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SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 5/22/2021 Blackhawks 1213610 Ducks prospects Trevor Zegras, , Lukas 1213643 Blackhawks' lottery odds for 2021 NHL Draft determined Dostal spark Gulls 1213611 Just call him ‘Z’: Ducks’ Trevor Zegras reflects on lessons learned, respect earned and his next steps 1213644 Grubauer, non-top line players lead Avalanche past St. 1213612 ‘None of us got paid to work’: AHL’s Pacific Division Louis for commanding 3-0 series lead playoff draws anger from players 1213645 Blues-Avalanche Game 3 Quick Hits: Philipp Grubauer’s three-save close to first period a big moment 1213646 Avalanche rookie Alex Newhook scores first NHL 1213613 There’s no stopping David Pastrnak as Bruins winger against Blues in breaks through against Capitals 1213647 Avalanche center Nazem Kadri suspended eight games 1213614 Bruins get some breathing room and other observations by NHL for illegal hit in Game 2 from their convincing Game 4 win 1213648 Sports bars embrace relaxed masking and full capacity 1213615 Bruins’ transported to hospital after just in time for Avalanche, Nuggets postseason: “When is second-period high hit 1213649 Rookie Alex Newhook nets his first NHL goal as the 1213616 Top units have been a powerful combination so far in Avalanche seize a 3-0 series lead postseason 1213650 Deen’s List: Avalanche take 3-0 series lead over St. Louis 1213617 Bruins take control of series with 4-1 win over Capitals as Nazem Kadri begins eight-game suspension 1213618 Bruins notebook: David Pastrnak shows up in a big way 1213651 Avalanche center Nazem Kadri suspended eight games 1213619 Game 4 observations: Elite special teams powering Bruins for illegal check to the head 1213620 Cassidy gives candid reaction to Dmitry Orlov hit on 1213652 Berube, Blues act wearing thin Kevan Miller 1213653 Depth dominates as Avalanche take commanding 3-0 1213621 B's push Capitals to brink of elimination in dominant Game series lead 4 win 1213654 Nazem Kadri suspended eight games by NHL 1213622 Tuukka Rask sets impressive Bruins playoff record in 1213655 Avalanche-Blues Game 3 preview: Carl Soderberg ready Game 4 win to play; Kadri awaits suspension 1213623 Bruins make Capitals pay for Orlov's high hit on Miller 1213624 Projected lines, pairings for Bruins vs. Capitals Game 4 1213625 Boston Bruins’ Cassidy: Game 4 Calls On Ice ‘A Complete 1213656 Former Blue Jackets assistant Brad Shaw 'disappointed' in Head-Scratcher’ departure, thankful for memories 1213626 Talking Points: Boston Bruins Beat Caps 4-1 To Take 3-1 Series Lead Stars 1213627 Bruins D Kevan Miller Sent To Hospital After Dirty Hit 1213657 Stars have too many goaltenders but have many different From Orlov choices of how to solve their problem 1213628 Hall’s Been Great But Boston Bruins Found A Gem In Smith Too 1213629 Brad Marchand Feels for Both And Corey 1213658 Red Wings mailbag: What does future hold for top goalie Perry prospect? 1213630 Game 4: Boston Bruins Vs. Lines, 1213659 Red Wings’ Tyler Bertuzzi confident back surgery won’t Preview delay his 1213631 Boston Bruins Fine-Tuning PP, ‘Know They Need To Be Better’ Oilers 1213632 Charlie McAvoy is in full command of his powers 1213660 loss sees fall behind 0-2 to 1213633 Why the Bruins overhauled their top power play unit: ‘All Jets in series one-timers are in play’ 1213661 PLAYOFF SNAPSHOTS: John Tavares injury difficult to watch 1213662 Edmonton Oilers playoff fever just isn't the same during a 1213634 Sabres will prioritize goaltending in offseason whether pandemic Linus Ullmark stays or goes 1213663 Oilers observations: Mike Smith great, Connor McDavid pointless as Edmonton digs a hole Flames 1213664 Lowetide: The seeds of Oilers’ 2015 orientation camp 1213635 Flames 'thought it would be easier' forms heart of current team 1213636 Game on! PWHPA stars pumped for week-long showcase in Calgary 1213637 Flames defenceman Tanev shrugs off injuries: ‘Everyone 1213665 Bobrovsky saved the Panthers’ season in relief Thursday. plays with something’ It’s his net again for Game 4 1213638 Did the Flames fail to meet expectations, or did everyone 1213666 ‘The picture changes completely’: Panthers have new life get the narrative wrong this season? after two-goal comeback in Tampa 1213667 Panthers have renewed life in series vs. Lightning, will now lean on Bobrovsky in net 1213639 The Canes are in for a fight in their playoff series, and not 1213668 Sergei Bobrovsky is back and ready to lead the Florida only with the Predators Panthers 1213640 Here’s how the Predators climbed back into the series 1213669 Steve Gorten: Ryan Lomberg unlikely hero for Florida against the Hurricanes in 2OT Panthers in OT 1213641 An original Predator, Hurricanes assistant coach Jeff 1213670 ‘The picture changes completely’: Panthers have life after Daniels has watched two markets blossom wild win over Lightning 1213642 ‘Big Rig’ steps up to post-COVID challenge as the face of the Hurricanes’ TV franchise 1213671 Who stays, who goes? Projecting which Kings are likely to 1213700 Nashville Predators' , Ryan Johansen come return next season up big in Game 3 after losing power-play duties 1213672 World Championships Primer + Roy named as alternate 1213701 Carolina Hurricanes coach sounds off after Nashville for Team USA Predators take Game 3: 'We're fighting the refs' 1213702 Watch Matt Duchene's winning goal in the second overtime of Game 3 1213673 Turning points and momentum swings add up to 2-1 1213703 Nashville Predators' caps off intense first series deficit for Wild period of Game 3 with highlight-reel goal 1213674 Nick Holden emerges as unsung hero in Golden 1213704 Keith Urban sings national anthem before Nashville Knights-Wild series Predators' Game 3 against the Hurricanes 1213675 Wild RW Johansson out with broken arm after Game 3 1213705 Matt Duchene's goal lifts Nashville Predators past injury Hurricanes in 2OT thriller in Game 3 1213676 Wild winger Marcus Johansson suffered broken arm in 1213706 Nashville Predators' Viktor Arvidsson out of Game 3 lineup Thursday's loss with upper-body injury 1213677 Will Wild look to past () or future (Matt Boldy) 1213707 How to watch Friday's Game 3 between the Nashville in Game 4? Predators and Carolina Hurricanes 1213678 Golden Knights take 2-1 lead into game 4 against the Wild 1213708 The Predators’ ‘big boys’ are running out of time to prove 1213679 Marcus Johansson injured in Wild's Game 3 loss to their worth Vegas. 1213709 Rexrode: Predators ask less of Matt Duchene and Ryan 1213680 Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury beats Wild with one hand Johansen, and get more behind his back 1213681 Wild's fast start turns to ice-cold finish in 5-2 loss to Golden Knights in Game 3 1213710 ‘It’s a perfect fit for her’: How Meghan Duggan’s decorated 1213682 Wild haven’t lost three games in a row all season, and career led her to a new Devils role now is not the time to start 1213683 Marcus Johansson has a broken arm. Who replaces him in Wild lineup? 1213711 Islanders searching for momentum after roller-coaster 1213684 Last change makes Golden Knights-Wild matchups look Game 3 loss much different in Minnesota 1213712 Islanders mull goalie change after ’s 1213685 Will Zach Parise get in Wild’s lineup with Marcus Game 3 disappointment Johansson injured? Could Matt Boldy play? 1213713 Mathew Barzal, Jordan Eberle trending upward, which is what Islanders need Canadiens 1213714 For starters, Islanders need to take a lead in Game 4 1213686 Maple Leafs captain John Tavares ends Game 1 vs. against Penguins Canadiens on stretcher 1213715 Put Ilya Sorokin in the Islanders' net for Game 4 1213687 Maple Leafs captain John Tavares discharged 1213716 The Islanders-Penguins battles in Game 3 were just from hospital, out indefinitely 'playoff hockey' 1213688 Tavares out indefinitely after head injury suffered during 1213717 NEW YORK ISLANDERSVarlamov’s Lackluster Play for Game 1 Islanders Has Forced a Goaltending Change 1213689 Canadiens Notebook: Dominique Ducharme won't reveal 1213718 NYHN Daily: Islanders Drop Game 3 on Home Ice & More lineup for Game 2 1213690 'The Code' comes into play yet again in Canadiens-Leafs series 1213719 Ranking the 21 most valuable players for the New York 1213691 Game-winning goal by Canadiens' Paul Byron vs. Leafs Rangers in 2021 one to remember 1213720 Former Rangers on the state of the rebuild: All-in on the 1213692 'The guys remain confident' despite losing Tavares, Leafs talent but not the chaos, and where’s the toughness? coach says 1213693 Stu Cowan: Experience wins out over youth for Canadiens Senators in Game 1 1213721 Belleville coach Troy Mann says plenty of the Senators 1213694 Hickey on hockey: We've seen this Canadiens movie prospects made a progress this season before 1213722 It's up to Logan Brown to determine where his career is 1213695 By the numbers: Tactical shift propelled Canadiens to win headed in Game 1 1213696 What the Puck: Canadiens need goals, along with hits, to oust Leafs 1213723 The Flyers’ top prospects: Many will put the stamp of 1213697 About Last Night: Byronic hero lifts Habs over Leafs 2-1 in Chuck Fletcher and Brent Flahr on the team game 1 1213698 Canadiens playoff notebook: Jesperi Kotkaniemi’s time to shine, an offensive shift and a defensive adjustment 1213699 ‘We’ve got family watching’: How ‘Hockey Night in ’ covered the John Tavares injury 1213724 Minor league report: Nailers fall to Swamp Rabbits 1213752 Column: Max Pacioretty’s return as unknown as his injury 1213725 Penguins forward Jason Zucker comfortable contributing 1213753 Golden Knights get key contribution from ‘goofy’ Nick 'in other ways' Holden 1213726 Penguins have '3-headed monster' at center 1213754 Golden Knights increase capacity for Game 5 1213727 Mark Madden: Penguins overcame Islanders, officiating in 1213755 Lineup additions prove key to Golden Knights’ Game 3 Game 3, but can they really keep up this pace? victory 1213728 Empty Thoughts: Penguins 5, Islanders 4 1213756 Last change makes Golden Knights-Wild matchups look 1213729 Penguins' high-energy line setting the tone in first-round much different in Minnesota series 1213757 Golden Knights Will Increase Arena Fan Capacity For 1213730 Jason Zucker rekindled his scoring spark in reunion with Monday’s VGK vs Minnesota Game 5 To More Than . Now can he sustain it? 11,000 From 1213731 Joe Starkey: Anyone still worried about Brandon Tanev's contract? Washington Capitals 1213732 Notebook: ZAR Feels Difference, Penguins Want Clarity 1213758 Capitals look lifeless in Game 4, and now their season is on Marino Helmet Loss one game from being declared dead 1213759 Capitals drop third straight as Bruins take commanding St Louis Blues series lead 1213733 Blues on brink of elimination with 5-1 loss to Avs 1213760 Caps pushed to the brink with Game 4 loss to Bruins 1213734 Blues notebook: Reinke gets the call for depleted D-corps 1213761 Facing elimination, what is the message in the Caps 1213735 Hochman: The Blues are bruised, but Colorado is just that locker room? good 1213762 Capitals doomed by 1-for-7 power play in brutal Game 4 1213736 Gordo: To catch Colorado, Blues need a retool, not a loss rebuild 1213763 To beat Bruins, the Capitals need more from their top nine 1213737 Blues Game Day: Bortuzzo, Faulk out; Dunn a maybe 1213764 How did we get here? A timeline of the wild Caps goalie 1213738 BenFred's 5: Shildt weighs in on baseball's sticky depth chart situation, and other Blues-Cards thoughts entering big 1213765 Capitals’ disjointed effort in Game 4 leaves them on brink spor on elimination 1213739 Avalanche’s Nazem Kadri suspended 8 games for hit to head Websites 1213740 LeBrun: NHL’s discipline process needs a look after more 1213775 The Athletic / Duhatschek notebook: A Flames and Flyers injuries with ‘no repercussions,’ Blues GM says trade match? Plus owners wanting change and T.J. Oshie 1213776 The Athletic / ‘None of us got paid to work’: AHL’s Pacific Division playoff draws anger from players 1213741 Do Panthers have Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy’s 1213777 The Athletic / NHL power rankings: Our updated 1-16 number? rankings after Week 1, plus dogs in sunglasses 1213742 Lightning’s Anthony Cirelli ends goal drought at opportune 1213778 .ca / Jets' outstanding defensive commitment time paying off against Oilers 1213779 Sportsnet.ca / Oilers still trying to find right balance vs. Jets after Game 2 loss 1213743 Tavares out indefinitely after head injury suffered during 1213780 Sportsnet.ca / takeaways: Game 1 Hurricanes 'also fighting the refs' 1213744 Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares discharged 1213781 Sportsnet.ca / Paul Byron's Game 1 winner for Canadiens from hospital, out indefinitely symbolic of his determination 1213745 Maple Leafs captain John Tavares ends Game 1 vs. 1213782 Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs running out of time, options to Canadiens on stretcher fix dreadful power play 1213746 LEAFS NOTES: Foligno can really step in for injured 1213783 TSN.CA / Foligno moves to centre as Leafs adjust without Tavares Tavares 1213747 Matthews: 'Stay the course' in Game 2 after dominating, 1213784 TSN.CA / Injured Tavares encourages teammates to but not scoring, in Leafs-Habs opener bounce back in Game 2 1213748 WARMINGTON: Missing Coach's Corner? Grapes still 1213785 USA TODAY / Colorado Avalanche's Nazem Kadri firing on all cylinders suspended eight games for hit to head of St. Louis Blues' 1213749 SIMMONS: Matthews on Tavares: 'A lot of things in life Justin are bigger than hockey' 1213786 USA TODAY / Maple Leafs captain John Tavares 1213750 ‘Hockey is not a one-man show’: How the Maple Leafs will released from hospital, out of playoffs indefinitely after attempt to win without John Tavares scary 1213751 ‘We’ve got family watching’: How ‘’ covered the John Tavares injury 1213766 Jets beat Oilers 1-0 in overtime Canucks 1213767 Jets shut down Oilers stars again, win Game 2 as Stastny 1213772 Canucks: GM Jim Benning says 'it's on me' ... yet again scores in overtime 1213773 'It's a privilege': Canucks extend Travis Green's contract 1213768 'Kill or be killed': Jets' Dubois lives for post-season 1213774 Canucks can’t keep cutting corners if they’re serious about 1213769 JETS SNAPSHOTS: Tavares injury a stark reminder of building a Cup contender vulnerability for Jets’ and Oilers players 1213770 ‘It was our time’: How the Jets defied critics and odds to take a 2-0 series lead 1213771 Film study: How did the Jets keep Connor McDavid off the board in Game 1 — and can they do it again? SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1213610 Anaheim Ducks

Ducks prospects Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale, Lukas Dostal spark Gulls

By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | PUBLISHED: May 21, 2021 at 9:25 p.m. | UPDATED: May 21, 2021 at 9:25 p.m.

It looked so easy, so simple, so effective. The began their AHL playoff series against the Bakersfield Condors by scoring not one, not two, but three power-play goals in the first two periods en route to a 5-3 victory in Game 1 on Friday night in Bakersfield.

Trevor Zegras scored one goal and assisted on three others for his second four- game in the AHL. Jamie Drysdale set up both of Sam Carrick’s power-play goals, helping the Gulls to a 3-0 lead after two periods. Not to be overlooked, goaltender Lukas Dostal made 39 saves.

“This kid is a stud,” Carrick said. “He’s going to have a long career.”

Carrick could have been speaking of Zegras, 20, or Drysdale, 19, but he was talking about Dostal, a 20-year-old from the Czech Republic who is playing his first season in North America. Zegras and Drysdale were the Ducks’ top draft picks the past two years. Dostal was their third-round pick in 2018.

It’s easy to imagine Zegras, Drysdale and Dostal playing key roles for the Ducks in the seasons to come. Zegras and Drysdale already made a great first impression on the Ducks in 2020-21. Dostal could be in line to be the third goalie behind John Gibson and Anthony Stolarz next season.

“He’s come in here like he’s a veteran goalie with some of the saves he makes and how calm, cool and collected he looks in net,” Carrick said. “Our team definitely feeds off it. He’s making the easy saves, but he’s also making the hard saves. It gives our team a huge boost. He’s got a super-bright future.

“He’s in good hands here.”

Game 2 of the best-of-3 series is Sunday in Bakersfield. Game 3, if necessary, is Monday in Bakersfield.

Carrick scored power-play goals in each of the first two periods, and Vinni Lettieri added a third man-advantage strike to give the Gulls a commanding three-goal lead going into the third period against the Condors. It begged the question: If the Ducks’ minor league team can do it, why can’t the NHL team?

The Ducks set a dubious NHL record with the worst power play in the modern era, clicking at a meager 8.9 percent in 2020-21.

Orange County Register: LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213611 Anaheim Ducks final six games left him with 13 in his 24 contests with Anaheim, and his 0.54 points-per-game rate tied him with Rickard Rakell for second on the team and showed that he could handle a top-six role.

Just call him ‘Z’: Ducks’ Trevor Zegras reflects on lessons learned, Zegras also held his own in the faceoff circle and in matchups against respect earned and his next steps former Selke Trophy winners Anze Kopitar and Ryan O’Reilly — and a possible candidate this year in Joel Eriksson Ek — during the final two weeks following his recall. The more he played, the better he got.

By Eric Stephens May 21, 2021 “I know everyone kind of said it was an adjustment,” Zegras told The Athletic. “I just think I needed some reps back at center just to kind of get

my feet back under me again. It’s a different position, but it’s something Two stints, with a total of only 24 games and 53 days. That’s how long I’ve played my whole life. Once you get back in there and take some Trevor Zegras has been in the NHL. But by his final game with the Ducks faceoffs, I kind of felt right back at home. this season, in which he scored a goal and looked very much like “It’s important that I went back and did that. It was a great little foundation someone who wants to be their No. 1 center, Zegras’ coaches and that I had for me down the stretch with the Ducks.” teammates were already referring to him by another name. More than anything, Zegras saw how respect was being built among him Make that a letter. and linemates Max Comtois and Troy Terry to end the NHL season. Not “Z.” only was the opposition starting to treat them as a dangerous line, but also his coaching staff was deploying the three as a No. 1 forward That’s how the 20-year-old is now known to head coach Dallas Eakins, grouping. and also to , his captain and a confidant in regard to all the details, large and small, that go into centering a first line in the world’s “It felt good, man,” Zegras said. “I think down the stretch, me, Commer best league. No doubt others in the locker room or around team offices and Terrs played great together. Obviously, Maxy had an unbelievable are calling him by just the end of the alphabet. The gregarious chatterbox year. I think he finished with 16 goals. You just know where he’s going to has that kind of casual charm and chummy appeal. be at all times. It makes my job so easy. He’s always kind of played at that net front. He might have had all of his goals just kind of around the There are shortened versions of names, unique names or nicknames that goal crease. make a hockey player instantly recognizable, and those aren’t easily earned. Sid. Ovie. P.K. Connor. (Or, better yet, McJesus). You’ve got to “To play with a guy like that, it’s unbelievable. And then obviously Terrs, do something special in the NHL or stand apart from the rest to have the kind of the way he skates and sees the ice. It was kind of like we were masses start referring to you in abridged form. back at the NTDP (U.S. National Team Development Program), kind of that style I was playing with him, which was good.” Zegras has only left the starting gate on the racetrack that is his NHL career. But the seven weeks he spent with Anaheim only fueled what is The next NHL season should look more normal, with 32 teams (including possible for the playmaker, one who figures to begin next season as a the expansion Seattle Kraken) playing each other over a full 82-game contender for the Calder Trophy, given that he will still qualify as a rookie. schedule, provided COVID-19 issues are kept to a minimum or With him and fellow promising neophyte Jamie Drysdale, the Ducks eradicated. It will be a new dynamic Zegras faces as his career starts to could have their highest finishers for the award since Bobby Ryan really unfold. finished second to Steve Mason in 2009. But one gets the feeling there is a sky’s-the-limit quality to the Bedford, They’re also not done with hockey just yet this year. Zegras and Drysdale N.Y., native, because of Zegras’ vision and his innate ability to put his are back with the San Diego Gulls for the AHL Pacific Division playoff wide assortment of passes directly on the tape of his teammate’s sticks. tournament, with a best-of-three semifinal series against the Bakersfield If he is averaging a half-point while barely cracking open his career, just Condors starting Friday night. It is the closest thing to any sort of playoff imagine what could be when he gets stronger and knows the entire action they’ll have this spring, and it pales in comparison to when Zegras league. and Drysdale squared off against each other for the IIHF World Junior “Watching Z play, even his little development over the last few weeks Championship in January. here has been great,” Getzlaf said. “He’s a kid that’s going to have to Fair to say, the AHL’s John D. Chick Trophy doesn’t carry the same kind absorb things. Obviously being a centerman in this league isn’t like being of weight as a WJC gold medal. It has been a long year for Zegras. He a centerman in a lot of other leagues. He’s got to absorb things. spent much of last summer honing his skills and improving his skating in “He was asking some of the right questions at the end of the year, which sessions with his future Ducks and Gulls teammates, then went on the is great. I’ll be here obviously to answer anything that I can help him with. emotional ride that is the world juniors — becoming the star for the He’s a kid that has the amount of skill of anybody in the league. It’s the victorious Team USA — then moved back and forth between Anaheim other little things in the game that you have to learn, and it takes some and San Diego as he made his first foray into the pro game. experience. It takes a willingness to understand that there are things in Finishing it up in the AHL, even though the normal full Calder Cup this league that are different than other leagues you’ve played in. playoffs won’t be conducted, might not have been what he envisioned. “But as for the sky, the limits aren’t there for him. His skill level, his skill The tournament is something most players aren’t keen on, given some set are unbelievable. His vision of the ice is great. He’s just got to hone financial issues our Sean Shapiro dug into. But Zegras is out to make the those little things in that are going to make him that elite player.” most of this final chapter before he starts a new one. Teammates have noticed Zegras’ dominant traits, starting with his on-ice “There are things that are within your control and some that are, I guess, vision. out of your control,” Zegras said. “I’m kind of here just doing my thing. Wherever they tell me to go or whatever they tell me to do, that’s kind of “No matter what your hockey background is, if you watch Trevor Zegras where my head is at. I’m going to take the opportunity to come down on the ice, it just stands out to you how smart he is,” Terry said. “He here and play with these guys. I’m very excited. So, I think it’ll be a great knows where everyone is on the ice. If he’s got the puck and he can feel time. he’s got two or three guys on him, he knows that there’s someone open and he knows where they are and he’ll put the puck there. It’s that and “It’ll be fun to play some meaningful games down the stretch here. This when you pair it with his ability to put the puck onto someone’s tape is, I think, as good as a team as you can find maybe at this AHL level. through a pair of skates and a stick and all that, he can be pretty We got tons of guys ready to go right now, and for the most part, we’re dangerous. healthy. I think that’s important this time of year. I’m excited to get back .” “I really think that he was finding out his ability to go through people too. He was finding how he could do all of those things at the NHL level. When he takes the ice in Bakersfield, Zegras won’t set out to prove When it was smart to try things. It’s an adjustment for everyone. I’m very himself to the brass. His five points in his first two pro games showed he excited about the steps that he took. You saw it at the end there. He was had no trouble handling the step up from college to the AHL. His first a dominant player at times, and he’s got that ability. I think everyone in multi-point game with the Ducks was the clincher to their decision to this organization is excited about where he’s at.” move him from left wing to his natural center position. Six points in his When asked about his sense of knowing where everyone is as he hits “When you’re playing with such good players, it may look like it’s right in the ice and is skating around on a shift, Zegras tried to explain it, but his wheelhouse but they’re so good at adjusting and kind of swiveling sometimes an artist can’t explain it. They just know. their hips around. I’d say it kind of goes both ways when you’re the passer. You like to think that your pass was all that, but the guys still got “It’s just always something I’ve been good at or had a good feel for,” he to put the puck in the back in the net. That’s kind of where all the credit in said. “Knowing my teammates and where they’re headed. Knowing their my head goes to. The guys putting it in the back of the net.” games and where they like to hang out. Where they like the puck. It’s just all things I kind of subconsciously think about. Like playing with Commer. Zegras is eager to learn, and he uses the resources at his disposal. He is You know he’s ready for the puck at the net. You can just create a little always talking, and to everyone, most notably to Getzlaf and David space for yourself and get it to an area for him. You know he’s going to Backes, another longtime center who spent much of this season, likely be there. his final one, mentoring Anaheim’s young players.

“But, yeah, it’s just something I’ve always been subconsciously pretty “I’ve never really experienced that before where I could go to a teammate good at. Obviously growing up watching a lot of hockey, I was always a and he could give me as good information as anybody,” Zegras said. big Patrick Kane fan. That was always something he was very good at. “Obviously, Getz is … Getz. He’s just the man. He does it all. PK. PP. Just creating that little pocket for himself and then setting up one of his Obviously great on the dot. I could always ask him anything and he was teammates. It’s just always something that I’ve kind of loved about always great about it. He never gave me the shoulder shrug or anything. hockey. Something that I’ve definitely subconsciously picked up on here He always gave me some good tips or some good advice here and there. and there. “Same with Backes. During that stretch run, he spent a lot of time with “I don’t know. It’s not something that I try to do or try to think about. I the headset. He’d come down and tell me what he was seeing from up guess it kind of just happens.” top, which was great. Just a really supportive team and just a really good group of guys.” Then there is his puck distribution. All players can pass it forward, behind them, to their left or their right. Not all can consistently give the puck to The sky is the limit for Zegras, who is the Ducks’ successor to Getzlaf as their teammate in the perfect spot, where they don’t need a moment to their playmaking ace. The excitement over how high “Z” can climb gather it or settle it down. That teammate can then shoot it right away or continues to build. make another play with it. “I think we all know what Trevor brings,” Cam Fowler said. “I think we A split second can make the difference between an opportunity that turns need to make sure he has the freedom to be creative because that’s into a goal or an opportunity that is lost, so being able to connect on when he’s at his best. And I think he showed flashes of that this year. He plays cleanly is a huge advantage. It isn’t a skill that everyone has but it’s moved to center, which is an incredibly difficult position to play in the one Zegras already possesses. NHL.

“Some of it’s natural,” said Getzlaf, who is fourth among active NHL “Giving him that experience will be huge for him moving forward.” players in assists. “Definitely having the ability to see the ice, it’s your senses that you’ve grown up with your whole life in hockey. Some of it is The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021 preparation. Going into a game, understanding who you’re playing against. What they’re doing. I always tried to have as much information as I could about my teammates. What they’re going to do. Your comfort level with your teammates, your linemates, is a big thing. Once you understand what another player’s tendencies are, what they’re going to do, what hand they shoot, all that kind of stuff, it makes the rest of it easier that you don’t have to think about once you get out there.

“Z seems to have those qualities in him. The ability to see plays before they happen. That’s going to be a good asset going forward when he has shooters around him. It’s now their responsibility to be ready for the puck all the time because he can make plays. And we saw it the first or second day he was here on the power play. He made a few passes, and I had a meeting with the rest of the power-play unit after and said, ‘Hey, look, this kid can pass the puck and he’s not going to look at you. You’re going to have to be ready for it.’ That’s kind of the mindset that those guys need to have as well around him. And you’ll see that develop over the next year here.”

From there, Getzlaf pointed out how he was able to develop that longstanding chemistry with Corey Perry early in their careers. Perry knew how to get open and make himself ready for his center’s passes. Getzlaf knew where Perry was going to be because the right wing was predictable with his movements. All he had to do was take one look and make his play.

That is one key to Zegras maximizing his potential, being able to find that connection with a linemate who can make them a go-to pair. And if he can uplift every teammate with his passing, all the better.

“That’s where Z is,” Getzlaf said. “His vision of the ice surface is great. He has an ability to pass on his forehand and his backhand. Which is a tremendous asset going forward in this league.”

Zegras understands what Getzlaf means. We have seen his spin-o-rama passes, but it isn’t about being fancy.

“It doesn’t matter what you do,” he said. “Spins. Between the legs. If it’s not on his tape or in a good spot for him, it’s almost useless. It’s kind of putting yourself in a spot where you can make the play. Not to dive too crazy into it but it’s something I’ve always took pride in. At a young age, I was always giving somebody a good pass. At this level, man, it’s so hard to just make a flat, flat pass because these (NHL defenders’) sticks, they’re so good. They’re so good at reading the play or knocking the pucks out of the air. You just got to find different ways to get it to your teammates. 1213612 Anaheim Ducks “Everyone was basically left to fend for themselves,” one AHL player said. “Some organizations did a lot for players, setting up hotels and such, but like those games this week, no one got paid to play in those games. And yes, normally players don’t get salary in the playoffs, but ‘None of us got paid to work’: AHL’s Pacific Division playoff draws anger there is still a playoff bonus in the CBA and nothing like that was made from players available.”

AHL players had the choice to opt-out of the tournament without financial . But the players said they felt pressure to play and feared that By Sean Shapiro May 21, 2021 opting out could be held against them in the future.

Some players also received mixed messages from their agents and The AHL’s decision to hold playoffs in just one division is angering advisors. According to some players, their agents told them opting out players who say they don’t want to play. would be career suicide, while others were told by their agents that they should opt-out since they had already fulfilled their responsibilities on a For just the second time since 1937, the Calder Cup won’t be awarded contract in a weird year. this year. And, for all but one of the five pandemic-altered AHL divisions, that means the 2020-21 season ended or will end this week with the final “It became this big thing and issue for, what, one game for two of the regular-season games. teams?” one player said. “We didn’t need any of this.”

The Pacific Division, however, is playing through a postseason Multiple AHL players placed blame on Howson, who replaced the retiring tournament that started earlier this week and will conclude sometime Dave Andrews last summer. Andrews had negotiated one deal with AHL before May 29 with the winning team taking home the division title. AHL players before retiring, which would have paid 75 to 80 percent of players on a whole were opposed to the playoff format. A non-binding salaries before it was renegotiated by Howson in January after the survey of players by the Professional Hockey Players’ Association number of games likely to be played had to be decreased as the (PHPA) yielded a 133-8 vote against a postseason tournament within the season’s start date was delayed twice. Pacific Division. Howson has been put in a difficult position taking over during a Players, to put it mildly, aren’t pleased. The Athletic spoke to six current pandemic. Still, the players who spoke to The Athletic consistently said AHL players who asked to remain anonymous because they weren’t they felt that things would have been handled differently if Andrews was authorized to speak on the matter. still in charge. An NHL source, meanwhile, pointed out that Howson isn’t responsible for making sure the PHPA communicates effectively within “We played a game (this week) that was essentially an exhibition that its own ranks. they decided to label a playoff game,” one player said. “I’m sorry, but no one cares about playing playoff games for a division title.” Either way, there is uneasiness between the league and the PHPA as they try to navigate a future with a new regime and turn their focus to the Another player added: “None of us got paid to work earlier this week, 2021-22 season, which all sides are hopeful will feature a Calder Cup while the management and scouts and everyone else were still collecting trophy presentation. a paycheque for watching.” “Because of how they’ve acted and treated us over the last year, our The plan to play a divisional playoff came after the seven teams in the union and our agents have to really take notice,” another AHL player Pacific Division (representing the , , said. “We have to realize we are dealing with a new regime and … we Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Kings, Vegas Golden Knights, have to pivot accordingly in the future to actually get a fair setup on Edmonton Oilers, and Anaheim Ducks) voted 7-0 to have a postseason things.” tournament. The other divisions could have played on as well, and the Central Division teams also considered hosting one, but only the Pacific The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021 had a majority of teams vote ‘yes’ on a playoff proposal.

For those teams in the Pacific Division, it was seen as a chance to get prospects some high-leverage games in a season that lacked them.

“We had our vote and they came back and said they don’t care,” another AHL player said. “They basically came back with this format and before we even had a chance to respond through our union, they then announced the format publicly.”

The feelings surrounding the playoff threaten to raise already high tensions between the players and the league. The truncated AHL season began with frustration among players who said they were forced into accepting a deal that paid just 48 percent of their salaries for the year.

Many players said they had gone into this season believing a playoff format would be based on the league’s ability to generate revenue, which didn’t happen. Without fans in the stands or a Calder Cup, there wasn’t much of a reason to play.

AHL president and CEO Scott Howson pointed to the agreement players signed prior to the season.

“I understand an overwhelming number of players didn’t want to play,” he said, noting that a memorandum of understanding signed by both sides, which The Athletic reviewed, was clear that potential playoff games were part of the 48 percent calculation and compensation. In fact, Howson said, compensation was only that high because of the potential to play playoff games, since the league was trying to add as many games as possible for a proper payout of salaries.

AHL players received their final paycheques on May 16, so many who are still playing feel they aren’t getting paid for this tournament. While some teams offered to make it right for their individual players by covering leases or providing hotels, the league itself wasn’t providing any financial help for players who would still be incurring expenses for rent and leases because of this tournament. 1213613 Boston Bruins Czech native who came to the Bruins as the 25th overall pick of the 2014 draft (by way of junior hockey in Sweden) is a building block of their future, possessing that rare combination of talent and personality that franchises look to as cornerstones. There’s no stopping David Pastrnak as Bruins winger breaks through against Capitals Before this series opened, there was Pastrnak in a feature called “Off the Ice,” asked by NBC’s Kathryn Tappen what his spirit animal is.

“An elephant,” he said, and then adding, “but at the same time a By Tara Sullivan,Updated May 21, 2021, 11:36 p.m. butterfly.”

As crazy as it seems, he made perfect sense. He’s a hockey beast with a delicate touch. With stick work and skate speed envied by all, Pastrnak is David Pastrnak was always too good to be denied a goal in this first- capable of a dazzling highlight-reel play in any given moment. But when round playoff hockey series, but as the minutes continued to tick away the dry spells hit, he can get down, and unlike say Marchand, who can between the Bruins and Capitals Friday night, fate sure seemed channel his own feistiness to give himself a kick in the butt, or Bergeron, determined to shut the talented winger out of yet another box score. who is as even-keeled as any athlete Boston has known, Pastrnak Five more shots into his night and nothing to show for it, just like the nine sometimes needs a little help from his friends. shots he took in Game 3, or the four shots he took in Game 2, or the six But this is the playoffs, and the 24-year-old winger wasn’t about to wait shots he took in Game 1. First period ended, no goals. Second period for assistance. This is the playoffs, when every move of every shift can ended, no goals (even if scorers initially gave him credit for the that impact the game’s outcome, and no one embodied that ethos better than was actually redirected by Brad Marchand’s stick). No matter what angle he did Friday. Pastrnak played or what type of shot he took, the net refused to let him in. “He’s worked hard and he’s gotten himself in position to shoot the puck,” coach said. “We design plays to get him his shot because Even when it was wide open. he scores goals. At the end of the day, good for him. He’s a sniper. But here’s the thing about players as good as Pastrnak: When the stakes Maybe this gets him feeling better about his shot. He’s still making plays. are this high, they refuse to let the vagaries of a bouncing puck dictate That line’s a load. On one shot I’m not even sure what happened it their fate. They find a way to be the change, to force the action in other looked like he had an open net. You get those looks, he’s too good of a ways, to make sure they are part of a winning team effort even if their scorer. individual contribution isn’t where they want it to be. And if frustration “Eventually they’ll go in, and they did.” starts to creep in? They just redirect it into their game, like fuel for the playoff fire. Boston Globe LOADED: 05.22.2021 Pastrnak was everywhere against the Capitals, and everywhere he went, the puck followed him. He peppered Washington goaltender Ilya Samsonov. He flattened Washington superstar Alex Ovechkin. He skated rings around defenders and performed a hockey ballet with his linemates.

And then, finally... mercifully... and oh, so deservedly... he scored.

With a power play snipe just 29 seconds into the third period Friday, on his 25th shot of the series, Pastrnak found the back of the net. And as he threw his arms in the air, jumping into the boards near his jubilant bench, he’d effectively secured the Bruins stranglehold on this first-round playoff series.

Boston’s 4-1 victory was built on the assist he delivered to Marchand to take a 1-0 lead in the second period and the goal he scored that pushed the lead to 2-0 (the first time in this series either team led by more than a goal) so early in the third. As the Bruins piled on across the rest of the period, getting goals from Charlie Coyle and Matt Grzelcyk, the man they call Pasta had provided all the breathing room they needed to coast to a 3-1 lead in the series.

“Yeah, I just tried to keep shooting,” Pastrnak said. “Even last game I had a lot of great opportunities to score and sometimes the goalie just made a good save or I rushed it a little. It’s always a good sign when you’re getting the chances and you know it’s right there. At the same time, it’s frustrating getting chances and it’s not going in. But I’ll say it again, the main thing is that we won.

“In the playoffs, that’s all that matters.”

GLOBE STAFF No overtime needed on this night, not when the Bruins’ top line was playing such dominant 5-on-5 hockey, not when the specialty teams were humming in synch, not when every defender was ready for whatever physical challenge came his way (like Connor Clifton blocking an Ovechkin shot even after he’d lost his own stick or Charlie McAvoy destroying anything in his ), not when every last man on the bench was ready to step up for injured teammate Kevan Miller (taken to the hospital for CT scans after an ugly, high hit from Dmitry Orlov) and goaltender Tuukka Rask, taken down in the third as the game got chippy.

And not when the best natural scorer among them was back to his sharpshooting ways.

“Obviously nice to score,” he said, and not a zoom call in the world could dim the wattage of his smile.

Pastrnak has always been the joy at the heart of this Bruins’ roster, his natural on-ice effervescence making him a perfectly placed partner to the sublimely serious Bergeron and the mercurial wild card Marchand. The 1213614 Boston Bruins all four starts, were both born in Alaska. It’s believed to be the first time a pair of Alaskan-born tenders have suited up for the same NHL game.

▪ The first three games of the series went to overtime — the first time Bruins get some breathing room and other observations from their that’s happened to the Bruins since a Round 1 series in 1933 vs. the convincing Game 4 win Leafs. In ’33, the Bruins won Games 1 and 3, and then dropped the next two, eliminated in Game 5, April 3, 1933, when Maple Leaf Ken Doraty scored at 4:46 of the sixth overtime. The Bruins peppered Toronto tender with 89 shots before beginning their long summer vacation. By Kevin Paul Dupont Globe Staff,Updated May 21, 2021, 9:30 p.m. ▪ The Caps began the night with an advantage in lead time of 39:02 vs.

8:47, approaching a 5:1 ratio. The Bruins failed to hold a lead at any time In a series that had precious little breathing room for either side, the in Games 1 and 3. The Bruins moved to the lead at 8:00 mark of the Bruins inhaled deeply Friday night and then blew away the Caps, 4-1, second, increasing their lead time to 40:47 for the series. surging to a 3-0 lead early in the third period at TD Garden and hanging ▪ The Caps failed to cash in on two power plays early in the first period, on to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. and failed to muster a shot on net with their second. Of their four shots After neither side could manage more than a one-goal lead in the first on net in the first period, only one was at even strength. They ended up three games, the Bruins carried a 1-0 lead into the third and then boosted spending more than 20 percent of the night on the power play with (12:38 it to a three-goal margin on back-to-back strikes by David Pastrnak and tot total), in part because they connected only once on seven attempts. Charlie Coyle by 1:03 of the third. The Bruins went 3 for 5 on the advantage with old pal Zdeno Chara on the ice for two of those strikes. For the second straight game, the Bruins improved as the night played out, while the Caps, tentative from the start, remained flat across the 60 ▪ The Bruins have been doing a better job at getting the puck to David minutes and only pushed back with an Alex Ovechkin power-play goal Pastrnak for shot attempts than the Caps have done for Ovechkin. after falling into the 3-0 hole. Through the four games to date, Pastrnak fired 46 times, landing 25 shots, while Ovie has landed 16 of his 35 launches. Both of the star “We just worry about us and our start and our team, what’s going on our wingers fired 10 times in Game 4. bench,” said Charlie McAvoy, who chipped in with three assists. “We were trying to get to our game early. Every team’s mind-set is probably, Tuukka Rask saw just 20 shots on net Friday, stopping all but Alex ‘Hey, let’s throw the first punch here. I know that’s what we’re thinking.” Ovechkin's shot early in the third period, which bounced off Brandon Carlo's stick in the slot.JOHN TLUMACKI/ The Caps landed only four shots in the first period and never came close to imposing the hard-hitting, wheels-on-fire game that they rolled out in GLOBE STAFF ▪ The Caps went very quiet for a long spell after Carl both Games 1 and 2 on home ice. Hagelin landed their fourth shot on Rask with 8:40 gone in the first (their lone even strength shot on net in the period). Their next shot, by Nic Matt Grzelcyk provided the final strike, a one-timer from the dot in the Dowd, didn’t come until 7:15 of the second, ending a protracted stretch of right wing circle that was the Bruins third power-play goal of the night. 18:35.

There was no sense of relief on the Bruins bench, said Grzelcyk, when ▪ Pastrnak and Connor Clifton failed to connect on easy chances 40 the Bruins finally pulled away early in the third. seconds apart in the second, each failing to advance the Bruins lead from 1-0. Pasta popped one over the net from the right side at 13:13, and “Not at all, especially against a team like that,” said Grzelcyk. “They have Clifton did the same at 13:53 off a feed from DeBrusk. a high-powered offense… and the number of penalties we’re taking [seven], you can’t leave your foot off the gas pedal for a second, they can ▪ The Bruins lost the services of defenseman Kevin Millar, possibly to a make you pay. We’ve been on deep runs before in the playoffs, and we concussion, when he was dropped in the offensive slot with a high hit by know what it takes when it counts. We leaned on our leaders and tried to Caps defenseman Dmitry Orlov. He was taken to Mass General Hospital go from there. for observation.

▪ Brad Marchand’s goal, for the 1-0 lead at 8:00 of the second, had the If he is sidelined for Game 5 on Sunday, look for his partner, Clifton, to Bruins on the board first for the second time in the series. Jake DeBrusk, shift over to the right side and either Jakub Zboril or Jarred Tinordi to slot nearly invisible throughout the regular season, potted the opener in into the No. 3 pairing left side. Jeremy Lauzon is another lefty, but he Game 2 at Washington. DeBrusk picked up an assist in Game 4 but did went down with a hand injury in Game 1. not attempt a shot on net. It was Marchand’'s 40th career playoff strike. Since his first playoff game in 2011, Marchand ranks fourth in league Boston Globe LOADED: 05.22.2021 playoff goal scoring, trailing only Ovechkin (51), (46), and (44).

▪ No one scored in the first, but the Bruins had perhaps their best period of the series, certainly on par with their strong performance Wednesday night in the first OT when they piled up 17-5shot advantage.

With Ilya Samsonov back in net for Game 4, the Bruins rolled up an 11-4 shot edge over the first 20:00, which did not include the post Charlie Coyle rang with only nine seconds to go before the first intermission.

The Bruins had a sizeable 37-20 shot advantage and a 61-50 edge in attempts. The Caps fired only 50 times all night, a size drop after an average 66 attempts in the first three games. The Bruins hold a 297-238 lead in attempts.

Brad Marchand was the one to crack Washington goaltender Ilya Samsonov in the second period.JOHN TLUMACKI/

GLOBE STAFF ▪ Lost in the shuffle of the Bruins’ thrilling OT win in Game 3: Craig Smith clipped the puck off the rear wall in a race with Caps backliner Justin Schultz. They were teammates for two seasons at the University of Wisconsin. A good bet that Schultz, during Badger practices, would have had to battle against Smith during PP-PK drills.

▪ Goale Craig Anderson, the winner in Game 1, was Samsonov’s backup for the first time in the series. In Game 3, Pheonix Copley was Samsonov’s backup. Copley and Jeremy Swayman, Rask’s backup for 1213615 Boston Bruins

Bruins’ Kevan Miller transported to hospital after second-period high hit

By Matt Porter Globe Staff,Updated May 21, 2021, 9:19 p.m.

Bruins defenseman Kevan Miller was transported to a local hospital Friday after a hit by Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov during Boston’s 4- 1 Game 4 win at TD Garden.

The Bruins said Miller was undergoing “scans and further evaluation” at the hospital, likely Massachusetts General Hospital.

The hit happened at 7:27 of the second period. Orlov stepped up on Miller, who had carried the puck into the Washington zone. Orlov reached out with his hands and appeared to strike Miler under the chin.

Coach Bruce Cassidy didn’t have an update on Miller afterward. Of the hit, he said Orlov left his feet, “borderline late,” and drove his hands under Miller’s chin. It wasn’t the most vicious hit by Orlov, the talented Capitals defenseman, but he had a poor angle, was off-balance, and reached for the head.

“[The referee] told me, skating by, that he felt that when he reviewed it he made contact first to his upper [body], his shoulder I guess, or whatever he said,” Cassidy said. “I forget. It didn’t look that way from our vantage point.

“Until [Miller] gets back, we won’t know nothing there.”

Miller, the rugged 33-year-old veteran, was down and motionless for a moment as the Bruins attacked Orlov in a scrum. Miller was slow to get up and appeared woozy as he left under his own power. Orlov was originally given a major penalty for roughing, which was reduced to a minor on review. Orlov was handed an additional minor for roughing in the resulting fracas with Charlie Coyle, who also got a roughing minor.

Cassidy was unhappy with the officials.

“Obviously frustrating,” he said. “Later on, you watch the [interference] penalty assessed to [Brad] Marchand, and it’s just a complete head- scratcher sometimes why that’s a two-minute penalty.”

The Bruins’ defensive five-pack, led by Charlie McAvoy, lifted the team. McAvoy was named first star after logging a game-high 26:18 and recording three assists. McAvoy (8:49 on the penalty kill), Brandon Carlo (7:02) and Connor Clifton (6:23) carried a heavy load in the absence of Miller, one of the Bruins’ top penalty killers.

Game 4 was a massive effort from the Boston kill, which went 6 for 7 even without Miller, who worked two first-period PKs. They ate pucks and jumped all over puck-carriers.

“I think we had a mindset,” McAvoy said, “of hey, let’s make these guys pay.”

Boston Globe LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213616 Boston Bruins “That was really tough to see,” Marchand said. “You don’t ever want to see a guy get hurt. It was a split-second thing. There’s no way [Perry] could have gotten out of the way there. Very unfortunate. You can see he was distraught over it. Hopefully J.T. is going to be OK. Top units have been a powerful combination so far in postseason “All the best goes out to him from all of us in here.”

Marchand has a gold medal history with both players, winning with By Matt Porter Globe Staff,Updated May 21, 2021, 7:52 p.m. Tavares at the 2007-08 World Junior Championships and Perry at the 2016 World Championships. Marchand won gold with both of them —

and Bergeron — at the 2016 . GLOBE STAFF Bruce Cassidy has enough on his plate in the heat of a With No. 54, Rask is No. 1 playoff series. He’s not going to start thinking of nicknames for his lines and pairs. Tuukka Rask got his 54th playoff victory, passing for No. 1 in franchise history . . . At 5 on 5, the Bergeron and David Krejci lines “That’s up to you guys,” he said before Friday night’s 4-1 victory over the outshot the Caps, 18-3 . . . Alex Ovechkin landed four shots in total, and Capitals in Game 4 at TD Garden. “You can name the top line, you can the Bruins blocked six other attempts . . . The Bruins led in shots, 23-13, name the top block.” through 40 minutes, and outside of four Capitals power plays (0 for 4, five The Top Block. That’s going on the list of contenders. shots), the visitors registered nearly nothing through two periods. Washington went 18:20 without a shot on goal, between the first and It’s about time to think of a shorthand reference to the dominant group second periods, before Nic Dowd landed one at 7:19 of the second . . . Cassidy keeps sending over the boards: the No. 1 line of Brad Marchand, The Bruins recorded 14 shot blocks through two periods, including six and David Pastrnak, and the defense pair of BU Ovechkin blasts. The Washington sniper landed one shot on goal in that buddies Matt Grzelcyk and Charlie McAvoy. time, sending bullets into the pads of Brandon Carlo, who was left shaking his right hand, and Connor Clifton, who was stickless when he The Power Five? That’s on the list, too. While we think of a moniker, dropped and ate an Ovi bomb . . . The second was chippy. Washington’s consider how dominant those five had been in the first three games of his and Zdeno Chara tackled Chris Wagner on separate plays series: on the same shift. Garnet Hathaway, who tried to bait Bergeron in the Entering Game 4, the Bergy and BU Bunch had played 29:15 together at dustup after Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov knocked Kevan Miller 5 on 5, according to Natural Stat Trick. They controlled shot attempts from the game with a high hit, finally crossed the line with a headlock on (47-21), shots (23-11), scoring chances (24-8) and high-danger shot Bergeron during a rush up the ice . . . The Bruins had their second too attempts (8-1) by astronomical margins. Their share of expected goals, a many men penalty in two games. Also, Bergeron dumped the puck over measure of quality shots for and against, were at 80.3 percent (50 the glass . . . Ilya Samsonov had to shake off something in the second percent is considered playing even). period after Taylor Hall, breaking through the defense at top gear, clipped him on the way by. Backup Craig Anderson remained on the bench. That five-man unit had one goal at even strength, collectively shooting a surprisingly low 4.35 percent. They allowed zero. But with underlying Boston Globe LOADED: 05.22.2021 numbers like that, they were due.

While they did score at even strength, Marchand, Pastrnak and Grzelcyk all had power play goals in Friday’s win. Pastrnak set up Marchand’s goal, and McAvoy assisted on all three.

“They’re good in every area of the game,” Cassidy said. “They complement each other well. The forward group, we’ve seen it for years. Grizz and Charlie played together in college. So right away you’ve got built-in chemistry. They all have very good hockey IQs, good attacking mindsets. Yet they don’t shirk their responsibility defensively. They’re not cheating. Certainly they’ll anticipate plays, what they see developing. At the end of the day I think that’s what makes them good. They can play both sides of the puck and play against anybody.”

Cassidy has been building this since Grzelcyk’s late-season return from injury. He said the more the two blue liners play with the Bergeron line, the better their spacing has become. That forward line always knows who has the puck, who’s driving to the net, and who should find a soft area to shoot. Marchand, when he’s on his forehand, likes to get the puck to the middle of the slot for Pastrnak or Bergeron.

“They’ve now found a way, the D, not to crowd that area,” Cassidy said. “Certain times they’d run through there and they’re bringing a check in there, and now they’ve learned not to do that, playing with them a little more. That’s where they’ve really built their game, is to stay out of that slot area as defensemen, slide around the outside or down the wall, which opens up more space for that play into the middle.”

Grzelcyk and McAvoy, he added, “both like to be part of the offense yet they want to get the puck in those guys’ hands, so they don’t take on extra responsibility,” he said. “So they just have a way of sorting through it all. Smart hockey players typically are able to do that.”

Well wishes for ex-teammates

Marchand offered well wishes to two former Team Canada teammates, John Tavares and Corey Perry, who were involved in an on-ice accident Thursday night in Game 1 of the Toronto-Montreal series.

Tavares was stretchered off the Arena ice after his head collided with Perry’s knee. He spent the night in St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. The Maple Leafs will be missing their captain indefinitely. 1213617 Boston Bruins With Mantha still in the box, Pastrnak needed no deflection to beat Samsonov with a sharp wrister to the far post just 39 seconds into the period.

Bruins take control of series with 4-1 win over Capitals Then at 1:03, they made it 3-0. Charlie Coyle sent DeBrusk alone on a breakaway and the winger skied his shot off the glass. It took a fortuitous bounce for Coyle, who backhanded it past Samsonov.

By STEVE CONROY | PUBLISHED: May 21, 2021 at 9:39 p.m. | In the immediate aftermath of the goal, Nick Ritchie and Tom Wilson got UPDATED: May 21, 2021 at 10:59 p.m. into a dust-up, with the end result being the Caps got another power play.

They didn’t cash in on that one, but they did after Marchand was called for a questionable interference call when he was battling for inside The Bruins showed up for work on time, put in a full hardhat shift and, for position on John Carlson. At 4:54, Alex Ovechkin shot a puck that went the first time in this East Division playoff series, they finished on time. off Brandon Carlo’s stick and past Tuukka Rask (19 saves). In a game in which they were unquestionably the better team throughout But the B’s got their three-goal lead back with 5:10 left on another power- the contest, the B’s jumped out to a 3-0 lead early in the third period and play. With Mantha again in the box for running over Rask, Grzelcyk eventually won 4-1, staking them to a 3-1 series lead with a chance to sniped a shot over Samsonov’s shoulder to make it 4-1. That put out the end the series in Washington on Sunday. Caps’ lights for the night. “We wanted it,” said coach Bruce Cassidy, “and it showed.” “You never want to see a hit like that. Millsy’s a huge part of our team. He The B’s got goals by Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak, Charlie Coyle and sticks up for everyone. We wanted to do that for him and we wanted to Matt Grzelcyk and Charlie McAvoy was again immense, picking up three make sure we were doing it the right way, beating them on the assists, putting in yeoman’s work in 26:18 of ice time after the B’s were scoreboard, not taking stupid penalties,” said Grzelcyk. “Obviously we down to five defensemen from the midway point of the game on. got caught in the box too many times. But we responded when we needed to. We played the right way for most of the game and it was a One of the clear goals for the B’s at the start of the series was to not put great effort.” the Capitals on their potent power play. As it turns out, that should have been on the Caps’ mind, too. The B’s can now end Washington’s season on Sunday night. If they can replicate Friday’s performance, they undoubtedly will. While the B’s killed off 6-of-7 Washington advantages — the one goal coming from Alexander Ovechkin when the Caps were down 3-0 in the Boston Herald LOADED: 05.22.2021 third — the B’s gashed the Caps for three power-play goals on five chances. That was the difference.

And each of those PP goals came after Washington took the kind of penalties for which you want to make a team pay. The first one came in the second period on what could be a very costly turn of events for the B’s when they lost Kevan Miller on a high hit from Dmitry Orlov.

Miller led a rush up the middle of the ice and, after dishing to his left, Orlov delivered a high, late hit that knocked Miller to the ice and he was clearly woozy. He had to leave the game and go to the hospital for tests, his status going forward undetermined.

After an understandable fracas ensued, the refs called a major on Orlov that they immediately reviewed. After a long look-see, it was decided to downgrade the call to a double minor, half of which was wiped out by a roughing penalty to Coyle drawn in the contentious aftermath of the bad hit.

“What happened there is a guy left his feet, borderline late, and drove right into his chin,” said Cassidy. “(The ref) told me skating by that he felt that when they reviewed that he made contact first with (Miller’s) shoulder. … It didn’t look that way from our vantage point. Kevan’s at the hospital getting (tests). Obviously frustrating watching that call and the review go by the wayside.”

On the Orlov minor, the B’s finally broke the ice at the 8:00 mark. Operating on his strong side, Pastrnak fired a shot from the right circle that Marchand deflected past Ilya Samsonov for the hard-earned 1-0 lead.

“It was huge,” said Pastrnak of the response after the hit. “Especially for a guy like Millsy, who sticks up for every single guy in the room. We felt like we needed to get it done for him. He’s a big part of our team. It was our main focus going into the third to get it done for him.”

After his gaffe in double OT of Game 3, Samsonov bounced back well, making 33 saves. But he could not beat the B’s alone, and at times it looked like the rookie goalie was the only Cap who decided to show up on Friday.

The B’s had to kill of a couple penalties late in the second, a slash by Jake DeBrusk and a delay of game by Patrice Bergeron, and they did so very well. Just as Bergeron was skating back into the play, Anthony Mantha took the first of two costly, dumb penalties, cross-checking McAvoy from behind for an interference penalty with 15 seconds left in the period.

At the start of the third the B’s secured the series’ first two-goal lead, and 34 seconds later the first three-goal lead. 1213618 Boston Bruins He’s one of the tougher guys on that team. It’s an unfortunate situation. Obviously, (Perry), you could see it. It was an accident. There’s no question about it. But you want to do the right thing in that situation and step up, so I give credit to both of those guys. But by no means was Bruins notebook: David Pastrnak shows up in a big way there any intention in it by the looks of it. It’s tough to see all around, so hopefully he’s OK and he’ll be back soon.”

Caps put Game 3 behind them By STEVE CONROY | PUBLISHED: May 21, 2021 at 3:11 p.m. | UPDATED: May 21, 2021 at 11:14 p.m. Game 3 could not have ended much worse for the Capitals, from the costly miscommunication between rookie goalie Ilya Samsonov and

veteran defenseman Justin Schultz that led to Craig Smith‘s game- David Pastrnak did not have a lot to show for his efforts in the first three winning goal, to what appeared to be captain Alex Ovechkin ripping into games of the playoffs, at least in the department that is his bread and the young netminder as the team headed to the locker room. butter — goalscoring. Washington defenseman Brenden Dillon said that, despite the frustration, Pastrnak fired 19 shots on net in the first three games and had just a the team was unified heading into Friday’s Game 4. couple of assists on his stat sheet. But in the Bruins’ 4-1 victory over the “It’s emotional. It’s highs and lows. You win one game and you’re looking Washington Capitals in Friday’s Game 4, the young Czech sniper’s forward to a Stanley Cup parade and you lose one game and you feel scoring touch returned. like life’s over,” said Dillon. “The day in between games is so crucial and With the B’s dominiating but with only a 1-0 lead early in the third, we have more than enough leadership guys on this team to understand Pastrnak delivered the goal that put the B’s on their way, beating goalie we all want to win. We all want to win badly. There’s going to be Ilya Samsonov from a the right circle with a sizzling wrister just inside the bounces, there’s going to be communication plays, little things that far post 39 seconds into the third. That held up as the game-winner. happen in the game. We all know we’ve got our hearts and our minds in the right place and we’re all pulling the same rope.” Pastrnak had another half dozen shots on net on Friday. B’s vets fine-tuned “I just kept shooting,” said Pastrnak. “I think last game I had a lot of great opportunities to score and sometimes the goalie made a good save or I Some of the B’s top veterans are extremely skilled but what impressed rushed it a little bit. It’s always a good sign when you’re getting the coach Bruce Cassidy is the level of conditioning and preparedness. chances and you know it’s right there. At the same time it can be “They can handle the workload,” said Cassidy. “We’ve talked about our frustrating when you get a lot of chances but it doesn’t go in. I’m just group and some of the aging core, etc. But I know in the playoffs they going to stay with it and keep shooting pucks on net.” prepare themselves well to handle excessive workloads or overtimes. Coach Bruce Cassidy had little problem with Pastrnak’s game going into They’re great pros that way. That’s the other part of it. We can run them Friday. back out there if need be.”

“The puck just didn’t go in for him,” said Cassidy. “The line’s played very Fans make huge difference well. They’re getting their looks. I think guys get frustrated, the offensive Cassidy acknowledged how much the crowd adds to the atmosphere of a guys, when they don’t see the puck or there’s a matchup game and game, even at the 25% capacity as the Garden is allowing now. It could they’re not on the ice enough…I don’t see that in Pasta or any of those go up to 100% on May 29. guys. They’re playing their minutes, they’re getting their chances. I just think there’s some doubt sometimes. When am I going to get my next “It’s loud because we were used to silence. I can only imagine what it’ll one? I think that goes through scorers’ heads. But I didn’t see any be like when we go back to full capacity again. But for us right now it’s frustration wth Pasta. He stuck with it and got rewarded.” great. Obviously the overtime is when it’s going to be the loudest with the goal. It felt like a full building when that went in,” said Cassidy. The goal might not have been the biggest highlight of the night for Pastrnak. Later in the third period, Alex Ovechkin was ready to blast a “Hopefully it’s sooner rather than later that everyone gets in the building but Pastrnak buried him with a legal hit from behind. when it’s safe and leave the building safely and we get the numbers up. Because it’s just better. Better atmosphere for every sport, home or on “It was just a quick play,a good defensive play,” said Pastrnak witha the road. Even on the road it’s way better when it’s a full building and it’s shrug. “It defintely felt good.” loud and it’s playoff time. That’s what you want.” … B’s thoughts with Tavares Charlie Coyle, who scored his first goal of the playoffs, led the B’s with A terrible scene played out in Toronto on Thursday night when, after six hits and righted his sagging faceoff game, winning six of 10 draws. being checked to the ice, Maple Leafs captain John Tavares was kneed Boston Herald LOADED: 05.22.2021 in the head by the Canadiens’ Corey Perry, an act that by all appearance was a horrible accident.

After struggling to regain consciousness, Tavares was stretchered off the ice and taken to a local hospital, where he was kept overnight. The good news was that he was released on Friday and communicating with his teammates, though he did suffer a concussion and will be out indefinitely.

In the aftermath when play resumed, Nick Foligno broke the uneasy atmosphere by challenging Perry to a fight, which the Hab obliged.

While some questioned the wisdom and reasoning of dropping the gloves in that situation, especially given the accidental nature of the hit, Brad Marchand did not.

“That was really tough to see. You don’t ever want to see a guy get hurt like that in a game and it was such a split-second thing. There was no way that (Perry) could have gotten out of the way there. It was very unfortunate. You see that he was distraught over it. Hopefully JT’s going to be OK. It’s tough to see and it’s the last thing you want to watch, a guy get hurt. So hopefully he’s going to bounce back and recover quickly and all the best goes out to him from all of us in here,” said Marchand on Friday morning.

“But, yeah, that’s a tough situation. Foligno was obviously trying to stick up for his teammate. In playoff time, that’s kind of what he’s there to do. 1213619 Boston Bruins The 24-year-old forward is an elite goal scorer who won the Rocket Richard Trophy last season. Few players in the world are more dangerous offensively. He's too talented to keep off the scoreboard for very long, and after a stellar Game 4, it wouldn't be surprising if the Game 4 observations: Elite special teams powering Bruins floodgates open a bit for Pastrnak going forward.

3) Tuukka Rask strong in net

BY NICK GOSS Rask didn't have to win the game for the Bruins, but he did a nice job keeping the Capitals off the board before Boston broke the game open

early in the third period. BOSTON -- After a very tight start to the series that featured three The 34-year-old goalie made 19 saves on 20 shots, improving his save overtime games, the Bruins pushed the Capitals to the brink of percentage to an impressive .930 for the series. Rask's rebound control elimination with dominant 4-1 victory in Game 4 of their first-round also was excellent in Game 4, which is important versus a Capitals team Stanley Cup Playoff matchup Friday night. that makes a strong effort to crash the net. The Bruins were the better team through the night, earning a 41-32 edge The veteran netminder also made history Friday with the 54th win of his in shot attempts, a 29-11 lead in shots on net, a 21-11 margin in scoring playoff career, which moves him past B's legend Gerry Cheevers for the chances and a 9-1 advantage in high-danger chances -- all during 5-on-5 most by a goalie in team history. action. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.22.2021 Boston's special teams also made a major impact (more on that below).

Bruins make Capitals pay for Orlov's high hit on Miller

What helped the Bruins earn a convincing Game 4 win? Here are three observations.

1) Bruins' special teams shine

The Bruins completely dominated on special teams in Game 4 and it was the primary reason they won.

One of the advantages the Capitals had entering this series was a superior power play. Any unit with Alexander Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie is going to be tough to defend, and it's among the reasons why Washington's power play had the third-best success rate (24.8 percent) during the regular season.

It hasn't been a huge weapon so far in this series, and it certainly wasn't in Game 4.

The Bruins penalty kill was successful on six of the seven Capitals power-play opportunities. Boston's PK also limited the Capitals to just six shots on net and five scoring chances in 10:38 of power-play ice time. That's pretty impressive.

B's defenseman Connor Clifton was particularly effective on the penalty kill, most notably during a sequence in the second period when he blocked two thunderous Ovechkin shots, which drew a fired up reaction from teammates.

The Bruins also scored three power-play goals, bringing their tally to five in 16 opportunities (31.3 percent) through four games.

The Comm. Ave. connection. #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/8lt0Ajr2j8— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) May 22, 2021

If the Capitals are going to mount a comeback in this series, their power play must show massive improvement in a hurry. They are not good enough at 5-on-5 to beat the Bruins three times in the next four games.

2) David Pastrnak breaks through

Pastrnak is off and running.

The superstar right winger was held without a goal through the first three games of the series but finally broke through with a power-play tally early in the third period. He beat Capitals goalie Ilya Samsonov with a snipe from inside the faceoff circle.

Pasta gets the third period started!

Pastrnak failing to score before Game 4 wasn't from a lack of looks at the net.

He led the B's with 35 shot attempts, 19 shots on net, 18 scoring chances and eight high-danger attempts in the series entering Friday. In Game 3 alone, Pastrnak had a team-leading 17 shot attempts and nine shots on goal, including a great scoring chance in the double overtime period.

Game 4 featured a similar script for Pastrnak, but this time his effort was rewarded. He led the B's with 10 shot attempts, six shots on net and five scoring chances, in addition to his goal. 1213620 Boston Bruins

Cassidy gives candid reaction to Dmitry Orlov hit on Kevan Miller

BY NICK GOSS

BOSTON -- For the second time in 2021, the Boston Bruins have had a defenseman leave a game after taking a high hit from a Washington Capitals player.

The latest example came Friday night in Game 4 of these teams' first- round Stanley Cup Playoff series at TD Garden.

Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov caught Bruins defenseman Kevan Miller with a high hit in the second period. Miller had to be helped off the ice and, according to the team, was taken to a hospital for further evaluation.

Dmitry Orlov received a double minor for this hit on Kevan Miller. pic.twitter.com/BCovE4UgHw— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 22, 2021

Orlov was given a major penalty at first, but after a review the call was changed to a double-minor for roughing.

Game 4 observations: Elite special teams powering Bruins

Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy was understandably upset about the situation after his team's 4-1 victory.

“What happened there is their guy left his feet, borderline late and drove right under his chin,” Cassidy said in his postgame press conference. “(The referee) told me skating by that he felt that when they reviewed it (Orlov) made contact first with his shoulder or upper-body. But it didn’t look that way from our vantage point. Kevan’s at the hospital undergoing some CT’s. Until he gets back, we won’t know anything there.

"Obviously, frustrating to watch that call, even a review, go by the wayside. Essentially a two-minute minor. Then later on you watch the penalty assessed to (Brad) Marchand and it’s just a complete head- scratcher, sometimes, how that’s a two-minute penalty. But we played through it.”

Unfortunately for the Bruins, this was a somewhat familiar scene.

In February, Capitals forward Tom Wilson was suspended seven games for a high hit on Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo. At this time, the league has not announced any type of hearing with the Department of Player Safety or other word of further discipline for Orlov.

The Bruins, to their credit, responded the right way to Orlov's hit.

Charlie Coyle and others immediately came to Miller's defense after the hit, and on the ensuing power play, Brad Marchand scored the game's first goal for Boston.

This series has been very physical, and that will only continue, if not increase, Sunday night in Game 5. The Capitals are on the brink of elimination, and if the B's jump out to an early lead, the game could get out of hand.

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B's push Capitals to brink of elimination in dominant Game 4 win

BY NICK GOSS

BOSTON -- The Bruins are one win away from advancing to the second round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The B's pushed the Washington Capitals to the brink of elimination in their first-round series with a 4-1 win in Friday night's Game 4 at TD Garden.

The result ends a streak of 12 consecutive Bruins-Capitals playoff games decided by one goal. The three previous games in this series all went to overtime.

Special teams again played a huge factor with the Bruins having five power plays and the Capitals getting seven. Boston scored three times with the man advantage and held Washington to just one.

B's defenseman Kevan Miller had to leave in the second period after taking a high hit from Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov. Miller was transported to the hospital for further evaluation, per the team.

Here's a recap of Game 4.

FINAL SCORE: Bruins 4, Capitals 1

BOX SCORE

SERIES: 3-1 Bruins

HIGHLIGHTS

Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov was assessed a double-minor penalty for roughing as a result of this hit on Bruins defenseman Kevan Miller.

Dmitry Orlov received a double minor for this hit on Kevan Miller. pic.twitter.com/BCovE4UgHw— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 22, 2021

The Bruins made the Capitals pay on the ensuing power play when Brad Marchand tipped a David Pastrnak shot past Washington goalie Ilya Samsonov. It was Marchand's third goal of the series (second on the power play).

GOALLLLL.

It's the @NHLBruins who strike first in Game 4. #NHLBruins | #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/njCUf4nEtR— NHL on NBC Sports (@NHLonNBCSports) May 21, 2021

The Bruins doubled their lead on a power play to begin the third period. Pastrnak scored his first goal of the series.

Pasta gets the third period started!

Jake DeBrusk wasn't able to score on a breakaway but Charlie Coyle followed up and beat Samonsov to put Boston up 3-0 just 34 seconds after Pastrnak's tally.

Marchand was called for interference and the Capitals scored on the ensuing power play to trim the deficit to 3-1. Alexander Ovechkin broke his stick on the shot and it somehow bounced off Brandon Carlo's skate and into the Bruins' net.

Matt Grzelcyk increased Boston's lead to 4-1 with another power-play tally.

UP NEXT

The series shifts to Washington, where the Capitals will host the Bruins for Game 5 at on Sunday night. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

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Tuukka Rask sets impressive Bruins playoff record in Game 4 win

BY NICK GOSS

Tuukka Rask achieved an impressive milestone Friday night.

The Boston Bruins won Game 4 of their first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series against the Washington Capitals, aided by Rask's 19 saves. The B's now have an opportunity to eliminate the Capitals in Sunday's Game 5 in Washington.

Rask's latest victory was the 54th of his playoff career, which moved him past B's legend Gerry Cheevers for the most postseason wins by a goalie in team history.

Here's the top 10 after Friday.

RANK PLAYER W

1 TUUKKA RASK 54

2 GERRY CHEEVERS 53

3 ANDY MOOG 36

4 FRANK BRIMSEK 32

5 TIM THOMAS 29

6 GILLES GILBERT 17

7 15

8 REJEAN LEMELIN 12

9 DON SIMMONS 11

10 BYRON DAFOE 10

Rask's first playoff win came in Game 2 of the 2010 first-round series against the Buffalo Sabres.

He also owns a career .926 playoff save percentage, which is the fourth- best among active goalies with at least 25 postseason appearances. He's been a very good playoff netminder throughout his career despite twice coming up a little short of winning the Stanley Cup as a starter.

Rask's future with the Bruins is uncertain. His contract expires at the end of the season. This playoff run could be his last with the Bruins.

The only thing left for Rask to accomplish with the Bruins is winning the Stanley Cup as the No. 1 goalie. Based on Rask's and the team's performance over the last month or so, including this first-round series, Boston has just as good of a chance to win a title as any team in the 2021 playoffs.

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Bruins make Capitals pay for Orlov's high hit on Miller

BY NICK GOSS

BOSTON -- There have been a few questionable hits in games between the Bruins and Capitals this season, and we saw another one in Game 4 of their first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series Friday night.

UPDATE (Friday, May 21 at 8:27 p.m. ET): The Bruins announced during the second intermission that Kevan Miller won't return to the game.

UPDATE: Kevan Miller will not return. He was transported to the hospital for scans and further evaluation.— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) May 22, 2021

--End of Update--

Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov caught Bruins defenseman Kevan Miller with a hit up high in the second period. Miller was shaken up on the ice and had to be helped to the B's bench, where he went down the tunnel toward the locker room.

Dmitry Orlov received a double minor for this hit on Kevan Miller. pic.twitter.com/BCovE4UgHw— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 22, 2021

Orlov was given a double-minor for roughing as a result of the hit.

Charlie Coyle was one of a few Bruins who went after Orlov immediately following the hit. He was assessed a minor penalty for roughing.

The Bruins made the Capitals pay and scored on their ensuing power play. Brad Marchand tipped a David Pastrnak shot past goaltender Ilya Samsonov for his third goal of the series.

Boston entered Friday with a 2-1 series lead.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213624 Boston Bruins GOALIES Ilya Samsonov (starter), Craig Anderson/Pheonix Copley (backup)

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.22.2021 Projected lines, pairings for Bruins vs. Capitals Game 4

BY NICK GOSS

The Boston Bruins have an opportunity to take a stranglehold on their first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series against the Washington Capitals in Friday night's Game 4 at TD Garden.

Another victory would give the Bruins a 3-1 series advantage. Boston took its first lead of the series on Wednesday night with a 3-2 double overtime victory at home.

From a lineup perspective, we shouldn't expect any major changes for Boston. David Pastrnak was on the ice for Friday's morning skate despite crashing hard into the boards during overtime Wednesday.

Why success of B's second line bodes well for Stanley Cup hopes

The Capitals' lineup is a little more uncertain. Veteran center suffered an injury in Game 2 and didn't play in Game 3. His status for Friday night remains unknown.

Capitals coach said he didn't know yet what Lars Eller's status is for Game 4 vs. Boston tonight after he participated in the morning skate today.

T.J. Oshie didn't skate this morning, but Laviolette noted he also didn't skate Wednesday morning and played Game 3— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) May 21, 2021

Capitals goalie Ilya Samonsov made his series debut in Game 3 and played pretty well until a miscommunication with defenseman Justin Schultz behind his net resulted in B's winger Craig Smith scoring the winning goal for Boston. Samsonov was the first Capitals netminder off the ice at Washington's morning skate Friday, according to Samantha Pell of . So, it appears that Samsonov will be back between the pipes.

Here are the projected lines and pairings for Bruins vs. Capitals Game 4.

BOSTON BRUINS

FORWARDS

Brad Marchand--Patrice Bergeron--David Pastrnak

Taylor Hall--David Krejci--Craig Smith

Nick Ritchie--Charlie Coyle--Jake DeBrusk

Sean Kuraly--Curtis Lazar--Chris Wagner

DEFENSEMEN

Matt Grzelcyk--Charlie McAvoy

Mike Reilly--Brandon Carlo

Connor Clifton--Kevan Miller

GOALIES

Tuukka Rask (starter), Jeremy Swayman (backup)

WASHINGTON CAPITALS

FORWARDS

Alexander Ovechkin----T.J. Oshie

Anthony Mantha--Nicklas Backstrom--Tom Wilson

Conor Sheary--Michael Raffl--Daniel Carr

Carl Hagelin--Nic Dowd--Garnet Hathaway

DEFENSEMEN

Dmitry Orlov--John Carlson

Brenden Dillon--Justin Schultz

Zdeno Chara--Nick Jensen 1213625 Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins’ Cassidy: Game 4 Calls On Ice ‘A Complete Head- Scratcher’

Published 5 hours ago on May 21, 2021By Joe Haggerty

BOSTON – The Boston Bruins are riding high and up 3-1 against the Washington Capitals in the best-of-seven playoff series after Friday night’s one-sided 4-1 win in Game 4 at TD Garden. But not everything was roses and sunshine for the Black and Gold despite their solid win over the Caps to take a commanding lead in the series.

It seems the B’s had some issues with the referees despite getting the better of things on the scoreboard.

The Capitals wound up with seven power plays during the game despite Boston’s clear domination through the 60 minutes of hockey, and Kevan Miller was injured by a nasty hit from Dmitry Orlov in the second period. Orlov launched off his skates and was definitely a bit late with the body contact on Miller, but Washington’s penalty was downgraded from a five- minute major to a double-minor penalty for roughing after a video review by the officials.

Add in a very questionable interference penalty on Brad Marchand in the third period for nudging a Capitals player during a race for a puck and one could understand Cassidy’s discontent with the on-ice officiating.

“What happened there is their guy left his feet borderline late and drove right under his chin. He told me skating by that when they reviewed it that they felt [Orlov] made contact first to his upper body, but it didn’t look that way to my vantage point. Kevan is in the hospital undergoing some CTs and until he gets back, we won’t know anything there.

“It’s obviously frustrating to watch that review and the [major penalty] call go by the wayside. It was essentially a two-minute minor and then later you watch that [interference] penalty assessed to Marchand and it’s just a complete head-scratcher sometimes on what’s a two-minute penalty. But we played through it and we need to take of our business, and [the officials] need to take care of their business. I didn’t see it the way they did and it’s unfortunate for Kevin, but we’ll see how he is.”

Cassidy didn’t even mention Washington somehow getting a power play when Tom Wilson cross-checked Nick Ritchie while he was down on the ice in the aftermath of Charlie Coyle scoring Boston’s third goal.

*record scratch*

*freeze frame*

Whatever the level of questionable officiating was on Friday night, the Bruins still lead the Capitals in power play opportunities (16-to-12) over the course of the four playoff games to this point.

The good news for the Boston Bruins is that the puck didn’t lie when it came to the actual game being played on the ice as the B’s pumped in three power play goals, persevered through the questionable calls and stand just one win away from advancing to the second round.

Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213626 Boston Bruins

Talking Points: Boston Bruins Beat Caps 4-1 To Take 3-1 Series Lead

Published 6 hours ago on May 21, 2021By Jimmy Murphy

The Boston Bruins responded to a cheap shot on defenseman Kevan Miller with a four-goal outburst in the third period en route to a 4-1 win over the Washington Capitals in Game 4 and a 3-1 series lead. The Bruins can now clinch the series in Game 5 in Washington DC on Sunday night.

GOLD STAR: David Pastrnak. The 2020 co-Rocket Richard winner finally got off the schneid by scoring a huge goal 29 ticks into the third period. The Boston Bruins winger almost go his first goal since May 8 eight minutes into the second period. Pastrnak was originally credited with the powerplay goal that put the Bruins up 1-0 at the time but the scoring officials changed the official scoring and gave the goal to Bruins winger Brad Marchand. Pastrnak didn’t let up though and was determined to light the lamp. Just 29 seconds into the third period, Pastrnak gave the Bruins a 2-0 lead and 34 seconds later the floodgates opened as Bruins center Charlie Coyle got his first goal of the playoffs as well to make it 3- 0 Bruins 1:03 into the final frame. Pastrnak finished with a goal and an assist and had six shots on net and eight shot attempts.

BLACK EYE: Dmitry Orlov. 7:27 into the second period, the Capitals defenseman took a running start and launched himself into an unsuspecting Kevan Miller finishing it off with a cross-check to the head. Miller was on the ice for at least three minutes trying to gather his bearings. The rugged Bruins rearguard had to be helped to his feet and escorted off the ice by teammates and training staff. In typical NHL fashion, all Orlov got was a double-minor for roughing and the Bruins likely lose their toughest player and a leader. The Boston Bruins did make the Caps pay on the scoreboard when Brad Marchand scored at 8:00 but the loss of Miller will be huge.

TURNING POINT: The first 1:03 of the third period. As mentioned above, Coyle got his first lamplighter of the playoffs just 34 seconds after Pastrnak got his. Those two goals were a more effective statement to the Capitals than a physical retaliation for the Orlov hit on Miller. From there on, the Boston Bruins knew they could get that puck past Capitals goalie Ilya Samsonov with a bit more ease after the Caps netminder stopped 22 of 23 Bruins shots in the first two periods. At times it was looking as if Samsonov and the Capitals were going to steal this game but after those two quick strikes to begin the final frame, the tone was set.

HONORABLE MENTION: Bruins Powerplay. As my partner-in-crime Joe Haggerty wrote earlier in the day Friday, the Boston Bruins were extra focused on their powerplay heading into Game 4 after going 1-for-5 in Game 3 and 2-for-11 on the man-advantage in the first three games of the series. Well, whether it was that extra focus or the injury to Kevan Miller or both that woke the powerplay up, the Bruins exploded for three goals on the man-advantage in Game 4. Marchand, Pastrnak, and Matt Grzelcyk all lit the lamp on the powerplay Friday.

Brad Marchand’s powerplay goal puts the #NHLBruins up 1-0!

BY THE NUMBERS: 51 – The number of playoff wins Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask now after making 19 saves in the win Friday. Rask surpassed two-time Stanley Cup Champion Gerry Cheevers.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “He’s a big part of our team. That was our main focus in the third – is get it done for him.” – Pastrnak on the Bruins responding in the third period after Miller’s injury.

Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213627 Boston Bruins

Bruins D Kevan Miller Sent To Hospital After Dirty Hit From Orlov

Published 8 hours ago on May 21, 2021By Jimmy Murphy

Boston Bruins defenseman Kevan Miller had to be helped off the ice midway through the second period after being on the receiving end of a dirty hit by Washington Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov. The Bruins announced during the second intermission that Miller had been transported to the hospital for scans and further evaluation and will not return.

At 7:27 into the middle frame, the Capitals defenseman took a running start and launched himself into an unsuspecting Kevan Miller finishing it off with a cross-check to the head. Miller was on the ice for at least three minutes trying to gather his bearings. The rugged Bruins rearguard had to be helped to his feet and escorted off the ice by teammates and training staff. In typical NHL fashion, all Orlov got was a double-minor for roughing and in Kevan Miller, the Bruins likely lose their toughest player and a leader.

After every Boston Bruins player went after Orlov, the Bruins made him and the Capitals pay on the ensuing powerplay. Bruins winger Brad Marchand scored his third goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at the 8:00 mark of the second period to give the Bruins a well-deserved 1-0 lead. The Bruins had and continued to dominate after that point but thanks to a brilliant game so far from Capitals goalie Ilya Samsonov, only led 1-0 heading into the third period.

After battling back from two surgeries on his right knee in the last two years and missing the entire 2019-20 season, Kevan Miller overcame the odds and returned this season to play 28 games. He recorded a goal and an assist and was a physical presence in every game. He was also a leader for a younger Bruins team this season and was nominated for the Masterton Trophy which is given to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.

Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213628 Boston Bruins

Hall’s Been Great But Boston Bruins Found A Gem In Smith Too

Published 13 hours ago on May 21, 2021By Jimmy Murphy

Since April 12, the Boston Bruins, and any team that has played them, have experienced the resurgence of Taylor Hall, but in case you haven’t been paying attention all season, Hall’s current linemate Craig Smith has proved to be another great move by Bruins GM Don Sweeney. Smith has fit in perfectly on and off the ice for the Boston Bruins and his double- overtime winner in Game 3, has given the Bruins a chance to take a commanding 3-1 series lead with a win in Game 4 of their first-round series with the Washington Capitals.

“Well, I think five-on-five scoring,” Sweeney said back in October when asked what he thought Smith could bring to the Bruins after signing the 6-foot-1, 208-pound winger to a three-year contract for $9.3 million. “Five of the last seven years, he’s topped 20 goals. Everybody advertised him as an absolute true professional. He’s a true right-winger, volume shooter, probably plays best on the second- or third-line role.”

The key part of that description of Smith was ‘true professional’ because Smith has been that and more on and off the ice.

“I always knew he’s a really hard worker and a dangerous scorer in and around the slot,” teammate and Boston Bruins alternate captain Brad Marchand said of Smith Friday morning. “Obviously we don’t play Nashville very much but when we did play him, he was always a difficult guy to play against. He’s always right in your face and would hound the puck and he had a great shot. So, I knew that about him and that hasn’t changed. He’s a phenomenal worker; I love his intensity on the ice and the way he competes on pucks, he’s always dogging it; his second efforts and he goes to the dirty areas.

So, he’s the type of guy you need to win in the playoffs and he’s come up huge for us so far in the last few games and he has all year long. He really came into his own there at the end of the year and him and ‘Krech’ [David Krejci] and ‘Hallsy’ [Taylor Hall], have really worked great. Even more off the ice, he’s such a great dude. He’s loved in the locker room; has a smile on his face all the time and gets along with everybody and just an awesome teammate. So, we love having him here.”

Hall, Krejci, and Smith have given the Boston Bruins that elusive scoring depth and potent second line they haven’t had since the 2013-14 season when Krejci centered and Milan Lucic. After scoring 13 goals and adding 19 assists in 54 regular-season games, Smith has a goal and an assist in the playoffs as the magic has continued for the recently assembled trio. Hall scored the game-tying goal that helped the Boston Bruins force overtime in Game 3 and had similar praise for his linemate.

“That goal tonight was a classic example of him putting pressure on a guy with his speed and physicality then making a play for a goal afterward,” Hall said. “He’s probably one of the most well-liked guys I’ve ever played with as a teammate. I’m really happy for him tonight.”

Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213629 Boston Bruins

Brad Marchand Feels for Both John Tavares And Corey Perry

Published 15 hours ago on May 21, 2021By Jimmy Murphy

The whole hockey world was still in shock and relieved Friday morning after watching what could’ve been but thankfully wasn’t a tragic accident and injury to Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares in Game 1 of the first-round series between the Leafs and Thursday night.

It was a horrifying scene that unfolded at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto Thursday night when ten minutes into Game 1, John Tavares laid on the ice with blood pouring down his face after taking an inadvertent knee to the head from Canadiens forward Corey Perry. Tavares tried to get up but was clearly dazed and rattled and before he stumbled back down to the ice risking further injury, trainers and teammates were able to catch him, hold him up, and gently lay him back down before he was stretchered off the ice.

John Tavares was able to give a thumbs-up before exiting and being transported by ambulance to a local hospital. He was kept overnight and released Friday morning. He is out indefinitely with a concussion. After news broke that Tavares had been cleared to leave the hospital, Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand expressed his and his teammates’ concern and well wishes for one of the most well-respected and well-liked players in the NHL.

“That was really tough to see. You don’t ever want to see a guy like that get hurt in a game,” Marchand said of John Tavares, whom he has been teammates with playing for Hockey Canada. “It was such a split-second thing. There was no way ‘Perrs’ [Perry] could have gotten out of the way. You could see that he was distraught. Hopefully, J.T. is going to be OK. Like I said, it’s tough to see and that’s the last thing you wanna watch is a guy get hurt. So hopefully he’s going to bounce back and recover quickly. All the best goes out to him from all of us in here.”

Perry, who is good friends with both Marchand and John Taveres, was clearly distraught over the incident after the game.

“I know Johnny pretty well,” a clearly shaken Perry said after the game. “I just hope he’s OK. … I honestly felt sick to my stomach when I saw it. It’s a scary situation.”

What has gotten equal or maybe even more attention on social media since the unfortunate but clearly not an intentional collision between Perry and John Tavares has been the response of Leafs wingers Nick Foligno and Wayne Simmonds. Foligno immediately challenged Perry to fight once play resumed and Perry reluctantly obliged and then Simmonds tried to do the same for the remainder of the game but Perry avoided him. Many fans and media are now wondering why a player has to answer the bell for a very obvious accident?

“That’s a tough situation. Foligno is obviously trying to stick up for his teammate,” Marchand pointed out. “That’s what he’s there to do. He’s one of the tougher guys on that team. It’s an unfortunate situation and obviously, ‘Perrs’, you could see it, it was an accident, there’s no question about that but he wanted to do the right thing in that situation and step up so give credit to both of those guys but by no means was there any intention in that by the looks of it and it’s just tough to see all around. So hopefully, JT is OK and he’ll be back soon.”

Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213630 Boston Bruins referenced the Winnipeg Jets PP with , and right-handed formation as an influence on the design behind it. “All one-timers are in play. He can drop off to [Brad Marchand] forehand-to-forehand, and then to [Patrice] Bergeron in the bumper or Game 4: Boston Bruins Vs. Washington Capitals Lines, Preview backdoor to [David Pastrnak]. He’s got the seam to Pasta or the play to Bergeron in the bumper, or a shot threat going up to Charlie [McAvoy] at

the point. Published 16 hours ago on May 21, 2021By Joe Haggerty “We just decided to load up and make it simple. Those guys have been together a long time and they were good last year in the playoffs against Tampa. We may have had Torey [Krug] at the point spot last year rather Thanks to a heads up play by veteran winger Craig Smith for the double- than Gryz, but it’s still those four guys that drive things down low.” OT game-winner against the Washington Capitals in Game 3, the Boston Bruins will hit the ice for Game 4 (6:30 PM ET, NESN, NBCSN, TVAS, -After finishing second overall with an 86 % success rate, killing off 153 SN360, SNE, SNO) against the Washington Capitals tonight at TD of 178 powerplay attempts against them, and also posting a league-best Garden in Boston with a chance to go up 3-to-1 in the best-of-seven nine shorthanded goals this season, the Bruins’ penalty kill is off to a series. solid start in the playoffs. The Bruins PK held the Caps to one goal on five power play attempts in Game 3 and has killed off eight of the ten It will be interesting to see how things start out in Friday night’s pivotal Washington power plays in the series. That’s not bad facing one of the game with the B’s holding a chance to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the NHL’s best power plays during the regular season. series, and the Washington Capitals no doubt stinging from a bitter loss after a brain fart in double-overtime. Both young goalie Ilya Samsonov Washington Capitals Notes and defenseman Justin Schultz botched the goalie-defenseman transfer –Capitals were outshot by a 19-8 margin in the two overtimes and it sure and that turned into an easy wraparound score for Smith in double looked like the Bruins were carrying the play, holding the puck and overtime. generally dominating against a Washington group that looked like they It sure appears that the Boston Bruins are beginning to win “the battle of were physically out of gas after a physical 60-minute playoff game. The will” in the series based on Wednesday’s gritty effort, but they need to Capitals were focused on fixing their breakout, which was increasingly press that advantage on Friday night on home ice if it’s really matter in under siege from the Boston Bruins attack as the game wore on. the grand scheme of things. “We were struggling on the breakouts and we weren’t really timing it well “It’s a second-effort league and that’s how you score,” said Bruce with everyone,” says Caps center Nick Backstrom. “So we struggled just Cassidy. “In overtime we did a lot better job of that. They play a lot of to get into the zone. That’s something we’ve got to be better at, because man-to-man down low so take advantage of it if you have the skill set or when you don’t get it set up, it’s hard to create chances. the strength to do it, or if they’re fatigued. A lot of that comes into play “Yeah, we got one there in the second period, but I think in the playoffs over the course of a series as you’re trying to wear them down over the you’ve got to really take advantage of that and make sure that if you’re course of a game and a playoff series. That’s what we’re trying to do just not scoring, you are at least getting some momentum out of it.” like they’re trying to do to us with their big bodies.” -The Capitals enter Game 4 with lingering health question marks as Lars The Boston Bruins will once again turn to Rask in Game 3 after the 2020 Eller (lower body) missed Game 3 after exiting Game 2 with an injury. He Vezina Trophy finalist made 35 saves to help his team get to double- did take part in the team skate on Friday morning. He was doing an overtime in Game 3 and is 2-1 with a 2.27 GAA and a .926 save excellent job of checking the Perfection Line while on the ice and it percentage so far. seems that things have loosened up for them with him missing from the Washington Capitals goalie Ilya Samsonov was a big part of the Game 3 Capitals lineup. TJ Oshie is banged up and hasn’t been participating in double-overtime breakdown that led to Smith’s game-winning goal, but the morning skates, but he managed to play through his physical issues he was brilliant otherwise in stopping 40-of-43 shots in his first game in Game 3. Goalie Vitek Vanecek (lower body) is still not practicing with back from the COVID-19 Protocol list. The 40 saves for Samsonov was the Capitals and has been ruled out. the most for a Capitals goalie making his playoff debut in franchise -The Capitals powerplay is 2-for-10 with a 20% success rate against the history. Boston Bruins in the series, which is down a few points from the regular Bruins Notes season.

-The Boston Bruins are once following the lead of their veteran core -The Capitals penalty kill has killed off nine of the Bruins’ 11 powerplays group that’s begun scoring goals and impacting the series in the last in the series, giving them a 81.8 percent success rate in the series. couple of games, with both of those efforts no-so-coincidentally turning Boston Bruins into wins for the Black and Gold. Forwards: Newcomers have credited the sense of calm and even-keeled professionalism that permeates the Bruins dressing room, even during Brad Marchand – Patrice Bergeron – David Pastrnak times of stress in the postseason. Taylor Hall – David Krejci – Craig Smith “That’s something about our team,” said Marchand. “We don’t panic throughout games. We have so much character in our room and you can Nick Ritchie – Charlie Coyle – Jake DeBrusk sense it all the way through the bench, and during the timeouts, and in Sean Kuraly – Curtis Lazar – Chris Wagner the room. A sense of calm when things aren’t going our way. That’s why we have ‘Tuuks’ (Tuukka Rask) back there to kind of bail us out in certain Defense: situations like that. It gives us a minute to find our game. At this time of year, it’s about competing and that’s what we did (Monday night). We Matt Grzelcyk – Charlie McAvoy found our game, especially against a tough team.” Mike Reilly – Brandon Carlo

–Defenseman Jeremy Lauzon (right hand) will miss another game after Connor Clifton – Kevan Miller blocking a shot in Game 1 and still is no able to practice with the team. John Moore is out for the season after undergoing hip surgery. Goalies:

–The Bruins’ powerplay is 2-for-11 in the series and was 1-for-5 in Tuukka Rask Game3 for an 18.2 percent success rate. That is down a few percentage points from the regular season and has necessitated some adjustments Jeremy Swayman with David Krejci and Charlie McAvoy now on the top PP unit, and Nick Washington Capitals Ritchie and Matt Grzelcyk no longer on the top squad. Forwards “If we do get set which they’re not allowing us for very long, with Krejci on his strong side he’s just got so many options,” said Cassidy, who Alexander Ovechkin – Nicklas Backstrom – Anthony Mantha Conor Sheary – Lars Eller – Michael Raffl

Daniel Sprong – TJ Oshie – Tom Wilson

Carl Hagelin – Nic Dowd – Garnet Hathaway

Defenseman

Dmitri Orlov – John Carlson

Brendan Dillon – Nick Schultz

Zdeno Chara – Nick Jensen

Goaltenders

Ilya Samsonov

Craig Anderson

Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213631 Boston Bruins Samsonov made some good saves on Bergeron bumper chances during the game, and Brenden Dillon was able to rob Marchand of a second power play goal when he blocked the puck away from the vacant net.

Boston Bruins Fine-Tuning PP, ‘Know They Need To Be Better’ Give Washington credit as well, though. Nic Dowd and the Capitals penalty kill has done a good job winning defensive zone draws against Bergeron to keep the Bruins away from their set plays off the face-off, and David Pastrnak still looks like he’s “off” when it comes to being the Published 18 hours ago on May 21, 2021By Joe Haggerty one-timer threat he normally is for the Boston Bruins. The Bruins power play is going to struggle when their main threat isn’t looking, or feeling, confident with his bread-and-butter play. BRIGHTON, Mass – The Boston Bruins are still looking for answers on their once-vaunted power play in the first round series against the “We haven’t started with the puck as much as we typically have [on the Washington Capitals. power play,” said Cassidy. “That’s a big advantage for us. Give [the Capitals] credit there. That’s hopefully something we can work on, getting That much is clear three games into the playoff series against the pucks back, and not just Bergy. The other four guys on the ice working Capitals with Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy swapping out hard to get [possession back].” nearly half the unit with Charlie McAvoy and David Krejci replacing point man Matt Grzelcyk and big body Nick Ritchie on the top fivesome. The The bottom line: Boston’s adjustments on the power play seem to be adjustments started after Game 1 when the Bruins managed just five working mid-series, but the Boston Bruins could use even more from a shots on net on four PP chances, even if they did put a man advantage special teams unit that’s usually a huge strength for them come playoff- goal up on the board in the defeat in Washington DC. time.

Overall, the B’s are 2-for-11 with an 18.2 percent success rate, which Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 05.22.2021 isn’t terrible but isn’t up to their regular season standards (21.9 percent success rate) either.

“If we do get set which they’re not allowing us for very long, with Krejci on his strong side he’s just got so many options,” said Cassidy, who referenced the Winnipeg Jets PP with Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele and Patrik Laine right-handed formation as an influence on the design behind it. “All one-timers are in play. He can drop off to [Brad Marchand] forehand-to-forehand, and then to [Patrice] Bergeron in the bumper or backdoor to [David Pastrnak]. He’s got the seam to Pasta or the play to Bergeron in the bumper, or a shot threat going up to Charlie [McAvoy] at the point.

“We just decided to load up and make it simple. Those guys have been together a long time and they were good last year in the playoffs against Tampa. We may have had Torey [Krug] at the point spot last year rather than Gryz, but it’s still those four guys that drive things down low.”

The message was clear: The Bruins weren’t generating enough shots and chances, and that’s been an issue all year where none of their point players have been a shooting threat like the aforementioned Krug was while quarterbacking the power play last season. And Ritchie wasn’t doing enough to retain possession and move the puck aside from his primary objective creating havoc and discomfort at the top of the crease at the Washington net.

“Power play, the biggest issue is handling their pressure. We’ve talked about different areas where we can do a better job supporting the puck. We have not done well enough in the middle of the ice. Then get it out of there as they contract and get set up,” said Cassidy. “We know that it’s coming. We know we need to be better, but then we look at the video [of Game 3] we also saw that we had a bunch of Grade-A chances that they made the saves on.

“We just didn’t have extended time in there to tire them out. And we got a key goal when we needed it. We’re going to work on things for sure, but for us it’s handling their pressure, supporting better and handling things better 1-on-1 where the skills can take over.”

The results have been mixed as the Bruins went 0-for-2 on the power play in Game 2 and couldn’t score on nearly a minute of 5-of-3 time in the middle of a Game 3 where a hot Boston Bruins power play could have determined the game well ahead of the double-overtime drama. But they did score a key goal where McAvoy’s offensive instincts created the play with a centering pass to Patrice Bergeron in the bumper, who launched a shot that Brad Marchand was able to bat out of the air while manning Ritchie’s old net-front position.

Marchand doesn’t bring the same size, strength or girth that Ritchie does manning the net-front, but his quick hands and considerable courage are obviously big pluses at this time of year in both winning puck battles and scoring goals. Last season Marchand scored a bushel of PP goals against the Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning in the bubble playoffs doing the very same job once the Bruins coaching staff made the very- same adjustment placing him net-front.

The Bruins rifled off nine shot attempts and the PP goal while going 1-for- 5 on the power play in Game 3, so clearly the chances, shots on net and overall momentum built from the special teams was an improvement. Ilya 1213632 Boston Bruins McAvoy was on the ice for Ovechkin’s broken-stick goal that glanced in off Brandon Carlo. But he helped keep Washington’s flammable power play extinguished on its five other opportunities.

Charlie McAvoy is in full command of his powers Washington’s penalty kill had no such luck with McAvoy.

The right-shot defenseman spent most of the regular season quarterbacking the No. 2 unit. The Bruins preferred Grzelcyk, a left shot, By Fluto Shinzawa May 22, 2021 taking the place of Torey Krug. They liked how a left-shot pointman optimized their go-to looks.

But in Game 2, Cassidy put McAvoy and David Krejci up top on the first It is unfair how easily Charlie McAvoy has mastered impossible tasks. As unit. It produced one goal in Game 3. McAvoy helped the group slam a right-shot defenseman, McAvoy’s primary job is to handle the menace down the door in Game 4. that is Alex Ovechkin, from his singular shot to his zero-to-60 acceleration to his elephant-on-skates physicality. In the second, McAvoy set up Pastrnak at the right circle for an on-net strike that Marchand tipped past Ilya Samsonov for the opening goal. In The asks don’t stop there. The Bruins lean on McAvoy to turn defensive the third, after walking the puck to the middle of the ice, McAvoy dished stands against the best offensive opponents into rushes the other way. to Pastrnak at the right elbow. Pastrnak whistled a laser under They have tabbed McAvoy to run the No. 1 power-play unit for the past Samsonov’s blocker to make it 2-0. three games. He is needed on the penalty kill to toss bodies and move pucks. McAvoy recorded his third assist by setting up Grzelcyk at the right circle. His partner didn’t miss. In Game 4’s 4-1 muscle-flexing rout, McAvoy did everything with the exuberance, hardness and free-wheeling vivacity that make him one of “Just trying to do whatever the team needs me to do, whatever I can to the most complete defensemen in the league. help us win hockey games,” McAvoy said. “I think that’s everyone’s mindset. Everyone’s pulling the rope. Guys are elevating. The whole It wasn’t just the three power-play assists. It wasn’t just the game-high team’s elevating. We’re trying to build something here. We’re trying to 26:18 of ice time. It wasn’t just how he helped to keep the Capitals grow each game. We’re doing our due diligence off the ice as far as scoreless at even strength. prescouts and getting ready to play. Our mindset is just to do whatever it It was all of it in sum. Now, the Bruins have a 3-1 series lead. takes to win. It’s the playoffs now. Winning’s all that matters. I’m just trying to pull the rope. Just like everybody. I think that’s what the whole “Unbelievable,” Matt Grzelcyk said. “I can’t say enough good things about team’s doing.” him. I got to play with him in college. I could see from an early age that he was a special player. He’s only gotten better and better each year. The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021 The biggest thing about him is that when the spotlight’s on him and the lights get brighter, Chucky shows up to play and he elevates his game. Especially being his partner, I want to make sure I’m supporting him, I’m putting pucks in good spots for him to get going the other way in transition. I think we read off each other really well. It’s really fun to play with him. It’s fun to watch him grow up right in front of your eyes. He’s one of the best defensemen in the league.”

The pride that assistant coach Kevin Dean noted that McAvoy takes in defending shouts at 100-decibel levels. During McAvoy’s 71:52 of five- on-five work, the Bruins have outscored the Capitals by a 4-1 margin, according to Natural Stat Trick. McAvoy has shadowed Ovechkin for 18:15 of five-on-five time through four games. Ovechkin, the greatest finisher of his generation, is still looking for his first goal at evens.

“Five-on-five, boy, we didn’t give up much,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “Protected the neutral zone well against a good transition team. Guys worked back to position to protect the slot. Just a lot of good stuff defensively.”

McAvoy has wiped Ovechkin off the planet using all of his weapons: strength, skating, hockey sense, instinct. With help from Grzelcyk, McAvoy has turned what should be dangerous defensive situations into shuttle runs the other way. Not many are better equipped than McAvoy and Grzelcyk to transport pucks and put them onto the sticks of their first- liners.

“They’re good in every area of the game,” Cassidy said of the Grzelcyk- McAvoy pair in concert with Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak. “They complement each other well. The forward group, we’ve seen that for years. Grizz and Charlie, we put together, played together in college. So there’s a familiarity. Right away, you’ve got built-in chemistry. I think they all have very good hockey IQs. They all are good attacking mindsets. Yet they don’t shirk their responsibility defensively. They’re not cheating.”

Dean, who runs the defense, would not have given McAvoy 8:49 of penalty-killing duty Friday if he didn’t believe in his stiffness, commitment to defense and puck-moving ability. McAvoy had to do the dirty work because of the Bruins’ insistence on visiting the penalty box — well- deserved on the first-period too many men, not so much on Marchand’s phantom interference infraction — and the second-period exit of Kevan Miller after a high hit from Dmitry Orlov.

Miller is usually first over the boards on the kill. But the strongman was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital for tests following what the Bruins viewed as a hit to the chin from Orlov. 1213633 Boston Bruins David Pastrnak’s high-slot one-timer from Marchand, McAvoy’s right-side dive — the Bruins like to run.

“We haven’t started with the puck as much as we typically have,” said Why the Bruins overhauled their top power play unit: ‘All one-timers are Cassidy. “That’s a big advantage for us. Give them credit there. That’s in play’ hopefully something we can work on, getting pucks back, and not just Bergy. The other four guys on the ice working hard to get it.”

The Capitals have also been good at all-out pressure to keep the Bruins By Fluto Shinzawa May 21, 2021 from dropping into formation. The Bruins’ puck support, then, has to be better. Same with sustained offensive rhythm to force fatigue.

Cassidy made his moves to optimize the unit’s design and personnel. It’s The Bruins lost Game 1 3-2. Their power play went 1 for 4, but coach now on the players to improve their execution. Perhaps in Game 4, all of Bruce Cassidy did not like how they managed just five shots in 7:17 of this will fall into place. PP time. The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021 So for Games 2 and 3, Cassidy turned over 40 percent of the No. 1 unit. Point man Matt Grzelcyk and net-front presence Nick Ritchie, both left shots, were out. Righties Charlie McAvoy and David Krejci were in.

The reworked first unit has not been perfect. The Bruins went 0 for 2 in Game 2. The No. 1 unit could not convert on a 55-second five-on-three power play in Game 3.

But Cassidy likes the looks it has created and the chances it has generated. Their best sniffs were during the Game 3 two-man advantage. Ilya Samsonov booted out two close-range Patrice Bergeron shots. After Samsonov stuffed David Pastrnak, he got some help from Brenden Dillon, who got in front of Brad Marchand’s follow-up bid.

The Bruins had nine power-play shots in Game 3, including the Marchand mid-air strike that tied the score in the third period. One reason is that the unit includes four right shots: McAvoy, Krejci, Bergeron and Pastrnak.

“All one-timers are in play,” Cassidy said.

Like a lot of things with the Bruins, Krejci triggers the options.

The No. 2 center spent most of the regular season on the second unit. Krejci occupied the left elbow, his preferred office.

But the Bruins had results in last year’s postseason. Krejci replaced Pastrnak on the first unit when the right winger was unavailable against Carolina. Krejci stayed there upon Pastrnak’s return.

Not only is Krejci good at clean zone entries, he also lowers everyone’s blood pressure when he handles the puck at the point. He did that perfectly during even-strength play in overtime in Game 2. Krejci intercepted Dillon’s clear and spotted Grzelcyk on the other side. Grzelcyk teed up Marchand for the one-time winner.

Since joining the first unit in Game 2, Krejci has mostly worked his strong side. Because of his vision, creativity and poise, Krejci serves as the foundation of multiple threats.

He can hand off the puck to Marchand and go down the right-side wall. Krejci can thread a cross-ice pass for Pastrnak to one-time. He can pump pucks into the bumper for Bergeron to snap on goal. With a behind-the- back dish, Krejci can set up McAvoy for point one-timers.

If Washington’s penalty kill denies all those passes, Krejci is free to blast away himself. For a pass-first center, he is not lacking in accuracy or muscle with his shot.

Cassidy’s template is Winnipeg’s former power play. He was always interested in how the Jets once lined up three right-shot forwards: Blake Wheeler on the right-side wall, Mark Scheifele in the bumper, Patrik Laine at the left elbow. It’s a handful for penalty kills to manage, especially when Krejci has the freedom to wheel up and down the right side.

In Game 3, the unit made its mark when Marchand and Pastrnak won their wall battles and slid the puck to Krejci at the point. Carl Hagelin and Nicklas Backstrom had to respect Krejci’s shot. Because they occupied the shooting lane, it allowed Krejci to hit McAvoy on his right side. Before Backstrom could choke off the passing lane, McAvoy slid the puck to Bergeron in the bumper. Samsonov might have stopped Bergeron’s shot. But he had no chance to deny Marchand’s strike.

The power play has room to grow. Bergeron has won 54.5 percent of his power-play faceoffs, well off his 68.5 percent rate from the regular season. In particular, Nic Dowd (60.0 percent while shorthanded) has given Washington possession to start shifts and negate the set plays — 1213634 Buffalo Sabres now playing more and more games because, to be honest with you, as a goaltender the more you play, the better you’re probably going to be because you’ve seen all the situations develop that you get a better read and understanding of what’s going to happen next.” Sabres will prioritize goaltending in offseason whether Linus Ullmark stays or goes The Sabres took a risk last fall by signing Ullmark, then a restricted free agent, to only a one-year, $2.6 million contract. Now, it’s unclear what the price tag would be for a multiyear contract, but one possible comparable is the five-year, $25 million deal signed by Vancouver’s Thatcher Demko, Lance Lysowski May 21, 2021 Updated 10 hrs ago who had played only 37 NHL games prior to this season.

Buffalo might hesitate to commit long term to Ullmark since Ukko-Pekka Even on some of the darkest days Linus Ullmark has ever experienced, Luukkonen, the organization’s top goalie prospect, proved in his four he found a way. NHL appearances this season that he is closer to NHL-ready than initially expected. Luukkonen, 22, had a .906 save percentage and won his NHL Ullmark, a 27-year-old goaltender of the Buffalo Sabres, learned debut against the Boston Bruins with 36 saves on April 23. following a morning skate in Philadelphia on Jan. 18 that his father died of an illness. His family, including his wife, Moa, and two children, were in Ullmark, a sixth-round draft pick in 2016, has plenty of leverage, though. Sweden, and NHL Covid-19 protocols prevented Ullmark from returning He’s aware Luukkonen isn’t ready to take over yet. Dustin Tokarski, a 31- home. year-old who went almost six years between NHL wins, is the only other goalie under contract with the Sabres next season. With no support system waiting for him away from KeyBank Center, Ullmark confided in goalie coach Mike Bales, who routinely asked the Carter Hutton and Michael Houser are also pending unrestricted free Sabres’ starter how he was coping with the immense loss. agents. Buffalo matched a franchise record by using six goalies in this 56-game season. The record for Sabres goalies other than Ullmark: 6- “Some days (were) absolute misery, but if I didn’t have the courage to 28-4. Four of those wins were by Tokarski and Houser, neither of whom say that, he wouldn’t have been able to know and we wouldn’t have been began the season on the Sabres’ roster. Ullmark went 9-6-3 during his able to deal with it,” Ullmark said. “So that was the best part about this starts. season, that I really understood how much everybody cared about me and everybody around it.” “Clearly when you’re using six goalies, and they all did great, the guys competed, they gave us everything they could give us and that’s all you For as difficult as some days were for the typically ever-beaming Ullmark, can ask for as coach,” interim coach Don Granato said during his end-of- he was outstanding when on the ice and positioned himself to likely season media availability. “I’m very happy with the players and what they receive raise as an unrestricted free agent this summer. It’s unclear, gave us. But yes, you need a No. 1 goalie. You’re in the NHL so I don’t though, if he signs his next contract with Buffalo or one of the NHL’s 31 think anybody’s going to deny that as a key ingredient, key component to other teams. success.”

If Ullmark walks away, acquiring goaltending help will be a priority for the General Manager Kevyn Adams declined to trade Ullmark before the Sabres. He insisted the decision wasn’t at the forefront of his mind in the April 12 deadline as both sides planned to continue to work toward a new final days of his third full season in Buffalo. contract. Aside from the financials, it’s unclear what other factors Ullmark will consider. In January 2020, Ullmark attributed his recent success to “To be completely honest with you, right now that is not my concern as of finally finding comfort in Buffalo. He and his wife found a preschool for now,” Ullmark said on locker cleanout day. “For me, it’s just been taking it their son, and the family found a home and neighborhood they enjoyed. another foot in front of the other and just trying to pound away day after day. Right now, looking forward to going home, meet up with my family, If Ullmark hits the open market, he will be among a group that could enjoy my time with them and then after that we’ll sit down, me and my include Tuukka Rask, Pekka Rinne, Frederik Andersen, Devan Dubnyk, agent and the team around it, and start discussing what we want to do Antti Raanta, James Reimer, Jaroslav Halak, Chris Driedger, Petr with the future.” Mrazek, Jonathan Bernier, Mike Smith and Laurent Broissoit.

The joyous reunion occurred last week. Ullmark posted a photo on his The Sabres will need to add a goalie even if Ullmark stays since Instagram account of him embracing his two sons upon arriving in Luukkonen and Tokarski are likely penciled in for Rochester. If Ullmark Sweden. “Words can’t describe how happy I am to see you again,” leaves, free agency is an unlikely route given the expected asking price Ullmark wrote in the photo’s caption. for a starter such as Driedger, a 27-year-old who ranked ninth in the NHL in goals saved above expected. A brief break will precede a pivotal offseason for Ullmark, who plans to determine if he needs to alter his routine to avoid the minor injuries that Bargain-bin shopping is one possible route. Rinne, Andersen and Ranta limited him to only 20 games this season. will be looking to establish themselves as starters again. Brossoit spent the past three seasons as the backup in Winnipeg. Rask will want to join Despite having a 10-month offseason to achieve what Ullmark called “the a contender if he leaves the Bruins. best shape of my life,” he missed 29 games with separate lower-body ailments. He’s missed 46 games because of injury over the past two One possible cheap option is Mrazek, a 29-year-old who was limited to years. only 12 games this season because of injury. He thrived under Bales’ tutelage in Carolina in 2018-19, posting a .914 save percentage in 40 The setbacks might cost Ullmark in contract negotiations, but he has games to help the Hurricanes snap their playoff drought. performed well when healthy. His .937 save percentage at 5-on-5 this season ranked fifth among goalies to appear in at least 20 games, but Adams has the draft capital to pry a goalie away from another team, according to Evolving-Hockey.com, he was 20th in goals saved above particularly the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are expected to make expected, which is based on expected goal models that value shots changes this offseason. Elvis Merzlikins and Joonas Korpisalo, both 27, against differently based on their quality. are under contract for only one more season.

Ullmark’s .916 save percentage in all situations since the start of 2019-20 Merzlikins has more upside than Korpisalo and posted a .916 save is 13th among 40 goalies to see action in at least 40 games. Over the percentage in 28 games this season, but he fared worse than Ullmark in past two seasons, Ullmark has a 26-20-6 record and 2.67 goals-against goals saved above expected, a better indicator of performance since it average. He has worked with Bales to correct technical deficiencies in takes shot quality into consideration. the crease but could not pinpoint any specific reason how he’s achieved the sort of consistency that eluded him in 2018-19. Ullmark, a goalie whom the organization is familiar with, will be the Sabres’ priority and his decision will determine Adams’ offseason “There’s no good answer to it because I think it’s about grabbing a hold approach. of that chance when you get it, is one of the things,” explained Ullmark. “Another thing is that I’ve just become better at every aspect. I’ve gotten “Looking forward to seeing what’s in store for the franchise,” said leaner, stronger, better mentally. It kind of shows this season with Ullmark. “I got drafted in 2012, there’s been a lot of years since and everything that happened. Also, I’ve played more games, so there comes obviously, it’s been my only NHL team so I only wish the best for this my routine when it comes to playing games and the experience I’ve had organization. If I’m a part of it, that’s great.” Buffalo News LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213635 “One of the biggest problems this team had this year is there were no internal goals,” Sutter said Thursday. “Everything was external in terms of what they were supposed to do, but there wasn’t much set-out in terms of what we were going to try to do and how we were going to get there.” Flames 'thought it would be easier' Re-setting expectations alone isn’t going to suddenly turn the Flames into a contender next season, but the team’s play in the final month of the season did suggest they’d bought into Sutter’s approach. Giordano Daniel Austin spoke about wondering where they might have finished in the standings Publishing date:May 21, 2021 • 8 hours ago in a full-length season and they won nine of their final 15 games.

There will be changes to the roster this summer, that was confirmed by GM Brad Treliving. In training camp, the Calgary Flames talked about 2021 being the year where they established themselves as Stanley Cup contenders. There will be a change in mentality heading into next season, as well. They definitely won’t be thinking it will be easy. Getting to the playoffs wasn’t the goal. Winning in the playoffs was the expectation. “As a group, I think we’ve got a lot of work to do in the summer, for everybody to come in in better shape and we’ve got to play better, Well, that didn’t happen. everyone,” Markstrom said. “I think this summer is big.”

The Flames fell short of the post-season and there’s a long list of Calgary Sun: LOADED: 05.22.2021 reasons why that happened. One of those explanations, though, might be that the Flames underestimated the North Division competition before the season even started.

In Milan Lucic’s eyes, a quick start didn’t help matters, either.

“If you actually really look at it, we got five out of the first six points and then had a week off and I think we kind of thought it was going to be easy after that and maybe disrespected opponents and the schedule and all that type of stuff,” Lucic said on Thursday morning as the Flames cleaned out their lockers.

“It was almost the worst thing that could have happened to us this year. We lose in overtime to Winnipeg, we beat Vancouver twice at home and then we have a week off and everyone’s feeling pretty good about themselves, and that’s when things started to go the wrong way and we never really dug ourselves out of the hole we dug into.”

Looking back on the season, there are a few key moments where it feels like things really went wrong.

The stretch in late-March and early-April where the Flames lost eight-of- nine stands out, in particular, and their late-February run where they picked up only three points out of a possible 16 was bad, too.

But it seems like the problems may have started a whole lot earlier than that. Potentially, they began before the season even got underway.

“I mean, I think coming into the year you might have, from the outside and from the inside, you might have underestimated a few teams in our division that had pretty good years and got into the playoffs,” said Flames captain . “As far as our expectations, we came in and had a good group of guys, we made some additions we thought, obviously, would put us in a good spot. We’re not just trying to get into the four-spot, we were looking to get in and be a top team.

“It was a disappointing year.”

With the benefit of hindsight it may feel ridiculous, but it’s worth remembering that there were legitimate reasons to believe the Flames could make real noise this year before the season began.

They beat the Winnipeg Jets in the play-in round in last year’s NHL Bubble in Edmonton and the additions of Chris Tanev and Jacob Markstrom certainly looked like they’d make them even better.

“I think overall, I think we thought it was going to be a little bit easier than it was,” said Flames forward Elias Lindholm. “We had a good thing going in the bubble and a lot of us thought we were going to make the playoffs and then anything can happen, but all the teams are good and it’s a tough league to win.

“That’s the only answer I have, just that we thought it was going to be easier.”

Since essentially the day he took over from Geoff Ward as the Flames’ head coach, Darryl Sutter emphasized that the Flames needed to accept that they didn’t have the same high-end skill as some of their North Division rivals. They needed to pick up the pace and improve their checking if they were going to grind out the wins they wanted.

That wasn’t something that was being said in training camp. 1213636 Calgary Flames They’re pumped, too, that three of these upcoming showdowns — including the final — will be broadcast on Sportsnet. The others will be streamed online.

Game on! PWHPA stars pumped for week-long showcase in Calgary “Visibility is huge for women’s sports,” said Saulnier, a silver medallist at the 2018 Winter Olympics. “For us to have our games on television and streamed and for people to be able to access those easily and throw it up on the TV, that’s so huge for the growth of the game and for us to be able Wes Gilbertson to prove our skills and showcase what we’ve been working on all year. Publishing date:May 21, 2021 • 10 hours ago • “I feel like one of the most exciting things for us as athletes is seeing the next generation get excited about becoming us one day. For them to be able to do that, they need to be able to see us.” The first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs has helped to fill some of their quarantine time, and only upped the excitement to show off their own “For the young girls aspiring to play hockey competitively when they’re skills. older, it’s motivating and it’s great to see your role models on TV,” Johnston echoed. “The more we can do that and the more we can be in For these stars of the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association front of those girls and be able to motivate them positively, then I think (PWHPA), it’s been more than a year since their last meaningful game. we’re doing our job and we’re doing what we’re trying to do here (in the PWHPA) — which is to grow the game and hopefully trying to create a That changes, finally, this coming week with a Secret Dream Gap Tour sustainable league that will last so those girls can play in this league stop in Calgary. someday.” “We’ve all been training at home and getting ice when we’ve been The following Secret Dream Gap Tour games will be broadcast live on allowed to be out there with the public health measures,” said Brianne Sportsnet — Friday’s matchup between Team Scotiabank and Team Jenner, a two-time Olympic medallist — one gold and one silver — and Bauer (1:30 p.m. MT), Saturday’s round-robin capper between the hosts forward for Toronto-based Team Sonnet. “Now, to actually have some from Calgary and Team Sonnet (11 a.m. MT) and Sunday’s final (2:30 games is so exciting for our group. p.m. MT). “Just being back with teammates … We’ve been skating, when we’re Calgary Sun: LOADED: 05.22.2021 able to be out there, with small groups. So to have a chance to be out there with a full team, that kind of energy — just our first practice that is coming up (Sunday), I’m so excited for that. It’s going to feel like the ice is so crowded, in a good way.

“And from a hockey standpoint, just getting back into those game situations, the excitement of scoring a goal and being able to hug your teammates, that will be pretty cool.”

This week-long tournament will feature the three PWHPA training groups based in Canada — Calgary’s Team Scotiabank, Toronto’s Team Sonnet and Montreal’s Team Bauer.

The star-studded rosters include most of those short-listed to potentially suit up at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Many were at Hockey Canada’s camp in Halifax last month when the world championships were postponed on startlingly short notice.

“As athletes, we thrive on competition, so to be kept from that for a year, it’s been tough obviously to keep the fire and excitement without the light at the end of the tunnel,” said Team Bauer’s Jill Saulnier. “So to finally be at that light and to be here and be preparing for games back together, it’s pretty exciting.”

A six-game round-robin opens Monday, and the two top squads will square off next Sunday in the championship clash at the Saddledome. (A grand total of three games will be played at that landmark rink, home to the NHL’s Flames, with the others at Seven Chiefs Sportsplex on Tsuut’ina Nation.)

Before the puck drops, of course, there is a quarantine to complete. There will be continued daily screening for COVID-19.

Since arriving in Calgary, the players have been getting creative with hotel-room workouts — spin bikes have helped — and have been game- planning with virtual team meetings.

And at around 5 p.m. MT, you can bet many have flipped on their flat- screens to watch the sport they all love and excel at.

“I’m actually on the bike right now, re-watching the Leafs-Habs game from last night,” said Jenner during a Friday morning interview.

“Anytime there is hockey on, it’s definitely on the TV,” agreed Calgary- based forward Rebecca Johnston, with three Olympic medals — including two gold — on her resume. “It keeps you in the right mindset, too. You know, when you haven’t played a game for a long time, I find it’s trying to get your mind back to hockey-thinking and just being able to do things at a fast pace. When you watch hockey, I find it helps you get that back a little bit quicker.

“And it’s definitely getting us pumped up to play some games.” 1213637 Calgary Flames as a mentor to Calgary’s blossoming blue-liners — Hanifin, Andersson and Connor Mackey are all 24, while Juuso Valimaki is two years younger and must be searching for his confidence after some harsh assessments from coach Darryl Sutter — will become even more Flames defenceman Tanev shrugs off injuries: ‘Everyone plays with important. something’ You might have noticed that in one of their meaningless matchups earlier this week against his former team, Tanev squared himself for consecutive shot-blocks on a penalty-kill. Hey, at least those pucks didn’t Wes Gilbertson hit him in the ribs. Publishing date:May 21, 2021 • 10 hours ago • “You talk about the culture of winning and what it takes to win … This guy puts it on the line, and we’re lucky to have him,” Treliving said.

Most hockey fans cringed at the thought of it. It just sounds painful. Tanev seems tailor-made for playoff hockey, but he won’t get to show it this spring. Calgary Flames defenceman Chris Tanev likely cringed at the mention of it. That’s a type of pain that he is willing to talk about. (He admitted that it won’t immediately be easy to tune into the Stanley Cup playoffs, even to While Tanev was being praised for his pain tolerance, while his boss was root for his brother Brandon, a ball of energy for the Pittsburgh marvelling at the sort of grit and guts he’d shown after suffering Penguins.) significant injuries with more than a month-and-a-half remaining on the schedule, you get the sense the soft-spoken and rock-solid rearguard “As you get older, it starts to sting even more,” Tanev groaned. “I think would have preferred that it stayed hush-hush. we do have a really good team here. We have a lot of very skilled, very smart players, and we did play together as a team on occasion this year, “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a player play through what this guy played which was the problem. Obviously, as we go forward, we’re going to through,” said Flames general manager Brad Treliving in his end-of- have to play at a higher level on a consistent basis and do the same season address. “He took a hit here against Winnipeg, and I think the things over and over again. That’s what I think we’ll be working on with end toll was he broke a couple of ribs and tore a pec muscle. And I think Darryl as we pick up next season.” he missed a practice. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 05.22.2021 “So that tells you a little bit about Chris Tanev.”

This tells you a lot about Chris Tanev …

A couple of hours before Treliving revealed the extent of the injuries, when a nosy reporter asked the 31-year-old what sort of pain he’d been dealing with since his March 29 collision with Jets centre Pierre-Luc Dubois, he was tight-lipped.

Broken ribs, torn pectoral muscle and all.

“Everyone plays with something, you know?” Tanev replied. “If you’re in the lineup, you’re in the lineup, and you move on.”

This guy refused to come out of the lineup, even if he won’t say so himself.

When the Flames inked Tanev to a four-year, US$18-million contract last fall, durability was one of the reasons that some wondered if it was a wise commitment.

That certainly wasn’t an issue during this shortened season. In fact, Tanev was one of eight gents on Calgary’s roster to suit up for all 56 outings. (Also on that list? Team captain Mark Giordano and fellow defenceman Rasmus Andersson, plus forwards Johnny Gaudreau, Elias Lindholm, Milan Lucic, Andrew Mangiapane and Matthew Tkachuk.)

“Playing in every game, that’s something you obviously want to do every year and it’s something now I’ve done for the last two years and throughout playoffs (in 2020), so I’m definitely happy that happened,” Tanev said. “Obviously, you want to keep continuing to be able to do that for the rest of your career, knock on wood. But sometimes things happen. I mean, for three years in Vancouver, I had a tough stretch of injuries where it seemed like I couldn’t catch a break, but I’m definitely happy that I played every game this year.”

There wasn’t a whole lot to be happy about as the Flames — after finishing south of the playoff cut-off in the NHL’s North Division — congregated Thursday at the Saddledome for farewells and exit interviews with the higher-ups.

Treliving characterized this as “a good team that underachieved.” Tanev, to his credit, was one of the guys who lived up to expectations, perhaps even exceeded ’em.

Whether he was partnered with Noah Hanifin — now recovering from shoulder surgery — or Giordano, his pairing was typically matched up against the opposing top line. That makes it all the more impressive that, based on his advanced-stat averages, no Flames defenceman did a better job of preventing goals against or limiting high-danger scoring chances.

Tanev had an ‘A’ stitched on his jersey for the final few games of the season. If Giordano is claimed in the upcoming expansion draft, his role 1213638 Calgary Flames “I don’t think this was a bad team that played up to its capabilities,” he said. “I think it was a team that didn’t play to its capabilities and therefore fell short of its expectations.”

Did the Flames fail to meet expectations, or did everyone get the We can debate who is right or wrong when it comes to the team’s play narrative wrong this season? relative to expectations, but the bottom line is, the Flames finished fifth in the North Division and missed the playoffs. And any way you want to get there, we can all agree that changes need to be made this summer. Treliving said as much on Thursday. By Hailey Salvian May 21, 2021 “You can go through all the reasons why, but when you are sitting here

out of the playoffs, you’re not good enough,” he said. “So our team has When the Flames opened up training camp this season with several got to change, and determining what those changes are is what we’ll offseason acquisitions — headlined by signing a true No. 1 goalie in have to figure out.” Jacob Markstrom — expectations were set high. The goal, said captain It’s going to take some time to dissect the season, what went wrong and Mark Giordano at the time, was to be the last Canadian team standing. what changes can even be made this summer. And there is going to be a Given this year’s divisional alignment and playoff structure, that would lot to consider, including Seattle expansion, free agency and what the have meant a deep playoff run. trade market looks like under another year with an $81.5 million salary But, less than five months later, the Flames were cleaning out their cap. lockers after failing to even make the postseason. It’s natural, given the But there is no question that changes are needed in Calgary. It’s been six lofty goals, to think that the narrative around this team has been that it years since the Flames won a playoff round with the current core largely (once again) failed to meet expectations. But, what if those expectations intact. It’s notable that in an interview with Sportsnet 960’s Pat Steinberg, were wrong? What if the Flames, as constructed, just weren’t one of Treliving said, “For the first time since I’ve been here, we really have to Canada’s best teams? look at (the core).” That was just one of the many messages to come out during Thursday What those moves could be, and how significant they are, still remain up afternoon’s exit meeting media availabilities. in the air. “I think that there was a (big) miscalculation on who put expectations on “It’s easy to say, ‘Let’s go and blow it up and get rid of everybody and this team,” head coach Darryl Sutter said. The comments align with start afresh.’ But I think there are some really good pieces here,” something similar Sutter said last week when asked about how deflating Treliving said. “We have to find a way to continue to add core pieces to this season has been. this team, but we have to find ways to make it a deeper team. It’s one “I think that a lot of expectations placed on this team were because of the thing to look on paper and say we’ve got some depth, which I thought bubble,” he said, referring to last year’s playoffs. this year, but it has to manifest itself to produce and make you a deeper team.” Fans will recall that the Flames beat the Jets in the play-in round, and were only 12 seconds away from being up 3-1 in their first-round series There’s also the lingering question of who will be making those decisions. against the . Fans will also recall the Game 6 collapse that Treliving said on Thursday there haven’t been any talks about his future. ultimately kicked them out of the playoffs. But despite the loss, it felt like He said he will have a review with ownership in the coming days, as he the Flames had taken a step. That, along with acquisitions that made the always does at the end of a season. team look better on paper, had many thinking this team could be a He also said that he and Sutter will need to meet to discuss their plans playoff contender. Sutter would seem to disagree with that assessment. for the team. So, again, it’s going to take some time to define the team’s “This team was going to have to fight to be a playoff team,” he said last direction. But, there were some early hints on Thursday about the futures week. “We weren’t a top-three team in this division for sure. It was going of some players. One of the obvious holes that was identified was a lack to be a fourth-, fifth-place team, and that’s exactly the way it played out to of consistent scoring. be.” Over several stretches this season, the Flames simply struggled to score And over the course of a 20-minute exit interview on Thursday, Milan goals. They were shut out on two occasions, and scored only two goals Lucic also pointed to expectations being somewhat of an issue this year. or less on 27 occasions — they only won two of those games.

“I feel like this year, frustration creeped into our game more than Meanwhile, the Flames won 24 of 29 games when they scored three or anything,” he said. “Because sometimes when you expect so much of more goals. So, there is no debate that finding (and keeping) the right yourself, you want to do so well and it’s like quicksand. The harder you pieces to establish a more consistent offence is going to be a priority this try the more you (sink).” summer.

When asked if that frustration came from, as Sutter put it, a “It starts with myself. You know, you look at the team and (and see) at “miscalculation of expectation,” Lucic paused and said, “Yes” with a times we didn’t score enough,” Treliving said. “So you look back, and you laugh, indicating there would be no room for elaboration. know that you brought in some people that I thought may be able to contribute to that and they didn’t for different reasons.” Of course, those were just two telling quotes out of a day packed with interviews with the coach, general manager and nearly half the roster. It To recap: In the offseason Treliving brought in Josh Leivo, Dominik certainly is notable that a player and coach said that maybe people set Simon and Joakim Nordstrom to improve the Flames’ depth up front and expectations too high for the team. Does it suggest that the roster simply add some secondary scoring. Leivo scored six goals, Nordstrom added wasn’t good enough? one and Simon had zero points in 11 games. Those moves just weren’t good enough. However, several players said that they believed this could have been a playoff team, that they underperformed and were ultimately disappointed But, also on Thursday, the team’s most dynamic offensive player, and with the result. the closest thing they have to a game-breaking talent, expressed his interest in re-signing with the Flames this summer. Of course, we’re “I think, coming into the year, from the outside and from the inside, you talking about Johnny Gaudreau, who is set to become a free agent after might have underestimated a few teams in our division that had pretty next season and will be eligible this summer to sign an extension. good years and got into the playoffs,” Giordano said. “But as far as us … We came in, we had a good group of guys, we made some additions that “If (Treliving) and the owners are happy with the way I’ve played here the we thought put us in a good spot. We were looking to not just try to get past six, seven years, then it’s something we can figure out this into the four spot. … We were looking to get in and be a top team. So it upcoming summer,” Gaudreau said. “I would love to do that. I love the was a disappointing year.” city of Calgary, I love playing here. I don’t think I’ve ever not once said I haven’t wanted to be here. In the final availability of the day, general manager Brad Treliving said he thought they had a good team that underachieved. Treliving said it was on the to-do list for the offseason, but was non- committal on what Gaudreau’s desire could mean. “We’ll see where everything goes. At the end of the day, it’s got to make sense for him, it’s got to make sense for us,” he said. “He’s a terrific player. … Certainly, we’ll have those discussions as the days and weeks go by here.”

When it comes to Seattle, it’s been well-documented at The Athletic that the Flames could lose Giordano. Neither Giordano nor Treliving denied the possibility but didn’t want to speak at length about it.

“There are certain situations where you have to be an adult about it and know there are certain things that have to happen,” Giordano said about the idea of being left unprotected. “I have a pretty good relationship with (Treliving) where we’ll talk about it over the next little bit.

“But personally, I’ve been here my whole career and I love it here, so obviously I want to still be here next year. I can help this team win and moving forward I want to be here. That’s all I can say now. The rest is not in my control.”

The most logical answer might be to protect Chris Tanev with the idea that the Kraken would hold off on taking Giordano, who will be 38 years old next season and has one year left on his contract at $6.75 million. And that’s assuming Noah Hanifin and Rasmus Andersson are locks to be protected.

“Everybody knows there’s an expansion draft coming up — (Giordano) and I have spoken about that and we’ll keep that internal for now,” Treliving said. “As far as Gio, he’s been, in my mind, the conscience of this team for a long time, since I’ve been here. He sets the tone for the group on and off the ice. I’ve had the good fortune to be around good leaders in my career and I put him at the top of the list.

“But there is a business side of this and we’ll sit down as a group and make some decisions as we get closer to the expansion draft.”

Outside of Gaudreau and Seattle, there are plenty of items on the Flames’ checklist for Treliving to dive into. Many of them were laid out last week here.

The club has more than a dozen pending free agents on their NHL roster, including key RFAs in Dillon Dube and Juuso Valimaki. There’s also the draft (and lottery) coming up too. But the overarching theme on Thursday was that this team wasn’t good enough. And change is (finally) coming in Calgary.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021

1213639 Carolina Hurricanes But he’s right to be concerned, even if there’s a risk his players let it get into their heads: This series has been so painstakingly close on the ice, so hard-fought between two equally engaged teams, the penalty disparity is glaringly obvious as a massive outlier. The Canes are in for a fight in their playoff series, and not only with the Predators For all but 12 minutes and change of the first two games, the teams were separated by a goal or less, and that was true for all of Game 3. The Predators led three times in regulation, the Hurricanes once, and none of those leads was safe. BY LUKE DECOCK Multiple overtimes were probably vaguely inevitable at that point. It was MAY 22, 2021 12:20 AM, that kind of game, that kind of night.

It’s now officially that kind of series. Jake Bean smashed his stick across the crossbar in anger. For almost 95 News Observer LOADED: 05.22.2021 minutes Friday night, the Carolina Hurricanes and Nashville Predators had been separated by the finest of margins, and the game was decided by an even smaller one.

Bean had a chance to knock a lofted puck down, or at least body Matt Duchene away from the net. But he swung and missed at the puck, and Duchene took the opportunity to gather it, move past Bean and flip the puck over a lunging Alex Nedeljkovic.

With that, the Hurricanes no longer had a chance to break the Predators’ spirit and take a 3-0 lead. They’re in for a fight now.

And if you listen to their coach, they already were in a fight: With the officiating.

The first two games of the series had been closer than the scorelines or the results indicated. With this 5-4 loss deep in the second overtime in a game that truly could have gone either way, now the series is that close as well. It’s 2-1, with Game 4 looming a mere 39 hours after end of the third-longest game in franchise history.

“It could have gone either way in that overtime,” Hurricanes captain said. “I thought we had a lot of good chances as well. It’s next game, next shift, next play and we’re going to go from there.”

Given those circumstances, the power-play disparity stands out like a neon sign on Nashville’s Broadway. The Predators have had 17 power plays to the Hurricanes’ 10, and that disparity would be more noticeable if the Hurricanes’ penalty-kill wasn’t so comprehensively competent. They have killed all but one in the series, and the one the Predators actually converted was a two-man advantage Friday night.

The Predators had seven power plays again Friday, including one in the second overtime that led indirectly to the winning goal. The teams were short-handed at almost exactly the same rate during the regular season, but for whatever reason, it’s been anything but even in this series.

Rod Brind’Amour, who was fined $25,000 last August for calling the NHL a “joke” and a Boston Bruins goal that was allowed to stand a “crime scene,” was simmering after Game 2, but boiled over after the agonizing finish to Game 3.

“We played our butts off,” Brind’Amour said. “We played great. We played hard. We’re playing a great team. I didn’t say it (to the team) but we’re in a battle. Nashville’s a phenomenal team but we’re also fighting the refs, plain and simple. You can’t tell me two games in a row, we get seven, eight penalties and they get three when the game’s this even? That’s not right. It’s not right.

Nashville Predators right wing Eeli Tolvanen (28) collides with Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jani Hakanpaa (58) in front of the net during the second period in Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Friday, May 21, 2021, in Nashville, TN. Mark Humphrey AP

“I give my guys tons of credit for sticking and going and playing their butts off. We still had a chance to win, coming back. It’s not right. Two overtimes, a knick-knack penalty when there’s stuff going on all over? Just flipped the momentum and they score the next shift after because we’re out of rotation. That’s not how it should go.”

Brind’Amour’s fine during the Hurricanes’ last playoff series carried with it a threat of another $25,000 “in the event of similar inappropriate behavior” over the next year. It will be interesting to see whether the NHL thinks his comments Friday night fit that description.

Whether Brind’Amour has to dip into his pocket or not, whether he’s right or not, the numbers behind his point are increasingly impossible to ignore. The old deliberate technical foul gambit can’t hurt here. Ah, the classics never go out of style. 1213640 Carolina Hurricanes score, his first career playoff goal, on a tight-angled shot had the Canes in the lead.

“That’s playoff hockey,” Staal said. “It was a grind of a game. That’s what Here’s how the Predators climbed back into the series against the you want to play. I thought the boys battled hard. We came out on the Hurricanes in 2OT wrong side of this one, but we’re going to come back with an even better effort next game.”

Nedeljkovic stopped Erik Haula on a shorthanded breakaway when it BY CHIP ALEXANDER was 2-2. But Granlund knocked in a loose puck on the 5-on-3, and Johansen scored on a deflection of an Ellis shot after the Canes iced the MAY 21, 2021 06:29 PM, puck and the Preds then won a faceoff in the Canes zone.

Preds goalie Juuse Saros had Aho score against him in the first on a Nashville Predators coach John Hynes had a simple game plan Friday: shot that deflected off Preds defenseman . Staal beat Saros “Knock the door down.” with a forehand and Trocheck with a ridiculously tough shot to Saros’ right, the puck barely squeezing past Saros’ head. That is, win a game. Find a way to beat the Carolina Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Get back in the series. There’s not much turnaround time. Game 4 will have a 2:30 p.m. ET start Sunday. The Preds did that, but it took a while. “We’re playing against the same team, and they’ve played the same Playing before a home crowd of 12,135 at , Nashville amount of minutes that we did, so it is what it is. I think our group is going emerged with a 5-4 victory in double overtime after dropping the first two to rebound,” Staal said. games of the series in Raleigh. THEY KNEW WHAT WAS COMING “It was nice that we found a way to win and get ourselves back into the series here,” Hynes said. The Hurricanes knew what to expect: an all-out war.

Matt Duchene had the winning goal, getting past defenseman Jake Bean The Predators were combative and physical while losing the first two for the shot at 14:54 of the second OT, and the Preds then staged their games of the first-round playoff series in PNC Arena At home at own postgame celebration at center ice. Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, being urged on by a large home crowd, they were amped up even higher. Canes head coach Rod Brind’Amour was happy with his team’s effort, just not the result — nor the officiating. The Preds were desperate and determined.

“We played our butts off, played great, played hard,” Brind’Amour said. “If you’re not bringing intensity. maybe you shouldn’t be out there,” Preds “We’re playing a great team, and to me, we’re in a battle. Nashville’s a defenseman Matt Benning said Friday after the morning skate. great team, but we’re also fighting the refs. That’s plain and simple. You Those weren’t fighting words, but Benning was in a fight with the Canes’ can’t tell me, two games in a row, we get seven, eight penalties and they Jordan Martinook in Game 2. Asked Friday about the scuffle with get three? When the game’s this even? That’s ... that’s not right.” Martinook and the punches thrown, he said, “It’s the playoffs.” Carolina is now 16-of-17 on the penalty kill over three games, allowing NO SLAVIN AGAIN just one 3-on-5 goal in Game 3 Friday. The Hurricanes have been shorthanded seven times in each of the past two games. The Canes were again without defenseman Jaccob Slavin, who missed Game 2 with a lower-body injury that has been nagging him. Max Lajoie HOW IT GOT TO OVERTIME drew into the lineup and made his Hurricanes debut. Canes defenseman Brett Pesce tied it 4-4 with a snipe of a shot with 3:21 “It’s definitely a hole in our lineup, and we all have to as a team try to play left in regulation — his first career playoff strike. Pesce nearly scored on better to fill that,” defenseman Dougie Hamilton said Friday of Slavin’s a shot that goalie Juuse Saros barely kept out of the net, then took a situation, which apparently will be an ongoing concern for Carolina in the pass from Teuvo Teravainen and unloaded again from the top of the left playoffs. circle. PLENTY OF HITS “(Pesce) has been an absolute animal all year,” Canes captain Jordan Staal said. “With the big guy out, man has he stepped up and played The PNC Arena stat crew had the Canes and Preds combining for 198 well. Another great game by him.“ hits in the first two games. Friday at Bridgestone? Only 65. But they were hard. Canes goalie Alex Nedeljkovic, starting for the third straight game, made a big stop on a Colton Sissons shot with 42 seconds left in regulation. “The discipline part is where you’ve got to be careful,” Brind’Amour said. “You just can’t get caught in they give you a shot and you give one back, The Preds had taken a 4-3 lead on Ryan Johansen’s goal at 5:01 of the because you don’t know how it’s going to get called. You’ve got to take third period. Nashville tied the score 3-3 on Mikael Granlund’s 5-on-3 that out of it. That’s where it gets hard because guys are so emotional.” power-play goal at 14:42 of the second period — the first power-play goal Carolina has allowed in the series. The Canes were 6-for-7 in Game 3 on the penalty kill, 7-for-7 in Game 2 and they are 16-for-17 in the series and have generated a number of The Canes again played without injured defenseman Jaccob Slavin, shorthanded chances. They also scored on the power play in Game 2 giving Max Lajoie his first start with Carolina. They also played a strong, and have had the edge in special teams. sound road game in a super-charged atmosphere. News Observer LOADED: 05.22.2021 Sebastian Aho had a goal and two assists for the Canes, the Central Division champions. Jordan Staal and Vincent Trocheck scored in the second period, Trocheck on a power play.

Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho (20) is congratulated by Andrei Svechnikov (37) after Aho scored a goal against the Nashville Predators during the first period in Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Friday, May 21, 2021, in Nashville, TN. Mark Humphrey AP

Defenseman Ryan Ellis had a goal and assist for the Preds, who finished fourth in the Central.

The Canes trailed 2-1 after the first period — the Preds’ Filip Forsberg scoring with 24.5 seconds left — but took the lead in the second. Jordan Staal scored on a breakaway to tie it, and Vincent Trocheck’s power-play 1213641 Carolina Hurricanes Lorentz had an assist in his playoff debut in Game 1, but that wasn’t what the 25-year-old rookie will remember from his first postseason experience. From seeing fans tailgating to walking out of the tunnel to be greeted by a loud crowd for the first time in his Hurricanes career, An original Predator, Hurricanes assistant coach Jeff Daniels has Lorentz has been soaking it all in. watched two markets blossom “Standing out during the national anthem, I was able to start that Game 1, just looking around seeing all the people,” Lorentz said. “And then when Adam (Lee Decker), the singer, said ‘rockets’ red glare’ and BY LUKE DECOCK everybody screamed it, it was like, wow, OK, this is what it’s like. MAY 21, 2021 01:39 PM, “Then when he finished and you step off the blue line and put your helmet back on, you see people going absolutely nuts and it’s like OK, I don’t have to worry about anything here and emotion’s just going to take Jeff Daniels was there at the creation, an original Nashville Predator over and be there. The first five minutes of that, from running out of that during that team’s inaugural season in 1998-99. Daniels was also an tunnel to the very first shift, to getting my first point, that was all so original Carolina Hurricane, moving with the team from Hartford in 1997. special. Those are moments I’ll never forget.” Needless to say, he’s been a witness to the massive growth of two markets not originally thought to be hockey-friendly. Lorentz has also had an impact on the series, getting under the Predators’ skin in Game 1 as part of an energetic performance by the “It was a newer market. People were learning when to cheer, when not to fourth line of Lorentz, Jordan Martinook and McGinn that helped set the cheer, no different from Raleigh,” Daniels said. “But now people are true tone for the series. That’ll be even more important as the series moves to hockey fans.” Nashville and the Predators benefit from having their crowd behind them.

As the series moves to Bridgestone Arena for Game 3, some of the “The hitting, everybody’s finishing checks and you really want to make trappings used to drum up interest during that initial Predators season sure you’re trying to wear down the opponent,” Lorentz said. “That’s why live on, for better or worse, from the inane “fang fingers” when the playoffs are so gut-wrenching and long, because guys make those extra Predators go on the power play to the bands that play during efforts and finish their checks, and it wears the body down a little more. intermissions. But there’s no question that just as Raleigh grew into a But it’s all worth it in the end.” hockey market — with the 2002 run to the Stanley Cup finals serving as an unlikely catalyst — Nashville has as well. NOT EXPECTING SLAVIN

“I had a cup of coffee in Florida, too, and just to see the growth down in Jaccob Slavin did not participate in the Hurricanes’ pregame skate Florida and these newer, not newer now, but these southern markets Friday. Brind’Amour said Maxime Lajoie, who spent the entire season where people didn’t think hockey would work,” Daniels said. “Sure with Chicago (AHL), would play if Slavin cannot. enough, you’re seeing that now. Especially in Raleigh, you’re seeing “I don’t think he did anything in Game 1,” Brind’Amour said. “I just don’t youth hockey take off and a big reason why is the Hurricanes, the kids think he’s 100 percent.” growing up with a team to watch, a team to cheer for. You’re seeing kids now, boys and girls, going to college on scholarships, getting drafted.” Lajoie, who had 21 points in 27 games for the Wolves, would presumably replace Jake Gardiner, who played only 9:07 on Wednesday. Alex The Predators went a long time without much success to speak of, going Nedeljkovic is expected to make his third straight start in net. 13 years before winning a playoff series, but by the time they made the Stanley Cup finals in 2017 — coached by Peter Laviolette, who had “No changes other than (Slavin’s) availability there,” Brind’Amour said. Daniels on his staff when the Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup in 2006 — “Other than that, it’ll be the same.” there were tens of thousands of people gathering in a public park outside the arena to watch the games on a big screen, not to mention a long line News Observer LOADED: 05.22.2021 of country-music star celebrity fans. The 12,000 fans in Bridgestone on Friday will be just as loud and rowdy as the 12,000 in PNC Arena were for Games 1 and 2.

“Nashville’s been here how many years? A long time. And they’ve had success,’ Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “You’ve got to have success. You’ve got to give people something to be excited about to come watch your team and they’ve done that and so have we. It’s great to see.”

Daniels played only nine games with the Predators in 1998-99 after they took him from the Hurricanes in the expansion draft, and he spent most of the season in the AHL. In retrospect, it’s amazing an expansion team wouldn’t find a spot for a leader like Daniels, a hard-working if limited fourth-line forward but a consummate glue guy in the dressing room. The Hurricanes saw his value: They brought him back the next season and he played 260 NHL games over the next four seasons before he retired and months later joined Laviolette’s new staff when Paul Maurice was fired.

“When you go out and have good shifts and you’re rumbling around and making some energy down low, he really appreciates that,” Hurricanes fourth-line forward Steven Lorentz said. “I never really got to watch him play but I can guess at the kind of style he played with, that kind of bulldog mentality back then.”

The feeling, Daniels said, is mutual: “I can relate to those guys and have a special place for those guys, because that’s the kind of player I was.”

Daniels has been with the Hurricanes in some capacity ever since: seven years as an assistant coach to Laviolette and Brind’Amour, seven years as an AHL coach in Albany and Charlotte and three years as a pro scout. (Brock McGinn is the only player left in the organization from Daniels’ last Checkers team, in 2014-15.)

LORENTZ’S ROOKIE MOMENT 1213642 Carolina Hurricanes have a connection with him and they were going to want to see him succeed,” Tracy said.

Maniscalco said Canes owner Tom Dundon and Don Waddell, the ‘Big Rig’ steps up to post-COVID challenge as the face of the Hurricanes’ president and general manager, have been supportive. No micro- TV franchise managing or second-guessing calls.

“I’m like an offensive lineman. If no one is saying my name then I’m doing my job,” Maniscalco said, smiling. “Tom has been great. Don Waddell BY CHIP ALEXANDER has been great.”

MAY 21, 2021 10:43 AM, TRIPP TRACY TRANSITIONS FROM JOHN FORSLUND TO MIKE MANISCALCO

Forslund, who works for the NBC Sports Network, has been hired to be Mike Maniscalco and Tripp Tracy will be standing high above the ice the new TV voice of the expansion Seattle Kraken. He, too, is supportive Friday night, flanked by television monitors, mic’d up, amped up, ready to of the work Maniscalco has done this season. broadcast more Stanley Cup playoff hockey as the Carolina Hurricanes face the Nashville Predators. “I think he’s done a good job,” Forslund said in an interview this season. “I think for him it’s just a matter of refining every day, no different from The rub: Game 3 in the first-round series will be played at Bridgestone what I do. You try to be perfect and you find it’s impossible to be perfect. Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. Maniscalco and Tracy will call it for Bally Sports from PNC Arena in Raleigh. “I think he moved in there, integrated into that role, continued to work at it and had the commitment to improve every day. The good part is they Nothing new, of course. The Canes’ TV crew has not traveled for away have a great team. And because they have a great team it’s in some games this season. They were not in the NHL’s Toronto bubble last ways easier because everything is good, everything is positive.” August for the Canes’ postseason play and will stay in Raleigh for all of the Bally Sports TV coverage of the opening round this year. Call it a sign Tracy has continued to be Tracy. The former college and pro goalie, a of the times. good friend of many of the players, has used those past relationships to gain information for his many yarns during games. He works the phone “I think the future of broadcasting is going to look very different coming constantly each day. He has become a social media beast, using his out of the pandemic,” Maniscalco said in an interview this season, his podcast to line up a variety of guests including . first as the Canes’ play-by-play announcer. “It’s obviously going to be transition when you work for 20 years with Studio work and calls off monitors became the norm as the world John like I did and enjoy the memories and know each other so well on hunkered down in 2020 and into this year due to the COVID-19 and off air,” Tracy said. “I almost didn’t have to look at him, we knew pandemic. It was a necessary move made for personal health and safety. each other well. It also was a financial move made to help save costs. “I could not let the disappointment of John leaving prevent me from trying For 25 years, John Forslund was the TV face of the franchise, first with to do my part for Mike, who was following a legend, and Mike has done a the Hartford Whalers and then the Hurricanes after the team’s move to really, really nice job in a challenging circumstance, not only doing it for North Carolina in 1997. He was an indelible part of the Hurricanes brand, the first time but also in replacing a person of John Forslund’s caliber. his voice and calls ingrained in Hurricanes fandom. I’ve tried to not change, just do my job and do all I can to help a guy and “That’s hockey, baby!” and “Hey, hey, whadaya say!” were Forslund friend we all wanted to see shine in his opportunity.” staples, and his game preparation and presentation were meticulous. Tracy continues to offer his blend of timely hockey analysis and his COVID-19 changed everything. Unable to come to contract terms with humorous form of Hurricanes genealogy — “Sir Walter Raleigh, as we the Hurricanes by the end of June 2020, Forslund left. It was an know, was a huge Caniac!” He sometimes gets caught up in harping on emotional breakup. Forslund and Tracy, the Canes’ TV analyst and color calls made on the ice by the referees but it comes across more as a commentator, had worked together for 21 years. defense of the Canes player being penalized than personal criticism of the ref. HOSTING CANES’ PREGAME SHOW WITH SHANE WILLIS ‘IT’S ABOUT THE PLAYERS ON THE ICE’ Maniscalco had been the host of the Canes’ pregame show with Shane Willis and the rink-side reporter during games. He was well-known to Forslund had a way of intoning “They SCORE!” after a Hurricanes goal, Canes fans — the “Big Rig’” — and well-liked. He wasn’t like a newbie using his baritone best. Maniscalco at times will hit too high a note after a quickly hired and brought in to take over the play-by-play in Toronto for Carolina goal as he excitedly raises his voice. last season’s postseason qualifier against the New York Rangers and “It’s nothing that I do intentionally but my voice can go high and then the first-round playoff series against the Boston Bruins. sometimes a little too high,” he said. “You don’t want to be screechy at “I’d called games before, so it’s not like I’d never done this and got all.” thrown into it,” Maniscalco said. “Some of the most fun I’ve had in Maniscalco says he has no go-to phrases, although he has used “All right broadcasting was with Shane on the pregame shows, on the desk. Now, Hamilton!” after some of defenseman Dougie Hamilton’s goals this this is the most fun I’ve ever had.” season. Maniscalco said he did not feel as if he was auditioning for the Canes’ After Canes forward Brock McGinn tied the score in a game against full-time play-by-play job in Toronto. He likened it more like former Dallas Columbus with a well-executed goal off the rush, Maniscalco said, “Tic- Cowboys quarterback Danny White. One day White was the backup QB tac-tie.” To which Tracy said, “Oh, boy you’re on your game today, for Roger Staubach and then he was named the starter when Staubach partner!” retired. You run with it. Maniscalco said he later got a text from Bob McGinn, Brock’s father, “The bubble games showed he was capable of doing the job,” Tracy said asking how long he had been thinking about using the line. The answer: in an interview. “I had done games with him on radio and TV is different, about a second. but I think those games in Toronto were important for our fan base because they got to see Mike call some very special moments.” “I don’t want to be cute and it’s not about me,” Maniscalco said. “It’s about the players on the ice and the game.” When Sebastian Aho made a sick move to score against the Rangers, Maniscalco quickly said, “What sorcery was that?” The Aho move and WHAT IF THE TV FEED GOES DEAD? Maniscalco’s quick and apt reaction made a lot of NHL highlight packages. There are challenges in this new age of monitor-called road games, relying on the home team’s TV feeds. You can’t always see what’s “Mike was going to get some more rope in an impossible situation from happening behind a play. A player might slip off the bench for medical our fan base because our fans recognize how genuine he is and they treatment and that might be missed. The coach might explode at a ref. And what if the TV feeds go dead and the screen goes blank? Maniscalco said that happened one time, adding, “It may only last a few seconds but can feel like an eternity.”

It helps that the TV crew working the truck remains the same and can help through any rough patches. Jim Mallia, a former hockey player, is the producer and Paul “Chopper” Hemming the director. Graphics producer Dean Meglio and EVS replay operator Tracy Cook have been on the crew for several years.

“They have made life so much easier for me,” Maniscalco said.

The pregame and postgame shows, anchored by Abby Labar and Willis, nicely complement the Bally broadcast package.

The Canes TV broadcast team will handle only the first round of the playoffs. Beyond that, if the Canes advance there are plans for a post- game wrap-up show.

Executive producer James Shapiro said he is “really pleased” with the way things have gone in an abnormal season.

“We love Mike, and his relationship with the team has made this transition work well for him,” Shapiro said in an interview. “He is incredibly familiar with our team and does a great job in transmitting that to the audience and transmitting a sense of excitement to the audience.

“Calling games off monitors, Mike and Tripp have done a great job dealing with that. It can be tough to adjust to that but there are times when you watch and unless they tell you, you don’t know they’re not on the road with the team. That’s a big compliment to Mike and Tripp.”

News Observer LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213643

Blackhawks' lottery odds for 2021 NHL Draft determined

BY CHARLIE ROUMELIOTIS

After the Calgary Flames defeated the 6-2 on Wednesday to officially wrap up the regular season, the Blackhawks have secured the 12th-best odds to land the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft at 2.7 percent. They have a 5.2 percent chance of locking up the No. 2 overall pick.

For reference, the Blackhawks had an 8.2 percent of landing a Top 3 pick in 2019 and moved nine spots from 12 to 3 to take Kirby Dach. The odds aren't favorable, but it's possible.

If the Blackhawks don't jump inside the Top 2 this year, they will likely have the No. 11 overall pick because the Arizona Coyotes forfeited their first-round selection for NHL combine testing violations.

The NHL Draft Lottery will be held on Wednesday, June 2. The draft is slated for July 23 and 24.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213644 Colorado Avalanche Sports bars embrace relaxed masking and full capacity just in time for Avalanche, Nuggets postseason: “When is the last time you hi-fived a stranger?”

Grubauer, non-top line players lead Avalanche past St. Louis for Grubauer’s work was rewarded at the 12:37 mark when Newhook made commanding 3-0 series lead it 2-0 with his first NHL goal (regular season or playoffs). Newhook initially centered a pass that went through traffic. Graves’ shot from the opposite point was turned away by Binnington … and right to Newhook, who slammed it home from the circle. By RYAN O’HALLORAN | PUBLISHED: May 21, 2021 at 10:26 p.m. | UPDATED: May 21, 2021 at 11:21 p.m. But again, the Blues came surging back and again, Grubauer stood tall, allowing the Avs to make it 3-0 when Jost was initially stopped on a 2-on-

1, but he flipped the rebound past Binnington. Blues coach Craig ST. LOUIS – The Stanley Cup Playoffs is a two-month slog and the Berube’s challenge of goalie interference was unsuccessful, putting the eventual winner must overcome injuries, overall adversity and off nights Avs on the power play with a chance to basically put the game away. by their top players. Instead, Tyler Bozak scored a short-handed marker for the Blues to give their bench hope. When discussing the looming suspension of center Nazem Kadri before Friday’s Game 3 against St. Louis, Avalanche coach Jared Bednar stated In the final half-minute of the second, the Avs missed two chances – an obvious, but still critical point. Gabe Landeskog was 1-on-1 against without-a-stick defenseman Colton Parayko but couldn’t get a shot off and Mikko Rantanen’s deflection at “If we’re getting to where we want to go, we’re going to need everyone,” the top of the crease was gloved by Binnington. he said. The Avalanche go for the sweep on Sunday knowing it won’t have Kadri Translation: Everyone must have Their Moment. until the second round at the earliest.

And in the Avalanche’s 5-1 win over the Blues, Ryan Graves, Alex Of the suspension’s length, Bednar said: “I’m a little surprised, to be Newhook, Tyson Jost and Brandon Saad had their big moments, scoring honest with you. I looked through all of the head-shot suspensions for the goals to give the Avs a commanding 3-0 lead in their first-round series. last year — a lot of two-gamers getting handed out that were significant J.T. Compher added an empty-netter to complete the scoring. hits to the head. We’ve had some guys put out with hits to the head who are still out with no suspension (or) two games.” “There will be nights where (the top line) don’t get the same looks (as usual),” Newhook said. “It’s up to us to step up and have different guys Denver Post: LOADED: 05.22.2021 every night. I think that’s a big strength of our team.”

Goalie Philipp Grubauer was sensational in stopping 31 shots, including 19 during a wild second period.

Game 4 is Sunday at 3 p.m. The Avalanche will try to achieve only its third sweep since moving to Colorado.

The Avalanche established a 3-0 series lead for the fifth time — the Cup final against Florida in 1996 (won in a sweep) and first-round matchups against Arizona (won in five in 2000), Vancouver (sweep in ’01) and Dallas (won in five in ’06).

In a game where the Avs’ power play was powerless (0 for 4) and allowed a short-handed marker while up 3-0, it was up to the aforementioned quartet to provide the offensive production and Grubauer to hold down the fort.

Clinging to a two-goal lead in the third period, the Avs’ defense tightened up — five shots allowed in the first 17 minutes and Saad’s second of the series with 6:18 remaining extinguished the Blues’ comeback hopes.

Grubauer was largely responsible for the Avalanche entering the second period in a scoreless tie.

Late in the first, he made two terrific saves, both on shots by Ivan Barbashev from just outside the blue paint and the Avs’ defense slow to react. Offense overall was difficult to attain — the Blues didn’t have their first shot until 4:10 in and the Avs’ first power play had as many shots as icing calls (one apiece).

“We knew they were going to come out hard, obviously down 2-0 and back in their building,” Saad said. “We did a good job of sticking with it and coming up with some big plays in the second.”

The Avs’ best first-period chance was from Saad at the 12:18 mark when he caught the Blues in a shoddy line change, but didn’t get much on his shot from the right side that went right into Jordan Binnington’s pads.

While Avalanche fans were trying to process Kadri’s eight-game suspension — announced by the NHL between the first and second periods — their team took a 1-0 lead.

Exiting the penalty box, Graves beat not-aggressive-enough Binnington, who had left his crease to play the puck. Graves won the race and his shot went in after deflecting off the paddle of Binnington’s goal-stick. It was Graves’ second goal in 18 career playoff games.

The Avalanche capitalized on the break to sustain momentum, right? Nope. It was all about Grubauer in the second period — nine saves in the first 8 1/2 minutes of the second period, several of the high-degree variety. 1213645 Colorado Avalanche

Blues-Avalanche Game 3 Quick Hits: Philipp Grubauer’s three-save close to first period a big moment

By MIKE CHAMBERS | May 21, 2021 at 10:18 p.m.

Quick hitters from the Avalanche’s 5-1 Game 3 win against St. Louis on Friday night:

Grubauer’s left pad

Avalanche goaltender Philipp Grubauer made three consecutive saves on Blues forward Ivan Barbashev late in the first period. All three stops came off Grubauer’s left leg pad — the seventh, eighth and ninth shots for the Blues in the period. Avs defenseman Ryan Graves finally stepped in and played the body on Barbashev, and the two got into a scrum and both were escorted to the penalty box for roughing minors with 11 seconds left in the period. When the penalties expired early in the second, Graves came out of the box and scored to give Colorado a 1-0 lead.

Compher steps up

J.T. Compher, the Avs’ fourth-line right winger in Games 1 and 2, is a natural center and stepped in for the suspended Nazem Kadri on the second line with wingers Andre Burakovsky and Joonas Donskoi. Compher also centered the third line at times, trading spots with Tyson Jost, and was effective in replacing Kadri, who will serve an eight-game suspension for his high hit on Blues defenseman Justin Faulk in Game 2. Kadri was replaced in the 12-man forward corps by Carl Soderberg, who was a winger on the fourth line. The Avs’ second-line alternatives were Compher, Tyson Jost, rookie Alex Newhook or Soderberg, and they settled on a combination of Compher and Jost.

Compher also added an empty net goal at the end of the third period. Avs beat the Blues 5-1.

Newhook nets first goal

Avs rookie forward Alex Newhook, 20, scored his first NHL goal to give Colorado a 2-0 lead at 12:37 of the second period. Graves had the assist for his second point of the game, firing a slap shot from the left wing. Newhook, playing on the fourth line, one-timed the rebound past goalie Jordan Binnginton for his first goal in nine NHL games, including three in the playoffs. Newhook, who completed his sophomore season at Boston College in March, is a future top-six scoring forward for the Avs and an ideal replacement for pending free agent Brandon Saad. Saad scored Colorado’s fourth goal off a beautiful centering pass from fellow winger Andre Burakovsky.

Denver Post: LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213646 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche rookie Alex Newhook scores first NHL goal against Blues in Stanley Cup playoffs

By JEFF BAILEY | May 21, 2021 at 9:17 p.m.

The rookie is on the board.

Colorado Avalanche center Alex Newhook scored his first career NHL goal against the St. Louis Blues in Game 3 of the first round Stanley Cup playoffs.

Coincidentally, Avs defenseman Cale Makar also scored his first goal in the playoffs … in Game 3 of the first round in 2019.

Newhook, 20, was drafted by the Avs in the first round of the 2019 NHL draft with the 16th pick.

The future is bright for the talented young buck.

Denver Post: LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213647 Colorado Avalanche Kadri’s suspension will be the second of this postseason — Florida’s Sam Bennett sat out the Panthers’ Game 2 loss to Tampa Bay for boarding Blake Coleman.

Avalanche center Nazem Kadri suspended eight games by NHL for Denver Post: LOADED: 05.22.2021 illegal hit in Game 2

By RYAN O’HALLORAN | PUBLISHED: May 21, 2021 at 3:56 p.m. | UPDATED: May 21, 2021 at 8:48 p.m.

ST. LOUIS – During the first intermission of the Avalanche’s Game 3 against the St. Louis Blues on Friday night, the NHL announced an eight- game suspension to Avs center Nazem Kadri for his illegal hit to the head of Blues defenseman Justin Faulk in Wednesday’s Game 2.

Kadri was already suspended for Game 3 and the ban takes him out of the remainder of the Avs-Blues series and several games of the second round if the Avalanche advances.

Kadri and the league met via Zoom earlier Friday.

In a video explaining the decision, the NHL said Kadri’s case centered on his attempt to make a “full-body check.”

“While we accept Kadri’s argument at his attempt to make a full body check, the head was the main point of contact of the hit,” the league said. “The brunt of this impact is absorbed by the head of Faulk. It is also important to note the head contact was avoidable.”

The league also pointed to Kadri’s “substantial disciplinary record,” as the reason why the suspension was so significant.

This is Kadri’s third postseason suspension in the last four years.

Because Kadri was ordered to have a hearing, the Avalanche knew he would not be available for Game 3. J.T. Compher took the warm-up rushes on the second line between Andre Burakovsky and Joonas Donskoi.

Faulk and Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo did not play in Game 3, the result of hits by Kadri and Avalanche center Tyson Jost, respectively.

Kadri’s offense won’t be tough to replace — he has one goal in his last 28 games while generally playing 13-18 minutes per night.

To take Kadri’s spot, the Avs turned to Carl Soderberg. Acquired from Chicago at the trade deadline for his second tour with the Avalanche, he hadn’t played since logging only 5 minutes, 44 seconds of ice time in a May 10 win at Vegas.

“He’s a veteran guy, plays really well in St. Louis and is the next man up in my opinion,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “Somebody else has to step up and go into (Kadri’s) place and Carl will come into the lineup and we’ll shuffle some lines around.”

Bednar opted for the practical approach, moving Compher from fourth- line right wing and replacing him with Soderberg instead of disrupting the Brandon Saad-Jost-Valeri Nichushkin third line by moving Jost up.

Friday was Soderberg’s 42nd career playoff game; he played all five last August for Arizona in its loss to the Avalanche.

“Just stay sharp and be ready for the next game,” he said of his approach. “Obviously, I’m very excited to get in tonight. It will be a lot of fun.”

The Avalanche have high hopes and if and the regular season taught it anything, dealing with attrition is critical. Kadri was the only Avs player to appear in all 56 regular season games and 26 players played at least 10 games.

“More depth is better than less depth,” Bednar said. “If we’re getting to where we want to go (this postseason), we’re going to need everyone.”

Everyone in the hockey world is aware of Kadri’s past playoff suspensions and this ban will be another chapter. As a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, he was banned three games in 2018 for boarding Boston’s Tommy Wingels and five games in ’19 for cross-checking Boston’s Jake DeBrusk. The Maple Leafs lost both series in seven games. 1213648 Colorado Avalanche Back at Esters, where a handful of self-described hardcore Avs fans witnessed Nathan MacKinnon’s hat trick, some inside the pub still wore masks. Denver resident Wally Waters, 35, explained why he felt at ease sticking with some COVID-19 protocols that he doesn’t view as obtrusive. Sports bars embrace relaxed masking and full capacity just in time for Avalanche, Nuggets postseason: “When is the last time you hi-fived a “We feel comfortable,” Waters said. “We’re all fully vaccinated. I still wore stranger?” my mask to the bathroom and washed my hands, thoroughly. The habits are better, for sure.”

Being a social sports fan has proven challenging in the pandemic. By KYLE FREDRICKSON | PUBLISHED: May 21, 2021 at 11:59 a.m. | Charles Lainson, 31, was among the handful of Avs supporters at Esters UPDATED: May 21, 2021 at 3:07 p.m. who relished a chance for normalcy.

It’s a reminder of why he loves sports.

A group of Avalanche fans from across metro Denver united this week to “There is something about seeing somebody else, who you never met cross a major pandemic milestone. before,” Lainson said, “and they’re cheering for the exact same moment that you’re cheering for.” Megan Walters, 31, had watched every game this season mostly isolated at home. But on Wednesday night, surrounded by Avs faithful at a table Denver Post: LOADED: 05.22.2021 inside Esters Neighborhood Pub, she ended a year-long hiatus from enjoying sports with friends in a public setting.

Sweet, vaccinated, and mask-less, relief.

“The best thing is the noise, being in a crowded spot, and having that environment,” said Walters amid roars from the table after each Avalanche goal in a 6-3 victory over St. Louis. “When is the last time you high-fived a stranger?”

The Sunday decision from Gov. Jared Polis — ending mask mandates and capacity restrictions for most retail businesses — was well received by Denver area sports bars, restaurants, hangouts, and their sports- obsessed guests. All just in time for the NHL and NBA playoffs, with the Nuggets opening playoff action Saturday night.

“We are hopeful and optimistic that the recently relaxed social distancing rules and capacity restrictions at local restaurants and sports bars, in tandem with the upcoming hockey and playoffs and July’s All- Star Game, will give our eating and drinking establishments a much- needed boost,” said Sonia Riggs, CEO of the nonprofit Colorado Restaurant Association, in a statement to The Denver Post. “Colorado restaurants collectively lost $3 billion in 2020, but they have begun walking to the path to recovery and playoff games will be an important part of that journey. … Even with some mandates eliminated, restaurants and sports bars will do everything they can to keep their guests and staff safe.”

Local eateries such as Esters, with locations in the Virginia Village and Oneida Park neighborhoods, welcome the projected revenue increase that coincides with deep Avalanche and Nuggets playoff runs. The pubs avoided closure in the pandemic with community support and the help of to-go pizzas, owner Paul Sullivan said. They are now 100% open with no masking requirements for vaccinated guests (honor system).

Esters’ staff will continue to wear masks, though, until its percentage of vaccinated workers eclipses around 85% in the coming weeks. It mirrors the early policies in place at a number of local sports bars.

“Overall, it’s been tremendously positive and a breath of fresh air,” Sullivan said. “Right at the beginning, we were slightly hesitant. It’s just been crazy for all of us to be wearing masks every day, and then, you don’t have to. We’re not requiring our customers to wear them right now. We still make them available to people.

“But seeing our bars open again, people hanging out with each other, cheering for the game and watching sports? It’s so great. I can’t even tell you.”

At Sports Column, a LoDo mainstay for more than two decades, general manager Kyle Hesseltine trained new staff this week in preparation for larger crowds during the playoffs. The first two Avalanche games, with late-night starts on weekdays, didn’t quite sell out the place. But he senses fan momentum building.

“It will just grow from here because of the way they’re playing,” Hesseltine said. “Every little bit is going to help. Obviously, we’ll never make up those dollars (lost in the pandemic), but it gets us back on the right track.”

AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post

Bartender Brittany Bogard clears dishes as patrons watch the Colorado Avalanche take on the St. Louis Blues in the first round of the NHL playoffs at Ester’s Pub in Denver on Wednesday, May 19, 2021. 1213649 Colorado Avalanche And after the puck went in, his teammates mobbed him. Pierre-Edouard Bellemare grabbed the 2019 first-round pick’s head in glee when he returned to the bench.

Rookie Alex Newhook nets his first NHL goal as the Avalanche seize a 3- “It was a pretty cool feeling,” Newhook said. “(Bellemare) told me (he) 0 series lead wished somebody had him on video for his celebration on the bench. I don’t know if somebody got that, but I’m sure it was pretty good.”

“He’s a 20-year-old kid living the dream,” said his mom, adding that her By Peter Baugh May 22, 2021 sleep schedule is out of whack thanks to Avalanche games starting at midnight Newfoundland time. “I could not be happier for him.”

Newhook has had a whirlwind stretch since turning pro in March. He’s ST. LOUIS — The projector monitor was frozen, but Paula and Shawn spent plenty of time online finishing his sophomore year Boston College Newhook didn’t mind one bit. Their son’s face was plastered on the classes, which he’s finally done with, and scored more than nine points in screen, a smile the size of Colorado stretched across his face. eight games with the Colorado Eagles in the AHL. When he recently Watching the Avalanche-Blues playoff game from Deer Park, received his first NHL paycheck, he used a chunk of it to buy his sister, Newfoundland, the two parents had just seen their son, Alex, pot his first Abby, a $499 pair of leather sneakers with sparkles she’d been wanting. NHL goal. They were outside, surrounded by 20 or so friends at a friend’s “They’re best friends,” Paula said of her son and daughter, who is a cottage an hour from their home in St. John’s, and the deck erupted in standout player herself set to attend Boston College in the fall. “I couldn’t cheers. Two thousand miles away, on the ice in St. Louis, Alex let out a ask for any better.” scream of his own as he pulled fellow rookie Conor Timmins in for a hug. Then the 20-year-old rookie skated to the bench, still grinning. Tyson Jost, another former Avalanche first-round pick, followed Newhook’s goal with one of his own, building the lead to three. But the That’s when the screen in Newfoundland froze. It stuck on Newhook’s Blues got one back on a short-handed tally from Tyler Bozak. face for a minute: long enough for the two parents to dart in front and pose for a picture. Bednar wasn’t pleased with his team’s second period in general, even if the Avalanche outscored St. Louis 3-1 in the 20-minute stretch. He called “The smile on his face, I can’t even put words to it,” Paula said via phone his team opportunistic, saying that it didn’t execute well and wasn’t good during the game, which the Avalanche went on to win, taking a on its breakouts. But he was happy about Newhook’s goal and is excited commanding 3-0 series lead. for what it could portend. Shawn and Paula Newhook after their son’s goal. (Via Paula Newhook) “I’m happy for him because I think he can gain some confidence from “It’s great to take it all in,” Alex Newhook said postgame. “I tried my best that,” Bednar said. “I think he can gain some confidence from that. He’s to do that.” been getting a little better every game. You start to see flashes of his skill.” For the Avalanche, Newhook’s first goal carries significance beyond being a feel-good moment, because he is the type of player Colorado will Then there were the goalies. After taking a shot at Binnington’s post- need to step up going forward in the playoffs, especially with Nazem Game 1 antics in his Thursday news conference (“If he feels the need to Kadri set to miss more than a series-worth of games. The league threw come down and do that stuff and fake punch guys, so be it. … I worry down a lofty eight-game suspension Friday on the second-line center, about my game.”), Avalanche netminder Philipp Grubauer outplayed his who was ejected Wednesday for an illegal check to Blues defenseman counterpart, making 31 of 32 saves. He showed good range of motion, Justin Faulk’s head. The league cited his history — he’d been suspended making pad saves and sliding to stop Blues players trying to jab pucks in five times previously and twice during the postseason, all while playing the corner of the net. with the Maple Leafs — when justifying the severity of the suspension. “There’s a lot of nights Grubi is really good and you just don’t even “I’m a little surprised, to be honest with you,” coach Jared Bednar said. “I notice,” Graves said. “He just makes saves look effortless. Time and time looked through all the headshot suspensions for the last year. (There again he bails us out when we make mistakes. There were times in the were) a lot of two-gamers (the league) had handed out that were game where they were getting some chances and taking it to us a little significant hits to the head. … Generally, the rule of thumb is in the bit. He really held it down for us and allowed us to keep our lead and, at playoffs you get a little less, and he got significantly more. It is what it is. the end of the day, get the win.” We have to deal with it, and we need other guys to step up.” In the third, Saad gave the Avalanche a three-goal cushion in the fourth. That wasn’t a problem Friday for the Avalanche, who won 5-1. They did it Then, with his parents watching from the lower bowl, J.T. Compher all without a goal from Mikko Rantanen, Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel batted in an empty-net goal off the boards. Landeskog, Andre Burakovsky or Joonas Donskoi, their five leading goal When the final horn sounded, Colorado had put itself one win from scorers from the regular season. Cale Makar, Devon Toews and Samuel advancing to Round 2 for the second consecutive year, and the team Girard, their three top-scoring defensemen, didn’t have goals, either. skated to congratulate Grubauer on his strong showing. But the enduring But the team’s depth — players like Newhook — got the job done. image from the game might be Newhook’s smile.

“That’s a big part of playoffs,” said Brandon Saad, who scored his second It certainly is for his mother. goal in two games. “It can’t be the top line every night, and I think we did “I will never take back this feeling,” she said. a good job chipping in tonight.” The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021 Blueliner Ryan Graves, generally known for his defensive abilities, not his scoring, got the Avalanche started. Coming out of the penalty box, he chased a puck into the offensive zone, then dodged Blues goalie Jordan Binnington, who had charged up ice in hopes of knocking away the puck.

“It kind of squeaked out to a really good spot for me,” said Graves, who had been assessed a penalty with Blues forward Ivan Barbashev for roughing. “That’s kind of the stuff in the box you’re thinking about. It’s wishful thinking, but it’s nice. It was a big goal for us.”

Graves, who celebrated his 26th birthday with a three-point night, also set up Newhook’s goal, slapping the puck at Binnington, who allowed a rebound that slid right to Newhook.

Bednar has been complimentary of Newhook since the top prospect’s call-up earlier this month, but the coach recently noted he’d probably already have a goal if a few more of his shots were on target. Well, Newhook didn’t miss with an open net in front of him after Graves’ shot. 1213650 Colorado Avalanche Joonas Donskoi and Andre Burakovsky. Those five led the Avs in regular-season goals. Cale Makar also did not score.

Instead, the five different goal scorers were defenseman Ryan Graves, Deen’s List: Avalanche take 3-0 series lead over St. Louis as Nazem forward Brandon Saad, and the aforementioned centermen in Newhook, Kadri begins eight-game suspension Jost and Compher.

St. Louis won the Cup in 2019 by relying on a deep lineup. Colorado is doing that right now. But it also has higher-end talent leading the way By Aarif Deen - May 22, 2021 that the Blues did not have.

First career goal

Listen to “Heart of a Landy” on Spreaker. Not many could say their first career NHL goal was a game-winning goal in the third game of a series that could put your team up 3-0. Newhook “Players who repeatedly violate league playing rules will be more can. severely punished for each new violation.” The 20-year-old capitalized on a loose puck off the rebound of a shot That statement came straight from the Department of Player Safety’s from Graves and put it into the open net. Newhook played 8:32, the most video explaining center Nazem Kadri’s eight-game suspension. ice time he’s seen in the playoffs. Kadri was ejected in the third period of Game 2 for an illegal check to the “That was a big point in the game so I was happy to put that home and head of Blues defenseman Justin Faulk. give us a two-goal lead,” hNewhook said. The news broke during the first intermission of the Avalanche’s 5-1 Birthday boy victory over the St. Louis Blues on Friday at . Colorado built a 3-0 series lead with an opportunity to complete the sweep Sunday. Graves is going to remember this night for a long time as well. Celebrating his 26th birthday, the big, stay-at-home defenseman scored Whether or not the series ends in four games, it’ll end without Kadri. the opening goal on a breakaway and added two assists. Kadri’s suspension was definitely warranted. And the fact that he had “I don’t remember the last time I had a hockey game on my birthday,” already accumulated five suspensions in a career that spans just over Graves said. 700 games was enough to throw the book at him. His opening goal was every hockey player’s dream. Graves was in the But eight games in the playoffs are a lot, regardless of who you’re box serving a roughing minor that began late in the first period. Just as suspending. The NHL often suspends players for less in the playoffs he stepped out of the box, he went in on a breakaway and beat goalie because of the importance of each game. Jordan Binnington to the puck and shot it towards the open net. Which is something Avs coach Jared Bednar referenced as he Binnington got a piece of it but it still found the back of the net to open expressed his disagreement in the lengthy suspension. the scoring.

“I’m a little surprised, to be honest with you,” Bednar said. “I looked Happy birthday, Ryan. through all the headshot suspensions for the last year. A lot of two- Complete the sweep gamers getting handed out. Significant hits to the head. We’ve had some guys put out with hits to the head and are still out with no suspension.” The Avalanche have an opportunity to complete the sweep in Sunday’s matinee matchup. And if history has taught us anything, it’s that a sweep “Generally the rule of thumb is that playoffs you get a little less and he in the Stanley Cup playoffs for this club leads to winning hockey’s holy got significantly more.” grail. To believe for a moment that Kadri’s hit was intention or that he’s yet to Colorado has swept a four-game series just twice in its 25-year history. In learn his lesson is nonsense. In 2018 and 2019, Kadri made boneheaded 1996, the Avs defeated the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final in plays out of frustration that were deserving of longer suspensions — like four games. And five years later, the Presidents’ Trophy-winning the five games he ended up missing in 2019. But this was a hit gone bad Avalanche opened the 2001 playoffs by ousting the Vancouver Canucks — really bad. It was by no means a malicious play. in four games before going on to win its second Stanley Cup. One extra stride, one second, one look and it would’ve been a shoulder- Something about that 2001 season sounds all too familiar. Let’s see if to-shoulder collision. It’s bad luck for all involved. this version of the Avs can continue to mimic the last Cup-winning team. Kadri has not been suspended or faced and discipline from the DoPS Another quietly strong game from Grubauer since his arrival in Colorado nearly two years ago. Someway, somehow, Avs goalie Philipp Grubauer has barely been “They lay out the rules of what’s a repeat offender and in my talked about in any of the Avalanche’s three wins. Despite surrendering understanding, it’s 18 months,” Bednar said. “So you watch the video and just five goals and holding a .944 save-percentage, Grubauer has often they talk about him being a repeat offender, but he’s not. He’s been with been an afterthought to Colorado’s high-flying offense or physicality from us for 18 months and he doesn’t have any history.” Landeskog. And obviously, Kadri’s suspension. Kadri has struggled in the latter part of 2021. He has just two goals in his Grubauer once again took a backseat to Newhook, Graves and others on last 29 games and lost his place on the top power-play unit. But make no Friday. He made 31 saves, including 16 in the second period. The game mistake, Kadri is a vital piece of this team. Especially in the playoffs, was scoreless after 20 minutes and St. Louis outshot the Avs 17-12 in where he thrived in 2020 and is one of Colorado’s more physical that middle period. But Colorado had the first three goals and entered the forwards. third up 3-1. And it was partly thanks to Grubauer. If there was any silver lining from his suspension, it’s that it created an “It’s been the story of our year he’s been playing well all year,” Graves opportunity for the younger centermen to step up. And not long after his said of Grubauer. “He’s been our best player a lot of nights. There are suspension was announced, rookie center Alex Newhook scored his first nights that Nate takes over or Mikko takes over. But there are a lot of career goal, the eventual game-winner, to make it 2-0. That was followed nights that Grubi is really good and you just don’t notice that he’s been so by a goal from third-line center Tyson Jost — his first of the playoffs. good in net. He just makes saves look effortless. Time and time again he J.T. Compher centered the second line in Kadri’s place Friday. And he bails us out when we make mistakes.” had the empty-net goal. milehighsports.com LOADED: 05.22.2021 The Deen’s List:

Depth carries the load

None of the Avalanche’s five goals came from the top line of Nathan MacKinnon, Gabe Landeskog, Mikko Rantanen, or second-line wingers 1213651 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche center Nazem Kadri suspended eight games for illegal check to the head

By Aarif Deen - May 21, 2021

Avalanche center Nazem Kadri was suspended from the Stanley Cup playoffs for eight games Friday night. The announcement came from the NHL’s Department of Plater Safety in the midst of Colorado’s Game 3 matchup against the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center.

Kadri, 30, was ejected from Game 2 in the third period after laying out Blues defenseman Justin Faulk with an illegal check to the head. St. Louis scored once on its five-minute power-play advantage, pulling within a goal before falling 6-3, giving the Avs a 2-0 series lead.

It was announced Thursday morning that the NHL offered Kadri an in- person Zoom hearing, which gave them the ability to suspend him for more than five games. His history of playoff suspensions and the severity of the hit played a large part in that decision.

Kadri was traded to the Avalanche nearly two years ago after two consecutive suspensions in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2018 and 2019 with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

“Players who repeatedly violate league playing rules will be more severely punished for each new violation,” the DoPS said of his suspension.

In 2018, Kadri was handed a three-game suspension in Toronto’s opening round against Boston. Playing against the Bruins again the following year, Kadri was suspended for the remainder of the series at the conclusion of Game 2 for cross-checking Boston’s Jake DeBrusk. The Maple Leafs went on to lose both series in seven games.

This is the sixth suspension of Kadri’s career.

He appeared in all 15 Avs playoff games in 2020, recording a career-high nine goals and 18 points in his first season with Colorado. Kadri also had five game-winning goals and was an integral part of the Avs’ top power- play unit.

After a decent start to his 2021 season, Kadri struggled in the latter part of the season. He has one goal in his past 29 games, which includes the first two games of the series.

Center Carl Soderberg replaced Kadri in the lineup for Game 3. milehighsports.com LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213652 Colorado Avalanche THOUGHTS Jared Bednar said he was “surprised” by the eight-game suspension to

Kadri, but I really wasn’t. I don’t blame Bednar, though, for being Berube, Blues act wearing thin confused by the NHL’s “repeat offender” policy, which is straight out of Joseph Heller’s “Catch-22”. Essentially, the league’s position on this is: “We’re going to publicly say your past recent history (18 months) has no bearing on this situation, but in reality it does.” Published 37 mins ago on May 22, 2021By Adrian Dater “He’s not a repeat offender, by the league’s definition,” Bednar said.

All that said: I think what Kadri got is about right. Whether he meant to do ST. LOUIS – First off, I like the people in St. Louis. The Loo. Quick story it or not, which Kadri said he didn’t mean to, it happened. Just make the from today: So, I’m getting on the MetroLink back to the airport stop, policy clear now, NHL; we all know Kadri had a previous rap sheet and where I’ll then take the free shuttle to the cheap airport hotel I’m staying. this was another bad incident. Just say it, and be done with it. You invited An older guy and his wife tell me which side of the tracks to get on the second-guessing from Bednar on your confusing fine-print here. MetroLink, which I was genuinely confused by. He also gives me the second half of two one-way tickets I bought, which I left in the bin below. For those who don’t like the fact that guys sometimes hit each other in the game of hockey and don’t like that occasionally guys get hurt as a I say thanks and ask what’s in his bag. He says it’s a signed mystery result? Just stop watching and commenting on hockey, would you puck from a Blues thing they did at the arena, but he doesn’t know who please? Go watch the NBA and LeBron James fake getting hit and signed it when he opens it. I tell him it was signed by Marco Scandella. flopping on the floor like a breathless flounder out of water. Bye BYE. He says thanks and asks where I’m from. I say I’m a guy who has covered the Avalanche for the last 26 years, starting in 1995 with one of Speaking of confused by the fine print: why do we all have to wear masks my first trips to this very city. inside an arena, like tonight, yet the CDC says we don’t need to wear masks anymore if we’re vaccinated? Honestly, we couldn’t even drink He gets the most sour look on his face you’ve ever seen. As did his wife. water in the press box tonight, because of virus concerns. I’m not even They still wished me well in my travels. trying to be political here. But what the hell is the official policy for this As I said, I like the people of St. Louis. Tough, grinding Midwestern thing? Is the Center for Disease Control in charge here, in saying we people. I identify. My Lyft driver from the airport gave me some great don’t need to wear a mask, or is it some podunk city commissioner in a barbecue suggestions for tomorrow – so, hello Pappy’s. (By the way, this city like St. Louis? Pardon me for being confused. is the first time I’d admitting this but: I did some Lyft driving in my time in Frankly, I think the policy that coaches still need to wear a mask on the the wilderness the last several years. As I type this, I have 1,899 rides to bench, but NONE of the players need to, is just pure idiocy at this point. my credit, and a perfect 5.0 rating. I don’t think I’ve driven in more than So, the coaches are more likely to transmit the virus than a player sitting 18 months, but I believe my driver status is still active on the platform. eight inches in front of them? Hey, I made some good hockey conversation with a lot of passengers, most of them who never knew who I was). This is just getting stupid.

That’s why it’s been so anti-St. Louis, anti-Missourian work ethic to hear See you Sunday. Blues coach Craig Berube whine so much in this lopsided series, especially after tonight’s 5-1 thrashing in which the Avalanche won Colorado hockey now LOADED: 05.22.2021 handily despite getting nothing from the top line and nothing from the power play.

Hear Berube here and ask if he wants any wine with that cheese:

Seriously? OK, I get it. The Blues had a reason to be hopping mad at the world after Game 2. Veteran defenseman Justin Faulk was injured by a bad, bad hit by Nazem Kadri, and they lost the game to boot. I would have been screaming bloody murder too. But Kadri was suspended EIGHT GAMES by the NHL Department of Player Safety tonight. That should address Berube’s and GM Doug Armstrong’s “concern” about how, gee, players sometimes get hurt in this game played by men on skates going 20-30 MPH and, gee, sometimes they hit each other and, gee, sometimes injuries happen as a result.

(Armstrong’s crocodile tears moment to one of his Canadian reporter buddies today was a pathetic display of hypocrisy. That actual headline on this sad piece says “no repercussions” for what happened to one of his players. Hello, Kadri got EIGHT GAMES as a repercussion!)

I watched the game intently tonight from my perch at Enterprise Center, and I saw nothing to back up Berube’s claims of lopsided officiating. In fact, I saw lots of Blues players – such as aging center Brayden Schenn – trying haphazard, ham-handed old-school tactics such as grabbing Cale Makar by the jersey at the end of the first period and trying to goad him into something. Instead, Schenn just played the fool by skating away, much like he did when he got his ass handed to him in a fight with the captain of the Avs in Game 1.

I saw Blues dingbat forward Sammy Blais (who got suspended two games this season for an elbow to the head of Devon Toews, which – oh, think of the children! – must not happen, ever, according to the very concerned Doug Armstrong) run around and hit Sam Girard in the back with a cross-check. I saw Colton Parayko mostly just cross-check a few guys tonight, and not much else.

In short, I saw a St. Louis Blues team that can’t compete against the Colorado Avalanche right now, but wants to blame it all on the refs. I suspect the Blues might have a little bit of class when this series is over, in the next day or two, but I wonder? With Berube and Armstrong in charge of this club, we might be in for a little more whining yet. 1213653 Colorado Avalanche

Depth dominates as Avalanche take commanding 3-0 series lead

Published 4 hours ago on May 22, 2021By Scott MacDonald

Through Games 1 and 2 of this first-round series against the Blues, the Avalanche relied heavily on production from their lethal top line of Gabe Landeskog, Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon, who is so far playing like an early Conn Smythe favorite.

But let’s not get too ahead of ourselves now.

That aforementioned trio—who many would agree is likely the best line in the entire NHL—had combined for 6 goals and 16 points through the first two contests of their 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

That’s more goals and points than the rest of the team combined.

Regardless of this uneven offensive distribution, the Avalanche still managed to head into St. Louis with a 2-0 series lead.

But on Friday night, the cavalry showed up.

Led by the birthday boy, Ryan Graves—who opened the scoring, before soon after assisting on rookie Alex Newhook’s first goal—Colorado’s collective depth made a much-needed appearance at Enterprise Center Friday evening. Tyson Jost and J.T. Compher each scored their first of the postseason, while Brandon Saad also notched another.

In fact, three different lines chipped in goals on Friday.

None of them were the top trio.

“That’s a big part of the playoffs, having a deep team,” Saad said. “It can’t be the top line every night. I think we did a good job of chipping in tonight.”

“Our top line does a lot of producing…it’s up to us to step up some nights. That’s a strength of our team,” Newhook agreed.

Offense, in general, is the strength of this Avalanche team so far in the postseason. The Avs lead the playoff pack with 15 goals and a goals-per- game average of five.

Not lost in the offensive outbursts of the Avalanche, though, is the depth at defense, namely the penalty kill, which head coach Jared Bednar raved about after the game. In addition to Graves and Jost, other depth players, like Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Patrik Nemeth and Val Nichushkin all chipped in to help keep the Colorado penalty kill perfect on Friday night.

Some credit where credit is due must also be offered to Philipp Grubauer, who remains a perfect 3-0 in the 2021 NHL Playoffs with the win in St. Louis. He’s sporting an impressive .944 save percentage and 1.67 goals-against average through this first series.

The depth—at every position—is always the key to any team’s success in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Through the first two games of this year’s tournament, the Avs’ top line has upheld their end of the bargain. The team depth gave them a much-needed and well-deserved night off in Game 3.

“Our depth scoring is huge for us, and we’re not trying to rely on just one line. Depth is a big part of our game,” Graves said after the game. “Depth scoring is huge. We feel like that’s been a big thing in our lineup all season, and for the past two seasons…guys have just stepped up time and time again.

“We really do believe in that next-man-up mentality.”

We’ll see what Sunday afternoon brings in St. Louis, Missouri. It’s safe to assume the Blues will bring their best, with backs against the wall. Will the Avalanche depth have what it takes to withstand the desperate St. Louis attack? If they can, it would be the Avs first postseason sweep since the 2001 playoffs.

And we all remember what happened that season.

Colorado hockey now LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213654 Colorado Avalanche

Nazem Kadri suspended eight games by NHLPublished 6 hours ago on May 21, 2021By Adrian Dater

Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire

ST. LOUIS – Eight games. That’s the suspension levied by the NHL Department of Safety tonight against Avalanche center Nazem Kadri, for his Game 2 hit to the head of St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk.

The word came down after the first period of tonight’s Avalanche-Blues Game 3 at Enterprise Center, which was scoreless after the first period. The Department of Player Safety explained its decision in this video.

Kadri delivered the hit principally to the head, the league said, “on a hit where such contact was avoidable.” In the video, the league said Kadri argued that he was trying to deliver a full body check, not to the head. But, the league said, “the head was the main point of contact on the hit.”

The league said Kadri took an angle on the hit that went ahead of Faulk’s “core.”

The suspension started with tonight’s game. J.T. Compher centered the second line tonight, with Joonas Donskoi and Andre Burakovsky.

Colorado hockey now LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213655 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche-Blues Game 3 preview: Carl Soderberg ready to play; Kadri awaits suspension

Published 15 hours ago on May 21, 2021By Adrian Dater

ST. LOUIS – The answer is yes: suspended NHL players can still practice with the team. That was evidenced this morning by Nazem Kadri being on the ice here at Enterprise Center, where the Avalanche will play the St. Louis Blues in Game 3 of a quarterfinal playoff series tonight. Kadri, though, is going to be suspended by the NHL for his hit on Blues defenseman Justin Faulk in Game 2. The only question remains: for how long?

Kadri was scheduled to have a hearing with the NHL Department of Safety today, via Zoom call. It is not known whether the call has already taken place or not, as I type this. But the NHL is expected to render a decision by later this afternoon.

Carl Soderberg, coach Jared Bednar confirmed, will take Kadri’s spot in the lineup. There weren’t any formal line rushes at the morning skate here, so we don’t know exactly with whom Carl with skate with in the game.

“Wherever they want to play me is fine with me,” Soderberg said. “I’m excited to play.”

The Blues will be without Faulk tonight, along with defenseman Robert Bortuzzo, who also suffered an upper-body injury in Game 2. Blues leading scorer David Perron was not on the ice this morning for the Blues either, as it’s assumed he’s still in the league Covid-19 protocol.

Bednar said he expects a physical Blues team tonight, especially at the start. That’s the way teams have tried to play the Avs all year, though, he said.

“So, we’ll be ready for that, as we always have,” he said.

Personally? I think the Blues are going to be very physical, and that we should all be prepared for potential outrage at stuff the Blues do.

NOTEBOOK: Bednar said the main goal for the team tonight is to “play a full 60 minutes. We’ve had stretches of games where we’ve done a lot of good things, but we haven’t played a full 60, haven’t played to the standards we’ve set for ourselves.” … Kadri wore a regular jersey and appeared to be in decent spirits. Players gave him stick taps to the pants for encouragement, things like that. … The Avs remain pretty heavy favorites to win even with the game in St. Louis, as evidenced by this review of popular betting apps for NHL hockey.

Colorado hockey now LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213656 Columbus Blue Jackets community, especially military families, and was named the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation’s Community MVP for his efforts in 2020-21.

Atkinson’s community service included a virtual 5K race in June that Former Blue Jackets assistant Brad Shaw 'disappointed' in departure, raised money to help the OhioHealth Foundation purchase a rapid- thankful for memories response COVID-19 testing device, toy and food drives in December 2020 for patients and frontline workers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and raising funds to help the R-Bar — a popular pub for Blue Jackets fans — stay afloat during the pandemic. Brian Hedger He and wife Natalie also adopted four families dealing with military

deployments during the holidays and Atkinson supported Black Lives Brad Shaw is doing what most people do when they prepare to move. Matter through social media platforms and monetary donations to the Columbus chapter of the NAACP and The Conscious Kid Anti-Racist The former Blue Jackets assistant coach is getting his house ready for Children’s Book Education Fund. sale by painting rooms and caulking where needed. It’s just part of the deal for a professional hockey coach, but the feeling Shaw has while All 31 NHL teams nominate a player for the trophy, which former Blue preparing to leave this stop is a little different than what he’d previously Jackets captain Nick Foligno was awarded in 2016-17. experienced in a 22-year coaching career. Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 05.22.2021 This one included a 16-game winning streak that nearly tied an NHL record in 2016-17, a 10-0 rout of the Montreal Canadiens the same season and, of course, Jackets’ shocking sweep of the Tampa Bay Lightning two years ago for the first playoff series victory in franchise history.

“I was 10 years in St. Louis and we never won 16 in a row in those 10 years,” said Shaw, 57, who also played 15 years professionally before becoming a coach. “We never beat anybody 10-0. I’ve never seen that before. That sweep against Tampa was one of the more satisfying things in my career. To turn the hockey world upside down for a week was just an incredible six or seven days we went through there. The fans were outrageously good.”

Shaw vividly remembers how it felt at after the sweep was official, despite the Jackets finishing last in the Central Division this season.

“I can still feel the chills in that arena when the first goal went in the empty net,” he said. “It’s a city that I think is still learning to embrace (an NHL) team. With all the real diehard fans there are here, I know there are more fans that are just lurking a little bit away from it.”

A whole family of them live right across the street.

“They didn’t really pay attention to hockey until we moved in, and now the middle boy’s hockey mad,” Shaw said of his neighbors. “He’s real good and the young one’s going to play hockey, so they’re huge fans now. I think that’s one of the most special things you can do is touch these young kids and get them excited about what I consider the best sport you can get involved in. That’s what’s fun about it is turning people onto it.”

It’s also fun for Shaw to work with NHL players, which is the biggest reason he’d like to keep doing it as either an assistant or head coach someday. Shaw will not be interviewed for the Blue Jackets’ vacancy to replace head coach John Tortorella, an opportunity assistant Brad Larsen will get, but he didn't lament much about a situation that has roiled fans online.

“I was disappointed,” Shaw said. “I would’ve loved to do it. Just going through the interview process makes you better, but that’s their decision and they’re going to go in a different direction. So, I respect that.”

He also respects how far the Blue Jackets have come.

“We took a step as a team,” Shaw said. “It’s hard to remember that after this year, when you feel like you sort of took a backwards step, but the trajectory is still heading in the right direction – and that’s what’s exciting for all the fans still in place here.”

Atkinson up for King Clancy

Cam Atkinson is the Blue Jackets’ nominee for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for the second year in a row.

The award, named after former NHL player, coach, referee and executive Francis M. “King” Clancy, is presented to a player who “best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and who has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution to his community.”

Atkinson finished second in team scoring with 15 goals, 19 assists and 34 points and helped keep the Blue Jackets focused during a turbulent season. He also made numerous contributions to the Columbus 1213657 Dallas Stars “Jake came in and did an unbelievable job for us,” Nill said. “For a guy that hasn’t had that much pro experience, how he performed is very admirable. He’s a great young man. His work ethic is unbelievable and he’s just going to continue to improve.” Stars have too many goaltenders but have many different choices of how to solve their problem This wouldn’t prevent Oettinger from playing in the NHL at all, but it would drastically reduce his playing time in Dallas. He’d be the first recall if there’s an injury to Bishop or Khudobin, and would be available during the playoffs as rosters expand. By Matthew DeFranks9:06 PM on May 21, 2021 CDT — Updated at 9:10 PM on May 21, 2021 CDT Oettinger is waivers exempt until he plays 24 more games in the NHL.

Option 3: Trade Khudobin in the offseason, leaving Bishop and Oettinger in the NHL and Scheel starting in the AHL. The Stars have a goaltending issue. Trading Khudobin this summer would be selling him at his lowest value, It may be a good problem to have, as goaltending depth is something as an older goaltender coming off a bad year with two seasons left on his many teams around the league cannot boast. It may be a bad problem to contract. The market after the run to the Cup Final was robust enough to have, as the three-car pileup of Ben Bishop, Anton Khudobin and Jake get a three-year contract out of Dallas for a backup goalie, but that’s not Oettinger steals NHL playing time from one of them, and devotes assets the same situation as right now. elsewhere. But there tends to always be some sort of demand for goaltenders. At the Either way, this summer could bring more clarity on the team’s trade deadline, David Rittich fetched a third-round pick, Devan Dubnyk goaltending before training camp in September. was worth Greg Pateryn and a fifth. Last summer, Jake Allen (and a Bishop should be returning after missing all of the 2020-21 season seventh) was dealt for a second (and a seventh). following knee surgery in October. Khudobin is coming off his worst Perhaps teams are more averse to adding a goalie with a $3.333 million season as a Star and has two years remaining on his contract. Oettinger cap hit during a flat cap world, but there are teams that will lose a goalie will be trying to build off an impressive rookie season in which he led the to either expansion or free agency, and Khudobin could fill a role. Stars in both save percentage (.911) and goals against average (2.36). The unusual (but possible) So what can the Stars do to solve their problem? Well, they’ve got plenty of options, ranging from the practical to the unusual (but possible) to the Option 4: Bishop isn’t ready to play, leaving Khudobin and Oettinger in unrealistic. the NHL, and Scheel starting in the AHL.

“If Ben’s healthy, we’ve got three healthy goalies,” Stars general Nill said the Stars would wait and see how Bishop is this summer before manager Jim Nill said. “We have different options we can use with those making decisions on their future, with Bishop scheduled to start skating in goalies if need be. We’re going to have to walk along here, see where June and July: “We’ll get a good feel for that then,” Nill said. everybody’s at. We’re in a good position because we have depth at that position.” What if Bishop isn’t ready to command the full workload of a No. 1 goalie, or if he suffers a setback? It’s not a situation that the Stars obviously The practical want, but it’s something that’s arose through Bishop’s years in Dallas, as he’s missed time injured in each of his three seasons in Victory Green. Option 1: Seattle takes Khudobin in the expansion draft, leaving Bishop and Oettinger in the NHL and Adam Scheel starting in the AHL. The Stars went through it this season, when Bishop missed all 56 games after knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus. The team initially thought The simplest and cleanest solution involves Seattle. Bishop could be back five months after surgery, it had hope for a return Khudobin will be exposed in the expansion draft (Bishop will be protected in April and then he was shut down for the season. due to his no-movement clause while Oettinger is not eligible to be “I think when Ben is healthy, he’s one of the top three to five goalies in selected), and the Kraken could find his 2020 postseason tempting. the league and he’s showed that,” Nill said. “He’s a guy that can be a Before the season, it seemed like this was going to be the most likely difference maker for you in the playoffs and winning the Stanley Cup. I option for the expansion draft, especially coming off the run to the think it’s important for him to get back with us. He’s a big part of our Stanley Cup Final. team, our leadership group. He’s a guy that’s puts us over the top.” But Khudobin struggled during an inconsistent season in which he had a Even if Bishop’s knee is fully healthy, the Stars may be wary of Bishop’s .905 save percentage, 2.54 GAA and was pulled five times. He turned 35 injury history, especially as he turns 35 years old in November. The best earlier this month, and has two more years left on his contract that has a insurance against an injured Bishop might be two backups in Khudobin $3.333 million cap hit. That’s not an enticing package for a team starting and Oettinger. from scratch. Option 5: Carry three goaltenders on the roster, with Bishop, Khudobin Add in that the Stars will have a quality forward (probably Jason and Oettinger in the NHL and Scheel starting in the AHL. Dickinson) exposed in the draft, and Seattle has better options in Dallas. Plus, there’s a host of goalies available for Seattle, either during Very few teams do this during a normal season. The Blackhawks did it expansion (, Jake Allen or ) or unrestricted free with their trio of goalies this season, the Rangers did so in 2019-20, but agency (Antti Raanta, Chris Driedger, Jaroslav Halak, Petr Mrazek, it’s a rarity in the NHL for a few reasons. Philipp Grubauer, Jonathan Bernier or Mike Smith). With a 23-man roster, it leaves just 20 places for skaters. That means the The Stars could entice the Kraken to select Khudobin by sending a draft Stars would only have space for one extra forward and one extra pick to Seattle, but Nill has been reticent to part with picks after recent defenseman, which limits day-to-day flexibility should injuries arise. drafts that were light on selections. Practices become tougher to rotate three goalies because, well, there’s only two nets. Option 2: Send Oettinger to the AHL next season, leaving Bishop and Khudobin in the NHL, Oettinger and Scheel in the AHL. It would also mean the Stars would devote $9.175 million to goaltending with three goalies on the roster, with Oettinger’s extra $925,000 cost Oettinger is still waivers exempt, meaning he can still be sent to the AHL noteworthy on a team that’s always tight to the salary cap. without being exposed to other teams, and this would be the easiest way to maintain the team’s inventory in the crease. Unlike the NHL, Oettinger It would allow the Stars to rotate through all three goalies fairly regularly, would be able to start in and would get to play the lion’s share of keeping them ready to play if injuries happen and fresh once the games in Cedar Park. postseason arrives. If Dallas wants to go this route, the message is clear to Oettinger: we want you playing in the NHL. The downside is that Oettinger outperformed Khudobin this season, and would be banished to the AHL. He proved he belonged in the NHL with Option 6: Waive Khudobin, leaving Bishop and Oettinger in the NHL and his play, but a contract could send him down to Texas. Khudobin (if he’s not claimed by another team) and Scheel in the AHL. It would be an unceremonious exit from the organization for Khudobin should this unlikely scenario unfold. It might also only occur during the season if Khudobin suffers through a particularly rough patch, which he’s been adept at avoiding in Dallas.

The Stars wouldn’t get anything in return for Khudobin if he’s claimed by another team, but they wouldn’t get anything from Seattle if the Kraken select him, anyways. It also wouldn’t provide a ton of cap relief, as Khudobin’s contract would carry a buried cap hit of $2.258 million for him to be in the minors.

The unrealistic

Option 7: Expose Bishop in expansion draft, leaving Khudobin and Oettinger in the NHL and Scheel starting in the AHL.

Bishop has a no movement clause that means the Stars must protect him in the expansion draft, In theory, Bishop could waive his NMC, but there’s no real reason for him to and Nill said “I haven’t even considered” asking Bishop to waive it.

In certain cases, injured players that have missed more than 60 games in the previous two seasons are exempt from the expansion draft. Bishop is not one of those players, and must be protected.

Option 8: Trade Bishop, leaving Khudobin and Oettinger in the NHL and Scheel starting in the AHL.

Again, Bishop’s NMC calls the shots here, and there’s not much of a reason for Bishop to waive it. Plus, the Stars showed this season that the Khudobin-Oettinger combo was good, but not great. This Stars team needs great goaltending to succeed.

Option 9: Trade Oettinger, leaving Bishop and Khudobin in the NHL and Scheel starting in the AHL.

The only way that trading your goalie of the future makes any sense (especially in the summer after his rookie season) is if he is part of a package for an immediate impact player and if you think Scheel is capable of evolving into a No. 1.

Think a -like acquisition that would require a large return going the other way. Other than that, you hold on to the 21-year-old stud.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 05.22.2021

1213658 Detroit Red Wings have been awkward and totally the wrong thing to do to talk to potential replacements before deciding on Blashill’s future.

Q: The defense improved. I am convinced that is a direct result of Red Wings mailbag: What does future hold for top goalie prospect? (acquiring) a new (group) of defensemen and replacing (Jimmy) Howard with (Thomas) Greiss. Do you see any of that improvement related to coaching? Should the failure of the specialty teams be specifically the fault of the coaching staff? At the beginning of the season, Blashill said Posted May 21, 2021 the Wings would be a puck-possession team. I mostly saw dump and By Ansar Khan | [email protected] chase. Your thoughts? – Bill

A: The Red Wings’ goal-against average improved from a league-worst 3.73 in 2019-20 to 20th at 3.00 this season. The Detroit Red Wings have a good supply of young forwards, either on their roster (Filip Zadina, Michael Rasmussen, Givani Smith) or in the Much of it was due to better goaltending. Jonathan Bernier was pipeline (, Lucas Raymond, Jonatan Berggren). consistently good again and Thomas Greiss, after a rough first half of the season, flourished down the stretch. Their goalies’ cumulative save On defense, they have a blue-chip prospect in Moritz Seider as well as percentage took a significant leap from .894 last season to .910 this year. Jared McIsaac, Donovan Sebrango, Antti Tuomisto and Albert Johansson. Defensive upgrades (Marc Staal, Troy Stecher, Christian Djoos and Jon Merrill replacing Trevor Daley, Mike Green, Madison Bowey and But who is their next No. 1 NHL goaltender? Jonathan Ericsson) made a difference, too. And their structure overall was better, despite breakdowns in several blowout losses. They hoped it was Filip Larsson, and maybe he will be. But he has a long way to go after struggling in a small sample size with Grand Rapids in Injuries to several key offensive players undoubtedly hurt the power play, 2019-20 and Almtuna is Sweden’s second division this season. which was even worse at 11.4 percent than last season’s 14.9 percent. But it wasn’t sharp even with a relatively healthy lineup – trouble with A pair of Swedes drafted in 2018, Jesper Eliasson (No. 84) and Victor entries, lack of shooting mentality, inability to maintain pressure. That Brattstrom (No. 160), had decent seasons in Austria and Finland, falls to some extent on coaching, which is why they will look for an respectively. assistant coach who has experience running a power play to replace Dan Their most promising goaltending prospect, however, is Keith Petruzzelli Bylsma. (drafted 88th in 2017), who has improved significantly in each of his four They probably did more chipping and chasing because of their lack of seasons at Quinnipiac and was a top 10 finalist for the Hobey Baker skill and puck transporters. Ideally, every team aims for puck possession. Award this year. Q: Do you see either (Patrik) Nemeth or Merrill coming back to the But will he be in the organization long-term? Petruzzelli has a decision to Wings? I thought they both played pretty reliable D and would not be make this offseason, and perhaps again in 2022. His status was among costly as well. -- Jerry the questions from MLive readers in this week’s mailbag: A: Yzerman said they need left-shooting defensemen since they have Q: Can you clarify something on Keith Petruzzelli’s pending free agency? only two, Danny DeKeyser and Dennis Cholowski. I’m sure they will try to If he opts for an additional year of college, will Detroit still retain his re-sign Staal. They will probably need another left shooter. I don’t think rights? Or will they expire in August regardless? -- Jeremy Nemeth will come back. I could see Merrill possibly returning, given his A: This is what general manager Steve Yzerman said about Petruzzelli ties to Michigan, and he wouldn’t cost a lot. on Tuesday: “We’ve spoken with his advisors. I think Keith’s decision is, does he stay in school or does he leave? If he wants to leave, he can issue a 30-day notice and become a free agent if he’s not signed. I think Michigan Live LOADED: 05.22.2021 if he stays in school, the Red Wings will retain his rights.”

Not sure what Petruzzelli could gain hockey-wise from a fifth year in college, but players have other reasons for wanting to return (academics, college life, etc.).

If Petruzzelli doesn’t return to college, the Red Wings will have until Aug. 15 to sign him or he will become a free agent.

Considering their lack of goaltending depth in the system, it would be a significant loss if he doesn’t sign, whenever he leaves school.

Q: I’m happy they signed (Lucas Raymond), but that’s a slap in the face for Jonatan Berggren. This kid should have been signed before Raymond. They need to sign him quick. He has proven himself in the top Swedish league with Skelleftea. – Brian

A: The Red Wings announced Berggren’s signing on Thursday. He had a strong final season in the top Swedish men’s league, finishing sixth in scoring with 45 points (12 goals, 33 assists) in 49 games.

Berggren and Raymond, the fourth overall pick in 2020, will compete for NHL jobs in training camp but might need some development time with the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins.

Regardless, they add some much-needed skill and scoring ability to the pipeline.

Q: Was there any chatter or back knowledge of Yzerman reaching out to any potential replacements (for coach Jeff Blashill)? Did he make a run at anyone but strikeout? Personally, I think keeping Blash around is the right call. Definitely saw major improvement and the team never gave up on him. -- Reed

A: Yzerman was asked this on Tuesday – with coaches like Gerard Gallant, John Tortorella and on the market -- and said he did not contact anybody else, which makes complete sense. That would 1213659 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings’ Tyler Bertuzzi confident back surgery won’t delay his season

Posted May 21, 2021

By Ansar Khan | [email protected]

Tyler Bertuzzi was poised for his best season. Then an awkward fall following a hit in the Detroit Red Wings’ eighth game led to months of pain, an aborted comeback attempt and, eventually, back surgery.

“The season was obviously tough and frustrating for me but I’m feeling really good right now,” Bertuzzi said. “I know it’s early, but I’m looking forward to next season, training camp and the summer ahead.”

Bertuzzi’s combination of skill and grit make him one of the team’s more valuable players. He scored 21 goals in each of the previous two seasons and tallied five goals and seven points in nine games this year before being shut down.

After having surgery on April 30, the plan is to hit the gym in 2-3 weeks to start rehabbing in earnest. He will remain in Detroit for most of the summer.

“We have a pool with a treadmill; I’ve been in that almost every day, which is going to be big for my recovery,” Bertuzzi said.

He is confident he will be ready for training camp in late September. He has spoken with teammate Danny DeKeyser, who had the same procedure with the same doctor in December 2019.

“We were trying to avoid surgery as much as possible,” Bertuzzi said. “People might say, ‘Why didn’t you get it right away?’ I was working out pretty much fully the last half of the season, getting stronger, working on my core. I know that heading into surgery I was really strong, and it’s going to help with the recovery process.

“I’m feeling really good right now. I’m happy I ended up doing it.”

The injury happened Jan. 28 at Dallas.

“There was a guy coming off the wall, I hit him and bounced off him and fell on my side,” Bertuzzi said. “It was an awkward play. You wouldn’t have guessed (an injury) ended up from it.

“I felt it right away. My back shifted. It was just weird. I tried to play the next game against Florida. I played two periods. That was kind of it for me. I couldn’t move.”

He tried coming back. He skated a few times on his own in a warmup suit but never reached a point of being cleared to practice. A setback during a gameday skate in Carolina in early April dashed his comeback hopes.

“It was frustrating,” Bertuzzi said. “I was doing everything I could to get back. I had a few shots in my back and that would help for a couple weeks and then it would sort of come back. I was making really good progress and was almost about to practice and had a little bit of a setback. That’s when I went to see specialist in New York for another opinion.”

Through it all, he wasn’t able to see family in Canada due to the border closure.

“Lots of Facetimes,” he said.

“Not getting to hang out with the guys as much or being around the rink, it was a really tough year. I’m looking to just put it past me and looking ahead to next year.”

Michigan Live LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213660 Edmonton Oilers The Oilers actually needed some heroic goaltending from Smith in the opening period when he faced 17 shots or they would have been drowning before finding their sea legs.

Overtime loss sees Edmonton Oilers fall behind 0-2 to Jets in series It wasn’t as Jets coach Paul Maurice figured: “A way faster game, more north-south, more straight lines, more speed … the Oilers transition game will be better I think.”

Jim Matheson • Edmonton Journal No, it wasn’t. There was only one goal and it was anything but highlight reel. While Tippett said before the game he didn’t care how the goals Publishing date: May 21, 2021 were graded for artistic impression — “I’m not greedy … I’ll take pretty ones or ugly ones,” — the winner by the Jets was of the sudden, what- just-happened variety. When the NHL playoffs start, there’s waves of emotion from goal to goal, period to period, game to game, but when the revered captain of his While the game went to overtime, it didn’t have to get that far. The Oilers team’s ship says the water’s still calm in the wake of a Game 1 loss, you were gifted a five-on-three power play for 21 seconds early in the third, tend to steer his way. when Logan Stanley boarded Ethan Bear with Stastny already in the penalty box, but Hellebuyck stopped Draisaitl with a pad on one of “No reason to panic,” said Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, Draisaitl’s patented one-timers from the face-off circle and McDavid also who didn’t see any stormy seas ahead after the 4-1 Game 1 setback had a ripper that Hellebuyck got his glove on. Wednesday night to the Winnipeg Jets, assured in his navigational thinking at his pre-game chat before Game 2 Friday. It didn’t lose the Oilers the game, but it didn’t help.

McDavid, who didn’t get a point along with Leon Draisaitl in Game 1, only “It was only 20 seconds, it wasn’t like it was the full two minutes,” said the ninth time that’s happened this season where they’ve been blanked Barrie, when asked if that was the knife to the heart. in the same game, wasn’t on the mark, however, about the voyage to a “Huge kill,” said Stastny. Game 2 win. “Critical part to not let them on it because they caused us problems all It was anything but clear sailing. In fact, it turned out to be choppy as all year,” said Maurice, whose club, nevertheless, dodged the bullet. hell when scored with a screened 40-footer on Mike Smith 4:06 into overtime – only the third playoff game in the Oiler history that In the first period, the Oilers could have been in a deep, dark hole, down ever made it to overtime tied 0-0. In 1997, Ryan Smyth scored 22 two or three goals but for Smith’s wonderful play, while his teammates seconds into the second OT period to beat Dallas 1-0 and in 1998, the fumbled their way through the opening frame, beating the puck into Stars’ Benoit Hogue did it to them. submission, he robbed Kyle Connor all alone off a face-off twice and stopped Copp short-handed on a very lame Oilers power play. “I feel like in overtime whether you’re trying to score or you’re trying to generate offence, sometimes that’s the easiest way to do it…just get it to This ‘n’ that: Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers, who suffered a shoulder injury a the net. The puck had eyes and fortunately it went in,” said Stastny. month ago, got rid of the gold jersey and was back to a regular one at the Jets optional morning skate Friday but didn’t dress. It didn’t end on a turnover. Instead, a hopeful shot and a goal.

“The play started in the D zone and the puck was in the corner and (Tucker) Poolman chipped it past their guy so I just started picking up Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 05.22.2021 speed knowing we’d have a two-on-two or a three-on-three break-out,” said Stastny. “Once (Andrew) Copp made a middle-lane drive, he kicked the puck out to me. I was going to go back to him actually but once he slashed across, I figured I’d try to use the D as a screen.”

The shot appeared to deflect off Adam Larsson and if there had been the usual full-house of fans, the building would have gone quiet. But it was that way from start to finish with nobody in the rink because of COVID regulations, so we can’t legitimately say that. Instead, there was a collective hanging of heads from the Oilers.

There’s no woe is us, though.

“We can sit here and dwell and say the sky is falling,” said Oiler defenceman Darnell Nurse, who played 30 minutes of the first 60. “We can sit back and feel bad for ourselves because it seems like we’re so far behind…but we have the team that’s capable of showing up and we have to build off this.”

Smith has only given up three goals in the two games but the Oilers only have one on 71 shots on Connor Hellebuyck, who looks like last year’s Vezina trophy winner after he was very ordinary with an .877 save percentage in seven games against the Oilers in regular-season.

“Give them credit, they’re playing a really tight game and not taking any chances and giving us any odd-man rushes. But we had some looks and have to be able to capitalize on our power play,” said Oiler defenceman Tyson Barrie, after they went 0-for-3. “We’ve got all the confidence in the world to score goals and we have to stick with it.”

Oiler coach Dave Tippett threw all his chips into the table for this one playing McDavid and Draisaitl on the same line, daring the Jets to stop the NHL’s two biggest guns after he had McDavid centering for Dominic Kahun and Jesse Pulujujarvi, and Draisaitl in the middle on line two with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Kailer Yamamoto in Game 1.

They kept them off the scoresheet for the second straight game, with little room to move on either side before Stastny ended it with his shot from just inside the right boards to give the Jets a 2-0 lead with Game 3 set for Sunday in Winnipeg. 1213661 Edmonton Oilers Dubois, 22, had eight goals and 20 points in 41 games for the Jets after being acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic in January.

PLAYOFF SNAPSHOTS: John Tavares injury difficult to watch The third-overall selection in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, just ahead of Jesse Puljujarvi, had 18 goals and 49 points in 70 games for the Blue Jackets last season and added another four goals and six points in the playoffs, but fell out of favour with head coach John Tortorella. Derek Van Diest Dubois felt fortunate he wasn’t out for a longer getting injured in a Publishing date:May 21, 2021 meaningless game.

“To me, even if it was meaningless in terms of the standings, I looked at Goaltender Mike Smith (41) and Dmitry Kulikov (70) of the Edmonton it as another game to get ready for the playoffs,” he said. “I don’t think it’s Oilers defend their net in front of Pierre-Luc Dubois (13) of the Winnipeg a switch you can just turn on. I think it’s how you prepare before. You Jets during Game 2 of their 2021 Stanley Cup playoff series at Rogers obviously never want to get injured throughout the season but the last Place on Friday, May 21, 2021, in Edmonton. game going into the playoffs, there is not much worse timing than that. But it was only a week.” Article content BOTTOM-HALF CONTRIBUTIONS The sight of Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares lying on the ice, bleeding from his head, left a pit in the stomach of fans and players alike. Stars play a big part in winning playoff series, but the bottom half of the lineup usually has a say as well. Tavares took an inadvertent knee to the face when falling in the path of Montreal Canadiens forward Corey Perry in Game 1 of their first-round There is an adage that the top two lines often cancel each other out in playoff series Thursday, and had to be transported to the hospital. He’s the playoffs, which puts the onus on the third and fourth lines to outplay out indefinitely with a concussion. their counterparts.

“I’m obviously thinking about him and his whole family and everyone “It’s really important,” said Oilers forward Josh Archibald. “Our top two close to him,” Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid said prior to lines have done a tremendous job so far and for the entire year to put us facing the Winnipeg Jets in Game 2 of their series Friday. “It’s obviously in a good position. But at the same time, they have a huge work load, so a very scary incident and it’s a humbling reminder this game is fast and for our third and fourth line to be able to chip in when we can, it’s thing can go wrong out there. obviously really important.”

“We’re obviously all trying to play hard and trying to compete for something everyone has dreamed of and that’s winning the Cup. We’re Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 05.22.2021 players, but we’re still humans out there and have guys with families and it’s a lot more than that. It’s scary to see and you just hope he’s doing OK.”

Tavares was injured in the first period of the Canadiens’ 2-1 victory, after getting knocked off the puck by Ben Chiarot and falling into the path of Perry, who was racing back into his end of the ice. Perry caught Tavares in the face with his knee, despite trying to avoid the collision.

“It’s never easy to see that and I’m sure they’re very concerned about the severity of the injury,” said Oilers head coach Dave Tippett. “That was an accident, it’s one of those things that you hate to see happen but, unfortunately, does on occasion and you just hope the player is alright.

“Tavares means a lot to that team, he’s their team captain, he’s got a lot of support there and that would shake that team a little bit, but in the playoffs, you have to get by that and get going again. Tough to see that, tough to see a player get hurt like that. Hopefully he’s alright.”

Tavares was discharged from the hospital on Friday, but won’t play in Game 2 of the series Saturday. Tavares, 30, had 19 goals and 50 points for the Maple Leafs this season.

“It just stops everything when you see something that dangerous, the hit to the head,” said Jets coach Paul Maurice. “There’s a really healthy competition and animosity between teams in the playoffs, it’s built very fast and something like that, it just ends it. Both of those teams, the Canadiens as well, are going through the same set of emotions in a lot of ways and even though he’s an opponent, they just hope he’s fine.

“It was a terrible thing, it was great news (Friday) that it looks like he’s good and he’s on the right path back. But that kind of stops the game and the perspective of the game changes pretty darn quick.”

Pierre-Luc Dubois could have been the poster boy for the dangers of playing in a meaningless game at the end of the regular season.

The Jets forward was injured in the regula-seasons finale against the Maple Leafs and missed Game 1 against the Oilers on Wednesday. He was back for Game 2 on Friday.

“Not playing and not practising and not being with the team is never easy,” Dubois said prior to the game. “It’s something that happens, I worked with the training staff and worked as hard as possible to get ready for when that happens and now we’re here, I’m really excited to be back.” 1213662 Edmonton Oilers game. The Oilers, like all teams, love to feed off the energy of their building when it gets ramped up. They don’t have that now.

Neither did the Toronto Maple Leafs. Maybe it’s a coincidence that both Edmonton Oilers playoff fever just isn't the same during a pandemic North Division road teams won the series opener, and maybe it’s not. But home ice certainly isn’t worth a shred of what it should be.

“It’s unfortunate and we certainly miss our fans,” said McDavid. “But at Robert Tychkowski this point, we’ve been doing it for well over a year now. Everyone knows what to expect, everyone knows how things go out there with no fans. It’s Publishing date:May 21, 2021 up to yourself and your group to generate your own energy.”

The players know the support is there. They know people are screaming Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) battles the in their living rooms and they can see the flag-waving parade of cars Winnipeg Jets’ Andrew Copp (9) during Game 2 of their NHL North outside the rink. But inside, they are being robbed of the full playoff Division playoff series at in Edmonton on Friday, May 21, experience. 2021. “Hopefully, we can keep winning and move on to later rounds and have But it doesn’t. As much as we want to celebrate the arrival of long- people in the building,” said Bear. “But at the same time, we have to find awaited playoff hockey in Edmonton, it’s just not the same without the a way to get up and raise our intensity. I think we can do that.” people who fuel the whole experience. That’s the only solution — go deeper in the playoffs and there might be a While American cities are revelling in the atmospheres created by chance the province’s vaccination rates and case counts make it possible thousands of towel-waving fans, the Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets to bring back the noise. are left to sort out their North Division semifinal in silence. In the meantime, it will be up to both teams to manufacture the kind of Two teams with the most rabid and raucous fan bases in sports have to electricity their fans usually shoot straight into their veins at this time of play their games in 18,000- and 16,000-seat libraries. It’s sad. year.

“It was a little bit different, obviously,” Connor McDavid said of the scene “I think you notice a little bit at the start, when you come out, you miss the at Rogers Place. noise and the emotion they would bring with it,” said Tippett. “But ultimately the players are so dialled in they’re used to it. The players “Both teams sat around for almost a week and watched these crazy understand what’s at stake.” playoff games with fans back in the (U.S.) buildings, fans going nuts. We get out there and there’s no one there. It can be a bit of a let down.”

Game 1 was, and not just because the Oilers lost it. To be honest, playoff Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 05.22.2021 hockey in an empty Rogers Place doesn’t seem much different than anything else we’ve watched there since they closed the doors to the public 14 months ago.

The city’s whole vibe is on mute.

Edmonton Oilers fans cheer outside of Rogers Place before the team takes on the Winnipeg Jets in Game 2 of their NHL North Division series at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Friday, May 21, 2021.

This is supposed to be a special time in the life of Oilers fans. Bars should be packed, streets should be crowded and the arena should be shaking from all those years of pent up energy.

The playoffs aren’t just an opportunity for the Oilers to show the world who they are, it’s also a chance for Edmonton to do the same. The city’s reputation as a playoff madhouse is well earned and remains one of the highlights of any Stanley Cup tournament it’s part of.

When Brett Kissel’s mic malfunctioned before a second round game with Anaheim in 2017, it made international headlines when Rogers Place brought home The Star-Spangled Banner like it was their own.

Now …

“It’s the same as it was all year in the regular season,” Oilers defenceman Ethan Bear said of the atmosphere. “But it’s a little bit more intense because it’s the playoffs.

“It would be nice to have some fans in the stands before games. You see the hype and the videos (of playoffs past); I wish we could experience that.”

Everyone does. On some level, we are all missing out. Fans, players, even the coaches.

“It is interesting when you watch the (U.S.) games on TV and see those stadiums with fans in them,” said Oilers coach Dave Tippett. “I don’t know if it’s just because you’re watching it on TV and you get more noise from it, but it sounds more real than the piped-in noise.

“There is still emotion in the game, it’s just not magnified by the fans.”

Edmonton Oilers fans cheer outside of Rogers Place before the team takes on the Winnipeg Jets in Game 2 of their NHL North Division series at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Friday, May 21, 2021.

That’s a key element. When a playoff crowd isn’t there to provide an adrenaline boost after big hit, fight or goal, it can impact the flow of a 1213663 Edmonton Oilers • Regular season: 13.1 CF/60, 8.3 SF/60, 0.88 xG/60 • First two games versus WPG: 15.5 CF/60, 8.5 SF/60, 0.72 xG/60

Before looking at those stats, I’d have said the Jets were doing a good Oilers observations: Mike Smith great, Connor McDavid pointless as job of keeping him on the outside. I still lean that way, but from an Edmonton digs a hole Edmonton perspective, it’s at least slightly encouraging that he’s close to his regular-season pace. He should break out at some point, and Game 3 would be ideal. By Jonathan Willis Doctor, doctor, give me the news: Nurse led all skaters with 32:53 in total ice time and 12 shot attempts. Additionally, he led Oilers players with six shots and three blocked shots. He played almost exclusively with “Sherriff, this is no time to panic.” McDavid, getting only a smattering of shifts with Edmonton’s other three “This is a perfect time to panic!” — Tim Allen and Tom Hanks, “Toy centres as Oilers coach Dave Tippett leaned heavily on his favourite five- Story” man unit.

Nutshell: Edmonton gave chances away like Halloween candy early in its Ordinarily, it’s a real blessing to skate with the league’s highest-scoring 1-0 loss, got away with it and then played pretty well for two periods. A player, but Nurse was arguably the most valuable member of the quintet pair of strong goaltending performances pushed the game to overtime, in Game 2. McDavid was largely kept on the perimeter, Draisaitl was less and as is so often the case, a seemingly harmless shot decided of a presence on the wing than he had been down the middle and everything. Barrie’s game had significant wobble. Against this backdrop, Nurse was remarkably effective at both ends of the arena. How it went down: The Oilers had a great first shift. Leon Draisaitl was physical on the forecheck, Connor McDavid was involved and the He has a mind of metal, and wheels: After scoring just one goal in Game resulting Darnell Nurse point shot seemed to trouble Connor Hellebuyck. 1, Tippett decided it was break-glass-in-case-of-emergency time and It didn’t set the tone for Edmonton, which gave up nearly as many shots loaded his top line with McDavid and Draisaitl. It didn’t work at all. in the first period of Game 2 as it had in the entirety of Game 1 and Draisaitl was excellent at centre in Game 1 and shifting him to the wing probably more quality chances. diminished him dramatically, halving both his shot and shot-attempt totals in Game 2. Ethan Bear gave up a partial breakaway and took a penalty for good measure. Multiple failed clears on the ensuing Jets power play gave It’s debatable whether he should have expected that, but the other Winnipeg several point-blank opportunities. Tyson Barrie did his best to negative side effect could not have been a surprise. Robbed of Draisaitl, create goals over the remainder of the period, at one point getting the Ryan Nugent-Hopkins-centered second line became a shadow of embarrassed after a defensive zone draw and at another throwing what it was in Game 1. The trio of Nugent-Hopkins, Dominik Kahun and himself into a block … which his Jets opponent avoided and then took a Kailer Yamamoto had just a 29 percent expected-goal share. great shot anyway. Kahun quickly found his way to the doghouse, playing just two shifts in It was a comedy of defensive errors, and only the brilliance of Mike Smith the third and one in overtime. That’s a little better than Ryan McLeod kept the Oilers from being the punch line. fared; the rookie centre fell to three shifts in the second period, one in the third and the single overtime appearance. It’s hard to really fault either It was such a poor performance that Edmonton was almost bound to get Kahun or McLeod for the goal against, but the fact that their first overtime better, and it did. The second and third periods were slugfests, with shift coincided with the end of the extra period isn’t likely to help matters. myriad penalties on both sides ignored and the Oilers grinding their way to a better share of shots and chances than their opponents, not that Wheel of justice: Ordinarily we’d be critical of Jujhar Khaira’s blatant first- there were all that many chances in either direction. period interference penalty, but he obviously assumed the game was going to be played by prison rules after Blake Wheeler’s hit on Jesse Hellebuyck wasn’t asked to bail out his team the way Smith had, and he Puljujarvi was ignored by the officials. It’s also hard to say that Khaira proved equal to the best shots Edmonton could manage. was wrong as opposed to unlucky. A number of penalties weren’t called, including a pretty blatant second-period crosscheck by Khaira on Mathieu By the time the buzzer sounded at the end of the third period, the Oilers Perreault. could make an argument they deserved to be heading to overtime, which is always a coin flip. However, Edmonton being down 1-0 in the series It’s the kind of thing that happens every year. It’s also an interesting lens had considerably more to lose if the coin flipped the wrong way. through which to view some of Tippett’s lineup decisions. All else being equal, there’s a decent case to play Caleb Jones over Slater Koekkoek Paul Stastny’s game winner was far from the toughest shot that Smith and over James Neal, but a particularly cynical coach might faced in the game, but it was a shot that eluded the view of the goalie. note that the latter two players are more suited to a game in which the With Adam Larsson and Dmitry Kulikov in the shooting lane, a puck fired referees have given up even the intent to blow the whistle. from outside the scoring-chance area managed to end a game in which far more formidable opportunities were batted aside. A couple of penalties early in the third period went against the overall pattern of the game, but there’s every reason to expect the calls to Beware an old man in a young man’s profession: This isn’t a 1-0 continue to be few and far between. overtime loss if Smith doesn’t stand on his head in the first period. He didn’t just provide the capable netminding Edmonton expected; he was Corey Power Potter Play: Theoretically, the Oilers have a significant the team’s best player. It was a Dwayne Roloson-in-2006-level edge in special-teams play, but Winnipeg’s first penalty kill defied that performance. expectation. The Jets consistently held their blue line against repeated entry attempts. If you’re looking for a bright point in the series, it’s that Smith shows every sign of being capable of a prolonged run, provided the players in In the third, Winnipeg proved this wasn’t a fluke. Not only did the Jets front of him can average more than one goal every seven periods. Traffic stymie back-to-back Edmonton advantages, but they held off a 21- in front of the net, including deliberate contact from Mason Appleton, second five-on-three during the overlap. The Oilers aren’t going to get so seemed not to dissuade him at all. many power plays so they can afford to waste any. Blowing those opportunities certainly cost them the win. You can only hope to contain him: The headline is that McDavid doesn’t have a point through two games, and there’s a direct line from that Stray observations statistic to the fact that Edmonton is now down 2-0 in the series. He was better in Game 2; after firing just two shots and six attempts in Game 1, • I promise I’m only going to whine about this once in these playoffs, but he had five and 10 respectively Friday. Some of that was the result of a broadcaster should never run a highlight package from a previous getting power-play minutes, but four of those shots and seven of the game at the cost of showing the start of a shift in the game currently attempts were at five-on-five. airing.

It’s worth comparing his regular-season five-on-five shooting rates to his • At times, it felt like every scrum devolved into four guys on each side numbers through two games against Winnipeg: noncommittally shoving each other, with the fifth Jets player going aggressively after whichever Edmonton forward on the ice — usually Josh Archibald or Yamamoto — happened to be smallest. In fairness to those Jets players, neither Archibald nor Yamamoto ever showed any reluctance to engage.

• One place you miss Jones: when Koekkoek was pushed into duty on the four-on-four. Edmonton really struggled to exit its own end, in large part because Koekkoek misread the play multiple times.

• Tippett talked about the need to continue to grind out ugly goals in his postgame availability, so if I had to bet Friday, I’d put the odds against an infusion of skill for Sunday’s game. One thing that does seem realistic is the splitting of Draisaitl and McDavid, if only because leaning heavily on a five-man unit in the first half of a back-to-back is a serious fatigue risk.

Natural Stat Trick is the source of most of the numbers here. Game 3 is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. MT on Sunday, with Game 4 scheduled for 7:45 p.m. MT on Monday.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213664 Edmonton Oilers First, we look at defencemen and even-strength goal differential. Bear, Jones and Lagesson left orientation camp and matriculated with

various junior, college and European clubs, finding their way to the AHL Lowetide: The seeds of Oilers’ 2015 orientation camp forms heart of Bakersfield Condors and eventually the NHL. John Marino stayed in current team college and forced a trade to the Pittsburgh Penguins, so can be counted as a successful draft (but not development) player.

The two men who arrived in California next (Evan Bouchard and Dmitri By Allan Mitchell Samorukov) both showed improvement during 2020-21 in different leagues. Bouchard was 5-8 (minus-3) in 14 NHL games while May 21, 2021 Samorukov thrived in the KHL, going 38-14 (plus-24) in even-strength goal differential.

On June 30, 2015, the Edmonton Oilers announced the team’s roster for When things got started in Bakersfield for the 2020-21 season, coach Jay the upcoming orientation camp scheduled for the first week of July. Woodcroft and assistant Dave Manson welcomed three new draft picks who are currently developing. Markus Niemelainen looks good by eye The accompanying press release had two major pieces of information: and number, fans could see him make an NHL appearance as early as The team’s three most recent first-round selections (Connor McDavid, next season based on his AHL performance. Leon Draisaitl and Darnell Nurse) would attend and on the final day fans could see the prospects faceoff in the Billy Moores Cup, named after the The college men also showed well, with Michael Kesselring more legendary coach. dynamic and Philip Kemp excelling in goal suppression.

There are no established rules for this camp, in previous years two Condors forwards, 2017-2021 seasons worth of prospects (the current group and players from the AHL forwards are a different group. It’s extremely rare for a high pick to previous draft haul) would have been the only invites. land in the AHL at any time, and forwards with pure offensive ability fly Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli was new, so it’s fair to suggest over the minors completely. The orientation camp lists McDavid, Draisaitl the camp was an introduction for both players and management in the and 15 forwards who didn’t make it. That isn’t failure; that’s reality. summer of 2015. It’s also true management saw the three big pieces as Edmonton’s list of forwards who have either made the grade or are the foundation of the team, the foundation that could eventually contend pushing started slow but has been catching up in recent years. That’s for the Stanley Cup. I wrote about the seven men who would proceed due to the Oilers drafting more forwards for need. From the list below, from that orientation camp and make it to the NHL a year ago, focusing Kailer Yamamoto made the NHL to stay in January 2020, McLeod got his on the draft picks. call at the end of April this year and the rest (save Raphael Lavoie) have The organization got more than McDavid, Draisaitl and Nurse from that had cups of coffee in the NHL: orientation camp and the ones that followed. Edmonton finally had the Joseph Gambardella was a dynamite forechecker coming out of college pipeline in place for Ethan Bear, Caleb Jones, William Lagesson and and got some NHL time but a change in management put him in a more. difficult spot to make the Oilers. Tyler Benson and Cooper Marody are Under pressure NHL-ready, and I believe Benson specifically can help the team next year as a bottom-six forward who can help his line offensively. Marody spent a Edmonton traded several selections at both drafts and that left the lot of time on right wing this year, signalling a possible push at a new organization lagging in procurement because of it. The list of deals (and position should he re-sign with Edmonton. picks) becomes more powerful each year, as players grow into NHL roles and mature. Here are the trades involving Edmonton and 2015 picks: Lavoie is a first-shot scorer of some note, getting some AHL action in preparation for an assumed feature role with the Condors in 2021-22. Traded No. 16 (Mathew Barzal) and No. 33 (Mitchell Stephens) for Griffin Reinhart What does it all mean?

Traded No. 57 (), No. 79 (Sergey Zborovskiy) and No. The Oilers have a pipeline again and credit to the scouts and AHL 184 (Adam Huska) for Cam Talbot and draft choice that resulted in coaching staff along with the players themselves. selection of Ziyat Paigin It was a long time coming, after decisions 15 years ago sent Edmonton’s Traded No. 64 (Dennis Yan) and a 2014 pick (Matthew Berkovitz) for minor league prospects to four teams on loan, thus losing valuable time Viktor Fasth (2014 deal) as feature players on their own club.

Traded No. 86 (Mike Robinson) as compensation for hiring Todd Bear was at that 2015 orientation camp, the organization badly needed McLellan him (and others) to make the NHL and he did it. Bear is capable of playing top-four minutes and getting positive possession and goal share, Traded No. 94 (Adam Musil) along with Magnus Paajarvi and a second- that will likely be his NHL path. His route to the NHL (draft, AHL, NHL top round 2014 selection (Ivan Barbashev) for David Perron and pick that four) has been fairly rare for Edmonton (Jeff Petry, Oscar Klefbom, now was eventually used by San Jose for Robinson Bear) since 2000.

Traded No. 107 (Christian Wolanin) and Travis Ewanyk for Eric Gryba There are more examples emerging. Yamamoto was a late first-round pick who needed some seasoning and is now playing on a feature line in NHL games played isn’t an ideal proxy for player quality but it works as the NHL. well as anything when comparing across multiple positions. At this point, Edmonton sent away 500 NHL games for 519 NHL games. The big After a long drought, Edmonton’s draft and development model is on difference? All of Edmonton’s assets are down the line and no longer track, with Bouchard, Samorukov, McLeod and Benson (among others) contributing, so the Oilers number is capped at 519. Barzal, Siegenthaler, ready to contribute. Stephens and others will enjoy long careers and the final number will be astronomical compared to assets acquired. In the coming years, the organization may develop enough talent to trade the excess for draft picks, completing the circle that began will all of Those things can be overcome but only if scouts are procuring well with those trades at the 2015 draft. the remaining selections and developing talent successfully. The years since the 2015 draft and orientation camp have shown the organization can finally draft and develop players in the five years post-draft. The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021 There are few ways for us to track talent in the minors beyond points per game (effective in measuring forwards) and even-strength goal differential (I have found it to be a useful tool in tracking defencemen). Beginning in 2017-18, the group from the 2015 orientation camp who didn’t fast track to Edmonton began the climb from AHL to NHL. 1213665 Florida Panthers After two tumultuous seasons in South Florida, Bobrovsky earned the right to start the Panthers’ biggest game in years.

“I’ve got to commend Bob on how he handled it right off the get-go,” Bobrovsky saved the Panthers’ season in relief Thursday. It’s his net Quenneville said. “The way the year went about that, he was playing, again for Game 4 basically shared a good partnership with Driedge and then when you get to the playoffs we were in that mode that it was, We’ll see.

“Things change quickly in our business, especially at the goaltending BY DAVID WILSON position. We know how important it is to winning in the regular season and you compound it times 10 in the playoffs.” MAY 21, 2021 03:03 PM Florida didn’t practice Friday and won’t have a morning skate Saturday,

so Quenneville said it’s “very likely” he keeps his Game 3 lineup intact for When the game-winning goal rattling around the back of the net and Game 4. Ryan Lomberg was celebrating with nearly every one of his Florida It means Keith Yandle is on track to be a healthy scratch for the second Panthers teammates along the boards at , Chris Driedger straight game. charged out of the bench and headed for the opposite side of the rink, where Sergei Bobrovsky was slowly gliding his way toward the mob Yandle missed his first game since 2009 on Thursday after he struggled around the heroic left wing. through the first two games of the series at the BB&T Center, prompting Quenneville to reshuffle his defensive pairings with the Panthers in a two- Owen Tippett smacked the winning goaltender on the back, and Driedger game series hole. waited with his arms outstretched to hug the goalie he replaced earlier Thursday and eventually was replaced by after a disastrous five-goal Yandle currently has the NHL’s longest active consecutive regular- second period in Tampa. season games streak at 922. His streak is the second longest in league history and has him 42 away from matching the record. While When Bobrovsky came in, the Panthers trailed by two and had 20 postseason games don’t count toward Yandle’s record chase, the 34- minutes to avoid falling into a near-insurmountable three-game series year-old had never missed a playoff game before Thursday, either. hole against the Tampa Bay Lightning. After nine saves and a shutout spanning 25:56, Bobrovsky was one of many heroes Florida needed to Quenneville said the decision was “extremely difficult.” cut the Lightning’s series lead to 2-1 and he earned the start for Game 4 on Saturday. “We’ve had some tough decisions this year,” he said. “With Yands, we’re always aware of the situation in the regular season, but we made the “He was excited about the challenge when he got put into the game,” decision to go with a different group. ... We had some different pairs. I Quenneville said. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen him happier than he was liked how we played as a group of defensemen outside of that second after the game.” period.”

On Friday, the coach confirmed Bobrovsky will start in Game 4 as the With Yandle out, Anton Stralman was the sixth active defenseman and Panthers try to even the series on the road. played next to star defenseman MacKenzie Weegar on the top pairing.

In a postseason filled with tough decisions for Quenneville, his move to Quenneville also said is “fine” after sustaining an start Driedger for Game 3 was defensible. undisclosed injury in the first period Thursday. The star defenseman missed most of the first, but returned for the final two periods and Driedger had the fifth best goals-against average in the NHL in the overtime. regular season and was tied for fourth in save percentage. He outplayed Bobrovsky in nearly every statistic. Each goaltender started once in the first two games of the series in Sunrise, and Driedger far outperformed his counterpart. Miami Herald LOADED: 05.22.2021

Driedger even shut out the Lightning for the first period Thursday, notching 10 saves while Florida built a two-goal lead. In the second, he gave up five goals on 12 shots, and Quenneville’s next decision was no longer very tough. He had to go back to Bobrovsky, and the momentum swung back in Florida’s favor.

During the second intermission, Quenneville sat in the coach’s room and talked through the possibilities of a comeback.

“If Bob can keep them at zero,” he recalled the coaches deciding, “we’ve got a chance here.”

Bobrovsky only faced six shots in the third period. The Panthers cut Tampa Bay’s lead to one on a power-play goal in the first two minutes of the third, then forced overtime when defenseman Gustav Forsling scored with 3:07 remaining.

“Obviously, it’s a bit of a momentum change,” Lomberg said. “Bob shut the door and allowed us the opportunity to come back.”

In overtime, Bobrovsky made three saves in the first six minutes before Lomberg won the game with 14:04 left on the clock.

Florida’s goaltending options have been a strength all year, even if Bobrovsky isn’t living up to his seven-year, $70 million contract. Neither Bobrovsky nor Driedger have been overly taxed in the condensed schedule and the Panthers never have felt they had to stick with one struggling starter.

After Bobrovsky gave up five goals on 39 shots in Game 1, Quenneville was ready to let Driedger seize the job. Bobrovsky, though, has his contract because of the highs he can hit. Last time he played in the traditional 16-team postseason, Bobrovsky was at the center of the No. 8 seed Columbus Blue Jackets’ first-round upset of top-seeded Tampa Bay in the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs. 1213666 Florida Panthers “We had amazing stretches in the game — in the series, as well — with nothing to show for it,” Quenneville said. “We’ve had a lot of interesting bounces in this series and I think we’ve finally got one going our way here with the win. ... It’s one game, but it certainly gives us something to ‘The picture changes completely’: Panthers have new life after two-goal get excited about. Find a way to channel the momentum that you have.” comeback in Tampa

Miami Herald LOADED: 05.22.2021 BY DAVID WILSON

MAY 21, 2021 12:16 PM

TAMPA

Ryan Lomberg played fewer minutes than any other skater in the Florida Panthers’ 6-5 overtime win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. He was on the ice for only 15 seconds in overtime. He had scored a grand total of two NHL goals and has more than double the penalty minutes than games played.

So, of course, the puck found his stick with the Panthers’ season effectively on the line early in overtime. By the time he crossed the blue line, he already knew what he was going to do with his breakaway chance against Andrei Vasilevskiy. There was nothing fancy — just a simple wrist shot over the star goaltender’s left shoulder and a chance to celebrate one of the biggest wins in franchise history to cut the Lightning’s series lead to 2-1.

“All of a sudden, the picture changes completely,” coach Joel Quenneville said Thursday. “We needed something to feel good about ourselves. I know we had a great run for the whole year and all of a sudden the alternative to tonight’s result would’ve been a really ugly damper on the whole year.”

Florida knew well what a loss in Tampa would’ve meant. A 3-0 series deficit is rarely overcome — only four times in NHL history and only twice this century. Against the reigning champion and reigning Vezina Trophy winner, those odds might’ve even been smaller.

Instead, the Panthers enter Game 4 on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. with a chance to sweep a pair of games at Amalie Arena, even the series and reclaim home-ice advantage for the first round of the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs.

“We were treating tonight like a must-win,” Lomberg said Thursday. “You never want to be down 3-0.”

It took a complete effort to survive.

Goaltender Chris Driedger, who got the start over Sergei Bobrovsky, shut out the Lightning in the first period with 10 saves. Versatile forward Sam Bennett, who was suspended for Game 2, scored the opening goal to help Florida build a 2-0 lead in the first period. After Driedger gave up five goals on 12 shots in the second period, Bobrovsky came to the rescue, and notched nine saves in the third period and overtime to shut out Tampa Bay the rest of the way.

All-Star left wing Jonathan Huberdeau scored a team-high three points, including the primary assist on the Panthers’ first goal in their two-goal, third-period comeback. Players from all four forward lines and all three defensive pairings contributed points. Florida peppered Vasilevskiy with 47 shots, and are now averaging 39.7 shots and 3.67 goals against the Lightning so far in this series. On the Panthers’ final three goals, eight different players contributed points to complete the comeback.

“Throughout the season, this team has tremendous ability to come back. It doesn’t how much the deficit we have,” Bobrovsky said Thursday. “It was one of those games where we get together one at a time and we pulled the ‘W.’”

In all three games, Florida has had the edge in scoring chances, high- danger chances, expected goals and Fenwick, which totals all unblocked shots. All the advanced possession metrics suggest the Panthers have outplayed the Lightning in 5-on-5 action in this series — just as they did throughout the regular season.

The difference so far has been the power play and goaltending. Florida has given up five power-play goals, including two during the second period Thursday, and Vasilevskiy has a .882 high-danger save percentage, while the Panthers’ is just .714. 1213667 Florida Panthers After a 2-0 lead turned into a 5-3 deficit in the second period Thursday, team leaders spoke up in the dressing room at the second intermission.

“We were frustrated. We were in a good spot after the first period, 2-0, Panthers have renewed life in series vs. Lightning, will now lean on and we do that in the second period,” Huberdeau said. “Not panic, but Bobrovsky in net you know, you don’t want to go down 3-0 in the series. … It’s a huge comeback for us. The difference between 3-0 and 2-1 is huge for us.”

Said Lomberg: “We know how good of a team we are. We know what By DAVID FURONES we’re capable of. There wasn’t any quit there for even a split second. Proud of the guys, but put this one behind us and onto the next one.” SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL Aside from Bobrovsky, Quenneville said on Friday it is “very likely” he will MAY 21, 2021 AT 3:30 PM stick with his same Game 3 lineup for Game 4 with no practice Friday and no morning skate Saturday ahead of the 12:30 p.m. puck drop.

The mood going into Game 4 could’ve easily been very different. That involves keeping hockey ironman Keith Yandle off the ice in favor of fellow veteran defenseman Anton Stralman. Yandle had his streak of 979 The Florida Panthers were two games down in the series and two goals straight games played in the regular season and playoffs snapped. His down in the third period of Game 3 against the defending-champion healthy scratch on Thursday night was the first he missed since March Tampa Bay Lightning. Bound for the brink of elimination against the in- 22, 2009 with the Phoenix Coyotes. state rival, Patric Hornqvist got them within one, Gustav Forsling tied it in regulation and unexpected hero Ryan Lomberg broke free for his “Extremely difficult,” Quenneville said. “He handled it well. Not an easy overtime game-winner. decision to make. Not easy for him, as well, but he handled it like a great pro.” Instead of facing a virtually insurmountable deficit ahead of the 12:30 p.m. start on Saturday back at Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay, the Panthers Yandle’s active streak of 922 consecutive regular-season games played, have renewed life after the 6-5 victory. They’re now down 2-1 in the which is second all time, remains intact. Next season, he could break series with a chance to even it and reclaim home-ice advantage with Doug Jarvis’ record of 964. another road win. Quenneville also noted star forward Aleksander Barkov is “fine” after “Guys, obviously, were on a different level [Thursday] night and the exiting Game 3 momentarily in the first period. Barkov played 15:30 on excitement was sky high. But it’s a new day,” Panthers coach Joel Thursday after playing 26:28 in a Game 2 that was played entirely in Quenneville said over teleconference on Friday. “I think taking that regulation. That Tuesday mark was the most Barkov had played in a momentum from [Thursday] night to [Saturday], we got to try to find our game under Quenneville. way to balance it. Certainly, it was a change in coming in the next day being sad. All of a sudden, everybody feels pretty good, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.” Sun Sentinel LOADED: 05.22.2021 The comeback could not have been completed were it not for goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky’s effort entering in relief of Chris Driedger after Driedger allowed five second-period goals. Bobrovsky shut down the red- hot Lightning attack, stopping all nine of Tampa’s shots on goal between the third period and overtime.

Quenneville said Friday the Panthers will be back to starting Bobrovsky for Game 4. He lost Game 1, 5-4, giving up three power-play goals. That’s when Quenneville opted for Driedger in Game 2. Giving up just two goals in that 3-1 loss (one Lightning goal on an empty net), Driedger was back for Game 3 and had shut the Lightning out in the first period for a 2-0 lead before the second-period implosion.

“I thought Bob has been fine,” said Quenneville, reiterating a sentiment between Games 1 and 2 when he said Driedger’s start was based on giving him the opportunity rather than Bobrovsky’s play. “I think he would love to have the net, and the way he handled the situation where he watched his partner get back-to-back playoff games, I’m sure he would like that to be him. I got to commend him on his attitude and being ready, prepared to come him.”

Bobrovsky kept his same starter’s mindset, even when his number wasn’t called.

“I stayed focused,” he said. “I do my preparation as I play. During the game I stay focused, I stay ready. It’s playoff hockey. Anything could happen. You just have to be ready for the guys. You have to make sure you do your best. If you get the chance to get in, do your job.”

Bobrovsky actually has been the winning goalie for the past three playoff games in Amalie Arena. Before Thursday night, he was in net for both road games of the Columbus Blue Jackets’ immense upset of the Lightning in a first-round sweep in 2019. Between then and now, the Lightning’s 2020 Stanley Cup title run was played in last postseason’s bubble.

It also took a key penalty kill at the start of overtime for the Panthers to survive Game 3. The Lightning had already converted on their two prior power plays Thursday.

“We knew their power play has been good in this series and they have good players,” said star winger Jonathan Huberdeau after the game, “but we knew, in our mindset, that we were killing this penalty and, after we do, we’re going to go and win this game. That’s what we did.” 1213668 Florida Panthers Again, the Lightning did not really throw much his way, but what it did was kicked aside.

The Panthers even finally killed off a power play with Bobrovsky in the Sergei Bobrovsky is back and ready to lead the Florida Panthers cage.

“Throughout the season, this team has a tremendous ability to come back,’’ Bobrovsky said. “It doesn’t matter how much of a deficit we have. Published 19 hours ago on May 21, 2021 It was one of those games where we get together and one at a time, we pulled a W. It’s a big win for us, we’re going to enjoy tonight and get By George Richards ready to work on Saturday.”

There was a concern that once Quenneville pulled Bobrovsky, it might be TAMPA — Sergei Bobrovsky had nine of the biggest saves of his Florida tough to have to call on him once again. Panthers career on Thursday night. Perhaps, then, that Thursday was a good time to do it. Of course no After not starting the past two playoff games against the Tampa Bay team wants to be down 5-3 to the defending champs going into the third, Lightning, Bobrovsky was called out of the bullpen in Game 3. This was but Bobrovsky certainly did not have time to overthink things. not a save situation but a desperate one. You’re going in and we need you right now. Chris Driedger, who has meant so much to the Panthers over the past “I stayed focused, I do my preparation as I play,’’ Bobrovsky said. “During two seasons, happened to be part of a Tampa Bay resurgence in the the game, I stay focused and I stay ready. It’s playoff hockey, anything second period. could happen you just have to be ready for the guys. You have to make Florida led the Lightning 2-0 after the first period, but the Lightning put on sure you do your best. If you get the chance to get in, do your job.” an all-our assault in the second and scored five times on 12 shots on — The NHL announced that Game 5 will start at 8 p.m. on Monday night goal. with CNBC again being the national broadcast’s home. As the Panthers trudged to the locker room at Amalie Arena down 5-3, it did not take a genius to figure out Bobrovsky was taking over in the third. Florida Hockey NowLOADED: 05.22.2021 And take over he did.

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Bobrovsky, again, only had to make nine saves on Thursday but they not only helped stop the bleeding but kept things right where they were. The Panthers scored twice in the third and got another in overtime to beat the Lightning 6-5.

“He shut the door and allowed us the opportunity to come back,’’ said Ryan Lomberg, he of the game-winning goal in overtime. “Proud of him and proud of the boys for doing that.”

When Bobrovsky came out and took his spot in net, the Panthers were 20 minutes away from being down 0-3 in this best-of-7 series against the defending Stanley Cup champions.

Tampa Bay leads 2-1 heading into Game 4 on Saturday afternoon.

Although Joel Quenneville would not come right out and say it, he said enough.

Bet everything you have stuffed in your mattress that Bobrovsky will be in net.

“I’m really proud of the guys,’’ Bobrovsky said. “We were up, we were down 5-3 after that second period, and we regrouped to get the W. It’s a big win for us but it’s only one game. We enjoy tonight and get ready for the next one.”

Bobrovsky got the start in the opener of this series and gave up five goals on 40 shots in Florida’s 5-4 loss.

The Panthers gave the Game 2 to Driedger who was fine in a 2-1 loss on Tuesday night. The Lightning scored twice in the first period and then clamped down. Two goals allowed is usually plenty for the Florida offense but it was not this time.

There was word that the Panthers were leaning toward going back to Bobrovsky for Game 3 with the road atmosphere one of the worries. Driedger, for as good as he has been the past two seasons, has never really faced the pressure of a playoff game on enemy ice before.

Thursday, in the second period, he got the full experience.

Bobrovsky, of course, has been here before. He has had mixed success in the playoffs, but he has never backstopped a team with the talent this Florida team has.

He gave up five goals on Sunday night and the Panthers still were right there.

Thursday night, he skated out with an air about him. Bobrovsky looked serious and he looked locked in. 1213669 Florida Panthers

Steve Gorten: Ryan Lomberg unlikely hero for Florida Panthers in OT

Published 20 hours ago on May 21, 2021

By Steve Gorten

The unlikely hero of one of the greatest wins in the history of the Florida Panthers franchise, the guy who — at least temporarily — has saved their season, also happened to be the only player in the lineup without a single shot on goal until he fired the puck past Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy at 5:56 of overtime.

That gave the Panthers a 6-5 victory. Tampa Bay still has a 2-1 lead in the best-of-7 series, but Florida certainly can build off of this.

“A lot of times in overtimes, guys that are least expected to score come up large,” said Panthers coach Joel Quenneville. “The enthusiasm, after that goal and win, was as high as I’ve ever seen.”

Florida Hockey NowLOADED: 05.22.2021 1213670 Florida Panthers

‘The picture changes completely’: Panthers have life after wild win over Lightning

Published 21 hours ago on May 21, 2021

By George Richards

TAMPA — After a disastrous second period in which the Florida Panthers gave up five goals to the host Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 3 Thursday night, things appeared bleak.

The Lightning truly looked like the defending Stanley Cup champions. Tampa Bay was feeding off the energy in the building and exhibiting the confidence of a team who had been here before.

Then there were the Panthers, playing the role of the little cousin who always gets picked on at family picnics.

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Thursday night, the Panthers fought back.

Things may be different from now on.

“Couldn’t have been more proud about the way we competed,’’ coach Joel Quenneville said after Florida’s stunning 6-5 overtime win on Thursday.

“Now all of a sudden, the picture changes completely in a short amount of time. We’ve been working our tails off, it’s been an unbelievable series, the pace is unbelievable. Keep our composure and let’s be smart about it.”

Florida Hockey NowLOADED: 05.22.2021 1213671 Los Angeles Kings 2008. High draft choices get moved, yes, but not after playing only six games in the NHL.

First-round draft pick: The draft lottery is coming up fast, on June 2, Who stays, who goes? Projecting which Kings are likely to return next which means this isn’t set in stone. If the Kings land the No. 1 or No. 2 season draft pick, then it stays a long-shot piece in a bigger deal. Should they remain at No. 8, it could turn into a potential trade chip (see below).

Potential trade chips (Seattle related) By Lisa Dillman Gabriel Vilardi and Alex Turcotte: This goes beyond their appeal in any May 21, 2021 Jack Eichel-related trade talk. They should have greater value because of their draft pedigree. And there will be teams that want players who

don’t have to be protected and could be prepared to give up something Is the teardown finally over? meaningful they don’t want lose to Seattle. Sometimes you have to give to get, and if the Kings are intent on improving, which Blake indicated this If so, the Kings can move forward to the next phase and take steps to try week, then you have to be prepared to lose a prospect you’ve been to expedite their rebuild. Right now they have been firmly fixed in that in- waiting for. between stage — like all home renos … dust, dirt and disorder. Unlikely, but Blake takes the phone call (I’m having bad flashbacks of a garage — Taj Garage — renovation by a neighbor that seemed to go on all season about a decade ago.) Adrian Kempe: If the Kings moved him, almost immediately they would be trying to figure out where to get a replacement. He may not have as You know that it could potentially be a great look, eventually. But it is high a value outside of Los Angeles. The Kings know what he can bring, often ugly getting there, and for the Kings, it could get worse before it and his versatility, but the rest of the league may not be quite as aware or gets better, based on what they do or don’t do this summer. paying as close attention. Importantly, he is on a team-friendly deal at $2 million per year through next season. Already, we’ve said that this is arguably the most important summer of Kings GM Rob Blake’s tenure. He has the cap space and has the player Rasmus Kupari and Lias Andersson: Kupari and Andersson are the types assets, so let’s take a closer look at most of the players in the of players you might include in a larger deal to make it happen. There is organization — who may stay and who may go and almost everything in no clear indication of what Kupari’s upside is because he hasn’t had the between. full opportunity to develop. Not only was there an adjustment to North American play but he missed about a year of action because of a serious Locks to be back knee injury and subsequent surgery. Andersson appeared in just 23 Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty: They both make a lot of money with a games but his stock rose, internally, as time went on, which wasn’t the lot of term remaining. They are the linchpins of the team who are staying case with many Kings players this season. around to show the way for the next generation and because of that, they Trevor Moore and Jaret Anderson-Dolan: More ups than downs. Moore, have far greater value to the Kings than they would to many other teams who is 26, has made steady improvement, a reminder that success in the NHL. Additionally, Doughty has a no-move clause, while Kopitar doesn’t always happen at 19 or 23. A scout from another team in the has a modified no-trade, per Cap Friendly. division told me in the middle of the season that he thought Anderson- Almost certainly returning Dolan was one of the Kings’ best prospects.

Jonathan Quick: There is his age (35), contract ($5.8 million in 2021-22 Sean Walker: Again, Walker is like some of the others in this category. If and 2022-23), plus the fact the Kings announced on Tuesday he was to the deal required a sweetener, he could be the type of asset needed to have shoulder surgery this week. Those factors won’t send GMs running get it done. Including him in this category means he has trade value, and to the phone to ask about him. the Kings recognized that when they signed him to a four-year contract extension in September. They liked what they saw from him in the final Cal Petersen: Logic comes into play here. You don’t anoint someone the third of the season and that counts for a lot in the bigger picture. goalie of the future, throw him the keys and then send him out the door after 54 NHL appearances. Seattle or somewhere else

Dustin Brown: Brown is a year older than Quick but only has one year left Blake Lizotte, Austin Wagner, Carl Grundstrom and Kale Clague: Does on his contract. Although management doesn’t seem overly sentimental, Seattle pounce if Lizotte is left unprotected or does Wagner’s speed it still makes sense to let him retire as a King. entice them? We will take a much closer look soon at the Kings players who are on the expansion-list bubble. Unlike many teams, the Kings Alex Iafallo: The hint that the Kings want to keep him around? Well, it’s don’t have protection problems when it comes to the Seattle expansion more than a hint, in fact. It was that day in April that they signed him to a draft. But they will have to lose a player to the Kraken. Apart from four-year extension worth $16 million. Seattle, Lizotte, Wagner, Grundstrom and Clague all have qualities that Almost certainly returning (blue-line division) might be helpful in a bigger trade or even a small transaction.

Matt Roy, Mikey Anderson and Tobias Bjornfot: It is an interesting trio — Toss-ups a seventh-round pick (Roy), a fourth-rounder (Anderson) and first- Andreas Athanasiou: An RFA who has limited trade value despite the rounder (Bjornfot). What they have in common is that the Kings have bounce-back season. Even when he was available in the fall — as a UFA invested heavily in them and they are part of the defined group. The – there wasn’t a ton of interest before the Kings signed him on the eve of Kings are not about to shift course with them at this stage. At best, training camp. As noted, he had a better year but probably hasn’t done they’ve all shown impressive glimpses and have earned the trust of Kings enough to drastically change minds around the NHL. He’s a useful coach Todd McLellan and assistant Trent Yawney, who runs the placeholder until someone emerges on the second line. And on nights he defense. is visible, Athanasiou is extremely visible, a generator of highlight-reel Probably returning but don’t bet your 401K on it plays.

Christian Wolanin: Now this is an interesting call. When the Kings Brendan Lemieux: Given that he was around for such a short period of acquired him from Ottawa, sending Michael Amadio to the Senators, it time, it’s a good bet the Kings need more evidence to decide he is or isn’t was noted by Cap Friendly that Wolanin would become an unrestricted part of the future. They felt like they needed an agitator in the bottom part free agent if he did not play 13 more games. And Wolanin appeared in of the lineup and unless they acquire a player like that via trade this just three games. But he likes it in L.A., and it would be a low-cost summer, they are still going to need it in October. venture to see if there is more of an upside. Kurtis MacDermid: Channeling my inner Brian Burke and using one of his Long-shot piece in a bigger trade favorite words — “truculence.” There’s another year left on his deal, at $875,000, and teams could be intrigued enough to get truculence at a Quinton Byfield: It would have to be a blockbuster with transformative discount. potential for the Kings to part with their highest-drafted prospect since Austin Strand: One of the many RFAs in the system. Martin Frk: Another curious development was why the Kings didn’t put Frk back in the lineup when he returned in what was an injury-riddled campaign. With a youth-driven lineup in , Frk’s maturity and experience helped the Reign. Why not see if he can recapture his chemistry with Vilardi in Los Angeles?

Troy Grosenick: One of the bright spots was Grosenick playing and winning his first game since 2014 in the NHL this past season. He could be an asset in Ontario — the more adults in the room, the better.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213672 Los Angeles Kings professional game this past season, and Jon Gomez, Media Relations/Communications.

The tournament began earlier today, with Team Canada in action this World Championships Primer + Roy named as alternate captain for morning against the host nation of Latvia. Team USA and Team Finland Team USA open in a head-to-head matchup on Saturday, while Sweden also opens its tournament on Saturday against Denmark. A full Kings schedule is listed below, with all times listed in Pacific Time.

By Zach Dooley

The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021 The 2021 IIHF World Championships are upon us, with ten members of the LA Kings organization competing for four countries, looking to win gold.

Seven players will be participating in their first World Championships, while three are returning. A look below at a full list of those competing –

All three Canadians will be participating in their first World Championships.

Jaret Anderson-Dolan has the most international experience of the three, having represented Canada in the World U-17 Challenge, as well as the U-18 and U-20 IIHF World Championships. Anderson-Dolan wore a letter in all three tournaments, including the “C” at the Under-18 level in 2017. Anderson-Dolan is still in search of his first international medal, having finished the closest at the U-17 level, with a loss in the bronze medal game.

Vilardi was a teammate of Anderson-Dolan’s at the 2016 U-17 showcase, his only international experience for Team Canada to date. Vilardi was slated to join Team Canada at the 2019 World Juniors, but missed out due to injury. The late-blooming Walker will represent his country at any level for the first time here in Latvia.

Though he brings incredible international experience, this will be the first World Championships for Olli Maatta, due more to circumstance than anything else. Maatta qualified for the postseason in each season of his NHL career to date, naturally preventing him from attending the tournament. Maatta brings with him experience at the Olympic Winter Games (2014) and World Cup (2017), winning a bronze medal at the Olympics in . Maatta also competed in the World Juniors and U-18 World Championships earlier in his career.

Joining the veteran Maatta will be the up-and-coming Kim Nousianen, the lone LAK representative who did not play in the NHL this season. Nousianen spent the season in Finland’s Liiga, the country’s top division, where he was a half-point-per-game from the blueline (27 from 54). The 20-year-old defenseman has skated for Finland at both the U-20 and U- 18 levels, winning a gold medal at the 2018 World U-18 Championships.

Forward Adrian Kempe will represent Team Sweden for the third straight World Championships, carrying on from 2018 and 2019, with 2020 skipped due to COVID-19. Kempe and Sweden were the tournament champions in 2018, which completed a back-to-back for Tre Kronor. Kempe has 14 points (5-9-14) from 18 career games played in the IIHF World Championships, and has 23 senior national team appearances in total.

Prior to his senior national team debut, Kempe represented his country twice at the World Juniors, in 2015 and 2016, as well as at the U-17 and U-18 tournaments in the two years prior respectively.

The largest contingent of Kings will represent USA Hockey, with four Kings players in total on the roster.

Defenseman Christian Wolanin returns for his second IIHF World Championships, and his second consecutive, after he played for Team USA in 2019, as they bowed out in the quarterfinals. Goaltender Cal Petersen is also a returning player – he was a part of the 2017 USA roster – but did not appear in a game as the team’s third goaltender.

Forward Trevor Moore and defenseman Matt Roy will both look to make their national team debuts for Team USA here in 2021, though Roy’s debut will come with an added bonus.

The Michigan native was selected by Head Coach Jack Capuano to serve as an alternate captain, alongside Colin Blackwell, with Justin Abdelkader wearing the “C”.

Additionally, the Kings are represented by two staff members on Team USA – Equipment Manager Dana Bryson, who worked his 1,500 1213673 Minnesota Wild "We had opportunities obviously to go up, to get that third one," Evason said. "The disallowed goal maybe tweaked us a little bit. It didn't feel that way. Maybe not even our mental psyche but maybe theirs was like, 'Geez, maybe we caught a break,' and they were able to go forward from Turning points and momentum swings add up to 2-1 series deficit for there. I don't know. The game flows like that." Wild Those momentum swings have happened all series long, but the Wild has rarely been the beneficiary.

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune In Game 4, the team will rely on a new lineup to try to seize the reins.

MAY 21, 2021 — 8:51PM Winger Marcus Johansson is out because of a broken left arm after crashing into the post during the first period Thursday. The injury

required surgery on Friday. A disallowed goal in the first period of Game 3. Zach Parise has been the Wild's odd forward out, sitting as a healthy Vegas tying Game 2 only 18 seconds after the Wild scored. scratch so far this series, but Evason didn't guarantee Parise's return and said the team was going to discuss its options. All 17 shots earlier that night in the first period that stayed out. Regardless of how the Wild adjusts, the reality facing the team is the The woulda, coulda, shoulda moments keep piling up against the Wild, a same. stash of tough breaks and near misses that reveal how this best-of-seven series could have veered in a different direction, one in which the Wild is "Everyone is aware of the situation that we're in and how crucial Game 4 leading. is in a series," Cole said. "There's no secret recipe. It's just a matter of will. We just need to get the job done." Instead, the team has dropped two straight and trails the Golden Knights 2-1 in the first round of the playoffs. And if the Wild's skid stretches to three for the first time this season after Game 4 on Saturday at Xcel Star Tribune LOADED: 05.22.2021 Energy Center, the team will be on the brink of elimination.

"We've been a resilient group all year, whether we are down a goal or two in the third period or lose a couple of games, we always come back with our best the next game," goaltender Cam Talbot said. "We're one of the few teams who didn't lose three in a row this year, and we need to build on that now."

While the Wild can draw inspiration from the regular season on how adept it became at hitting the reset button, a closer look at the 5-2 meltdown in Game 3 is probably all the team needs to bounce back against Vegas.

Not only was there a blueprint for how to outplay the Golden Knights, but the action was also a tutorial on what not to do, a mashup of the team's best and worst hockey this postseason.

"Moving past it and not learning doesn't necessarily help us," defenseman Ian Cole said. "That said, dwelling on it doesn't help us either. It needs to be a mix of the two. We need to be adjusting. We need to be getting better. We need to be figuring out how to get better."

After the first period, the Wild was ahead 2-0 — a well-deserved lead that made it look like the team had finally solved Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury.

Rookie Kirill Kaprizov's quick, heads-up pass to a net-crashing Ryan Hartman opened the scoring, and then center Joel Eriksson Ek buried a loose puck for the type of gritty goal that's difficult for Fleury or any NHL netminder to stop.

"We played with energy and just going after them, making smart decisions on the lines and getting open, helping each other out," Eriksson Ek said.

But the Wild's aggressiveness didn't return for the second and third periods.

That streakiness showed up earlier in the series; the Wild overcame a slow start in Game 1 to prevail 1-0 in overtime. During Game 2, the team was in complete control in the first despite not capitalizing and then eased up after it finally did score, paving the way for a 3-1 Golden Knights comeback.

This latest sag, however, was the most jarring. The Wild was outshot 36- 9 from the second period on, combusting under Vegas' pressure that culminated in a five-goal tear.

"They bent a bit, but they didn't break," coach Dean Evason said. "They obviously stayed the course better than we did."

Evason pinpointed the five penalties the Wild committed in the game as what derailed its rhythm, but Vegas was also likely galvanized by staring at a two-goal deficit instead of three.

Eriksson Ek potted a third goal in the first period from his office in front of the net, but the score was waved off for being offside. 1213674 Minnesota Wild changes the identity of that team. He's a goal-a-game guy. Whether he's scoring it or helping create it, that's what he is.''

Nick Holden emerges as unsung hero in Golden Knights-Wild series Star Tribune LOADED: 05.22.2021

By Randy Johnson Star Tribune

MAY 22, 2021 — 12:14AM

Nick Holden wore a big smile on his face and a T-shirt with the cartoon character Goofy. He and fellow Vegas defenseman Alec Martinez cracked each other up throughout Friday's video news conference, having fun during an obligation that can be drudgery for some athletes.

"I would like to give a shout out to this guy,'' Martinez said. "He said it was fun last night. I think it's only fitting that he's wearing his Disney Goofy shirt right now in a press conference. Nice.''

Such is life for the Golden Knights after their 5-2 victory over the Wild on Thursday night at gave them a 2-1 lead in the West Division first-round playoff series.

Winning, of course, lightens the mood, and Holden was taking full advantage.

Playing in his first game since April 9, Holden drew into the Vegas lineup as third-pair defenseman and made his coach, Peter DeBoer, look like a genius. Holden, who played only 17 games in the regular season, assisted on Patrick Brown's tying goal and Reilly Smith's winner as the Golden Knights rallied from two goals down to beat the Wild.

"I have to say it was fun,'' Holden said. "Coaches and training staff have done a good job of making sure that I was ready physically. I'm comfortable with my game, so being able to get in, it was just fun to be able to be back out there and competing.''

Sensing fatigue in regular third-pair blue-liner Nicolas Hague, DeBoer opted for Holden on Thursday. Throughout the season, Holden, 34, was a salary cap casualty, being placed on waivers and sitting in favor of Hague because Hague carried a smaller cap hit.

"We haven't been able to put him in even when there's been opportunity for him,'' DeBoer said. "Veteran guy, understood it, kept working, never complained. I wanted to get him in. We're going to need seven or eight defensemen.''

Added Martinez, "He truly is a consummate professional. He's been dealt a hand this year, with all the cap things, that is a pretty difficult situation to be confronted with.''

Holden, who re-signed with Vegas in the offseason on a two-year, $3.4 million contract, understands and accepts his role.

"It's probably been the most interesting [season] of my career,'' he said. "Being able to stay ready, stay engaged, has been pretty easy for me this year just by not being able to play a ton of games. … I'm comfortable in my game. I wasn't too concerned jumping in not having played in a while.''

At home on the road

Through Thursday, road teams held a 10-8 record in the NHL playoffs. DeBoer credits that to home-ice advantage not being as important as it once was.

"There definitely is a piece of the pressure that home teams put on themselves to win those games. I think it's easier to play on the road. This year it's even easier because you're not going into really hostile environments with 20,000 people in the stands.''

Patching the lineup

Max Pacioretty, the Golden Knights leading goal-scorer in the regular season with 24, hasn't played since May 1 because of an undisclosed injury and remains a game-time decision in this series. DeBoer has been impressed how his team has handled Pacioretty's absence.

"Whether it's been short lineups or injuries or COVID, it's just been next man up and get to work,'' he said. "Obviously, Patches, that's a big hole for us. You take anyone's leading goal-scorer out of their lineup and it 1213675 Minnesota Wild

Wild RW Johansson out with broken arm after Game 3 injury

By DAVE CAMPBELL

MAY 21, 2021 — 1:01PM

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Wild right wing Marcus Johansson has a broken left arm that will take him out of the playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Johansson was hurt in the first period of Game 3, when he approached the net and appeared to trip on the puck with Golden Knights forward in tight pursuit.

Johansson's left side crashed into the goal post, dislodging it from the mooring and forcing him out of the game. The 30-year-old Johansson, in his first season with the Wild, was doubled over in pain as he slowly left the ice.

Coach Dean Evason confirmed the injury Friday.

"He's a big part of our team. Obviously we lose his speed factor. A veteran presence. So yeah, he'll be missed," Evason said. "But we're expecting when we put people into our lineup that they'll be able to hopefully provide us with some of the stuff that Jojo provides us."

The obvious replacement for Johansson would be Zach Parise, the 36- year-old left wing with 35 career goals in the playoffs who fell out of the lineup down the stretch and has been a healthy scratch in each of the first three games. Evason declined to reveal his pick for Game 4 on Saturday night. The Golden Knights lead the best-of-seven first-round series 2-1 after a 5-2 win in Game 3.

"We're going to chat about different options and hopefully make the right decisions going forward," Evason said.

Matt Boldy, the team's first-round draft pick in 2019 who has been skating with the team's taxi squad, might also receive consideration.

"All the players that are here and are available to us are here for a reason. They can play," Evason said. "We brought them here with the opportunity that if people get hurt or situation that we play them."

Parise, who is in his ninth season with the Wild on a 13-year, $98 million contract, dropped on the depth chart at left wing with Kirill Kaprizov and Kevin Fiala the team's top two scorers and Jordan Greenway and Nick Bonino also playing integral roles. If Parise plays, Bonino could move to right wing to fill Johansson's spot.

Johansson, who will be a free agent after the season, had six goals and eight assists in 36 games for Minnesota after arriving in a trade that sent center to Buffalo. Johansson has significant experience at center but has played mostly on the wing with the Wild.

Star Tribune LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213676 Minnesota Wild Star Tribune LOADED: 05.22.2021

Wild winger Marcus Johansson suffered broken arm in Thursday's loss

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune

MAY 22, 2021 — 12:20AM

The Wild has no choice but to switch up its lineup for Game 4 against the Golden Knights.

Forward Marcus Johansson suffered a broken left arm during the Wild's 5-2 loss in Game 3 on Thursday at Xcel Energy Center, getting injured after crashing into the goalpost.

Johansson underwent surgery on Friday, an NHL source said, and there's no timeline for his return.

"He's clearly extremely disappointed but had awesome encouraging words about how we play and how we can play," said coach Dean Evason, who texted with Johansson on Friday morning. "He's a big part of our team. Obviously, we lose his speed factor, a veteran presence. So, yeah, he'll be missed."

Johansson was hurt early in the first period as he drove to the net from the right wing while Vegas' William Karlsson defended him. As Johansson cut inside, he appeared to trip on the puck and collided with the post.

Although the 11-year NHL veteran was held pointless in the playoffs, Johansson had been a fixture in the Wild's top-nine forward group, skating on a line with Kevin Fiala and Victor Rask.

In 36 games during the regular season, Johansson tallied six goals and eight assists while getting sidelined on the COVID list and sitting out with upper-body injuries. Acquired in an offseason trade that sent Eric Staal to the Sabres, Johansson is in the final season of a two-year, $9 million contract and it's possible he's played his last game with the Wild. The 30- year-old will be a free agent after the season.

"We're expecting when we put people into our lineup that they'll be able to hopefully provide us with some of the stuff that Jojo provides us with," Evason said.

Zach Parise looks like the leading candidate to step in after being a healthy scratch for Games 1-3, but Evason didn't commit to playing the Wild's all-time leading playoff scorer.

"We're going to evaluate and make a decision," Evason said.Even before the playoffs started, Parise had become the Wild's extra forward — getting scratched for three of the last four games in the regular season. The winger was also benched earlier in the year for his play against the Golden Knights, an overextended shift in a 5-4 overtime loss at Vegas on March 1.

Overall, Parise had seven goals and 11 assists in 45 games while adapting to a new role on the fourth line that included less action on the power play. His average ice time finished at 13 minutes, 57 seconds, 3- plus minutes lower than last season and the lowest since his rookie season in 2005-06 (13:08). Evason said the team will mull different options for filling Johansson's vacancy, and the Wild has plenty of reinforcements on standby.

Aside from taxi-squaders Luke Johnson, Kyle Rau and Joseph Cramarossa, the Wild recalled Matt Boldy, Connor Dewar and Brandon Duhaime from the minors earlier this week. Boldy is the most intriguing of the bunch after the 2019 first-round draft pick picked up six goals and 12 assists in 14 games with Iowa in the after leaving Boston College in March to sign with the Wild and turn pro.

But Boldy has no NHL experience, and a debut now would come at a make-or-break crossroads in the playoffs.

"All the players that are here and that are available to us are here for a reason," Evason said. "They can play. We've brought them here with the opportunity that if people get hurt or a situation that we play them. We feel very comfortable with every guy that's on our taxi squad that's played for us this year, and we feel very comfortable with the people that we've brought up from Iowa. We feel very good about everybody." 1213677 Minnesota Wild

Will Wild look to past (Zach Parise) or future (Matt Boldy) in Game 4?

By Michael Rand Star Tribune

MAY 21, 2021 — 10:43AM

When Marcus Johansson crashed into the goalpost Thursday during the Wild's first period surge against Vegas, resulting in damage that forced down the tunnel and out of the game for good, it created an immediate Game 4 subplot.

And as the Wild's 2-0 lead evaporated over the final 40 minutes of a 5-2 butt-kicking, that plot line only increased in magnitude: Johansson's injury, confirmed Friday as a broken arm, forces him out of the lineup in Game 4 and beyond.

The two primary options to replace him are full of intrigue.

Will head coach Dean Evason look to the Wild's past and insert Zach Parise — a healthy scratch for several games down the stretch and in the first three games of the playoffs — into the lineup? Or would he look to the future and put highly touted rookie Matt Boldy into his first NHL game in a make-or-break Game 4 with the Wild trailing 2 games to 1.

Door number three, I suppose, is that both players crack the lineup and that Nico Sturm or Nick Bjugstad is scratched.

I talked about the intrigue on Friday's Daily Delivery podcast once I was done breaking down all that went wrong after looking so right in Game 3.

The simplest and safest choice is Parise, of course. He has 77 career points in 101 postseason games and, lest we forget, was the Wild's leading goal scorer in each of the previous two seasons when he had 53 combined tallies. He could slot into the third line, perhaps giving Kevin Fiala (zero points in the series) someone to work off of.

Boldy is the most intriguing and ... pun intended ... boldest option. The 2019 first round pick just turned 20, has good size and put up 18 points in 14 games with the Iowa Wild after signing following the end of his season with Boston College.

He might be an even better fit to play with Fiala, but he has also never played in an NHL game. Putting him into a critical Game 4 would be a huge show of faith that would carry the risk of second-guessing if it didn't work out.

As noted, Parise could find a spot on the fourth line and Boldy could take Johansson's spot on the third line if Evason really wants to shake up a lineup that has produced just four goals in three games this series. That would give Evason some cover, too, if Boldy looked overmatched because he could throw Parise onto the third line as needed.

At this point, nothing would surprise me. Parise's experience, like I said, would be the safest bet and his ability to score "gritty" goals could be exactly what the Wild need. But he's also clearly fallen out of favor with Evason and GM Bill Guerin — and their strategic long-term plan could lead them to give Boldy a chance to show what he can do.

Parise slotting in was the overwhelming choice in the Twitter poll I ran. But the only vote that truly matters is the one Evason will make on Saturday.

Star Tribune LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213678 Minnesota Wild

Golden Knights take 2-1 lead into game 4 against the Wild

Staff Report

By The Associated Press

MAY 21, 2021 — 2:05AM

Vegas Golden Knights (40-14-2, second in the West Division during the regular season) vs. Minnesota Wild (35-16-5, third in the West Division during the regular season)

St. Paul, Minnesota; Saturday, 8 p.m. EDT

FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Wild +109, Golden Knights -131; over/under is 5.5

NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Golden Knights lead series 2-1

BOTTOM LINE: The Vegas Golden Knights visit the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the NHL Playoffs with a 2-1 lead in the series. The teams meet Saturday for the 12th time this season. The Golden Knights won the last matchup 5-2. scored a team-high two goals for the Golden Knights in the victory.

The Wild are 35-16-5 against the rest of their division. Minnesota ranks eighth in the NHL averaging 3.2 goals per game, led by Kirill Kaprizov with 27.

The Golden Knights are 40-14-2 against the rest of their division. Vegas has scored 190 goals and is third in the league averaging 3.4 goals per game. Max Pacioretty leads the team with 24.

TOP PERFORMERS: Kaprizov leads the Wild with 51 points, scoring 27 goals and collecting 24 assists. Joel Eriksson Ek has four goals and one assist over the last 10 games for Minnesota.

Stone leads the Golden Knights with 40 total assists and has 61 points. Reilly Smith has six goals and six assists over the last 10 games for Vegas.

Star Tribune LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213679 Minnesota Wild "You saw the first two games in Vegas now, how big the difference is with fans," Sturm said.

Testing glitch Marcus Johansson injured in Wild's Game 3 loss to Vegas. Vegas had to alter its travel plans to Minnesota for Games 3 and 4 after the Golden Knights received nine false positives for COVID-19.

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune Further testing came back negative, and an investigation revealed the initial results were erroneous. St. Louis also dealt with incorrect results. MAY 21, 2021 — 6:49AM "Obviously unbelievable concern and worry about what that means and what that's going to look like for your team going forward," DeBoer said. "We waited around. I think once we heard that there was multiple teams The Wild played a forward short for most of Thursday's 5-2 loss to Vegas in the same situation, I think we started to put two and two together and at Xcel Energy Center. realized it was probably some type of lab error and that's what it turned Marcus Johansson was injured driving the net in the first period of Game out to be. But it took us till later afternoon to clear it up." 3 of a West semifinal series at Xcel Energy Center. Wild coach Dean

Evason said Friday morning that Johansson has a broken arm. Star Tribune LOADED: 05.22.2021 Johansson, playing on a line with Kevin Fiala and center Victor Rask, headed toward the goal from the right wing with Vegas' William Karlsson defending. Johansson cut sharply and seemed to trip on the puck as he hit the right goalpost flush on the left side of his body.

Forward lines were juggled for the rest of the game, and in several cases leading goal scorers Kirill Kaprizov and Fiala were on the same unit.

Zach Parise has been the odd man out, a healthy scratch for the first three games of the playoffs.

Goal waved off

Vegas had a successful challenge in the first period that prevented it from falling behind 3-0.

After Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek scored what would have been his second goal of the game, Golden Knights coach Peter DeBoer challenged the play for a missed offside. Replay showed Nick Bjugstad of the Wild entered the zone a tick ahead of the puck, nullifying the goal.

Vegas then scored the next three to go ahead 3-2 after two periods.

Sturm's effectiveness

At this point of the playoffs last year, Nico Sturm was getting added to the lineup to jolt the Wild.

Now the rookie is experiencing the postseason from the get-go — anchoring a fourth line for the Wild that is still being relied upon in crucial moments against the Golden Knights, just like Sturm and his linemates were during the regular season.

"That's what I want to prove in the playoffs, too, is that I can make a difference and be a staple in the lineup," Sturm said ahead of Game 3 at Xcel Energy Center. "I know I played a couple games before last year, too, but this year was about trying to bring what I bring on a consistent basis and it's no different now in the playoffs."

While in Vegas, Sturm was used mostly in a defensive role.

Aside from taking shifts on the penalty kill, he and linemate Nick Bonino made 11 defensive-zone starts and Sturm was on the ice for 21 defensive-zone faceoffs; only Bonino had more (23) among Wild forwards.

"Just get the puck out, try to get faceoffs and get the pucks into their zone and into our scorers' hands," Sturm said.

But Sturm does have an offensive upside, contributing 11 goals in the regular season.

He also scored last year in the playoffs in Game 4 against Vancouver — Sturm's first career NHL goal — after he made his postseason debut in Game 3.

Home sweet home

Thursday was the Wild's first home playoff game in more than three years — since April 17, 2018.

The Wild didn't advance in 2019 and spent the postseason last year in a bubble in Edmonton.

Xcel Energy Center was at 25% capacity for Game 3, a crowd of 4,500 that was the largest the Wild has played in front of at home this season. 1213680 Minnesota Wild He's impressive, not impregnable. Playoffs are about matchups. What should concern the Wild is that the

veteran goalie could frustrate Kaprizov and Fiala, the two skaters who Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury beats Wild with one hand behind his back make this Wild team more dangerous than its predecessors.

With 1:36 remaining, the Wild's Jordan Greenway took a no-angle shot. Fleury appeared to pin the puck to his back with his glove. MAY 21, 2021 — 6:25AM Fleury didn't stand on his head on Thursday. He did beat the Wild with Jim Souhan Jim Souhan @SOUHANSTRIB one hand behind his back.

The Wild might have solved its biggest problem on Thursday night. It Star Tribune LOADED: 05.22.2021 might also have lost a playoff series.

It scored two goals and had another wiped out by an offsides call against Vegas' contortionist goaltender, Marc-Andre Fleury, yet took a pummeling in the second and third periods, blew a two-goal lead and fell 5-2 in Game 3. The Wild has lost two consecutive to give Vegas a 2-1 lead in the series.

Fleury — stoner of pucks, thwarter of ambitions, shredder of nerves, destroyer of dreams — once said this about playing goalie:

"Sometimes when I make a good save, I yell out, 'Woo-Hooo!' I'm not sure why, but it just feels good.''

In the first two games, the goalmouth must have sounded like a yodeling contest.

Kirill Kaprizov threw darts at him in Game 1, and Fleury became a dart board. Kevin Fiala attacked him like an internet troll in Game 2, and Fleury hit mute. After six-plus periods of this series, the Wild had yet to score a clean goal.

That changed quickly in Game 3. Kaprizov made one of his typically deft, beautiful, traffic-avoiding passes to Ryan Hartman, who buried the puck before Fleury could recover, making it 1-0 Wild 2:16 into the game.

About six minutes later, Marcus Foligno created chaos in front of the goal and Joel Eriksson Ek buried a loose puck. Again, Fleury had no chance.

With less than seven minutes left in the first period, Fiala put a hard shot off Fleury's leg, and the rebound went right to Eriksson Ek, who appeared to easily score again, but the goal was waved off because the Wild was found, on video, to be offside.

The Wild won Game 1 on Eriksson Ek's shot off a defender's skate. The Wild's only goal in Game 2 came on Matt Dumba's screened shot.

Give Fleury a chance to see an undeflected shot, and he snags, blocks, parries or smothers it. Entering Game 3 at the Xcel Energy Center, Fleury had been the best and most important player on the ice. On Thursday, the Wild hinted that Fleury's dominance could have been a short-term trend.

Through two games, Fleury had excelled at glove saves, and on desperate saves when he appeared to be out of position — as when Kaprizov almost beat him on a point-blank blocker-side shot, and Fleury flicked it away with his … what? Shoulder? Head? The butt end of his stick? It looked more like sleight of hand than a save.

So how do you solve a problem like Fleury?

Thursday night, the Wild demonstrated that the best way to score against him is to move the puck crisply enough that the shooter benefits from a temporarily empty net, or at least a portion of one.

This much seems certain — don't shoot to his glove side if you have any other option. He's too quick.

And whatever plans the Wild implements about Fleury must include the admonition that, in a playoff game against a quality team, the shooter has a microsecond to make a decision and cut loose a shot, knowing that the effective target area is about the size of a cocktail napkin.

Fleury has seen it all. On Thursday night, he went over 9,000 career playoff minutes.

A good goalie can get into your head, but the Wild also needs to rely on this perspective: As good as Fleury has been in this series, and over the course of his career, he's not invincible. He carried a career playoff record of 82-64 into Game 3. Entering Thursday, he was 2-6 at the Xcel Energy Center with a 3.46 goals-against average. 1213681 Minnesota Wild remaining in the third for his second point of the game. Stone scored his second into an empty net with 59 seconds to go.

Earlier in the third, the Wild had a power play when it was still vying for Wild's fast start turns to ice-cold finish in 5-2 loss to Golden Knights in the equalizer but didn't even register a shot and went 0-for-2. Talbot Game 3 totaled 35 saves.

After Marcus Johansson was injured in the first period, the Wild juggled its lines but couldn't find a combination to deliver. By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune "You have to have a short memory," Talbot said. "Anytime you let MAY 21, 2021 — 5:56AM something like that linger, it's going to carry over into the next game, and we don't have the luxury of easing our way into it."

The Wild thrived on home ice during the regular season, but the team's playoff debut at Xcel Energy Center was a different story. Star Tribune LOADED: 05.22.2021 After splitting the start of the first round in Vegas, the Wild returned to St. Paul and was playing its best hockey of the series before collapsing for a 5-2 loss Thursday night.

An announced crowd of 4,500 at watched the Golden Knights take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

"We gave them everything," center Ryan Hartman said. "We had no possession, no work ethic, no battle. We got away from our game, and we let them dictate."

Vegas scored three goals on 22 shots in a second-period master class on how to organize a comeback. The rally was led by Mark Stone (two goals) and Reilly Smith, who had the game-winner at 17 minutes, 33 seconds to go along with an assist.

Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury needed to make only 14 saves as the Wild tied the franchise record for fewest shots in a playoff game with 16, which is a record low for home ice. The Wild also had 16 shots on May 8, 2003, in a Game 7 win at Vancouver.

"We know we have to score to win the games," center Joel Eriksson Ek said. "Just have to get to the front of the net and be around it and get those rebounds."

This slowdown came after the Wild dominated the first period.

Only 2:16 into the game, Hartman buried a seeing-eye pass from rookie Kirill Kaprizov. The assist was Kaprizov's first career playoff point.

The Wild scored again at 8:30 when Marcus Foligno knocked down a Matt Dumba point shot for Eriksson Ek to tuck behind Fleury for his second goal of the playoffs.

Eriksson Ek fired another puck behind Fleury at 12:52, but Vegas issued a coach's challenge and video review determined the Wild was offside on the play, erasing the goal and keeping the score 2-0.

"It would have been a great goal for us to have," Eriksson Ek said.

Still, the team ended the period in control and received a standing ovation from the fans inside Xcel Energy Center as the players exited the ice at the intermission.

But the same team didn't return for the second period.

"Our first period was as good as it gets," coach Dean Evason said. "Their second was as good as it gets."

Vegas outplayed the Wild the entire period, at one point going on a 14-0 run in shots.

As for the Wild, it managed only five shots and put the Golden Knights on the power play two times. Even though Vegas didn't capitalize and went 0-for-5, Evason called the string of penalties the turning point.

"It took us out of rhythm, took us out of the hockey game," he said. "We got frustrated."

Stone converted at 8:39, taking a Chandler Stephenson pass and wiring it by goaltender Cam Talbot from the slot for Stone's first tally of the series.

At 15:19, the puck caromed off the end boards and in front for Patrick Brown to backhand by Talbot, who got a piece of the puck before it fell behind him.

And then Vegas moved ahead 3-2 when Smith put back his own rebound at the top of the crease. William Karlsson added a fourth goal with 2:24 1213682 Minnesota Wild

Wild haven’t lost three games in a row all season, and now is not the time to start

By DANE MIZUTANI | [email protected] | Pioneer Press

PUBLISHED: May 21, 2021 at 6:26 p.m. | UPDATED: May 21, 2021 at 6:45 p.m.

Dean Evason did his best to turn the page after Thursday’s debacle at Xcel Energy Center. Less than 30 minutes after a 5-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series, the Wild coach was asked about his team’s psyche heading into Game 4.

“It’s 2-1, right?” Evason said. “It’s 2-1. That’s it. We’re looking forward to Game 4.”

The 56-year-old coach didn’t want the Wild to obsess over the loss on home ice. He wanted his players to rinse it and move on like they have all season.

After all, the Wild were among the few NHL teams that never lose three games in a row during the regular season. They lost back-to-back games eight different times, and they responded each time with a victory.

Game 4 is at 7 p.m. Saturday at Xcel Energy Center. That would be a good time to continue the trend.

“We can draw on every single situation we had all year,” Evason said. “That’s what the regular season is for, right? It’s to rehearse for what we’re doing right now. And things didn’t go our way (in Game 3). There’s tons of positive things that we did. There’s tons of negative things that we did. Who cares, right? We learned from them.”

The most recent example of the Wild bouncing back from consecutive losses came earlier this week. After dropping a pair of lopsided games to the St. Louis Blues to close out the regular season, the Wild responded with a stirring 1-0 overtime victory over the Golden Knights in Las Vegas in Game 1.

Can the Wild continue that trend in a do-or-die situation in Saturday’s game?

“We’ve been a resilient group all year,” goaltender Cam Talbot said. “We’re going to have to come out and give our best game like we’ve done all year after a couple of losses. We’ve been an extremely good team at rebounding this year. We have a lot of character in that room, and we are extremely resilient.”

There have been prolonged stretches of solid play throughout the first- round series. That’s what the Wild have to latch onto with their season suddenly hanging in the balance.

Whether it was coming out on top in Game 1, taking an early lead in Game 2, or absolutely dominating the first 20 minutes of Game 3, the Wild have proven they can hang with the Golden Knights. Now it’s a matter of doing it for a full 60 minutes.

“I have no doubt we can do it for Game 4,” veteran defenseman Ian Cole said. “I think everyone is aware of the situation we’re in and how crucial Game 4 is in this series. There’s no secret recipe. It’s just a matter of will. We just need to get the job done.”

It’s as simple as that. It seems highly unlikely that Evason will be giving any fiery pregame speeches before Saturday’s Game 4. He knows his players understands what they have to do. It’s just a matter of going out and doing it.

“They know who they are,” Evason said. “We’ve gone through a lot of experiences this year. They know what we are as a hockey club. Just the way they conduct themselves and how they stick together and how they’re good teammates and a solid group. They know that. There’s no reminder there. They’ll come ready to play tomorrow.”

Pioneer Press LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213683 Minnesota Wild gloves at a moment’s notice. Maybe that’s something the Wild want in the lineup with their season on the line.

Marcus Johansson has a broken arm. Who replaces him in Wild lineup? Pioneer Press LOADED: 05.22.2021

By DANE MIZUTANI | [email protected] | Pioneer Press

PUBLISHED: May 21, 2021 at 2:09 p.m. | UPDATED: May 21, 2021 at 6:08 p.m.

Wild winger Marcus Johansson has a broken left arm, head coach Dean Evason said Friday, and will likely miss the rest of the playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights. He was injured after crashing into the goal post during a 5-2 loss in Game 3 Thursday night at Xcel Energy Center.

The 30-year-old appeared to trip over the puck while driving the net early in Game 3. He struggled to his feet, exited to the locker room and did not return to the game.

“I texted with him here this morning,” Evason said. “He’s clearly extremely disappointed. He had awesome encouraging words about how we play and how we can play. He’s a big part of our team. Obviously, we lose his speed factor. A veteran presence. He will be missed.”

It raises the question: Who replaces Johansson in the lineup for Game 4, set for a 7 p.m. puck drop at the X?

“Just finished watching the game again,” Evason said. “We will get to our lineup. Obviously, there has to be somebody (take) his spot, and we’re going to chat about different options and hopefully make the right decisions going forward.”

Here is a list of options:

ZACH PARISE

This seems like the obvious choice, and it would shocking if the 36-year- old winger didn’t get the nod. He has been a healthy scratch throughout the playoffs after being the odd man out down the stretch in the regular season. Parise is the all-time leading scorer in Wild playoff history, 34 points (14 goals, 20 assists) in 40 career playoff games with the Wild, and captained the New Jersey Devils to the 2012 Stanley Cup Final. Maybe that scoring touch could provide a boost alongside Victor Rask and opposite Kevin Fiala.

MATT BOLDY

If Parise is the most-obvious choice, the 20-year-old Boldy is the most exciting one. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound winger had 18 points (6 goals, 12 assists) in 14 games in the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League. He turned pro after a stellar career at Boston College in which he recorded 57 points (20 goals, 37 assists) in 56 career collegiate games. Would the Wild be willing to let Boldy make his NHL debut in a must-win game?

KYLE RAU

If it’s not Parise or Boldy getting inserted into the lineup — which would be very surprising at this point — someone like Rau might make sense. He played 14 games with the Wild during the regular season and brings a sense of grit to the bottom of the lineup. Though relatively small stature (5-8, 175 pounds), the winger finishes every check and knows his role. It just wouldn’t be the sexiest choice for a team in need of offense.

LUKE JOHNSON

Johnson also makes sense if the Wild are simply looking for a depth player near the bottom of the lineup. He played 14 games for the Wild during the regular season, and while he wasn’t much a threat in the offensive end, he is very good in the faceoff circle — something Minnesota has struggled with in this series. He also is a solid player in the defensive zone, which might be valuable if the Wild get into a track meet with the Golden Knights.

JOSEPH CRAMAROSSA

The only reason Cramarossa gets into the lineup is if the Wild decide they value a physical presence in a must-win game. While he brings little to the table on the offensive end, Cramarossa isn’t afraid to drop the 1213684 Minnesota Wild But while the Wild were trying to avoid having Kaprizov playing against Stone, it may have actually backfired. While Stone played very well defensively in the first two games of the series, his offense was as absent as Kaprizov’s. Stone was also held pointless and had 0.39 Last change makes Golden Knights-Wild matchups look much different in expected goals in both games combined. In Game 3, with less defensive Minnesota responsibility, Stone’s expected goals skyrocketed to 1.04 and he scored two huge goals to propel the Golden Knights to victory.

“On the road, we don’t control the matchups,” DeBoer said. “They’re a By Jesse Granger four-line team. I don’t think the matchups dictate the offense. I think May 21, 2021 Mark’s been knocking on the door to break out offensively here. Even the nights he doesn’t score he creates looks. You’re just not going to score every night at this time of year, and the best players put attention on both sides. I don’t think the matchups have anything to do with it. He just kept Barely two minutes into Game 3 between Vegas and Minnesota on pushing for offense and finally got some breaks.” Thursday night, Wild forward Mats Zuccarello won an offensive-zone faceoff back to defenseman Jonas Brodin. Brodin pushed the puck DeBoer is clearly not a believer that the matchups had anything to do ahead to Kirill Kaprizov, who threaded a gorgeous seam pass through with the change, or at least he’s not saying as much to media. To the Vegas defense to Ryan Hartman for an easy backdoor goal. DeBoer’s point, the Golden Knights still played their best game to this point in the series despite Minnesota having last change. They struggled It was exactly how Minnesota coach Dean Evason drew it up, not only in to generate offense more at home, when they had the last change. how the play unfolded but perhaps more importantly with the personnel Perhaps Minnesota’s depth at forward creates such an even on the ice. The Wild have been fantastic at home this season, and along disbursement of talent down the lineup that matchups aren’t as with the advantages of the home crowd, that also grants Minnesota the important. Perhaps the matchups Evason sought didn’t go as he final change. It allows Evason to find more favorable matchups for his planned. star player. There were other major changes in how lines and defensive pairs In the first two games of the series, Kaprizov struggled to find offense. matched up compared to the first two games, and they’re worth The favorite to win the Calder Trophy was held off the scoresheet entirely monitoring moving forward. Here are a few of the biggest changes in ice and was limited to only five shots and 0.23 expected goals for combined. time: His point drought largely was due to Marc-Andre Fleury’s heroics in net, but Kaprizov also faced a tough matchup. • After playing against the Golden Knights’ top defensive pair of Alex Pietrangelo and Alec Martinez for an average of 8:10 in the first two Mark Stone is one of the best defensive forwards in the NHL and is games, Minnesota’s line of Jordan Greenway, Joel Eriksson Ek and rightfully one of the favorites to win the Selke Trophy. In Games 1 and 2, Marcus Foligno played only 5:01 against them in Game 3. With a better Stone played an average of 5:40 of even-strength ice time against matchup, Eriksson Ek scored one goal and had another that was Kaprizov. That’s more than a third of Kaprizov’s five-on-five ice time, and overturned by an offside review. during that time Kaprizov’s offense was completely nullified. In Game 1, Kaprizov had an on-ice expected goals share of 67.08 percent when he • Avoiding Kaprizov being matched up against Theodore and McNabb, was on the ice without Stone, and only 39.24 percent against Stone, Evason played his third line as much as possible against that pairing. according to Natural Stat Trick. After averaging only 2:02 in the first two games, the line of Kevin Fiala, Victor Rask and Marcus Johansson (who left the game with a broken So when the series shifted to St. Paul, Evason made a point of getting arm) played a whopping 6:22 against Theodore and McNabb in Game 3. Kaprizov ice time against Vegas’ lesser lines, and it worked early on. Kaprizov played only 1:39 against Stone, while playing a combined 6:55 • Evason played his big, physical line of Greenway, Eriksson Ek and against Vegas’ bottom two forward lines. On the game’s opening goal, Foligno against Stone for 6:18 on Thursday, after that trio averaged only Kaprizov slipped his pass through the sticks of Keegan Kolesar and Nic 3:24 against Stone in the first two games. After Stone’s performance, it Roy. If either of those players had been Stone, it’s highly unlikely the will be interesting to see if he switches that up in Game 4. pass would get through. • Matt Dumba and Jonas Brodin have been excellent in this series, and it When asked if he thought differing line matchups had something to do was clear Evason wanted them playing against Vegas’ top lines a lot with Vegas’ slow start in Minnesota, coach Peter DeBoer said “no” with more in Minnesota. Over the first two games, Dumba and Brodin played conviction. But there’s no doubt Evason made major changes in regard the majority of their minutes against Vegas’ third line of Mattias Janmark, to which players shared ice time compared to the two games in Vegas. Roy and Kolesar (6:44). In Game 3, that total plummeted to only 2:42, while Dumba and Brodin played 6:06 against Vegas’ top line of Stone, The defensive pairings also changed. In Vegas, DeBoer deployed his Chandler Stephenson and Alex Tuch. second defensive pairing of Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb almost exclusively against Kaprizov’s line. Theodore and McNabb averaged 9:28 of even-strength ice time against Kaprizov in Vegas, but only 3:10 in Minnesota. The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021

“I think obviously they’re paying special attention to (Kaprizov), whoever is up against him,” Evason said. “But clearly people around him are getting opportunities and we’re happy with the chances we’re getting. Clearly, we need to bury some of them, but the way he’s playing the game and how he’s playing the game in all three zones is real good. He just has to stay the course like we do and believe that we’ll all break through.”

Theodore’s speed and skating ability, combined with McNabb’s physical presence and good gap control, was a good matchup for Kaprizov’s speed and skill.

“He’s fast, he can make plays, and he can dipsy you pretty good if you get caught watching,” Theodore said of the matchup on Thursday. “But I think trying to match his speed, and McNabb has done a great job with me of trying to control him. Hopefully, that can continue throughout the rest of the series.”

In the first two games, Kaprizov only saw an average of 1:08 of ice time against the Golden Knights’ bottom defensive pair. In Game 3, that nearly quadrupled to 3:55. It’s a major reason why he had a bigger offensive impact Thursday, at least early on. 1213685 Minnesota Wild But Evason once again sidestepped when asked how Parise found himself in this situation or what he wants to see more from him: “We’ve had discussions with Zach. It literally came down to we just felt at the left- wing position that it was numbers.” Will Zach Parise get in Wild’s lineup with Marcus Johansson injured? Could Matt Boldy play? Parise is the franchise’s all-time leader in the playoffs with 14 goals, 20 assists, 34 points and six power-play goals in 40 games. His 116 shots rank second. His 77 career playoff points in 101 games are tops among all Wild players; Bonino has the second-most with 48 points. By Michael Russo It’s obviously an unfortunate circumstance for Johansson, the 30-year-old May 21, 2021 who has 13 goals and 41 points in 97 career playoff games.

The injury could conceivably spell the end to his Wild career. He’s a The Wild coaching staff huddled in the video room Friday morning in an pending free agent and had an erratic, injury-riddled regular season (six attempt to dissect the tape and figure out how Thursday night’s game goals and 14 points in 36 games) that included 20 missed games due to and the eventual outcome turned so dramatically. two injuries.

It honestly felt like the Vegas Golden Knights just flipped a switch midway “I texted with him here this morning,” Evason said. “He’s clearly through the second period as they rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win 5-2. extremely disappointed but had awesome, encouraging words about how we play and how we can play. He’s a big part of our team. Obviously, we The Wild’s staff also met to determine what lineup changes will be lose his speed factor. A veteran presence. So, he’ll be missed. But we’re required because of a serious injury to Marcus Johansson that will expecting when we put people into our lineup that they’ll be able to sideline him indefinitely and perhaps further the need for a spark heading hopefully provide us with some of the stuff that JoJo provides us with.” into Saturday night’s Game 4 as Minnesota tries to even its best-of-seven series at two wins apiece. It’s been a tough start to this series for the Wild, who split in Vegas and then suffered the mid-to-late-game collapse Thursday night in an arena Johansson, one of the Wild’s most experienced playoff players, broke his where they had won 19 of their previous 23 games and had never lost in left arm when he crashed into the goal post in the first period. Evason regulation to the Golden Knights. wouldn’t reveal who will draw into the lineup for Johansson, but he did at one point use the word “people,” which makes one wonder if there could Even though this is a different roster that scored plenty of goals this be more than one change to Saturday’s lineup. season behind Kirill Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek and Fiala, it sure feels like a different postseason with the same results so far. It would be shocking if Zach Parise, scratched in the first three games of the series and three of the final four regular-season games, isn’t one of The Wild have scored four goals in three games. In their 51 playoff the players to draw in. He’s been waiting patiently and has kept his games since 2013 (17-34), the Wild have scored two goals or fewer 30 mouth shut despite the fact this is the lowest point of his career and times. there’s no chance he’s happy with the situation. It would be the ultimate But the Wild haven’t lost three in a row all season and don’t expect to slap to the Wild’s all-time playoff scoring leader’s face if he were to be start now. leapfrogged. “We can draw on every single situation we had all year,” Evason said. So the larger question is whether another taxi squad player enters the “That’s what the regular season’s for, right? It’s to rehearse for what lineup, too, or perhaps one of the freshly recalled Iowa Wild players like we’re doing right now. And things didn’t go our way last night. There’s Matt Boldy, who has proven to be a dynamic scorer in college, tons of positive things that we did last night. There’s tons of negative internationally and during his brief stint at the end of the Iowa Wild’s things that we did last night, but who cares, right? We learned from them, season. you know, a quick learning experience, and we go forward. “We’re going to chat about different options and hopefully make the right “There’s nothing we can do about last night, right? We can correct the decisions going forward,” Evason said. mistakes that we made, we can obviously limit our penalties that took us If the choice is Parise alone, would he assume Johansson’s spot on the out of rhythm out of the hockey game. But penalties happen, too. It Victor Rask-Kevin Fiala line or would he play on the fourth line with Nick wasn’t like we were running around chickens with our heads cut off and Bjugstad, Nick Bonino or Nico Sturm elevated? If Parise draws in with a being undisciplined. Just situational stuff, but we have to stay out of the player like Boldy, could Boldy actually slide into that wing alongside Rask box. We put ourselves in a spot that we didn’t like, but we have an and Fiala and provide some speed and skill to complement the speedy, opportunity to rectify it (Saturday).” at times electrifying Fiala? Despite being so noticeable in the series, Evason acknowledged that the Wild lost their composure when Fiala has yet to record a point. Thursday’s game began to go haywire. The players got frustrated, So, Boldy on that line could really help Fiala. negativity filtered into their game and things began to compound themselves as Vegas sensed blood. The template of the Golden Knights’ The 20-year-old Boldy, the 12th pick in the 2019 draft, scored 19 goals comeback has happened multiple times the past few years. They just and 56 points in 55 games for Boston College during his sophomore never seem to get rattled even when they fall into a hole. season and led the Eagles in goals, assists, points, power-play points, shots and short-handed goals. The Hobey Baker finalist also tied for first In hindsight, Evason believes that Eriksson Ek’s overturned first-period on Team USA with five goals while helping the Americans win gold at the goal because the Wild entered the zone offside may have flipped the world junior championships in Edmonton five months ago. switch. That goal would have given Minnesota a 3-0 lead.

He also scored six goals and 18 points in 14 games for the Baby Wild “They handled a few situations better last night,” Evason said. “The after signing his entry-level contract April 1. disallowed goal maybe tweaked us a little bit. It didn’t feel that way. But maybe that started our … maybe not even our mental psyche but maybe Either way, Evason wouldn’t confirm his plans as to whether Parise theirs was like, ‘Jeez, maybe we caught a break,’ and they were able to and/or Boldy or someone else will play, go forward from there.

“All the players that are here and are available to us are here for a “I don’t know. The game flows like that.” reason. They can play,” Evason said when asked about Boldy. “We brought them here with the opportunity that if people get hurt or (another) Evason also made clear the Wild’s power play must be better. After situation, that we play them. We feel very comfortable with every guy having the top power play in the NHL from April 1-24, the Wild’s power that’s on our taxi squad that’s played for us this year and we feel very play is hovering around 8 percent since April 28. comfortable with the people that we’ve brought up from Iowa. We feel Perhaps Parise or Boldy can assist in that area — although, again, we very good about everybody.” may not know for sure until we see who’s on the ice Saturday morning. There’s no doubt Parise, 36, had a tough season with seven goals and The one thing Evason was saying Friday is he expects the real Wild to 18 points in 45 games amidst consistently decreasing ice time and show up for Game 4. responsibility. The Wild clearly felt they were a faster lineup without him. “They know who they are,” Evason said. “We’ve gone through a lot of experiences this year. They know who they are and what we are as a hockey club, how they conduct themselves and how they stick together and how they’re good teammates and a solid group. They know that. There’s no reminder there. They’ll come ready to play.”

The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213686 Montreal Canadiens “The players were rattled and concerned,” Keefe said. “It took them a long time to find themselves.”

Price made another difficult save on Marner on a two-on-one early in the Maple Leafs captain John Tavares ends Game 1 vs. Canadiens on second, but shortly after that, William Nylander poked in a rebound from stretcher in close to tie the score at 1-1. Byron was sprawling when he won it on a breakaway by flipping a puck over Campbell. Desperate, the rookie defenceman tripped Byron as he neared the net but it was not enough to stop him. MARTY KLINKENBERG “It looked like he was waiting for me to come out to charge the puck, and PUBLISHED MAY 21, 2021 I held back and somehow it kind of luckily went up and over my UPDATED MAY 21, 2021 shoulder,” Campbell said. He played well in defeat, stopping 28 of the 30 shots he

Going in, Toronto hadn’t played in six days and Montreal had not played The Maple Leafs not only lost the first game of their playoff series on in eight. At any other time, it would have been a madhouse – chants of Thursday night, but they may have lost their captain John Tavares for an “Go Leafs Go” and “Ole Ole Oles” filling the air – if not for the restrictions extended stretch. due to COVID-19.

Paul Byron scored shorthanded late in the third period and the There was plenty of animosity between both sides. Late in the second Canadiens held on for a 2-1 victory over Toronto at Scotiabank Arena. It period, Simmonds and Zach Bogosian each also got after Perry. was the first time the forever rivals have met in the post-season in 42 years, and it was a decidedly chippy affair. Pushes turned to shoves and Both teams came in at full strength. Zach Hyman and Bogosian returned bodies flew. to the lineup for Toronto after long layoffs due to injuries, and Price, Brendan Gallagher and did the same for Montreal. Tavares was knocked cleanly to the ice on a check by Montreal defenceman Ben Chiarot, with 9:31 left in the first period. As he fell, the Hyman, a gritty winger, sat out the last 11 games of the regular season. Canadiens’ Corey Perry attempted to leap over him, and clipped Tavares Bogosian, who had four assists in 20 playoff games last year when he on the head with a leg and knee. Tavares’s neck whipped back on impact earned a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning, helped shore up and he seemed to lose consciousness as he crumbled to the ice. the defensive lineup for the opening game. He had sat out the last 10 games. There were no spectators on hand, and without them, an eerie silence enveloped the arena as the Maple Leafs’ team doctors and athletic Sandin, at 21 the youngest player on Toronto’s active roster, made his therapists rushed to Tavarese’s aide. Soon after that, members of the playoff debut in place of Travis Dermott. He was beaten by Byron on the Canadiens staff joined them. Some teammates stood near as Tavares winning goal, but Joe Thornton fumbled the puck away to start the crucial received medical care. sat on the bench with his head sequence. lowered. , the Toronto general manager, rushed downstairs The teams went a combined 0 and 9 on the power play. The Maple Leafs from an executive suite where he was watching the game. were fortunate to get away with three delay of game infractions for “It was difficult,” , the Maple Leafs coach, said. “I have directing the puck over the glass. experienced a lot of tough injuries as a player and coach, but in an empty Price, who was subpar even when healthy, had played in only two of the arena like that, it was the worst I have ever seen.” last 21 games, and sat out the last 13 of the regular season. He was A backboard was brought out, and Tavares was placed on it and then terrific in the net, stopping 35 shots. lifted onto a stretcher and wheeled to an ambulance. He was taken to the Game 2 in the best-of-seven will take place Saturday night in Toronto. hospital and, while conscious and communicating, was admitted. More Games 3 and 4 are at the on Monday and Tuesday. tests will be conducted on Friday morning. Keefe said initial tests for a head injury had come back clear. The Leafs will try desperately not to fall down 2-0 in a series where the first to win four moves on. It is likely they will have to do it without Perry skated over to give Tavares a pat before he was taken away, but Tavares. Toronto players were steaming afterward. “It is a big loss for us,” Keefe said. “He’s our captain. But good teams As soon as the puck was dropped after a lengthy delay, Nick Foligno overcome things like that. We have to play better.” challenged Perry to a fight and both dropped their gloves. Foligno, the former captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets, landed multiple punches before he dragged Perry down. Globe And Mail LOADED: 05.22.2021 “You stand up for one another whether it is right or wrong,” Foligno said. “John went down. I didn’t like it.”

Foligno was horrified by what he saw as Tavares laid motionless.

“Life comes into play at that point and just seeing how he was in pain, it made you sick to your stomach,” he said. “The game kind of takes a backseat no matter the circumstances when you see somebody in that much pain and an unfortunate play like it was. I’m hoping he’s okay. I haven’t gotten word yet, but we’re thinking of him and praying for him.”

The game had gotten off to a fast start. Price stopped excellent wrist shots from Morgan Rielly and Mitch Marner. Toronto goalie Jack Campbell thwarted a dangerous rush to the net by Josh Anderson. It was the first playoff start for Campbell, who was 17-3-2 while filling in for, and then taking the No. 1 job away from, Frederik Andersen. It was the first time a goalie other than Andersen started in post-season for Toronto since James Reimer in 2013.

Josh Anderson, who had 17 goals during the regular season but none in the last 11 games of the regular season, put the Canadiens ahead on a wrist shot on a breakaway, with 7:52 left in the first. The teams went to their dressing rooms with Montreal up by a 1-0 margin. That gave the Maple Leafs a chance to calm their nerves. 1213687 Montreal Canadiens

Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares discharged from hospital, out indefinitely

Staff Report

THE CANADIAN PRESS

PUBLISHED MAY 21, 2021

UPDATED MAY 21, 2021

Tavares put out a statement on Friday saying he is back home and recovering.

The 30-year-old centre crashed into Montreal’s Ben Chiarot 10:29 into the first period of Thursday’s playoff series opener and was hit in the head by Corey Perry’s knee as he fell.

Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said after Friday’s practice that Tavares suffered a concussion. The club says Tavares will be out indefinitely.

Tavares says he looks forward to returning to the lineup, but will be cheering for the Leafs until he’s able to do so.

Tavares was kept overnight at St. Michael’s Hospital after the incident.

The Leafs say he was thoroughly examined by the hospital’s neurosurgical team and the club’s medical director.

Tavares gave a thumbs up as he was wheeled off the ice and transported to hospital.

The Canadians beat the Leafs 2-1 in Game 1. Game 2 is Saturday in Toronto.

Globe And Mail LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213688 Montreal Canadiens “They were pretty shaken,” he said. “There was a great level of concern and we addressed it. As difficult as it was, we had a job to do.”

The Maple Leafs, who won their division for the first time in 21 years, Tavares out indefinitely after head injury suffered during Game 1 played a choppy, uneven game. They were good for stretches but made far too many mistakes. They were flagged for five penalties, including three times for flipping a puck over the glass and delaying the game.

MARTY KLINKENBERG “It just seemed like we were parading to the penalty box,” Foligno said.

PUBLISHED MAY 21, 2021 Neither Auston Matthews nor Mitch Marner registered a point. They combined for 61 goals and 72 assists during the regular season. Joe UPDATED MAY 21, 2021 Thornton coughed up the puck that led to Byron’s winning goal, and Byron got around 21-year-old defenceman Rasmus Sandin as he charged toward the net. On the morning after John Tavares suffered a head injury, the Maple Leafs learned they would have to go forward in the playoffs without him. “It would be unfair to single out a couple of guys,” Keefe said. “I think a The team’s captain suffered a concussion when he took a knee to the lot of our players need to be better. Clearly, what any of us did [Thursday head during the first period, and the club confirmed Friday that he will be night] was not good enough.” out indefinitely. Price, who stole a best-of-five-game play-in series from the Pittsburgh Tavares was knocked down on Thursday night on a check by Montreal’s Penguins a year ago, made 35 saves. Ben Chiarot, and then struck by Corey Perry as the Canadiens forward “Big moments like this is what a goalie like him waits for,” Keefe said. tried to jump over him. Tavares’s head snapped back and he appeared to “That is what we expected and that’s how he was. Goals are going to be lose consciousness as a trainer rushed onto the ice and attempted to hard to come by.” secure his neck. Tavares texted most of his teammates Friday morning to let them know Tavares was taken by ambulance to Toronto’s St. Michael’s Hospital and how he was doing. That eased their minds a bit, even if his return is kept overnight. He was examined by neurologists and sent home in the uncertain. morning to rest under the supervision from team physicians. “That’s our captain,” Morgan Rielly, the Toronto defenceman, said. “He Head coach Sheldon Keefe said after practice Friday that he was unable has a lot on his plate day to day and he handles it with class. His play to provide any additional information. speaks for itself. “There is nothing I can tell you other than what I already have,” he said. “The expectation now is that guys will play bigger roles and play well. In Toronto lost the first game of its series with its long-time rival 2-1 on a order to get back into the series, that’s what we need.” late shorthanded goal by Paul Byron. Game 2 will be contested at

Scotiabank Arena on Saturday. Games 3 and 4 are at the Bell Centre in Montreal on Monday and Tuesday. The first team to beat the other four Globe And Mail LOADED: 05.22.2021 times moves on to the next round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Pierre Engvall and Alex Galchenyuk, who did not play on Thursday, will be inserted into the lineup for the second encounter with the Canadiens. Nick Foligno will likely move from a position on the wing to centre and replace Tavares on the second line.

The 30-year-old Tavares had 19 goals and 31 assists during the pandemic-shortened 56-game regular season. He logged only 2 minutes 53 seconds on Thursday before he was injured in the frightening collision. In any given game, top forwards play upward of 20 minutes.

Players on both teams watched in grim silence as Tavares was attended to by the medical staff from both organizations. Teammates and opponents alike tapped their sticks against the ice as he was wheeled off on a stretcher. Perry came over to show his respect. Montreal goalie Carey Price skated out from his net to do the same.

“It was definitely a moment where your mind races a bit,” Jason Spezza, Toronto’s 37-year-old centre, said. “You think about his family having to watch that, and seeing your buddy on the ice like that is definitely a scary moment.”

As soon as play continued, Foligno challenged Perry to a fight and gloves were dropped. As they were lining up for the faceoff, Foligno told Perry, “Let’s settle this now.”

“You do what you have to do,” Perry said. He is 36 and known as a hard- nosed, edgy player.

Perry said he knows Tavares well and that the collision was unavoidable.

“He got hit and I was coming [from behind him],” Perry said in the moments after the Canadiens’ victory. “I tried to jump over him and unfortunately I caught my knee on his head. I don’t know what else to do there. It is an unfortunate incident.”

When he saw a replay on the screen above the ice, Perry said, “I honestly felt sick to my stomach.”

Keefe spoke to his team during the break between periods. He updated them with what little information he knew at the time: Tavares was conscious and able to communicate. 1213689 Montreal Canadiens The Big Boys line combined for seven shots and 13 hits in the game. Staal said that Anderson reminds him of former Canadien Erik Cole, who

was his teammate in Carolina when the Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup Canadiens Notebook: Dominique Ducharme won't reveal lineup for in 2006. Game 2 “I think from a sheer speed and power standpoint, Colesy comes to mind,” Cole said. “When he was at his prime and he was busting down the wing, guys didn’t want to get in the way of him because he was so Stu Cowan • Montreal Gazette strong and powerful. I think Andy has a lot of that as well. He’s just so big and so strong and fast that anyone that steps in front of him he’ll just run Publishing date: May 21, 2021 right over him.

“I think Andy may be a little more physical on the forecheck, but playoff Head coach Dominique Ducharme won’t reveal his lineup yet for Game 2 time is always amped up,” Staal added. “His power and his speed is an of the Canadiens’ first-round playoff series against the Toronto Maple asset of his. It’s important for him to use that asset and it’s important for Leafs, but there’s a good chance Jake Evans won’t play. me if I’m playing with him to use it to our advantage and to my advantage and to our team’s advantage. We’ll continue to try and be back at it Evans left early in the Canadiens’ 2-1 win over the Leafs in Game 1 tomorrow.” Thursday night in Toronto and Ducharme said the centre is listed as day- to-day with an undisclosed injury. Brendan Gallagher returned to the Canadiens lineup for Game 1 after missing the last 21 game of the regular season with a fractured thumb. Ducharme said “all options are open” when it comes to his lineup for Game 2, but there’s a good chance it will be Jesperi Kotkaniemi taking Gallagher had two shots on goal, which were two more than his Evans’s spot. Evans was limited to 7:52 of ice time in Game 1, while linemates Phillip Danault and Tomas Tatar combined for. Kotkaniemi was a healthy scratch, along with and “As a line, those guys can generate a little bit more,” Ducharme said. “But defenceman Alexander Romanov. it was their first game back together and those guys are competitors. Game 2 is Saturday night in Toronto (7 p.m., CBC, SN, TVA Sports, TSN They didn’t have a bad game last night at all. But I know they’re going to 690 Radio, 98.5 FM). push themselves to be even better tomorrow.”

“We know them,” Ducharme said about the Leafs. “We faced them 10 The line of Nick Suzuki between Tyler Toffoli and Armia combined for times during the regular season (posting a 3-6-1 record). I don’t think four shots. Toffoli had two and Suzuki and Armia had one each. they’ll completely change their playing style. They’ll try to be better, but ‘It’s not easy at that time of the year to create scoring chances in those that’s our goal, too. They’ll want to create even more things offensively in type of games,” Ducharme said when asked about that line. “It’s always order to generate more scoring chances. We’ll be ready for that. nice to have a big quantity, but it’s also about quality and making sure The Canadiens went 0-for-5 on the power play in Game 1, while the that being dynamic, puck support, striking quick on plays that you kill. I Leafs went 0-for-4. Paul Byron scored the game-winning goal while the think those guys are good when they do that. I think they had a pretty Canadiens were short-handed at 12:44 of the third period. solid game defensively without the puck and so on, managing the game pretty well. But, yeah, on the offensive side we know that they got to be The Canadiens only practised the power play on the ice Friday in Toronto generating more chances.” with the other players taking part in off-ice workouts. Kotkaniemi took Joel Armia’s spot on the second power-play unit. The return of KK?

“It’s a question of execution,” Ducharme said about the power play. “We If Kotkaniemi does indeed take Evans’s spot in the lineup he will likely be had a few chances, but we want to create more. We want to give at centre on the fourth line between Artturi Lehkonen and Byron. Those ourselves options more quickly and execute better. We have to be three played together as a line late in the regular season. aggressive and attack the net. We’ll work on details with our players. We “He brings skill, great vision, great with the puck,” Byron said about definitely want to do a better job in Game 2.” Kotkaniemi. “I think me and Lehky play up and down the ice, we Defenceman Jeff Petry said the Canadiens need to work on cleaning up forecheck hard and I think it complements his game. He’s more of finding their zone entries on the power play and also make sure that they’re not spots, feeding guys, reading the play. So I think he can read off of us and “one and done.” play his game. Play simple.

“Getting shots, recovering rebounds, getting set up again,” Petry said. “As linemates, we just try and do what we can to make the game easy on “Limit the time bringing up the puck and having more O-zone time. The him and try and help him on faceoffs, support him,” Byron added. unit changes, I think it’s good that we get some lefties and righties mixed “Starting with the puck makes the game go a lot easier. So I’ll look into the groups to have different options throughout. forward to playing with him if he’s back in the lineup tomorrow.”

“I think everybody after Game 1 of a series is going to go back and look Kotkaniemi finished the regular season with 5-15-20 totals and a minus-1 at film and make adjustments,” Petry added. “I think we know what to while playing in all 56 games. Suzuki was the only other Canadien to play expect from them. I think it might be a little bit more physical and you got in all 56 games. to be ready to match that and I thought we got a good start to yesterday’s Kotkaniemi failed to score a goal in the last 24 games and was pointless game, which is what we needed to do and find a way to carry that all the in the last 12. Byron noted that the 20-year-old Kotkaniemi has improved way through.” his defensive game. The Canadiens had 28 hits in the first period of Game 1 and outhit the “I think he’s getting stronger, more comfortable,” Byron said. “I think it’s Leafs 55-27 in the game. pretty natural for someone to come into the league and struggle in that “I thought we had good gaps and made it difficult for them to come in the aspect. It’s the toughest part of the game. Everyone’s got offensive skills, zone with possession,” Petry said. “When they did have to dump the offensive instincts, but the defensive side is so important. It’s pretty rare puck in I thought we worked as a unit of five to break the puck out. We that you can jump from the level of competition at 17, 18, 19 years old to got to expect that they’re going to come hard on the forecheck and got to the top players and excel in that part of the game. be ready to do that again tomorrow night.” “Naturally, we’ve seen a big growth in his game,” Byron added. “I think The Canadiens’ third line of centre Eric Staal between Corey Perry and he’s done a great job of it. It’s just about consistency in bringing all three Josh Anderson, had a strong performance in Game 1. parts of his game together for every game. It’s going to come. He’s still such a young player and there’s growing pains for everybody. We’ve all Staal is 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds, Perry is 6-foot-3 and 206 pounds, and been through that. I know everybody in the organization has a lot of Anderson is 6-foot-3 and 226 pounds. confidence in him and we all believe in him.”

Anderson opened the scoring at 12:08 of the first period, taking a nice “We’ve got to gather ourselves and be better.” pass from Staal at centre ice before splitting the defence and beating Maple Leafs goalie Jack Campbell with a quick shot to the glove side. Thoughts are with Tavares The Canadiens players were happy to learn Friday that Leafs captain John Tavares was released from hospital on and was back home with his family recovering from a concussion he suffered in Game 1.

Midway through the first period, Canadiens defenceman Ben Chiarot bodychecked Tavares and as the Leafs captain fell to the ice Perry’s knee caught him in the head. Perry, who was back-checking, tried to jump out of the way of Tavares but wasn’t able to and his knee knocked Tavares out.

Tavares was taken off the ice on a stretcher after the scary incident and spent the night in hospital.

“A huge relief,” Byron said about Tavares returning home. “It really was hard to watch last night, honestly. Such a great player. You never want to see that part of the game. It just kind of killed the mood in the rink … it took a little while to get going. I think everyone felt the same way. I’m really glad to hear he’s OK. I hope him and his family are doing well. I can’t imagine how hard it would be for his wife and his kids to be watching on the TV, his family. I wish him the best in his recovery and hope to see him back on the ice soon. He’s a great hockey player.”

“Obviously, wish him the best in his recovery,” Staal said about Tavares. “I know a lot of people around the game and a lot of people that know John well and I’ve heard nothing but positive, great things about him as a person and a player. Being a guy with a wife and kids and knowing that he has the same, it wouldn’t have been a good feeling for them or for anybody. Glad to hear he’s recovering back and he will be home. We definitely wish him the best.”

“Nobody wants to see what happened last night happen to anybody” Petry said. “We hope he’s all right. Obviously, there’s going to be some changes in their lineup with him being out. You don’t want to hear it, but we’re focused on our game and we know that they have a few players that can step in there and we just got to be ready to defend strong and make sure that we’re ready to play.”

The ‘Stache Brothers

The Canadiens defencemen are all sporting moustaches for this playoff series.

“I honestly don’t know who initiated that,” Byron said. “I think it was a rally thing down the stretch and I think guys really like it, embraced the ‘stache. I don’t know whose idea it was, but I think it’s a great one. I think some guys look really good with the moustache and should keep it.”

Montreal Canadiens forward Paul Byron scores the winning goal on Toronto Maple Leafs' Jack Campbell (36) during the third period of Game 1 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on May 20, 2021.

Stu Cowan: Experience wins out over youth for Canadiens in Game 1

The Maple Leafs’ Nick Foligno prepares to throw punch during fight with the Canadiens’ Corey Perry during Game 1 of first-round playoff series Thursday night in Toronto.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213690 Montreal Canadiens with now. Pears hung in there. It didn’t look like he really wanted to go, either. I just don’t think anyone felt very good about it all. It was no fun.

“We’re glad that John’s feeling better and we’re glad that he’s recovering 'The Code' comes into play yet again in Canadiens-Leafs series at home with his family and we’ll all move past and try and be ready for Game 2.”

Stu Cowan • Montreal Gazette Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.22.2021 Publishing date: May 21, 2021

It’s called “The Code.”

The unwritten — and outdated — rules that still govern hockey players when it comes to dropping the gloves and fighting and that the NHL somehow still encourages.

“The Code” resulted in Canadiens defenceman Ben Chiarot fracturing his right hand and missing 15 games this season after accepting a challenge to fight the Vancouver Canucks’ J.T. Miller during a game in March.

The score was tied 0-0 late in the first period and Miller wanted to provide a spark for his team, so he asked Chiarot to fight. Chiarot agreed and landed a solid punch to Miller’s visor and later required surgery to fix his hand. The Canadiens won the game 5-1 and lost one of their top defencemen.

“The Code” came into play again Thursday night in Game 1 of the Canadiens’ first-round playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

This time it was Chiarot who bodychecked Toronto’s John Tavares and as the Leafs captain fell to the ice Corey Perry’s knee caught him in the head. Perry, who was back-checking, tried to jump out of the way of Tavares but wasn’t able to and his knee knocked Tavares out.

Tavares was taken off the ice on a stretcher and spent the night in a Toronto hospital. Thankfully, the Leafs reported Friday that their captain, who suffered a concussion, had left the hospital and was recovering at home with his family. He will be out indefinitely.

The play was obviously an accident, but the Leafs’ Nick Foligno decided he had to fight Perry when the puck dropped for the next faceoff as part of “The Code.”

“Our captain is laying on the ice,” Foligno said after the game. “They would have done the same if (it was) their captain. (The hit) wasn’t malicious. (The fight) takes away any grey (area). Perry’s a big boy. It just allows everyone to go back and play.”

The two teams did go back and play, but the Leafs’ Wayne Simmonds still wanted to fight Perry again later in the game.

Maybe that’s another part of “The Code.”

The Canadiens’ Eric Staal, a veteran of 1,293 career NHL games, was asked Friday for his thoughts about what happened with Foligno as well as “The Code” in general.

“Honestly, for me, I didn’t really love it last night how that all played out,” Staal said. “It was scary for everybody. Everybody that was in the building, everybody that was on the ice. You never want to see that. John’s a great person and, obviously, that’s all you’re worried about at that time … especially with the empty building. I mean, I’ve seen a lot of things in this game and that whole scenario was no fun to be a part of. And then to follow it up with that (fight), I didn’t love it. But maybe that’s what they needed to do to kind of get over it and get it out of the way.

“Seeing the replay and watching it and seeing it, it couldn’t be any more freak,” Staal added. “This game is so intense, it’s so fast. Things are happening a million miles an hour and it was unfortunate. Obviously, we hope and pray John is feeling better and keeps improving. In a moment like that, that’s what’s important and that’s what you’re thinking about.”

The Leafs were also obviously thinking about “The Code.”

“Honestly, it was such a part of the game where there was so many emotions that you’re dealing with,” Staal said. “I think every single person on the ice felt sick to their stomach and it was no fun. It was no fun for anyone to be a part of or to see or go through. But, obviously, Nick felt that it was something that he needed to do. That’s fine … but for me, if I was the captain and that happened I don’t think I would be mad at the guys for not doing that if they didn’t. You know, it is what it is. It’s done 1213691 Montreal Canadiens work hard every day and be the best player I can. That’s all I can really do at the end of the day.”

Game-winning goal by Canadiens' Paul Byron vs. Leafs one to Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.22.2021 remember

Stu Cowan • Montreal Gazette

Publishing date: May 21, 2021

A question for Canadiens fans:

How many times have you watched a replay of Paul Byron’s short- handed, game-winning goal in Game 1 of the first-round playoff series against the Maple Leafs Thursday night in Toronto?

Byron admitted Friday that he has watched the replay “a few times.”

The goal will be on highlight reels for years to come, showing Byron speeding past the Maple Leafs’ Rasmus Sandin in a race for a loose puck at Toronto’s blue line before getting tripped by the defenceman while driving to the net. While sliding on his knees, Byron was able to take the puck from his backhand to his forehand and then chip it over Leafs goalie Jack Campbell at 12:44 of the third period for a 2-1 victory.

“A lot of people texted me after,” Byron said Friday. “It was just like a normal penalty-kill. I was coming back, driving through the middle. The D and Army (Joel Armia) did a great job of closing space. I just saw Army chip it off the wall and I looked up and there was a pretty big gap between me and their D. I just kind of put my head down to put pressure. I was gaining on him and saw him dive for the puck and just tried my best to protect it. The rest is a little bit of a blur. I don’t know what really happened there, but it was a big moment in the game.

“Right before that Carey made an incredible save (on Mitch Marner), really the turning point of the hockey game for us,” Byron added. “To be able to go down and score after that … I can’t talk about how good (Price) was enough. He was incredible last night and it’s great to see.”

This has been a difficult season for Byron. The 32-year-old forward posted 5-11-16 totals in 46 games, was made a healthy scratch once, missed nine games with a lower-body injury and was placed on waivers three times as the Canadiens looked to save money on the salary cap. Byron is in the second season of a four-year, US$13.6-million contract with an annual salary-cap hit of $3.4 million.

“Paulie’s a guy that I don’t think there’s any point in the year where he doubted himself or felt bad for himself,” teammate Jeff Petry said Friday. “He was a guy that showed up to work and put in the effort every day. It was good to see that it paid off for him last night.”

After Thursday’s game, teammate Josh Anderson said about Byron: “He’s got a lot of heart. He’s been through a lot this year. He’s a really, really hard-working guy on and off the ice. He doesn’t really show that he’s defeated in any way. He just comes to the rink each and every day and puts in the hard work.”

Byron’s wife, Sarah, and their two children — Elianna, 8, and Brysen, 7 — have probably watched the replay of his game-winning goal several times at their home on Montreal’s South Shore.

“My wife sent me a video,” Byron said. “It was awesome watching the kids react to the goal. They loved it. They were all watching the game.”

While the Canadiens insisted placing Byron on waivers was strictly a salary-cap move and that they didn’t want to lose him, it still must have created some uncertainty for the player and his family about where their future might be. But Byron downplayed that when asked about it Friday.

“In terms of the season, honestly It wasn’t that hard on us,” he said. “Right now, the situation in the world with the COVID, everyone’s going through tough times no matter what you’re doing. The rules, restrictions, the isolation, it’s been tough on everybody. The business side of hockey, it is what it is sometimes. I know it was never personal. I know that the coach and the GM still like me, they still want me on the team.

“You don’t see a guy put on waivers and then later that day he’s playing in the lineup, starting overtime against some great hockey players,” Byron added. “So I always knew it was never personal and I just tried to 1213692 Montreal Canadiens And, although it’s only one game, the high-scoring Leafs must find a way to beat Carey Price. Playing his first game since suffering a concussion on April 19, Price was brilliant, stopping 35 shots.

'The guys remain confident' despite losing Tavares, Leafs coach says Auston Matthews, who led the NHL in goals, with 41, generated a team- high eight shots in nearly 24 minutes’ ice time — but didn’t produce a point.

Herb Zurkowsky • Montreal Gazette “We had some good chances and looks, which is all you can ask for,” Matthews said. “It’s on us to capitalize on those opportunities. We want Publishing date: May 21, 2021 to keep shooting and creating those chances. In our minds, it’s going to go in eventually.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Tavares is taken away on a stretcher “It’s one game,” he added. “We’re down 1-0. You can’t win a series in after being injured in a collision with Montreal Canadiens forward Corey one game.” Perry during first period in Toronto on May 20, 2021.

Article content Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.22.2021 While John Tavares has been discharged from a Toronto hospital, the Maple Leafs realize they must forge ahead against the Canadiens in their North Division playoff series without their captain and leader, who is sidelined indefinitely.

This is nothing new for the Leafs, who were without the suspended Nazem Kadri two years ago in the post-season, and the injured Jake Muzzin last summer. Toronto failed to advance beyond the opening round both times and, after Thursday’s 2-1 loss to Montreal in Game 1, again faces adversity.

The series resumes Saturday night (7 p.m., CBC, SN, TVA Sports, TSN Radio 690, 98.5 FM) at Scotiabank Arena.

“Now we have to pick up, not just from (the Tavares injury) but from a loss,” Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said Friday during a video conference. “We’ve got to gather ourselves and be better. The guys don’t like what happened (Thursday) night … the result, of course. They recognize we can be a whole lot better.

“It’s a long series. Playoffs have lots of ups and downs, twists and turns. It’s on us here to respond. The guys remain confident.”

It might not be a long series should the Leafs come to Montreal trailing by two games. Teams are often thrust into must-win situations, but Keefe and his players know the magnitude of Game 2.

“When you’re in a playoff series and you’ve lost one game, you need to respond — it’s as simple as that,” Keefe said. “You don’t want to lose two in a row at any time. We can attach any cliché we want to it. We just have to play better and win a hockey game (Saturday).”

The organization released a statement Friday morning, updating Tavares’ status after he was discharged by the neurological team at St. Michael’s Hospital. He’ll remain under the supervision of team physicians while at home, although Keefe confirmed the 30-year-old suffered a concussion after his head was struck by Corey Perry’s knee.

While it was clear Tavares’ teammates remain concerned, he has communicated with many of them to assuage their fears.

“We have to go out and change the narrative,” said defenceman Morgan Rielly, who played a strong game, generating five shots during more than 22 minutes of ice time. “They’re up 1-0. We have to tie it up. We’re playing for (Tavares).”

The Leafs’ depth will be tested. Toronto will activate former Canadien Alex Galchenyuk, along with Pierre Engvall for Game 2. Riley Nash, who made his Leafs debut on Thursday following his April acquisition from Columbus, will be a healthy scratch. Left-winger Nick Foligno will move to centre — in effect replacing Tavares — on a line with Galchenyuk and William Nylander.

But there are numerous other hurdles facing the team in its attempt to get back into the series.

The Canadiens, not generally known for their faceoff prowess, won 56 per cent of the draws on Thursday. And while the series was expected to be physical, Montreal was credited with 55 hits, compared with only 27 by Toronto. The Leafs, who entered the series on a dreadful power-play run (5-of-73), went 0-for-4 while allowing a short-handed goal, although Toronto hit a post and crossbar.

“I don’t know who it is that counts the hits, but they’re definitely not a Leafs fan,” Keefe quipped. “As a team, we definitely need to be more engaged.” 1213693 Montreal Canadiens Vincent Damphousse at Canadiens practice on March 2, 1999, three weeks before he was traded to the San Jose Sharks for three draft picks.

It was almost like the Leafs were taunting the Canadiens’ power play in Stu Cowan: Experience wins out over youth for Canadiens in Game 1 Game 1, taking three delay-of-game penalties for shooting the puck over the glass, including two in the third period. Thankfully for the Canadiens, the Leafs’ power play was also brutal, going 0-for-4 and allowing Byron’s short-handed goal. Stu Cowan • Montreal Gazette How many times can the Canadiens keep passing the puck back to Publishing date: May 21, 2021 Weber at the point on the power play and have him blast away? It’s time for a new strategy that involves Caufield.

Montreal Canadiens forward Paul Byron scores the winning goal on When Ducharme spoke with the media on Zoom Friday, he wouldn’t Toronto Maple Leafs' Jack Campbell (36) during the third period of Game reveal his lineup for Game 2, but it looks like Jake Evans won’t be able to 1 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on May 20, 2021. play after being injured in Game 1. The Canadiens only had their power- play players on the ice for practice Friday, along with the extras, while the Article content rest of the team had off-ice workouts. Kotkaniemi took Armia’s spot on the second power-play unit and will probably replace Evans in the lineup, Coach Dominique Ducharme silenced his critics — including me — with while Caufield skated with the extras. the Canadiens’ 2-1 win over the Maple Leafs in Game 1 of their first- round playoff series Thursday night in Toronto. Kotkaniemi had five goals in 56 games this season and failed to score in the last 24 games. Caufield had four goals in 10 games. At least for now. When Ducharme was asked about the possibility of Caufield getting in Ducharme decided to go with experience over youth — leaving Jesperi the lineup for Game 2, he said: “All options are open.” One of those Kotkaniemi, Cole Caufield and Alexander Romanov out of the lineup — options could be moving Byron to centre to create a spot for Caufield. and his strategy worked. “We talked about his situation,” Ducharme said about Kotkaniemi. “I Carey Price was outstanding in goal, Shea Weber played like a Man really like the week he had last week. We had time to work with him like Mountain with new defence partner Jon Merrill, Eric Staal finally made we did with the whole team. I think he’s coming in and there’s a chance GM look good for acquiring him at the trade deadline, there that he’s going to be sharp and ready to go.” Josh Anderson was a beast all night and opened the scoring in the first period, and Paul Byron scored a short-handed, game-winning goal at After the Game 1 victory, Ducharme was asked if he felt like telling some 12:44 of the third period that will be featured in highlight videos for years people “I told you so” about his lineup. to come. “I’m happy to know that I’m taking heat,” he said. “I didn’t know. I’m not But if it wasn’t for Price’s sliding blocker save on a Mitch Marner one- watching or listening or reading too much. We’re confident. Like I said, timer midway through the third period — another highlight-reel play — we have depth and we’re going to use it and we focus on the things we this column would probably have a different angle and Canadiens fans can control. I think tonight we did a good job, playing our game the way wouldn’t be so happy and excited about Game 2 Saturday in Toronto (7 we want to play it. We want to take that and make it better for Saturday p.m., CBC, SN, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM). and we’ll see who’s in, who’s out.”

Price’s inconsistent play during the regular season is a big reason why Price will definitely be in goal again. But he still can’t score. the Canadiens struggled to earn the final playoff spot in the all-Canadian North Division. While Price’s inconsistency has been an issue for the last four seasons, he showed once again Thursday that he can still be a big- Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.22.2021 time money goalie. When the Canadiens were eliminated by the New York Rangers in six games in the first round of the 2017 NHL playoffs, Price had a 1.86 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage. When the Canadiens were eliminated by the Philadelphia Flyers in six games in the first round of last year’s playoffs — after upsetting the Pittsburgh Penguins in the qualifying round — Price had a 1.78 GAA with a .936 save percentage.

After Game 1 of this series vs. the Maple Leafs, Price has a 1.00 GAA and a .972 save percentage after stopping 35 of 36 shots.

The problem is that Price can’t score goals and he can’t fix the power play, which went 0-for-5 in Game 1.

When the Canadiens were eliminated by the Rangers in 2017 they scored two or fewer goals in four of the six games, losing them all. Against the Flyers last year, the Canadiens again scored two or fewer goals in four of the six games and lost them all.

So don’t expect the Canadiens to win many more games against the high-powered Leafs by scoring only two goals, unless Price can literally stand on his head.

The Canadiens have to find a way to score more goals and a good way to do that would be fixing their power play.

Montreal Canadiens' Josh Anderson scores on Toronto Maple Leafs' Jack Campbell during first period playoff action in Toronto on May 20, 2021.

By the numbers: Tactical shift propelled Canadiens to win in Game 1

Montreal Canadiens' Jeff Petry, from left, Tyler Toffoli, Carey Price and Joel Edmundson celebrate their win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 1 of the their North Division semifinal series in Toronto on May 20, 2021.

What the Puck: Canadiens need goals, along with hits, to oust Leafs 1213694 Montreal Canadiens Cracking the Code: I’ve been covering NHL games since 1968 and I still have problems with the Code.

This is the unwritten rule that compels players to seek vengeance for real Hickey on hockey: We've seen this Canadiens movie before or imagined slights. Every team has one or two guys whose job is to ensure nobody takes liberties with a team’s skilled players and they spring into action when an opponent crosses the line. I can understand that primal urge, but I’m disturbed when I see players react to a Pat Hickey • Montreal Gazette punishing clean hit. Publishing date: May 21, 2021 And then there was the nonsense Thursday after Corey Perry inadvertently ran into John Tavares, leaving the Leafs’ captain with a concussion. The Canadiens have rediscovered their identity and it’s a far cry from the exciting, uptempo team that entertained fans at the start of the season. By the time play resumed, there was ample opportunity for all concerned to realize this was an unfortunate accident. Perry was on a collision The blueprint for success in the North Division playoff series against the course with Tavares, who had been checked to the ice by Ben Chiarot, Toronto Maple Leafs was on display Thursday. The Canadiens tried to and his last-ditch attempt to avoid Tavares might have prevented more slow down the high-powered Leafs by hitting anything that moved in a serious injuries. blue sweater and then relied on goaltender Carey Price to do his best impersonation of a brick wall. Nick Foligno took it upon himself to confront Perry. In the moments leading up to the fight, Perry tried to explain that it was an accident and Price stopped 35 shots to give Montreal a 2-1 victory in the series opener so did Shea Weber. The officials had a few words for Foligno and Perry at Scotiabank Arena but, before speculating on whether the COVID but, when the puck dropped on the faceoff, so did the gloves. It was situation will improve in time for a Stanley Cup parade, remember that obvious Perry didn’t want to fight, but he went through the motions we’ve seen this movie before. because, the Code.

Playoff heroics are nothing new for Price, but Thursday’s game also put Said Perry: “Nick came up to me and said, ‘let’s just settle this now. Let’s the spotlight on the Canadiens’ struggle to score goals. not wait.’ Gotta do what you gotta do.”

In the playoff bubble last summer, Price led all goaltenders with a 1.78 The absurdity of the situation was reflected in Foligno’s post-game goals-against average over 10 games. But, after upsetting Pittsburgh in comments. the qualifying round, the Canadiens were eliminated by Philadelphia because they couldn’t score goals at the right time. The Canadiens “Our captain is laying on the ice,” said Foligno. “They would have done actually outscored the Flyers 13-11 in the six-game series, but 10 of the same if (it was) their captain. (The hit) wasn’t malicious. (The fight) those goals were scored in the two games they won. They managed only takes away any grey (area). Perry’s a big boy. It just allows everyone to three goals in the four games they lost and were shut out twice. go back and play.”

It was a similar story in the Canadiens’ previous playoff appearance, a If that was the case, why did Wayne Simmonds try to goad Perry into a six-game loss to the New York Rangers in the first round in 2017. Price second fight later? did his job as he posted a 1.86 GAA, but the Canadiens mustered only Ladies hit the ice: It has been a tough year for women’s hockey with the 12 goals. The Canadiens led the series 2-1, but they scored a total of world championship postponed by concerns over COVID-19, but the four goals while losing the last three games. Women’s Professional Hockey Players Association will stage the Secret It’s difficult to fault head coach Dominique Ducharme for formulating a Dream Gap Tour next week in Calgary. Teams representing Montreal, game plan that stressed stopping Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and Toronto and Calgary will compete in daily games Monday through the friends because the Canadiens can’t match Toronto’s firepower. But the tournament finale Sunday, May 30. All games will be streamed on SN Habs should have done a better job of taking advantage of the Now with the final three days also being televised on Sportsnet. opportunities Toronto gave them. The Leafs fell into a bad habit of shooting the puck over the glass and they provided Montreal with six power plays. The Canadiens seemed intent of giving Shea Weber a Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.22.2021 chance to show that there’s nothing wrong with his injured hand and that meant there was no hint of creativity when they had the extra man.

Assistant coach Alex Burrows moved some pieces around in practice Friday and the most interesting move was the return of Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who sat out the opener. He’ll likely replace the injured Jake Evans for Game 2 and he’ll be trying to recapture some of the magic he displayed in the bubble.

There will be some whining from fans who complained that the Canadiens were boring with Michel Therrien and Claude Julien behind the bench, but all will be forgiven if Price gets some help and they win.

Montreal Canadiens' Jeff Petry, from left, Tyler Toffoli, Carey Price and Joel Edmundson celebrate their win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 1 of the their North Division semifinal series in Toronto on May 20, 2021.

What the Puck: Canadiens need goals, along with hits, to oust Leafs

Canadiens goaltender Carey Price absolutely robs Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner with a blocker save during the third period Thursday night in Toronto.

In the Habs' Room: Carey Price shows why teammates have such faith in him

Maple Leafs centre John Tavares is hit in the head by Canadiens' Corey Perry during the first period of Game 1 of the teams' playoff series Thursday night. Tavares was conscious and communicating after the game, but remained overnight in a Toronto hospital for further evaluation.

Scary injury to captain John Tavares rattles Leafs in loss to Canadiens 1213695 Montreal Canadiens While the Maple Leafs have more players who can convert on limited opportunities than the Canadiens do, if Carey Price continues to perform like he did in Game 1, the Canadiens would drastically increase their chances of winning by relying on a bit of puck luck in very few By the numbers: Tactical shift propelled Canadiens to win in Game 1 opportunities.

The Canadiens could increase their chances by adding Cole Caufield to the lineup as well, which might have helped them convert on one of those Andrew Berkshire • Special to the Montreal Gazette five power plays. While the Canadiens appear to have an opening to Publishing date: May 21, 2021 upset the heavily favoured Leafs, let’s not forget that several things broke right for them in Game 1, like the Leafs committing three puck over glass infractions, the rest of the series will probably be more difficult.

For the Toronto Maple Leafs, you couldn’t have scripted a worse outcome for Game 1 of their first playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens since 1979. A horrific accidental collision between Corey Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.22.2021 Perry and John Tavares ended with the Maple Leafs’ captain being carried off the ice on a stretcher, and will probably keep him out for a long time.

On top of losing their captain and second-line centre, the Maple Leafs saw a resurgent Carey Price in the Canadiens’ crease, looking very similar to the goalie who nearly single-handedly eliminated the Pittsburgh Penguins in last season’s playoff play-in round.

Price was brilliant in Game 1, with the game seemingly turning on a sensational save on Mitch Marner on a two-on-one break. Beyond Price though, there were some clear tactical choices from the Canadiens that influenced the result.

Jack Han, a tactical analyst and former assistant coach of the , wrote about the Canadiens’ decision to stretch the ice through the neutral zone in a bid to burn through the Maple Leafs’ defence with speed. That strategy is often deployed by teams that find themselves in a talent mismatch.

How do you compensate for losing the battles for zone time and lacking in high-quality shooters? Take risks to create the highest quality chances for your speediest forwards. There are drawbacks to the approach of constantly looking for the long-bomb pass, such as an increased rate of icing, but Josh Anderson’s and Paul Byron’s goals in Game 1 were created by stretching the ice in the neutral zone.

The Tavares injury leaves a huge hole in the Maple Leafs’ lineup down the middle, and puts an incredible amount of pressure on Auston Matthews to create offence. A suddenly short-handed Toronto squad, a rejuvenated Price and a tactical change that can create high-quality chances out of failed Leafs possessions have created a path to victory for the Canadiens where one didn’t look visible before the series began.

But how likely is it that the Canadiens can pull this off?

Looking at how things shook out in Game 1, the Canadiens’ control of play was oddly inverted from 5-vs-5 to special teams. Part of the reason for that is simply because the Canadiens had two extra minutes of power-play time in the game, but while the Canadiens tallied more shots with the man advantage, the Leafs had better chances on their opportunities.

The opposite was true at even strength, where the Canadiens were limited to 18 shots compared with the Leafs’ 27, and yet managed to hold a slight edge in scoring chances and high-danger chances, meaning they were penetrating the slot more effectively than the Leafs were.

At 5-vs-5, the Maple Leafs still held the edge in expected goals, but not by nearly as much as you would expect considering they controlled 60 per cent of the shots on goal.

It’s impossible to determine until more games are played how much of this was influenced by the Leafs’ reaction to Tavares’ injury, but the Canadiens’ focus on generating a few golden chances and capitalizing at even strength was paired well with the fact that they were able to play a very low-event game.

What I mean by that is, in an average regular-season game for the Maple Leafs, the team produced an expected 2.47 goals for per 60 minutes at 5-vs-5, the fourth-highest mark in the NHL after the Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes. In Game 1, their per-60- minute pace in expected goals was only 1.83, which would place them below the 31st place Detroit Red Wings (1.88).

When you can take a dynamic offensive team out of their element and keep the number of high-end scoring chances to a minimum, you are decreasing the amount of control they can exert on the game in general. 1213696 Montreal Canadiens Scary injury to captain John Tavares rattles Leafs in loss to Canadiens But if the Habs play only as well as they did Thursday, they won’t win this

series. It was a great night, but they did what they’ve always done in the What the Puck: Canadiens need goals, along with hits, to oust Leafs playoffs in recent years — they didn’t score much. Two goals was enough because Price was in his saviour zone, but Matthews, Marner and the others are going to be scoring more than one goal per game in the coming bouts. Brendan Kelly • Montreal Gazette Montreal needs to get more scoring. Anderson will score, so will Tyler Publishing date: May 21, 2021 Toffoli, who looked good Thursday. Maybe Nick Suzuki will get his scoring mojo back and fire in a couple from the hash marks. But Phillip Danault, Brendan Gallagher and Tomas Tatar don’t look like they’ll put Montreal Canadiens' Jeff Petry, from left, Tyler Toffoli, Carey Price and the puck in the net. And while we’re on the topic, can someone explain Joel Edmundson celebrate their win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in why Tatar looked so hopeless? Game 1 of the their North Division semifinal series in Toronto on May 20, 2021. I’d love to see a natural goal-scorer like Cole Caufield in the lineup, but who do you take out after Game 1, maybe Tatar? The real lineup change That was an epic Thursday night for Habs fans and the euphoria was is going to be whoever replaces Jake Evans if his injury keeps him out very much alive and well throughout the Habs Nation Friday. But in the Saturday. The most likely replacement is Jesperi Kotkaniemi because cold, hard light of day, let’s keep it real. they’ll need a centre, and that’s a little scary.

This series is a long way from over and it’s only going to get harder. I If KK plays like he did in the bubble last summer, that’s great. But if he don’t need to tell you that Auston Matthews and his Leafs are going to plays like he played this season, that’s a step backward. storm out of the gates Saturday night in Toronto and they will throw everything they have at our Canadiens, from hard hits to harder shots. And the power play has to improve dramatically. The Canadiens couldn’t even get the puck over the opposing team’s blue line while maintaining You can be sure that part of the bulletin-board material for the Habs possession. They tried to enter the offensive zone and lost it or went the going into Game 1 was a survey of Sportsnet journalists showing every Michel Therrien route and dumped in the puck and lost it. one of the 23 tastemakers picking the Leafs to win. You could just see Carey Price saying, “we’ll see about that, guys.” (Okay, maybe he didn’t The strategy was to, once again, get it back to Shea Weber at the point. say that, but you understand what I mean.) Is this a joke? You need to score by using players down low, but no one is doing that. Wouldn’t you love to see Caufield buzzing around the Now, the Leafs have some stronger motivation. They saw their captain, faceoff circle on the power play? John Tavares, taken off the ice on a stretcher, with the Toronto-born hockey player giving the world a thumbs-up as he was wheeled off. He’s Price can stand on his head until the cows come home, but his out of the hospital and that’s great news. But you know the boys in blue teammates still need to score more goals than the Leafs to win. And the are saying, “let’s win this baby for John!” Leafs will not be scoring just one goal per game. So some players need to step up. This is going to a long, hard-fought series, but I’m sticking to my prediction: Habs in seven. I’m also sticking to my advice about how they need to play to win this series. I said Wednesday they need to hammer Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.22.2021 Matthews & Co. and it turns out the Habs’ coaching staff was on the same page.

Montreal laid 55 hits to Toronto’s 27 and it was clear that head coach Dominique Ducharme’s marching orders were to hit everything that moves. They did just that and, pun intended, the Loafs didn’t know what hit them.

Leading the hitting brigade was Josh Anderson. He came out and did his best to destroy Wayne Simmonds and, lucky for Simmonds, Anderson mostly missed him. Anderson showed just as much chutzpah heading to the net and the result was a stunning goal where he broke through the Toronto D and got it by Jack Campbell. The Max Domi-Anderson trade sure looks good.

I’m a big enough man to admit I was wrong to question Saint Carey. Maybe he’ll morph into Bad Carey but, in Game 1, he played like the Price of the 2014 playoffs and/or the 2020 COVID-bubble tournament. His blocker stop on Mitch Marner was unreal.

Habs defenceman Ben Chiarot battles Leafs' Auston Matthews in front of goaltender Carey Price Thursday night in Toronto. Price made 35 saves to lead Montreal to a 2-1 win in Game 1 of the series.

About Last Night: Byronic hero lifts Habs over Leafs 2-1 in game 1

Habs defenceman Ben Chiarot battles Leafs' Auston Matthews in front of goaltender Carey Price Thursday night in Toronto. Price made 35 saves to lead Montreal to a 2-1 win in Game 1 of the series.

Byron's short-handed goal, Price's heroics lift Canadiens to Game 1 win

The Canadiens’ Paul Byron is congratulated by teammates on the bench after scoring the game-winning goal short-handed in a 2-1 victory over the Maple Leafs in Game 1 of first-round playoff series Thursday night in Toronto.

Canadiens Game Day: Paul Byron the hero in Game 1 victory over Leafs

Maple Leafs centre John Tavares is hit in the head by Canadiens' Corey Perry during the first period of Game 1 of the teams' playoff series Thursday night. Tavares was conscious and communicating after the game, but remained overnight in a Toronto hospital for further evaluation. 1213697 Montreal Canadiens 3. “LETS GO!!! ILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU BERGY IF WE LOSE THIS SERIES!!!!” -Golden Trash

2. “Maybe using a veteran lineup isn’t as crazy as it sounds. They led the About Last Night: Byronic hero lifts Habs over Leafs 2-1 in game 1 way and they all benefited from the week off. A well rested team is a lot more exciting to watch, then a tired injury prone team.” -Ryan Katz

1. “I think we need to chill a bit. Great start and win but it’s only one Erik Leijon • Special to Montreal Gazette game. Let’s not get too cocky. We leave that for Leafs fans.” -Sami Mazloum Publishing date: May 21, 2021

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.22.2021 The Montreal Canadiens won the opening game of their first-round playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1 on Thursday night at Scotiabank Arena. The Habs now lead the best-of-seven series 1-0.

In his column, Brendan Kelly said the Habs needed to win the physical battles if they wanted a chance against the heavily favoured Leafs, and that’s exactly what happened: the Habs outhit their opponents 55-27. It also helped that a healthy Carey Price was back in nets and on his game, as he made 35 saves in a vintage performance.

The game was physical from the beginning, with the Habs getting 11 hits within the first five minutes. Josh Anderson, fresh from a scoring opportunity, nearly crushed Wayne Simmonds with a body check, although the Leaf veteran was able to avoid the impending hit. The physical play resulted in a frightening incident where Ben Chiarot hit Leafs captain John Tavares to the ice. As Tavares fell, his head hit Corey Perry’s knee. Tavares was unable to get up and medical staff from both teams went to provide assistance. Tavares left the game on a stretcher, and gave a parting thumbs up. After a long delay play resumed, and it was clear both teams remained stunned by the freak accident. Nick Foligno and Perry dropped the gloves on the ensuing faceoff, a move that was heavily criticized by Liveblog commenters given the unintentional nature of the earlier collision. With the Leafs still reeling, Eric Staal passed to a speeding Josh Anderson entering the zone, who split Toronto’s defence and roofed a wrister on goalie and playoff first- timer Jack Campbell. Tyler Toffoli took a penalty late in the period, but besides an Auston Matthews shot to the post, the Habs were able to hang on to their 1-0 lead heading into the second.

The Habs finished their penalty kill to open the second period. Then it was the Leafs’ turn to get a penalty, with Justin Holl taking one for the rulebooks as the officials deemed he intentionally deflected a dump-in over the glass, giving him a delay of game minor. The Habs didn’t score on the ensuing power play, or any of their five opportunities on the night. After killing the Holl penalty, the Leafs tied it up 1-1 when Morgan Rielly’s point shot landed in front of William Nylander on the doorstep, who converted in the open net. Matthews then made himself public enemy number one among Habs fans, drawing a penalty by Ben Chiarot, then smiling as Chiarot tried to get Matthews to take a retaliatory call of his own. Like the Habs, the Leafs were blanked on the power play in game 1.

Jake Evans left for the dressing room and returned before the second was out, but by the third period the team announced his night was done. The Leafs took another delay of game penalty, this time Mitch Marner flipping it over the glass with Tomas Tatar incoming. Then Nylander got the team’s third delay of game call, an unlikely feat. The power play ended with Marner and Matthews barreling down on Price, but the goalie bested the two star forwards on their give-and-go, making a stellar pad save to keep the game tied.

With Tatar in the box for high-sticking, the Canadiens regained the lead. Paul Byron beat Rasmus Sandin in a footrace for the puck, and as the defenceman tripped Byron, Byron was able to continue stickhandling after falling before putting the puck up and over Campbell. The Habs led 2-1 and never relinquished the lead.

It was a textbook road game for the Canadiens, who fired an important opening salvo in the series. The Tavares injury is what will likely remain on the minds of hockey fans entering game two Saturday, and rightfully so. Here’s hoping for good news for Tavares on that front. Meanwhile, the Habs Liveblog commenters were cautiously optimistic following the series opening victory. For one game, at least, the prognosticators, oddsmakers and pundits were proven wrong. Here’s what the commenters had to say:

4. “Yessssssss! Carey played great and the character came through ! Took home ice away with that win !” -Glen Sanderson 1213698 Montreal Canadiens Matthews line would make the Byron-Danault-Lehkonen line that much more useful, and it would allow the Canadiens to build their other lines in a way to create more offence.

Canadiens playoff notebook: Jesperi Kotkaniemi’s time to shine, an The sudden arrival of the stretch pass offensive shift and a defensive adjustment On the fourth shift of Game 1, the Maple Leafs went for a change with the puck in the Canadiens’ zone. Staal jumped off the bench and took a three-zone pass near the Leafs’ blue line and found Josh Anderson, who By Arpon Basu and Marc Antoine Godin made a beeline from the bench to the front of the Leafs’ net.

May 22, 2021 The game was that close to being 1-0 Canadiens less than two minutes after it started.

We saw it a few more times, particularly in the first period. On one The injury to Jake Evans appears to have opened the door for Jesperi occasion, Jon Merrill had the puck near his own goal line and sent a pass Kotkaniemi to make an entrance in Game 2 of the series between the all the way to the Leafs’ blue line, right on the tape to Staal, who was a Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. Dominique Ducharme stride or two offside. Considering all the controversy those two lineup didn’t want to confirm it Friday, but Eric Staal cut right to the chase and decisions created, had the play worked, Ducharme would have been clearly said that is what he expects to happen. within his rights to stand on the bench and take a bow like . If Kotkaniemi slotted into Evans’ spot between Paul Byron and Artturi That pass, however, goes counter to what we have heard from the Lehkonen, it would be reuniting a line that did a good job in the play-in Canadiens over and over — how they need to play as a group of five and round against the Pittsburgh Penguins last year. come up the ice together. This is the opposite of that but instead goes to In fact, Kotkaniemi was so convincing on that line that as soon as Shea something else Ducharme is constantly preaching when it comes to his Weber gave the Canadiens the lead at the start of Game 3, Claude system. Julien sent him between Jonathan Drouin and Joel Armia on a more It is based on options. offensive line so he could create a defensive super line with Phillip Danault between Byron and Lehkonen. “It’s a matter of situations,” Ducharme said. “When we talk about how we play, the options we have, the things we want to do, we have The performance of the Byron-Kotkaniemi-Lehkonen line in the regular benchmarks for the moments where we want to be a group of five, so season wasn’t quite as dominant as it was in the bubble, but Kotkaniemi being a little lower in our zone. There are other situations where we can has had some good moments this season as their linemates. stretch the play a bit more, depending on the way the other team reacts “He brings skill, great vision — great with the puck,” Byron said. “Me and as well. So we have benchmarks on that.” Lehky are north-south players; we play up and down the ice, we Basically, what Ducharme is talking about is reading the way the forecheck hard. I think it complements his game. He’s more of a finding- opposition is forechecking and reacting accordingly. That takes spots, vision guy, reading the play. So I think he can read off us and play recognition and all five players being on the same page. If the his game quite simple. We know how good he can be with the puck. I defenceman is expecting his forwards to be tight to him for more of a remember his pass to Lehky in Edmonton — just an incredible play by controlled breakout, that forward can’t be thinking this is a moment to him.” blow the zone for a stretch pass, and vice versa. That recognition only “So as his linemates, we just try to do what we can to make the game comes through practice and video, looking for those benchmarks — the easy on him and try to help him on the faceoffs and support him. Starting position of the opponents on the ice — and not only reading it properly with the puck makes the game a lot easier. So I look forward to playing but also in unison. with him if he’s back in the lineup tomorrow.” “That’s a big part of how they generate their offence; they caught us on it The thing about Lehkonen and Byron is that no matter whom they are a couple of times in the first period,” Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe playing with, whether it’s Kotkaniemi, Evans or Danault, their intensity said Friday. “One’s a real bad line change, one’s a real bad turnover, so and style of play are similar and often create the identity of their line. they’re not necessarily structure pieces, they’re more overall awareness That’s even more true in the playoffs, where they have both shown an and staying engaged in the game. They play really well; they’re as good ability to raise their game. as any team in the league in transition and those plays. That’s how a lot of their offence comes about.” Byron said he expects Kotkaniemi, as soon as he enters the lineup, to do the same thing he did earlier this season when Byron had to sit out, That might have been true earlier in the season, but it certainly hasn’t which was to prove he shouldn’t sit out anymore. been lately. The Canadiens have rarely connected — or even attempted — the stretch plays they had in Game 1. Which is what Ducharme likes It would be fair to assume the break Kotkaniemi has had would help him about it. find his game, especially if he is aided by the pace and intensity Byron and Lehkonen provide on his wings. “What’s good about it is you don’t want to be too predictable,” Ducharme said. “You have to be able to manage every situation, and that’s what we “The rest is a part of it, just like it is for the rest of our team, both worked on this week with our players.” physically and mentally,” Ducharme said. “But for him, it was also getting some quality practices, having time to practice. I think it can make a Ducharme said one part of the Canadiens’ game he liked was their difference for a young player. defensive play at five-on-five and, in particular, that they kept the Maple Leafs to the outside. We hear that a lot, but is it always true? “What we expect, when he gets in the lineup, is that he’ll be solid and dynamic in his game and that we’ll see the KK we want to see and that Not always, but sometimes? More or less? he wants to be.” There are quite a few shots from the slot, but there are also a ton from From that point — let’s extrapolate a bit — is it so crazy to see a scenario outside the house — basically, the area between the faceoff dots — and in which a good game from Kotkaniemi could allow him, for the games in the Canadiens can feel relatively secure Carey Price will stop those. Montreal, to be on a more offensive line and that the Byron-Danault- They just need to make sure there are no second and third opportunities Lehkonen line could come back to life in a defensive role? coming from them.

Would that not help the Canadiens? It was Joel Edmundson and Jeff Petry who wound up facing Matthews the most, and particularly Edmundson, who has an ability to box out the Because the injury to John Tavares has changed the outlook of this front of the net and move bodies around quite well. The numbers for the series. Instead of having an offensive threat like him on a second line, Canadiens were not the least bit favourable with Edmundson and the Maple Leafs will have a line with Alex Galchenyuk, Nick Foligno and Matthews on the ice together for more than nine minutes at five-on-five. William Nylander made up of three players who have all been used at In fact, they were downright ugly: 33 percent on shot attempts, shots on centre but who are all identified as better wingers. In terms of matchups, goal were 8-3 Leafs, and a 15.81 percent expected goal percentage. the Canadiens no longer have to be overly worried about the Auston Matthews line and the Tavares line. The notion of focusing on the But the goals were 0-0. Can that happen again? Probably not, considering the frequency with “My wife was pretty in shock and surprised by what happened. I’ve had which Matthews scored goals this season. support from her my whole career.”

It is worth remembering that with Weber and Matthews on the ice in the In the context of a pandemic, with more than enough uncertainty to go regular season, the Canadiens held a slight edge in expected goals at around, Byron was hoping to stay in Montreal, where he and his family 50.62 percent. And getting Petry away from that matchup might allow him live year-round. And that didn’t change the two other times he had a to contribute more offensively, especially with how drastically the Maple stressful 24 hours when he was put on waivers. Leafs’ offensive dynamic has changed without Tavares. But he always knew it wasn’t anything personal. The Canadiens will need to score more goals, and perhaps Petry could allow them to do that if he got away from Matthews. “I know that the coach and the GM still like me, they still want me on the team,” he said Friday. “You don’t see a guy who’s been put on waivers “When you have an assignment like that, for me, it’s just making sure that and then later that day he’s put in the lineup, starting overtime against I’m strong defensively,” Petry said. “It might limit the amount of times I some great hockey players. So I always knew it was never personal, and can get up on the rush because those two guys, especially on that line, I just tried to work hard every day and be the best player I can, and that’s are waiting for the puck to turn over (in the Maple Leafs’ zone) and all I can really do.” they’re on the attack quickly.” The winning goal he scored short-handed is, in a sense, a reflection of Basically, that means if Petry sees an offensive opportunity, he has to his persistence in remaining a relevant member of the organization. keep Matthews and Marner in the back of his mind. The defensive There are no more salary-cap concerns in the playoffs, so those trips numbers were not fantastic in that matchup, and the Canadiens could through waivers are now a thing of the past. But when asked if they might use all the offensive help they can get. Might be time for a switch. come back next season and he sees these playoffs as an opportunity to prove his worth, Byron said he’s not thinking that far ahead. Getting back to Kotkaniemi for a bit, while it is Evans he is replacing, a moment could come down the line when it is Staal who becomes a “Honestly, I’m not thinking of next year at all,” he said. “I’m thinking of candidate to give up his spot. Staal played 10:44 in Game 1 and was as today and tomorrow, that’s it. I know I’m a guy who can give a lot to the good as he’s been in a Canadiens uniform, so it might seem silly to be team, and I’m comfortable in my role. The coach has a lot of confidence considering him leaving the lineup after playing his best game. in me, he uses me in overtime against good players, so next year is not even on my radar right now.” But at some point, especially if Kotkaniemi plays well in Game 2 and Evans becomes healthy enough to play in Game 3, we might be right back at the question we had to start the series, which is whether the Canadiens are better off with Kotkaniemi in the lineup or Staal. The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021

Staal was asked Friday whether he sees a bit of himself in Kotkaniemi. Staal is 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds; Kotkaniemi is 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds. They are rangy centres with playmaking abilities and good vision. Of course, when Staal was 20, he put up the best season of his career, the only one in which he hit 100 points, and Kotkaniemi is not there yet and probably never will be. But in terms of body type and skill set, did he see any similarities?

“He plays at a high pace. He’s got a great shot, great release. He’s big, he’s strong, he’s fast — he’s all the things you want,” Staal said. “Sometimes it takes time for guys to put it all together and find ways to consistently be successful and creating offensive chances. But those tools are there, no question, and you can see that on a day-to-day basis. I think tomorrow he’s going to get an opportunity to jump in for us, and I think he’s going to be real important.”

Seemingly, Staal didn’t want to go there on the Kotkaniemi comparison. When asked if he thought there was no comparison to be made, he laughed.

“No, no, I think it’s just weird to hear somebody comparing him to me,” he said. “I’m still playing. I’m just trying to do what I need to do to help us win. But if he can do things that I’ve done over my time, I’ll take that as a good thing. We’ll see how he performs for us tomorrow, but I’m looking forward to seeing him out there with us.”

The thing is, the comparison was more of one between Staal and Kotkaniemi in their primes, which doesn’t apply to either right now. But it is what they can bring in this series that might have to be compared by Ducharme in the coming days. And that’s when the comparison might become even more awkward for Staal.

Byron’s spectacular game-winning goal in Game 1 became the high- water mark of a season that forced the 32-year-old winger to go through a roller coaster of emotions.

Byron called it one of the most important goals of his career, and he had a chance to share the moment with his family … via video.

“My wife sent me a video; it was awesome watching the kids react to the goal,” Byron said Friday. “They loved it. They were all watching the game.”

The kids are following their dad’s glory now, but when Byron was put on waivers for the first time this season, in mid-February, he decided not to explain the uncertainty his family felt.

“I didn’t even tell my kids, honestly,” Byron said on Feb. 19. “I don’t think they really understand what’s going on. A trade is something that’s kind of easier to explain. Waivers, not really. 1213699 Montreal Canadiens to them,” said Najak. “But you also don’t want to go away from what the news story actually is.”

Medical staff poured onto the ice. A camera was assigned to follow ‘We’ve got family watching’: How ‘Hockey Night in Canada’ covered the Tavares for any movement, waiting for any sign from the player as the John Tavares injury stretcher was wheeled off the ice. Tavares raised his thumb.

“That’s (for) the family, right? I’m sure he’s thinking about family there, as well,” said Najak. “He’s probably concerned about them. So you just want By Sean Fitz-Gerald to be able to help him send that message.”

May 21, 2021 And that was another consideration the broadcast crew had during the entire sequence of events: With COVID-19 restrictions preventing

Toronto from admitting any fans into the arena, there was a strong During intermission, will usually leave the play-by-play chance Tavares had his entire family tuned into the game. The booth to stretch his legs, grab a bottle of water and clear his head. broadcast, then, was also their first source of real-time information.

On Thursday night, he slumped in his chair. That was also why Sportsnet never cut away to commercial.

“I didn’t move for about five minutes,” he said. “We would never go to commercial until he leaves the ice,” said former “Hockey Night” executive John Shannon. “Because the moment you Halfway into the first period of the first playoff meeting between the leave that event on the ice, what are you doing to the family? And really, Maple Leafs and Canadiens since 1979, Montreal defenceman Ben you ask that question: If your mother had to watch, and it was you on the Chiarot bumped Toronto captain John Tavares to the ice with a check in ice, would your mother want a commercial to be there? the neutral zone. Canadiens forward Corey Perry was racing past, and his knee inadvertently struck Tavares in the face as he was twisting on “And the answer is no.” the ice. Shannon, who was also executive vice president of broadcasting with the “He got kicked right in the face by Perry,” colour analyst Craig Simpson NHL, said the “Hockey Night” policy would sometimes come up in said during the Sportsnet broadcast. “Unintentional. But he fell down and, discussions with producers in the . boy, he got hit really bad.” “Please do not go to commercial if there’s a severe injury,” he said. “You What followed was five minutes of national television nobody had been have to put in context not what it means for the large audience, but what expecting, with commentators in Scotiabank Arena and the crew in the it means for friends and family.” control truck pivoting to covering a news event. Cuthbert and Simpson Tavares was released from an area hospital Friday and will be out were high up in the rafters, watching the scene unfold below. indefinitely, the team said. Coach Sheldon Keefe said Thursday night “For me, it always immediately hits: ‘We’ve got (the player’s) family that the star center was conscious and communicating well, and that watching,’” said Cuthbert. “You can’t play amateur doctor. As severe as it initial tests came back “clear,” but he was kept overnight for observation. often looks, rightly or wrongly, you’re trying to temper some of that.” Shannon praised the work both the crew and the commentators did on Sherali Najak, senior producer at “Hockey Night in Canada,” said there Thursday night. were around 20 cameras onsite to carry the game to a national audience. “(Cuthbert) was not afraid not to say anything,” he said. “It was so much The director, John Szpala, assigned the cameras to cover different more apparent because there’s no other noise anymore. There’s no aspects of the story. crowd noise. There is no white noise of 18,000 people in the arena, so Tavares initially tried to regain his feet with a member of the team’s when Chris didn’t speak, it was much more obviously hushed.” medical staff by his side. He began to fall backward, and the “Hockey Cuthbert was not quite as convinced. He said he thought about what Night” crew cut away quickly. more he could have done during the first intermission, and again on the “You could hear it in Chris’ voice, too,” said Najak. “That’s when it kind of drive home. He wondered if he had spoken too much, or if he should sinks in about, ‘Let’s just feel the ice a little bit, let’s just listen to what’s have spent more time discussing the critical work of the medical staff happening, and it’s OK not to over-produce this or get in the way of from both teams. (He said Mike “Doc” Emrick, the celebrated and what’s happening here.’” recently retired voice of hockey in the U.S., sent him a reassuring email during that first intermission.) Najak has been with “Hockey Night” for the better part of three decades. He was in the director’s chair in Ottawa the night Leafs defenceman He also thought of his seven-year-old grandson. He has started to get Bryan Berard took a high stick in the face in 2000, causing severe into hockey, especially since his grandfather’s voice is the one carrying damage to his right eye. the games into his home.

“In terms of how many replays you show and what else you do, you don’t “I’m sure he got distracted and taken away from the front of the TV there want to editorialize it for the viewer,” he said. “You don’t want to not show for a while, at least I hope he did,” he said. “It was unsettling for it, and just show them what you think is important. But you also don’t everybody.” want to exploit it.

“I think that’s a news sense.” The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021 After cutting away from Tavares as he struggled on the ice, the “Hockey Night” cameras showed general manager Kyle Dubas looking on from above, slapping his hand on a table with palpable concern. After a moment, the slow-motion replay rolled for the first time.

“The viewers really need to know what actually happened,” said Najak. “You need to slow it down a little bit for them. And then you also don’t want to stay in replay sequences too long because you’re getting away from the scene — what’s happening on the ice.”

After the replays, Cuthbert and Simpson remained silent for a stretch of almost 30 seconds. Cameras tracked player reactions on both of the teams, tracking in closely on Leafs forward Auston Matthews, who had bowed his head down on the home team’s bench.

“Showing Matthews or showing players watching, you’re representing what the viewers are thinking a little bit, too — you’re giving that emotion 1213700 Nashville Predators Tennessean LOADED: 05.22.2021

Nashville Predators' Matt Duchene, Ryan Johansen come up big in Game 3 after losing power-play duties

Paul Skrbina

Nashville Tennessean

Matt Duchene has drawn his fair share of ire since joining the Nashville Predators as an $8 million-a-year free agent before the 2019-20 season.

Ryan Johansen, who receives the same paycheck as Johansen and has drawn similar criticism for his lack of production the last two seasons, has too.

Both, considered "big-time" players within the organization, were stripped of their power-play duties Friday night in Game 3 of their team's first-round playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Both, who have "big-time" expectations attached to their paychecks, finally came up big in a "big-time" game for the Predators, much to the delight of head coach John Hynes, the man who makes the ultimate playing time decisions.

Duchene scored the winning goal with 5 minutes, 6 seconds left in a 5-4 victory in what was the third-longest game in franchise history.

The goal breathed some life into what was considered a dead season two months ago, and what could have become a hopeless series had the Hurricanes scored in either overtime, considering only four teams in league history have overcome 0-3 deficits.

"That's the step-up we need," said forward Filip Forsberg, who scored a goal Friday in front of a crowd of more than 12,000 — the largest in the NHL playoffs this season — which included former Titans running back and new Tennessee State coach Eddie George and Grammy Award- winning artist Keith Urban, who sang the national anthem and had actress wife Nicole Kidman at his side.

"Take the good vibes and move forward," Duchene said.

Johansen's goal with 14:59 left in the third gave the Preds some good vibes and a short-lived lead — and him a shot of confidence.

Both players handled the news of their new roles professionally, Hynes said.

"Those guys had a good response tonight," Hynes said. "Part of being a team and winning is you have to accept the role you're in. They played with a little chip on their shoulder. They found a way on the scoreboard. That's what you need; that's what being a team is all about."

"I'm a power-play guy," said Duchene, who had six goals and seven assists in 34 regular-season games this year. "Have been my whole career. It's tough to stay in the game, but at the end of the day you cheer on your teammates and be a good teammate. I just tried to draw as many penalties as I could; I guess that was my mentality."

It paid off Friday night. But it also furthered the pressure for Sunday afternoon, when the Predators face the Hurricanes in Game 4 at Bridgestone with a chance to even the series at 2-2.

The Predators will no doubt need the forwards to perform going forward if they are to have a chance against the Central Division champs.

"I have no idea what the plan is going forward," Duchene said of his role. "That's a question for Coach (Hynes)."

The answer seems pretty simple, just like Hynes said the other day: Big- time players such as these two, will need to continue to play like it in big- time games.

Predators goalie Juuse Saros, who has been the biggest player in gold the last couple of months, tied Dan Ellis' franchise playoff record with 52 saves and set a personal mark in the process.

He'll need help from the Duchenes and Johansens if the Predators' hopes of surviving are realistic.

1213701 Nashville Predators

Carolina Hurricanes coach sounds off after Nashville Predators take Game 3: 'We're fighting the refs'

Chris Thomas

Nashville Tennessean

Credit the refs for the Nashville Predators' thrilling, 5-4, double-overtime victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night at Bridgestone Arena.

That's how Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour sees it, anyway.

Brind'Amour decried the discrepancy in penalties in Games 2 and 3 during the first-round playoff series.

The Predators, who had seven power-play opportunities Friday, won on Matt Duchene's goal in the second overtime, which did not come during a man advantage but did come shortly after one.

Maxime Lajoie was called for hooking 11 minutes, 40 seconds into the second overtime period. Duchene scored the winner just over three minutes later.

“We’re playing a great team, and to me, and you know I didn’t say it to (the team), we’re in a battle … but we’re also fighting the refs," Brind'Amour said postgame. "That’s plain and simple.

"You can’t tell me two games in a row we get seven and eight penalties and they get three? And when a game’s this even, it’s not right. It’s not right. I give my guys tons of credit for just sticking in, going, just playing their butts off, and still had a chance to win. … Two overtimes, a (ticky- tacky) penalty when stuff’s going on all over, just flipped the momentum and they scored on the next shift after because we were out of rotation. That’s not how it should go."

The Hurricanes lead the best-of-7 series 2-to-1 entering Sunday's Game 4 at 1:30 p.m. CT at Bridgestone Arena.

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Watch Matt Duchene's winning goal in the second overtime of Game 3

Nick Gray

Nashville Tennessean

Matt Duchene's first goal of the Nashvil Predators' series against the Carolina Hurricanes came 14:54 into the second overtime of Game 3, giving the Predators a 5-4 win Friday at Bridgestone Arena.

Duchene, who hit the post in the first overtime, was sent on a breakaway after Roman Josi and Ryan Ellis fished the puck away from the Hurricanes.

Watch it here.

The Game 3 win narrows Carolina's lead in the series to 2-1 with Game 4 at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday at Bridgestone Arena.

The Predators took a 4-3 lead early in the third period with a Ryan Johansen tip-in goal, and Carolina's Brett Pesce knotted the game at 4 with 3:21 left on a pinball shot from the point.

Then, it was stalemate for 34:54 along two overtime periods until Duchene made a move and scored to send the Bridgestone Arena crowd into a frenzy.

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Nashville Predators' Filip Forsberg caps off intense first period of Game 3 with highlight-reel goal

Nick Gray

Nashville Tennessean

Filip Forsberg already has a highlight-reel goal in the Predators' playoff series against Carolina. How about another?

The Predators forward, after drawing a penalty with Hurricanes defenseman Dougie Hamilton all over his back, led a breakaway and eventually crossed up goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic for a goal late in the first period of Friday's Game 3 at Bridgestone Arena.

Forsberg, who similarly crossed up Nedeljkovic in a diving goal in Game 1 Monday, has been one of the Predators' top forwards all season (12 goals, 20 assists, second on the team in points) and is the franchise leader in goals and points in the postseason.

Add Friday's goal to the ever-growing highlight clip.

It was a important goal, too, as the Predators took a 2-1 lead into the locker room. Carolina leads the first round series 2-0.

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Keith Urban sings national anthem before Nashville Predators' Game 3 against the Hurricanes

Nick Gray

Nashville Tennessean

Grammy Award-winning star Keith Urban sang the national anthem at Bridgestone Arena before Friday's Game 3 between the Nashville Predators and Carolina Hurricanes.

It's been 25 months since the Nashville Predators hosted a playoff game at Bridgestone Arena. On April 20, 2019, the last Preds' home playoff game, Gavin DeGraw sang the national anthem before Game 5 of Predators-Stars (and slipped on the ice following his rendition).

Following the first period, Urban and his wife Nicole Kidman danced and sang with the house band during the first intermission.

The Predators are down 0-2 against the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round NHL playoff series, with both games coming down to the third period in Raleigh.

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Matt Duchene's goal lifts Nashville Predators past Hurricanes in 2OT thriller in Game 3

Paul Skrbina

Nashville Tennessean

The Nashville Predators didn't wait long to give — 12,135 people — the biggest crowd in the NHL playoffs this season something to cheer about Friday night at Bridgestone Arena.

Ryan Ellis scored 4 minutes, 35 seconds into the first period in Game 3 of his team's first-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes.

The crowd waited much longer for a conclusion in what was one of the longest games in Predators postseason history at 94 minutes, 54 seconds. The Predators held on for a 5-4 victory, thanks to Matt Duchene's goal in double overtime in front fans that included former Titans running back Eddie George and Grammy Award winner Keith Urban, who sang the national anthem.

Their longest played 111:12 in 2015 against the Chicago Blackhawks. Predators goalie Juuse Saros made a career-high 52 saves, tying the franchise record for a playoff game set by Dan Ellis in 2008.

The Hurricanes lead the best-of-seven series 2-1.

Ryan Johansen tipped in Ellis' shot with 14:59 left in the third to give the Predators a 4-3 lead. But Brett Pesce tied it with 3:21 remaining in regulation.

Sebastian Aho erased the home team’s early lead with 4:16 left in the first, his third goal of the series, when he banked the puck off Roman Josi and Juuse Saros and into the net.

Filip Forsberg had the fans buzzing again, though, when he beat Alex Nedeljkovic one-on-one 25 seconds before the first-period buzzer. Saros was credited with the secondary assist.

Jordan Staal stalled the Predators momentum when he tied it 2-2 with 16:29 left in the second.

Consecutive penalties by Mattias Ekholm finally caught up with the Predators in the second, when the Hurricanes made it 3-2 thanks to Vincent Trocheck with 7:14 remaining in the second.

Ekholm had just come out of the penalty box when he was called for roughing.

After watching his team go 0-for-10 on the power play in the first two games, Predators coach John Hynes made wholesale changes to his units, notably removing two of $8 million-a-year players in Duchene and Johansen from the units.

It finally paid off when Mikael Granlund tied the score 3-3 in the second while the Predators had a 5-on-3 advantage, given them their first power- play goal in 14 tries in the series.

Ellis blocked two shots, including one while Carolina was on a power play with just over five minutes left in the third. He eventually cleared the puck to help preserve the lead.

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Nashville Predators' Viktor Arvidsson out of Game 3 lineup with upper- body injury

Nick Gray

Nashville Tennessean

Predators forward Viktor Arvidsson is out for Friday's Game 3 against the Carolina Hurricanes and is day-to-day with an upper-body injury, the team announced.

Nick Cousins will draw into the lineup for the first time in the series, while Matt Duchene will start the game with Ryan Johansen and Filip Forsberg on the Preds' top line.

Arvidsson missed the final five games of the regular season with an undisclosed issue, and also missed a game in April with an upper-body injury.

Also for the Predators, Calle Jarnkrok (illness) is back in the lineup after a one-game absence, while defenseman Ben Harpur draws into the lineup for Erik Gudbranson.

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How to watch Friday's Game 3 between the Nashville Predators and Carolina Hurricanes

Nick Gray

Nashville Tennessean

The Nashville Predators will hope that the largest home crowd of the season can help them get out of a 2-0 hole against the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Predators and Hurricanes will face off Friday at Bridgestone Arena in a vital game for Nashville. A 2-0 deficit often (but not always) spells doom anyway, but a 3-0 hole against one of the league's best teams will be a tough obstacle.

Tennessean LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213708 Nashville Predators “Obviously down 0-2, our group can do more, including myself,” Johansen said.

It is past time for the Predators to put on their big-boy pants. The Predators’ ‘big boys’ are running out of time to prove their worth

The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021 By Adam Vingan

May 21, 2021

The mood — dare we say the vibe? — was subdued Wednesday night as Ryan Johansen answered questions about the Nashville Predators falling behind the Carolina Hurricanes by two games in their first-round series.

Publicly and privately in the lead-up to Game 2, coach John Hynes challenged his top players to take charge. No amount of lineup shuffling would make a difference if the team leaders did not elevate their games.

“The main group here needs to be better,” Hynes said Tuesday, the day before his team lost 3-0.

Through two games of this increasingly lopsided series against a superior opponent, that message has not landed.

“That’s how sports is,” Johansen said. “That’s how championship teams win. That’s how teams are successful — their big boys do big things on the ice.”

Look around the NHL. Nathan MacKinnon has scored five goals, three more than the Predators have, in two games for the Presidents’ Trophy- winning Colorado Avalanche. When the Tampa Bay Lightning needed someone to make a play near the end of their riveting Game 1 win against the Florida Panthers, Brayden Point delivered twice. Hurricanes star Sebastian Aho has been electric, slicing through the overmatched Predators with ease.

Those are “big boys.” Who are those players for the Predators? They maybe have one — captain and Norris Trophy winner Roman Josi, who, to his credit, rebounded Wednesday after a poor performance in Game 1. (He has two goals in his past 25 playoff games, though.)

The reality of the Predators’ situation has been coming into focus for a few years, but now it is smacking them in the face. Their core players, specifically the forwards, are simply not good enough to win a title.

Johansen might be at the top of the list. If one were to build an NHL player from scratch, he would have Johansen’s 6-foot-3, 218-pound frame. But despite his enviable combination of size and natural talent, he struggles to put it all together. We know he can, which is why it is so infuriating to watch him disappear for long stretches.

Matt Duchene, who, like Johansen, makes $8 million per season, has earned a reputation as someone who cannot lift a team to championship heights, and his play in a Predators uniform (20 goals in 106 regular- season and playoff games) has done nothing to disprove that notion. In Game 1, Duchene played 7:51 at even strength, higher than only Calle Jarnkrok.

Filip Forsberg is a perfectly good scoring winger but will probably never reach the upper echelon of his position. When Viktor Arvidsson entered the league in 2015, he made a name for himself as a hockey-playing Sonic the Hedgehog, ricocheting around the rink at high speed and taking a beating in pursuit of goals. It worked for a while, but it appears that the wear and tear of his playing style has caught up to him.

It leaves Predators general manager David Poile, who is not blameless in all of this, with a lot to consider.

“I’m going to find out a lot about our team and about the individuals on our team,” Poile said before the series. “I’m going to find out how good Carolina is and what the difference is between the two teams. All those things are going to go into the decision-making process in the offseason as to where we go with the franchise.”

Poile, who made the polarizing decision not to sell at the trade deadline last month, should not need to see much else. The Predators’ top forwards, though, have at least two more games to show something. On Friday, 12,135 fans — the largest crowd for an NHL game this season — will be in attendance at Bridgestone Arena hoping for a reason to cheer. 1213709 Nashville Predators Johansen tipped in, while playing 32 minutes. He blocked four shots, including two straight lethal attempts from Andrei Svechnikov as the Canes tried to come back in the third period, including one with the back of his head. Rexrode: Predators ask less of Matt Duchene and Ryan Johansen, and get more Mikael Granlund was as big as anyone in the late-season run to get here, but he entered Friday with three points in 12 postseason games with the Preds. Add to that Friday’s huge tying goal in the second period, in front of the net on a five-on-three, to go with four hits in 32 minutes of ice time. By Joe Rexrode This lineup, which on Friday got Calle Jarnkrok back from illness and did May 22, 2021 not have Viktor Arvidsson because of an upper-body injury, got something significant out of everyone. It’s impossible not to, I suppose, in that much winning hockey against an opponent this good.

At some point, soon, the Nashville Predators will be deciding what to Maybe Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour is right and Nashville is getting a keep and what to send away – or beg others to take. bit of a friendly whistle so far. The Preds have 14 power plays to the Canes’ six in the past two games. It is also worth pointing out that the Some cases to stay were made Friday night at Bridgestone Arena. Yes, Canes scored a goal Friday that deflected off Josi’s backside and in one game. One playoff game. One desperate, exhausting-to-watch (so another that somehow found a tiny crack of space between Saros’ what must it have been like to play?) 95-minute playoff game, won by oft- helmet and the goalpost. maligned No. 95 of the Predators. It took double overtime to cut the Carolina Hurricanes’ series lead to 2-1 after the Predators’ 5-4 win. It Those breaks and the Canes’ usual aggressiveness weren’t enough took just about every Nashville player who has been put on Twitter because the Josis and Forsbergs and Juuse Saroses and Herd Line waivers, too. One night obviously has severe limitations when it comes to headbangers were great. And they got “the step-ups we need,” Forsberg sweeping decisions that dictate the direction of a franchise. But then, said, from Duchene, Johansen and friends. The constantly rotating third nothing counts more in the National Hockey League than nights like this. defensive pairing was much more solid than not. And if we’re talking about people trying to establish themselves, prone to blame, let’s not So for all that Matt Duchene hasn’t done in two seasons, at $8 million forget Hynes. per, with five years left on that deal, the final glimpse of hockey in Bridgestone Arena before Sunday’s Game 4 will be that of him thrilling Taking Duchene, Johansen and Ellis off the power play is a gutsy move, more than 12,000 fans with a sequence that might work one out of 100 and certainly not an obvious one. But the power play was significantly times in practice. In that moment? Chopping at an 85-foot Roman Josi better. This might sound funny considering that five-on-three goal stands lob pass – which was ridiculous enough – and settling it at the blue line, as the only instance of the Preds scoring with more humans on the ice looping around Carolina defenseman Jake Bean and torching goalie Alex than their opponent in this series. But it’s true, because the Nashville Nedeljkovic’s poke-check attempt with a little flip across his body and into power play went from a bona fide Carolina weapon in Game 2 to a thing the net as he skated the other way? The Mike Epps comedy troupe came that actually entered the offensive zone and created chances for to Bridgestone on April 24 and brought the house down with some Nashville in Game 3. decidedly adult humor. This was filthier. That last play Friday night will have staying power for sure, whether its The Preds might be better off if Duchene is wearing a Seattle Kraken creator does or not. On Sunday, we’ll find out if this team has any. jersey next season, and most fans might prefer that. But that kind of play in that kind of moment was exactly what they envisioned over years of hoping Preds GM David Poile would land him. He might not have lasting The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021 power, but that moment will, especially for what Duchene called “a crowd I’ve been dying to play in front of in the playoffs for so long.”

Ryan Johansen is another candidate for Kraken “deep sea blue,” but the Johansen who took the ice Friday looked like the guy who helped spearhead a 2017 Stanley Cup Final run until he got hurt late in that run. He looked like a guy you’d want on your team, in 22 minutes of ice time, planting himself in front of the net, scoring a huge third-period goal, collecting five shots on goal and four hits. He did it centering a line with Duchene on one wing and Filip Forsberg (goal, assist, lifetime deal in Nashville if he wants it) on the other. He and Duchene did this, keeping hope in this series alive, after disappointing individual seasons for both, on the night coach John Hynes decided to remove both from the power play.

“Part of being a team and winning is, you have to accept the role you’re in,” Hynes said. “And I have to give the two guys credit, they came in, they played hard, they played with a little chip on their shoulder tonight … we’re in the playoffs so it’s about making the decisions that have to be made and not waiting (too long), and when you look at tonight, the productivity, the execution, the momentum that the power play built, the players that were on the power play tonight did a good job. Matt and Ryan had some roles tonight, they did a good job. They were able to find the score sheet. I thought the competitive level they played with, the attention to detail they played with were what we need. That’s part of what this time of year is about. You need to accept the role you’re in on that given night.”

Said Duchene of that acceptance: “Obviously I’m a power-play guy and I have been my whole career, so obviously it’s tough. I mean, second period, it was tough to stay in the game. But at the end of the day, you cheer on your teammates and you be a good teammate. I just tried to go and draw as many penalties as I could, that was my mentality.”

There was a lot of talk about Duchene and Johansen being taken off the power play. But they weren’t alone. Another guy who is normally part of it, another guy whose large contract and postseason ups and downs make him an obvious candidate for fan angst, was taken off it Friday. All Ryan Ellis did was respond with a goal and an assist, lofting the shot that 1213710 New Jersey Devils improvement and execution of progress plans for all players within the organization.”

“We’ve met with her several times, kind of spearheaded by Fitzy, and ‘It’s a perfect fit for her’: How Meghan Duggan’s decorated career led her right away got a sense that she’s got a lot to offer in terms of a to a new Devils role development role, what she went through with those national teams,” MacKinnon said. “She talked with us about falling short a couple times in the Olympics and what they did to kind of galvanize themselves to win that gold medal in 2018. Just as she talked through those experiences, I By Corey Masisak thought it was totally applicable to what we’re going to go through here May 21, 2021 as a young team, kind of finding our identity in the NHL. I just think she’s got a lot of experience that can help add to what we’re already doing.”

Duggan spoke with The Athletic about her new role with the Devils, a Meghan Duggan and Erika Lawler go way back, first as two of the only certain New Jersey alum who has had a significant impact on her career three girls playing in an elite youth hockey league in Massachusetts, then and more. as roommates at Cushing Academy and as teammates and leaders at Wisconsin, a powerhouse college program. Let’s start with this: How did this opportunity kind of come to be?

Lawler watched Duggan develop into one of the greatest players in the It just kind of arose pretty organically from some really great history of the U.S. women’s national program, culminating with her role conversations with Tom and some of his staff and Dan MacKinnon and as the captain on the gold-medal-winning 2018 Olympics team. They are Kate Madigan, and the four of us just kind of getting to know each other best friends but had not seen each other in a long time because of the and learning a little bit about myself, learning a little bit about the Devils COVID-19 pandemic, before they were able to hang out recently at a organization and what I was hoping to do and what I was interested in. park near Duggan’s home in Connecticut. Honestly, I’ve been so impressed by those guys and I think they’re As each updated the other on life in recent months, which includes incredible. I’m eager to just learn and grow under their leadership. I was Duggan’s first foray into motherhood with her wife, former Canadian excited by how much is really on the horizon for this young team and this player Gillian Apps, and their son, George, Meghan had another organization and being a part of something like that is exciting to me. But important bit of news to drop: She had completed several interviews with also, in conversations with them just learning a lot about where they put the Devils and the organization had offered her a position in its player emphasis and what they value in regards to culture and mindset and development program. relationships and that’s important to me and I’m excited to be a part of something that great. “I was like, ‘Yes! That’s a no-brainer!” Lawler said. “Finally! Finally, somebody is understanding your value.’ I said, ‘Meghan, this isn’t even a You have recently retired from professional hockey and started a family. privilege. This is what you deserve.’ Meghan was very humble and I was What made you want to get into player development? like, ‘No no no no. Don’t be humble. This is your wheelhouse.’ Well, I think I always knew that I wanted to figure out how I could “Player development? If anyone knows how to develop players, it is continue to have an impact in hockey, and what that was going to look Meghan. If you think about her career — mentally, physically, nutrition, all like. Certainly I’ve spent the last couple months kind of discovering that of the pillars involved in that — that is all Meghan. Her leadership skills, and figuring out where my passions lay. So that led me to this and it led everything about her — it’s a perfect fit for her.” me to a few different conversations and trying to understand the landscape and what opportunities were out there. It kind of put me in this The Devils announced the hire Wednesday, adding Duggan as a position, which is great, and I’m just thrilled and excited. It’s gonna be a manager of player development. Duggan is one of the most decorated great opportunity, and I can’t wait to get to work. players in the history of the sport. She’s won the world championships seven times. She’s won three Olympic medals, which included a silver in What did you take away from spending two seasons as an assistant 2014 after scoring the opening goal against Canada in one of the coach and recruiter for Clarkson that might help you with this job? greatest hockey games ever played. She was named the best player in That was my first experience seeing things from the other side of the women’s college hockey, which punctuated a tenure with Wisconsin that bench like that. It was my first experience being in hockey not as a player included three national championships. and I learned a lot. I had great mentorship there from Matt Desrosiers, She’s played professionally in both women’s leagues. Duggan also spent who is the head coach. He kind of threw me into a variety of different two years as an assistant coach at Clarkson and several of the recruits things. I did a lot with our players. I did a lot of scouting and recruiting. I she helped bring to campus were the backbone of back-to-back national did a lot of player development and skill development with our players. I championships. did a lot of video, worked on special teams. He, in that role, kind of gave me the unique opportunity to have my hands on a variety of different “I’m always so proud of her. She’s one of the greats,” Lawler said. “Like, things and challenge me to grow. That definitely gave me the confidence you think of (Wayne) Gretzky or other great players and they had all of to start to think about where else can I have an impact, whether it’s in these opportunities as a fallout of their careers. This is what Meghan skill development, player development, coaching, management. He deserves. Unfortunately for women, they don’t always have these types definitely kind of made me start to think about those things in a great of opportunities. Women have to work a lot harder, and women have to way. be a Meghan Duggan to get offered a position like this. It shows the greatness you have to achieve as a woman to be acknowledged like this, Who were some of the coaches who were critical to your development as right? a player?

“I think in this specific situation, it did feel different. Meghan really vibed Mark Johnson, my coach at Wisconsin, I feel like he took my game from so well with (GM) Tom (Fitzgerald). Honestly what she said about him being a young kid who could maybe be pretty good in college to was really uplifting for somebody like me. The NHL, let’s call a spade a challenging me to push myself to get to the next level. He was just such a spade — it’s been an old boys’ club. We know that. It’s not a secret. I great role model, such a humble leader and he was a great, great mentor think the vibe, the energy that she was feeling, the culture and vision that for me at Wisconsin, both on and off the ice. I learned a ton from him. she was feeling from him, he wants to develop her and be part of her When I think back on my hockey career and where I learned the most growth and she felt safe and like her core values truly aligned with the and made the most strides, it was definitely under his leadership. organization.” Have you kept in touch with him? Fitzgerald acknowledged that he intended to expand his hockey Yeah, he’s certainly been critical in my development and even since I operations department this offseason when the Devils did exit interviews graduated Wisconsin, I check in with him every once in a while, run with the media last week. The Devils said in a release Duggan will work things by him, get his advice on things. We spoke a couple weeks ago directly with assistant general manager Dan MacKinnon and “across all actually, but I haven’t talked to him specifically (about this job). I look levels of the development department’s operations, with a specific focus forward to catching up with them. on on-ice and off-ice information. She will coordinate with the Athlete Care group, Development Coaches and Management on the design, He is a former Devils player … His son, Chris, actually married one of my college teammates and one of my best friends. They have three daughters, and when my friend found out about the news, she sent a picture of one of her daughters, obviously Mark’s granddaughter, in a Devils jersey. So that was cool.

Player development, to me, is like the tip of the spear in the NHL. Everyone has the same salary cap constraints and everyone has access to most of the same information, but this is the area where teams can spend as much as they want, they can come up ideas that other teams aren’t using, and it’s all pretty secretive and fascinating. What is it like to have a chance to dig in and really make or break things for an NHL franchise like this?

I think player development is an incredible opportunity to get a leg up. I think there’s a lot of different things that I’ve learned in my career as a player as I kind of matured, the way that I saw the game, prepared or treated my body, and how I truly evolved from when I was an 18-year-old kid first on the national team to when I was, you know 32 or 33 playing in my last Olympics. I think there’s a lot of different components and a lot of different areas that make up player development, right? From a physical standpoint and on the ice, to cognitively and mentally and psychologically, so there’s so many different areas that make a player great, can make a player excellent. I’m just excited to really learn about how to help players excel in all those areas, and work obviously closely with a really great group in New Jersey to do that for their players.

I can imagine this type of role not really having a “typical day” at the office, but what do you think it might be like?

That’s a good question. I think just with sports in general, I don’t think any day is typical. But I’m honored to be able to work really closely with the assistant general manager, Dan MacKinnon, and learn from him. And so I’m thankful for that. I think at the beginning, it’s going to be learning a lot as to how that organization operates and finding where I can add value. It’s a combination of on-ice and off-ice development and in different departments and just really raising my hand and adding value wherever I can. I’m going to get in there and I’m going to work hard and do the best I can to help the Devils be the team that they want to be. I’m excited to do that.

Lastly, what do you know so far about some of the players that you’re going to be working with?

It is exciting. I have a lot to learn, a lot of information to digest. But I’m excited to be part of the group. I think they have an incredible mindset, culture and belief system. And they’re going to do amazing things, so I’m excited to add value and be a piece of the puzzle wherever I can.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213711 New York Islanders

Islanders searching for momentum after roller-coaster Game 3 loss

By Mollie Walker

May 21, 2021 | 7:09PM

The comedown from an intense game in any sport weighs on the mind, but settling down after an emotional and strenuous postseason hockey matchup like the one the Islanders endured Thursday night poses a different kind of mental challenge.

The Islanders clawed their way back from a 3-1 deficit heading into the third period, scoring three goals during the final frame and pulling even with the Penguins twice. But Pittsburgh had an answer for each of the Islanders’ game-tying tallies and ultimately took a 2-1 series lead with a 5-4 win at the Coliseum.

It was chippy. It was draining. It was quintessential playoff hockey.

“It’s a roller-coaster of emotions,” Jordan Eberle said Friday, ahead of Game 4 on Saturday. “I mean, you tie it, they score, you tie it again, they score. It hurts a bit. But it’s playoff hockey, there’s going to be highs and lows and the key is to just stay in the moment.

“We had a good day on the ice, regroup and our mindset switched to tomorrow. Now, even up this series.”

The Islanders’ Game 3 loss was physically and mentally draining.

Head coach Barry Trotz noted after the loss that the Islanders are used to being in uncomfortable situations, but the game got away from them as a result of chasing for 60 minutes, combined with a bit of puck luck for the Penguins.

Asked after practice Friday if he felt the nature of the Game 3 loss would be more difficult to overcome, Trotz said he believes the Islanders will embrace the challenge. He added that players yearn to be a part of high- stake games with emotion.

“I think the players, they don’t look back,” he said. “We try not to look back, we try to look forward. There’s a lot of stuff that we’re extremely happy with, there’s other stuff that we have to clean up. There’s two good teams, there’s not much difference. There’s basically one goal in three games that was the difference.”

In this series, the Islanders have only led for a combined 3:42. They haven’t been able to generate momentum from goals, as the Penguins often have waltzed right back to the other end to tie it up or retake the lead.

Trotz acknowledged the Islanders’ inability to play with the lead has been deflating, but pointed out that the playoffs are all about momentum swings and the Islanders will have to learn how to ride the ones they get.

A physical third period in Game 3 saw things turn chippy.

“We’ve been chasing this series the whole time and when you do that, you leave yourself exposed because you’re pushing a little harder in some areas,” Trotz said. “We had lots of opportunities, we missed the net a few times, we didn’t execute some of our plays and we didn’t score. But we got four goals, usually for Islander hockey, four goals you want to win a hockey game.

“We can tighten up a couple things but we’re not having problems scoring, other than Game 2. We’ve been able to get three and four goals each game and that should be enough for us to get a victory in playoff hockey.”

New York Post LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213712 New York Islanders New York Post LOADED: 05.22.2021

Islanders mull goalie change after Semyon Varlamov’s Game 3 disappointment

By Mollie Walker

May 21, 2021 | 6:23pm | Updated

Barry Trotz declined to give his opinion on how goaltender Semyon Varlamov had performed after the Islanders’ 5-4 loss to the Penguins on Thursday night in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series. The coach said he wanted to look over the tape before making any conclusions.

After doing so, Trotz was noticeably underwhelmed with his No. 1 netminder, who allowed a goal within the first 3 ½ minutes of the game for the second outing in a row.

“Well, I wish we could’ve gotten another save or two,” Trotz said. “Or maybe it was just one short again. They’re tough, lot of traffic, those type of things, but it just wasn’t his night.”

Varlamov, who has been the starting goalie throughout the season, made 22 saves on 27 shots for a .815 save percentage in the loss.

Asked how much of Varlamov’s play Thursday night would be considered when deciding on the starter for Game 4, Trotz said “a big portion, for sure.”

Considering how much Trotz emphasized that four goals should’ve won the Islanders the game, it wouldn’t be shocking if he opted to go with rookie Ilya Sorokin. But Varlamov has owned the goal throughout the regular season, when he finished in a tie for the league lead in shutouts (7).

Semyon Varlamov reacts after giving up a goal against the Penguins on May 20, 2021

“One thing about Varly is he’s as good a pro as you’re ever going to find,” Trotz said. “We had this last year, even in the series against Philadelphia, I think we were up 3-1 and they got the last couple games. And then it came to Game 7 and we gave it to [Thomas] Greiss. Then we put Varly back in and he was fine. He was great against Tampa [Bay]. He responds really well in terms of getting back into his zone.”

*There was some confusion over why was the first one out of the Penguins’ penalty box after being sent off for the scrum that broke out early in the third period Thursday.

Considering Crosby had a hand in the play that led to Jeff Carters’ power-play goal, which gave Pittsburgh a 4-3 lead, many questioned if he should’ve still been in the box. But the reasoning for Crosby being the first out is outlined in the NHL rulebook.

Five skaters from each team were sent to the penalty box with roughing minors, but Penguins forward Jake Guentzel picked up an extra minor for slashing Kyle Palmieri. Anthony Beauvillier then scored the power-play goal to knot the game at 3-3. Many thought Guentzel would be out of the box first because he was the one with the extra minor, but since all of the penalties occurred at the same time, they were set to expire at the same time.

So Crosby, as captain, got to decide which penalty ended first and he evidently chose his own roughing minor.

Evgeni Malkin joined the fray in Game 3, registering the assist on Carter’s power-play goal in the third period that gave the Penguins a 4-3 lead. He also earned the secondary assist on Jason Zucker’s 3-1 score late in the second.

“He’s definitely a guy you want to key on in certain situations, the power play and obviously through the middle,” Jordan Eberle said Friday. “He’s got a lot of speed and talent. So you want to finish your checks on him and make him uncomfortable.”

The NHL announced that Game 5 of the Islanders-Penguins series Monday night in Pittsburgh will be a 7 p.m. faceoff.

1213713 New York Islanders

Mathew Barzal, Jordan Eberle trending upward, which is what Islanders need

By Andrew Gross [email protected] @AGrossNewsday

Updated May 21, 2021 5:09 PM

The Islanders’ chances in their first-round series against the Penguins would improve greatly with more production from top-liners Mathew Barzal and Jordan Eberle.

Coach Barry Trotz believes things may be trending that way for Saturday afternoon’s Game 4 at after both had their first points of the series in Thursday night’s 5-4 loss at the barn.

"He was," Trotz said when asked if Barzal was more impactful in Game 3. "His line was. You look back at the first two games, he was pretty quiet and we got a split. So, it’s good for us that he’s sort of waking up and being more of a force in the games. That should serve us well going forward."

Barzal had two primary assists, setting up defenseman Scott Mayfield’s second-period goal and Anthony Beauvillier’s third-period power-play goal. Eberle had the secondary assist on Mayfield’s tally.

Andrew Gross, Colin Stephenson and Neil Best discuss Game 3 of the Isles-Penguins playoff series at the Coliseum, plus Andrew's long- awaited drum solo.

Barzal also had a game-high five shots in Game 3 after totaling four in the first two games.

Grinder completes the top trio with Barzal and Eberle with captain (right knee) out for the season.

Komarov is not a finisher. But he does go hard to the net.

"You look at the goals, everything is just tips and off bodies," said Eberle, who had four goals in the Islanders’ four-game, first-round sweep of the Penguins in 2019. "You’ve got to find a way to get to the paint and create chances that way. There’s not a lot of odd-man rushes. There’s not a lot of open chances. The key is getting a little bit grittier and getting around the net. Our line found some offense last game. But you want to be a part of it and be in the moment and find that big goal to help your team win."

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213714 New York Islanders That led to a third-period scrum in which five players from each team were penalized.

"That’s the series that we want to play," Eberle said. "The harder it gets, For starters, Islanders need to take a lead in Game 4 against Penguins the better we feel. So, we want to continue to go to the net hard and if that stuff arises, then so be it."

By Andrew Gross Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.22.2021 [email protected] @AGrossNewsday

Updated May 21, 2021 4:51 PM

They’ve lost two straight and are facing essentially a must-win Game 4. But the way they’re scoring goals and the physical turn their first-round series against the Penguins has made is encouraging to the Islanders.

Now, they just have to find a way to take a lead and slow the Penguins’ production.

"I don’t think there’s any reason to get frustrated," Kyle Palmieri said after the Islanders’ practice on Friday at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow. "As a group, we’ve seen the things that help us become successful and find ways to put the puck in the net. So, we’ve just got to get to that early and try to find a way to play with the lead and move on from there."

The series may hang in the balance on whether the Islanders are successful in that. They can even the series at two games apiece on Saturday afternoon at Nassau Coliseum, which again will host a crowd of 6,800.

Island Ice: Newsday's podcast about the Islanders. Island Ice: Newsday's podcast about the Islanders.

Andrew Gross, Colin Stephenson and Neil Best discuss Game 3 of the Isles-Penguins playoff series at the Coliseum, plus Andrew's long- awaited drum solo.

Or, they’ll return to Pittsburgh for Monday night’s Game 5 in a steep hole.

The Islanders are likely to use the same lineup as their first three games, including Thursday night’s wild and chippy, 5-4, loss at the Coliseum.

But coach Barry Trotz could turn back to rookie goalie Ilya Sorokin, who made 39 saves in a 4-3 overtime win in Game 1 in Pittsburgh, after Semyon Varlamov let in questionable early goals in his two starts.

"You definitely want to play with the lead, that’s important," Jordan Eberle said. "But there’s some positivity in the fact that we’ve been able to come from behind and continue to push and get better as the game goes on. You definitely want to start a little better and get above them and ahead of them rather than trying to come from behind. But, it’s just playoff hockey. You live in the moment. You can’t really worried what happened before that."

The Islanders’ only leads in the series came in Game 1. Palmieri made it 1-0 at 7:58 of the first period, only to have the Penguins tie it three minutes, 12 seconds later. Brock Nelson made it 3-2 at 15:50 of the third period but that lead lasted just 31 seconds. Palmieri scored the overtime winner.

In contrast, the Penguins have played with the lead for a combined 128:40 over the three games.

"We’ve been chasing the series the whole time," Trotz said. "So, when you do that, you leave yourself exposed because you’re pushing a little harder in some areas. But, at the same time, we can tighten up some stuff.

"We’ve had lots of opportunities," Trotz added. "We’ve missed the net a few times. We didn’t execute some of our plays and we didn’t score. But, we got four goals [in Game 3] and, usually, for Islander hockey, four goals you want to win a hockey game. We can tighten up a couple of things but we’re not having a problem scoring, other than Game 2."

The Penguins won that game, 2-1, after Varlamov missed Bryan Rust’s shot with his glove at 3:22 of the first period. Defenseman Kris Letang’s deflected puck beat Varlamov at 2:01 of the first period in Game 3.

But after another slow start, the Islanders spent much of the rest of Game 3 buzzing around the crease of Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry. 1213715 New York Islanders OK, fine, is not quite the Sidney Crosby-led Penguins. Still, this moment will not scare Sorokin.

In an unscientific Twitter poll featuring the two Russian goalies that I Put Ilya Sorokin in the Islanders' net for Game 4 posted early Friday, about 86% of voters chose Sorokin over Varlamov, more of the vote than has received in any of his races for president.

By Best What do the goalies themselves think about all this? We don’t know. Neither has appeared on a Zoom session with reporters during the Neil Updated May 21, 2021 2:08 PM series.

But most of the rest of us know, or think we do. We’ll see what Trotz Barry Trotz has said the beauty of having two good goaltenders is that he thinks soon enough. cannot make a bad decision regarding which one to start.

Usually true. Not now. Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.22.2021 There is only one good decision for Saturday’s Game 4 of a first-round series against the Penguins, and it is to go back to rookie Ilya Sorokin, who won Game 1 before Semyon Varlamov presided over losses in Games 2 and 3.

This is no knock on Varlamov and his resume. He arguably was the team’s MVP this season, including seven shutouts and a 2.04 goals- against average. And he has vastly more NHL experience than does Sorokin.

Island Ice: Newsday's podcast about the Islanders. Island Ice: Newsday's podcast about the Islanders.

Island Ice Ep. 88: Isles vs. Pens Game 3 analysis, and Andrew's drum solo

Andrew Gross, Colin Stephenson and Neil Best discuss Game 3 of the Isles-Penguins playoff series at the Coliseum, plus Andrew's long- awaited drum solo.

But come the playoffs, especially when you are down 2-1 in a seven- game series, the past is irrelevant – recent, distant or in between.

Nothing matters but the present, and at present something does not seem quite right about Varlamov.

After returning from a lower-body injury for Game 2, he allowed an awful early goal before settling down in a 2-1 loss. In Game 3, he at times did not get much help from his defense but also came up short himself in a 5-4 loss.

When it was over, the coach offered this damagingly fuzzy assessment:

"I’ll have to look at it again. Sometimes, your first reaction might not be favorable. We’ll look at all the chances and the goals and see what we could have done."

In another less-than-encouraging sign for Varlamov, Trotz said, "We scored four goals. We’ve got to come up with a win. That should be a lock for us."

Things did not get much better for Varlamov on Trotz’s post-practice Zoom on Friday. He said that upon further review, it was not as bad as he first thought in the emotion of the moment. But he still said he wished Varlamov would have managed another save or two.

"It just wasn’t his night," Trotz said.

Then this: Asked how much of Varlamov’s Game 3 performance will go into the decision on the Game 4 starter, Trotz said, "Oh, a big portion, for sure."

Anyway, that is what should happen. Things have been off-kilter, mojo- wise, for the Islanders since Anders Lee suffered a torn ACL in March, and now in the playoffs they are hurting themselves with slow starts and soft goals.

Something needs to change for Game 4, and the most obvious something is a switch to Sorokin.

Remember, even though he is an NHL rookie, he hardly is a kid. He turns 26 this summer and only two years ago he was playoff MVP on CSKA ’s -winning team in the second-best league in the world.

He gave up four goals in a four-game sweep of Avangard Omsk and had five shutouts in 20 KHL playoff games overall in 2019. 1213716 New York Islanders Everyone on the ice except the goalies was given a minor penalty, and Guentzel got an additional minor for his slash on Palmieri. That gave the Islanders a power play, which produced Anthony Beauvillier’s goal that tied it, 3-3, at 5:54. The Islanders-Penguins battles in Game 3 were just 'playoff hockey' Shortly thereafter, Clutterbuck was called for goalie interference at 6:23 – a call Islanders coach Barry Trotz called "light’’ – and the Pens scored on the power play to retake the lead, 4-3. Clutterbuck tied it again with his By Colin Stephenson second goal, before Brandon Tanev’s goal with 3:36 remaining won it for [email protected] @ColinSNewsday Pittsburgh.

Updated May 21, 2021 4:30 PM

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There were some in the Pittsburgh area that didn’t exactly appreciate the wild, all-out battle that ended up with all 10 skaters on the ice going to the penalty box early in the third period of Thursday’s Game 3 between the Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins at Nassau Coliseum.

But Penguins coach Mike Sullivan didn’t seem bothered by it at all.

"I think it was just playoff hockey,’’ Sullivan said in his postgame press conference, when asked if he thought the Islanders were playing dirty. "Emotions run high when you’re in a seven-game series, and it’s just playoff hockey.’’

It was the type of hockey the fans in Nassau Coliseum hadn’t seen in two years, probably since the last time the Islanders and Penguins met in the postseason in 2019. Ultimately, the Penguins survived Thursday, and won, 5-4, to take a 2-1 series lead. But the Islanders, down 3-1 to start the third period, rallied and nearly pulled off a comeback, and their physical play in the period had much to do with it.

First, Cal Clutterbuck’s goal that made it 3-2 at 3:46 of the third came about after the Isles won a battle for a puck in the corner. Matt Martin and Pittsburgh defenseman John Marino were battling for the puck when Martin drove a forearm into Marino’s shoulder and Marino’s helmet came off. By rule, Marino was required to skate off to the bench or be given a penalty for playing without a helmet. So he left, Martin won the puck, and the Isles had a man advantage for a few seconds and cashed in when Casey Cizikas got the rebound of Scott Mayfield’s shot and slid it over to a wide-open Clutterbuck, who swept it into the open net.

The real fun started two shifts later.

Jarry dropped to his knees to stop a shot by Jean-Gabriel Pageau at 5:35, and Kyle Palmieri crashed the net and tried to jam in the loose puck. Oliver Wahlstrom drove to the crease as well, and Jarry got pushed back into the net. The whistle blew to stop play.

There was the usual pushing and shoving and bad language after that. Mayfield dumped Sidney Crosby to the ice off to the side, and Crosby’s linemate Bryan Rust came over to pull Mayfield off Crosby. Everything seemed to calm down at that point.

But then Wahlstrom and Jarry were jawing at each other, and Wahlstrom, held up by a linesman, tried to get at Jarry. Penguins defenseman Kris Letang was holding on to Wahlstrom from behind, and Pageau was holding on to Letang. Wahlstrom lost his balance and fell, and that started everything up again. Pageau pulled Letang away, Rust pulled Pageau, and Palmieri horse-collared Rust away from the pile. Then Crosby yanked at Palmieri, Mayfield attacked Rust, Brian Dumoulin jumped on Mayfield, and those two would exchange a couple of punches.

Andrew Gross, Colin Stephenson and Neil Best discuss Game 3 of the Isles-Penguins playoff series at the Coliseum, plus Andrew's long- awaited drum solo.

Nick Leddy, who had been holding at the blue line, joined the pile and grabbed Pittsburgh forward Jake Guentzel. Palmieri turned around and went at Crosby, Rust came over to double-team him. Again, everything seemed to settle down, and people started going to the penalty box.

Then, for some reason, Guentzel skated over to Palmieri, as he was being escorted to the box by a linesman, and whacked him with his stick, which started everything up all over again.

The fans roared the entire time.

"It felt like playoff hockey,’’ Mayfield said. "That's part of it, those scrums, physical games. And it's good to see. That's, I think that's what fans want. They want an intense game and I think we gave them that.’’ 1213717 New York Islanders game-to-game basis. Game One on Sunday saw the Islanders light the lamp four times in their 4-3 overtime win.

Tuesday, the Islanders only mustered one goal, and Varlamov’s mistake NEW YORK ISLANDERSVarlamov’s Lackluster Play for Islanders Has early proved to be rather costly. In a game in which the Islanders found Forced a Goaltending Change the back of the net four times, that should have been enough offense for a monumental win on home ice to take the lead in the series.

Given the Islanders’ inconsistent offense, Semyon Varlamov needed to Published 11 hours ago on May 21, 2021 find a way to bear down and do what he could to ensure that those goals were enough. By Stefen Rosner Ultimately he did not.

That first game mentioned above saw the offense come to life and saw New York Islanders veteran netminder Semyon Varlamov put together a rookie netminder Ilya Sorokin stand tall in critical moments to get his Vezina-caliber regular season. He led the NHL in shutouts with seven team the overtime winner. While he was not brilliant, posting a -0.2 and was towards the top of the leaderboards in most statistics. The 33- GSAA, he for sure bailed his team out when they needed him the most. year old netminder was able to dominate due to his tenacious positioning and keen anticipation, which helped boost his confidence to a relatively “Well, I wish we could’ve gotten another save or two. Or maybe it was high level. just one short again. They’re tough, lot of traffic, those type of things. But it just wasn’t his night.” A lack of these attributes plagued his ability to have success in Game 3. Because of this, he may have forced the hand of head coach Barry Trotz Has Sorokin shown enough for Trotz to give him the keys to the crease in to make a goaltending switch ahead of Game 4 on Saturday. a game where he must play to the best of his abilities in the biggest game of his short NHL career? Maybe Varlamov’s struggles can be accredited to his health. After being removed from the last game of the regular season for precautionary Given what we have seen from Varlamov, Sorokin seems like the only reasons, he was unable to dress for Game 1 and was a game-time viable option to start on Saturday. What has transpired over the last two decision for Game 2, a game he ultimately played in. While rust games cannot happen for a third straight. tormented him early, Varlamov rebounded to give his team a chance to win.

Perhaps it was just the adrenaline talking. NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 05.22.2021

Semyon Varlamov allowed five goals on 27 shots in Thursday’s loss, a save percentage of .815. According to Natural Stat Trick, Varlamov’s expected goals against (xGA) was 2.21, a mark much lower than the actual result.

“Um…I’ll have to look at it again” were the words that left Coach Trotz’s mouth when asked if he got enough out of his goaltender. “We’ll have to look at it.”

That’s pretty much told us all we needed to know about how Trotz felt about Varlamov’s performance Thursday.

Now Varlamov was a major issue, but the Islanders’ inability to hold onto momentum once they tied the game numerous times was the main focal point to their downfall. While the skaters on the ice had a significant role to play in that, Varlamov did not come through with timely saves at all.

We could go through each and every goal Varlamov allowed tonight and nitpick what went wrong for the 13-year NHLer. But this should do the trick.

On each goal, Varlamov failed to establish proper positioning. The biggest issue in his performance was his lack of awareness in his own crease. Varlamov got caught too far back on most, if not all the goals that entered the back of his net.

That is a clear-cut sign of a goaltender lacking confidence, which is the complete opposite mentality we saw from Varlamov during the regular season.

Against a Pittsburgh Penguins team with players that can shoot the puck, being out at the top of the blue paint is a must to succeed.

Penguins’ trade deadline acquisition Jeff Carter scored twice Thursday night on two goals that Varlamov failed to read correctly. Credit needs to be given when it is due, as both shots were as accurate as can be. However, Varlamov’s angles on both the goals he scored were off by a substantial margin, and both are goals that Varlamov knew full-well should have been stopped.

The first goal for the Penguins (Top left in Tweet) was redirected as the blame, well, followed suit. However, Varlamov was back in his crease and when a point shot is coming, that is the time to explode out of the crease, especially when there are bodies in front. The farther out a goaltender is, the less area that tip has to beat the netminder. Once that goal went in, it was pretty clear what kind of night Varlamov would have.

The clutch factor was just not there.

If the Islanders were going to do anything this postseason, it would come from the play of the elite defensive units and dominant goaltending on a 1213718 New York Islanders AHL player, the PHPA is the equivalent of the NHLPA for an NHL player. (San Jose Hockey Now)

Paul Byron scored shorthanded to break a tie in the third period, and the NYHN Daily: Islanders Drop Game 3 on Home Ice & More Montreal Canadiens defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1 in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup First Round at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday. (NHL)

John Tavares was taken from the ice on a stretcher in the first period of Published 21 hours ago on May 21, 2021 Game 1 of the Stanley Cup First Round for the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday. The forward fell near the By Stefen Rosner blue line after being checked by Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot and then was hit in the face by the left knee of Canadiens forward Corey Perry with 9:31 remaining. (NHL) The New York Islanders dropped Game 3 in front of the Islanders faithful by a score of 5-4. It was a wild third-period filled with goals and fights that Ryan Lomberg scored at 5:56 of overtime to give the Florida Panthers a did not end in the Islanders’ favor. There were positives, but also major 6-5 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup negatives that paved the way to the loss. These stories and more in First Round at Amalie Arena on Thursday. (NHL) today’s daily links! The Vegas Golden Knights scored five straight goals in a 5-2 win against There was never any love loss between the New York Islanders and the Minnesota Wild in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup First Round at Xcel Pittsburgh Penguins, and that was on display on Thursday in Game 3. A Energy Center on Thursday. Mark Stone scored twice for Vegas, which combined five goals were scored in the third period, but in the end, it was took the lead in the best-of-7 series. (NHL) Pittsburgh that ended the night with a 5-4 win over the Islanders. (NYI Nazem Kadri has been offered an in-person hearing with the NHL Hockey Now) Department of Player Safety on Friday. The Colorado Avalanche forward Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov struggled for the Islanders, while is facing discipline for an illegal check to the head of St. Louis Blues the fourth line and Scott Mayfield brought the energy. Here are the defenseman Justin Faulk. (NHL) takeaways from the loss. (NYI Hockey Now) John Davidson is returning to the Columbus Blue Jackets as president of The world took another step toward normalcy on Thursday night, as hockey operations and alternate governor. The 68-year-old received a Islanders fans finally gathered in large numbers for the team’s first home five-year contract. He held those titles with the Blue Jackets from Oct. 24, playoff game in two years, with the clock ticking on Nassau Coliseum’s 2012, through May 17, 2019, when he resigned to take on the roles with postseason life. (Newsday) the New York Rangers. (NHL)

Jeff Carter continued to fit in with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday, Mark Giordano may not be protected by the Calgary Flames in the 2021 scoring twice in a 5-4 win against the New York Islanders in Game 3 of NHL Expansion Draft. The defenseman and Flames captain has one the Stanley Cup First Round at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New season remaining on a six-year contract at an average annual value of York. (NHL) $6.75 million. (NHL)

The Pittsburgh Penguins have won all but three periods in the first three Ilya Samsonov and the Washington Capitals hope to rebound quickly games of their Round One series against the New York Islanders. The from the miscommunication that led to the goal in the second overtime of Penguins again received solid goaltending and created more turnovers a 3-2 loss at the Boston Bruins in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup First Round and scoring chances they gave up. And the Penguins again beat the on Wednesday. (NHL) New York Islanders in game 3, 5-4. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now) Trip Tracy told “NHL @TheRink” co-hosts Dan Rosen and Shawn P. The Florida Panthers had reason to be feeling good about themselves Roarke that he didn’t tell anyone what Nedeljkovic said at the time, after the first period of Game 3 against the Tampa Bay Lightning on choosing instead to keep it to himself, but it was something he loved Thursday night. They may have been absolutely sick to their stomachs hearing from the Hurricanes goalie. “Because you have to have that, in after the second. (Florida Hockey Now) particular in this division (Discover Central Division) if you’re going to beat an Andrei Vasilevskiy or down the road a Marc-Andre Fleury,” Tracy Over the course of a Stanley Cup playoff series, the iron will of a team to said. “You have to believe you’re better than that guy.” (NHL) win becomes a quantifiable strength right along with goal-scoring, special teams or goaltending. And the Boston Bruins invoked their unflinching Aging like a fine wine, the Perfection Line of Patrice Bergeron, Brad will on the Washington Capitals in impressive fashion on Wednesday Marchand and David Pastrnak is once again a big story in the Stanley night in an eventual 3-2 double-overtime win in Game 3 of their playoff Cup Playoffs. (TSN) series at TD Garden. (Boston Hockey Now) It’s not often an NHL head coach speaks positively of going through a Former Flyers forward was a special guest on the stretch of nine losses in 10 games as his team approaches the playoffs. Hockey Masterclass podcast this week. On this episode we are joined by Paul Maurice, however, says the Winnipeg Jets’ end-of-season struggles Vincent and Phil Lecavalier, to dive in to their respective playing careers may have prepared his squad for the challenges of post-season hockey. and their current philosophies on player development and minor hockey. (TSN) Listen in for a thoughtful perspective through the eyes of Vincent, a After a season punctuated by a COVID-19 outbreak and a grinding former NHL All-Star and Stanley Cup Winner, and Phil, a leading NHLPA schedule, the beleaguered Vancouver Canucks are looking forward. certified player agent. (Philly Hockey Now) Captain believes the adversity his squad weathered will make For whatever reason, the Vegas Golden Knights struggled to start games them mentally stronger. (TSN) on time this season. In fact, they tended to start them roughly 20 minutes late. In the second period. The playoffs have proven to be more of the same, but fortunately for the Golden Knights they were able to turn first- NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 05.22.2021 period frustration into five unanswered goals and knock the wind out of the Minnesota Wild in Game Three of the West Division Semifinal series to take a 2-1 lead. (Vegas Hockey Now)

The Colorado Avalance forward who has dominated this postseason through two games, Nathan Mackinnon, is selling his Denver penthouse. So if you have $3.5 M laying around… (Colorado Hockey Now)

The battle for the AHL’s Pacific Division hasn’t been waged just on the ice at FivePoint Arena over the last couple of days, it’s also been waged off the ice. When the AHL revealed plans for a Pacific Division playoffs in late April — the only division hosting any type of post-season tournament — the reaction from the Professional Hockey Players’ Association was swift and to the point: The players did not want this tournament. For an 1213719 New York Rangers protected in the expansion draft, but it'll be difficult to justify him keeping a fourth-line spot over Morgan Barron, Colin Blackwell, Kevin Rooney or other forwards the Rangers might bring in.

Ranking the 21 most valuable players for the New York Rangers in 2021 18. Julien Gauthier

New York Rangers right wing Julien Gauthier (12) plays against the Buffalo Sabres during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Buffalo, Vincent Z. Mercogliano | NHL Writer N.Y., Thursday, April 1, 2021.

The 23-year-old forward became a source of frustration for Rangers' fans, who saw him flash his speed and ability to drive the net but never The New York Rangers used a total of 33 players during the 2021 received a full-time chance in the lineup. He struggled to earn now-fired season. coach David Quinn's trust, which led to him being a healthy scratch 26 Of those 33, nine were rookies and 15 were 23 or younger. Only four times. were over 30. In the 30 games Gauthier did play, he contributed eight points (two goals Assessing the value of each player is an inexact science. Production, and six assists) while averaging just 9:39 time on ice. Quinn felt he could role, analytics and leadership are all parts of the equation. Just because be irresponsible in the defensive zone and tentative in one-on-one one player is more talented than another doesn't mean he played a battles, lacking situational awareness. His 2.19 xGA/60 suggests his bigger role in the team's success. And because performances fluctuate, defense wasn't all that bad, but his actual 3.44 goals allowed per 60 tells so, too, does each player's value from one year to the next. a different story. The Rangers believe his game isn't well-suited to a fourth-line role, and with their top nine crowded as it is, the likelihood is Take Artemi Panarin, for example. There was no doubt he was the that Gauthier will be exposed in the expansion draft. Rangers' MVP in 2019-20. He remained their best player in 2021, yet he wasn't chosen for the award because another player had a more 17. complete season. (Which, in my opinion, was the right call.) NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 28: Blood runs down the nose of At the end of each season, the Rangers reach out to the team's beat Alexandar Georgiev #40 of the New York Rangers after an injury during reporters and ask us to rank our top-three most valuable players. As I did the first period against the Boston Bruins at on last year, I decided to expand the list in order to share my evaluations February 28, 2021 in New York City. and input from a variety of sources. Unfortunately, Georgiev's season will mostly be remembered for a Jan. I settled on ranking the top 21 players — a fitting number for the '21 30 postgame altercation that led to the waiving and exile of defenseman season. Tony DeAngelo.

21. Libor Hájek The 25-year-old goalie's final numbers didn't end up looking all that bad, as he went 8-7-2 with a .905 save percentage and 2.71 goals against NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 04: Libor Hajek #25 of the New average. He was able to get those numbers back to respectability with a York Rangers skates against the Washington Capitals during the first solid final seven games, but a midseason slump was concerning. period at Madison Square Garden on February 04, 2021 in New York City. The Rangers needed Georgiev to step up when Igor Shesterkin went down with a groin injury in March, yet he flopped. He was yanked early The 23-year-old ended up being the Rangers' No. 6 defenseman, from consecutive starts on March 7 and March 11 in what appeared to be finishing with 44 appearances. And while Hájek had a few games where a crisis of confidence. He's positioned as a rather pricey $2.425 million he flashed the ability that made the Rangers target him in the much- backup heading into 2021-22. talked-about trade February 2018 trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning, he never looked fully comfortable. 16. Kevin Rooney

His defensive numbers were underwhelming, with only Anthony Bitetto The 27-year-old center ended up playing more than anyone expected, finishing with a worse xGA/60 among Rangers' defensemen than Hájek's posting 14 points (eight goals and six assists) in 54 games while bringing 2.58. Offensively, he only contributed four points (two goals and two tenacity to the fourth line and emerging as a key contributor on the assists), while his 37.97% Corsi For rating ranked dead last among league's 10th-ranked penalty kill. He was a better version of Howden, Rangers who played at least 10 games, according to Evolving Hockey. which puts him in the mix for a role next season.

The overall conclusion from his extended stretch of play is that he 15. Brendan Smith shouldn't be considered a lineup regular moving forward. Don't be By now, we should know to never count this guy out. Despite being surprised if the Rangers look to bring in a veteran defenseman via trade moved to wing last season, beginning this season as a healthy scratch and expose Hájek in the expansion draft. and being constantly discussed as a candidate for a trade or demotion, 20. Phil Di Giuseppe the 32-year-old kept chugging along and carved out an important role on defense. The 27-year-old forward was a worthwhile investment on a cheap one- year, $700,000 deal. He provided depth for the Rangers' bottom six and The offseason signings of veterans Bitetto and Jack Johnson indicated brought some speed and aggression to their forecheck when he wasn't a the Rangers didn't have much faith in Smith, but he outplayed both by a healthy scratch. wide margin and solidified the bottom pair. He ended up playing 48 games while posting 10 points (five goals and five assists), providing a Di Giuseppe started out hot before fizzling later in the season, but steady presence and leadership for the league's youngest team. It's finished with eight points (one goal and seven assists) in 31 games. His reached the point where no one should be shocked if the Rangers bring defense was solid, too, with a 2.14 xGA/60 and 24.45 SA/60. the unrestricted free agent back on a short-term deal.

19. Brett Howden 14. Filip Chytil

Unlike another bottom-six forward we'll get to in a moment, Howden does The season started promisingly for the 21-year-old center, who started have a clearly defined role. The Rangers value him as a committed off with three points in his first four games and looked like an explosive defensive forward and responsible penalty killer, but there's no denying offensive threat. But a hand injury in the fifth game of the season would his development has been stagnant. cost him more than a month — and while he played well at times upon his return, he never quite regained the momentum he started with. The 23-year-old played more wing than center this season, which diminishes his value, and while he's not expected to produce many Chytil finished with 22 points (eight goals and 14 assists) in 42 games points, that part of his game has regressed. He finished with just seven and his 0.65 Game Score Average, which measures single game points (one goal and six assists) in 42 games, giving him the lowest production for each player, ranked seventh on the team, according to points-per-game total of his three-year career (0.16). And as much as he HockeyStatCards.com. There are reasons to be encouraged — his blend contributed to the PK, his 8.89 GA/60 in shorthanded situations was the of speed and skill makes his upside enticing — but there are areas Chytil worst among Rangers who logged at least 30 PK minutes. He may get needs to iron out. His production could be more consistent and his 42.8% never looked overwhelmed while playing on the Rangers' second pairing face-off percentage ranked as the worst among the team's centers, which from start to finish. raises questions about whether he may eventually move to wing. His defensive numbers slipped with D partner Jacob Trouba missing the 13. Alexis Lafrenière final 10 games due to injury, but his combination of mobility, length and skill gives the Rangers plenty to be excited about. New York Rangers' Alexis Lafreniere sits on the bench prior to warmups before an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, Monday, 9. Chris Kreider Feb. 8, 2021, in New York. Rangers left wing Chris Kreider celebrates after scoring against the The No. 1 overall pick didn't hit the ground running the way some may Bruins during the second period Saturday at TD Garden. have hoped, but those expectations were unrealistic. The 19-year-old forward hadn't played in a real game in nearly a year due to the COVID- The goal scoring comes in spurts, with hot-and-cold streaks now the 19 pandemic and was thrust into NHL action with very little time to adjust. norm for the 30-year-old veteran. That prevented him from moving further up the list, but he's still one of the team's most important players and The encouraging thing is that he finished the season strong, posting carried them for a stretch from late February to larch March (during which seven points in his final nine games, while playing on the top line he posted 19 points in 19 games). consistently. Lafrenière finished with a total of 21 (12 goals and nine assists), which is a respectable total for a rookie in a shortened season. Not only is Kreider the fastest player on the team, but he also led the It's reasonable to assume he would have eclipsed 30 points in a full 82- team with 115 hits and is their best net-front presence. That's where game season. many of his 20 goals came, which included 11 on the power play. With him out of the lineup in the final six games of the season, the Rangers Lafrenière's playmaking ability should bubble to the surface in 2021-22 struggled against more physical teams like the Islanders and Capitals. with the benefit of a true offseason. But 2021 served as an important Kreider also improved defensively, posting a 2.1 xGA/60 while learning experience, with the young Canadian proving to be durable (he contributing on the PK for the first time in his career. was one of only three players to appear in all 56 games) while endearing himself to teammates with his work ethic and upbeat attitude. 8. Jacob Trouba

12. Kaapo Kakko Apr 18, 2021; Newark, New Jersey, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba (8) skates up ice in front of New Jersey Devils New York Rangers right wing Kaapo Kakko (24) before an NHL hockey left wing Nolan Foote (25) during the first period at . game against the Boston Bruins, Thursday, March 11, 2021, in Boston. The 27-year-old defenseman was limited to 38 games due to two You could look at the 20-year-old forward's 17-point output (nine goals separate injuries — a broken thumb and a likely concussion — but his and eight assists) and deem this season a disappointment, but that's a absence made his value more apparent. With him out for the final 10 short-sighted viewpoint. The strides Kakko made from his rookie season games, the Rangers got pushed around and their defense sprung to his second season were noticeable to those around the league. multiple leaks.

He was the Rangers' most improved defensive player, transforming from Trouba has emerged as one of the team's most imposing physical a liability in 2019-20 into a player who could be trusted in all three zones. presences and an increasingly respected locker-room leader. Miller Kakko went from tentative to assertive, pursuing the puck with vigor while frequently mentioned him as a positive influence, while other players showing a newfound willingness to engage opponents. His 1.97 xGA/60 insisted he was becoming more vocal behind the scenes. was the best among the team's forwards, according to Evolving Hockey, as was his plus-20 differential between takeaways and giveaways (31 vs. His defensive numbers were much improved, going from a 2.75 xGA/60 11). in his first season in New York to a 2.33 in 2021. And while his 12 points (two goals and 10 assists) don't jump off the page, Trouba's role is Kakko also led the team with a 55.62% xGF, which suggests he was clearly geared toward defense and physicality. creating opportunities. The next step is turning more of those chances into points. 7. Ryan Lindgren

11. Colin Blackwell Apr 25, 2021; New York, New York, USA; Riley Sheahan #15 of the Buffalo Sabres is hit by Ryan Lindgren #55 of the New York Rangers in It took the 28-year-old five games to get into the lineup — but once he the first period at Madison Square Garden on April 25, 2021 in New York did, he never looked back. City.

Blackwell was an afterthought during the offseason, thought to be a The 23-year-old was way down on the long list of prospects the fans depth signing who would spend the year either on the taxi squad or with were excited about when the rebuild began, but he's emerged as one of AHL Hartford. But he registered a point in each of his first three games the team's most indispensable players. and became a mainstay for the Rangers. There were some peaks and valleys, but he spent more time than any other player in the coveted He was even better in his sophomore season than he was when he right-wing spot next to Panarin and Ryan Strome. Blackwell tied for broke through as a rookie. Lindgren led the team with a 4.8 defensive seventh on the team with 22 points (12 goals and 10 assists) — more rating, according to Evolving Hockey, while tying Kakko for the team lead points than both Lafrenière and Kakko — and brought a high-energy with a 1.97 xGA/60. style of play that complemented the Rangers' collection of skill. His partnership with Fox has been wildly successful, but Lindgren Asking him to play top-six minutes is a tall order, but Blackwell has deserves credit in his own right. He's as tough as they come, refusing to certainly earned himself a role if he survives the expansion draft. back down to the best forwards in the league, while sacrificing his body for the team time and time again. He also clearly worked on his mobility 10. K’Andre Miller and puck skills, which led to cleaner breakouts and more points (16) in fewer games (51). NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 15: Jesper Boqvist #90 of the New Jersey Devils and K'Andre Miller #79 of the New York Rangers hit the ice 6. Ryan Strome during the first period at Madison Square Garden on April 15, 2021 in New York City. May 1, 2021; Uniondale, New York, USA; New York Rangers center Ryan Strome (16) shoots against the New York Islanders during the third The combination of poise and heavy workload earned the 21-year-old period at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. rookie a spot in the top 10. His play faltered down the stretch, perhaps a result of the wear-and-tear from playing such a demanding role in his first The 27-year-old center proved he was no one-year wonder. He followed season, but Miller was a revelation for the Rangers. up a breakout 2019-20 season by pushing his points-per-game average up from 0.84 to 0.88, posting 49 points (14 goals and 35 assists) in 56 With only two years of college experience and no previous professional games. Strome was every bit as good in 2021, if not better. Evolving games under his belt, the 6-foot-5 defenseman earned a position right Hockey had him with the second-best Goals Above Replacement on the out of training camp. He would appear in 53 games while posting 12 team (8.8) behind Fox. points (five goals and seven assists) and logging an average of 21:07 TOI, which ranked second among all NHL rookies. Most notably, Miller While Strome continued to rack up points next to Panarin, he also proved (min. 10 games played), joining Brian Leetch (four times), Brad Park, and he could do it on his own. He registered nine points in the nine games Sergei Zubov, and he became the first Rangers defenseman to do so Panarin missed while on a leave of absence. since Leetch in 1995-96.

It remains to be seen if the Rangers will be able to land a top-six center If having his name mentioned in the same breath as Leetch doesn't get this offseason, but even if they do, there's a strong case for Strome to your attention, just look at his all-around impact while playing nearly 25 stick around. He's succeeded in his role on the second line and would be minutes per game. His defensive performance has gone well above what a heck of a third-line center. anyone expected, with Fox posting a 2.00 xGA/60 at even strength while leading the Rangers in average shorthanded TOI per game at 2:36. He 5. Igor Shesterkin also finished third in the league with 21 power-play assists.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) makes a save against That not only makes him the Rangers' MVP, but positions him as one of the Boston Bruins during the third period of an NHL hockey game, the front-runners for the Norris Trophy. Saturday, May 8, 2021, in Boston.

If the 25-year-old rookie hadn't missed 10 games with a groin strain, who knows how the season would have turned out. His absence reinforced Bergen Record LOADED: 05.22.2021 his importance to the team, which convinced Quinn to ride him down the stretch as the Rangers made their playoff push. Shesterkin went on a run of 16 starts in 20 games, with the team going 12-6-2 in that span.

He finished with 35 games played, proving that he's a top-10 goalie in the league when healthy. His .916 save percentage tied for seventh among goalies who started at least 30 games while his 8.03 Goals Saved Above Average ranked ninth, according to Natural Stat Trick.

4. Mika Zibanejad

Everyone knows Zibanjead is one of the top-three players on the team, but COVID-19 set the Rangers' No. 1 center back to begin the season. He did his best to downplay the virus' impact, but later admitted, "It took me a while to get back, physically and mentally."

As a result, the 28-year-old who finished the 2019-20 season on fire began 2021 with just nine points in his first 25 games. But the real Zibanejad emerged in the final 31 games, rallying to finish with a nice, round total of 50 points. His 24 goals led the team.

Throughout the offensive slump, he remained one of the team's best two- way forwards, eating up minutes in all situations — even strength, power play and penalty kill.

3. Pavel Buchnevich

While Zibanejad finished strongest, Buchnevich was one of the Rangers' most consistent players. From start to finish, he impacted the game all over the ice.

The 26-year-old finished fourth on the team with 48 points (20 goals and 28 assists), just one point behind Strome and two behind Zibanejad. But while Zibanejad was slumping and Panarin was on a leave of absence, Buchnevich was often the Rangers' best forward.

His emergence as a strong defensive player is especially noteworthy. With very little PK experience, Buchnevich stepped into that role in 2021 and excelled. He and Zibanejad led all forwards in shorthanded time on ice, with Buchnevich's 3.81 GA/60 in PK situations easily registering as the best rate on the team.

2. Artemi Panarin

Despite missing a total of 14 games, Panarin still led the Rangers with 58 points (17 goals and 41 assists). His average of 1.38 points per game ranked third in the league behind the Edmonton duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

The response to Panarin's March 13 return proved just how valuable he is. The complexion of the Rangers' season changed in the ensuing 25 games, with the 29-year-old star forward sparking a 16-6-3 run to propel his team back into the playoff race. They're simply a different team when he's in the lineup.

Panarin wasn't quite as dominant as he was in 2019-20 — but when he was on the ice, he was still one of the best players in the NHL.

1. Adam Fox

May 6, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox (23) during the first period against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden.

As good as Panarin is, this season's top performer was clearly Fox.

The 23-year-old dazzled on a nightly basis, notching 41 assists and 47 points in 55 games played. He became the fourth defenseman in franchise history to average at least 0.75 assists per game in a season 1213720 New York Rangers Whatever role Glen played, there is one thing to be said about Glen. It’s the fact that he’s been able to cultivate a relationship with Mr. Dolan. When you look at the Knicks and the Rangers, you’d search pretty few and far between to find somebody that’s been able to maintain that Former Rangers on the state of the rebuild: All-in on the talent but not the relationship over a length of time. I think that’s a really good thing for chaos, and where’s the toughness? Chris (Drury), that he’ll have someone that can work with Mr. Dolan in the manner that we’ve been accustomed to over the time that Glen was

there. There are many ways to interpret how things played out, the way By Rick Carpiniello they played out, but I don’t think it’s fair — until you’re in the room, you really don’t know how it got to where it got. I just think there were some May 21, 2021 really good people that were let go. That’s the bottom line for me.

Player C: Surprised. Not overly surprised, but surprised. You would have thought that they would have waited until the end of the year. Obviously, The 2020-21 season ended in perhaps the most hectic way imaginable Mr. Dolan was feeling kind of the way I was feeling. I didn’t like the for the New York Rangers. All in the span of 12 days in May, this direction of the team when it came to the character of the team and the happened: toughness of the team. I was talking about it all year. I said the team A sweep by the Islanders that was non-competitive and revealed the still- looks good, skilled, but if you have some bigger, tougher teams who rebuilding Rangers’ most glaring weaknesses; the mathematical know how to shut teams down, they do it, just like we saw at the end. elimination from playoff contention on the night that the Capitals’ Tom The Islanders played them hard, and there wasn’t much bite back. Wilson was rag-dolling Artemi Panarin and assaulting Pavel Buchnevich; Obviously, something happened somewhere where Mr. Dolan got upset, Wilson being penalized with just a $5,000 fine for that infraction; owner and I think probably those games against the Islanders are what ticked James Dolan firing off a statement brutally criticizing NHL Player Safety him off, as they did with me. He must have had a conversation with head George Parros for not suspending Wilson, a statement of which someone, and he didn’t like the way it went, and he just decided, You team president John Davidson and general manager Jeff Gorton were know what? I’m doing this now. I think we’re all shocked because you unaware and which drew a $250,000 fine from the league; the shocking thought, Wait until the end of the year. The season’s almost over. But Mr. firings of Davidson and Gorton and naming of Chris Drury to replace both Dolan probably just felt that JD and Gorton weren’t putting the team hours before a fight-filled rematch with Washington; and the firings of together the way he wanted to see it. So I agree that he had to make head coach David Quinn and assistants Jacques Martin, Greg Brown some changes, and if that was the direction they were going to stick with and David Oliver after the season ended. — you know, we’re going to play a nice pond-hockey game — then let’s Whew. make some changes, because I am not seeing it. This is not going to work. To help us process it all — what happened, what it means and what’s next — we recruited half a dozen former Rangers players from multiple The fact that they got rid of Tony D (DeAngelo) — they just wasted that generations for a two-part discussion on the state of the franchise. We kid, for what good reason? And then (Brendan) Lemieux? When Lemieux granted them anonymity to encourage honesty and not holding back. left, where he appeared to be happy to leave — when you’re happy to leave New York, the Rangers, Madison Square Garden, the fans — you With so much to discuss, we had to split it into two parts. Here is the first: know something’s wrong.

What’s your opinion of the last two weeks of the season and the overhaul Player D: I don’t know a whole lot about Quinn, but I guess I was of the front office and coaching staff? shocked when JD got let go, and Gorton. As far as the coaching staff, Player A: It was shocking. It was disappointing. I’m not surprised when new management comes in, they’ve got to make a decision. They because I had heard that there was some tension and Mr. Dolan wanted probably want a clean slate. He’s a smart kid, Drury, a pretty sharp kid. to expedite the process. At the end of the day, I thought that everybody He’s running the show now. So it’s good to start with a clean slate. that lost their job, especially Gorts and David, I think did exactly — it was Player E: Clearly, you’ve got Dolan’s fingerprints all over this team, and going exactly according to plan. Getting JD in there (two years ago) and he’s certainly within his rights as an owner. But it does make it a lot more getting the experience and getting the former Ranger lifer back there, I challenging when you don’t empower the people that you hired to do their mean, that was a slam dunk. Those guys, I thought, did their jobs jobs or see it through. That, in a nutshell, is what happened. For some extremely well and unfortunately, it’s the nature of the beast. They got reason that only he’ll know for sure, he ran out of patience. railroaded. I don’t want to say they got blind-sided, but certainly they got their legs cut out from under them, some good hockey people there. I It’s not hard to figure out (that) if Dolan has thoughts and ideas and don’t think all three of them — if they want (to get back in) — will be out impulses, they’re heavily influenced by Slats. of work too long with the jobs that they did. (Editor’s note: Davidson was Player F: On a personal level with JD, I mean, I have so much respect for re-hired as Columbus Blue Jackets president Thursday.) him, and so many people around the league have so much respect for I don’t know, but it seems (the influence of Glen Sather, the advisor to him too. That was kind of hard. I got to know Jeff Gorton (well), and he’s Dolan) to be a lot of it, that it’s in the DNA of a couple of people outside a great guy, too. I really admire him. He worked his way up from being an of the heads of the organization had the ear of Mr. Dolan, and it’s intern with the Boston Bruins to being a general manager in the National disappointing, but I wouldn’t want to say one way or the other if that’s Hockey League. From a personal side, that kind of stings. And I really indeed what happened. But it makes no sense to me that you’re on a liked Quinn as a coach. I thought Quinn was really doing a fantastic job. path. You sent your letter out to your fan base. When Gorts took over, Last year, you look at players like (Mika) Zibanejad, how much more he the cupboard was absolutely bare, and he rebuilt it, accumulated assets, improved, Buchnevich this year, how much better he got to be as a made some signings, moved on from Hank (), which player. I thought going into the pandemic last year, I thought the Rangers was not an easy thing to do, obviously. Maybe the success of what’s were one of the teams that were just on a roll. Once they got to the gone on on the basketball court (the Knicks making the playoffs this bubble, that didn’t work out. But I thought he was a great coach. I just season) has put a little bit of a different feel inside ownership’s head? I think, you know, that’s pro sports. The owner has decided he doesn’t like don’t know. But it’s just not copacetic. the direction of the team. I don’t think it’s going to, from what I see from Chris Drury, and what people tell me about him, I don’t think it changes a Player B: The severity of it, I wouldn’t say shocking, because there’s whole lot of the direction of the team. been numerous times over the many years where I’ve been shocked or whatever by what’s happened. It’s unfortunate. It just smacks of a The big criticism was that they were not tough enough, but JD and Jeff franchise that hasn’t won as much as you’d think they won. Sometimes Gorton knew they weren’t tough enough, and I think they knew that these you’ve got to lose to learn what it takes to win, and patience is a virtue. young kids needed spots on the roster to develop, and they couldn’t Especially with a franchise headed where it’s heading, hopefully. I hope afford to lose those roster spots to somebody that was going to come in to god they don’t turn around and … (he added some sarcasm here) I and be more of an agitator or aggressive player. Plus, the game’s read where (Jaromir) Jagr still wants to play, so this will fit perfectly, he’ll changed so much, too. be back. (Ilya) Kovalchuk, he still wants to play too. There’s another Despite the changes, what do you think of the state of the franchise, the veteran they’ll bring back after his career is over. (laughs) state of the rebuild and the many assets they’ve accumulated since Gorton initiated the process with Dolan’s blessing? Do you think it’s on or trading for big contracts. You factor that in with the young stars in the track? game today, like (Adam) Fox, Lafrenière, and we’ll see where Kaapo Kakko ends up in all of this. But they’ve got a great young goalie who can Player A: If you’re talking about buying, holding or selling stocks, you’re be a star in (Igor) Shesterkin. So there are pieces there that can get a lot buying. This is a major buy — a five-star buy — when you look at the of people excited about the next three years. pieces that they have in place. I think they’re on the verge. They are. When you look at the Breadman (Artemi Panarin) and you’ve got the two Player F: I think it’s incredible, all the assets that they have. My prediction young kids (Alexis Lafrenière and Kaapo Kakko) that are going to gain is that clearly not all of these young players are going to stay with this some experience from what they lived this year. The best way to put it is: organization. I think there’s going to be changes and some of those Buy, hold or sell? I’m all-in. I’m in with both hands. young players are going to be shipped out for maybe some more veteran leadership down the road. You can’t (keep them all). These players Player B: I think the process is moving along nicely. These kids are going develop, demand more money. So I think the franchise is in fantastic to be more physical, they’re going to be tougher, when they learn how to shape. The goaltending — I consider them two really fantastic goalies, play. When you get confident enough in the league to know that, you especially Shesterkin. I think he has the potential to be a top-five know what, you can actually push back, and there are going to be goaltender in the National Hockey League. But even (Alexandar) younger people in the league than you, it just takes time. As comfortable Georgiev, I think they’ll have to trade him down the road because he as you feel, or (as much as) you think you know it all at 19 or 20, you wants to play; they’re going to get something back for him. I just think don’t know nearly what you’re going to know at 23 or 24, when you’ve they’ve got so many good young players, but also so many bargaining been in the league for 200 games or 250 games. With those guys, things chips for down the road. From what I understand, some of these young that intimidated you perhaps before are not so intimidating because you guys coming up, this one tough defenseman from the Western League, actually know what you’re doing. (Braden) Schneider. People want toughness? Well, deal with him. He’s The way it’s evolved now, there’s hype to anybody that comes along. The this big rock-solid farm-boy Canadian, exactly what they want. So I think road is littered with players who took longer than everybody thought they they’re in a fantastic position. were going to take. Not everybody is an (Alex) Ovechkin, not everybody’s a (Sidney) Crosby, not everybody’s a (Nathan) MacKinnon. It just takes time for so many things, and I just thought they were headed in the right The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021 direction. And I still don’t think any differently until we see what happens next. Who comes in as a coach? What are they thinking?

I will always say, until you’re on the inside, I don’t know what pressure there is to win today from the top down. I’ve never been privy to anything like that. But a lot of times you get asked about New Yorkers, “How patient are they?” Well, one Cup in 81 years speaks of a lot of patience, I think.

Player C: I generally like the team. It’s just that you need to add a veteran presence that has strong leadership, and you would need … at least one solid guy who plays with an edge on the top two lines. You thought (Chris) Kreider was going to be that, but he doesn’t seem to … he’s inconsistent in that role. And that’s why, when you look at there’s no captain, well, there’s no captain material. There really wasn’t. You’re not going to name Zibanejad (captain) just because he’s a good player. You don’t make him a captain because he often, in a physical game, he looks afraid. How many guys look afraid in a physical game? It’s pretty obvious. I mean, the only one who really stood out was (Brendan) Smith. He really played that role and he embraced it. He kicked it up a notch this year. … Other than that? (Ryan) Lindgren played hard. He’s always banged up, and he’s playing hard. I like him. But a lot of guys look afraid. They’re not willing to mix it up. They don’t get angry when you need to get angry. They’re playing in a skill game, which is OK, but you need to surround those guys with other guys who are willing, when things call on it, you need a physical presence. Just look at the teams (in the playoffs) right now. Look at Washington. Look at Boston. The Islanders. Pittsburgh. How do you not know that? If you’ve been in this game forever, how do you not know it?

Then I look at coach Quinn, and overall I liked his teaching. I liked the type of game they were playing. But here’s a guy that never played in the NHL, never coached (as a head coach) in the NHL. He’s teaching in college hockey. Well, what’s college hockey compared to the NHL? Is there a form of intimidation in college hockey? Not so much. Not like the NHL. So I don’t know if he got that, if he understood that. Obviously, he’s not there anymore, so he must have taken the hit there, too.

Player D: Listen, here’s the deal. They have some good players. There’s no question about it. But like any hockey team — I don’t care what era it is, the ’80s, the ’90s, whatever. You need toughness on your team. You look who’s standing at the end of every year. Look at what put the Tampa Bay Lightning over the hump. We can talk about all the superstars like we always do, and everybody kisses their asses. But who gets it done in the end? Who makes a big difference? Pat Maroon. The fucking tough guys that are going to be there. And not so much going, just drop your gloves all the time. Be there so the other team is aware that if you want to fuck with us, you may have a problem. Bottom line.

Player E: As far as young talent’s concerned, I think they’ve done a good job. They should be a team that is looked upon as a team that can compete in the next two or three years, four years maybe. They’re going to get some dead money (cap space) off the books, which will open up an opportunity to find different ways to get better, including free agency 1213721 were at the Sensplex and CTC, and we were living in hotels, there was just a lot of adversity for the whole group including the players.

“The focus of the players, was probably the most impressive thing in Belleville coach Troy Mann says plenty of the Senators prospects made terms of wanting to get better and there was some some lows but I would a progress this season 100% say a lot more highs. When you can go on the ice and knowing that your team is looking to get better, specifically young draft picks, to me that’s what it’s all about as a coach.”

Bruce Garrioch THE LAST WORDS

Publishing date:May 21, 2021 • 6 hours ago • One job on Dorion’s list is re-signing Mann but it shouldn’t be an issue because he wants to return and the organization wants to bring him back.

Mann was asked about his contract following the completion of the Hope springs eternal for the Ottawa Senators season and made it clear he wants to help lead the club’s prospects next season. A week after the Senators closed out their year against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the club’s AHL affiliate Belleville wrapped up its year with a “(Friday) we’ve got a coaches meeting and it’s the May 24-weekend so 6-3 loss to the Toronto Marlies Thursday at the . I’m just going to sit back and decompress with the family for three days,” Mann said. “Certainly, I love working for the Ottawa Senators’ Since there weren’t any Calder Cup playoffs this spring with teams organization. It’s small in terms of the number of people that work within unable to cross the border into the United States, the Senators only it, but it’s been a great three years and I certainly hope to continue on played a 35-game schedule and after a 2-8-0 start they were buoyed by moving forward.” a strong finish that saw a franchise record eight-game winning streak come to an end in the final game of the season. “When you start coaching all these young players you get attached, as well as in terms of their development, in trying to get them to the NHL. There are players on the Belleville roster that are poised to push for Sometimes you feel you need to finish the job and we’ll see where this spots in Ottawa when training camp begins Sept. 22. takes us in the next few weeks, but I’d certainly be happy to stay and we’ll see where it goes. Ottawa GM , assistant Peter MacTavish, Mann and the Belleville coaching staff will hold their exit meetings with the players next “Once we get through the weekend, sit down with management, there’s week. It’s already a shortened off-season and the players wanted to start lots of things we want to do here and we have our own list of things from making their way home immediately after the year ended so they’ll be a coaching perspective and then we’ll turn the page to next year.” done virtually. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 05.22.2021 Coming off his rookie season in the AHL, forward Egor Sokolov had 15 goals and 25 points in 35 games with Belleville. Taken as a 20-year-old by the club last October, the perseverance has paid off or Sokolov and he’s headed in the right direction to push for a spot in Ottawa.

“He’s got tremendous upside with his playmaking ability and that shot,” said Belleville coach Troy Mann. “In terms of the Ottawa Senators, who’s close in terms of the next wave of playing in the NHL, you’ve got to look at a guy like Sokolov.”

But, it doesn’t stop there. Goaltender Mads Sogaard spent most of the season playing with his hometown team in Denmark, but came overseas to finish the year. He suited up for seven games after completing his quarantine and had a unbeaten record in the AHL. He finished with a 2.40 goals-against average and a .917 save-percentage.

Selected No. 37 overall in 2019, Sogaard showed tremendous poise and put himself on the radar screen.

“I wasn’t really familiar with him but the sky’s the limit for this kid,” Mann said. “He’s got the potential to be a No. 1 goalie in the NHL and I know it’s a small sample size but I think you’re at the point where a lot of our young guys have improved.”

The organization also has reason to be excited about forwards Parker Kelly, Angus Crookshank, Ridly Greig, Roby Jarventie along with defencemen Lassi Thomson and Jonathan Aspirot.

“In the last six games if you watched Lassi he made great strides in terms of getting to the next level,” said Mann. “He had an up and down year with the inconsistency from shift-to-shift and game-to-game.

“There’s lots to look forward to next year we’ve just got to make sure we’re complementing this young group of players with the right players to make sure we’re competitive and challenging for a playoff spot.”

DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES

Mann noted Belleville is excited about returning to its home at CAA Arena next season.

Playing out of Ottawa was the right decision because of the strict COVID- 19 protocols, but that didn’t make for an easy situation for Belleville because the club essentially spent the whole season on the road. Workouts were held in a ballroom at the Brookstreet Hotel while Belleville spent most of the year skating at the Bell Sensplex.

“The setup was excellent and I thought everybody did a good job under difficult circumstances,” said Mann. “Our training and equipment staff, we 1213722 Ottawa Senators Brown’s NHL future is hanging in the balance right now and the next step is up to him.

“Overall, I thought he was starting to come into is own, he had seven It's up to Logan Brown to determine where his career is headed points in his last five games but then the injury eliminates the last few games,” Mann said. “Where does that take us in the fall as an organization with Logan Brown? That’s certainly not a question I can answer but I hope he can get healthy. Bruce Garrioch “I hope he takes his off-ice training really serious because he’s a fourth Publishing date:May 21, 2021 • 15 hours ago • year pro. I know I’ve talked to a couple of other players in the organization that are entering their fourth year and I’ve dealt with it in the Washington organization as well. The fourth year, you’re at a crossroads, The wrapped up their season Thursday night and not only at the AHL level, but you’re at a crossroads with the organization there was no sign of Logan Brown. because decisions have to be made.”

Sidelined with an undisclosed injury he suffered in warmup last Saturday He has shown glimpses he can play at this level but there have always before a game at the Canadian Tire Centre, the fact he was out wasn’t a been questions about his work ethic, his commitment and the expectation surprising way for the 23-year-old first-round pick in 2016 to finish a by some faithful he should just be handed a chance .That’s not how it disastrous season. works and he’s been bypassed by the likes of Josh Norris and Shane Pinto along the way. After taking time to sit back and reflect, the Senators and Brown will have to get together in the off-season to try to find the best path forward for his The road to success in the NHL is there for Brown and next year may be career. A No. 11 overall pick, he hasn’t been able to live up to now or never. expectations, hasn’t been able to stay healthy and coming out of his entry-level deal a decision has to be made on what’s next. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 05.22.2021

Senators general manager Pierre Dorion indicated last week the club will make Brown a qualifying offer to keep his rights for restricted free agency and there’s no reason not to do that. He did suit up for the club’s final game last Wednesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs after spending a large part of the season on the injury list with a back issue.

At this point, the onus is on Brown to get this figured out because his hockey career has reached a pivotal point.

“The injuries aren’t something that just happened when he started playing in Belleville they were something that was happening when he was playing in the OHL,” Belleville coach Troy Mann told this newspaper following the club’s 6-3 loss to the Toronto Marlies Thursday at the Canadian Tire Centre.

“The injury bug is unfortunate, he’s had a number of injuries, and it just hasn’t been the same type of injury, has played a role in his development.”

Mann has spent three years with Brown and has seen his game make strides when he has played. He was solid in a seven-game stretch before this recent ailment but suited up for only 13 of the club’s 35 AHL games. Some fans will tell you he hasn’t been given a chance to make Ottawa, but you have to stay healthy and make your own breaks.

“Do I think he’s come along since we had him three years ago? Yes, but injuries stall a players development so he’s not as far along as I think we would like as an organization,” said Mann. “I don’t want to speak for other people, but I certainly feel I’ve coached him the most the last three years and I really hope he’s able to recover from the last couple of injuries that have really put a question mark on his season.”

When the Senators selected Brown, they did so because they felt he had the potential to be a top centre in this league. He has size at 6-foot-6, but his game hasn’t developed the way anybody expected. He made the club coming out of camp in 2017-18 before being sent back to the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires.

It’s tough for the Senators to walk away from Brown and that’s why he’s going to get a qualifying offer. Once that’s done, the Senators can determine what’s next. The expectation is he will be exposed in the Seattle expansion draft in July and maybe they take a flyer on Brown just because of his size.

This has never been expressed publicly, but there is a sense Brown wouldn’t mind a change of scenery. He doesn’t feel he’s been given the opportunity to succeed here and the belief is he changed agents last summer to help facilitate a trade to another organization. No formal request has been made so who knows if that’s the case?

Brown has no leverage in this negotiation so he’ll have to sign his qualifying offer.

His career is at a point where he either has to turn right by turning the potential into production or begin thinking about a career in the Kontinental Hockey League in or in Europe. Let’s put it this way, 1213723 Philadelphia Flyers Skinny: You could argue that no Flyers prospect made bigger strides this year than Foerster, who was ranked No. 6 in January. As an underage player, he was allowed to play in the AHL only because the Ontario Hockey League was shut down because of COVID-19. He made the The Flyers’ top prospects: Many will put the stamp of Chuck Fletcher and most of his opportunity, scoring 10 goals in 24 games with the Phantoms Brent Flahr on the team and showcasing a wicked shot and improved skating. He suffered a separated collarbone late in the season but should be ready when

training camp rolls around. Sam Carchidi Projected arrival: 2022-23.

5. Egor Zamula, 6-3, 177, D Even though Chuck Fletcher has been the Flyers’ general manager for How acquired: Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2018. 2½ years, this still feels like Ron Hextall’s team because he signed, drafted, or acquired a majority of the players. Age: 21.

Slowly, that’s going to change. Skinny: He still needs to gain more strength, but he has a long reach, and he impressed the Flyers with his poise in his first pro season, playing In The Inquirer’s latest list of the Flyers’ best prospects, six of the top 12 25 games with the Phantoms (6 points, plus-1). He made solid strides were drafted by Fletcher and his sidekick, assistant general manager throughout the year before getting a two-game stint with the Flyers. Brent Flahr, who heads the team’s draft board. Zamula probably needs more seasoning in the AHL, but it’s not out of the Defenseman Cam York, the first player the Flahr-Fletcher duo ever question that he will get a call-up to the Flyers at some point next selected for the Flyers, has climbed to the No. 1 spot on the prospect list, season. replacing , who has dropped to No. 3 after being No. 1 in Projected arrival: 2022-23. our January rankings. 6. Tanner Laczynski, 6-1, 190, C/RW/LW York, chosen 14th overall in the 2019 draft, captained the United States to the World Junior gold medal in January and is regarded as a great How acquired: Sixth-round selection (169th overall) in 2016. team leader. Age: 23. The same leadership qualities are shown by fiery right winger Wade Allison, who has moved from No. 3 to No. 2 in the rankings. Skinny: After undergoing core-muscle surgery before the season, the former Ohio State star had 10 points, including six goals, in 14 games The top 12 list includes the following players drafted by Flahr and with the Phantoms and earned a promotion to the Flyers. He played five Fletcher: York, Tyson Foerster, Emil Andrae, Zayde Wisdom, Bobby games with the Flyers (0 points, plus-1) and displayed a solid two-way Brink, and Ronnie Attard. game before suffering a torn labrum in his right hip and having surgery. He is expected to be ready for training camp. 1. Cam York, 5-foot-11, 175 pounds, D Projected arrival: 2021-22. How acquired: First-round selection (14th overall) in 2019. 7. Emil Andrae, 5-9, 181, D Age: 20. How acquired: Second-round selection (54th overall) in 2020 draft. Skinny: The smooth-skating, puck-moving York appears a year ahead of schedule, and has a shot at starting the season with the Flyers and Age: 19. running their power play. He had an excellent season at the University of Michigan (20 points in 24 games, plus-13) and played extremely well in Skinny: He continued to gain valuable experience in Sweden, where he eight games with the Phantoms. He also looked comfortable in a three- had 13 points in 46 games with two teams. Known for his puck-moving game stint with the Flyers. skills and quickness, it will take him a while before he is physically ready for the NHL, but the Flyers love his upside. Projected arrival: 2021-22. Projected arrival: 2023-24. 2. Wade Allison, 6-2, 205, RW 8. Zayde Wisdom, 5-11, 195, RW How acquired: Second-round selection (52nd overall) in 2016. How acquired: Selected in the fourth round (94th overall) in 2020. Age: 23. Age: 18. Skinny: Injuries, including a torn ACL in his right knee, slowed him down during his career at Western Michigan, and he endured ankle surgery Skinny: Like Foerster, he should have been playing in the Ontario that cost him a chance to make the Flyers in training camp this year. But Hockey League. Like Foerster, he was allowed to play in the AHL as an he made it all the way back and was terrific in 10 games with the underage player because the OHL was shut down. And like Foerster, Phantoms (4 goals, 9 points, plus-8) and then opened eyes in 14 late- Wisdom did not look out of place. He had 18 points (7 goals, 11 assist) in season games with the Flyers (4 goals, 7 points). His big shot, 28 games and a plus-6 rating. He played with passion and physicality fearlessness in front of the net, and energy give him a bright future. and has the potential to be a fourth-round steal.

Projected arrival: 2021-22. Projected arrival: 2023-24.

3. Morgan Frost, 5-11, 186, C 9. Bobby Brink, 5-9, 164, RW

How acquired: First-round selection (27th overall) in 2017. How acquired: Second-round selection (34th overall) in 2019.

Age: 22. Age: 19.

Skinny: If not for an injured left shoulder that required surgery and ended Skinny: After a sensational freshman season at the University of Denver, his season in January, Frost would have played a lot this year. He figures Brink’s production dipped in his second season. He scored 11 goals in 28 to battle Nolan Patrick for the No. 3 center spot in camp. He was an AHL games as a freshman, and just two goals in 15 games as a sophomore. All-Star with the Phantoms in 2019-20, collecting 13 goals and 29 points The Flyers scouts aren’t concerned, saying he didn’t have as much talent in 41 games. around him this season and is still a high-end prospect. He has a high hockey IQ and was a key member of the U.S. World Junior title team. Projected arrival: 2021-22. Projected arrival: 2023-24. 4. Tyson Foerster, 6-2, 194, RW 10. Noah Cates, 6-2, 190, LW/C How acquired: First-round selection (23rd overall) in 2020. How acquired: Fifth-round selection (137th overall) in 2017. Age: 19. Age: 22.

Skinny: He had 19 points in 28 games for powerful Minnesota-Duluth and bypassed a chance to turn pro, deciding to stay in college for his final season. Cates is his team’s captain, and he has an off-the-charts hockey IQ and the potential to play a middle-six role with the Flyers in the near future.

Projected arrival: 2022-23.

11. Ronnie Attard, 6-3, 210, D

How acquired: Selected in the third round (72nd overall) in the 2019 draft.

Age: 22.

Skinny: After being bypassed in two drafts before setting a USHL record for defenseman with 30 goals, the right-handed-shooting Attard has continued to develop at Western Michigan, where he was the No. 1 defenseman last year and had 22 points (8 goals, 14 assists) in 25 games. He has a hard, accurate shot, average speed, and does a relatively good job of knowing when to join the rush.

Projected arrival: 2023-24.

12. Samuel Ersson, 6-2, 176, G

How acquired: Selected in the fifth round (143rd overall) in 2018.

Age: 21.

Skinny: A shrewd pick by Hextall in his last draft with the Flyers, Ersson has blossomed into the top goaltender prospect in the system. He had a 2.96 GAA and .910 save percentage (ninth-best in the league) in the this season. Regarded as a great tactician, he oozes poise and is skilled at playing the angles.

Projected arrival: 2023-24.

Others to WATCH: LW Elliott Desnoyers and Isaac Ratcliffe; D Linus Hogberg and Mason Millman. C Jay O’Brien and Jackson Cates; G Felix Sandstrom and Kirill Ustimenko; RW Linus Sandin and David Kase.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213724 Pittsburgh Penguins

Minor league report: Nailers fall to Swamp Rabbits

SETH RORABAUGH | Friday, May 21, 2021 11:37 p.m.

Goaltender Tommy Nappier made 21 saves on 26 shots for the Wheeling Nailers in a 5-2 road loss to the Greenville Swamp Rabbits at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C. on Friday.

Defenseman Jesse Lees and forward Brady Tomlak each scored goals for Wheeling (19-34-5-1), which has lost four consecutive games.

Highlights:

The Nailers’ next game is a road contest against the Swamp Rabbits on Saturday, 7:05 p.m.

Tribune Review LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213725 Pittsburgh Penguins “We’re actually asking for a little bit more clarity in that circumstance because it’s our understanding that John can stay in the battle there,” Sullivan said. “We obviously get outnumbered because of it. We’re actually asking for clarity on that from the league. It’s my understanding Penguins forward Jason Zucker comfortable contributing 'in other ways' that he can stay on that battle and look for the opportune time to get to the bench. That was just a circumstance that occurred in the game.

“Hopefully, we can avoid those moving forward. But part of it is just SETH RORABAUGH | Friday, May 21, 2021 3:50 p.m. getting clarification from the league.”

Tribune Review LOADED: 05.22.2021 UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jason Zucker got his first goal of the postseason Thursday during the Penguins’ 5-4 road win against the New York Islanders in Game 3 of their first-round series at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Having reached the 20-goal mark five times in his career, Zucker’s season has been underwhelming based on the pure basic offensive numbers. Limited to 38 games because of a presumed left leg injury he suffered in February, Zucker only scored nine goals during the regular season.

That equates to a goals-per-game pace of 0.24. In contrast, he was at 0.33 in 60 games last season.

“You’ve got to stick with the process,” Zucker said via video conference. “A big thing for me personally is getting shots on net and trying to create things for my linemates. And playing the right way as far as forechecks and being physical, getting pucks on net, being around the net. I think I can contribute in ways other than just putting the puck in the net. Obviously, goal scoring has been a part of my career that I’ve tried to lean on, but I want to make sure I’m contributing in other ways.”

His goal in Game 3 was impressive as he picked a corner from the slot at 18:03 of the second period with a forehand shot.

“That’s just trying to take what was kind of given there,” Zucker said. “Trying to make a play there with (forward Evgeni Malkin). We had a little bit of a scissor play there so I think it can cause a little bit of confusion with their defensemen. It was nice I was able to get a step there.”

Even if Zucker isn’t scoring at a rate commensurate with the expectations foisted upon him, management seems to be satisfied with other contributions he has offered.

“(Zucker) is playing hard,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “He’s a good north- south player. He goes to the net. He brings a physical presence to our team. For a guy that’s not overly big, he plays the game with a lot of edge and a lot of bite. He’s playing hard for us right now. He’s doing a lot of the little things, winning the wall battles and helping us become a team that’s hard to play against. We believe (Zucker) will score goals. He has shown an ability to do that.

“It’s more about just trying to control the process here and playing the game the right way, and (Zucker) has done a lot of good things for us.”

Penguins request clarity on dislodged helmet

A relatively new rule came into play on a sequence leading to a key goal by the Islanders at 3:46 of the third period during Game 3.

During a puck battle in the left corner of his defensive zone, Penguins’ defenseman John Marino’s helmet fell off. By rule, he had to either go to the bench, attempt to put it back on or risk taking a minor penalty.

Marino opted to go to the bench. As Cody Ceci scrambled to replace him on the ice, Islanders forward Cal Clutterbuck scored to pull his team within a goal 3-2.

Marino slammed his stick off the ice from the bench in frustration.

The rule, implemented in the 2019 offseason in the name of preventing head injuries, allows some room for interpretation as to how soon a player must either go to the bench or retrieve his helmet. Per section 9.6 of the NHL’s rule book:

“It is reasonable if a player who is making a play on the puck or who is in the vicinity of the puck and engaged in the play at the time his helmet comes off, takes the opportunity to complete the play before either exiting the ice or retrieving and replacing his helmet.”

Sullivan indicated the Penguins reached out to the NHL on how that rule is implemented in the aftermath of Game 3. 1213726 Pittsburgh Penguins Having spent the majority of his time with the Kings this season on the right wing, Carter wasn’t quite sure how the Penguins would deploy him.

“I didn’t really know where I was going to fit in coming in,” Carter said. Penguins have '3-headed monster' at center “Whether it was wing, center, whatnot. But I think as I’ve settled in and played with some different lines and whatnot, I’ve really enjoyed my role. For the most part, I’ve been with (wingers Jared McCann and Frederick Gaudreau). We work well together and can bring some complementary SETH RORABAUGH | Friday, May 21, 2021 3:40 p.m. scoring to those top two lines.”

Management always planned on moving Carter to center but was open to UNIONDALE, N.Y. — The Pittsburgh Penguins’ two-headed monster all possibilities. hasn’t been slain. Far from it. “Our intent was to play him at center and see how that goes but But it’s been in hibernation through the first three games of their first- understanding that he’s a real versatile player that we could utilize in so round series with the New York Islanders. many different ways,” Sullivan said. “Whether we put him on the wing and potentially in the top-six (forwards) depending on certain Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin — long dubbed as a dual-craniumed circumstances or playing that third-line center role that is so vitally leviathan at the center position for the Penguins — are no threats to set important to this team and its success. But our intent was to try him at the any kind of scoring records this series. center ice position. We were intrigued by moving him in the middle. We thought it would make us that much deeper at the center position.” A stout Islanders defense has limited Crosby to a single goal, and Malkin missed the first two games of the series because of a wonky right knee. Even beyond scoring, Carter has made an impact on defense as he is Making his series debut in Game 3 on Thursday, Malkin picked up two tied for the team lead with 10 defensive-zone starts during five-on-five primary assists in a 5-4 win at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. sequences this postseason according to Natural Stat Trick. That type of figure is usually an indicator of how much a coach trusts a player in his They’ve been more than adequate when they’ve been on the ice. But not own zone. overwhelming as in years past. Furthermore, Carter has been dominant in the faceoff circle, winning Thankfully, for the Penguins, they have hailed hydra. 62.3% of his draws (33 for 53), tops on the team. With Malkin back on the ice for Game 3, Jeff Carter slid down the depth “He’s a natural center,” Sullivan said. “He’s played it most of his career. chart to the third line and came through with two important goals that We were well aware of what his strength is there. He’s a really good each stifled temporary momentum shifts in favor of the Islanders. faceoff guy. And he’s just a real smart player so he could play at both His goal at 13 minutes, 34 seconds of the second period gave the ends of the rink. Penguins a 2-1 lead less than two minutes after the Islanders had tied “It helps us with our size, our strength down the middle.” the score. The effect has been monstrous. Then, a power-play score at 7:00 of the third — the Penguins’ first goal on the man advantage this series — restored a lead for the visitors, 4-3, “They’re all unbelievable players,” Penguins forward Jason Zucker said. again, less than two minutes after the Islanders had forced a tie. “They’re all world-class talents. For us, we just want to make sure that we’re rolling four lines and using that to our advantage.” “With the Penguins — the three-headed monster that they have when Malkin plays — at center ice, they’re pretty loaded,” Islanders coach Tribune Review LOADED: 05.22.2021 Barry Trotz said via video conference. “You’re going to have two hall of famers and one that’s pretty close up the middle. Two of them are big, and one of them is very, very strong and very intelligent. They’re a three- headed monster when all three lines are going.”

The Penguins have had such menacing set-ups down the middle before.

The presences of Jordan Staal (2009) and Nick Bonino (2016, ’17) were significant factors for the franchise’s three most recent Stanley Cup banners.

In their absences, the Penguins have tried the likes of Brandon Sutter, Derick Brassard, Nick Bjugstad and even Greg McKegg to serve as the third center but never achieved anything close to the same level of success.

Arguably, Carter might be better than Staal or Bonino, team success with the Penguins notwithstanding.

A two-time All-Star who has won the Stanley Cup twice as a member of the Los Angeles Kings, Carter has 399 career regular-season goals, 10th-most among active players. Oh, and he also has a 16.6-ounce hunk of gold he won as a member of Canada’s Olympic team in 2014.

Even at 36, he’s still capable of being a steady second-liner. But for the time being, he’s a dominant third-liner.

“To have the depth that we have at this point with (Carter) in the middle now, we think we have a pretty balanced attack,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “On any given night, any line can score. Any line can help us offensively. And we have lines that we can utilize in different situations depending on what’s called upon throughout the course of the game. (Carter’s) addition has been huge to our team. It just gives us that much more depth down the middle.”

The Penguins’ plans on where to use Carter when they acquired him from the Kings on April 12 for a handful of draft picks weren’t immediately clear. At least not publicly. Or to Carter. 1213727 Pittsburgh Penguins Those who can’t see the forest for the trees cite the Penguins’ Stanley Cups in 2016 and ’17 as proof that “playing the right way” can win out. This isn’t that team, and it’s not that time.

Mark Madden: Penguins overcame Islanders, officiating in Game 3, but The Penguins showed courage, resilience and fortitude in winning can they really keep up this pace? Thursday. But you can give some back and still win. The Penguins must get better equipped to do that.

The early going of these playoffs provided an interesting microcosm MARK MADDEN | Friday, May 21, 2021 10:14 a.m. when it comes to hockey’s top stars.

Edmonton’s Connor McDavid had 105 points in 56 games in the Canadian Minor Professional Hockey League, aka the North division. His As the Penguins’ Sidney Crosby collects himself John Marino and the highlights filled the NHL Network. (Not “SportsCenter;” ESPN doesn’t Islanders’ Matt Martin fight behind him in third second period on care.) McDavid’s speed and skill got him labeled a “cheat code.” Thursday, May 20, 2021, at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. McDavid’s playoffs started Wednesday. Winnipeg beat Edmonton, 4-1. “Penguins ill-equipped for heavy hockey” — my column’s headline two The “cheat code” had no points, two shots and was minus-2. The Jets days ago. clogged the neutral zone. Ms. Pac-Man got eaten. So it was written. So it did come to pass. Crosby isn’t dominating these playoffs statistically: one goal in three Don’t be blinded by Thursday’s result, as impressive as the Pittsburgh games. Penguins’ gutsy 5-4 win on Long Island was. That farce of a game But, just 34 seconds after Tanev’s goal, the Islanders’ Brock Nelson had displayed much that’s bad about the NHL’s current trend and the a chance to put a rebound into an empty net. Crosby sprawled, got his weakness of the Penguins roster as that trend continues to warp hockey. stick blade on the puck, and it flew harmlessly over the glass. For a team supposedly so well-coached by Barry Trotz, the Islanders’ McDavid doesn’t make that play. He’d never try to make that play. gameplan showed zero nuance. Run goalie Tristan Jarry. Rough up the Penguins’ stars, especially Sidney Crosby. Repeat as needed. (Trotz’s Tribune Review LOADED: 05.22.2021 teams always take gratuitous liberties with Crosby.)

The meathead circus hit critical mass at 5 minutes, 35 seconds of the third period when yet another Islanders poke at Jarry led to a lengthy scrum that saw Crosby cross-checked in the back of the head and put every skater on the ice in the penalty box.

The Penguins penalized were Crosby, Brian Dumoulin, Jake Guentzel, Kris Letang and Bryan Rust. The Islanders sent to the box were Nick Leddy, Scott Mayfield, J-G Pageau, Kyle Palmieri and Oliver Wahlstrom.

The Islanders had to be thrilled with that trade.

It’s only two minutes, true. But Guentzel somehow got an extra penalty and, of course, the Islanders scored on the power play to tie the score at 3-3.

The Penguins are tough in spirit, if not in bulk. They ultimately won when Brandon Tanev netted with 3:36 remaining. Tanev isn’t big, but he can weather any storm.

Until Tanev gets hurt, that is. The Islanders are going for a cumulative effect. It’s hard to believe Guentzel hasn’t already been broken in half.

The Islanders also know not much will get called. Things get evened out. The NHL and its referees absorb most of the blame for hockey’s sad direction.

On Thursday, the Penguins overcame the Islanders and the officiating. But can they do it again Saturday? If they eliminate the Islanders, can they do it vs. Washington or Boston? Those games will be exactly the same — even worse if the foe is the Capitals and war criminal Tom Wilson.

Even if the Penguins win the Stanley Cup, their roster must get bigger and heavier. GM Ron Hextall and president of hockey ops Brian Burke might make trades today if they could.

The Penguins can’t weather this continuously. They have to repel it and give some back. It’s too easy to abuse the Penguins and get away with it.

Hextall and especially Burke must be going insane as they watch the same distressing scenario play out again and again.

Jared McCann gave the Islanders a power play when he violently cross- checked Noah Dobson into his own net with the Penguins up 4-3 at the 8:39 mark of the third period. But the Islanders didn’t score with the man advantage, and it’s good that somebody did something.

If nasty play is going to proliferate, no team can allow it to be one-way traffic. There has to be give and take. The Penguins mostly take.

Too many people love it when hockey gets stupid. Too many of those people run the NHL or speak into microphones. 1213728 Pittsburgh Penguins A goal by Clutterbuck made it a one-goal contest 3:46 into the third period. After Penguins defenseman John Marino lost his helmet during a battle in his left corner, he retreated to the bench per NHL rules. As defenseman Cody Ceci scrambled to replace him on the ice, Clutterbuck Empty Thoughts: Penguins 5, Islanders 4 was able to clean up a rebound for his first goal. Assists went to forward Casey Cizikas and Mayfield.

Things were tied, 3-3, with a power-play goal. Following a furious quarrel SETH RORABAUGH | Friday, May 21, 2021 8:40 a.m. between all 10 skaters on the ice that resulted in all 10 players being sent to the penalty box for minor penalties at 5:35 of the third period, the Islanders ended up with a power-play opportunity and converted when Observations from the Penguins’ 5-4 win against the Islanders in Game forward Anthony Beauvillier collected his first goal at 5:54. Taking a pass 3: to the right of the cage, Beauvillier swept a forehand shot through Jarry’s five hole. Forward Barzal and defenseman Noah Dobson netted assists. Sidney Crosby has been limited thus far in this series, at least in terms of producing offense. The Penguins reclaimed a lead, 4-3, at 7:00 of the third with their first power-play goal of the series. After Malkin corralled a puck at the left Through three games, he has one stinking goal. point of the offensive zone, he slipped a pass to the left circle for Carter In contrast, Islanders fourth-liner Cal Clutterbuck had two in Game 3 who had a clean look at the cage and snapped a wrister past Varlamov’s alone. blocker on the near side. Malkin and forward Kasperi Kapanen had assists. But the Penguins’ captain is still making an impact even if he’s not scoring goals. It was tied yet again, 4-4, at 14:47 of the third. Mayfield launched a wrister from the right point of the offensive zone. Clutterbuck got position He’s been preventing them. on Ceci to the left of the cage and redirected the puck past Jarry’s First, in Game 2 on Tuesday, at 7:46 of the first period, he was Johnny- blocker. Mayfield had the only assist. on-the-spot in clearing a rebound chance by Islanders forward Jean- The game-winner came late in regulation at the 16:24 of the third. Off a Gabriel Pageau with goaltender Tristan Jarry scrambling to get into pass from the left corner of the offensive zone by forward Zach Aston- position. Reese, Letang chopped a one-timer from the right point. Tanev was A goal there and the game is tied, 1-1. Instead, Crosby kept the Islanders positioned above the crease and deflected the shot up in the air then off the scoreboard for the time being and allowed his team to eventually swatted a forehand shot past Varlamov’s blocker. Letang and Aston- claim a 2-1 win. Reese netted assists.

On Tuesday, with his team protecting a one-goal late in a chaotic third Statistically speaking period, he did something similar, but with much higher stakes. • The Islanders led in shots, 30-27.

After Jarry kicked out a wide rebound to the left circle, where Islanders • Barzal led the game with five shots. forward Brock Nelson collected the puck and had a seemingly wide-open net to shoot at. But a diving poke check by Crosby deflected the puck out • Marino, Tanev and Matheson each led the Penguins with three shots. of play at 16:55 of the third. • Letang led the game with 24:20 of ice time on 26 shifts. A goal there likely sends this game to overtime. • Pulock led the Islanders with 22:15 of ice time on 28 shifts. That’s two big plays by the NHL’s most complete player in preventing • The Islanders had a 30-27 lead in faceoffs (53%). goals. • Cizikas was 10 for 14 (71%). “I don’t know if he’s been on the scoresheet, but I mean he’s playing real good hockey,” Islanders forward Mathew Barzal said. “You can tell. He • Carter was 14 for 20 (70%). made that play late in the game to stop (Nelson) from an empty net. He’s playing committed hockey.” • Pulock led the game with three blocked shots.

What happened • Defenseman Brian Dumoulin, forward Jared McCann, Aston-Reese, Malkin, Matheson and Pettersson each led the Penguins with two It took the Penguins all of 2:03 into regulation to claim a lead. In New blocked shots. York’s right corner, Penguins forward Brandon Tanev hounded Islanders forward Jordan Eberle into a turnover. Penguins defenseman Kris Letang • Jarry made 26 saves on 30 shots. settled the puck at the right point and chucked a wrister toward the net. • Varlamov made 22 saves on 27 shots. Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock was positioned above the crease and appeared to have the puck glance off his right leg and through Randomly speaking goaltender Semyon Varlamov’s five hole. It was Letang’s first goal of the postseason. There were no assists. • In case there were a few of you still mad about the Penguins giving up a third-round pick to get Carter… are you convinced yet? Things were tied, 1-1, at 11:03 of the second period. Taking a pass at the right point of the offensive zone, Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield When his new team needed him, he delivered. He arrived from the Los dragged the puck around a kneeling block attempt from Penguins Angeles Kings as a proven playoff performer and he has delivered thus forward Zach Aston-Reese and lasered a wrister from the right circle past far with three goals in three postseason games. Jarry’s glove on the near side for his first goal. Forward Mathew Barzal What is uncanny about his scoring is how effortless he makes it look. and Eberle collected assists. When he shoots, it’s almost like he’s just lobbing a floater on net. But Any momentum the Islanders had generated was quickly snuffed out by when it arrives at the net, it’s some pinpoint missile that looks like it’s Penguins forward Jeff Carter collecting his second goal at 13:34 of the been guided by radar. Most players have to squeeze atoms out of their second. Racing into the offensive zone on the right wing, Carter whistled sticks to pick their shot. He just places his shot so casually. a far-side wrister from the right circle that rung off the far post and hit • Malkin returned to the lineup after missing two games due to a twine. Forward Frederick Gaudreau and defenseman Marcus Pettersson presumed right knee injury. He didn’t look like the dominant entity on the tallied assists. ice that he typically is but he was adequate. His mobility was fine but he The Penguins established a two-goal lead at 18:03 of the second. wasn’t necessarily all that physical. He seemed to read the play well and Corralling a loose puck above the left circle of the offensive zone, Zucker distribute the puck well to his linemates. It was a solid but hardly curled to the slot, separated from pursuing Islanders defenseman Nick spectacular first step back into the lineup for Malkin. Leddy and lifted a wrister past Varlamov’s glove hand for his first goal. • This game was just pure chaos in the third period. There were 15 Malkin and Letang had assists. penalties alone in the period, all of them minors. As mentioned above, there was a simply bizarre sequence at 5:35 of the Their inability to score has been a testament to the Penguins’ third period. After the Islanders essentially tried to push Jarry and the commitment to defense. puck into the net for a goal, the Penguins objected and a scrum broke out. And it never seemed to end. It would die down then spark up. Die • It’s hard to say one would ever predict Mayfield to be an offensive down then spark up. By the time officials calmed things down and sorted driver, but he had a nice tidy game with a goal and two assists. everything out, all five non-goaltenders — forward Jake Guentzel, Bryan • The Islanders needed more from Varlamov in this game. If he makes Rust, Crosby, Letang and Brian Dumoulin of the Penguins as well as even one customary save on Carter’s goals or Zucker’s score, this game forwards Kyle Palmieri, Oliver Wahlstrom, Pageau, Mayfield and Leddy goes to overtime. of the Islanders — were given roughing minors. Guentzel was given an additional slashing minor. • It was fantastic to be in person for this game at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. It’s such a cramped imperfect building but that’s As a result, each penalty box had five players taking up temporary what makes it marvelous. residence. Attendance was listed as 6,800 due to capacity limits related to the This author can’t recall having seen that many players in the penalty box pandemic but it might as well have been three times that number. With on minor penalties alone. Usually, major penalties are involved for a the low ceiling, all the noise generated by fans bounced around like a scene like that. rebound off the boards. And the Islanders fans create that atmosphere • Later on, Clutterbuck was given a goaltender interference minor at 6:23 with tons of individual chants for specific Islanders players or the of the third after he appeared to try and pin Jarry to the ice like a wrestler. opposition. The Islanders are slated to move into their new building next Then Islanders forward Matt Martin tried to wrestle Crosby and Marino to season, but this is a special venue when the Islanders’ fans get amped the ice before Jarry pulled him off. Martin and Marino ended up with up. minor penalties • Speaking of the attendance, most of it was situated in the end the • A lot of this was by the Islanders’ design. They work through chaos. Penguins’ defended twice while the other end was much more spaced That fourth line of Martin, Cizikas and Clutterbuck wants to create out: bedlam in order to drag the opponent to somewhere they don’t want to The difference was based on whether or not fans were vaccinated. It was go. And with the ear-splitting atmosphere, Nassau Veterans Memorial a very unique approach to a very unique situation. Coliseum provides, it just gets amplified. Historically speaking The Islanders got some benefit out of this approach in how they kept coming back but the Penguins were able to forge through and claim a • Gaudreau recorded his first career postseason assist. win. • Letang had his fifth career three-point postseason game. • The NHL issued an explanation of why Crosby was allowed to leave the • This was the first postseason game in Nassau Veterans Memorial penalty box after the Beauvillier goal: Coliseum since April 22, 2019. “As all penalties were assessed at the same stoppage, the Coincidental • Leddy was penalized for his role in that never-ending scrum mentioned Penalty Rule (19.5) is applied — cancelling as many minors as possible above. That was his first postseason penalty in nearly seven years. His regardless of occurrence. PIT designates the player to serve the last infraction in a playoff game came as a member of the Chicago remaining minor before penalty starts. In this instance PIT chose Blackhawks on May 24, 2014. Crosby.” Publicly speaking • Zucker getting a goal was no small thing. He does a lot of little things well. Stuff like plays off the boards and getting back to help out • Letang on the chaos in the third period: defensively. But he needs to score to provide his full value to this team. It has largely been a disjointed season for him with injuries but it’s fair to “You have to stay calm, collected. We have a lot of guys that have been scrutinize his lack of scoring. He (and his team) needed that goal in a lot in those situations. We knew going into this game, it’s a loud building, of ways. they’re really good at home. They have a lot of guys that bring energy in that building. You just try to play the same way. … In the playoffs, the • The anti-Letang brigade had a quiet night. He just drove so much for momentum swings back and forth and it’s important that when it’s not in this team in Game 3. He wasn’t perfect but so much of what he did in this your favor, that you grab it as quick as possible.” game was on the positive side. And he simply created offense by putting pucks to the net. • Carter on his team’s toughness:

• The Penguins getting a power-play goal was a big step in the right “You look at our roster, the way that it’s built, you probably wouldn’t think direction. They were 0 for 5 through the first two games then cashed in that. There’s a lot of different ways in this league to be a tough player. It’s on a pretty important sequence in the third period. There remains work to a resilient group, they don’t back down from anybody. And they stick up be on this unit but it took a good step forward. for each other, they stick up for their teammates. It’s fun to see, it’s nice to see.” • This fourth-line of Aston-Reese, Tanev and forward Teddy Blueger was just a force in Game 3. They contested every inch of the ice the Islanders • Penguins coach Mike Sullivan on his team’s toughness: tried to claim. Furthermore, they helped generate the first and last goals “You can define toughness different ways. My experience of coaching of the contest. It says a lot about this team’s depth to have that trio as its this group since I’ve been here suggests to me that this is one of the fourth line. toughest cores that I’ve ever been around. They’ve played through • Jarry looked like he was trying to hold back the ocean at times in the whatever they have to win. There’s a certain resilience about it. … There third period. Pucks and Islanders players kept trying to enter his net and were a lot of emotions but I thought we did a really good job just he denied most of them entry. The numbers don’t look great but he was responding through some of the adversities throughout the course of the fantastic under the conditions in the third period. game but in particular the third period.”

• The Penguins took a couple of bad penalties through this game. • Islanders coach Barry Trotz was succinct on Carter: Specifically, Blueger took a slashing minor late in the first period while “He’s got three goals in three games. He’s been a little bit of a difference- McCann was nabbed for cross checking in the third period. They were maker for them.” lucky the Islanders failed to truly make them pay for those mental miscues. • Letang on Carter’s second goal:

• The Islanders are not getting enough from their top line. Barzal and “You can’t teach that. That’s like pure goal-scoring ability. He’s been Eberle finally got points, but they have been mostly empty jerseys out really good for us since he (joined) our team. It’s a tough shot. I don’t there. know if he expected (it) but he’s one of the guys that can make it happen. It was just an unbelievable shot.” Eberle is the most surprising considering how he usually collects offense against the Penguins. • Carter on Malkin: “He looked strong. He was moving well, making plays. On my second goal there, he made a great play to me. I was just trying to go to the net. I didn’t expect the pass. But good players make those plays. It was fun to have him out there. He brought a big boost to our lineup.”

• Trotz was less than complimentary on Varlamov’s play:

“We’ll have to look at it. Sometimes, your first reaction might not be favorable.”

• Beauvillier on the atmosphere in Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum:

“You could feel the energy of the crowd. Every hit you would make, they were cheering. It obviously got us going. A lot of energy. The games are going to get harder and harder. We hate each other a little bit more every game. It’s going to be tough games coming up but we’re looking forward to it.”

Tribune Review LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213729 Pittsburgh Penguins Many of their shifts still begin in the defensive zone, especially when the face off is in the left circle, where Blueger has a better chance of winning it on his backhand. If the Penguins gain possession, there are a few different plays they look to run to leverage their tenacity and Tanev’s Penguins' high-energy line setting the tone in first-round series speed to tilt the ice the other way.

“We know each other’s strengths,” Blueger said. “We try to play to those.”

Matt Vensel6-8 minutes 5/21/2021 Tanev is the straw that stirs the energy drink. Aston-Reese is a solid defender who has embraced the dirty work along the walls and at the net

front. And Blueger is a cerebral player and an improved skater who is UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Brandon Tanev is turbo-charged 24/7 and has typically in the right spot. become a cult hero in Pittsburgh due to his balls-to-the-wall playing style, While Blueger during the offseason prioritized improving as a playmaker, viral videos of him relentlessly yap-yap-yapping at opponents and his the trio typically still chips the puck into the corner then charges in to wide-eyed team photos. retrieve it. Scoring is nice, but the top priority remains tiring out more Teddy Blueger is stoic in nature and a noted workout warrior, often still talented opponents. skating in silence while many Penguins are already showered and in “Tans is so fast on the forecheck,” Aston-Reese said. “Teddy and I are street clothes. pretty strong and pretty good [as the first man in the zone] at getting in on And if Zach Aston-Reese was not an NHLer, you could definitely picture the forecheck and playing the body first and leaving the puck for the him running a taco truck on the California coast with Carl, his Italian [second forechecker].” greyhound pup. They then look to get the cycle game going or pass the puck to the point But when Mike Sullivan sends the three of them over the boards, and and crash the net. The latter is what they did on Tanev’s winning goal their unique personalities and different skill sets all blend together and Thursday. they just click. “Zach and Teddy did a great job of getting the puck in deep and starting “We all have the same mindset,” Aston-Reese said after Friday’s practice things off for us,” Tanev said. “[Kris Letang] got the puck to the net. He at Nassau Coliseum. “We know what kind of players we are. And when made a great play at the line. And I was fortunate enough to get a stick we come together as a line, what we do as a line is better than what we on that puck.” can do individually.” Prior to the playoffs, the line hadn’t skated together since March 15, And what they have done as a line in this first-round series is remarkable. when Blueger was lost for a few weeks due to an injury. Sullivan reunited them in this series and is asking them to match up against either Mathew In the wins in Game 2 and 3, they had tone-setting first shifts. They have Barzal or Brock Nelson. won their minutes despite typically being matched up against one of the top two New York Islanders lines. And Tanev was at the center of The Barzal line was quiet in the first two games of the series before Thursday’s wild 5-4 win, at one point being an unlikely voice of calm finally getting on the board at 5-on-5 in Game 3. The Blueger line had a before burying the late-game dagger. hand in that.

Game 4 of the series, which the Penguins lead 2-1, is Saturday at 3 p.m. And they have dominated their shifts against New York’s second line of Nelson, Anthony Beauvillier and Josh Bailey. In 7:04 of ice time against In the third period of Game 3, when the Penguins lost their two-goal lead them, Blueger and Co. outshot the Islanders 9-0, including five from the and the Coliseum was rocking after a line brawl that led to all 10 skaters slot. They’ve created four scoring chances off the cycle and scored sitting in the box, it was Tanev of all people who implored the Penguins Thursday’s game-winner. to settle down. Add all their minutes up and the Blueger line has outshot the Islanders, Wait. The dude who sings along with the music in warmups, whose lips 26-18, and have nearly twice as many shots from the slot, per Sportlogiq. somehow move even faster than his legs, who nearly knocked over Their 58.3 expected goals percentage in their 32-plus minutes is tops on Sidney Crosby while celebrating the Game 2 win, was telling everybody the team this series. to take a chill pill? The eclectic trio certainly has the attention of the guys on the other side. “It’s pretty funny if you think about it,” Aston-Reese said. “But at the college level, he’s won before. Tans just has that emotion. But he’s also “They bring lots of energy. They compete. They’re solid defensively and a smart guy. … He was basically saying, ‘Let’s get a hold of ourselves they get around the ice. They create a little bit of havoc, as well,” and get back to our game.’” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. “They’re a good line. … They’re responsible and they’re committed.” Then Tanev backed up the talk by scoring the game-winner, swatting the puck out of the air past Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov with 3:36 Post Gazette LOADED: 05.22.2021 remaining.

That entire sequence, Aston-Reese said, was evidence of the line’s evolution.

Early last season, when the Penguins lost a few forwards to injury, Sullivan first put the three of them together on a back-to-back in Minnesota and Winnipeg. They had instant chemistry and quickly coalesced into a stingy shutdown line.

Due to injuries and other circumstances, Blueger and his wingers have not skated together as frequently in 2021. And during the regular season, they slipped just a little defensively. But they made up for it with more offensive production.

That was largely a byproduct of hard work in the offseason by Blueger and shoulder surgery and a new diet for Aston-Reese, who set a career high in goals.

“At first when we were put together, we went up against the other team’s top lines and just tried to play good defense,” Aston-Reese said. “It’s evolved a little bit into making the other team pay, being a little more dangerous offensively.” 1213730 Pittsburgh Penguins move Zucker elsewhere, well, then the entire dynamic of the lineup changes.

“I think I can contribute in other ways other than putting the puck in the Jason Zucker rekindled his scoring spark in reunion with Evgeni Malkin. net,” Zucker said. “Obviously, goal scoring has been a part of my career Now can he sustain it? that I’ve really tried to lean on. At the same time, I want to make sure I’m contributing in other ways.”

Fine-tuning defensive details Mike DeFabo 5/21/2021 Speaking of goal scoring, putting up five goals against a defensive- minded Islanders team is noteworthy. But the Penguins also had to unleash all their firepower on a night when they pulled four pucks out of UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Of all the people thrilled to see Evgeni Malkin back their own net. in the postseason lineup, Jason Zucker surely placed near the top of the list. Against the Islanders’ heavy forecheck and neutral-zone clogging system, Zach Aston-Reese explained defense starts with decision The fast and fiery winger essentially played fourth-line minutes alongside making when the Penguins have the puck in order to limit New York’s center Freddy Gaudreau during Game 1 and Game 2 against the New ability to counter attack. York Islanders. But with Malkin’s anticipated debut in Thursday’s 5-4 win, Zucker earned a significant promotion into the prominent scoring-line “One thing we talked about was just keeping pucks off the yellow [along role. the bottom of the boards],” he said. “Sometimes you have a little more time than you think. You don’t have to rush the play up, especially when He made the most of it. the wings aren’t there on the walls. We can come out of the zone a little After Kris Letang fired the puck into the corner, Zucker and Malkin more controlled and not panic as much.” worked a quick cycle. Zucker darted to the net for his first goal of the According to SportLogiq, the Penguins’ zone exit success rate (which postseason. they measure as a play that reaches the neutral zone) was 79.6%. That’s “We had a little bit of a scissor play with Geno,” Zucker said. “That can about one percent better than league average this postseason. create a little bit of confusion with their defensemen. I was able to get a “Another big thing is just areas at the blue line,” Aston-Reese said. “Their step there and at that point just try to make a play at the net.” blue line and our blue line. Making strong plays. If we’re able to force This scoring touch is a key part of what enticed former general manager them to go back 200 feet, we’re going to be limiting them to come in on Jim Rutherford to acquire Zucker in February of 2020 in exchange for a the forecheck, especially with that fourth line of theirs that has a heavy hefty package that included Pittsburgh’s best defensive prospect at the forecheck.” time (Calen Addison) and a first-round pick. Keeping a lid on it The thinking was, Zucker was a player who had five 20-plus goal A lost lid ended with the puck in the Penguins net. John Marino was seasons on his resume, including a 33-goal season in 2017-18. Add in engaged in a puck battle in the corner when his helmet fell off. The some speed and the greasy attitude to get to the front of the net, and it league recently made it a penalty to play without a helmet, so Marino felt like a good fit in Mike Sullivan’s up-tempo system. either needed to exit the ice or put his helmet back on. Initially, results came in bunches. Zucker scored six goals in his first 15 “We’re actually asking for more clarity in that circumstance because it’s games as a Penguin. In the brief stint in the playoff bubble, he netted two our understanding that John can stay in the battle there,” Sullivan said. goals in four games. He’s right there. However, during this shortened and condensed season, the scoring has come a bit more sporadically. Zucker called himself out early in the year The rule states: “It is reasonable if a player who is making a play on the after tallying just a single assist and no goals through the first six games, puck or who is in the vicinity of the puck and engaged in the play at the saying he wasn’t playing the right way. time his helmet comes off, takes the opportunity to complete the play before either exiting the ice or retrieving and replacing his helmet.” He began to find his footing with six points (four goals) over the next 11 games. But then his season got sidelined when he went down with a However, wording of the rule is pretty vague and somewhat open to lower-body injury in Washington on Feb. 23. By the time he came back, interpretation, especially considering Marino was penalized earlier this Malkin was injured, too. year for playing a puck without a helmet.

Zucker finished the year with nine goals and nine assists in 38 regular Post Gazette LOADED: 05.22.2021 season games.

“You’ve got to stick with the process,” Zucker said. “A big thing for me is getting shots on net and trying to create things for my linemates, playing the right way as far as forechecks, being physical, getting pucks on net, being around the net.”

Zucker’s point on shooting the puck is a good one. After attempting as many as 10.26 shots per 60 minutes in 2014-15, he was down to just 6.19 this year. That’s the lowest shot volume of his career at 5-on-5. Interestingly, his shooting percentage at 5-on-5 (14.8%) is actually the second-best of his career.

This postseason, there’s been a slight uptick back to career norms, as he’s attempted 7.28 shots per 60 minutes. Through three games, he has four 5-on-5 shots.

As you look at the big picture, the combination of Malkin’s return, the Jeff Carter trade and Freddy Gaudreau’s emergence has helped create a forward corps that’s about as deep and complete as any in recent Penguins’ memory. But Zucker remains one of the most-critical pieces to making the puzzle come together.

If he fits and flourishes on Malkin’s wing? The Penguins have three potent scoring lines to go along with Teddy Blueger’s frustrating defensive line. But if ultimately they decide to reshuffle the deck and 1213731 Pittsburgh Penguins • Crosby made the save of the night — a stick save and a beauty — when he deflected Brock Nelson’s attempt at an open net with time winding down. Crosby has taken on a mid-30s role not unlike that of his idol, Steve Yzerman. He still creates plenty of offense but his all-around Joe Starkey: Anyone still worried about Brandon Tanev's contract? game often steals the show.

• Carter called the Islanders’ third-period riot-stoking “part of their game plan.” The mayhem absolutely helped fuel the Islanders comeback, but Joe Starkey 5/21/2021 here’s the thing: They don’t know how or when to turn it off. And that was part of their downfall.

Not everyone was pleased when the Penguins signed free-agent winger Veteran defenseman Nick Leddy, for example, went out of his way in the Brandon Tanev to a six-year contract on July 1, 2019. neutral zone to try to put a big hit on Freddy Gaudreau in a 1-1 game, and for what? All it did was lead directly to a Carter goal. Too long, they said. He doesn’t score enough. His advanced numbers are worrisome. What are the Penguins really getting? Way worse: Cal Clutterbuck — just after the Islanders tied it 3-3 and the place was going nuts — had to be the tough guy and run into goalie I wondered about it myself, but only for a few hours. Only until I was able Tristan Jarry. Carter immediately made him pay on the power play. to talk to people I trust, including the great Gary Roberts, a maniacal Penguins winger-turned-personal-trainer. He had worked with Tanev. • The Penguins are now 9-1-1 in their past 11 starts against Semyon Varlamov. He’s great against most everyone else, but the Islanders Roberts loved the move. I asked him by text to describe Tanev in a word. aren’t playing everyone else at the moment. I can’t help but question whether Barry Trotz has complete faith in Varlamov. Trotz benched him “Determined,” he wrote. for Game 7 against the Flyers last year, remember. I also caught up with Tanev’s college coach from Providence, Nate I would expect to see Ilya Sorokin in Game 4, and I wonder if Trotz Leaman, who could not say enough about a player who won him a regrets that he didn’t come back with him in Game 2. national championship with a legendary goal against Boston University (Mike Sullivan’s alma mater) in 2015. • Kris Letang has been positively sublime in this series. He has actually become an underrated player. He had a goal and two assists and played “The combination of size [6 feet, though just 180 pounds], speed, a game-high 24:20. Mike Rupp on the television postgame show tenaciousness and smarts make him a little bit of a one-of-a-kind,” suggested Letang is playing the best hockey of his career. Leaman said. “You know?” I’m not sure I disagree. I do now. We all do. The latest evidence arrived Thursday night when Tanev beat the New York Islanders in Game 3 by batting a puck out of Post Gazette LOADED: 05.22.2021 mid-air with 3:36 remaining in regulation.

The “smarts” were on display there, as Tanev clearly waited for the puck to dip under the crossbar before he took his swing. He called it a lucky goal. I’d call it a highly skillful one.

Tanev also set up the first goal by hitting Jordan Eberle on the forecheck, and this came two nights after he set the tone for Game 2 with a huge early hit.

I don’t hear anybody complaining about that contract anymore.

Other thoughts from the Penguins’ wild 5-4 victory …

• When it comes to comparing Jeff Carter to previous acquisitions in the Sidney Crosby era — specifically those who helped spark deep playoff runs — I’d say he’s been nothing less than a combination of , Roberts and Bill Guerin.

Think I’m kidding?

Carter, who scored twice Thursday, not only leads the team in goals (12) since he was acquired April 15 but according to AT&T Sportsnet is second in the NHL since then. Both his Game 3 goals were sniper shots. He’s also a natural leader and a player Sullivan trusts so much that he’ll put him on the ice in any situation — including at the end of the game again with Sidney Crosby.

Carter was a factor on the power play and penalty kill. He might play goal before this run is done.

Said Tanev: “Carts was a horse for us tonight.”

So forget about putting the Carts before the horse. Carts is the horse.

• I don’t think the Penguins would have won without Evgeni Malkin. His presence lengthened the lineup, allowing Carter to become a bottom-six center, and while Malkin obviously wasn’t in dominance mode, he set up a pair of goals, put about five passes on a platter, sparked the power play and was fully invested in the cause. That was evident when he went to his knees to block a point-blank shot.

• Was I hallucinating, or did Pierre McGuire give us a scouting report on the U.S. women’s water polo team?

Wait, here’s the quote. I wrote it down: “The American women are unbelievable at water polo.”

I’m glad I checked. 1213732 Pittsburgh Penguins The Penguins win on Thursday night gave the team their first series lead since they won Game 1 of their Round Two matchup against the Washington Capitals in 2018. In fact, the Penguins have won only two playoff games since then. Notebook: ZAR Feels Difference, Penguins Want Clarity on Marino Helmet Loss For Aston-Reese, the difference in feeling is something to enjoy, and it’s the first time the Penguins have won a second game in any series since 2018.

Published 11 hours ago on May 21, 2021By Dan Kingerski On Thursday night, PHN asked Sullivan about the atmosphere and conversations on the Penguins bench when New York turned the game

into a battle royal. Aston-Reese further described the scene on Friday. Cal Clutterbuck was wide open near the Pittsburgh Penguins crease and “Right off the top of my head, it just comes to (Brandon) Tanev. I know he buried the first of two New York Islanders’ goals early in the third period. was the first guy to start being vocal. He was telling the boys ‘just relax, It wasn’t a defensive breakdown that left Clutterbuck wide open but a lost calm down. Play a simple game.’ We’ve got to get pucks north and get in lid that allowed the Islanders fourth-liner to bury a rebound chance. on the forecheck,” Aston-Reese said. “(Kris Letang), too, said force them New York put the Penguins on their heels, and a defeat seemed likely as to defend…it’s just a crazy atmosphere, and we’ve got to play the right defenseman John Marino’s helmet spun on the ice like the Penguins’ way to drown out the crowd and limit the Islanders.” heads were spinning on the bench. Per NHL rules, a player cannot Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 05.22.2021 continue to play without a helmet, and Marino’s was knocked off during a puck battle in the corner. Whether or not Marino’s helmet was knocked off intentionally will be a matter of debate, as will Marino’s ability to stay in the play.

“We’re actually asking for a little bit more clarity in that circumstance because it’s our understanding that John can stay in the battle there,” Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan said on Friday. “Obviously, we get outnumbered because of it. So we’re actually asking for clarity on that from the league because it’s my understanding that he can stay in that battle and look for the opportune time to get to the bench.”

After his helmet fell to the ice, Marino skated towards it but couldn’t pick it up on the first pass. On video replay, he hesitated before racing for the bench.

The second-year pro was visibly angry on the bench after Clutterbuck, who would have been Marino’s responsibility, scored.

Defenseman Cody Ceci, who changed for Marino, could not get into the play in time. The goal halved the Penguins’ lead to 3-2 and launched New York’s comeback.

The NHL instituted the rule beginning with the 2019-20 season. It also states, “shall be given a reasonable opportunity to complete the play,” but Marino was on the edge of scrum and wasn’t technically making a play on the puck.

Also, should a player internationally knock another player’s helmet off, it is a roughing penalty by rule. When it leads to a goal:

That would have made the game interesting.

Pittsburgh Penguins 4th Line/ Zach Aston-Reese:

The Pittsburgh Penguins fourth line began and ended the scoring on Thursday night. The output continued the Penguins fourth line prominence, which has thus far kept the Islanders’ top liners Mathew Barzal and Jordan Eberle from scoring a goal.

The trio centered by Teddy Blueger, which Zach Aston-Reese on the left and Brandon Tanev on the right, has been a secret weapon since Sullivan united them early last season. Both Tanev and Aston-Reese received Selke award votes last season.

However, while a handful of Penguins have Stanley Cup rings, Aston- Reese arrived a year too late. The winger didn’t make his NHL debut until late in the 2017-18 season. Since then, the Penguins have won only one playoff series.

Aston-Reese was originally credited with the game’s first goal, but scorers later changed it to Kris Letang.

“I could have zero points and be completely happy as long as we’re winning. You know, it’s so much fun winning in playoffs,” Aston-Reese said. “I’ve had a lot of playoff experience…that previous experience kind of not doing so well stinks. So just to have team success…the last two games has been feeling really good.”

Aston-Reese has one assist in three playoff games this season. He had one assist in four games last season and three career assists in 20 playoff games. Had the original scoring stuck, it would have been Aston- Reese’s first playoff goal. 1213733 St Louis Blues As the penalties ended, Robert Thomas sent a centering pass up ice in the Blues’ offensive zone. The puck went all the way out to the opposite end of the neutral zone. . .just in time for Graves to come barreling out of the box for a breakaway attempt. Blues on brink of elimination with 5-1 loss to Avs If Graves could catch up with the puck, that is. Goalie Jordan Binnington had two choices. Stay at home and defend the breakaway. Or race out of his net and get to the puck on time. Jim Thomas 5 hrs ago Binnington did the latter. But didn’t get to the puck in time. Graves shot

from left circle with the puck deflecting off Binnington’s stick and into the Only once in the history of Blues playoff hockey have they rallied from a net, breaking a scoreless tie at 1:57 into the second. Had the puck not hit two games to none deficit to win a best-of-seven series. And that took Binnington’s stick it might have gone wide. place way back in 1972 against the Minnesota North Stars. When asked if Binnington could have played that sequence better, coach After Friday’s 5-1 loss to Colorado, they must become the first team in Craig Berube bluntly replied: “I’m sure there’s a couple (goals) he’d like Blues history to rally from a 3-0 series deficit to keep playing. to have back.”

“I was on a team in Philadelphia when we were down 3-0 to Boston and The Avs were once again in the right spot at the right time in making it 2- came back to win the series,” coach Craig Berube said. “It can be done.” 0 later in the second. Once again, Graves was in the middle of it. He sent a big shot from left wing that resulted in a big rebound the other way to The Blues get one more chance to prolong this series, with Game 4 Alex Newhook, who had an open half of the net to shoot at as Binnington Sunday at Enterprise Center. Otherwise, the Blues will be done. For the had no time to get over. season. Not only was it the first NHL playoff goal of Newhook’s career. It was his “It’s do-or-die time,” captain Ryan O’Reilly said. “We have to come first NHL goal, period. together and find a way here. It’s not gonna be easy, but our focus is on the next game.” A first-round draft pick by the Avalanche in 2019, Newhook didn’t sign with Colorado until March 31 of this year. He didn’t play his first NHL Not even the presence of 9,000 loud fans, and the return of Charles game until May 5. And combining regular season and playoffs games, it Glenn singing the national anthem, could help Friday. was only the ninth contest of his NHL career.

“We didn’t give them much to cheer about,” O’Reilly said. Klim Kostin advocates take note.

It was the Blues’ first home playoff game since Game 6 of the 2019 Just 3 ½ minutes later it became 3-0. Once again, this came on a Stanley Cup Final against Boston. The Blues lost that one – also by a rebound, but this time it was a rebound that barely trickled out of score of 5-1 - in a game that evened the series 3-3. Binnington’s grasp. Tyson Jost, the Avalanche player who knocked Robert Bortuzzo out of Wednesday’s game with an elbow to the face, Strange as it may sound, this might have been the Blues’ best swooped in for the net-front goal. performance in this series, at least for the first two periods. Even so, they found themselves down 3-1 entering the third. It was that kind of a night. The Blues lost a challenge for goalie interference on the goal, meaning Colorado went immediately on the power play with 3:53 left in Period 2. “I don’t think the score represents the way the game went,” said Tyler Bozak, who scored the Blues’ only goal, shorthanded, late in the second But O’Reilly stole the puck in the corner behind the Colorado net and fed period. “I thought we created more than we have in the first two games. I to a trailing Bozak racing down the slot. Bozak buried it for his third thought we sustained a lot more time in the offensive zone and I thought shorthanded goal of the season and the Colorado lead was down to 3-1. we limited them a little bit, too.” The Blues never managed much of a push in the third period, with And still lost by four goals. Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. Colorado adding an even-strength goal and then an empty-netter to finish Unfortunately for the Blues, the Avalanche were both lucky and good out the game. Friday night. Lucky and very good, actually. “It’s definitely disappointing,” O’Reilly said. “We did some really good “They’re a really good team, and they know how to find ways to win,” things at first, and like you said, we still end up down. The third we Bozak said. “They’re opportunistic, they find ways to score. They scored needed a better push. I think if we get one, it would’ve tightened them on a lot of their chances, made great plays, and that’s what the really right up and gave us a chance. good teams do.” “We did some good things and didn’t get the bounces. A couple of their The Blues have yet to have the lead in this series, but they had a chance plays were good bounces, and it’s in the back of the net.” to do so late in the first period when ’s pass sprung Brayden Schenn into the clear for a partial breakaway. Over and over again.

Hustling back, Avs captain took down Schenn from Blues beat reporter Jim Thomas joined columnist Jeff Gordon to discuss behind and in the process broke Schenn’s stick in half. Much to the the Blues’ losses to the Colorado Avalanche in Games 1 and 2. Net chagrin of Schenn and the 9,000, there was no penalty called by the Fron… crew headed by referees Chris Lee and Jean Hebert. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.22.2021 Asked if he thought a penalty should have been called, Berube went off. Not just on the officiating in this game, but the officiating in the series.

“Yeah, he broke his stick,” Berube said. “The refereeing, every game, we get one or two calls. It’s usually late in the third period.

“They’re getting four a game, five. How many did they get tonight? Five? I mean, it’s not that lopsided. I’m not sure why we don’t get the calls we deserve.

“(Colton) Parayko gets tripped in the corner, they score a goal on the goalie challenge goal, he gets tripped in the corner - slew-footed - and they don’t call it and it cost us a goal. It’s terrible. It’s so one-sided it’s not even funny.”

The Blues couldn’t blame the officials for the first Avalanche goal. The second period started with 4-on-4 play, because Ivan Barbashev and Colorado’s Ryan Graves were both serving minors for roughing. 1213734 St Louis Blues But in the end Walman was a scratch. He almost certainly will be ready to play in Game 4 Sunday.

As for Friday, all of those circumstances — no Bortuzzo, no Faulk, no Blues notebook: Reinke gets the call for depleted D-corps Dunn, no Walman — led to Reinke (and Santini) being in the lineup.

Kadri gets 8 games

Jim Thomas 9 hrs ago During the first period break, the NHL announced that Kadri had been suspended eight games for an illegal check to the head of Faulk in the third period of Wednesday’s game. With the suspension pending, Kadri was not in the Avalanche lineup on Friday. Defenseman Mitch Reinke was a member of the Blues’ extras, or “Black Aces,” during their run to the Stanley Cup in 2019. Apparently, there was not even a fine for Jost for his hit on Bortuzzo. Carl Soderberg replaced Kadri in the Avalanche lineup Friday. As such, he participated in that infamous parade down Market Street, riding in the back of a pickup truck with Ville Husso. It may be wishful thinking, but Berube didn’t rule out the possibility of Faulk returning by the end of the series. “As far as you could see there were people,” Reinke told the Post- Dispatch before the start of last season. “It’s one of the most incredible “He’s doing OK,” Berube said of Faulk after the morning skate. “But I got things I’ve even been a part of.” no comment on the hit or whatever the league does. But Faulker, he’s doing OK.” And then came Friday, and another huge event when Reinke played in his first NHL playoff game. And only his second NHL game period. And Bortuzzo?

Reinke was signed out of Michigan Tech by the Blues as a college free “Yeah, I think there’s a potential return, too,” Berube said. “It’s hard for agent in the spring of 2018. Shortly after signing, Reinke played in one me to determine on those types of things. It changes. Might change in game for the Blues — March 31, 2018 at Arizona. It was a memorable two days for the worse. May get better. Who knows?” night for Reinke, his first NHL game. But a terrible night for the Blues, who lost 6-0 to the Coyotes. Blues beat reporter Jim Thomas joined columnist Jeff Gordon to discuss the Blues’ losses to the Colorado Avalanche in Games 1 and 2. Net And that was it for Reinke. Oh, he came to training camp every year, but Fron… that was it. He spent the rest of his time in the American Hockey League, first for San Antonio and this season for Utica. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.22.2021

Reinke had a record-setting season for San Antonio in 2018-19, setting Rampage rookie records for goals (12), assists (33), points (45) and power-play goals (nine) by a defenseman.

But last year, he struggled defensively for the Rampage, finishing at minus-23. This year at Utica, Reinke played in only 18 games as the AHL season was shortened considerably due to COVID issues. He had two goals, 10 assists and was minus-12.

And on Friday, there he was, taking the ice with 17 ½ minutes to go in the first period for his first shift on defense. The opponent? Just the highest-scoring team in the league — the Colorado Avalanche.

The Blues lost Friday's game 5-1, but it wasn't because of Reinke. Or Steven Santini, who played just his fourth game of the season because of all the injuries on defense.

"I thought they did a great job," coach Craig Berube said. "I thought our D corps did a great job tonight, being shorthanded like that. I think they did a really nice job, moving the puck, defending, a lot of good stuff by everybody."

Reinke played 9 minutes 19 seconds, had two shots on goal and was minus-1. Santini played 16:20, had five overall shot attempts - and on a night when the Blues had 46 hits, was second on the team with eight hits. He was even in terms of plus-minus.

Justin Faulk and Robert Bortuzzo were out with upper-body injuries after being on the receiving end of blows to the head by Avs forwards Nazem Kadri and Tyson Jost, respectively, in Wednesday’s 6-3 Blues loss.

Vince Dunn took part in Friday’s morning skate, but once again did not play in the game. He has now missed 14 consecutive games with an upper-body injury.

There was some intrigue both Friday morning and Friday pregame in terms of the Blues’ defensive lineup. In the morning at Centene Community Ice Center, Jake Walman skated with Blues extras prior to the team’s morning skate.

That meant Walman no longer was under COVID quarantine protocols after being added to the NHL’s COVID list May 10 in Los Angeles. If he was still on the list, he couldn’t skate. Sure enough, when the league’s daily COVID list came out Friday afternoon, Walman was not on the list.

(However, David Perron and Nathan Walker remained on the list.)

After not skating for 10 days while in quarantine, Walman probably needs a day or two of practice before he’s game ready. Berube kept up the intrigue by sending Walman out for pregame warmups. 1213735 St Louis Blues just dumb luck, sure. But the Avs are doing so many things right — the big things, the little things and the things we don’t even see.

When the season began, I wrote a column in this space about how St. Hochman: The Blues are bruised, but Colorado is just that good Louis-Colorado could and should be the next great rivalry in the National Hockey League. The teams had some recent history, a winner-goes-to- the-playoffs game a few years back and, of course, some gnarly, nasty fights. But this season hasn’t shown us that these two are rivals — it’s 5 hrs ago instead showed us the disparity between the two teams. Again, the Blues Benjamin Hochman aren’t bad. But I suppose Colorado isn’t just only good. Their franchise is different than St. Louis’. The Avs had to lose a lot for a lot of years to get top draft picks, and now guys such as Nathan MacKinnon and Gabe Landeskog and Cale Makar are stars. The Blues seldom get high picks The Blues entered this season thinking Cup. With all the kicks to the because they’re almost always in the playoffs. groin, they could’ve used one. But here we are. We can only wonder how a healthy, spirited Blues team The team’s leader in points ended up in COVID protocol right before the would’ve done in this series. But the reality is it might not have mattered. playoffs. This after a regular season with the second-most man games lost among all the teams — and a few of those players out for the year. With 2:58 left at Enterprise Center, St. Louis was woebegone. During a Then in Game 3, the Blues were forced to play without two regular TV timeout, they played Garth Brooks’ famous song, and the St. Louis defensemen, a devastating blow due to two devastating blows. In Game fans sang along: “I’ve got friends in low places — where the whiskey 2, back in Denver, Tyson Jost elbowed Robert Bortuzzo in the head, drowns and the beer chases ... my blues away.” knocking out the durable defenseman. And then, disgustingly, Nazem Kadri illegally hit Justin Faulk, arguably St. Louis’ finest defenseman. In today’s 10 a.m. video, columnist Ben Hochman shares his excitement for sports (and sports fans) on Clark Avenue this weekend in St. Louis. But maybe, just maybe, even if the Blues had all their Blues, it still Also, a happy birthday shoutout to Mr. T. And, as always, Hochman wouldn’t have mattered against the Avalanche. chooses a random St. Louis Cards card from the hat. Ten Hochman is presented Monday-Friday by The Milliken Hand Rehabilitation Center. Colorado is great. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.22.2021 Is St. Louis bad? No. St. Louis is a talented team. But Colorado is a machine.

Yes, yes, I know. There’s still at least one more game to play. With the Avs’ 5-1 win Friday at Enterprise Center, the visitors took a 3-0 lead in the first-round series of the Stanley Cup playoffs. But Sunday will likely be the last Blues’ game of this rollercoaster season which, essentially, ended Friday.

And here’s the thing, the thing that’s most maddening: The Blues didn’t play that badly in Game 3. In fact, they Blues had more shots on goal than Colorado did, 32-26. And the Blues pummeled the Avs all night, out- hitting Colorado, 46-20. Sammy Blais, by himself, had 10 hits. Add the five by Ivan Barbashev, and those two Blues had more hits than all 18 Avs. The Blues played a very direct game in Game 3, chipping the puck in, forechecking with purpose, doing things that won them a bunch of games in 2019.

Yet, the Blues didn’t score one five-on-five goal all night.

The only goal was shorthanded. Which was fitting, since the Blues’ penalty kill was stupendous all night against the Avs.

Again, the Blues did so much right on Friday night … and lost, 5-1.

“The bottom line is that our top guys are guys we rely on, and we’ve got to produce,” coach Craig Berube said.

He later said of his top lines seldom scoring, “If I had an answer of why, I would’ve fixed it already.”

Berube is frustrated. Letting it out. In his media session, he went after the refs following Game 3, saying the penalty distribution is “so one-sided, it’s not even funny.”

Berube probably wanted the league to hear his anger, even if it’ll cost him money via a fine.

And yes, the Blues should’ve earned a power play when the Colorado player literally broke Brayden Schenn’s stick on a scoring chance. Could’ve swayed the game.

But the reality is, the Blues are just overwhelmed by the opponent.

That’s how good Colorado is.

These teams have played 11 times this season and postseason. Colorado has won eight of them.

Remember when some fans and media, given a choice between playoff opponents Colorado or Vegas, desired Colorado?

Friday’s game was a weird one. The Avs seemed to get every lucky puck bounce out there on the ice. The Blues, back in 2019, had their share of puck luck. But good teams sure seem to earn lucky plays, if that is possible. A lot of it is preparation and hustle and positioning. Some of it is 1213736 St Louis Blues Q: Let's assume Bader has moved himself out of potential platoon status and has cemented his everyday status in the bottom 3rd of the order. That leaves O'Neill and perhaps DeJong vulnerable to be upgraded at the deadline. While the wins have been great, the offense has not been Gordo: To catch Colorado, Blues need a retool, not a rebuild nearly consistent enough for Mo to sit back and ride it into the post- season... I do realize it is May 21st.

A: I'd be very, very surprised if the Cardinals replaced Paul DeJong at the Jeff Gordon 12 hrs ago trade deadline. And if Tyler O'Neill still has an .820 OPS as the trade deadline nears, uprading over that production plus Gold Glove fielding would be difficult, Of course, that .820 OPS for O'Neill is an enormous if. The sentiment of Blues nation was not optimistic during our weekly chat Right now the Cardinals still don't really know what they have with him. with Post-Dispatch readers. Here are some of the top questions. By July they will have a better idea.

David Zalubowski Q: Looking at the teams already falling in the standings what LH OF's should Mo be "kicking the tires on" to possibly add to the Cards roster? Q: Dallas, Nashville, Calgary, the NHL is full to teams who had their Do you think anything will be done to address this anytime before the championship windows seemingly close overnight. Since the league trade deadline? shutdown after the game in Anaheim back in 2020, the Blues have played pretty bad hockey for the last year. Injuries and COVID can A: Joey Gallo seems like the most obvious guy to get moved, but it's explain some of that, as can the team losing a significant amount of debatable whether he would offer an upgrade. He hits some homers but talent, but this has the look of a team where all the pieces briefly clicked does not hit for high average, so is he better than Tyler O'Neill? The and now that they've been broken apart they just won't come back Cardinals have a set lineup when everybody is healthy. The little bit we together. Jeff, have we seen the end of this Blues team being a legit Cup saw the group at 100 percent looked OK. The team could better left- contender? handed bench support and, yes, I would expect to see that need addressed before the trade deadline. A: No, the Blues do not have to blow up the team and start over. They weren't good in the odd Bubble Hockey scenario and this season was a Q: Do you think we could see Plummer this year? LH bat with some struggle due to injuries, COVID-19 disruptions and some individuals power and he seems to be doing good in Springfield. having off seasons. Let's see what happens after some roster retooling, a full summer of training, a regular training camp and a normal 82-game Cardinals v Twins schedule with normal protocols. Chris Lee When you look around the league, you see a LOT of teams that had A: Nick Plummer has been quite the story this year. No thanks to injuries, strange seasons and a LOT of good players who had miserable the 23rd overall pick in 2015 failed to hit at the Class A and advanced campaigns. It was that kind of year. Class A levels. COVID-19 wiped out his 2020 season and now he's Q: Does Binnington's spectacular play keep the "cup window" open for enjoying a breakthrough against advanced Class AA competition. And if the next few years as Army envisioned? What addition besides being he keeps this up, sure, he could get a big league taste. The Cardinals will healthier are needed to back up his strong play? need to determine if merits a spot on the 40-man roster.

A: I believe the Blues need to add one solid veteran defenseman who will Q: I think the Gold Glove award last year for O'Neill was because of a be positionally strong. This team as ample puck-movers, especially after small sample size. He is solid, but cannot make the plays Bader can. Jake Walman's breakout. Exhibit A: he misjudged the liner right to him against the Padres, giving the Padres 2 runs and the game. Q: It’s clear Colorado, Minnesota and Vegas are better then the Blues. What does Doug Armstrong have to do in the off season to match up tp A: O'Neill's fielding metrics this year are not as good as last year's, but he these 3? Trades? Free agent signing? is still on the plus side with his runs saved numbers. He is not as a good as Bader out there and neither is Carlson, but the combination of the A: It is certainly NOT clear that Minnesota is better than the Blues, as the three is impressive. Williams has potential, too, but his play out there has late-season games between the teams indicated. The Wild have a couple been uneven. of terrible contracts that will handcuff them for a long time. And Colorado will have salary cap concerns after this year. Q: Randy Arozarena Garcia and Carlson would make an excellent outfield and it’s not there because of cardinal front office mismanagement As for the Blues, I mentioned the retooling needed. Thomas needs to get . Garcia has basically the same stats as their $30 million third baseman his career back on track, Kyrou needs to keep developing because his upside is huge. Parayko needs to get back to 100 percent. There is work A: This assumes that age 28 Garcia has finally figured out how to make to do, but this team should be in the playoff chase for years to come. consistent contact over the long haul. We'll see. That will be a great story if he does because his path has not been easy. Q: After the Cards go back to a 5 man rotation, has Gant made enough of a case to stay in the rotation? Considering Shildt views the Cards' And that outfield you mention would let a lot of fly balls land. Are the bullpen as having only one lefty, it seems like Kim could have more utility Cardinals with three outfielders with .800-plus OPS and excellent range? there rather than continue to struggle to make it through 5 innings. Yes. Do the Cardinals know if all three can maintain that pace? No.

A: Gant has not been pitching deep into games either, it will be So we'll have a lot to talk about this summer. interesting to see how this plays. Kim offers a different look for the Q: I've heard old stories about what an accomplished pitcher Babe Ruth rotation that is appealing and I'm not sure he would adapt to the bullpen. was on top of being one of the greatest sluggers ever. Did he do both at Gant has proven he can flourish in that relief role, so that may work the same time like S. Ohtani is doing this season or are we witnessing against his desire to stay in the rotation if everybody else stays healthy. maybe the most amazing player ever? But what are the odds that everybody stays healthy? AP Week in Pictures: North America Q: Jeff, would you take a look at reuniting Trevor Story and Arenado this Oddly, Ruth never was a full-time hitter and full-time pitcher at the same fall and using DeJong and a AA pitcher for some power outfield help? time. The closest he came was 1918, when he started 19 games on the Fuentes, Rockies split doubleheader with virus-short Padres mound and played 95 games overall. Starting in 1919 he moved away from regular pitching. No, because Story would be a rental player and DeJong could fill a key role here for years. Also, the Cardinals have been getting sufficient So, yes, Ohtani might just be the most amazing player ever. outfield production when healthy. Of course, they were at 100 percent for Q: Not an anti-Webb guy but he shouldn't be allowed near any just a few games. Given that, it is tough to make a firm assessment of meaningful innings until he has had a few successful outings. Shildt where their outfield really is. Maybe the players who may become thrust him into the game on Wednesday after he had just one decent available for trade in the MLB market are not a better option. outing amid seven horrific ones. A: Tyler Webb is on the spot for sure. Mike Shildt has leaned really hard on him as his rubber-arm lefty. Maybe he has leaned too hard on him. I mentioned Andrew Miller earlier as a guy the Cardinals would love to see turn back his clock. But that may not be possible at this stage of his career. Daniel Ponce de Leon could add critical depth if he can get locked in as well as he was late last season. So, yes, there are some issues here. The Cardinals need additional reliability so Shildt has more choices.

Q: I'm usually the first guy lobbing in Carp questions/complaints but he has been the invisible man this week. The fact that they kept Edman at 2B with not one but two guys out of the starting line-up is pretty telling.

A: It is. Maybe the Cardinals are just saving him for emergency relief pitching. But seriously . . . they gave Max Moroff a look because he was hot in Memphis. Now they need to run with Edmundo Sosa a bit based on what he did against the Pirates. Sosa a still a relatively young player who develop into something. As I noted in last week's chat, DeJong's injury was going to throw a spotlight on the Matt Carpenter scenario.

Q: Do you see the Blues protecting Schenn in the expansion draft? Do you think the Blues will re-sign Schwartz? Personally, I'd let Schwartz walk and redeploy that money into a more robust offensive player. Schwartz has done little this year, and he did little in the regular season in 2018-2019. What do you think, sir?

A: Schwartz is having the worst possible walk year in his contract. His career arc is starting to look like what we saw from Alexander Steen. And while Steen remained a valued teammate until his back gave out, his pay level outstripped his team role at the end. Given all the injuries Schwartz has had, Armstrong needs to give this situation some thought as he ponders some roster retooling. For the right money Schwartz would still make sense because of his strong defensive play, but Jaden might differ on what "right money" looks like.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213737 St Louis Blues Reinke’s a different matter. After signing as a college free agent with the Blues in the spring of 2018, Reinke played one game as a Blue _ 13:05 against Arizona on March 31, 2018. Since then, he has played exclusively in the American Hockey League before being recalled from Blues Game Day: Bortuzzo, Faulk out; Dunn a maybe Utica this season on April 27 to the taxi squad.

“He’s a puck mover,” Berube said. “He moves the puck well. Sees the ice well. He’s a smart player. That’s probably his best quality.” Jim Thomas 11 hrs ago Wait. There’s more. Marco Scandella also wasn’t on the ice with the full

squad Friday morning. But Berube says it was a maintenance day and To put it mildly, the Blues defense remains in flux heading into Friday’s that Scandella is expected to play tonight. Scandella also took critical Game 3 against the Colorado Avalanche in the first round NHL maintenance days before Games 1 and 2 of the Colorado series on playoff series. Monday and Wednesday, but played in those games, so he’s got something ailing him. Justin Faulk and Robert Bortuzzo are out with upper-body injuries after being on the receiving end of blows to the head by Avs forwards Nazem And finally, forward Jaden Schwartz also took a maintenance day but is Kadri and Tyson Jost, respectively, in Wednesday’s 6-3 Blues loss. expected to play tonight according to Berube. He was not seen on the ice at Wednesday’s morning skate, either, in Denver but played in that After the team’s morning skate at Centene Community Ice Center, coach game. Craig Berube indicated that Vince Dunn’s status will be a game-time decision for the scheduled 8:30 p.m. start at Enterprise Center. PROJECTED BLUES LINEUP

Dunn skated Friday morning, but has done so frequently recently without Forwards playing in games. He has missed the Blues’ last 13 games with an upper- Barbashev-O’Reilly-Kyrou body injury. Dunn and Berube were both talking on the side at the end of the morning skate. Schwartz-Schenn-Tarasenko

And then, Dunn stayed late to work with extras Klim Kostin, Mackenzie Hoffman-Thomas-Bozak MacEachern and Dakota Joshua. That’s almost always a sign that a player will not be in that night’s lineup. Why? Because you want to save Clifford-Sanford-Blais your legs for the game. You don’t want to put too much work in earlier on Defensemen game days. Krug-Santini When asked by the Post-Dispatch about Dunn’s status for Game 3, Berube replied: “We’ll see at game time.” Scandella-Parayko

When asked how Dunn looked Friday, Berube answered in a strange Mikkola-Dunn/Reinke voice: “Real good.” Goalie You want more intrigue? On an adjacent rink at Centene, skating prior to the Blues’ team morning skate, Jake Walman was skating with what Binnington during the regular season was called the taxi squad. (Technically, the taxi PROJECTED AVS LINEUP squad no longer exists now that we’re in the playoffs, so you can call the group extras or “Black Aces.”) Forwards

In any event, that means Walman no longer is under COVID quarantine Landeskog-MacKinnon-Rantanen protocols after being added to the NHL’s COVID list May 10 in Los Angeles. Burakovsky-Soderberg-Donskoi

When the NHL released its daily COVID list late Friday afternoon, only Saad-Jost-Nichuskin David Perron and Nathan Walker remained on the list. Newhook-Bellemaire-Compher

But after not skating for 10 days while in quarantine, Walman probably Defensemen needs a day or two of practice before he’s game ready. Besides, if he were going to play tonight, he probably would’ve skated with the main Toews-Makar group Friday. Girard-Graves Also skating with the Black Aces were young defensemen Tyler Tucker and Scott Perunovich. Tucker was just recalled from Utica of the America Nemeth-Timmins Hockey League. A prized prospect, Perunovich hasn’t played this season Goaltenders after undergoing shoulder surgery in mid February; Friday is the first time he has been known to skate with other Blues players. Grubauer

In any event, it appears Steven Santini will be in the lineup tonight. And if (Check back later for more updates.) Vince Dunn is not available, Mitch Reinke will also be on defense for the St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.22.2021 Blues against the NHL’s highest-scoring team.

“I don’t know the full lineup yet,” Colton Parayko said after the morning skate. “But we just gotta focus on the game and that’s all we can do. Put together our best lineup and put together our best game.”

Santini has played in three games for the Blues this season, last appearing in the regular-season finale May 13 against Minnesota and logging 19 minutes 37 seconds. He had an assist and was plus-1.

“The games he’s played have been steady and predictable,” Berube said. “He looks like he’s got a good head on his shoulders. I haven’t seen him a lot but what I’ve seen of him when he played those games, pretty intelligent player.”

Although he’s never played in an NHL playoff game, Santini does have 119 games of NHL regular-season experience, mainly with New Jersey. 1213738 St Louis Blues the rails because the manager is holding his ground about not excusing a player for missing (or ignoring) a take sign, but Twitter would have you believe TLR is tearing apart the White Sox one viral quote at a time. Until the standings are going to be determined by Twitter, I’ll put little more BenFred's 5: Shildt weighs in on baseball's sticky situation, and other stock in the record. Blues-Cards thoughts entering big sports weekend 3. Kadri's next job

Kudos to Denver Post sports columnist Mark Kiszla for calling out 18 hrs ago Avalanche hit man Nazem Kadri, whose Game 2 cheap shot probably knocked Blues defenseman Justin Faulk out of what remains of a Ben Frederickson lopsided first-round series between the two teams.

“If center Nazem Kadri ever wears a Colorado Avalanche sweater again, Sports columnist Ben Frederickson has five topics Cardinals and Blues it will be too soon,” Kiszla writes. “His repeatedly stupid and goonish fans should be buzzing about entering a big sports weekend . . . behavior on the ice can no longer be excused or tolerated. The NHL has suspended Kadri indefinitely, pending a hearing with the league’s 1. Baseball's sticky situation disciplinary officials about his cheap shot Wednesday night to the head of Blues defenseman Justin Faulk during Game 2 of the playoff series Count Cardinals manager Mike Shildt among those who seem to think between Colorado and St. Louis. The Avs should take it a step further Major League Baseball should be doing more to stop pitchers from and bar Kadri from ever again sliming a classy organization in shame. getting rogue substances on baseballs to improve the nastiness of their Here’s hoping the league drops the hammer on Kadri and the team pitches. makes him a healthy scratch if a deep playoff run outlasts the A pregame conversation with the manager this week unearthed that suspension. Would Seattle dare take Kadri off Colorado’s hands in the carefully worded opinion. I asked Shildt if he thinks the league’s big expansion draft? We can only hope.” preseason warning about cracking down on sticky stuff, in addition to the I will politely object to the description of the Avs as classy. Remember new ball that was put into play with hopes of it staying in the park more who owns the team. Perhaps Kroenke Sports & Entertainment kingpin often, could be contributing to the rise in beanballs we are seeing. The Stan Kroenke can find some alternative work for Kadri if he catches a manager delicately suggested there has been a lot more talk than action lengthy suspension. I'm sure Stan has some families that need to be on the league’s so-called push to stop pitchers from benefitting from evicted off of a recent land purchase. Seems like a good job for Kadri. various adhesives. 4. Good for Pujols Shildt was a vocal proponent of the league's early, bold talk about punishing rule-bending and breaking pitchers. He’s planted his flag on Old friend Albert Pujols has at least one RBI in three of his four games the topic, and says the Cardinals are not involved in such practices. (If with the Dodgers. He’ slugging .545 and the Dodgers have not lost a another ball winds up stuck on Yadier Molina’s chest protector, he will game with him wearing that weird-looking No. 55. Before Cardinals fans have some explaining to do. The pitcher who threw that strange pitch in freak, please realize Pujols started three of those four games at first 2017, reliever Brett Cecil, is no longer on the team. Shildt was not the base. That was not possible here. Paul Goldschmidt exists. He’s pretty manager.) good, too. Goldschmidt is averaging .317 with a .377 on-base percentage and a .524 slugging percentage in 63 May at-bats. “I haven’t heard anybody say anything different about the grip of the baseball,” Shildt said when asked if the new ball could be part of the 5. Soak it up reason more hitters are getting drilled. “But I will say, on the data I have seen — and now we are 25 percent of the season, so whatever you As many as 30,000 fans for Cardinals-Cubs games at Busch this consider the proverbial sweet spot or sample size to start believing in it, weekend. As many as 9,000 at Enterprise for Blues playoff hockey. I’ve gotta think it’s getting pretty close, at least from my point it would be Downtown will be buzzing, and it will be beautiful to see and here. Enjoy — you are starting to see, and I don’t think this was the design of the it. I'll never again take for granted an energized downtown after attending different baseball, you are seeing higher spin rates with this baseball. too many games without crowds. That benefits the pitcher, right? That wasn’t the reason for the change. The first Cardinals-Cubs clash of the season plays out this weekend at We are looking for more consistent offense in the game. So you are Busch Stadium. In this edition of Inside Pitch, columnists Ben seeing more spin. As far as the substance question, no pun intended, Frederickson and Jeff Gordon preview the series and how it could impact that’s kind of a loaded question. I do think people have gone to clean it the season. Returns for Carlos Martinez and Miles Mikolas will be key. up. There are also people that haven’t.” St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.22.2021 So, some pitchers might have gotten better at hiding it?

“I don’t know that anybody has been caught with anything,” Shildt said. “Now you look at some spin rates, and there are some spin rates that are absolutely off the charts relative to the history of our game.”

Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto sounded a lot like Shildt when he discussed the same issue with reporters this week.

“I think the substance issue is real,” he said, as quoted by The Philadelphia Inquirer. “I think pitchers are using a lot more substances now than they have in the past. Not just a lot more, but it’s been more effective than it has been. Guys are increasing their spin rate. That’s why there’s so many walks and strikeouts every game, because guys are just letting it rip with all the spin. It’s harder to control but also harder to hit. I think if they fix that idea that could help a lot.”

Here’s an idea. Before MLB commissioner Rob Manfred moves the mound back a foot to help hitters, he could get serious about making sure pitchers are not heading to mound more lacquered up than a furniture store.

2. Standings say TLR is doing OK

The White Sox were so distraught and divided by manager Tony La Russa's latest controversy that they . . . beat the Twins 2-1 on Wednesday to claim another series win. They are 26-16 and in first place in the American League Central by 2.5 games. They’ve won seven of their last 10. That trend line doesn’t exactly look like a team headed off 1213739 St Louis Blues

Avalanche’s Nazem Kadri suspended 8 games for hit to head

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

MAY 22, 2021 02:16 AM

Colorado Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri was suspended for eight games by the NHL on Friday night for a head shot on St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk in Game 2 of a first-round playoff series.

The NHL announced the punishment during Colorado's 5-1 victory in Game 3 in St. Louis that gave the top-seeded Avalanche a 3-0 series lead.

In its video report, the NHL cited Kadri's “substantial disciplinary history” and noted he could have taken a different angle rather than targeting the head. The league said Kadri argued he intended to deliver a full body check.

If the suspension — the sixth of Kadri's career — is not completed during the playoffs, the remaining games will be served at the beginning of next season.

The latest suspension stemmed from clipping Faulk in the head with his right elbow midway through the third period in Game 2 on Wednesday night. Faulk left the contest, and Kadri was thrown out with a match penalty. Blues captain Ryan O’Reilly called it a dangerous hit that was “completely uncalled for.”

Faulk was ruled out for Game 3.

The 30-year-old Kadri, acquired by Colorado in a deal with Toronto in July 2019, was suspended indefinitely Thursday pending a video hearing with the league’s department of player safety.

Two years ago, Kadri was suspended for the rest of the Maple Leafs’ playoff series against Boston for cross-checking, a punishment that ended up being five games.

Kadri appeared in all 56 regular-season games for the Presidents' Trophy-winning Avalanche. He was sixth on the team in points with 11 goals and 21 assists. He also led the team in faceoff wins.

The veteran forward brings a physical edge to a speedy Colorado team. He had nine goals during the 2020 playoffs, which tied Nathan MacKinnon for most on the team.

Kadri's roster spot will be taken by veteran forward Carl Soderberg, who was acquired from Chicago on April 12. Soderberg's yet to play in the series.

Belleville News-Democrat LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213740 St Louis Blues

LeBrun: NHL’s discipline process needs a look after more injuries with ‘no repercussions,’ Blues GM says

By Pierre LeBrun May 21, 2021

Doug Armstrong isn’t looking to make headlines but the veteran general manager of the St. Louis Blues is genuinely concerned.

Of course, he’s worried that Justin Faulk took a head shot from Nazem Kadri in Game 2 of their playoff series. The NHL has offered Kadri an in- person hearing and will address that situation.

But Armstrong’s just as concerned that Robert Bortuzzo took an elbow to the head in the same game from Tyson Jost, which went unpenalized and didn’t result in any further discipline from the NHL department of player safety.

While DOPS would not comment, the belief was that Jost was almost acting defensively, readying himself for contact from Bortuzzo. When DOPS was evaluating the act — which is the hit itself, not the injury — the sense is it didn’t rise to suspension level.

“I’m disappointed that Justin and Robert had to be taken out of the game Wednesday night for hits to the head,” Armstrong told The Athletic. “Now is not the time to talk about the player safety process, but I would like to have this discussion when the season is over so that my comments don’t look like gamesmanship or whining.’’

Armstrong is particularly concerned because Bortuzzo suffered a concussion on opening night back on Jan. 15 after a high hit from the Avalanche’s Valeri Nichushkin, which also went without any supplemental discipline.

“Robert has been in this position twice this year where he’s been hit to the head and had to miss time — and with no repercussions,’’ Armstrong said. “Robert hasn’t received any justice for two hits to the head that caused him to miss time.’’

But Armstrong stopped right there because he’s been around a long time and doesn’t want to say more while his team is still involved in a series with the Avalanche.

What he wants, when the time is right, is to have a more meaningful discussion about player safety and the process. I don’t think he’s got anything against the head of DOPS, George Parros. This isn’t a New York Rangers attack.

What I think this is, and again Armstrong didn’t want to elaborate any further for now, but I think this is one of the game’s senior caretakers wanting to have a more serious discussion about where player safety is headed and what all the major stakeholders — players, owners, coaches, managers — want from how the process itself works and the kind of transparent consistency that needs to be strived for.

And you know what? That’s the kind of conversation I believe we do need to have after the season.

Faulk and Bortuzzo have both been ruled out for Game 3 against Colorado on Friday. There’s a chance that both could return sometime in the series, according to Blues coach Craig Berube, but that’s no guarantee.

With files from Jeremy Rutherford

The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213741 Tampa Bay Lightning better defensively. And you know, not allowing them to get that open nice space when they’re on the rush.”

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 05.22.2021 Do Panthers have Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy’s number?

By Eduardo A. Encina

Published Yesterday

Updated Yesterday

TAMPA — Andrei Vasilevskiy spent the regular season frustrating opposing offenses, facing nearly 30 shots a game and withstanding third- period charges with jaw-dropping saves when the Lightning needed him most.

On many occasions, he was an impenetrable wall and Tampa Bay’s most valuable player.

But the Florida Panthers clearly aren’t afraid of the Lightning goaltender.

Just three games into the first-round playoff series, Vasilevskiy has allowed 11 goals, including a season-high six in Florida’s 6-5 overtime win Thursday in Game 3. He didn’t allow more than 12 in any postseason series last season.

“We know he’s a good goalie, but we can beat him and we’re good enough to beat him,” Panthers forward Jonathan Huberdeau said after Game 3. “And in a lot of games we scored a lot of goals against him. So I think (Thursday) again, six goals, I think we know we’ve just got to make it difficult for him and the puck will go in, and that’s what we did.”

The Panthers have built on the success they enjoyed against Vasilevskiy during the regular season. Florida was the only team he had a losing record (2-4) against, and his 3.36 goals-against average and .898 save percentage were his highest against team. He had a 2.02 GAA and .930 save percentage against the rest of the division.

Vasilevskiy didn’t allow more than 10 goals in any three-game span during the regular season until he allowed nine to Florida in the final two games with Lightning without several key players.

Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said Friday he isn’t worried about Vasilevskiy. He needs his team to play better defensively in front of him.

“To give up the chances we gave up last night, you can have Vasilevskiy on steroids and it doesn’t matter,” Cooper said. “There’s only so much he can do. I think he’s been exceptional for us. He gives us a chance to win every night.

“I just think we could play a tighter game in front of him. And we’ve done that for periods in this series, and at times we haven’t. Vasy is the least of our worries.”

Vasilevskiy spent good chunks of the season carrying the Lightning when they had breakdowns defensively, and this year might have been one of his finest regular-season efforts because he slowed down games in the third period when opponents ramped up the pressure.

But the Panthers have shown they can create an attack on the forecheck in the neutral zone, then hit another gear to get into open ice in the Lightning zone once they possess the puck, resulting in scoring chances.

Though the Lightning have outscored the Panthers 13-11 in the series, Florida has a significant advantage in scoring chances both overall (104- 65) and 5-on-5 (81-50), according to Natural Stat Trick. The Panthers lead 41-24 in high-danger scoring chances, a testament to their ability to possess the puck in this series.

While there were several goals Thursday Vasilevskiy might normally have stopped — Gustav Forsling’s game-tying goal in the third period immediately comes to mind — the Panthers have done a good job of using their speed to push the puck quickly up ice and have taken away Vasilevskiy’s line of sight with traffic in front of the net.

“I think it’s the way that they play,” Lightning forward Alex Killorn said. “They thrive on odd-man rushes, and it kind of changes the way the game is played. It’s different than if we were playing in Columbus. But I think for us, you’re not going to win many games when you give up six goals, so we’ve got to do a little bit better, (not) allowing goals, playing 1213742 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning’s Anthony Cirelli ends goal drought at opportune time

By Mari Faiello

Published Yesterday

Updated Yesterday

TAMPA — Anyone in the Lightning locker room will tell you they weren’t worried about Anthony Cirelli.

The fourth-year center, who skates on the second line between and Alex Killorn, broke a goal drought of 28 games during Thursday’s 6-5 overtime loss to the Panthers.

Cirelli had plenty of chances leading up to his Game 3 goal. Since his last goal March 20 against Chicago, he had put 40 shots on net, including seven in the first two games against Florida. Coach Jon Cooper never doubted that Cirelli would find his way to the back of the net.

“I think Tony’s been outstanding,” Cooper said. “He’s on pucks, he’s stripping guys, he’s in the right spots ... killing penalties, it’s Tony Cirelli hockey. And he seems to elevate his game in the playoffs, and he’s doing that right now.”

It wasn’t just that Cireli scored. He opened the scoring for the Lightning, sparking a five-goal spurt in the second period that set a franchise mark for most in a postseason period.

“I mean, obviously good to see him score,” center Brayden Point said of Cirelli. “He’s had so many chances, just been a little bit snake-bit. But it was a big goal for us, got us back in the game. And yeah, it can be a huge confidence-booster. Obviously, that weighs on a guy when you haven’t scored in a few games, so to see him score was awesome.”

The Lightning need a guy like Cirelli on the scoresheet to get past a Panthers team that gave them so much trouble during the regular season and don’t appear to be going away quietly in the postseason.

While the feeling of scoring again after so long felt “good” for Cirelli, his focus remains on the big picture. At this point in the season, individual stats mean a lot less than wins and losses.

“It felt good in the moment, but at the end of the day we lost the game and we gave up six goals,” Cirelli said. “I don’t think anyone really cares who’s getting the goals for us as long as it goes into wins and losses, and last night was a loss, so we have to be better.”

A lineup on the move

After going with a traditional lineup of 12 forwards and six defensemen for Game 1, Cooper opted to change to 11-7 for Game 2, replacing forward Mathieu Joseph with defenseman Luke Schenn.

Cooper went back to 12-6 on Thursday, scratching Schenn and putting Joseph back in the lineup.

Cooper is used to alternating between the two, as was evident during last year’s playoffs run, when he used 11-7 for much of the postseason with Stamkos scratched for all but one game.

“(The lineup decisions) are situation-oriented,” Cooper said. “And I don’t think because you lose a game going 12-6 means that’s why you lost. There’s so many other factors that go into it. We’re so comfortable doing both, it’s easy.”

Loose pucks

• Sergei Bobrovsky, who replaced Chris Driedger in net at the start of the third period on Thursday, will start Game 4 on Saturday, Florida coach Joel Quenneville announced.

• The Lightning and Panthers had a special guest in the arena Thursday, as Seattle Kraken general manager Ron Francis watched from the second row of the press box. The expansion draft is set for July 21.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213743 Toronto Maple Leafs “They were pretty shaken,” he said. “There was a great level of concern and we addressed it. As difficult as it was, we had a job to do.”

The Maple Leafs, who won their division for the first time in 21 years, Tavares out indefinitely after head injury suffered during Game 1 played a choppy, uneven game. They were good for stretches but made far too many mistakes. They were flagged for five penalties, including three times for flipping a puck over the glass and delaying the game.

MARTY KLINKENBERG “It just seemed like we were parading to the penalty box,” Foligno said.

PUBLISHED MAY 21, 2021 Neither Auston Matthews nor Mitch Marner registered a point. They combined for 61 goals and 72 assists during the regular season. Joe UPDATED MAY 21, 2021 Thornton coughed up the puck that led to Byron’s winning goal, and Byron got around 21-year-old defenceman Rasmus Sandin as he charged toward the net. On the morning after John Tavares suffered a head injury, the Maple Leafs learned they would have to go forward in the playoffs without him. “It would be unfair to single out a couple of guys,” Keefe said. “I think a The team’s captain suffered a concussion when he took a knee to the lot of our players need to be better. Clearly, what any of us did [Thursday head during the first period, and the club confirmed Friday that he will be night] was not good enough.” out indefinitely. Price, who stole a best-of-five-game play-in series from the Pittsburgh Tavares was knocked down on Thursday night on a check by Montreal’s Penguins a year ago, made 35 saves. Ben Chiarot, and then struck by Corey Perry as the Canadiens forward “Big moments like this is what a goalie like him waits for,” Keefe said. tried to jump over him. Tavares’s head snapped back and he appeared to “That is what we expected and that’s how he was. Goals are going to be lose consciousness as a trainer rushed onto the ice and attempted to hard to come by.” secure his neck. Tavares texted most of his teammates Friday morning to let them know Tavares was taken by ambulance to Toronto’s St. Michael’s Hospital and how he was doing. That eased their minds a bit, even if his return is kept overnight. He was examined by neurologists and sent home in the uncertain. morning to rest under the supervision from team physicians. “That’s our captain,” Morgan Rielly, the Toronto defenceman, said. “He Head coach Sheldon Keefe said after practice Friday that he was unable has a lot on his plate day to day and he handles it with class. His play to provide any additional information. speaks for itself. “There is nothing I can tell you other than what I already have,” he said. “The expectation now is that guys will play bigger roles and play well. In Toronto lost the first game of its series with its long-time rival 2-1 on a order to get back into the series, that’s what we need.” late shorthanded goal by Paul Byron. Game 2 will be contested at Globe And Mail LOADED: 05.22.2021 Scotiabank Arena on Saturday. Games 3 and 4 are at the Bell Centre in Montreal on Monday and Tuesday. The first team to beat the other four times moves on to the next round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Pierre Engvall and Alex Galchenyuk, who did not play on Thursday, will be inserted into the lineup for the second encounter with the Canadiens. Nick Foligno will likely move from a position on the wing to centre and replace Tavares on the second line.

The 30-year-old Tavares had 19 goals and 31 assists during the pandemic-shortened 56-game regular season. He logged only 2 minutes 53 seconds on Thursday before he was injured in the frightening collision. In any given game, top forwards play upward of 20 minutes.

Players on both teams watched in grim silence as Tavares was attended to by the medical staff from both organizations. Teammates and opponents alike tapped their sticks against the ice as he was wheeled off on a stretcher. Perry came over to show his respect. Montreal goalie Carey Price skated out from his net to do the same.

“It was definitely a moment where your mind races a bit,” Jason Spezza, Toronto’s 37-year-old centre, said. “You think about his family having to watch that, and seeing your buddy on the ice like that is definitely a scary moment.”

As soon as play continued, Foligno challenged Perry to a fight and gloves were dropped. As they were lining up for the faceoff, Foligno told Perry, “Let’s settle this now.”

“You do what you have to do,” Perry said. He is 36 and known as a hard- nosed, edgy player.

Perry said he knows Tavares well and that the collision was unavoidable.

“He got hit and I was coming [from behind him],” Perry said in the moments after the Canadiens’ victory. “I tried to jump over him and unfortunately I caught my knee on his head. I don’t know what else to do there. It is an unfortunate incident.”

When he saw a replay on the screen above the ice, Perry said, “I honestly felt sick to my stomach.”

Keefe spoke to his team during the break between periods. He updated them with what little information he knew at the time: Tavares was conscious and able to communicate. 1213744 Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares discharged from hospital, out indefinitely

THE CANADIAN PRESS

PUBLISHED MAY 21, 2021

UPDATED MAY 21, 2021

Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares is thanking doctors, the NHL team and Toronto fans for their support after being discharged from hospital, one day after leaving the ice on a stretcher in the aftermath of a collision.

Tavares put out a statement on Friday saying he is back home and recovering.

The 30-year-old centre crashed into Montreal’s Ben Chiarot 10:29 into the first period of Thursday’s playoff series opener and was hit in the head by Corey Perry’s knee as he fell.

Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said after Friday’s practice that Tavares suffered a concussion. The club says Tavares will be out indefinitely.

Tavares says he looks forward to returning to the lineup, but will be cheering for the Leafs until he’s able to do so.

Tavares was kept overnight at St. Michael’s Hospital after the incident.

The Leafs say he was thoroughly examined by the hospital’s neurosurgical team and the club’s medical director.

Tavares gave a thumbs up as he was wheeled off the ice and transported to hospital.

The Canadians beat the Leafs 2-1 in Game 1. Game 2 is Saturday in Toronto.

Globe And Mail LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213745 Toronto Maple Leafs “The players were rattled and concerned,” Keefe said. “It took them a long time to find themselves.”

Price made another difficult save on Marner on a two-on-one early in the Maple Leafs captain John Tavares ends Game 1 vs. Canadiens on second, but shortly after that, William Nylander poked in a rebound from stretcher in close to tie the score at 1-1. Byron was sprawling when he won it on a breakaway by flipping a puck over Campbell. Desperate, the rookie defenceman Rasmus Sandin tripped Byron as he neared the net but it was not enough to stop him. MARTY KLINKENBERG “It looked like he was waiting for me to come out to charge the puck, and PUBLISHED MAY 21, 2021 I held back and somehow it kind of luckily went up and over my UPDATED MAY 21, 2021 shoulder,” Campbell said. He played well in defeat, stopping 28 of the 30 shots he

Going in, Toronto hadn’t played in six days and Montreal had not played The Maple Leafs not only lost the first game of their playoff series on in eight. At any other time, it would have been a madhouse – chants of Thursday night, but they may have lost their captain John Tavares for an “Go Leafs Go” and “Ole Ole Oles” filling the air – if not for the restrictions extended stretch. due to COVID-19.

Paul Byron scored shorthanded late in the third period and the There was plenty of animosity between both sides. Late in the second Canadiens held on for a 2-1 victory over Toronto at Scotiabank Arena. It period, Simmonds and Zach Bogosian each also got after Perry. was the first time the forever rivals have met in the post-season in 42 years, and it was a decidedly chippy affair. Pushes turned to shoves and Both teams came in at full strength. Zach Hyman and Bogosian returned bodies flew. to the lineup for Toronto after long layoffs due to injuries, and Price, Brendan Gallagher and Shea Weber did the same for Montreal. Tavares was knocked cleanly to the ice on a check by Montreal defenceman Ben Chiarot, with 9:31 left in the first period. As he fell, the Hyman, a gritty winger, sat out the last 11 games of the regular season. Canadiens’ Corey Perry attempted to leap over him, and clipped Tavares Bogosian, who had four assists in 20 playoff games last year when he on the head with a leg and knee. Tavares’s neck whipped back on impact earned a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning, helped shore up and he seemed to lose consciousness as he crumbled to the ice. the defensive lineup for the opening game. He had sat out the last 10 games. There were no spectators on hand, and without them, an eerie silence enveloped the arena as the Maple Leafs’ team doctors and athletic Sandin, at 21 the youngest player on Toronto’s active roster, made his therapists rushed to Tavarese’s aide. Soon after that, members of the playoff debut in place of Travis Dermott. He was beaten by Byron on the Canadiens staff joined them. Some teammates stood near as Tavares winning goal, but Joe Thornton fumbled the puck away to start the crucial received medical care. Auston Matthews sat on the bench with his head sequence. lowered. Kyle Dubas, the Toronto general manager, rushed downstairs The teams went a combined 0 and 9 on the power play. The Maple Leafs from an executive suite where he was watching the game. were fortunate to get away with three delay of game infractions for “It was difficult,” Sheldon Keefe, the Maple Leafs coach, said. “I have directing the puck over the glass. experienced a lot of tough injuries as a player and coach, but in an empty Price, who was subpar even when healthy, had played in only two of the arena like that, it was the worst I have ever seen.” last 21 games, and sat out the last 13 of the regular season. He was A backboard was brought out, and Tavares was placed on it and then terrific in the net, stopping 35 shots. lifted onto a stretcher and wheeled to an ambulance. He was taken to the Game 2 in the best-of-seven will take place Saturday night in Toronto. hospital and, while conscious and communicating, was admitted. More Games 3 and 4 are at the Bell Centre on Monday and Tuesday. tests will be conducted on Friday morning. Keefe said initial tests for a head injury had come back clear. The Leafs will try desperately not to fall down 2-0 in a series where the first to win four moves on. It is likely they will have to do it without Perry skated over to give Tavares a pat before he was taken away, but Tavares. Toronto players were steaming afterward. “It is a big loss for us,” Keefe said. “He’s our captain. But good teams As soon as the puck was dropped after a lengthy delay, Nick Foligno overcome things like that. We have to play better.” challenged Perry to a fight and both dropped their gloves. Foligno, the former captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets, landed multiple punches Globe And Mail LOADED: 05.22.2021 before he dragged Perry down.

“You stand up for one another whether it is right or wrong,” Foligno said. “John went down. I didn’t like it.”

Foligno was horrified by what he saw as Tavares laid motionless.

“Life comes into play at that point and just seeing how he was in pain, it made you sick to your stomach,” he said. “The game kind of takes a backseat no matter the circumstances when you see somebody in that much pain and an unfortunate play like it was. I’m hoping he’s okay. I haven’t gotten word yet, but we’re thinking of him and praying for him.”

The game had gotten off to a fast start. Price stopped excellent wrist shots from Morgan Rielly and Mitch Marner. Toronto goalie Jack Campbell thwarted a dangerous rush to the net by Josh Anderson. It was the first playoff start for Campbell, who was 17-3-2 while filling in for, and then taking the No. 1 job away from, Frederik Andersen. It was the first time a goalie other than Andersen started in post-season for Toronto since James Reimer in 2013.

Josh Anderson, who had 17 goals during the regular season but none in the last 11 games of the regular season, put the Canadiens ahead on a wrist shot on a breakaway, with 7:52 left in the first. The teams went to their dressing rooms with Montreal up by a 1-0 margin. That gave the Maple Leafs a chance to calm their nerves. 1213746 Toronto Maple Leafs

LEAFS NOTES: Foligno can really step in for injured Tavares

Lance Hornby

Publishing date:May 21, 2021 • 10 hours ago •

Leafs forward Nick Foligno tries to tip a shot past Canadiens goalie Carey Price on Thursday.

A more conventional way for Nick Foligno to make a point for John Tavares would be to get a goal or assist in his place in Saturday’s lineup.

Folgino, who started a controversial scrap with Corey Perry in Game 1 after his unintentional hit concussed Tavares, will be moved from left wing to the latter’s place at centre between Alex Galchenyuk and William Nylander.

Tavares has centred a first or second line exclusively for the Maple Leafs the past three years, hardly missing a game, so Foligno will have a big role. Added to the mix at forward as well is Pierre Engvall on the third line in place of Riley Nash. Engvall centres Alex Kerfoot and Ilya Mikheyev.

Coach Sheldon Keefe noted Foligno had played a lot of centre this year and others with the Columbus Blue Jackets before the April trade. The Leafs like Galchenyuk’s forecheck, but needed to look at Nash in Game 1.

“Both guys bring speed and skill,” Keefe said of Foligno and Galchenyuk. “The dynamics of our group change when John’s not in, so we have to compensate for that, give us a bit more push offensively.”

FOURTH AND GOAL

Another line seeking Game 2 redemption are the village elders on the fourth group; Joe Thornton, Jason Spezza and Wayne Simmonds. While Spezza liked their brief 5-on-5 time in a penalty-marred Game 1, Thornton made a couple of puck errors that led to Montreal breakaway goals in the 2-1 loss. Spezza was in the penalty box twice.

“I take three (minors) all year and two in Game 1, that obviously can’t be there,” Spezza admonished himself. “Other than that, we did some good things. We have be a heavy, physical line, control the play and most of our shifts end in their zone.”

ALL CAPS

This isn’t the first time the Leafs have lost a high-scoring captain at playoff time.

In spring of 2002, fractured his wrist blocking a shot against the New York Islanders in Round 1 and missed 12 of 20 games. The Leafs rallied behind the assertive play of Gary Roberts, Alyn McCauley, Alexander Mogilny and Bryan McCabe to stretch their post-season ride three rounds.

Sundin also missed four of 13 games in the ’04 playoffs with a leg injury.

Last year, Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos was shelved for months with a lower-body injury before making a dramatic one-game final appearance against Dallas, scoring and later getting the Cup.

LOOSE LEAFS

The Leafs have now lost nine straight playoff games to the Habs since 1978, their most defeats against any one team. But with 12 victories over Detroit in the late 1940s, Toronto is tied for second with the Canadiens, who swept St. Louis in two post-expansion playoffs and again in 1977. The league record is Edmonton’s 16 straight wins over the original Winnipeg Jets in the 1980s … Keefe was skeptical of the Game 1 hit count, which was 55-27 for the Habs. “I don’t know who it is that counts them, but they’re definitely not a Leafs fan” … Leaf goalie Jack Campbell was given a maintenance day Friday.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213747 Toronto Maple Leafs “Just stay with it, continue to work,” Keefe said. “This time of year with a (Canadiens) team like that, that defends the way they do and the goaltending that they have, goals are going to be hard to come by.

Matthews: 'Stay the course' in Game 2 after dominating, but not scoring, “Those guys, they had probably our best looks, and they were our in Leafs-Habs opener strongest line. (But) whether it was 5-on-5, or on our power play, you have to find a way to get it to go over the line. Those guys just have to stay with the process and find another level because what any of us did wasn’t good enough. We’ve got to be better.” Terry Koshan Matthews has had success against Price in the past, and this season had Publishing date:May 21, 2021 • 10 hours ago • seven goals in 10 games versus the Canadiens.

There’s every reason to believe the zeroes won’t pile up in the goal Auston Matthews had eight shots on Habs goalie Carey Price during column. Game 1, but came empty on the scoresheet. He also rang one off the “We generated some good scoring chances and in the end that’s all you post. can ask for,” Matthews said. “It’s on us to capitalize on those Hours before the Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens played Game 1, opportunities. Sheldon Keefe made a declaration. “We just want to keep shooting, keep creating those chances and in our The Leafs coach said he wouldn’t be hiding his best players from anyone minds, it’s going to go in eventually.” in the best-of-seven series, telling reporters that his top line of Auston LEAFS WERE RIGHT ABOUT PRICE Matthews between Mitch Marner and Zach Hyman wouldn’t be protected from tough matchups. The Maple Leafs can’t let Carey Price get into their heads.

As it turned out, there wasn’t much the Canadiens could do to contain Without the performance of Price in Game 1, when the veteran goalie Matthews and friends on Thursday. The members of the line had 17 of made 35 saves, we would be talking about a victory by Toronto. the Leafs’ 36 shots on goal and combined for 28 shot attempts. Instead, it’s Montreal with a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series going One not-so-small problem: The offensive-zone possession and the into Game 2 on Saturday. chances for the trio amounted to nothing, as Carey Price shone in the Canadiens net, allowing only a goal by William Nylander off a Morgan The 33-year-old Price didn’t have a great regular season, recording a Rielly rebound early in the second period of Montreal’s 2-1 win. record of 12-7-5 in 25 games with a mediocre .901 save percentage. That doesn’t matter now. “It’s one game and we’re down 1-0, and you can’t win a series in one game, so we just want to stay the course,” Matthews said on Friday after “A goalie like Carey Price, it seems, the big moments are the ones that the Leafs practised at the . “We have to get they kind of wait for, I think, and probably their own team included (does better in the neutral zone. We have to up our intensity level a little bit. We as well),” Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said on Friday. “They just had our chances, we had our looks and we just weren’t able to get it throw out the regular season and expect him to be at his best. done, so that’s on us.” “That’s what we had expected and that’s what he was, right from the start Undoubtedly, the pressure will mount a bit more heading into Game 2 on of the game. He was sharp, but we have to do a lot more to make it more Saturday night at Scotiabank Arena. It wasn’t touched upon with the difficult on him and find ways to give ourselves more opportunities to media on Friday, but the memory of what happened in the qualifying score.” round against Columbus last August can’t be far from the minds of Last August, the play of Price was a major factor as the Canadiens upset Matthews and his linemates. the Pittsburgh Penguins in the qualifying round in four games. Built to score, Toronto was shut out by a less-talented Blue Jackets team In the opening round of the playoffs, the Canadiens lost to the in Games 1 and 5 last summer, quickly ending the Leafs’ bubble life. Philadelphia Flyers in six games as Price was bested by Carter Hart. Matthews roared during the 2020-21 regular season, becoming the first Toronto Sun LOADED: 05.22.2021 Leafs player since Gaye Stewart in 1945-46 to lead the National Hockey League in goal- scoring. Matthews’ 41 goals in 52 games — which would have put him on pace for 65 in an 82-game season — easily brought the Rocket Richard Trophy to his mantel.

Naturally, observers might have expected a continuation of that production in the opening game of the Stanley Cup playoffs, while keeping in mind that post-season hockey often is tighter with smaller spaces in which to work.

That didn’t impact Matthews. Price was outstanding, and aside from

Matthews’ eight shots on goal (tying his regular-season high), the post was hit by the superstar centre in the first period.

Marner had five shots on goal. Hyman had four.

“Those guys, they’re competitive, they want to do well every night, whether it’s regular season or playoffs,” Leafs centre Jason Spezza said. “If they have a night where they don’t score, they’re looking to come back hungry.

“It’s important they know that it’s a team sport and we have to contribute (from) the bottom of the lineup to help those guys.

“We have lots of confidence in those guys. They are the least of our worries. When they get looks, the puck starts going in for them.”

Keefe’s message for the Matthews line, if he has one to impart, is rather short. 1213748 Toronto Maple Leafs “I thought it was a clean hit. He checked the man trying to shoot the puck. The thing about Kadri is you have to have your head up out there. He’s hard to play against.”

WARMINGTON: Missing Coach's Corner? Grapes still firing on all Going into Game 2, where do you see the Canadiens and Leafs series cylinders going?

“I think Matthews will get going soon. But I love that Josh Anderson for the Habs. He should have been a Bruin. But unless Carey Price stands Joe Warmington on his head every game I still think the Leafs are going to win. They just have too much fire power.” Publishing date:May 21, 2021 • 9 hours ago • Toronto Sun LOADED: 05.22.2021

One day after being fired by Sportsnet, Don Cherry talks to the Sun's Joe Warmington on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019.

One thing missing from Game One of the playoff series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens was Don Cherry’s take.

So I picked up the phone to get a Coach’s Corner commentary so many of us miss so much that Cherry was trending on twitter — not for what he said but for what people wondered what he would have said?

Even Grapes was missing himself.

“I would have been good on that one,” teased the 87-year-old.

Since Don doesn’t tape his Grapevine podcast until Sunday, here’s a sneak peak of what Hockey Night in Canada fans have been deprived of since 2019.

On the John Tavares hit:

“It was what I call a bing, bang play. You hate to see it but you never know what is going to happen. It’s a fast game. Corey is a mean, tough guy but he would never do it on purpose. This is just one of those things. Corey was just trying to get out of John’s way.”

On the fight between Nick Foligno and Corey Perry:

“It’s the code. Nick was saying to Corey, ‘A lot of guys think you did it on purpose.’ Corey promised he didn’t but Nick’s position is it doesn’t matter. You knock one of our guys out, you have to pay the price. You don’t take out the captain without response.”

Does the fight end the matter?

“It settled something that needed to be settled. But if I were Perry, I would still keep my head up. They have the same code in baseball. You hit a guy with a pitch, there’s retribution. As for Perry, he was a man about it. He was ready to go and stood up to it. People respect that.”

On GM Kyle Dubas running down the stairs after Tavares concussion:

“I think Dubas thought he was hurt worse than he was. We all did. When they rolled him over and his legs collapsed under him, it looked bad. I doubt Harry Sinden would have run down those stairs in the Bruins days, but Kyle is a lot younger.”

Should Tavares play again in this series?

“He took a pretty good crack on the head and I wouldn’t rush it. John is a competitor and will want to get back in there right away. But I wouldn’t take any chances. I would say he should sit out the next two or three games.”

Were you happy to see Tavares give a thumbs up while being stretchered off the ice?

“You can’t make much of hockey players when they do a thumbs up after an injury. They always do that. You can’t tell how bad an injury is on a thumbs up. But when you see hockey player not doing a thumbs up, you know it’s bad.”

On Auston Matthews laughing while being roughed up by Canadiens’ Ben Chiarot:

“Matthews doesn’t understand the code. I was disappointed he let Chiarot rag doll him and I couldn’t believe he was laughing. When I saw that I knew the Leafs would not win the game. Matthews played in (Switzerland), so he may have learned that there.”

On former Maple Leaf Nazem Kadri’s latest controversial hit on St. Louis Blues defenceman Justin Faulk: 1213749 Toronto Maple Leafs “You can’t win a series in one game,” said Matthews. But can you lose one in two, if the first two are at home?

“We’re going to have to step up,” he said. SIMMONS: Matthews on Tavares: 'A lot of things in life are bigger than hockey' Then he said what everybody was thinking the night before: “A lot of things in life are bigger than hockey.”

Forever the captain, Tavares texted his teammates from hospital on Steve Simmons Thursday night to let them know he was doing OK. A few had telephone Publishing date:May 21, 2021 • 12 hours ago conversations with him. The majority spoke via text. The news of Friday afternoon was that Tavares had suffered a concussion. No other details were made public.

One day later, the words remained, sounding almost the same. “I don’t think we’ve moved past it,” said Rielly, the longest-serving Leaf. “John is a huge part of our group. We’re going to be thinking about him The Maple Leafs, as hockey players, as men, were rocked to their very every day. core by the injury to John Tavares on Thursday night. They felt it as people. They felt it as professional athletes. Some as fathers. Some as “I spoke to him this morning … As a group, you have to show up with a husbands. Some as teammates. Some as close friends. positive attitude, be confident.

The feeling was so very personal, from man to man, Leaf to Leaf, “We’re down in this series. We have to show up.” emotional, frightening, troubling, shocking. You could see it in Auston Matthews’ moist eyes on Thursday night. You could hear it in Morgan Rielly asked Tavares on the phone if he needed anything. Rielly’s calming words. You can witness it with the veteran leadership Knowing Tavares, the answer was short and to the point: A win. and common sense Jason Spezza brings — he needed to keep talking to Tavares as he lay prone on the ice, later on the stretcher. Toronto Sun LOADED: 05.22.2021 He needed Tavares to hear his voice and recognize it, he needed it for himself and for his teammates and, more than that, for his captain and long-time friend.

“I was just trying to keep him calm,” said Spezza on Friday afternoon. “He picked up my voice and recognized it … get him to calm down and get him on that stretcher.

“I don’t think anybody wants to see anybody laying on the ice like that.”

Now Tavares is home and out of the Leafs lineup with a concussion and who knows what else. And who knows for how long? The Leafs have a playoff game to play on Saturday night at the Scotiabank Arena, down one game already, now without their captain, the residual effects of the stunning collision with Corey Perry’s knee and the aftermath needing somehow to be compartmentalized.

You can’t just check your emotions and place them to the side like they didn’t happen. Humans can’t do that very well. There is a game with Montreal that needs to be won on Saturday night. No time really to take stock of all that is involved, which is challenging on its own. But how can you not?

This is a sport in which the bigger names all know the bigger names. These aren’t strangers playing strangers. Tavares was playing against former teammates Perry, Carey Price and Shea Weber, all of them together not that many years ago on Team Canada at the Olympics in Sochi and the World Cup in Toronto. Those were some of the greatest international moments of their hockey lives.

Now, for the Leafs, it’s back to the playoffs, back to Game 2. Suddenly, a must-win comes early for Toronto. The Leafs played only well enough to lose Game 1, to be beaten 2-1 by a Canadiens team they mostly dominated throughout the season. They could find a way to beat Price just once in all the chances they had, while their oldest player and youngest player, Joe Thornton and Rasmus Sandin, got caught in a game of turnovers and transition, resulting in two Montreal scores.

The Leafs tried valiantly to come back, desperately utilizing the same players for more than the final three minutes. Matthews had at least one chance in the final minutes, the kind he would normally bury, but that didn’t happen. They battled to the end, with just not enough crisp execution. And at playoff time, you need to elevate your game.

Rielly did that in Game 1. Not enough other Leafs did.

“We have to gather ourselves and be better,” said Keefe. “They guys don’t like what happened last night.”

He was talking about the defeat and the injury to Tavares.

“It’s on us now to respond. We regroup and go back at it tomorrow.”

And one thing about Keefe’s team in his time with the Leafs: They tend to respond when times seem most challenging. They won in Edmonton without Matthews earlier in the season and with three different goalies starting three straight games. 1213750 Toronto Maple Leafs Sandin Bogosian

Goaltender ‘Hockey is not a one-man show’: How the Maple Leafs will attempt to win without John Tavares 1

Campbell

By Jonas Siegel May 21, 2021 No. 1: Nick Foligno moves to centre

This was … unexpected.

John Tavares made at least one slight tweak to his leadership role this Foligno is 33 and has played mostly on the wing (left and right) season. throughout his career.

After just about every practice or skate, Tavares, as the Maple Leafs He moves to the middle on a line with William Nylander and Alex captain, led the team in a stretch, including before Game 1. Galchenyuk, who we’ll get to in a moment.

He wasn’t there, of course, at practice on Friday afternoon. “Nick’s played a lot of centre, played a lot of centre in Columbus before he came here this season,” Keefe explained of the decision. “We don’t Tavares was released from the hospital but will be sidelined indefinitely have an abundance of options there, and (we) just liked the look of that with a concussion, meaning the Leafs’ Stanley Cup pursuit will continue — like the ability to put Galchenyuk in that spot.” for an undetermined period without one of their most important players. (After Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, Tavares is arguably the club’s Let’s start with the options at centre: There weren’t many. third-most important player given the gap between him and the next best centre.) Keefe could have kept Alex Kerfoot between Foligno and Nylander, his first choice after Tavares went down in Game 1. In theory, he could have “That’s your captain,” Morgan Rielly said after a brief practice without slid Nylander over, too. But that would have been placing Nylander, who Tavares for the first time all season. “Missing him is tough. But the hasn’t played centre all season, in the same uncomfortable position as expectation is that we’re gonna have guys that can embrace bigger roles last summer, when he moved to the middle in decisive Game 5 against and step up and play well. In order to get back in the series, that’s what Columbus — after Keefe chose to load up his top unit, with Tavares we’re gonna need.” joining Matthews and Marner.

Sheldon Keefe has made a series of lineup adjustments ahead of a now It didn’t go well. crucial Game 2, with the Leafs down 1-0 in the series. And right now, Nylander is too important to the Leafs’ attack to have him Let’s sort through them. playing out of position. He had a fine Game 1 against the Habs, scoring the Leafs’ only goal while firing four shots. Leafs projected Game 2 lineup Nylander becomes even more important now with Tavares out. 1 He was fourth on the team in goals (17) and points (42) during the Hyman regular season, and really kicked things up a notch in the second half Matthews with 28 points over the final 31 games. He becomes the focal point of that line now — the engine that needs to make it go. Marner It’s time for Nylander to really shine. 2 Foligno once scored 31 goals in a season with the Blue Jackets. But that Galchenyuk was a long time ago (the 2014-15 season). Over the last two seasons, he’s totaled 17 goals over 116 games. Foligno He’s not the offensive force he used to be. Nylander Galchenyuk might have more to give that way, though he mustered only 3 four goals and 12 points across 26 games with the Leafs — playing Engvall extensively with Tavares and Nylander, as well as stretches with Matthews and Marner. Kerfoot What Foligno (6-foot, 211 pounds) promises is stability defensively, and a Mikheyev bigger body than Kerfoot (5-11, 185 pounds). He’ll be in the right spots in his own zone, and has a heavy enough presence to win more than his 4 share of puck battles. Thornton “He’s very comfortable playing down low in our own end,” Keefe said, “so Spezza it was a pretty natural fit.”

Simmonds The Leafs coach noted that Foligno seemed to end up there — down low — in the defensive zone even when he was playing wing. He also offered Pairing to move to the middle in Game 1 after the scary incident with Tavares, LD and even spent a few shifts there.

RD Foligno was hard at work on his faceoffs ahead of Game 2. He won under 45 percent during the regular season. The Leafs will need him to 1 take more than a few in their zone.

Rielly The move might be as much about Galchenyuk, though, as it is Foligno.

Brodie No. 2: Alex Galchenyuk re-enters the lineup

2 Here’s the thing: The only place Galchenyuk can really play is on that second line. The Leafs can’t exactly trust him in prime time with Muzzin Matthews and Marner, and his skill set isn’t attuned to play on a Holl defensive-oriented third line.

3 He could play on the fourth unit, but that would mean bumping one of Joe The Leafs coach said he also spotted positives in Sandin’s 15-minute Thornton or Wayne Simmonds. And it’s probably too soon (though not by performance. It was noticeable how Sandin pushed back against much) for that. Montreal’s attempts at physicality with him. At one point, Eric Staal, standing 6-4 and nearly 200 pounds, went repeatedly at Sandin in the The Leafs could have kept Kerfoot in the middle of Galchenyuk and Leafs’ zone. Nylander. But that’s not a line that inspires a ton of confidence defensively — and it would mean moving Foligno down in the lineup. Sandin, who’s listed at 5-11 and 183 pounds, didn’t back down.

Clearly, Keefe is concerned about the offence beyond the top trio with Without Tavares, the Leafs could really use his offensive skills even Tavares no longer available. more, his knack for whipping pucks confidently into the hands of the forwards. (Nick Turchiaro / USA Today) “Sandy has played some really good hockey for us,” Keefe said. Galchenyuk stands to inject playmaking ability, as well as another big (he’s 6-1, nearly 200 pounds), speedy(ish) body to chase down loose There’s also the power-play element to consider. pucks. His forechecking prowess was maybe the biggest early surprise for Keefe when he got his first chance in the lineup in March. “I thought our first two power plays of the game were probably as good as our power play has looked in a really long time,” the Leafs coach The Leafs have to hope Foligno can help protect him defensively. noted.

Galchenyuk should be plenty motivated to get back in the lineup and do Sandin’s dynamic ability along the line was a big part in that, even if an so against the team that ultimately gave up on him. The Leafs could use error (or whatever it was) later in the game was also hugely damaging. the boost. The question of whether the Leafs can get something — anything! — It’s likely that better fortune comes the way of Matthews and Marner, as from their power play remains, especially now without Tavares. well as Hyman, if they play with similar force in Game 2. The unit was entirely Matthews-centric in Game 1. He had six shot ‘Those guys, they had probably our best looks and they were our attempts. No one else had more than one. strongest line for sure,” Keefe said. “But whether it’s five-on-five, or on our power play, we gotta find a way to get it to go over the line. Those Sandin was the only other Leaf, besides Matthews, to actually hit the net guys just gotta stay with the process, and in fact, find another level with a shot. because clearly what any of us did (Thursday) night wasn’t good The Leafs didn’t practise special teams Friday, so it’s unclear how the enough.” units may change in Game 2.

Even with better results for that unit, however, the Leafs still need this Manny Malholtra, the assistant coach in charge of the power play, may new-look combination to go to win four of the next six games. want to keep Nylander on the top unit, as the Leafs did late in Game 1.

They might be able to get the odd goal from Thornton, Spezza and He’s the only real shooting threat other than Matthews with no Tavares Simmonds, but probably not much more than that. around. Nylander’s four goals and 28 shots on the power play during the No. 3: Riley Nash comes out, Pierre Engvall goes in regular season trailed only the aforementioned two.

Nash played only 10 minutes in Game 1, about three minutes of which The other choice is whether to keep Sandin up top, or reinstate Rielly came on the penalty kill. there, as the Leafs did after the Paul Byron go-ahead goal.

He looked like a player who was playing for the first time in more than a Sandin probably deserves another opportunity given the promise he month after a knee injury, just a little slow and sluggish. offers, though the stakes are so high you’d understand if the Leafs pivoted back to Rielly. Keefe said it was more about the composition of the lineup. But clearly right now, he prefers the speed and potential for offence Engvall offers, Sandin has to make good on the chance if he gets it on the power play, not unlike Galchenyuk. and more generally, ensure the puck stays out of his net.

“The dynamics of our group change when John’s not in,” Keefe said, “so I Otherwise, Travis Dermott will surely replace him in Game 3. just felt we have to make some changes to compensate for that and give The Leafs can, and should, still win this series without Tavares. us a little bit more of a push offensively and greater depth throughout the skill and speed department.” The Tampa Bay Lightning won their Stanley Cup in 2020 with Steven Stamkos appearing in three postseason games. A few years earlier, the Engvall scored in four of his final five games during the regular season. Pittsburgh Penguins went all the way without No. 1 defenceman Kris And again, the Leafs will need to find more sources of offence with Letang. Tavares out. His 30 five-on-five points were third-most on the Leafs, trailing only Marner (45) and Matthews (44). The Penguins played the first two games of these playoffs without Evgeni Malkin and are leading the New York Islanders 2-1. The other thing is, the Leafs don’t exactly need a shutdown-style line against Montreal. The Matthews crew is grabbing the Habs top-line “There’s no shortage of examples over the history of our game, and not assignment. And a trio of Kerfoot, Mikheyev and Engvall is probably just in the NHL but different levels and all players and coaches that have stable enough to check what’s left otherwise. gone through it,” Keefe concurred of injuries to key players at playoff time. “Hockey is not a one-man show. Others need to step up. It’s as Engvall, you’ll recall, drew into the lineup in similar fashion last summer. simple as that.” He was scratched in the opener against Columbus after a sluggish training camp but replaced Frederik Gauthier in Game 2 and played the — Stats and research courtesy of Natural Stat Trick and Hockey rest of the way. Reference.

It’s worth noting: Engvall, Kerfoot and Mikheyev played about 83 minutes The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021 together during the regular season. The Leafs were outscored 6-4, though expected goals were about 53 percent — with heavy usage in the defensive zone.

No. 4: Rasmus Sandin keeps his spot

Keefe saw the mistakes just like everyone else, with the Habs scoring both of their goals when Sandin was on the ice, including the decisive short-handed winner. (I’m still not sure what Sandin could have done differently there after Thornton turned over the puck. He didn’t have much time to react.) 1213751 Toronto Maple Leafs Medical staff poured onto the ice. A camera was assigned to follow Tavares for any movement, waiting for any sign from the player as the stretcher was wheeled off the ice. Tavares raised his thumb.

‘We’ve got family watching’: How ‘Hockey Night in Canada’ covered the “That’s (for) the family, right? I’m sure he’s thinking about family there, as John Tavares injury well,” said Najak. “He’s probably concerned about them. So you just want to be able to help him send that message.”

And that was another consideration the broadcast crew had during the By Sean Fitz-Gerald May 21, 2021 entire sequence of events: With COVID-19 restrictions preventing Toronto from admitting any fans into the arena, there was a strong

chance Tavares had his entire family tuned into the game. The During intermission, Chris Cuthbert will usually leave the play-by-play broadcast, then, was also their first source of real-time information. booth to stretch his legs, grab a bottle of water and clear his head. That was also why Sportsnet never cut away to commercial. On Thursday night, he slumped in his chair. “We would never go to commercial until he leaves the ice,” said former “I didn’t move for about five minutes,” he said. “Hockey Night” executive John Shannon. “Because the moment you leave that event on the ice, what are you doing to the family? And really, Halfway into the first period of the first playoff meeting between the you ask that question: If your mother had to watch, and it was you on the Maple Leafs and Canadiens since 1979, Montreal defenceman Ben ice, would your mother want a commercial to be there? Chiarot bumped Toronto captain John Tavares to the ice with a check in the neutral zone. Canadiens forward Corey Perry was racing past, and “And the answer is no.” his knee inadvertently struck Tavares in the face as he was twisting on Shannon, who was also executive vice president of broadcasting with the the ice. NHL, said the “Hockey Night” policy would sometimes come up in “He got kicked right in the face by Perry,” colour analyst Craig Simpson discussions with producers in the United States. said during the Sportsnet broadcast. “Unintentional. But he fell down and, “Please do not go to commercial if there’s a severe injury,” he said. “You boy, he got hit really bad.” have to put in context not what it means for the large audience, but what What followed was five minutes of national television nobody had been it means for friends and family.” expecting, with commentators in Scotiabank Arena and the crew in the Tavares was released from an area hospital Friday and will be out control truck pivoting to covering a news event. Cuthbert and Simpson indefinitely, the team said. Coach Sheldon Keefe said Thursday night were high up in the rafters, watching the scene unfold below. that the star center was conscious and communicating well, and that “For me, it always immediately hits: ‘We’ve got (the player’s) family initial tests came back “clear,” but he was kept overnight for observation. watching,’” said Cuthbert. “You can’t play amateur doctor. As severe as it Shannon praised the work both the crew and the commentators did on often looks, rightly or wrongly, you’re trying to temper some of that.” Thursday night. Sherali Najak, senior producer at “Hockey Night in Canada,” said there “(Cuthbert) was not afraid not to say anything,” he said. “It was so much were around 20 cameras onsite to carry the game to a national audience. more apparent because there’s no other noise anymore. There’s no The director, John Szpala, assigned the cameras to cover different crowd noise. There is no white noise of 18,000 people in the arena, so aspects of the story. when Chris didn’t speak, it was much more obviously hushed.” Tavares initially tried to regain his feet with a member of the team’s Cuthbert was not quite as convinced. He said he thought about what medical staff by his side. He began to fall backward, and the “Hockey more he could have done during the first intermission, and again on the Night” crew cut away quickly. drive home. He wondered if he had spoken too much, or if he should “You could hear it in Chris’ voice, too,” said Najak. “That’s when it kind of have spent more time discussing the critical work of the medical staff sinks in about, ‘Let’s just feel the ice a little bit, let’s just listen to what’s from both teams. (He said Mike “Doc” Emrick, the celebrated and happening, and it’s OK not to over-produce this or get in the way of recently retired voice of hockey in the U.S., sent him a reassuring email what’s happening here.’” during that first intermission.)

Najak has been with “Hockey Night” for the better part of three decades. He also thought of his seven-year-old grandson. He has started to get He was in the director’s chair in Ottawa the night Leafs defenceman into hockey, especially since his grandfather’s voice is the one carrying Bryan Berard took a high stick in the face in 2000, causing severe the games into his home. damage to his right eye. “I’m sure he got distracted and taken away from the front of the TV there “In terms of how many replays you show and what else you do, you don’t for a while, at least I hope he did,” he said. “It was unsettling for want to editorialize it for the viewer,” he said. “You don’t want to not show everybody.” it, and just show them what you think is important. But you also don’t The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021 want to exploit it.

“I think that’s a news sense.”

After cutting away from Tavares as he struggled on the ice, the “Hockey Night” cameras showed general manager Kyle Dubas looking on from above, slapping his hand on a table with palpable concern. After a moment, the slow-motion replay rolled for the first time.

“The viewers really need to know what actually happened,” said Najak. “You need to slow it down a little bit for them. And then you also don’t want to stay in replay sequences too long because you’re getting away from the scene — what’s happening on the ice.”

After the replays, Cuthbert and Simpson remained silent for a stretch of almost 30 seconds. Cameras tracked player reactions on both of the teams, tracking in closely on Leafs forward Auston Matthews, who had bowed his head down on the home team’s bench.

“Showing Matthews or showing players watching, you’re representing what the viewers are thinking a little bit, too — you’re giving that emotion to them,” said Najak. “But you also don’t want to go away from what the news story actually is.” 1213752 Vegas Golden Knights He’s also missed on what has been one of the NHL’s least efficient power plays. Pacioretty is the team’s best closer with six power-play goals. He also creates for others.

Column: Max Pacioretty’s return as unknown as his injury So he pretty much does it all in some manner.

“Obviously, we miss Max a lot, that’s no secret,” Knights defenseman Alec Martinez said. “But at this time of year, everyone has to pick up the By Ed Graney slack. You’re not going to replace a guy just with another guy. You need production by committee and everyone doing their job. Happy with being May 21, 2021 - 2:56 PM up 2-1, but this series is far from over.” Updated May 21, 2021 - 5:20 PM Pacioretty might return Saturday night. He might not.

He might be 1,600 miles from here watching on television. ST. PAUL, Minn. — The quote is mostly attributed to Vin Scully, who If that’s the case, it would really test the whole game-time decision spent a Hall of Fame broadcasting career cementing himself as business nobody believes. baseball’s greatest storyteller. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 05.22.2021 It was during a Dodgers-Cubs game in 1991 when Scully offered this update: “Andre Dawson has a bruised knee and is listed as day to day.”

Long pause.

“Aren’t we all?”

Well, we know Max Pacioretty is.

Mysterious injury

This is a tale about an injured NHL player, which means you have a better chance discovering Atlantis than determining what has kept Pacioretty out of the Golden Knights’ lineup since he last played May 1.

It is customary for reporters to ask a coach daily about an injured player’s status. In the NHL, it is just as routine for him to answer by not answering.

Pete DeBoer has played the role exceptionally well when it comes to the status of his leading goal scorer, continuing to describe Pacioretty as day to day and a game-time decision.

Those sure are a lot of games to miss — nine straight — without deciding something.

I would assume the trend continues Saturday night, when the Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild meet in Game 4 of a best-of-seven divisional playoff series at Xcel Energy Center.

The Knights hold a 2-1 series lead after recapturing home-ice advantage with a 5-2 win Thursday. Pacioretty wasn’t at a morning skate that day, and DeBoer wouldn’t even specify if he had made the trip.

Which means the top-line forward was either taking selfies at the Mary Tyler Moore statue in downtown Minneapolis or having breakfast with his family in Summerlin. Flip a coin.

Pacioretty could be back for Game 4. He could be out for the season. He could be a lot of things in between. It’s probably the latter.

But until we see him on the ice again, the Knights will continue plugging what is an incredibly important spot. They have done a better-than- average job thus far, going 6-3 without Pacioretty.

“I have loved our response,” DeBoer said. “I think it has been the same response this group has had all year to every bit of adversity we’ve had. Whether it has been short lineups or injuries or COVID, it has been next- man up and get to work.

“Obviously, (Pacioretty), that’s a big hole for us. You take anyone’s leading scorer out of their lineup and it changes the identity of the team.”

Does it all

It’s a tough time of year to have a player with 24 goals and a total of 51 points in 48 games out of action. As a replacement, the Knights first tried Tomas Nosek alongside Mark Stone and Chandler Stephenson in Game 1. That worked so poorly, Alex Tuch was elevated in place of Nosek by the end of it. Tuch remained on the top line for Games 2 (in which he scored twice) and 3.

It’s not a perfect solution. Moving Tuch definitely affords the Wild a bottom six advantage. Tuch on the third line allows for matchup depth. But nothing is completely ideal with a player of Pacioretty’s skill not available. 1213753 Vegas Golden Knights The two assists matched Holden’s output during the regular season. He credited the Knights’ coaches and training staff for keeping him ready and emphasized on more than one occasion he feels good about his game right now. Golden Knights get key contribution from ‘goofy’ Nick Holden “He contributed all over the ice,” Martinez said. “It’s something that we all know he can do and to get an opportunity like this to do it in the playoffs and come up big and contribute that way is just a testament to him and By David Schoen his character and really his hard work and mental fortitude to stay strong May 21, 2021 - 2:38 PM during this and put himself in the best possible position that he can to perform well in the playoffs.”

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 05.22.2021 ST. PAUL, Minn. — Nick Holden arrived at Friday’s virtual news conference wearing a T-shirt that was perfectly on brand for the fun- loving defenseman.

Even Golden Knights teammate Alec Martinez, who also was part of the video call, couldn’t resist giving Holden a hard time about it.

“He said it was fun (Thursday) night,” Martinez said. “I think it’s only fitting that he’s wearing a Disney Goofy shirt right now in a press conference. Nice.”

The popular, always smiling Holden was inserted into the lineup for Game 3 and played a significant role in the victory that gave the Knights a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven West Division first-round playoff series.

He picked up the primary assists on the tying and go-ahead goals in the second period, much to the delight of the locker room.

“To be able to get up for that game was real easy,” Holden said. “For me, it was fun to be able to get back out there and compete and battle with everybody at this time of year. Obviously the way the game played out, it’s nice to be able to contribute offensively as well.”

Holden, 34, spent much of the regular season on the taxi squad after he cleared waivers during training camp and was a victim of the Knights’ salary cap crunch largely because of his $1.7 million hit.

He saw action in 17 games during the regular season and hadn’t played since April 9 against Arizona before replacing rookie Nic Hague in the lineup Thursday.

“He truly is a consummate professional,” Martinez said. “There’s a lot of guys that I’ve played with in my career that wouldn’t have handled it the way that he did.”

Coach Pete DeBoer said Hague looked fatigued after Game 2 and wanted to keep Holden sharp in case he’s needed deeper in the postseason.

It’s not clear whether Holden will remain in the lineup Saturday for Game 4 at Xcel Energy Center.

“I just thought it was a good opportunity to put Nick in, and he deserved to go in,” DeBoer said. “He did exactly what we thought he’d do. He came in and played physical, defended hard. Made a couple great offensive plays. He’s a good teammate. The guys really pull for him, and they were excited to see him in there.”

Holden skated on the third pair with Zach Whitecloud and logged 13:02 of ice time in the 5-2 win. His most noticeable moment came in the final five minutes of the second period when he set up Patrick Brown’s tying goal.

William Carrier dug the puck out of the corner and sent a cross-ice pass to Holden at the left point. With Wild forward Nick Bonino closing him out, Holden instead fired the puck off the end boards hoping it would carom toward the front of the net and create chaos.

His plan worked, as the puck bounced over the stick of Minnesota goalie Cam Talbot and went to Brown, who was stationed at the top of the crease and backhanded in the equalizer.

“If I shot that puck 100 times again, I’m sure that bounces over his stick and everything wouldn’t have happened the same way,” Holden said. “I was aiming wide and it just happened that it bounced perfectly right to (Brown), and he did a great job getting it up and over Talbot there.”

Holden also factored into Reilly Smith’s goal late in the second that proved to be the game-winner when he jumped into the play and sent a bouncing puck on net. Talbot couldn’t glove the fluttering shot, and Smith was there to clean up the rebound. 1213754 Vegas Golden Knights Evason did not say who would replace Johansson in the Wild’s lineup. One option is veteran forward Zach Parise, who was a healthy scratch the first three games of the series.

Golden Knights increase capacity for Game 5 Parise ranks third among active American-born skaters in goals with 393. The 36-year-old was the New Jersey Devils’ captain when DeBoer coached the team to the 2012 Stanley Cup Final.

By Ben Gotz LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 05.22.2021 May 21, 2021 - 12:51 PM

Updated May 21, 2021 - 7:52 PM

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Golden Knights are going to return home to even more fans than before.

The team announced Friday that T-Mobile Arena will have increased capacity starting Monday with Game 5 against the Minnesota Wild. The Knights put additional tickets on sale in conjunction with the news.

The team had announced crowds of 8,683 its first two playoff home games. It’s unclear what T-Mobile Arena’s capacity will be for Game 5.

Only four playoff teams had hosted larger crowds than the Knights entering Friday. The Carolina Hurricanes had announced crowds of 12,000 their first two playoff games, and Florida (9,646), Tampa Bay (9,508) and Pittsburgh (9,344) have also had more fans in the stands.

Fan capacity has gradually increased at T-Mobile Arena this year. The Knights started with an announced crowd of 2,605 on March 1 and had 7,567 fans at their final regular-season home game against Colorado.

The Knights were 13-3-1 in the regular season after fans were allowed back at their building. They are 1-1 in the playoffs at home after playing in an empty building in Edmonton last postseason.

“It means the world (to have fans),” left wing Jonathan Marchessault said after the team’s Game 2 victory Tuesday. “Last year, it was quite awful, I would say. This year it’s unbelievable the feeling that we get in the playoffs here.”

Knights building game

The Knights feel they’re improving throughout their first-round series against the Wild.

They didn’t score in Game 1, had three goals in Game 2 and struck five times in Game 3. They also allowed their fewest shots on goal (16) and high-danger scoring chances (seven) of the series in Game 3.

The Knights have already taken home-ice advantage back from the Wild, so they can get greedy and push for a 3-1 series lead.

Teams that go up 3-1 in a series on the road win 91.8 percent of the time, according to Hockey-Reference.com. Teams that return home with the series tied 2-2 win 59.2 percent of the time.

“We know the importance of the next game,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “We think our game’s going in the right direction. We’re getting better as the series goes here. We’ll be ready to play.”

Martinez managing

Defenseman Alec Martinez missed the final two games of the regular season with an undisclosed injury and hasn’t participated in a practice or morning skate during the playoffs.

He still hasn’t missed a game against the Wild. The two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Los Angeles Kings has averaged 21:02 of ice time this series.

He’s also as fearless blocking shots as ever. Martinez, who led the NHL in blocked shots with 168 in the regular season, has a league-leading 14 in the playoffs.

“I feel great,” Martinez said. “I think that the medical staff and our entire staff here is top notch. … I feel fine. Really a tip of the cap to them. They’re awesome.”

Johansson injury

Minnesota coach Dean Evason said forward Marcus Johansson, who was injured cutting to the net in the first period Thursday, broke his arm. 1213755 Vegas Golden Knights lot of time to play in that game, right? I thought that was a huge call by our coaches.”

2. Pietrangelo’s save Lineup additions prove key to Golden Knights’ Game 3 victory Fleury allowed two goals or fewer for the 12th consecutive start, but he had help.

By Ben Gotz Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo gave his goaltender a huge assist by helping prevent a late goal when the Knights were protecting a 4-2 lead. May 21, 2021 - 7:00 am The puck made it to the goal line but stopped without crossing it. Pietrangelo was the first to see it and fell to the ice without his stick to bat

it out of the crease. ST. PAUL, Minn. — Golden Knights center Patrick Brown tore his “That was definitely nice by (Pietrangelo) to save my butt there,” said hamstring last month. Fleury, who added he owed Pietrangelo a Diet Coke. “I couldn’t find the But that didn’t stop him from making a major contribution to the Knights’ puck. There was a mad scramble in front, and I didn’t know where it was. first-round playoff series. Brown was one of two players coach Pete Good heads-up play by him.” DeBoer inserted into the lineup for Thursday’s Game 3 at Xcel Energy 3. Goalie assist Center, along with defenseman Nick Holden. Fleury picked up his first assist of the series on center William Karlsson’s Both played key roles in a 5-2 win. Brown scored a game-tying goal after third-period goal. the team fell behind 2-0 in the first period, and Holden had two primary assists. It was the fourth assist of Fleury’s playoff career and his second with the Knights. He had one assist in 36 games in the regular season. “We don’t win without both those guys in the lineup,” DeBoer said. “We talked at the beginning of the playoffs that we wanted to stick to the LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 05.22.2021 formula we used all year, which was to not be afraid to rely on our depth.”

Brown came in for an injured Tomas Nosek and played his first game since April 3. The onetime Henderson Silver Knights captain showed no rust in adjusting to the speed of the playoffs.

Brown scored when a Holden shot from the point bounced off the end boards and found his stick in the slot. His backhand shot went up and over Minnesota goaltender Cam Talbot to make the score 2-2 with 4:41 left in the second period.

DeBoer gave a lot of credit to Brown for being ready to play. He said the 28-year-old “oozes character and intangibles.” Brown has two goals in three playoff games with the Knights.

“I felt fresh,” Brown said. “(Director of hockey operations Misha Donskov’s) been doing a great job keeping me in shape. I was ready to go.”

Holden was just as good. The veteran blue liner replaced Nic Hague and played his first game since April 9. All he did was record the first two- point playoff game of his career.

Holden set up Brown’s game-tying goal and picked up another primary assist on right wing Reilly Smith’s game-winner. He drove through the middle of the ice in the offensive zone, fired a shot on net and Smith cleaned up the rebound.

It gave Holden his first two-point game since March 8, 2020.

”I thought we had some guys that were a little fatigued after the first two games, and the stretch run of the playoffs took a lot out of some guys playing short-handed, lineup-wise and the way the schedule rolled out,” DeBoer said. “I wasn’t surprised I saw some fatigue, and we wanted to get some fresh legs in there earlier in the series than later. Both guys were great.”

Here are three more takeaways from the win:

1. Challenge changes game

The Knights were nearly down 3-0.

Center Joel Eriksson Ek put the puck in the net for the second time in the first period, and it looked as if the Wild were on their way to an easy victory. Only the Knights saw something was off.

They challenged the goal for offsides, risking going on the penalty kill down 3-0 if they failed. They were successful instead and kept their deficit at two. That kept them within striking distance once they rallied in the second period.

DeBoer and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury credited video coach Dave Rogowski for his keen eyes.

“That was a great call by our video coach, Dave. Thanks, Dave,” Fleury said. “Obviously, when you’re down by two, you can get back in the game pretty quickly, right? You get that first goal, it’s 2-1. There’s still a 1213756 Vegas Golden Knights But while the Wild were trying to avoid having Kaprizov playing against Stone, it may have actually backfired. While Stone played very well defensively in the first two games of the series, his offense was as absent as Kaprizov’s. Stone was also held pointless and had 0.39 Last change makes Golden Knights-Wild matchups look much different in expected goals in both games combined. In Game 3, with less defensive Minnesota responsibility, Stone’s expected goals skyrocketed to 1.04 and he scored two huge goals to propel the Golden Knights to victory.

“On the road, we don’t control the matchups,” DeBoer said. “They’re a By Jesse Granger May 21, 2021 four-line team. I don’t think the matchups dictate the offense. I think Mark’s been knocking on the door to break out offensively here. Even the nights he doesn’t score he creates looks. You’re just not going to score Barely two minutes into Game 3 between Vegas and Minnesota on every night at this time of year, and the best players put attention on both Thursday night, Wild forward Mats Zuccarello won an offensive-zone sides. I don’t think the matchups have anything to do with it. He just kept faceoff back to defenseman Jonas Brodin. Brodin pushed the puck pushing for offense and finally got some breaks.” ahead to Kirill Kaprizov, who threaded a gorgeous seam pass through the Vegas defense to Ryan Hartman for an easy backdoor goal. DeBoer is clearly not a believer that the matchups had anything to do with the change, or at least he’s not saying as much to media. To It was exactly how Minnesota coach Dean Evason drew it up, not only in DeBoer’s point, the Golden Knights still played their best game to this how the play unfolded but perhaps more importantly with the personnel point in the series despite Minnesota having last change. They struggled on the ice. The Wild have been fantastic at home this season, and along to generate offense more at home, when they had the last change. with the advantages of the home crowd, that also grants Minnesota the Perhaps Minnesota’s depth at forward creates such an even final change. It allows Evason to find more favorable matchups for his disbursement of talent down the lineup that matchups aren’t as star player. important. Perhaps the matchups Evason sought didn’t go as he planned. In the first two games of the series, Kaprizov struggled to find offense. The favorite to win the Calder Trophy was held off the scoresheet entirely There were other major changes in how lines and defensive pairs and was limited to only five shots and 0.23 expected goals for combined. matched up compared to the first two games, and they’re worth His point drought largely was due to Marc-Andre Fleury’s heroics in net, monitoring moving forward. Here are a few of the biggest changes in ice but Kaprizov also faced a tough matchup. time:

Mark Stone is one of the best defensive forwards in the NHL and is • After playing against the Golden Knights’ top defensive pair of Alex rightfully one of the favorites to win the Selke Trophy. In Games 1 and 2, Pietrangelo and Alec Martinez for an average of 8:10 in the first two Stone played an average of 5:40 of even-strength ice time against games, Minnesota’s line of Jordan Greenway, Joel Eriksson Ek and Kaprizov. That’s more than a third of Kaprizov’s five-on-five ice time, and Marcus Foligno played only 5:01 against them in Game 3. With a better during that time Kaprizov’s offense was completely nullified. In Game 1, matchup, Eriksson Ek scored one goal and had another that was Kaprizov had an on-ice expected goals share of 67.08 percent when he overturned by an offside review. was on the ice without Stone, and only 39.24 percent against Stone, according to Natural Stat Trick. • Avoiding Kaprizov being matched up against Theodore and McNabb, Evason played his third line as much as possible against that pairing. So when the series shifted to St. Paul, Evason made a point of getting After averaging only 2:02 in the first two games, the line of Kevin Fiala, Kaprizov ice time against Vegas’ lesser lines, and it worked early on. Victor Rask and Marcus Johansson (who left the game with a broken Kaprizov played only 1:39 against Stone, while playing a combined 6:55 arm) played a whopping 6:22 against Theodore and McNabb in Game 3. against Vegas’ bottom two forward lines. On the game’s opening goal, Kaprizov slipped his pass through the sticks of Keegan Kolesar and Nic • Evason played his big, physical line of Greenway, Eriksson Ek and Roy. If either of those players had been Stone, it’s highly unlikely the Foligno against Stone for 6:18 on Thursday, after that trio averaged only pass would get through. 3:24 against Stone in the first two games. After Stone’s performance, it will be interesting to see if he switches that up in Game 4. When asked if he thought differing line matchups had something to do with Vegas’ slow start in Minnesota, coach Peter DeBoer said “no” with • Matt Dumba and Jonas Brodin have been excellent in this series, and it conviction. But there’s no doubt Evason made major changes in regard was clear Evason wanted them playing against Vegas’ top lines a lot to which players shared ice time compared to the two games in Vegas. more in Minnesota. Over the first two games, Dumba and Brodin played the majority of their minutes against Vegas’ third line of Mattias Janmark, The defensive pairings also changed. In Vegas, DeBoer deployed his Roy and Kolesar (6:44). In Game 3, that total plummeted to only 2:42, second defensive pairing of Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb while Dumba and Brodin played 6:06 against Vegas’ top line of Stone, almost exclusively against Kaprizov’s line. Theodore and McNabb Chandler Stephenson and Alex Tuch. averaged 9:28 of even-strength ice time against Kaprizov in Vegas, but only 3:10 in Minnesota. The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021

“I think obviously they’re paying special attention to (Kaprizov), whoever is up against him,” Evason said. “But clearly people around him are getting opportunities and we’re happy with the chances we’re getting. Clearly, we need to bury some of them, but the way he’s playing the game and how he’s playing the game in all three zones is real good. He just has to stay the course like we do and believe that we’ll all break through.”

Theodore’s speed and skating ability, combined with McNabb’s physical presence and good gap control, was a good matchup for Kaprizov’s speed and skill.

“He’s fast, he can make plays, and he can dipsy you pretty good if you get caught watching,” Theodore said of the matchup on Thursday. “But I think trying to match his speed, and McNabb has done a great job with me of trying to control him. Hopefully, that can continue throughout the rest of the series.”

In the first two games, Kaprizov only saw an average of 1:08 of ice time against the Golden Knights’ bottom defensive pair. In Game 3, that nearly quadrupled to 3:55. It’s a major reason why he had a bigger offensive impact Thursday, at least early on. 1213757 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights Will Increase Arena Fan Capacity For Monday’s VGK vs Minnesota Game 5 To More Than 11,000 From 8,683

May 21, 2021 By Alan Snel

The Vegas Golden Knights are increasing fan attendance capacity for Monday’s Game 5 playoff showdown between the Knights and the Minnesota Wild at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The Knights anticipate having more than 11,000 fans in the building, through the number is “fluid at this point,” VGK spokesman Eric Tosi told LVSportsBiz.com Friday afternoon. It would be the biggest crowd for a VGK game this year as the team navigates COVID-19 protocols. Fans will still have to wear masks and fill out the CLEAR app health questionnaire.

LVSportsBiz.com LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213758 Washington Capitals Minutes later, Dmitry Orlov sent Kevan Miller to the locker room with a high hit. It appeared Miller’s head hit the ice hard when he fell. He did not return, instead going to the hospital for further evaluation. Orlov was originally assessed a major penalty, but it was changed to a double minor Capitals look lifeless in Game 4, and now their season is one game from for roughing upon review. being declared dead With Orlov in the box, the Bruins opened the scoring when Brad Marchand deflected Pastrnak’s blast past Samsonov with 12 minutes left in the second period. Garnet Hathaway then was dinged two minutes for Samantha Pell roughing Boston captain Patrice Bergeron, and the Capitals’ wheels May 22, 2021 at 2:13 a.m. UTC started to come off.

“We can’t put ourselves down five, six penalties, whatever it was we had,” Eller said. “We’ve just got to be better in that department. More BOSTON — The Washington Capitals simply could not keep up with the disciplined, don’t put ourselves in that situation.” Boston Bruins on Friday night in Game 4 of this first-round playoff series. The visitors looked lifeless, at least a step behind the blur of black and Making the loss especially tough for Washington was that Game 4 was yellow sweaters at TD Garden. the first time the Capitals have had all their skaters available in the postseason. Injuries, suspensions and covid protocols had Laviolette The result was a 4-1 loss that left them on the brink of elimination, trailing mixing and matching for more than a month, but Eller’s return had the this best-of-seven affair 3-1 with Game 5 on Sunday at Capital One Capitals back at full strength. Arena. Washington had no shots on goal in the final 11:21 of the first. The “This one, we just weren’t good enough,” Capitals Coach Peter Laviolette Capitals had just four shots on Rask in the period. said. “We weren’t fast enough. We didn’t execute well enough.” The Bruins, meanwhile, had a spark from the start. With aggressive Should the Capitals fail to climb out of this hole, it would be the third forechecking and high-danger chances, Boston was able to sustain straight season in which they were ousted in the first round since they offensive zone time and get pucks past the interior of the Capitals’ won the Stanley Cup in 2018. defense. Coyle came inches from giving the Bruins an early lead after his shot rang off the post with nine seconds left in the first. He found “We have to want it,” center Nicklas Backstrom said. “It’s obviously a big redemption — and the insurance tally in the third. game coming up, and we have to be mentally ready. I feel like the previous three games before this we were a lot better than tonight. So “It’s disappointing and a little frustration as well,” Backstrom said. “But at we’ve got to be mentally ready, and we’ve got to play for each other. the same time, it’s not over. So we’ve just got to regroup here and then That’s maybe something we didn’t do tonight.” we’re going back home here, so hopefully we can have a good meeting [Saturday] and talk about stuff we can do better.” Washington, a veteran team, simply looked older and slower than the Bruins on Friday. Multiple players also did not appear to be fully healthy. Washington Post LOADED: 05.22.2021 The Capitals were outshot 37-20 and dug themselves a 3-0 deficit after David Pastrnak and Charlie Coyle scored 34 seconds apart to open the third period.

Captain Alex Ovechkin responded with a one-timer that went off Brandon Carlo’s skate and past Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask 4:54 into the period. But the Capitals could not dent Rask any further.

Second-year netminder Ilya Samsonov, coming off a strong Game 3 performance that ended with a blunder behind his own net in double overtime, kept his team in it for the second straight game with 33 saves. But the offense in front of him sputtered.

“We just need five guys wanting to have the puck,” center Lars Eller said. “ … We’ve just got to support each other a lot better than we are right now, attacking with five, defend with five, play faster. Everything. Every aspect of the game, we’ve got to be better.”

Ovechkin’s goal came on the power play, one of seven for the Capitals. Boston was 3 for 5 with the extra man, with Matt Grzelcyk scoring with the man advantage with 5:10 remaining to push the margin to 4-1. After the game, the Capitals acknowledged the poor power-play performance, with Backstrom saying the team will have to “come up with something new.”

“I feel like they’re reading us pretty well,” Backstrom said. “So we can talk about that tomorrow and get better. We’ve just got to get some more shots and just create those secondary chances.”

Ovechkin’s goal was his second of the postseason — his 71st postseason goal of his career — and only the Capitals’ fourth goal from its top-six forwards in the series.

Samsonov was making his second straight postseason start and has yet to make three straight starts in his career. After a 40-save performance in Game 3, Laviolette went back to the Russian. Craig Anderson, who did not play in Game 3 because of what the team termed “body maintenance,” dressed as the No. 2 goaltender. Rookie Vitek Vanecek is still out with a lower-body injury suffered in Game 1.

Friday’s game took a chaotic turn in the second period. First, Samsonov appeared to get hit on his inner right thigh by Taylor Hall’s skate after Samsonov made a point-blank stop on Hall. Samsonov talked briefly with trainers on the ice but remained in the game. 1213759 Washington Capitals “It’s not a lot of shots and it’s not good enough on our side,” Backstrom said. “Somehow, we have to create some more offensive chances.”

For all the pressure on Washington’s goal, though, Boston didn’t find the Capitals drop third straight as Bruins take commanding series lead opener until eight minutes into the second period. Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov was issued a double minor for roughing, hitting defenseman Kevan Miller up high as Miller attempted to pass Orlov near the blue line. Miller went down hard, hitting his helmet on the ice, and the Bruins By Andy Kostka - The Washington Times - Friday, May 21, 2021 announced he had been transported to the hospital for scans and further evaluation.

With one carom off the glass, the wheels fell off for the Washington Thirty-three seconds into the ensuing power play, Marchand deflected Capitals. They had entered the second intermission down by one goal, Pastrnak’s shot past Samsonov, finally beating the 24-year-old but a minute and three seconds into the third period, the Capitals netminder. Samsonov finished with 33 saves. He wasn’t the reason suddenly faced a three-goal deficit and an even more daunting hole in Washington crumbled at the beginning of the third period, allowing quick- the series. fire goals to Pastrnak and Coyle that virtually sealed the result.

First, Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak sniped a shot past goaltender But the Capitals crumbled nonetheless, and they’ll face an elimination Ilya Samsonov 29 seconds into the period. Then on a breakaway, winger game when the series returns to Washington on Sunday. Jake DeBrusk missed the net. But the ensuing deflection off the glass “We need the best from everybody, from every individual,” Eller said. “We landed on a platter for the trailing Charlie Coyle to steer home, 34 need a lot more than what we got tonight. And I know we can do it.” seconds after Pastrnak’s tally, pushing the game out of reach. Washington Times LOADED: 05.22.2021 Boston, buoyed by those two scores right out of the second intermission, handed Washington its third straight loss of the series — this time a 4-1 game that gave the Bruins a 3-1 series lead. Neither team led by more than one goal in the first three games of the series. But the third period of Game 4 on Friday broke the seal of an otherwise watertight trio of games.

“This one, we just weren’t good enough,” coach Peter Laviolette said. “We weren’t fast enough. We didn’t execute well enough.”

And the frustration showed after Coyle’s rebound goal rippled the net.

Tom Wilson, never one to shy away from confrontation, quickly got into a tussle with Nick Ritchie after Boston’s third goal went in. Alex Ovechkin laid a crunching hit on Brad Marchand moments later. Those displays didn’t help on the scoreboard, though. And despite Ovechkin’s goal five minutes into the period, the Bruins exerted their dominance 10 minutes later — doing so on the power play.

Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk launched a slap shot past Samsonov for the 4-1 edge in another strong power-play showing. The man-advantage opportunities were ample for both teams, but Boston made the most of its chances, scoring on three of its five power plays.

“I’m not picking on any guys here, but it’s crucial to stay disciplined in the playoffs,” center Lars Eller said. “We can’t put ourselves down five, six penalties, whatever it was we had. We’ve just got to be better in that department. More disciplined, don’t put ourselves in that situation.”

Meanwhile, the Capitals scored on one of their seven power plays — with Ovechkin’s shot careening off defenseman Brandon Carlo’s skate. The power play unit struggled to work Bruins netminder Tuukka Rask, three times registering no shots on goal during those two-minute spans.

Boston blocked 17 shots and put 37 attempts on frame compared to Washington’s 20, the widest shot discrepancy of the series so far.

“I feel like we have to come up with something new here,” center Nicklas Backstrom said. “I feel like they’re reading us pretty well.”

Washington stuck with Samsonov in net for Game 4 after his strong performance for 85 minutes Wednesday. He stopped 40 shots in that 3-2 double-overtime defeat, but a critical miscommunication with defenseman Justin Schultz ended the game on a sour note.

Boston’s Craig Smith raced in to steal the loose puck behind the cage after Samsonov thought Schultz would come to collect. And before Samsonov could scamper back into position, Smith wrapped around the net and fired home the winning goal.

That gave the Bruins a 2-1 series advantage, putting pressure on Washington to dig deep Friday. But the response wasn’t strong. Samsonov was forced into making 11 saves in the first period, and the Capitals managed two shots during even-strength scenarios.

Washington went without a shot on target for 18 minutes spanning between the first and second periods, although winger Tom Wilson dinged the crossbar with an effort off a 2-on-1 transition early in the second. 1213760 Washington Capitals Washington managed only four shots on goal in the first period. Their last shot in the first period came at the 8:39 mark. The Caps did not get another shot on goal until the 7:19 mark of the second.

Caps pushed to the brink with Game 4 loss to Bruins The issue wasn't just a lack of shots, it was a lack of scoring opportunities. According to Natural Stat Trick, Washington managed just one high-danger scoring chance for the game. One. Boston had nine.

BY J.J. REGAN Rask faced only 20 shots on goal and few that seemed to pose any real danger. The Caps just did not make him work for this win.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.22.2021 The Capitals are on the brink of elimination after a 4-1 loss in Game 4 to the Boston Bruins on Friday. In a series in which all three prior games had gone to overtime and no team had, at any point, managed to claim a two-goal lead, Boston opened things up with the most dominant performance of the series.

The Caps will now be playing for their playoff lives on Sunday in Game 5 when play shifts back to Washington.

Here is how the loss happened.

Washington's power play

The Capitals went 1-for-7 on the power play and it's not because Tuukka Rask stood on his head, the Caps looked just plain bad on the man advantage. The lone goal came on the sixth of those power plays when the score was already 3-0.

A power play works best when it has options and the strategy on Friday devolved to "make Alex Ovechkin do it by himself." The passes were forced, there was no traffic in front of the net and the Caps barely pressured Rask at all, managing just five shots on goal on four opportunities.

The one goal they did score was, of course, Ovechkin as his shot deflected off of Brandon Carlo and in.

Washington had the opportunity to take control of the game early in the first with a power play just 49 seconds into the game for too many men and another at 5:51 for a trip. Instead, the Caps mustered almost no offense and no momentum at all from the early chances.

Boston's power play

Boston went 3-for-5 on the man advantage and it could have been worse for the Caps. The Bruins were on point and scored at critical moments in the game.

With 0s still on the board in the second period, the Bruins finally broke through as Brad Marchand deflected in a shot from David Pastrnak. Washington has had no answer for Marchand playing right off the goal line in front of the net and this was just another example.

Boston started the third period and struck just 29 seconds in as David Pastrnak wristed a shot past Ilya Samsonov cleanly. By then, momentum had been building for the Bruins on the power play which seemed to be getting better as the game wore on. Matt Grzelcyk would score a third power play goal late in the third period to make it 4-1.

The first 63 seconds of the 3rd period

Down 1-0 in the game and 2-1 in the series, it felt like the season was on the line in the third period. Just 63 seconds into that period, the Caps saw their one-goal deficit turn into a three-goal deficit.

Pastrnak struck on the power play 29 seconds in. Just 34 seconds later, Charlie Coyle scored on a bizarre play. Jake DeBrusk had a breakaway opportunity and missed the net. The puck hit off the boards and DeBrusk managed to get a piece of it and tip back in front of the net where Coyle was able to score.

Unlucky? Yes, but there's no question the Bruins came into the third period smelling blood and Washington was not able to match that intensity.

Not enough rubber on Rask

Heading into Game 4, the Caps had scored eight goals in the series. Four of those goals were deflections and one was a two-on-one. If you want to beat Rask, you have to make life difficult for him because he is one of the top goalies in the league. The Caps did not do that. 1213761 Washington Capitals

Facing elimination, what is the message in the Caps locker room?

BY J.J. REGAN

A streak of 11 straight one-goal playoff games between the Capitals and Boston Bruins was snapped on Friday in Boston's emphatic 4-1 Game 4 win. After three games decided by overtime, the loss Friday felt deflating as it was the first time one team looked to be in control of the series and it also pushed Washington to the brink of elimination. The Caps will have to recover quickly to prevent the season from ending on Sunday in Game 5.

The message after Game 4 was unequivocal. Washington just had to be better than what it showed on Friday.

"Every aspect of the game, we've got to be better," Lars Eller said.

“Yeah, it’s disappointing and a little frustration as well," Nicklas Backstrom said. "But at the same time, it’s not over."

A 4-1 loss may not be a blowout, but it certainly felt like one to the Caps, as there was not a single thing they could point to following the game as a positive from their performance.

"This one, we just weren’t good enough," head coach Peter Laviolette said. "We weren’t fast enough. We didn’t execute well enough.”

He added, "There was a lot of things that seemed like they were off tonight. The jump was off, the compete was off, our execution, 5-on-5 play needs to be better, the specialty teams need to be better, so there is a lot of … it was an off night. It just wasn’t a good night.”

Washington was outshot 37-20, went 1-for-7 on the power play, gave up three goals on five power plays to the Bruins, managed just one high- danger 5-on-5 scoring chance and was just outmatched in a way that was not expected considering how close the previous games had been and how the team seemed to be getting healthier. With the return of Lars Eller for Game 4, as well as Evgeny Kuznetsov and Ilya Samsonov in Game 3, this was the most full the roster has looked in the series. Yet, it did not translate into a better result.

"We’ve got to be mentally ready and we’ve got to play for each other," Backstrom said. "That’s maybe something we didn’t do tonight.”

Washington now must spend the next two days trying not to allow the gravity of the situation to overwhelm them.

"We’ve just got to take one shift at a time, one game at a time, that kind of scenario, from now on," Backstrom said. "Yeah, it’s a tough situation, but we’ve got to believe in the locker room. We need to regroup here and go from there.”

"You've got to know what situation we're in so you want to see a desperate team, you want to see fight," Eller said. "At the same time, we've got to stay composed, but we need the best from everybody, from every individual. We need a lot more than what we got tonight and I know we can do it."

Not only do the Caps face a 3-1 series deficit and sit one loss away from the end of the season, but the future for this team and its core is very much uncertain.

With a flat salary cap, a new deal needed for Alex Ovechkin and the Seattle expansion draft looming, difficult decisions are going to have to be made in the offseason that will lead to a different looking team for the start of the 2021-22 season. That is now what hangs over them as they look to take on the monumental task of overcoming a 3-1 hole.

But this is not a task the players feel is beyond them, so long as they each recognize that they all will have to be better in Game 5.

"We were off and now we've got 48 hours to regroup here and I want to see a different team in Game 5 at home," Eller said. "I believe we can do that, I've seen it before."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213762 Washington Capitals

Capitals doomed by 1-for-7 power play in brutal Game 4 loss

BY ANDREW GILLIS

It was fitting, in a morbid sense, that the only offense the Capitals could muster Friday came when their best player’s stick snapped in half.

Alex Ovechkin’s power-play slapshot not only shattered his stick, but the puck somehow found a way into the Bruins’ net as it bounced off the skate of a Bruins defenseman. It was the only goal the Capitals scored all night.

Washington was pushed to the brink of elimination in a game where nothing went right, and that included a horrendous power play that couldn't settle anything down in a 4-1 loss at TD Garden in Boston. Each time the Capitals got a power play came an opportunity to put themselves in the lead, or bring themselves back into the game. They accomplished neither.

“I feel like we have to come up with something new here,” center and power play facilitator Nicklas Backstrom said. “I feel like they’re reading us pretty well. So we can talk about that tomorrow and get better. We’ve just got to get some more shots and just create those secondary chances, I think.”

The Capitals were awarded two power play opportunities early in Game 4, including one before a minute had ticked off the clock. But each time the Capitals had the man-advantage, it felt like the Bruins had an answer for whatever the Capitals tried.

In 10:38 of power play time, the Capitals had just six shots and allowed two Boston shots. Their 1-for-7 outing dropped them to 3-for-17 (17.6 percent) for the series.

“I think just the execution,” Lars Eller said. “We've got to move the puck faster. Everybody's got to want the puck. I know I keep repeated myself, but I think the same thing goes on the power play as it does really 5-on-5 for us. And then sometimes, when there's not a lot given, you've just got to shoot and then you've got to be on the rebounds. I know we had a couple in the second there, I missed one myself.”

On a night when Washington needed its power play for offense, or even just to gain some momentum, it took until the third period for both power play units to generate more shots on Tuukka Rask.

Boston clogged the middle of the ice and didn't allow anything, passes or shots, to get through. Of the Capitals' 15 shot attempts on the power play, just six of them found their way to Rask.

On the other end of the ice, the Bruins' power play had 16 shot attempts and six shots on net in four minutes less of power play time.

“I think once we started shooting a little more even from the flanks or from the top, we were getting some second looks and I think maybe that's just where it starts,” Eller said.

Now faced with elimination Sunday, the Capitals have a penalty kill that has gone 6-for-10 in the last two games and a sputtering and listless five- on-five attack. The power play might be what the Capitals need to get back into the series.

But if Friday was any indication, things will need to change for the Capitals with the man-advantage — and fast. If not, the Capitals will have to figure out what went wrong with their power play sitting at home for the second round of the playoffs.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213763 Washington Capitals fourth line’s goals have been wildly important for the Capitals, they cannot count on Hathaway shooting 33.3 percent over the long haul, or Dowd shooting 50 percent for a lengthy playoff run.

To beat Bruins, the Capitals need more from their top nine While those numbers can hold up over a seven-game series in a small sample, the numbers the Capitals don’t hold up are the goal totals from their top nine. Because if those players start to score, the Capitals will be in a wildly different place in a few days than they are right now. BY ANDREW GILLIS “Having OV is the guy who has always believed in the patience and you

have to wait,” Kuznetsov said. “You have to be patient during the game The common refrain throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs is that, in order and take what they give you. Sometimes you can see during the game for a team to be successful, there must be scoring from the depth players some areas that open up, to me in this series, the most important (part) is in order to make any sort of noise. discipline, be patient and work harder than they work. If you can outwork them, then some chances will create and some areas will open up. But The unspoken caveat there is that the secondary scoring comes along we have to be patient, we have to execute the plan, and things will open with goals from the team’s top players. up eventually, for sure.”

Through three games (and about a period and a half of overtime), the Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.22.2021 Capitals’ depth players have held up their end of the bargain at five-on- five. The top nine still has some work to do.

Washington has scored eight times against Boston this series, goals that have come from: Tom Wilson, Brenden Dillon, Nic Dowd, T.J. Oshie (PPG), Garnet Hathaway, Hathaway again, Alex Ovechkin (PPG) and Dowd.

“Boston has done a good job in their defensive zone coverage, the thing we talked about today to try and see if we can generate a little bit more,” coach Peter Laviolette said. “There are times when we’re in the offensive zone and we’re staying there. We’re moving and we’re generating, we’re looking and still they play good defense. You’ve got to work for each other to create.”

Just six of the Capitals’ goals in three games have come at five-on-five, and the fourth line has accounted for 50 percent of their total goals. For a team with superior depth to the Bruins, that’s not the way to win a series.

The Bruins are known for their top two elite scoring lines that have made life massively difficult for the Capitals and every team that’s faced them since they acquired Taylor Hall. But where they run into trouble is on the back-half of their roster, where the bottom six has been outperformed by the Capitals’ depth.

The Capitals just got Evgeny Kuznetsov back from the COVID-19 list and have only had him at their disposal once — and he certainly wasn’t at 100 percent in terms of game shape. The Capitals have tinkered a bit, putting Anthony Mantha, Nicklas Backstrom and Wilson together for Game 2 instead of T.J. Oshie at right wing, who skated with Kuznetsov and Ovechkin.

“I think right now with Kuzy coming back in, I still think we’re looking for a little bit more production after Game 1 and Game 2, so we made a switch,” Laviolette said. “We might make more switches with regards to that to see if we can generate a few more scoring chances or another even-strength goal and find some chemistry there. So players coming in and out of the lineup has affected that a little bit.”

Still, if the Capitals are going to win the series, they’ll need five-on-five production from their top line players that they haven’t gotten yet. But that’s not to say they’re not close.

Mantha is tied for the team lead in shots with 12 and hasn’t found the back of the net, even with a High-Danger Chances For percentage of 64.29.

“He’s been in-tight with some chances, he’s bringing the puck to the net, he’s a big body, he’s generating and he’s got a history of scoring goals,” Laviolette said. “You’d like to think that it’s gonna pop for him. I do think he’s one of the guys that’s inside and has had some quality looks.”

Ovechkin, the team’s best goal-scorer, has scored just once on 12 shots this series and it came on the powerplay. Oshie, who can be lethal on the powerplay, has just one goal this series. Backstrom, Conor Sheary, Daniel Sprong and Lars Eller, all of whom contributed significant offense in the season, haven’t found the back of the net yet.

“The numbers are so close inside of the games, the in-tight chances, the total chances, the powerplays, the penalty kills, the zone time, it’s tight,” Laviolette said. “It’s a tight series, it’s close. The difference is small and we’ve got to find a way to bring that difference to our side.”

Of course, the playoffs are nothing but a small sample size that can be viewed through a microscope time and time again. But as much as the 1213764 Washington Capitals : Pheonix Copley, Zach Fucale The move to sign Lundqvist made perfect sense for Washington, but we

never got to see how it play out as, on Dec. 17, Lundqvist announced he How did we get here? A timeline of the wild Caps goalie depth chart needed open-heart surgery to deal with a heart condition.

The idea of having a starter with only 26 games of experience prompted the team to sign Lundqvist as an experienced option. His departure, BY J.J. REGAN however, now left the team with a Samsonov, Vanecek tandem heading into the season. Vanecek did not have any NHL experience at all coming

into 2021. In a desperate attempt to add even a modicum of experience Three games into the postseason, the Capitals have already had three to the goalie depth, the team signed veteran goalie Craig Anderson to a different starters in net. This is not really a new situation, but rather the professional tryout agreement on Dec. 27. He was officially signed by the continuation of a wild goalie carousel that stretches back to the 2019-20 team on Jan. 14. season. Even with the addition of the taxi squad for the 2021 season adding a Here's a timeline of how the Caps got to this point heading into Friday's need for a third goalie for teams across the NHL, Anderson remained Game 4 against the Boston Bruins (6:30 p.m., NBC Sports Washington). available late into the offseason and he was not really seen as a viable option as a potential full-time backup. At this point, the Caps were stuck 2019-20 regular season with their inexperienced tandem.

Capitals tandem: Braden Holtby, Ilya Samsonov The goalie situation had the potential to be a disaster for Washington, but all three goalies played admirably when called upon: Hershey Bears: Pheonix Copley, Vitek Vanecek, Parker Milner Samsonov: 19 GP, 13-4-1 record, .902 save percentage, 2.69 GAA As Holtby entered the final year of his contract, it was becoming more and more clear that it would be his last season in Washington. Because Vanecek: 37 GP, 21-10-4, .908 save percentage, 2.69 GAA of that, and also partly because of limited cap space, Samsonov became the backup over Copley who held the role the previous season. Anderson: 4 GP, 2-1-0, .915 save percentage, 2.13 GAA

It was the worst season of Holtby's career: He set a career-low save Game 1 vs. Boston, 2021 postseason percentage of .897 and a career-high 3.11 GAA. Samsonov, meanwhile, Starter: Vitek Vanecek managed a very strong rookie season with a .913 save percentage and 2.55 GAA. Backup: Craig Anderson

2020 postseason Samsonov was expected to be the No. 1 goalie coming into the season, but after landing on the NHL's COVID-19 list for the second time, he was Starter: Braden Holtby unavailable at the start of the playoffs leaving the crease for Vanecek. Backup: Vitek Vanecek Vanecek had earned a shot at the No. 1 job with a decent regular season. Unfortunately, his playoff debut lasted less than 14 minutes as No. 3: Pheonix Copley he injured himself stretching out into the full splits to try to make a save on Jake DeBrusk's goal. There was a case to be made going into the playoffs that Samsonov was the better option over Holtby. Even if you wanted to lean on experience -- In the course of just 14 minutes, the Caps had to call upon the No. 3 it was, after all, only two years after Holtby rebounded from a mediocre goalie on the depth chart, Anderson, in a playoff game. He stepped in season to win the Stanley Cup -- it seemed like there was a good and made 21 saves in the 3-2 overtime win. chance Holtby and Samsonov would at least split the goaltending duties. Instead, there were two major surprises. Game 2 vs. Boston, 2021 postseason

First, Samsonov suffered an off-ice injury in Russia and was ultimately Starter: Craig Anderson unavailable for the playoffs. This left Holtby as the only real choice to Backup: Pheonix Copley start in the postseason. The second surprise was that Vanecek earned the backup job over Copley who had been the backup in 2018-19. With Vanecek and out and Samsonov still unavailable, the 39-year-old Anderson started Game 2 and did everything he possibly could to get the We will never know if Samsonov could have saved the tailspin that was Caps the win. After a shaky first period in which he allowed two goals, he the 2020 postseason for the Caps, but after two major gaffes by Holtby in rebounded and made 44 saves on the night in a narrow 4-3 overtime Game 1 -- a complete whiff of the glove against Jordan Eberle and a loss. shorthanded turnover on the game-winning goal to Josh Bailey -- Samsonov would have almost certainly started in Game 2. Game 3 at Boston, 2021 postseason

Oct. 9, 2020 Starter: Ilya Samsonov

Capitals tandem: Ilya Samsonov, Henrik Lundqvist Backup: Pheonix Copley

Expected taxi squad: Vitek Vanecek The goalie carousel took yet another turn in Game 3 as it was Samsonov who got the start over Anderson giving the team a different starter in Expected Hershey Bears: Pheonix Copley, Zach Fucale each of its first three playoff games. The Caps made one of the big early splashes of free agency by signing After his performance in Game 2, it was expected Anderson would start, long-time New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist. Though Samsonov but he did not even dress for the game. The reason given was was expected to be the starter, Lundqvist was signed to provide some "maintenance" meaning there was not an injury that kept him out. Head veteran experience to a team with its sights set on the Cup. That way, coach Peter Laviolette simply wanted to go back to the goalie who was Washington would not have to rely solely on a goalie with only 26 games expected to be the No.1 all along. of NHL experience. Lundqvist would, at the very least, push Samsonov for the top job while also serving as a mentor and an example for the The move was a gamble as Samsonov had not played in 18 days. Yet, younger netminders in the organization to follow. he stepped in for his playoff debut and was fantastic making 40 saves on 43 shots. The game ended on a miscommunication between Samsonov The taxi squad added a new wrinkle to the season. Given that he had and Justin Schultz behind the net that allowed Craig Smith to grab the beaten out Copley for the backup role in the postseason, it seems likely loose puck and score in double overtime. this is where Vanecek was slated to spend most of the season. Game 4 at Boston, 2021 postseason 2021 regular season Starter: ??? Capitals tandem: Ilya Samsonov, Vitek Vanecek Backup: ??? Taxi squad: Craig Anderson Samsonov's Game 3 performance was brilliant up until the mistake at the very end. Did that earn him a chance to start Game 4 or did the turnover at the end of the game taint his entire performance and leave open the door for yet another twist in net?

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213765 Washington Capitals 1. Laviolette’s offensive philosophy is to funnel pucks to the net. Force the goalie to make a save. Create chaos. Bang in a rebound.

Well, the Capitals did the opposite of that Friday, and the problem started Capitals’ disjointed effort in Game 4 leaves them on brink on elimination early as they fired just four shots on Tuukka Rask in the opening 20 minutes.

In all, they tested Rask with just 20 shots after producing 32, 39 and 37 By Tarik El-Bashir May 22, 2021 shots, respectively, in the first three games.

Of their 50 shot attempts Friday, 17 were blocked by the Bruins and 13 others missed the net entirely. In desperate need of one of their best performances of the season, the Capitals instead produced one of their weakest Friday night in Boston. “I thought we missed the net a lot,” Laviolette said. “We had opportunities inside where we finally did get looks that we were looking for in the They went more than 18 minutes without a shot, a futile stretch that second and third period on the power play, and it seemed like we missed spanned the first and second periods. the net. Some of them got blocked. But we didn’t deliver as many strikes They surrendered three power-play goals while going just 1-for-6 on the as we needed to on net. There were attempts there, but those attempts man advantage. have got to get through and have got to get on.”

They looked slow and disjointed. 2. Between Carl Hagelin’s shot on goal with 11:21 remaining in the first period and Nic Dowd’s shot 7:19 into the second period — a span of It all added up to an unsightly 4-1 loss in Game 4, and now Alex 18:40 — the Capitals did not record a shot on net while the Bruins put 12 Ovechkin and company return to Washington facing elimination Sunday. shots on Ilya Samsonov.

“I just think we didn’t really bring it today,” said Lars Eller, who returned to “It’s not a lot of shots and it’s not good enough,” said Nicklas Backstrom, the lineup after missing Game 3 with a lower-body injury. “We were off. who had one shot. “Somehow, we have to create some more offensive And now we’ve got 48 hours to regroup. I want to see a different team in chances. I think we’ve just got to move around more and make sure we Game 5 at home. I believe we can do that — I’ve seen it before.” just create those chances for ourselves. It’s not just going to happen. They’re blocking a lot of shots, but you’ve got to make it harder for them The Caps’ metrics were as ugly as the final score. to defend.” Capitals-Bruins statistics 3. After an emotional outburst at the end of Game 3, it felt like Ovechkin Goals was going to have a big night. And the Capitals’ captain did.

1 In addition to scoring Washington’s only goal, Ovechkin recorded a team- high four shots on goal (six other attempts were blocked). He also 4 notched a team-high six hits, the biggest of which was on Brad Shots Marchand.

20 When Ovechkin plays the way he did, he typically is able to drag his teammates into the fight. That, however, didn’t happen Friday. 37 4. Prior to the game, Laviolette said he needed more production from his OZ Possession Time top guys. With the exception of Ovechkin, he didn’t get it.

7:44 In fact, the other five forwards in Washington’s top six combined for one assist and four shots on goal in Game 4. T.J. Oshie, who is quite 5:41 obviously playing through an injury, and Anthony Mantha did not record Slot Shots On Net one.

10 Through four playoff games, the top six has four goals or the same combined total as fourth-liners Dowd and Garnet Hathaway. 19 “It’s disappointing and a little frustrating, as well,” Backstrom said. Scoring Chances Off-the-Rush 5. Laviolette said he and his staff looked at the zone entry on the 2 Marchand goal, which appeared to be very close to being offside, but decided against challenging it. 12 “We looked at it, but we didn’t call it,” Laviolette said. “It looked good to Controlled Entries us.” 46 Marchand’s redirection of a David Pastrnak power-play shot put the 42 Bruins ahead 1-0 in the second period.

Controlled Exits 6. Although the Caps’ goal came on the power play, the unit was not effective overall. It generated just six shots on six opportunities. 87 Backstrom hinted the alignment has once again become too predictable 60 and is in need of tweaks.

Completed Stretch Passes For “I feel like we have to come up with something new here,” he said. “I feel like they’re reading us pretty well.” 9 On three of the six power plays, the Capitals did not register a shot on 11 goal. “There were a lot of things that seemed like they were off tonight,” 7. Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy did not like Dmitry Orlov’s hit on Kevan Capitals coach Peter Laviolette said. “The jump was off, the compete Miller or the decision made by the officials. Orlov was initially assessed a was off, the execution. Five-on-five play needs to be better. Specialty five-minute major for the late, high hit, but after a lengthy review, he was teams need to be better. It was an off night. It wasn’t a good night.” given a roughing minor for the hit and another roughing minor for the Here are 10 notes, quotes and observations from a humbling defeat that ensuing confrontation with Charlie Coyle. pushed the Caps to the brink: “What happened there is the guy left his feet, borderline late, and drove right under his chin,” Cassidy told reporters. Miller was taken to the hospital for scans and further evaluation.

8. Although Boston was assessed nine minor penalties to Washington’s seven, the Capitals believe they need to do a better job of keeping their composure if they’re going to extend this physical, chippy series. Four of the Caps’ penalties in Game 4 were for roughing.

“I’m not picking on any guys here, but it’s crucial to stay disciplined in the playoffs,” Eller said. “We’ve just got to be better in that department. Be more disciplined and don’t put ourselves in that situation.”

He added: “It’s a little bit (because) we’ve got to play better with the puck so we’re not chasing all the time.”

9. Asked what the Capitals need to do Sunday at Capital One Arena, Backstrom did not sugarcoat the situation.

“I feel like we have to want it,” he said. “It’s obviously a big game coming up and we have to be mentally ready. I feel like the previous three games before this we were a lot better than tonight. So we’ve got to be mentally ready, and we’ve got to play for each other. That’s maybe something we didn’t do tonight.”

10. One game after a costly miscommunication behind the net in double overtime, Samsonov bounced back with a solid effort, stopping 33 shots, including all 11 he faced in a lopsided opening 20 minutes.

“There were a lot of big saves that he did make,” Laviolette said. “When they got behind us a few times, he bailed us out on some of the breakaways. So there were some good things that he did.”

Will Samsonov start Game 5? If he does, it’ll mark the first time this season that he’s appeared in three games in a row.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213766 Winnipeg Jets "He's the reason we have a chance. He's the reason we are a playoff team and the reason we have confidence every time we go out there. You can't say enough about having a guy you believe is going to stop every shot," said Wheeler. Jets beat Oilers 1-0 in overtime CP

"It’s such a great confidence boost for the group where you don’t feel like By: Mike McIntyre you have to play perfect hockey. I think that’s probably what he would say, that it’s his job to clean up our mistake. It just gives guys so much Posted: 11:56 PM CDT Friday, May. 21, 2021 confidence to go out there and play with a little bit more freedom, a little Last Modified: 12:33 AM CDT Saturday, May. 22, 2021 bit more confidence knowing that if I make the wrong play at the wrong time, I got a guy back there that can bail me out."

Desperate for some offence, Edmonton coach Dave Tippett put all his In a game that needed a hockey hero or two to emerge, it was Paul eggs in the proverbial basket, pairing McDavid and Draisaitl together off Stastny’s savvy shooting and Connor Hellebuyck's stellar saves that the start, along with winger Jesse Puljujarvi who has Edmonton's only made the difference. goal in this series. The pair were on separate lines for most of Wednesday's opener. And a thrilling 1-0 overtime victory on Friday night at Rogers Place has given the underdog Winnipeg Jets a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven first Winnipeg had its skating legs going early. Adam Lowry had a terrific rush round playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers. chance in the opening minutes, drawing a slash from Ethan Bear that gave the Jets their first power play of the series. And they nearly This one was all about the masked men. Hellebuyck and his counterpart, connected, with Connor getting two shots from in tight. Smith turned 39-year-old Mike Smith, put on a goaltending clinic through regulation, away both. combining for 69 saves. Not surprisingly, the only puck to find the back of the net came on a shot through traffic, with Stastny patiently waiting for In Game 1, the Jets mustered just six first period shots, and 22 in the Oilers defenceman Dmitry Kulikov to cross in front of Smith before wiring entire game. They had 11 through the first seven minutes of this one, and a wrist shot at 4:06 of the extra period. 17 in the opening frame.

"I figured I'd try to use the D as a screen and just put the puck on net. I Edmonton had some good looks as well, including a sustained offensive feel like in overtime, whether you're trying to score or whether you're zone shift in which Jets defencemen Logan Stanley and Tucker Poolman trying to generate offence, I think sometimes that's just the easiest way to were trapped for more than two minutes, but they survived without do it. The puck had eyes, and fortunately it went in," said Stastny. incident, despite the Oilers having McDavid and Draisaitl out for most of it. The Jets erupted in celebration, spilling off the bench to mob Hellebuyck, who finished with 38 saves, and Stastny, the veteran forward who just Winnipeg's second power play of the series, drawn by , played his 1000th career regular-season game last week and waived his wasn't nearly as effective. They were unable to get organized in the no-trade clause not once, but twice, to join Winnipeg for moments just Edmonton end, nearly coughed up a shorthanded goal and negated it like this. near the end with a Perreault roughing penalty.

"You know, it was one of those moments that just flashed by. It's almost The Jets killed it off, with Stanley standing out for two superb stands he unexpected but that's playoff hockey right there. We played such a good made at his blue line. The first involved a poke check off a streaking team game tonight. It was time. It was our time. I'm really excited for the McDavid, the second involved a huge body check on Draisaitl to break guys," said Hellebuyck. up a play. Those would be significant for any defencemen, but especially for a rookie playing his second-ever playoff game. CP CP Not to be overshadowed was the incredible defensive effort by the Jets, who paid the price by sacrificing bodies in the form of bruising hits and Play evened out a bit more in the second period, although the Jets had blocking shots. Dylan DeMelo had the biggest of the night, a painful blast another couple good looks. Andrew Copp came closest, as his rush to his hand that likely prevented a sure Edmonton goal. The Jets finished chance ended with a shot that Smith just got enough of. Hellebuyck's with a 22 blocks and 52 hits in the game. best save came late in the period, when he first denied Draisaitl and then threw out his left pad for a terrific stop off Darnell Nurse. "That just shows why we are where we are. We're grinding and fighting for every second. We're not giving up on a play," Hellebuyck said of the The bad blood started boiling late after Mason Appleton was driven into effort in front of him. Smith and a big brouhaha broke out. Smith nearly got involved in the fray, and even had some words for Appleton and his Winnipeg For a second straight game, the Jets kept the league's two best point- teammates as he skated towards his bench for the intermission. producers at bay. Connor McDavid, who won the scoring race with 105 points in 56 games, and Leon Draisaitl, who finished second with 84, Winnipeg flirted with danger early in the third period, as Stastny was were blanked, just as they were in Wednesday’s 4-1 defeat in Game 1. called for slashing and Stanley for boarding, giving Edmonton a five-on- It’s quite the development considering how the pair feasted on the Jets three for 21 seconds. The Jets survived thanks to some huge stops by during the regular-season. McDavid had 22 points against Winnipeg, Hellebuyck and a couple key blocks from Derek Forbort and Dylan while Draisaitl had a dozen as the Oilers won seven of nine games, DeMelo, whose arm may have saved a goal. including six straight heading into the playoffs. "Honestly, it was just pure chaos and desperation," said Demelo. "It's been a group effort. We have to play as a group of five. Our defencemen are doing a really good job. We're trying to come back and "(Alex) Chiasson has the puck off the rebound there. We both whack at it give them help and let our goalie see the puck," said captain Blake and I maybe got a piece of it. I just remember going down and I saw the Wheeler, whose line with Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor have gotten a puck go to McDavid. I was on my back so I have to throw something up, healthy dose of the dynamic duo. but I was on my back so I was thinking maybe I’ll two-pad stack it, but I don’t think I had the extension. So I just put my hands up and luckily it hit "Those two guys are one and two in the world right now, best two me.... You need that type of desperation and sacrifice. It was lucky that it players. They're creating chances, they're making plays. We just have to hit me and the guys did a great job on the penalty kill for sure. It was a try not to give them chances, that's the big thing." crazy play for sure."

There were only eight games during the regular-season where McDavid That set the stage for an overtime that was short, but certainly sweet, for and Draisaitl were held without a point on the same night, and it only the Jets thanks to Stastny’s seeing-eye snipe. happened in two consecutive games on one occasion. Both had plenty of chances in this one, with McDavid firing five shots and Draisaitl four, but "He’s been in enough playoff games to know that anything that goes to Hellebuyck stood tall all night long. the net is the right decision. He’s played two really, really smart games. Some of his positioning in zone is just veteran. He knows how to change his body angle on so many plays, just to get to the right place... He sat on the wall for just a bit to open up a lane to the inside, almost bait a little bit and then gets a shot to the net. He’s been great for us," said Jets coach Paul Maurice.

The series now shifts back to Winnipeg. Game 3 goes Sunday at Bell MTS Place, with puck drop set for 6:30 p.m. Game 4 is Monday night at 8:45 p.m.

"We just did everything we could to get the win. It maybe wasn't perfect or pretty every play, but I think we have a team that can grind real well. And at this time of year it's going to take everybody. Every blocked shot matters, every hit matters," said DeMelo.

"I think we're just coming together as a team and everybody's pulling on the same rope, and it's been a lot of fun here. To come out with two wins here is huge. We still have a lot of work to do and they're not going to roll over. That game was a lot of fun. When everybody's contributing like that, our bench was real good, it was just a lot of fun."

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 05.22.2021 1213767 Winnipeg Jets “Honestly, it was just pure chaos and desperation,” DeMelo said. “I just remember going down and I saw the puck go to McDavid. I was on my back so I have to throw something up..

Jets shut down Oilers stars again, win Game 2 as Stastny scores in “So I just put my hands up and luckily it hit me. Even if you see behind overtime that, it hits me, but all these guys are jumping in front of that puck. You need that type of desperation and sacrifice. It was lucky that it hit me and the guys did a great job on the penalty kill for sure. It was a crazy play for sure. Ted Wyman “It’s pretty funny. I looked at it after and it’s hilarious. I don’t know how Publishing date:May 22, 2021 • 4 hours ago • that hit me, but that was pretty funny (laughs).”

It was clear early on that this was going to be more fast-paced than Remember the seven-game losing streak that had Winnipeg Jets fans so Game 1. alarmed as the Stanley Cup playoffs approached? Both teams were skating well, the checking wasn’t quite as tight — at How about the six straight losses against the Edmonton Oilers? least in the first period — and that led to good scoring chances at both ends of the ice. Or maybe the 22 points NHL leading scorer Connor McDavid put up against the Jets during nine regular-season games? Smith was stellar in the first period, in particular, making 17 saves, including 14 before the game was 10 minutes old. It all seems like ancient history now that we’re two games into the North Division semifinal and the Jets are flying out of Edmonton with a 2-0 lead The best chance for the Jets went to winger Kyle Connor, who found in the best-of-seven. himself in tight, only to be stopped twice by Smith. The Oilers goalie got his blocker on the first shot and his left pad on the other. The Jets beat the Oilers 1-0 in overtime at Rogers Place Friday night, shutting down McDavid, and 2020 Hart Trophy winner Leon Draisaitl, for The Oilers brought the offence a little more in the second period, the second straight game, getting a 38-save shutout from goalie Connor outshooting the Jets 12-8, but both Smith and Hellebuyck continued to Hellebuyck, and the game-winning goal from Paul Stastny at 4:06 of shine. overtime. Smith made fine save off of Copp, who broke in alone off the right wing, Stastny took a pass from linemate Andrew Copp and fired a long wrist while Hellebuyck stopped both Draisaitl and Darnell Nurse on a flurry of a shot through a double screen to beat Oilers goalie Mike Smith. chances in close.

“I was just putting the puck on net,” Stastny said. “I feel like in overtime, Early in the third period, Stastny was called for slashing on Oilers whether you’re trying to score or whether you’re trying to generate defenceman Slater Koekoek, who jumped up to take a pass in the slot offence, I think that’s the easiest way to do it. The puck had eyes, and and got a shot on Hellebuyck. fortunately it went in.” The Jets were doing a decent job killing the penalty — players were It was the only shot of the night to get past Smith, who made 35 saves. throwing themselves in front of shots by the Oilers stars — but with 21 seconds left in the minor, defenceman Logan Stanley was called for His performance was worthy of a win, but so was Hellebuyck’s. The Jets boarding on Oilers’ defenceman Ethan Bear. goalie has now stopped 70 of 71 shots he has faced in the series. That gave the Oilers a two-man advantage for 21 seconds and they After such an impressive goaltender’s duel, Hellebuyck was thrilled to quickly moved the puck to Draisaitl for a one-timer, but Hellebuyck got see the puck go in at the other end. across quickly for a huge save. Winnipeg killed off both minors, leaving the Oilers’ top-ranked power play 0-for-4 in the series. “It was one of those moments that just flashed by,” the 2020 Vezina Trophy winner said. “It’s almost unexpected. But that’s playoff hockey Both teams got several chances late in the third period, but players on right there. both sides continued to throw themselves in front of pucks and both goalies continued to be unbeatable. “We played such a good team game tonight. And you know, it was time, it was our time. We were playing the right way. And when you get a shot The Oilers got away with a late high stick by Nurse on Jets centre Adam off like that anything can happen. So I’m really excited for the guys.” Lowry.

The Jets will host the Oilers in Games 3 and 4 on Sunday and Monday But the Jets didn’t need that power play to win the game as the 35-year- nights at Bell MTS Place. old Stastny scored through traffic in overtime to set off a wild celebration for the visitors. They’ll look to do more of the same in terms of slowing down McDavid and Draisaitl. It was a fitting celebration for the end of an incredible game by both teams but the Jets aimed to park the win quickly, just as they did after The Oilers stars were only shut out on the same night seven times during winning Game 1. the 56-game regular season. In the games after they were shutout, they combined for 26 points. There’s a maturity about this team — with players like captain Blake Wheeler, Stastny, Nate Thompson and Trevor Lewis, all in their 30s — But the Jets kept them at bay again, using terrific sticks, great that Jets coach Paul Maurice believes is designed for the playoffs. anticipation and close checking to frustrate not only McDavid and Draisaitl, but all of the Oilers. “It’s a function of age, really,” he said. “We’re an older team than we were three or four years ago. And, as you get older, it puts a different “We’re just playing them really hard,” said Jets defenceman Dylan perspective on where you’re at and playoffs have to be enjoyed. DeMelo, who had two of the Jets 22 blocked shots. “You have to come to the rink excited about the opportunity to succeed, “We’re not giving them easy offence. It is just a total buy-in right now to play your best, to enjoy your teammates. We have a little older team from our guys and you know, those two world class players, they’re still here. We were really young for a long time. Sometimes, young guys, getting some looks, but as they are, (Hellebuyck) has done a great job of “Hey, if it doesn’t happen this year, it’ll happen next year,” right? They handling those. It’s great, we’ve done a great job. But it is only two have a lot of time on the clock. And veteran guys go, ‘Nobody can predict games and we’ve got a long series to go here. It’s going to take an effort what’s going to happen in the game so you get a chance to play it so you like that, if not even more.” must enjoy it.’” DeMelo played a big role in the win. During a third-period power play for Nobody is counting the Oilers out at this point either. McDavid and the Oilers that eventually turned into a two-man advantage, DeMelo Draisaitl could break out for a bundle of goals at any time and everyone blocked a shot from McDavid that was headed toward an open net. knows it. DeMelo was lying on his back and simply threw his arms in the air as McDavid shot. The puck hit him in the back of the glove. “We saw it all year,” Wheeler said. “We gave them some easy chances and they’re in the net, right? So we’re just trying to make them work for the chances. With that being said, they’re still creating chances. They’re still so dynamic. At end of the day, it took (Hellebuyck) making some big saves when we needed them to win.”

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 05.22.2021 1213768 Winnipeg Jets Maurice nearly salivates at the prospect of having Dubois for those Central Division playoff battles the Jets had become accustomed to, surmising he’s better built for that than the Eastern Conference game.

'Kill or be killed': Jets' Dubois lives for post-season Tell that to last year’s Leafs.

Dubois says he doesn’t prepare any differently from the regular season.

Paul Friesen But he seems to relish the increased focus that playoffs demand.

Publishing date:May 21, 2021 • 4 hours ago “The margin for error is even smaller,” he explained. “Details are even more important. The game is even less open. And you see the goals that are being scored right now, they’re all in front of the net and around the net. A lot of it’s almost choppy. You could see Pierre-Luc Dubois light up when he got the all-clear to join the Winnipeg Jets for Game 2 of their playoff series against Edmonton, “But that’s playoff hockey. And that’s the time of year that I like the most, Friday night. to be honest.”

“Watching the last game, it was fun to see the guys win,” Dubois said. It’s been an up-and-down season for Dubois, from the blockbuster trade “But it’s never fun being in the stands and not being out there… I’m 100% that brought him to Winnipeg for Patrick Laine to the ensuing quarantine ready to go and really excited.” and a couple of injuries along the way, including one in the final regular- season game that caused him to miss the playoff opener. That was Friday around noon. Before the Jets took a 2-0 series lead with a gritty, 1-0 overtime win in Edmonton. His performances have ranged from solid to invisible, and everything in between. While much of the focus has been on the potential return from injury of Nik Ehlers — and rightfully so, as he was among the Jets’ leading In Game 2 in Edmonton, Friday, Dubois made a quiet playoff debut for scorers — Dubois’ addition to the lineup has the potential to be just as his new team, playing on a line with Paul Stastny and Andrew Copp. impactful. Copp had some sparkling chances, while Dubois seemed to get stronger The Stanley Cup playoffs just seem to bring out the best in some players. as the game went on, hustling to beat out a third-period icing to set up Their focus hits another level and their performance tags along for the Stastny for a shot. ride. Stastny would eventually win it in overtime. Dubois looked like one of those players in last year’s summer playoffs, piling up 10 points in 10 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Over the next week or more, Dubois will continue to perform on the stage he loves most. What he does with it will ultimately mark his debut season The defining moment: His first playoff hat-trick, including the overtime with the Jets. winner, in a 4-3 win over the Maple Leafs in Game 3 of the qualifying series. “It’s a fresh start,” is how Maurice put it before the game. “Playoffs is an opportunity to kind of define your year, regardless of how you played in At 22, he walked onto the big stage and nailed his part. the regular season. He went through such a tumultuous journey to get to the playoffs here for us. He’s actually shown signs of this right from the beginning, scoring two goals and four points in six playoff games with the Blue Jackets as a 19- “This is a chance… a good time for him to ply his trade.” year-old. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 05.22.2021 So is it just a knack?

“I love a good challenge,” Dubois said. “I love competing… in playoffs it’s magnified. Everything’s magnified. In my first year, my second year and even last year, there’s just something about this time of year. Every shift every battle, every shot, every stick on puck, it’s important…

“It’s sort of kill or be killed out there.”

Dubois single-handedly killed the Leafs in that game and the Blue Jackets went on to win the series.

He’d score once and add five assists in a five-game loss to eventual Cup champion Tampa Bay.

His career playoff log sat at 19 points in 26 games going into Friday’s tilt, a noticeable bump from his regular-season production.

Scoring is supposed to get harder in the playoffs, not easier.

“We’ve talked now for a couple of weeks about the way the game changes,” head coach Paul Maurice said, pre-game. “And being big, strong, fast and (good) hands is more suited to this kind of game. It’s a heavier game. It’s more a size game, at times, unless you’re really, really fast. It’s about controlling pucks and every check gets finished, so you’ve got to be able to absorb those and still make the plays.”

You’d be hard-pressed to find a more solid frame than the fit, 6-foot-2, 205-pound one Dubois already possesses.

Of course, hockey’s not played in the gym. Inner fire isn’t the product of a good bench press.

Maurice watched Dubois last summer and saw it burning.

“There are some guys that almost need the playoffs to get them to the emotional level where their game truly comes out,” he said. “That’s what I saw in the playoffs last year. He looked really wired.” 1213769 Winnipeg Jets EHLERS BACK SUNDAY? For a few minutes on Friday it looked like the Jets might have high-

scoring, highly-skilled winger Nikolaj Ehlers back in the lineup for Game JETS SNAPSHOTS: Tavares injury a stark reminder of vulnerability for 2. Jets’ and Oilers players Ehlers skated in a regular jersey for the first time at the morning skate. He has missed 10 games with a shoulder injury, but has been skating for a week now, in a yellow, non-contact jersey until Friday. Ted Wyman However, he wound up staying on the ice for extra work after the Jets Publishing date:May 21, 2021 • 4 hours ago • finished skating, an indication that he would not be playing.

“Yeah, he looks good,” Maurice said. “He was out of the gold sweater today and wore a normal sweater. He’s been in controlled contact for It was an on-ice incident so frightening that most television viewers probably four or five days now, and he’s in full contact now and looking simply wanted to un-see it, including Winnipeg Jets winger Mathieu like he wants to play.” Perreault. Maurice later said Ehlers would not play Friday but was a possibility for “I pretty much turned away from the TV when it happened,” Perreault Game 3 on Sunday in Winnipeg. said Friday. GO FISH Perreault was referring to an injury suffered by Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares during Game 1 of a North Division semifinal The Oilers were expected to play their top two stars — McDavid and against the Montreal Canadiens. Leon Draisaitl — on the same line Friday night to try to generate more offence after losing 4-1 in Game 1. Tavares took an accidental knee to the head from Canadiens forward Corey Perry and was knocked unconscious. He was clearly in medical But Oilers coach Dave Tippett wasn’t about to reveal anything. distress, a sight that was difficult for players, coaches and fans around the league to watch. A reporter told Tippett on Zoom Friday that he was on a “fishing expedition” to try to find out some info about Edmonton’s forward lines for He was stretchered off after being attended to for several minutes by Game 2, prompting this response from the coach: medical personnel and spent the night in hospital. “Sometimes when you go fishing, you catch fish, and sometimes you The good news is he has been released from hospital and is recovering, don’t. No fish today for you.” though he will be out of the lineup indefinitely with a concussion. RETURN OF KULIKOV “That was very scary,” Perreault said. “You don’t like to see it. It was ugly. This game is so fast, it’s the kind of thing that could happen.” Former Jets defenceman Dmitry Kulikov was not re-signed after playing in the playoff bubble last summer and signed with the New Jersey Devils While everyone involved in hockey was pulling for Tavares to be OK, the in the off-season. incident certainly highlighted the vulnerability of players in a fast, sometimes dangerous game. But it didn’t take long for him to be back in the picture for the Jets after he was traded to the Oilers at the deadline and is now playing a fairly “You try not to think about that stuff honestly,” Perreault said. “When I prominent role in this playoff series. come out to play a game I know this is something that can happen but you gotta leave it behind you. Especially in the playoffs, you have to have Kulikov played 18:29 on the second defence pairing with Adam Larsson a mindset that you have to be fearless. I come to the rink and get on the in Game 1. ice and once I start playing hockey I don’t think about that stuff.” “It didn’t feel any different to be honest with you than playing against any Oilers captain Connor McDavid, the NHL’s leading scorer in 2021, said other team,” Kulikov said of taking on his former teammates in the post- the incident likely hit home with every player in the league. season. “Yeah, I know the guys well, I played there for the last three years. But we’re in the business of winning games and it doesn’t matter “Obviously thinking about him and his whole family and everyone close to who’s out there. They’re a good team but what we’re trying to do is win him,” McDavid said. “It’s obviously a very scary incident and it’s a here.” humbling reminder that this game is fast and things can go wrong out there. At the end of the day, there’s still humans out there, guys with He was also asked if he knows tendencies of Jets forwards that can help families. It’s scary to see and you just hope he’s doing OK.” him and his team.

Jets centre Pierre-Luc Dubois, who returned to the line-up after missing “A little bit, maybe,” he said. “You try not to overthink the game. Game 1 with an undisclosed injury, said the injury to Tavares is just an Everything happens so quick on the ice that you just come out and read unfortunate part of hockey. off of your partner and off of them. You know some of the tendencies that players have but you’re not really using it in a game. I feel like a lot of the “It’s a freak accident, it’s something that happened so fast that nobody times, you just end up playing the situations.” can prepare for it and nobody can try to avoid,” Dubois said. “It’s scary, but you try not to think about it. In any sport, you have some sort of Winnipeg Sun LOADED 05.22.2021 danger to it. You try not to think about it too much, so it doesn’t really affect your game and it doesn’t affect decision-making.”

The incident clearly played a role in the outcome of the game for the Leafs, who lost 2-1 at home. The players and coach Sheldon Keefe were rattled and concerned.

Anyone would be.

“It just stops everything, when you see something that dangerous, the hit to the head,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said. “You know, there’s a really, really healthy competition and animosity between teams in the playoffs that gets built very, very fast and something like that just ends it.

“Both of those teams, Canadiens as well, are going through the same set of emotions in a lot of ways, even though it’s an opponent. They just hope he’s fine. It was a terrible thing. Great news today that it looks like things are good, he’s on the right path back. But that kind of stops the game. The perspective of the game changes pretty darn quick.” 1213770 Winnipeg Jets It’s worth comparing his regular-season five-on-five shooting rates to his numbers through two games against Winnipeg:

• Regular season: 13.1 CF/60, 8.3 SF/60, 0.88 xG/60 ‘It was our time’: How the Jets defied critics and odds to take a 2-0 series • First two games versus WPG: 15.5 CF/60, 8.5 SF/60, 0.72 xG/60 lead The quality has gone down, owing to the Jets’ defensive work, but the

quantity is almost exactly the same. He will get his — eventually. By Murat Ates May 22, 2021 Until that happens, the best Connor in this series will be named Hellebuyck.

Two minutes and fifty seconds into the third period, Connor McDavid had “He’s the reason we have a chance,” Jets captain Blake Wheeler said. control of the puck and an empty net to shoot at. “He’s the reason we are a playoff team and the reason we have confidence every time we go out there. You just can’t say enough about Edmonton’s power play had picked apart the Jets, creating back-to-back having a guy who you believe is going to stop every shot. And when one one-timer opportunities for Leon Draisaitl — the only player with more does go in, you just kind of say, ‘Well, that was lucky.’ It’s such a great points in 2021 than McDavid has assists. confidence boost for the group where you don’t feel like you have to play perfect hockey.” Derek Forbort had blocked Draisaitl’s first blast, but the Oilers regained possession and Draisaitl’s second shot was a rocket. It’s impossible to play perfect hockey against McDavid and Draisaitl — the Oilers had 61 percent of shots and 59 percent of expected goals with Connor Hellebuyck had pushed post-to-post in an instant, keeping the them on the ice — but Hellebuyck was perfect: A 38-save shutout in game tied at zero, but the puck bounced into harm’s way as Hellebuyck Game 2 brings Hellebuyck up to 70 saves on 71 shots to open the series. scrambled to get back into his goal. When asked about Stastny’s overtime winner, Hellebuyck was sure to The Oilers had a wide-open net to shoot at, desperate to take a crucial put the focus on his team. lead and tie the series they were heavily favoured to win. “We played such a good team game tonight,” he said. “And you know, it First, Dylan DeMelo checked Alex Chiasson, falling to the ice in a was time — it was our time. We were playing the right way. And when desperate attempt to protect his net. Then it was Andrew Copp swatting you get a shot off like that, anything can happen.” the puck away from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins as Hellebuyck pushed back toward the crease It’s stunning to watch how quickly the Jets have turned themselves from underdogs to heavy favourites in this series. Winnipeg’s defence was not But Copp’s clear put the puck right on the stick of 105-point McDavid as its strong suit against any team during the regular season, and it was a he barreled toward Winnipeg’s goal. decided weakness against the Oilers. McDavid took control, sized up the open cage and shot. Yet as soon as the playoffs began, the Jets have played a committed, “Somehow, that stayed out,” Harnarayan Singh said on “Hockey Night in five-man defensive game. There are moments when Edmonton’s world- Canada.” class players make world-class plays (and Winnipeg’s world-class goaltender is forced to stop them), but the rush chances are way down. No one could believe that McDavid hadn’t scored. Not even DeMelo, The expected goals against are way down. The Jets are successfully whose desperate, reaching hand — from his back, on the ice, faced playing McDavid and Draisaitl to a standstill while beating the Oilers toward his own net — had saved the certain goal. whenever they’re not on the ice.

“I just remember going down and I saw the puck go to McDavid,” DeMelo Paul Maurice put his team’s transformation through two lenses. said after the Jets’ 1-0 win. “I was on my back so I have to throw something up, but I was on my back so I was thinking, ‘Maybe I’ll two-pad The first was sacrifice: stack it, but I don’t think I had the extension.’ So I just put my hands up “We needed to get to a place in our game that was a little more sacrifice and luckily it hit me.” to the defensive side of the game and sacrifice some offence,” Maurice The fact that the puck hit DeMelo’s hand kept the game tied at zero, said. “It’s not easy. You get a lot of guys that are paid to generate helped the Jets kill Paul Stastny’s slashing penalty, and played an offence, and there’s a pressure that comes with that. They want to enormous part in getting the Jets safely to overtime. produce and you get to the playoffs and it’s really not about production. It’s about everybody playing the exact same game, regardless of skill But the most impressive thing, according to DeMelo, was how much help level, and giving yourself a chance to win each night.” he had behind him. The second was joy: And it’s true: As DeMelo reaches up both hands in quiet desperation, Copp and Hellebuyck can each be seen lunging back toward the same “You know you’re going to work hard,” he explained. “You’re going to get puck. As incredible as DeMelo’s save is, his teammates were just as the hockey right. You should try to enjoy this and have fun with it. So prepared to sacrifice their bodies to keep their net safe. we’ve tried to tap into that a little bit, that even though there’s nobody in the building, there’s a different kind of energy obviously in the game. The Jets killed Stastny’s penalty and Logan Stanley’s boarding minor that There’s some excitement and I think they’re enjoying each other. They’re followed it. certainly talking about it on the bench. Every great block gets acknowledged. Every great play gets acknowledged. I want them to have Then they fought their way into overtime, where Stastny’s wrist shot fun with it.” sailed past Dmitry Kulikov, Adam Larsson and goaltender Mike Smith. Let’s go back to the block that helped silence McDavid and put the Jets Suddenly, the Jets have a 2-0 lead in a series that they weren’t supposed in position to win Game 2. to be able to win. The Oilers had dominated them for too many games in too spectacular a fashion: In Winnipeg’s nine games against Edmonton, Tell me if this doesn’t look like fun for DeMelo and Stastny. the Jets were outscored 34-22 and hadn’t been able to hold McDavid to fewer than two points in a single game. The Winnipeg Jets have defied the critics and the odds. They’re up 2-0, they’re headed home to Bell MTS Place, and there’s even a chance that Now, McDavid and Draisaitl have been shut down in two consecutive Nik Ehlers will be ready to go in Game 3. games. (That McDavid was shut down in one game was so remarkable we dedicated a shift-by-shift analysis to Winnipeg’s success.) The Jets’ McDavid and Draisaitl are point-less through two games, Hellebuyck is commitment to team defence has been steadfast but, even with the best playing out of his mind and Stastny’s overtime winner sends Winnipeg intentions, the most neutral zone traffic, and as much physical play as home in control of the series. Winnipeg can muster, our Jonathan Willis notes that McDavid isn’t that The only way this story could read more like a fairytale is if there were a far off his typical chance numbers: patented Winnipeg whiteout waiting for the Jets in their home rink.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213771 Winnipeg Jets Toninato, backed by Neal Pionk and Derek Forbort. This was one of several fourth-line icings on the night, but the Jets escaped unscathed.

Why? Film study: How did the Jets keep Connor McDavid off the board in Thompson’s faceoff record certainly helps. He beat McDavid and Kahun Game 1 — and can they do it again? on consecutive faceoffs, leading to a clearance and a safe line change for Scheifele, Wheeler and Connor.

By Murat Ates May 21, 2021 Then, when McDavid received a pass from Tyson Barrie and attacked the Jets line, he found himself cut off from his teammates: Scheifele, Wheeler, Pionk and Forbort were all in position to turn Edmonton’s entry attempt into a two-on-four: Imagine for a moment that you’re Edmonton Oilers coach Dave Tippett, tasked with beating the Winnipeg Jets in Round 1. This becomes a theme.

In your corner, you have the NHL’s best player — Connor McDavid — a McDavid’s third shift: Josh Morrissey gaps tight with Wheeler in full flight scorer so dominant that his 2021 points rate resembles that of Wayne Gretzky and . During the regular season, your team On this one, McDavid looked genuinely dangerous, attacking Winnipeg’s outscored the Jets 10-2 when McDavid played against their top-line blue line on a three-on-two created by a Kyle Connor turnover. center Mark Scheifele, 4-0 when he was head-to-head with Paul Stastny, McDavid takes a pass from Kahun immediately following this still: and 4-1 when he played against Adam Lowry. Two things stop this rush from turning into a scoring chance. First, Put another way, nobody on Winnipeg’s team was able to stop McDavid. Morrissey immediately steps up on McDavid, gapping tightly and The rest of your assets include the NHL’s second-biggest scorer — Leon assertively. Second, Wheeler — at the red line in this still — hustles back Draisaitl — plus a great power play, but your depth is outmatched by that and wins the puck out of the ensuing Morrissey-McDavid battle. Later on of the Jets. this same shift, the Jets back way off Barrie and Nurse in Edmonton’s zone such that Edmonton’s first pass can’t hit McDavid in a neutral-zone How do you best use McDavid to win? pocket.

In the “duh” category, you play him a lot. Not much Winnipeg can do It’s good situational awareness from the Jets and the ensuing breakout about that. And McDavid did play more minutes than any Jets skater on attempt gets stuffed by the fresh legs of a backchecking Mathieu Wednesday night. Perreault.

But to maximize McDavid’s ice time without exhausting him, you have to McDavid’s fourth shift: Lowry is lightning be strategic. You start the game with McDavid on the ice, play him as often as possible, and — if you’re able to time it right — you play him With 11:39 remaining in the first period, the Jets’ fourth line ices the puck right before the game’s first TV timeout. This takes a bit of good fortune, again, creating a third opportunity for McDavid to take advantage of the as no one knows exactly when there will be a stoppage in play, but you bottom of Winnipeg’s roster. This time, the defencemen behind know that there will be a two-minute break at the first whistle following Thompson, Lewis and Lowry (the Jets had completed a partial change) the six-minute mark, midway point and 14-minute mark of each period. are Tucker Poolman and Logan Stanley.

If you play the whistles right, you can double-shift your superstar three Tippett plays his trump card here, sending Draisaitl out for the draw with times per period. McDavid on his wing. Draisaitl beats Thompson and the puck goes straight to McDavid high in the zone. This should be dangerous: Now it’s time to optimize those minutes, getting him out there in the most advantageous situations possible. This is where Lowry’s fresh legs save Winnipeg a scoring chance. First, he darts out to McDavid so he can’t attack the middle. Then, when How did Tippett do? Part of the optimization Wednesday was territorial: McDavid passes off to Barrie at the point, Lowry gets out far enough to McDavid started seven shifts on offensive-zone draws compared with get a stick on Barrie’s shot, deflecting it over the glass. McDavid stays on just one in his own zone at five-on-five. That type of ratio is tough to keep the ice, but Lowry wins the draw and his new linemates, Perreault and up — the Jets offered a few consecutive icings in the first period to boost Mason Appleton, do a great job in the neutral zone to limit Edmonton’s it — but, even then, McDavid started roughly two shifts in the offensive opportunity to get back into Winnipeg’s end. zone for every one he started in his own end at five-on-five all season. At this point, I get it: I’m showing that the Jets have shut down McDavid The Jets didn’t have any power plays in Game 1, but McDavid will by … being in good position and working really hard? I mean, why hadn’t absolutely be coming over the boards immediately after an Oilers PK. anybody thought of that before? This allows Edmonton to get McDavid on the ice against tired offensive players or members of Winnipeg’s third or fourth lines. But look what happens as soon as the Jets commit even two forecheckers to Edmonton’s breakout, leaving a pocket in behind them. And finally: There will be times when McDavid is used with Draisaitl to create a supergroup that makes life as miserable for the Jets as possible. McDavid’s fifth shift: The perils of committing two forwards high Edmonton outshot Winnipeg 29-12 and outscored the Jets 6-0 when both McDavid’s first clean zone entry of the game turns into a cycle shift McDavid and Draisaitl were on the ice at five-on-five this season. which, after some harmless-looking outside play, creates a scoring Tippett combined McDavid and Draisaitl for 6:43 in Game 1 and the chance that goes right through the crease. Oilers outshot the Jets 7-0. Once again, it’s Wheeler who puts an end to it by winning a battle on the That’s an awful lot of ways to get the most out of McDavid. right-wing boards.

Tippett tried as many of them as he had access to on Wednesday, but Still, it’s plain to see: Halfway through the first period, the one time the Jets held McDavid off the scoresheet and limited him to two shots McDavid gets a clean entry into the zone (and it’s not even that clean; he and six shot attempts. has to skate to an area pass from Puljujarvi), it leads to an Oilers scoring chance. Winnipeg’s top line nearly gets burnt for committing both Connor How in the world did they do it? and Scheifele high in the offensive zone without winning the puck.

Let’s review a selection of McDavid’s shifts during the Jets’ 4-1 victory in McDavid’s sixth shift: McDavid makes a better read than Scheifele Game 1 to find out, and maybe in the process also answer the big question heading into Friday night’s Game 2: How can they do it again? The next time McDavid is on the ice, he wins an offensive-zone draw from Scheifele straight to Puljujarvi, and the ensuing chaos from First period: A world of difference between a 1-2-2 and a 2-1-2 forecheck Puljujarvi’s one-timer leads to a 55-second shift in Winnipeg’s end. Most of that time is spent on the outside, but danger presents itself when McDavid’s second shift: Nate Thompson’s faceoff clinic Scheifele finds himself hoping for a zone exit that doesn’t come. Wheeler Winnipeg’s fourth line iced the puck, giving McDavid, Dominik Kahun and tries to advance this puck along the boards, but McDavid takes it from Jesse Puljujarvi a shift against Thompson, Trevor Lewis and Dominic him: Scheifele and Connor combine for a giveaway on Winnipeg’s next exit Lowry was a beast on this penalty kill, shutting down plays all over the opportunity and McDavid makes a pass through Wheeler to a streaking ice and creating clearances as well. Nurse … but the puck bounces and Nurse can’t get a shot off. The part to highlight is the extra attention he gives to McDavid on That’s the second key takeaway here: Hockey is a game of inches well Edmonton’s entry. As soon as Lowry knows the puck is out of the zone before the puck gets shot. and will need to come back in, he shadows McDavid into the neutral zone. Lowry stays with him for just a couple of seconds, the puck goes to McDavid’s seventh shift: Winnipeg Jets zone exit miscues Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Lowry lets him go.

That same lesson applies to this impressive bit of hand-eye coordination It’s so subtle but, from where I sit, Lowry turned the possibility of a from Puljujarvi, while a Poolman-to-Wheeler-to-McDavid breakout fail McDavid entry into a Nugent-Hopkins entry, making things ever so drives home how quickly turnovers can become dangerous scoring slightly safer for his team. chances: Third period: Connor Hellebuyck seals the win Scheifele is on the right side of McDavid when the puck gets turned over, but no one gets to Puljujarvi quickly enough to stop him from his first There were multiple reasons Winnipeg got out of the third period without attempt or his baseball swing that forces a save. experiencing a McDavid masterwork.

On the same shift, the Jets commit two forecheckers high for the second Players like DeMelo, burned by his giveaway to Kahun earlier in the time against McDavid’s line and, also for the second time, McDavid ends game, played tight one-on-one defence. Morrissey made clean reverse up with a pretty good scoring chance. passes out of pressure and into successful breakouts. McDavid and Draisaitl were used more and more often as the game went and, while A one-on-two zone-entry attempt isn’t usually a dangerous concept. they did expose Poolman and Stanley’s weaknesses against elite talent When it’s McDavid and he’s given the space to pick up speed, it turns on one shift, Lowry’s line arrived on the scene, won the puck and cycled into a play that only stopped by an uncalled Dylan DeMelo trip. it in the offensive zone until the shift was safe.

McDavid’s eighth shift: McDavid and Draisaitl create havoc at both ends Then this happened: of the ice There’s no way Winnipeg is going to win this series without Hellebuyck The second time McDavid started a shift with Draisailt as a linemate, it handling sequences like this one. was for a faceoff to Hellebuyck’s right with 36 seconds left in the first period. The Jets got a clearance but, soon after that, things got If the Oilers get to have the best player in the world, perhaps the reigning dangerous for both teams. most valuable goaltender in the world is a suitable response.

We pick it up just in time for Scheifele and Wheeler to turn their attention Finally, a note on matchups. to Draisaitl, leaving McDavid open for Draisaitl’s ridiculous backhand pass up the wing. As much as Lowry’s line appeared to have a better neutral-zone setup against McDavid, hanging back so as not to get exposed, McDavid and From there, the game is inches from a McDavid goal, inches from a Lowry shared only 3:34 of ice at five-on-five. The Oilers outshot the Jets Barrie shot from a great spot, and inches from a Scheifele one-timer into 2-0 during those minutes; it was extremely low-event. an open cage: The real head-to-head matchup was McDavid against Scheifele, where Second period: Lowry has entered the chat 13:46 of shared ice led to an 18-11 Oilers lead in shot attempts but a 7-6 Jets lead in shots on goal. First shift: Lowry, Perreault and Appleton take a different approach McDavid helped out on the Puljujarvi goal but was not its main driver, McDavid starts the period against Scheifele’s line and Hellebuyck gloves while Poolman’s goal had nothing to do with McDavid’s presence on the down a Puljujarvi shot 19 seconds in. This is where Maurice mixes things ice. up: Lowry comes out with Perreault and Appleton, and they take a different, much more successful neutral-zone approach. It may be that the Jets shut out McDavid more than they shut him down.

See how they back off, forcing Edmonton to attack four defenders at the What can we learn from all of this? line? Almost every single one of the plays above can be filed into one of four Fourth shift: Puljujarvi opens the scoring categories:

McDavid’s fourth shift of the second period starts with a neutral-zone 1. Make McDavid play from a standstill. This includes shifts that start in faceoff against Scheifele’s line, backed by Morrissey and DeMelo. Winnipeg’s zone but also Oilers breakouts that the Jets back way off on. When McDavid is on the ice, a clogged neutral zone is a safe(r) neutral It ends with the first goal of the series: zone. (To that end, Lowry’s line looks much safer than Scheifele’s does, Kahun knocks the puck off DeMelo’s stick, McDavid wins it to the point, mostly because of Scheifele’s instincts for offence.) the Oilers go D-to-D and Puljujarvi gets hit by Barrie’s shot. Before 2. Careless giveaways lead to terror. DeMelo can figure out what’s happened or Scheifele can make a play on Puljujarvi, it’s in the back of the net. 3. Good bounces help.

It’s tough to say McDavid created this goal in any real way — Kahun 4. When all else fails, just haul him down. It may be that the whistles made the big play and the rest was straightforward until Puljujarvi got to come out in full force at some point in the series, but until they do, it the puck first. Still, combine this with what happens on McDavid’s next seems wiser to make the trip and hope for the best than to play it cleanly shift and the thought of him being completely “shut down” by referencing and risk the worst. his stats seems a bit absurd. Make no mistake: If there were a way to stop McDavid from producing Fifth shift: A minus for saying hello offence, he wouldn’t have scored 105 points in 56 games. He was only held off the scoresheet in consecutive games once all season — a three- McDavid gets onto the ice just as Wheeler takes a wrist shot, Mike Smith game pointless streak against the Maple Leafs. kicks out a juicy rebound, and Poolman drives the net to score the game- tying goal. In the 11 games after failing to record a point — including that three- game streak against Toronto — McDavid scored 24 points. He’s far more Combine that with the two empty-net goals Winnipeg scored and likely to go off for massive, bounce-back night than he is to stay silenced McDavid ends up minus-2 on a night when he played a part in creating a in Game 2. goal and had nothing to do with the goals against. But there was real, earned success all the same. Now it’s time to build on McDavid does spend the rest of the shift in his own zone as Wheeler, it. Connor and Scheifele cycle down low. The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021 Eighth shift: Winnipeg’s PK holds the fort 1213772 Vancouver Canucks And while there were plenty of faces that cycled through the bottom two lines this season, none really stood out as a viable third-line wing option. Some will fit as fourth-liners, but there are two glaring holes on the third line that do need to be filled. Canucks: GM Jim Benning says 'it's on me' ... yet again Benning’s framing of the potential solution to this problem will no doubt raise eyebrows as well.

Patrick Johnston “I think we need more speed up front. Some veteran leadership.”

Publishing date:May 21, 2021 • 6 hours ago • Overvaluing the idea of veteran leadership has created problems for Benning’s cap situation. Jay Beagle is one such example, his health

status is up in the air, and he might be a target for a buyout this summer. Jim Benning sang from the same song sheet he's used since he first The task ahead is clear. Benning knows that to keep his job the Canucks arrived in 2014, that the Canucks need to find young players internally have to make the playoffs next year. He believes they’ll be a contender and then bring in veterans from outside to instil "culture." after that. “It’s on me,” Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning said Benning has placed a large portion of his casino chips on luck helping more than once on Friday as he met with the media for the last time this them in the postseason. season. “We need to figure out how to get in first and then anything can happen If you felt that was about Benning taking some of the heat that’s been in the playoffs,” Benning said. directed toward ownership, you weren’t alone. Some teams in the NHL lay out bold plans to become true contenders. The overarching theme of Benning’s hour-long session, which also That’s not what was delivered on Friday. served to announce that head coach Travis Green has a new two-year contract, was the need to return to the playoffs next year followed by ICE CHIPS: Benning said he is hopeful goalie coach Ian Clark will accept another step into contender status. a new offer to return next season. … Talks with Henrik and are ongoing, but Benning didn’t suggest any agreement was imminent. And that, presumably, is why ownership chose not to dump their GM. … Benning said he’d like to bring back Alex Edler and Travis Hamonic, One more shot at doing what he’s been tasked to do for seven years both veteran defencemen and pending free agents. … He added that now, return the club to a status akin to the near-glory years of a decade assistant general manager John Weisbrod remains a key adviser for him. ago. “He’s really good at what he does. I lean on him a lot.” “I’m accountable and responsible as a general manager,” Benning said Vancouver Province: LOADED: 05.22.2021 Friday.

But if you thought there would be a dramatic reveal of a whole new approach to business, you were disappointed. Benning sang from the same song sheet he’s used since he first arrived in 2014, that the Canucks need to find young players internally and then bring in veterans from outside to instil “culture.”

It’s a song sheet that owner Francesco Aquilini has clearly agreed with all these years and obviously agrees with going forward.

Benning had thought some of the team’s young players — read Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes — would take a bigger step forward but they didn’t.

“And that’s on me.”

In the only real indication of a change in approach, Benning acknowledged that buyouts are on the table this summer.

Candidates for buyouts would be Jay Beagle, Antoine Roussel, Loui Eriksson and even Jake Virtanen, though his legal situation may complicate things.

Benning also nodded towards a trade or two to shake things up, but did say no player has, as of yet, asked for a trade.

“We’re going to be aggressive on the trade front and in free agency,” he said.

Those are avenues Benning has walked down before, of course — paths that haven’t turned out all that well.

“We’re looking at players that drive offence, that can play with our other offensive players,” Benning said. “Because we need to score more and we’re going to need to spend more time in the other team’s end, and we can’t be on our heels.”

Benning recognizes the Canucks need to put three lines on the ice that can score. That’s modern hockey.

That Vasily Podkolzin seems set to join the team next year will help a great deal. There’s no denying that. Along with the emergence of Nils Höglander, Green and his coaching staff will have some options to consider in how they line up their second and third lines.

But there’s no third-line centre at the moment. Brandon Sutter’s contract is up and it’s hard to see him as anything other than a fourth-line centre at this point, if the Canucks were to retain him. 1213773 Vancouver Canucks Born and raised in Castlegar, he played junior hockey for the Spokane Chiefs before being drafted by the New York Islanders in 1989. He played 14 seasons and 970 games in the NHL for the Islanders, Anaheim Ducks, Phoenix Coyotes, Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins. He 'It's a privilege': Canucks extend Travis Green's contract also skated in 56 playoff games.

After retiring in 2009, he moved into coaching, working first as an assistant for the Portland Winter Hawks. He took over the Portland bench Patrick Johnston in 2012-13 and was hired by the Canucks to be the first coach in Utica Publishing date:May 21, 2021 • 6 hours ago • Comets history in 2013.

He was the Canucks’ AHL coach for four years before being promoted to the NHL job. Head coach Travis Green of the Vancouver Canucks behind the bench. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 05.22.2021 Travis Green’s return to the Vancouver Canucks’ bench is now official.

A day after news leaked that the head coach and the team that has employed him for four years were set to renew his contract, the NHL club has confirmed it all.

Green has been signed to a multi-year deal, the team announced, which is believed to be for the next two seasons.

His contract was set to expire next month and there had been much speculation about whether he would be back.

The head coach has faced a lot of challenges this season:

• The player budget was slashed by ownership and several key members of the 2019-20 team were allowed to leave with little pushback from management;

• His team’s early-season schedule was trying and the team struggled defensively;

• The team faced an outbreak of COVID-19 that forced a new schedule upon them that was as demanding as any schedule ever faced by a healthy team, let alone one recovering from a serious respiratory illness;

• And he had to guide his group of players through the mental challenges of adhering to the league’s COVID-19 protocols, which meant they weren’t allowed to spend social time together away from the rink.

Why signing Green to a new deal, given the loyalty shown to him by his players and the clear interest from GM Jim Benning in re-signing him, took so long can only be laid at the feet of ownership, who have been under fire of late for their guidance of the team in the last half-decade.

The situation left Green to manage the latter part of the schedule in limbo, putting him in an awkward position. By all accounts he managed the situation with aplomb, despite the dark cloud hanging over his own future.

“I didn’t sign back here just to get two more years of coaching in the NHL,” Green said Friday morning during an end-of-season Zoom session with the media.

“When I came here four years ago, I talked about wanting to build something here, and I’m committed to that. That was a big part of me staying,” he added.

“I know Jim, I know our ownership are committed to winning. And, hey, we own this season. It didn’t go the way we wanted it to. I can understand how people would be frustrated with the year. Our group needs to evaluate the need to make changes. There’s only one reason I signed back here, because I believe that we can win with this group, and not just the players or coaches but the ownership and management.

Benning was happy to get the deal done.

“Our plan has always been to draft and develop a young core and surround them with supporting players who can help us win. We have some of the best young players in the NHL and I believe Travis is the right coach to help us achieve team success and a return to the playoffs,” he said in a statement.

Green, 50, has been the Canucks’ head coach since 2017, succeeding Willie Desjardins. The team’s 19th head coach in its history, the Canucks have posted a 125-132-32 record with him behind the bench. He’s fifth all-time in games coached (289) as well as fifth all-time in wins.

OFFICIAL: #Canucks General Manager Jim Benning announced today that Head Coach Travis Green has agreed to terms on a multi-year contract extension. 1213774 Vancouver Canucks Colleague Thomas Drance asked Benning why the team’s messaging has revolved around prioritizing the playoffs rather than credibly contending for the Cup, and this was his rebuttal:

Canucks can’t keep cutting corners if they’re serious about building a “I think the first step to compete for the Cup is you need to make the Cup contender playoffs,” Benning said. “You’ve seen when we went into the bubble last year that we were in the playoffs, we won a couple rounds. That’s the first step, is you need to make the moves to make your team competitive to be a playoff team. By Harman Dayal May 22, 2021 “Our core players are still young guys. The playoff experience they got

last year was great for them, but we need to figure out a way to get in What is the primary goal of the Vancouver Canucks? first — and when you get into the playoffs, if you have good goaltending, you play with the right structure … we have the players to have a good It’s a simple question that should elicit an equally straightforward power play, and then anything can happen in the playoffs as we saw last response: winning a Stanley Cup. Ever since the demise of the 2011 year. core, however, one wonders if that vision has truly taken precedence over merely qualifying for the postseason. “Ultimately, that’s what we’re trying to accomplish here is to win a Stanley Cup with this group of players we’re drafting and developing. But first Nothing that Canucks general manager Jim Benning said on Friday’s thing is you need to make the playoffs and keep going from there.” video call with the media quelled that central concern. This seems like it makes intuitive sense on the surface, but the logic Benning took responsibility for the club’s failure with refreshing doesn’t track in a couple of areas. accountability this year. He didn’t blame the team’s shortcomings on injuries or the schedule. In discussing the priorities this offseason, he For starters, if the club makes moves with the utmost intention of emphasized the club needed to add speed and offence and build three reaching the postseason at all costs next year, then that’s a competing scoring lines, which is a stark contrast to how the organization has priority with the long-term ambition of constructing a contender. We know previously conducted itself. that because we’ve already seen it happen with the current array of inefficient contracts. These are all things we like to hear, and yet the undertone of the overall messaging still amplified skepticism regarding the team’s long-term Earlier in the year, Benning noted he expects the start of Vancouver’s priorities. contention window to open in 2022-23. That’s the correct takeaway since the summer of 2022 is when Loui Eriksson, Braden Holtby, Beagle, Benning stressed multiple times that he’s “going to be aggressive in the Roussel and Roberto Luongo’s recapture penalty all come off the books. trade front (and) in free agency” in order to make the playoffs next year. Vancouver’s window should open when the club’s inefficient contracts There’s nothing wrong with stating a goal to make the postseason, but peel off … but that logic operates under the assumption the team is it’s the pointed emphasis on aggressiveness and implication the goal has disciplined and restrained to ensure they don’t sign any more of them. to be reached at all costs that raise alarm bells. They’ve already taken one potential risk with the Tanner Pearson extension. First, there are possibly polluted incentives. It’s no secret that Benning is under immense pressure in the local market. Many fans have reached a Secondly, it’s critical the organization operate with the fundamental breaking point, and if the team gets off to a slow start in the fall when understanding that there’s a critical distinction between a playoff team fans are likely back in the stands, could end up and a credible Cup contender. Benning’s line that “anything can happen reverberating with chants calling for a firing the same way it was for in the playoffs” is only true to a certain extent. Yes, it’s possible for the predecessor Mike Gillis the day before he was ultimately dismissed. seventh or eighth seed in a conference to win a round, maybe even two. But history has shown us the odds of completing a run are Any GM facing this level of scrutiny is at risk of making shortsighted slim. moves while in self-preservation mode. Teams that have finished inside the top 10 in the league standings during In fact, we’ve already seen a dry run for a similar scenario. Management the regular season have won the Cup in 18 of the last 20 playoffs, operated the summer of 2019 with a similar degree of aggressiveness according to CanuckArmy contributor Petbugs’ research. In other words, and pressure to reach the playoffs for 2019-20. in the last 20 years, only two teams seeded lower than 10th in the NHL That offseason, the Canucks pushed their chips all-in to make the have won the Cup — the 2019 St. Louis Blues and 2012 Los Angeles playoffs. They traded a first-round and third-round pick for J.T. Miller, Kings. The 2012 Kings were analytics darlings whose numbers looked signed Tyler Myers and Micheal Ferland and then made a midseason much stronger than their standings position, while the Blues were not splash by trading a second-round pick and Tyler Madden to acquire a only tied in points for the 10th seed but were projected as legit rental they didn’t keep in Tyler Toffoli. The summer before that — when contenders before the 2018-19 season started. Trevor Linden departed the organization because he reportedly wanted a Winning a Stanley Cup is incredibly challenging and requires diligent more conservative approach — the club similarly hit the accelerator and focus as a club’s No. 1 priority. It can’t be a secondary focus behind the signed Jay Beagle and Antoine Roussel instead of exercising patience short-term aspiration of simply reaching the playoffs. for the long term. Some will rebuke this argument by suggesting the club would have been The Canucks ultimately achieved their goal of making the playoffs in chastised if it weren’t adamant about achieving success next season — 2020 and even got to the semifinals in the bubble, but it came at the cost that nothing it could have said would have appeased the market. I of mortgaging significant future assets and long-term cap flexibility. The disagree. If the organization clearly articulated that its No. 1 priority is Miller trade has turned out to be a home run, but the Myers contract will building a Cup contender for the 2022-23 campaign and that it will look to hinder the club’s balance sheet for three more years, the Ferland make improvements for next season in a disciplined fashion accordingly, contract carried its own late-year risks before concussion issues I think it would have appeased a greater portion of the market. After all, surfaced, and the assets moved for Toffoli aren’t recoverable. It goes one of the biggest reasons for lack of fan confidence is the organization’s without saying that Beagle and Roussel’s contracts remain significant inability to stick to a concrete plan, and this actually communicates one. obstacles for next season as well. You can aim to improve the roster and make the playoffs next season Vancouver’s disappointing 2020-21 campaign was the price to pay for without compromising the long-term contention goal, but it requires being many years of aggressively cutting corners. careful about the contracts you hand out and the assets you trade. When The point is that some of the organization’s biggest mistakes came from you have a GM under enormous short-term pressure preaching about periods when it was ultra-aggressive under the mandate of making the how aggressive they want to be this offseason to make the playoffs, it playoffs at all costs. Squaring that up with Friday’s comments made one sounds similar to the past offseasons that created this delayed window again wonder if the long-term ambition for building a contender will be and makes you wonder once again how much the big picture will be compromised. considered. To be clear, this isn’t about Benning specifically. The organization’s vision starts at the top with ownership. I know this must come off as critical and perhaps even negative, and to be clear I’m not trying to point out that the sky is falling — because it’s not. There is a genuine pathway to building something special with this core group of players; how could there not be when you have top players at every position? But by that same token, we’re approaching a critical juncture for this core group of players. It’s true that Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes are young, but two players don’t comprise an entire nucleus, and some of the other members like Bo Horvat (26), Miller (28), Thatcher Demko (25) and Brock Boeser (24) are in their statistical prime and, in the case of Miller, actually outside of it.

You can’t afford any missteps this offseason that could undermine the opening of the window in 2022-23 and beyond.

If the Canucks are serious about winning a Stanley Cup with this core group of players, they need to operate in a disciplined and calculated fashion. The organization’s messaging Friday leaves one wondering if that’s how they’ll actually proceed.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213775 Websites can you get for a player coming off just a so-so season with an injury issue, and by the way, who the coach happens to like in a lesser role? The flip side is: Can you pay someone such as Monahan $6 million-plus to play in a lesser role? Making a firm decision there is not as easy as it The Athletic / Duhatschek notebook: A Flames and Flyers trade match? looks, especially if the goal in trading him away is to extract value in Plus owners wanting change and T.J. Oshie’s future return.

Tkachuk is interesting. A player they love to hate in Edmonton, Los Angeles and elsewhere around the league, Tkachuk fleshed out the top By Eric Duhatschek May 21, 2021 line alongside Gaudreau and Lindholm over the final month, switched sides, and finished the year on a five-game goal-scoring streak.

In construction or in fantasy hockey, whenever you undertake a major Just as there were concerns about what sort of relationship Gaudreau renovation, you sometimes want to tear it down to the studs and and Sutter might have when Sutter first got the job – and they eventually essentially start over, because you’re always worried that anything that’s started to figure each other out — there was an assumption was Tkachuk been lingering too long in the walls or floorboards will undermine the new and Sutter would hit it off instantly because Tkachuk plays with the sort of construction. edge that Sutter really likes. It didn’t start that way.

But in building, or rebuilding, an actual NHL team, it doesn’t work that Tkachuk’s role was slightly reduced — not increased — in the beginning, way. You can’t trade everybody unless you’ve completely hit rock bottom but as time went along, the coach and the player seemed to figure out a and see no other way out. way to coexist. Tkachuk’s contractual situation is where it gets a little complicated. He’s their highest-paid player, with an AAV of $7 million, The NHL, as it is currently constituted, isn’t like that. It has this mushy and will enter the third and final year of a bridge contract he signed middle of about 20 teams that are all capable of making the playoffs in a coming out of entry-level. good year and missing them in a bad year. In Year 3, Tkachuk will earn a raise to $9 million in actual dollars, and So, what do you if you’re one of them, and coming off an underachieving then become a restricted free agent upon the contract’s expiration. That season — a year when the optimism surrounding your team seemed $9 million would be the number that the Flames would have to pony up genuine and it just careened completely off the rails? on a qualifying offer to retain his rights. Tkachuk is 23, with a big personality, projected by many as the long-term captain of the team. I don’t bet games but I do pay attention to the odds that bookmakers set before the start of every season because they strip all the emotion out of Could you actually float his name in trade talk? There’s little doubt that he the process. I revisited the preseason odds from BetOnLine and would attract massive interest, more than any other player on the roster, discovered that four teams that were favored to finish in the top 16 but the risk of moving someone of his age, with the ability to impact a (Calgary, Dallas, Philadelphia and Vancouver) missed the playoffs. game the way Tkachuk can, would involve a heavy risk. And if you kept Monahan around because you can’t reasonably expect to get good value To me, the greatest offseason pressure rests with them, and let’s start in for him, then Backlund drops to No. 3 on the depth chart at center. At 32, Canada, with both the Flames and the Canucks, playing in a division with earning $5.35 million, that’s pricey. just seven teams, and so statistically, more favorable odds than their U.S.-based counterparts. You rarely hear Backlund’s name mentioned in trade talk. On the one hand, he has a limited 10-team no-trade clause, so not insurmountable if Unlike most years, which end on a clear and precise date, the 2020-21 that’s the direction you go. But he too seemed to thrive under the new playoffs were already underway in six cities, before the regular season Sutter regime — and Sutter tends to get a lot of mileage out of limped to a close for Vancouver and Calgary this past Wednesday, in a experienced, durable pros, which is exactly what Backlund is, and has couple of half-hearted matinees. been throughout his career. What with all the COVID-19 and weather-related postponements, the In short, it’s easy to call for a full overhaul on any team, but more vast majority of post-mortems for non-playoff teams were being challenging when it gets into the nitty-gritty details. delivered, in dribs and drabs, all across the league this past week. Just because Philadelphia and Calgary both had such underwhelming In Calgary, general manager Brad Treliving delivered his state-of-the- seasons — and there’s been years of speculation now that the Flyers franchise message Thursday, and while he was careful to say that no and Flames would be good trading partners — you’d have to think firm decisions on the future would be taken until he could debrief his there’d be communication back and forth there. You’re not going to pry coaching staff next week, he promised changes were coming and they out of there, but what about Travis Konecny and/or Nolan might even involve the sort of hard decisions that the fan base has been Patrick? It sounds as if a fresh start might be just what Patrick needs, clamoring for, for years. and a chance to land the nephew of former Flames’ defenceman James But how do you execute them exactly? If the Flames’ core consists of Patrick might represent the sort of young talent that the Flames need to team captain Mark Giordano on the blue line, plus the quintet of Elias inject into their line-up. Lindholm, Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk, and This and that Mikael Backlund up front, who do you move on from? And what can you reasonably expect to get in return? There was a part of me that thought just because 2020-21 was so challenging, the league’s underachieving teams would earn a temporary If any of the five are safe, it’s Lindholm — signed to a team-friendly reprieve this offseason, on the grounds that it’s difficult to execute a long- contract and without question, the most complete forward on the team. term building strategy based on the events of a 56-game shortened After a slow start under Darryl Sutter, Gaudreau was one of the most season, played repetitively within a single division, with COVID-19 testing effective scorers in the league over the past six weeks. On a team that done every day and players isolated from one another in almost every didn’t score nearly enough, it makes no sense to trade him — unless the off-ice scenario imaginable. indications are that Gaudreau wants to play the second half of his career But I was wrong. Maybe because patience is wearing thin in every walk elsewhere. of life, it was also in short supply at the ownership level. On Thursday, he was adamant and repeated something he’s been Three teams — the New York Rangers, the Arizona Coyotes and the saying for more than two years — that he would like to sign an extension Columbus Blue Jackets — parted ways with their coaches. John and stay on in Calgary. If that’s the case — and they’ll know, once they Davidson, fired by the Rangers as president, resurfaced Thursday in his get to the negotiating table, what the appetite and the price will be — old job, running the Blue Jackets. I expect that the blood-letting will spill then you have probably need to commit to Gaudreau. Sutter-coached into the trade and free-agent markets which, if you’re a fan of player teams traditionally try to grind out a lot of 3-2 wins. It isn’t always movement, should lead to a summer of upheaval. breathtaking, lift-you-out-of-the-seats hockey, so someone with some flair and pizzaz in his game is going to be necessary. My sense — from listening to Treliving and others — is that NHL GMs are starting to understand the one quality most owners share with their Monahan played down the depth chart once Sutter took over and his fan bases is the insatiable appetite for change. goal-scoring fell off dramatically, compared to the earlier stages of his career. But he underwent hip surgery last Monday. What sort of value Smart GMs will figure this out — shuffling the deck may not make their Awards chatter teams any better, but it will make them different. There was a discussion, in the comments section of last weekend’s And this summer, that’s a step they need to take, in order to preserve notebook, that I promised to flesh out this week — relating to the Calder their jobs and maybe their sanity as well. trophy balloting and specifically Ty Smith’s candidacy. For those who don’t pay close attention, Smith is the New Jersey Devils’ rookie Bold steps will be applauded. defenseman, drafted No. 17 in 2018, a former co-captain of the WHL’s Status quo won’t do. Spokane Chiefs and a member of Canada’s 2018 world juniors championship team. Philosophically, the vast majority of NHL GMs believe that slow-and- steady wins the race. Honestly, I think Aesop’s “The Tortoise and The Smith made the Devils as a rookie — no mean feat considering the Hare” is their go-to bedtime story. But that approach, undertaken by NHL shortened training camps and no exhibition games — got off to a strong GMs who oversaw non-playoff teams this season, will ultimately earn a start (points in his first five NHL games) and ultimately produced 23 few of them a place on the unemployment line, if they opt to more or less points in 48 games. stand pat this offseason. His production slowed down in April after suffering an upper-body This and that (shoulder) injury, and he ended up missing eight games total down the stretch. He was also one of 14 Devils’ players who were placed on the You watch T.J. Oshie play for the Washington Capitals — down the COVID-19 protocol list back on Feb. 2, which produced a 16-day break in stretch and into the playoffs — and even though it makes complete the team’s schedule, which ultimately led to the team’s overall strong economic sense to expose him for the Seattle Kraken expansion draft, start come to a screeching halt. my sense is that would be a mistake, because of how it would undermine the team’s chemistry. Oshie is 34 and earns $5.75 million annually on a By the end of the season, Smith’s potential upside was there for all to contract that doesn’t expire until 2024-25. If the Caps moved that see. contract off their books before the start of next season, it would give them Coach Lindy Ruff trusted him to run the team’s power play. In the end, he the flexibility to keep other core assets in place and be salary-cap led all rookie defensemen in scoring and even if his overall numbers compliant. My temptation would be to retain Oshie and shop 29-year-old weren’t as gaudy as the ones Makar, Quinn Hughes and Adam Fox put Evgeny Kuznetsov, and his $7.8 million AAV that also runs through 2024- up in the defense-heavy rookie class of 2020, Smith was impressive on 25 … so many levels.

After struggling to score down the stretch and needing another Enough to dislodge Kirill Kaprizov, Jason Robertson, and a mittful of redemptive playoff like he had last year, Nazem Kadri is about to be goalies out of the top three? Unlikely. suspended again, forcing the Colorado Avalanche to juggle three of their four lines. Not good. If the Avalanche make Kadri available to Seattle in But you could argue if there was such a thing as a sophomore-of-the- the expansion draft, do the Kraken select him? And if not, would the year award, he would be a top candidate. That’s the thing about the Flames make another bid for his services? Remember, the Flames had a rookie class. Any rookie class. deal in place for Kadri a couple of years back that would have sent Toronto TJ Brodie, and Kadri nixed it … Sometimes, you have the sense that a player has staying power.

By defeating Vancouver 6-2 on Wednesday afternoon, the Flames Sometimes, they have the feel of a one-hit wonder. leapfrogged two teams in the overall standings — the Chicago Smith looks as if he’ll fall into the former category — someone who could Blackhawks and the Arizona Coyotes — which also caused them to drop be a difference-maker at some point (and maybe soon) in his career. two places in the draft lottery. Officially, Calgary and Chicago finished with the same number of points — 55 — but the Flames had the History shows us that a player bursting of out the starting gates in his first tiebreaker (most regulation and overtime wins) — which in this case, was season guarantees nothing. Sometimes, they will make a splashy debut NOT a good thing … and then plateau or level off quickly — while others keep improving in time. And if you ever revisited those Calder trophy races two — or even Interestingly, Calgary earned more regulation wins (22) than three playoff three years — they might look completely different. teams: Nashville (21); Montreal (20); and St. Louis (19). The Predators’ 31 victories this season, included five in overtime and five in the shootout In 2018, for example, Clayton Keller finished second in rookie scoring (65 … points, trailing only the 85 produced by Mathew Barzal), with Yanni Gourde finishing third (64 points). One could easily argue that Kyle Arizona’s chances of winning the lottery are only 3.1 per cent, but if the Connor, Brock Boeser and Alex DeBrincat have all passed Keller in Coyotes happen to win, there’ll be a redraw. They’ve forfeited their 2021 terms of NHL impact. That same year, Danton Heinen finished with 10 No. 1 choice for violating the NHL’s combine testing policy back in the more points than Alex Tuch, but who would you rather have today? 2019 season. Calgary’s odds dropped to 2.2 per cent; Chicago’s are at 2.7 per cent. Also new this year, as a result of changes to the draft lottery Similarly, in 2016, Max Domi was third in rookie scoring, behind Artemi formula, a team can only jump 10 places in the draft order, so neither the Panarin and Jack Eichel and ahead of Connor McDavid (limited to 45 Flames nor the Blackhawks can get to No. 1 now, even if they win the games by a broken collarbone). Domi finished well ahead of Dylan lottery. Buffalo has the greatest odds at 16.6 per cent and can only drop Larkin, Nikolaj Ehlers, Sam Reinhart and others in the rookie scoring as low as three, under modifications to the lottery announced back in race. At this point, there’s little question who you’d rather have from March. Seattle has the same odds (10.3 per cent) as the No. 3 team, the among that quartet (and the only subject up for debate would be how you New Jersey Devils … might rank those four). I would take Ehlers.

A lot of things went right for Vegas in its inaugural season, but the draft Or how about 2017, when three of the top 10 rookie scorers were lottery wasn’t one of them. They fell from three to six — where they impressive young Finns, led by Patrik Laine (64 points), Sebastian Aho selected Cody Glass, who isn’t their lineup at the moment, as they try to (49 points) and Mikko Rantanen (39 points)? Laine may eventually get it get past Minnesota in the first round. Can you imagine if they’d stay at going again after an off-year in 2020-21, but even if he did, it’s hard to three (where Miro Heiskanen went to Dallas)? Or ended up at No. 4, with imagine any team would take him ahead of either Rantanen or Aho at a chance to draft Cale Makar? That possible divisional final, between this stage of his career. In short, a rookie season needs to be a starting Vegas and the Avalanche, would look a lot different today … point — the key will be to see which members of the class use that first step as a launching pad to better things. Smith isn’t going to win the Not sure which fan base is sadder. Los Angeles, where Kings fans have Calder, but how will he look five years from now? Other than Kaprizov, I to watch a resurgent Jeff Carter playing an important role for the can’t imagine anyone having a greater, more durable impact. Pittsburgh Penguins, in the same season as Alec Martinez (Vegas), Tyler Toffoli (Montreal) and both Jake Muzzin and Jack Campbell (Toronto) And finally made important contributions for other squads with Stanley Cup By the way, I’m not seriously suggesting the NHL develop any more aspirations? Or Calgary, where on Thursday, one former Flame (Paul awards. If anything, there are too many already. A few — many attached Byron) scored the shorthanded winner for Montreal; another (Ryan to a single corporate sponsor — have quietly gone away over the years. Lomberg) scored the overtime winner for Florida, in the same game If Mark Messier ends up landing a front-office job with the New York where trade deadline departure Sam Bennett opened the scoring? Rangers, he will almost certainly have to recuse himself from annually selecting the Mark Messier leadership award.

If you’re going to retire that award, it would be the perfect time to replace it with a defensive defenceman award, so that there’d be a defensive equivalent to the Selke, which goes to the forward who “best excels in the defensive aspects of the game.”

Alternatively, would it make more sense to introduce a award for the best offensive defenceman, because the Norris — as defined today — is pretty clear: It goes to “the defense player who demonstrates throughout the season — the greatest all-around ability in the position.”

Which is better? A Bobby Orr award, to highlight a defenseman’s offensive contribution? Or a Rod Langway award, to honor pure defensive work? The polls are open.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213776 Websites “Everyone was basically left to fend for themselves,” one AHL player said. “Some organizations did a lot for players, setting up hotels and such, but like those games this week, no one got paid to play in those games. And yes, normally players don’t get salary in the playoffs, but The Athletic / ‘None of us got paid to work’: AHL’s Pacific Division playoff there is still a playoff bonus in the CBA and nothing like that was made draws anger from players available.”

AHL players had the choice to opt-out of the tournament without financial penalty. But the players said they felt pressure to play and feared that By Sean Shapiro May 21, 2021 opting out could be held against them in the future.

Some players also received mixed messages from their agents and The AHL’s decision to hold playoffs in just one division is angering advisors. According to some players, their agents told them opting out players who say they don’t want to play. would be career suicide, while others were told by their agents that they should opt-out since they had already fulfilled their responsibilities on a For just the second time since 1937, the Calder Cup won’t be awarded contract in a weird year. this year. And, for all but one of the five pandemic-altered AHL divisions, that means the 2020-21 season ended or will end this week with the final “It became this big thing and issue for, what, one game for two of the regular-season games. teams?” one player said. “We didn’t need any of this.”

The Pacific Division, however, is playing through a postseason Multiple AHL players placed blame on Howson, who replaced the retiring tournament that started earlier this week and will conclude sometime Dave Andrews last summer. Andrews had negotiated one deal with AHL before May 29 with the winning team taking home the division title. AHL players before retiring, which would have paid 75 to 80 percent of players on a whole were opposed to the playoff format. A non-binding salaries before it was renegotiated by Howson in January after the survey of players by the Professional Hockey Players’ Association number of games likely to be played had to be decreased as the (PHPA) yielded a 133-8 vote against a postseason tournament within the season’s start date was delayed twice. Pacific Division. Howson has been put in a difficult position taking over during a Players, to put it mildly, aren’t pleased. The Athletic spoke to six current pandemic. Still, the players who spoke to The Athletic consistently said AHL players who asked to remain anonymous because they weren’t they felt that things would have been handled differently if Andrews was authorized to speak on the matter. still in charge. An NHL source, meanwhile, pointed out that Howson isn’t responsible for making sure the PHPA communicates effectively within “We played a game (this week) that was essentially an exhibition that its own ranks. they decided to label a playoff game,” one player said. “I’m sorry, but no one cares about playing playoff games for a division title.” Either way, there is uneasiness between the league and the PHPA as they try to navigate a future with a new regime and turn their focus to the Another player added: “None of us got paid to work earlier this week, 2021-22 season, which all sides are hopeful will feature a Calder Cup while the management and scouts and everyone else were still collecting trophy presentation. a paycheque for watching.” “Because of how they’ve acted and treated us over the last year, our The plan to play a divisional playoff came after the seven teams in the union and our agents have to really take notice,” another AHL player Pacific Division (representing the San Jose Sharks, Arizona Coyotes, said. “We have to realize we are dealing with a new regime and … we Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Kings, Vegas Golden Knights, have to pivot accordingly in the future to actually get a fair setup on Edmonton Oilers, and Anaheim Ducks) voted 7-0 to have a postseason things.” tournament. The other divisions could have played on as well, and the Central Division teams also considered hosting one, but only the Pacific The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021 had a majority of teams vote ‘yes’ on a playoff proposal.

For those teams in the Pacific Division, it was seen as a chance to get prospects some high-leverage games in a season that lacked them.

“We had our vote and they came back and said they don’t care,” another AHL player said. “They basically came back with this format and before we even had a chance to respond through our union, they then announced the format publicly.”

The feelings surrounding the playoff threaten to raise already high tensions between the players and the league. The truncated AHL season began with frustration among players who said they were forced into accepting a deal that paid just 48 percent of their salaries for the year.

Many players said they had gone into this season believing a playoff format would be based on the league’s ability to generate revenue, which didn’t happen. Without fans in the stands or a Calder Cup, there wasn’t much of a reason to play.

AHL president and CEO Scott Howson pointed to the agreement players signed prior to the season.

“I understand an overwhelming number of players didn’t want to play,” he said, noting that a memorandum of understanding signed by both sides, which The Athletic reviewed, was clear that potential playoff games were part of the 48 percent calculation and compensation. In fact, Howson said, compensation was only that high because of the potential to play playoff games, since the league was trying to add as many games as possible for a proper payout of salaries.

AHL players received their final paycheques on May 16, so many who are still playing feel they aren’t getting paid for this tournament. While some teams offered to make it right for their individual players by covering leases or providing hotels, the league itself wasn’t providing any financial help for players who would still be incurring expenses for rent and leases because of this tournament. 1213777 Websites unsurprisingly is dominating the run of play with a 62 percent expected goals rate. That’s actually pretty close to average for the Bruins though who have been the better team in a close series. That’s thanks mostly due to the team’s top line who the Capitals don’t have an answer for at The Athletic / NHL power rankings: Our updated 1-16 rankings after five-on-five. Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak are Week 1, plus dogs in sunglasses clicking at a 77 percent expected goals rate. The goals will come if that keeps up.

Sean: Literally laughed out loud when I saw this one. By Sean Gentille and Dom Luszczyszyn May 21, 2021 Y’know, they were close to blowing Game 3. They out-attempted the

Caps 70-49 and won expected goals, 3.59 to 1.59, but still needed We said we’d never change the intro to The Athletic’s NHL power Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson to both hit posts in the final minutes rankings. We lied. Dom lied, actually. of regulation. Then, Ilya Samsonov and Justin Schultz gift-wrapped the game-winner, and the result matched the process. Pretty dangerous. This time — and maybe this time only — some tweaks are necessary. You can thank the Stanley Cup playoffs for that. We ranked the playoff 4. Carolina Hurricanes teams from 1-16, based on how good we believe their Cup chances to Last week: 6 be. If there was a tie, personal bias won out. We’re not sorry about this week’s tiebreaker. Series Record: Up 2-0

That is it. It’s that simple. First team? Best shot. Sixteenth team? Worst Dom rank: 4 shot. As for the non-qualifiers, you get dog photos. Very specific dog photos curated by Sean, dog photo connoisseur. You are welcome. Sean rank: 4

1. Colorado Avalanche Sean: No Hurricane has two 5-on-5 points, but nine have one, and all but four have positive expected goals rates. I don’t want to paint them as Last week: 1 some sort of star-less hivemind, because they aren’t, but it is fun watching really good teams when the division of labor is spread out that Series Record: Up 2-0 way. Also, I heard their penalty kill is good. Have you seen this? Have Dom rank: 1 you heard about this?

Sean rank: 1 Dom: Sara Civian and Shayna Goldman break it down really well: power kill, baby. Carolina’s expected goals rate while shorthanded of 50.8 Dom: An 88 percent chance to beat the Blues might have been percent during the playoffs would’ve ranked 14th in the league this year conservative now that we’ve seen the first two games. It hasn’t been at five-on-five. The top duo being Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen, close. Even when the Blues push, like they did in the second half of two star players, is pretty cool and they’ve been crushing it, but the Game 2, it just doesn’t even end up mattering. Nathan MacKinnon has second duo of Jordan Staal and Martin Necas have been even better. A five goals and seven points in two games. Sheesh. 55 percent expected goals rate. Just crazy to think about.

Sean: Credit to MacKinnon for mixing it up in Game 2. He had three 5. Pittsburgh Penguins goals (nearly four) and got them in a bunch of different ways. The standard method gets boring for guys like that. I get it. We’ll skip the easy Last week: 7 Nazem Kadri jokes — “Kadri suspended in the first round? Things really Series Record: Up 2-1 are getting back to normal,” et cetera — to say that the Avs weren’t getting much from him, regardless. In his last 18 games of the regular Dom rank: 5 season, he had four points and was 23rd on the team in expected goals. They can deal. Sean rank: 5

2. Tampa Bay Lightning Sean: Their series against the Isles is probably where it should be. Tristan Jarry self-immolated in Game 1, then the Penguins came back to Last week: 2 win two one-goal games. Two notes from me: On the NBC, Pierre McGuire has become obsessed with the idea that there’s simply no Series Record: Up 2-1 analytical way to measure the contributions of depth forwards; he Dom rank: 2 hammered the point after Brandon Tanev scored what turned out to be the Game 3 winner. Goals! Very easy to measure! And the Tanev-Teddy Sean rank: 2 Blueger-Zach Aston-Reese line has achieved an appropriate level of fame based largely on being defensive analytic superstars. He’s not Sean: We’re going to get killed for having them ranked this high again, paying attention, and he hasn’t been for years. and on one hand that makes sense. They’re getting spanked at 5-on-5 against the Panthers, actually; expected goals percentage of 41, getting Beyond that, Game 3 was on the brink of explosion for most of the third outshot 91-78 … I get it. That’s not everything, though. They’re still up in period. Major trainwreck potential here, from a gong-show standpoint. I’m the series, and they’re still the Tampa Bay Lightning. enjoying it quite a bit.

Dom: The “they’re the Tampa Bay Lightning” factor is just so hard to Dom: I didn’t watch as much of Game 3 as I wanted to. I had it on the “B ignore for this group. came back and played like he TV” and frequently looked over and said “oh the Penguins scored” and never left. He’s got five points in a high octane series and though Florida “oh the Islanders tied it” seemingly every five minutes. Sounds like I has controlled the run of play, the Panthers have also been chasing the missed a fun game and apparently also confirmation that Pierre still has game a lot. Things were close through two of Game 3 and when a team’s no idea what analytics are. God bless that man, a never-ending source of season is basically on the line down two, you expect a heavy push. It’s content. hard to see Tampa Bay losing back-to-back at home, and I expect we’ll see the Lightning’s best for Game 4. Sean: Fancy boy has a “B TV.”

3. Boston Bruins 6. Vegas Golden Knights

Last week: 3 Last week: 5

Series Record: Up 2-1 Series Record: Up 2-1

Dom rank: 3 Dom rank: 6

Sean rank: 3 Sean rank: 6

Dom: Once again, I would like to talk about Taylor Hall. He’s been clutch Sean: I honestly thought I was seeing things after the first period of already in the opening round with two goals in three games and Game 3 on Thursday. Shots were 7-4, Wild. They wound up being 40-16, Vegas. That is … whoosh. Felt like we saw a real-time course correction Florida has arguably been the better team through three games and the on the series. The Marchessault-Karlsson-Smith line appears to be back. matchup effect seen during the season series appears to be very real even with Tampa Bay at full health. Game 4 will be tough on the road, Dom: The thing about the shot clock in that game is that it vastly oversold but this team is resilient. They’ve manifested plenty of comebacks all the difference between the two teams. Expected goals, according to season – winning a series after dropping the first two at home feels right. Moneypuck, was just 2.1-to-1.5 in comparison. That’s still an edge, Doing it against Tampa Bay would be special. obviously, but Vegas was peppering a lot of shots from the points while the Wild struggled to hit the net. In any sense, it really does feel like Sean: A fun betting story from a friend (who might be me): He watched Vegas has finally flipped the switch on the whole “Wild Matchup Game 1 of this series at a casino then lost a bunch of money at the table. Problems” thing. I still don’t understand how or why the Golden Knights “Got too charged up by that Fight For Florida action,” he said. had so much trouble up until the second period, but when it clicked it really clicked. We talked about the Panthers a good bit in the Lightning blurb; that’s a tough-ass team, they’re playing well and they’re doing cool stuff. That 7. Toronto Maple Leafs said, Game 3 might be a bit of a pyrrhic victory because it’s going to lead to more Sergei Bobrovsky. Where’s Spencer Knight? We need more Last week: 4 goalie chaos. Play three of them. Hell, play four. Call Roberto Luongo or Series Record: Down 1-0 something.

Dom rank: 7 10. Minnesota Wild

Sean rank: 7 Last week: 11

Dom: Okay, it’s just Game 1, the sky isn’t falling… but… the uncertainty Series Record: Down 2-1 around John Tavares’s health obviously changes the calculus here. The Dom rank: 10 Leafs were the second most likely team to come out of the first round and win the Cup, but that was with a fully healthy team. Things obviously get Sean rank: 10 much harder now down 1-0 with their captain out. That’s three wins out of the lineup, dropping the Leafs odds of advancing in the first round from Dom: After one period the Wild were up 2-0, they kept the Golden 83 percent to 62 percent. Still favourites, but ouch. Knights to four shots and looked like the better team. Life was good, so I decided to get a head start on The Power Rankings. What a fool I was. Sean: All I want to say about Tavares — because God knows we’re about to be awash in weird takes about that whole deal — is that the Things got spicy immediately and the Golden Knights ran over the Wild in second Leafs trainer who swooped in to stop him from going down the second, finally looking like the series favourite. I still have belief in the deserves some credit. Sheldon Keefe said his team was rattled, and they Wild despite the series deficit, but they’ll need to get something more out should’ve been. From a series standpoint, the vibes are bad, and that’s of Kirill Kaprizov. Just one assist through three games for the dynamic reflected here. rookie isn’t what any of us expected.

8. Washington Capitals Sean: Dom yelled at me for not getting started and everything. The boy wears Wild-tinted sunglasses. Fandom has clouded his beautiful mind. Last week: 9 Honestly, there is something very funny about Minnesota getting dorks like us to rave about how fun they are — “Seriously! They’re interesting Series Record: Down 2-1 now!” — and then immediately reverting back to slog mode once the Dom rank: 9 playoffs start. Their game is still going as I write this, and I think they’ve had three shots in the last half hour. Do not fact check me. Sean rank: 8 Dom: Zero parts of that were fun. An absolutely painful night for ya boy. Sean: All that Bruins 5-on-5 Game 3 domination we talked about came in Nine shots in the final two periods. Nine! the overtimes. The Caps hung with Boston through 60 minutes, then basically white-knuckled it until Samsonov ended it for them. Just a brutal 11. New York Islanders loss. I’m not sure anyone sums up the path of this series better than Nic Last week: 10 Dowd. He won Game 1, scored early in Game 3, then took a terrible penalty to set up Marchand’s game-tying, third-period goal. Series Record: Down 2-1

Dom: My favourite thing about Capitals Discourse and how I am Always Dom rank: 11 Wrong about them (which is true by the way) is that it’s because their stars are still superstars. No. This team is just inexplicable dark magic – Sean rank: 9 the kind where the team gets four goals over three games out of their Sean: The Jarry Game 1 meltdown has gotten attention, and rightfully so, fourth line. Sure, why not. Don’t get me wrong, Alex Ovechkin has been but … are we sure Semyon Varlamov should be in the other net? He great, but Nicklas Backstrom has been kind of invisible while John stunk in the regular season against Pittsburgh (.897 save percentage), Carlson has set up base camp in his own end for the entire series. This and he was hurt for the Isles’ Game 1 win. The first order of business in series isn’t close without Dowd and Garnet Hathaway, and that’s the Game 2 was an atrocious blue line goal from Bryan Rust. Game 3, all infuriating part about this team that always defies the numbers – they find things considered, was worse. I get why Barry Trotz played him; I’m just new and interesting ways to do it every time. not sure I would’ve. Now, if there’s a move, it’ll have been an obvious On a more serious note: Carlson and Dmitry Orlov just aren’t working benching rather than giving him more time to “recover,” or whatever. against the Bruins top line and that’s a major problem. Carlson has a 22 On the other end of things, they need more from their top six. Mathew percent expected goals rate for the series. Washington doesn’t really Barzal is at 46 percent expected goals and has two assists. have another option. Dom: Of course the one time I actually pick the Islanders to win a series 9. Florida Panthers in my bracket they’re going to lose. I might just be cursed when it comes Last week: 8 to this team.

Series Record: Down 2-1 From what I’ve seen, the Islanders haven’t looked bad, but it’s clear they just don’t have the firepower to keep up with the Penguins. No goals for Dom rank: 8 that top line hurts. It’s also the top pair struggling to control play that’s really worrisome as that was the centerpiece of the team’s identity this Sean rank: 11 season. Adam Pelech is at a 47 percent expected goals rate himself, Dom: A fun betting story from a friend (because I would never do which is way below the lofty standard he set this year. something this cowardly): He bet on Florida before the game started, 12. Edmonton Oilers didn’t like what he saw through two periods and decided to cut his losses by cashing out. Naturally, the Panthers clawed their way back to tie the Last week: 12 game and win it in overtime. Series Record: Down 1-0 Dom rank: 12 16. St. Louis Blues

Sean rank: 12 Last week: 14

Dom: I really, really, really expected an Oilers-Jets series to be one of the Series Record: Down 2-0 more exciting series based on the offensive talent on each side and the lack of defensive talent too. How wrong I was so far with Game 1 being Dom rank: 15 mostly a dud. The Oilers may have lost the opening game, but they Sean rank: 14 outplayed the Jets heavily. I don’t expect Winnipeg can keep Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl off the scoresheet very often either. Not time Sean: We found someone who hates the Blues more than Dom. His to panic yet. name is Nazem Kadri. Anyway, we’ve both been proven right. In the event that stuff changes, we’ll have witnessed one of the wilder underdog Sean: Yeah, that was a snooze. The bright side for Edmonton, I suppose, series wins in NHL history. That’s a win-win for the boys. is that their line combos that didn’t involve McDavid or Draisaitl played pretty well. If they can get decent play from the Jujhar Khaira line, that’ll Dom: Considering how much money I have on Colorado, I would help move things along. absolutely not call that a win-win.

13. Winnipeg Jets Sean: Hopefully not as much as my friend at the roulette wheel.

Last week: 15 17. Dallas Stars (23-19-14, 60 points)

Series Record: Up 1-0 18. New York Rangers (27-23-6, 60 points)

Dom rank: 14 19. Chicago Blackhawks (25-25-7, 55 points)

Sean rank: 15 20. Philadelphia Flyers (25-23-8, 58 points)

Dom: A lot of people thought this series was in the bag for the Oilers, but 21. Arizona Coyotes (24-26-6, 54 points) #mymodel (drink!) thought otherwise, calling it the closest series of the 22. Calgary Flames (26-27-3, 55 points) first round. The reason was plain to see in Game 1: Connor Hellebuyck. He was uncharacteristically awful in the season series against Edmonton 23. San Jose Sharks (21-28-7, 49 points) and that will always spell trouble for Winnipeg when its entire game plan is “hope Hellebuyck saves everything.” Well, he looks dialled in so far 24. Los Angeles Kings (21-28-7, 49 points) and ready to steal this series. Connor vs. Connor baby, buckle up. 25. Ottawa Senators (23-28-5, 51 points) Sean: Yeah, almost wrote about Hellebuyck in the Oilers’ section. It just 26. Vancouver Canucks (23-29-4, 50 points) feels like he’s going to be the story of the series. It’s one of those things that I probably don’t account for quite enough when we’re doing this sort 27. Detroit Red Wings (19-27-10, 48 points) of stuff. Sure, the Jets are an awful 5-on-5 team that counts on their awesome goalie to wallpaper over most of their mistakes but … 28. New Jersey Devils (19-30-7, 45 points) sometimes it works. 29. Columbus Blue Jackets (18-26-12, 48 points) 14. Montreal Canadiens 30. Anaheim Ducks (17-30-9, 43 points): Last week: 16 31. Buffalo Sabres (15-34-7, 37 points) Series Record: Up 1-0 The Athletic LOADED: 05.22.2021 Dom rank: 16

Sean rank: 16

Sean: If I had any guts, I’d have given more credit to the chaos gods last week, rather than just making a joke about them. Game 1 has a major asterisk next to it, but on paper it was a legitimately well-rounded win. I’m done trying to guess which version of Carey Price shows up on a given night, but if this one is it for the long haul, watch out.

Dom: We all should’ve known the minute I wrote the sentence “especially with the news that Carey Price will likely be ready for the start of the series, news that downgraded Montreal’s chances” which Price would show up. He’s going to post a .967 in this series.

15. Nashville Predators

Last week: 13

Series Record: Down 2-0

Dom rank: 13

Sean rank: 13

Dom: The series isn’t over until you lose at home, but it’s really hard to have much faith in the Predators down 2-0. The biggest issue for Nashville right now is its absolutely pathetic power play which is currently generating 2.73 expected goals per 60 and somehow allowing 2.81. How does that even happen?

Sean: I dunno man. It’s not like it was a gigantic issue for them in the regular season; they were just garden-variety bad (5.61 to 0.71 in expected goals/60). Also, we said last week that a) they’d need Juuse Saros to steal a couple and b) that he certainly could. He’s done his job — I felt legit awful for him in Game 2. He stopped 28 of the first 29 shots he faced, then let in another after returning post-empty-netter. A truly wasted performance. They feel cooked. 1213778 Websites They’ve since backed up those words with actions. The Jets were regularly on the right side of the puck and almost always

kept the third forward up high, which helped prevent the Oilers from Sportsnet.ca / Jets' outstanding defensive commitment paying off against gaining much traction in the transition game. Oilers And in case you hadn’t heard, the Jets have managed to hold the top two scorers in the NHL — Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl — without a point in consecutive games after they combined for 34 points in nine Ken Wiebe games during the regular-season series.

May 22, 2021, 2:07 AM “I don't think we really look at it that way. I mean, both those two guys are, one or two in the world right now. (The) best two players,” said

Wheeler. “They're creating chances. They're making plays. I think we've WINNIPEG - Connor Hellebuyck has made his case to make room on the just got to try to not give them chances. That's the biggest thing, the marquee. chances they create, they're working for. We saw it all year. We gave them some easy chances and they're in the net, right? Right now, he’s got the billboard all to himself. “So we're just trying to make them work for the chances. With that being In a series that features plenty of star power, it is the Winnipeg Jets said, they're still creating chances. They're still so dynamic.” goalie that’s been shining brightest. Jets defenceman Dylan DeMelo was one of the reasons this game Thanks to his latest virtuoso performance, which included a 38-save required overtime. shutout in the 1-0 triumph, the Jets hold a commanding 2-0 lead in the Smythe Division reunion battle with the Edmonton Oilers. Down and seemingly out while laying on the ice and with his back to the play during a penalty-killing situation early in the third period, DeMelo No, this isn’t a simple one-man show. threw up both of his arms in desperation in an effort to try and prevent McDavid from scoring. It’s an outstanding defensive commitment by an entire team. Sure enough, McDavid’s shot went off the right wrist of DeMelo instead But Hellebuyck, who has turned aside 70 of 71 shots he’s faced in this of finding the back of the net. series, is doing more than simply giving his teammates an opportunity to win. “Honestly, it was just pure chaos and desperation,” said DeMelo. “I just remember going down and I saw the puck go to McDavid. I was on my He’s back to playing at a Vezina Trophy level and that’s exactly what the back, so I have to throw something up, but I was on my back so I was Jets need from him right now. thinking maybe I’ll two-pad stack it, but I don’t think I had the extension. “He’s the reason we have a chance. He’s the reason we are a playoff “So I just put my hands up and luckily it hit me. Even if you see behind team and the reason we have confidence every time we go out there,” that, it hits me, but all these guys are jumping in front of that puck. You said Jets captain Blake Wheeler. “You just can’t say enough about need that type of desperation and sacrifice. It was lucky that it hit me and having a guy who you believe is going to stop every shot. And when one the guys did a great job on the penalty kill for sure. It was a crazy play for does go in, you just kind of say, ‘Well, that was lucky.’ It’s such a great sure.” confidence boost for the group where you don’t feel like you have to play perfect hockey. While DeMelo missed several shifts getting some medical attention, he returned to finish the game. “I think that’s probably what he would say, that it’s his job to clean up our mistakes. It just gives guys so much confidence to go out there and play “I thought that that was the emotional change to the game,” said Maurice, with a little bit more freedom, a little bit more confidence knowing that if I whose team also survived a 21-second five-on-three disadvantage. “The make the wrong play at the wrong time, I got a guy back there that can kills on those plays and that was a big deal for our team and (it) kind of bail me out.” set the mood right going for the rest of the night.

As for the lone goal in this one, it was the result of an excellent zone “(DeMelo) is a real popular guy in our room, plays a real smart, hard entry and net drive by Andrew Copp — and a deft, experienced play by game. That goes a long way. They fire that up on the JumboTron, veteran centre Paul Stastny, who showed great patience and waited a everybody gets a piece of it.” split second for a double screen to develop in front of Mike Smith before unleashing his shot at 4:06 of the first overtime. The sacrifice was one of many made by the Jets in this game.

“At first I was going to try and look for (Copp) but he just slashed across. “We just did everything we could to get the win. It maybe wasn't perfect So I figured I'd try to use the D as a screen, and just put the puck on net,” or pretty every play, but I think we have a team that can grind real well,” said Stastny. “I feel like in overtime, whether you're trying to score or said DeMelo. “And at this time of year, it's going to take everybody. Every whether you're trying to generate offence, sometimes that's the easiest blocked shot matters, every hit matters. I think we're just coming together way to do it. The puck had eyes and fortunately it went in.” as a team and everybody's pulling on the same rope, and it's been a lot of fun here. To come out with two wins here is huge. We still have a lot of Stastny has been praised for his hockey intelligence on countless work to do and they're not going to roll over.” occasions and that hockey intelligence was on full display on the overtime winner — which was the second of his 15-year career. The next two games will be played on consecutive days, beginning Sunday in Winnipeg, and the Jets could get another boost to the lineup “He’s been in enough playoff games to know that anything that goes to with the potential return of dynamic winger Nikolaj Ehlers, who has the net is the right decision,” said Jets head coach Paul Maurice. “He’s missed the past 11 games with a suspected shoulder injury. played two really, really smart games. Some of his positioning in-zone is just veteran. He knows how to change his body angle on so many plays, With Pierre-Luc Dubois entering the series on Friday, that would give the just to get to the right place. Jets a full complement of forwards for the first time in a month.

“He kind of does it on that goal. He sat on the wall for just a bit to open It turns out that late-season swoon didn’t only remind the Jets they up a lane to the inside, almost bait (Oilers defenceman Dmitry Kulikov) a needed to buckle down in terms of style of play, a change in attitude also little bit and then gets a shot to the net.” followed.

The Jets are doing what many believed simply wasn’t possible. After enduring agony and ample frustration, some perspective was required, along with a reminder that the playoffs bring opportunity, as After dropping nine of the final 12 games during the regular season — long as a team is willing to do the heavy lifting. including a seven-game losing streak that featured a goal-scoring famine and some defensive-zone deficiencies that have since cleaned up — the If you can survive a stretch like that without coming apart at the seams, Jets said all of the right things about finding a style of game that would anything is possible. allow them to compete in the playoffs. “We’re just in the moment. We’re enjoying it. We truly are,” said Jets captain Blake Wheeler. “We lost nine of 10 games there coming home. I think it kind of gives you, maybe it takes some of the pressure off and gives you a little bit of a hardness that if you can go through a stretch like that and come out on the other side of it and not crumble and still be fighting, it doesn’t really get much worse than that. We’re just really enjoying this. That’s been Paul’s message to us. Listen, these chances don’t just come around every year. You want to make the most of them. And there’s a compete and an energy and a hardness that you’ve got to bring to the table.

“When you’re playing tight, when you’re worried about making a mistake, worried about making the wrong play, you go half a speed and you end up not playing as much. We’re just loose, enjoying it, having some fun.”

That return to having fun has the Jets two wins away from advancing to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2018.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213779 Websites The step they have taken, however, led by McDavid and Draisaitl, is they can defend now. They can hang in a 1-1 or a 0-0 game far better than in recent seasons. Bravo.

Sportsnet.ca / Oilers still trying to find right balance vs. Jets after Game 2 Now, you have to find the balance between full-out defending, and loss actually producing some offence. You can’t just wait for a break.

You’ve got to be able to make one.

Mark Spector “That’s what you’ve got to do,” agreed head coach Dave Tippett. “I’ll take pretty goals, if we can get something off the rush. But I’ll take some of May 22, 2021, 1:28 AM those ugly goals too. You’ve got to find a way to will one in the net, and we haven’t been able to do that.”

On a macro level, he’s speaking for his team. On a micro level, it’s EDMONTON — This is why Ken Holland tells the story about building a McDavid and Draisaitl who have to figure out the same thing. team that gets to the playoffs every year. Why do you think Sidney Crosby became the player he is, scoring dirty You’ve not heard the Edmonton Oilers general manager talk about goals, competing like a demon? Using his superior skills to forge offence winning a Stanley Cup in Edmonton. What you’ve heard is lot of thoughts from half-chances and bouncing pucks? about a team that gets to the dance, year after year after year. Because the playoffs demanded that from him. That’s all you get to work Now, we see why he thinks the way he does. with, a lot of the time. CHOOSE PLAN McDavid is seeing that first-hand from a Jets team that’s lining up at the It’s games like the one played on Friday night that define the term blue line and forcing him to dump and chase. It is the antithesis of the “playoff experience.” A crucial game for Edmonton that started out game that got him this far. heavily in the Winnipeg Jets’ favour, then slowly shifted Edmonton’s way. “Every point matters. Guys are dialed into the details,” he explained. By the third period, it was two teams slugging it out in search of what “We’ve been solid defensively a well. They have three real goals, and became obvious would be the one goal that would win this game. two empty netters. But (defending) is definitely not an issue. Then, overtime heartbreak. “We’ve just got to find a way to break through.” A Paul Stastny wrist shot, an Adam Larsson screen/deflection, an OT Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.22.2021 winner that puts Edmonton down 2-0 in their opening round series.

“We battled all game. We were still battling in OT,” said Ryan Nugent- Hopkins. “We just needed one to break them. We didn’t get one tonight.”

If you’d have told me the Oilers would allow only two regulation goals in two games (that weren’t empty netters) and would be down 2-0 in this series, I wouldn’t have believed that was possible.

If you’d have added that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl — the NHL’s two leading scorers — would be pointless as they board the charter to Winnipeg for Game 3, I’d have started talking you into a wager.

Well, both things are true.

“It’s a challenge,” said Darnell Nurse (32:53 of ice time), when asked about the Oilers’ current predicament. “Playing in the playoffs is never easy. Having the first couple of games not going your way, having that adversity in your face, we’re in a place right now where we just have to find ways to win games. You can sit here and dwell, say the sky is falling, but let’s be real. We have a team that is capable of showing up … hopefully get some bounces our way, and hopefully build off something.

“It’s a challenge we have to be up to meet.”

What amazes is how stark the contrast is between regular season hockey and what we watched here in Games 1 and 2.

Look, I’ve covered playoff hockey for 30 years. I get what happens.

But the abject contrast between two teams who played games with final scores like 6-5, 6-4, 4-3, to a pair of playoff games that were basically a 2-1 game in Game 1, and went into overtime tied at zero in Game 2…

This is what Holland is talking about. These games, these lessons, this experience — it just does not exist in regular season hockey.

“No, probably not,” said McDavid. “There are close games down the stretch, teams vying for spots, positioning and all that. But you can’t replicate a playoff game, the intensity, and the feeling out there. This is what we want to do. This is why you work all year long, to put yourself in spots like this.

“We’ve dug ourselves a bit of a hole, many teams have found a way to win from the spot we’re in right now.”

Many? Well, some.

And perhaps this one.

Look, Edmonton is nowhere close to a complete project. We know that. They’re nowhere close to Winnipeg in depth, which is why Holland didn’t spend a lot of assets at the trade deadline. 1213780 Websites Bruins' power play the difference Tuukka Rask went into Game 4 against the Washington Capitals tied

with Gerry Cheevers for the most post-season wins by a Boston Bruins Sportsnet.ca / Stanley Cup Playoffs takeaways: Hurricanes 'also fighting goaltender in franchise history. Nineteen saves and one win later, the the refs' veteran had himself a slice of Bs history.

But while Rask put together another solid game, only letting a single puck past him, he wasn't the star of the show on Friday night -- that honour Emily Sadler belonged to the Bruins' power play, which ultimately propelled Boston to a 4-1 victory. The Bruins are now one win away from being the first team May 22, 2021, 1:40 AM to advance past the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Three of Boston’s goals came with the man advantage, making The Nashville Predators have never been swept in a playoff series, and Washington pay for their undisciplined play, with defenceman Charlie they won't start now. McAvoy assisting on all three for a personal-best playoff point total. Compared to Washington’s one-for-seven power-play conversion With five minutes left in the fifth frame of Game 3 against the Carolina (Ovechkin had Washington’s lone goal on the night), the special teams Hurricanes that threatened to push them to the brink of elimination, disparity was stark in this one. Roman Josi and Matt Duchene teamed up to claim the 5-4 double overtime victory to bring the series to 2-1. Washington now has 48 hours to get their game back, or they’re going home. It was a pretty spectacular goal, with Josi sending a soaring cross-ice pass to Duchene that was kind of reminiscent of Erik Karlsson's Bruins lose Miller after dangerous Orlov hit legendary long pass to Mike Hoffman for the Senators back in 2017. The The Bruins were down a defenceman after losing Kevan Miller to injury pass perfectly set up Duchene, who accelerated, waited for the incoming Friday night. About seven minutes into the second period, Miller was poke-check from Alex Nedeljkovic, and flipped the puck over the caught with a high hit from Capitals defenceman Dmitry Orlov. Orlov netminder to get the Predators into this series and keep them a safe clearly left his feet, launching himself at Miller and making contact with distance from the edge of elimination. his head right after Miller passed the puck as he entered the offensive Duchene has underperformed in Nashville, struggling to find consistency zone. Miller was visibly shaken up on the play and the team announced and not showing enough of the skill we've seen from him in years past. soon after that he'd been transported to the hospital for further tests. But this goal? This was surely what Predators fans expected when the Officials on the ice issued Orlov a major penalty before reviewing it and club landed him in free agency two seasons ago. In fact, the entire core revising the call to a double-minor instead. Based on the fact he left his of the Predators stepped up on Friday night: Ryan Ellis and Josi were feet and Miller's head was the first point of contact, it seems likely Orlov excellent, as usual, but to see the high-skill forwards like Filip Forsberg, will be hearing from the player safety department this weekend. Ryan Johansen and Duchene step up with a goal each brought the home team to life. Avalanche must get used to life without Kadri

Hurricanes battling more than just the Predators The Colorado Avalanche were without forward Nazem Kadri on Friday night, and they'd better get used to it -- Kadri was issued a massive, While the Predators' core stepped up, they also had a little help... eight-game suspension by the league for his dangerous hit to the head of And no, it wasn't the rowdy Smashville crowd. Blues defenceman Justin Faulk on Wednesday night. The ruling came down late Friday. Knowing he'd be without his depth centreman, head “We played out butts off. We played great. We played hard. We're coach Jared Bednar inserted veteran Carl Soderberg into the lineup, who playing a great team. And to me … we're also fighting the refs. That's got on the board when he helped set up Brandon Saad's third period plain and simple," Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour said after the goal. loss. "You can't tell me, two games in a row, we get seven or eight penalties and they get three when the game is this even? It's not right." Newfoundland's Newhook nets his first NHL goal

One of the biggest stories of this series has been how well the It was a great night for East Coast hockey fans watching the Colorado Hurricanes have executed their strong penalty kill. They successfully Avalanche on Friday — and no, it wasn’t because of Nathan MacKinnon killed off seven penalties Wednesday, and were again tasked with a for once. It was Newfoundland’s very own Alex Newhook who landed heavy workload Friday night -- including one in double overtime. himself on the scoresheet and in the highlight reels with his first career NHL goal to help fuel Colorado's 5-1 Game 3 victory to take the 3-0 At the 11:40 mark of the second OT, Hurricanes defenceman Maxime series lead over the St. Louis Blues. Lajoie was called for hooking — a call Brind’Amour said post-game was “a knick-knack penalty when there was stuff going on all over.” Newhook, drafted 16th overall in 2019, appeared in six regular season games this spring after signing with the club fresh off his college hockey The Hurricanes killed that penalty, but the Predators scored the game- season with Boston College. He tallied three assists in that short pre- winner about a minute after. playoff stint, and now has his first goal in the show.

“It just flipped the momentum, and they scored on the next shift after While Wednesday's win was all about MacKinnon's dominance, he was because we’re out of rotation. That’s not how it should go,” he said. held off the scoresheet Friday. Instead, Colorado's handful of goals came courtesy of a group of depth scorers in Ryan Graves, Newhook, Tyson Hurricanes find rare weak spot in Saros' game Jost, Saad, and J.T. Compher. Going into Friday's game against the Predators, Hurricanes centre Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.22.2021 Vincent Trocheck had 12 career post-season games to his name, but no post-season goals during that span. That changed with lucky game No. 13, which saw Trocheck fire a perfectly-placed short-side shot that tucked in just above Juuse Saros' right shoulder in the tiniest window of opportunity.

Trocheck's goal was the second such short-side snipe against Saros. Game 1 saw a similar angle exploited by Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal:

In an era of big bodies in net, Saros measures in at less than six feet tall. Naturally, that makes him a little more susceptible to those over-the- shoulder, short-side tries -- something Carolina has no doubt studied. When you're facing a goalie as talented as Saros, who's been excellent all season and has made Carolina work for every point, any little edge or inch you can find can be the difference between winning and losing. 1213781 Websites “A lot of people sent me that photo,” Byron said. “It was a special moment for sure.”

Enter Kotkaniemi? Sportsnet.ca / Paul Byron's Game 1 winner for Canadiens symbolic of his With Evans only able to play 13 shifts in the game before leaving it during determination the second period, and with him potentially missing Game 2 with an undisclosed injury, there’s a chance Jesperi Kotkaniemi will slide in with Byron and Lehkonen. Eric Engels It would be the most natural fit, with Kotkaniemi having played five of his May 21, 2021, 3:47 PM best games of the season between those wingers before closing out the season on a sour note with other ones.

“He brings skill, great vision, he’s great with the puck,” said Byron of the What do you think about when you see this image of Paul Byron 20-year-old centre. “Being with me and Lehky, we’re north-south players watching his desperate effort turn into the winning goal of this pivotal who play up and down the ice and forecheck hard, and I think (that) Game 1 between the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs? complements his game. He’s more about finding spots, a vision guy, A lot of things run through my mind, aside from the obvious — that the reading the play, so I think he can read off of us and play his game and 32-year-old was in the process of scoring what was unquestionably the play simple. We know how good he can be with the puck.” biggest goal of his career, and certainly the most beautiful one. I think Kotkaniemi has gotten better without it this season, too, even if it was about how it was fitting it would come shorthanded, with Byron using his clear over the final two weeks he wasn’t particularly effective in any area speed and scorer’s touch in the same way that initially made him so of the ice. valuable to the Canadiens when they claimed him off waivers from the Calgary Flames in 2015. I think about how he was talking earlier in the When Ducharme made the decision to sit Kotkaniemi from Game 1, after week about third- and fourth-line players who often make the difference dressing him for all the games since taking over from Claude Julien as in games like these, and how he grew up as an Anaheim Ducks fan who coach on Feb. 24, he explained that the inability to hold more than a marvelled at how the line of Samuel Pahlsson, Rob Niedermayer and handful of practices while the schedule offered little pause made it Travis Moen was instrumental in the 2007 Stanley Cup win and in setting particularly challenging to help Kotkaniemi back to his game. the template for him, Artturi Lehkonen and Jake Evans to follow as a shutdown trio. “Regarding Kotkaniemi, who had a tough end of season, I see him a bit like hammering a nail,” Ducharme said. “At a certain point, the nail starts But I mostly think about what happened with Byron over the last year and to get crooked, and if you keep smacking on it, it only becomes more change, about how his determination to beat Rasmus Sandin to that crooked. What we went through towards the end of the season didn’t loose puck and stick with the play even as he was dragged down to the allow us to straighten out the nail. With our schedule and all our injuries ice was symbolic of the fact that he hasn’t allowed circumstances to and everything else, we had to just keep smacking away at it. And what defeat him. we’re doing right now, with this week of preparation and everything else, is straightening out KK. This guy was virtually unrecognizable to start the 2019-20 season. And right as he appeared ready to emerge from his slump, he suffered a knee “And I’m not looking too far ahead, but say KK plays Game 2, it’ll be his injury that knocked him out for three months. 57th of 58 games this year. He just needs to keep progressing and advancing in this process. We like him, we like his potential and like what Byron returned in February of 2020 and finished strong before proving he does and what he’s going to become. We’re just taking one step back quite effective against the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers in to straighten him out so he’s the KK we want to have and the KK he the bubble. wants to be for when he does get in. He needs to continue to progress to But with the Canadiens adding depth on the wings and forcing their way be the player we want and he wants to be in the long term, too.” up against the salary cap with the various other acquisitions they made With the week of practices and Game 1 now in the review mirror, over the off-season, Byron’s role was put in jeopardy. He was waived first Ducharme is sensing Kotkaniemi will be able to rise to the occasion if on Valentine’s Day, waived again on Mar. 16 and finally on Apr. 9 — a called upon. cap casualty making $3.4 million for this season and each of the next two, a guy who would easily pass through. “Rest did him well, and I think that was beneficial for the team—mentally as much as physically,” the coach said. “But having quality practices and “The business side of hockey is what it is sometimes,” said Byron , “I having to time to train can make a difference for a young player, too. We knew it was never personal.” feel that the minute he gets into a game, he’s going to be solid and But that doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt. Especially for a player who’s as prepared to be dynamic. We’ll see the KK we want to have and the one proud to be a Canadien as anyone you’ll ever meet, a player who earned he wants to be, too.” the ‘A’ he wears on his jersey by playing with his heart on his sleeve at all It’s not guaranteed we’ll see the Finn on Saturday, with Evans still a times. possibility. Cole Caufield is another, with Byron potentially moving to Byron never showed it bothered him, though. centre if Evans can’t play.

“I know the coach and the GM still like me, still want me on the team,” he Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey said. “You don’t see a guy put on waivers and then later that day is world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what playing in the lineup, starting overtime against some great hockey they think about it. players. So, I always knew it was never personal, and I just tried to work Is playoff Staal here to stay? hard every day and be the best player I can, and that’s all I could really do.” Eric Staal couldn’t quite put his finger on why it would be the case he’d be able to elevate his game when the playoffs rolled around, but he said It’s what Byron has always done. a few weeks ago it’s just what players always do at this time of year. He pushed through more adversity late in the season after suffering a It wasn’t exactly a confidence-inspiring assertion, pulling at the intangible lower-body injury on Apr. 23, and he fought his way back to a point to assure the skeptics he’d offer something meaningful after struggling where he could bear the pain to play in the most pivotal games — the throughout the entire regular season to kick his game into gear. final two against the Edmonton Oilers, with a playoff spot still not secured for the Canadiens. Everyone had it in perspective that the situation with the Buffalo Sabres was bad for everyone, and that Staal’s three-goal, 10-point, minus-20 It wasn’t a surprise to see him come through with his biggest game of the output in 32 games prior to joining the Canadiens ahead of the trade season to help the Canadiens clinch in that first one. deadline could be taken with a grain of salt. Quarantining there and then It was even less of one to see Byron bust up the ice, win that loose puck running through a hectic schedule after the Sabres were ravaged by from Sandin and create a memory that will last him, his family and COVID-19 was taken into consideration in the evaluation of his play, and Canadiens fans a lifetime. I wasn’t the only one to suggest he could help bolster Montreal’s depth up the middle.

It was understandable that Staal struggled out of the gate with the Canadiens after another quarantine served — and certainly after the COVID break that followed Joel Armia’s positive test for the virus — but as the team was fighting tooth and nail to get into the playoffs, Staal wasn’t able to raise his game and contribute. Even if we learned from Ducharme that Staal had been playing with a minor injury for a few games, that didn’t account for what we saw from 21 in a Montreal uniform.

I figured Staal would at least be rested coming into Game 1, but wasn’t sure that would enable him to be that much more effective.

He ended up catching me completely off guard with the way he played as soon as the puck dropped on Thursday. He started the game at a higher speed than we saw him play at any point over the last two months. He was dynamic and physical, he set up a goal and easily could’ve finished the night with one of his own and a couple more assists.

Staal didn’t surprise himself, though. He said he knew all along he had another level and that it would come out when the situation called for it.

“I know it’s there,” the 36-year-old Triple Gold Club member said. “I know it’s there and I expected to see it. I came here to help this group and integrate myself within the structure of this team and to play in the playoffs. It was a grind to get there, like I said, like we talked about ad nauseam with the schedule we had. And I think now, having this chance to reset and refocus, you’ve got to enjoy it, you’ve got to embrace it, and this is why I’m excited to be a part of this group—for this challenge, this opportunity.

“Game 2 tomorrow, and I can’t wait. I feel like I can help this group and be a contributor and try and help us make a difference to win the series and move on.”

Canadiens wishing John Tavares well

In the immediate aftermath of Tavares being knocked out of the game in a freak collision with Corey Perry, the Canadiens released the following statement:

On Friday, upon hearing Tavares was dispatched from hospital and resting under the observation of team doctors, the Canadiens we spoke with were quite relieved.

“That’s great news to hear,” said Staal. “I hadn’t heard that news yet, so obviously wish him the best in his recovery. Like I said, I know a lot of people around the game and a lot of people who know John well, and I’ve heard nothing but positive and great things about him as a person and as a player. Being a guy with a wife and kids and knowing that he has the same, it wouldn’t have been easy for them or anybody, so I’m glad to hear he’s recovering back at home. We definitely wish him the best.”

As for watching the events unfold as they did — with Perry’s knee colliding with Tavares’s head, with the Leafs captain disoriented and trying but failing to get up while trainers were attempting to stabilize his head and neck, and with Nick Foligno engaging Perry in a fight after Tavares left on a stretcher — Staal was disturbed.

“It was scary for everybody,” he said. “Everybody that was in the building, everybody that was on the ice, you never want to see that. John’s a great person, and obviously that’s all you’re worried about at the time — especially with the empty building. I’ve seen a lot of things in this game, and that whole scenario was no fun to be a part of. And then to follow it up with that (fight), I didn’t love it, but maybe it felt like the thing to do to kind of get it over with and get it out of the way.”

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213782 Websites "I think just fighting through it, moving our feet. We're going to draw penalties more and more and just continue to get those looks," said Matthews, who led all shooters with eight pucks on Price, three on the PP. Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs running out of time, options to fix dreadful power play "Other than the power-play goal against, I thought the power play was pretty good last night. We got some really good chances, a couple posts, but I thought we moved it around pretty well and got some good looks.

Luke Fox "It's on us to try to capitalize on those opportunities, but I think we just want to keep shooting, keep creating those chances. In our minds, it's May 21, 2021, 3:56 PM good to go in eventually."

The Maple Leafs did not practise special teams during their abbreviated TORONTO – The Toronto Maple Leafs’ most baffling problem just got practice Friday, but the idea of deploying two balanced units should be worse. out the window with Tavares unavailable.

When the Leafs dragged their shaky power play into the post-season, And we saw how quickly coach Sheldon Keefe abandoned his Sandin they spoke of a clean slate, a fresh chance to forget all those missed experiment after Byron outraced the rookie. During the Leafs’ final power power-play opportunities and build anew. play, Morgan Rielly resumed quarterbacking duties.

Why couldn’t a dominant 5-on-5 team be at least averagely dangerous at "The special teams really broke up the game a lot. Not, obviously, what 5-on-4? you expected in a playoff game, but you’ve got to adjust," Keefe said. "I thought our penalty kill [5-for-5] did a really good job. I thought our power So, the Leafs devoted hours of practice and meeting time in the six-day- play early in the game was really good, looked really dangerous. But we long lead-up to their Montreal series practising, examining and needed one to go in for us here, obviously. It’s a big difference in the reconfiguring their power play. game."

In tight-checking playoff games, facing what appears to be a vintage Moral victories won’t cut it. version of Carey Price, they need it to be a difference-maker. And whether it’s how quickly and purposefully the Leafs don’t move the And in Game 1, it was. To their detriment. puck around the zone or how intensely they try to retrieve loose pucks on the man-advantage, there is a level of confidence and urgency that With the contest knotted at one goal apiece in the latter half of the third, doesn’t measure up to the elite 5-on-4 playoffs units we’re seeing in that next-goal-wins feeling was in the Scotiabank Arena air. Tampa or Colorado. Toronto, gaining the man advantage, was gifted a chance to end it. "Whether it’s 5-on-5 or on our power play, we gotta find a way to get it Joe Thornton fumbled an Auston Matthews entry pass at the blue line. over the line," Keefe said. "Those guys just gotta stay with the process Rasmus Sandin — suddenly promoted to PP1 and making his playoff and in fact find another level because, clearly, what any of us did last debut — couldn’t track down the speedy Paul Byron. And Jack Campbell, night wasn't good enough. We've got to be better." attempting a poke check, got surprised by Byron’s sprawling, game- Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.22.2021 winning flip.

Plenty of blame to share on the sequence, which has underscored a serious issue.

Toronto’s power play went 0-for-4 with a goal allowed in a game ultimately decided by special teams.

The Leafs are now tied with Washington for most shorthanded goals allowed (eight) in 2021.

Since March 11, the Maple Leafs’ power play has surrendered more goals (six) than it has scored (five). They entered the playoffs with the worst net PP percentage (15.5) of the Sweet 16, and it’s gotten worse.

"Decline the penalty" jokes fly around the Twittersphere whenever the Kanye West’s "Power" pumps through the speakers and the Leafs’ once- mighty 5-on-4 troops glide to the faceoff circle.

"I just think I would’ve addressed it earlier than this week, as a coach. It’s been going bad for a couple months now — two and a half months. I would’ve made my changes a lot sooner than now. This is the first time ever I’m contradicting what they’re doing," former and aspiring NHL coach told Lead Off this week.

"It’s been an ongoing problem that would’ve been great if you could’ve fixed it a month ago."

With captain John Tavares out indefinitely and the second wave of 5-on- 5 offence weakened in the process, cashing in on power plays takes on increased importance. But the climb back to respectable, let alone fearful, gets that much more challenging without Tavares, Toronto’s second-best power-play producer (six goals, six assists).

The focal point, Matthews, scored 10 power-play goals this season. William Nylander, the next most prolific option, had four. Net-front guys Wayne Simmonds and Zach Hyman scored three apiece. No one else scored more than once on the PP all season.

Mitch Marner, who distributes from the opposite flank as Matthews, did not score a power-play goal. Yet he remains in a shooter’s circle.

Everyone knows who the triggerman is. 1213783 Websites Rocket Richard Trophy winner Auston Matthews fired eight shots on net on Thursday, but couldn't beat Carey Price. It was the first time in 11 games against Montreal this season that he was held without a point.

TSN.CA / Foligno moves to centre as Leafs adjust without Tavares "We got to up our intensity level a little bit," Matthews said. "Last night, we had our chances, we had our looks and weren't able to get it done so that's on us ... We want to keep shooting and creating those chances and, in our minds, it's going to go in eventually." By Mark Masters Mitch Marner produced five shots while Hyman fired four in his return

from an MCL sprain. Per NaturalStatTrick, the Leafs outshot the TSN Toronto Reporter Mark Masters reports on the Maple Leafs, who Canadiens 13-3 in the 11 minutes that the top line was on the ice in five- practised at Ford Performance Centre on Friday ahead of Game 2 of on-five play. Toronto's first-round playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens "If they have a night they don't score, they're looking to come back Saturday night at Scotiabank Arena. hungry," said Spezza. "We got lots of confidence in those guys. They're With John Tavares sidelined indefinitely, Nick Foligno will move to the the least of our worries." middle and take over as the team's second-line centre. Hyman drew two penalties on Thursday while Matthews drew a roughing "We don't have an abundance of options," explained coach Sheldon call on Ben Chiarot and smiled broadly as the Montreal defenceman Keefe. "Nick has played a lot of centre. He played a lot of centre in attempted to goad him into a retaliation call. Columbus before he came here this season. Even when he plays left What's the key to dealing with Montreal's physical play? wing, Nick ends up spending a lot of time playing low in the defensive zone. He is usually high in the offensive zone. He is usually the first guy "Just fighting through it and moving our feet," Matthews said. "We're back. He is very comfortable playing down low in our own end. It is a going to draw penalties more and more. Other than the power-play goal natural fit." against, I thought the power play was pretty good last night. We had some really good chances, a couple posts, but I thought we moved it The 33-year-old actually volunteered for the job. around pretty well and got some good looks." "He was more than willing," Keefe pointed out. "Even last night on the Toronto's power play finished the game 0-for-4 and allowed the game- bench, he was telling me he is more than comfortable playing centre to winning goal in the third period. The Leafs are now 6-for-82 on the man fill in for John if I needed him to. We used him a little bit there yesterday. advantage since March 4 while also allowing six goals in that stretch. We will look to give him more time there tomorrow." "Our first two power plays of the game were probably as good as our Foligno has lined up on the wing in all eight games he's played with power play has looked in a really long time," Keefe said. "We hit the post Toronto since being acquired from Columbus at the trade deadline. on the first one, hit the crossbar on the second one, and had more than With the absence of John Tavares, who's been sidelines indefinitely, the enough really good looks." Leafs spent their Friday morning practice making some adjustments to Montreal ended up outhitting Toronto 55-27, but Keefe felt that number their lines. One of the adjustments has Nick Foligno on the second line was misleading. flanked by Alex Galchenyuk and William Nylander. "The physicality of the game didn't surprise us at all," the coach said. Alex Galchenyuk, a healthy scratch in Game 1, skated alongside Foligno "They started off really physical. I thought they definitely had an edge in and William Nylander at practice. the first 10 minutes of the game. Beyond that, I thought there wasn't a "Chucky's a great forechecker," said veteran forward Jason Spezza. whole lot to it. I don't know who counts the hits in the game, but they are "Nicky's a guy that's played centre this year probably more than he has in definitely not a Leafs fan. We do need to, as a team, be more engaged the past, because of some of the moves they made in Columbus, so he's right from the drop of the puck." comfortable there. Just a heavy line. Willy was phenomenal last night so 'It's going to go in eventually': Matthews unfazed by goalless Game 1 he's going to continue that. They're going to be a good, strong forechecking line and then Willy's got the touch." Although Auston Matthews had some good chances on net, he just couldn't capitalize on any of them. However, the Rocket Richard Trophy Galchenyuk revived his NHL career in Toronto this season while playing winner isn't too worried and believes that they just have to keep creating mostly alongside Tavares and Nylander. But with Zach Hyman returning goal-scoring opportunities like they have been and it will pay off from injury in Game 1, he was squeezed out of the top-six equation. eventually. Galchenyuk picked up a point in five of his final seven regular season Campbell did not take part in Friday's 15-minute practice. Keefe termed it games. a maintenance day. Pierre Engvall will also draw in on Saturday night after being a scratch in The 29-year-old goalie missed time this season with a nagging leg injury Game 1. He scored a goal in three of his last four regular season games. and he seemed to be favouring his left leg during a sequence early in the "Both guys bring degrees of speed and skill," Keefe noted. "The third period on Thursday when Morgan Rielly made a block to deny a dynamics of our group change when John is not in. I just feel we have to Josh Anderson shot toward an open net. make some changes to compensate for that and give us a little bit more "He's very, very slowly getting up so, for me, that is a question mark," of a push offensively." said TSN analyst Martin Biron, a former NHL goalie. "The only chance he Engvall skated on the third line with centre Alex Kerfoot and Ilya faced the rest of the game was the Paul Byron short-handed goal." Mikheyev on Friday. What happened on that Byron goal? "He brings a lot of energy, a lot of speed," said Kerfoot. "He's a hard guy "Not really sure," Campbell said on Thursday night. "It looked like he was to play against just with how long he is (6-foot-5) and how fast he is. I've waiting for me to go out to charge the puck and I held back and somehow played with him a lot this year and like playing with him. I think the three it kind of luckily went up and over my shoulder." of us can do a good job." Earlier this season, Campbell was really hard on himself after losses, but Sidelined with a knee sprain since April 4, shutdown centre Riley Nash that wasn't the case following his Stanley Cup playoff debut. made his Leafs debut in Game 1, but will be the odd man out on Saturday. "I felt great all night," he said curtly when asked if he felt out of position on Anderson's first-period tally. "I thought he was fine," Keefe said. "We had five penalties to kill so I was glad we had him on our bench. He did a good job for us, but with John Loss of Tavares causes huge ripple through Leafs lineup coming out of the lineup, it changes the dynamic of our forward group. I feel like we need some different elements going into tomorrow." It goes without saying that you can't replace John Tavares. There was no better evidence of that then the myriad of changes Sheldon Keefe has had to make to his lineup ahead of Game 2. Dave Poulin breaks down the changes made by Keefe, and touches on Joe Thornton's critical turnovers in Game 1. In addition, Martin Biron shared his thoughts on Jack Campbell receiving a maintenance day on Friday.

Toronto's oldest player and its youngest player were on the ice for both of Montreal's goals on Thursday. Joe Thornton, 41, turned the puck over on the plays leading to the goals while Rasmus Sandin, 21, was the closest defenceman to the scorer each time.

"A lot of our players needed to be better last night," Keefe said. "There are big moments that stand out, of course, and that is what playoff hockey is: moments and mistakes here or there that make the difference. Those will stand out to you. Watching the game back here today, I found both guys — whether it is power play or at five-on-five — did some positive things for us. That was encouraging."

Assistant coach Dave Hakstol, who oversees the defence, had a lengthy chat with Sandin following Friday's practice.

Sandin and partner Zach Bogosian were then among the last two players on the ice. The pair started a game together on April 20, but Bogosian hurt his shoulder and didn’t return until Thursday. So, Game 1 against the Canadiens was the full first game together for them as a defence pair.

Thornton finished with one shot and no hits while linemate Spezza ended up in the penalty box twice.

"I've taken three penalties all year and then to take two in Game 1, that’s got to, obviously, not be there," Spezza said. "But five-on-five I think we actually did some good things. We have to be a heavy, physical line and control play. Most of our shifts have to end in their end and that's what we’re trying to do."

Tavares issued a statement on social media expressing gratitude for all the well wishes in the wake of his scary injury on Thursday.

"The support I've felt since last night cannot be put into words. I'm thankful to share that I'm back home and recovering. Thank you to my family, friends, teammates, the Maple Leafs organization, Leafs Nation and the hockey community for being by my side."

Tavares' teammates said it was easier to get back to work on Friday having heard from their captain. The 30-year-old had texted the group chat after the game to let them know he was feeling better. He also reached out to some guys individually.

"I don't think we've moved past it," said Rielly, who spoke to Tavares on the phone. "John's a huge part of our group and we're going to be thinking about him every day until he comes back. Here, today, the attitude was we have to get ready for Game 2 ... Nobody wants us to prepare and work more than him so, yeah, we're playing for him."

Added Spezza, "We want to win hockey games so we can get him back in the lineup."

Rielly, Leafs rally around Tavares: 'We're playing for him’

After a scary incident Thursday night that would put Leafs captain John Tavares in the hospital, Toronto looks to rally together, step their game up, and come out with a win "for him" in their next matchup against Montreal on Saturday.

Lines at Friday's practice:

Hyman - Matthews - Marner

Galchenyuk - Foligno - Nylander

Engvall - Kerfoot - Mikheyev

Thornton - Spezza - Simmonds

Brooks, Nash

Rielly - Brodie

Muzzin - Holl

Sandin - Bogosian

Dermott, Hutton, Marincin

Andersen

Rittich

TSN.CA LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213784 Websites As for Foligno transitioning to centre, Keefe acknowledged the Leafs don’t have many options at that position, but that Foligno was eager to make the move even during Thursday’s game.

TSN.CA / Injured Tavares encourages teammates to bounce back in “He was telling me on the bench he was comfortable going to centre,” Game 2 Keefe said. “He’s got a lot of previous experience there. And even when he plays last wing, he's usually high in the offensive zone and usually the first guy back. He's very comfortable playing down low in our own end, so it's a pretty natural fit there.” By Kristen Shilton In addition to lineup adjustments, the Leafs know what else needs to be

different in Game 2. There’s the abysmal power play, that was 0-for-4 on TORONTO — John Tavares will be out of the Maple Leafs’ lineup Thursday (Toronto’s penalty kill was excellent though, going 5-for-5 indefinitely, but he’s fully expecting his teammates to forge ahead without against the Habs). And there's how the Leafs were outhit by Montreal 55- him. 27, although Keefe joked that the wide disparity proved “[whoever] counts the hits in a game [is] definitely not a Leaf fan.” That was the message Tavares began delivering Thursday night from the confines of a hospital room. The Leafs’ captain suffered a concussion What’s done is done now, though. And the Leafs are back in familiar midway through the first period of Game 1 in Toronto’s first-round playoff territory missing a key piece of their roster in a first-round series. series against Montreal. Canadiens’ defenceman Ben Chiarot hit Tavares Toronto lost Jake Muzzin in another scary scene during last August's to the ice, and then winger Corey Perry’s knee accidentally collided with qualifying-round series against Columbus. Muzzin was cross-checked in Tavares’ head. Game 2 by Pierre-Luc Dubois and was out the rest of the way as the Tavares had to be stretchered off the ice and spent the night in hospital. Leafs fell in five games to the Blue Jackets. He was discharged Friday morning, and coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed Prior to that, Toronto lost former centre Nazem Kadri in two recent the 30-year-old centre’s concussion diagnosis. postseason rounds against Boston. Kadri was suspended for three The Leafs are a long way from forgetting the grisly scene that unfolded games in 2018 and then for five games in 2019. The Leafs went on to for Tavares. But after losing 2-1 in Game 1, they have been bolstered by lose both first-round series in seven games. Tavares’ support and encouragement for them to press on in Saturday’s That’s history Toronto is hoping won’t repeat itself. Game 2. “I think we've been able to respond [to adversity] this season,” said “There's a pit in your stomach; it’s sickening to see somebody lie on the Morgan Rielly. “We knew that during this playoff journey, it wasn't always ice like that,” said Jason Spezza on Tavares' injury after Friday’s brief going to be easy and we weren't going to win every game. Losses are practice wrapped up. “Especially John; he's so in control and to see him bound to happen, so now it's important that we respond, we come back be in a state like that, it really makes you sick to your stomach. He texted tomorrow confident with belief in our group. So the challenge is on us our group [after the game] to say he was okay, and wants us to move on now to bring it tomorrow now and really show up.” and get ready for the next game. We have to win hockey games, and that's what John wants us to do.” TSN.CA LOADED: 05.22.2021 Spezza is close friends with Tavares, and stayed near him while the medical staff prepared Tavares for transport off the ice on Thursday.

“He was picking up my voice,” Spezza said. “It was a scary moment and he wasn't really responding to too much that was going on, so I was just trying to keep him calm. I actually talked to him when I got home and he said that he picked up my voice and recognized it, so I think that's why I just tried to keep talking him through it, just to calm him down.”

Now that Tavares is safely home and resting, the Leafs are determined to honour his wish that they bounce back in the series. And if anyone is still struggling with the emotional toll of Thursday’s events, Tavares has been sure to address it.

“He's taken it upon himself to reach out to guys to make sure that [they are] doing good too,” Spezza said. “It just speaks to his character, that he's the guy who been in the hospital and he's worried about us, making sure we're ready to go [for Saturday].”

“That [communication] put everybody at ease a little bit,” added Keefe. “There was great concern last night, and even today, just a lot of talking to our medical people and trainers about him. And it was a big thing that was on our players’ minds. They were asking for a lot of updates throughout the remainder of the game. You’re very relieved now.”

The Leafs’ focus can now shift back to the business at hand – winning Game 2. Keefe shuffled his lines in Tavares’ absence at Friday’s practice, moving Nick Foligno to centre on a second unit with William Nylander and Alex Galchenyuk. Riley Nash was taken out and replaced by Pierre Engvall on the third line with Ilya Mikheyev and Alex Kerfoot.

Galchenyuk and Engvall were both healthy scratches in Game 1, despite solid production down the stretch for Toronto. Engvall scored four goals in his past five regular-season appearances, and Galchenyuk had five points (two goals, three assists) in his past seven games.

“Both guys bring degrees of speed and skill,” said Keefe. “The dynamics of our group change when John's not in the lineup. So I just felt we had to make some changes to compensate for that and give us a little bit more of a push offensively and have greater depth throughout in the skill and speed department.” 1213785 Websites

USA TODAY / Colorado Avalanche's Nazem Kadri suspended eight games for hit to head of St. Louis Blues' Justin Faulk

Mike Brehm | USA TODAY

The NHL made the sixth career suspension of Colorado Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri the toughest, handing him eight games Friday for an illegal check to the head of St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk.

If Colorado is eliminated before the full suspension is served, it will carry into the next regular season.

The incident happened Wednesday in the third period of Game 2 of the West Division series, and Faulk left the game and didn't return. Blues players called for Kadri's suspension, and Faulk sat out Friday's Game 3.

The league said Kadri made some contact with Faulk's shoulder and chest, but Faulk's head took the brunt of the contact.

"Kadri elevates into this hit, delivering his shoulder pad up and into the head of Faulk," the league said in its suspension video.

This marks the third time in four seasons that Kadri has been suspended for an infraction during the first round of the playoffs.

While playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs, he got three playoff games in 2018 for a hit from behind on the Boston Bruins' Tommy Wingels. The following year, he was suspended for the remainder of the first round (five games) for a Game 2 cross-check on the Bruins' Jake DeBrusk.

His earlier three suspensions totaled 11 games.

The Maple Leafs traded the two-time 30-goal scorer to the Avalanche during the 2019 offseason.

Kadri has been a key player for the Avalanche as a second-line center and physical player. But he has struggled this season, with one goal since March 23.

USA TODAY LOADED: 05.22.2021 1213786 Websites

USA TODAY / Maple Leafs captain John Tavares released from hospital, out of playoffs indefinitely after scary stretcher incident

Mike Brehm

Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares is out of the hospital and out of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs indefinitely after being taken off the ice on a stretcher Thursday night.

Tavares fell awkwardly after a collision with Montreal defenseman Ben Chiarot, and Canadiens forward Corey Perry tried to avoid him but caught him in the head with his knee.

Tavares tried getting up, but trainers had him lie down and called for a stretcher. He gave a thumbs up on the way off the ice.

Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said Friday that Tavares suffered a concussion on the play.

"He was kept overnight for observation and is now resting at home under the care and supervision of team physicians," the Maple Leafs said in a statement. "Tavares will be out indefinitely."

Tavares put out his own statement Friday, thanking well-wishers and medical professionals.

"I look forward to when I can wear the Maple Leaf on my chest again," he tweeted. "Until then, I'll be cheering on the boys along with Leafs Nation as we compete in the Stanley Cup Playoffs."

The Canadiens won 2-1 in Game 1, and the Maple Leafs will try to even the series at home on Saturday.

"Everybody's thinking about John right now," teammate Alexander Kerfoot told reporters Friday. "Everyone's been in communication with him and from all accounts, he's doing well. We're happy with that. We've got to focus on winning hockey games here and obviously, it's a big boost knowing that he's doing well."

Forward Auston Matthews said Tavares, the team's No. 3 scorer with 50 points, had texted players from the hospital Thursday night.

"All of us are going to have to step up in replacing him," Matthews said. "It's hard to replace a guy like him. He's our captain and our leader, and he's a guy who comes to the rink everyday and competes and works for everybody."

USA TODAY LOADED: 05.22.2021