 60 minutes, it’s hard to power play, but for the most part, this was a quiet night for Kapanen’s give you any less than four stars in my books. linemates at even strength.

Trevor Moore – 6:51 of solid 200-foot hockey 䈏

In case I haven’t made this clear, I love Trevor Moore. He seemingly wins Worst player on the ice: Connor Brown – Unfortunately, this was a rough every loose-puck race and has the speed and skill to get his team up the game for Brown. He wasn’t moving the needle much at 5-on-5 and didn’t ice with possession, not to mention some underrated offensive ability. even have a major impact on the penalty kill (with Hyman, Marner, and (He’s able to make a line with Frederik Gauthier seem dangerous on the Kapanen taking most of the key PK shifts). His most memorable play of cycle.) I’m not sure if we’ll see Moore get a legitimate opportunity in the the game was a turnover in the offensive zone that led to a 3-on-2 rush, top nine this season, but if he keeps playing like this, he might force Mike where Brown was late on the backcheck and was forced to take a Babcock’s hand. hooking penalty.

䈏䈏䈏 Igor Ozhiganov – He didn’t even get 11 minutes Saturday, but I can understand the hesitance in trusting Ozhiganov at 5-on-5 when he gets Kasperi Kapanen – Great off the rush, needs to make better decisions exposed defensively off the rush so often. He also took a tripping penalty after getting hemmed in the defensive zone for a long period of time, so I Kapanen’s speed is such a weapon, but I still feel like there are times think it’s safe to say his minute allocation was fair in this one. (I’d like to when he needs to harness it. Stopping on a dime could have opened see Holl get some more opportunities though.) some more passing lanes for him off the rush (which I’ve written about this year), but this was still an excellent game from him offensively. He Yup, that pretty much sums up this one. was generating a ton of shots Saturday, even though he was able to hit the net on only two of them, reminding a lot of us of Nylander’s bad habit Final thoughts from the game of shooting high and wide. I realize, as I’m re-reading this, that I might be The Leafs got Georgiev-ed … again. I don’t know what it is about the coming across as overly critical, but it’s because of how highly I think of .905 backup goaltender, but he seems to have Toronto’s number. There Kapanen’s talent. He had a solid night, but if he starts making some are some things in the universe that I can’t explain, an unfortunately, this better decisions with the puck, I think he could have a 60-point ceiling, is one of them. which isn’t that crazy considering he’s scored at a 49 point pace this season. Final Grade: B+

Zach Hyman – About what you’d expect

This was your typical Zach Hyman Game. He had a few great The Athletic LOADED: 03.24.2019 backchecks defensively to prevent 2-on-1s, he was winning board battles in the offensive zone and he scored an empty-net goal. (OK, it wasn’t technically an empty-net goal, but I couldn’t resist making that joke.) He now has 19 goals in 64 games this season, which is super impressive even when you consider that six of them didn’t come against goaltenders.

Frederik Gauthier – Again, about what you’d expect

Much like Hyman, Frederik Gauthier has a distinct style to his game that we’ve come to expect. He isn’t the greatest offensively (as Jeff O’Neill has established), but he’s great at cycling the puck in the offensive zone and taking away passing lanes in the defensive zone. That was on full display Saturday, not to mention a few moments of brilliance (making a great behind-the-net pass for a scoring opportunity, and an interception in the neutral zone that led to a partial breakaway). Not a bad night for the Goat!

Mike Babcock – A matter of opinion

This is always the toughest one for me to grade. On the one hand, giving Hainsey 23 minutes of ice time in a meaningless game down the stretch is less than ideal, but on the other hand, rewarding Marner with PK1 duties is one of my favourite decisions of the season. I’m curious to hear what our readers have to say about the coaching staff’s decisions in this game, but I’m going to go with the lukewarm take that they were “fine.”

In case you’re wondering, all of those songs last longer than 8:01, which is the number of minutes Holl played against the Rangers. I know Babcock doesn’t trust him, but I thought he did a solid job of moving the puck up the ice. I’d like to think that he deserves more minutes than some of these classic songs, especially considering Hainsey has been getting more minutes than Rush’s “2112” lately (which lasts 20:33).

What do these songs have to do with hockey? Absolutely nothing, but I love them.

䈏䈏

William Nylander – This wasn’t Nylander’s greatest game. I’ve accepted the fact that whenever I write an article about a topic (like Matthews and Nylander’s fantastic chemistry together), that the exact opposite of my argument is going to happen in the next game. This is another example 1137356 Toronto Maple Leafs Now, I’m not one to overreact to a small sample, but this has been a consistent trend throughout their careers. For whatever reason, Matthews and Nylander are more than the sum of their parts when they Tulloch: Why the Leafs should never separate Auston Matthews and play together. William Nylander It prompts the question: Why is this the case?

Transition

By Ian Tulloch I’m going to try my best to break down the answer into a few key Mar 23, 2019 components of the game, but this is arguably the most impactful, in my opinion. There’s been a ton of research over the past few years indicating the importance of moving the puck up the ice with possession. Entering the offensive zone with possession leads to twice as much When you look around the NHL, you’ll notice that a lot of successful offence, while exiting the defensive zone with the puck leads to teams rely heavily on the chemistry of a “dynamic duo” up front. Whether significantly more clean zone entries (and by extension, more offence). it’s Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point in Tampa Bay, Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom in Washington, or Johnny Gaudreau and Sean This is an area of the game I’ve been tracking diligently this season Monahan in Calgary, it’s clear that there’s a huge benefit to having two whenever I’m on Leafs Report Card duty. Unfortunately, I haven’t star players who can play off of each other. compiled all of the data together into one big file, but I know that Nylander is often the team leader in both controlled zone entries and We’ve all seen what John Tavares and Mitch Marner have been able to zone exits. Simply put, he’s a phenomenal transitional player — he accomplish together, but I would argue that Auston Matthews and “transports the puck,” as Mike Babcock likes to say. William Nylander also fit this mould. Interestingly, this is an area where Matthews has actually struggled I find these on-ice numbers fascinating, since neither player has been relative to his talent level. Most of us would assume that a player of his able to drive play very well without the other throughout their careers, but calibre would thrive at moving the puck up the ice, but he hasn’t been when you put them together, you get one of the most dominant lines in that great at getting the puck out of the defensive zone with possession. I the NHL. think it helps explain why his defensive metrics have been so poor When you watch Matthews or Nylander with the puck on their stick, throughout his career (you’re going to give up a lot of shots and chances they’re obviously talented individuals, but the evidence indicates that against when you get stuck in the defensive zone). they’re more than the sum of their parts when they play together. This is I’d argue that this also speaks to his struggles in the defensive zone backed up by both the numbers (“quantifying” their chemistry) and the without the puck, but that’s another conversation for another day. Staying eye test. on the topic of transition, it’s important to point out the fact that Matthews What’s interesting is that this isn’t always the case with great players. For doesn’t advance the puck out of the defensive zone as well as other star example, Drew Doughty and Jake Muzzin spent their fair share of time centres around the NHL (e.g., Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, or together in Los Angeles over the past seven seasons. The team would even his teammate, John Tavares). naturally perform better when they were paired together (having two Now, Corey Sznajder’s data suggests that Matthews has been much great defencemen on the ice is better than one), but they also played well better when it comes to advancing the puck into the offensive zone (zone apart from each other for most of their careers, as Andrew Berkshire did entries), but I’ve found that it’s been an area where he’s deferred to a great job breaking down here. Kasperi Kapanen more often this season. We’ll come back to this point in The metric being looked at here is 5-on-5 shot share (CF%) the next section, but keep in mind the fact that Nylander can generate significantly more offence for his teammates off of a clean zone entry We expect a bit of a boost when two great players are on the ice at the than Kapanen. same time, but the trend from 2014-18 is more or less the norm in the NHL; results will be amazing with two stars, but still quite strong when So what’s my point after going through all of this transition data? Well, it’s only one is on the ice. It’s why I find the Matthews and Nylander situation clear that Matthews isn’t the greatest transitional player (especially when so interesting, as neither player has been able to dominate play for long it comes to moving the puck out of the defensive zone). He’s a borderline stretches without the other. generational talent once he gets into the offensive zone (as Scott Wheeler broke down beautifully with video recently), but he has some Now, some of this comes down to context. For example, Matthews’ most trouble getting there. This is where having a player like Nylander really common linemates without Nylander over the previous two seasons were helps, as he’s been the Leafs’ best player at “transporting the puck” from Zach Hyman and Connor Brown, which isn’t an ideal situation to be put in the defensive zone to the offensive zone over the last three seasons. when it comes to transitioning the puck up the ice and generating offence. Matthews has also spent a lot of time with Patrick Marleau in The passer-shooter combination 2018-19, who’s really been dragging down the team’s results at even It’s important to note that Kapanen has also done a great job of strength. advancing the puck up the ice with his speed this season, but his inability In a similar vein, Nylander has spent some time alongside Marleau and to get the puck to his teammates off the rush is what makes him a less- Brown this season, which also hasn’t gone very well (whichever line than-ideal fit alongside Matthews. Marleau joins tends to struggle at 5-on-5). For the most part, though, There’s been some excellent research this year breaking down the Nylander tends to spend his minutes without Matthews alongside Nazem importance of making a pass after you gain the offensive zone. It’s what Kadri – one of the best play-driving centres in the NHL. Although separates the superstars (Kucherov, MacKinnon, Gaudreau) from the Nylander and Kadri have driven play well this year, I always found it lone-wolf speedsters off the rush (Michael Grabner, Jake Virtanen, Miles confusing that they weren’t able to dominate at even strength over the Wood). previous two seasons. As I wrote about last month, Kapanen tends to fit that second description. Data from Natural Stat Trick League Average Carry-In %: 48 percent There’s been speculation that their strong results at 5-on-5 in 2018-19 could largely be a product of the sheltered competition they get to face League Average Pass %: 18 percent (mostly opposing third pairings and bottom sixes), which would help explain why Nylander’s adjusted shot metrics don’t look great in a model For those who didn’t get a chance to read this article, the numbers like Micah Blake McCurdy’s, which accounts for usage. indicate that Kapanen is a significantly above-average player at getting into the offensive zone with possession (using his speed), but is well It’s not always easy parsing all of this data together, but the take-home below average at creating passes off the rush. The end result is often point appears to be the fact that Matthews and Nylander haven’t been him settling for a low-percentage shot from distance, even when he has able to drive play at 5-on-5 without each other (after accounting for passing options available for better scoring opportunities. usage). That’s what makes it so interesting when we see them dominate games when they play together, which they’ve been doing since being This is a great example of a play where we’ve seen Nylander sauce it to reunited last week. Matthews in the middle of the ice for an easy goal. When your franchise player’s best skill is putting the puck in the net, you the periphery in the offensive zone, but neither is great at consistently want to pair him with someone who can find him when he’s open. NHL generating shots from dangerous areas. defences are so tight these days, it’s difficult even getting a sliver of space in the offensive zone, especially when opposing coaches are I’ve found that both players want to do the same thing in the offensive game-planning for you the way they are for Matthews (which only gets zone, but only one of them can have the puck at the same time (and the magnified in the playoffs). That’s why you need to take advantage of other isn’t adept to getting open down low). In the NBA, having two ball- those passing opportunities when they present themselves, which dominant players on the floor at the same time tends to result in less than unfortunately, Kapanen hasn’t been able to do this season. the sum of their parts (since only one player can have the ball at a time), which I think might help explain what’s going on with Kadri and Nylander. Don’t get me wrong, he’s having a breakout season where he’s generating shots, chances, and goals like a first-liner at even strength. I When you strike a perfect balance between playing styles, though, you just think there’s something to be said for the natural chemistry of playing can create some magic in the offensive zone. Pair an elite perimeter a world-class shooter with a high-end playmaker. Having watched playmaker with a sniper who knows how to get open the middle of the Matthews and Nylander closely over the past few seasons, I think it’s fair ice, and you’re going to score a lot of goals. to put them both in that category. There are countless examples of this line cycling the puck in the We’ve talked about the importance of transition and playmaking ability, offensive zone, Nylander creating some open space on the perimeter which was on full display in that last clip, but I wanted to dive into a with his skill, and then finding Matthews open in the slot where he can broader topic that tends to fly under the radar in hockey: the importance pick the corner. of spacing. This balance between perimeter playmaking and elite sniping ability from This is a concept that’s become crucial in the NBA, with teams realizing the slot is a deadly combination. It’s part of the reason Tavares and how important it is to play strong perimeter players with a superstar who Marner have been so effective this season, and it’s why I would argue can penetrate through the middle of defences. It’s the reason Milwaukee Matthews and Nylander should never be separated (barring injury). has the best record in the NBA this season; opponents have to respect What’s great about Toronto’s forward depth is that they can still put their shooters on the perimeter, which opens up space for their best together an excellent third line even after loading up their top six, similar player and MVP candidate (Giannis Antetokounmpo – The Greek to what Tampa Bay’s been able to do this season. Freak™) to score at a high rate down the middle. Any time you can put together two of the league’s best “dynamic duos” We can apply similar logic to hockey. If you have too many players and still be able to run guys like Kadri and Kapanen against third clogging up the middle of the ice (three Zach Hymans going hard to the pairings, you have to be happy with your lineup. front of the net), you’re not going to be able to sustain possession on the perimeter and find passing lanes to the dangerous areas. On the other side of the equation, if you have too many perimeter players (three Niklas The Athletic LOADED: 03.24.2019 Backstroms looking to feather saucer passes down low), you’re not going to have anyone in the slot to receive those passes. In my best attempt to “quantify” which of the Leafs players could best be described as perimeter players, I thought would sort them by their average shot distance. Unfortunately, the website I normally use for that metric (Corsica) is no longer available, so we’re going to use expected shooting percentage as a proxy.

Expected shooting percentage is basically what it sounds like – the shooting percentage we’d expect from you based on the shots you’re taking (shot distance, shot angle, shot type, etc). Here’s a look at which Leafs have been generating the best shot quality at even strength over the past few seasons.

After going through the numbers, I found that anything above below 7.0 percent could be considered a “perimeter player,” whereas anything above 7.5 percent could be considered more of a high-percentage shooter, at least when it came to shot locations (e.g., Hyman isn’t a great finisher, but he shoots from excellent locations in tight). This is obviously more of an art than a science, but it gives us a good idea of where players are shooting from in the offensive zone.

As a side note, I know that sometimes the term “perimeter player” often gets used as an insult, but I don’t think it needs to be. Players like Mat Barzal, Nik Ehlers, or even Jack Eichel spend most of their time on the perimeter in the offensive zone with the puck. It allows them to wheel around the zone with possession and find passing lanes to the slot. We’ve seen Marner do this time and time again, which is a huge positive in my books, not a negative.

You can see how the spacing works here with a net-front presence like James van Riemsdyk capitalizing on the excellent perimeter play of a passer like Marner. John Tavares has essentially been an upgraded version of this in 2018-19, on pace for a career high in goals on what feels like mostly tap-ins from in tight.

Now, let’s think of some examples where the spacing doesn’t work. For example, the Hyman-Matthews-Brown combination has never really performed well because all three players like generating their offence from the same spot. It forces Matthews to be more of a facilitator on the perimeter, when he’s much better suited to be a shooter in the middle of the ice.

On the other side of the spectrum, you can have too many perimeter players on a line, which is my theory as to why Kadri and Nylander don’t work as well as we’d expect. Both players like to possess the puck along 1137357 Vegas Golden Knights Rookie Taro Hirose, playing his third game, intercepted a breakout pass and fired a shot that was kicked out by Subban. Andreas Athanasiou got to the rebound at the side of the net and sent a shot through the crease, Red Wings snap Golden Knights’ 4-game win streak — VIDEO but Luke Glendening was positioned at the back post and tapped in his HIGHLIGHTS 10th goal.

The fourth line briefly snapped the Knights out of their slumber in the first, but they finally woke up during the later stages of the second period. By David Schoen / Las Vegas Review-Journal Not long after a power play expired, Ryan Reaves deflected Nate Schmidt’s shot and the rebound went to Eakin. He emphatically slammed in his 20th goal to surpass his previous career high set with Dallas during If anybody on the Golden Knights deserves a pass for a mistake these the 2014-15 season. days, it’s Reilly Smith. “I didn’t think we played horrible, but I didn’t think we had the energy or The right wing continued his torrid play Saturday, but he also committed the jump,” Gallant said. “They played a real good, hard game. They a costly turnover in overtime that helped the Detroit Red Wings snag a 3- probably deserved the two points. I’m glad we got the one, but they 2 win over the Knights before an announced crowd of 18,437 at T-Mobile played a good hard game.” Arena.

“We’ve been pretty good the past 10 or 11 (games), so sometimes that happens,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “We can be better, but you’ve got LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 03.24.2019 to give (Detroit) some credit.”

The Knights saw their four-game win streak come to an end and lost for the first time at home since Feb. 22.

Despite the loss, they moved within five points of idle San Jose for second place in the Pacific Division but will have to wait to clinch a berth in the postseason.

The Knights could have sealed their spot in the playoffs with a victory and a regulation loss by Arizona at the New York Islanders on Sunday. Instead, the point against the Red Wings lowers their magic number to three points.

“I thought they were first to pucks. They outworked us, especially early on,” Knights defenseman Jon Merrill said. “They were flying around, and we didn’t do a good job of eliminating their time and space in our zone.”

Cody Eakin set a career high with his 20th goal and Smith notched a short-handed goal midway through the third period in his 500th career NHL game.

But early in the overtime, Smith tried a behind-the-back pass that was intercepted by Dylan Larkin. Larkin fed Anthony Mantha in the slot for his second goal of the game 19 seconds into the extra session.

“Tough play, obviously,” goaltender Malcolm Subban said. “They have guys that get up ice, and they’re good at what they do in Larkin and Mantha. They’re fast, and they get on you and they make some good plays.”

Subban, coming off his first career NHL shutout, made his fourth straight start and finished with 27 saves. He dropped to 13-1-1 in his career at T- Mobile Arena.

Smith put the Knights ahead 2-1 at 10:12 of the third period with Ryan Carpenter in the penalty box for hooking. Smith deflected a pass into the neutral zone and won the race for the puck before he beat Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard with a backhand.

It was Smith’s third straight game with a goal and his ninth point in his past four games.

The Vegas Golden Knights host their first annual charity night during the Red Wings game at T-Mobile arena. Fans were able to buy from two choices of backpacks full of VGK memorabilia. 1,500 Golden Knights Charity backpacks were filled and fans lined up to buy the backpacks. The charity gives it proceeds to various causes around Las Vegas in order to give back to the community.

But the Red Wings tied the score about a minute later on the power play when Mantha blew a one-timer past Subban with 8:43 remaining.

“They skated well. They collapsed in their zone,” Eakin said. “They allowed their goalie to see shots or they blocked them. They just kept playing behind our D and made it tough on them the whole game.”

The Knights struggled to find their legs after Wanya Morris of Boyz II Men fame performed the national anthem and went almost seven minutes before they registered their first shot on goal.

Detroit took advantage of the poor start to grab the lead 3:06 into the first period. 1137358 Vegas Golden Knights

William Carrier returns to Golden Knights lineup

By Adam Hill / Las Vegas Review-Journal

Golden Knights forward William Carrier was first in the NHL in hits when he suffered an upper-body injury during a Feb. 16 game against Nashville.

He’s now fifth, 34 hits behind league-leading linemate Ryan Reaves. But Carrier, who missed 14 games before returning Saturday against Detroit at T-Mobile Arena, has more on his mind than making up ground on the stat sheet.

“I just have to get back to working the way I was and get ready for the playoffs,” said Carrier, who played with Reaves and Tomas Nosek on the fourth line. “It’s going to take a lot of intensity and work and just getting my feet moving. But there is a sense of urgency to do that.

“It’s been horrible not being able to play. Our line was playing really good hockey, and I was having one of my best years. It’s frustrating, but there’s nothing you can do.”

Carrier said the Knights’ recent play — 10 wins in their past 11 games while he was out — made watching a little easier.

“When you’re injured and they’re losing and you feel like you could help make an impact and you just can’t do it, it’s so tough,” he said. “Right now the boys are playing unbelievable.”

It will take at least one more game for Carrier to get back in sync with his full line. Nosek was playing in place of Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, who missed his second consecutive game with an undisclosed injury that Bellemare called “minor.”

Knights forward Valentin Zykov also returned to the lineup in place of Brandon Pirri, making his first appearance in more than a month and playing on the third line with Cody Eakin and Ryan Carpenter.

Zykov had been a healthy scratch in every game since Feb. 9 and had appeared in six games since he was acquired off waivers in December.

Flower blooms

Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury’s wife, Veronique, gave birth to the couple’s third child Friday, a team spokesperson confirmed after Veronique posted a photo on social media early Saturday.

“He’s here,” she wrote with a photo of the 21-inch, 9.3-pound child. “The new love of our life, baby James Fleury.”

Coach Gerard Gallant said the baby’s arrival won’t have an impact on Fleury’s status. He has missed the past four games with a lower-body injury.

“It’s actually real good timing,” Gallant said. “He’s getting a lot better, and we’re going to make sure he’s 100 percent. He’s doing good today, and he’s working out. Hopefully, he’ll travel with us (for games Monday at St. Louis and Wednesday at Colorado). If not, maybe he’ll join us on the trip or shortly after that.”

The Knights have no realistic hope of catching Calgary for first place in the Pacific Division and aren’t in much danger of being caught by Arizona for third, so a playoff series against San Jose appears inevitable.

There’s still a chance of catching the Sharks and getting home ice, and defenseman Nate Schmidt said he’s paying attention.

“You always have to be cognizant of who’s behind you,” he said. “But when you worry about who’s behind you, you can’t focus on what’s in front of you.”

Schmidt then proudly jumped from his seat in front of his locker and celebrated the profound statement he had stumbled upon.

“I hope you recorded that,” he said.

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Cooking fire at Golden Knights practice facility hurts 2

By Katelyn Newberg / Las Vegas Review-Journal

Two people were injured Saturday after a cooking fire in the kitchen of City National Arena in Summerlin, the Clark County Fire Department said.

Firefighters on the scene at the ice skating and hockey rink, at 1550 S. Pavilion Center Drive, confirmed that there was a fire in the kitchen. The fire had been put out by the building’s sprinklers before crews arrived, Assistant Fire Chief Larry Haydu said Saturday night.

Two people was injured during the fire, Haydu said.

One person was taken to a hospital with burns, and the second person was “treated and released,” he said.

The Fire Department had first reported that the fire was caused by a gas explosion, but that information was not correct, Haydu said in a later release.

Crews on the scene confirmed that the fire was “a cooking fire that was controlled by the building’s sprinkler system,” and the building’s gas supply was shut down as a precaution, he added.

Haydu said damage from the fire was minor, but crews are working to clean up some water damage caused by the sprinkler activation.

Building occupants are being allowed to re-enter the ground floor.

Further information was not available Saturday night.

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NHL division races still close with two weeks left in season

By Ben Gotz / Las Vegas Review-Journal

Everything seems up for grabs with two weeks left in the NHL regular season except the Atlantic Division title.

That belongs to the Tampa Bay Lightning, who have a 21-point lead on the second-place Boston Bruins. Every other division race is tight, which should set up a frenetic fight to the finish because those four titles are key to clubs’ playoff hopes.

“That’s such a key point for teams now,” Golden Knights defenseman Nate Schmidt said. “If you win your division, the teams that are right behind you are very strong teams. You maybe don’t want to see them for the first round.”

The division leaders outside of the Atlantic are the Washington Capitals (Metropolitan), Winnipeg Jets (Central) and Calgary Flames (Pacific). The Capitals have a three-point lead on the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins, and the defending Stanley Cup champions probably want to avoid a tense rivalry series with Pittsburgh in the first round of the playoffs.

“These games have history to them,” said Schmidt, who played with the Capitals for four seasons. “That stuff doesn’t really blow over. When I played in Washington, however many times it was Pittsburgh, it didn’t matter.”

The Jets have a four-point lead on second-place Nashville after a 5-0 victory over the Predators on Saturday. Winnipeg eliminated Nashville in seven games in the second round last season.

“We always get up for those games (against Nashville),” Jets defenseman Ben Chiarot said Thursday. “Those are fun games to be a part of.”

The Flames are four points ahead of the second-place San Jose Sharks. Winning a division title for the first time since the 2005-06 season would be huge for Calgary because the Western Conference’s second wild-card contenders — the Minnesota Wild, Colorado Avalanche and Arizona Coyotes — seem less intimidating than the Sharks.

Still, the Flames’ shaky goaltending situation — primary starter David Rittich never has played in the postseason — could set them up for an upset. That’s why Jets coach Paul Maurice wasn’t keen to share how good he thought opposing teams were after a 5-0 loss to the Golden Knights on Thursday.

He’ll let the next few weeks do that.

“That’s what the playoffs are going to tell us about all our teams,” Maurice said.

The Los Angeles Kings’ broadcast team got a whole lot classier Thursday.

Actor Will Ferrell joined the team’s telecast in the second period in character as Ron Burgundy, his famous persona from the 2004 cult classic “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.” As Burgundy himself would say: “I don’t know how to put this, but that’s kind of a big deal.”

Columbus flounders

Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen went all-in at the trade deadline, acquiring center Matt Duchene, forward Ryan Dzingel, defenseman Adam McQuaid and goaltender Keith Kinkaid and holding onto pending free agents Sergei Bobrovsky and Artemi Panarin.

But the Blue Jackets are 5-7-1 since the deadline and would be out of the playoffs if the season ended today.

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GAME DAY: Golden Knights host Red Wings, go for 7th straight home win

By David Schoen / Las Vegas Review-Journal

The Golden Knights go for their season-high seventh straight home victory Saturday when they host the Detroit Red Wings at T-Mobile Arena.

Opening faceoff is 7 p.m., and the game will be televised on AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain.

The Knights (42-27-5, 89 points) have won 10 of their past 11 games, including four straight, and can move within four points of idle San Jose for second place in the Pacific Division.

The magic number for the Knights to clinch a playoff berth was six points at the start of Saturday’s schedule of games.

The Knights also won six consecutive games at home from Nov. 23-Dec. 20, 2018.

“I think one thing we have to realize and focus on is just what we’re going to bring to the table throughout these next few games to close out the regular season,” said right wing Reilly Smith, who is set to play his 500th career NHL game.

“Obviously Detroit isn’t in a playoff spot, so you can’t play down to the team’s level sometimes when their season’s over a little early. We just have to focus on what we’ve been doing and try to keep trending in the right direction and have that motivate us.”

Forward William Carrier will return to the lineup after missing the past 14 games with an upper-body injury. Coach Gerard Gallant said there will be at least one game-time decision, which could include center Pierre- Edouard Bellemare.

Goaltender Malcolm Subban is coming off his first career NHL shutout and will make his fourth straight start. He had 20 saves in the 5-0 victory over Winnipeg on Thursday.

He is 13-1 with a 2.17 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage in 17 career appearances at T-Mobile Arena.

Smith has eight points (three goals, five assists) in his past three games, and linemates William Karlsson (3-4—7) and Jonathan Marchessault (4- 3—7) have three-game point streaks.

“I love the way we’re playing our game now, and I don’t want us to get into bad habits no matter who we’re playing,” Gallant said. “Detroit’s a team that’s going to work hard and they’ve got some pride over there. It doesn’t matter where you are in the standings, you’ve got to finish the season out, and everybody’s playing for something. Hopefully we’ll play the same game we played (Thursday) night.”

Detroit (26-38-10, 62 points) was belted 5-2 by St. Louis on Thursday in the second game of a five-game road trip and has gone 3-6-1 in its past 10.

Jimmy Howard is the projected starter in net for the Red Wings. He is 19- 20-5 with a 3.05 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage.

Defenseman Jonathan Ericsson (lower-body injury) participated in the Red Wings’ optional practice Friday but was ruled out by coach Jeff Blashill.

Defenseman Libor Sulak, who was recalled from the American Hockey League on Wednesday on an emergency basis, remains ill and also will not play.

Center Dylan Larkin leads the Red Wings with 62 points (27 goals, 35 assists).

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Golden Knights 'not good enough to win' against Red Wings

By Justin Emerson (contact)

Saturday, March 23, 2019 | 10:30 p.m.

Justin Emerson and Case Keefer talk about the Vegas Golden Knights' continued success, and whether it's realistic to expect them to run through San Jose and Calgary in back-to-back playoff series.

It would be easy to assume the Golden Knights weren’t focused during Saturday’s game, or they were overlooking the lowly Red Wings or they didn’t want it badly enough.

The truth is over 82 games, outings like that happen. Vegas didn’t play well enough to win and the Red Wings did just enough, which helps explains why the Golden Knights were on the wrong end of a 3-2 overtime defeat at T-Mobile Arena.

“You’ve got to prepare the same way every night in this league, but we weren’t ready to play tonight,” Vegas defenseman Jon Merrill said. “They were flying around and we didn’t do a good job eliminating time and space in our zone.”

The Red Wings executed in ways that Vegas couldn’t counter. Detroit’s forecheck was hellacious, pinning the Golden Knights into their own end for extended stretches. Detroit had 11 of the first 12 shot attempts in the game, then had a similar stretch to start the third where Vegas allowed eight unanswered shot attempts.

Through two periods, the Red Wings — who finished only 28 of their 74 games with a positive Corsi — held a 32-29 advantage at 5-on-5.

“It was flat at the start of the game obviously, then there was a little bit of a lull in the second period again,” Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant said. “I didn’t think we played horrible, but I don’t think we had the energy or the jump.

“We’ve been pretty good for the last 10 or 11 and sometimes that happens.”

The third period was better for Vegas. It had a 19-10 Corsi advantage, but only managed a goal while short-handed on a terrific individual effort by Reilly Smith.

It liked the Golden Knights might steal one at that point. It seemed like there were so many games at the beginning of the season that went the other way and maybe the hockey gods owed Vegas one?

Nope. Detroit finished its own power play with a game-tying goal, then in overtime it was Smith who coughed up the puck leading to the Red Wings’ game-winner.

There were a few positives in the loss.

William Carrier looked like his old self in his first game in more than a month, generating a few scoring chances and laying a game-high 11 hits. Cody Eakin scored his career-best 20th goal of the season and Malcolm Subban made 27 saves. More important, a third-period switch moved Alex Tuch to a line with Ryan Reaves and Ryan Carpenter, and trio generated six 5-on-5 shot attempts while allowing just one.

The Golden Knights weren’t bad Saturday night. They played fine. The Red Wings were just a little better.

“It wasn’t like it was a bad game tonight,” Gallant said. “We just weren’t good enough to win.”

LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137363 Vegas Golden Knights Shots on goal were even at 9-9 after the first.

Pre-game

Golden Knights fall in overtime to Red Wings It's hard not to look at the Golden Knights' top line and come away thinking they can do no wrong.

William Karlsson, Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith are the top By Justin Emerson (contact) three point-scorers among players who have spent the whole season in Published Saturday, March 23, 2019 | 5:05 p.m. Vegas, have 22 combined points in their last three games, and will look to keep the hot streak going when the Golden Knights welcome the Updated Saturday, March 23, 2019 | 9:54 p.m. Detroit Red Wings to T-Mobile Arena at 7 p.m.

Smith thinks he knows the secret.

Overtime didn't take long. "Try not to think about it, I guess," he said. "We're creating a lot of offense, so when things are going like this, you try not to think too much Detroit's Anthony Mantha scored 19 seconds into overtime Saturday, and about and just try to make sure you're still working hard and making it the Golden Knights fell 3-2 to the Red Wings at T-Mobile Arena. difficult on other teams. Reilly Smith turned the puck over to Dylan Larkin right in front of the Smith and Marchessault each had four points on Monday in San Jose, Vegas net, and Larkin handed it to Mantha for the winner. and Karlsson and Smith each went hat-trick hunting on Thursday against Shots on goal finished in a 30-30 tie. Winnipeg. It's a return to form for the best line in hockey from last season, and one coach Gerard Gallant is happy to see. Each side scores in third as regulation ends in tie "They've played good hockey all year but now the puck is going in the net Turns out 60 minutes were not enough. The Golden Knights and Red and they keep the offense going," Gallant said. "They're playing great for Wings each scored in the third period and sent the game to overtime in a us." 2-2 tie. That line may need to keep it rolling for Vegas to have success. Max Even though Detroit was on the power play midway through the third, Pacioretty left Thursday's game and has not returned to practice, leaving Reilly Smith, as he often does short-handed, looked as comfortable as a hole in his line which featured Mark Stone and Paul Stastny. Alex Tuch ever. He intercepted a poorly advised pass and poked it into the neutral is expected to fill the role Saturday, and may continue to do so until zone. There was no one in a white jersey ahead of him, and he raced all Pacioretty returns. The Golden Knights have not given a timetable for the way down the ice with only Jimmy Howard to beat and did so on the Pacioretty's recovery. backhand to give Vegas its first lead of the game at 10:11. Meanwhile down the lineup, Vegas received some welcome news in the The lead was short-lived. Still on the power play, the Red Wings return of winger William Carrier, who has not played since Feb. 16. tightened up their passing and Andreas Athanasiou slid it to Anthony Carrier, who has a career-best eight goals this season, and figures to Mantha, who blasted a one-timer by Malcolm Subban from the right circle return to his usual spot on the fourth-line left wing alongside Pierre- to re-tie the game 65 seconds after Smith's tally. Edouard Bellemare and Ryan Reaves.

Regulation ended with the Golden Knights leading in shots on goal, 30- "Lot of speed, lot of physical play on the forecheck," Gallant said of 29. Carrier's game. "Every time he plays, he really makes that line go."

Golden Knights even score in second Malcolm Subban will take the net tonight for the fourth-straight game. He is 3-0 in his last three starts with a 2.00 goals-against average and 9.23 The Golden Knights found their sea legs late in the second period, and a save percentage. Cody Eakin goal evened the game at 1-1 after two periods with the Red Wings.

The second period started in much of the same way that the first did for LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 03.24.2019 Vegas. The shot totals weren't as drastic, but the Golden Knights had just as difficult of a time getting out of their zone, and 12 minutes in Detroit led in shots on goal 7-3 in the period.

But it appeared all Vegas needed was a power play. The Golden Knights didn't score with the extra man, but with the second unit still on the ice as the penalty expired, the Golden Knights got on the board.

Nate Schmidt had the initial shot, Ryan Reaves deflected the puck in goalie Jimmy Howard's pad, and Cody Eakin was there to pick up the rebound for his career-best 20th of the season and even the game at 14:43.

The Red Wings led in shots on goal, 19-18.

Knights trail early

The Golden Knights' sluggish start to Saturday's game cost them on the scoresheet, as the Red Wings scored early and Vegas trailed 1-0 after 20 minutes of play.

The game couldn't have started much worse for Vegas. The Red Wings controlled the puck for the first six minutes of the game, firing the first seven shots on net and connecting on one of them

Shea Theodore tried to clear the puck out of the Vegas end, only to have it intercepted by Taro Hirose. He threw it to Andres Athanasiou, who didn't get all of it but gave Luke Glendening an open net to shoot at 3:06 into the game to give Detroit a 1-0 lead.

The Golden Knights woke up midway through the frame and started firing some good looks at Detroit's net. William Carrier, in his first game since Feb. 16, teamed up with Ryan Reaves, with each player giving the other a feed in front of the net. 1137364 Vegas Golden Knights Theodore and Schmidt have both been much more active in transition since switching to their new sides. In the first 63 games of the season Theodore averaged .35 shot attempts on offensive rushes, while Schmidt Shea Theodore providing offensive spark for Golden Knights since averaged only .24. moving to his off side Since Gallant’s switch Theodore is averaging .64 per game, and Schmidt is now at .62.

By Jesse Granger “I think it’s just confidence,” Theodore said. “We had stretches where our wingers were putting it into the middle and we didn’t have guys there. But Mar 23, 2019 when we have the center support, and the defensemen are jumping into plays confidently, then it definitely helps.”

Theodore has some of the best puckhandling on the entire Golden Until about a month ago, Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore Knights team, regardless of position, but can’t always be as aggressive had never played on the right side in his entire NHL career. as he’d like with the puck for fear of falling out of position defensively. Coach Gerard Gallant made a risky, yet calculated, move on Feb. 16 “If you’re a defenseman jumping up you can’t get caught having a puck when he shifted Theodore to the right, and gave him a new defensive hit a skate or take a bad bounce or they’re going the other way,” partner in Brayden McNabb. He did the same with Nate Schmidt, moving Theodore said. “I think it’s a confidence thing, and the fact that we’re him to an unfamiliar position on the left side of the ice and pairing him making plays more consistently.” with Deryk Engelland. So while the Golden Knights red-hot forward group has received much of Neither had experience playing on those sides of the ice, or with their the praise for the team’s offensive explosion over the last stretch of new defensive partner, and early on it showed. Vegas went 1-2-1 over its games, the defensemen have contributed their fair share of offense. next four games, but after a quick adjustment period the move appears to be working. It doesn’t mean Gallant will keep the pairings like this forever, but his bold move to try players in positions they had little-to-no experience in, Since then, Vegas is 10-1-0 and the defensemen are producing offense has paid off to this point. at nearly double the rate they were prior to the move. “It’s definitely helped,” Gallant said. “I don’t know if it’s from (Theodore) Over the last 11 games, Golden Knights defensemen have combined for switching sides or if he’s just in a groove. If he feels good about it, that’s eight goals and 21 assists for 29 points (2.64 points per game). In the 63 great. We like him over there. We like him on the other side too, so we games prior, they tallied only 29 goals and 93 assists for 1.94 points per might move him but for now we like him where he’s at.” game.

Goals by defensemen have risen from .46 per game to .73 per game, and assists have gone up .43 per game. The Athletic LOADED: 03.24.2019 “I think it’s just clicking,” Theodore told The Athletic. “It seems we’re playing well as a team and the forwards have done a good job getting it up to the point more. When we’re moving and going D-to-D and getting pucks to the net it creates a lot.”

Theodore said he played on the right side during his junior hockey days with the Seattle Thunderbirds, and intermittently in the AHL, but never in the NHL.

“I like playing with McNabb,” he said. “It allows me to play the right side as a lefty and I like it. I’m able to make some more moves on the blue line and try to get shots through.”

Defenseman usually play on their strong side (left-handed players on the left and right-handed players on the right) because it gives them a distinct advantage in battles along the boards, where they are on their forehand playing the puck. It also makes it easier to keep the puck in the offensive zone when it’s sent around the boards, as it’s on the forehand.

However, when playing on their off side, a defenseman’s forehand faces the center of the ice, opening up shooting lanes and making them much more dangerous in the offensive zone.

“I feel like when I get the puck at the point and drag it, I’m able to either shoot it or take a step and go back down the wall,” Theodore said. “Where as when you’re on the left side and you drag it, you can shoot but you can’t really see what’s in front of you. It’s hard to make the guy bite when you’re not fully a shooting option.”

Theodore has three goals and seven assists since switching to his off side, and the team’s offensive production as a whole while he’s on the ice has gone up significantly.

In the 701:06 minutes of ice time with Engelland and Theodore together, Vegas averaged 1.8 goals per 60 minutes. Since the switch — in 241:55 with Theodore and McNabb on the ice together — Vegas is averaging 3.97 goals per 60 minutes.

The scoring chances created are up 4.43 per 60 minutes and high danger chances have risen from 11.21 to 15.38 per 60 minutes.

“He’s creating more offense, but it could be that he’s just playing a better game right now,” Gallant said. “I think (the whole defensive unit) is playing much better. Not that they were playing poorly before that, but it was just something we experimented with and obviously when you’ve won 10-of-11 you’re not going to change it up.” 1137365 Vegas Golden Knights

Sluggish At Start, Golden Knights Lose, 3-2, In OT To Red Wings Before 18,437 At T-Mobile Arena

By ALAN SNEL

LVSportsBiz.com

They came off a spirited 5-0 shutout over Stanley Cup contender Winnipeg Jets and were favorites to come away with two points from Saturday’s game with the Detroit (26-38-10) Red Wings.

But the Vegas Golden Knights got off to a sluggish start against the Red Wings. And yet the VGK held a 2-1 lead in the third period on a spectacular short-handed goal by VGK forward Reilly Smith.

But then Detroit responded with the equalizer to knot the score at two in the third period — and then eventually won the game in OT, taking a 3-2 win from the Knights before a robust crowd of 18,437 fans at T-Mobile Arena.

Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, forward Max Pacioretty and centerman Pierre-Edouard Bellemare all missed the game for the Knights as forwards William Carrier and Valentin Zykov returned to action and Malcolm Subban played his fourth consecutive game in goal.

The Golden Knights did snare one point, and now have reached 90 points, trailing the San Jose Sharks by five points in the race for second place in the Pacific Division. After the game, VGK coach Gerard Gallant said the Red Wings came out hungry and played fast.

It was a rough night all-around for the Golden Knights. At the VGK’s training center in Summerlin, there was a kitchen fire in the MacKenzie River pizzeria kitchen.

The City National Arena facility was evacuated Saturday evening and then was deemed safe by Clark County Fire and reopened. A kitchen worker was injured and treated while the pizzeria remained closed. The facility’s two ice rinks in the building off South Pavilion Center Drive are now open. Activities for the ice rinks that were scheduled are good to go, according to VGK communications.

The Golden Knights hit the road for away games in St. Louis Monday and Denver Wednesday before returning for the next home game Friday when the Minnesota Wild come to the Big Ice House on the Strip.

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Evgeny Kuznetsov could miss Capitals’ game vs. Flyers because of illness

By Isabelle Khurshudyan

March 23 at 1:25 PM

Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov wasn’t feeling well when he arrived at the team’s practice facility Saturday morning, and he was sent home. It’s unclear whether he’ll be available for the Capitals’ Sunday matinee against the visiting Philadelphia Flyers. Kuznetsov is the second Capitals player to fall ill in the past 24 hours; forward Carl Hagelin was a late scratch from Friday night’s loss to the Minnesota Wild because he was sick.

“Not the best timing for it, but that’s how things go," Coach Todd Reirden said Saturday. "We’ve got some extra bodies, so you’ll see a few extra people in the warmup tomorrow just to make sure, I imagine, [for a] 12:30 game, just to be prepared. That’s where we’re at, but hopefully it stops there and we can worry about Philadelphia and being as healthy as we can.”

Hagelin was back at practice Saturday, a good sign he’ll play Sunday. With Kuznetsov not on the ice, Hagelin skated beside center Lars Eller and right wing T.J. Oshie on a rejiggered second line. Kuznetsov has 20 goals and 45 assists this season; should he miss Sunday’s game, Eller would take his place on the top power-play unit.

Washington also continues to be without defenseman Michal Kempny, who is out indefinitely after injuring his leg in Wednesday night’s overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Reirden said he won’t have a further update on Kempny for several days, but it’s clear the blue-liner won’t be available for at least the final two games of this homestand. With Kempny out, Christian Djoos is skating on the left side of John Carlson.

“It’s going to take a little bit to be able to figure out what works best for us,” Reirden said Friday.

Washington recalled defenseman Tyler Lewington from Hershey of the American Hockey League on Saturday afternoon. The 24-year-old has appeared in two games for the Capitals this season, posting a goal and an assist.

“In this type of situation, with guys getting sick and stuff, it’s not a real fun game to play, potentially going into a game with only six defensemen in warmup," Reirden said.

Washington Post LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137367 Washington Capitals upside for years, he didn’t see himself turning into a 20-goal scorer. “I would have never thought,” he said.

Part of that was the role he started his NHL career in, initially cast as a 20 goals is an NHL milestone, and three Capitals have done it for the first fourth-line fighter who didn’t score more than seven goals his first four time this season years in the league. But he set a career high with 14 goals last season and played mostly on a top line with Kuznetsov and Ovechkin, cashing in over the summer with a six-year, $31 million contract. Never one to set By Isabelle Khurshudyan firm offensive goals for himself, Wilson had to adjust expectations with the pressure of playing that high in the lineup. March 23 at 11:32 AM Of players who have scored at least 20 goals this season, only

Nashville’s Viktor Arvidsson has played in fewer games (49). The plateau is significant enough that T.J. Oshie knew when linemate “As you get more responsibility, you’re expected to contribute,” Wilson Jakub Vrana was close to it — and then certainly when he had reached said. “You’re expected to produce. That’s part of the job of playing on this it. As soon as Vrana scored his 20th goal of the season, Oshie skated up team. If you’re playing up there, you need to help those guys score and to the official and requested the puck his teammate had shot into the net you need to be scoring. And if you’re not, you won’t be playing there. . . . as a keepsake. You learn the areas that you’ve got to go to, and you learn chemistry with Two nights later, Oshie was on the same milestone watch with a second those types of players and their ability to make plays that maybe you teammate, who already had scored two goals in the Washington haven’t seen before.” Capitals’ game against the Philadelphia Flyers. A career season couldn’t come at a better time for Connolly, an “You know right away,” Oshie said. “I was on the bench in Philly, and I unrestricted free agent after this season. That he would become a 20- turned to the coaches and was like, ‘Conno’s at 19, right? We need to get goal scorer was perhaps a forgone conclusion when Tampa Bay drafted him that last one.'” him sixth overall in 2010, but with both the Lightning and then his second stop in Boston, his production never quite matched the hype of that draft Brett Connolly ended the night a goal short, but he recorded his 20th of position. After the Bruins cut him loose in 2016, he signed a one-year the season against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday, joining Vrana and deal with the Capitals, perhaps the last shot for his career. He thrived in Tom Wilson as first-time 20-goal scorers. The Washington Capitals could the stable third-line spot, posting back-to-back career-high 15-goal have seven players with at least 20 by the end of the season — center seasons. Nicklas Backstrom has 18 and captain Alex Ovechkin, center Evgeny Kuznetsov and Oshie have already scored at least 20 — a signal the This is already the 26-year-old’s first 40-plus point campaign (he has 21 team’s depth could be even better than it was a year ago, when just three goals and 22 assists), and of NHL players who have scored at least that players finished with more than 20 goals. many points, Connolly’s averaging the least amount of ice time (13:17).

Twenty goals is a number players shoot for when they first enter the “I don’t think a whole lot of wingers playing on the third line not playing a league. Oshie chuckled at his frustration in taking six NHL seasons to get lot of power play are going to get 20 goals,” center Lars Eller said. there, though he got close in 2009-10 with 18 goals and again in 2011-12 “You’re certainly getting a lot of value with Brett. You’re getting a lot of with 19. As he neared his arbitration hearing in 2012 as a restricted free bang for the buck for sure. He’s an underrated goal scorer who could agent, he had to check “no” on the box that asked whether he had ever play in the top six with his ability, so it’s a luxury to have a guy like him on been a 20-goal scorer. “I was sniffing at it a lot, but it’s a milestone there the third line.” that you feel good when you’re able to reach that number,” Oshie said. It was Eller who picked up the puck after Connolly scored his 20th, a Vrana, Wilson and Connolly have their own stories of getting to 20 goals: symbol of an achievement eight years in the making. one a second-year player coming into his own; another a physical force “It’s been a long time coming,” Connolly said. “I had to work for things, who’s showing he has offensive chops, too; and the third continuing a and I had to push every year for that. It was obviously a good situation for career renaissance in Washington after being labeled a draft bust to start me coming here and joining this group, and definitely very, very happy to his career. get that [20th goal] right away. I didn’t really want it to linger on [longer] “It’s fun for the guys when you can share that with your teammates,” than it should. It was just really, really good to see that one go in, for Wilson said. “Obviously, you’re nothing without the guys playing with you, sure.” so guys kind of see it as a group milestone. It’s nice to help guys get there and it’s nice to achieve it when it’s you — it’s always nice when they’re going in — but it’s kind of something that you say ‘congrats,' and Washington Post LOADED: 03.24.2019 move on.

"Obviously [Vrana] had a little bit of a different incentive.”

Still on his entry-level contract, Vrana’s 20th goal triggered a $212,500 bonus, according to CapFriendly.com. And with the 23-year-old due a new deal this summer as a restricted free agent, every point ticks up how much he could cash in.

After an NHL rookie season that saw him score 13 goals with 14 assists, Vrana came into this campaign with more confidence from last year’s Stanley Cup run, when he was on a second line with Backstrom and Oshie. That’s where he started this season, and outside of a handful of games, he has maintained that top-six position through consistency — Vrana hasn’t gone more than four games without tallying a point this year — and hard work, often staying on the ice well after practice has finished to perfect parts of his game and impressing teammates with his professionalism all the while.

“I think he knows how good he is,” Connolly said. “Once you believe that you can beat guys one-on-one with his speed, you start gaining more and more confidence. I think he’s kind of got his belief in his game where he knows he’s got that elite speed and skill and he can really beat anyone, I feel, with his speed.”

Wilson was a long shot to get to 20 goals this season after he was suspended by the NHL Department of Player Safety for the first 16 games. But while the Capitals have been touting Wilson’s offensive 1137368 Washington Capitals

Capitals disappointed in level of urgency in loss to Wild

By Adam Zielonka - The Washington Times

Saturday, March 23, 2019

The sentiment in the Washington Capitals‘ dressing room was universal: Their energy wasn’t where it needed to be in a 2-1 loss Friday to the Minnesota Wild.

“We knew they were going to play desperate — they need points as we do — but I think the sense of urgency was on their side, not on our side,” Alex Ovechkin said.

“After coming off some emotional games lately I think we didn’t ramp it up enough for this one, for their situation, how they were playing,” Braden Holtby added.

What Holtby referred to was not an excuse, but certainly a believable reason: The Capitals played one of the most intense games of the NHL season Wednesday night against the league-leading Tampa Bay Lightning. Friday marked the Capitals‘ third game in four days.

A counterpoint: It’s too late in the season for a team to not muster up the proper urgency for a game, a chance at two critical standings points.

Washington will need all hands on deck moving forward if defenseman Michal Kempny (lower-body injury) misses substantial time. He suffered a leg injury against Tampa Bay that caused him to limp to the trainers’ room. The defense without him looked fine against the Wild, but against top playoff teams in April, missing Kempny might be significant.

Forward Carl Hagelin, acquired ahead of the trade deadline last month, was also a late scratch Friday when he came down with an illness.

Asked if he thought Hagelin would be healthy enough to play Sunday, coach Todd Reirden used it to launch into a critique of his players’ “desperation level” against Minnesota.

“I certainly hope so, because we missed his energy tonight,” Reirden said of Hagelin. “You see the type of impact that this guy has on our team. He brings the speed and the pace to our lineup and allows us to move people down and kind of build four lines of an attacking style of team. We needed that tonight. We didn’t have it.”

The Capitals dropped to 43-24-8 (94 points) with Friday’s loss, but held onto a three-point division lead in the Metro over the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins. They have seven games left, all of them against Eastern Conference opponents, with four coming at home. That includes a season finale with Barry Trotz and the Islanders that could decide the division champion.

Washington Times LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137369 Washington Capitals

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.24.2019

Capitals on the cusp of second ever season sweep of Flyers

By Brian McNally

March 23, 2019 7:54 PM

WASHINGTON – The Capitals entered the NHL when the Philadelphia Flyers were at the height of their powers.

The "Broad Street Bullies" pummeled Washington in the 1970s. It took the Capitals seven years to even win a game in regulation against their I- 95 rivals. Even when they finally built a consistent winner in the early 1980s, the Flyers were almost always good, too.

Philadelphia made the Stanley Cup playoffs 34 times in 43 years, reached the Cup Final eight times and has won it twice. So only once before has Washington done what it has a chance to do Sunday when the two teams meet at Capital One Arena: sweep the season series.

The Capitals (43-24-8, 94 points) lead the Metropolitan Division by one point and need a win to maintain that position after consecutive losses at home. The game is at 12:30 p.m. on NBC.

The one and only time Washington swept Philadelphia came in 2006-07 – Alex Ovechkin’s second season in the NHL. That was a particularly bad year for the Flyers, who went 22-48-12 and with 56 points finished with the worst record in the NHL. The organization had made the Stanley Cup playoffs 28 times in the previous 33 years. It wasn’t used to losing and certainly not that often to the Capitals.

Washington went 4-0 that season against the Flyers and outscored them 20-9. Ovechkin had six goals and five assists in those games. This year’s version is nowhere near that bad. Philadelphia is 36-31-8, but after Saturday’s loss to the New York Islanders they are stuck on 80 points, which is five out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with just seven games to go.

If they do miss, as expected, the losses to the Capitals will hurt. The Flyers are 0-3-0 and have allowed 15 goals to Washington. And that is despite holding Ovechkin to a goal and two assists. Here are other things to watch for in Sunday's game:

Capitals recall Lewington

With defenseman Michal Kempny out indefinitely, Washington recalled Tyler Lewington from AHL Hershey on Saturday. But will he have to play? Maybe not on Sunday. Christian Djoos took Kempny’s spot in the lineup in Friday’s loss to Minnesota and is expected to remain in the lineup. But Lewington's presence provides insurance on a team where illness has struck in recent days. This is Lewington’s second call-up this season. He made his NHL debut on Dec. 22 and in a Dec. 29 game at Ottawa had a Gordie Howe hat trick with a goal, an assist and a fight.

Kuznetsov’s health

One of those players who have fallen ill is Evgeny Kuznetsov, who missed practice Saturday with an illness and was sent home. If he isn’t able to play then Lars Eller would bump to the second line to play center with Carl Hagelin and T.J Oshie. Hagelin was on the ice on Saturday, but the veteran winger was a late scratch with an illness against the Wild on Friday. The third line could be Jakub Vrana and Brett Connolly with Travis Boyd taking over for Eller. Keep an eye on Kuznetsov’s energy level if he does play. Capitals coach Todd Reirden didn’t rule him out.

Ovechkin’s chase for 50

The chase continues for Ovechkin, who sits at 48 goals to lead the NHL. Ovechkin has two assists in the past three games, but no goals. Washington is 1-1-1 during this stretch. Ovechkin is seven points away from his first 90-point season since 2009-10.

Scoreboard watch

With the lead over the Islanders down to one point with seven games to go, keep an eye on New York’s home game Sunday against the Arizona Coyotes. That is a 3 p.m. start. The Capitals are seeking their fourth consecutive Metropolitan Division crown. 1137370 Washington Capitals

An emotional hangover leaves Capitals flat in 2-1 loss to Wild

By Brian McNally

March 22, 2019 10:44 PM

WASHINGTON – The Capitals were not quite ready to play on Friday against the Minnesota Wild and maybe you can’t blame them.

Coming off one of the season’s most intense games, a wild 5-4 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday, one of three games this month against the Presidents’ Trophy winners, Washington didn’t have it for a Wild team it had beaten eight times in a row. That 2-1 defeat offered a lesson they need to carry forward for the final two games of this homestand at Capital One Arena.

The Capitals (43-24-8, 94 points) couldn’t match the desperation of a Minnesota team that entered the day one point out of a playoff position in the Western Conference. The Wild had to win. Washington would have liked a win. The difference showed on the ice.

“It was obviously a different game that way. I think you could tell they got more desperate as the game went on,” goalie Braden Holtby said. “They don't give up much, they're pretty stingy defensively. After coming off some emotional games lately I think we didn't ramp it up enough for this one, for their situation, how they were playing. It was a close game. It was one that we'd like to play a bit better, but we still did a lot of good things."

They just didn’t do enough of them consistently. The Philadelphia Flyers (80 points) are on the fringe of the playoff race in the Eastern Conference and down to their final gasps of breath. Expect a similar effort from them on Sunday afternoon when they visit Capital One Arena. For the Capitals, who lead the Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Islanders by three points (93), they need a win on this four-game homestand.

Another loss will suddenly put the Metropolitan Division back in play for multiple teams. The Islanders also have an extra game remaining and know they play in Washington on the final day of the regular season April 6.

“We can use this and learn from it,” defenseman Nick Jensen said. “These teams are desperate for points and we still need to be, too.”

The Capitals weren’t bad; they just didn’t match Minnesota’s level. They were 0-for-3 on the power play, and on two of those attempts, didn’t generate any shots on goal. A couple of mistakes – a Brooks Orpik misplay late in the first period and a Matt Niskanen turnover in the neutral zone – led directly to goals by Jordan Greenway and Luke Kunin. Holtby stopped 25 of 27 shots.

But it never felt like enough. Brett Connolly tipped home a shot from Jensen in the second period. But there weren’t enough puck battles won, there weren’t enough pucks sent behind the Minnesota defensemen. It was an average game and that was never going to be enough tonight. The Wild moved into sole possession of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Capitals stayed where they were in the standings.

“That was a very intense game [against Tampa Bay], three games in four days for us, but that's a game that they deserved to win more than us,” Capitals coach Todd Reirden said. “Our execution level and desperation wasn't as high as theirs was and they were able to convert on a couple more of their chances than we did.”

Added captain Alex Ovechkin: "Everybody needs points right now, and it doesn't matter who you play against, it's not going to be an easy one, especially a team who fights for a playoff spot. It's playoff hockey. I don't think we were ready tonight, and the blame's on us."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137371 Winnipeg Jets restricted free agent goes into contract negotiations this summer with Kevin Cheveldayoff, his agent should just play video of that goal on a loop.

Connor nets first NHL hat trick as Jets lock up playoff berth in style "I was coming up with a lot of speed, and I think P.K. was a little bit flat- footed, so I tried to take advantage of that," Connor said.

By: Mike McIntyre His goal came less than two minutes after it appeared Nashville had struck first. Calle Jarnkrok deflected a Mattias Ekholm point shot past Posted: 03/23/2019 8:52 PM| Last Modified: 03/23/2019 11:24 PM| Hellebuyck, but video review showed his stick was above his shoulders Updates and therefore it was waved off.

Winnipeg Jets' Patrik Laine (29) can't get the puck past Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne (35) as he makes the save during the Winnipeg Jets celebrate from the bench as Kyle Connor (81) skates by first period. during second period NHL action against the Nashville Predators, in Winnipeg on Saturday, March 23, 2019. After Rinne made a series of big stops following the Connor goal to keep his team within one, he appeared to spring a leak later in the period. The Winnipeg Jets are heading back to the playoffs — and they’re poised First, it was Andrew Copp, who banked a shot in off his legs from behind to make plenty of noise if Saturday night’s dominating performance is any the net at 14:16, just seconds after he whiffed on a rebound off a Matt indication. Hendricks shot. A 5-0 victory over the Nashville Predators at Bell MTS Place should put Then Hayes made it 3-0 just 85 seconds later when he fired a shot from to rest any concerns about whether this team has what it takes to go on a terrible angle right through Rinne. Hayes now has four goals with the another extended spring run. It was arguably the most complete game of Jets in 13 games since being acquired at the trade deadline from the the season, at just the right time. New York Rangers. That’s the same number of goals as last year’s "The crowd was awesome. They were so loud and into it. That really prized catch, Paul Stastny, had in 19 regular-season games. helped us carry some momentum and really helped us get into this The middle frame may have been Winnipeg’s most impressive 20 game," said goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who stopped all 33 shots he minutes of the season as they scored three times and outshot Nashville faced to record a shutout for the second straight start, suggesting he’s 19-8. And the Jets didn’t exactly take the foot off the gas in the third, rounding into last year’s form, which saw him as a finalist for the Vezina either, tilting the ice for most of the period. Trophy. Connor made it 4-0 with just under five minutes to play as Hayes set him "They were chanting, and that’s what you get in playoffs. This whole city up on a three-on-one rush. He then finished off the scoring with nine is ready for playoffs." seconds left to set a career high with 32 goals. On this one, Laine had a Winnipeg Jets' Mark Scheifele (55) looks for the rebound off of Nashville glorious opportunity to break an 11-game scoring drought but opted to Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne's (35) mask as Ryan Ellis (4) defends feed a wide-open Connor. during the first period. "I’ve been giving you back door tap-ins for two years. You finally got a Indeed, the raucous home crowd appeared to recognize the importance hatty, eh?" Wheeler said, with Connor in ear-shot, in the room following of the match-up, with Winnipeg starting the night with just a two point the game. lead over Nashville and needing just a point to clinch a post-season berth Winnipeg Jets' Andrew Copp (9) gets a shot in from behind the net after it for a second straight year and the third time in eight seasons since the rebounded off the pad of Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne NHL returned. (35) as Mattias Ekholm (14) looks on during the second period. With a four-point buffer, a game in hand and just two weeks left in the "That’s actually surprising. I would have thought he had one before that. regular season, the first division crown in Jets history is now very much in But job well done by him. He’s a guy that we rely on for offence and sight. Winnipeg (45-26-4) has seven games left, while Nashville (42-28- scored a huge goal for us to get us going. We hadn’t scored a goal for 6) has only six. about a game-and-a-half (they were blanked 5-0 in Vegas Thursday), so "There was lots of energy," coach Paul Maurice said. "It felt as close to a he made an incredible play there to get us on the board. Hard work pays playoff game in the building. Right from the national anthems there was a off. He’s been on the puck all year. He’s only two years into this thing, but buzz. You know what, I really think we needed that. I was worried about still surprised it took him that long to get a hatty." this one, more for just coming off the West Coast. This is our toughest Winnipeg took the season series against Nashville 3-1. Whether they stretch, where would the emotional level be. The fans didn’t give you a meet again later this spring for an encore to their epic seven-game chance not to be wired. You could feel it on the bench. It was great." playoff series from last season remains to be seen. Kyle Connor scored the first hat trick of his young NHL career, setting a This was the start of a four-game homestand for the Jets, which new personal benchmark with 32 goals. A new-look second line with continues Monday night against the Dallas Stars. Visits from the New Kevin Hayes (one goal, three assists) and Patrik Laine (one assist, two York Islanders and Montreal Canadiens follow. goal posts) was dangerous all night.

"He’s up there with one of the best passers I’ve seen and played with. He creates a lot of space with his size and really good hands for that big of a Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 03.24.2019 guy, too. He always seems to find the open guy, so it’s been fun playing with him right now," Connor said of Hayes.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) keeps his eye on the puck as Nashville Predators' Craig Smith (15) tips it during the first period.

Sure, you can always nitpick and find something to improve upon. But this was as close to regular-season perfection as it gets. The Jets didn’t even take a single penalty on the night, a sure-fire indication they had their skating legs going.

In a big test against their main rival, they passed with flying colours — even with a couple of star pupils in Dustin Byfuglien and Josh Morrissey still out of the lineup with injuries.

Connor opened the scoring at 4:42 of the second period with a highlight- reel goal in which he undressed P.K. Subban with a toe-drag and then roofed a backhand shot on Pekka Rinne. When the 22-year-old pending 1137372 Winnipeg Jets Monday against Dallas) and we wanted to make sure we have a bit of that in the lineup," Maurice said.

There was some good news Saturday on the injury front. Ehlers happy to be back with Jets top line First, Laurent Brossoit isn’t dealing with anything too serious after pulling himself from Thursday’s game in Vegas with a lower-body ailment.

By: Mike McIntyre "Off a test (Friday) we’ll just list him as day-to-day, and hope it’s not too Posted: 03/23/2019 9:19 PM| Last Modified: 03/23/2019 11:45 PM| long," Maurice said. Updates | Eric Comrie, up from the Manitoba Moose, backed up Connor Hellebuyck who made his 56th start of the season Saturday.

"I’m going to do my best to get back to where I was. It’s got to start now," Maurice said he’d like to give Hellebuyck some rest in the final seven said Winnipeg Jet Nikolaj Ehlers. games of the season, but how much depends on how meaningful those contests are. Some of the best hockey of Nikolaj Ehlers’ season came earlier in the year while skating on the No. 1 line with Mark Scheifele and Blake "Only one set of back-to-back (left), and then some wiggle room, Wheeler. And so the flashy Winnipeg Jets winger was thrilled to get a depending on how the standings are shaping up and the situation we’re return engagement Saturday night against Nashville. in. So he’s going to get real close to that number, 60 or 65 (starts) was probably the window at the start of the season. And we’re probably closer "I think I played some real good hockey when I played with those two," to 60." Ehlers said prior to facing the Predators. "And then I got injured and then I got back, and I haven’t really gotten back to that level yet. All of it is on As for defencemen Dustin Byfuglien (ankle) and Josh Morrissey me. (shoulder), both skated on their own Saturday morning prior to the main group hitting the ice. "I gotta get back to playing that way that I did before the injury. With those two, the passes they make, the reads, the plays, all that, they’re "Buff’s been on the ice since Wednesday. He skates, if he feels real good two great players. I’m going to do my best to get back to where I was. It’s the next day, he’ll start thinking about morning skates and start building got to start now." toward contact.

Ehlers lost his top spot after suffering a shoulder injury on Jan. 4 in "Josh is still a ways from that contact part of it, but he’s back full-on Pittsburgh following a hit from Sidney Crosby. He returned to action last skating now. He won’t come off the ice now because he’ll be back as a month but had been on the second line, with four goals and four assists full skater, and we’ll get him into gold (non-contact jersey) here in the in 14 games. near future," Maurice said.

"Anybody that would play with Mark and Blake kind of plays their best He expects Byfuglien to return to action before the regular season ends hockey," coach Paul Maurice said. "And that was true for (Patrik Laine), two weeks from now, while Morrissey may be more of a long shot. not in a goal-scoring point of view but in a quality of game, that was his "I’m thinking we’re not going to push it. Talking to him this morning, he best. And for Nikky, that was December when he played there. That was said, ‘I feel great for this time of year.’ We’d much rather have him play his best run." right now, but he plays big and heavy minutes. So his legs are strong and Laine dropped down to the second line Saturday with Kevin Hayes and he’s feeling pretty good," Maurice said. Kyle Connor, moving back to the right wing from the left. The line had a huge effect in Winnipeg’s 5-0 victory over Nashville, as Connor scored three times and Hayes had a goal and three assists. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 03.24.2019

"Looking just at stats and chances for, we feel that Patty would get more over on the right side," Maurice said before the game. "One thing he hasn’t done is played with a left-handed centre (like Hayes) on the right side. Kyle Connor’s got a really developed two-way game and an awful lot of speed, and it’s a certain kind, he’s such a straight-line guy, can get in on the forecheck. We’d like to get Patty back to a place where he’s done a big bulk of his scoring has come on the right side, so we want to look at that.

"And then those three guys (Ehlers, Connor, Laine) over a longer period of time, hopefully some playoff hockey, will end up getting rotated. Because now we have a comfort level with what the three of them look like. We have a general idea what the three of them look like. What we don’t have a bigger base on is what Hayes looks like with the different wingers, so we’d like to get a look at that."

The Jets traded some skill for grit Saturday as Matt Hendricks replaced Jack Roslovic in the lineup. According to Maurice, it’s about playing a certain style in the fourth-line role that Roslovic has been in most recently.

"I don’t know that Jack has to show me a whole heck of a lot," Maurice said. "We know what kind of player he is. He’s had a good season, made really good improvements. He’s got two even-strength goals, though, for a skill guy, so it’s not quite there yet. But we’re not counting on him. We’re not pinning our season on him scoring every night. He’s got to compete like that fourth line style of game, and he’s done it in the past and he’s had a few off nights."

Roslovic hasn’t scored in 21 games, with five assists during that time. As for Hendricks, Maurice was impressed by what he saw from the veteran when he was in the lineup last Monday in Los Angeles, also in place of Roslovic.

"He played as well in his game here as he did all of last year. But we’re going to get into two real physical, heavy teams (Nashville and then 1137373 Winnipeg Jets Winnipeg has taken two of three games from Nashville this season, including the only other meeting at Bell MTS Place.

"You know what the answer's going to be: it's a huge game if you win it. If Ehlers moves to top line as Jets kick off final homestand of season not you shake it off and go to the next one. I'll tell you what: why don't we just say it's as close to a playoff game as you're going to get," said Maurice. By: Mike McIntyre "We viewed our March like that, in terms of how we handled our wins and Posted: 03/23/2019 12:19 PM | Comments: 15 losses. We left our losses there. We took what we could learn from them but we didn't put a lot of emotion into a loss so that we can come back

and play hard the next day." First place in the Central Division is on the line tonight as the Winnipeg This is the start of the final homestand of the year. Winnipeg will also Jets and Nashville Predators face off for the final time in the regular- host Dallas, the New York Islanders and Montreal over the next week season. before hitting the road for the final four games of the season. Winnipeg (44-26-4) begins the night two points ahead of Nashville (42-

27-6) and can clinch a playoff spot with a victory. The Jets have eight games left, the Predators seven. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 03.24.2019 "It’s kind of like a playoff game I’d say. We’ve had some pretty good games against each other, some exciting games. This one’s going to be an important one tonight," said Nikolaj Ehlers following the morning skate at Bell MTS Place.

The flashy winger gets a promotion tonight to the top line with Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler. Ehlers was with that group earlier this season, only to suffer a shoulder injury on Jan. 4. This will be his first time back with them since returning to action a month ago.

"I think I played some real good hockey when I played with those two. And then I got injured and then I got back, and I haven’t really gotten back to that level yet. All of it is on me," said Ehlers, who has 19 goals and 16 assists this season.

"I gotta get back to playing that way that I did before the injury. With those two, the passes they make, the reads, the plays, all that, they’re two great players. I’m going to do my best to get back to where I was. It’s got to start now."

Patrik Laine drops down to the second line to play with Kevin Hayes and Kyle Connor. The third line of Adam Lowry between Bryan Little and Brandon Tanev remains intact, while Matt Hendricks comes into the lineup to play on the fourth line with Andrew Copp and Mathieu Perreault.

"I’m looking forward to it. It’s kind of become a bit of a rivalry over the last few years. They’re a big heavy team, we’re a big heavy team. You get those hard-fought games, those corner battles, those pucks down low behind the net. I’m looking forward to it. A big challenge," said Hendricks, who replaces Jack Roslovic. Par Lindholm will be the other healthy scratch.

On defence, Nathan Beaulieu returns after a two-game injury absence on the top-pairing with Jacob Trouba. Joe Morrow, who struggled in that role in Thursday's 5-0 loss in Vegas, is out. The other two pairs of Dmitry Kulikov-Tyler Myers and Ben Chiarot-Sami Niku remain the same. Bogdan Kiselevich is the other healthy scratch on the blue-line.

Connor Hellebuyck starts in goal tonight for the Jets, with Eric Comrie backing him up. Laurent Brossoit suffered a lower-body injury in Thursday's game but got good news on Friday, according to coach Paul Maurice.

"Off a test yesterday we'll just list him as day-to-day, and hope it's not too long," said Maurice.

In other injury news, both Dustin Byfuglien (ankle) and Josh Morrissey (shoulder) skated on their own this morning prior to the main group hitting the ice.

"Buff's been on the ice since Wednesday. He skates, if he feels real good the next day, he'll start thinking about morning skates and start building toward contact. Josh is still a ways from that contact part of it, but he's back full-on skating now. He won't come off the ice now because he'll be back as a full skater, and we'll get him into gold (non-contact jersey) here in the near future," said Maurice.

He expects Byfuglien to return to action before the regular-season ends two weeks from now, while Morrissey may be more of a long shot.

"I'm thinking we're not going to push it. Talking to him this morning, he said, 'I feel great for this time of year.' We'd much rather have him play right now, but he plays big and heavy minutes. So his legs are strong and he's feeling pretty good," said Maurice. 1137374 Winnipeg Jets The Preds thought they’d opened the scoring early in the second, but a review by the NHL’s command centre overturned it, as Calle Jarnkrok’s stick was above his shoulders when he tipped the point shot.

Jets book playoff ticket, trample rival Preds Not two minutes later a streaking Connor turned P.K. Subban inside-out, out-lasted Rinne, then beat him with a backhand.

Paul Friesen Just as Thursday wasn’t the Jets night, this wasn’t Nashville’s.

The Preds’ game was summed up nicely with some five minutes left, when Jarnkrok and defenceman Matt Irwin collided near their own blue The Winnipeg Jets were looking for a bounce-back game on Saturday, line, allowing the Jets to waltz in for their fourth goal, Connor’s second. and they got it. If this was a potential second-round playoff preview, then Monday’s visit They’ve been looking for a complete game, and got that, too. by the Dallas Stars could be a sneak peek at a Round 1 matchup.

Most importantly, a 5-0 blanking of the Nashville Predators clinched a The Jets booked their ticket with an exclamation point. playoff spot and left the Jets with one solid mitt on first place in the Central Division. The Jets say they won’t be without No. 2 goalie Brossoit for long.

The win, a complete reversal of a 5-0 loss in Vegas, Thursday, doubled Brossoit pulled himself from the second period of Thursday’s loss in Winnipeg’s hold on first place to four points, still with a game in hand on Vegas after getting hurt in a goal-crease collision late in the first. the Predators and seven more to play before the playoffs. “We’ll just list him as day-to-day, and hope it’s not too long,” Maurice “That was a little bit different buzz than we’ve had in the building all year,” said. Blake Wheeler said. “Everyone was fired up for this one. We fed off that. With seven games left, the coach doesn’t want to overwork Hellebuyck It was our best game of the year.” going into the playoffs, and he says Brossoit’s injury hasn’t altered his By the end of it, the crowd was chanting “First in Central” and tossing plan. hats at Kyle Connor, who dazzled his way to the first three-goal game of “I had Helle in these two,” Maurice said, referring to the Nashville and his career. Dallas games. “And then left some wiggle room, depending on how the He could have passed three of the hats to Kevin Hayes, one for each standings are shaping up and the situation we’re in.” assist the trade-deadline acquisition recorded in his best game as a Jet. Saturday’s update on defencemen Dustin Byfuglien (ankle) and Josh “He’s up there with one of the best passers I’ve seen and played with,” Morrissey (shoulder) wasn’t much of one, although both are skating. Connor said. “He creates a lot of space with his size and really good Byfuglien is expected to return before Morrissey. hands for that big of a guy, too.” “We’re not going to push it,” Maurice said of Morrissey. “We’d much Hayes also scored, as did Andrew Copp, both on shots from horrible rather have him play right now, but he plays big and heavy minutes.” angles that caught Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne by surprise on a night Rinne was otherwise brilliant, as the Jets out-shot the Preds, 43-33.

Coach Paul Maurice shuffled his top two lines a little for this one, and Winnipeg Sun LOADED 03.24.2019 both configurations clicked immediately, Hayes between Connor on the left and Patrik Laine on the right doing everything but ending Laine’s scoring drought, now at a dozen games.

Nik Ehlers played his first game on the top line since December and looked like he was shot out of a cannon, with Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele catching his slipstream.

“We had ample opportunities,” Wheeler said. “We get enough of those, they’re going to go in. That was a really good start for our line.”

Meanwhile Winnipeg’s bottom six buzzed like saws and the defence kept things as tidy in front of Connor Hellebuyck as they’ve been in a long time.

“We had four lines and six D all over them all night,” is how Wheeler put it. “That’s a real weapon for us. We’ve got four capable lines that can kind of feed off one another. If we can play at that tempo, we’re tough to play against.”

It was the second straight shutout Hellebuyck recorded in a game he started. He relieved Laurent Brossoit in Vegas the other night and gave up two.

“They were phenomenal,” Hellebuyck said of his teammates. “They were getting their sticks on everything, they were blocking shots, they were controlling the pace of play. Our details were right.

“I was part of that. I did my job when I was needed. But the guys in front of me made it pretty easy.”

It’s not the first time this season the Jets have bounced back from a drubbing. In fact, all four times they’ve lost by four goals or more, they’ve won their next game, two days later.

This one had the most at stake, and the result left the visitors sounding a little shell shocked.

“Biggest game of the year up to this point and they’re just better than us,” defenceman Roman Josi said. “It’s disappointing. Especially in the first, it was really fast, really physical, and then they kind of took over.” 1137375 Winnipeg Jets

Good news for Brossoit, as Jets prepare for showdown with Preds

Paul Friesen

The Winnipeg Jets aren’t likely to be without No. 2 goalie Laurent Brossoit for long.

Brossoit pulled himself from the second period of Thursday’s 5-0 loss in Las Vegas after getting hurt in a goal-crease collision late in the first.

He’ll miss tonight’s game against Nashville, but isn’t out long-term, the Jets said.

“Off a test yesterday we’ll just list him as day-to-day, and hope it’s not too long,” coach Paul Maurice said.

Connor Hellebuyck is pegged to start against the Predators tonight and Dallas on Monday, two critical Central Division games against potential playoff opponents.

“Why don’t we just say it’s as close to a playoff game as you’re going to get,” Maurice said of tonight’s Nashville clash, featuring two teams who’ve been neck-and-neck in the race for first place for months. “This will be a great grinder here, and so will the Dallas game. That one might even be more hotly contested. They’re still fairly close to that playoff line and they’ll be pushing hard.”

Maurice is tweaking his lines after the Vegas loss, inserting Nik Ehlers on the top line with Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler.

Patrik Laine will move from the left to the right side on a second line, with Kyle Connor on the other side, Kevin Hayes at centre.

Maurice’s thinking is two-fold: get Ehlers’ game to a level it hasn’t been since he last played with Scheifele and Wheeler in December, and try another tactic to get Laine scoring again.

Laine has gone 11 games without a goal, and has just four in his last 29 games.

“Looking just at stats and chances for, we feel that Patty would get more over on the right side,” Maurice said. “One thing he hasn’t done is played with a left-handed centre on the right side. We’d like to get Patty back to a place where he’s done a big bulk of his scoring… on the right side, so we want to look at that.”

Ehlers is looking forward to skating with the top unit again.

“I played some real good hockey when I played with those two, and then I got injured,” he said. “And then I got back, and I haven’t really gotten back to that level yet. All of it is on me.”

Winnipeg’s other forward change from Thursday will see Matt Hendricks replace Jack Roslovic on the fourth line.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Hendricks said. “It’s kind of become a bit of a rivalry over the last few years. They’re a big heavy team, we’re a big heavy team. You get those hard-fought games… we’re looking forward to cleaning up our game, finding our game and getting prepared here for April.”

The Jets will also make one change on defence, with Nathan Beaulieu returning from a two-game absence to replace Joe Morrow.

Dustin Byfuglien and Josh Morrissey still aren’t practising, although both are skating on their own.

The Predators trail the Jets by just two points, so a Winnipeg loss tonight would throw the race for first wide open.

Like Maurice, Ehlers expects a playoff atmosphere.

“This one’s going to be an important one,” he said. “They’re exciting (games), for the fans as well, and for us. That series last year was the most fun games I’ve ever played or been a part of. It’s been like that during the regular season as well.”

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 03.24.2019 1137376 Vancouver Canucks Biega did admit to contemplating what might have been.

“That goes in, it’s a completely different game,” he said.

Canucks Extra: At the end of the day, it really is about the details What else could he have done? Maybe kept it on his backhand? Biega proposed a more audacious solution.

“I’ve got to pull one out of Petey’s handbook or something.” Patrick Johnston But at the end of the day, you’ve got to score when the moments present themselves. The Flames did. The Canucks didn’t.

The Canucks had spirited effort but still lost to the Stanley Cup playoff- “We had our chances, too. I think honestly the game could have gone bound Flames. either way. We’ve got to find ways to score.”

Three goals, three defensive breakdowns. Another game in short order

In a game where the Vancouver Canucks played pretty well, it was three Biega admitted it would be tough to wipe out the memory of Saturday’s crucial mistakes that led to all three goals and sank, once and for all, the loss, but at least there’s another game coming Sunday evening. Canucks’ playoff chances. “It’s another team desperate to make the playoffs,” he said. Motivation There are seven games left. They are six points adrift of the final playoff shouldn’t be hard to find. spot. “It’s going to be a good test for our group, especially character-wise.” There are four teams between them and the Colorado Avalanche, who are in that spot. The Goalie

Simple numbers It really has been an excellent year for Markstrom. I’m not really sure there was any helping the Canucks last year; and the year before that, Sixteen teams make the playoffs. there was Ryan Miller and he was always top-notch.

If the playoffs started Sunday morning, all 16 teams have positive goal- But the point stands: Where would the Canucks be without their No. 1 differential. goalie? They wouldn’t even be dreaming of the playoffs, that’s for sure.

You just can’t fall behind in either goals for or goals against in Hard-matched against Mikael Backlund’s line, Elias Pettersson, with comparison to the opposition. wingers Brock Boeser and Josh Leivo, struggled to make much happen The Canucks sit bottom-third in the league in goals-for, and somewhere at five-on-five and also struggled to stop them much. in the mushy middle in goals-against. The Canucks’ trio generated only eight shot attempts towards the Flames The defence has been better, but the fact they still have no goal-scoring goal, while seeing 17 go towards their own. depth is a huge issue, and one that’s going to take work. It was not a vintage night.

The third line has to emerge next season. Adam Gaudette has shown Hey, about Utica… strides this season, but a big leap is needed from him. That may be as simple as the coach just throwing more ice time at him; in soft minutes, Things have fallen apart for Utica. There are three key defencemen for increased volume of shots and offensive chances is enough to allow the Comets playing in Vancouver. They lost a forward with a scoring offensively gifted middle-of-the-pack players to produce more. touch in Jonathan Dahlen. (No, he wasn’t dominating or anything, but they didn’t have anyone with his skill set waiting in the wings to replace Gaudette has shown a lot of jump this season as he’s gained confidence him.) in himself, suggesting there really could be more to come from the former Hobey Baker winner. There are other faces too, of course, but Gaudette And the depth prospects in Jonah Gadjovich and Kole Lind just haven’t springs to mind as a depth piece who we know could make this team’s been given any real room to develop by making mistakes. offence better. What is Utica for if not for young players to make mistakes? This all goes with the reality that when faced by a top team like Calgary, the margin for error isn’t just zero, it’s in fact negative: You make It’s odd to read about from afar. And others have taken note. mistakes, they have the talent to punish you. That is NHL.com’s Patrick Williams, who has been paying attention to the The Canucks did have some good chances — think of Tanner Pearson’s AHL for a long time. two shots from the slot in the second period, efforts which sailed high, or Remember this guy? Alex Biega’s shorthanded half-breakaway in the first — but at the end of the day not enough. Jared McCann now has 19 goals.

They need more going forward. They’re in but the push-back helps keep things ramped up

The fly-by Garnet Hathaway is known for playing with a hard edge; that his line was responsible for all three goals was a bonus, he admitted. Jake Virtanen’s decision to not go right at Mark Giordano was the subject of exasperation along press row. The Canucks coming hard, with lots to play for, was a great thing for Hathaway’s team, who are looking to fly into the playoffs. Asked about it post-game, Travis Green was reluctant to single out only Virtanen, but he did admit to one thing: “I don’t like us not going through “We’re a pretty emotional group. Sometimes we let it get the best of us, the point man.” but other times we ride a good edge,” he said. “We’re so invested in every game. We want points.” ‘Nuff said. “That was a good, physical game for us.” Actually… Adrenaline one way is inevitably matched by adrenaline going the other What was Brisebois doing? You’ll see Virtanen’s fly-by, but Brisebois is way. caught puck-watching and ends up miles out of position. For teams like the Flames, they want to ramp up, pushing towards the The Biega rush summit, but they don’t want to get there yet. It’s a fine edge, he admitted.

Never doubt the Bulldog’s belief and hustle. “You want to be playing your best hockey right now. When you go He got up on a shorthanded chance and tried a forehand flip behind Mike against teams that are do or die, you let your foot off the gas, from here Smith, but the veteran goalie stood tall. on out it’s not going to go your way in the playoffs at all.” “We’re taking every game do or die, same as anyone else’s.” Quote of the night

It sure looked like Jacob Markstrom didn’t think much of what Mike Smith did after feeling contact from Alex Edler.

Markstrom said it was too far from crease-to-crease to have a conversation with Mike Smith.

And no, we didn’t see him mimic a diving sign, he dead-panned.

“No messages. Just playing in my net and he’s playing in his.”

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137377 Vancouver Canucks Still, while they never completely scratched their way into the Flames’ comfort zone, the Canucks did show some signs, especially in the second when they decided if they were going to go down, at least they Ed Willes: Young Canucks’ growth is real, but they don’t measure up just were going down fighting. yet The resulting increase in intensity led to a renewed battle level, and while no one mistook it for a playoff game from the ’80s, it was interesting to listen to the young Canucks talk about the game in which they took part. Ed Willes “You could see how emotional it was compared to other games,” said Boeser.

Bo Horvat has played four complete seasons with the Vancouver “The intensity is much higher now,” said Elias Pettersson. “They’re a top Canucks. The team made the playoffs his first year. Over the next three team in the league. It’s late in the season, Canadian teams playing each they finished 28th, 29th and 26th, which made them the worst team in the other. Some fighting. Some roughness in front of the net. Some emotion.” NHL over that span. Pettersson called a timeout to gather his thoughts. On the other hand, they’ve only gone through one coach and one team president in Horvat’s time here. “One battle leads to another leads to another and the emotion comes in,” he continued. “One guy hits another one. The other team wants revenge. This brings us around to the 2018-19 which, by the standards of any And so the game went on. It was a tough game.” other team, would register as another lost campaign, another colossal failure. In the Canucks’ world, however, this season qualifies as And if it wasn’t the rookie’s best game, he still took something out of this something of a success. one.

Sure, the rest of the world might see the 12th-place team in the West. “I don’t think our line had the best game. We had some good shifts, but But, before Saturday night, the Canucks were just four points out of the most of the shifts we played in our zone and we couldn’t get things going. eighth and final playoff spot in the conference and that represented, well, But it’s fun to play these games against good teams late in the season. something. These are the games you look forward to.”

The sad fact is Saturday night’s meeting with the Calgary Flames likely With many more like it to come. represented Horvat’s most important game as a Canuck since his rookie year, and if the rest of the hockey world wasn’t taking their playoff aspirations seriously, the locals certainly were. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 03.24.2019

“I think we’ve surprised a lot of people, a lot of teams this year,” Horvat said before the game. “We wanted to build a culture and have an identity to our team. I think we’ve established that.”

And you can give them that. But if the Canucks think they’ve come a long way this season, Saturday night demonstrated how far they have to go.

The playoff drive that never really was came to a screeching halt in the Flames’ 3-1 victory; a game which exposed the chasm which still exists between the Canucks and the NHL’s elites. It’s not that Travis Green’s team was completely outclassed in what amounted to a statement game. But, owing to a strangely lethargic first period, they were chasing this one from the opening face-off and that was always a losing proposition.

In the end, the Flames had too much Mark Giordano, too much depth — highlighted by a fourth line that produced all three goals — and too much quality for the pretenders.

On this night, it also helped they had the better goalie.

As for the Canucks, they had some try. But it wasn’t nearly enough.

“I thought that was as close to a playoff game as you’re going to get,” Horvat said. “There were battles. There was emotion. Guys stuck up for their teammates. That’s exactly the way you need to play in the playoffs.”

But what about the start, Bo?

“We definitely got better as the game went on,” he said. “We would have liked to start the game like that. I liked our compete level. It was a couple of mistakes that cost us.”

Those mistakes included a blown defensive coverage in the first which led to that man Giordano’s game-opening goal, a Garnet Hathaway backhander in the second which Jacob Markstrom should have stopped, and the insurance marker engineered by Giordano in the third which was aided by a Jake Virtanen fly-by at the offensive blue line.

The Canucks might have got away with those mistakes against the bottom-feeders on which they built their five-game unbeaten streak. Against the Flames, not a chance.

“They came out flying and it took us some time to get going.,” said Brock Boeser, the Canucks’ best player on this night, with Alex Biega a close second. “There’s always mistakes in every game. It’s whether or not the puck ends up in the back of your net.”

And out of theirs. Flames goalie Mike Smith stopped 28 of 29 on the night in the game’s other major development. 1137378 Vancouver Canucks Flames forwards Garnet Hathaway and Matthew Tkachuk were regularly making a mess of things and drew the attentions of Luke Schenn and Jay Beagle more than once.

Flames 3, Canucks 1: Calgary proves just too hot for hard-fighting hosts The crowd got into it too, with plenty of roars and Go Canucks Gos throughout the game.

Patrick Johnston It was the kind of spirit you definitely see in the playoffs.

Alex Biega has played plenty in the absence of Chris Tanev and his effort is never in doubt. It wasn't a playoff game but there was some chippiness between the squads Saturday night Out on a penalty kill in the first period — Alex Edler was off for tripping — Biega found himself roaring up the middle of the ice as he and Jay Mark Giordano is putting up a season for the ages and if he’s taken a Beagle created a two-on-one on the counterattack. night off, it’s been a very rare thing. Against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night at Rogers Arena, he was most definitely on. Beagle lofted a pass across and Biega collected it on his backhand. He pulled it back and shot it off his forehand, but Calgary goalie Mike Smith The leading candidate for the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best was steady and snatched the shot out of the air. defenceman, he was involved in every goal for the visiting Calgary Flames in a 3-1 win over the Canucks. The crowd roared in approval for the Bulldog nonetheless.

He scored the first goal, set up the other two and led the way for a stifling Watch out Calgary defence: the Canucks managed just three scoring chances while Giordano’s opening goal was a case of the Canucks asleep at the he was on the ice, compared to a cool dozen for the visitors. defensive switch as much as anything.

The Canucks started slow, as they have so often this season, but Guillaume Brisebois and Tyler Motte couldn’t clear the zone on the left- pressed hard in the second and third. But facing one of the league’s best, hand side, and the puck was put back down into the slot by Andrew it just wasn’t enough. Mangiapane, where it was collected by Hathaway.

It was also an outstanding evening for Calgary’s fourth line of Derek He shovelled the puck to Derek Ryan, who was uncovered because Ryan, Garnet Hathaway and Andrew Mangiapane, who were in on all Brisebois got caught out by the blue line. Ryan made a fine cross-ice three of the Flames’ goals. pass to Giordano, who snuck past Beagle and fired home, untouched, The fans had a rollicking good time, too. from the right side of the net.

The Canucks got a power-play goal from Brock Boeser, while the Flames’ goals were scored by Giordano, Hathaway and Mangiapane. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 03.24.2019 Here’s what we learned …

The big details

After the Canucks had clawed their way back into things by getting an early third-period goal from Boeser, they were pushing hard for a tying goal.

And then they fell back 3-1, in the most disappointing of fashions. The puck squirted up the boards to Giordano, who could have been pressured by Jake Virtanen; but for reasons known only to the winger, instead of going right into the veteran defenceman, he just flew by, opening up a clear lane to the net, to the slot, to anywhere really.

As Virtanen turned meekly away, Giordano spotted Mangiapane alone in the slot and the Calgary winger made no mistake, hammering home a one-timer.

In a game as big as this one, with a crazy playoff dream very much on the precipice, it was an inexcusable moment of laxity.

The Canucks picked up a power play in the first minute of the third period when Johnny Gaudreau, bizarrely, hauled down Jake Virtanen with a slew foot.

Gaudreau went to the box and the Canucks immediately capitalized, their once-moribund power play finding another goal in their recent run of good form.

In this case, there was some luck involved, as Boeser’s wrist shot hit a Calgary defender along the way and dive bombed under Mike Smith’s glove.

The Canucks now have six power play goals in their last five games.

It wasn’t exactly a playoff game, but there was some heat to the second period, with plenty of face washes and little stick jabs at every turn.

The referees were mostly inclined to let things go loose, with two cases of coincidental minors being whistled: the first Tyler Motte and Travis Hamonic being sent to the sin bin after the Flames defenceman gave Motte a pop, and then the Canucks forward got back in his face; the second late in the period as Markus Granlund threw a borderline hit on the side boards and Mikael Backlund came back at him with a cross- check. 1137379 Vancouver Canucks

Canucks Game Day: Flames pose huge playoff chase challenge for home team

Daniel Austin, Calgary Sun

THE BIG MATCHUP

Elias Petterson vs. Andrew Mangiapane

Look, nobody’s saying we should be comparing the rookie seasons these two are having. Pettersson is the runaway leader for the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year. He’s been a revelation since Day 1 and has “superstar” written all over him. Mangiapane’s rookie season hasn’t been anywhere near that level, but he’s coming off his first career multi-point game on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators and has people in Calgary pretty excited.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH

1. What’s up with Sam?

Sam Bennett exited Thursday’s game against the Ottawa Senators after the second period due to what the Flames are calling an upper-body injury. He’d missed the teams two previous games because he was dealing with what he called “maintenance issues,” but there has been no indication that he was nursing a serious injury.

As of Friday afternoon, his status for Saturday’s game in Vancouver was unknown, but if he’s out it will likely be recent call-up from the Stockton Heat Alan Quine who slots in at left-wing on the third line. James Neal could be back for the Flames, too, after being sidelined since Feb. 14 with an upper-body injury.

2. Still no Baertschi

Sven Baertschi completed a full practice with the Canucks on Friday and declared himself ready to play this weekend after being sidelined since Feb. 2 with post-concussion symptoms. The Canucks certainly won’t play him if there’s even the slightest bit of risk involved, but he would provide a boost if he does return. Baertschi has eight goals in 22 games this season and has been a key part of the power play when he’s been healthy. He didn’t take part in the full morning skate on Saturday, though, and coach Travis Green confirmed afterwards he’s a scratch Saturday night; the odds are good he’ll play Sunday.

3. Get it done

The Flames have opened up a five-point gap with eight games remaining in the season at the top of the Pacific Division, although the second-place San Jose Sharks could cut into that when they face off against the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night. One way or another, the Flames’ destiny is in their hands, and with each win their chances of finishing the season in first place grow better and better. They’ve done a good job of beating up on lesser teams recently, and they’ll want to keep that going against the Canucks.

4. Last time out

If it feels like just yesterday that these two teams were squaring off in the exact same arena, that’s understandable. The Flames and Canucks last met in Vancouver on Feb. 9, with the hosts winning that game 4-3 in a shootout. The most memorable highlight from that game might have been James Neal losing eight teeth, but Jacob Markstrom was also a monster in net for the Canucks, stopping 44 shots. With the Canucks playing a back-to-back this weekend, expect Markstrom in net again against the Flames.

5. Finding chemistry

It seems like Bo Horvat has played on a line with just about everyone on the Canucks’ roster this season, but he appears to have found some chemistry with Tanner Pearson and Loui Eriksson. The trio combined for five goals on Wednesday against the Senators.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137380 Vancouver Canucks It’s based on a sense he hasn’t been as electric offensively. But that’s mostly because teams have been increasingly game planning to shut him down.

The Athletties: The Stecher legend, the Gilly-to-Edmonton situation and In reality, he’s playing his most physical hockey of the season, and you the play that turned around The Flow’s season don’t do that if you’ve hit some imaginary wall.

Pettersson forechecking and winning a battle with Hanifin:

By Jason Botchford Pettersson mauling Rasmus Andersson:

Mar 23, 2019 BIGGEST FLY BY

There are times you want to see more ferocity in Shotgun Jake’s game, BEST EFFORT and there hasn’t been a better example recently than the Calgary Flames’ third goal. There’s less than two minutes in a mean-nothing game the Vancouver Canucks can’t win. Jake had a chance to run over the point man and he passed.

But Troy Stecher is playing hockey like it’s the first week of June. There is a 100 per cent chance head coach Travis Green addresses this with his third-line winger. Prone on the ice after laying to block a shot, there is no hesitation when from Stecher as he tries to strip a puck while his face is exposed to an Green may never get Jake to be a Tom Wilson-type, but he sure can get Elias Lindholm wrister. him to lay the body in situations like this one.

I’m instantly reminded of the first time I saw Stecher play for the Canucks Plays like this one can get you scratched. in September 2016 because it was then I saw a player who just kept You know Goldobin would be. coming. BEST TURNAROUND A scout then said the organization hoped he could become Mike Weaver one day, but here we are less than three years later and he’s already so Beagle getting caught in no-man’s land. much better than that. So what happened anyway? Right before your eyes, he’s passing Alex Edler as the best defenceman on this team, and he is wired to be a leader. Hanifin turned into …. a No. 4 defenceman.

Stecher is the infectious lifeblood of the Canucks’ much-maligned Now, arrest all the people who liked A&W’s take. defence. When Quinn Hughes arrives and the Canucks inevitably make BEST LIST other changes this summer, they will be counting on Stecher to be the top-four pillar they build everything around. Start with the first players he traded:

For the second consecutive season, Stecher has gone from Green’s third Pavel Bure pairing to his top. Brad Ference (Burke hated Ference because he was small, and he He was already averaging nearly 24 minutes a game this month and slashed Matias Ohlund in training camp.) tonight he played more than 25. Bret Hedican “You see how he plays, you see him in corner and he goes in with Also, most certainly, he hated Peter Schaefer, whom he ended up players who are so much bigger and he comes out with the puck,” dealing for Salo. teammate Brock Boeser said. “And then he smoothly breaks it out. BEST PREDICTION “It’s really amazing. I don’t know how he does it. He’s a really strong kid and it is cool to watch him.” 2021 TDL: “Will Edler waive so we can get more picks? Oh shit, he’s hurt. We have to extend him for another year.” After Stecher’s performance in the season’s second half, there is no going back to any marginalized role. BEST LEGACY

“As a smaller guy sometimes it’s hard to earn the trust of people,” he You’ll always remember where you were the week Mike Gillis roared said. “The respect. I think you always have to continue to prove you’ve back into NHL relevance. earned it. Yes, we are moving closer to an NHL with Gilly in it. “Obviously, injuries have helped me get this opportunity and I’m trying to make the most of it. I still have a long way to go to be the player I want to The former Canucks boss had a fascinating Q and A here in The Athletic be.” and in an unrelated coincidence, The Athletic Edmonton pumped his tires in what was a balanced, smart piece of work from Jonathan Willis. BEST FRIEND And it’s true, Gillis would be interested in this Edmonton job. Brock Boeser and Stecher have a relationship that spans both their NHL and college hockey careers. Watching the fallout in that city from here has been fascinating, and I do think a lot of people in Edmonton have it twisted, including Oilers “That block at the end, that’s Stech,” Boeser said. “That’s who he is. He president Bob Nicholson, who was suggesting he will turn over every wants to win so badly. It’s his passion and he hates losing. It’s guys like rock in his management search to find a general manager who again that you want on your team. aligns perfectly with him.

“It’s been awesome to watch him develop. I got to see him have a lot of But if Nicholson hires yet another Hockey Man, what is his payoff? What success in school, and I knew what he was capable and now everyone is exactly is the best-case scenario for Nicholson’s legacy? seeing that because of the chances he’s got with our injuries.” If it works, and let’s say it’s Mark Hunter, Nicholson will be but a footnote BEST OUTCOME figurehead whose Hockey Man hire happened to be effective this time around. No one will ever view it as a thunderous flex by a great leader. Stecher shook off that block, still did his After Hours interview and vowed to play Sunday. The stakes are grave for Nicholson if that type of decision making doesn’t pan out. BEST BATTLE He will then be viewed as a pariah for making an uninspiring decision, There’s an ongoing narrative that Elias Pettersson has hit a wall in his which only ended up bringing someone to Edmonton who hosed more rookie season and it’s one he can’t completely shake. gasoline on the Old Boys Club bonfire. Now, if Nicholson were to hire Gilly, the story is as much Gilly’s return as “Excellent question. When (Chiarelli) came in we were ahead of the it will be his redemption narrative. curve and there was criticism we were using too much of it and using it in a way we shouldn’t have. I’ve already had a discussion with a lot of The biggest mark Nicholson can ever leave, something he could be teams to see how they’re using it and a lot of the teams are different, so celebrated for, is to hire a person who is a complete 180 from everything there are different models out there.” the Oilers have been about for most of the past two decades. It means the team that half a decade ago used something better than at Nicholson has a chance to be remembered as someone who was least 50 per cent of its competitors doesn’t anymore because of concern introspective, selfless and bold. it used it the wrong and it essentially gave up.

And if he does that and he’s right, he will get more credit for saving the And now this same team is canvassing its competitors with an empty tin Oilers this way than he ever could slapping hands and taking pics with can in hand asking for help, hoping they toss pennies his way. the next recycled Hockey Man who will likely take Edmonton nowhere. Good luck with that, Bob. BEST REASON BEST IMAGERY On the surface it may not seem like a Gilly-Bob union could work. Tell me Nicholson calls Gilly and he picks up the phone and says: Gillis is best suited to be a team president who oversees the big picture and has a general manager working below him. “Is this Bob?”

But there is a twist to Nicholson’s situation. BEST ADD-ON

A leading candidate to replace the IIHF president who will retire next BEST WHO SAID IT year? Nicholson (with Gregor) or Gilly (with The Athletic)? Bob Nicholson. The same question was answered by both men. If the opportunity does present itself, and why wouldn’t it, that would be a very difficult position for him to turn down. What is culture?

I also think, and this is pure speculation, Gary Bettman would love Answer 1: To define culture better, the key is to bring the individual Nicholson in this role. players and the team together. You look at skill first, but you need leadership. You need players who will help the core group. So in Edmonton, hiring Gilly would give the Oilers a succession plan. Gillis would come in and be president of hockey operations and Answer 2: I think the one thing that has made probably the biggest Nicholson would slide up and over to oversee the business and impression on me is the emphasis that really high-end, high-functioning marketing side which, by the way, is much more in line with his organizations have on leadership and culture, which is a daily part of experience at Hockey Canada. their training environment.

Gilly would then bring in a GM for his day-to-day operations among the So it isn’t like you decide to focus on that for a short period of time and team he would assemble. hope that it’s going to work out.

You called? They drive leadership, they drive culture every day that the players are there. The moves would insulate the Oilers’ management group and they’d be well prepared to handle it if Nicholson took a job with the IIHF next year. It’s totally aligned from the top of the organization to the bottom of the organization that they’re always in a teaching mode, they’re always BIGGEST ISSUE teaching about how to be proper leaders, and how to maintain the culture and what culture is defined as. Any highly intelligent and fearless candidate in Edmonton is going to tell both Nicholson and Daryl Katz in their interviews that ultimately for things It’s clearly one of the biggest differences that I saw. to be successful in Edmonton, the Oilers need to drain the Old Boys Club swamp. The top organizations are removing hope from the equation.

It’s not an easy point to express either. They’re implementing plans and implementing a strategy that constantly drives leadership and culture. Imagine telling the curator of the organization Wayne Gretzky built that his brother Keith has to go, among many others which, if we’re being As a result, they take players that may not be successful somewhere honest, probably means Wayne too. else and they become successful there.

But for someone to come into Edmonton and have a legitimate chance at It’s the end of February and just days after the trade deadline. real change, the house needs to be cleaned and cleaned entirely. The Canucks are reeling, in the heart of a stretch drive that ultimately Because if you’re trying to do things differently, and you bring with you cost them any opportunity to compete for a playoff spot. novel ideas that will upset the accepted norms, you can’t have people in They are in Glendale, Ariz., and in the second half of a back-to-back set, positions of power who want it “the old way” because they will undermine a game which featured a Brad Richardson four-goal explosion that change every chance they get. worked like a final dagger to the soul of the Canucks playoff fantasies.

John Shannon knows this well too because it’s exactly what happened in Brock Boeser remembers all of it, notably one play that is a turning point Florida with the Computer Boys whose biggest mistake was not being to his season and something with the potential to have a lasting impact more cutthroat. on his development.

Dale Tallon stayed and they were OK with that until he used his It happens near the end of the first period and near the end of a shift. organizational influence and media contacts to tear those guys apart, from the inside out, in what was one of most successful PR campaigns in Boeser and Richardson begin a play side-by-side, I’ll let you fill in the recent NHL history. blanks from there while watching Brock chase this Richardson goal down. I can give Shannon tangible reasons how the Old Boys Club screwed over their Oilers too because one of the saddest ironies of a post-Peter “There’s been a few times this season where I was backchecking and Chiarelli world has been that city’s media screaming for more analytics. trying to read a play and I kind of stopped skating,” Boeser said. “I’ve noticed it. There’s been a couple of times that’s happened a team has It really hit me while playing back a must-listen interview Jason Gregor scored against us. did with Nicholson. “That one in Arizona really hit home, when they passed it right to my guy. In it, Gregor asks about analytics and Nicholson says: It’s when I had to take a step back and I took a look in the mirror. I knew I needed to play better defensively to help our team win.” That has happened in a significant way, so much so earlier this week “That saying, ‘He is going to help our team win in the long run,'” Boeser Boeser’s coach suggested the hockey he’s played this month may be the said. “That’s why I’m here. That’s what I care about. I want to help this best of his career. team win.”

The underlying data suggests this may be true. Green: “He’s still scoring. “But he’s a better hockey player today than he was last year.” When Green made the claim he was sure to tell the world he wasn’t talking about Boeser’s goal scoring or point totals. Damn right he is.

But here we are and his goal Saturday extended a streak that has seen him put up a point in nine straight games. The Athletic LOADED: 03.24.2019 When asked about it after the game, he said: “I feel like I’m moving to pucks a lot better and getting turnovers.”

Boeser made so many so-called effort plays Saturday to help get the puck. There was this smart defensive play during which he was ready to cover both of Mike Smith’s transition options.

He ends up firing himself in the corner where he trips Hanifin of the puck.

There was a neutral-zone bait play during which he entraps Travis Hamonic and makes the Flames defenceman pass the puck to the side he wanted, easily picking this off.

And this next one may be my favourite of the game for him.

He’s on the left side here and doesn’t get caught chasing the play behind the net. He stays in front of the goal line and then cuts across the ice, and pounces on the corner while always staying higher than the puck.

Coaches love stuff like this.

“I think he watches the good players and he sees how hard they work,” Green said. “He doesn’t just watch guys who shoot the puck hard. It’s not just systems, it’s about how hard you play away from the puck.

“Even (Friday at practice), I saw Brock on a rush and he dumped the puck in and he went and got it and then hit the D-man. They got a great chance from the point. That’s a young guy maturing.”

It’s probably not a coincidence that during the same week Goldobin was a healthy scratch for a string of games, Boeser was praised for a renewed commitment to play without the puck.

“I love his skill.,” Green said of Boeser. “I love Petey’s skill. You want a team filled with skilled players who can make plays. But look at all the good teams that have skill and win.

“They have a lot of those guys who are also wired in a way that allows them to use their skill after being hard and after winning a battle. You go get a puck hard and get it to an area where your skill allows you to make the special play that you win with.

“Go through the lineups. Look at that Marchessault and Smith line in Vegas. They compete. They do the right things so often. And they backcheck hard. They strip you of the puck on their backchecks.

“There are things Boeser does which I don’t always talk about it because you don’t always see it when you’re not looking at it. But he reloads above the puck now better than he used to.”

Reloading is a staple of the best coaches in the NHL and it’s among the most difficult things to get young, skilled players to grasp.

Essentially it means staying above the puck when your team doesn’t have it.

There was a good example of this Saturday during a 4-on 4. Boeser went high early and is outside the blueline ready to defend when the Canucks pick off the puck.

He flies back through the zone, Horvat feeds him the puck and he nearly scores.

Boeser: “That was a great look. I got most of that one.”

“He used to hang a bit and hope that we’d get it and when he did that, he’d be half a step behind on the backcheck,” Green said. “So then he’s not there on the backcheck because he didn’t reload right away.”

One of the things Green keeps telling him is that he’d rather Boeser score 30 goals and play like this than score 40 and cheat. That’s not an easy thing for a young goal scorer in a contract year to wrap his head around. 1137381 Websites “We’ve got a number of guys who haven’t scored in a bit,” said coach Mike Babcock, following a night of high-danger chances coming up empty. “The way I look at that is, that’s usually going to change.”

Sportsnet.ca / Leafs turn page on mini crisis with persistent effort against A chance to maybe open a game’s scoring, something they failed to do Rangers for the seventh consecutive time Saturday.

And, most important, a chance for essential defencemen Travis Dermott Luke Fox | @lukefoxjukebox (shoulder) and Jake Gardiner (back) to return to full health, and for the rest of the group to take care of their own end. March 23, 2019, 10:09 PM Defence was Exhibits A, B and C in a team meeting held in Nashville at the beginning of the week.

TORONTO — Despite another Saturday-night loss and a further widened “At times over the course of a long season, you can lose focus a little bit gap between the chaser and the chased, the blip of a crisis that was Last on what’s important and the proper structure,” Morgan Rielly said. “And Week with the Toronto Maple Leafs — a hellish, noisy implosion that’ll the way we play, it’s important to play well defensively. I think we got come and go as quick as a news cycle — is history. away from that for a little bit.”

The Leafs may still be taking baby steps, with full knowledge that the Dermott returned to practice Friday wearing a red, non-contact sweater time to gallop is only 19 days away, but at least they’re doing that. Seven and his trademark optimism. He’s still a few skates away and won’t rush days ago, they couldn’t locate their shoes. things, but he’s close.

Yes, the home side was defeated by a lesser talent, 2-1 in overtime, and Gardiner was back on the ice this week, but only for solo work, and he again ran nose-first into the Bulgarian Brick that is 23-year-old New York needed Saturday off after testing his back Friday. There is still no Rangers backup Alexandar Georgiev, infuriating Auston Matthews to the timeline for his return. point where he smashed his Bauer over the dasher boards. “It’s a huge deal for us,” Babcock said. “Both those guys are good puck- But for the third consecutive game, Toronto outshot its opposition (45-28) movers and good players, and we miss ’em.” and dominated the run of play, out-attempting the men in front of Georgiev 104-58. The Leafs looked determined, not discouraged, to find themselves fighting through an atypically low-scoring affair. Zach Hyman scored his “There were points in the game where it seemed like we had the puck the 19th and scrummed it up with passion when linemate John Tavares got whole time,” Matthews said. “That goalie’s just got our number.” cross-checked to the ice by Marc Staal. Matthews kept plugging and firing away through his bad luck and off aim. Toronto has dressed the better hockey team all week, even if the results or the goaltending — three points in three outings — didn’t always bear it “This is our third straight year [in the playoffs], and we want to make sure out. we’re heading in on the right note,” Matthews said. “Not taking shortcuts.

The ugliness on and off the ice is in Toronto’s rear-view, and there’s a “Just keep going. We’re good players. Those are eventually going to go firm understanding of what these final seven games before the post- in. If it’s not tonight, it’s tomorrow. If it’s not tomorrow, hopefully the next season mean for the Atlantic Division’s No. 3 seed now that Boston has game.” essentially clinched home ice, rolling all-cylinders past 100 points and ripping through a four-game win streak. At worst, these not-so-meaningful matches against softer opponents could open the door for complacency, but to a man, the Leafs insist they The ramp-up to TD Garden is on. won’t let that happen. They can’t afford to.

The Maple Leafs have survived both the late-season swoon and the “The adversity we faced here a week ago,” Babcock said, “I think it’s a media “[poop]storm” portion of the schedule (no one uttered a slur on the good thing. ice, and the GM and coach are communicating nicely, so let’s keep it moving, shall we?). “It’s not supposed to be easy.

They have officially entered the please-no-one-else-get-hurt stretch. “Dig in.”

“We’re focused on each other on this club, and that’s it,” Matthews said. “So anything, drama or controversy, that goes on in the media or on the Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.24.2019 outside, I don’t think anybody in here gives it much thought.”

The sole focus here and now: Staying healthy and sharpening their play in preparation for Game 1 in big, bad, Boston, who’s hung 17 goals over a three-game rip.

That being the case, Toronto’s schedule has laid out lovely.

The Leafs can take advantage of a soft slate of lottery-bound franchises, many of whom have already waved the white towel, stripping away key components at the trade deadline with an eye toward 2019-20 and beyond.

Beginning with Wednesday’s convincing victory in Buffalo and continuing with Saturday’s point at home to a depleted Rangers squad, the Leafs have five straight games against teams among the league’s bottom 15.

Next week: Florida, Philadelphia, and Ottawa. All beatable with a decent effort, even with a banged-up roster and a flu going around.

What these tune-up games lack in atmosphere and stakes they can make up for in opportunity.

A chance for No. 1 goalie Frederik Andersen to regain a confidence that had voters mentioning his name in Vezina conversations until 10 days ago.

A chance to smarten the breakouts, dial in the structure, oil up the power play, and puff up the stats sheet. 1137382 Websites An astoundingly reckless play by Flames’ star Johnny Gaudreau, who slew-footed Virtanen to the ice on an otherwise harmless sequence, gave the Canucks a chance to come back.

Sportsnet.ca / Canucks taken to school by Flames as playoff hopes keep Gaudreau was angry in the second period when cut in the mouth on a slipping check by Canuck Bo Horvat, although replays appeared to show the damage was done by the Flame’s own stick, which was a point of contact on the light hit. Iain MacIntyre | @imacSportsnet Understandably, the Flames weren’t much interested in the finer details March 24, 2019, 2:10 AM of the collision. They saw their best player bleeding from a hit and heading to the dressing room for medical attention. They were not happy.

Garnet Hathaway immediately tried to engage Horvat, who skated away. VANCOUVER — Still learning how to win, the Vancouver Canucks got a The most interesting running skirmish was Swede on Swede: Canucks lesson in Hockey 101 on Saturday night. super-rookie Elias Pettersson and Flame defenceman Rasmus Well on their way to the Stanley Cup tournament, the Calgary Flames Andersson, who at 22 is two years old than the Calder Trophy favourite. soared to 101 points, hitting triple digits in the National Hockey League They became involved behind the play during a change, shortly before standings for the first time since 2006, with a 3-1 victory that might be the Hathaway’s backhand eluded Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom to make last closest thing the Canucks get to an actual playoff game this spring. it 2-0 at 17:08 of the second period.

The Canucks were unable to extend their desperate five-game unbeaten “It was just hockey, just a battle,” Pettersson, who went back at Flame streak or improve their miniscule playoff chances, which took another hit Matthew Tkachuk on a later exchange, said of the physicality. “Two guys earlier Saturday when the Colorado Avalanche beat the Chicago who want to do their best to win games. It’s hockey. Of course, the Blackhawks 4-2 to put Vancouver six points down in the wild-card race. intensity is much higher now. They’re a top team in the league, a great team. It’s two teams that play hard against each other.” The Flames won wire-to-wire, dominating many shifts territorially despite the Canucks’ eagerness to battle in a game that had a lot of intensity and The Canucks certainly do play hard, just not with the calibre of a little malice. defencemen the Flames possess.

“You could feel the excitement in the building tonight and for the most “You’re always upset when you see your teammate get up slowly,” part I thought we competed really well against that team,” Canucks Giordano said of the Gaudreau incident. “That’s all part of it. We stick defenceman Alex Biega said. “They’ve got a great combination of skill together. But for sure, you don’t ever want to see your teammate getting and work ethic. I think we matched them on the work ethic, but we made up slowly, especially your top guy. There was some good emotion out a couple of mistakes, turned the puck over. there. We knew they were going to bring a game tonight because they’re fighting for that (wild-card) spot.” “Calgary is getting ready to play playoff hockey and (on Sunday) the Columbus Blue Jackets are going to be desperate because they’re a “You saw how emotional it was compared to other times,” Boeser said. point or two out. These are the kind of games we want to play in.” “There were so many scrums, so it was an emotional game and I thought we played pretty well. But now we’ve got to turn our heads and focus on The Canucks conclude their weekend back-to-back games against the tomorrow.” Blue Jackets at Rogers Arena. • Although cleared to play, Sven Baertschi was not included in Canucks The Flames will continue their march towards the Pacific Division title coach Travis Green’s lineup after missing 22 games due to the effects of during a three-game homestand that starts Monday against the Los a concussion. But the winger should play Sunday against Columbus. Angeles Kings. Dynamic defence prospect Quinn Hughes, who hasn’t played since arriving from the University of Michigan nearly two weeks ago with a “It’s a big accomplishment so far to get there,” Calgary captain Mark bone bruise in his foot, skated on his own Saturday morning but will likely Giordano, who scored one goal and set up two others, said of surpassing require at least three more days on the ice before he can make his 100 points. “We’re proud, but we want to keep going. Keep playing well Canucks debut. going into the playoffs and try to solidify the division (title) if we can and go from there.

“We know we’re going to have to get a lot more than 101 points to win Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.24.2019 the division. We’ve put ourselves in a good spot; we just have to keep playing well going into the playoffs.”

There is now a 27-point abyss separating the Canucks and Flames in the standings, but you wouldn’t guess the disparity between the teams by watching their season series.

Vancouver went 3-2 in the five games, although Calgary twice lost beyond regulation so finished the series 2-1-2.

The most remarkable aspect of the Canucks’ surge in March is they went 4-0-1 in their five games prior to Saturday while playing a defence that includes a bottom four of Biega, a depth blueliner who was a regular healthy scratch until seven weeks ago, and minor-league call-ups Luke Schenn, Ashton Sautner and Guillaume Brisebois.

This patchwork group was outstanding last weekend when the Canucks swept back-to-back road games in Dallas and Chicago. But against Calgary, Vancouver’s defence was exposed. It struggled to make plays out of its end, and chased the speedy Flames around the Canucks’ zone.

Brisebois and Schenn had turnovers that preceded the first two Calgary goals, while Canuck winger Jake Virtanen’s fly-by check on Giordano allowed the Flame to set up Andrew Mangiapane’s one-timer in the slot that made it 3-1 at 7:25 of the third period — about seven minutes after Canuck Brock Boeser’s power-play wrist shot deflected past Calgary goalie Mike Smith. 1137383 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Coach's Corner: Maple Leafs' rough patch is 'good for them'

Emily Sadler | @EmmySadler

March 23, 2019, 8:50 PM

If you’re a stressed out Toronto Maple Leafs fan, Don Cherry has a message for you.

“Listen to me, listen to me: I know everybody’s concerned about the Leafs. It’s good right now, they’re having a tough time — rough time, we’ll tell it right now,” Cherry said during Saturday’s ‘Coach’s Corner’ segment on Hockey Night in Canada. “Now, you cannot go through the season like they were going through the season, having 45 shots … and Andersen’s the first star all the time. You can’t go through it.”

As Cherry understands from his days behind the bench of the Bruins, it’s easy to ignore flaws when you’re winning.

“I know what it’s like. When I was with the Boston Bruins, we were 17-2. We were in first place, rolling along playing stupid hockey but still winning,” he explained. “Try to get through to anybody — it’s like the Leafs when they were before.”

Talk of the Leafs’ fast-paced, high-scoring, low-defence playing style being unsustainable has gotten increasingly louder, and the timing of their current slump, made worse by injuries on the blue line, seems less than ideal for those anticipating a tough first-round battle against Boston. The Maple Leafs have let in 37 goals in 10 games this month, going 5-5 during that time.

“This is good for them,” Cherry reiterated. “It’ll teach them a little toughness going into the playoffs because if they get in against the Bruins, they’ve got to be a lot tougher.”

“This will toughen them up,” he added. “I know the people of Toronto and everybody around it says this will toughen them up.”

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137384 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Seattle expansion franchise may hire GM this summer

Emily Sadler | @EmmySadler

March 23, 2019, 10:59 PM

They’re still two full seasons away from hitting the ice for their inaugural campaign, but it sounds like Seattle’s NHL franchise is looking to get a head start in hockey operations.

According to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston, the club may be looking to hire a general manager as soon as this summer.

“The Seattle expansion group has not ruled out the possibility of bringing someone in to lead their hockey operations department now, even though it’s still two years until the expansion draft,” Johnston said. “They’re not working off a firm timeline but they’re certainly looking at all options and want to be best positioned to get the best candidates. So there’s a chance that Edmonton could be looking at someone Seattle is, and there might be some competition there.”

It was announced that the city was awarded an NHL franchise back in December, and the Seattle TBDs are slated to join the league for the 2021-22 season.

To put their early hunt for a GM in context, the Vegas Golden Knights hired George McPhee as their GM in July 2016. That gave him about 11 months to assemble his bench and prepare for the expansion draft, and just over a year before icing an NHL squad.

If Seattle does indeed hire a GM this off-season, it won’t be its first notable front-office addition. The ownership group hired longtime coach Dave Tippett as a senior advisor back in July 2018 — before it even got the go-ahead to join the league.

According to Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos, Tippett might be someone to keep an eye on in the coming months.

“Right now he is a senior advisor there, but it’s unclear in terms of where his future is with the Seattle franchise,” he said.

In his current position, Tippett oversees all areas of the expansion franchise. At the time of his hiring, there was also a possibility that he would eventually take the reins as head coach, too.

“If he is potentially going to be the coach of Seattle, that’s still a full two years away,” said Kypreos. “As we start hearing of jobs opening up throughout the National Hockey League, probably at the end of the season, rest assured Dave Tippett’s name would be in the mix, amongst many.”

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137385 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Canucks' Quinn Hughes resumes skating, nearing NHL debut

Emily Sadler | @EmmySadler

March 23, 2019, 11:37 PM

Quinn Hughes is already one of the most popular people in Vancouver, and he hasn’t even laced up his skates for an NHL game yet.

But according to Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos, he could do so soon.

“Quinn Hughes skated today for the first time with Vancouver, but they play five [games] in eight days so there’s not much time for Quinn to get some practice time with the big club,” Kypreos said during Saturday’s ‘Headlines’ segment on Hockey Night in Canada.

Hughes, the Canucks’ seventh-overall draft pick last June, has been dealing with a bone bruise in his ankle. The 19-year-old defenceman suffered the injury on March 8 during the first game of the University of Michigan’s Big Ten first-round series against Minnesota. The Wolverines were eliminated with their loss one game later, and Hughes signed his entry-level deal with the Canucks the following day.

Hughes-Watch has officially been on since the signing, but as Kypreos pointed out, it’s a matter of giving the youngster enough time to feel comfortable before getting him into the lineup.

“He’ll skate with the extras, but he’s been told, ‘When you’re ready, when you feel good and 100 per cent, you let us know. You’ll play,'” said Kypreos. “Maybe an outside shot of Thursday (vs. the Kings) or perhaps next weekend (vs. the Stars), that we see him in a Vancouver Canucks uniform.”

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137386 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Senators looking to hire president of hockey operations

Emily Sadler | @EmmySadler

March 23, 2019, 10:18 PM

The Ottawa Senators have a big project ahead of them as they embark on a massive rebuild, and they’re looking to bring in a little more help to ensure its success.

“One of the things that the three of us have been hearing is that Ottawa is thinking about hiring a president of hockey operations, and the Senators said today that is true,” Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported during Saturday’s Headlines segment on Hockey Night in Canada, alongside fellow insiders Nick Kypreos and Chris Johnston. “It’s not imminent, but the one thing they wanted to come out and say clearly was that this does not mean that Pierre Dorion is in trouble. They supported the work he’s done in building up their prospects and picks.”

Senators owner Eugene Melnyk has been very vocal about his support for Dorion and the job he’s done in Ottawa. The Senators also released a statement Saturday to reiterate the franchise’s faith in Dorion and their intent to hire an executive to “support and provide guidance” to the GM.

General manager Pierre Dorion has done a masterful job of assembling these important assets and positioning the Senators for the future. It’s one of the main reasons why Eugene Melnyk continues to have full confidence in Pierre Dorion and his team.-Senators statement

“What they are looking at doing is increasing or putting back a person in the position that the late Bryan Murray used to have,” Friedman explained. “They called it critical to the future of the team. That’s what they are looking to hire.”

It’s possible the Senators might not be the only club looking to hire at the position.

“As far as the Edmonton Oilers are concerned, it’s still debatable how deep the ownership — especially Darry Katz — wants to go in making significant changes,” Kypreos said.

The Oilers have been in the market for a new general manager since January when they fired Peter Chiarelli, and CEO Bob Nicholson has made it clear he’s taking his time in finding the perfect candidate as he looks to fix the culture in Edmonton. Could that search extend to hiring a second executive?

“[Katz] also has the option, much like the Ottawa Senators, to find a president to oversee his general manager and their relationship with the coach moving forward. Right now, that presently belongs to Bob Nicholson,” Kypreos explained. “But what a president of hockey operations would do, is it would exclude Bob Nicholson from the hockey side and get him solely looking at the business side.”

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137387 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / NHL discussing extension of current playoff format

Emily Sadler | @EmmySadler

March 24, 2019, 12:19 AM

With the post-season almost upon us, ’tis the season for the annual playoff format debate.

“There’s some debate about how long the current divisional playoff format will last, and there were discussions on Friday between the NHL and the NHLPA about extending the current format for next season,” Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston said during Saturday’s Headlines segment on Hockey Night in Canada. “There still is an agreement in place, they’re going to speak again next week, and it does sound like that will probably be done on a one-year basis.”

The current bracket-based playoff format, which tasks top teams with getting out of their division (thus encouraging more divisional rivalries) came into effect in the 2013-14 season. Prior to that, the format was simply conference-based, pitting the top team in the conference against the eighth seed, the second against the seventh, and so on.

One look at the Atlantic Division shows why the format could be seen as flawed. Tampa Bay, Boston and Toronto are currently in the top five of the league’s standings and top three in the Eastern Conference, yet it seems inevitable that the Bruins and Maple Leafs will be forced to play one another once again instead of facing a lower-seeded opponent outside the division.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos used those two clubs as an example when he questioned the fairness of today’s format during a media availability earlier this month.

“I think from a perspective of what you’re grinding 82 games for during a season is to finish as high as you can so you can have that advantage come playoffs,” Stamkos told reporters. “I don’t think that’s an advantage to Toronto or Boston, to be what could be the top three teams in the whole league from one division and then have to play that team in the first round. I don’t think that’s right.”

It seems every division takes a turn with this issue, with Pittsburgh and Washington often running into each other in the Metropolitan.

“There is more concern from players than in the past about the way this format is working,” said Johnston. “I think players would like to know if it’s working the way the league intended in terms of fan interest, some business types of things … So don’t be surprised if we hear about a new playoff format in the near future.”

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137388 Websites regular linemate Poulin. Bettez ranked second overall in points in the CWHL this season with 48, and she also recently cracked the Canadian national team roster at age 31, after being overlooked since her last stint Sportsnet.ca / 5 things to know as Canadiennes, Inferno renew rivalry at with Team Canada back in 2011. Fellow Canadian forward Jill Saulnier is Clarkson Cup another to WATCH: In the recent Canada-USA rivalry series, Saulnier stood out as one of Canada’s best — the Halifax native has serious jets. She has put up five points in three playoff games so far.

Kristina Rutherford | @KrRutherford Those two Canadians are joined up front on the Les Canadiennes roster by Hilary Knight, the 29-year-old from California who became the March 22, 2019, 9:40 AM CWHL’s first-ever American born MVP back in her rookie season in the CWHL in 2013. Knight has been tearing up the playoffs so far, too, in Poulin’s absence: In three games, Knight has a post-season leading four You heard it here: Melodie Daoust is going to score the Clarkson Cup goals and eight points. game-winner. Or, Blayre Turnbull. The Sportsnet TV crew is something to behold, too: It includes Caroline At least, if you ask Sarah Nurse. The Toronto Furies forward, whose Cameron, Cassie Campbell, Leah Hextall, Jennifer Botterill, Nikki Reyes team was ousted in the CWHL semifinals, made some bold predictions and CWHL MVP candidate Natalie Spooner (her Furies lost in the for Sportsnet ahead of Sunday’s championship game. semifinal to Calgary). Not to toot our own horn or anything, but that crew owns six Olympic gold medals collectively, and that’s just thanks to The CWHL’s one-game, winner-takes-all will see the top-seeded Calgary Botterill, Campbell and Spooner. (Cameron, Hextall and Reyes have yet Inferno take on the second-seeded Canadiennes de Montreal. And this is to wow us on an Olympic stage, but maybe there’s still time.) quite a rivalry: It’ll mark the third time in four years that these two teams have met for all the marbles. Calgary won in 2016. Montreal won in 2017. In addition to that TV coverage, you’ll want to tune into Sportsnet’s social This season, Calgary had the 4-2 edge in regular season play, but Les channels Sunday, because Nurse is taking over. That’s right, we’re Canadiennes won their last meeting, shutting out the Inferno 3-0. handing over the social keys to the Furies rookie. And if you saw her Instagramming from the bench at the CWHL all-star game, you know this To get you tuned up for the finale, here are five things you ought to know is going to be good. Be sure to follow Sportsnet on Instagram, ahead of Sunday’s Clarkson Cup, with puck drop set for 12 p.m. ET at @Sportsnet, so you can see what the 24-year-old is up to on Toronto’s Coca-Cola Coliseum: championship Sunday. Let’s get the (really, really) bad news out of the way: Montreal sniper The trophy’s namesake — former governor general Adrienne Clarkson — Marie-Philip Poulin is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, as per Les will be in the building Sunday. Canadiennes. Now 80 years old, it was Clarkson who suggested during the 2004-05 Poulin didn’t play in Montreal’s three-game semifinal series against NHL lockout that since the Stanley Cup wasn’t going to be awarded that Markham a couple weeks ago, and nobody’s given us any hints as to year, it should go instead to the top team in women’s hockey. Instead, it whether the captain will be back in time for Sunday’s final. was decided pro women needed a cup of their own. Three Inuit artists If she’s not, it’s a massive loss for Montreal. Poulin had 50 points in 26 created this one, which features the flowers of each of Canada’s games this season, and won the league’s top-scorer award —The provinces and territories. The Clarkson Cup has been awarded to the Angela James Bowl — for the third time in four years. (She didn’t win it in winner of the CWHL since 2009. 2018 because she didn’t play; she spent the year centralized with Team And on Sunday, as Clarkson looks on, it’ll be awarded for the 10th time Canada ahead of the Olympics). to either Calgary or Montreal. Poulin has played in the Clarkson Cup final all four years she’s been in As much offensive power as we’re going to see in this game, it also the CWHL, and she’s a big game-player: In her last six playoff games (in features the top two goalies in the CWHL this season, in Montreal’s 2016 and 2017) she has amassed eight goals and 14 points in just six Emerance Maschmeyer and Calgary’s Alex Rigsby. games. Poulin is also the author of the game-winners the last two times Canada’s women won Olympic hockey gold. Talk about clutch. Rigsby, who helped Team USA win gold at the last Olympics, finished the regular season with a goals-against average of 2.04 and a 0.916 Fingers are crossed that Montreal’s top centre, who turns 28 later this save percentage. Maschmeyer, a member of the Canadian national month, will be good to go on Sunday, and not just for Montreal, but team, was the only goalie with better numbers: a 1.45 GAA and a 0.935 because hockey games are better with No. 29 in them. She’s fast, shifty, save percentage. chippy and she might just be the best in the world. We’re giving the edge to Maschmeyer, and not just because of her Nurse already took care of some bold predictions, calling Daoust to score regular season numbers. She’s on a roll: The Les Canadiennes goalie the game-winner if Montreal wins, and Turnbull if Calgary takes home the posted two shutouts in the playoffs already in just three games. championship. Both, along with Nurse, are members of Canada’s national team.

And in fact, Calgary and Montreal are loaded with national team talent Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.24.2019 from both sides of the border: There are nine on Les Canadiennes roster, and 14 play for Calgary.

With the Inferno, that includes Brianna Decker, the Team USA star who earlier this season got paid ($25,000) after a social media campaign exploded following her performance at the NHL All-Star game, where she demonstrated the passing drill and nearly won the thing in the process. Decker is fast and physical, in addition to that passing ability. And she’s extra deadly thanks to her (Canadian) linemate Rebecca Johnston, a CWHL MVP, who gets to the dirty areas, creates and also owns a heavy shot. Johnston ranked third overall in CWHL scoring this season.

And speaking of a heavy shot, look out for Inferno defender Kacey Bellamy. The Team USA veteran was the second highest-scoring defenceman in the league this year with 21 points in 26 games.

Les Canadiennes, however, boast the highest-scoring defender in the league in the regular season — Erin Ambrose. The 24-year-old from Keswick, Ont., put up nearly a point per game with 24 in 26.

Among Montreal forwards, there’s plenty of star power up front. Ann- Sophie Bettez is one to keep an eye on, though she may be without her 1137389 Websites “He’s our leading scorer, right? He’s been great,” the coach started. “The thing about him is that he’s a young player and there’s certain things that we want him to improve on and he’s got such a great attitude and a good Sportsnet.ca / Canadiens' Domi shows another sign of growth in approach. He sits down with us, he watches those things, and he sees it. performance vs. Sabres He’s made a lot of progress in the things that we’ve asked him to do. There’s habits that have been there for years that don’t disappear even totally in one season. So we keep working with him, and he’s got such a great attitude. He loves working, watching video with us and watching Eric Engels those things because he just loves the game. He wants to get better.” March 24, 2019, 12:09 AM Where once there was doubt that Domi would in fact become a better player when he came over in the summer trade that sent Alex Galchenyuk to the Arizona Coyotes, there’s little if any remaining now. MONTREAL — What we knew about Max Domi before he landed in Montreal was that he had 222 games of NHL experience and a lot to That the Winnipeg native who grew up in Toronto has come up huge all learn. What we know about him now is that he’s taken a huge step season long for Montreal — and particularly in crunch time, as the team forward and still has plenty of potential to grow. fights to cement its place in the playoffs — is evidence of how much he’s matured. When you look at Saturday’s 7-4 win for Domi’s Montreal Canadiens over the visiting Buffalo Sabres, you can see evidence of all that from Domi’s teammates see it. beginning to end. There was Buffalo’s first goal, which was scored by “The guy’s unbelievable,” said Canadiens assistant captain Paul Byron. “I Sam Reinhart, who slipped from Domi’s coverage twice before finally love his compete, love his attitude, love the edge and the way he plays burying a pass from Casey Mittelstadt. And then there was everything for our team. He’s a warrior. He’s a guy you go to war with.” that came after that, a response that showed how far the 24-year-old has come since first pulling on that fabled sweater.

It was early in the sixth minute of the second period that Domi profited Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.24.2019 from Canadiens defenceman Jordie Benn holding the offensive blue line to turn three Sabres inside-out with a spinning backhand pass to Andrew Shaw. It was the tic to Shaw’s tac and Artturi Lehkonen’s toe to tie the game 1-1. A highlight-reel play that arguably tops any other made by a Canadien this season.

It was less than 10 minutes later — and a little over five after Brendan Gallagher notched his 32nd goal of the season to set a new career-high and put the Canadiens up 2-1 — that Domi pulled an ankle-busting move on Mittelstadt at Montreal’s blue line, rushed down the ice at top speed, and then pulled up and feathered a saucer pass onto Shaw’s stick to secure a 3-1 lead.

And when things got too close for comfort in the third period after Buffalo’s Jack Eichel narrowed Montreal’s lead to 5-4, it was Domi who stepped up on the power play, firing a heat-seeker by goaltender Carter Hutton’s ear and off the back bar to make it 6-4.

The tantalizing plays he made in this game are the type we’ve seen from Domi all season. The consistency with which he’s made them has been one major sign of progress, which has led him to shatter previous career- highs in every relevant statistical category (he now has 26 goals, 41 assists and 67 points in 75 games after previously maxing out at 18 goals, 36 assists and 52 points).

What else is new? Showing the type of full commitment at both ends of the ice after a lackadaisical effort in the first period. The type of commitment Domi was lacking at times over his first three seasons. The type expected of a top-line centre at this level. The type a detail-oriented coach like Canadiens boss Claude Julien commands.

“I have to be honest, I don’t think Max had a good first period,” Julien said afterwards. “We mentioned to him after that we needed him and he deserves a lot of credit for turning it around, and I told him after the game that the way he responded in the second period, that’s the player we want. Not everything is perfect, but when you demand more from a player and he responds the way he did in the second and the third, that merits tons of credit. I loved the way he played in the second and the third. He was much, much better.”

And then there was the sequence in the third period that saw Domi exercise a measure of control after taking a Rasmus Dahlin elbow to the face that dropped him to the ice. Sure, he got angry and gave Dahlin a piece of his mind and a taste of his glove before carrying on with Jeff Skinner in a war of words. But that was a considerable departure from dropping his gloves and unexpectedly punching either player, like he did in is very first game with the Canadiens — punching Florida’s Aaron Ekblad for a five-game suspension in the pre-season.

Domi said after Saturday’s game that he’s still got to find a way to control his emotions a bit more, but the fact that he’s actively working on it and showing signs of progress says much about how he’s treating his development.

Julien said more. 1137390 Websites “You look at our season as a whole, it’s not just giving out garbage points here and there. It’s our home record and our Saturdays at home. They just haven’t been there.”

Sportsnet.ca / Slow-footed, slow-starting Oilers continue to disappoint at This Saturday, Ottawa goalie Craig Anderson collected his first win since home Dec. 17, having lost 14 straight decisions. Connor McDavid tied a career high with point No. 108, but a lost point against the 31st-best team in the league at home is crippling. Mark Spector | @sportsnetspec “This has to be a hard place to come into and play,” said Chiasson, a March 23, 2019, 8:40 PM quote we have quite worn out over the past decade in Edmonton. “As the game went on, we were much better, but we have to do a better job of

dictating the pace in the first 10 minutes, with our tempo and physicality. EDMONTON — And here we thought the problem in Edmonton was We didn’t do that.” Toby Rieder, who made it through his 61st game this season, still snipe- OK. Let’s just all agree. less. It’s not the foot speed that will make the Oilers one of just three teams in Hey, name another team in the NHL that got 43 goals this season out of National Hockey League history to miss the playoffs 12 times in 13 years German-born players. We dare ya. this spring. And it’s not some kind of Hockey Night in Canada jinx, or an Anyway, it turns out that foot speed is the Oilers problem, according to acute fear of succeeding in front of friends and family. the coach. Or perhaps, as Alex Chiasson points out, being ready to play Let’s just come to an understanding here. against opponents who, like Edmonton, are down the standings. It’s Toby Rieder’s fault. “No, no, no!” said Milan Lucic. It’s the home record — especially on Hockey Night in Canada.

Unfortunately, like everyone who unloaded on Oilers CEO Bob Nicholson Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.24.2019 over the past 48 hours, they’re all correct. The Oilers are slow, they start slow, and they’re lousy on Saturdays, their latest effort being a 4-3 overtime loss to the NHL’s last place team, the Ottawa Senators.

“The first period, it just feels like we don’t respect our opponent,” said Chiasson. “We play a team like Columbus that is fighting for its life to get into playoffs, and it may not have been the prettiest game, but we played a tight game and didn’t give them anything. Tonight we play a team at the bottom of the standings, that has traded away four or five of its best players, and they outwork us.

“In our position, that is not good enough.”

Ken Hitchcock sees a different issue, in fact taking umbrage with any thought that losing to lowly Ottawa was some kind of carnal sin.

“What would you say to Toronto? They lost 6-2 to this team,” said Hitchcock, later adding, “You’re not going to tell me our team wasn’t ready. We were ready to battle today.”

So, what holds the Oilers back? Well, Hitchcock used the term “foot speed” seven times in his opening answer post-game.

“When you’re a team that skates as well as they do, they put a lot of pressure on you,” he assessed. “Foot speed matters, and we’ve struggled for most of the year against foot speed. And we knew when they added their players … there was more foot speed. That’s our struggle. It’s not the opponent.

“Foot speed matters,” he continued, “and we have to find a better way to negate foot speed. We shut down Columbus’ foot speed by hemming them in. Today, they got loose on us. What did (Anthony) Duclair have? Three breakaways?

“The foot-speed problem, that’s a problem for us. We’ve got to fix that.”

OK. Slow starts. Foot speed.

What else?

“If you look at our record as a whole,” began Milan Lucic, “I think you can say we’ve been a good enough road team (16-17-5) to help our cause, to make the playoffs. But, for whatever reason, we have not been a good enough home team.

“We’re under .500 (actually 17-17-3),” he continued. “Saturdays at home — two o’clock, five o’clock, eight o’clock, I don’t care when it is — we haven’t been good enough.”

The Oilers’ Saturday night record this season is 7-11-2. At home, it is a pathetic 3-7-1, which Lucic just can’t get his head around.

“Saturday is usually the most exciting time of the week, for a Canadian kid, especially,” he said. “When I was in the States, when you’d get a chance to play on a Saturday in Canada you’re ramped up more than anything. 1137391 Websites keep at it and accept that this is the way we’re going to be playing hockey. Eventually they’re going to go in.”

The Leafs can only hope that’s the case. With playoffs just over two TSN.CA / Maple Leafs looking on bright side again after close loss weeks away, Toronto can't afford to have its usually-potent offence in a rut. But taking these baby steps forward defensively could add up to success down the road, making the current simmering frustrations Kristen Shilton worthwhile.

“I thought we did a lot of good things tonight, don’t think we got in our own way,” said Mike Babcock. “Obviously a disappointing way to end. I TORONTO – When the final horn sounded to signal the New York don’t think we were as good tonight as the last two games, but I still Rangers 2-1 overtime triumph against the Maple Leafs, the home team thought we had lots of opportunity. I’d like to get us a little more rhythm was in familiar territory: on the losing end of a game they could have so we feel better. But I like the process we’re in and I like how hard guys won, left determinedly looking at the bright side. are working.” “I know it’s a cliché and I know that we’re all getting tired of it, but I think Takeaways there are positives to take from [the loss],” said Morgan Rielly. “I think it’s a good thing, the fact that we’re getting opportunities, shots, chances, but Auston’s all-in that being said, we have to find a way to win these ones.” On a night where there weren’t many great offensive showings by the Toronto did everything but score more than New York, out-pacing them Leafs, Matthews put together another terrific performance that fell just in shots on net 45-28 and controlling possession at 60 per cent. But just short of landing him on the scoresheet. like he did in the teams’ last meeting on Feb. 10, a 4-1 Leafs' loss, Rangers’ goaltender Alexandr Georgiev was nearly unbeatable. He made In the first period, he was all over Georgiev’s crease, but couldn’t quite a combined 99 saves in those outings to halt the Leafs’ offensive attack find twine on three separate chances in-tight. Matthews did a good job in its track, and stole the extra point again for New York again on controlling the puck in the second, generating some quality offensive Saturday. zone time that still yielded no goals, but at least provided spurts of momentum for Toronto. Only earlier this week, Toronto was in a similar boat, peppering Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne with 22 shots and dominating possession in a 3- Through two periods, Matthews had three shots on goal but 11 shot 0 loss. attempts, graduating to four shots on net and 16 attempts by the end of the game. And it wasn’t just him that Georgiev was holding at bay; “We’re good players; it’s eventually going to go in,” stressed Auston Matthews’ linemates William Nylander and Andreas Johnsson were Matthews. “If it’s not tonight, it’s going to be tomorrow, and if not equally stymied. tomorrow, hopefully the next game. But we’ll just keep playing the way we are, generating these chances. Our whole team, we’re too good to Together they pulled in 68 per cent possession and put 10 shots on keep generating these chances and not capitalizing on them.” Georgiev with nothing to show for it. As the third period wound down, that line had a series of furious shifts in the offensive zone that had the The Leafs’ started Saturday's game well enough, amassing a quick 7-1 Rangers on their heels, but New York’s netminder had all the answers. edge in shots and rolling around New York’s end with ease. The Rangers had posted a lowly 1-6-5 record in 12 games prior to facing Toronto, but While Matthews has scored fairly consistently of late for the Leafs, with were no pushovers either, and the game was still knotted 0-0 through 40 five goals in his last seven games, Nylander has zero goals in 12 games minutes. and Johnsson has one goal in 14 outings. For the Leafs prospects offensively to start shifting, they’ll need more contributions from both of Not until 19 seconds into the third period was that stalemate broken, off them. something of a broken play by the Leafs. A rebound went off Frederik Andersen and into a cluster of players in the slot, where Pavel Andersen forging ahead Buchnevich found the puck before Toronto could sweep it out of harm’s It’s been a rough couple weeks for Andersen, with only one win to show way. from his last four starts. For his confidence as much as anything, That made Saturday the seventh straight game in which the Leafs have Andersen needed to get back on track with a solid showing on Saturday, given up the first goal. and that’s mostly what he delivered.

Toronto pushed back hard from there, but too many attempts to even the The much less busy goalie in the game, Andersen still started sharp in score were just off the mark either high or wide. When Zach Hyman the first period, making most of his 11 saves of that frame in the second finally got rewarded with an equalizer, he was in good position around half when the Rangers took control of the Leafs’ defensive zone. the net and sent a terrific feed from John Tavares into the mesh. Through the goalless first and second, perhaps the toughest play “I think [Jake Muzzin] made a really good play in the D zone and then got Andersen had to face never really materialized. In the middle frame, the it to John, to Mitch [Marner] and Morgan [Rielly], and then just a shot on Rangers had a two-on-none rush that they overplayed and never got a net [by me],” Hyman detailed, “Which is what you’ve got to do when a good shot off on. If they had, it would have been a difficult stop for goalie’s hot.” Andersen, but he dodged a bullet as the puck went sliding wide of the net and out of harm’s way. Georgiev proved impossible to beat again, and Ryan Strome secured the game’s second point one minute, forty-eight seconds into overtime to When Buchnevich did eventually score, Andersen originally looked in hand Toronto its fifth loss in seven games. But none among the Leafs position to make the stop, but bodies collapsed into his crease area right were hanging their heads. before the puck sailed by. When Strome potted the game-winner, it was right after Andersen made a great first stop, and then lost sight of Strome “When we go back and look at the game, we’re going to see there are with the puck below the goal line before he banked it into the net off lots of good things,” Rielly insisted. “Whether it was puck possession or Andersen’s own skate. opportunities or our structure, there’s going to be good things. We wish we had a little more finish but credit to them; they played well Like there is for the Leafs’ snake-bitten shooters, Andersen has plenty of defensively. It is what it is, we’ll move on.” room to improve before playoffs, at which point he’d like to have recaptured the dominant form exhibited for most of the season. Settling Toronto also showed continued improvement on the defensive side, for a point on Saturday will have to suffice as Andersen’s own small step limiting its opponent to 30 or fewer shots on net for the third straight in the right direction. He finished the game with 26 saves and a .929 save game and keeping goals-against at three or fewer per game in that percentage. stretch. Considering where the Leafs were a week ago, having allowed 23 goals-against in four games, the strides are promising. Killer kill

“We are responding really well to the stretch we had before this,” The Leafs’ penalty kill has been one of its strong attributes recently, and Andersen said. “It’s a really good sign. We’re still putting up a decent Saturday was no exception to that. In the first two periods against New amount of shots, decent amount of chances. I think we just have to be York, Toronto was called for three infractions and its kill only got better tackling each one, keeping pressure off Andersen and generating opportunities the other way.

Marner continues to emerge as Toronto’s star penalty killer, balancing the right amount of aggression with smart reads in his own end.

In finishing 3-for-3 on Saturday, the Leafs moved to 16-for-17 in their last eight games on the kill.

Toronto’s power play hasn’t been quite as successful lately, going 0-for-3 against the Rangers and 0-for-9 in their last three games. The man advantage has been a roller coaster for Toronto all season, toggling between great highs and plummeting lows. This dip hasn’t been marred by major issues, and the Leafs did have some good looks with the extra man on Saturday, but their scoring touch has been more lacking there just as it has everywhere else.

Blue and White Trending

Tracking Leafs’ trends all season long

With the loss on Saturday, the Leafs move to 6-6 in overtime this season, and remain the only NHL club to not have been involved in a shootout all year.

TSN.CA LOADED: 03.24.2019 1137392 Websites Rielly led all players with 27 minutes 18 seconds of ice time.

Toronto was coming off a 4-2 win Wednesday in Buffalo but had lost five of its last eight (3-4-1). The Leafs had given up the opening goal in their TSN.CA / Strome nets OT winner as Rangers edge Leafs last six games (2-4-0).

Already eliminated from playoff contention, the Rangers had lost five Staff Report straight and 11 of their last 12 (1-6-5). They had also suffered three straight road defeats.

Georgiev came into Saturday's game with a 3.11 goals-against average TORONTO — After leaking 17 goals in their last three home games, the and a .905 save percentage in 27 appearances this season. He had Toronto Maple Leafs tightened up on defence in their return to the stopped 86 of 91 shots in his two previous career appearances against Scotiabank Arena on Saturday after a three-game absence. the Maple Leafs.

But another stellar performance by Rangers goaltender Alexandar It was his 11th start in the Rangers' last 22 games. Four of his last six Georgiev stymied their offence and Ryan Strome's overtime goal lifted starts have needed more than the regulation 60 minutes. New York to a 2-1 win over the Leafs, snapping a five-game losing streak. Georgiev was busy from the get-go before a crowd of 19,251, forced to stop a dangerous wrist shot from Matthews on the Leafs first shot. "Obviously our goalie was huge but we did a lot of good things too," said Toronto outshot New York 6-1 to start. a relieved Rangers coach David Quinn. The Rangers began to fight back, tying the shot count at 7-7. Matthews "Listen, it's one of the most dangerous teams in the league and I thought had two more good chances on a late power play in the period. Toronto we did a real good job in a lot of areas and finally won an overtime outshot the Rangers 13-11 in a sloppy first period that saw New York win game," he added. just 24 per cent of faceoffs.

The Rangers (29-32-13) had lost the last five times — and 10 of the last It was more of the same in the second with Toronto outshooting the 11 — the game had gone beyond regulation time. visitors 9-2 to start the period. Georgiev was rock-solid, however, with a highlight-reel pad save on Hyman from point-blank range. The winning goal came after the Leafs (44-25-6) had had a good scoring chance at one end. The puck went the other way and Frederik Andersen The Rangers muffed a 2-on-0 chance late in the period when Mika made a fine sprawling save on Boo Nieves on a two-on-one, only to have Zibanejad lost control of the puck, allowing Andersen to grab it. Nieves get the puck back to Strome who stuffed it in at 1:48. Leafs centre Frederik Gauthier, returning after a two-game absence due With another stellar performance in goal until finally beaten in the third to a foot injury, appeared in his 100th career NHL game. period, Georgiev continued his mastery over the Maple Leafs. On Monday, Toronto hosts Florida while the Rangers entertain Georgiev, a second-year Bulgarian-born goalie, had a career-high 55 Pittsburgh. saves — second-most in a regular-season game in Rangers history — in a 4-1 win over the visiting Leafs on Feb. 10 (his 23rd birthday). That included 25 power-play shots. TSN.CA LOADED: 03.24.2019 Toronto outshot the Rangers 45-28 Saturday and had a 104-58 edge in attempts at goal.

"I have big respect for that team, obviously one of the top in the league," said Georgiev. "You know that you have to bring your best game to be able to (defeat) those guys."

Trailing 1-0, the Leafs finally beat Georgiev at 8:33 of the third after a rush by Morgan Rielly opened up the Rangers defence and John Tavares fed Zach Hyman for his 19th of the season into a wide-open net. It was Toronto's 33rd shot on the night.

Pavel Buchnevich had ended a scoreless deadlock 19 seconds into the third, beating Hyman to the puck in a mass of bodies in front of Andersen after a Brady Skjei shot from a bad angle produced a fat rebound. It was Buchnevich's 18th goal of the season.

Tavares was hurt later in the third, sent flying by a Marc Staal cross- check in front of goal. The star centre skated off slowly, hunched in pain after finally being helped to his feet. Staal was penalized on the play. Tavares returned for the power play, almost scoring.

Toronto centre Auston Matthews directed 16 shots on goal but only four got through. Another four were blocked and eight missed the target.

"(You) just keep going ... It's eventually going to go in. If it's not tonight, it's going to be tomorrow. If it's not tomorrow, it'll be the next game," Matthews said philosophically.

"He had some great looks, really good looks," said Toronto coach Mike Babcock.

With Boston beating Florida 7-3, Toronto fell seven points behind the second-place Bruins in the Atlantic Division.

"I thought we did a lot of good things tonight. I didn't think we got in our own way," said Babcock. "Obviously a disappointing way to end. I didn't think we were as good tonight as we've been in the last two games but I still thought we had lots of opportunity."

Added Hyman: "It just wasn't going in. Give credit to their goalie, he played great. I thought (Andersen) played great as well." 1137393 Websites The Canucks are 3-1 against the Flames this season winning both games played so far in Vancouver. They were 5-2 winners on opening night and then posted a 4-3 shootout victory on Feb. 9th. Markstrom TSN.CA / Canucks vs. Flames gameday preview made 44 saves that to lead the Canucks to victory. Elias Pettersson leads all skaters in the season-series with four goals and four assists.

Jeff Paterson TSN.CA LOADED: 03.24.2019

VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Canucks (32-32-10) shoot for their first four-game win streak of the season tonight when they host the Pacific Division and Western Conference leading Calgary Flames (46-21-7) at Rogers Arena.

The Canucks followed up wins in Dallas and Chicago with a 7-4 victory over Ottawa on Wednesday night. Bo Horvat and Tanner Pearson each scored twice while Brock Boeser, Jake Virtanen and Loui Eriksson also scored for the Canucks. The line of Horvat, Pearson and Eriksson combined for 10 points on the night. The Canucks scored a pair of power play goals giving them their first multi-PPG game since Jan. 2nd – also against the Senators. The Canucks are 5-for-16 (31.3 per cent) with the man-advantage in their past five games.

With his goal, Brock Boeser extended his career-high point streak to eight games (three goals, six assists) while Horvat has four goals and five assists in his past six games. Horvat has three goals in his past two outings and has matched Elias Pettersson for the team lead in goals with 27.

The Canucks are 4-0-1 in their past five games and 4-1-1 in their past seven on home ice. They begin action tonight five points back of Minnesota in the race for the second wild card spot in the Western Conference.

Jacob Markstrom gave up four third-period goals on Wednesday, but still managed to preserve the win. He is 3-0-1 in his past four starts and 5-2-2 in his last nine. Markstrom will make his 57th start of the season tonight. Only Devan Dubnyk (61) and Marc-Andre Fleury (59) have started more.

The Canucks will use the same 18 skaters they’ve gone with to produce the three straight wins. That means Nikolay Goldobin, Ryan Spooner, Sven Baertschi, Derrick Pouliot and Josh Teves will be healthy scratches once again. Rookie Quinn Hughes skated on his own early this morning after getting medical clearance yesterday. With no practice slated until Wednesday, it’s unlikely Hughes will make his NHL debut before Thursday night against Los Angeles or possibly next Saturday versus Dallas.

The Flames arrive in Vancouver on the heels of a 5-1 romp over Ottawa on Thursday. Matthew Tkachuk, Mark Giordano, Mikael Backlund, Garnet Hathaway and Andrew Mangiapane had the Calgary goals while Mike Smith, who will start again tonight, made 18 saves in goal. Tkachuk and Mangiapane have both scored in back to back games while Giordano has one goals and six assists on a six-game point streak.

The Flames have won two straight and five of their last six. A single point in the standings tonight will give Calgary 100 on the season with seven games still to go beyond this one.

Only three teams in the league have more than Calgary’s 21 road wins this season. The Flames enter play tonight with a record of 21-14-2 away from the Saddledome. However they have dropped their past three games as the visitors at Vegas, Arizona and Winnipeg.

Johnny Gaudreau leads the Flames in goals (35), assists (57) and points (92). He sits sixth overall in league scoring. The Flames have four players – Gaudreau, Elias Lindholm, Sean Monahan and Matthew Tkachuk -- with more than 70 points and Mark Giordano is sitting with 69. The Flames captain trails only San Jose’s Brent Burns in scoring among NHL defensemen. At the age of 35, Giordano has already crushed his previous personal best for points in a season when he had 56 in 2015- 16.

Veteran forward James Neal returns tonight after missing the past 17 games with an upper-body injury. He last suited up on Feb. 14th in Florida. The last time he played in Vancouver on Feb. 9th he lost eight teeth courtesy of an errant Alex Biega stick.

The Flames are among the best teams in the league when getting the jump on their opponents. They are 34-4-1 when opening the scoring this season. 1137394 Websites Since saying the Leafs "quit" in the third period in a loss to Tampa Bay on March 11, Matthews has four goals, three assists and a whopping 32 shots on net in five games. And Wednesday in Buffalo, he was absolutely TSN.CA / Leafs need Nylander to reach another level "confidence-wise" dominant. Muzzin was asked if that's the best he's ever seen the 21- before playoffs year-old centre play.

"Yeah, it was pretty impressive," Muzzin gushed. "I don't know what it was but the puck was not leaving his stick. I don’t know, his hands were Mark Masters feeling it that night or what, but (with) his work ethic and when the puck is glued to his stick like that it’s tough to get it off him."

"Matty has skated really well here this last while," said Babcock, "I TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in daily with news and notes thought he was real physical on offence last game, got the puck back a on the Maple Leafs who (optional) skated at Scotiabank Arena ahead of ton and so did Johnny. That made their line dangerous." tonight's game against the Rangers. Matthews said the first two periods in Buffalo represent exactly how the William Nylander hasn't scored in 11 straight, but there are signs he's Leafs want to play. starting to find his top form. Since reuniting with centre Auston Matthews, he has six assists in six games. "That’s our team right there," he said. "We're fast, we're back on defence, we're tracking and we're coming in the offensive zone and playing below "We're clicking," Nylander said of his line, which also includes left winger the dots and we're utilizing our skill and letting that flow." Andreas Johnsson. "We've been creating a lot of chances the last couple games and hopefully we can build off that." It's imperative that the Leafs build on that performance in the next stretch of games, including four straight against teams outside the playoff While Matthews has been elevating his game for the last little bit, picture. The challenge of maintaining that level starts tonight against a Nylander's momentum was stalled by an illness this week. He missed Rangers side that has lost 11 of 12 and will be without the injured Chris yesterday's practice, but was able to participate in Toronto's optional Kreider. skate this morning. New York will have Alexandar Georgiev in net. The Bulgarian backstop "Willie's been sick the last couple so not quite the same energy," noted turned aside 55 Leafs shots in a 4-1 win over Toronto just last month. head coach Mike Babcock, "but he's feeling way better about himself, skating better and winning more battles and obviously that makes him "He gave us a lot of trouble last time so we got to do a much better job much more dangerous. We need him to still find another level tonight trying to take away his eyes," Matthews said. "I mean, he made confidence-wise before the playoffs." some pretty unbelievable saves, but just those rebounds and getting to the net and those second-chance opportunities will be important." Nylander, who watched little brother Alexander Nylander score on Wednesday in Buffalo, certainly wants to pitch in with a few more goals 'The puck was not leaving his stick': Matthews enters beast mode of his own. Auston Matthews has posted eight points over his last six games and has "I mean, I like getting assists, but it would be nice to score, that's for taken his game up a level, Jake Muzzin says he knew from the start of sure," he said while mustering a smile. their game in Buffalo, his line was going to have a night.

But Nylander is still influencing the game in a number of important ways. After allowing 23 goals in four games last week, the Leafs have His ability to move the puck up the ice is a huge asset, especially with effectively stopped the bleeding this week allowing three goals, including Toronto dealing with a couple key injuries to puck-moving defencemen. an empty netter, in Nashville on Tuesday and just two in Buffalo the next night. "His edge work is extremely good," observed Matthews, "and just his skating ability, his head’s always up, he sees the play so well and I feel "The last two games, for us, has been better in the D zone," observed like when he's going through the neutral zone he's almost thinking a step Muzzin, who registered an assist in 24:13 of ice time against the Sabres, or two ahead of the guy who's chasing him down." "getting quicker to pucks, closing quicker, making the exits a little cleaner and spending less time in D zone. I think we've done a better job boxing "He's very efficient in his skating," defenceman Jake Muzzin agreed, out giving Freddie (Andersen) and (Garret) Sparks room to see the puck "and it’s kind of elusive. It's like you don't think he's going fast but he is coming in, shots from the point coming in so we look to build off what and he's ahead of guys. And the way he distributes the puck, it's a lot of we've done the last two games." fakes and stuff, you don't know where he's going to move it, he knows, so it’s tough to defend and when he creates some more space for Mats After missing two games and yesterday's practice due to illness, Martin and Johnny, opportunities are going to come." Marincin skated this morning, but the defenceman won't play tonight. That means the third pair will continue to be Justin Holl and Igor Babcock is prodding the 22-year-old Nylander to put himself in position to Ozhiganov. utilize this skill more. Babcock was asked if there's any timeline for the return of Jake Gardiner. "The harder he works to get back to create separation from their defence to create some gap for him, he can turn and get going," the coach said. "None. He didn't skate today, so I don't know. We just talked this "So, it’s just what I talked about earlier, the harder he competes, the morning, 'How's the kid? How's life?' I didn't ask him about it." more space he creates for himself, the more he has the puck and therefore the more dangerous he is." Gardiner will sit out a 13th straight game tonight with a back injury.

Babcock says Nylander must 'find another level... before the playoffs' Leafs Ice Chips: No timeline on Gardiner; Marincin still out

Mike Babcock says he's really liked where Auston Matthews and Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock says there is no timeline for Andreas Johnsson's game have been at lately. However even though defenceman Jake Gardiner to return to action and Mark Masters says William Nylander has been sick as of late the head coach wants him to they'll still be without Martin Marinčin tonight with the Rangers in town. find another level come playoffs.

Nylander and Matthews were uncharacteristically quiet in last year's TSN.CA LOADED: 03.24.2019 seven-game setback against the Bruins with each contributing just one goal before being split up later in the series. Matthews seems determined to carry a lot of momentum into this spring's rematch.

"Physically I feel pretty good," he confirmed, "and our line’s been clicking pretty well. I think you just want to continue that and get better and better. These last couple games for our line and individually have been pretty good. I think we've controlled the play, we've had the puck, we've been working extremely hard to get it back when we don't have it and that’s just a key for us." 1137395 Websites

USA TODAY / March Madness on skates: Carolina Hurricanes celebrate victory with a slam dunk

Mike Brehm, USA TODAY

Published 11:17 p.m. ET March 23, 2019

NHL players are known for doing impressive things on skates.

But playing basketball?

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk executed a pretty good dribble and dunk — on skates, no less — as his team celebrated its 5-1 rout of the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night.

The Storm Surge, the Hurricanes' post-win celebration that has thrilled fans and angered Hockey Night in Canada studio analyst Don Cherry, began this season with players clapping then skating down the ice and jumping into the boards.

It has become more much involved with each win, including a game of duck, duck, goose, bowling, curling and even a boxing match with Evander Holyfield.

So with the NCAA tournament going on and local college teams Duke and North Carolina still alive, why not try a March Madness theme?

Yeah, there was a little traveling before van Riemsdyk goes airborne, but it seems to get missed in real basketball, too.

Besides, the fans love it — and for a reason. With the win, the Hurricanes remain solidly in a playoff position as they try to end a nine-season postseason drought.

USA TODAY LOADED: 03.24.2019